New Players

[Gravmonkey]

I have some players who have never done Trav before. Any suggestions on articles that would help them get up to speed on the 3I setting? The campaign is going to take place in the Spinward Marches sector. I already have an adventure planned so I guess I'm looking for an encapsulated version of traveller for them to absorb.

 

[IanBruntlett]

I have some players who have never done Trav before. Any suggestions on articles that would help them get up to speed on the 3I setting? The campaign is going to take place in the Spinward Marches sector. I already have an adventure planned so I guess I'm looking for an encapsulated version of traveller for them to absorb.

You might want to keep things "local" so that the 3rd Imperium is a backdrop. So the first adventure that you run is important and should be 1) local enough for your players to get by and 2) uses the subset of the rules that you're comfortable with. The first traveller adventure I ran was a scenario on a freighter where a creature being installed escaped. I made it up as I went along. After that I ran other Mongoose scenarios, some from Signs & Portents, some from their books - e.g. Prison Planet (a good book to have in the early days of running games) followed by "Beltstrike" (but I had to place that on an out of the way planet).

 

[Matian]

I second the "keep it local" sentiment. What sort of style are you going for? If you're running a heavy military game your players need to know different things than if you're running one centered around trade or psionics.

My Third Imperium 101 list consists of:
- Psionics are bad and banned. They can READ YOUR MIND. Nothing is private. The Zhodani will reprogram you and wipe your memory if they catch you. This is why we must watch them. (Yes, there's a fair amount of propaganda in there for a reason.)
- Memorizing all the worlds you'll be traveling to is generally a waste of time, unless you're into that kind of thing. The ship's computer has information on local flavour and hot spots, which is all you really need to know.
- The Imperial Navy means security. They also mean business. Keep all your papers and documentation in order, preferably in triplicate.
- Some planets are less stable than others. Be nice to strangers, you never know who has PTSD and is in the middle of a really bad day. (I tend to play around the Darrian/Sword Worlds border. This point may not apply to your game.)
- Aliens exist. Most of the ones in the Marches are cool, but don't ever pick a fight with an Aslan or Vargr.
- You can get more cargo. You can't get another life.
- Always assume the other ship is faster and better armed. Always.

That's the general gist of it, and I generally pass it along through NPCs. Really, the players don't need to know *that* much - how many people can name the current finance minister? Political apathy exists in the 3I just as it does in the real world.

 

[Dave Chase]

Have them watch some SciFi movies (or TV shows) that you like and in your mind would be something close to what you game would (or might) be like.


Ice Pirates
Red Planet
Mars
Farscape
B5

etc

Dave Chase

 

[Gravmonkey]

I second the "keep it local" sentiment. What sort of style are you going for? If you're running a heavy military game your players need to know different things than if you're running one centered around trade or psionics.

I see this as being more of a "classic traveller" game where the players are free traders who do a little bit of everything. Traders, smugglers, etc. trying to keep it open somewhat and let the PC's choose their own destiny but trying to steer clear of Military stuff. I think they'll probably get into enough trouble without putting on the uniform.

 

[Fovean]

Book 0 : Intro to Traveller is a $4.95 download on DriveThruRPG. Core rules, overview, etc

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?cPath=161_4511&products_id=58279

Not necessarily an overview of the 3I, but might be a good handout for general Mongoose flavor.

Then this might be a good start for free resources:

http://traveller.wikia.com/wiki/Spinward_Marches_Sector

tho you may want to print the relevant articles and hand them out - don't want the players knowing too much...

Hope that helps, and good travelling!

 

[dragonladytoo]

Matian, these are very good and concise. Great for getting any traveller game off the ground.

I second the "keep it local" sentiment. What sort of style are you going for? If you're running a heavy military game your players need to know different things than if you're running one centered around trade or psionics.

My Third Imperium 101 list consists of:
- Psionics are bad and banned. They can READ YOUR MIND. Nothing is private. The Zhodani will reprogram you and wipe your memory if they catch you. This is why we must watch them. (Yes, there's a fair amount of propaganda in there for a reason.)
- Memorizing all the worlds you'll be traveling to is generally a waste of time, unless you're into that kind of thing. The ship's computer has information on local flavour and hot spots, which is all you really need to know.
- The Imperial Navy means security. They also mean business. Keep all your papers and documentation in order, preferably in triplicate.
- Some planets are less stable than others. Be nice to strangers, you never know who has PTSD and is in the middle of a really bad day. (I tend to play around the Darrian/Sword Worlds border. This point may not apply to your game.)
- Aliens exist. Most of the ones in the Marches are cool, but don't ever pick a fight with an Aslan or Vargr.
- You can get more cargo. You can't get another life.
- Always assume the other ship is faster and better armed. Always.

That's the general gist of it, and I generally pass it along through NPCs. Really, the players don't need to know *that* much - how many people can name the current finance minister? Political apathy exists in the 3I just as it does in the real world.

 

[dragonladytoo]

Hey a great current resource is the recently re-released FREE CT-ST-Starter Traveller http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=80190 Normally $20

Get it now while its still free.