OTU Setting Name

[Thuban]

From the perspective of an old Traveller grognard, 'Charted Space' is the best, most inclusive and recognisable term.

I agree.

Unfortunately, I think it would be too bland to attract new players . . .

I don't think that's necessarily true.

. . . not to mention being a little too similar to Larry Niven's 'Known Space'.

I would call that an advantage, not a disadvantage.

Let's face it, the Charted Space/third Imperium setting has an undeniably retro feel compared to more contemporary, bleeding-edge sci-fi, but that's actually a selling point, imho. While recognizing the inherent limitations of the medium, every intreweb poll I've seen indicates that CT and the "Golden Age" are the most widely played editions/milieus of Traveller - surely that must say something for the brand.

Embrace the inner Piper/Anderson/Herbert/Niven-ness of Charted Space, I say!

I do like 'Iridium Throne' - it's iconic, and also immediately conveys the "Age of Sail in Space" feel of Classic Traveller - this is science fiction that has Emperors and nobles.

That does sound pretty cool: "Iridium Throne: Adventures in Charted Space" mentioned upthread seems like a winner to me.

 

[Deniable]

I like "Charted Space" too, but isn't that the name of a Larry Niven series?

Is this setting book just the 3I, or is it for the whole OTU? If this is a big overall setting book, then the 3I is only a minor part of the history. The only thing I can see is rolling back to the ancients and calling it "Grandfathers Children" or "Ancient Leftovers." Of course, that gives away some of the magic.

 

[far-trader]

I like "Charted Space" too, but isn't that the name of a Larry Niven series?

Nope, Nivan's is 'Known Space' but that's the one reason I dislike 'Charted Space' as a title. Even a few old farts confuse the two.

Is this setting book just the 3I, or is it for the whole OTU?

I took it to mean the whole of the OTU. Now in this old timer's book that means The Imperium* (in whatever age) but what to call it that evokes the right sentiment...

* which covers quite a lot... Nobility ruling the stars and planets of The Imperium (not so much said about the other races), Starships, Travellers, Traders and Scouts (mostly), Travelling, Trading, Pirates (arrr!), Patrons (arrr! er, no ), Passengers (arrr? ), Lowberths (brrr!), Strange new worlds (ummm, er, well it's true if you just roll random ), and a couple other keys I'm forgetting...

 

[AKAramis]

Only trouble with 'Imperium' is that it's been done before...

http://www.wargamer.com/reviews/imperium_main.asp

the Games "Imperium" and "Imperium 3rd Millenium" are, in fact, the early history of the Official Traveller Universe.

Why not stick with the name that's in use:

OTU

 

[Deniable]

I like "Charted Space" too, but isn't that the name of a Larry Niven series?

Nope, Nivan's is 'Known Space' but that's the one reason I dislike 'Charted Space' as a title. Even a few old farts confuse the two.

That's it, Known Space. Feeding "charted space" to Google gives a first page full of Traveller links, so it may not be that bad a choice.

Is this setting book just the 3I, or is it for the whole OTU?

I took it to mean the whole of the OTU. Now in this old timer's book that means The Imperium* (in whatever age) but what to call it that evokes the right sentiment...

That was my thought, but here and on COTI, everybody was focusing tightly on the 3I as if that was the only subject in the book. I was wondering about the first and second imperium, the 2000 worlds, the sollies, the zhos and so on.

The setting needs a title that grabs the old timers immediately and gives the newcomers some idea of the 'spirit' of the setting.

 

[TrippyHippy]

If you call it "Iridium Throne: Adventures in Charted Space", I'd bet that half the potential Traveller customers won't realise that it is the original Traveller setting.

Yet, if you ask most gamers what the Traveller setting is, regardless of whether they've played it or not, they will tell you it's the Imperium.

 

[Allensh]

I think The Imperium setting might just work...or even just "Imperium" (sort of like "Foundation").

Allen

'Imperium' has connotations of Warhammer 40k though.

Traveller was there first.."Imperium" was the name of a GDW wargame that came out long before Warhammer did.

Allen

 

[far-trader]

Re Traveller having dibs on 'Imperium'...

It really doesn't matter that they were first as a game with the title. Not if recognition as something new is the point. The point is to be new and not confusing to potential customers. And in a game store if you say "Where's the Imperium stuff?" you're probably going to be directed to the Warhammer 40K shelves. Not the new Traveller setting. Even when Imperium Games was on the shelves I saw that happen. And it'll only be all the more confusing if the Warhammer 40K RPG comes out.

Also, 'Imperium' seems a bit uninspired to me. It doesn't say anything about SciFi or Space or RPG. I see it and I first wonder if it's some treatise on ancient Rome. Seriously. It does nothing for me and never has, going all the way back to the wargame.

It also doesn't matter to the old crowd what you call it, using a familiar name isn't going to matter. They'll know about it and buy it no matter what it's called in most cases. So why not try something fresh? Something creative?

The point seems to be to have a name that grabs new players. Something distinctive and evocative of the setting and the game is needed. Not something recycled for the Nth time that was a bit bland the first time.

 

[TrippyHippy]

I think that the title needs to be instantly recognisable to Traveller fans. That is, it will be Traveller's Imperium setting. I'd also be happy with Traveller's Third Imperium setting, too.

As I've said before, if you decide to go 'creative' on the title, then you are at risk of confusing fans as to what they are buying.

 

[andrew boulton]

I'd be happy with any of these:

Imperium
3rd Imperium
Iridium Throne
11,000 Worlds

...possibly prefixed by "Traveller:"

 

[Thuban]

If you call it "Iridium Throne: Adventures in Charted Space", I'd bet that half the potential Traveller customers won't realise that it is the original Traveller setting.

Unless of course it also says "Traveller" somewhere on the cover . . . ?

 

[TrippyHippy]

Actually no, I think that the use of 'Iridium Throne' or '11,000 Worlds' actively detracts from the identity of Traveller's Imperium.

You'd know what they were if you were a veteran of the Traveller game, quite probably, but if you were only casually aware of the game, you quite probably wouldn't know that it was the original Traveller setting.

"Iridium Throne: Adventures in Charted Space", quite possibly, looks like an alternative setting.

 

[Tathlum]

Yet, if you ask most gamers what the Traveller setting is, regardless of whether they've played it or not, they will tell you it's the Imperium.

But if you substitute "40K" for the word "Traveller" in the above sentance, you get the same answer.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

How about:

Charted Space: Travelling the Third Imperium

Charted Space: Travelling the Solomani Rim

Charted Space: The Iridium Throne (Nobles of the Third Imperium).

Charted Space: Travelling During the Interstellar Wars

Charted Space: Travelling in the New Era (TNE 1201)

Charted Space: Travelling in the Fourth Imperium (for TNE 1248)

It looks OK to me.

 

[dmccoy1693]

Charted Space: Travelling the Third Imperium

Favorite.

Charted Space: Travelling the Solomani Rim

2nd Favorite.

 

[far-trader]

So am I the only one who wants a title with a little zing? Some sizzle? A little spice?

Not to make waves and I respect all the suggestions but most of them are in my opinion a bit bland and boring.

For example 'Charted Space' whatever does little for me. My first thought is 'Atlas of the Imperium' and that was a real winner both in title and production value (not - although it DID have pretty cool cover art, one book you don't want to judge by the cover). My second thought is a text book, not an RPG setting.

Maybe my own suggestion strikes you all the same and it's only blindness to my own words that is to blame for not seeing it the same way. Whatever...

It still seems some of you are off the mark as well in that this is supposed to be ideas for the title of the standard OTU setting. Not a specific era or area or group of interest. Though I suspect the idea behind the 'Charted Space...' set was to have a unifying theme for such. There IS a basic underlying OTU set of standards that is not tied to a single era or area (except of course that it is The Imperium) or group of interest. Like most such beasts though it's easier to describe it by what it is not rather than by what it is, which is probably why this is so hard.

 

[pasuuli]

It's kinda ironic. Most Traveller fans can't agree on how to defined the game itself, and they now they can't even figure out what to call the damn thing...

You know what, Mongoose - just pick a name for yourself that you think is appropriate. If there's anything about Traveller's history that you ought to be aware of, it's that the fans are the last people you should be asking for opinions on things because they vary so widely that you basically end up just as confused as you were to start with .

Agreed.

And, since the Third Imperium and the Spinward Marches are the settings for most Traveller adventures, I suppose one of those might make good setting names.

 

[AKAramis]

How About OTU: The Imperium
Then as a subtitle: The Official Traveller Universe Circa IY 1105

 

[Allensh]

How about "Traveller: The Third Imperium", as was suggested above?

If the book is actually centered on the Spinward Marches as has been suggested, "Traveller: Adventures Behind The Claw" might work

Allen

 

[Tathlum]

So am I the only one who wants a title with a little zing? Some sizzle? A little spice?

Nope. There's me too.