OTU Setting Name

[Se Chris]

So, part of the plan for Traveller involves separating rules and setting (to the extent that a true separation is possible, anyway). We'll be putting out the rules under the name 'Traveller' and settings separately of this - see our RuneQuest line for the basic model here.

My first problem is this: I need a name for the OTU setting. Something like 'Glorantha' for Glorantha, or 'Eternal Champion' for our Moorcock stuff. I need something more evocative than 'OTU'. Currently I'm gravitating towards 'Third Imperium' (I'm aware that that's not strictly accurate) but I'm open to suggestions.

What do you lot think?

 

[Poi]

You're asking us?!

I don't know enough about what you're doing to give it a name.

Perhaps if you told us what you were doing with the setting we might be able to help.

 

[JavaApp]

I have seen a couple of different terms used to describe the OTU:

Charted Space, which refers to the big Sector Map, and in a more general sense all the territory inhabited by the Ancients and their remnants, the Six Races.

The Third Imperium, of course, but I have also seen it referred to as The Imperium.

As alternate, you may wish to all the different setting by their Milieu names, in order to differentiate between the settings separated by time.

The Interstellar Wars

The Rule of Man

The Long Night

Milieu 0

Milieu 1100 (which is the original setting time period)

Milieu 1200 or The New Era

The New Era: 1248

As a possibility, you might want to consider referring the whole setting as the Imperium, appended with a more specific time/setting. For example:

Imperium: Milieu 1100

Imperium: The New Era

Etc.

This would have the benefit of branding of the entire setting, while being able to expand the setting for the different time periods with an easily identifiable tag. This, of course, assumes that you will be covering the different ‘Eras’ with books. I hope that you will.

Since there has recently been so much discussion on other message boards about changing from the classic black covers to more ‘modern’ illustrated covers, you could keep the black covers for the Imperium setting books, with each Milieu given a different color code (as Avenger and Quiklink have done) while using illustrative covers for other sorts of settings.

So, for example, you could have ‘Starship Troopers’ (or whatever) at the top of the cover, and then move the lined Traveller logo down to the bottom, which would graphically show that the setting (most important) was using Traveller rules (somewhat less important) to support it. This gives plenty of space for the picture of a Bug smashing a trooper, or whatever else is appropriate.

 

[Tathlum]

The OTU is normally called the "golden age", to differentiate from other eras of the 3rd imperium, but that might be too vague. Wars are also used as a reference ie firth frontier war, solomani rim war etc...

The Ziru Sirka sounds cool, but that it realy the first empire.

Third Imperium does fine, but might too vague (third Imperium of what)? To non traveller fans.

How about the "Irridium Throne", so as to tie it specifically to travellers third imperium and sounding a little less bland.

 

[Lazy Wombat]

For the Classic Traveller setting: Third Imperium or alternatively Charted Space.

Both terms have been in use a long time and it will get called that anyway.

 

[Malakor]

Personally, I like the sound of Charted Space

 

[dmccoy1693]

Perhaps if you told us what you were doing with the setting we might be able to help.

Yea, Traveller tradition (as far as I understand it, I'm still a TNoob) is to name the setting based on the time period. If you're essentially sticking with the CT setting, The Third Imperium: Adventures in Charted Space isn't a bad idea. Anything else and we'll need a better idea as to what time period you're talking about and some of the defining characteristics.

 

[Allensh]

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

Allen

 

[Greg Smith]

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

Allen

'Imperium' has connotations of Warhammer 40k though.

 

[E.D.Quibell]

Milieu 1100, is known as the Golden Age.

But as to a name for the setting? You would have to explain what you want to put in it.

I suspect it will be a setting and a Milieu, say the Spinward Marches Milieu 1100 (or Golden Age), and if that is the case then call the book that.

The problem is that Traveller is both the rules and the setting. Your rule set will be know as Mongoose Traveller, the setting is the Official Traveller Universe.

What might be an idea is a free PDF as a guide to the OTU, called Traveller: Chartered Space the Official Traveller Universe (or some such) in which you can set out what the OTU is, what it covers, and what the Milieu settings are, and the basic info of the whole thing (Six Races, Imperiums, Timeline etc). Each of the Settings/Milieu books can then reference that PDF.

The Traveller Rules can then be separated from the setting. You bypass calling the OTU anything but the OTU, all new players get a free and hopefully easy to understand feed into the OTU, and you can then base all your other Traveller books out from there.

Works for me, but of course YMMV.

I'll be looking forward to what you produce, the weekly updates are a great idea by the way, as it keeps people interested and give a flavor of what's going on.

Best Regards

Ewan

 

[tjoneslo]

There are several era's (and wars) in even within the "Third Imperium" era. When (and where) exactly are you planning on putting your campaign setting? The OTU is a big place, in both time and space.

One idea was to name the book after the area where it was set: The gateway domain (Gateway to adventure). This also applied to the Spinward Marches Campaign, Behind the Claw, The Rim of Fire (The GT Solomani Rim book).

The other idea used was where in time: Interstellar wars, Milieu 0, the 1248 sourcebook(s).

Suggestions include:

• 
  The Frontier Wars era (Following on the Fourth or Fifth Frontier War).
  The Spinward domain
  Marches and Reaches (for the Spinward Marches and Trojan Reaches sectors)
  Four Empires (for the Zhodani, Vargr, Aslan and Imperium)
  Six Empires (adding in the Darrians and the Sword Worlders)

 

[Bygoneyrs]

If a nmae it is you want then what about this:

The Grand Imperium of Humaniti

or

The Great 3rd Imperium of Humaniti

or some such combination of the above!!!

Penn

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

I like the idea of "The Iridium Throne".

VERY Traveller, very Third Imperium.

You could have:

Iridium Throne: Milieu 0 The Formation of the Empire

Iridium Throne: The Golden Age The Spinward Marches
or
Iridium Throne: The Golden Age The Solomani Rim

Iridium Throne: The New Era

I think it's catchy...

 

[Bygoneyrs]

Hmm I like Iridium Throne, but maybe Iridium Throne of Humaniti might be better!

Penn

 

[JohnLokiBeard]

As it's the original setting for the game, I initially thought "Core Systems", but that's a bit too easily mistaken for an area in the centre of a galaxy [and confusing if you've got products called something like "Core Systems: The Galactic Rim"] . How about "Core Paradigm"?

 

[solomoncane]

The Golden Age of the Spinward Main?

 

[far-trader]

Grand Empire of Stars

Though I can't recall the source material I found it (without attribution) on wiki*...

"...the ruling Vilani council, the Igsiirdi, declared the Grand Empire of Stars, or in the Vilani tongue the Ziru Sirka."

Seems the natural choice to me. It captures the setting in toto, not restricted to a single age or domain (though perhaps technically 1st Imperium I'm sure there are those, in the coreworlds at least, who still think of even the 3rd Imperium as the GES. And I don't think it's been used as an official Traveller title yet.

* http://traveller.wikia.com/wiki/Vilani#Grand_Empire_of_Stars

 

[EDG]

My vote is for "Charted Space". Hell, I've been calling it that in my own games for years.

 

[Bygoneyrs]

LOL the Great Charted Void of Humaniti...

Penn

 

[Lazy Wombat]

Please don't use the term “Milieu" as it is irrevocably linked to Marc Miller's Traveller, better known as T4, which is not a well regarded version of the game.

While it's all well and good to want to be unique, why not take advantage of those terms which are already in common use? The following terms already qualify:

Interstellar Wars: Second Imperium/Terran Commonwealth
The Rebellion: Post assassination of the Emperor
Hard Times: Post Rebellion/Pre Virus
The New Era: Post Virus Traveller

Just put "Third Imperium" in front of any of them and not only is it recognizeable to those familiar with the game but any newbies, God willing, can go out and trawl the Net for preexisting information using the same terms.

The only monkey in the wrench as far as I can see is what to call the original setting, circa 1100, since it was pretty much the default for so long. Of course it could just be called "1100".