Reploid Travellers

[nbkbruce]

Hello, folks. I have an opportunity to trade BESM 3rd for either Cthulhutech or Mongoose Traveller, and I'm thinking I'll take it. Now, I thought about asking for opinions on which one to go for, but I think I know most of the answers I'd receive here.

Anyway, so I have a couple of questions, never having seen or played Traveller before. I like some of the things I've read, though I'd like to find out more, but things like the world creation system and the way characters are designed sound great.

I don't have any good games for cruising the vastness of space, exploring new worlds (and having them seem both legit and unique!), that kind of sci-fi stuff. I have Mekton, but there are a few problems (and you have to make all the setting stuff yourself).

In your experience, what is the world creation like?

The system: can someone tell me a little more about it? Reviews don't go into quite enough detail, but it seems pretty open-ended. It can do aliens, can it do robots and such?

That's another major one: for fans of the series, could you write up Mega Man X and Zero in this game?

For those who don't know: X and Zero are Reploids, robots created with the ability to think, feel emotions, dream, make their own decisions and basically grow like mortals do. They are, for all intents and purposes, alive. Some Reploids are so heavily modified with combat gear that they no longer look natural, but most Reploids without their power armor look like humans or bipedal animals. Of course, they're much stronger and faster than normal animals.

Anyway, can you do stuff like that with this game? It already seems like it'd be perfect for an Aliens game or similar settings, without even having to alter anything (just add in the xenomorphs and go). Could the system handle Mega Man X or Metroid, though? Setting stuff can be changed or replaced entirely for such a venture, so all I need is the mechanical aspect to work.

 

[klingsor]

I know nothing of what you speak but I think you want something more space opera in focus than Traveller which tends to slightly more realistic. Of course this is just a matter of focus, I am having a hard time separating Traveller the generic game system from its traditional setting but it seems you want something a little more three-colour in style.

If I was going to run Star Wars I would consider the FATE system as implemented in the Starblazer RPG and this might be your best bet as well. Of course my experience of this end of SF is very limited so I recommend you take almost anyone else's advice over mine.

 

[nbkbruce]

I know Traveller can be more realistic, but can you dial the realism down, too? Does it have robots? Does it have rules for inhuman features of alien life-forms? These are the things I need to know.

As you noted, I'm more interested in the system right now. The setting I can alter as need be, or plug the Reploids into the setting, but I want more mechanical information. How versatile is Traveller in terms of equipment and characters?

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

In a Nutshell:

World creation uses 2D6 to create the following characteristics about the world (often called the Universal World Profile or UWP).

Size (planetary radius with assumed gravity for each value)
Atmosphere (this is a code that the table translates into breathability)
Hydrographics (the amount of liquid on the surface, usually water)
Population (an exponent of 10, so you can get from 0 to 100 Billion people)
Government (another code thing)
Law Level (basically what weapons can be carried, but it also represents other stuff)
Starport (the quality of the spaceport)
Tech Level (a scale from 0 to 16+ representing Tech. Modern Earth is TL7, the Official Traveller Universe maxes out at 15).
Temperature (general category of temperature, Temperate, Cold, Hot etc).
Bases (presence of Naval and Scout Bases)
Gas Giants (the presence of Gas Giants, used for refueling ships)

From these values, you consult a table and determine the Trade Classification of the planet (Agricultural, Industrial, etc).

In the basic game, Starport is independent of anything else. Atmosphere and Hydrographics are dependent on Size and Temperature. Government and Law Level are dependent on Population.

But, Starport, Size, Temperature and Population are all independent of anything else (including each other). This can create some very strange worlds (an Excellent Starport on a world with 10 people or a searing rockball with billions of people). Alternate rules are presented to address some of these most egregious problems.

Creating Cyberpunk type Characters is harder in Traveller, since the game isn't designed for that. There are things called Augments, which can be either cybernetic or biological, that can help, but they are high tech and tend to be relatively weak compared to something you might find in BESM. In this area, Traveller is definitely grittier and lower power.

Hope that helps.

 

[klingsor]

There are aliens but there is no 'toolbox' for making them as there is in GURPS, BESM or any other point based system.

I really think Traveller is not what you want, it is a good game, one of the first SF RPGs and defiantly the one with the strongest setting but not gee-whiz animae style action. Character creation will, often as not, give you middle aged military veterans.

 

[Alexander Cecil]

From my own experience, I am not certain that Traveller would hold up for what you would expect out of a Megaman-universe game. Traveller is often praised for the realism and lethality of its combat, a factor which Megaman lacks.

That said, the Traveller system could be sufficiently tweaked to make for a decent Megaman game, IMO. Careers would have to be rewritten to fit within the universe, most likely with a heavier emphasis on combat skills. You would want to make more of the mustering-out benefits and event grant combat implants, and you might want to expand the available list of combat implants (e.g. a high jump implant, or a mega-buster implant). Actually, if you were willing to make some significant , but not impossible, modifications to the system, it could work rather well. Hmm . . . this has got me thinking.

For Metroid, with its grittier feel, and more realistic combat, Traveller could be a great match. Again, with Space Pirate, Bounty Hunter, and other custom careers, you could create really fleshed-out characters in the universe. Once you added a few weapons, Samus could easily be made using a tricked-out suit of battledress with maybe a few combat implants worked in for good measure.

I guess the key point is the feel you are looking for in a game. BESM feels like anime when you play it. Traveller feels like real people in a semi-realistic future when you play it. If you want to get away from some of the ultra rules-light play style of BESM, then Traveller could be an excellent choice if you are willing to modify the system a bit.

Keep in mind, nearly all of us modify Traveller to a certain extent. It has traditionally been one of the few systems which openly encourages such behavior.

 

[nbkbruce]

Thanks, everyone. After some consideration, I'm thinking I might still pick up the game. My apologies for not being clearer, but after reading your comments I realized that was my main question: can it do something like this? If it is not impossible, as you said, Alexander, then I might give it a shot.

After all, I wouldn't be getting the game (my friend's gettin' a copy for his birthday, but I want in on this action!) solely for Mega Man X-style action. But, for example I would set my MMX game far in the future of the series, where man and Reploid have spread among the stars. All that juicy information for creating worlds, travelling space, it would all come in handy still. And I believe on RPGnet they said that Mongoose is eventually releasing a book for "powered characters."

As well, the game looks great for running Aliens-style horror in space, or something like Metroid which sounds like it's not too far off already. BESM would work, and indeed I've statted the Reploids with it, but it still doesn't give me quite the right feel. There are plenty of games I think I could have fun with using Traveller. Maybe I'll have to give it a shot anyway.