Smuggling

[ShawnDriscoll]

I'll stick it out now that I know who the author is and he's open to listen.

Keep posting stuff. Matthew is the designer. He needs a spread to look at for each problem to see all points of view from and learn who his gaming audience is.

 

[Anonymous]

I made a few posts here and thinking on it, I agree with the OP.

Having smuggling rules to allow resolution without role play would be good from a rules (it can be done like trade) and fairness in game point of view.

 

[-Daniel-]

I will admit I like to have clear rules and then as a GM I will deviate from them to fit the game/group as needed. The rules give me a place to start from. They help me understand how the author was envisioning their setting.

I think of the rules as Lego blocks, then I build what I want from them, adding some of my own blocks and leaving some blocks out.

 

[vladthemad]

What's stopping the referee from picking up the rules and playing the trade game himself?

Other than the confused looks on the players' faces as the referee plays the minigame alone, probably nothing.

Also, before the thread was derailed...I was mulling over the idea of asking how others would feel if illegal goods were taken out of the core rule book altogether, what do you guys think? Leave that for the scoundrel/merchant prince books or whatever other trade rules expansion would be in the works. If space and time aren't available for clear and concise rules, maybe just set them aside for later expansion?

 

[-Daniel-]

Also, before the thread was derailed...I was mulling over the idea of asking how others would feel if illegal goods were taken out of the core rule book altogether, what do you guys think? Leave that for the scoundrel/merchant prince books or whatever other trade rules expansion would be in the works. If space and time aren't available for clear and concise rules, maybe just set them aside for later expansion?

I would not mind, but to be fair I am not as vested in the Trade mini-game as others might be.

 

[Kaelic]

What's stopping the referee from picking up the rules and playing the trade game himself?

Other than the confused looks on the players' faces as the referee plays the minigame alone, probably nothing.

Also, before the thread was derailed...I was mulling over the idea of asking how others would feel if illegal goods were taken out of the core rule book altogether, what do you guys think? Leave that for the scoundrel/merchant prince books or whatever other trade rules expansion would be in the works. If space and time aren't available for clear and concise rules, maybe just set them aside for later expansion?

I'd actually be okay with this.

 

[DickTurpin]

I have never used illegal goods, but I think they should stay in the core book. With the reduction in profitability for speculative trade a higher profit option is good to have. Also, I like the idea that a group (or even an individual within that group) could choose to make risky choices; it creates more opportunities for the GM to make interesting things happen. It also keeps the trade table nice and full without the need to come up with additional trade goods that do not appear in any other Traveller rule set.

 

[MongooseMatt]

Okay, I have finally got to this thread

My immediate thought here is that smuggling offers endless adventuring possibilities - and by that rationale deserves to be treated properly, with complete walkthroughs, variations on cargo and Law Levels, penalties, and all the rest.

However.

With the best will in the world, we ain't going to get that done properly in the Core Rulebook. We just don't have the page count and, to be fair, it could easily take up a chapter all by itself.

Currently (and I have been known to change my mind!) it is my intention to handle smuggling fully and properly in another book (Merchant Prince seems the likely candidate). What is currently included in the Core Book is a jumping off point for the referee's own ideas.

But!

If someone wants to suggest a quick system that will add more detail than this and take up no more than half a page (at an absolute maximum), I will give it full consideration.

 

[RajunCajun3025]

I'm with Matt on this one. Most of my players will want to go the Firefly route and that means smuggling at some point. A quick set of rules to tide them over to a more detailed book should work. That way if they decide to just do it as a sideline we're good, but if they decide to go whole hog scum and villainy that will be covered in another book coming soon (which I know they can live with). I for one would love a Traveller version of the Star Wars Saga RPG Scum and Villainy book (not sure if Merchant Prince is the right title--it implies too much "legitimacy" in my book )