The Traveller Companion - It Exists!

[MongooseMatt]

Well, we have been talking about the Traveller Companion for quite some time now - it was first mentioned in the Core Rulebook.

I can now safely (and proudly) say... the manuscript is with us, fresh from the fertile mind of Martin Dougherty!

I have already gone through a draft of this book, but now starts the 'real' work of harnessing (wrangling?) Martin's Traveller genius and beating it into shape (like a fine sword...). We are aiming to release this book in the first part of next year, and still very much in the 'I have had a great idea' phase of things, so there are likely to be all sorts of tweaks and additions. However, as things stand right now, this is how the Contents page is looking:

Characteristics
Alternate Traveller Creation
Allies, Contacts, Rivals and Enemies
Pre-Career Options
Additional Careers
Training and Experience
Broad Skills and Specialities
Alternate Play Styles
Combat
Gravity and Related Effects
Atmosphere and Vacuum
Diseases, Toxins and Chemicals
Starvation and Thirst
Effects of Temperature
Terrain, Conditions and Movement
Slower Than Light
The Jump Drive
Travelling in Normal Space
Starports and Spaceports
Mine Warfare
Gas Giant Operations
Missiles and Torpedoes
Starship Automation
Starship Weaponry

I should point out that Martin has already said 'I have too many ideas for this - I think we ought to do Traveller Companion II...'

 

[Yatima]

... Alternate Traveller Creation ...

Point-buy option?

J

 

[MongooseMatt]

Point-buy option?

J

Of course

 

[Yatima]

Point-buy option?

J

Of course

Woot! \o/

 

[heron61]

This looks completely awesome, but I also thought that rules for more aliens, or at least for the other major races, would show up in this book. Is there going to be a specific aliens book instead?

 

[M J Dougherty]

I have SO MANY IDEAS about aliens and creatures that they will require a complete book all of their own.

 

[steve98052]

Another point about sophont books is that earlier editions have covered the topic pretty well, so that there's less urgency to do a Mongoose edition than there would be for something new.

 

[heron61]

Another point about sophont books is that earlier editions have covered the topic pretty well, so that there's less urgency to do a Mongoose edition than there would be for something new.

Sure, for Vargr & Aslan and a few minor races, but I eagerly await MongTrav info on Hivers and Droyne.

 

[Linwood]

WOOHOO!!!!!

 

[Yatima]

I have SO MANY IDEAS about aliens and creatures that they will require a complete book all of their own.

I'd love to see a book with systems for creating sentient aliens and their cultures; for building non-sentient aliens and their ecosystems, covering animals, plants and things in between.

Fire, Fusion and Steel for biology, basically.

J

 

[TrippyHippy]

Another point about sophont books is that earlier editions have covered the topic pretty well, so that there's less urgency to do a Mongoose edition than there would be for something new.

Sure, for Vargr & Aslan and a few minor races, but I eagerly await MongTrav info on Hivers and Droyne.

That's the point isn't it? The sophont series was never fully completed in the previous Mongoose edition. This means there is plenty of urgency for fans of Hivers, Drones, K'ree, etc.

Oh, and robots.

 

[AndrewW]

Oh, and robots.

Well, there is a Mongoose robots book for the earlier edition, along with a third party one.

 

[NOLATrav]

I'd love to see a book with systems for creating sentient aliens and their cultures; for building non-sentient aliens and their ecosystems, covering animals, plants and things in between.

Fire, Fusion and Steel for biology, basically.

J

Check out Flynn’s Guide to Alien Creation for 1e. Geared to sentient species but with minor mods and skipping a step or two here and there can be used to create entire alien food chains and ecosystems. Awesome.

Hopefully that could tide you over until Martin does his own awesomeness on this front

 

[Lord High Munchkin]

Flynn’s Guide to Alien Creation is very good.

 

[TrippyHippy]

Just because there are third party and old edition supplements available, doesn't mean this edition doesn't need them!

 

[NOLATrav]

Agreed, but in the mean time...

 

[qstor]

Another point about sophont books is that earlier editions have covered the topic pretty well, so that there's less urgency to do a Mongoose edition than there would be for something new.

Sure, for Vargr & Aslan and a few minor races, but I eagerly await MongTrav info on Hivers and Droyne.

And of course there's nothing on K'Kree and Hivers.

 

[Linwood]

Did the Traveller Companion get bumped from the release schedule again? Didn’t see it when I checked just now.

 

[TrippyHippy]

Did the Traveller Companion get bumped from the release schedule again? Didn’t see it when I checked just now.

It's not been listed for a while. Probably because the writers don't want to commit to a release timeline, and therefore rush it, rather than anything else. It'll come out in due course.

 

[legozhodani]

At last! Been waiting for this since the core rulebook arrived.
Not bothered on the points based system for characters, as most groups are small I see no need for this myself, just speak to the GM and most players can sort something out. Plus I'm sure most groups have house rules for generating pcs when needed.
Once a rule book gets beyond a certain size it stops being a fun RPG and becomes a maths headache and goes back on the shelf. YTMV.
Either way the list looks good, very good and I will snap it up as I have every thing else. Aliens as a seperate book would be handy. And like others it's Hivers that I'm keen to see. Not sure if we need too many 'man in rubber suit' types like we have. Even if I have got the 'Prawns' from district 9 in our games, long lost cousins from the Reft sector?