Traveler

[Mage Ash]

I don't know where to put this so I'm putting this here.

By Mongoose Publishing getting hands on Traveler does that mean GURPS lost its ability to write Traveler books. Because I'll be honest and say I really liked their books - more in terms of setting than actual rules. I like the change they made - keeping the Imperium existing rather than have it collapse which holds more fun for me.

While I wish you luck on this the prospect of producing Traveler and the changes you might bring to it, I just hope that it doesn't impact on the setting and books being produced by GURPS.

 

[Mongoose Gar]

The GURPS Traveller license is entirely separate to the Mongoose one. Most other licenses (QLI and so forth) will 'sunset' (they won't be renewed), but GT will continue for as long as Marc Miller & SJG want to continue it.

 

[pasuuli]

Steve Jackson Games is one of the most professional game companies that ever walked the face of this Earth. I heard that while many companies are very slack when paying writers and licences, etc, SJG is punctual. "Just cash the check" and you're done.

Who in their right mind would terminate a license from a company like that?

 

[Bygoneyrs]

Ok what about ComStar's 1248 New era using Traveller Hero (Hero Systems) as their mechanics. Are you saying that their license will not be renewed? What leads you to make this fact, has Marc Miller made this anouncement to you?

Now I have played Traveller for over 30+ yrs now and have bought anything and everything I could over the years. I must say though I have never bothered with (Chart Master ... aka Gurps Traveller- mainly I do not like Gurps system). Now I do like the d20 system, but have decided to finally convert my three campaigns over to using the Hero System.

Traveller d20 - Traveller Hero
D&D v3.5 d20 - Fantasy Hero
Gamma World d20 - PA Hero

Now for me I like the 1248 ComStar Era, I feel it lives true to Traveller and is a great starting point for both new and old players alike. Also I never cared for the whole Vampire Virus plotline in Traveller and would rather move on and leave it in the past. Heck I would rather change it to be a real Bio-Plague Virus that swept through the Empire like flesh eating Zombies.

Now as to Mongoose putting out a new Traveller starting campaign point or Marc Miller T5 start point, well the books can always be used as resource materials(Hopefully the books with be Hard Copies ...aka... printed versions as well to buy).

Just my two cents,

Penn

The GURPS Traveller license is entirely separate to the Mongoose one. Most other licenses (QLI and so forth) will 'sunset' (they won't be renewed), but GT will continue for as long as Marc Miller & SJG want to continue it.

 

[Lazy Wombat]

"What leads you to make this fact, has Marc Miller made this anouncement to you?"

Hunter over at QLI stated this and since he's got the T20 license, I think he can be believed.

 

[Oaty_bars]

Just a slight hijacking....


Anyone know what the system for this games gonna be?

 

[Gentleman John]

At the risk of sounding trite, it is going to be the Traveller system (T5 variant). The system has been arouund in some form or other since the mid-1970s. I'm not sure whether it's going to be the "2d and roll under" (Classic Traveller) or "so many dice and roll under" (T4) system, but it doesn't matter. It's Traveller.

 

[EDG]

Now I have played Traveller for over 30+ yrs now and have bought anything and everything I could over the years. I must say though I have never bothered with (Chart Master ... aka Gurps Traveller- mainly I do not like Gurps system). Now I do like the d20 system, but have decided to finally convert my three campaigns over to using the Hero System.

I think it's funny that you don't like GURPS but you do like HERO. GURPS 4e has (to me at least) become largely indistiguishable from HERO nowadays.

I hope 1248 survives too, I think it's the most exciting Traveller product for a long time. I guess its survival depends on how the licenses will work though.

 

[Oaty_bars]

I'm not sure whether it's going to be the "2d and roll under" (Classic Traveller) or "so many dice and roll under" (T4) system, but it doesn't matter. It's Traveller.

Don't you mean "Roll over" fot CT?

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Well, I must say that I am encouraged about what I read on the blog. The character creation process is very similiar to the original but with enough differences and spice to make it interesting.

I like that you have blended the expanded character creation stuff from later books with the tables from Classic Traveller.

I like that there will be options for character creation! Point buy and "Iron Man" options sound interesting. Maybe Iron Man is the ONLY way to get JOT skill. You get JOT-1 per term completed. Jack-of-all-Trades (JOT) can be a very powerful skill to have. Even at JOT-1, it basically gives you Skill-0 in just about everything. Different Referees use different intepretations, but essentially you can use JOT at half skill for almost any other skill.

I also find the Skill Package interesting. It is certainly one way to ensure that the crew of a free trader have the minimum skills to BE the crew of a free trader.

I look forward to more information!

 

[Mongoose Gar]

Jack of all Trades is changed - now, it reduces the penalty for not having a skill. Normally, if you don't have a skill, you suffer a -3 DM. If you've JoT 1, then that unskilled penalty drops to -2 and so on.

My very tentative Iron Man skill now works like old school JoT.

What I really like about skill packages is that they're fixed regardless of the number of players. Let's say a package contains six skills - if you've got six players, then everybody gets one. If you've only got two players, though, then they each get three. It makes things easier for the GM because he knows that a group will always, always have someone who can fly the ship or act as a Medic. It gives a handy baseline of competence.

 

[far-trader]

Might as well splash another copy of my thoughts on the blog post (thanks for that look behind the scenes, it is much appreciated)...

My own cautious optimism wanes daily, mostly because there's still no formal place on the forums to keep up on news and discuss it.

The Connections bit is interesting, as is the Skill Package idea. I think they need some solid work and playtest though, I can see abuse written all over both ideas.

I also noted that they appear to have Broker as a player skill. I think my thoughts on this are well known. On CotI at least. It may have been missed here...

In brief I don't think a Traveller can know/be connected enough to a local market to be able to operate as a Broker. IF the PC settles down on a world for a time THEN they could become a Broker there. But a different world every other week? Nope, I don't see it.

The "Iron Man" skill incentive idea is also interesting but I wonder at it's functionality. Seems a waste of time to me. Players/Refs who aren't going to play Death in Chargen will just co-op any "Iron Man" special skill(s) into regular chargen. Why bother? Just concede that this idea is a lost cause on most gamers and drop it. Move on. Unless it's a requirement for the license from Marc.

 

[EDG]

Jack of all Trades is changed - now, it reduces the penalty for not having a skill. Normally, if you don't have a skill, you suffer a -3 DM. If you've JoT 1, then that unskilled penalty drops to -2 and so on.

So what happens if you have JOT of more than 3? If you had JOT 4 would you get a +1 at every skill you don't have?? (which would make no sense at all!)

 

[Gruffty the Hiver]

Jack of all Trades is changed - now, it reduces the penalty for not having a skill. Normally, if you don't have a skill, you suffer a -3 DM. If you've JoT 1, then that unskilled penalty drops to -2 and so on.

So what happens if you have JOT of more than 3? If you had JOT 4 would you get a +1 at every skill you don't have?? (which would make no sense at all!)

Yeah, in CT it used to be DM -3 if no JoT skill, +0 DM for Jot-1+. Having JoT above JoT-1 didn't give you a + DM, it just negated the -3 DM.

 

[Mongoose Gar]

My own cautious optimism wanes daily, mostly because there's still no formal place on the forums to keep up on news and discuss it.

Matt was talking about opening up a Traveller forum in November.

 

[Gruffty the Hiver]

Matt was talking about opening up a Traveller forum in November.

Kewl. Will keep all 6 eyes on the look out for it

 

[far-trader]

Matt was talking about opening up a Traveller forum in November.

Kewl. Will keep all 6 eyes on the look out for it

It's not fair, the Hiver is bound to see it before me with that kind of advantage

Seriously though, thanks for the update, I'll try to be more patie...

...is it November yet?!

 

[spinwardpirate]

Not yet. I figured I'd sign up now to avoid the rush. I'm a big fan of CT, and word on the street is MonT is very much like CT, so I'm psyched.

 

[flyingcircus]

:evil: Hopefully they'll simplify the starship and vehicle creation process and expand the engine types to include Hyper, Warp and slipstream types.
I always hated the traveller starship creation process as it was too clunky.

 

[Mac V]

So, Mongoose Traveller is going to be a "subset" of T5? What exactly does that mean?