Traveller 2023 - the totally unofficial ATU setting.

[Sigtrygg]

Several times now I have misread the forum title for Traveller 2023 discussion.

So how about we build a community setting and advanture.

The year is 2023, current world events are as they are. January the 2nd alien merchants make simultaneous contact with UN, WEF, WTO, WHO, USA, EU, CPP. NATO, Russia, India and Brazil. They request permission for landing rights and to conduct trade. They identify themselves as coming from Vega,

metagame - these are the Vegans making official first contact in the hope of building an alliance before the Ziru Sirka finds Earth. They have been observing Earth and making unofficial contact of sorts for the past seven decades.

What sort of player character groups would you set up for Travelling in the immediate aftermath of this first contact?

 

[paltrysum]

Something other than Hollywood’s go-to collection of military ex-special forces to be sure. No desire to see Mark Walberg or Sylvester Stallone in space (sadly we’ve already seen the latter, in the second Guardians of the Galaxy movie, completely killing immersion). Considering the technological advantages that the Vegans would have, I’d steer away from sending trigger-happy people to other star systems.

I’d send a linguist, a diplomat who’s previously made contact with remote societies on Terra, a chemist (to analyze environments), an exo-nutritionist to evaluate potential food sources, an outdoor survivalist (maybe one who was training for a mission to Mars?), all led by an exo-sociologist who can pave over those tricky inter-species relations. Astronaut and basic self-defense and weapons training for all (it’s Traveller after all!).

That ought to make for some good RPing sessions!

 

[Sigtrygg]

Is there scope for corporation sponsored teams, or the likes of Musk, Gates and Bezos sponsoring teams?

The most obvious trade items the Vegans would be able to rake it in with:
large scale fusion for powering factories, cities and large ships
gravitics - air/rafts, grav plates,
what else, and what would they restrict?

 

[Condottiere]

Microbes that breakdown pollutants and/or plastic.

Efficient renewable energy.

Apparently, the Terrans have an edge in pharmaceuticals, so a pharmacist?