Traveller 5th Edition

[Sturn]

Has there been any mention of this 600-page tome being instead divided into smaller hard-bound books and sold as a package? My very large RPG books tend to fall apart. Also, searching for something specific in such a large book is like looking for a notecard in a paper-stack.

I would prefer several books divided by subject matter, akin to the LBB's, but make them hardcover BBB's.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

There will be a Player's book that is much smaller. The T5 book looks to have all GDW published rule books, alien race books, and library data books. There probably is an adventure, too. I'm just doing some page counting, based on what's mentioned in the Traveller Writer's Guide PDF.

 

[The Dark Avenger]

There's an opportunity here to create a new version of Traveller. I mean really new, not just a book filled with tables based on T4-as-it-should-have-been.

Break up the giant tome into manageable chunks, support it with sourcebooks and adventures. There would still be the nostalgia buyers, but T5 would have a shot at bringing in new buyers as well. But I've said this before and elsewhere...

Bottom line is, there are enough people who want this as it is,and they want it badly enough to throw a lot of money at it. Maybe that's enough for FFE. I think the project is one editorial decision from being much more than that, but it seems that FFE is content with the big tome and nothing more. It'll be what they wanted it to be, and it'll make a decent amount of profit given the funding already available.

But damn, it could have been so much more than that....

 

[Eisenmann]

I'm cool with the giant tome if we can get a PDF too. For me, that alleviates any searching issues.

 

[andrew boulton]

I'm cool with the giant tome if we can get a PDF too. For me, that alleviates any searching issues.

Every book order gets the CD for free, or you can buy just the disc. Pre-loaded on a flash drive and download options are being investigated.

 

[Eisenmann]

I'm cool with the giant tome if we can get a PDF too. For me, that alleviates any searching issues.

Every book order gets the CD for free, or you can buy just the disc. Pre-loaded on a flash drive and download options are being investigated.

Outstanding.

 

[BP]

Omnibus is the way to go for PDF.

Dead tree - hope they go for a more compact (~6x9 in) version like most professional reference and casual reading books. With quality materials (including cloth re-enforcement) and craftsmanship and professional typesetting (professionally optimized for use, not marketing). Just picking one of the books sitting in front of me, a well referenced 1165 page hardback from 1990, I see it is still in excellent condition.

IMO, the LBB format is nearly unbeatable - it even fits and reads quite well on modern e-readers without zooming. They lay flat and fit quite well on a normal table without interfering with play. 600 full sized pages, however, would probably require two dozen LBBs...

 

[Thunderforge]

Every book order gets the CD for free, or you can buy just the disc. Pre-loaded on a flash drive and download options are being investigated.

My laptop doesn't even have a CD drive. Why did he bother doing this rather than just going straight to digital download?

Kickstarter asking him to make a "PDF only" level with just a digital download of the PDF without the screensaver, dice, or other "swag" that I don't want. He just told me I'd just have to order the PDF alone after Traveller5 game out.

 

[BP]

Current CD includes a lot more than just a single PDF - and a CD sized download is quite large for many.

 

[F33D]

Current CD includes a lot more than just a single PDF - and a CD sized download is quite large for many.

CD's only hold ~600mb. Are there people still on slow dial-up? High speed is available everywhere (in U.S. at least).

 

[Da Boss]

Current CD includes a lot more than just a single PDF - and a CD sized download is quite large for many.

CD's only hold ~600mb. Are there people still on slow dial-up? High speed is available everywhere (in U.S. at least).

I am on dial up - on a good day 36.8 KB (yes KB not MB) a sec - lovely Too far from the exchange to get a phone line link up.

 

[F33D]

Current CD includes a lot more than just a single PDF - and a CD sized download is quite large for many.

CD's only hold ~600mb. Are there people still on slow dial-up? High speed is available everywhere (in U.S. at least).

I am on dial up - on a good day 36.8 KB (yes KB not MB) a sec - lovely Too far from the exchange to get a phone line link up.

That sucks. In the U.S. you could get hooked up without a phone line...

 

[2330ADUSA1]

Well guys my thoughts on this is that it should be offered in both hard copy (printed version) and on CDs. I know for myself, I only buy hard copy products or things I can have professionially printed out, and then place them in my library. I refuse to print them myself, as that way they take to much space and do not stand up to the test of time. I have the money and am willing to buy hard copy products so I do. I have been collecting for over 36+ yrs and still have everything in almost mint condition.

I understand that some folks like the formats on readers or cds or what-ever...I am ok with that if folks want that, but don't limit to field for the products if you don't like hard copy. To each their own, just present the products in all the formats for players to choose their own style.

 

[BP]

Hardcopy and CD are already promised.

Expect that downloadable will be available at some point - maybe the kickstarter monies will get this going.

I am on dial up - on a good day 36.8 KB (yes KB not MB) a sec - lovely Too far from the exchange to get a phone line link up.

Yep - no land line access in my local area (U.S. - used to be rural/farm, but surrounded by homes now). Even if the local box had normal power (for the DSLAM), third of us would be too far to call it 'broadband' even in the loosest sense.

A lot of folks in the U.S. have only limited speed/capped 'broadband' or, are still on dialup. HughesNet covers most of the U.S. (if not all - though footprint may not cover all of Alaska) - but is relatively expensive (and slow for the price - not to mention the FAP that would require lower tier subscribers to devote 2 days for a CD D/L size in terms of speed caps).

Due to the FAP, I pay $70/mo for 120 kB cellular 'broadband'. (T1 cost $9k setup/cable is $35k)

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

CD's only hold ~600mb. Are there people still on slow dial-up? High speed is available everywhere (in U.S. at least).

I am on dial up - on a good day 36.8 KB (yes KB not MB) a sec - lovely Too far from the exchange to get a phone line link up.

That sucks. In the U.S. you could get hooked up without a phone line...

Well, if one has an iPhone or something similar that can share its Internet out as wi-fi or USB to a computer, the 600MB CD could be downloaded almost anywhere in the US.

 

[F33D]

Well, if one has an iPhone or something similar that can share its Internet out as wi-fi or USB to a computer, the 600MB CD could be downloaded almost anywhere in the US.

True also. Good idea. But, they should deliver on a USB stick if anything. Forget CD's.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

True also. Good idea. But, they should deliver on a USB stick if anything. Forget CD's.

I don't think Traveller has USB yet. Just like we don't have X-boat service yet. CD-ROM may be the only way to transfer such data.

 

[Thunderforge]

Current CD includes a lot more than just a single PDF - and a CD sized download is quite large for many.

But how much could the final PDF actually be? I mean, the Mongoose Traveller core book is just under 200 pages and is only 10.5 MB. Assuming it has about the same amount of art and complexity in its layout, the final PDF for a 600 page T5 should only be about 32 MB, right? That's definitely doable as a downloadable PDF.

 

[F33D]

True also. Good idea. But, they should deliver on a USB stick if anything. Forget CD's.

I don't think Traveller has USB yet. Just like we don't have X-boat service yet. CD-ROM may be the only way to transfer such data.

:lol:

Seriously though. Something like this with the Trav logo & colors... http://www.flashdealer.com/customquote/?gclid=COGAvKvmybACFQ-AhwodHnB5Yw

 

[far-trader]

Seriously though. Something like this with the Trav logo & colors... http://www.flashdealer.com/customquote/?gclid=COGAvKvmybACFQ-AhwodHnB5Yw

You mean something like what's been on the kickstarter page for a few days now? Just scroll down a bit, right below the shirts, it's a swag choice and option instead of the CD iirc...

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/traveller5/traveller-5th-edition