Traveller as a generic rules setting

[Mage]

How is this going to work? I am going to be fairly annoyed if I do not get the following in the main book:

An opening scenario
Rules for playing as alien characters

 

[TrippyHippy]

Good luck trying to convince a games company to include an adventure in an Open Content document, but I'm fairly certain that there is a better chance of an introductionary adventure being found in a campaign sourcebook, rather than the core-rules.

There are rules for playing alien beings on p43, I believe.

 

[Knightsky]

Good luck trying to convince a games company to include an adventure in an Open Content document, but I'm fairly certain that there is a better chance of an introductionary adventure being found in a campaign sourcebook, rather than the core-rules.

They might also have an introductory adventure available as a free download. Other companies have done something similar, and IMO it's not a bad model to follow.

 

[Zowy]

I think he is refering to the full rules set, not the trimed down OGL set.

The playtest rules have some basic Alien info on page 43. I would not expect much more in the basic rule set on aliens. You will need to wait for the Alien Module updates for indepth info. Though depending on what campain books they put, out those should have some more indepth alien info allso.

I like Vargr the best for a player Alien Major race, other than Humaniti variations. Droyne and Aslan need more GM imput to play to their backgrounds right. K'Kree and Hivers are not to good as a player race. As for minor races make something up? The Empty Quarter campain setting has a widespread minor race you could play.

 

[Delta]

They might also have an introductory adventure available as a free download. Other companies have done something similar, and IMO it's not a bad model to follow.

Amen. I sure hope they don't waste page count in the core rulebook with an introductory adventure.

 

[Mongoose Gar]

There won't be an adventure in the corebook, but I'll definitely have at least one and probably more adventures available for download when the book comes out. S&P will be supporting Traveller heavily.

As for aliens - what more details would you like?

 

[Zowy]

Well the CT campaign book, "The Traveller Adventure" had 8 pages on Vargr Character Generation and Society. That is enough for a subsector campaign book. Humaniti and one major or minor Alien race for the players is enough in that type of setting.

For a real indepth look, something along the lines of the old CT Alien Module books would be nice. But get a few campaign books and some adventure books out first.

 

[AKAramis]

Well the CT campaign book, "The Traveller Adventure" had 8 pages on Vargr Character Generation and Society. That is enough for a subsector campaign book. Humaniti and one major or minor Alien race for the players is enough in that type of setting.

For a real indepth look, something along the lines of the old CT Alien Module books would be nice. But get a few campaign books and some adventure books out first.

Canonically, the marches have the following KNOWN "alien" races living in the marches:
Imperial Humaniti (mixed human minors plus Vilani*)
Sword Worlder (minimal difference Human Minor*)
Daryen/Darrians (Significant difference human minor*)
Zhodani (Human Major*)
Aslan (some imperialized, some "invader", more invader post 1107, mostly subpopulations*)
Vargr (some imperialized, some native - a couple worlds.*)
Eibokin (Methane breather hexpods)
Droyne (sub-populations Alien Major*,**)
Chirpers (Alien Major**)
Dandies (Alien Major)
Arden (Human Minor)
Virush (Alien Minor*,***)
Newt (Alien Minor*,***)
Jonkereen (Human Minor*,***)
Jagd-il-jgd (Gas Giant dwelling alien intermediate****)

*Alien Generation presented in CT or MT
** See Research Station Gamma, and AM Droyne.
*** Not native to marches, but some individuals present. Jonkereen are absolutely so, Virush and Newts implied but not explicitly present.
**** Technically a minor race, but due to intolerance of Jump-Space, rather than lack of jump drives; have been spreading by STL ships for centuries.

 

[Zowy]

Your list covers the whole Spinward Marches sector and many books. "The Traveller Adventure" book, is just the Aramis subsector of the Marches. You would need to do a "Races of the Spinward Marches" type book to do justice to them all at once.

I would much rather have them spread out over adventure and campaign books. For the most part the minor races inside the Imperium should be used as NPCs. On the other hand, the Alien Module books are a good start for adventures outside of the Imperium. Where most of the players are of one Alien race.

 

[AKAramis]

Your list covers the whole Spinward Marches sector and many books. "The Traveller Adventure" book, is just the Aramis subsector of the Marches. You would need to do a "Races of the Spinward Marches" type book to do justice to them all at once.

I would much rather have them spread out over adventure and campaign books. For the most part the minor races inside the Imperium should be used as NPCs. On the other hand, the Alien Module books are a good start for adventures outside of the Imperium. Where most of the players are of one Alien race.

The spinward main connects almost all of the rimward side of the marches, including the Sword Worlds, and comes right up to the edge of the imperium abutting Arden space and Zhodani Space.

Vargr, Eiboken, Dandies: all mentioned in TTA, TTA and AM Vargr both include Vargr CGen.
Zhodani and Arden: mentioned in TTA, but none encountered.
Droyne and Chirper: while not mentioned in TTA, there is at least one such world on the main.
Jagd: at least one system on the main. Probably several. Not terrible material.
Aslan, Jonkerer, Virush, Newt, Dolphin, Ael Yael: not going to be a world's dominant population in the Spinward main, but one can expect to see the occasional.

 

[Mage]

What I would like to see in a core book for a scifi generic rules setting is some choices for aliens as player characters. Maybe 3 - 6 races and humans. I know it is hard to bcreate generic sci fi races or not use ones that are estbalisehd, but for example with runequest monsters there is a list of like 20 player races. Just a few in the core book would be nice to help a player make their own generic setting.

As for scenarios in signs and portents, a few generic adventures would be nice for a start with traveller.

A lot of big games have starter scenarios in the book: Warhammer Fantasy, Call of Cthluhu, Wheel of time, etc.

 

[Bygoneyrs]

Yes have a Core Rule book and then have a Aliens Reference book follow up that goes into details for the specific races. Also it might be nice to see a few new minor yet unknown races added into the mix as well too.

Penn

 

[pasuuli]

Well the CT campaign book, "The Traveller Adventure" had 8 pages on Vargr Character Generation and Society. That is enough for a subsector campaign book. Humaniti and one major or minor Alien race for the players is enough in that type of setting.

For a real indepth look, something along the lines of the old CT Alien Module books would be nice. But get a few campaign books and some adventure books out first.

Canonically, the marches have the following KNOWN "alien" races living in the marches:
Imperial Humaniti (mixed human minors plus Vilani*)
Sword Worlder (minimal difference Human Minor*)
Daryen/Darrians (Significant difference human minor*)
Zhodani (Human Major*)
Aslan (some imperialized, some "invader", more invader post 1107, mostly subpopulations*)
Vargr (some imperialized, some native - a couple worlds.*)
Eibokin (Methane breather hexpods)
Droyne (sub-populations Alien Major*,**)
Chirpers (Alien Major**)
Dandies (Alien Major)
Arden (Human Minor)
Virush (Alien Minor*,***)
Newt (Alien Minor*,***)
Jonkereen (Human Minor*,***)
Jagd-il-jgd (Gas Giant dwelling alien intermediate****)

*Alien Generation presented in CT or MT
** See Research Station Gamma, and AM Droyne.
*** Not native to marches, but some individuals present. Jonkereen are absolutely so, Virush and Newts implied but not explicitly present.
**** Technically a minor race, but due to intolerance of Jump-Space, rather than lack of jump drives; have been spreading by STL ships for centuries.

And guys on Craw.
And guys on 567-908.
Something called "Larianz" ??

How many natives is that per system, or per subsector?

 

[qstor]

I agree that both should be included in the final product. Rules for Aslan and Vargr at least. Since the main sector book will be the Spinward Marches and those races are often encountered.

Mike

 

[Mage]

Mongoose,

please put some aliens as player characters in the core book, just a few. Most other core books for game settings have options for different species, then a different monsters book or whatever with more options, but please put aliens into the core book.

 

[Court Jester]

Mongoose,

please put some aliens as player characters in the core book, just a few. Most other core books for game settings have options for different species, then a different monsters book or whatever with more options, but please put aliens into the core book.

I'm not quite sure why you keep asking this when there already are rules for using alien characters in the core rules...

 

[Bygoneyrs]

I would like to see some new Aliens developed myself!

Penn

 

[AKAramis]

Mongoose,

please put some aliens as player characters in the core book, just a few. Most other core books for game settings have options for different species, then a different monsters book or whatever with more options, but please put aliens into the core book.

I'm not quite sure why you keep asking this when there already are rules for using alien characters in the core rules...

1) we don't know that, since the inclusion was specifically for the grogs to test out in the OTU ans to see the mechanism.
2) By traveller standards, those are NOT alien rules. They are simply a stat chart.