Traveller II

[AKAmra]

Don't burn me at the stake, but I'm wondering if/when we'll see a Traveller II from Mongoose.

Mongoose seems to have a track record with getting their act together for the second edition of a game; look at OGL Conan and Runequest II. Runequest II especially seems to be well received, I don't think I've seen a single negative comment other than personal taste issues.

So what do you think? Will there be a Traveller II? Will you look at it, buy it or pull your hair out and run screaming into the night?

PS: if they do it, I hope they drop dynamic initiative for combat and go with a simpler attack vs. defense (static defense or rolled). I'd also like to see a more unified system for weapon damage and armor ratings of various tech levels.

 

[Vile]

If they do it, I hope they don't drop the Traveller logo licence like they did with Runequest.

 

[alex_greene]

The first attempt at a sequel to Traveller was, well, MegaTraveller followed by TNE.

Welp.

If Mongoose do get FFE's permission to release a Trav II licence, and I'm speaking here purely hypothetically, it's probable that they would still still have to call it "Traveller." Not "Traveller II."

The model they have seems geared towards the concept of laying down a solid bedrock of "core rulebook + sourcebooks + supplements" which will cover the basics of all the different Traveller streams they can then release: Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog, the Hammer's Slammers limited release, Chthonian Stars; and if they got a licence to do any other stream, ooh I dunno, Thunderbirds or Space: 1999 say, they need only tweak the licence to fit the game engine outlined in the core rulebook and let that series run.

That way, for as long as the FFE licence lasts, Mongoose could theoretically release parallel streams for one licence every year, and never have to go back to the core books for revision, unless they have major changes to stuff like the combat rules: even then, God knows, if there is enough demand for it, they could just release another supplement covering the more advanced and detailed combat systems, enabling you to run battles as simple, or as complex, as you want them to be, and ranging from the small, personal scale right up to big fleet battles over whole sectors.

I dunno. Snapshot? Striker? Fifth Frontier War? I have reached the boundary of my knowledge here, and have resorted to speculation some sentences back.

 

[MongooseMatt]

We have no plans for a Traveller II. It is more likely that individual supplements will see a second edition and/or we do a Traveller Companion, which would basically be rules additions/tweaks.

 

[simonh]

Gareth Hanrahan and the editors did an outstanding job with the TMB. I know there were some issues in production requiring a revised edition, but in terms of the central content and overall game system design they realy knocked it out of the park. I honestly can't think of any significant way it could be improved.

The supplements are more of a mixed bag. I think Matthew's approach is spot-on. There's plenty of gold to be mined and alloyed with more good material for second editions and a companion.

Simon Hibbs

 

[Vile]

The first attempt at a sequel to Traveller was, well, MegaTraveller followed by TNE.

Welp.

If Mongoose do get FFE's permission to release a Trav II licence, and I'm speaking here purely hypothetically, it's probable that they would still still have to call it "Traveller." Not "Traveller II."

The first sequel to RuneQuest was RuneQuest II by Chaosium. Followed by RQIII from Avalon Hill.

 

[Stainless]

We have no plans for a Traveller II. It is more likely that individual supplements will see a second edition and/or we do a Traveller Companion, which would basically be rules additions/tweaks.

I'd still lay down good cash in an instant for a slightly re-worked TMB (errata squashed, art work turned up a notch, a few inconsistencies and poor choices ironed out). Only needs to be a 10 - 15% tweak and I'd buy it! Doesn't need to be a second edition as such.

 

[alex_greene]

Gareth Hanrahan and the editors did an outstanding job with the TMB. I know there were some issues in production requiring a revised edition, but in terms of the central content and overall game system design they realy knocked it out of the park. I honestly can't think of any significant way it could be improved.

I distinctly recall the first time I clapped my eyes on the Mongoose TMB in my friendly local game store, Fan Boy 3 in Manchester. I think the staff could almost have heard the choral music. They certainly noted my almost fully dilated pupils.

I was not expecting to see a decent Traveller on the bookshelves ever again, and the Mongoose TMB did more than surprise me - it made it to the list of the 10 events which defined that year in my memory.

This version of Traveller works. So in the words of the old proverb, if it ain't broke ...

 

[Jame Rowe]

We have no plans for a Traveller II. It is more likely that individual supplements will see a second edition and/or we do a Traveller Companion, which would basically be rules additions/tweaks.

I'd still lay down good cash in an instant for a slightly re-worked TMB (errata squashed, art work turned up a notch, a few inconsistencies and poor choices ironed out). Only needs to be a 10 - 15% tweak and I'd buy it! Doesn't need to be a second edition as such.

I would suggest altering the TLs of some items (such as the bioscanner) and altering the cost, weight or price of others (i.e. the TL 10 computer would be lighter than the TL9 computer but otherwise not change). But that's me.

 

[captainjack23]

My 2cr is that anything that needs 10-15% revision is almost certainly less than what I'd probably do in houserules anyway, even for a (theoretically) perfect ruleset; so I'm still of the opinion that the core rules are solid as they are.

None of the tweaks I see needed seem universal enough to move out of the "my personal opinions" category and into the "this needs fixing since everyone notes it as a problem" category.

Hell, even the worldgen only bugs the occasional IRL specialist or obsessed hobbyist (like myself), so that's pretty much a win.

 

[Treebore]

We have no plans for a Traveller II. It is more likely that individual supplements will see a second edition and/or we do a Traveller Companion, which would basically be rules additions/tweaks.

Good, because if you relaunched the line I find it very unlikely I would be interested in yet another version. Between your version, and my massive collection of previous versions, I don't feel a need for yet another version. I have tons of material to work with as it is, and most important of all, I like the current material just fine.

Now if I didn't like the mechanic of 2d6+/- mod, and the time needed, I would be interested, but I have been a fan of 2d6 +/- mod for over 25 years now.

So a companion type book with possible alternative rules, I can see myself buying, anxiously, but a fully redone system? No. Not at all.

 

[Treebore]

We have no plans for a Traveller II. It is more likely that individual supplements will see a second edition and/or we do a Traveller Companion, which would basically be rules additions/tweaks.

I'd still lay down good cash in an instant for a slightly re-worked TMB (errata squashed, art work turned up a notch, a few inconsistencies and poor choices ironed out). Only needs to be a 10 - 15% tweak and I'd buy it! Doesn't need to be a second edition as such.

I would suggest altering the TLs of some items (such as the bioscanner) and altering the cost, weight or price of others (i.e. the TL 10 computer would be lighter than the TL9 computer but otherwise not change). But that's me.

I've been house ruling things like that since Classic. I don't need Mongoose to do it for me.

 

[Egil Skallagrimsson]

I distinctly recall the first time I clapped my eyes on the Mongoose TMB in my friendly local game store, Fan Boy 3 in Manchester. I think the staff could almost have heard the choral music. They certainly noted my almost fully dilated pupils.

I was not expecting to see a decent Traveller on the bookshelves ever again, and the Mongoose TMB did more than surprise me - it made it to the list of the 10 events which defined that year in my memory.

This version of Traveller works. So in the words of the old proverb, if it ain't broke ...

Ha ha, agreed, though I heard classic heavy metal. I was thinking about writing my own system, then, as if by magic, noticed a MgT core rule book, that cannot have been long off the press (and I now know had some errata!). Job done.

Egil

 

[AKAmra]

We have no plans for a Traveller II. It is more likely that individual supplements will see a second edition and/or we do a Traveller Companion, which would basically be rules additions/tweaks.

Good, because if you relaunched the line I find it very unlikely I would be interested in yet another version. Between your version, and my massive collection of previous versions, I don't feel a need for yet another version. I have tons of material to work with as it is, and most important of all, I like the current material just fine.

Now if I didn't like the mechanic of 2d6+/- mod, and the time needed, I would be interested, but I have been a fan of 2d6 +/- mod for over 25 years now.

So a companion type book with possible alternative rules, I can see myself buying, anxiously, but a fully redone system? No. Not at all.

Not to bait you, but I'd say your buying habits argue against you. Did you feel that Traveller needed another system when you added the Mongoose version to your already massive collection?

I think most hardcore Traveller fans would break down and buy another version; especially if it received the type of glowing reviews RQII is getting.

Matt says there is no such plans though, and I think that's for the best. A book with rule tweak suggestions would be great. I've been tweaking rules systems for 30+ years myself, but I'd like a book of alternate rules done by "experts" of the system.

 

[Egil Skallagrimsson]

Don't burn me at the stake, but I'm wondering if/when we'll see a Traveller II from Mongoose.

Mongoose seems to have a track record with getting their act together for the second edition of a game; look at OGL Conan and Runequest II. Runequest II especially seems to be well received, I don't think I've seen a single negative comment other than personal taste issues.

So what do you think? Will there be a Traveller II? Will you look at it, buy it or pull your hair out and run screaming into the night?

PS: if they do it, I hope they drop dynamic initiative for combat and go with a simpler attack vs. defense (static defense or rolled). I'd also like to see a more unified system for weapon damage and armor ratings of various tech levels.

Really, there is no need for Trav II (see most of the above posts!). Personally I like dynamic init, but if you don't, don't use it (and have a look at some of the combat related posts on this forum, there are some good ideas, but most are amendments and tinkering, not replacements). Similarly the weapon dam/armour ratings/tl issues is more a problem caused by CSC, so if you don't like it, don't use it (or select and amend what you want to use). I am very selective about what we use from csc, and have drawn up a "house rules" list of weapons and armour.

Egil

 

[Treebore]

We have no plans for a Traveller II. It is more likely that individual supplements will see a second edition and/or we do a Traveller Companion, which would basically be rules additions/tweaks.

Good, because if you relaunched the line I find it very unlikely I would be interested in yet another version. Between your version, and my massive collection of previous versions, I don't feel a need for yet another version. I have tons of material to work with as it is, and most important of all, I like the current material just fine.

Now if I didn't like the mechanic of 2d6+/- mod, and the time needed, I would be interested, but I have been a fan of 2d6 +/- mod for over 25 years now.

So a companion type book with possible alternative rules, I can see myself buying, anxiously, but a fully redone system? No. Not at all.

Not to bait you, but I'd say your buying habits argue against you. Did you feel that Traveller needed another system when you added the Mongoose version to your already massive collection?

I think most hardcore Traveller fans would break down and buy another version; especially if it received the type of glowing reviews RQII is getting.

Matt says there is no such plans though, and I think that's for the best. A book with rule tweak suggestions would be great. I've been tweaking rules systems for 30+ years myself, but I'd like a book of alternate rules done by "experts" of the system.

My massive collection is from Classic an MegaTraveller. When you add in all the magazine's done for them they are pretty big rules sets. As for GURPS, T4, TNE, etc... I own far from complete sets. Mongoose is the first version since Mega T I have been interested in buying every book released for it. Aside from that GURPS has been my biggest buy in, and even then I think I own only 8 of their products, most of which are their deck plans, not books. If I recall correctly I own only two Traveller relate GURPS books.

So as far as my buying habits and buying complete editions, I have only bought 3 lines in their entirety. Classic, MegaT, and now Mongoose. GURPS I talked about above. T4 is probably my next most "extensive" line, and I recall only having 4 books. Maybe 5.

Heck, at this point I seriously doubt I will be buying T5, if Marc even ever gets it into print.

We'll see.

 

[dmccoy1693]

Don't burn me at the stake,

Congratulations sir, you officially get the Quote of the Day.

 

[AKAmra]

My massive collection is from Classic an MegaTraveller. When you add in all the magazine's done for them they are pretty big rules sets. As for GURPS, T4, TNE, etc... I own far from complete sets. Mongoose is the first version since Mega T I have been interested in buying every book released for it. Aside from that GURPS has been my biggest buy in, and even then I think I own only 8 of their products, most of which are their deck plans, not books. If I recall correctly I own only two Traveller relate GURPS books.

So as far as my buying habits and buying complete editions, I have only bought 3 lines in their entirety. Classic, MegaT, and now Mongoose. GURPS I talked about above. T4 is probably my next most "extensive" line, and I recall only having 4 books. Maybe 5.

Heck, at this point I seriously doubt I will be buying T5, if Marc even ever gets it into print.

We'll see.

Hmm, I guess that makes sense. From my understanding; Classic, MegaT and MGT have the most interchangeable rules. Add a smattering of other books as they strike your fancy.

 

[AKAmra]

Don't burn me at the stake,

Congratulations sir, you officially get the Quote of the Day.

Hey, I'll take what I can get. But, since this is Traveller, I probably should have said, "Don't FGMP me".

I knew it could be a touchy subject but Mongoose really does have a history of releasing a new core book after a few years. I think Conan had three versions and RQ had two. It's not a slam on Mongoose, core books sell better than supplements; and they did improve the lines with the new editions.

Looks like Mongoose has other plans for the Traveller line. Seems like most folks are good with the core rules.

 

[DFW]

Looks like Mongoose has other plans for the Traveller line. Seems like most folks are good with the core rules.

Actually, Mongoose lic probably wouldn't allow them to produce something called Traveller II