Traveller rules as a house system?

[TrippyHippy]

So, my interest was piqued a little with the information regarding the upcoming Dark Conspiracy game line, which will have a series of standalone games based on the Traveller rules. We also have 2300AD which isn’t standalone (I wish it was) but obviously used Traveller rules and there is also Pioneer which is mooted to be standalone, but based on Traveller rules.

The (Mongoose) Traveller rules, from my estimation, are pretty robust and easy to learn. They also just require 2D6 which I think is actually a big selling point (less barriers to play). They also function in a pretty universal and generic way.

I was wondering whether this might be a way to go in the future for a number of game lines and/or converting some existing Mongoose properties and licences to Traveller rules?

So, could Shield Maidens and Sea of Pirates be done this way? Or a new Traveller based version of Twilight: 2000? Or maybe convert some of the older OGL/D20 material, like Armageddon 2089, OGL Steampunk or OGL Cybernet (or even some Legend material?) into Traveller-based settings? Paranoia might be more awkward to change because of it’s game set up and premise, I guess. But what do people think, otherwise?

 

[Limpin Legin]

I think 2300AD hasn't always followed Traveller rules. Then there was Mindjammer that also got converted to Traveller rules. Traveller is a great skill and lifepath game and that is a sort of game that I want to play.
If you convert every game such they are the same then each game would lose their uniqueness and flavour of game mechanic. Then there would likely be selling and plagiarism issues, which obviously a publisher would want to avoid. Having different game systems is a great thing as each system provides it's own challenges and opportunities.

 

[Vormaerin]

2300 didn't start out using the same rules as Traveller. Actually, GDW started moving towards making Traveller use 2300 rules

The basic 2d6 mechanic would work for a wide range of games. You'd just need entirely different lifepaths, techs, and skills. Which is what Mindjammer did. And games would require unique rules for their specific setting and genre.

I don't think you could sell "Traveller: Dark Conspiracy" but you could certainly make Dark Conspiracy as its own game using a common mechanical basis. I get the impression that's what Mongoose is looking to do.

 

[TrippyHippy]

2300 didn't start out using the same rules as Traveller. Actually, GDW started moving towards making Traveller use 2300 rules

The basic 2d6 mechanic would work for a wide range of games. You'd just need entirely different lifepaths, techs, and skills. Which is what Mindjammer did. And games would require unique rules for their specific setting and genre.

I don't think you could sell "Traveller: Dark Conspiracy" but you could certainly make Dark Conspiracy as its own game using a common mechanical basis. I get the impression that's what Mongoose is looking to do.

I’m talking about the current version of 2300AD - based on Mongoose Traveller rules. The upcoming, new Dark Conspiracy will be using Mongoose Traveller rules also - so, in effect, all these games will be theoretically compatible (although, whether you want to keep the games separate is up to you).

However, if you want to make a historical comparison to the original GDW 2300D, then you’d note that it was based on their house system established from Twilight: 2000, through 2300AD, then Dark Conspiracy and eventually Traveller: The New Era. The 'House system' concept is not new to any of these games. However, I am suggesting we expand the concept to include a lot more games.

 

[Vormaerin]

Yes, the current version of 2300 uses a the same basic mechanics as Traveller, though High Guard has to be completely replaced and a significant number of modifications to chargen exist.

If they are saying "here's the Dark Conspiracy book to use with your MgT2e CRB" the way 2300 and Mindjammer: Traveller are, that would be a terrible idea, IMHO.

If they make Dark Conspiracy a 2D6 with its own skills, chargen stuff, genre specific rules, etc that's fine.

 

[boggo2300]

I’m talking about the current version of 2300AD - based on Mongoose Traveller rules. The upcoming, new Dark Conspiracy will be using Mongoose Traveller rules also - so, in effect, all these games will be theoretically compatible (although, whether you want to keep the games separate is up to you).

However, if you want to make a historical comparison to the original GDW 2300D, then you’d note that it was based on their house system established from Twilight: 2000, through 2300AD, then Dark Conspiracy and eventually Traveller: The New Era. The 'House system' concept is not new to any of these games. However, I am suggesting we expand the concept to include a lot more games.

2300 wa a derivitive of 1e T:2000 and unrelated (as was 1e T:2000) to 2e T:2000 which was then developed through (I may be wrong on this since I never played DC) Dark Conspiracy into their House System (T:2000 2.2e) and TNE. and the House system version of 2300 never was completed. At least thats how I remember it, couldn't be assed digging out the books

 

[Sigtrygg]

There is a bit of confusion.

The T:2300 setting was derived from T:2000, the game system was not.

The task resolution system for T:2300 was based on the DGP CT task system using a d10 rather than 2d6*. T:2000 was a percentile roll under system.

T:2000v2e and DC used the same d10 based GDW house system,** T:2000v2.2 edition used the GDW d20 house system (also used for TNE), later DC supplements contained conversion notes so you could use the GDW d20 house system (there was also a rather bizarre d20 system introduced in the player's booster kit that is different to the d20 house system).

* target numbers 3,7,11,15,19 roll high, d10 read as 0-9, someone at GDW didn't study their probability conversions... 7+ on 2d6 is 58%, on the 0-9 it is 30%, for 2300Ad they lowered the target numbers to 2, 6, 10, 14, 18 and the d10 is now read as 1-10 - a simple solution was to use the MT version of tasks i.e there are always two assets used - 2 characteristics, a characteristic and a skill, two skills.

**d10 roll low, attempt to get equal to or lower then the characteristic or skill value (which was modified by ease of task - easy use double attribute, average no change, difficult use half the attribute)

 

[TrippyHippy]

OK - I don’t care about the old 2300AD system.

Can we now talk about the point of this thread, which is using the current Mongoose Traveller system as a House system?

 

[ross]

I believe developing a new system would be terrible use of company resources, with no real benefit. While keeping the system would allow for significant opportunities for growth and alternative genre inclusion.

 

[Sigtrygg]

OK - I don’t care about the old 2300AD system.

Can we now talk about the point of this thread, which is using the current Mongoose Traveller system as a House system?

It already is a house system.
Traveller
Mindjammer
2300AD
Pioneer
Dark Conspiracy

A fantasy rpg based on Legend may be an interesting project. Any of the CE settings, since they are based on MgT1e, show what is possible.

 

[rinku]

Slap the Traveller system onto Space:1889. It's almost a perfect fit - just more dice rolling at character creation.

Mongoose probably won't be able to it yet, unless Frank wants to shift from Uhrwerk Verlag.