Travellers Needed - The Future of Traveller

[southernap]

@southernap : a thing I’ve done in my campaigns is allow the TAS to act as a banking service for members. So they don’t have to worry too much about outdistancing their cash/credits, can pick up pension payments and pay mortgages, etc. Also currency exchange for other nearby polities, along with discounts on lodging and affiliated bars, restaurants, merchants, etc. Connections to local brokers as well as fixers/guides - people who can show you or find the things/people/info you need to get your business done on this world.

I have done it where TAS does all that, but also has their own bar/resturant where travellers can hang out and meet patrons or even meet new travellers to join the merry band . Has job boards for those looking for jobs or looking to jump to ships needing crews.

At the same time, they run a rumor mill that operates outside of what the X-boats move around the known space. One that seems to be closer to the truth than what the TNS provides. As well as an intelligence agency to know what is going on and provide both warnings and opportunities for travellers. Where I played this was there were TAS operators who paid in credits, goods, or something else amazing.

I also played it out so that you could with the right rolls on the right skills, you can find some more illicit goods or people if you are having issues with permits, weapons, etc.

 

[Sigtrygg]

That’s what they want you to think.

Not another retcon please.

How about some originality but based on extant canon?

 

[Ardwulf]

How about a campaign that allows you to investigate the Empress Wave from either the Imperial or Zhodani perspective?

My original notion about setting this up as a campaign included Imperial characters, brought in by the Zhodani, probably through intermediaries, exactly because they are from a non-psionic society... and because the Zhos take a long view, and know that the Wave is going to disrupt non-Zho space as well. These imperial characters would, of course, have been the PCs.

 

[Ardwulf]

Not another retcon please.

How about some originality but based on extant canon?

There's Project Longbow, which could easily have discerned that something big was headed rimward. So I dunno that it'd be that big of a retcon.

 

[Sigtrygg]

Longbow can only tell you what happened decades to centuries ago. You can not possibly learn anything about the wave - think about it.

The retconned wave moves at FTL speed, the observable effects of the wave travel at lighspeed. You will be hit by the wave long before the lighspeed limited data of past events can be gathered by you.

Even if you went back to a lightpeed wave you have the same issue - by the time the data from the wave hitting a distant system reaches you so does the wave.

 

[paltrysum]

Do we want to have fun? Or slavishly adhere to 40-year old continuity? The trick is adding stories that fit into existing lore without breaking it.

 

[Geir]

Well my thoughts aren't exactly FTL, that's for sure, but if you think about Agent of the Imperium, then the data from the Talon, which passed through the wave, must have gotten back to the Imperium at some point, or else Bland's wafer wouldn't have been updated by it. So by that logic the Imperium should have known about the wave by about 450.

 

[Ardwulf]

Longbow can only tell you what happened decades to centuries ago. You can not possibly learn anything about the wave - think about it.

The retconned wave moves at FTL speed, the observable effects of the wave travel at lighspeed. You will be hit by the wave long before the lighspeed limited data of past events can be gathered by you.

Even if you went back to a lightpeed wave you have the same issue - by the time the data from the wave hitting a distant system reaches you so does the wave.

Of course you're right. Although I see us as essentially unbeholden to the rigidities of post Golden Age continuity.

 

[Ardwulf]

Another source book that would be interesting to have for the future:

Traveller Aid Society - Have it described the history a bit of how TAS was formed. What it means for a player to earn a membership when mustering out. Give GMs some ideas on how to use TAS as adventure hooks or in game some of the more popular and interesting TAS locations are in the world. I have had some players roll this up and short of the high passage privileges its hard to describe the benefits this brings to the table for a player.

This is a great idea. Although... seems like the natural place for it would be in future JTAS issues rather than in its own book.

 

[Condottiere]

Travellers Aid Society is likely like an ogre, it has layers.




Superficially, it will advise non members as to the safest and easiest way to travel interstellarly.

It may also Yelp starships and captains.

 

[paltrysum]

My original notion about setting this up as a campaign included Imperial characters, brought in by the Zhodani, probably through intermediaries, exactly because they are from a non-psionic society... and because the Zhos take a long view, and know that the Wave is going to disrupt non-Zho space as well. These imperial characters would, of course, have been the PCs.

They wouldn’t need Imperials since you can “jump” the wave, unless I’m misunderstanding your concept.

 

[Ardwulf]

They wouldn’t need Imperials since you can “jump” the wave, unless I’m misunderstanding your concept.

Imperials would be along for their different perspective rather than any notional immunity to the effects of the Wave. The PCs being the Imperials was going to be the modus by which Zhodani society was to be explored through close contact that wasn't necessarily adversarial.

 

[paltrysum]

Imperials would be along for their different perspective rather than any notional immunity to the effects of the Wave. The PCs being the Imperials was going to be the modus by which Zhodani society was to be explored through close contact that wasn't necessarily adversarial.

Sounds like a great campaign premise.

 

[Synther]

I would like to throw in for a bestiary of some kind. You could call it "Flora and Fauna of Charted Space," or "Creatures of Charted Space," something like that. A meaty book full of animals and plants that can "interact" with my Travellers would be fantastic.

 

[Alqualonde]

Three dee printing.

Copyright might be an issue, as to who owns the designs, especially if they are inspired fan ones, compared to official ones, more in the sense if it goes viral, and the actual design might be taken from official artwork.

+1 on this one. It becomes easier to get things 3D printed and it would reduce the amount of work on Mongoose side (no inventory, shipping, etc). On the downside, a file can be reused many times.
And for some complex ships, it would be easier to print them than to create molds (you can get parts thinner than with pewter/lead).

 

[Alqualonde]

Maybe a stupid idea, but having a kind of 'ship design contest' : Mongoose give us some specific guideline (Example : Solomani merchant ships in the 100-600 dT range, maybe with other limits or requirements, like for procurement bids.). The contestants send their ships with some history/description, the design sheet, if possible a rough sketch and/or deck plan.
You select the most interesting and make a short PDF (maybe with POD in DriveThruRPG?) with the ships. The selected contestants gains the pdf as a reward (or maybe a free coupon for POD?) and their names in the book.
I understand that it would represent a lot of time for reviewing, mapping & editing, but it might be a good way to have new ships and maybe keep the cost down. It might even be expanded to NPC / patrons / animals.
For a Pirates of Drinax campaign that would add some new potential prey/opponents (Q-Ships?).

 

[agentwigggles]

A big book of art.
In particular, a big book of Aliens Art.
Traveller has a long history of weird-ass aliens. And overall its pretty neat.

But I find myself always at odd at trying to find out to use for them for our game. We sometime have some scant black and white line art.
A big book of art for all (well a lot of them) aliens and the more exotic Humaniti.

Though ideally would be an art generator or a character marker. By art marker, for me at least, I mean something like with a good amount of premade faces, chests and legs and lots of clothing/accessory items and the ability to adjust the colors.

Just to reframe after a recent conversation.
A big book art, but for in particular for VTT.
And what great about that is while it may have a traveller flavoring, it just become a general Vtt products other may buy for use for their games

 

[Alqualonde]

Just to reframe after a recent conversation.
A big book art, but for in particular for VTT.
And what great about that is while it may have a traveller flavoring, it just become a general Vtt products other may buy for use for their games

VTT tokens would be good. Not only for characters/Aliens, but also for ships.

 

[Condottiere]

Non fungible tokens.

It's how Scouts manage to get their own starships.

 

[The King]

A naval adventure campaign (in addition to the 4 adventures already published)