What do you think of the new edition Traveller?

[Solomani Jim]

I picked up my copy yesterday and I am still working my way through the rules. I am looking at it with eyes that haven't played in several years so the first thing I did was sit down and roll up a character. Based on the order of rule presentation I encountered some confusion with how skills labeled as level 0 from background or 0 and 1 in other areas do not always stack progressing from the start onward. It's something I earmarked to explain to new players I might need to teach the rules to. I have rolled up three so far. I noted some formatting errors and occasionally slow PDF performance after it was opened for a time. The art work is nice.

A few more characters and I'll try some combat.

Not ready to comment in more detail yet but I am hoping that some of you are. What do you think of the new edition so far?

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

"stack progressing from the start onward"

I don't understand your meaning.

 

[PsiTraveller]

I would think he means that if as a background skill you get a skill at level 0 and then in your basic training you get that skill again (at level 0) it does not stack and give you level 1. Another area where skills do not stack is if you have Mechanic 1 for example and get promoted and the new rank has a bonus skill of Mechanic 1 you do not get mechanic 2 out of it, the bonus skill does nothing for you, you already have it at rank 1.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Ok. Not every term guarantees fresh new skills/levels.

 

[Solomani Jim]

I would think he means that if as a background skill you get a skill at level 0 and then in your basic training you get that skill again (at level 0) it does not stack and give you level 1. Another area where skills do not stack is if you have Mechanic 1 for example and get promoted and the new rank has a bonus skill of Mechanic 1 you do not get mechanic 2 out of it, the bonus skill does nothing for you, you already have it at rank 1.

Exactly. It was counter intuitive since when you get a skill twice you are prone to think "Aha! Another level" and that's not always true in Traveller. If you start on page eight rolling characteristics (step one on the character creation flow chart page ten) and proceed in order you will not figure out your mistake until page sixteen after pre-career education at the career selection step. Looking at the rules with fresh eyes or introducing new players, it's something to be aware of when you sit down to help a group generate their characters rather than having everyone go back. I am not trying to be overly critical, but rather constructive. It was just something that occurred to me when I was asking myself how to explain each step to a group and what I might need to emphasize for some one away from the table.