What Properties Would You Like To See Mongoose Acquire?

[FreeTrav]

My only complaint with that setting is that other then humans, the only race that isn't a pacifist of some kind are the Polseen...

After reading more of the series - and my offer elsethread to someone re: Honor Harrington also applies to Legacy of the Aldenata (the Posleen series) - I think you'll see that many of the other races - perhaps most or all of them - aren't really 'pacifists' so much as they fight their battles more or less to their strengths - which is NOT the basic boomenstuff that Humans and Posleen seem to favor. But more would be telling. I urge you to read the rest of the series.

 

[DeadMike]

Starship Troopers anyone?? Yes, I love to kill bugs.

 

[Techno-Guru]

Vatta's War would be easy to convert into Traveller and have plenty of plot hooks. We have the conflict with Turek, general trade and travel both before and after his year-long war, and the possiblity for players to explore Turek's origins and the mystery of how he managed to get his fleet together.

In addition to general trade, the story shows clearly that it's not difficult for player-characters to Make A Difference, and have major influence on the political "look" of the setting based on their actions.

Indeed, even though there is a case of Right Place, Right Time with the shipboard ansibles. Still, that's no worse then most GM plots.

My only complaint with that setting is that other then humans, the only race that isn't a pacifist of some kind are the Polseen...

After reading more of the series - and my offer elsethread to someone re: Honor Harrington also applies to Legacy of the Aldenata (the Posleen series) - I think you'll see that many of the other races - perhaps most or all of them - aren't really 'pacifists' so much as they fight their battles more or less to their strengths - which is NOT the basic boomenstuff that Humans and Posleen seem to favor. But more would be telling. I urge you to read the rest of the series.

I only recently got into the series as opposed to finishing it (as is the case with Vatta's War,) so you do have a point. Although that does pose a problem with multi-species groups, forcing them to plan to their combined strengths instead of charging in guns ablazing. Not as much of a handicap for mature players but I speak largely from experiences with my current group.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

At the top of it all, Larry Niven's Known Space
Followed by
Dune
David Brin's Uplift
Stargate (any of it) or predecessors like Sliders or the original Fringeworthy rpg setting by Richard Tucholka
Finally so it could see the light of day again, Greyhawk Traveller

 

[Lord High Munchkin]

Anything "Non-military" that is not based on, or a derivatively licensed from, a TV/movie/video-game/anime.

Perhaps 'The Culture'.

 

[IanBruntlett]

Perhaps 'The Culture'.

Definitely the Culture. If it doesn't get written, I'll get Special Circumstances to sort Mongoose out :evil:

 

[crossmlk]

I think that Niven's Known Space is one of the best Sci-Fi properties of all time. It holds up still today. Chaosium had a license for it sometime in the 80's I believe. They put out a boxed set and a book set on Ringworld, both of which I have. They were pretty good but it screamed for a supported campaign setting on Ringworld to get a game started. The place is kind of daunting because of its size. While that's it's strength it also leaves a referee wondering where to start.

I think the Mongoose Traveller ruleset would support the setting very well. You'd need to come up with a set of rules to cover General Dynamics hulls and a few of the tech items would be greater than Tech 15 but all that could be easily dealt with.

I still hold out hope that someday Hollywood will discover Larry Nivan and Known Space instead of making Aliens 35 or GI Joe. What can I say, I'm a dreamer.

Mike Cross
Terra/Sol Games
http://terrasolgames.com/

 

[HumAnnoyd]

Along with Vatta's War and Honor Harrington I would want:

And

 

[DeadMike]

I still hold out hope that someday Hollywood will discover Larry Nivan and Known Space instead of making Aliens 35 or GI Joe.

Be careful what you ask for! Remember what hollywood did to Dune and a bunch of others? Hollywood sucks these days anyway. No originality, no thought, rehashing/thrashing old movies and sequal city. That and the newest nudity trend of replacing breast shots with mens butts is just revolting. :? There are a lot of books I'm glad they haven't read.

 

[Somebody]

I think that most of "Known Space" would not work as a movie. As a lengthy running TV series yes but for a single movie the universe is to complex.

Even a TV show will have problems once we advance to the "Ringworld" stage or possibly even when the Protectors come up. Complex stuff/background, not for the general target audience of today (15-20, 10sec attention span)

Some of Nivens (or Niven/Pournelles) books might make good movies if a bit streamlined. Footfall should work as should Luzifers Hammer also both screams "mini series" to me

 

[darktalon]

Along with Vatta's War and Honor Harrington I would want:

Oh, hell yeah. I seem to remember one of the Traveller S&P articles talking about Mass Effect though I don't recall the context.

 

[dreamingbadger]

Even a TV show will have problems once we advance to the "Ringworld" stage or possibly even when the Protectors come up. Complex stuff/background, not for the general target audience of today (15-20, 10sec attention span)

Old fashined I know, but I think it would make a spectacular radio series ...

 

[Techno-Guru]

Along with Vatta's War and Honor Harrington I would want:

images snipped for space

Mass Effect, if Bioware is willing to license the idea, would be an interesting setting to play in. It would probably have a greater focus on exploration and combat then most Traveller games, but there are a number of interesting ways to make players think. There a number of different plays on the themes of pride, guilt, retribution, and redemption that the game throws at you almost as soon as you press "new game."
Halo on the other hand... personally I was never that impressed with it. I really should reinstall the first game and try to beat it but... Honestly I was more moved with Starfist and Hammer's Slammers. Master Chief had some witty one-liners, but nothing that made me really care about him. While with Hammer's Slammers, I still vividly recall the short story about the rebel who stole one of the Hammer's legendary tanks, later finding out that his sister died in the diversion that allowed him to escape...

 

[darktalon]

Mass Effect, if Bioware is willing to license the idea, would be an interesting setting to play in. It would probably have a greater focus on exploration and combat then most Traveller games, but there are a number of interesting ways to make players think. There a number of different plays on the themes of pride, guilt, retribution, and redemption that the game throws at you almost as soon as you press "new game."

Well, there's precedent for Bioware licensing their properties for tabletop (Dragon Age) - and there's Mongoose, a large (by the standards of the industry) company with an established sci-fi product line and a liking for licensed games. Stranger things have been known...

 

[Dark Lord Skippy]

Same here. Finished watching it (again) last year. Blake's 7 sh*ts all over B5, fer sure. Maybe not in the effects department, but ideas, acting, and characters.... And certainly the Liberator is one of the best designed ship's in sfdom.

Yeah, I remember when I first heard of B7. I was in college and a guy told me about the show. It sounded great and then he warned "You know how bad the Doctor Who effects are..... these people got their leftovers."

I dont know how true that was, but it sure seemed true. But the ideas, the acting, and especially the characters are top notch. I can easily see this being something that can be turned into an outstanding RPG setting.

Of course, with Matt's low opinion of the whole thing, it probably doesnt stand a chance (not that any of these suggestions really do I suspect).

 

[darktalon]

Same here. Finished watching it (again) last year. Blake's 7 sh*ts all over B5, fer sure. Maybe not in the effects department, but ideas, acting, and characters.... And certainly the Liberator is one of the best designed ship's in sfdom.

Yeah, I remember when I first heard of B7. I was in college and a guy told me about the show. It sounded great and then he warned "You know how bad the Doctor Who effects are..... these people got their leftovers."

If you can track down the radio specials (don't know if they were ever released on tape or CD though) then you don't even have to worry about the dodgy effects.

 

[Dave Chase]

Star Slammers (graphic novel)
Heavy Metal (movie, first not the second)
Titan A.E. (movie)
Galaxy Quest (movie)
M.A.X. (Computer game, Interplay)
Fraigle Allegiance (Computer game, Interplay, would be good for Mega Corp mining companies)
Heavy Gear (RPG and computer game)
Sins of a Solar Empire (Computer game, Different setting)

Dave Chase

 

[Techno-Guru]

Star Slammers (graphic novel)
Heavy Metal (movie, first not the second)
Titan A.E. (movie)
Galaxy Quest (movie)
M.A.X. (Computer game, Interplay)
Fraigle Allegiance (Computer game, Interplay, would be good for Mega Corp mining companies)
Heavy Gear (RPG and computer game)
Sins of a Solar Empire (Computer game, Different setting)

Dave Chase

I have to second the vote for Titan AE and possibly MAX/Sins of a Solar Empire. The rest... Galaxy Quest I have my doubts about and the rest I don't really know enough.

 

[Egil Skallagrimsson]

Lots of interesting ideas, but quite a number of recent suggestions seem to be computer games, which are surely best played on the computer.

I second all the references to classic scifi (Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein etc), but it strikes me that one of the beauties of Trav is most of these can be easily converted, perhaps with some modifications, e.g. Heinlein's "The Moon is a harsh mistress" would make a brilliant TL8/9 campaign, so perhaps not a need to publish supplements to cover them. Bit surprised to see only a few mentions of Hamilton's Night' Dawn trilogy (perhaps only a few people managed to get to the end!). I could see this as quite a high TL background with many interesting ideas, even without following the return of the dead storyline.

Very surprised to see no reference to Farscape, I know that the storylines rather lost their way once Crichton returned to earp, but the backgrond of competing empires, easy interstellar travel and a range of alien life seems tailor made for mid tech (TL12ish) traveller, and translater microbes solve so many long running communication problems!

Overall, I tend to think that unique, tailor made, background (3I or other) is the best way to go. Would parts of 3I history make good sourcebooks with adventures, e.g. the Interstellar Wars (how inevitable was the defeat of the Ziru Sirka?) ?

 

[Dave Chase]

Ah, I don't want to play the Computer game on or during a RPG of Traveller. I was wanting more the background and extra bits for high adventure for the Traveller game.

HALO has a very interesting background for a computer game, one that is in consistent development and growth. But I am sure it might cost more to get a license for it as compare to some of the others listed.

Dave Chase