What was the Best Edited Version of Traveller?

[AKAmra]

All of the lamentations of the editing errors of Mongoose Traveller has me wondering if any edition is known for having solid editing?

I don't disagree with the criticism of MGT, I think it's part of the Mongoose business model; it runs across all of their RPG lines. I think it's based on cash flow; put books out (errors and all), make money (even if you send a few free book to people that bother to complain). You'll lose some customers along the way, but keep churning them out and make a profit. Eventually, the line may come together.

But I digress.

Is there a "gold standard" Traveller edition? A company that put out quality, well edited product from the get go?

 

[GJD]

Well, I know that I have a specialist errata booklet for my version of TNE, and used to clip pages out of Challenge that had further errata on them, so I'd say not that version. I also had an extensive errata for T20. The original Traveller:2300 had a small eratta included in the box, which was cleared up in 2300AD - but then they left out the SK19

That said, glancing at my shelves of RPG books, there aren't many there that I haven't had to add an errata to at one point or another.

G.

 

[Vile]

And from what one hears, MegaTraveller was a veritable hive of errata.

I guess that means CT comes out on top, if only by default because the other editions had so many problems.

 

[Colin]

None of them, really. Some were worse than others. If you expand the scope a bit 2300AD was probably the best, but of the 'Core' Traveller products... probably Starter Traveller, and then TNE, though a ways down.

 

[Treebore]

CT was probably the least errata'd version, but they have all had it. MegaT was probably the worst of all as far as core rules go. Just the ship combat alone was essentially rewritten. Plus I believe the ship design rules had a lot redone about them. Still, once I got a hold of the errata they became my favorite version to use.

I never paid attention to TNE, so that might have been well done. Not sure about the GURPS books either.

 

[phavoc]

I always have been very impressed with the excellent production quality of the Gurps Traveller books.

I never bothered to go look for errata for T4 books.

And yeah, I remember the multiple sets of Errata for MT. But I kind of cut them some slack since they were making a huge change to the game.

 

[AKAmra]

None of them, really. Some were worse than others. If you expand the scope a bit 2300AD was probably the best, but of the 'Core' Traveller products... probably Starter Traveller, and then TNE, though a ways down.

So Mongoose doesn't really seem to be doing all that badly compared to the versions that preceded it. Starter Traveller was a rewrite and repackaging of the original CT Rules. Mongoose tightened up their core book offering pretty quickly with their second version of TMB.

I don't remember ever seeing GURPS Traveller getting criticized for editing or rules errata. GT gets it from those that don't like their alternate TU or from those that don't like the GURPS rules.

 

[Treebore]

None of them, really. Some were worse than others. If you expand the scope a bit 2300AD was probably the best, but of the 'Core' Traveller products... probably Starter Traveller, and then TNE, though a ways down.

So Mongoose doesn't really seem to be doing all that badly compared to the versions that preceded it. Starter Traveller was a rewrite and repackaging of the original CT Rules. Mongoose tightened up their core book offering pretty quickly with their second version of TMB.

I don't remember ever seeing GURPS Traveller getting criticized for editing or rules errata. GT gets it from those that don't like their alternate TU or from those that don't like the GURPS rules.

As far as rules go, GURPS has a core rules system that has had plenty of arguments over it. So for the GURPS Traveller books I only used the fluff, nothing rules related, and I only used pieces and parts. So if they did have needed errata I never used enough of their material to ever see the need for it.

Only someone who used the GURPS rules all by themselves would ever see a problem worth complaining about, and I have only seen a couple of people ever say they used GURPS rules exclusively. Most have been like me, and used it to supplement their Traveller game.

So in my case, until Mongoose came along, I used Mega Traveller as my core rules set, and stole whatever struck my fancy from other sources, such as the GURPS books.

Which I think is why the errors Mongoose has been making doesn't bug me so much. Fixing mistakes is a big part of the Traveller experience for me, and is probably why I am very comfortable making up house rules rather than going hunting for official fixes.

Like when Mega T's combat and ship building rules were screwed up, and I hadn't gotten the errata yet, I just kept using my house ruled version of Classic.

Same thing with Mongoose, what ever they do that I don't like, I just use my version of the MegaTraveller rules.

So I really don't think much about it when Mongoose gets something "wrong". I just go, "That's stupid. I'll be using my old house rules for that one!"

 

[rust]

The quality of most of the GURPS Traveller books was just fine, but there
were also some real blunders - one book (I think it was Behind the Claw)
made it to the printer in an unfinished version, and some of the others had
errata problems, too.

 

[Treebore]

The quality of most of the GURPS Traveller books was just fine, but there
were also some real blunders - one book (I think it was Behind the Claw)
made it to the printer in an unfinished version, and some of the others had
errata problems, too.

I am not surprised SJ had issues, but I am surprised they made a mistake that big.

 

[far-trader]

The quality of most of the GURPS Traveller books was just fine, but there
were also some real blunders - one book (I think it was Behind the Claw)
made it to the printer in an unfinished version, and some of the others had
errata problems, too.

I am not surprised SJ had issues, but I am surprised they made a mistake that big.

Wasn't there some hitch or glitch involving the author dropping out or being dropped or something and a rush to print so the unedited draft file ended up being used instead of the edited final file? Or am I remembering some other publication?

 

[AKAmra]

The quality of most of the GURPS Traveller books was just fine, but there
were also some real blunders - one book (I think it was Behind the Claw)
made it to the printer in an unfinished version, and some of the others had
errata problems, too.

I am not surprised SJ had issues, but I am surprised they made a mistake that big.

That's a surprise to me too. I've only been collecting the GURPS stuff since 4th edition, but I'd say it's the most well thought out and edited RPG I've ever read. GURPS 4e Traveller Interstellar Wars looks solid, but I haven't run it and I'm no expert in either GURPS or Traveller.

 

[rust]

Wasn't there some hitch or glitch involving the author dropping out or being dropped or something and a rush to print so the unedited draft file ended up being used instead of the edited final file? Or am I remembering some other publication?

I do not remember what the reason for the problem was, I only own one
of the sad results ...

 

[E.D.Quibell]

The quality of most of the GURPS Traveller books was just fine, but there
were also some real blunders - one book (I think it was Behind the Claw)
made it to the printer in an unfinished version, and some of the others had
errata problems, too.

I am not surprised SJ had issues, but I am surprised they made a mistake that big.

Wasn't there some hitch or glitch involving the author dropping out or being dropped or something and a rush to print so the unedited draft file ended up being used instead of the edited final file? Or am I remembering some other publication?

I believe that SJGames published the wrong draft.

Best regards,

Ewan

 

[DFW]

I believe that SJGames published the wrong draft.

Best regards,

Ewan

That's already been established. But why, is the question.

 

[Bense]

The GURPS books are in my experience the best edited version of Traveller. They even have usable indices.

 

[DFW]

The GURPS books are in my experience the best edited version of Traveller. They even have usable indices.

I second that.

 

[spinwardpirate]

I'll third it. I have a bunch of playtest credits in GURPS books, and my day job is quality control, and I have to say one of the primary reasons SJG gets my dollars is their attention to quality. Sure, they make mistakes, as does everyone, but I know they take active steps to keep mistakes to a minimum.