Whats what?

[rgrove0172]

I decided to give Traveller a go a couple months ago (triggered by Colin's 2300 sourcebook as its my setting of choice) so i started picking up various pdfs to fill out my Traveller Library. I have a good number of documents but Im beginning to wonder if they are all compatible. Here and there I have a similar book with a different number (Highguard 2 and Highguard 5 for example) There are sourcebooks for vehicles that seem to ahve the same information in them. I think Im getting tangled in a blend of different versions (Megatraveller v.s Classic Traveller perhaps) but I dont know enough about the system to tell.

Could anyone extend a hand a perhaps exchange a couple emails to help me sort it out?

I have found some conflicting rules and such and its making getting a grasp of system far harder than it should be.

Thanks in advance,

Rich

 

[hdan]

In general, the rules between different Traveller versions may be similar, but will not be exactly compatible.

First, you have "Classic Traveller" (the one published 1977-1981 or so), which is by GDW.

Then came MegaTraveller, also by GDW, which changed things up a lot, but still looked like Traveller.

After that was "Traveller: The New Era" which was a different game system.

Eventually, Mongoose Publishing got the rights to make a Traveller edition, (The "MgT Traveller" that is the subject of this board), and released a version of the game that was sort of a fusion of "Classic" and "Mega", probably leaning more towards "Classic".

"High Guard" Book 5 was the CT version.
MgT's is Book 2.

Trying to get all those versions into your head at once could lead to insanity.

I personally would stick with one edition or the other.

If you don't have a lot of history playing Traveller (and maybe even if you do), Mongoose's Traveller is the least confusing and most "modern" feeling of the editions. The system is very logical and in my mind takes the best of the oldest editions to synthesize a modern game that still feels like Traveller to us old timers.

Classic Traveller has an undeniable "Old School" charm, so if you're an OSG aficionado, you might prefer CT. (Starter Traveller, The Traveller Book, and other similar repackaging of the original "Little Black Books 1-3".) But be prepared to do a lot of homework and house rulings if you go with CT. It's a very simple game, but relies on referees to make up rules on the spot in many cases.

I picked up a copy of MegaTraveller recently, and I can definitely see its influence on MgT, though I don't think I'd play MegaTraveller as written. (Well, I'd probably play if someone else would Referee...)

 

[Nathan Brazil]

There are a few websites that can help you in the future to compare for purchases. For Mongoose Traveller, just look at the regular site. I am sure that they would like you to take a look. :wink:

travellerwiki.org has the List of Published products for all versions to see what's the fuss with this Traveller thing and all the different versions. Drivethru RPG is also a good source to look at as well.

 

[rgrove0172]

I am working from the Mongoose Traveller Rule book as the foundation for my game. Ill check out the Mongoose website for the approved supplements and relegate everything else Ive got to a source of ideas. (Deadly Assassins, Fighting Ships etc.)

Some of the supplements (the official ones Im looking at now on the Mongoose site) dont really fit the 2300 setting (psions etc. ) any recommendations as to which ones to pick up and which ones would just be a waste?

 

[Jeraa]

One thing to watch out for is that Classic Traveller and Mongoose Traveller books both have very similar covers, and even similar titles. (Though Classic Traveller books generally have a colored bar at the top and bottom of the cover, along with the words game Designer's Workshop.) As you have found out with Book 2 High Guard (mongoose) and Book 5 High Guard (CT). Many of the other books are similar:

Mercenary - Book 1 Mongoose, but Book 4 CT
Scout - Book 3 Mongoose, Book 6 CT
Merchant Prince - Book 7 in both editions

Fighting Ships - Supplement 3 Mongoose, Supplement 9 CT
Traders & Gunboats - Supplement 2 Mongoose, Supplement 7 CT

I don't know how similar they are, but some of the adventures as well. (For example, Prison Planet is Adventure 2 from Mongoose, and Adventure 8 from CT.)

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Stuff that's published after 2007 is way better.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

Some of the supplements (the official ones Im looking at now on the Mongoose site) dont really fit the 2300 setting (psions etc. ) any recommendations as to which ones to pick up and which ones would just be a waste?

OK then. If that is the case. If it is 2300 you are looking at,
1.For flavor text I recommend the 2300 CD-ROM from Far Future Enterprises, the IP owner of the whole thing. It has both editions of the original game, the space combat game, all the original supplements (20 more or less) and the magazine articles (not the entire magazine though) from Challenge Magazine on PDFs for the cost of one dead tree book. The old game system is sufficiently different that you will need to do a little conversion work.
From a style standpoint, genetic modificaton (except for the King colony and of course the Pentapods) is absent. Cybernetics was of a subdued nature (really only in the Earth/Cybertech supplement).
2.For general rules and equipment stuff, from Mongoose get Central Supply Catalog, Vehicle Handbook and Cybernetics. From the primary books, Mercenary, Agent, Scoundrel are the best fits, the others have lesser utility except Psion which is pointless in 2300.

 

[rgrove0172]

Ive got the CDROM (Not to mention my old copies of Traveller:2300 and 2300AD from GDW, and an old copy of Star Cruiser)

I have all the books you mentioned except Agent and Scoundrel. Guess Ill ahve to go look them up.

 

[Colin]

For 2300AD, the most relevant books are Cyernetics, Robots, Animal Encounters, Vehicle Handbook, Biotech Vehicles, and Vehicle Upgrade Manual. High Guard and Scouts an be useful as well. Scoundrel and Agent can have their uses, but you have to pick and choose the technology carefully. Psion is not useful for "canon" 2300AD, but if you want to use it (Pentapod ships as psi-drive vessels?), it has some interesting stuff.