Where did JBE go?
- Thread starter Jon Brazer Enterprises
- Start date
Some high-end ultratech stuff wouldn't go amiss - mongoose core products are (understandably) focussing on the OTU, so are rooted in the "70's in spaaaaaace!" beloved of BSG, Star Wars, Etc.
Neuroware, advisor AIs, knife missiles, etc, etc would make for a good change.
Neuroware, advisor AIs, knife missiles, etc, etc would make for a good change.
kafka
Mongoose
Funny, I don't get the same vibe of the Mongoose products being the 70s in Space...
I get the sense that there is not a clear direction for the OTU - so the frontiers are more open then just the 1970s. If anything I see it channeling much more the Age of Sail. Which for me is boring...I have always run Traveller as the 1970s. Where travel is commonplace. The world held many exotic cultures and regimes. And, everyone benefited from a reasonably high living standard. Which is not say there is not a dark underbelly that is very cyberpunkish (hence the 1980s) with elements of transhumanism (hence early 21st century creeping in) along with the placid ignorance of Pax Imperia (that marked the 1990s).
That is MTU - it is always evolving and unfolding. And, each time, I get a new group of players we create the Traveller Universe together.
I get the sense that there is not a clear direction for the OTU - so the frontiers are more open then just the 1970s. If anything I see it channeling much more the Age of Sail. Which for me is boring...I have always run Traveller as the 1970s. Where travel is commonplace. The world held many exotic cultures and regimes. And, everyone benefited from a reasonably high living standard. Which is not say there is not a dark underbelly that is very cyberpunkish (hence the 1980s) with elements of transhumanism (hence early 21st century creeping in) along with the placid ignorance of Pax Imperia (that marked the 1990s).
That is MTU - it is always evolving and unfolding. And, each time, I get a new group of players we create the Traveller Universe together.
I have MTU at TLs at 7 and above as modern day with futuristic things added as they go up, but with the twist as things being seen from modern times and above from a '70s viewpoint.
There are still bis computers on ships that take up tonnage on ships even when higher TLs have hand computers, basically MTU at TL 7+ is like Alien with the Nostromo type ship and that kind of feel, a little timeless and whilst the net exists on some worlds its more handwavium scifi tech than our internet.
In my recent session I had a kind of hand computer owned by our Patron that scanned our character's credit chit and it uploaded a credit payment to it and even showed on the screen the money added to their account so they knew the Patron had payed (half) in advance so theyd take the job (and get paid the other half when complete :wink: )
There are still bis computers on ships that take up tonnage on ships even when higher TLs have hand computers, basically MTU at TL 7+ is like Alien with the Nostromo type ship and that kind of feel, a little timeless and whilst the net exists on some worlds its more handwavium scifi tech than our internet.
In my recent session I had a kind of hand computer owned by our Patron that scanned our character's credit chit and it uploaded a credit payment to it and even showed on the screen the money added to their account so they knew the Patron had payed (half) in advance so theyd take the job (and get paid the other half when complete :wink: )
GamerDude
Cosmic Mongoose
One of the things I've come across when playing in established settings is "knowledge level of the setting". And you don't have to be playing something published specifically for RPGs.
- Stargate (everything)
- Farscape
- Underworld
- Star Wars
- Star Trek (any series)
- Alias
- James Bond
- Firefly/Serenity
and RPGs
- Forgotten Realms
- Greyhawk
- Traveller/3I (any edition/version)
- Kingdoms of Kalamar
- Dragonlance
The problem is, fans of the novels/setting will be heavily steeped in the time-line, events, culture, clothing, characters etc. They will be scouring interviews, short stories obscure and not, etc. for more info.
I call them 'setting lawyers'.
At cons for running MGT I run a home-brewed adaptation of the movie/series "Firefly/Serenity". I tell the players that this is MY version, MY interpretation. I know there are differences between what I have and the series/movie but this is how I see it. Please no trying to contradict me to match the show.
Then I still have the player who wants to debate me for 30 minutes on where the hatches are, which ones are airlocks, and how the ship (a firefly) would dock to a space station or another ship.
OR
Correcting me on how clothing is worn, how they would speak, etc.
Yes the do know quite a bit (in some cases just convinced they know quite a bit) but all they are really doing is an exercise in showing off what they know/think they know while slowing down the game. I've actually had other players finally say "Hey, alright? The GM said this is how it works then this is how it works can we get on playing already?".
It's really just loyalty to something they love and what they think they know about it. It's really great but half the time there is misinformation and assumption and what they heard 'from friend who learned from some other friend from some guy that the prop master on the set said" (ok, not quite that silly but close).
Again with me I'll admit (for the 300th time) why I am anal about keeping straight where sources fit inside that setting. Are they recognized by those who 'keep the canon' as official? (not every SW novel is 'canon' only a few are). If not then it's "How well does the writer know the setting?" and so on.
Bring on the setting lawyers. I have a crab mallet from back in Delaware I haven't used as an attention getter for a while *playful smile*
- Stargate (everything)
- Farscape
- Underworld
- Star Wars
- Star Trek (any series)
- Alias
- James Bond
- Firefly/Serenity
and RPGs
- Forgotten Realms
- Greyhawk
- Traveller/3I (any edition/version)
- Kingdoms of Kalamar
- Dragonlance
The problem is, fans of the novels/setting will be heavily steeped in the time-line, events, culture, clothing, characters etc. They will be scouring interviews, short stories obscure and not, etc. for more info.
I call them 'setting lawyers'.
At cons for running MGT I run a home-brewed adaptation of the movie/series "Firefly/Serenity". I tell the players that this is MY version, MY interpretation. I know there are differences between what I have and the series/movie but this is how I see it. Please no trying to contradict me to match the show.
Then I still have the player who wants to debate me for 30 minutes on where the hatches are, which ones are airlocks, and how the ship (a firefly) would dock to a space station or another ship.
OR
Correcting me on how clothing is worn, how they would speak, etc.
Yes the do know quite a bit (in some cases just convinced they know quite a bit) but all they are really doing is an exercise in showing off what they know/think they know while slowing down the game. I've actually had other players finally say "Hey, alright? The GM said this is how it works then this is how it works can we get on playing already?".
It's really just loyalty to something they love and what they think they know about it. It's really great but half the time there is misinformation and assumption and what they heard 'from friend who learned from some other friend from some guy that the prop master on the set said" (ok, not quite that silly but close).
Again with me I'll admit (for the 300th time) why I am anal about keeping straight where sources fit inside that setting. Are they recognized by those who 'keep the canon' as official? (not every SW novel is 'canon' only a few are). If not then it's "How well does the writer know the setting?" and so on.
Bring on the setting lawyers. I have a crab mallet from back in Delaware I haven't used as an attention getter for a while *playful smile*
I know what you mean, mainly as I can be that type of player sometimes 
I am lucky playing Traveller with my gf who is a fan of nearly all of the tv series you mentioned but knows nothing about Traveller's setting past what I describe in games and what she established herself in the char gen.
I am lucky playing Traveller with my gf who is a fan of nearly all of the tv series you mentioned but knows nothing about Traveller's setting past what I describe in games and what she established herself in the char gen.
