World Generation Nitpicks

[Edsan]

Howdy,

Another question from the guy who loves traveller, owns the books, never ran it and only played it once (yay BITS!).

I apologise in advance if this is something that has already been covered in the errata, but I can't seem to find one on the forum.


Case in point: What's wrong with the World Gen tables?

Size, Atmo, Temp and Hydro check out.

Pop is where the weirdness begins, it is determined by rolling 2d6-2 (0-A) but the table goes all the way up to 12(C). Also, notice that while a Pop higher than 10 cannot be rolled the Tech Level modifiers on pg. 179 have entries for Pop 11(B) and 12(C). And last but not least, according to the instructions on page 6 this system is supposed to be used to generate a character's homeworld...it's hard to see how a PC could come from a Pop 0 planet...

Next in line is Gov. I did the math and the dice rolls range from -4 (or 0) to 15(F) but the table only goes up to 13(D). Didn't previous versions of Traveller have 0 to F classes of goverment? And again...page 179 has Tech Level modifiers for a Gov code of 14(E).

Finally the Tech Level tables, even limiting ourselves to a maximum Pop of 10(A) (maximum as per the rules) can produce values exceding TL15, the Imperial maximum...what the hell?


Has this been addressed, or am I missing something?

 

[BP]

Case in point: What's wrong with the World Gen tables?

Size, Atmo, Temp and Hydro check out.

Pop is where the weirdness begins, it is determined by rolling 2d6-2 (0-A) but the table goes all the way up to 12(C). Also, notice that while a Pop higher than 10 cannot be rolled the Tech Level modifiers on pg. 179 have entries for Pop 11(B) and 12(C). And last but not least, according to the instructions on page 6 this system is supposed to be used to generate a character's homeworld...it's hard to see how a PC could come from a Pop 0 planet...

Next in line is Gov. I did the math and the dice rolls range from -4 (or 0) to 15(F) but the table only goes up to 13(D). Didn't previous versions of Traveller have 0 to F classes of goverment? And again...page 179 has Tech Level modifiers for a Gov code of 14(E).

Finally the Tech Level tables, even limiting ourselves to a maximum Pop of 10(A) (maximum as per the rules) can produce values exceding TL15, the Imperial maximum...what the hell?


Has this been addressed, or am I missing something?

Yep. Yep!

Yeah- the Pop 0 thingie has been covered - i.e. here one hit...

My take - pop 0 is resident pop (or survey pop) and 0 with bases, etc. indicates nobody lives on the planet for any length of time (but can live in orbit and spend considerable time planet side - but for whatever reason it is unsafe/not prudent to do so) - it is only the pop of the main world in a system - not the pop of the system itself.

TL past 15 are ok - that is a 3I setting thing and this is a core book (i.e. supposed to be setting independent) - also the 3I mainworlds are already defined (so you must be roling non-3I worlds).

As to the missing Gov definitions - ??? (see here)

Hope that helps - others will have better input (I'm inputing beer now - so this might be a bit skewed...:roll

 

[Edsan]

TL past 15 are ok - that is a 3I setting thing and this is a core book (i.e. supposed to be setting independent) - also the 3I mainworlds are already defined (so you must be roling non-3I worlds).

Well, that clashes with the boxed text on pg. 180 "Variations" where it is stated "the system is geared towards the default Traveller setting of the Third Imperium"

 

[captainjack23]

Howdy,

Another question from the guy who loves traveller, owns the books, never ran it and only played it once (yay BITS!).

I apologise in advance if this is something that has already been covered in the errata, but I can't seem to find one on the forum.


Case in point: What's wrong with the World Gen tables?

Size, Atmo, Temp and Hydro check out.

Pop is where the weirdness begins, it is determined by rolling 2d6-2 (0-A) but the table goes all the way up to 12(C). Also, notice that while a Pop higher than 10 cannot be rolled the Tech Level modifiers on pg. 179 have entries for Pop 11(B) and 12(C). And last but not least, according to the instructions on page 6 this system is supposed to be used to generate a character's homeworld...it's hard to see how a PC could come from a Pop 0 planet...

Well, there are some optional modifiers based on genre (in a sidebar) which can up the pop to 11 or possibly more. I suspect that the TL effects are there for those options -or just completeness.

Next in line is Gov. I did the math and the dice rolls range from -4 (or 0) to 15(F) but the table only goes up to 13(D). Didn't previous versions of Traveller have 0 to F classes of goverment? And again...page 179 has Tech Level modifiers for a Gov code of 14(E).

Yes, it did have 0-F...depending on edition.
I'm not sure why the types go above 13, except for backwards compatability, perhaps, or to tie into T5 (maybe).

Finally the Tech Level tables, even limiting ourselves to a maximum Pop of 10(A) (maximum as per the rules) can produce values exceding TL15, the Imperial maximum...what the hell?

There are other polities outside the imperium at greater than TL15 even in the 3I setting...rare, but still there- the Darrians, for one.


Do keep in mind that if one is using a 3I setting, the UWPs are already generated -one would roll new ones only if one is well outside the empire (Foreven, perhaps) or for one's own trav universe.

 

[darktalon]

Tech levels above 15-16 are rare when rolling worlds using the rules as written - I've generated thousands of worlds over the years, including the ones I've just rolled up for fun with no intention of using in an actual game, and rolled precisely one 18 - and if you do get one then the adventure possibilities are endless. (And don't forget it's likely to be a red zone. The Imperium isn't going to want people shopping for TL-17 toys willy-nilly.)