rosswinn

joined 7 months ago
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One if the issues with Traveller's technology system is the lack of efficiency and progression. As an example, Vacc suits in Traveller rarely get lighter, less expensive, or add additional features. This true of pretty much all components, equipment, and weapons. There is no systematic way to reduce cost, weight, or manufacturing time. There is no benefit to additional capabilities and if there are they are always more expensive.

I do recall in the old days a supplement or article that discussed technological progression of vacc suits, and that may have been DGP. There was even a modular build system for custom vacc suits in CT JTAS.

Should components and equipment get lighter, cost less, or add capabilities. Not just vacc suits as an example, but all technology?

Just one man's opinion, but I thought it would be a neat discussion.

Best regards.

 

Do you have a favorite 400-800dton bespoke Adventure Class ship?

Mine is the Scout Trader, this is a modified Type R given to small detached scout crews to trade (and gather intelligence) on the periphery. They become especially important after the Fifth Frontier War and into the Hard Times as the Imperium is in desperate need to monitor the area.

Type QR | Scout Trader | 400dton | 225 MCr

Component Description dTon Armor 10 Crystaliron 004 M-3 012 J-3 035 Power 120 Fusion TL12 008 Fuel J-3+8 weeks 122 Scoops Standard Processor 001 Bridge Standard Automation 010 Computer Model 20bis Jump Control/3 Fire Control/2 Point Defense/2 Sensors Military (Rating 3) 012 Mail Distribution Array 010 Turret 1 (Beam, Missile, Sand) 001 Turret 2 (Beam, Missile, Sand) 001 Turret 3 (Beam, Beam) 001 Turret 4 (Beam, Beam) 001 Ammunition Sandcaster (x20) 001 Missile (x12) 001 Small Craft Launch 020 Crew 5 Single Occupancy 020 Passengers Medium Passage x3 012 Medical Bay 004 Armory 001 Cargo Configurable 130

 

On another forum people were asking about everyone's first RPG experience. Now my story involved D&D but only about six or eight weeks later I played the 1977 version of Traveller. I was 11 years old.

My question is, what version brought you into Traveller? Was it little books, or color covers? Was it before the Fifth Frontier War, or during the Virus?

Please share.

 

This is the best I have found.

[–] rosswinn@ttrpg.network 1 points 1 month ago

There have been multiple classifications for different sizes of ships in the Imperium. So that’s anyone’s guess. I think that most system craft overall will be under 1000 dtons.

 

Currently working on designs for some larger "small craft". variant Shuttles, a Marine Dropship, and a larger Marine Assault Carrier. The dropship is 40 dton, and the shuttle variants are 100, 200, and 500 dtons, the assault carrier is probably 400 dtons. What is the range of small craft in your Traveller universe?

[–] rosswinn@ttrpg.network 5 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Some people just love to bitch, especially if that's all they do. James Wallis said (IIRC) "Game designs aren't tools, but some game designers are".

[–] rosswinn@ttrpg.network 1 points 1 month ago

So much white space and so bare.

[–] rosswinn@ttrpg.network 3 points 2 months ago (4 children)

Are there any updates on this yet? I'd really like to see more information as you move forward.

[–] rosswinn@ttrpg.network 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Just a few ideas. First of all, I think using Pirates of Drinax is an excellent idea because it's a great sandbox. Second, I think it's a great opportunity to collaboratively run your game between the three of you. You can say, "I want to do this." One of your friends can say, "I want to do that," and somebody else can say, "I want to do that." Using those three things, you can build a concept. I'm really interested to hear regular updates, Maybe even a blog that each of you writes an entry into in sequence; so you write the first, the second person writes the second, the third person writes the third, so that we can really get a multiple perspective view of what's going on and how it works. Also consider documenting by either audio recording or YouTube video or something so that you guys can reference it when you're in the next session. Definitely record keeping is gonna be a big part of this.

[–] rosswinn@ttrpg.network 3 points 2 months ago

Well, to start out with, Traveler was the second game I ever played in 1977, just a few weeks after I started playing Dungeons & Dragons. I think the pulpy goodness and the references to the Age of Sail give a really great roleplaying environment. Traveller really created the concept of the big story arc within the game, and the lifepath system. Both really give you a lot of information that you can use to create a fun character. Combat is pretty deadly and I think that helps encourage role-playing. There are some anachronisms and things that don't really make sense in a modern context. However, I think you can really leave those if the rest of this setting makes sense to you.

[–] rosswinn@ttrpg.network 1 points 2 months ago

Can't wait to hear it.

 

Hey guys, I am a little disappointed that there aren't more comments and more engagement in the group. Does anyone have any cool spacecraft designs? Great weapons? Game ideas? Questions? Let us know.

[–] rosswinn@ttrpg.network 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

What do you think are the most important things to have as auxiliary systems on battle draft?

 

Battle Dress in the Imperium is complex and generally misunderstood. If you were designing Battle Dress and it didn't currently exist in the Third Imperium what capabilities would it have? Would there be integral weapons? Electronic Warfare? Would the exoskeleton add strength or just endurance? Inquiring minds want to know.

[–] rosswinn@ttrpg.network 1 points 4 months ago

If you’re not interested in the product, that’s one thing but this isn’t something that they’re printing 5 million copies of. This is a prestige format book on a niche in industry. I personally paid upwards of $150 for a single history text, so I don’t know what you’re talking about. Not all books are the same.

[–] rosswinn@ttrpg.network 1 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Definitely NOT outrageous. $20 in 1982 is equivalent to $66 now. SOURCE. (The purchasing power of the US dollar is a third of what it was in 1982.) I have a copy of the book on my desk and it is incredibly well researched and printd and bound on good quality paper with excellent art in four colors. Look at Shannon's other work on RPG history and you will see some fantastic work.

[–] rosswinn@ttrpg.network 1 points 4 months ago

VTM illustrates all of the pros and cons of the Storyteller milieu. It is still the game that people talk about, even more than WoD.

[–] rosswinn@ttrpg.network 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Shannon's work on game history is stellar. I ordered it immediately upon publication and it sits proudly on my coffee table.

 

Do you have a design language or set aesthetic for starships, spacecraft, or weapons in your Traveller Universe? I feel like that after 5,000 years of spacefaaring civilization Humaniti would have some very efficient design ideas. Examples could be all weapons are bullpup configurations because of aiming advantages, or starships tend to be spherical because of the geometry of the jump field. What do you think?

 

Saw a discussion on reddit today and thought it might be interesting. Name the system, media influences, and basic plot ideas. Mine is: Over The Edge, Film Noir: Four friends in 1935 are involved in a plane crash in the desert and end up in Al Amarja. Stuck without papers or passports, the group is forced to take piece work from the criminal element to survive. A cross between The Maltese Falcon, Naked Lunch, The Lost Weekend, and Sullivan's Travels.

 

For fans of Traveller specifically.

 

I have I think 14 or 15 different versions of Traveller. From classic first edition, to tiny fan-based Traveller Hero and Action! System Traveller. Although these versions give me a wide variety of rules and systems, I still use many other games to provide character and flavor. Games like Theatrix, Mekton Zeta, Last Exodus, and High Colonies. So what systems and settings influence your Traveller settings and series?

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