What is TRAVELLER?
You poor, poor bastard.
Traveller is a series of related science fiction role-playing games, the first published in 1977 by Game Designers' Workshop and subsequent editions by various companies remaining in print to this day. The current edition is produced by Mongoose Publishing.
Originally Traveller was intended to be a system for playing generic space opera themed science fiction adventures, in the same sense that Dungeons & Dragons is a system for generic fantasy adventures. However, a suggested setting called the Third Imperium was detailed with the publication of following supplements and since then this setting has become strongly identified with the game, such that to fans the name Traveller and the Third Imperium are synonymous.
The Traveller rules help construct a far future society that draws inspiration from the Dumarest saga series by E.C. Tubb, the Foundation stories of Isaac Asimov, H. Beam Piper's Space Viking, Larry Niven's Known Space, Jerry Pournelle's CoDominium, Poul Anderson's Polesotechnic League and several other works of science fiction literature[citation needed]. Characters are expected to travel between star systems, engage in battle on the ground and in space, and involve themselves in interstellar economics. Traveller characters are defined less by the need to increase native skill and ability and more by achieving positional advancement in the form of wealth, gadgets, titles and political power. While any version of the game system could be used in many science fiction settings, most published supplements have dealt in some way with the Third Imperium, also sometimes referred to as the Official Traveller Universe, or "OTU".
The newest version,
Mongoose Traveller, is awesome.
Further Questions:
Why should I play this instead of Bounty Head Bebop and Serenity RPG
Because they suck.
So, what's gameplay/chargen like?
Good of you to ask.
Chargen:Characteristics are generated by rolling 2d6, there are six of them, Strength, Endurance, Dexterity, Intelligence, Education, and Social Standing. Numbers 10-15 are represented by the letters A-F.
The player then selects Homeworld and Education skills, these begin at Level 0, meaning that the character has a familiarity with these. The character is now 18 years old and shall enter the WONDERFUL WORLD OF WORK, by picking a Career, rolling to see if he is qualified(if not he can either take the Drifter career or submit to the Draft), he then takes a list of skills at level 0, for his first career only, then rolls for wonderful things like Survival, Advancement, Skills, and Events, repeat until the character has had three four year terms in a career and you get your basic Traveller character.
Gameplay:But Erich, how do you do things, you ask?
You do things by rolling 2d6 and getting a result of Target Number+, positive points in a skill add to the character's chance to succeed, a Twelve is an automatic Success, a 2 an automatic failure, missing the target number by one you may, if the Referee permits, barely succeed, losing something in the process.
More info is available here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traveller_(role-playing_game
and here, in
this wonderful podcast, which will tell you anything else you want to know about the game.
Resources:
The Journal of the Traveller's Aid Society THE DOWNPORT The Traveller Map
I would love to play this, but I don't have any books!Worry not, the Traveller System Reference Document is here to help.But there's only one career listed, and some of the other stuff is missing.I will send the rest to you, if and only if you express interest in this campaign.
Sign up, give timezones/etc and we will be ready to go.
After telling a friend that I was refereeing Traveller, he gave me a copy of The Spinward Marches, by Mongoose, So,
we are ready to go, I will take 6-8 players, I would prefer IRC but will do PbP if necessary.
He also has a copy of Mercenary "Somewhere", presumably in his godforsaken attic or crawlspace.
Let's just stick with the SRD for mercenary.
The DM:GMT-7(Denver) whatever time I can play.
1.Wildcat GMT+1(Summer time)
2.Premier Kakos GMT -7 Denver time.
3.GalagaGalaxian GMT-8? Pacific. Saturday=Out
4.
5.
6.
Rule one of Traveller is that you do not COMPLAIN about the lack of post-scarcity, FTL comms, autolaserguns that never miss, transhumanism and other stupid shit that only gets in the way of having an enjoyable game.
Rule two is that you don't call certain alien races a disparaging five letter name. Those people didn't exist when Traveller was made.
Skill Packages are spoilered below for convenience:
Traveller Skill Package: Pilot (any) 1, Sensors 1, Comms 1, Gunner (any) 1, Gun Combat (any) 1, Persuade 1, Stealth 1, Medic 1.
Mercenary Skill Package: Sensors 1, Comms 1, Medic 1, Leadership 1, Heavy Weapons (any) 1, Gun Combat (any) 1, Gun Combat (any) 1, Stealth 1.
Trader Skill Package: Pilot (any) 1, Sensors 1, Medic 1, Streetwise 1, Broker 1, Advocate 1, Diplomat 1, Astrogation 1.
Starship Skills Package: Pilot (any) 1, Gunner (any) 1, Engineer (any) 1, Mechanic 1, Sensors 1, Medic 1, Comms 1, Astrogation 1.
Explorer Skills Package: Pilot (any) 1, Astrogation 1, Sensors 1, Survival 1, Recon 1, Gun Combat (any) 1, Stealth 1, Medic 1
Diplomat Skill Package: Advocate 1, Diplomat 1, Persuade 1, Stealth 1, Streetwise 1, Deception 1, Computers 1, Comms 1.
Investigator Skill Package: Advocate 1, Admin 1, Investigate 1, Persuade 1, Stealth 1, Streetwise 1, Computers 1, Sensors 1, Gun Combat (any) 1
Criminal Skill Package: Pilot (any) 1, Sensors 1, Stealth 1, Deception 1, Persuade 1, Streetwise 1, Broker 1, Medic 1.
Player Specific Resources: MY LIFE FOR A GOOD PDF EDITOR.
Posts
The second one was better, the first was SPEAKERS ATTEMPT TO EMULATE HUMAN FOOTSTEPS, OH GOD MY EARS, COMBAT, NOT TURN-BASED, YOUR PARTY IS DEEEEAD.
You're probably suppposed to have Battle Dress and PGMP's by that time.
Also, how the fuck did you get past the FIRST encounter?
I HAD Battle Dress, TL12s and PGMPs for the last mission, but it was still a total crapshoot.
EDIT:why is this thread not at page fifty?
Because not everyone can do maths.
"Go up, thou bald head." -2 Kings 2:23
Battle.net
High Guard(the navy book)/the old mini games will facilitate your fetish for BEEEEG SHEEEPS.:winky:
GURPS Traveller is...
Uh.
It's antithetical to the way I run/play games.
With Mongoose Traveller I can generate characters in under a minute. GURPS,not so much.
Additionally, I shall construct Phalla GK in an attempt to get interest in Traveller up.
Ever try out GIMP?
EDIT:Nice.
EDIT2:Systems 1 1-2 2 are generated, good amount of gas giants, now to go one to Planet Generation.
After my first game of TF2 on a PA server, because Planet Gen takes forever.
My first planet:
Atmosphere:None
Temperature:Frozen/IT BURRRNS
Hydrographics 0
Population 7(Tens of Millions)
Government 6 Captive Government, rulership accountable to an outside power.
Rival Factions:1
Support: 8(notable, significant support)
Law Level 6 (Ban on non shotgun/stun guns, CARRYING WEAPONS DISCOURAGED) Travel level 5 with undertones of 6.) Export
of TL 11+ items banned.
Unusual Custom: Trade, Tithes resources to Scouts in exchange for maintenance, service in the IISS is a great honor.
Starport: D, Poor SCOUT BASE
Tech Level:3(plus 2 from size plus 1 from temperature plus 1 from hydro)
One TL below minimum for the atmosphere type, GM Fiat says that the Scout base is TL 11, problem solved.
The reason I don't have at least five more is that GIMP is being a bitch and fucking up the text layer because it doesn't come with any standard fonts.
Anyway, I will sell my soul for a worldgenerator that
1.Is up to date.
2.can take pre existing full sectors/planets and generates shit from there
3.does a full sector map/2x2 well.
4.allows me to annotate shit/does UWP's for me because I CANNOT READ IN HEXIDECIMAL CODE.
Yet.
So, what sort of characters do you play as in Traveller?
Proud Veterans of Imperial Service:
Merchantile Wanderers, plying their cargoes:
Daring Swashbucklers:
Staunch Upholders of the Law:
Edit: why does the second vet down look like he's about to shave his legs?
Like the army has, they inject you with about forty vaccinations in one shot, makes a sound like the doors on Star Trek, and doesn't hurt compared to stupid normal syringes.
By the way, I would certainly like to be considered for inclusion in your campaign if you do decide to run one, please.
Post if interested. PM me your email, put in vote for the starting package of skills to be distributed to the PCs in the campaign, etc.
PM me if you only have the SRD, even the "sample" career isn't fully detailed.
Also, people who I sent the packages, tell me if that's enough to do shit with.
Remember, the SRD is in the OP.
?
reeesulllts.
I demand them.
I'm potentially interested, depending on time. I've got the Mongoose Traveller book as well as High Guard and Mercenary. I'm Pacific(US) timezone (Soo.. GMT-8?), however I play in a Dark Heresy game on Saturdays, so that day is not good for me.
I come bearing gifts
Mongoose Traveller World Generator
(its basic though, lacking gov't subfactions and certain stuff like world average temperature, I always liked rolling up world by hand personally)
So what kind of game are you looking to run, tone and style wise? "Traveller" "Explorer" etc etc. I have several 4-6 term characters I rolled up at various poitns out of boredom I could use or I could roll up something new (amongst those is a retired Army/SpecOps soldier/agent I've taken a liking to, though he lacks a lot of spacer style skills).
Age: 43
Homeworld: [name here] (High Population, Garden)
Str 07 (+0)
Dex 09 (+1)
End 09 (+1)
Int 10 (+1)
Edu 09 (+1)
Soc 05 (-1)
Skills:
Advocate 1
Animals 0
Athletics (Co-ordination) 2
Comms 1
Computers 1
Deception 1
Drive 0
Gun Combat (Slug Pistol) 1
Gun Combat (Slug Rifle) 2
Heavy Weapons 0
Investigate 1
Leadership 1
Mechanic 0
Medic 0
Melee 0
Persuade 1
Recon 2
Stealth 3
Streetwise 1
Survival 1
Tactics (Military) 1
Vacc Suit 1
Money: 25,865 Credits
Weapons:
Autopistol - Laser Sight, Silencer, Secure Weapon (20 Magazines)
Gauss Carbine - Laser Sight, Gyrostabilizer, Secure Weapon, Magnification Scope (10 Magazines)
Dagger
Gear:
Medikit (TL8)
Stimm Drugs, 10 doses
Combat Drugs, 2 doses
Binoculars (TL8)
IR/Light-Intensifying Goggles (TL9)
Motion Sensor (TL9)
Breather Mask
Armor:
Protect Suit (magnetic Grapples, smart fabric, eye protection, Computer/1 weave (TL-11, Programs: Translator 0, Intrusion 1)) (Protection 4, can be worn under other armor)
Ballistic Vest (Protection 5)
Augments:
Subdermal Armor (TL-11) (Protection 3)
Neural Comm (Audio Only)
Wafer Jack
History:
Animals 0
Streetwise 0
Mechanic 0
Medic 0
Term 1 - Army (Infantry) (Age 18-21)
Basic Training - All basic service skills to 0
Skill Roll - Specialist Infantry: Stealth +1
Survival Roll: Passed
Event: Brutal Ground War - Gun Combat +1
Promotion: Lance Corporal - Recon +1
Skill Roll - Service Skills: Recon +1
Term 2 - Army (Infantry) (Age 22-25)
Skill Roll - Specialist Infantry: Athletics +1
Survival Roll: Passed (barely)
Event Roll: Advanced Training - Stealth +1
Promotion: Corporal
Skill Roll - Service Skills: Athletics +1
Term 3 - Army (Infantry) (Age 26-29)
Skill Roll - Advanced Education: Survival +1
Survival Roll: Passed
Event Roll: Commanding Officer takes interest in Career - Tactics (Military) +1
Promotion: Lance Sergeant - Leadership +1
Skill Roll - Specialist Infantry: Gun Combat +1
Mustering Out: 5 Benefit Rolls
Benefit 1: +1 Int
Benefit 2: 20,000 Credits
Benefit 3: 10,000 Credits
Benefit 4: Combat Implant Subdermal Armor
Benefit 5: End +1
Term 4 - Agent (Intelligence) (Age 30-33)
Basic Training - Investigate
Skill Roll - Intelligence: Stealth +1
Survival Roll: Passed (Barely)
Event: Complete a Mission (+1 to a Benefit roll DM)
Promotion: Agent - Deception 1
Skill Roll - Service Skills: Computers +1
Aging: Passed (None)
Term 5 - Agent (Intelligence) (Age 34-37)
Skill Roll - Advanced Education: Advocate 1
Survival Roll: Passed
Event Roll: Life Event - Good Fortune (+2 to a Benefit Roll)
Promotion: Field Agent - Investigate 1
Skill Roll - Intelligence Specialist: Comms +1
Aging: Passed (None)
Term 6 - Agent (Intelligence) (Age 38-41)
Skill Roll - Intelligence Specialist: Persuade +1
Survival: Passed
Event Roll: Go Undercover (Rogue: Pirate) - Streetwise +1, Vacc Suit+1
Promotion: Rank 3 (Still "Field Agent")
Skill Roll - Service Skills: Gun Combat +1
Aging: Passed (Barely) (None)
Mustering Out: 5 Benefit Rolls
Benefit 1: Weapon
Benefit 2: Int +1
Benefit 3: Combat Implant - Wafer Jack
Benefit 4: Combat Implant - Subdermal Armor
Benefit 5: 7,500 Credits
He turned out quite different from what I originally had in mind. I planned to make an Army Vet who would leave the military to become a frontier colonist, but when he rolled up all those athletics, recon, and stealth advances followed by a "Superior Officer Takes interest in career" I decided it'd be a great excuse to switch him over to an Agent and make him a Spec-Ops kinda guy. I love how Traveller tends to do that sort of thing.
Character coming all up ins soon!
?