Classic Traveller getting stale?

[Silverhawk]

My HO is that even if I run in the setting provided, it starts diverging from the canon immediately. Why you ask? because I am not Marc or Gary or whoever. I have played adventures run by a friend then happened to be privileged to play in the same adventure run by the designer of the game. The results were similar but different enough that you couldn't say they were the same. So there is that piece. Additionally, I really don't feel comfortable running in someone else's universe.
Focusing of Traveller, I started in the LBB era and I liked MT until we started getting all the errata but I hated the stomp the universe rebellion and then the pile on of the Virus. I liked the ship part of TNE but hated the Character Generation. I am reserving my option on T5 until I get a real chance to tinker with it.
As I thought about this in recent years I have come to the conclusion that there are places where some pieces of one system can be used with pieces of another. Character Generation doesn't have to mean using vehicle and ship construction if they are strange or out of kilter. But that's just my thoughts and I don't care if someone thinks I'm crazy or a heretic or whatever. If I'm having fun with whoever I'm playing with that is what matters.

 

[Meteoric Assault]

My laconic answer is Retro is cool and never goes out of style.

 

[Commander Truestar]

I agree with @Silverhawk
When I ran the first story arc of my "current" campaign, three of my players were Knights.
So, I had to include the local Marquis....where no such Marquis had been named.
The "position" existed, but had no name attached...so, I made one up

As soon as I did that, I diverged, no matter how minimally, from the OTU

That said, it is not "Classic Traveller" that is getting stale....it is what you do with it.

With the CT rule system, you can create any world and any situation. It was GURPS before GURPS was born.
You can even alter the Psi rules to create magic.
Added to that, the rules provide a bridge from a Dungeons and Dragons-eque setting to a hard science setting like dirty ole unckle Ike's Foundation

The key here is YOUR imagination.
You don't see a career field for character gen? Create it!
Look back in the decades of magazines, web sites and places where Traveller is discussed...
.....you will find hundreds of char-gen careers out there.

In my collection, I've even come across old 1980's style Battlestar Galactica "Socialator" (IE: prostitute)
That career field even comes with the chance of mustering out with a "Brothel ship"

So, I recommend you not blame rules which can create "anything" and start working on your imagination

 

[King Midas]

In my collection, I've even come across old 1980's style Battlestar Galactica "Socialator" (IE: prostitute)
That career field even comes with the chance of mustering out with a "Brothel ship"

OK, I'll be the first to ask (for a friend of course) Um...where is that?
I think I would be the last person in the world to play that class, but it would be an unusual take.

 

[Vargr Breath]

OK, I'll be the first to ask (for a friend of course) Um...where is that?
I think I would be the last person in the world to play that class, but it would be an unusual take.

If you thought the smell in a Type-S would get bad after a few weeks, think what it would be like in a Brothel ship.

 

[coliver988]

OK, I'll be the first to ask (for a friend of course) Um...where is that?
I think I would be the last person in the world to play that class, but it would be an unusual take.

Clement Sector's Diverse Roles has a prostitute class (think Firefly)

 

[Commander Truestar]

OK, I'll be the first to ask (for a friend of course) Um...where is that?
I think I would be the last person in the world to play that class, but it would be an unusual take.

It was in an oooooooolllllllddddddd Fanzine called "The Moonstone Ring" Issue #12
It also added a new skill "Sexual Technique"
"In sexual encounters, the individual will be better able to please the other person(s) involved (and
his/herself if desired). For each level of this skill, the character adds _1 to the roll for pleasure. The
character may also use this skill level as a negative DM to avoid personal pleasure (to avoid fatigue)
or to lessen the client's pleasure (for vengeance, dislike or other motives).

Personally speaking, I had, years ago, modified the skill for use in espionage, which the original designer (one Bob Traynor)
seems to have ignored.
This does remain in keeping with the "dumb blonde Socilator" originally presented in the 1980's version of Battlestar Galactica, but I will point out the character later became a Nurse. Of course, that was due to audience reaction to the suggestion a significant supporting female role was a prostitute....

 

[Commander Truestar]

If you thought the smell in a Type-S would get bad after a few weeks, think what it would be like in a Brothel ship.

SCOTTY!!!!! I need those atmo-filters operating at Warp 9!!!!

 

[RossWinn]

If you thought the smell in a Type-S would get bad after a few weeks, think what it would be like in a Brothel ship.

I don't know how many sex workers you know, but all of those I know are impeccably clean.

 

[RossWinn]

It was in an oooooooolllllllddddddd Fanzine called "The Moonstone Ring" Issue #12
It also added a new skill "Sexual Technique"
"In sexual encounters, the individual will be better able to please the other person(s) involved (and
his/herself if desired). For each level of this skill, the character adds _1 to the roll for pleasure. The
character may also use this skill level as a negative DM to avoid personal pleasure (to avoid fatigue)
or to lessen the client's pleasure (for vengeance, dislike or other motives).

Personally speaking, I had, years ago, modified the skill for use in espionage, which the original designer (one Bob Traynor)
seems to have ignored.
This does remain in keeping with the "dumb blonde Socilator" originally presented in the 1980's version of Battlestar Galactica, but I will point out the character later became a Nurse. Of course, that was due to audience reaction to the suggestion a significant supporting female role was a prostitute....

I never thought she was dumb.

 

[Vargr Breath]

I don't know how many sex workers you know, but all of those I know are impeccably clean.

I know none, so I bow to your expertise.

 

[Grav_Moped]

I don't know how many sex workers you know, but all of those I know are impeccably clean.

Depends on their circumstances, I suppose. SOC (and Sanity in systems that use it) stats will play a part here. Assuming either PCs or NPCs the player party would likely interact with, it's not likely to be an issue except if specified by the referee -- and honestly, I'm not likely to ref the kind of game that'd have that sort of NPC.

 

[Silverhawk]

Depends on their circumstances, I suppose. SOC (and Sanity in systems that use it) stats will play a part here. Assuming either PCs or NPCs the player party would likely interact with, it's not likely to be an issue except if specified by the referee -- and honestly, I'm not likely to ref the kind of game that'd have that sort of NPC.

I agree with @Grav_Moped the only reason someplace like that needs to show up in my game would be for the need in the story.

I stepped off the shuttle onto the landing bay of the Blue Moon. In my MOJ days this would have been an enforcement action depending on the system where the ship was located. But I was in the private sector now and I needed information to solve the case.

But that is likely the only reason.

 

[aramis]

Given the digression, Remember to keep it PG-13, please.

I don't know how many sex workers you know, but all of those I know are impeccably clean.

 

[aramis]

It was in an oooooooolllllllddddddd Fanzine called "The Moonstone Ring" Issue #12
It also added a new skill "Sexual Technique"
"In sexual encounters, the individual will be better able to please the other person(s) involved (and
his/herself if desired). For each level of this skill, the character adds _1 to the roll for pleasure. The
character may also use this skill level as a negative DM to avoid personal pleasure (to avoid fatigue)
or to lessen the client's pleasure (for vengeance, dislike or other motives).

Personally speaking, I had, years ago, modified the skill for use in espionage, which the original designer (one Bob Traynor)
seems to have ignored.

I've treated that as part of Carousing to avoid skill list bloat since 1985... Along with joke telling, resisting intoxicants, and guiding conversations in desired directions.

This does remain in keeping with the "dumb blonde Socilator" originally presented in the 1980's version of Battlestar Galactica, but I will point out the character later became a Nurse. Of course, that was due to audience reaction to the suggestion a significant supporting female role was a prostitute....

It wasn't audience demand; it was network demand. (Just rewatched a documentary on it last week.)

If you thought the smell in a Type-S would get bad after a few weeks, think what it would be like in a Brothel ship.

A lot depends upon the nature of their employment. Involuntary employees, perhaps. Well paid pros as in the Firefly Companions? the laundry would be going often. Inara isn't actually that unreasonable an example.

The noted smell of brothels in the Old West was less the girls, and more the laundry. And the safety tools, for those who used them. The girls would usually have a basin of water to do splash-n-dash with, but the sheets tell tales.

 

[aramis]

Not sure I agree. Most settings are published to be static. The calendar only moves *at all* at edition changes, and not even then in every case. The exceptions are notable, and at least one was a complete disaster that makes all the ballyhoo over Traveller's different editions look mild.

The calendar moved consistently with each issue of JTAS, then MTJ, then Challenge.
There was a regular TAS News column.

 

[Silverhawk]

The calendar moved consistently with each issue of JTAS, then MTJ, then Challenge.
There was a regular TAS News column.

And that's the trick in some respects is keeping the calendar moving. The issue is the time and effort required to develop that and in those days publish it to get it out while working on new adventures and other materials. In this day you can put it on the web but even then not everyone is going to look at it and figure how to work it into where and what their players are doing in the setting.

 

[GypsyComet]

The calendar moved consistently with each issue of JTAS, then MTJ, then Challenge.
There was a regular TAS News column.

YES. That's TRAVELLER. My statement was referring to other games, in response to the claim that "most" game settings move through internal time with published materials.

Until FASA, who were Traveller alumni, tried a variant of the calendar trick with Battletech and Shadowrun, or the player-driven disaster that was West End's TORG, RPG settings that weren't Traveller were presented as essentially static.

 

[Commander Truestar]

I never thought she was dumb.

I knew Richard Hatch and a few of the actors (Never met Dirk....)
She said she was supposed to be 'less intelligent' when we discussed her role

 

[Commander Truestar]

Until FASA, who were Traveller alumni, tried a variant of the calendar trick with Battletech and Shadowrun, or the player-driven disaster that was West End's TORG, RPG settings that weren't Traveller were presented as essentially static.

Ah, FASA...those were the days....
I once got to join in on a writer's conference with Randall Bills, Mike Stackpole and the rest. I was allowed to design the "parade colors" for Cranston's Irregulars....

FASA's method of advancing the calendar was two fold. They'd have Mike and the other authors advance the timeline off a master calendar that started in Sam Elliot's time running the line and continued from through to Bryan Nystul and Randall Bills.

I can say, I disagreed with Bryan on removal of Buckroo Banzai and the LAM 'Mechs...
But that was because I still have the remains of a Blue Blaze Irregulars Strike Team (All Hail the Starlight Strike Team and Support Group!)
And, I loved surprising opponents with "out of the box" aerobatic tactics with the P-Hawk LAM