FFE vs. Mongoose Publishing

[Appleseed81]

I have been hoping to get into Traveller again and looking to purchase the books and have luckily found most of them from Mongoose publishing on Amazon, but at the same time I have found a compliation by Far Future Enterprises that includes the core rulebook and the 8 other books for a relatively cheap price as opposed to buying them separately. The book about 28$ used and 352 pages, and so would be a great buy, but then the books separately are typically about 190+ each on their own. My question is: would I be missing out on a lot of worthwhile material if I were to buy the this older compact version as opposed to what I would be available in the series of books put out by Mongoose?

 

[DaveChase]

IMO, if you are hard core into one of the previous editions of Traveller, the FFE sounds like the way to go.

If you want what is current and being sold the most, Mongoose is the way to go.

If you don't mind a bit of tweaking and just want anything Traveller, break out the piggy bank and get them all.

:rofl:

Dave Chase

 

[atpollard]

Please realize that FFE sells the original Classic Traveller (plus other out-of-print versions) while Mongoose is writing new books for its current (in-print) version of the game.

I wanted to be sure that you realize that Mongoose and FFE are not the same set of rules.

 

[aramis]

Also, be aware that, while many Mongoose titles have the same names as the GDW CT line, the content is only related thematically, in most cases. MGT High Guard is nothing like CT High Guard internally, tho' it covers much of the same subject matter: ships over what the core rules do. MGT Beltstrike is not the same content as the CT one, nor even the same belts covered as the CT one, but covers the same basic subject matter: playable rules for belting.

 

[fusor]

Avoid confusion - buy one version or the other, but not both.

Personally I would recommend Mongoose Traveller over FFE's "Classic" Traveller. To be honest you could just buy the Mongoose Traveller corebook and have enough rules to play with using only that.

 

[Icosahedron]

If you prefer the old original Traveller, the CT CD from FFE is a great buy. ALL the CT rulebooks, supplements and adventures in PDF on a CD for $35.
I believe there is also a MT CD and possibly a TNE CD?

 

[mbrinkhues]

FFE offers complete sets for three different Traveller versions at 35€ each. If you can life with PDF and/or have a laser printer that is the cheapest way to get a complete set of Traveller rules, source books, adventures etc. Choose between

Classic: Original rules set and setting. Rules are often availabel in more than one version since the game evolved, limited list of possible characters, all-random chargen, two ship-building systems that are not fully compatible, vehicle system as a third, separat system, robots extra. Background is the "happy, distant, uninterested-benevolent" Empire

MegaTraveller: Basically a re-organised, unified and streamlined CT rules set. One rules set only, integrated build system for ships and vehicles. Long list of rules errata (Depending on what version the PDFs are based on) but the errata is availabel. A few more careers compared to CT but still a "split" system with Advanced careers (That's what players take) and basic careers (Mostly NPC stuff), slightly less random chargen (But still a lot "by the dice commands"). Background is later than CT and background is the "Rotten and corrupt Empire collapsing". Most careers in the basic rules set, some careers in add-on supplements (Mainly COAAC/air force)

TNE: Completely new rules engine based on Twilight V2.2. Tons of careers all on an equal footing. Generation is player-driven with some random elements (Attributes values are rolled, you roll for "bonus skills" and "bonus connections" but Value distribution, career selection etc. are player decides). Changes in the underlying technology, completely integrated design system for everything (including weapons). Background is 70 years after the Imperial collaps. All careers concentrated in the basic book

===================

Mongoose Traveller: Rules engine heavily based on the MegaTraveller system. One ship-building system spread over two books but resonably integrated (Some breaks for ships below 100 and above 5000dton), Design systems for vehicles and robots are separat. Chargen is all random with an point based NPC generator (Useabel also for 1 shot characters) availabel. Good selection of careers even in the basic book. More/Enhanced Careers spread through multiple books. Officially a "setting-independent" rules engine. Traveller setting similar to CT exists (Spinward Marches), some additional Traveller setting material also availabel (Reft Sector). Vehicle system up for rewrite, some errata on MGT website

 

[ShapeShifter]

FFE for the win!
With FFE's reprints you get more bang for the buck. Classic Traveller is time-tested by over 30 years of play, as opposed to MGP's "new kids on the block" which may not hold up as well under a similar amount of intense scrutiny.

 

[robject]

FFE for the win!
With FFE's reprints you get more bang for the buck. Classic Traveller is time-tested by over 30 years of play, as opposed to MGP's "new kids on the block" which may not hold up as well under a similar amount of intense scrutiny.

Core: Mongoose

I would suggest using the core rules book from Mongoose, because it's "accessible": the players (if they want) can easily order it from game stores, bookstores, Amazon, etc. It has everything you need to play Traveller, and it's a physical, hardcover book you can touch.

If you love Mongoose, then you'll want to pick up more of it. Otherwise, you want to look for cheaper alternatives -- in which case, why buy one book when you can buy an entire library on PDF? In which case I suggest:

Resource Library: Pick One

Then, I would suggest buying a FFE CDROM for a vast and affordable wealth of companion material.

MT CDROM. For concise but well-organized and usable background material, buy the MegaTraveller CDROM, whose Imperial Encyclopedia and Referee's Companion together give you enough background material to keep you going forever. I believe the MT CDROM includes a starchart of the Spinward Marches as well.

CT CDROM. For in-depth background material plus a large number of adventure ideas split into several volumes, buy the Classic Traveller CDROM. I believe the CT CDROM includes a starchart of the Spinward Marches as well.


Extensions: Traveller 5

Later on, if you want to start experimenting and extending the game system, I recommend the Traveller 5 CD. It covers a wide range of usefully expanded rules, and like most Traveller systems is modular enough to pick and choose what you want to drop in.

I recommend waiting until the 1.0 release, unless you're a playtester at heart.

 

[mbrinkhues]

Well the "easily ordered" for Mongoose is best taken with a grain of salt. Delivery times from 4-8 weeks for the latest supplements as well as "will deliver when availabel" from Amazon since January are quite common.

 

[hdan]

You say "into Traveller again" - if you've played before and that was back in the 80's, the odds are that the FFE CT disk will get you back the old "collection" of rules and such that you would be familiar with.

It's also worth mentioning that most of the FFE PDFs are available on RpgNow.com - you might want to just grab the basic "CT ST Traveller" PDF for $6us, which will give you the classic rules and a few adventures. This is the latest version (if you can say such a thing) of the Classic Traveller rules and can give you all the gaming you want.

If you find the CT rules to be a bit too "old school" and haphazard, you can either buy Mongoose (which I have and like quite a lot) or google around for the BITS Traveller unified task system, which updates CT with a similar approach to what Mongoose has.

You can find a LOT of setting and adventure information for FREE out on the web at travellermap.com and traveller.wikia.com, and some google searches for things like the Regina Subsector can turn up a reasonable setting to game in. So if you're willing to do some digging and apply some creativity (and spend a few bucks on RPGNow stuff here and there), you can do Traveller "on the cheap" and still have a richer Traveller experience than any of us had back in the "Little Black Book" days.

I would also google around for the various free "fanzines" - "Freelance Traveller" (also a really great site full of resources - this and the Traveller wiki are going to be your best friends), "Stellar Reaches", "Signal GK", and "Third Imperium". "Into the Deep" is a nice (growing) collection of articles about a region of space called the Reaver's Deep and the people who live there, which is a great alternative sector to the classic "Spinward Marches". And of course Mongoose's own "Signs & Portents" has a raft of Traveller articles and adventures, starting around Issue 55 and continuing to the present.

Other notes:

Mongoose Traveller's character generation procedure is a lot more fun and detailed (though not harder) than CT's is, and I've found generating MgT characters to be even more fun than CT characters.

MgT and CT are quite compatible in many ways - you can use adventures from either with little or no adaptation, with the odd exception of Animal statistics. Not sure why MgT changed that, but MgT critters and CT critters are not interchangeable.

 

[Mithras]

If you prefer the old original Traveller, the CT CD from FFE is a great buy. ALL the CT rulebooks, supplements and adventures in PDF on a CD for $35.
I believe there is also a MT CD and possibly a TNE CD?

I have the CD, but nothing beats those big colourful double-sized soft-covers. I even prefer them to the old LBBs!

To the OP: Mongoose TRaveller Core Book sounds like your best bet.

 

[Mithras]

Well the "easily ordered" for Mongoose is best taken with a grain of salt. Delivery times from 4-8 weeks for the latest supplements as well as "will deliver when availabel" from Amazon since January are quite common.

I buy from Leisure Games in the UK. 760 Patrons (second ed, newly released). Next day delivery. No extra charge.

But that's Leisure Games. Impeccable.

 

[jawillroy]

nothing beats those big colourful double-sized soft-covers. I even prefer them to the old LBBs!

Really? I found them awfully unwieldy... I prefer the LBBs by a long shot.

 

[Mithras]

Really? I found them awfully unwieldy... I prefer the LBBs by a long shot.

So much joy in a book you can read in bed, in the garden, take on holiday...and it will last you ages, so much in one volume

 

[shadowcat20]

I have almost all the LBB's and a good chunk of the FFE printings. Also all the CT CD's and T5.

I prefer the FFE books. They are compact, you can read them anywhere, and they look nice on a shelf. CD's seem to bother my eyes after a while reading them on the comp. Also you end up printing a lot of the charts and pages anyway. They are useful for a cheap look at what is all avalible though.

I like the LBB's also but tend to handle tham with kids gloves being afraid to damage them.

I have looked at MgT a little but it does not grab me. But then I am an old Guard type.

Look at them both and get what you like. You can not lose that way...

 

[Socrates8]

to everyone his own

 

[Darkhstarr]

I agree with both. I run CT, but incorporate much from TNE, T5, and Mongoose.

 

[nats]

I wouldnt buy either of them. The FFE book is heavy and difficult to find the info you want and awkward to carry around.

The CD means you have to print out and bind anything you want unless you like reading PDFS and who does?

The Mongoose Traveller stuff just basically isnt Traveller for me. It tries hard and the character generation is better than the basic Traveller unless you value speed over substance, but pretty much everything else has been changed. There is a concentration on the high tech stuff with no low tech stuff at all being covered, there is a load of mistakes in the books and rushed publications with many lousy illustrations that spoil the mood.

If I was you and you loved Traveller, then get the original Classic traveller books on Ebay as they are cheap and plentiful. And there is nothing like them. Unlike the FFE publication you can carry around a couple of books as you never need everything at any one time, you can read them and find stuff in them easily and you can write in them without fear as I have. Also the original Traveller suits creativity and imagination and coming up with your own rules/weapons etc far better than any other version. I am now looking for a pristine set of the original box to keep as a collection without any writing in it, I saw a still sealed 1977 box of Traveller on the US Ebay a while back and now wish I had bought it. But there will be another...

 

[robject]

I have to admit I like The Traveller Book and still own and use a bunch of those LBBs, including the Best of JTAS issues.