First Impressions from T4

[Golan2072]

Comments about the T4 Space Travel Rules

This entire two-page chapter looks like a copy-N-paste from CT-LBB2; nothing much new here, it seems.

Comments about the T4 Space Combat System

Range-band based combat; a good idea, one one hand far more manageable (from relatively new players' POV) than vector movement, and on the other hand, it is more detailed and varied than HG's two-range, two-line system.

Hmmm... So there *ARE* "battle lines" and "reserves", HG-style, in ths system.

I just LOVE the initiative system. Simple, takes both skill (why Leadership and no Fleet/Ship Tactics?) and manouver-Gs into account, and seems very quick to determine.

But what exactly is a "task force" in this system? A group of ships that moves togather through the range-bands?

The "Break Off" step looks like a nearly exact copy of the equivalent HG rule, sans HG's Agility...

The sensor rules are another great addition - they are simple, yet they allow for Babylon 5-style target-locking (and Minbari sensor-cloaks with good enough jammers/masking...). However, HG already has a simplified "equivalent" of this, by using the difference between the attacker and defender ships as a DM to hit; and as (according to my assumption) HG computers subsume the communications, sensors and jammers in them (how else would they be so big, expensive and power-consuming?), a missed shot due to the computer DM would be considered as a "sensor jam".

The boarding rule is also very elegant and simple.

Ships with higher G-ratings are harder to hit? Hmmm... Makes fighters quite viable (without resorting to "Agility"), doesn't it?

The hit and damage rules are also pretty elegant.

Now, where are the Damage Control rules?

The Bottom Line: Ironically, the T4 Space Combat system is lightyears better than the confused, confusing and obscure T4 ship-design system; in fact, it is one of the best ship combat systems I've ever seen, merging the advantages of LBB2 and HG with very little disadvantages. Nearly every part of this system, is a great source of inspiration; too bad T4 was marred with obscure ship design rules and even worse Task System...

 

[Golan2072]

Comments about the T4 Space Travel Rules

This entire two-page chapter looks like a copy-N-paste from CT-LBB2; nothing much new here, it seems.

Comments about the T4 Space Combat System

Range-band based combat; a good idea, one one hand far more manageable (from relatively new players' POV) than vector movement, and on the other hand, it is more detailed and varied than HG's two-range, two-line system.

Hmmm... So there *ARE* "battle lines" and "reserves", HG-style, in ths system.

I just LOVE the initiative system. Simple, takes both skill (why Leadership and no Fleet/Ship Tactics?) and manouver-Gs into account, and seems very quick to determine.

But what exactly is a "task force" in this system? A group of ships that moves togather through the range-bands?

The "Break Off" step looks like a nearly exact copy of the equivalent HG rule, sans HG's Agility...

The sensor rules are another great addition - they are simple, yet they allow for Babylon 5-style target-locking (and Minbari sensor-cloaks with good enough jammers/masking...). However, HG already has a simplified "equivalent" of this, by using the difference between the attacker and defender ships as a DM to hit; and as (according to my assumption) HG computers subsume the communications, sensors and jammers in them (how else would they be so big, expensive and power-consuming?), a missed shot due to the computer DM would be considered as a "sensor jam".

The boarding rule is also very elegant and simple.

Ships with higher G-ratings are harder to hit? Hmmm... Makes fighters quite viable (without resorting to "Agility"), doesn't it?

The hit and damage rules are also pretty elegant.

Now, where are the Damage Control rules?

The Bottom Line: Ironically, the T4 Space Combat system is lightyears better than the confused, confusing and obscure T4 ship-design system; in fact, it is one of the best ship combat systems I've ever seen, merging the advantages of LBB2 and HG with very little disadvantages. Nearly every part of this system, is a great source of inspiration; too bad T4 was marred with obscure ship design rules and even worse Task System...

 

[Golan2072]

Comments about the T4 Psionics System

Hmmmm... Why do psionicists need to hide if the setting predates the Psionic Supressions? Sure, people would look down at psionicists as quaks and wierdos, but unless we're talking about extra-reactionary societies (such as that back-hill village in Firefly that tried to burn River for being a psi), it seems that in most cases serious hiding won't be needed.

The Psionic Strength is handled in T4 exactly as in CT.

Psionic disciplines as skills... That's an interesting idea...

If I understand this right, the only limit on using psionic powers is their psi-point cost; so even a character with skill-1 will have more than, say, one Telepathy ability...

"When a psionic character is trying to affect an unwilling mind, he must roll to succeed, using Average difficulty with the target number being the attacker's normal Psi plus discipline skill levels minus opponent's normal Psi." (p.124). Sounds very similar to a certain CT house-rule I've suggested some time ago.

What, no combined Clairvoyance + Clairaudience as in CT?

The Psi Drugs are similar to the CT version, too.

A psionicist career? I like that

The Bottom Line: Basically the CT psionic system with a few minor modifications (such as the additions of "skills") and the big bonus - a PSI-career. Nothing too innovative except for the career.

 

[Golan2072]

Comments about the T4 Psionics System

Hmmmm... Why do psionicists need to hide if the setting predates the Psionic Supressions? Sure, people would look down at psionicists as quaks and wierdos, but unless we're talking about extra-reactionary societies (such as that back-hill village in Firefly that tried to burn River for being a psi), it seems that in most cases serious hiding won't be needed.

The Psionic Strength is handled in T4 exactly as in CT.

Psionic disciplines as skills... That's an interesting idea...

If I understand this right, the only limit on using psionic powers is their psi-point cost; so even a character with skill-1 will have more than, say, one Telepathy ability...

"When a psionic character is trying to affect an unwilling mind, he must roll to succeed, using Average difficulty with the target number being the attacker's normal Psi plus discipline skill levels minus opponent's normal Psi." (p.124). Sounds very similar to a certain CT house-rule I've suggested some time ago.

What, no combined Clairvoyance + Clairaudience as in CT?

The Psi Drugs are similar to the CT version, too.

A psionicist career? I like that

The Bottom Line: Basically the CT psionic system with a few minor modifications (such as the additions of "skills") and the big bonus - a PSI-career. Nothing too innovative except for the career.

 

[Golan2072]

Comments about the T4 World Generation Rules

Star Mapping follows the exact CT procedure, with very little varieties. The explaining text might be a tiny bit better - but that's it.

The world generation is also an almost exact copy-N-paste from CT, with the full range of CT-LBB7 trade classifications dropped in.

"TL9: 1990 to 2000" LOL! I want my jump drive! I want my fusion plant! This was a valid assumption in 1977 when CT was written, but T4 should've changed the year-reference to "TL7: circa 1970 to 2000".

 

[Golan2072]

Comments about the T4 World Generation Rules

Star Mapping follows the exact CT procedure, with very little varieties. The explaining text might be a tiny bit better - but that's it.

The world generation is also an almost exact copy-N-paste from CT, with the full range of CT-LBB7 trade classifications dropped in.

"TL9: 1990 to 2000" LOL! I want my jump drive! I want my fusion plant! This was a valid assumption in 1977 when CT was written, but T4 should've changed the year-reference to "TL7: circa 1970 to 2000".

 

[Golan2072]

Comments about the T4 Encounter Rules

The Random Encounter tables are very similar to the CT-LBB3 ones, with the exception that the guns and armor are determined by the referee as appropriate rather than having them fixed per group.

Rules of Rumors. I love these; it is great to see these in the main book rather than in adventure.

Legal Encounters are a CT mechanic transplanted from the World Generation section to the Encounters section.

Patrons and Reaction seem to be very similar to CT-LBB3 as well.

The Animal Encounters are, too, a CT-LBB3 copy-N-paste, with several interesting "special encounters" added, as well as plant encounters (giant carnicorous plants!), weather "encounters", terrain features and other miscellenia, similar to the encounter tables in DA2: Mission to Mithril/Across the Bright Face. I'm very pleased to see it in the main book, though; it will help fledgling Referees to flesh out their encounter tables.

The animal characteristics are an exact copy of the CT-LBB3 system.

The listing of alien races is a good feature, even though it is nothing but a basic overview of the facts; still, several of the facts and races are unfamiliar to me.

The Solomani Triumvirate? Does it refer to the Party-Military-SolSec troika of the SolConfed?

All of the minor races are totally new, aren't they?

 

[Golan2072]

Comments about the T4 Encounter Rules

The Random Encounter tables are very similar to the CT-LBB3 ones, with the exception that the guns and armor are determined by the referee as appropriate rather than having them fixed per group.

Rules of Rumors. I love these; it is great to see these in the main book rather than in adventure.

Legal Encounters are a CT mechanic transplanted from the World Generation section to the Encounters section.

Patrons and Reaction seem to be very similar to CT-LBB3 as well.

The Animal Encounters are, too, a CT-LBB3 copy-N-paste, with several interesting "special encounters" added, as well as plant encounters (giant carnicorous plants!), weather "encounters", terrain features and other miscellenia, similar to the encounter tables in DA2: Mission to Mithril/Across the Bright Face. I'm very pleased to see it in the main book, though; it will help fledgling Referees to flesh out their encounter tables.

The animal characteristics are an exact copy of the CT-LBB3 system.

The listing of alien races is a good feature, even though it is nothing but a basic overview of the facts; still, several of the facts and races are unfamiliar to me.

The Solomani Triumvirate? Does it refer to the Party-Military-SolSec troika of the SolConfed?

All of the minor races are totally new, aren't they?

 

[Golan2072]

Comments about the T4 Referee's Introduction

The first part, encompassing most of pp.153-156 is probably a copy-N-paste from CT-LBB0, with possible minor modifications, and covers the basics of refereeing and RPG play.

It seems that T4 uses a variant on the "tickmark" experience system - if a player uses a skill successfully in an adventure, she marks a box near that skill in the character sheet. At the end of the adventure, the Referee hands out "points"; each "point" warrants one attempt to improve a marked skill. The check for improvement is done by rolling 1D6; if the roll is equal or exceeds the current skill, then the skill rises by one level. Skills of 7+ are improved only if the die roll is 6, AND another die is rolled and the total of the two dice equals or exceeds the skill rating. Spending more experience "points" on the same skill gives a DM on this roll. New "simple" skills are learned first at level-0, requiring two "points" each; "professional" skills require the character to go to an education program. I like that system, though there is a possible pitfall - characters might advance a bit too quickly in this system when compared to the CharGen system.

 

[Golan2072]

Comments about the T4 Referee's Introduction

The first part, encompassing most of pp.153-156 is probably a copy-N-paste from CT-LBB0, with possible minor modifications, and covers the basics of refereeing and RPG play.

It seems that T4 uses a variant on the "tickmark" experience system - if a player uses a skill successfully in an adventure, she marks a box near that skill in the character sheet. At the end of the adventure, the Referee hands out "points"; each "point" warrants one attempt to improve a marked skill. The check for improvement is done by rolling 1D6; if the roll is equal or exceeds the current skill, then the skill rises by one level. Skills of 7+ are improved only if the die roll is 6, AND another die is rolled and the total of the two dice equals or exceeds the skill rating. Spending more experience "points" on the same skill gives a DM on this roll. New "simple" skills are learned first at level-0, requiring two "points" each; "professional" skills require the character to go to an education program. I like that system, though there is a possible pitfall - characters might advance a bit too quickly in this system when compared to the CharGen system.

 

[Golan2072]

Comments about the T4 Running Adventures and Campaigns Section

Most of this section is an introduction to this subject for Referees totally new to their job; as it is, it is written quite well. Again, this is a recap of CT-LBB0, but with several significant additions that make it even a better read; and the Gimmick/Pull/Push/Engima format which is a very good explanation for beginning referees about how to build campaigns that will hook the players in and be interesting for all parties involved.

All in all, as the rest of the rule-light writing of this book, it is very well though out and written.

 

[Golan2072]

Comments about the T4 Running Adventures and Campaigns Section

Most of this section is an introduction to this subject for Referees totally new to their job; as it is, it is written quite well. Again, this is a recap of CT-LBB0, but with several significant additions that make it even a better read; and the Gimmick/Pull/Push/Engima format which is a very good explanation for beginning referees about how to build campaigns that will hook the players in and be interesting for all parties involved.

All in all, as the rest of the rule-light writing of this book, it is very well though out and written.

 

[Golan2072]

Comments about the T4 Trade and Commerce Rules

The T4 trade system is simply the CT-LBB7 (Merchant Prince) system, with different ship names in the examples.

There is, however, one gem embedded (sp?) in this copy-N-paste - the rules about making performances (music/dancing/acting/etc) on p.167. One paragraph, but they feel quite realistic and seem quite fun to use, especially as they give non-military characters a way to shine.

One issue that repeats several times in T4 is the confusion between milieus amnd eras: while T4 is supposed to use milieu-0 as its default setting, there are too many references to other eras, and to the (then unexplored) Spinward Marches. Referees and players new to this system are very likely to be confused by these mixed messages given by the book.

Also, what are the criteria for a world to have Fluid Oceans? Referee's decision?

 

[Golan2072]

Comments about the T4 Trade and Commerce Rules

The T4 trade system is simply the CT-LBB7 (Merchant Prince) system, with different ship names in the examples.

There is, however, one gem embedded (sp?) in this copy-N-paste - the rules about making performances (music/dancing/acting/etc) on p.167. One paragraph, but they feel quite realistic and seem quite fun to use, especially as they give non-military characters a way to shine.

One issue that repeats several times in T4 is the confusion between milieus amnd eras: while T4 is supposed to use milieu-0 as its default setting, there are too many references to other eras, and to the (then unexplored) Spinward Marches. Referees and players new to this system are very likely to be confused by these mixed messages given by the book.

Also, what are the criteria for a world to have Fluid Oceans? Referee's decision?

 

[Golan2072]

Comments about the Exist Visa Adventure

At first this adventure gives me a bad vibe, especially when intended for new players; dealing with extensive in-game bureaucracies might hamper the RPGs' escapism value, i.e. it might remind the players too much of boring and annoying aspects of RL. Ofcourse this could be prevented by skillful roleplaying of the bureaucratcs in this adventure, but new Referees might not be proficient enough in this field to do so.

Also, the milieu-confusion problem strikes again: this adventure is set in the Spinward Marches, and in the CT Golden Era, no less.

Again, this is a good adventure as long as both the referee and the players are skilled roleplayers - in such a case this would be a goldmine of interesting NPCs to interact with. As I said, however, "newbies" are going to be in trouble with this adventure. For new players and a referee, I'd delay this adventure to a later point in the campaign, when it will serve as a break between more intense adventures.

 

[Golan2072]

Comments about the Exist Visa Adventure

At first this adventure gives me a bad vibe, especially when intended for new players; dealing with extensive in-game bureaucracies might hamper the RPGs' escapism value, i.e. it might remind the players too much of boring and annoying aspects of RL. Ofcourse this could be prevented by skillful roleplaying of the bureaucratcs in this adventure, but new Referees might not be proficient enough in this field to do so.

Also, the milieu-confusion problem strikes again: this adventure is set in the Spinward Marches, and in the CT Golden Era, no less.

Again, this is a good adventure as long as both the referee and the players are skilled roleplayers - in such a case this would be a goldmine of interesting NPCs to interact with. As I said, however, "newbies" are going to be in trouble with this adventure. For new players and a referee, I'd delay this adventure to a later point in the campaign, when it will serve as a break between more intense adventures.

 

[Golan2072]

Comments about the Rubicon Cross Adventure

This seems like a good adventure (especially if using the option of the players waking up in a dead ship), except for the part where the pirates were 'spaced' by simply opening the cargo-bay door - any space-pirate worth his eye-patch would wear a vacc suit when boarding a ship, and, even if their helmets were off when they shot the engineer, they'd probably have a chance to put them on before too much damage is caused to them by the vaccuum.

Comments about the T4 Core Subsector and Library Data

Again, the data is Milieu-0 as intended and quite interesting (half of Sylea's subsector is not even mapped!).

But the library data suffers from T4's chronic "milieu confusion" epidemic, mixing Classic Era and Milieu-0 data and thus probably annoying the new referee or player.

Oh! There is an Index! This is one of T4's best points - a good RPG product NEEDS a good index.

 

[Golan2072]

Comments about the Rubicon Cross Adventure

This seems like a good adventure (especially if using the option of the players waking up in a dead ship), except for the part where the pirates were 'spaced' by simply opening the cargo-bay door - any space-pirate worth his eye-patch would wear a vacc suit when boarding a ship, and, even if their helmets were off when they shot the engineer, they'd probably have a chance to put them on before too much damage is caused to them by the vaccuum.

Comments about the T4 Core Subsector and Library Data

Again, the data is Milieu-0 as intended and quite interesting (half of Sylea's subsector is not even mapped!).

But the library data suffers from T4's chronic "milieu confusion" epidemic, mixing Classic Era and Milieu-0 data and thus probably annoying the new referee or player.

Oh! There is an Index! This is one of T4's best points - a good RPG product NEEDS a good index.

 

[Golan2072]

Conclusion

Concept-wise, T4 was quite a good version of Traveller; most concepts of the universe, system and gameplay were good and solid, modernizing the CT approach a bit. However, from a conceptual POV, T4 has three main flaws, one major and two minor:

1) The T4 Task System seems to me as a big mistake even in the conceptual level, as it favors characteristics over skills, which is contrary to the "feel" I get from almost any other Traveller product (especially the emphasisis [sp?] on training and careers, as opposed to inborn abilities, in any version of Traveller). It is a mistake on the fundamental level IMHO.

2) The confusion between milieus and settings, which is not much of a problem to the experienced player of older versions of Traveller, but the lack of a coherent universe concept will confuse and annoy the newcomer to this system.

3) A recurring problem in too many version of Traveller: the concept of how computers work, and of their role in TL8+ societies. Sure, T4 has made great strides in correcting the latter, but falls flat on the former, with no coherent concept of computers to allow the modern player do with them what he seems as trivial (hacking, information searches, robots). The bulky ship computers were thankfully disguised by the new, more general "controls", but there is too much left to be desired by the player who is used to how computers work in 1996 (when T4 came out) or today.

In the technical and game-rule level, T4 has alot of great ideas and additions to the Traveller system, especially the ship combat system, which is, IMHO, the best one in any Traveller product I've read so far. However, these many gems of pure genious drown in an ocean of bad decisions, poor rules and errata. Rule-wise, T4 suffers from two major problems (and many, many minor ones):

1) The Task System. It is a grave mistake that has contributed much to this edition's failure. Luckily, this system could be easily replaced by the UGM task system; to convert the tasks presented in T4 to UGM, use the following table:

</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">T4 TASK UGM TASK
Easy (AUTO) Easy
Avarage (2D) Routine
Difficult (2.5D) Standard
Formidable (3D) Difficult
Impossible (4D) Challanging</pre>[/QUOTE]2) The QSDS ("Quick" Ship Design System); most of the concepts behind this system were good, but the execution was incoherent, the layout uncomfortable, the rules obscure and the explanations inadaquate. With enough effort, a new system could be constructed, thus (in conjuction with the UGM task system) making T4 fully playable at last.

---

What is the biggest lesson we should learn from T4? The lesson of quality control - of the need for adaquate editing and playtesting. Sure, T4 had some level of editing and playtesting, but it was clearly inadaquate. More serious editing and playtesting would've thrown the T4 task system to the trash and bring forth a playable one; it would've make the QSDS far more easy to understand and use. In short, good playtesting and good editing would have seperated the many grains of genious of T4 from the chaff of errors, errata and bad decisions. Learn from this mistake - and lets make T5 the best edition of Traveller ever!

Now, done with my preliminary read of T4 - on to TNE (another DTRPG free release)!

 

[Golan2072]

Conclusion

Concept-wise, T4 was quite a good version of Traveller; most concepts of the universe, system and gameplay were good and solid, modernizing the CT approach a bit. However, from a conceptual POV, T4 has three main flaws, one major and two minor:

1) The T4 Task System seems to me as a big mistake even in the conceptual level, as it favors characteristics over skills, which is contrary to the "feel" I get from almost any other Traveller product (especially the emphasisis [sp?] on training and careers, as opposed to inborn abilities, in any version of Traveller). It is a mistake on the fundamental level IMHO.

2) The confusion between milieus and settings, which is not much of a problem to the experienced player of older versions of Traveller, but the lack of a coherent universe concept will confuse and annoy the newcomer to this system.

3) A recurring problem in too many version of Traveller: the concept of how computers work, and of their role in TL8+ societies. Sure, T4 has made great strides in correcting the latter, but falls flat on the former, with no coherent concept of computers to allow the modern player do with them what he seems as trivial (hacking, information searches, robots). The bulky ship computers were thankfully disguised by the new, more general "controls", but there is too much left to be desired by the player who is used to how computers work in 1996 (when T4 came out) or today.

In the technical and game-rule level, T4 has alot of great ideas and additions to the Traveller system, especially the ship combat system, which is, IMHO, the best one in any Traveller product I've read so far. However, these many gems of pure genious drown in an ocean of bad decisions, poor rules and errata. Rule-wise, T4 suffers from two major problems (and many, many minor ones):

1) The Task System. It is a grave mistake that has contributed much to this edition's failure. Luckily, this system could be easily replaced by the UGM task system; to convert the tasks presented in T4 to UGM, use the following table:

</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">T4 TASK UGM TASK
Easy (AUTO) Easy
Avarage (2D) Routine
Difficult (2.5D) Standard
Formidable (3D) Difficult
Impossible (4D) Challanging</pre>[/QUOTE]2) The QSDS ("Quick" Ship Design System); most of the concepts behind this system were good, but the execution was incoherent, the layout uncomfortable, the rules obscure and the explanations inadaquate. With enough effort, a new system could be constructed, thus (in conjuction with the UGM task system) making T4 fully playable at last.

---

What is the biggest lesson we should learn from T4? The lesson of quality control - of the need for adaquate editing and playtesting. Sure, T4 had some level of editing and playtesting, but it was clearly inadaquate. More serious editing and playtesting would've thrown the T4 task system to the trash and bring forth a playable one; it would've make the QSDS far more easy to understand and use. In short, good playtesting and good editing would have seperated the many grains of genious of T4 from the chaff of errors, errata and bad decisions. Learn from this mistake - and lets make T5 the best edition of Traveller ever!

Now, done with my preliminary read of T4 - on to TNE (another DTRPG free release)!