Intro to CT: Top 10

[RobertFisher]

Say you've got a group of roleplayers. They all started with Basic D&D in the '70s or '80s. They've all played various RPGs over the years, but none of them have ever played any version of Traveller.

What's the top 10 things you would tell them about CT before starting to roll up characters?

 

[RobertFisher]

Say you've got a group of roleplayers. They all started with Basic D&D in the '70s or '80s. They've all played various RPGs over the years, but none of them have ever played any version of Traveller.

What's the top 10 things you would tell them about CT before starting to roll up characters?

 

[Malenfant]

About CT specifically? Assuming they're playing in the OTU, and purely from a player's perspective...

1) Chargen is entirely random - you have essentially no choice about what your character will be, it's all down to the dice.

2) Be prepared to die in chargen, unless the GM is feeling nice.

3) You will generally be playing older, retired characters roaming around the universe.

4) Think "Firefly" but without the blatant US Civil War parallels and you'll get a good idea of what you'll be doing and what the universe is like.

5) Combat is deadly.

6) You're probably going to be very small in relation to the universe. Don't expect to do anything that will change the setting.

7) Use 1960s-70s assumptions about the technology - don't expect modern concepts like pocket computers or nanotechnology.

8) Be prepared to deal with in-game bureaucracy.

9) You will encounter extremes of technology - one world may be ultratech, the next may be stone age.

10) Aliens are everywhere. But many of them are human.

 

[Malenfant]

About CT specifically? Assuming they're playing in the OTU, and purely from a player's perspective...

1) Chargen is entirely random - you have essentially no choice about what your character will be, it's all down to the dice.

2) Be prepared to die in chargen, unless the GM is feeling nice.

3) You will generally be playing older, retired characters roaming around the universe.

4) Think "Firefly" but without the blatant US Civil War parallels and you'll get a good idea of what you'll be doing and what the universe is like.

5) Combat is deadly.

6) You're probably going to be very small in relation to the universe. Don't expect to do anything that will change the setting.

7) Use 1960s-70s assumptions about the technology - don't expect modern concepts like pocket computers or nanotechnology.

8) Be prepared to deal with in-game bureaucracy.

9) You will encounter extremes of technology - one world may be ultratech, the next may be stone age.

10) Aliens are everywhere. But many of them are human.

 

[flykiller]

What's the top 10 things you would tell them about CT before starting to roll up characters?

combat, personal or ship-based, is easily fatal, and is far more ranged than in d&d. there are no levels or experience points - just concentrate on the adventure. not everyone will have all the necessary skills, so cooperation is more essential than usual.

not much else to say to players regarding CT rules specifically. the rest is up to the referee.

 

[flykiller]

What's the top 10 things you would tell them about CT before starting to roll up characters?

combat, personal or ship-based, is easily fatal, and is far more ranged than in d&d. there are no levels or experience points - just concentrate on the adventure. not everyone will have all the necessary skills, so cooperation is more essential than usual.

not much else to say to players regarding CT rules specifically. the rest is up to the referee.

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

11) No, you may not start out with +5 Battle Dress and a PGMP-15.

12) The vacuum of space cares not whom it kills.

13) No, you may not cast spells.

14) Once dead, always dead.

15) No, you may not play a wizard.

16) That pretty blue glow is called "Cherenkov Radiation".

17) No disintegrations.

18) I do not care what that magazine article said; I am the referee!

19) No saving throws.

20) Items created under copyright to George Lucas or Gene Roddenberry or their respective production companies do not exist IMTU.

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

11) No, you may not start out with +5 Battle Dress and a PGMP-15.

12) The vacuum of space cares not whom it kills.

13) No, you may not cast spells.

14) Once dead, always dead.

15) No, you may not play a wizard.

16) That pretty blue glow is called "Cherenkov Radiation".

17) No disintegrations.

18) I do not care what that magazine article said; I am the referee!

19) No saving throws.

20) Items created under copyright to George Lucas or Gene Roddenberry or their respective production companies do not exist IMTU.

 

[hirch duckfinder]

not exactly what you asked i know , but my advice to help you engage them is -

first , ignore the bit about characters dying in creation, it just wastes time you could use playing the game.

second let them choose their skills from the relevant tables.

tell them combat is deadly and is a last resort.

tell them that the goals for their characters are within the game. there are no levels or experience points.

tell them a brief history of the background - " humans left earth and found the galaxy already teaming with human life....etc"

tell them the situations are more subtle and complex than d+d.


personally i use hand comps and all other tech which is really obvious, it's up to you.

hope this helps, let us know what happens!!!

Originally posted by RobertFisher:
Say you've got a group of roleplayers. They all started with Basic D&D in the '70s or '80s. They've all played various RPGs over the years, but none of them have ever played any version of Traveller.

What's the top 10 things you would tell them about CT before starting to roll up characters?

 

[hirch duckfinder]

not exactly what you asked i know , but my advice to help you engage them is -

first , ignore the bit about characters dying in creation, it just wastes time you could use playing the game.

second let them choose their skills from the relevant tables.

tell them combat is deadly and is a last resort.

tell them that the goals for their characters are within the game. there are no levels or experience points.

tell them a brief history of the background - " humans left earth and found the galaxy already teaming with human life....etc"

tell them the situations are more subtle and complex than d+d.


personally i use hand comps and all other tech which is really obvious, it's up to you.

hope this helps, let us know what happens!!!

Originally posted by RobertFisher:
Say you've got a group of roleplayers. They all started with Basic D&D in the '70s or '80s. They've all played various RPGs over the years, but none of them have ever played any version of Traveller.

What's the top 10 things you would tell them about CT before starting to roll up characters?

 

[aramis]

10) The Traveller Universe is huge, PC's are not.
9) That ducal coronet is meaningless when the IM's are dropping from the sky.
8) The IN doesn't care why you've got NBC weapons... having them is the crime!
7) Magic exists, but is beyond the reach of starting PC's
6) PC's who did not serve in the noble career have no fiefs, no authority, and no exemption to most laws. PC's who served as Nobles may have fiefs, but they are now retired to those fiefs; their heir is actually running things now.
5) Getting shot hurts. Getting shot twice is usually fatal.
4) Admin, Streetwise, and Bribery are more important than Siege weapon, Fusion-Gun, and BattleDress
3) Vaccum kills. Wear a Vacc Suit
2) No matter the local tech level, they will NOT be impressed by your TL15 goodies; they've seen them before... so if you go flashing them around, you are likely to find interesting low-tech ways to compromise your ship! (Think Endor....)
1) PC's Matter to players, but not the rest of the TU.

 

[aramis]

10) The Traveller Universe is huge, PC's are not.
9) That ducal coronet is meaningless when the IM's are dropping from the sky.
8) The IN doesn't care why you've got NBC weapons... having them is the crime!
7) Magic exists, but is beyond the reach of starting PC's
6) PC's who did not serve in the noble career have no fiefs, no authority, and no exemption to most laws. PC's who served as Nobles may have fiefs, but they are now retired to those fiefs; their heir is actually running things now.
5) Getting shot hurts. Getting shot twice is usually fatal.
4) Admin, Streetwise, and Bribery are more important than Siege weapon, Fusion-Gun, and BattleDress
3) Vaccum kills. Wear a Vacc Suit
2) No matter the local tech level, they will NOT be impressed by your TL15 goodies; they've seen them before... so if you go flashing them around, you are likely to find interesting low-tech ways to compromise your ship! (Think Endor....)
1) PC's Matter to players, but not the rest of the TU.

 

[Malenfant]

Magic exists, but is beyond the reach of starting PC's

Unless they're psionic, of course

 

[Malenfant]

Magic exists, but is beyond the reach of starting PC's

Unless they're psionic, of course

 

[signless]

It really boils down to what kind of Traveller game you want to play...Beancounters of the Beyond, where you worry about starship mortgages and cargo manifests...or Swashbucklers in Space, where you and your friends raise merry hell and upset all the damn applecarts you find as far as loathsome canon goes...or something in between.
If these cats have been hip to the heroic and cinematic games such as DnD, then you may want to chuck most, if not all, canon, and play in whatever setting you choose.
What it basically boils down to are three simple things, really...

3. It's a science fiction game, which tends to run heavy on the "science" as well as the "fiction".

2. The TU you decide to play in is...well...the TU you decide to play in. It doesn't have to look like ANYTHING anyone else is doing.

1. The goal of this, as well as any, game is simple. Have FUN! You want lightsabre-wielding Solomani Sushi Chefs? Well, BLAMMO...there they are. As long as it makes sense to YOU, that's all that matters, and straight to hell with whatever anyone else tries to tell you about the "official" game.

Enjoy...and good luck! May your first adventure in the far future be the first of many!

 

[signless]

It really boils down to what kind of Traveller game you want to play...Beancounters of the Beyond, where you worry about starship mortgages and cargo manifests...or Swashbucklers in Space, where you and your friends raise merry hell and upset all the damn applecarts you find as far as loathsome canon goes...or something in between.
If these cats have been hip to the heroic and cinematic games such as DnD, then you may want to chuck most, if not all, canon, and play in whatever setting you choose.
What it basically boils down to are three simple things, really...

3. It's a science fiction game, which tends to run heavy on the "science" as well as the "fiction".

2. The TU you decide to play in is...well...the TU you decide to play in. It doesn't have to look like ANYTHING anyone else is doing.

1. The goal of this, as well as any, game is simple. Have FUN! You want lightsabre-wielding Solomani Sushi Chefs? Well, BLAMMO...there they are. As long as it makes sense to YOU, that's all that matters, and straight to hell with whatever anyone else tries to tell you about the "official" game.

Enjoy...and good luck! May your first adventure in the far future be the first of many!

 

[mike wightman]

Originally posted by Malenfant:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Magic exists, but is beyond the reach of starting PC's

Unless they're psionic, of course </font>[/QUOTE]In CT you couldn't start with psionics.
You had to locate a psionic institute and have your potential measured during game time.

Unless you are suggesting bending the rules a little

 

[mike wightman]

Originally posted by Malenfant:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Magic exists, but is beyond the reach of starting PC's

Unless they're psionic, of course </font>[/QUOTE]In CT you couldn't start with psionics.
You had to locate a psionic institute and have your potential measured during game time.

Unless you are suggesting bending the rules a little

 

[Malenfant]

What, it's impossible to locate a psi institute during all those game years of character generation?!

 

[Malenfant]

What, it's impossible to locate a psi institute during all those game years of character generation?!