Lull?

[MJD]

I spotted a statement on another thread that I find interesting, about Traveller as a whole being in a lull. That seems to be a rather odd perspective, what with the Mongoose Traveller rulebook selling really well, new product coming out and also selling well, and so forth.

Just a question from an interested observer..... I'm not perceiving a lull; what do others think?

 

[Vile]

I perceive a lull in T20.

 

[Spinward Scout]

Maybe it was just my perspective. I hadn't been seeing a lot new lately (other than rules questions ) here on the board (or maybe just a lot that interested me) and other than Flynn's page, I hadn't heard about anyone's page being updated recently. Even with the Mongoose release (which I bought), it seemed a bit stagnant. But then, I also don't have anyone around here that plays Traveller.

 

[Odegra]

I think there's only a "lull" if you're not interested in Mongoose Traveller, which is about to go ballistic when the Spinward Marches book and the first supplements come out for it, and especially when the full OGL and SRD are officially out for it.

But with T20 being dead and T5 delayed (again), if those are all you're interested in then you could probably say that theres a lull there.

 

[Border Reiver]

I don't know about the statement you're referring to but in someways from the general public viewpoint it could be seen to be in a lull. For writers like yourself busy,busy with the next Traveller project it may seem like frenetic activity but to us consumers we have 2 months of Zero releases.

To me that's a lull. Especially since the MGT Core Rules as sold are somewhat unsatisfying (not a criticism just wanting more). We are waiting on Spinward Marches, 76 Patrons, Mercenary but not seeing much movement.

It's only a lull, a "temporary interval of quiet or lack of activity." Things will pick up with the new releases.

 

[Supplement Four]

I think there's only a "lull" if you're not interested in Mongoose Traveller...

I think this is what the writer meant. I understood completely when I read it.

For those of us not interested in MGT, it's really business as usual.

I'm interested in taking a look at T5, though.

 

[VargrIntellectual]

I think this is what the writer meant. I understood completely when I read it.

For those of us not interested in MGT, it's really business as usual.

I'm interested in taking a look at T5, though.

Personally, I couldn't have less interest in MungTrav. Practically everything Mongoose produces is crap and I'm sure this is no exception. They appear not to actually playtest things and so end up with bizarro rules all the time.

 

[sid6.7]

with mongoose releasings its version of traveller...it would appear the "lull" is over.

 

[Roger Calver]

A bit of a strange reaction to Mongtrav, If you havent seen it then how can you make an informed decision about it, some of what was in the playtest didnt make it into the final release.

 

[MJD]

We (Avenger) have been relaesing stuff steadily for a while (years) now. Okay, some of it is in nches that may not appeal to most people - Mongtrav, 1248, Trav Hero and so forth - but that hardly constitutes nothing happening, or so I would have thought.

Yes, T5 and T20 aren't doing much right at this moment but my feeling is that there's a quite a lot of activity happening. I was just wondering about other people's perspective, is all.

 

[far-trader]

Yeah, I don't think I've seen a lull on the net, a shift of focus from some areas to others sure, that's natural and cyclical.

I also don't think I'd call any Traveller rules set dead.

I mean c'mon, Traveller (CT to those who insist there are other versions ) is still being sold, bought, and played

 

[aramis]

S4 did participate in the playtest.... complaining about it then, complaining about it now. (And for clarity: S4, you ARE allowed to be negative about it outside the mongoose section. Not in the mongoose section, which you consistently have been.)

Me, I find it lacking in a few areas, but in general solid. Not innovative. I'm not gonna run out and buy everything that comes out, but it is mechanically a far sight better than T4 was.

As to a lull... the T20 section has usually been slow.
Traffic is pretty good, and fairly stable. I'm getting 22-40 threads per day with activity, counting the pit and the admin area. one day last week hit 52 threads. the 2 ongoing PBP's only account for 4 threads...

Every ruleset for traveller is still available for purchase...

CT: print, CD
2300: individual PDF's, CD
MT: individual PDFs, CD
TNE: Individual PDF's
T4: Individual PDF's
T20: PDF, some remaining hardcovers
MGT: Hardcover, "soon" to be PDF.

 

[GypsyComet]

Practically everything Mongoose produces is crap and I'm sure this is no exception.

I am reminded of a routine by stand-up comedian Auggie Smith (paraphrased a bit):

"If you don't like it that people smoke in bars, don't go to bars. For example, I don't like Bed, Bath & Beyond. I don't like what goes on at Bed, Bath & Beyond. So you know how I handle it? I DON'T GO THERE. I don't place Bed, Bath & Beyond in an "axis of evil" with Kit & Kaboodle and the Baby Gap, and I support *your* right to visit Bed, Bath & Beyond, but I don't go there."

Take from that what you will, but please consider the benefits of positive participation instead of sour grapes. Your blood pressure will thank you.

--

As for a perceived lull, the "community" is in a bit more of a funk than normal. Older fans (and sadly, that's about the only type Traveller has) are fearing a repeat of the T4 debacle, and seem to be holding their collective breaths. T4's main rulebook was odd-but-promising, with the real sucker punch of outrage and disappointment coming in the rapid-fire supplements. Consider where Mongoose's edition is currently hanging, and the lull of the last few weeks makes some sense. If the currently announced supplements for Mongoose are no worse than mediocre, some of the lull will subside. If a couple of them are out-of-the-ballpark excellent, only the "edition shut-ins" will stay silent.

Of course, if these early supplements are really bad, Mongoose will loose many of the older players completely and forever, their bid to place MGT as the new default edition will fail, and Mongoose will be better served by immediately taking the basic rules and re-branding into their other SF licenses instead of trying to stay in the Third Imperium.

So yeah, I expect the Traveller lull will start resolving by the end of July.

Either that or it's the economy, into which we really shouldn't go on this forum.

 

[VargrIntellectual]

Take from that what you will, but please consider the benefits of positive participation instead of sour grapes. Your blood pressure will thank you.

Positive participation? That sounds like the same slavish meme I used to hear on the Mung boards back when I complained about their crap rules for other games (which I dumbly bought, but now I've been screwed enough times to know not to get taken again in the future). Yes, I do in fact dare to point out the glaring, obvious flaws that I find in their products. Deal with it.

I am participating positively. I'm positive that I have positively no interest in MungTrav. I'm not sure if you read Sup 4's comment and the comment of mine to which you responded. If you look those two comments over, you'll see that S4 was saying that if you have no interest in MGT then nowadays it's still pretty much business as usual. My comment was to chime in and say that I'm one of those people.

I may be a bit odd in that my principal interest with Trav is running it purely with the 3 LBBs and incorporating very little supplemental material (a few of the Alien Modules, Supplements 4 and 6, some adventures). No expanded chargen, no High Guard stuff, no Fighting Ships, no drop tanks (using mass precip instead), no fusion guns, etc. Just the basics.

 

[GypsyComet]

By "positive participation" I was referring to you (specifically) and others (more generally) going to the parts of this community board that interest you *in a positive way* and participating there *in a positive way*.

Add instead of subtracting.

I am participating positively. I'm positive that I have positively no interest in MungTrav..

Then, in the words of Auggie Smith, "DON'T GO THERE." Be happy in the CT section instead of unhappy in the MGT section.

 

[VargrIntellectual]

By "positive participation" I was referring to you (specifically) and others (more generally) going to the parts of this community board that interest you *in a positive way* and participating there *in a positive way*.

Add instead of subtracting.



Then, in the words of Auggie Smith, "DON'T GO THERE." Be happy in the CT section instead of unhappy in the MGT section.

Well... I'm new here so I may have made a mistake. I've posted on the CT forum (which is obviously for CT) and here in the Lone Star. Is the Lone Star part of the MGT section? It didn't look like it was. If so then I apologize for any offense.

 

[Roger Calver]

Lone Star is for general posting about things, as said before if you dont like something then to reduce your blood pressure just ignore it.

If your a CT'er then that area is best for you, no reason to go into MongTrav threads if you dont like it really.

Critique is different as your expressing your opinions of the materials but keep things civil.

 

[Gruffty]

Case in point: me.

I collect Traveller books.
As a Traveller book collector, that means I also collect TNE books in addition to CT/MT/T4/GT/T20/MGT books (I don't collect THero books).

But....

I don't particularly like the TNE mileu.
I don't like the mixed d10/d6 mechanic of TNE.
I've never run, nor do I ever intend to run, a game in the TNE mileu.
I'm not a member of the TNE mailing list (thank f**k).

And....

Guess what?...

You will only very, very rarely find me reading or posting in the TNE boards here.

Why?

Because I have no real interest in TNE beyond collecting the books. I see no need to visit the TNE boards. The information contained in the TNE books is sufficient for me to be going on with, and I know that if I need clarification on a TNE-related issue, the TNE boards are there for me to ask in. I also know that I would receive much help were I to ask there.

So what are the benefits of this approach to me?

Lower BP.
Lower chance of CVA/MI/TIA etc etc.
Lower Traveller-related stress levels.
A healthier, happier Hiver.

 

[MJD]

Yes, for a long time older fans have been the only fans traveller has. I suspect that might change with Mongtrav, since it's pushed out at a wider audience than any version of Traveller for a long time has done.

Time will tell of course but it seems likely that there will be a new generation of players at last.

 

[Ishmael]

I am an older fan, but not a collector.
I am a MT fanboy.
I have little interest in mongtrav for the same reason I did not buy into TNE or T4; I cannot justify buying into rules for a game I essentially already own that do not seem to improve upon the ruleset I already prefer.

However...
I read and try to contribute in all boards/areas because most everything discussed on one board is applicable to all. I feel it is important to contribute in whatever manner I am able to this game while trying to not be negative.
I use suppliments from any/every ruleset so far, where they aid or expand my own vision of my TU.

Therefore, I am glad for mongtrav and wish it success, even though I have no interest in the rules and feel much of it could be better ( and in a flash of hubris, feel my own hodge-podge is far superior ). Should it succeed, it will mean more players who like Traveller, more supplements which means there may be something I want to buy.

and if there is a lull outside of mongtrav, then perhaps those of us who do not play mongtrav should blame ourselves for not writing more and better quality works to share.