Mixing different Cepheus Rules

[casquilho]

As I explore more and more of the Cepheus landscape, I have found the different core rulebooks have more differences than I thought. Some are not a major issue and could be ignored, but some are not. At least in my thinking.

So I am asking for your opinions, for those who play using Cepheus, do you mix publisher's rulebooks?
If so, do you cross within the same space, say ship design?
Or do you select one and mostly follow it?

I would love to hear from folks who have more experience that I have at the moment.

 

[Marcatlas]

As far as a Traveller type game I use Cepheus Deluxe. Cepheus makes non Traveller type games. So the rules are not necessarily 100% compatible

 

[casquilho]

As far as a Traveller type game I use Cepheus Deluxe. Cepheus makes non Traveller type games. So the rules are not necessarily 100% compatible

I would expect Modern War or Rider to have different rules to some degree. But even Cepheus Deluxe vs Cepheus Universal, for example, have som rules they handle differently. So I was curious, do you default to Cepheus Deluxe but maybe add in a few skills from somewhere else for example? Or a few of the planet rules from somewhere else?

 

[Ildefonse]

I freely mix Cepheus (SRD, Light, Deluxe) with my Classic Traveller game*. If I were going to start with "a" Cepheus version (which I consider off and on) I'd start with the SRD, and modify it with CT and Deluxe, and not worry about any small differences (e.g., SRD has "Nobles", Deluxe has "Elite").

The big differences I've noticed between SRD and Deluxe are chargen (SRD = rolled lifepath, like CT; Deluxe = point-buy lifepath), weapon aspects (not in SRD; in Deluxe) and space combat (SRD is more like CT, Deluxe is more narrative). I'm not a ship design geek, so can't speak to the differences in the design sequences, but given the other differences I've noticed I'd pick one version of Cepheus and stick with it*.

*I think the decision boils down to "which differences matter"? I dislike Deluxe's approach to chargen, weapons, etc., but used it's space combat rules in my recent CT game without issue. Next time I might use Cepheus space combat. And the reason is: I'm the Ref, hardly any of my players have read any of the rules, and I was pressed into service on short notice (submitted to the draft ). *If* my players ask to read the rules I point them to CT (facsimile for ease) and tell them I have some house rules. Maybe one of these days I'll compile "My Traveller" into a consolidated set of rules...

 

[Marcatlas]

I would expect Modern War or Rider to have different rules to some degree. But even Cepheus Deluxe vs Cepheus Universal, for example, have som rules they handle differently. So I was curious, do you default to Cepheus Deluxe but maybe add in a few skills from somewhere else for example? Or a few of the planet rules from somewhere else?

I just grabbed Universal so will be using anything in it to expand items more than rules, maybe a skill or two but I like the simplicity. As far as planet rules goes I start with the generator Generators – Cepheus Journal to make a subsector then I go in and edit to make the key planets whatever they need to be for the story. I never have limited that aspect of Trav to any rule set.

 

[Independence Games]

As I explore more and more of the Cepheus landscape, I have found the different core rulebooks have more differences than I thought. Some are not a major issue and could be ignored, but some are not. At least in my thinking.

So I am asking for your opinions, for those who play using Cepheus, do you mix publisher's rulebooks?
If so, do you cross within the same space, say ship design?
Or do you select one and mostly follow it?

I would love to hear from folks who have more experience that I have at the moment.

Well, the thing to keep in mind is that Cepheus Engine is not a game in and of itself. It's a base on which people can build games and the people building those games have different ideas of which direction to go from that base.

You can still use the various Cepheus-based games and supplements with each other (or Traveller, for that matter) with varying degrees of work as the DNA is still relatively the same. But most of the larger Cepheus-based publishers are not trying to be compatible with anything other than their own products.

 

[infojunky]

So I am asking for your opinions, for those who play using Cepheus, do you mix publisher's rulebooks?
If so, do you cross within the same space, say ship design?
Or do you select one and mostly follow it?

Heh, this is one of the Traditional Traveller discussions...

For the record I play CT, kinda. In that on that CT base I pick and chose the bits I want to use. Which means from CE I take the parts I like and leave the bits I don't.

The mix and match approach like this pretty much describes my games for the last 40+ years.

Side-note games like Battletech have been used in my games as well (Though note BT is a Traveller fork as well)

 

[Dragoner]

Started with CT a long time ago (1979) build upon them all in a lot of ways; generally I like to stick with one rules set for play to keep everyone on the same page, though I adapt things from everywhere.

 

[Boondock]

For the Scoundrels of Brixton setting, we're using the 2016 Cepheus Engine SRD, mainly for character/equipment stats and to try to keep the supplements system agnostic, as much as possible. This is a bit tricky, from a developer standpoint, because of the limited careers and skills. For example, there's no Investigate, Deception, Persuade, etc., skills that a rouge character or NPC might have. And it's been tempting to cherry pick from other versions of CE or Traveller when trying to flush out a background. But the call was made to stick with the SRD because it really gives the referee maximum flexibility, while trusting their ability to adjust. Example, a Recon check could easily be used in lieu of Investigate, in most situations. Now, here's a hiccup: the upcoming issue has a new starship, which was conceived using the SRD. However, the deck plans were drawn using MgT 1st edition, which is a bit different from CE. Adjustments had to be made to the starship stats, primarily the cost and tonnage of various ship systems. I think we worked it out -- heck, it's from a technologically advanced civilization -- and the likelihood of player characters actually spending credits to build a new starship is pretty slim. Hope this was helpful. Good topic.

 

[Darium]

As far as a Traveller type game I use Cepheus Deluxe. Cepheus makes non Traveller type games. So the rules are not necessarily 100% compatible

I ran a campaign a few years ago using those rules. But I am switching to Cepheus Universal, as to me its more like original Traveller in style.

 

[infojunky]

As far as a Traveller type game I use Cepheus Deluxe. Cepheus makes non Traveller type games. So the rules are not necessarily 100% compatible

I too just picked this up, and it really looks a lot like my flavor of CT in a lot of ways.

Just to point out there is a bunch of stuff in MgT1ed/CE that I had been using in my games for years prior to their release. My Traveller has always heavily influenced by 3rd party supplements going back to 1980...

To point out, that even jTas was optional in the day, as was Traveller's Digest and in relation all of the DGP stuff... (I still use Grand Census and Survey for ideas today)

 

[Marcatlas]

Cepheus universal is more a 400+ page universal science fiction rpg tool box without a setting that where the GM can create their own setting and tech rules It certainly could be picked apart and remade into LBB style Traveller. But so could Cepheus Deluxe.

 

[infojunky]

Cepheus universal is more a 400+ page universal science fiction rpg tool box without a setting that where the GM can create their own setting and tech rules It certainly could be picked apart and remade into LBB style Traveller. But so could Cepheus Deluxe.

Well you could say the same with T5...

Though recently I have been using non-Traveller/CE books for my local stuff. For Solo or small group play Five Parsecs from Home and Station Zero have been getting the most use.

 

[casquilho]

Cepheus universal is more a 400+ page universal science fiction rpg tool box without a setting that where the GM can create their own setting and tech rules It certainly could be picked apart and remade into LBB style Traveller. But so could Cepheus Deluxe.

That was the point of my question. All of the core Cepheus Rules are setting free. They are all tool kits. Yet they all seem to have some slightly different or in a few cases large rule differences as each publisher has placed their own twist onto the kits (not a bad thing, just it is).

So as I build Danielverse I find I am curious. Do you stick with one core rule set (say Cepheus Deluxe) or do you pick and choose like Cepheus SRD for Ship Design and Cepheus Universal for character design etcetera. Or do you go to the level of using more than one for ship design for example.

 

[Ildefonse]

So as I build Danielverse I find I am curious. Do you stick with one core rule set (say Cepheus Deluxe) or do you pick and choose like Cepheus SRD for Ship Design and Cepheus Universal for character design etcetera. Or do you go to the level of using more than one for ship design for example.

If I pursue "My Cepheus" I'd probably do what I've done with CT: start with the SRD, then examine each subsystem (chargen, careers, skills, ships, etc.) from other versions and take the one I prefer. I do like how some versions of Cepheus present options within their core: e.g., Cepheus Deluxe has a few options during chargen, Sword of Cepheus has "heroic" character generation as an option, etc. I actually think of most (can't speak to Universal) versions of Cepheus as you do: variable changes, all cast as a new "version", many of which seem like they're "Cepheus 1.1.1", rather than "Cepheus 2.0.0".

 

[MichaelSTee]

I really feel that Clement Sector and Hostile are Cepheus 1.1 and are keeping close to the Cepheus Engine style. Cepheus Universal is the rules from Hostile, made more generic to support build-your-own-background. These feel more like Traveller, with a gritty, coherent, hard-ish sci-fi feel.
Stellagama's offerings, especially Cepheus Deluxe, are branching out more towards a space-opera-y feel. (I also think MgT2e is heading that way.)
Personally, I prefer the CT/CE/CS/CU style.
(And I know that "space-opera-y" isn't really a word. But, hey, it's the internet, it's not like someone's going to shame me over grammar, right?)

 

[Dragoner]

If I pursue "My Cepheus" I'd probably do what I've done with CT: start with the SRD, then examine each subsystem (chargen, careers, skills, ships, etc.) from other versions and take the one I prefer.

Somewhat similarly, Solis/Kosmic started with mgt1, as it predates CE; much of it can be considered accumulated house rules, though I simplfied things in some places, changed other, such as spacecraft movement/battle is by hexes; and half of Kosmic is character options, different builds, and a lot of careers with expanded event tables, etc..

 

[Takei]

That was the point of my question. All of the core Cepheus Rules are setting free. They are all tool kits. Yet they all seem to have some slightly different or in a few cases large rule differences as each publisher has placed their own twist onto the kits (not a bad thing, just it is).

So as I build Danielverse I find I am curious. Do you stick with one core rule set (say Cepheus Deluxe) or do you pick and choose like Cepheus SRD for Ship Design and Cepheus Universal for character design etcetera. Or do you go to the level of using more than one for ship design for example.

I use Cepheus Lite for characters, tasks and combat ( I prefer to not apply characteristic modifiers) and Cepheus Deluxe for starships (although I also use other starship books for extras like armouries, labs etc.) I've tweaked the Cepheus SRD armour table to better reflect the damage I think armour should be able to absorb. Weapon damage is taken from the LBBs. So yeah, I mix and match a lot