Mongoose High Guard

[rancke]

As near as I can tell, every single instance of the Traveller rules has changed the technology to some degree.

Given that, why is Mongoose doing the same thing so terrible?

Without saying that any particular instance of Mongoose changing the technology is bad (for one thing, I still only have second-hand evidence that they've actually done it), changing technology is potentially very, very damaging to a setting. It shouldn't be done without considering the ramifications.

The most egregious example is probably TNE's HePlar drive. Not so much the drive itself, but the concommittant absence of thrusters. If thrusters didn't exist and never had existed, the entire economic underpinning of the universe changes retroactively. Though I admit it helped a lot that GDW ignored all the ramifications of that particular change. MT changed the fuel consumption of jump drives. Again, they didn't explore the ramifications of the change; that a ship was now able to carry enough fuel for two five-parsec jumps wiithout refuelling, suddenly making ten-parsec gaps in the stars almoast irrelevant. Again, I admit that it helped a lot that MT ignored the ramifications. But ignoring the ramifications of the technology is, IMO, sloppy and sub-standard work. GT's 20% reduction in interior space for streamlining suddenly made streamlined ships markedly inferior to unstreamlined ships. The ramifications would be that unstreamlined ships and orbital facilities would be a lot more common and streamlined ships a lot less common.

So to answer your question, Mongoose doing the same thing would be terrible because previous versions doing the same thing was terrible too. Sorry, may be terrible; some changes won't make much of a difference and others might even be an improvement.


Hans

 

[mbrinkhues]

I don't know exactly what you're talking about in terms of canon changes, unless we are talking about that bays on small ships thing again and then I have to wonder why is this signficant? So it changes some ship designs...Big deal. Ship designs have changed in small ways and large in every edition of Traveller after the first. Its not like it isn't easy to fix. Or is it the introduction of "new" technology? About time! If Traveller (the rules set, not the setting) can't handle the things that are found in science fiction after 1977, it isn't going to get much of an audience.

But...I do actually agree with you as far as the OTU is concerned. Unless it needs changing, don't change it. Some things need changing, others don't.

Here's one thing that needs changing; Traveller as a game system needs to move away from the rigid "canon" of the OTU. and Mongoose is trying to do that.

Allen

As soon as this rigid canon is found one might start analysing if it is necessary to move away from it. Since in the 20 years I play in the OTU I have not yet found the rigid canon, I can't see any need to move away.

 

[Allensh]

As soon as this rigid canon is found one might start analysing if it is necessary to move away from it. Since in the 20 years I play in the OTU I have not yet found the rigid canon, I can't see any need to move away.

You haven't encountered some of the canonistas I have then...

Please understand, I like the OTU. I run a game there. But I don't see anything wrong with having, say, cybernetics in the setting, or altering slightly how some things work. I have not seen any major changes to the tech. Still uses jump drive, still has reactionless thrusters, artificial gravity, etc. Still does not have FTL communication. I really don't get what the "changes" they've supposedly made are. Now, in the black-cover books they have added things that are NOT part of the OTU, to try to make the book more useful generically...but NO ONE is holding a gun to anyone's head saying "You have to use this stuff"...so what's the big deal?

Allen

 

[mbrinkhues]

You haven't encountered some of the canonistas I have then...

Please understand, I like the OTU. I run a game there. But I don't see anything wrong with having, say, cybernetics in the setting, or altering slightly how some things work. I have not seen any major changes to the tech. Still uses jump drive, still has reactionless thrusters, artificial gravity, etc. Still does not have FTL communication. I really don't get what the "changes" they've supposedly made are. Now, in the black-cover books they have added things that are NOT part of the OTU, to try to make the book more useful generically...but NO ONE is holding a gun to anyone's head saying "You have to use this stuff"...so what's the big deal?

Allen

+ That there is no sticker "This is OTU tech" on most of the new products
+ The many minor changes like Plasma/Fusion weapons (even portabel) generating radiation
+ The lack of weights/size comparisons/calibers for the "heavy" weapons in i.e Mercenary
+ All the robots/drohnes, basically every craft has them
...

Add the rules errors, lack of playtesting and quality problems they have (1), the typos and layout bugs and the "It's our way or no way" attitude towards the older fans and you get enough rough spots to generate friction. And once there is friction, one looks even closer and less-accepting at a rules set and starts asking pointed questions like:

+ Where is this better than <Version>
+ Why didn't you take <Version> and improve on it
+ What's my benefit in using your rules
+ What is that change (i.e small bay etc.) good for

Things that are difficult to answer even for a GOOD PR team. Mongoose PR is as good as their QA.

From there it's a small step to "thanks but no thanks" and that generates bad feelings on the MG camp. Soon we have a nice turf war and one end result can be seen in Germany:

13Mann (the german publisher) has problems finding Demo-Teams to go to conventions. Simply because those who play older versions see no reason to propagade the new one(2) and the small SciFi community does not attract new ones(3)

That does not generate all that much good will on the publishers side either. That in turn leads to comments about marginalising the OTU. And the cycle continues.


And IMHO the ONLY thing of interest in Traveller IS the OTU. If I want generic rules there are systems that can do that a lot better than ANY incarnation of the Traveller rules (Except GT naturally) And re-publishing a slightly lifted version of a 30 year old game will not change that. If I want more technology etc. there are other well published settings. So making the OTU a sideshow (and that is happening IMHO) will lead back to the question:

WHY should I play MGT?


(1) Let's face it for a publisher to make an exchange offer like the one for HighGuard the book must be really bad (and it is)

(2) Most older versions are still availabel on the First Hand market, either as PDF or CD-ROM

(3) rust will likely claim different. Well his game system is Chaosiums BPR with some Traveller-rules tacked on and his setting is a copy from the Honorverse with most labels still attached. I fail to see what is "Traveller" there

 

[MongooseMatt]

I call things as I see them and, when I feel mistakes have been made, I speak up.

We have never had a problem with criticism, but that was not what you were doing. You said you hoped the game failed miserably - that is not calling a mistake. That is being an A-hole.

You want to talk about decisions made in the game, then _talk_. If you want to be a tosser, not many people are going to be interested.

Weapon bays have been handled one way in Traveller for over thirty years without any problem. So, why did Mongoose feel the need to "fix" something that wasn't broken?

Why do you think it was a 'fix'? Why not just something different? Why not simply allow the option? Remember, what you choose to use from the black 'core' books is completely up to you.

 

[MongooseMatt]

You're correct. It was ill-wishing on my part. Mea culpa.

Spoken like a gentleman. Let's move on.

- Their "playtests" were laughable, little more than repeated "ZOMG It's great" posts.

That was the open playtest - other playtests (blind and otherwise) were going on in the background.

- Then I was active in a thread about here MgT's lack of a forgery skill. MP's "answers" were essentially "We didn't feel it was needed and we won't explain why, so you can shut up now".

I wasn't involved in that area, so all I can say is that there was a great deal of 'noise' generated by the open playtest, and it sometimes made specific answers a secondary consideration to gathering the actual feedback.

- Next I heard about the issue Dan brought up regarding the MP/FFE deal, especially the free fanzine angle. That left me disgusted with MP's short sightedness.

Now this I was involved with. If this is the same fanzine I am thinking of, we provided a multitude of options. Remember, with the new licensing we set up _anyone_ can produce and _sell_ pretty much anything for Traveller, even using the OTU - off the top of my head, I cannot think of any other publisher that has gone that far, and we made that step primarily because fans of Traveller asked for it.

- After that, I had the chance to read MgT version of "Mercenary" last week and was appalled. Among many other things, the artillery in it listed belongs in a goddamn cartoon.

You want to discuss the 'many other things'? Happy to listen. . .

- Then their version of HG comes out with small craft completely construction broken, unneeded changes in bay weaponry, and ghu knows what else.

Why do you think small craft are broken, and what did you not like about bay weaponry?

Out of all that you know which complaints MP is actually handling? Missing page numbers. You can get another book - and a free one too! - if you send back your book with missing page numbers. That's nice, but what about all the mistakes in the text? What about all the errata?

I am afraid you are misinformed. The latest printing of High Guard (which came just a few weeks after the first, we responded quickly) changed a great deal. You can see many of these changes in the free SRD we posted recently.

As I said before, I am quite happy to discuss, listen and explain. It is just the general tone of nastiness I object to, especially if it is aimed at Traveller as a whole, my staff, or my company. On the whole, I don't think that is too unreasonable. . .

 

[MongooseMatt]

there is nothing new coming out of Mongoose either, they are publishing books like Scout and Beltstrike, catching up on what is there from SJG, MegaTraveller, ClassicTraveller, T20... since quite some time.

Well, I would argue we are doing very different things with the 'career' books, and Beltstrike has little in common with its ancestor - it could easily have been given another name, and it would have been seen as 'new'. you'll see that is a common thread as we expand the line. As for new-new books, Psion, Agent, Tripwire and Scoundrel are all due for release over the next few months, and they all bring something new to the game.

 

[mbrinkhues]

@Dave Chase:

"Educating customers" does not work. Washmaschine manufacturers learned that a long time ago. "But it still works, why replace it" is the key phrase here. For a gamer to change system the new one has to be massively superior in ways that he cares not just "new".

And while many people understand the need for game companies to publish and make money, most people don't care in the end. "Why should I make them earn the money" is the attitude most have. The average gamer won't buy a product to "help the company", he'll buy one because "I can use it" IMHO one of the reasons GDW tried to keep characters and some equipment "compatible/convertibel" between the three major incarnations of the rules set. Buying MT or TNE but still playing 1105 or even 990s wasn't that uncommon.


@MongooseMatt:

Wading through the books and seperating OTU from new isn't made any easier by the way they are written. This makes it hard for older fans to use and will lead to lots of discussions in mixed groups and convention games. Stuff that many players no longer care about. Marking the stuff would help a lot.

 

[MongooseMatt]

+ That there is no sticker "This is OTU tech" on most of the new products

By that statement, do you mean there should be?

We never presumed Traveller players needed that kind of hand holding. Or, put another way, if a player wants to bring something into the OTU, that is completely up to him - after all, it is a big galaxy, with lots of possibilities (which, in the end, is what Traveller is all about in the first place).

The only canon we will publish will be rigidly defined as OTU books (the same style front covers as Spinward Marches - Tripewire and Aslan are next). Some of those books will reference material from the core line, but until they do, it ain't canon.

+ Where is this better than <Version>
+ Why didn't you take <Version> and improve on it
+ What's my benefit in using your rules
+ What is that change (i.e small bay etc.) good for

If you want to give some specifics here, I'll see if I can answer them.

Things that are difficult to answer even for a GOOD PR team. Mongoose PR is as good as their QA.

Given how successful this version Traveller is (it is one of the most popular RPGs around right now, and you would be _amazed_ at how well the supplements sell in comparison to the market leader), I think you may be wrong.

13Mann (the german publisher) has problems finding Demo-Teams to go to conventions. Simply because those who play older versions see no reason to propagade the new one(2) and the small SciFi community does not attract new ones(3)

I have no doubt you have encountered someone who has said this to you. However, Germany is a big country, and there are other reasons demo teams may be harder to find there. For our part, we have had a lot of success in finding people willing to demo Traveller, and have found demo teams traditionally rooted in miniatures games are making the transition.

And IMHO the ONLY thing of interest in Traveller IS the OTU.

Bingo - here, I think, is the source of our difference. We are looking at expanding Traveller out into a system that can handle as many variations of sci-fi as possible because a) we believe we can make the game the 'default' choice for sci-fi, just as D&D is for fantasy and b) because that was the original approach to the game.

The OTU will still be present, but it will be part of a larger whole. On the flip side, the OTU will also be strongly defined, meaning you can nibble on other settings if you wish, and ignore them if not.

However, you must respect that your point here is only your opinion, and other players may be dippy about Traveller for no other reason than they can play, say, Judge Dredd.

WHY should I play MGT?

If you don't like it, you shouldn't! There is no requirement for you to do so. I could argue about continued support for the next decade, I could talk about making the OTU more attractive, I could talk about other settings - but if you are not interested in any of that, carry on playing your current game with our blessing!

(1) Let's face it for a publisher to make an exchange offer like the one for HighGuard the book must be really bad (and it is)

Or, we provide exceptional customer service. I believe that is something you will find very difficult to knock. Ask yourself, who else would have done that?

 

[mbrinkhues]

The lack of demo teams is less hearsay and more "they are not here", here being conventions within 100km of 13Mann headquarters and/or the big ones. And while I'll have to re-check on Monday from the website it looks like they'll miss "Hannover Spielt" (Not a small one). Neither do I see any announcements pro "Conventus Leonis" or "RPC" just to name the bigger ones within 30 days.

As for the questions:

+ Some basics

I am a "casual" gamer doing RPG in case nothing better comes up. So I don't do much house-ruling or kit-bashing and I don't play games "because they are there". Since my situation allows it I am quite willing to pay for "Setting+Rules" packages rather then investing time adapting a setting or wading through a universal rules package and weed out the not-needed parts (That's why I i.e bought the GURPS:Traveller book)

+ Labeling

Yes, I'd like to see either OTU or non-OTU stuff labeles. Simply to prevent rules discussions. That way I can write "OTU only Traveller" on say a convention sheet

+ Where is MGT better than MT or TNE?

Chargen has more full-sized careers than MT but OTOH is "all random" (The point-buy OTOH is not fully featured)

+ Why didn't you take MegaTraveller rules and improve on it?

MT is basically "CT++" and an MT with all the errata applied would have given you a well-tested system that "feels better" than the CT approach. OTOH it lacks the "problems" of TNE (Heplar, Weapons). You did take a number of concepts from it.

+ What is that change good for?

Some of them include "Plasma/Fuzion weapons spreading radiation", "Lack of EnergyPoints/Megawatts/Exhausted Hamsters per Hour values for ship systems", "Detailing in components", "Lack of weight/caliber for heavy weapons"... Not all changes from CT but IMHO to big a fixation on making a copy of 30+ year old rules isn't all that great

+ What is my benefit using the rules?

I have MT (and actually getting the MT core books IS cheaper than MT+HighGuard) and I am an avid GURPS fan. So I have an "all Traveller" rules set and one that is "good enough for character-oriented Traveller" (GURPS has a compressed TL-set that makes problems) Still for Character-play where tech takes a backseat the GURPS characters are better and for tech-oriented stuff MT is a solid system

+ Universal Traveller

Agreed, that is a main difference, simply because I doubt it will work. Sure, you can base other game licences on it and within limits the system will work. But a universal system generally is less satisfying than one tailored to a setting and the more universal you get, the bigger the problems. As said GURP works for Traveller but only for a certain set of scenarios. Even TNE had some minor problems adapting to Traveller.

So you either get a "Universal" system that is so-so adapted to Traveller or you get a Traveller-system that is so-so adapted to other systems. And since MGT lacks the details of GURPS or HERO (or even some of the Fuzion elements) when it comes to depth of character, it doesn't even have the benefit of "Character play"

 

[mbrinkhues]

Oh and on the Customer Service:

In my 20+ years of experience with Customer Service (both sides) such "exceptional offers" where quite rare. All of them happened when the manufacturer fouled up big and either feared loosing contracts/customers OR was forced by law and PR to do something. Your motives may be different but I have my doubts.

On "Don't play it":

Actually the question was a "convince me". I AM quite open to switching systems under the OTU and did so four times (German CT->English MT, MT->TNE for the Chargen, TNE->GURPS due to the campain) and tried both T20 and MGT (and kept the T20 background) Saying "You don't have to" is not the way to get/keep a customer nor a way to get a free supporter.

 

[MongooseMatt]

The lack of demo teams is less hearsay and more "they are not here", here being conventions within 100km of 13Mann headquarters and/or the big ones. And while I'll have to re-check on Monday from the website it looks like they'll miss "Hannover Spielt" (Not a small one). Neither do I see any announcements pro "Conventus Leonis" or "RPC" just to name the bigger ones within 30 days.

As a system, Traveller has traditionally faced resistance in Germany (yes, I have the sales data to back that up ). As to why conventions are not being covered so close to their HQ, that would be a question for them. Certainly, Traveller demos are common enough in the UK.

I am a "casual" gamer doing RPG in case nothing better comes up. So I don't do much house-ruling or kit-bashing and I don't play games "because they are there". Since my situation allows it I am quite willing to pay for "Setting+Rules" packages rather then investing time adapting a setting or wading through a universal rules package and weed out the not-needed parts (That's why I i.e bought the GURPS:Traveller book)

Fair enough - however, we also have to respect that a lot of Traveller players are tinkerers by nature.

Yes, I'd like to see either OTU or non-OTU stuff labeles. Simply to prevent rules discussions. That way I can write "OTU only Traveller" on say a convention sheet

We'll certainly take a look at that, as the core line increases in size and depth.

Chargen has more full-sized careers than MT but OTOH is "all random" (The point-buy OTOH is not fully featured)

That is a natural bias within Mongoose - we are keen on random elements in character creation, and believe the current version is a beauty.

+ Why didn't you take MegaTraveller rules and improve on it?

MT is basically "CT++" and an MT with all the errata applied would have given you a well-tested system that "feels better" than the CT approach. OTOH it lacks the "problems" of TNE (Heplar, Weapons).

This is an opinion, and I am sure we could find someone else to say that CT was the basis of all things good in Traveller. We were certainly very comfortable with CT, and so it was natural we used it as the baseline.

Some of them include "Plasma/Fuzion weapons spreading radiation", "Lack of EnergyPoints/Megawatts/Exhausted Hamsters per Hour values for ship systems", "Detailing in components", "Lack of weight/caliber for heavy weapons"... Not all changes from CT but IMHO to big a fixation on making a copy of 30+ year old rules isn't all that great

Can you cite which of these you feel had a negative impact on the game, and why?

+ What is my benefit using the rules?

We'll come back to this. . .

Agreed, that is a main difference, simply because I doubt it will work.

Well. . . all I can say to that is that we have faith it will work, and are putting our money where our mouths are, so to speak. This will be fairer judged in perhaps a year's time, when new settings will not only be out and about, but played too.

 

[spinwardpirate]

Well. . . all I can say to that is that we have faith it will work, and are putting our money where our mouths are, so to speak. This will be fairer judged in perhaps a year's time, when new settings will not only be out and about, but played too.

Please tell me you are trying to get the rights to do Star Trek!

 

[MongooseMatt]

Oh and on the Customer Service:

In my 20+ years of experience with Customer Service (both sides) such "exceptional offers" where quite rare. All of them happened when the manufacturer fouled up big and either feared loosing contracts/customers OR was forced by law and PR to do something. Your motives may be different but I have my doubts.

Honestly, I don't see it as a question of motives - this is just something that Mongoose does, in the same way we aim to turnaround mail orders in 24 hours, that we answer emails as quickly as possible, and we fix problems as quickly as we can. It is all part of the service.

Think of it as a guarantee. In the event you receive something defective, we will either fix it or refund it. As a business practice, that is pretty much what should be expected, is it not?

At the end of the day, we acknowledged the problem, we fixed it, and not only ensured customers were not out of pocket, but gave them a free item to make up for any trouble on their part.

You will have to go a long way to convince me that this is a negative point.

Actually the question was a "convince me".

Fair enough. The plus points I consider for the current version of Traveller (and, as always, YMMV);

1. It is in print, and it is supported and updated.
2. And will continue to be so for the next ten years at least.
3. No 2nd edition/revised rulebook is planned in that time frame (there are not many RPGs that can state that). The current rulebook will not be replaced or revised in that time.
4. An awful lot of people are playing it. An awful lot.
5. It will unify several popular sci-fi settings. For example, if you want to introduce a trader in your Babylon 5 game, you can use the trader in the B5 book - or, for variety, you can use the one from Judge Dredd, or the OTU. The same applies to other items/aliens/worlds. Need an armoured mercenary company in your game? Grab Hammers Slammers. It is all compatible. Use what you want, discard the rest (until your next campaign, at least).
6. The OTU will now come from just one source, greatly reducing the potential for inconsistencies.
7. Later this year, the Living Traveller (OTU) campaign begins.
8. The company owner is not just willing, but eager, to visit forums like this to see what people think of the game - and to make changes where necessary.
9. If you ever buy a Traveller book direct from us and you don't like it, we will swap or refund it, no quibbles. You are guaranteed.
10. If nothing else, I would hope to be able to sell you new OTU and setting books for reference, even if you carry on playing GURPS Traveller. The new Aslan book, for example, might be something you could very much get into.

 

[mbrinkhues]

Not only demos but Traveller CONVENTIONS are common in GreatBritain. One more reason to dust of that folder labeled "SeaLion"

Part of the resistance comes from the original (FanPro) translations that gave us an already out-dated system (CT base) without some of the optional rules at a time when systems like Cyberpunk and Shadowrun where big and gave a lot more choice/input in designing your character.

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

As for the negative impact: All cited are elements I have my problems with

+ With the FGMP spitting radiation I don't see the reason for the change. I guess you wanted to reduce the weapons use since the radiation effects friend and foe but IMHO restricting is a GM thing

+ Lack of weight etc. means that I can't roll my own. I.e. Merc gives me a Mortar. Well modern mortars range range from 40/60mm all the way to 120mm and even 240mm. If you give me a weight, a caliber or a picture of the beast next to a man I can guess what mortar you mean and derive my own from there. And some of my groups WILL ask "can I carry it". Again with an idea on the size I can make a guess.

+ Energy consumption is a nice balancer in ship design and improvement. And one that lacks the "GM fiat" feel. Sure the group can buy the TL15 Fuzion Gatling. But the reactor in their Typ-R can't feed it. It also balanced third party created ships found in magazines etc. against one another.

+ Lack of weight for some consumeabels again is a lack of game balancer

No one is a big deal but I'd have to houserule, research, discuss etc. where a bit more detail would have spared me that. It's like the difference of buying parts and building my computer or paying say DELL to do it for me. I prefer the latter solution.

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

On Customer Service: The service itself is great, just waiting for a book I like to come out (Have HG, will change ) no objection there. Sorry if I came over otherwise. It's more the QA problem that makes it necessary for you to make that offer. Mongoose has a bad rep for quality. You solved some critical issues (Book binding) etc. shortly before Traveller but bad reps linger and foul ups like HG re-trigger

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

On your 10 points:

1, 2) The update/suppor is true. The "in print" is true if you dislike PDF.
3) Good and Bad. Good for long term support you plan. Bad if one dislikes elements of the rules
4) Dusting of my MG42/59 to invade some of those countries and force the players over here
5) No starter for me as said above. YMMV (as might that of other players). Don't get me wrong, HS is high on my "look into it" booklist
6) Good. A unified OTU will be nice. A nice short intro to the OTU that players will read will get you my money, even more if it's system-free/poor
7) Looking forward to that. Might raise interest
8) Good
9) Not possible for me. Don't have or need a credit card, don't use PayPal anymore. But a good offer none the less for many others
10) Actually it's books like BeltStrike or PrisonPlant that would interest me more than another Alien volume. Or something like the DGP "Grand Tour", "Assignment:Vigilanti" etc. Sure, additional material will be of interest. Additional regions (Antares/Julian i.e) would also be nice

 

[MongooseMatt]

Not only demos but Traveller CONVENTIONS are common in GreatBritain. One more reason to dust of that folder labeled "SeaLion"

+ With the FGMP spitting radiation I don't see the reason for the change. I guess you wanted to reduce the weapons use since the radiation effects friend and foe but IMHO restricting is a GM thing

I was not the one that introduced this into the game. However, and this is just my own opinion, I think it is a funky little addition that might (might!) make players think twice before cracking open the armoury.

+ Lack of weight etc. means that I can't roll my own. I.e. Merc gives me a Mortar. Well modern mortars range range from 40/60mm all the way to 120mm and even 240mm. If you give me a weight, a caliber or a picture of the beast next to a man I can guess what mortar you mean and derive my own from there. And some of my groups WILL ask "can I carry it". Again with an idea on the size I can make a guess.

+ Lack of weight for some consumeabels again is a lack of game balancer

Fair points.

Our 'watershed' for both of these will be the Central Supply Catalogue (already written, due in June) which, I hope will have everything you are looking for and more besides. A bog 200 page book full of 'goodies' we are looking at it as the main resource for equipment for the more 'serious' Traveller player.

+ Energy consumption is a nice balancer in ship design and improvement. And one that lacks the "GM fiat" feel. Sure the group can buy the TL15 Fuzion Gatling. But the reactor in their Typ-R can't feed it. It also balanced third party created ships found in magazines etc. against one another.

GM Fiat was exactly why this was done. However, it has excited more comment than many other points and _if_ we ever did a High Guard II, it would certainly come under consideration.

Sorry if I came over otherwise. It's more the QA problem that makes it necessary for you to make that offer. Mongoose has a bad rep for quality. You solved some critical issues (Book binding) etc. shortly before Traveller but bad reps linger and foul ups like HG re-trigger

This is something we are very, very aware of - and it all stems from our first printing of Conan (long time ago, no need to rehash here). The fact is, 95% (at least) of the books we produce are just great. No major issues worth talking about. However, we cannot promise perfection (no publisher can), but we can promise the guarantee.

Basically, if we cock up, one way or another, we'll make it up to you, our customer. It doesn't happen very often, but we try to act as quickly as we can when it does.

1, 2) The update/suppor is true. The "in print" is true if you dislike PDF.

True, except with our version of the rules, you will also get updates and new material, not just reprints.

3) Good and Bad. Good for long term support you plan. Bad if one dislikes elements of the rules

True enough, though we cannot do much about the latter!

4) Dusting of my MG42/59 to invade some of those countries and force the players over here

WWII using Traveller rules, maybe?

5) No starter for me as said above.

It is - until we do that one setting you have always been waiting for (whatever that may be). . .

6) Good. A unified OTU will be nice. A nice short intro to the OTU that players will read will get you my money, even more if it's system-free/poor

We've been thinking about that - we'll likely tackle Glorantha first, and see how that goes down.

7) Looking forward to that. Might raise interest

If it doesn't, something has gone wrong

9) Not possible for me. Don't have or need a credit card, don't use PayPal anymore. But a good offer none the less for many others

If your invasion gets under way, you can always visit us at our stand. . .

10) Actually it's books like BeltStrike or PrisonPlant that would interest me more than another Alien volume. Or something like the DGP "Grand Tour", "Assignment:Vigilanti" etc. Sure, additional material will be of interest. Additional regions (Antares/Julian i.e) would also be nice

Tripwire may be your thing then.

As for new sectors, coming next year!

 

[mbrinkhues]

Question:

+ Do you have an internal EP "draft" for HG that might make a Signs&Portents appearance?

+ Any chance you can sell english books through 13Mann? You do sell through Amazon.de but with a lengthy delay (Scouts is sheduled for May IIRC) somewhere in the pipeline. Or can you add some more payment types (Say CashOnDelivery/Nachnahme) to your shop?

+ Related to the above: Amazon seems to have problems labeling your books. Most don't appear if I search "Traveller", only if I search by title or Author. At least now I know how many books about the Girl/Boyscouts Amazon carries. (Not your fault but getting A to label them right might help sales)

+ Will Mongoose be at the Essen Fair this fall?

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

Settings I have been waiting for:

Jerry Pournells CoDominion and the follow-up timeline with the WarWorld and Moat books! Let the players loose blood on 25 worlds

KH Scheers ZbV Setting (Not as big or over the top as Perry Rhodan)

 

[mbrinkhues]

@DaveChase:

From what I understand you where involved in the CBT->DarkAges process. Was that a real success for WhizKids or a stepping stone to the current BT incarnation that is trying to support all three/four "factions": StarLeague, 3025, Current and DarkAges with a unified system and timespot based scenarios/material. I am asking because from the amount of stress on some BT boards one could get the idea it didn't work out. IF it worked out in the long run maybe that's a concept that could work for Traveller to some extend since the problems old BT players had with MDA was similar to what some old Traveller players have with MGT.

@Mongoose Matt:

I second the thanks for the replies.

 

[MongooseMatt]

Question:

+ Do you have an internal EP "draft" for HG that might make a Signs&Portents appearance?

Unlikely for S&P.

+ Any chance you can sell english books through 13Mann? You do sell through Amazon.de but with a lengthy delay (Scouts is sheduled for May IIRC) somewhere in the pipeline. Or can you add some more payment types (Say CashOnDelivery/Nachnahme) to your shop?

We already handle cards and PayPal (we were one of the first to do the latter). We can take cheques in Euros, though they take time to clear. Alternatively, you could look at someone like Leisure Games, who stock our full range.

Or have a Traveller-only Paypal account

+ Related to the above: Amazon seems to have problems labeling your books. Most don't appear if I search "Traveller", only if I search by title or Author. At least now I know how many books about the Girl/Boyscouts Amazon carries. (Not your fault but getting A to label them right might help sales)

Amazon has all sorts of issues at the moment - we are tackling them, and they should be more on line by the end of this year.

+ Will Mongoose be at the Essen Fair this fall?

Unlikely for this year - we have done Essen before, but found it better for board/miniatures games than RPGs.

Jerry Pournells CoDominion and the follow-up timeline with the WarWorld and Moat books! Let the players loose blood on 25 worlds

KH Scheers ZbV Setting (Not as big or over the top as Perry Rhodan)

Have to dfo some research - haven't heard of either of these!

 

[Andrew Boulton]

Andrew,

What's the difference between "trashing" and negative opinions and/or critiques? Seriously.

If I write "ZOMG SJGames sux and BtC is horrible!!!", that should be seen as trashing, right?

However, if I write BtC is a canonical train wreck because of A, B, C, and D. SJGames doesn't accept errata for it anymore and won't discuss fixing it either., that should just be seen as a negative opinion or critique, right?


Regards,
Bill

"I hope MgT fails miserably" isn't critique.

Ask questions, suggest solutions, or just pretend MGT doesn't exist, but just pointing out flaws and hoping it fails doesn't help anyone.