Plankowner
SOC-13
Over on the Mongoose Forum, there is an invitation to the Open Playtest of the new Mongoose Traveller.
Mongoose Traveller Open Playtest
- Thread starter Plankowner
- Start date
The 64 page playtest document is also available to download here:
http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/home/detail.php?qsID=1546&qsSeries=Traveller
(as well as info on the release date, etc.)
http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/home/detail.php?qsID=1546&qsSeries=Traveller
(as well as info on the release date, etc.)
dmccoy1693
SOC-13
On the whole it looks pretty good. Some mistakes, some changes need made, but on the whole, pretty good.
Border Reiver
SOC-14 1K
I'm going to sound terribly negative but here are some of my first thoughts.
Chargen Seems to produce less skills than even CT. Okay so Skill-0 is emphasised more than before but all basic training being Skill-0? The life events and survival mishaps are nice though by no means original. My main criticism is the lack of variety, 12 events per career. I'd prefer 36.
Task ResolutionWoot thought I. This appears to be using a variant of Ken Bearden's Universal Game Mechanic, a genuine 2D system. Then I spotted the effect and time dice (I'm sure Ken suggested this in an early version of UGM or was it in a T5 document?). After the initiative dice debacle I thought I'd seen the last of fancy dice tricks but nope. Usable still. I'll probably throw a single dice because I'm not messing around with making sure everyone has different coloured dice.
Combat Good Grief. Ok, so on average a combat in my gaming group will see between 3 and 7 players (most likely 4) and up to 10 opponents. Ignoring wanting us to use dice to track initiative for the moment, 17 individuals with varying initiative tracks is a lot of paperwork, not to mention giving me a headache.
Armour appears to absorb damage, range chart seems fine, the "ticks" for actions is standard enough, movement is a little limited (6m. max in 2-3 secs??)
These are just my initial issues. We've got a quick online game organised in an hour to find out how badly the combat sucks.:devil::devil:
Chargen Seems to produce less skills than even CT. Okay so Skill-0 is emphasised more than before but all basic training being Skill-0? The life events and survival mishaps are nice though by no means original. My main criticism is the lack of variety, 12 events per career. I'd prefer 36.
Task ResolutionWoot thought I. This appears to be using a variant of Ken Bearden's Universal Game Mechanic, a genuine 2D system. Then I spotted the effect and time dice (I'm sure Ken suggested this in an early version of UGM or was it in a T5 document?). After the initiative dice debacle I thought I'd seen the last of fancy dice tricks but nope. Usable still. I'll probably throw a single dice because I'm not messing around with making sure everyone has different coloured dice.
Combat Good Grief. Ok, so on average a combat in my gaming group will see between 3 and 7 players (most likely 4) and up to 10 opponents. Ignoring wanting us to use dice to track initiative for the moment, 17 individuals with varying initiative tracks is a lot of paperwork, not to mention giving me a headache.
Armour appears to absorb damage, range chart seems fine, the "ticks" for actions is standard enough, movement is a little limited (6m. max in 2-3 secs??)These are just my initial issues. We've got a quick online game organised in an hour to find out how badly the combat sucks.:devil::devil:
I think it's quite reasonable to group adversaries into one or two initiative blocks; that solves Border's 10 opponents above. As for keeping track of player's initiative: let them do it themselves, out in the open with their own dice.
Yep...that's what we did.
It took about two combat rounds for the players to get the hang of it and then it flowed well.
Allen
Border Reiver
SOC-14 1K
Ran a quick bar room brawl/firefight over skype last night. It worked ok, used ticks on a sheet to keep track of the 8 adversaries' initiative "ticks". I think I'll prefer to use a single initiative track for every four NPC's.:toast:
Chargen still bothers me. The skill paradigm has been tuned downwards, so skill-2 is professional level and in doing so the allocation of skill in chargen is positively miserly, less than even CT Book 3 characters. So I would suggest basic training will give 2 skills at skill-1 and the rest at skill-0.
Jack-of-all-trades skill finally works with a level cap of 3.
I will admit to preferring MT but I'm beginning to get used to this RTT stuff.
Chargen still bothers me. The skill paradigm has been tuned downwards, so skill-2 is professional level and in doing so the allocation of skill in chargen is positively miserly, less than even CT Book 3 characters. So I would suggest basic training will give 2 skills at skill-1 and the rest at skill-0.
Jack-of-all-trades skill finally works with a level cap of 3.
I will admit to preferring MT but I'm beginning to get used to this RTT stuff.
Border Reiver
SOC-14 1K
Just spotted the rules for running adversaries as squads.
Just spotted the rules for running adversaries as squads.
I missed that myself or I would have used it last night although I suppose I did...ran them all as one BIG squad.
Allen
dmccoy1693
SOC-13
DMcCoy1693's CharGen Report
I made 2 characters last night and noticed a few problems:
-Benefits: It took me a few readings of the benefits explaination on page 4 of the CharGen section to understand that all benefits rolls are made when you leave a career. Also there was some confusion concerning the fact that there are 2 benefits tables: one the counterpart of cash and one that encompasses cash and benefits. Recommendations: Clearly state that all benefits rolls are made upon leaving a career and rename one of the benefits tables.
-Navy Rank: All other careers have their Rank Table beneath the Advancement Table. Navy has their's above the Survival Table. This disrupts the flow of CharGen. Recommendation: Move the Navy's Rank Table below Advancement Table.
-CM Table: I know this has been stated before, but I'll state it in the interest of completeness. The CM Table on page 2 has come confusion since 13 is stated twice. Also, to keep the flow of the numbers constant (and easier to remember), the +2 should be for 12-14 and the +3 should be 15+.
-Environment Table: On page 2, you pick the environment of your world. There is no "Earth-like" option. The closest I could figure is Fluid Oceans or Ice Capped, but I don't see how an earth-like planet would require everyone to be either Seafarers or Survivalists. Granted, I understand that it could be easily said that on such a planet, the player should just pick an environment that best suited their climate and move on. But the description does not currently say that. Recommendation: Clearly state that on Multi-environment worlds, the player should just pick which environment best suited their region that they grew up in.
-Generation Checklist: The Generation Checklist was very handy, but would be even more handy if it was closer to the front of Chargen, like at the very beginning. This way a player could read over it first and then figure out what each step meant as they continued on.
-Iron Man Generation: Instant Death upon failing the survival roll is rather harsh. My 2 characters failed 5 out of 8 survival rolls. One didn't have a stat below 7, the other had his survival rolls not depend on his weak stats. Recommendation: This should be changed to something like: "Option 1 on all survival tables be changed to Character Death," or something similar. Possibly, military careers should have a maybe options 1 and 6 changed to Death.
End Report. (Also posted on Mongoose Forums and Sent to Mongoose's Playtest Email Address)
I made 2 characters last night and noticed a few problems:
-Benefits: It took me a few readings of the benefits explaination on page 4 of the CharGen section to understand that all benefits rolls are made when you leave a career. Also there was some confusion concerning the fact that there are 2 benefits tables: one the counterpart of cash and one that encompasses cash and benefits. Recommendations: Clearly state that all benefits rolls are made upon leaving a career and rename one of the benefits tables.
-Navy Rank: All other careers have their Rank Table beneath the Advancement Table. Navy has their's above the Survival Table. This disrupts the flow of CharGen. Recommendation: Move the Navy's Rank Table below Advancement Table.
-CM Table: I know this has been stated before, but I'll state it in the interest of completeness. The CM Table on page 2 has come confusion since 13 is stated twice. Also, to keep the flow of the numbers constant (and easier to remember), the +2 should be for 12-14 and the +3 should be 15+.
-Environment Table: On page 2, you pick the environment of your world. There is no "Earth-like" option. The closest I could figure is Fluid Oceans or Ice Capped, but I don't see how an earth-like planet would require everyone to be either Seafarers or Survivalists. Granted, I understand that it could be easily said that on such a planet, the player should just pick an environment that best suited their climate and move on. But the description does not currently say that. Recommendation: Clearly state that on Multi-environment worlds, the player should just pick which environment best suited their region that they grew up in.
-Generation Checklist: The Generation Checklist was very handy, but would be even more handy if it was closer to the front of Chargen, like at the very beginning. This way a player could read over it first and then figure out what each step meant as they continued on.
-Iron Man Generation: Instant Death upon failing the survival roll is rather harsh. My 2 characters failed 5 out of 8 survival rolls. One didn't have a stat below 7, the other had his survival rolls not depend on his weak stats. Recommendation: This should be changed to something like: "Option 1 on all survival tables be changed to Character Death," or something similar. Possibly, military careers should have a maybe options 1 and 6 changed to Death.
End Report. (Also posted on Mongoose Forums and Sent to Mongoose's Playtest Email Address)
They can't be discussed here too?
Discussion's fine; posting suggestions and corrections may not be appropriate here. In fact, given COTI's policy regarding who owns the content in COTI posts, a little caution might be in order.
One of my players created an absolutely awesome character tonight for the Mongoose Traveller playtest game we ran.
An uplifted ape who became an Imperial Marine, served 8 terms (rolled a 12 so he had to serve an extra) and made it to the rank of Colonel. An expert marksman, highly skilled in both planetary assault and boarding actions, master skill level in Battle Dress. He's also a Baron
Allen
An uplifted ape who became an Imperial Marine, served 8 terms (rolled a 12 so he had to serve an extra) and made it to the rank of Colonel. An expert marksman, highly skilled in both planetary assault and boarding actions, master skill level in Battle Dress. He's also a Baron
Allen
GypsyComet
SOC-14 1K
Great Googly Moogly.
I visited the Mongoose Traveller forum and read through two topics. TWO. I'm already sick of the place.
I visited the Mongoose Traveller forum and read through two topics. TWO. I'm already sick of the place.
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