New guy with questions - help me please! :)

[Cardboard Carnage]

Hey all, I was given a link here by someone over at ENWorld.org, they pointed me in the right direction because this place looks like where I need to be.

To make a long story short, I have been a gamer since the early 80's and one of my favorite games back then was Traveller. We had so many months/years of fun back in High School adventuring all over the Traveller universe. In the early 90's when I got married, started having kids, etc., and got out of gaming, I sold all my stuff... Now my two oldest sons are getting into gaming and we've been playing 4e D&D, but I'd love to get back into Traveller, especially with how much they love Sci-Fi.

So I've been poking around the internet the last few weeks, trying to get a grasp on what's been happening with Traveller, and to say I am confused is an understatement.

Ok, there is the Classic Traveller (which is what they are calling what I used to play in the early 80's, right?), then there is MegaTraveller, D20 Traveller, Gurps Traveller, something called Traveller 5 I think? And Mongoose Traveller? One other I think I am missing too?

HELP! haha.

Ok, so I found a site online that is reprinting the original Traveller (Marc Miller), and I found Mongoose is currently coming out with new material. So I THINK I have narrowed my choice down to one of those two versions, but since I have no real clue having been out of it for so long, I'd like to get opinions here...

Is the Mongoose version good? I have heard a few good things about it, how does it differ from what I played originally? Would it be compatible (in any way) with the Classic? From what I understand, the Gurps, d20, etc., are completely different systems, so they would be out, unless there are any good fluff books that have good info in them.

Can anyone give me a quick rundown? I would enjoy reading some kind of summary on the history of Traveller so I can get up to speed, anyone have a link?

Hopefully some of you can give me some good info and I can get myself back into the game and share some of the amazing adventures I had with my boys now!

D.

 

[Redcap]

Best thing to do first is have a look at the general history of what's happened. Best source I know for that is Wikipedia. here's the link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traveller_(role-playing_game)

You then have a few options; you can choose various settings (Mileau), and the various links, references, and so on both on here and elsewhere, including the wiki-based "library data" is all helpful
You have a bit of studying to do, I think

Have fun, and good luck

 

[flykiller]

what many people do is pick a base set of rules, then read through all the other versions looking for material they can import into their own games. most people wind up with their own unique version.

go with mongoose. it has updated rules, official support, and is likely to come out with regular material for at least the next few years. as you have time and money look into t20 and gurps traveller, they have fantastic background settings (though personally I prefer to spend my time with game aids, not literature). t4 is all harfy but some say it has fantastic psionics rules. tne is very hard science, more than most people care for, but it has a dedicated and productive fan base. megatraveller probably has the most material and biggest scope. on the wargaming side there is stiker (ground mercenary action), fire fusion and steel (general gear-heading), and brilliant lances (space combat), all very complex. in addition there are dozens of websites dedicated to traveller, ranging from poor to very very good. there are also newsletters, other boards besides this one, etc.

there is more traveller material available than one person can ever use or even absorb, so don't feel you have to get everything, and don't hesitate to decide to stop at any point and just run with what you have. traveller covers 13,000 worlds - _your_ game doesn't have to.

good deckplans are probably the most immediately helpful items to acquire, and there are many available here and on the web. on this board click on coti features, imperial art gallery, and you'll find quite a few, some of which should suit your needs and conceptions.

enjoy!

 

[Cardboard Carnage]

Thanks for all of your comments and suggestions, I appreciate it. It looks like from what I am reading here, and elsewhere, that I'll be going with the Mongoose version MGT, since it seems to be closest to Classic Traveller and has current products being released, it is always exciting to read a book preview and get to wait and finally purchase a book you've known about for some time. I'll probably also get some of the reprints for Classic Traveller from the Marc Miller website since it is what I played as a teenager.

I am going to read the Wiki page to try and get a grasp on what has happened in the 20+ years since I've played.

D.

 

[Icosahedron]

By all means get the reprints if you prefer 'dead tree' materials, but they only cover Books 1-8. The CT CD covers these and all the supplements, the boardgames, Striker, and basically everything that was ever produced in the CT era. There is a lot of useful 'fluff' on that CD.
There is additional 'fluff' on the JTAS CD.

If a book doesn't live up to its preview it can be disappointing, but one advantage of MGT is that's probably what your kids' friends will be playing - to them, CT won't be nostalgic, it will just be 'wrong'.

 

[ThunderChilde]

MGT is a great place to start for the reasons stated above in the thread, Gurps has published some of the greatest fluf and material currently available. DGP(Digest Publishing Group) alledgedly produced some of the greatest materials, I can't comment, never seen any of it, very hard to find theese days.

MGT is compatable with very little adjustment to almost any CT materials by the way.

Welcome back, come on in from the cold and set your feet up and sit a spell.

 

[BlackBat242]

The reprints also cover the supplements and most of the adventures... as well as JTAS #1-33 and the Alien Modules.

http://www.farfuture.net/hardcopy.html

Of course, there are active communities for the pre-2000 D&D/AD&D games (original D&D, Basic etc D&D, AD&D & 2E AD&D) on the internet.

Don't stop with old-school-style Traveller... introduce your sons to REAL D&D.

 

[Patron Zero]

Zap! - Pow !

Don't stop with old-school-style Traveller... introduce your sons to REAL D&D.

And slightly off-topic but may I suggest Champions or some other super-hero themed RPG as well, my favorite flavor for setting such a game is WW2-Cold War era, definite technology limits-restraints for better character development (IMHO).

And pardon my manners, welcome aboard !

 

[ShapeShifter]

I'd get the young'uns into MGT first to see if they like it. In the end it all depends on how creative the referee is! I'd wait on getting the CT CD-ROM disk until the corrected scans are dealt with (about 1/4 or so of the scans on the disk are poor--legible but poor). My 2 cents worth.

Don't stop with old-school-style Traveller... introduce your sons to REAL D&D.

+1 times infinity!

 

[Icosahedron]

The reprints also cover the supplements and most of the adventures... as well as JTAS #1-33 and the Alien Modules.

http://www.farfuture.net/hardcopy.html

Oops, I hadn't realised that.
Well-corrected, BlackBat. Of couse, having got the CD, I sorta didn't pay much attention to the reprints.

 

[kninemarkone]

hey cardboard, all the systems have merit. I'm not familiar with mongoose but I am familiar with Megatraveller and Tne. I've played classic eons ago but it was twisted by our dm. Reference materials are always a help and I'm sure with some thought certain materials could be used in any version you wish to play.
Also use this cite and speak post and search for information you might want to use
I have just got on this cite and have thouroughly enjoyed reviewing the comments and advice they offer

 

[Fersboo]

I am just getting back into RPGs myself and really haven't done much in Traveller outside creating characters in the past. I had picked up T20 in .pdf as d20 seemed to be the new system everything was being written in, but I didn't realize that it was fading out. So I trolled the site for quite awhile and someone recently (or I read recently) that T5 was more of a supplement as opposed to a whole new system. Therefore, instead of heading over to FFE for the .pdf of T5, I headed over to FFE and spent the same amount for the complete CT set on cd-rom.

Now I just need to find a few players.

**********EDIT**********

The statement about T5 is my memory of someone on this forums that I read and may have mis-understood. Since I have not seen anything besides the prelim info release about 2 years ago, I am not making a judgement of T5, just trying to show my reasonning of why I purchased the CT cd-rom.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

T5 is very much a new system.

 

[spinwardpirate]

MGT is a great place to start for the reasons stated above in the thread, Gurps has published some of the greatest fluf and material currently available. DGP(Digest Publishing Group) alledgedly produced some of the greatest materials, I can't comment, never seen any of it, very hard to find theese days.

The GURPS stuff is great if you like GURPS. GURPS Traveller fluff is really good even if you don't plan on using GURPS. As for DGP... the produced some of the best Traveller stuff ever. I have Wogs and Dogs, and Rats and Cats, and a few others, and they are classics just based on the art alone.

MGT is compatable with very little adjustment to almost any CT materials by the way.

And hey! If one hasn't looked through a copy of Traveller in 20 years, I doubt one would even notice the differences.

Welcome back, come on in from the cold and set your feet up and sit a spell.

And yet another Traveller returns to the fold...

 

[Kilgs]

what many people do is pick a base set of rules, then read through all the other versions looking for material they can import into their own games. most people wind up with their own unique version.

Ain't that the truth. I also would recommend Mongoose due to its simplicity and current support. I got back into Traveller about two years ago, bought up all the old CT LBB's and then Mongoose came out. I'm using Mongoose but the old LBB's have tons of information and ideas.

But to quickstart into the game, Mongoose is the easiest first step to make.

 

[aramis]

I'm working on MT stats for MGT ship weapons, myself.

 

[Cardboard Carnage]

I have decided to go with Mongoose Traveller since I've gotten a lot of people saying it was a good system and they have current support. I'll also get a copy of the old classic edition on CD Rom for reference, but... going back to Mongoose again, what should I plan on buying to start off with, there is a nice amount of stuff on there, what would you recommend?

I was going to start off with the Introduction booklet, the main rule book and adventure 1... are there any adventures in the main rule book to get us started and is there another book that may be better to go with than Adventure 1? The starter book is so inexpensive, and I've got two teenage players (my two oldest sons), so I thought it might be good to have a streamlined book for them to read over.

D.

 

[Poppyseed45]

I have decided to go with Mongoose Traveller since I've gotten a lot of people saying it was a good system and they have current support. I'll also get a copy of the old classic edition on CD Rom for reference, but... going back to Mongoose again, what should I plan on buying to start off with, there is a nice amount of stuff on there, what would you recommend?

I was going to start off with the Introduction booklet, the main rule book and adventure 1... are there any adventures in the main rule book to get us started and is there another book that may be better to go with than Adventure 1? The starter book is so inexpensive, and I've got two teenage players (my two oldest sons), so I thought it might be good to have a streamlined book for them to read over.

D.

Well, as a Mongoose fan (and an old fan of CT) I'd say you're good to go with just the main book. There are a few sample Patrons in the main book that you can use to get you started. Like CT though, you'll basically need to generate the starmaps and worlds yourself - unless you buy Spinward Marches by Mongoose (OTOH, you've got the CT CD thingy, so, you'll have it there too and I have no idea how teh two versions of that book compare).

I personally have Mercenary, 760 Patrons and High Guard. I like them all, but for me, Merc has the most utility. In fact, some of the careers will end up as "basic" careers, thanks to the pre-history for My Traveller Universe. The weapons are okay (though some folks hate them strongly) and I like the mass combat system I see here.

I also strongly like the 760 Patrons book, though it won't be the equivalent of the 76 Patrons you'll have in the CT CD set. Though similarly named, they are, IMO, different books. But I like 760 and have already put it to good use prepping for my upcoming game (I essentially rolled two "encounters" with two NPCs in the book, figured out why they might be against each other, and that became the plot of the first session).

High Guard is all right - for Space Navy stuff. I was going to say it's not so useful but today as I planned the game session it turned out I needed to see a navy ship, so there you go. It also has expanded rules for starship design, and adds big hulls and small hulls.

 

[Madarin Dude]

I like traders and gunboats a lot it has a lot os ships that players can find useful. I might have to pick up spinward marches again.

 

[fiat_knox]

I can't put down 760 Patrons or The Spinward Marches, either. There's so much reference material there for the research I'm doing.