Brian Smaller
SOC-12
Every time I muck around with ship designs, make up NPCs or any of the other minutiae that a Traveller ref does before roleplaying with other humans, I figure I am solo gaming.
Solo Traveller
- Thread starter Olschoolgamer
- Start date
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
Me too! I think I have more junk than I could ever let my players ever get their hands on. Deck plans, maps, NPCs, etc.; I can't stop myself.
I feel (and act) like a librarian
I have been scrounging around here and there looking to get data gathered for a relatively comprehensive "atlas" put together; and I could use some help.
Of course this Atlas along with all the available library data is a project that all of us have been working on; why not contribute?
I have been scrounging around here and there looking to get data gathered for a relatively comprehensive "atlas" put together; and I could use some help.
Of course this Atlas along with all the available library data is a project that all of us have been working on; why not contribute?
Solo Traveller?
Most of the Traveller I have played has been solo. The exceptions have been when I have refereed: I have never had the opportunity to play Traveller, as a player, more than one or two sessions.
Generally my solo play has been an offshoot of my universe building – I’d run up a few subsectors, then set up a ship’s crew and go merchanting, doing the buy-and sell more or less as per book 2. I’d sometimes set up encounters, either a la the book 3 random encounters or via 76 patrons.
It gets old eventually, but I spent a lot of hours on that.
Thing is, the kind of TU I’d love to play in is the one that I tend to build, and I don’t know another Traveller ref, much less one of a similar mindset. And I dislike play by email/post. And nowadays between work, wife and the band, there’s no time for setting up a regular game anyhow.
Most of the Traveller I have played has been solo. The exceptions have been when I have refereed: I have never had the opportunity to play Traveller, as a player, more than one or two sessions.
Generally my solo play has been an offshoot of my universe building – I’d run up a few subsectors, then set up a ship’s crew and go merchanting, doing the buy-and sell more or less as per book 2. I’d sometimes set up encounters, either a la the book 3 random encounters or via 76 patrons.
It gets old eventually, but I spent a lot of hours on that.
Thing is, the kind of TU I’d love to play in is the one that I tend to build, and I don’t know another Traveller ref, much less one of a similar mindset. And I dislike play by email/post. And nowadays between work, wife and the band, there’s no time for setting up a regular game anyhow.
Thoth-Amon
SOC-12
I had so much fun coming up with MHMTU (the H and M stand for Heavily and Modified) that I really, really wanted to muck around in it. Owing to lack of time in my life available to commit to a group, I'm soloing when I get a chance.
I use a "referee emulator" that I picked up as a pdf. d100 rolls generate event focus and theme, and then it's up to you to make it an interesting story. In practice I'm tending to mix the emulator with the Traveller random-encounter tables. I find the real advantage of having a system of some sort is to break mental blocks. If I come up with a story idea I like, I forget the tables and go with it.
It's not, of course, a rigorous system presenting objective constraints to be overcome tactically. There is nothing to stop me "cheating", except the pointlessness of it. It's more a creative-writing style challenge. However, there is a tactical element to e.g. trade and combat situations, as per the rules.
As with an earlier poster, my campaign is centred on the misadventures of a free trader crew, but I am planning on rolling up a scout team and a merc squad to a) make me fill in more of my universe and b) proceed to blow it up.
I use a "referee emulator" that I picked up as a pdf. d100 rolls generate event focus and theme, and then it's up to you to make it an interesting story. In practice I'm tending to mix the emulator with the Traveller random-encounter tables. I find the real advantage of having a system of some sort is to break mental blocks. If I come up with a story idea I like, I forget the tables and go with it.
It's not, of course, a rigorous system presenting objective constraints to be overcome tactically. There is nothing to stop me "cheating", except the pointlessness of it. It's more a creative-writing style challenge. However, there is a tactical element to e.g. trade and combat situations, as per the rules.
As with an earlier poster, my campaign is centred on the misadventures of a free trader crew, but I am planning on rolling up a scout team and a merc squad to a) make me fill in more of my universe and b) proceed to blow it up.
tbeard1999
SOC-14 1K
Maybe we could start some kind of 12 Step program. "Hello, I'm a Traveller referee who spends most of his time designing stuff hs players will never see..."
Actually, I've always thought that the "meta-gaming" aspects of Traveller are largely responsible for its longevity.
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
I think you're close there, or bang on if I've mistaken your coverage of meta-gaming
The whole prior history generation is a mini game in itself, well adapted to playing by yourself as a bit of escapism. Same for world generation. And it's not at all hard to do solo play as a merchant with a little imagination. Even building stuff in Traveller (vehicles, weapons, ships) is more interesting than most other rpg game prep.
Can't say I've ever found the same thing in any other game, role-play or other wise, outside of a very few rare computer/console games.
Hi, my name is Dan, and I'm a Solo Traveller Player.
Aw, forget it, I don't want a 12 step program, it's still too fun
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Higgipedia
SOC-11
I had heard it had something to do with blindness.
Sifu Blackirish
SOC-14 1K
Hey, I accidentally stumbled onto that technique.
Was working out of town, couldn't afford to drive home on the weekends. One of the more worthwhile things I did was grab a bunch of TRAVELLER stuff before I left. Did "Across the Bright Face" solo, AND IT DID HELP!
Of course, I don't know if a GM would have let me get away with some of the stuff i did, but it was a good creative exercise. FEIW, where would be a good place to post it if there is any interest?
Very well said; no counter argument necessary...
Hmmm...that explains why I keep so much junk from random sources cluttering my my bedroom, living room, den, stporage area...
Any details available on that emulator item you mentioned?
castiglione
SOC-12
Anyone familiar with "How to host a dungeon"?
It's a game where you grow a dungeon organically from the ground up, taking it through various eras.
I was thinking about putting together something similar for CT except instead of a dungeon, it's a sub-sector. I wasn't planning on sticking to the OTU...basically, I'd assume that the sub-sector was initially colonized and then the Imperium which colonized the sub-sector suffered some sort of catastrophe (civil war, economic break-down, etc.) during which communication/travel among the worlds broke down to a large degree and worlds basically either were abandoned, suffered technological/societal collapse, or managed to set up pocket empires after which (after the passing of decades or centuries), the Imperium re-established contact via the scout service and the navy and re-incorporated these worlds back into the Imperium.
Basically, this would explain why certain worlds have low tech levels (for the moment...the Imperium is slowly introducing technology into those worlds) and certain worlds would be "ghost towns" either because the inhabitants killed each other after the break-down in some sort of global war, starved due to lack of supplies, evacuated the world, suffered some sort of cataclasm, etc.
It's a game where you grow a dungeon organically from the ground up, taking it through various eras.
I was thinking about putting together something similar for CT except instead of a dungeon, it's a sub-sector. I wasn't planning on sticking to the OTU...basically, I'd assume that the sub-sector was initially colonized and then the Imperium which colonized the sub-sector suffered some sort of catastrophe (civil war, economic break-down, etc.) during which communication/travel among the worlds broke down to a large degree and worlds basically either were abandoned, suffered technological/societal collapse, or managed to set up pocket empires after which (after the passing of decades or centuries), the Imperium re-established contact via the scout service and the navy and re-incorporated these worlds back into the Imperium.
Basically, this would explain why certain worlds have low tech levels (for the moment...the Imperium is slowly introducing technology into those worlds) and certain worlds would be "ghost towns" either because the inhabitants killed each other after the break-down in some sort of global war, starved due to lack of supplies, evacuated the world, suffered some sort of cataclasm, etc.
Thoth-Amon
SOC-12
I just picked it up and once becomming adept with it, planned on altering it to WFRP and Classic Traveller. From what i've seen from the pdf i was sent(i'm still awaiting the hard-copy), it looks to have great potential.
Let me know how it goes with your attempts to adjust it to CT? Perhaps we can trade notes down the road, Castiglione.
castiglione
SOC-12
I'd be glad to compare and contrast our efforts, once I get something do a brain to keyboard data-dump.
Are you taking a sub-sector approach or are you "growing" a planet (solar system) instead?
Are you taking a sub-sector approach or are you "growing" a planet (solar system) instead?
Thoth-Amon
SOC-12
I, havent as of yet, decided. Once i read through it a few times and gained a more than fair understanding, then will i decide. I'll keep you updated.
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