First of all, the terminology is awkward. If a Life Pursuit can be both a career specialization and an informal hobby, I think the term doesn't have much meaning. Why not call the career specialization a "Career Specialization" and the Hobby a "Life Pursuit". Is it really a "life" pursuit for a naval officer to be an astrogator? No. It's a "career" pursuit.
Secondly, if life pursuit includes career specializations of the sort you describe, of if those career specializations exist at all, then you undercut the reason for having so many separate but similar career paths. Marines & Army, Scouts & Navy, etc. These *could* easily be viewed as specializations of larger careers (not that I am actually advocating these):
Soldier (Marines, Army)
Explorer (Navy, Scout)
Authority (Nobles, Agents, Bureaucrat, Diplomat, Functionary)
Trader (Merchants, Rogues)
Civilian (Entertainer, Scholar, Doctor, Engineer, Citizens, whatever Career Specilizations are available.)
One very strong suggestion I have for T5 is to include rules or guidelines for referees to create their own careers. This has always been done by many Traveller players, and often with excellent results.
Number of skills based on Homeworld trade classifications is inequitible. If starting characters do not have the same opportunities for skill acquisition, then the design is unbalanced. Any difference in the number of starting skills, before a character has a chance to enter a career is unfair. If average skill acquisition is 1/year (and I strongly suggest this be consistent across all careers), for pre-career skills, just decrease the acquisition rate. What about something like this:
Age 10: Skill
Age 14: Skill
Age 16: Skill
Age 18: Skill (before career entry).
Limit the skill lists that can be taken at these younger ages by homeworld trade classifications, tech level, and social status.
Secondly, if life pursuit includes career specializations of the sort you describe, of if those career specializations exist at all, then you undercut the reason for having so many separate but similar career paths. Marines & Army, Scouts & Navy, etc. These *could* easily be viewed as specializations of larger careers (not that I am actually advocating these):
Soldier (Marines, Army)
Explorer (Navy, Scout)
Authority (Nobles, Agents, Bureaucrat, Diplomat, Functionary)
Trader (Merchants, Rogues)
Civilian (Entertainer, Scholar, Doctor, Engineer, Citizens, whatever Career Specilizations are available.)
One very strong suggestion I have for T5 is to include rules or guidelines for referees to create their own careers. This has always been done by many Traveller players, and often with excellent results.
Number of skills based on Homeworld trade classifications is inequitible. If starting characters do not have the same opportunities for skill acquisition, then the design is unbalanced. Any difference in the number of starting skills, before a character has a chance to enter a career is unfair. If average skill acquisition is 1/year (and I strongly suggest this be consistent across all careers), for pre-career skills, just decrease the acquisition rate. What about something like this:
Age 10: Skill
Age 14: Skill
Age 16: Skill
Age 18: Skill (before career entry).
Limit the skill lists that can be taken at these younger ages by homeworld trade classifications, tech level, and social status.
