T5 Preferences
- Thread starter William
- Start date
An error-corrected MT is as close as I can reasonably expect I'd ever see to my own Ideal Traveller, so I voted for it. There are areas I think could stand improvement (combat, craft design) but I've already got house-rule fixes for those, and know that for every change/improvement made that I did like there'd likely be 3 or 4 more that I didn't (with T4 being the extreme example -- I didn't like any of the "improvements"). So, realizing the perfect all-things-to-all-people Traveller is probably an impossibility, I say an error-free MT is the next best thing.
I never liked MT that well, especially the design rules. And I thought the task system was unnecessary: how is saying a task is "difficult" better than saying "10+"?
I think Striker/AHL combat was simple, clean, and close to realistic. The damage system (light wound, serious wound, incapacitated, dead) was also a lot simpler to keep track of.
But please, please, fix the computer rules.
I think Striker/AHL combat was simple, clean, and close to realistic. The damage system (light wound, serious wound, incapacitated, dead) was also a lot simpler to keep track of.
But please, please, fix the computer rules.
daryen
SOC-14 1K
The main difference is that the task system gives a generalized framework on which to hang those numbers. Once you have the concept of routine/easy/difficult/impossible (or whatever they are), it becomes easier to quantify things on the fly.
So what do you think of T20's rules? From what I can tell, it is pretty much straight HG, but with "modernized" computer rules and a rationalized energy system.
Secrect Cow Level
SOC-12
While I like T4 (it's easy!) MT was a complete game in one box (you didn't need one supplement to cover military rules, another to build vehicles, yet a third to cover background info). And while some of it is more complex than it needs to be, it isn't THAT hard (after playing TNE nothing else seems complex by comparison anymore)! Finally, the more I think about it, the more I really like MT's task system. It's easy to use and easy to apply to any situation. As I'd love to see an all in one hardcover MT book I say use it for T5.
Liam Devlin
SOC-14 5K
Other:
None of the above.
None of the above.
Dr Skull writes:
My thoughts from a prior posting:
Rules I use
or wish I could use...
Chargen: MT, either regular or enhanced.
Basically a souped up version of what CT used.
Personal Combat: either book 1/4, or MT, depending on mood.
Mass Combat:
Platoon to Battalion size:
MT Referee Companion/Striker is ok, but could be better.
Something war game-esque, like a Traveller version of AH's Panzer Blitz
series,
or GDW's Team Yankee.
Battalion size and up:
Invasion Earth/Fifth Frontier War
Starship Combat: Mayday w/High Guard for small groups of ships;
abstracted Imperium/Dark Nebula for quick and dirty big fights.
Starship design: High Guard, with tweaks [like TL9 J2 100dt Scouts]
Vehicle design: I don't like any that have been made.
I would like to see something ridiculously simple to use here.
Should dove tail with the simple mass combat idea above.
Robot design: I use book 8 grudingly; really, only because there's a
program that can be used to create the bots.
On designs, et all: If its complex, it better have a usable computer
program.
Trade, Commerce, passengers: Book 2/tweaks from Book 7 and GT Far
Trader
World Design: Book 6. If gearheading, I will throw in GT First In, GT
Starports, and the 2300 Directors Guide, to add flavoring. But Book 6 is
the primary utility.
Equipment: Drawn from all over. Vaccsuits per CT [I detest bulky
vaccsuits. Hey its the Far Future! Vacc suits ought to weigh 10kg or less].
Will use CT, MT, Striker, T4 Equipment guide,
even some DGP stuff.
Animals: per CT.
Encounters: per CT.
Psionics: per CT.
In all cases, I favor simple and elegant over complex gearheadiness. One
of the reasons why I was never thrilled with TNE was its complexity. I
could get over the house system, and I liked the variety of careers in the
chargen, but when I made an attempt to design a starship with FFS and
Brilliant Lances, I just gave up on it. It made my head hurt, and that just
isn't good when you have Brain Cancer.
Also, being an old foggy, I
make it a requirement that 100dt Scout ships should be able to have a
crew of one. TNE frowns on one man scout ships. CT, MT, straight GT, all
allow for the one man scoutship. T20, at first glance, appears to allow for
it also.
I repeat, I favor simple and elegant over complex gearheadiness.
I repeat, on designs, et all: If its complex, it better have an easy to use
computer program.
I repeat, I favor 10kg or less vaccsuits and one man crewed scout ships.
I mostly concur. I dunno about T20 vehicle design, still looking that over. I'd prefer MT chargen, both standard and enhanced, over T4. I can live with straight HG2.
My thoughts from a prior posting:
Rules I use
or wish I could use...
Chargen: MT, either regular or enhanced.
Basically a souped up version of what CT used.
Personal Combat: either book 1/4, or MT, depending on mood.
Mass Combat:
Platoon to Battalion size:
MT Referee Companion/Striker is ok, but could be better.
Something war game-esque, like a Traveller version of AH's Panzer Blitz
series,
or GDW's Team Yankee.
Battalion size and up:
Invasion Earth/Fifth Frontier War
Starship Combat: Mayday w/High Guard for small groups of ships;
abstracted Imperium/Dark Nebula for quick and dirty big fights.
Starship design: High Guard, with tweaks [like TL9 J2 100dt Scouts]
Vehicle design: I don't like any that have been made.
I would like to see something ridiculously simple to use here.
Should dove tail with the simple mass combat idea above.
Robot design: I use book 8 grudingly; really, only because there's a
program that can be used to create the bots.
On designs, et all: If its complex, it better have a usable computer
program.
Trade, Commerce, passengers: Book 2/tweaks from Book 7 and GT Far
Trader
World Design: Book 6. If gearheading, I will throw in GT First In, GT
Starports, and the 2300 Directors Guide, to add flavoring. But Book 6 is
the primary utility.
Equipment: Drawn from all over. Vaccsuits per CT [I detest bulky
vaccsuits. Hey its the Far Future! Vacc suits ought to weigh 10kg or less].
Will use CT, MT, Striker, T4 Equipment guide,
even some DGP stuff.
Animals: per CT.
Encounters: per CT.
Psionics: per CT.
In all cases, I favor simple and elegant over complex gearheadiness. One
of the reasons why I was never thrilled with TNE was its complexity. I
could get over the house system, and I liked the variety of careers in the
chargen, but when I made an attempt to design a starship with FFS and
Brilliant Lances, I just gave up on it. It made my head hurt, and that just
isn't good when you have Brain Cancer.
Also, being an old foggy, Imake it a requirement that 100dt Scout ships should be able to have a
crew of one. TNE frowns on one man scout ships. CT, MT, straight GT, all
allow for the one man scoutship. T20, at first glance, appears to allow for
it also.
I repeat, I favor simple and elegant over complex gearheadiness.
I repeat, on designs, et all: If its complex, it better have an easy to use
computer program.
I repeat, I favor 10kg or less vaccsuits and one man crewed scout ships.
lord irial
SOC-12
I'm sure this will make me as popular as the smallpox, but...
I think T20 should be considered T5. Work the bugs out, support it, and let it live.
I think T20 should be considered T5. Work the bugs out, support it, and let it live.
Gallowglass
SOC-12
As a T5 in the sense of "A fifth RPG published using the OTU setting" that is fine - I, and I get the impression a fair few other fans, will mostly be buying the T20 supplements for use with our favoured rule systems, but that's not a problem.
However, a fair number of Traveller fans are as much fans of the RULES as of the setting. I count myself firmly in this camp and I for one would very much like to see a T5 that builds on the heritage of the various Traveller rules systems that have gone before to produce a decent set of modular, generic hard SF RPG rules. And that, for me at least, T20 is not... Although I should perhaps confess to a growing urge to run a game in FGU's Space Opera background using T20!
hirch duckfinder
SOC-13
im a setting fan . the ct rules had most of what you need + room to make up the rest . the main problem was organisation of the rules . t4 for example , is loaded with lots of over - complicated stuff . roll difficulty ? half dice ? no thanks . dms work fine . what we need is ct with the best CONCEPTS from the other versions as options for refs/ players . eg i like the " tactics pool " for combat from t4 . i may just drop that in my ct game to see how it works ....
The main problem I had with CT was the lack of quick and dirty vehicle combat rules. It would be nice to be able to shoot at starships on the ground, to fire at ATVs, G-Carriers, and so on, without having to go to rules more complicated than Books 1 and 4.
Aside from that, I would be perfectly OK with a tidied up CT, or, perhaps MT because its chargen is actually rather nice. On the other hand, the ship and vehicle design rules in MT were rather horrible.
Alan
julianlove
SOC-5
The MT box set really contained everything you needed - for both rules and background. An errata free reprint of MT would be my choice, I'd place my order now were one in the works. A one volume hardback edition as suggested above would be perfect....
