Not ready to write-off T^5 yet, I've been thinking about what I'd like to see in the Core Rulebook (from my proposed T^5 line of a couple days ago). I actually really like what I see below, with a few comments:
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Avery:
Traveller5- Contents and structure for the basic Traveller (5th edition) game system.
Introduction
Foreword
The Vast Span of History
The Milieux
This Milieu
Foundations of Traveller
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
This all looks good, and pretty standard. Since my preference is for the milieu/setting to be in a separate volume, I'd keep those sections short and sweet - introduce the idea of the OTU and multiple milieux without getting into the specifics or making people think those are the only possible settings for the game.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Basics
The Nature of Role-Playing
What You Need
Players Guide to Traveller
Master's Guide to Traveller
Die Rolls and Dice
Units of Measure
The Typical Setup
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Standard-issue Book 0 stuff.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Characters
Characters
Careers
Life Pursuits
What Characters Do
Character Creation
Humans and Non Humans
The Major Races
The Minor Races
Tasks
Task Library
Skills
Experience
Aptitudes
Heritage
Homeworld
Genetic
Cultural
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
The sections on non-humans and Major and Minor Races should be saved for the Milieu book, except for a paragraph explaining that "although these rules only address humans, players can also play aliens (for which consult volume XYZ or your referee, etc)."
Also, the sections on Tasks, Skills, and Experience belong in a separate Game System chapter, not buried in the Char-Gen chapter. If the book is full-color (which it definitely should be) the pages of this chapter should be in a distinctive color; if we're stuck with b/w it should be tabbed on the margins, since more than anything else this (Game System) chapter is 'The Rules.'
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Interactions
Personal
Getting Acquainted
Friendships
Enmity
Getting Information
Bargaining
Persuading
Forcing Action
Fighting
Multi-Personal
Battles
Wars
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I like the perversity of burying the combat system like this, emphasizing that combat is just one method of interaction, and usually not the best one. IMO chapter on Interpersonal Activities is one of the underrated accomplishments of MT, and I'm glad to see something like it carried over.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Situations
Goals
Missions
Events
Encounters
Patrons
People
Animals
Monsters
Situations
The Unusual
Generating Encounters
Actions and Consequences
Events
Continuing NPCs
Patrons
Nemeses
Gimmicks
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Standard stuff, largely unchanged from Book 3.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Objects
Weapons
Equipment
Equipment Design
Vehicles (Land Sea Air)
Vehicle Design
Beasts of Burden
Starships and Spacecraft
Space Travel
Starship Operations
Starship Design
Starship Combat
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
High-quality realistic (not cartoon) illustrations of most, if not all, of the weapons, items, vehicles, and ships are sbsolutely essential.
Equipment Design is necessarily a pretty detailed undertaking, and should be left for a separate Technical Architecture supplement where it can be done justice.
Also, the Vehcile Design and Spaceship Design sequences should be integrated, as in MT. Although that system is imperfect and too detailed for many tastes, the consistency and vertical integration is extremely important, and giving that up would be a huge step in the wrong direction. Note that I also prefer 2 separate (but roughly compatible) Craft Design sequences in the Core Rulebook: Simple (comparable to Book 2) and Standard (comparable to HG, or maybe MT). Advanced (gearhead) craft design would be saved for the Technical Architecture.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
The Galaxy
Regions
Sectors and Subsectors
Star Systems
Stars
Mapping Space
Worlds
Worlds
World Generation
Terrain
Cities and Settlements
World Surface Travel
Mapping Worlds
Animal Encounters
Travel Times
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
This is the designated space for me once again to urge that T^5 include better (i.e. more scientifically-accurate) world generation rules and an optional system for 3D star-mapping. Traveller can survive without cybertech and mecha and nano-magic, but the 2D map and 'close enough' world-gen system date the system badly and do great harm to its supposed 'hard sf' reputation. For those who value simplicity above all, they'll still have the CT reprints and the CT-based T^20 system, but it would be nice at this point to finally make some concession to those of us who've been patiently suspending our disbelief for 20+ years.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Flora And Fauna
Animals
Land
Air
Sea
Plants
Land
Air
Sea
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
This is the third place Animals are mentioned in this TOC. Hopefully this doesn't mean a ref will have to flip between 3 different chapters to design and/or run an Animal Encounter. I'm not sure this really merits a whole chapter to itself, considering that (for example) Combat and Trade are buried in with other topics.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Technology
The Tech Level Scale
Alternative Technology
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
The chapter on the technology scale from the MT Ref Companion is extremely valuable and was sorely lacking from T4. Although a paragraph or two discussing alternative technologies is a Good Thing, details on actually implementing them should be saved for the Technical Architecture (where they SHOULD be developed -- the alt-techs in FF&S1 were pretty half-hearted; a well-developed set of alt-tech rules could go a long way towards making Traveller the true Universal SF Game it always should've been).
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Cultures
Populations
The Focus of Population
Historical Antecedents
Rival Factions
The Influence of Economics
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I must admit I can't imagine what this chapter would consist of. A quick primer in Anthropology, Sociology, and Economics?
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Money and Accounting
Currency
Items of Value
Types of Accounting
Loose
Strict
General Fund
Barter
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Good. Juggling money has always been something of a hassle in Traveller games, and it'll be nice to see some discussion and advice on the subject.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Information
Library Data
Museum Data
Information Analysis
Research and Development
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Since I favor keeping the setting largely out of the Core Rules, I'd much prefer a few paragraphs on the importance and means of gathering info to a true Library Data encyclopedia (which should be saved for the Milieu book). The R&D chapter from the MT Ref Companion was another of the unheralded triumphs of MT and I'd be very glad to see it make a return.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Activities
Con Games
Entertainment
Exploration and Surveys
Corporations
Manufacturing
Masquerade
Mercenary Operations
Military Operations
Naval
Noble Missions
Prospecting
Psionics
Quests
Research
Strategic Manipulations
Trade
Transport
Troupe (Bards)
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Diplomacy should definitely be on this list, unless it's included as a 'Noble Mission.' Trade and Psionics are surely both significant enough to merit chapters to themselves unless all of these areas will be developed in such detail, in which case this will be a very long chapter.
This is also the designated place to once again call for a thorough overhaul of the Trade & Commerce system, using GURPS Traveller: Far Trader as a model and starting point. This is very necessary and long overdue.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Creating Adventures
Elements of the Adventure
Elements of the Campaign
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
In addition to advice on creating adventures, the Core Rulebook definitely needs to contain something to play on the spot. This lack was one of the fatal flaws of MT. A good model would be the Traveller Book, with a few sample Patrons, a couple of Amber Zones, and one or two fully-developed Short Adventures. By the time a novice ref has run through all that he'll surely have ideas of his own (or at least more adventures will have been published).
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Appendices
The Traveller Card System
IMTU
Language
Calendars
The Milieux
Faraway Sector
Deck Plan Symbols
Outdoor Mapping
The History of Traveller
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
The appendices should also include discussion of integrating Traveller and computers, both through software to automate the mechanical processes and online playing (via GRIP or otherwise). My wish is that the rulebook include a CD which has such programs already-created, which would be a huge boon and help set Traveller apart from its competition, but even if that isn't feasible some mention of computer-integration should definitely be made; this isn't the 1970s anymore.
In general, although I prefer keeping the setting as separate as possible from the Core Rules, I'd like to see interspersed through the book sidebars of Color Text, like the MT Players' Manual, or the sort of sidebars and throwaways that appear in most of the GT books. That way, although it's not being 'forced' on anybody, someone who's read the rulebook will have a fair idea of what the OTU setting is like, even if they never buy the Milieu Sourcebook.
Another essential is lots of clear examples, something that was sorely lacking in MT. A gimmick I've always liked, especially in Chaosium's games (RQ and others), is to use the examples to follow the story of a typical adventurer's career, which keeps the readers' interest (and encourages them to actually read the examples) as well as giving new players some idea of what they can expect from the game.
Also, as an alternative to this intimidating mass of material, I'd like to see a true Starter Edition of Traveller - a book of no more than 32-48 pp containing an Introduction, the Basics of char-gen, simplified Task and Combat systems, short lists of equipment and vehicles, and a couple of basic adventures (hijacking, stranded and broke, lost in the wilderness, etc) to let folks know what to expect. While I see the Core Rulebook as being thick, hardbound, and expensively produced with a pricetag of $40-50 (especially if it contains the soi-disant CD), the starter edition would be cheap ($10 or less), and allow a group to start playing in a single evening.
All in all, what I see here looks comprehensive and quite promising, much better than the rehash of The Traveller Book that was the T4 rules.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Avery:
Traveller5- Contents and structure for the basic Traveller (5th edition) game system.
Introduction
Foreword
The Vast Span of History
The Milieux
This Milieu
Foundations of Traveller
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
This all looks good, and pretty standard. Since my preference is for the milieu/setting to be in a separate volume, I'd keep those sections short and sweet - introduce the idea of the OTU and multiple milieux without getting into the specifics or making people think those are the only possible settings for the game.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Basics
The Nature of Role-Playing
What You Need
Players Guide to Traveller
Master's Guide to Traveller
Die Rolls and Dice
Units of Measure
The Typical Setup
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Standard-issue Book 0 stuff.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Characters
Characters
Careers
Life Pursuits
What Characters Do
Character Creation
Humans and Non Humans
The Major Races
The Minor Races
Tasks
Task Library
Skills
Experience
Aptitudes
Heritage
Homeworld
Genetic
Cultural
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
The sections on non-humans and Major and Minor Races should be saved for the Milieu book, except for a paragraph explaining that "although these rules only address humans, players can also play aliens (for which consult volume XYZ or your referee, etc)."
Also, the sections on Tasks, Skills, and Experience belong in a separate Game System chapter, not buried in the Char-Gen chapter. If the book is full-color (which it definitely should be) the pages of this chapter should be in a distinctive color; if we're stuck with b/w it should be tabbed on the margins, since more than anything else this (Game System) chapter is 'The Rules.'
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Interactions
Personal
Getting Acquainted
Friendships
Enmity
Getting Information
Bargaining
Persuading
Forcing Action
Fighting
Multi-Personal
Battles
Wars
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I like the perversity of burying the combat system like this, emphasizing that combat is just one method of interaction, and usually not the best one. IMO chapter on Interpersonal Activities is one of the underrated accomplishments of MT, and I'm glad to see something like it carried over.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Situations
Goals
Missions
Events
Encounters
Patrons
People
Animals
Monsters
Situations
The Unusual
Generating Encounters
Actions and Consequences
Events
Continuing NPCs
Patrons
Nemeses
Gimmicks
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Standard stuff, largely unchanged from Book 3.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Objects
Weapons
Equipment
Equipment Design
Vehicles (Land Sea Air)
Vehicle Design
Beasts of Burden
Starships and Spacecraft
Space Travel
Starship Operations
Starship Design
Starship Combat
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
High-quality realistic (not cartoon) illustrations of most, if not all, of the weapons, items, vehicles, and ships are sbsolutely essential.
Equipment Design is necessarily a pretty detailed undertaking, and should be left for a separate Technical Architecture supplement where it can be done justice.
Also, the Vehcile Design and Spaceship Design sequences should be integrated, as in MT. Although that system is imperfect and too detailed for many tastes, the consistency and vertical integration is extremely important, and giving that up would be a huge step in the wrong direction. Note that I also prefer 2 separate (but roughly compatible) Craft Design sequences in the Core Rulebook: Simple (comparable to Book 2) and Standard (comparable to HG, or maybe MT). Advanced (gearhead) craft design would be saved for the Technical Architecture.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
The Galaxy
Regions
Sectors and Subsectors
Star Systems
Stars
Mapping Space
Worlds
Worlds
World Generation
Terrain
Cities and Settlements
World Surface Travel
Mapping Worlds
Animal Encounters
Travel Times
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
This is the designated space for me once again to urge that T^5 include better (i.e. more scientifically-accurate) world generation rules and an optional system for 3D star-mapping. Traveller can survive without cybertech and mecha and nano-magic, but the 2D map and 'close enough' world-gen system date the system badly and do great harm to its supposed 'hard sf' reputation. For those who value simplicity above all, they'll still have the CT reprints and the CT-based T^20 system, but it would be nice at this point to finally make some concession to those of us who've been patiently suspending our disbelief for 20+ years.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Flora And Fauna
Animals
Land
Air
Sea
Plants
Land
Air
Sea
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
This is the third place Animals are mentioned in this TOC. Hopefully this doesn't mean a ref will have to flip between 3 different chapters to design and/or run an Animal Encounter. I'm not sure this really merits a whole chapter to itself, considering that (for example) Combat and Trade are buried in with other topics.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Technology
The Tech Level Scale
Alternative Technology
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
The chapter on the technology scale from the MT Ref Companion is extremely valuable and was sorely lacking from T4. Although a paragraph or two discussing alternative technologies is a Good Thing, details on actually implementing them should be saved for the Technical Architecture (where they SHOULD be developed -- the alt-techs in FF&S1 were pretty half-hearted; a well-developed set of alt-tech rules could go a long way towards making Traveller the true Universal SF Game it always should've been).
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Cultures
Populations
The Focus of Population
Historical Antecedents
Rival Factions
The Influence of Economics
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I must admit I can't imagine what this chapter would consist of. A quick primer in Anthropology, Sociology, and Economics?
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Money and Accounting
Currency
Items of Value
Types of Accounting
Loose
Strict
General Fund
Barter
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Good. Juggling money has always been something of a hassle in Traveller games, and it'll be nice to see some discussion and advice on the subject.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Information
Library Data
Museum Data
Information Analysis
Research and Development
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Since I favor keeping the setting largely out of the Core Rules, I'd much prefer a few paragraphs on the importance and means of gathering info to a true Library Data encyclopedia (which should be saved for the Milieu book). The R&D chapter from the MT Ref Companion was another of the unheralded triumphs of MT and I'd be very glad to see it make a return.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Activities
Con Games
Entertainment
Exploration and Surveys
Corporations
Manufacturing
Masquerade
Mercenary Operations
Military Operations
Naval
Noble Missions
Prospecting
Psionics
Quests
Research
Strategic Manipulations
Trade
Transport
Troupe (Bards)
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Diplomacy should definitely be on this list, unless it's included as a 'Noble Mission.' Trade and Psionics are surely both significant enough to merit chapters to themselves unless all of these areas will be developed in such detail, in which case this will be a very long chapter.
This is also the designated place to once again call for a thorough overhaul of the Trade & Commerce system, using GURPS Traveller: Far Trader as a model and starting point. This is very necessary and long overdue.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Creating Adventures
Elements of the Adventure
Elements of the Campaign
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
In addition to advice on creating adventures, the Core Rulebook definitely needs to contain something to play on the spot. This lack was one of the fatal flaws of MT. A good model would be the Traveller Book, with a few sample Patrons, a couple of Amber Zones, and one or two fully-developed Short Adventures. By the time a novice ref has run through all that he'll surely have ideas of his own (or at least more adventures will have been published).
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Appendices
The Traveller Card System
IMTU
Language
Calendars
The Milieux
Faraway Sector
Deck Plan Symbols
Outdoor Mapping
The History of Traveller
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
The appendices should also include discussion of integrating Traveller and computers, both through software to automate the mechanical processes and online playing (via GRIP or otherwise). My wish is that the rulebook include a CD which has such programs already-created, which would be a huge boon and help set Traveller apart from its competition, but even if that isn't feasible some mention of computer-integration should definitely be made; this isn't the 1970s anymore.
In general, although I prefer keeping the setting as separate as possible from the Core Rules, I'd like to see interspersed through the book sidebars of Color Text, like the MT Players' Manual, or the sort of sidebars and throwaways that appear in most of the GT books. That way, although it's not being 'forced' on anybody, someone who's read the rulebook will have a fair idea of what the OTU setting is like, even if they never buy the Milieu Sourcebook.
Another essential is lots of clear examples, something that was sorely lacking in MT. A gimmick I've always liked, especially in Chaosium's games (RQ and others), is to use the examples to follow the story of a typical adventurer's career, which keeps the readers' interest (and encourages them to actually read the examples) as well as giving new players some idea of what they can expect from the game.
Also, as an alternative to this intimidating mass of material, I'd like to see a true Starter Edition of Traveller - a book of no more than 32-48 pp containing an Introduction, the Basics of char-gen, simplified Task and Combat systems, short lists of equipment and vehicles, and a couple of basic adventures (hijacking, stranded and broke, lost in the wilderness, etc) to let folks know what to expect. While I see the Core Rulebook as being thick, hardbound, and expensively produced with a pricetag of $40-50 (especially if it contains the soi-disant CD), the starter edition would be cheap ($10 or less), and allow a group to start playing in a single evening.
All in all, what I see here looks comprehensive and quite promising, much better than the rehash of The Traveller Book that was the T4 rules.