T5
- Thread starter Andrew Boulton
- Start date
Border Reiver
SOC-14 1K
Interesting. Getting the drop on Mongoose too.
And someone's been a busy bee, Andrew?
And someone's been a busy bee, Andrew?
Ganidirsii O'Flynn
SOC-12
Holy F-ing Cow! Now I know what to do with the money that goes to those pesky after Christmas bills! 
So is there going to be a deadtree T5 (condensed from the CD ROM) published by Mongoose? Or only the CD ROM from FFE, I keep on getting interference/cross signals that say yes and then a mulititude that say no. So what is the final word, if anyone has spoken with Marc or Mathew...
Rhialto the Marvelous
SOC-13
If it helps raise spirits, T5 is the first RPG I've ever preordered. 
Now I personally am definitely nuts, but still I'm slightly disturbed by the very muted CotI response to the announcement so far.
Shouldn't we all cheer and wear funny hats, and the balloons come down, and everything?
Now I personally am definitely nuts, but still I'm slightly disturbed by the very muted CotI response to the announcement so far.
Shouldn't we all cheer and wear funny hats, and the balloons come down, and everything?
Many of us have disliked the previews, since they strongly implied that MWM should have quit game design while he was only behind with T4...
I've seen loads of dice throwing with little to suggest any clue at all about narrative.
If the preview/playtest is any indicator, it's going to appeal only to those who:
1) liked t4 overall*
and
2) are willing to accept unplaytested materials**
3) Think all changes in game design since 1977 are bad idea***
* I like a few bits of T4, but felt that, overall, it stank like spring in a dog yard....
** what passed for the public playtest was feedback being bluntly and openly ignored by Marc Miller, and all contact being filtered through third parties.
*** Marc's shown a glaring lack of awareness of the overall trends in game design.
I've seen loads of dice throwing with little to suggest any clue at all about narrative.
If the preview/playtest is any indicator, it's going to appeal only to those who:
1) liked t4 overall*
and
2) are willing to accept unplaytested materials**
3) Think all changes in game design since 1977 are bad idea***
* I like a few bits of T4, but felt that, overall, it stank like spring in a dog yard....
** what passed for the public playtest was feedback being bluntly and openly ignored by Marc Miller, and all contact being filtered through third parties.
*** Marc's shown a glaring lack of awareness of the overall trends in game design.
Rhialto the Marvelous
SOC-13
Aramis, I probably agree with all these criticisms... BUT... going by the PDF there seems to be material in there that's new (for Traveller)* and possibly exciting, especially the alien-specific stats, talents and senses.
Sure, it's legitimate to say they'll significantly clunk-ify the game for some people. On the other hand, they might finally make Traveller aliens strange and interesting.
Ditto for other aspects: that "QREBS" thing, the "cultural" UWP... could be pointless, could be interesting in actual play.
I see potential. I also see typos. Thousands of them. But, you know.
*New to me, anyway--I've no T4 supplements, and only a few for MT.
Sure, it's legitimate to say they'll significantly clunk-ify the game for some people. On the other hand, they might finally make Traveller aliens strange and interesting.
Ditto for other aspects: that "QREBS" thing, the "cultural" UWP... could be pointless, could be interesting in actual play.
I see potential. I also see typos. Thousands of them. But, you know.
*New to me, anyway--I've no T4 supplements, and only a few for MT.
When it comes to Erratta, MT had many small errors, and a few significant ones... while T4 had few minor ones, and loads of significant ones, both in the writing and in the editing. You didn't miss much.
The older I get, the less I like random roll tables the likes of those in Border Forts of Kellinor or the Forgotten Realms City System. Everything I've seen implies that level of randomness is what Marc considers the height of game design.
I'm not that much of a grognard.
Random rolled aliens are counter to the way GDW pre-Dave Nilsen treated them... as custom made explorations with an attempt to go beyond simple "man in suit". And aliens (both the excellent GDW CT Alien Modules and the incredible DGP ones for MT) are part of what made traveller special... they were done with respect for their alienness.
The older I get, the less I like random roll tables the likes of those in Border Forts of Kellinor or the Forgotten Realms City System. Everything I've seen implies that level of randomness is what Marc considers the height of game design.
I'm not that much of a grognard.
Random rolled aliens are counter to the way GDW pre-Dave Nilsen treated them... as custom made explorations with an attempt to go beyond simple "man in suit". And aliens (both the excellent GDW CT Alien Modules and the incredible DGP ones for MT) are part of what made traveller special... they were done with respect for their alienness.
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Rhialto the Marvelous
SOC-13
FRONTIER Forts!
(See, I'm just the opposite... the Wilderlands and its randomness passed me by back in the day, but now I'm playing in the Necromancer version of it. I got Frontier Forts two months ago...)
Kidding aside, that "Senses" part of the PDF seems to be precisely about customizing the aliens further.
(See, I'm just the opposite... the Wilderlands and its randomness passed me by back in the day, but now I'm playing in the Necromancer version of it. I got Frontier Forts two months ago...)
Kidding aside, that "Senses" part of the PDF seems to be precisely about customizing the aliens further.
Lets just say, "Marc's not shown what I consider quality in authoship in 20 years." Including a lack of using a spellcheck program.
And because of same, I'm waiting to see if it's worthwhile at all. Meanwhile, something I like and will use is in playtest... with a responsive developer and probability of decent (if often a couple months late) follow-on publications and passable errata levels... Mongoose Traveller.
So, until it's shipped and people are saying the right kinds of "good things" about it, it's not worth $35 nor any real excitement. Marc has made too many flubs for me to get excited anymore until product is in customer hands.
And because of same, I'm waiting to see if it's worthwhile at all. Meanwhile, something I like and will use is in playtest... with a responsive developer and probability of decent (if often a couple months late) follow-on publications and passable errata levels... Mongoose Traveller.
So, until it's shipped and people are saying the right kinds of "good things" about it, it's not worth $35 nor any real excitement. Marc has made too many flubs for me to get excited anymore until product is in customer hands.
R
Roger Calver
Guest
The way Im looking at the T5 CD is this, your getting 1000'ish pages for what works out at £20 for me thats a good buy and will give me mountains to mine through and dig out the hidden gems.
When I add the bits to my other Traveller books this makes a big reference stockpile and is OK by me.
Rog.
When I add the bits to my other Traveller books this makes a big reference stockpile and is OK by me.
Rog.
Yep, the BFBs of JTAS and the alien modules are ~$70 here, so $40 plus S&H is well within the fun money budget.
Given that it's Traveller, I'll take the CD down to the chop-shop and part it out for useful bits.
What I can see is people buying both T5 and MGT and playing various combinations of the two. I see the discussions being quite lively.
Given that it's Traveller, I'll take the CD down to the chop-shop and part it out for useful bits.
What I can see is people buying both T5 and MGT and playing various combinations of the two. I see the discussions being quite lively.
Well, considering the time frame it is supposed to be released, it'll be a great birthday present.
Even if the rules are clunky, there seems to be enough goodies to make it worthwhile. The 'life pursuits' is interesting.
Besides rules aren't written in stone. Even TNE's main book stated that if you didn't like virus or the fall of the Imperium you could just ignore it.
It would kinda like my Space 1889 campaign. My group liked the setting-hated the rules-so I converted the game to the Classic Traveller rules.
Even if the rules are clunky, there seems to be enough goodies to make it worthwhile. The 'life pursuits' is interesting.
Besides rules aren't written in stone. Even TNE's main book stated that if you didn't like virus or the fall of the Imperium you could just ignore it.
It would kinda like my Space 1889 campaign. My group liked the setting-hated the rules-so I converted the game to the Classic Traveller rules.
Rhialto the Marvelous
SOC-13
This reminds me: Has anything transpired regarding a specific setting for T5?
I realize the rules will be setting-neutral, but even so Marc must have something in mind.
I realize the rules will be setting-neutral, but even so Marc must have something in mind.
