The New Explorers

[Imperial Planetologist]

I lurked a bit on the Mongoose Traveller forum recently, and it was fun to read some of the posts. A new bunch of gamers is discovering the Traveller universe, and that strikes a chord with me.

For me Traveller has always been the ultimate game of exploration. It's a theme I come back to time and time again in my campaign. There is always something new to discover; the adventurers are perpetually peeking over the edge of the Known (or the Charted, if you prefer) into the abyss of the Unknown.

And then they fuel their ship, check their sensors and their weapons, and jump into the darkness. Run and find out.

The process of discovery, of exploration, is one that applies to the players as well. As much as we "play a character" in a roleplaying game, the real payoff is not what happens to the character but rather the vicarious thrill each of us sitting around the table gets from the experience. Reading through the posts on the Mongoose forum, I could see that thrill pulsing through the discussion as newbs pump grognards for information about the what, the why, and the wherefores of the TU, and offer their own interpretations of what they've found, or take the raw materials offered and craft their own universes.

I've no interest to speak of in Mongoose's edition of Traveller, but it is fun to see others, the new explorers, enjoying the game and universe that has brought me literally decades of enjoyment. Run and find out, travellers.

 

[captainjack]

I lurked a bit on the Mongoose Traveller forum recently, and it was fun to read some of the posts. A new bunch of gamers is discovering the Traveller universe, and that strikes a chord with me.

For me Traveller has always been the ultimate game of exploration. It's a theme I come back to time and time again in my campaign. There is always something new to discover; the adventurers are perpetually peeking over the edge of the Known (or the Charted, if you prefer) into the abyss of the Unknown.

And then they fuel their ship, check their sensors and their weapons, and jump into the darkness. Run and find out.

The process of discovery, of exploration, is one that applies to the players as well. As much as we "play a character" in a roleplaying game, the real payoff is not what happens to the character but rather the vicarious thrill each of us sitting around the table gets from the experience. Reading through the posts on the Mongoose forum, I could see that thrill pulsing through the discussion as newbs pump grognards for information about the what, the why, and the wherefores of the TU, and offer their own interpretations of what they've found, or take the raw materials offered and craft their own universes.

I've no interest to speak of in Mongoose's edition of Traveller, but it is fun to see others, the new explorers, enjoying the game and universe that has brought me literally decades of enjoyment. Run and find out, travellers.

Thank you for a great post, and a wonderful attitude -It is cool to see, isn't it ? I myself often miss the fun of discovery amongst the ....other types...of discussion, so I appreciate the reminder.

 

[dmccoy1693]

ditto what captainjack said.

 

[sabredog]

IMTU (CT but non-OTU Proto-Trav) I have just started a new campaign that is finally an exploration game. Previous groups always went with the usual privateer/merchant adventurer type of game but this group wants to check out the 2 subsectors I have on the other side of a 10 parsec rift.

It's just a bunch of blank circles drawn on the maps over on the other side so they'll know where to go - they get to fill in the blanks. A private consortium will be helping to bankroll the expedition. The players will be going, along with a few NPC specialists, in a special deep survey craft using jump shuttles and drop tanks. The first task will be to establish a calibration point in the rift where they can stage fuel tanks and a beacon so the players can get home again. Mineral and other rights are part of the compensation - if the players survive and do well they could be rich beyong Han Solo's dreams. If not - well, they'll find out what a mean n' nastiverse it can be over the edge.

Can't wait...the rumors have always been tossed out into my various campaigns over the last 20 years, but no one was interested. Now it feels like we all get to see what's out there.