Traveller 5 - With an update can it eclipse CT?

[esampson]

You ain't been reading same reviews I have, then. About half dislike the system. Most dislike the book itself.

Mind you, TNE and T4 had about the same general approval rate of the mechanics when they came out. TNE's was mostly on WWIVnet. But not the comorbid hate of the look.

Me, I like the look of the book, but not the system.

Well, that is entirely possible.

It is odd that you list TNE and T4 because the task mechanism seems really similar to the UTP from Megatraveller to me.

 

[HG_B]

Well.... having searched through quite a few reviews it seems to be that the major complaint is that the book is painful.

Then you haven't read a representative sampling. If you do, you will find otherwise. It's commercial sales (post kickstart) will tell you the rest of the story as it unfolds...

 

[aramis]

Well, that is entirely possible.

It is odd that you list TNE and T4 because the task mechanism seems really similar to the UTP from Megatraveller to me.

Fan reaction to both was about 50% negative.

Just because tasks look the same doesn't mean they resolve the same; the use of roll low is a major change. The methods of finding difficulty shifts also was totally alien.

Element	MT	TNE	T4
Difficulty steps	5	5	6
Method of Diff. Steps	TN+4	TN x2	+1d
Dice used	2d6 (5d6 with time)	1d20	1d6-5d6 by diff.
Stat:Skill Value ratio	5:1	1:1	1:1
Stat:Skill Purchas Ratio	1:1	2:1	1:1
Assets on task	• Stat+Skill • Stat+Stat • Skill+Skill	Fixed Stat+Skill	Stat+Skill

Note: the TNE task system isn't all that bad; it is so different in feel, and the setting mode so different, however, that the fan base reaction was EXTREMELY negative. I've run about 2 years of TNE campaigns, both CT and TNE settings. It doesn't feel like Traveller to me.

Let's take the Zhodani Teleport Marines (ZTM) tour by system

CT:	Makes one jump, takes ship or dies. Strongest might bypass a door.
MT:	most of the squad makes the jump, but a few don't, and retry next round, and occasionally, one hurts himself with a mishap. Without drugs, as with CT, take the ship or die.
TNE	Most of the squad makes the jump; it results in a line of marines between start and destination. They keep going. Once aboard, they bypass doors almost at will. If they can see it, they can get to it.
T4	Whole squad jumps, and lands on target. The novices may hurt themselves, but they arrive. THey can bypass 1 or 2 doors, and can get back to their own ship.
GT:	Most of the squad jumps; the ones who don't start tiring, but can try again. They can bypass doors almost at will, tho it slowly tires them when they have to retry. They can get back out. But you can't afford to play a guy who can teleport 500km and clairvoyance to 500km, let alone the 50,000.km ranges of some ZTMs in CT

 

[esampson]

You're right. I must have been thinking of some other system where the more difficult a task was the more dice you rolled.

Getting forgetful in my old age. I need some anagathics.