Traveller influence on other SF

[SpaceBadger]

Aside from fiction that acknowledges being Traveller influenced, I wonder how much other current SF - written or movies/TV - is influenced by Traveller? Does anyone know of writers not writing in an ATU, but nonetheless acknowledging influences from the game?

I have heard speculation about Firefly/Serenity being influenced by either Joss Whedon or some of his writers playing Traveller - anybody know of confirmation of that?

I'm currently reading Melissa Scott's "Mighty Good Road" (only 1/3 into it, so no spoilers please!) and at many points it just sounds like a Traveller adventure - freelance "salvage" troubleshooters retained by a megacorp to go find out what happened to one of their operations on a backwater planet after the original investigation failed - and I keep running into terms and phrases that I think of as Traveller-ish: steward, J-o-T, a few others I don't recall. I know these are also standard English words and phrases, but in the context they just set off my "Traveller radar".

 

[Spinward Scout]

I have heard speculation about Firefly/Serenity being influenced by either Joss Whedon or some of his writers playing Traveller - anybody know of confirmation of that?

Joss Whedon said that Firefly was based on a sci-fi role-playing game he played in college and Civil War book he read. It's similar enough that I've suspected him of owning both The Traveller Book and The Traveller Adventure. The NPC/Casual Encounter 'Shawna' in The Traveller Book is very close to the character 'Saffron' and I believe that NPC/Casual Encounter only shows up in The Traveller Book.

Joss Whedon was born in '64 (according to IMDB) and probably graduated High School in '82. The only Sci-Fi rpgs that I know of that were out then were Traveller, Star Frontiers, and FASA Star Trek. WEGs Star Wars came out in '86 or '87.

But no, there's no confirmation it was Traveller.

 

[aramis]

Joss Whedon said that Firefly was based on a sci-fi role-playing game he played in college and Civil War book he read. It's similar enough that I've suspected him of owning both The Traveller Book and The Traveller Adventure. The NPC/Casual Encounter 'Shawna' in The Traveller Book is very close to the character 'Saffron' and I believe that NPC/Casual Encounter only shows up in The Traveller Book.

Joss Whedon was born in '64 (according to IMDB) and probably graduated High School in '82. The only Sci-Fi rpgs that I know of that were out then were Traveller, Star Frontiers, and FASA Star Trek. WEGs Star Wars came out in '86 or '87.

But no, there's no confirmation it was Traveller.

He was in college in the UK in 1984-1986. WEG didn't release SW d6 until EARLY 1987. (Spring, my senior year of HS.)

This means that there are several: Space Opera, Starships & Spacemen, Traveller:2300, SPI's Universe, FASA Trek, Traveller, Star Frontiers, Met. Alpha, Gamma World, Spacemaster. Of these, only one has the Six-Guns and Starships mode: Traveller. The then current edition of Spacemaster had a blaster-heavy mode, but could be it. 2300 was out just as he graduated, and can be safely ignored. Universe was almost unknown. FASA Trek, Star Frontiers, S&S are all zapguns for personal weapons settings. Space Opera is sapguns for ships, and emphasizes ultratech personal weapons, so it's unlikely.

Traveller is the best fit for the time and place. And as you mention, yeah, Shawna really does look like Saffron's writeup, to a large degree. Visually, no, not at all.

 

[aramis]

Red Rahm admitted to Traveller being an influence on Better Born (an RPG by Red Rahm and Conrad Hillmer). Red is now writing stories in that setting.

Bill Kieth wrote for Traveller, and writes SF professionally now.

Nyrath is Winchell Chung, who is an illustrator and futurist. And a member here.

One of the guys who wrote short stories for SJG's Audoduel Quarterly, John M. Ford, has a couple credits in Traveller products as a playtester, and released a couple of pretty travelleresque Star Trek novels. (Including "How much for just the planet?")

Of course, we must mention Chuck Ganon, who openly admits to traveller inspirations.

While there's no evidence of Traveller itself, Bujold's Vorkosiverse has many similar tropes. Lots of habitable worlds, multiple jumps to get places, automation can't replace people, and the general tech level are all close matches.

 

[HG_B]

Joss Whedon was born in '64 (according to IMDB) and probably graduated High School in '82. The only Sci-Fi rpgs that I know of that were out then were Traveller, Star Frontiers, and FASA Star Trek. WEGs Star Wars came out in '86 or '87.

But no, there's no confirmation it was Traveller.

Gamma World, Morrow Project, and another I can't remember were all out and being played at that time also.

 

[Spinward Scout]

I always thought Gamma World was part of Star Frontiers, or did it all get piled under D20 Future?

This means that there are several: Space Opera, Starships & Spacemen, Traveller:2300, SPI's Universe, FASA Trek, Traveller, Star Frontiers, Met. Alpha, Gamma World, Spacemaster.

I had completely forgotten about many of those.

 

[aramis]

I always thought Gamma World was part of Star Frontiers, or did it all get piled under D20 Future?

Nope. Metamorphosis Alpha was Gamma World Edition 0; Gamma World is the follow on from Metamorphosis Alpha. Gamma World got rolled into Alternity, as a setting book, in the late 90's.

 

[JFGarber]

I have heard speculation about Firefly/Serenity being influenced by either Joss Whedon or some of his writers playing Traveller - anybody know of confirmation of that?

Confirmation? No. But in the opening episode, when all the characters are gathered around the galley in a "get to know you" session, Shepherd Book addresses all seated as "Travelers" (capitalization mine). Coincidence? I think not.

 

[aramis]

Confirmation? No. But in the opening episode, when all the characters are gathered around the galley in a "get to know you" session, Shepherd Book addresses all seated as "Travelers" (capitalization mine). Coincidence? I think not.

Wash also uses the line "Hang on Travellers!"

 

[rancke]

Confirmation? No. But in the opening episode, when all the characters are gathered around the galley in a "get to know you" session, Shepherd Book addresses all seated as "Travelers" (capitalization mine). Coincidence? I think not.

Wash also uses the line "Hang on Travellers!"

Given Whedon's statement about a roleplaying game remembered from his college days, it's quite possible, even likely, that Traveller was that RPG. But if he's telling the truth about not remembering the name of the game, he'd hardly be able to include shout-outs in the manuscripts. And really, there's nothing unlikely about someone independently coming up with the term 'traveler' for the peripathetic characters assembled on the Firefly.


Hans

 

[aramis]

Given Whedon's statement about a roleplaying game remembered from his college days, it's quite possible, even likely, that Traveller was that RPG. But if he's telling the truth about not remembering the name of the game, he'd hardly be able to include shout-outs in the manuscripts. And really, there's nothing unlikely about someone independently coming up with the term 'traveler' for the peripathetic characters assembled on the Firefly.


Hans

He never said he didn't remember the name. He said he wouldn't give the name. And there's good legal reasons for that. If he acknowledges it by name, he could be sued for royalties.

 

[rancke]

He never said he didn't remember the name. He said he wouldn't give the name. And there's good legal reasons for that. If he acknowledges it by name, he could be sued for royalties.

He didn't? I thought he did.

You mean that all the people who wrote the books that Traveller draws its tropes from could sue him?


Hans

 

[darue]

The Warlord: Battle for the Galaxy aka Osiris Chronicles

well, here's one:

this show seems to have been set during the Long Night (maybe way-post-virus)... Very Traveler-ish. It was a pilot, but never got picked up.

The Warlord: Battle for the Galaxy aka Osiris Chronicles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Warlord:_Battle_for_the_Galaxy

this is very rare, took me years to find out what it was after seeing accidentally it's one airing on WB in the late 90s.

The 'heroes' eventually recover a hidden battle-cruiser, from the days before the fall of the galactic federation and set out to rebuild interstellar civilization. the coolest thing about it being that instead of the usual 'red alert' klaxon, the ship sounded a cool bagpipe-and-drum salute to alert the crew.

 

[aramis]

He didn't? I thought he did.

You mean that all the people who wrote the books that Traveller draws its tropes from could sue him?


Hans

There is no need for a suit to be winnable in the US. If a credible admission of a specific inspiration were present, the studio would settle (or buy the IP "infringed" and bury it), and take it out of his royalties. Marc's not likely to sue if Joss admitted it was Traveller, but the studio would neither know nor care, and would take it out on Joss, just in case.

It's just like how a lot of licensed movies aren't even close... the license was obtained to prevent being sued at all, rather than because the movie is actually based upon the licensed property. All the studio really wants of the license is to have it be cheaper than settling afterward would be if they did get sued.

Case in point: new BSG. It really didn't have all that much in common with oBSG, and could easily have, by simply changing the name and the shape of the mothership, been shot as a wholly new series; by making it a "reimagining" they got 3 benefits - they couldn't be sued by the oBSG ownership, they got free press for use of the name, and they got a lot of free press from irate fans (myself included) pointing out how it wasn't all that similar, and wasn't what they'd been asking for. (And note that it was the largest mail generation event to date for Sci-Fi channel. They even noted that it appeared they pissed off almost everyone who'd suggested they relaunch the show.) But, by the same token, it's a solid show in it's own right (albeit one that has no appeal for me save the pretty hardware), and not tying it to the original property wouldn't have done it any harm in the long run, but it probably wouldn't have gotten to the long run without it; the incurred expenses of the license pretty much required them to let it run through season 3.

Likewise, a show about a loveable pet-eating alien living with a family would do well to license ALF if they can do it cheaply; even if the alien is nothing like the original, it's still got the built in advert for a "re-imagining".

 

[savage]

It's hollywood. First they tell you you won't go far...

Hollywood has been doing copy cat projects since inception. Lawsuits...:rofl:
Other than the SW BSG publicity stunt lawsuit...name a few great wins?

When a movie is planned, TV or B movies hurry to get ripoffs out first. Or they follow within a brief period of time.

It probably was Traveller but he's not saying "ok...roll 3d6." Influence doesn't mean much. Now tipping the hat to another product is like free advertising.

Either way...another game manufacturer snatched up the exclusive game rights. In my mind, that is unfortunate for the Traveller RPG community.

 

[DaveChase]

...
But, by the same token, it's a solid show in it's own right (albeit one that has no appeal for me save the pretty hardware), and not tying it to the original property wouldn't have done it any harm in the long run, but it probably wouldn't have gotten to the long run without it; the incurred expenses of the license pretty much required them to let it run through season 3.

...

Slightly off topic but you just stated how I felt about BSG with out realizing that is how I felt.

Like the show for what it was, but was not at all thrilled about it being BSG.

Dave Chase

 

[aramis]

Hollywood has been doing copy cat projects since inception. Lawsuits...:rofl:
Other than the SW BSG publicity stunt lawsuit...name a few great wins?

When a movie is planned, TV or B movies hurry to get ripoffs out first. Or they follow within a brief period of time.

It probably was Traveller but he's not saying "ok...roll 3d6." Influence doesn't mean much. Now tipping the hat to another product is like free advertising.

Either way...another game manufacturer snatched up the exclusive game rights. In my mind, that is unfortunate for the Traveller RPG community.

When firefly came out, Traveller film/TV rights had been licensed already - Courtney Solomon could have shut him down.

And the BSG suit wasn't a publicity stunt - it was two different licenses that damaged each other, and the one with bigger pockets was granted exclusivity since either going forward would damage the other.

 

[savage]

license rights

When firefly came out, Traveller film/TV rights had been licensed already - Courtney Solomon could have shut him down.

And the BSG suit wasn't a publicity stunt - it was two different licenses that damaged each other, and the one with bigger pockets was granted exclusivity since either going forward would damage the other.

Who is Courtney? And why has nothing been produced? :toast:

The BSG/SW lawsuit damaged each other how? Lucas film was attempting to control a genre. I am not only one that thinks this was a publicity stunt.

Still copycat projects in Hollywood are very common. And the game industry has many copycats too. Once there was only one SF and one Fantasy RPG. Then many came to be.

Josh probably would not have been shutdown. He would've reinvented it.
There once was a show called Dark Shadows and still he developed Buffy.

I found this discussion about Traveller and Firefly that looked convincing. Thought I'd share it.
http://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/13668/is-serenity-based-on-joss-whedons-game-of-traveller

 

[Blue Ghost]

For anybody who's played Battlefield 2142, you'll note RDX is the explosive du jour. "grav" tanks for the Soviets (they don't fly, they just hover), combat armor for everyone, the only thing missing are gauss and laser weapons.

HALO and DOOM have Traveller written all over it. So does the original Terra Nova game. I'm surprised there haven't been suits, or if there were, then I've now known about them, about computer games just blatantly "borrowing" from Traveller. The BFG-9000 from DOOM is, to me at least, ID Softwares homage to the FGMP-15. And Looking Glass games just blatantly put one in their System Shock 2 game. In fact, I think most FPS games, other than Star Wars Dark forces series, used Traveller, or Traveller like devices / weapons.

 

[aramis]

Who is Courtney? And why has nothing been produced? :toast:

The BSG/SW lawsuit damaged each other how? Lucas film was attempting to control a genre. I am not only one that thinks this was a publicity stunt.

I was thinking the BSG/BSG lawsuit...

Courtney is the man behind a number of really stupid licensed movies... including the D&D movies.

He also was the finance behind Imperium Games.

The reason for no movie? I can guess... but I suspect that IG failing had something to do with it.