Traveller Untouchables
- Thread starter 84Ronin
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What makes Traveller into Traveller IMHO?
1) Jump-Drives, 1-week-per-jump, interstellar communications limited to the speed of travel.
2) Space-Pyrates. Arrrrrrrrr Ye Matey!
3) A Human-centric universe; while aliens exist they are usually in minority (unless you enter their space, that is, and the game is typically set deep in uman space).
4) Slugthrowers (including low-tech ones like shotguns and revolvers) and swords in space; energy weapons exist but are less common, and typically have heavy backpack power units.
5) A varied universe - alot of possible TLs, alot of different atmospheres, alot of different societies; every world is different from the other.
6) Hard-feeling science even though it has alot of "handwavium" components.
7) Free Traders, Scouts, Mercenaries, Belters and Space Marines.
8) "Wheels within wheels". Cultures, individuals and polities are three-dimentional rather than one-dimentional; this allows for cultural and social exploration (which is as interesting as exploring physical or biological phenomena).
The Imperium and the Classic Aliens are parts of the Official Traveller Universe (OTU), and by all means, playing in a different universe is possible (though the OTU is fun, too).
1) Jump-Drives, 1-week-per-jump, interstellar communications limited to the speed of travel.
2) Space-Pyrates. Arrrrrrrrr Ye Matey!
3) A Human-centric universe; while aliens exist they are usually in minority (unless you enter their space, that is, and the game is typically set deep in uman space).
4) Slugthrowers (including low-tech ones like shotguns and revolvers) and swords in space; energy weapons exist but are less common, and typically have heavy backpack power units.
5) A varied universe - alot of possible TLs, alot of different atmospheres, alot of different societies; every world is different from the other.
6) Hard-feeling science even though it has alot of "handwavium" components.
7) Free Traders, Scouts, Mercenaries, Belters and Space Marines.
8) "Wheels within wheels". Cultures, individuals and polities are three-dimentional rather than one-dimentional; this allows for cultural and social exploration (which is as interesting as exploring physical or biological phenomena).
The Imperium and the Classic Aliens are parts of the Official Traveller Universe (OTU), and by all means, playing in a different universe is possible (though the OTU is fun, too).
epicenter00
SOC-13
As a heterosexual male, I have to agree with Valarian.
But given that most Travellers are male (which will lose the heterosexual male segment) and many of these males aren't in good shape at all (losing the homosexual male segment), I would say form-fitting vacc suits should only be for attractive females. However, given we're trying to play a progressive game getting away from chauvinistic conventions like that, I suppose we'll just have to compromise and say that vacc suits NOT be form-fitting but baggy and concealing.
Unless being tethered to a man who is fat enough require a bra wearing a skintight vacc suit appeals to you.
Small ships - cramped living conditions
Imperium is run by the God Blessed Credit
The Universe Doesn't Care
Space is Big, in fact, it is bigger than you think
Big ships - sometimes cramped living conditions
Hard Space Operatic Science setting
Form fitting vacc suits and any woman can look like whatever movie star takes your fancy. And, for the ladies out there men tend to beefcakes or pack a mighty Molson muscle. But, lots of Captain Renyolds out there as well.
Imperium is run by the God Blessed Credit
The Universe Doesn't Care
Space is Big, in fact, it is bigger than you think
Big ships - sometimes cramped living conditions
Hard Space Operatic Science setting
Form fitting vacc suits and any woman can look like whatever movie star takes your fancy. And, for the ladies out there men tend to beefcakes or pack a mighty Molson muscle. But, lots of Captain Renyolds out there as well.
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
hehe, totally unrelated web browsing scores a fun relevant hit for here...
Women in Spacesuits
It looks WorkSafe(tm) The only one that would give pause is Barbarella but they don't have any of the spacesuit striptease.
Women in Spacesuits
It looks WorkSafe(tm) The only one that would give pause is Barbarella but they don't have any of the spacesuit striptease.
Given the pulp origins of Traveller, we are likely to see Babes in Space as the dominant motiff. And, indeed it runs in the artwork that have been selected to date (notwithstanding the RC's catsuits [although, that was probably Dave's call]. Certainly, if the above image gallery is something go by, Traveller has a long way to go. I just wonder if women really care about these things. When I show my wife TSR covers, she can appreciate the beefcake men and bikini clad women, when she sees Traveller, the reaction is blah, in large part because the art is so Soviet (bland, utilitarian and non descript). The closest thing that she likes is the Rebellion Sourcebook, by one of the most popular covers, by all fans...why haven't we seen more like this?
What we might be shooting for, that is, if we want to stay relevant is best summed up by Star Trek costume designer, Bob Blackman:
As part of the interactive Traveller community does contain a significant portion who like slash fiction and have done slash Traveller. It is time that the game reflects some of that officially but exercising healthy moderation as the above quote tries to master that balance between what was and what can be.
mbrinkhues
SOC-14 1K
Seven of Nine talked. Never noticed that
Next you tell me the Vulcan babe in Enterprise had Dialog too...
As for a compromise am quite willing to take less "body oriented" and "more smartness" females as basics for the arts:
+ Lenina Huxlex (Demolition Man)
+ Ezrie or Jadzia Dex (DS9)
And if she absolutely needs a Ph.D:
+ Major Carter (Stargate)
As for a compromise am quite willing to take less "body oriented" and "more smartness" females as basics for the arts:
+ Lenina Huxlex (Demolition Man)
+ Ezrie or Jadzia Dex (DS9)
And if she absolutely needs a Ph.D:
+ Major Carter (Stargate)
Although I do not fully support the 'Babes in Space' approach, I do not support the 'everyone in bulky coveralls' view either. It seems to me that intelligent AND attractive women know how to use their appearance to their advantage.
In terms of what to have in a Traveller game then, I would have to say the entire OTU. Leaving anything out will cause inconsistency problems somewhere along the line. It doesn't have to be 'in your face' but there as a background. i.e. we all know what a hiver is, but how many characters have actually encountered one?
In terms of what to have in a Traveller game then, I would have to say the entire OTU. Leaving anything out will cause inconsistency problems somewhere along the line. It doesn't have to be 'in your face' but there as a background. i.e. we all know what a hiver is, but how many characters have actually encountered one?
If somebody else is doing the GMing, he can dump anything he likes, as long as he provides me with the information I need to play. If I'm doing the GMing, I want to be able to use as much material produced by other people as possible, which means sticking as close to the OTU/GTU as possible (Except, of course, for the nonsensical bits, which I'll cheerfully dump -- no world in my TU with a Class A starport is going to have just 60 people to run it and everything else in the system
). But that aside, everything is sacrosanct. Jump drives, Aslan, Vargr, Droyne, etc., the Imperium, and all...Hans
Keklas Rekobah
SOC-14 1K
Overall Concept: "Ordinary people overcoming extra-ordinary circumstances." To this end, I'd see a greater representation of "Other" professions, and fewer Battledress/PGMP-15 wielding freelance mercs.
Science
Contra-grav that works only within 100 diameters of a planet or star. Thus, a good indicator of being far enough out to engage jump is the lack of contra-grav control (reaction thrusters only).
FTL comms that propagate no faster than physical travel. Thus, messages travel only as fast between star systems as the ships that carry them -- Ye Olde Ponie Ekspress. No jump torpedos.
FTL in general that conforms to Classic Traveller canon.
POP rolls that are dependent upon SIZ, ATM, and HYD. Thus, the more Earth-like a world may be, the more Earthers will be found there.
Weapons
More low-tech weapons in a high-tech environment. Not as bad as Arakis ("Dune"), but certainly with more pointy sticks and solid projectiles than energy beams and "psi-fry" abilities, which brings me to...
Psionics
NO PSIONICS. Granted, this puts a cramp on any adventure that requires Zhodani, but who really needs 'em? If need be, just make the Zhos more psionically sensitive than normal -- they can perceive things without using the normal seven physical senses, but that's about it. No psycho-kinesis, no telepathic attack, and no teleporting. (Maybe their apparent teleportation works more like the Droyne mind clouding ability -- you don't notice them unless they want you to, so they only seem to "appear from thin air." Maybe not.)
Alien Races
Aliens that are more ... ALIEN; incomprehensibly motivated, anatomically unclassifiable, socially unpredictable, and just plain alien aliens! We do not need another cat-like race of honor-driven warriors.
Incomprehensible aliens are just another natural phenomenon, like weather and the tide. What's the fun of that? OK, once in a while, in moderation, but generally, incomprehensible aliens are just no fun at all.
What do you mean, 'another'? We don't have one now (The Aslans are driven by pride and greed, not honor
).What we really have a surfeit of is Minor Human Races with Stark Warrior Traditions. We must have nigh on a dozen of those...
Hans
Keklas Rekobah
SOC-14 1K
... or that have a Warrior caste.Originally posted by rancke:
What we really have a surfeit of is Minor Human Races with Stark Warrior Traditions. We must have nigh on a dozen of those...
Is there a race that's more along the lines of "We gotta fight this one out, so let's learn how to do it right, and let's hope that we can all go back to normal when it's over"?
I mean, besides us Humans.
Here's a link to a transcript of a panel discussion entitled "What Makes Aliens Alien?"
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