Twilight 2k anyone?
- Thread starter Grognard
- Start date
Thoth-Amon
SOC-12
Not in years. I'd like to get another game going one day soon.
Used to run it a lot, it's where I really learned about GMing. I'm actually backing into Traveller from reading Challenge mag all those years ago.
I've played 3 games of it at the last two Origins. Those got so many players excited that I am considering running a short campaign of my own. I'm also plotting to run a convention slot of my own at a local con, and/or Origins.
There are some PbP games out on the web here and there. http://forum.juhlin.com/ is a pretty active forum for the diehard fans.
I've played 3 games of it at the last two Origins. Those got so many players excited that I am considering running a short campaign of my own. I'm also plotting to run a convention slot of my own at a local con, and/or Origins.
There are some PbP games out on the web here and there. http://forum.juhlin.com/ is a pretty active forum for the diehard fans.
BlackBat242
SOC-14 1K
I used to play it back in the mid-1980s.
Of course, I was in the USMC at the time, and played it with either some fellow Marines (MCAS El Toro & MCAS Tustin) or some squiddleys (USN) aboard CV-61 USS Ranger.
I haven't played or ref'ed it since ~1989... the people I play AD&D and Traveller with currently would not do well with it... they just would have problems with the setting and strategies.
Of course, I was in the USMC at the time, and played it with either some fellow Marines (MCAS El Toro & MCAS Tustin) or some squiddleys (USN) aboard CV-61 USS Ranger.
I haven't played or ref'ed it since ~1989... the people I play AD&D and Traveller with currently would not do well with it... they just would have problems with the setting and strategies.
I've run both 1E and 2E, but not since the late 1980's and mid 1990's, respectively.
By 1997, my players all knew all too well how the army equipment roster had changed since the 1992 2E... and many bits we saw the GI's with daily were not represented. Plus, by 1998, the future history of it was too far afield to be our future.
I'd like to see a Twilight 2020 using the 2.X rules... and a newer, less "US Vs USSR" setting, with real modern gear and some good speculation.
By 1997, my players all knew all too well how the army equipment roster had changed since the 1992 2E... and many bits we saw the GI's with daily were not represented. Plus, by 1998, the future history of it was too far afield to be our future.
I'd like to see a Twilight 2020 using the 2.X rules... and a newer, less "US Vs USSR" setting, with real modern gear and some good speculation.
I ran a campaign while active Army years ago. It was around 1994? My players actually played themselves with predictions career-wise of where they would be in 2000. The campaign had large issues to contend with.
Me too! If you haven't already, check out Twilight 2013. It has a very, very crunchy rules system, so I don't know if you would like the system itself or not (knowing something of both, I would run a new campaign in 2.0 rules instead). Uber-simulationist, highly detailed, rules system. But, the mammoth core book does have a wealth of updated information for use in a Twilight 2000 campaign.
The company that made T2013 went under. I looked at RPGNow, but it seems everything is available cheap EXCEPT the core book. $25+ at Amazon, sorry. If you are really, really interested I actually have 2 copies and would probably trade one for some other game materials....
I would love for someone who is a master of current geopolitics to provide an updated background for a "Twilight 2020" myself. T2013 background had some fans, but many who didn't think it was very well researched.
Updating the weapons and vehicles of T2000 2.0 to include a modern list would actually be an enjoyable task for me if I ever decided to run such a campaign.
I played it in its frist edition, back when it was yet a futuristic game...
I personally didn't like second edition, as players were quite poorer in skills and the combat system, if more playable, less realist (IMO), most so the vehicle combat.
I personally didn't like second edition, as players were quite poorer in skills and the combat system, if more playable, less realist (IMO), most so the vehicle combat.
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BlackBat242
SOC-14 1K
I agree that T2K 1E was the better system... a good set of update books bringing the equipment and setting up-to-date would be a good thing.
It's still a futuristic game. It's set in an alternate future, but then again, it always was. I never for a moment supposed that the Twilight War would come to pass, even back before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The only difference between then and now is that the DP was in the future and now it's in the past.
I've never been able to understand why that would make a difference to anyone. I know and accept that to some people it does make a difference, but I can't fathom the reasoning behind.
EDIT: Oops, I got one part wrong. I thought you were talking about 2300AD. I never really thought of Twilight 2000 as futuristic even when it was set a few years into the future. It just wasn't far enough in the future to be futuristic. But, yes, technically Twilight 2000 used to be in the future and isn't any more.
Hans
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BlackBat242
SOC-14 1K
Yes... its no longer "role-playing in the near future", but is now "role-playing in an alternate history".
That would be fine to me... I could even run it as "Twilight 1995".
This would use an earlier POD/trigger, and require fewer updates of equipment beyond what is in the rules and various supplements.
This setting would reverse the "China-Soviet first, NATO intervention in the German-WP dust-up coming later" sequence of the 1E setting.
The scenario is that, when Gorbachev had let the WP nations start to go in 1989 (Hungary and East Germany), the Communist Party had overthrown and executed him, and had then tried to re-assert their control, beginning when the Soviet-backed Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) lost the general election on March 18, 1990.
This would cause West Germany to initiate NATO/WP hostilities, with the war in the West developing from there.
Since the Soviet-Chinese talks over the disputed territories were a project of Gorbachev, the Central Committee and the Supreme Soviet would denounce and terminate the negotiations and re-assert its claims to all the territory.
The Chinese then would try to seize not only these territories but to reclaim its historic holdings in Outer Manchuria while the Soviets were distracted and tied down in Eastern Europe.
This way the war would start in 1990, the Chinese would come in in 1991, and by 1995 the general situation would be pretty close to the 1E setting (although 5 years earlier).
note: all hyperlinks are to Wiki articles on the events being discussed, to provide further details.
That would be fine to me... I could even run it as "Twilight 1995".
This would use an earlier POD/trigger, and require fewer updates of equipment beyond what is in the rules and various supplements.
This setting would reverse the "China-Soviet first, NATO intervention in the German-WP dust-up coming later" sequence of the 1E setting.
The scenario is that, when Gorbachev had let the WP nations start to go in 1989 (Hungary and East Germany), the Communist Party had overthrown and executed him, and had then tried to re-assert their control, beginning when the Soviet-backed Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) lost the general election on March 18, 1990.
This would cause West Germany to initiate NATO/WP hostilities, with the war in the West developing from there.
Since the Soviet-Chinese talks over the disputed territories were a project of Gorbachev, the Central Committee and the Supreme Soviet would denounce and terminate the negotiations and re-assert its claims to all the territory.
The Chinese then would try to seize not only these territories but to reclaim its historic holdings in Outer Manchuria while the Soviets were distracted and tied down in Eastern Europe.
This way the war would start in 1990, the Chinese would come in in 1991, and by 1995 the general situation would be pretty close to the 1E setting (although 5 years earlier).
note: all hyperlinks are to Wiki articles on the events being discussed, to provide further details.
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I personally never liked the idea of keeping a Twilight campaign as an alternate history as true events upset the background. One of the reasons the original T2000 was fun was because of the, "this could happen" nature of the background. It's the reason some object if the background story is unrealistic. We want something believable.
If I ever played another T2000 campaign it would be with an updated, believable background story even if we have to call it T2020 as suggested below.
I ran a lot of the first edition in '85-89, and then 2nd edition once it came out. I had a ball with running the Merc variant in the mid-'90s.
I had no big problem with either rules set, except that chargen in v2 was more enjoyable for the players and GM. v1 chargen was a lot more number-crunching, and most players found it very easy to max their combat skills.
I'm curious to see what would result if I took the players I had then (all in our late teens initially), and played again, now that we are (nominally, anyway) grownups. More RPing and less shoot-'em-up?
I had no big problem with either rules set, except that chargen in v2 was more enjoyable for the players and GM. v1 chargen was a lot more number-crunching, and most players found it very easy to max their combat skills.
I'm curious to see what would result if I took the players I had then (all in our late teens initially), and played again, now that we are (nominally, anyway) grownups. More RPing and less shoot-'em-up?
mbrinkhues
SOC-14 1K
Using the V2.2 system for most games inkluding SciFi and Horror. Running a T2K campaign in a alternate setting right now, timeline branches 1988 before the big mistake when WP Forces attack during the September exercises
mbrinkhues
SOC-14 1K
No, 1988. My group mostly had participated in that one and it is well documentet in pictures, maps etc.
mbrinkhues
SOC-14 1K
Yes, they used that and the fact that NATO was in "exercise mode" for a more or less "surprise" attack.
selunatic2397
SOC-12
I still play it...using traveller rules and down to 1 player...but I still play it!
