Originally posted by ACK:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Aramis:
I've never played Traveller on-line. Ever. I have played in some Star Trek on-line games... but they all fizzled. I've run a Space 1889 that fizzled (RL hit me and my players all at the same time).
I don't use a wintel box, so I can't use GRIP anyway.
And as for hot-shot vargr pilots, have had a few play in my games over the years...
But more memorable were the Vargr Imperial Marine Cook (in the 1090's, using TNE), who killed a zhodani TM with his foot... (Critical hit to the head!)
... THe Vargr Journalist along on an RC exploration vessel (1213, Using TNE).
... The Vargr "Aslan" male who was such a hoot... getting all uppity about being Aslan, not "Barbarian".
That is so weird. I know that Hunter was there. I believe he ran the game or a friend of his ran the game.
Odd, it was two years ago and I played it with them for over six months. Until RL smacked me. It was the only time I ever played with people that had any real history with traveller.
I had a real flaming arguement with Hunter about Visual Basic. I am not a real fan. Don't usually use a wintel box myself. I am a linux fan mostly but I have a deep respect for Mac design and a fondness for the tough nature of a Sun workstation.
But that is completely OT...
I liked playing a Vargr. His sole purpose in life was speed. He loved to pilot a ship or a grav vehicle. He took great pride in putting the ship on just the right spot coming out of jump etc.. He never understood the human need for running around completing tasks for no profit and little glory. But he was completely loyal to the Captain of the ship leader type and his buddy. The guy playing this human army type who kept getting into trouble.
He was the Shaggy to my Scooby if you will... Good times. </font>[/QUOTE]Well, rest assured, I've never gamed with Hunter, either... Don't even have a clue what he looks like, other than presumeably Homo Sapiens sapiens, and somewhat absent minded. Can tell he's got a temper....
Seriously, tho, many GM's don't run terribly "humanocentric" traveller games.
Sadly, since the playtest for T20, I've played two multi-session Traveller adventures, one of which I was a player in. Shadowbear ran that game, I played a Female Aslan Doctor. Basic Murder Mystery, stolen liberally from any number of victorian "Murder aboard Ship" mysteries. I had fun, but the character had no real tie to the other charaters, and so wandere off in search of a husband.
The other, well, I ran a military game set DURING the 5FW... a Marine Regiment, the cadre of which were all PC's. Take and Hold this world. (world was a reeducation camp. Haha!)
The real trick to aliens in traveller is to NOT have tthe blasse, star-wars-esque, "Oh, so which race are you? And your Friend?" An aslan, cultural or physical, is a very DISTINCT physiotype, clearly NOT an ape. People don't react like aslan.
A vargr is a whole different animal, pun intended. We are programmed to distrust groups of dogs, but trust lone dogs. Almost genetically. Some people will treat vargr as "talking pets", some as equals, some as thugs in fursuits.
Aslan inspire fear, pride, and martial competence. It is a stereotype put forth throughout the game, and one that the books don't de-emphasize, despite pointing out that most aslan are not warriors. One that is held for over a thousand years in the Imperium. Most imperials KNOW what an aslan is. Whether or not he's safe to talk to is another matter.
Vargr are likewise know of throughout the imperium. As are Hivers, K'Kree, virush, newts, and geonee. Possibly several others. But they are KNOWN, as in, "I might never seen one of em, but I seen pictures". As in, odd enough to arouse curiousity, but not so odd as to be unidentifiable. Dolphins, chimps. Ursa, Graytch, Ael Yael, and others, well, not so well...
And most college educated individuals will have at least heard of the droyne.
IMTU, Knowing of the various races is a task; the follwoing by:
Majors: Vilani, Solomani, Zhodani, Hiver, Aslan, Vargr:
Auto, edu,
Semi-majors: Droyne, Sword Worlders, Darrians,
Simple, edu,
Significant Minors: Virush, Newt, Dolphin, Vegans, Non-biological aslan, Geonee, Ursas, Anything in home sector
Routine,, edu
Minors: Anything in same domain. Difficult, Edu
Trivial Minors: SDG chips, Orangs, Orcas, Chimps, jonkerer
Formidable, Edu
Insignificant minors: Vanjeen Chirpers, Dandies, Striders, other non-starfaring minor races.
Impossible, Edu
All the above:
DM +1 if History 2+
DM +1 if Anthopology 2+
DM +1 if College graduate
DM +1 addiional if scout or navy 2+ terms.
Auto if speak their language
Shift down one level if within 20 PC of one of their worlds.
Shift down one more level if within 6PC of one of their worlds.