MGT Only: What Would You Like to See from a Traveller Compatible Publisher?

[Vladika]

That's WELL beyond the reach of a 3rd party publisher.

You think?

:smirk:

Or just being "snarky"?

snark·y
ˈsnärkē/
adjective
North Americaninformal
adjective: snarky; comparative adjective: snarkier; superlative adjective: snarkiest

(of a person, words, or a mood) sharply critical; cutting; snide.
"the kid who makes snarky remarks in class"
cranky; irritable.
"Bobby's always a bit snarky before his nap"

 

[Vargas]

How about an economic system, both Imperial and world, that WILL NOT BE CHANGED. We need this for Trade as well as Military planing.

Personally, I don't care if it goes along will prior publications (How could it? Nothing else seems to so why not start fresh?)

Base it on Stiker, TCS, Merchant Prince or make something up.

Whatever it is, or will be, leave it alone afterwards.

Wouldn't such a thing be incredibly complex, probably requiring an economics degree to do?

And you realize that any system has to be based on a set of assumptions agreeable to a wide range of people?

 

[Vladika]

Wouldn't such a thing be incredibly complex, probably requiring an economics degree to do?

And you realize that any system has to be based on a set of assumptions agreeable to a wide range of people?

Not for simply "game mechanics"; know the gross world product, military budget, and it's apportionment between services, and the exchange rate (off-world military and Trade). A TL9-11 Free Trader could work higher tech worlds and save a bundle doing maintenance on lower tech world shipyards.

TCS handled this reasonably well, as far as it went. What we need is OTU consistency.

 

[rancke]

TCS handled this reasonably well, as far as it went. What we need is OTU consistency.

Only if the consistency included a good deal of leeway for atypical situations.


Hans

 

[Vladika]

Only if the consistency included a good deal of leeway for atypical situations.


Hans

Chaos theory undoubtedly has a theorem for the occasional "Hans' Inverse Verisimilitude Factor"

 

[rancke]

Chaos theory undoubtedly has a theorem for the occasional "Hans' Inverse Verisimilitude Factor"

Two worlds with the same GWP having the exact same budgets is not what I would consider the epitome of verisimilitude.


Hans

 

[Vladika]

Two worlds with the same GWP having the exact same budgets is not what I would consider the epitome of verisimilitude.


Hans

Wouldn't that be easily enough taken care of by using the Traveller Map data and coming up with a simple formula to modify exactly the situation you present?

Economics(Ex) ( C 8 G +2 )
Resources -----─ ┘ │ │ └─ Efficiency
Labor ----------─ ─ ┘ └─ ─ Infrastructure

 

[Kilgs]

Wouldn't such a thing be incredibly complex, probably requiring an economics degree to do?

Only if we required combat veterans/ballistics experts to write combat systems, or starship engineers/architects to create design mechanics ;-)

It's a game. Realism v. handwavium will always be a forum fight. But I think the poster was simply asking for a single system that could be macro/micro'd to cover all economic activity.

I agree though... it's a rather huge concept and undertaking.

 

[dmccoy1693]

Wouldn't such a thing be incredibly complex...

Not really. The mechanics would be pretty simple: if 2d6+modifier (where the modifier would be based on the planet's UWP) is 8+ or greater than the opposed roll, then success. The real challenge would be how to make it its own subgame that people want to play.

I worked on two different location development/economic systems for RPGs (one was the Book of the River Nations, the other was for a different company and never published for budget reasons [ironic, I know]) and I played with Exalted's system. I feel I have a decent grasp of how to make an economic system fun and engaging that shows how to a planet changes over time, how different government policies can affect things on the ground and how interference from other governments or groups can help or hinder the lives of everyday people.

Consider it a long term project that I'm starting on. But it is going to take a while to make sure I get it right.

Edit: What Kilgs said.

 

[flykiller]

but creating a background history for a world is a lot of work (creating history for a group of worlds even more so)

your post counter says 9909 posts. mine is about 2400 or so. we appear to have had plenty of time for the last decade or two.

pagaton has always stuck me as a perfect development opportunity. perhaps as a team project ....

 

[rancke]

your post counter says 9909 posts. mine is about 2400 or so. we appear to have had plenty of time for the last decade or two.

I have been working on it for a couple of decades. That's why I can say with such assurance that it is a lot of work.

Pagaton has always stuck me as a perfect development opportunity.

Yes, Pagaton has a lot of potential. So have half the worlds in the Spinward Marches.

Perhaps as a team project ....

Team projects need a ramrod, a coordinator. And it's bloody hard work being one. Usually they burn out and the projects peter out before completion.

And if you do produce something worthwhile, on your own or as a team, you have to be willing to let others build on your creation or the whole thing is more or less futile. Except for GT:Sword Worlds, which we got paid for, the only bits of mine that I've managed to get into canon was by letting other authors use my ideas.

(It's my opinion that this is no more than fair. If you work with someone else's intellectual property, it ought (IMO) to go without saying that he, and anyone else he authorizes to do legitimate work with that property, ought to be entitled to use your stuff without let or hindrance. Not use your work verbatim, of course, but to base further work on yours.)


Hans

 

[Timerover51]

As long as the planet's population is not too high, and you allow for some adjustment due to tech level, I find that the CIA World Fact Book is quite useful for coming up with economies, although the amount of defense spending probably would be too low for most Traveller players.

 

[flykiller]

And if you do produce something worthwhile, on your own or as a team, you have to be willing to let others build on your creation

well, yeah. that's the whole point, isn't it? for other referees to use it in THEIR games?

assuming anyone plays anymore ....

I have been working on it for a couple of decades.

dude. I mean an outline of all major considerations to be useable in someone else's game, not a canonical gps coordinate for every grain of dirt.

if you did one a year then there should be about twenty or so worlds ready to go.

Yes, Pagaton has a lot of potential.

didn't say potential, said perfect. large up-and-coming non-savage population, 1870's tech level perfectly suited for the introduction of new tech, terran norm, proximate to various high-tech worlds looking for trade, excellent for new markets and trade wars and merc actions and political influencing and back-action on originating worlds. you know. perfect.

 

[rancke]

dude. I mean an outline of all major considerations to be useable in someone else's game, not a canonical gps coordinate for every grain of dirt.

if you did one a year then there should be about twenty or so worlds ready to go.

It's not a full-time job, you know. It's a hobby. I'm detailing the history of the Spinward Marches, and I work a bit on one world, then a bit on another, then on an adventure, than on another adventure. And on top of that, I sometimes go into details that I have no reason to believe would interest enough people to make it worth putting into a writeup.

Here's an example, a library data entry about a dead boring historical character:

Philemon Harris (84 – 164) was a Reginan politician who served as the fifth Mayor of Credo from 136 until 144. Second child of Firstcomer Susannah Harris, he avoided taking sides in the controversy between the Pious and the Irreverent and managed to stay on good terms with the moderates on both sides. When the election of 136 deadlocked, he was put forward as a compromise candidate, despite never having participated in politics, and elected by acclamation.

Harris had no experience in government and floundered quite a bit before finding his balance. He relied heavily on his Legal Councilman, Jeremiah L. Brown, for counsel on policy and strategy. He had no core supporters of his own and lost a number of votes in the council. He was unable to mediate resource allocation disputes between the colonists living near Credo and the outliers in settlements further away, bitter labour disputes in the construction sector, and the major religious discord in the population. Nevertheless, his two terms as Mayor did see a strengthening of the colony finances, considerable progress in exploiting new natural resources, and the settlement of the Llaravi Trade Dispute. He also named Keruma Khamshiir from Ishkis as the colony's first immigrant councilman.

By 144, the Secularists felt strong enough to win an election with an openly Irreverent candidate and wanted Harris to step down. At first their plan to replace him failed when Mala Foster, the prospective replacement, refused to have anything to do with it, but eventually she agreed to run for office if Harris personally asked her to do so. Harris had not wanted the job in the first place, and readily agreed to step down in Foster's favor.

After his retirement from politics, Harris served on Mora as ambassador to the Imperium for a number of years before returning to Regina to work in the energy industry. He died in 164 at the age of 79.

[Duchy of Regina Information Service]​

(From time to time I take a semi-random encyclopedia entry and adapt it to some part of the history I'm working on. Or if I can't fit it in, I make up a new bit of hitherto unknown history and adapt the history to the article.)

Bottom line, I'm not very efficient at writing up Traveller worlds.


Hans

 

[flykiller]

Here's an example, a library data entry about a dead boring historical character:

I see.

 

[Carlobrand]

Duchy of Regina Information Service? DORIS?

 

[rancke]

Duchy of Regina Information Service? DORIS?

Yes indeed. I would have shown you the rather nifty logo I've created, but it seems like I've forgotten how to upload to the Imperial Museum of Art.


Hans

 

[Vargas]

What about them do you feel doesn't make them Traveller to you and what do you feel makes an adventure feel like Traveller?

Having shot from the hip with my original answer, I took some time to consider your questions.

First, when I posted my earlier response I mainly had Tripwire and 750 Patrons in mind. (I realize that the latter is not an adventure per se). The former involves a Star Wars-like supertechnology that strains credulity and the latter lacks any real heft. I reread Secret of the Ancients recently and I enjoyed it much more this time having also recently read a bunch of Banks' Culture novels. On the first read through though it turned me off as being too much fantastic tech and it still feels off. I should probably reread Pirates of Drinax for the sake of completeness.

Second, what feels like Traveller to me is a good question. The "I know it when I see it" answer is clearly not sufficient for your purposes. I guess the "workingman" feel of the Keiths' CT adventures sums it up best although their tendency to go for TL 7 and lower tech doesn't appeal.

 

[dmccoy1693]

...lots of stuff...

I appreciate the detailed answer. Thank you.

 

[Patron Zero]

My only 'complaint' if such is so registered about any Traveller supplements, past-present setting, is the broad brush generally used to paint such vistas.

Sometimes the little details to fill-in the bits of backdrop or roadside scenery along the journey seems to get lost when larger settings are presented.

IMTU, it's been the often overlooked pieces of 'texture' and flavor that make a setting come alive or allow player characters to fully feel immersed in a game rather than floundering about in a generic narrative.

For myself, a few supplements that present the different 'grades' of starports in a format beyond the coded listing that might appear on a chart or in a data bank. Such to include what sort of amenities are present that fall outside of said codex, yes you can get minor repairs done and fuel is available but just how good is the 'port's coffee and what local taboos should be observed is also important.

Not to suggest that the TAS publish a sort of AAA road guide to every port of call but a nice 'directory' compiled by captains and crews whom frequent such would compliment any 'raw' numbers available on said charts.

One other bit, why not a few 'places to visit' sort of supplements to seed adventures with, such could be easily adapted to fit inside most campaigns, speaking more of what I refer to as roadside attractions than anything of significance to a period-specific setting.

I just view starports, dirtside or orbital-deep space, to be have the character and flavor of a contemporary truck-stop or interstate-oasis. Each having a mixture of flaws, delights and just enough familiarity to make it a place for more than just a quick top-off of the tanks and comfort stop. That's the difference from your generic local neighborhood convenience store and a something more grand found out on the open road.