Where to start

[lordmalachdrim]

Ok, I know this has probably come up before, but I'm currious. What with all the history and different time periods, and different systems that have existed. Where should one start when teaching new people, or where should a new person start for that matter. I mean with Fading Suns there's the jounals from the guy in the setting and there's a quick primer that works nicely to give peoeple a good idea of what the setting is like. Games that don't have that sort of thing are usually easy to sum up fairly quickly, or can be figured out (enough to give a decenct grasp of the setting) by just reading though the main book.

 

[Malenfant]

I'd say figure out what setting you want to play in/run games in and what rules system you want to use. Pimp that to potential players and don't even mention the other versions of the game.

Then just start them off small. You don't need to tell them everything about the setting right at the start - just have them make appropriate characters (e.g. if your adventure is about scouting, then have them make characters that can survive on the frontier, or if it's about life on a Far Trader then have them make merchants, techs, passengers etc). Then just introduce the setting from there as they travel, piece by piece.

 

[Malenfant]

Y'know, I'm worried that all future Traveller campaigns will look like Firefly... that's not the be all and end all of all things Traveller y'know . Though I would second the motion to go see it

.

Asimov's Foundation books (not the sequels written by other authors) give a good impression of how the Imperium works, if it's still around in your game. In fact, that's good reading for the post-collapse eras too.

 

[lordmalachdrim]

Love Firefly, and can't wait for the movie. As for system I'm thinking right now about coverting over to D6 System by West End Games.

 

[kafka47]

Traveller has to be concieved as an onion. Many different layers of complexity as you progress in your understanding of Traveller then the referee can introduce a new engima and new twists.

For instance, my Traveller universe began its life akin to Imperial Earth by Clarke before moving on to a full blown Asimov type campaign then evolving into a Dune like universe very much inspired by Fading Suns. No doubt, if the players and I get together this year, we might take the campaign out to the Wilds of Gateway where I think a Flyfly campaign will do very well.

The secret to the Traveller universe is to begin small and something that all players can identify with. This forms their background then gradually expose them to the larger universe. Concepts like Imperium would be akin to speaking to the average citizen about concepts of World Order...unless you move in the field of diplomats...the World Order means little except as a phrase. Then as you develop you will see the complexity arises from simplicity like fractals. Build the universe that your players would like to inhabit and they will stay.

 

[aramis]

MTU is kind of a hybrid between the Sten series and Vorkosiverse, with traveller technology, and a dash of Anne McCaffrey's FSP setting (shared amongst several series)

Sten, Alan Cole & Chris Bunch. 7 sequels
The Warrior's Apprentice, Lois Bujold many sequels, with more to come.
Star Risk, Ltd, Chris Cole, at least one sequel.
Phules Company, (don't remember who wrote it), at least three sequels.

My initial campaigns were essentially adaptations of the FSP setting, including forgotten colonies and brainships.

Pern was in Reft. I had players land there, and open up he universe to dragons.

Then I started reading Sten, and i gave my imperium some TEETH... but I never used the Willigun in my games.

The Vorkosiverse game me more ideas which I stole liberally. It's probably closer to my original MTU than its inspiration...

Phules added a number of wonderful twists, but for the most part, added characters...

My players also shaped MTU.

So pick one that provides a close feel, then explain the differences, and then work small...

And, never having seen Firefly, I can't recommend either way on it.

 

[jasper]

are talking about a campaign source book similar to greyhawk or Forgetten Realms?
Or some source articles?
Or as noted some scific books.