I started in CT. But Mega feels more Travelleresque to me. It's the system I measure all the rest against. (And TNE and Mongoose come up wanting almost every time. T4 is so different that it didn't feel like traveller.)
Comparative Traveller-Topic?
- Thread starter LiamKerrington
- Start date
I started in CT. But Mega feels more Travelleresque to me. It's the system I measure all the rest against. (And TNE and Mongoose come up wanting almost every time. T4 is so different that it didn't feel like traveller.)
Mongoose Traveller is the only edition I was referee in. And the more I play it, the more Traveller-ish it becomes for me. Technically though, Mongoose Traveller to me is Traveller done right (finally!). Simplified, standardized, and system-complete. Then add on Chthonian Stars and Orbital and Traveller Prime Directive as plugins. As well as all the non-Traveller canon books and stuff, since Traveller can be used for generic sci-fi also.
Maybe Traveller 5 will accomplish the same in a few years?
Maybe Traveller 5 will accomplish the same in a few years?
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mbrinkhues
SOC-14 1K
For me the mix I use is
MegaTraveller rules, design system and setting (Hard Times)
TNE character generation and skill lists
I hate "all random" chargen (that's why I dropped Mongoose) and I want a game system that makes "technically oriented" characters interesting to play (another reason to drop Mongoose). TNE's tech system "feels wrong" so it's Mega.
Mongoose has some useful / salvageable books (Sector books, Sector Fleet, Starports etc) but the system is lacking in too many areas (5 design systems, not enough detail to make engineers etc. worth playing)
GT was nice when you dropped the setting but the GURPS system has problems of it's own (complex character generation, incompatible techscale etc) so "tried that, sold GURPS completely)
T20 was a nice setting but I am not into DnDs system. Still, well done/useable
Never liked CT or the CT setting in the Boring Marches, partially due to the fact that the german version was lousy.
MegaTraveller rules, design system and setting (Hard Times)
TNE character generation and skill lists
I hate "all random" chargen (that's why I dropped Mongoose) and I want a game system that makes "technically oriented" characters interesting to play (another reason to drop Mongoose). TNE's tech system "feels wrong" so it's Mega.
Mongoose has some useful / salvageable books (Sector books, Sector Fleet, Starports etc) but the system is lacking in too many areas (5 design systems, not enough detail to make engineers etc. worth playing)
GT was nice when you dropped the setting but the GURPS system has problems of it's own (complex character generation, incompatible techscale etc) so "tried that, sold GURPS completely)
T20 was a nice setting but I am not into DnDs system. Still, well done/useable
Never liked CT or the CT setting in the Boring Marches, partially due to the fact that the german version was lousy.
LiamKerrington
SOC-12
Amazing. I am pretty impressed. Looking at the various reactions to my last question, I conclude that it really boils down to one's personal perspective. I did not expect to receive this variety of answers. This may change, though, of more answers are posted?
Thank you.
All the best!
Liam
Thank you.
All the best!
Liam
Well, you did ask at one of the most diverse Traveller sites on the web!
I mostly agree with this, though I did (as I guess most of us) house rule various aspects of MT. IMHO the lack of role playing in starship combat and the faulty trade system (inherited from Merchant Prince, and maintained in latter versions un pt MgT) where its main weak points.
mbrinkhues
SOC-14 1K
The trade system and the cluncy typ "Trades in Space" element was the one thing we never used/played in Traveller after starting with the system playing "Twilights Sleep" scenario (1)
Nobody likes playing "Business 101" in space so we played Merc, Nobles, Scouts, Spies but never traders
(1) Aka "Twilight Railroad", took the players about 5min to figure out where the end-action must be...
Nobody likes playing "Business 101" in space so we played Merc, Nobles, Scouts, Spies but never traders
(1) Aka "Twilight Railroad", took the players about 5min to figure out where the end-action must be...
Once again, Michael, your hyperbole is dead wrong.
I've had a number of fairly successful campaigns based upon the merchanting business. I've had other games where the players played the board of directors of a subsector corporation.
You might not like it, but some do.
And, please, stop using "everybody" and "nobody"... Traveller's fan base is diverse enough that there will usually be someone who proves you wrong when you do so.
No one in your group, you mean.
LiamKerrington
SOC-12
Yeah, my fault. I simply put out the question after the "traveller feeling". And yet I did not even consider that there might be very different ways of "traveller feeling". My fault ... :nonono:
I think that could be worth a topic of its own, if there aren't such topics already. Will do some research on it ...
All the best!
Liam
If you have one of these on-line, let me know. I've been trying for years to get into a game like that!
I bought the Deluxe Traveller box with the three little black books in 1981, the went and bought many other of the books and games in the following years, so to me the was only one Traveller and that is classic traveller. I didn't have much interest in MT & TNE and didn't even know T20 or TNE2 existed until just a few years ago. That said, I am pretty system agnostic in that I will use whatever I can from other systems, right now my campaign is running mongoose, which most people I talk to say it has a real classic feel to it, which I agree. I also bought the T5 disk and have had a playtest and did some proofreading of, it has a lot of great toolbox systems which I will use. While CT might be the purest expression of Traveller, all iterations are Traveller as well and have something to offer.
Baron
SOC-12
When I ran my group using Traveller (it was CT), we did some merchanting and enjoyed it OK. My own opinion is that it takes a lot of gaming effort to make a profit while following the rules and working as a free trader; my group had a terrible time just paying the bills. So since then I downplay the "paying the bills" functions, although I like the speculative trade just fine. I'm currently re-reading some of Andre Norton's 'Free Trader' books; now there's an example of a *huge* influence on what Marc obviously considered the Traveller feel.
OTOH, after playing Classic Traveller for years, the release of Megatraveller hit me over the head with all its changes; changes that certainly changed the feel of Traveller for us. So we ignored its existence.
So yes, I agree for the most part: "Traveller feel" is very subjective. I would propose a different question, which I find more relevant. The Classic Traveller game was written to emulate a certain style of science fiction. Therefore I would suggest that the decision to pick up a Traveller rules set would depend on your interest in emulating that style of fiction. The question becomes, "Which edition of Traveller (system *and* setting) best emulates that era of science fiction best?" To which I answer (subjectively): Classic Traveller. YGMV.
OTOH, after playing Classic Traveller for years, the release of Megatraveller hit me over the head with all its changes; changes that certainly changed the feel of Traveller for us. So we ignored its existence.
So yes, I agree for the most part: "Traveller feel" is very subjective. I would propose a different question, which I find more relevant. The Classic Traveller game was written to emulate a certain style of science fiction. Therefore I would suggest that the decision to pick up a Traveller rules set would depend on your interest in emulating that style of fiction. The question becomes, "Which edition of Traveller (system *and* setting) best emulates that era of science fiction best?" To which I answer (subjectively): Classic Traveller. YGMV.
LiamKerrington
SOC-12
Mh. I have this forum with the keywords "Traveller feeling", and I am not so much surprised about the many, many topics that covered this as well. And although there have been some few very heated and long debates on the "feel" or "nature" or "core" of Traveller, I guess it is safe to conclude that this - the best concept of the "feeling of Traveller" - is as open to debate and dependent on the invidiual perspective as is the question I raised here.
I think that makes Traveller a wonderful game.
I think that makes Traveller a wonderful game.
mbrinkhues
SOC-14 1K
Figure of speach. But no longer important since this is the last one here, nitpickers I can get in german forums just as well,
Bye, Bye COTI
LiamKerrington
SOC-12
Would you mind explaining this. My English is not half as well, as even I like to believe it is. I don't understand what you have written here.
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LiamKerrington
SOC-12
Mh. Thanks for the explanation.
LiamKerrington
SOC-12
Thank you again..
Now that I understand his (mbrinkhues) posting, I actually couldn't care less, since his personal emotional state has little to do with the questions I raised here.
I really did not understand his last comment; and now I just think: "Oh, well. His choice. Let's move on..."
Or does his behavior resemble a certain "feeling of Traveller"?
And as for nitpicking Germans. All generalizations are stupid.
All the best Liam.
Now that I understand his (mbrinkhues) posting, I actually couldn't care less, since his personal emotional state has little to do with the questions I raised here.
I really did not understand his last comment; and now I just think: "Oh, well. His choice. Let's move on..."
Or does his behavior resemble a certain "feeling of Traveller"?
And as for nitpicking Germans. All generalizations are stupid.
All the best Liam.
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