GypsyComet
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Now what?
So, uh...
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Rigel Stardin
SOC-13
What if someone asks them to do a US Kickstarter to see what this side of the pond's reaction is to their idea? I think many people interested in their product were put off by the exchange rate and hassel that went with it.
There were three big "issues" I could see without doing any digging (and ignoring the digging I have been doing for the moment)...
It was, looking at the rules (and they're still available in draft 1.3), a very playable starter set... one which could use a second boxed set to add the missing components.
Edit to clarify: Points 4 and 5 were minor issues, but issues none the less.
The "failed" editions were not actually failures. But many who don't know the inside scoop perceive them as failures.
T20 was a commercial success, in that it turned a profit; it's an artistic success, in that it still has adherents after over 5 years out of print.
ACT was something that Martin was working on on his own, but it became very publicly known that he was working on it. His intent was to license Traveller once he had it done... but he was unable to get the license due to other market issues. Not his fault. Probably still the single most desired bit of vaporware in Traveller.
- 13-Mann doing stuff for the English market in apparent competition with Mongoose
- The rules were not quite the same as MGT
- Their funding choice was European - The majority of English speakers are in the US and Canada
- The use of MJD - He's very good, but there is controversy over him. Plus he's affiliated with 2 "failed" editions (T20 and ACT)
- Incomplete ruleset (No ship design, no vehicle design, no modifications to the presented designs)
It was, looking at the rules (and they're still available in draft 1.3), a very playable starter set... one which could use a second boxed set to add the missing components.
Edit to clarify: Points 4 and 5 were minor issues, but issues none the less.
The "failed" editions were not actually failures. But many who don't know the inside scoop perceive them as failures.
T20 was a commercial success, in that it turned a profit; it's an artistic success, in that it still has adherents after over 5 years out of print.
ACT was something that Martin was working on on his own, but it became very publicly known that he was working on it. His intent was to license Traveller once he had it done... but he was unable to get the license due to other market issues. Not his fault. Probably still the single most desired bit of vaporware in Traveller.
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mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
1. It was with the full support of MgT.
2. Rule differences were due to a. the author not reading/understanding the MgT core rules thoroughly enough, and b. an attempt to simplify.
3. This was an odd choice.
4. And he was willing to listen to feedback and re-draft.
5. The idea was to move on to the full MgT rules for this stuff.
2. Rule differences were due to a. the author not reading/understanding the MgT core rules thoroughly enough, and b. an attempt to simplify.
3. This was an odd choice.
4. And he was willing to listen to feedback and re-draft.
5. The idea was to move on to the full MgT rules for this stuff.
And it's a shame. It's a great idea.
Oh, and for the record: I liked liftoff from draft 1 on. I like T20. I think Martin's a great author. I dislike certain of his takes on certain canon elements...
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Agreed and agreed. I think he has fallen prey to the misconception of "random rolls for planets should not ever be altered, even where such makes sense" as his take, which still does not make him less of an author (there's a thing in the Gateway book that I'd use to illustrate but here ain't the place).
I would like to know why this was cancelled but looks like that's classified.
Personally I think that MJD has written the best setting information to any Traveller. The 1248 books he wrote and especially the MgT Spinward Marshes chapter of the Third Imperium is the best ever written to Traveller.
It's extremely likely that there will be a starter box for Traveller at some point in the not too distant future. Whether or not that's Liftoff is another matter.
Easterner9504
SOC-13
Quote from RouvenW, 13Mann forums Oct, 2014
"While doing so, we failed to keep an eye on the market and forgot that the audience we intended to build was not there, yet. Prices were too high and Liftoff fell flat on its face."
I see nothing secret or classified here. Unless you claim this is untrue?
Personally, I never saw the need for a starter kit, didn't like very much of what I saw or its space wasting format.
Loved their stats gen and now use it all the time: Roll 11dice +5 and arrange 6 stats. Pretty much eliminates 'Adventurers" with stats of 2 or 3 that made them useless in high stress situations i.e. if stats were St, Dx or IQ when a saving roll needed.
"While doing so, we failed to keep an eye on the market and forgot that the audience we intended to build was not there, yet. Prices were too high and Liftoff fell flat on its face."
I see nothing secret or classified here. Unless you claim this is untrue?
Personally, I never saw the need for a starter kit, didn't like very much of what I saw or its space wasting format.
Loved their stats gen and now use it all the time: Roll 11dice +5 and arrange 6 stats. Pretty much eliminates 'Adventurers" with stats of 2 or 3 that made them useless in high stress situations i.e. if stats were St, Dx or IQ when a saving roll needed.
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