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10:42, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Traveler: Where do you begin?

Posted by gladiusdei
gladiusdei
member, 644 posts
Sat 24 Feb 2018
at 08:04
  • msg #1

Traveler: Where do you begin?

I was looking for a good space sci-fi game to try to learn recently, and was aimed at traveler.  But where do you even begin?  It seems like there are a lot of versions, over mongoose, GURPS, and classic, as well as editions.  What is most commonly played?  What is the best?
evileeyore
member, 73 posts
GURPS GM and Player
Sat 24 Feb 2018
at 18:15
  • msg #2

Traveler: Where do you begin?

The best is GURPS.  As for most commonly played?  I have no idea...

Another decent sci-fi space game is Diaspora:  http://www.vsca.ca/Diaspora/diaspora-srd.html
icosahedron152
member, 848 posts
Sat 24 Feb 2018
at 18:21
  • msg #3

Traveler: Where do you begin?

Hi Gladiusdei, I've been playing and GMing Traveller since it first hit the shelves.

Looks like you've already begun. The first step is to decide which of the many versions you want to play. The good news with Traveller is that every version is still available, so you have a free choice.

Ask any Traveller player and they'll suggest a different version. Usually the one they started with. I started with Classic, and that's my favourite. It's simple and straightforward. It also meshes with most of the others (since they were all derived from it) so if you are into rule-mining from several versions, it's easy.

Megatraveller and The New Era suffered from rule bloat IMO, but if you're into having a rule for everything, they may suit you.

Traveller 4 was a re-vamp of Classic, and Mongoose was an update of Classic. The current go-to is Mongoose 2Ed, which I haven't read. I have limited experience of Traveller on Rpol, but my impression is that the most popular versions here are Classic and Mongoose.

Ask questions here or Rmail me, where I can put you in touch with further help that I'm not allowed to give here.
Aslanii76
member, 157 posts
Sat 3 Mar 2018
at 00:40
  • msg #4

Traveler: Where do you begin?

Classic has my vote.  You can buy the CDROM from Far Future Enterprise and get everything in one swoop.
bonni56
member, 21 posts
Sat 3 Mar 2018
at 00:59
  • msg #5

Traveler: Where do you begin?

I love Mongoose and recently my group switched to Mongoose Traveller 2nd edition.
horus
member, 419 posts
Wayfarer of the
Western Wastes
Sat 3 Mar 2018
at 03:40
  • msg #6

Traveler: Where do you begin?

In this age of information, choosing a Traveller system should not be based on what anyone else thinks is popular or trendy.

Are you intending to play Traveller here on RPoL?  If so, look at Traveller Plus for character creation - it's a free fan-created work which was created specifically for online play-by-post use.  It's character creation system is based on build points (character points) instead of rolling dice to simulate a career path.

It should be noted that Traveller Plus was created as an adjunct to Classic Traveller, but should also be adaptable to any other Traveller system that uses Characteristics ranged from 1 to 15.

While, as already pointed out, MegaTraveller is a big system, it also includes background and resource materials that make for a richer game if you are playing in the Official Traveller Universe (OTU).  Having it in digital format, I find it to be very useful just for the source material.

There are lots of Traveller-related resources on the web, too, including zoomable maps of the OTU, and so much more it could be the source of a whole separate article.

Dig in!
Aslanii76
member, 158 posts
Sun 4 Mar 2018
at 01:42
  • msg #7

Traveler: Where do you begin?

I also have the MT basic 3 books, Mongoose 1 pocket rulebook, and Gurps Traveller book.  I believe I have Traveller Plus too.
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