Traveller with 2 L's (the British Spelling) for Copyright purposes .....

Message:


Agree, Traveller is probably not the right game for outright hacking.

You'd have to strip the bones back so far that you might as well start from scratch.

Apologize for the Ramble ... skip if it bores you ... just organizing my thoughts.

That said:

(1) Rules free on Drive True RPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/355200/classic-traveller-facsimile-edition

(2) The central idea in Traveller is that the Systems are so far apart, they are all isolated. Only by Jump Ships does information / Resources move from system to system. So, every system could be different not only physically but in governance, law, etc. blah blah blah.

Basically, a new "dungeon" for each system.

Characters are anonymous. To become known is to become a target. (Important people are needed for important work.)

(3) Beneath the commerce and varied systems is the hidden power of the Emperor, How does a remote power control 100,000 varied systems with limited communication and reach? Treachery of course. Sure, that system can sell bananas as it chooses or fight regional wars. But, cross the line and the Capital ships show up. Worst, the Imperial Agents. And, they tend to either negotiate once or not at all.

(4) Commerce is an amusing distraction. Sure, sure, alien cantaloupe, and hair growth pills. Make a few credits. Pay the mortgage. But, wouldn't information also be valuable? Moving documents, credit information, new laws, heck even the latest soaps be more valuable than moving nail clippers and plastic crap from the slave planet?

Smuggling would be a way to make big credits. Weapons, (dark) agents of the Imperium, independent agents, spies, alien artifacts (real and false), secrets. That's where the money would be. There would be credits to be had for people who "were never there".

Spirits and Stims would be valuable and less dangerous.

Not to mention a job or two to go bend an arm. It's not worth me sending Rocko there to collect a bet and return him. But, since you are going there anyway.

(5) This is pre-Star Wars so no aliens in a bar scene. There are aliens in the Traveller system (6 major ones) but who can remember them? I sort of remember the lion guys. This was later but, I found that aliens should be ... alien. If I know what kind of hot cakes you prefer, then you are just someone who eats different food than me.

(6) Alien Technology (Devices), Precursors, Progenitors, First Beings, Up-Lifters, Places of ancient secrets, Vaults of Ancient Doom, Dead Space, Null Space, Forbidden Space. Power Cells. And, always .... Bugs. Need I say more?

(7) Doesn't every person once in their life want to strap a laser pistol (or slug thrower) on their hip and hoist the Skull and Cross bones? The pistol AND the sword makes it an interesting game.

(8) Many versions and updates to the game by the serious Traveller community. (Most too serious for me as they are just tweaks to improve survivability.) I like Little Black Book because I'm old and tired.

(9) Traveller Wiki is a great source of ideas: https://wiki.travellerrpg.com/Main_Page

(10) Everyone made too much of "dying" in character generation. It's not that interesting and it's just random. One could easily add that in other RPGs. Generate 2 stats. Roll 3+ on D20 or die. It was more interesting when you add death of character option and find the spies, sleeper agents, cyborgs, alternate life forms, false identities, mistaken identities. (They didn't think like that in the 1970's.)

In short, die in character generation and become an "Agent of the Imperium".

(11) As we found, the character sheet does it all in Traveller. Even with rules as few as a small as a TV Guide (another 70's product), the players didn't read them. There were of that 70's style that was hard to get much from it, but there weren't many rules.

(12) No (Player) Power Suits in Traveller. The armor was more like "Reflect" to reduce laser fire by 2%. You may recall we reduced it down to "Battle Dress" and "Not Battle Dress" and you didn't want to be "Not Battle Dress". Okay, Battle Dress was listed but it wasn't available. Plus, the maintenance would kill you.

(13) As Miller commented on more than one occasion, Social Standing is the most useful stat A high Social Standing means you can get a ship (and a nice meal) at all the best places.

The other stats were helpful when playing in the free-style mode. Because the Universe, even a planet, heck a big building or military complex, is so large that one cannot spec it all. So, the players use their skills to overcome the obstacles. (A sort of "Blades in the Dark" approach before there was a "Blades in the Dark". In BITD, players have the ability to flashback of sorts. "When I was in the control room, I unlocked the back door to the fortress.")

- There must be a ventilation shaft here. I crawl up it ... two dice.
- I got to where the guards eat grub and jump them in the parking lot .... two dice.
- I'm Hergersheimer from Radiology checking dosimeters ... two dice.
- Ninja outfit, jump the back fence, kill guards with swords ... two dice.
- I hack the power grid and bring down the labs power and just walk in during the confustion ... two dice.

(14) There are no murder hobos in Traveller (as written). Combat is brutal. We dialed it down ... because .... murder hobos!!!! Why not? It's a game of hiding behind boxes and changing your shorts frequently. This was the game of the 70's which were tough. It works better if one can take a few shots to keep the game flowing.

The grenades were the big thing and were used to very bad effect.

(15) The animals (most beasts) are reduced to a few key words. Antelope are Grazers. Pumas are Pouncers. There were Chasers, Killers, Trappers. All sounded bad.

(16) Tough Game for 5 players since there's a lot of free-styling. But, the mechanic is pretty simple. 2 dice looking for an 8+ ... high is always good.

(17) According to Miller, adventures always started and ended in a Space Port. It changes the game a bit when story arc is framed like that.

(18) Q&D Tables always worked well in Traveller.

(19) Complaints about the Progression system were two short sighted. Of course, you could improve a stat a little which was helpful. But, more importantly characters gained allies, wealth, knowledge that made the game more interesting.

- Use your Contact in the Imperial Navy to check if they have any information .... two dice.
- Contact the Loan Shark to find out where Finneous McBlaster is hiding ... two dice.
- Rusty McBuster was arrested in a bar brawl. Contact the local constable to release him .... two dice.
- We need to infiltrate the Imperial communication net ... Contact the local hacker for the cipher keys .... two dice.



Yours,