Original D&D Discussion - Traveller as a Universal Game System

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May 25, 2013, 4:07am

Original D&D Discussion :: Science Fiction :: Traveller (1977) :: Traveller as a Universal Game System

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Wothbora
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Traveller as a Universal Game System
« Thread Started on Jun 24, 2008, 2:13pm »

Just checking in... I haven't posted since April (but have been reading daily and keeping up with the group). I've played OD&D with my son several times, but caught the "Traveller Fever" after buying the PDF's of the first 3 Little Black Books.

As much as I like OD&D I am finding that Classic Traveller is something equally as great. I've discovered that Classic Traveller (CT from here on out) really packs a punch and is an elegant little system that really works (and is also great for homebrewing). I can mix and match Technology Levels without creating an unbalanced system of resolution and also use the statistical aspect of characters for saving rolls with a bit of modification (subtracting Stats from the F base [F being the equivalent of 15 using the Base 16 method of numbering] and trying to roll over the result with Damage Modifiers.

I recently ran a Cthuhlu World War II one-shot with my son. It worked better than CoC or BRP and was less intrusive of a system than just about anything I've run (except OD&D). Oh, and the horror in my son's eleven year old eyes when he discovered the child that the Nazi's had locked away in a monastery was really a horrid tentacled beast that could only be killed by the self sacrifice by one of the NPCs who he'd really grown to depend upon. Honestly, probably one of the best one-shots we've had together.

I haven't really gotten into the Sci-Fi apsect of CT as much as using it as a mechanism to run modern, 1700's and mixed technology settings. Long story short, I am finding that I am turning to using CT for one-shots with my son and using OD&D for our campaigns.

That being, I am working on using various SRD's and awaiting the upcoming Mongoose Traveller SRD to create a Gritty Medieval Setting (sorry, no magic). I'll post a link on this thread once I'm "legal" with using only SRD's and not inserting anything that'd be considered a violation of copyright. I'm not developing a Magic System with what I'm working on, but the whole thing will be OGL so you'll be able to modify it and use it however you see fit (heck, you can even package and sell what you make when your done with OGL). I am including ancient guns, cannons and such so it'll be more realistic (and yes, life is cheap as there aren't character "levels" and character's depends more on CON or Endurance Stats for HP's).

Character creation is similar to CT and "older and more mature" characters are created with backgrounds. For those who like more control there is a "Buy" system of acquiring skills, and even an option for "pick-n-choose." Still, a lot of this aspect must wait until the final Mongoose Traveller SRD is released and depends on what makes the SRD and what doesn't.. Although it includes "Classes" of a sort, it still is more skill based like CT was.

It's a Skill Based System so it won't be everyone's thing, but still, it'll be a freebie that you can add to your PDF collection (once the SRD's finalize and my project is finished). Oh yeah, it is entirely 2d6 (except for damage when variations of d6's come into play).

Ha, like anyone who's read my posts would have to ask if it is 2d6 or not...