Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2010 7:23:08 GMT -6
Help. I just visited Citizens of the Imperium (a Traveller forum) because I'm thinking of getting back into Traveller (played it years ago, never GMed it) and I can't believe how many different kinds of Traveller are out there. I'm kind of overwhelmed by the place. What's the difference in editions? Which, if any, are compatible with each other? Which one is the "best"?
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Post by Finarvyn on Aug 6, 2010 7:37:48 GMT -6
Well, I'm no expert but I own lots of the different versions. I've mostly played the 1977 boxed set and am not so familiar with all of the others. I think that the folks at CotI have grouped similar versions together on their boards, but I may be wrong on this.
I've arranged things in the order I think they were published, but I'm sure others are more knowledgible than I about this stuff.
A main grouping is: * Classic Traveller - the 1977 black books I play * Mega Traveller - the 2E of the game * The New Era - the 3E of the game * Marc Miller's Traveller - the 4E of the game I think that most of the above versions are similar in mechanics but differ mostly in setting. I have two of the four (CT and the one that looks like BSG dudes on the cover, which may be 3E) but haven't seen the other two, so I can't judge well.
CotI puts GURPS Traveller in the same grouping, but I know it's nothing like the others, mechanic wise. If you've played GURPS you pretty much know what GT is all about.
T20 is the "Traveller d20" game. I've thought about doing an OD&D version of Traveller, and if I ever do that's where I'd probably start.
Mongoose Traveller is the most supported version at the moment. In additon to a couple of hardback rulebooks, they also have a downloadable SRD and some setting books for Hammer's Slammers and Babylon 5. And probably more stuff that I'm not up on.
T5 - The new edition that hasn't been released yet. I don't know anything about it.
If you look at the "store" section of CotI you can find that many of these editions can be bought on CD. If you like PDF versions of games, it seems like a good deal.
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Post by coffee on Aug 7, 2010 0:30:04 GMT -6
Depends on what you're looking for. When I started playing, in the early 80s, there were six rulebooks, numbered 0-5. I was partial to the Scouts, so I was a bit miffed that they were stuck in Book 1, whereas the Army, Marines and Navy all had expanded character creation available. And then when Book 6: Scouts came out, I was even more miffed when I found that most Scouts didn't get anywhere near the automatic Pilot skill. With each additional book, it became more and more broken. You want to just play Traveller? Get the latest version of Classic Traveller, it's called Starter Traveller. No advanced crap, everybody starts out equal. And you can get the complete set in PDF for 12 bucks. Here's the link: www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=80190There's more than enough there to be getting on with, and anything else you need you can either find on the web or make up on your own. Anyway, that's my rant/advice/CR0.02.
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Post by Finarvyn on Aug 7, 2010 5:30:10 GMT -6
You want to just play Traveller? Get the latest version of Classic Traveller, it's called Starter Traveller. No advanced crap, everybody starts out equal. I started out on LBB Traveller in '77 so I have that stuff, and happened to pick up a copy of Starter Traveller in an e-bay auction so I have both. But I've never really compared the two. I've been thinking of dusting off the books for a Traveller campaign and just naturally assumed that I'd use my LBB, but if the two are pretty similar I might consult ST instead. What are the big differences? Would it be fair to say that "Starter Traveller" is to LBB Traveller as "Holmes" is to LBB OD&D?
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Post by James Maliszewski on Aug 7, 2010 8:37:36 GMT -6
Would it be fair to say that "Starter Traveller" is to LBB Traveller as "Holmes" is to LBB OD&D? Not really. Starter Traveller includes everything that was in the LBBs, updating it with new art, organization, and a few bits of errata here and there. I may be mistaken, but I suspect that GDW released Starter in an attempt to make Traveller more closely resemble the other boxed RPGs that were on the market at the time. So, the books are 8.5 x 11 in size, for example, and have (for Traveller anyway) a lot more illustrations. In terms of content, though, they're 99.9% identical to one another.
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Post by Finarvyn on Aug 7, 2010 13:30:33 GMT -6
Content is my #1 priority. I tend to like the original versions of RPGs better than later re-writes, so if the Starter version is pretty much the same as the original that sounds good to me.
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Post by James Maliszewski on Aug 7, 2010 20:38:59 GMT -6
Content is my #1 priority. I tend to like the original versions of RPGs better than later re-writes, so if the Starter version is pretty much the same as the original that sounds good to me. I can't guarantee that it's 100% identical to the LBBs, but its difference, if any, are quite small. I wouldn't call it a new edition of the game so much as a new presentation of them.
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Post by coffee on Aug 7, 2010 21:34:45 GMT -6
Differences in Starter Traveller (to the 1981 edition, not the original 1977 edition):
Drugs are not included.
Experience is not included.
Starship combat is different, using a range band system instead of miniatures.
A few elements of Book 0: An Introduction to Traveller are included, to show how the game is to be played.
And there are a few classic adventures included (Shadows and Mission on Mithril).
So, really, if you don't have players dying to man huge starships, or mercenaries who will go off and cry if they can't have their PGMP-13, then it's pretty much everything you need.
But I'm partisan -- I love this set.
But be warned: If you post questions about this set on Citizens of the Imperium, you'll probably be inundated with Third Imperium canon and Book 5 gearheadery enough to make you sick. (At least, I was.) That's fine for those who like it, but I'm not one of them.
So if you want to discuss stuff without all that, hang around here. We're pretty friendly about such things.
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eris
Level 4 Theurgist
Posts: 161
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Post by eris on Aug 8, 2010 13:28:26 GMT -6
Content is my #1 priority. I tend to like the original versions of RPGs better than later re-writes, so if the Starter version is pretty much the same as the original that sounds good to me. I can't guarantee that it's 100% identical to the LBBs, but its difference, if any, are quite small. I wouldn't call it a new edition of the game so much as a new presentation of them. I have the original LBB's, the slightly modified ones, and Starter (and Deluxe, too for that matter ). They are all about the same. The very first Book 1 had different stats for weapon damage, which I liked better, and (I think some slight differences) in Books 2 and 3...trade routes, random events tables for starship encounters, different (no) experience rules, different drugs and/or rules, but just minor things.
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oldgamergeek
Level 3 Conjurer
I R the dungeon kitty ,save vs catnap
Posts: 71
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Post by oldgamergeek on Sept 25, 2010 16:17:24 GMT -6
My first choice is classic traveller easy to use and can be downloaded cheap.
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Post by makofan on Sept 26, 2010 16:48:25 GMT -6
Citizens of the Imperium is an awesome supplement to CT as it has 12 new character classes
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Post by Finarvyn on Sept 28, 2010 14:33:39 GMT -6
Citizens of the Imperium is an awesome supplement to CT as it has 12 new character classes Is there a sourcebook with that name? I think the OP was talking about the CotI message board and not a book. I haven't seen this book, but 12 new character classes sounds pretty nifty. Think I'll swing by e-bay for a peek.....
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Post by barrataria on Sept 28, 2010 14:39:24 GMT -6
Citizens of the Imperium is an awesome supplement to CT as it has 12 new character classes Is there a sourcebook with that name? I think the OP was talking about the CotI message board and not a book. I haven't seen this book, but 12 new character classes sounds pretty nifty. Think I'll swing by e-bay for a peek..... Yes, a book: Supplement 4. These were codified in MegaTraveller... scientist, pirate, hunter, barbarian, rogue, etc.... rounding out the "other" class in OT.
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Post by coffee on Sept 28, 2010 15:04:50 GMT -6
I haven't seen this book, but 12 new character classes sounds pretty nifty. Think I'll swing by e-bay for a peek..... If they can't help you, let me know. I think I have an extra copy...
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