Quote from: GameDaddy;998277I'm looking for a Traveller TNE Lore Master. This video of this Traveller Panel at TravellerCon that I just watched was pretty awesome, and filled me in on many details about the MegaTraveller and later setting Canon, one thing that came up though, that I didn't quite catch, concerened the Zhodani expeditions to the Galactic Core.

I got the part where Marc said the Zhodani had learned from ancient Droyne artifiacts that they needed to go to the Core to find something, but I couldn't make out in the Interview just what they were looking for. Does anyone know what the Zhodani are looking for in the Core, and why they keep sending expeditions, because whatever word they used during the interview made no sense to me (There was alot of noise interference the recording camera microphone was picking up that interferfed with the Interview now and again.)

Also caught the part where Emperor Strephon was on a core expedition himself in order to learn more about the ancients and "The Wave" when the rebellion broke out that brought down the Imperium.

The ancients device showed the Zhodani that there was a human civilization located close to the galactic core, that is the major reason why they are going there.

The Empress Wave is a psionic phenomenon that threatens all of Charted Space.

Quote from: Bren;998284You set a really low bar there.

Not at all. Classic Traveller has great art direction and the illustration of the Van Rijn-type merchant captain is quite atmospheric. I've seen few games that come close.

Quote from: Dumarest;998293Not at all. Classic Traveller has great art direction and the illustration of the Van Rijn-type merchant captain is quite atmospheric. I've seen few games that come close.

You completely missed my point. Better artwork than OD&D is a really low bar.

Quote from: Bren;998297You completely missed my point. Better artwork than OD&D is a really low bar.

Oh, in that case, yes. I misunderstood. Even AD&D was chock full of lousy artwork. Part of its charm, I suppose.

Quote from: Dumarest;998299Oh, in that case, yes. I misunderstood. Even AD&D was chock full of lousy artwork. Part of its charm, I suppose.

Ah yes, AD&D cover art. As a college student I seriously considered a return to junior high school text books for my AD&D manuals.
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Quote from: Willie the Duck;998152While no one would ever call Traveller simple like OSR D&D is simple

Quote from: DavetheLost;9982593LBB Classic Traveller is probably simpler and more elegant than 0D&D.

I would agree about elegant. Traveller includes things like calculating acceleration-flip-deceleration based travel times and a 'build a ship by fitting components into a cost and volume budget' mechanic that to me rules out calling it simple. I certainly like CT, and the CT LBBs are better produced than the OD&D LBBs on technical and communication terms, no contest.

Quote from: Willie the Duck;998412I would agree about elegant. Traveller includes things like calculating acceleration-flip-deceleration based travel times and a 'build a ship by fitting components into a cost and volume budget' mechanic that to me rules out calling it simple. I certainly like CT, and the CT LBBs are better produced than the OD&D LBBs on technical and communication terms, no contest.

The weird thing about that formula is:
a) it is the only formula of its type in the entire three books of the original rules
b) it is often one of the key things people remember from the rules
c) it wasn't really needed

The 1981 edition of the rules has an "Estimated Travel Time" table that makes the entire need for the formula moot. And, weirdly, the outsized importance people place on it for its place in the game made it seem as if the game was some Hard SF genre setting made only for people who work at NASA.

(The outsized importance was probably heightened by the layout. The formula is printed in HUGE letters, with the formula and diagram taking upon a quarter of a page.)

But, the fact is you might never use it. Most play took place on planet (or certainly outside of spaceships). And, again, if you need to get travel times all one has to do is check the Typical Travel Times table. Since the relative position of everything is always in motion in space, the Referee will have to make up the distances in most case... and voila, there you are.

So if there's any inelegance it was in how the formula was presented -- or even its existence. Which is a knock on the game, but I don't see it as a big one. Despite the size of the formula in the text its an incredibly tiny, if even insignificant part of the game.

(If I were doing a retro-clone of Classic Traveller I'd cut it, point out you accelearte to the mid-point of the journey, turn, and decelerate for the second half. And I'd offer the Estimated Travel Time Table. (Probably the one from The Traveller Book, which offers real worlds distances from our solar system.))


As for the ship design rules: Again, you might never use them. There are almost a dozen standard ship designs included in the rules that will keep folks busy for as long as they want. (Again, most play takes place on worlds.)

And, as far as the ship design system goes: I think it is elegant. It lets those who want to design ships in a clear and simplified way. Yes, it's own little game to be played for those who want to puzzle out such things. But that starships could be designed on a piece of scrap paper is kind of amazing. In my view, given the payoff, it is quite elegant.

But these are are, of course, personal views. But I really do think that if that travel/distance formula had never been printed in huge letters (or at all) the perception many people had of those rules would be drastically different.

Including formulas is the second best thing about original Traveller. (The previous experience system is the best thing.)

Quote from: Bren;998491Including formulas is the second best thing about original Traveller. (The previous experience system is the best thing.)

I'd amend that to "including both formulas and tables", but otherwise, I agree:).

Tables are fairly common in RPGs. Math formulas though are not so common. Traveller and DC Heroes being a couple of exceptions.

Quote from: Bren;999531Tables are fairly common in RPGs. Math formulas though are not so common. Traveller and DC Heroes being a couple of exceptions.

Don't forget Villains and Vigilantes' notorious formula for strength and weight and carrying capacity or whatever it was.

Quote from: Dumarest;999537Don't forget Villains and Vigilantes' notorious formula for strength and weight and carrying capacity or whatever it was.

I can't forget because I am completely unfamiliar with V&V.

Quote from: Dumarest;999537Don't forget Villains and Vigilantes' notorious formula for strength and weight and carrying capacity or whatever it was.

Hit points calculation, and God help you if one of your stats changed.....

Quote from: jeff37923;999568Hit points calculation, and God help you if one of your stats changed.....

I could deal with most of that; the thing that made me stop paying V&V was the weird chance-to-hit charts where different powers had odd chances for no apparent reason.