Quote from: stu2000I agree that Mongoose has serious quality control issues, but I'm determined to be optimistic that they will sort them out eventually.

Why?  I mean, how many times has Mongoose fucked up, said they'd fixed the problem that caused the fuckup, and then proceeded to fuck up yet again?  How many strikes do you get before people realize that you're a shitpeddler?

To answer my own question, MRQ was what convinced me that Mongoose has no intention of ever being anything other than a shitpeddler and that it's utterly pointless and self-abusive to ever hope for anything better.

KoOS

If, as appears to be the case, they end up using the T4-like inverted dice pool system they were planning for T5, I would almost prefer the RQ system, as bad a fit as it is.

at least the wretched "half dice" appear to be out

Quote from: RPGPunditSo it REALLY is just another version of traveller.  GURPS is still going to be doing GURPS traveller... any word if T20 will still be around?

Hunter on the CotI boards says there are 3 years remaining on the license for T20 and Gateway, and he plans to continue supporting T20 until then, and possibly using the mongoose license after that. How this is supposed to work, I don't know.

Edit: Looks like I got scooped again. But to clarify, it appears that Gateway will go on, but T20... well, I'm looking for ways to Frankenstein its impending corpse 3 years from now.

Quote from: J ArcaneIf they don't fuck this up, and half-ass it like they did MRQ, this is about the only thing that could redeem that shit factory in my eyes.

I loves the classic Traveller.

I think the split between T5 and a CT-based core, is actualyl a pretty decent way of hedging their bets.  T5 to me seems like much more of a gamble, so sticking with a more traditional core as sort of the "official" version, while making T5 sometihng of a spin-off product, is really the best option.

Definitely, especially considering the sort of product T5 looks like becoming. 350 page core rulebook? 1000 pages of rules and setting on the CD-ROM? Fabulous for the Traveller junkie, but that's going to be daunting to new people. People on The Big Purple have been tossing "Basic Traveller" around as a way of referring to the Mongoose version, and that might be how it ends up being: a "Red Box D&D" rules set to T5's "Advanced D&D" set.

QuoteTraveller was, once upon a time, a big fuckin' deal, and if they put the push behind it, I think it could be a big fuckin' deal again.  It's a damn good game, has that nice blend of generic+implied setting.  It did damn well with that formula in the early days, offering a nice alternate genre to D&D, and I tihnk it could be that again if done right.

Definitely. I also think that Mongoose are one of the few companies out there who can really push Traveller the way that GDW were able to push it in the old days.

QuoteMind you, this is Mongoose we're talking about so, while my excitement is almost forcing me to give them a greater benefit of doubt than I otherwise would, we must still consider that this company has a massive history of shovelware.

I'm ambivalent. On one hand, MRQ is an atrocity - granted, they seem to be making moves towards tidying it up (with the unified core rulebook due out in the near future), but I can't help but feel it's too little too late. On the other hand they've proven in the past that they can handle games with more sensitivity - Paranoia XP was not just excellent and loyal to the original game, but also expanded it and developed it further, and to my mind is actually the best edition of the game ever produced (finally, an edition which accomodates multiple playstyles!).

So, on the scorecard for their reissues they're breaking even, with one black mark and one badge of honour. Hopefully, they'll do well with Traveller - they seem to be working closely with Miller on this, which is a very encouraging sign at least.

it's weird.  i feel that as a big traveller fan, i should be more excited about this.  i am excited, true, but not overwhelmingly so.  i guess it's the fact that the whole shebang is far enough in the future that there'll be plenty of time to succumb to the hype.  what was the schedule?  MWM's T5 in the fall, then MoT in feb. '08?  i guess i'll just say, "neat!" and hit the CotI and mongoose boards a bit more frequently in case of updates.  

but there's too much time to hypothesize on how it'll change.  i'll just keep CT/MT-ing it until then.

still,

Quote from: beeberit's weird.  i feel that as a big traveller fan, i should be more excited about this.  i am excited, true, but not overwhelmingly so. \

Man, what is up with all us Trav junkies?  It's like this left us in a group funk or something...and none of us seem to know precisely why. :deflated:

I hope they give previews along the way... vary vague as to what the rules will be like. I hope closer to CT then T4-5 based on the playtest they had a long time ago...

Sadly we've had to get used to disappointments.  I'm afraid I don't expect much at this point.

Quote from: beebermatt sprange (on the mongoose boards) said that SQ is "off" now that they have the traveller license.

Can anyone else think of why this is actually a good thing?

Quote from: Zachary the First[/quoteMan, what is up with all us Trav junkies? It's like this left us in a group funk or something...and none of us seem to know precisely why.

I think we do know exactly why.

• The Traveller property has had two or three bad mis-starts and dead ends over the last decade and a half.  A lot of fans feel burned and jaded, and rightly so.
  
• Mongoose has a running reputation of handling their games in shoddy fashion, a reputation that seems to be gaining momentum instead of abating, in spite of ample opportunity to learn from their mistakes.  Again, a lot of people feel burned and wary.

I'm tempted to add my own distaste for the way their RQ OGL outrageously fucks over Chaosium's BRP, but my personal feelings start getting in the way, and I don't think that's necessarily universal to the wave of ennui that is overtaking Traveller fans in the wake of this "holy grail" business.

!i!

You know, no matter how this all works out in the end, we'll definitely be seeing some interesting times ahead for Traveller.

Quote from: jeff37923You know, no matter how this all works out in the end, we'll definitely be seeing some interesting times ahead for Traveller.

If nothing else, if it sucks, it might still bring some attention back to the classics, and maybe make some more reprint sales for QLI and FFE.  

In no small part I think the fact that T4 was "Marc Miller's Traveller" makes us all a little wary.  I still hold him responsible for ditching those of us who supported it to the end.  Yeah, while all the bitching and moaning was going on some of us were buying the books and hoping things would improve.  Because in many ways T4 was soooo close.  The things it promised are certainly a template for how things should be put together in many areas.  (Character creation, some parts of combat (armour penetration, damage, initiative), two sets of uwps one for the ref one for the players, a modular starship design system that's compatible with FF&S)

But I suspect the Mongoose angle is a way to get the books on the shelves.  Knowing how much trouble ICE's had getting back into distribution, using an existing company with existing contracts is just about the only way these days.

Something that crossed my mind just now.  Mongoose Traveller is very good thing for all of us.

Why?

Well, for arguement, let's say that it comes out and absolutely sucks ass. Since it will be OGL and TLL, it can be "fixed" to the taste of whoever publishes an addendum to the main rules. Just like how people thought that DnD 3.x is broken and have come out with True20, BFRPG, C&C, et cetera...

I had no thoughts about Mongoose until this day. I do not own any of their products. But I guess, by the RQ example, I can look forward to buying:

1. Traveller core rules (120 pages), $24.95

2. Traveller "Companion" (96 pages--all the great stuff they couldn't fit into the 500-page core book... no, wait) $24.95

3. Milieu Whatever the Hell It'll Be (160 pages) $34.95

4. Fighting Ships of Said Milieu (160 pages) 34.95

Ka-ching.

Honestly, if the rules are finally GOOD, I'd even pay all that. But when Hunter says, a) they're going to be built on T5 (i.e., T4); b) after all, T4 and CT are pretty close anyway (he said that!), then... yeah.