[Add RPG] Traveller

[code-monki]

This RPG is still actively sold and promoted (Yes/No): Yes

Evidence of popularity: https://discord.gg/hvUJEpU

RPG System Name: Traveller

Core Setting: 3rd Imperium, Shattered Imperium

Claim to Fame:

One of the oldest SciFi RPG (only preceded by Metamorphosis Alpha) Rich life paths

Core Mechanic:

1d6/2d6/3d6

Core PDFs: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/150646/t5-traveller5-core-rules-3-book-set

System Reference Document: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/355200/classic-traveller-facsimile-edition

Most Famous Property:

Firefly (inspired by Traveller campaigns according to Joss Whedon)

Amount of Crunch:

Can vary from rules-light to very crunchy depending on what the GM wants to do.

Owner:

Far Future Enterprises (Marc Miller)

Timeline:

Orig. Ed. 1977 Latest Ed. 2006 (last update 2019) 3rd Imperium / Fifth Frontier War are / Shattered Imperium are the most popular although most GMs create their own settings (IMTU - In My Traveller Universe)

Gameplay:

Depends on the GM. All of the example tags listed (action bite-sized, cinematic, dark, deadly, drama, fast-paced, gritty, heist, humor, literary, pulpy, tactical, toolkit) are applicable.

NOTES:

See Traveller Community Portal for other publishers.

[isaaclyman]

Thanks for the submission.

"Depends on the GM" isn't helpful here. If someone is considering a bunch of different RPGs, what tags would help them distinguish Traveller from the other options?

How crunchy is it if you play RAW, without skipping or ignoring any rules?

ETA: It looks like the association between Traveller and Firefly is mostly speculation, and not actually confirmed by Whedon.

[code-monki]

Traveller is definitely one of the OG RPGs, especially for Science Fiction. The original rules would be considered rules light (original 3 booklets), and I’ve played in games/campaigns where they were adapted to just about any genre you can think of, e.g., SciFi, Horror, Westerns, Modern, etc. That’s why the original rules are hard to pin down. It’s “primarily” a relatively fast-moving SciFi game if you stick with the original ruleset (think Firefly).

The crunch/complexity is harder to quantify because it varies depending on the edition of Traveller. The original ruleset had several supplements that added more degrees of crunch although the basic d6 mechanic stayed in place. MegaTraveller added more complexity, as did Traveller: The New Era, Marc Miller’s Traveller (often referred to as T4), and Traveller 5. I’ve always viewed the rules as a toolkit for crafting whatever story I wanted but there are “official” settings in the 3rd Imperium in various eras.

I’ll also mention that very few GMs I know use all of the rules, and the more common approach is to have “house rules” that apply to the particular gaming group.

Not sure if this answers your question though.

On Mar 21, 2024, at 2:56 PM, Isaac Lyman @.***> wrote:

Thanks for the submission.

"Depends on the GM" isn't helpful here. If someone is considering a bunch of different RPGs, what tags would help them distinguish Traveller from the other options?

How crunchy is it if you play RAW, without skipping or ignoring any rules?

— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHubhttps://github.com/isaaclyman/ttrpg-guide/issues/4#issuecomment-2013563453, or unsubscribehttps://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ATOCZEYINYC6ATV24JAHQQTYZM3OHAVCNFSM6AAAAABFCDI5SOVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDAMJTGU3DGNBVGM. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: @.***>

[isaaclyman]

Added.

Each system gets one row in a table, so everything has to have a hard-and-fast answer, even though all RPGs vary depending on how you run them. Reddit threads indicate it's a little crunchier than Stars Without Number, which I've got listed as "medium crunch," so Traveller is getting "medium-high."

[code-monki]

Cool!

On Mar 21, 2024, at 3:22 PM, Isaac Lyman @.***> wrote:

Added.

Each system gets one row in a table, so everything has to have a hard-and-fast answer, even though all RPGs vary depending on how you run them. Reddit threads indicate it's a little crunchier than Stars Without Number, which I've got listed as "medium crunch," so Traveller is getting "medium-high."

— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHubhttps://github.com/isaaclyman/ttrpg-guide/issues/4#issuecomment-2013657411, or unsubscribehttps://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ATOCZE2Q5FFU2G4L4ZIMHTLYZM6PNAVCNFSM6AAAAABFCDI5SOVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDAMJTGY2TONBRGE. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: @.***>