Is Traveller Dead?

[GameBuddah]

Friends, I started playing Traveller since 1979/80 and recently bought into the Traveller 5 Kickstarter. However, I'm concerned that the official timeline ended with TNE, that the system is dead. One of the things I loved best about Traveller in the GDW days was the updates in each issue of Challenge or JTAS, it was like the Third Imperium was a real place, with real news, unfolding in real time. I miss that.

It's a shame that there isn't a Traveller's News Service Twitter feed unfolding news in the Regency and the Reformation Coalition states. You could also have twitter feeds from each of the milieus.

[GameBuddah]

Originally Posted by GameBuddah

It's a shame that there isn't a Traveller's News Service Twitter feed

Sorry, official, canonical twitter feed.

[copeab]

Originally Posted by GameBuddah

Friends, I started playing Traveller since 1979/80 and recently bought into the Traveller 5 Kickstarter. However, I'm concerned that the official timeline ended with TNE, that the system is dead. One of the things I loved best about Traveller in the GDW days was the updates in each issue of Challenge or JTAS, it was like the Third Imperium was a real place, with real news, unfolding in real time. I miss that.

Thing is, I didn't use the 3I setting for my Traveller campaigns*, so I normally ignored the news feed. Personally, it felt to me like the development of the 3I though the 80's ran counter to the feel of the boxed LBB set and early adventures - the characters were on the frontier of an empire that rarely had a direct bearing on adventures and the PCs could make a difference. By the time of MT, PCs were mostly impotent to affect change and the frontier was gone, replaced by an ever-present Imperium. TNE tried to set things back, but GDW's problems kept this from being fully realized.

I miss the days when the Imperium was just foggy background.

* I used the 3I for a PBM (no, not PBeM) about 15 years ago.

[Drifter]

I'm glad the Imperium isn't a foggy background, personally.

I think a SF setting needs to be defined. Otherwise the default assumption by players leads to transporters, light sabers and evil robots. The GM can come up with his or her own setting, but frankly it probably won't be very good beyond a few gaming sessions (unless you are a modern Heinlein or Asimov). Even at that you have to explain basic assumption from scratch, a chore in itself, even if it is a lot of fun to write up.

Traveller has a LOT going for it in the setting department. Its close, but not too close, to default SF mass media ideal of 'the future'. A majority of basic Third Imperium assumptions are pretty good. Sure, some are really wonky, Ewok flavored, nonsense, but Heinlein/Asimov didn't write all the setting material.

All that said, I would love to see a return of a live Traveller News Service. Or better yet, some sort of news service for the Interstellar Wars. Confederation News Service (CNS) or Free Traders Update (FTAU) giving useful "market" condition reports.

The GT setting does feel less alive than it did when TNS was updated.

[copeab]

Originally Posted by Drifter

I think a SF setting needs to be defined. Otherwise the default assumption by players leads to transporters, light sabers and evil robots.

Ah, but Traveller had tech assumptions that could be decoupled from the 3I. It was not a problem running 'pocket empires' campaigns using the same technology.

[Drifter]

Can't argue that point, sir :)

In my mind, at least, the tech assumptions of Traveller (shotguns and starship) are pretty well linked with the 3I setting. Then again, being a big Firefly fan, its not that big a leap for that sort of setting. G:T-IW falls into that, as does a nice Pocket Empires (which I've always dearly wanted to be in).

[Earther]

Originally Posted by GameBuddah

I'm concerned that the official timeline ended with TNE, that the system is dead.

When the official Traveller 5 is released, what will you think about the timeline then? I had the JTAS magazines, but never followed the news service at all.

[GameBuddah]

When T5 comes out, I'll be worried that it's a one-off vanity project with a setting that's stuck in the past.

I personally liked the Shattered Imperium, hated the virus (I told Frank Chadwick over dinner one night at the GAMA tradeshow this), but liked the Reformation Coalition.

I don't want the Traveller version of Enterprise, I want TNG.

[Anaraxes]

Isn't GT:IW the Traveller version of Enterprise? Set before the original setting, somewhat more primitive tech, earlier contact with at least some old friends -- though it's on the other end of the 3I for the Vargr and Zhos.

The TNG version would require projecting into the future of the 3I somewhat further. Presumably, a Rebellion- and Virus-free future, so as to match becoming more advanced (and humane and philosophical and such). Perhaps the 3I merges with the Consulate; taking the kinder, gentler, view of the Zhos means you can claim various psychological and sociological improvements, plus you get some past prejudice you can look at and say "yes, but we're beyond all that now" when Q puts you on trial. Bump them up a couple of tech levels... though that's tricky since anything beyond 15 rapidly turned into "magic".

[nik1979]

Re: Is Traveller Dead?

Long live Traveller!