GURPS Traveller Classic? Starting Point 4th Edition?

Nedorus · 06-18-2023, 09:10 AM

Having just finished a long-running fantasy campaign I'm looking for a new setting for my players to enjoy. Was looking at a space-oriented SiFi setting. Stars Without Numbers sounds like there is lots and lots of opportunity for adventure, so does Traveller. The latter having the BIG advantage of a GURPS version being available.

Before I dive into it too deeply I have some questions.

The GURPS Traveller Classic is 3rd Edition GURPS. How much does that matter? How easy is it to convert stuff and how much stats are actually in there?
What about the other sourcebooks? How much "stat-conversion" would be necessary for them?
I'm looking at GURPS Traveller: Interstellar Wars, which is GURPS 4th Edition. Is this the recommended starting point for a first-time Traveller GM playing 4th ed? Would you recommend getting the 'Classic' as well?
I found GURPS Traveller: Psionics Institutes (also 4th Edition) and would be greatly interested in including Psionics from the start. Would you recommend to use this or rather rely on Psionic Powers for a starter? Are these two compatible?
Do you have any other recommended books/reads (incl. but not limited to novels) to get thematically deeper into the Traveller universe?

P.S.: I'm aware of the GURPS Update 4e document and have used it in the past to update some of my old 3rd edition stuff (mostly GURPS Classic: Bestiary). But it can still be a bit daunting when facing an entire sourcebook

thrash · 06-18-2023, 04:25 PM

The answer depends a lot on whether you want to use the Official Traveller Universe setting, especially the Third Imperium period.

GURPS Traveller: Interstellar Wars is probably the best single-volume Traveller sourcebook for GURPS -- so long as you aren't trying to leverage all the material that's available for the Third Imperium setting. It works well for the titular Interstellar Wars era and for the Long Night (the interregnum between the Second and Third Imperia in canon), which is arguably the implied setting of the original three little black books. It is missing significant items of higher technology (particularly naval) that exist in the Third Imperium, however. You would have to decide on your own how to deal with these if they ever came up in your adventures.

GURPS Traveller Classic was specifically designed to bring Classic (pre-1987) Traveller to GURPS. It suffers somewhat from emphasizing the "GURPS" part over the "Traveller" part,* leading to some awkward conversions (planetary stats are the most noticeable) from the original source material. It is entirely possible to play GURPS Traveller with just the GT core book and a copy of GURPS Lite for 3rd Edition (and I have done so), but obviously the draw is all the specialized sourcebooks for various campaign types and settings. If you want to go this route, pick one book at a time and add more only as needed.

Psionics is one of the subjects that suffered the worst from translation between classic Traveller and GURPS. My advice is to pick a system that seems right to you and stick with it, ignoring anything that doesn't fit. Traveller psionics is characterized by the prejudice of non-psionics; this element has been present (mostly for game-balance reasons) since the very first edition, before the Third Imperium was conceived. Whatever system you pick, use of psionics should be shameful at best and entirely secret most of the time, for fear of provoking a (possibly lethal) backlash.

If you want to soak up the Traveller "feel," you can't go wrong with reading the original game itself. The Traveller Book was a mostly all-in-one-volume compilation. For novels, there are some common lists: Deciphering the Text Foundations of Traveller is more useful, in my opinion, than The Science Fiction in Traveller. Many of the most flavorful stories, particularly by Andre Norton and H. Beam Piper, are available for free from Project Gutenberg; others, from the Baen Free Library.

*This was before the advent of the "Powered by GURPS" concept, and the problems in translation may have led to its creation.

Nedorus · 06-19-2023, 01:55 PM

Thanks a million for the elaborate answer.

Today I bought:

GURPS Traveller Classic
GURPS Traveller: Interstellar Wars
GURPS Traveller: Psionics Institutes
GURPS Traveller: Flare Star

I think this should get me started...and should keep me busy for a while.

I got the Flare Star adventure / campaign to get some feel for possible adventures and to 'test' the setting with my players. I see the number of stats I will need to convert to 4th edition is minimal (only three animals).

pzmcgwire · 06-25-2023, 10:41 AM

I thought the deliberate omission of the UWP codes for planetary stats in favor of the more longish text description of each world's characteristics was a real step backward in GURPS Traveller.

Of course maybe it added to the word count for authors. :)

DangerousThing · 07-02-2023, 11:53 AM

Hi,

I'm finishing prepping for a game based on GURPS Traveller. I've been using these books for years while playing 4e.

Aside: You can get the GURPS pdf from farfuture.net. All of the GURPS Traveller is available on two cds for a total of $70 (add $35 if you want the SJ JTAS). You might even get a chance to communicate with Marc.

I am grateful for Interstellar Wars because they had templates compatible with 4e.

I will be starting a game in GURPS in Traveller's (Third Im-perium, 1105) setting using a lot from Mailanka's psi-wars. Sort of Traveller + Light Sabers.

This game will be online, but I've never run an online game except play-by-post. If my players want me to go with another system, I'll consider it.

Nedorus · 07-10-2023, 12:55 AM

This is a bit off-topic for this thread...

I started playing online A LOT with the pandemic cutting access to playing locally. Since then I've found the number of available players to be quite refreshing (^_^).

I went through a number of VTTs to finally arrive at the Foundry VTT and the GURPS system-module there ... It's now my favorite and I highly recommend it. Chris 'Nose' Norman (and collaborators) do a fantastic job in keeping it up to date implementing extensions and tools for improving the overall GURPS experience.
Also I use GCS (by Richard A. Wilkes) which is an indispensable gaming aid for any GURPS GM imho. Also highly recommended for any GM who wants to stay on top of things in an online gaming group.
Both tools integrate nicely with each other! Make sure to give them a try when you start the online group.

My group recently decided to rather play in the Iron Kingdoms, so no Traveller for me ... for now (^_~)

06-18-2023, 09:10 AM	#1
Nedorus Join Date: May 2021	GURPS Traveller Classic? Starting Point 4th Edition? Having just finished a long-running fantasy campaign I'm looking for a new setting for my players to enjoy. Was looking at a space-oriented SiFi setting. Stars Without Numbers sounds like there is lots and lots of opportunity for adventure, so does *Traveller*. The latter having the BIG advantage of a GURPS version being available. Before I dive into it too deeply I have some questions. The GURPS Traveller Classic is 3rd Edition GURPS. How much does that matter? How easy is it to convert stuff and how much stats are actually in there? What about the other sourcebooks? How much "stat-conversion" would be necessary for them? I'm looking at GURPS Traveller: Interstellar Wars, which is GURPS 4th Edition. Is this the recommended starting point for a first-time Traveller GM playing 4th ed? Would you recommend getting the 'Classic' as well? I found GURPS Traveller: Psionics Institutes (also 4th Edition) and would be greatly interested in including Psionics from the start. Would you recommend to use this or rather rely on Psionic Powers for a starter? Are these two compatible? Do you have any other recommended books/reads (incl. but not limited to novels) to get thematically deeper into the Traveller universe? P.S.: I'm aware of the GURPS Update 4e document and have used it in the past to update some of my old 3rd edition stuff (mostly GURPS Classic: Bestiary). But it can still be a bit daunting when facing an entire sourcebook

06-18-2023, 04:25 PM	#2
thrash Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: traveller	Re: GURPS Traveller Classic? Starting Point 4th Edition? The answer depends a lot on whether you want to use the Official Traveller Universe setting, especially the Third Imperium period. GURPS Traveller: Interstellar Wars is probably the best single-volume Traveller sourcebook for GURPS -- so long as you aren't trying to leverage all the material that's available for the Third Imperium setting. It works well for the titular Interstellar Wars era and for the Long Night (the interregnum between the Second and Third Imperia in canon), which is arguably the implied setting of the original three little black books. It is missing significant items of higher technology (particularly naval) that exist in the Third Imperium, however. You would have to decide on your own how to deal with these if they ever came up in your adventures. GURPS Traveller Classic was specifically designed to bring Classic (pre-1987) Traveller to GURPS. It suffers somewhat from emphasizing the "GURPS" part over the "Traveller" part,* leading to some awkward conversions (planetary stats are the most noticeable) from the original source material. It is entirely possible to play GURPS Traveller with just the GT core book and a copy of GURPS Lite for 3rd Edition (and I have done so), but obviously the draw is all the specialized sourcebooks for various campaign types and settings. If you want to go this route, pick one book at a time and add more only as needed. Psionics is one of the subjects that suffered the worst from translation between classic Traveller and GURPS. My advice is to pick a system that seems right to you and stick with it, ignoring anything that doesn't fit. Traveller psionics is characterized by the prejudice of non-psionics; this element has been present (mostly for game-balance reasons) since the very first edition, before the Third Imperium was conceived. Whatever system you pick, use of psionics should be shameful at best and entirely secret most of the time, for fear of provoking a (possibly lethal) backlash. If you want to soak up the Traveller "feel," you can't go wrong with reading the original game itself. The Traveller Book was a mostly all-in-one-volume compilation. For novels, there are some common lists: Deciphering the Text Foundations of Traveller is more useful, in my opinion, than The Science Fiction in Traveller. Many of the most flavorful stories, particularly by Andre Norton and H. Beam Piper, are available for free from Project Gutenberg; others, from the Baen Free Library. *This was before the advent of the "Powered by GURPS" concept, and the problems in translation may have led to its creation.

06-19-2023, 01:55 PM	#3
Nedorus Join Date: May 2021	Re: GURPS Traveller Classic? Starting Point 4th Edition? Thanks a million for the elaborate answer. Today I bought: GURPS Traveller Classic GURPS Traveller: Interstellar Wars GURPS Traveller: Psionics Institutes GURPS Traveller: Flare Star I think this should get me started...and should keep me busy for a while. I got the Flare Star adventure / campaign to get some feel for possible adventures and to 'test' the setting with my players. I see the number of stats I will need to convert to 4th edition is minimal (only three animals).

06-25-2023, 10:41 AM	#4
pzmcgwire Join Date: May 2018	Re: GURPS Traveller Classic? Starting Point 4th Edition? I thought the deliberate omission of the UWP codes for planetary stats in favor of the more longish text description of each world's characteristics was a real step backward in GURPS Traveller. Of course maybe it added to the word count for authors. :)

07-02-2023, 11:53 AM	#5
DangerousThing Join Date: Mar 2013	Re: GURPS Traveller Classic? Starting Point 4th Edition? Hi, I'm finishing prepping for a game based on GURPS Traveller. I've been using these books for years while playing 4e. Aside: You can get the GURPS pdf from farfuture.net. All of the GURPS Traveller is available on two cds for a total of $70 (add $35 if you want the SJ JTAS). You might even get a chance to communicate with Marc. I am grateful for Interstellar Wars because they had templates compatible with 4e. I will be starting a game in GURPS in Traveller's (Third Im-perium, 1105) setting using a lot from Mailanka's psi-wars. Sort of Traveller + Light Sabers. This game will be online, but I've never run an online game except play-by-post. If my players want me to go with another system, I'll consider it. __________________ A little learning is a dangerous thing. Warning: Invertebrate Punnster - Spinelessly Unable to Resist a Pun Dangerous Thoughts, my blog about GURPS and life.

07-10-2023, 12:55 AM	#6
Nedorus Join Date: May 2021	Re: GURPS Traveller Classic? Starting Point 4th Edition? This is a bit off-topic for this thread... I started playing online A LOT with the pandemic cutting access to playing locally. Since then I've found the number of available players to be quite refreshing (^_^). I went through a number of VTTs to finally arrive at the Foundry VTT and the GURPS system-module there ... It's now my favorite and I highly recommend it. Chris 'Nose' Norman (and collaborators) do a fantastic job in keeping it up to date implementing extensions and tools for improving the overall GURPS experience. Also I use GCS (by Richard A. Wilkes) which is an indispensable gaming aid for any GURPS GM imho. Also highly recommended for any GM who wants to stay on top of things in an online gaming group. Both tools integrate nicely with each other! Make sure to give them a try when you start the online group. My group recently decided to rather play in the Iron Kingdoms, so no Traveller for me ... for now (^_~)