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From: lkh <lkh@dwalin.uucp>
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Mongoose Traveller or Cepheus Engine
Date: Fri, 21 Jun 2024 16:23:03 +0200 (CEST)
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Kyonshi <gmkeros@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 6/20/2024 10:07 PM, Alex Schroeder wrote:
>> People click on generators until they get a character they like, I fear.

Which seems o.k. if you'd need a quick replacement character, I guess.
But your also missing an interesting part of the game. The betting 
game, trying to advance your character as much as possible, or
as much as you like, before the game starts.

>> I started thinking about a short Traveller replacement based on
>> conversations with Frotz. I never had any concrete plans and so it never
>> went anywhere.
>> 
>> https://alexschroeder.ch/pdfs/Halbardier.pdf

There's one thing about Traveller: it's a complete game. Much more so
than OD&D. For me there seems hardly any need to fiddle around, find
my preferred initiative rule or whatever. You can just take the little
three booklets and confidently start playing. It'll work without
any house rules needed.

> Yeah, I have to say the character generation system really is one of the 
> best parts of Mongoose Traveller, as it gives you a fully-fledged 
> backstory. It's not quite OSR though, as it involves too much investment 
> into the character at the beginning.

So since I've run MgT1, CT and T5, and played CT, I think MgT and T5
*seem* to offer more options and interesting life path events. But
don't they actually give you more limitations? Which no doubt help
in making up our minds? CT hardly gives you any rails to orient
yourself. To my mind, that's a feature. Especially the "Others" 
carrer leaves wide room for interpretation.

That's a general thing about rpg rules I feel: The more advanced an
an edition is (by name, by number and year of publishing) the more
specific it gets. Specificity may well feel like "more options", 
because they're all spelled out. But the old and lean rules sets
never prevented you from adding as many unnamed options to your game
as you want.

> I was recently thinking about maybe playing Traveller Adventure 4: 
> Leviathan in MgT, as that is a very nice sandbox adventure (with a 
> moving base).

A great idea, I was thinking about that one too, on and off. It might
well be a master class in domain style gaming. Since at the primary 
player level PCs would be among the highest ranking officers on the
ship. While of course they could go on many adventures themselves, 
it would be highly realistic if they'd send regular crew members
on individual missions planet side: an open table of
red shirts ;)

I also like that at the officer level there are many tactical issues 
to debate, and star ship encounters might lead to some good old
tabletop space fighting.

I'd be in! :D

Also, CT would be my preferred rules choice, but I guess you knew 
that already.

Cheers, 

lkh

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