Traveller: Part 1 - Introduction

The first in a 10-part series where I discuss Mongoose Traveller Second Edition (MGT2). I give my thoughts on the game, and dispel one persistent myth about it.

[ThomasThetford-LordTygger]

"You haven't lived until you've died during character creation." Love the shirt

[qkiojnn]

"It has artificial gravity and humanoid aliens so it's a space opera" I loved that line!

[firefang]

Fun story about Traveller character creation: when my play group tried out Traveller we rolled up our characters and most of the party ended up getting some sort of disability or injury or tragic backstory. I played it safe and stopped rolling after I got enough stuff to where I thought the character might be "good." What ended up happening was everyone else in the party had backstories and motivations that actually even encouraged some of the less RP leaning members of the group to engage while my character ended up as just kind of boring.
Next time I'm rolling till I lose a limb!

[andrewsekine]

Seth: "It's just like a firefly game"
Me: "Meh"
Seth: "You can die during character creation"
Me: "You have 100% of my attention"

[zippyzonka]

Remembered how we played Traveller in the Eighties: If your semi-random character creation did not turn out as you wanted, then you just shifted to the Belter track where the risk of dying was much higher... and if you did not die there, then benefits accumulated was generally much higher...😀

[DrRotwang]

Seth - Please don't take this the wrong way, because it's meant as a compliment. Over the last couple of nights, instead of listening to rainstorms or 80s new wave music, I've been falling asleep listening to videos in this series. That's not a slam on the content - it's that I want to fall asleep listening to Traveller stuff, and this is the best. So...thanks. You're welcome. Whichever one applies. Yeah.

[johanneskaiser]

Another game showcase series? Nice.
Stay safe and healthy, everyone.

[heidisuszko]

I'd recommend that Character Creation be held as it's own game session before trying to start an adventure. We've always played with the "Iron Man" rules that you might die while rolling up the characters; it just added a lot of suspense. If they did die, we threw a mini-wake for them, coming up with ignominious or silly ways they got capped, and everybody goes around the table giving little eulogy speeches for the lost character.

" I remember "Sniffy" fondly. He had a never-quit approach to life. Lost his right arm in that training accident, said it was no big deal, got a mechanical arm, with enhanced strength and a built-in laser finger; that guy was badass. I remember the day he got the arm, he was so ready to get into battle. But he just couldn't stop picking his nose... (shakes head)..."

[Crow.Author]

What sort of monster wouldn’t put an index in a core rule book! We have the technology.

In fact we’ve had that particular technology for THOUSANDS of years.

[OC]

"Yeah dude, stacks of bodies, 20 characters high."

[theemperormoth]

So glad you're reviewing Traveller, the best TRPG that no one in my group wants to play

("Cmon guys, what's wrong with it? Is it the leveling system? Do you really expect to roundhouse kick capital ships or something?")

[ThePlacatorySock]

In the first episode of Firefly, Wash says something like "Hang on Travellers". Kind of stood out to me as an odd comment that only really makes sense if it's a callout to the game. IMHO.

[discokossan]

Heads up for anyone wanting to get into this game, humble bundle is currently doing a bundle on this game right now until around the 22-23 of this month so its definitively worth checking out

[alejandrator]

When I've tried playing Traveller, we made characters on that system that you could die. Literally it was the thing that attracted me to the game.

The possibility of death and radical changes to your PC was amazing and the group was on board with it.

[KhanTrav]

I have been running classic traveller via play by email since 2002.  I love Seth's content and I find it interesting that people are discovering it and new players are coming aboard and enjoying it.  A component which I add to Traveller is mustering out is actually played as part of the game.  Instead of starting after you muster, the game starts with you deciding to leave the service.  You have a party, receive a plaque from your buddies and maybe a custom sword or hand gun as a going away gift.  Then you transfer to a courier, trader or liner to travel to the administrative HQ to perform the admin stuff like setting up your retirement pay etc.  Usually there is an adventure hook, tempting rumor or something that gets your attention and can lead to adventure.

[elindifferente]

Traveller got me 1987 and it will always have a very special place in my heart. THX for the introduction.

[bigc]

I was first introduced to this game back in the late 80's. Loved it, unfortunately no one today to play it with. Glad you like it. Tyvm for the video.

[SergioLeRoux]

"Do you want to enlist to a service?"
Yes. Navy.
"They laugh in your face and call you names. You get kicked out of the building. You get a job on a garbage scow."

[damienblauwald]

I played Traveler back when it was just a little black books. Very much enjoyed the game. Having a possibility of your character dying in creation was just part of the thrill. Hard to believe that actually kept people from wanting to play it.
Very much looking forward to the rest of this review.

[digitalmoonbooks]

I've been Refereeing Traveller since 1977, and only Marc Miller could have given a better nuts and bolts overview of Traveller, than the one you have here. Outstanding review, great graphics, presentation, all of it.