Traveller to Know Where to Start
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Where Do I Begin? A daunting task! With some 1,800 items listed in this bibliography, it can be quite daunting for the newcomer to Traveller to know where to start. There A SUGGESTION are conflicting views about the utility and quality of rule sets, the ideal For the complete novice, to Traveller and to role playing, my own setting, the excellence (or otherwise) of particular publishers, and personnel recommendation to get started would be to buy the even debates about whether Traveller consists of the rules, a setting Mongoose Core Rulebook which is straightforward to learn and use, or some combination of the two. is in print, and gives a good flavour of Traveller. This is really all that’s necessary. With two current rule sets in publication, but all of them available via compilation discs or as individual electronic files, the choice is vast. If there are funds, or you are planning on refereeing games rather The following is completely subjective but is based on my own than just playing, it would be worth looking at some of their experiences of playing, refereeing and guiding the perplexed through supplements – particularly Central Supply Catalogue. Cast your eyes the complexity of forty years and ten editions (depending on how you over their 1st edition Books to see if any of the particular character count). types and surrounding paraphernalia capture your interest. The kind of game you’re most interested in will be a factor here – exploration, Firstly consider whether you’re interested in the story telling military, merchant and so on. I would also recommend Spica aspects of role playing or in the detail of rules simulating as many Publishing’s Career Books to offer further options as character aspects of the universe as possible. The latter is sometimes referred generation can be a key way into Traveller. to as ‘crunch’. Neither approach is better or worse than the other, and of course the two are not mutually exclusive. Traveller5 and If you’re planning on using the Third Imperium setting you might Traveller: The New Era tend towards more detailed rules, whereas also wish to consider the excellent Alien Modules from Mongoose Traveller – the classic rules – and Mongoose Traveller tend towards Publishing and perhaps a sector book such as The Spinward Marches. simpler rules and more ‘making it up’. Traveller5 for example ideally However, to quickly expand your collection and knowledge The suits the systems engineers with ‘makers’ for a huge range of possible Golden Age Classic Traveller on CD-ROM will provide much of the subjects but very little explanatory text. For some, 2300AD provides Spinward Marches and the alien information, alternative character more realism in terms of setting and how the universe works which ideas and plenty of adventures that can be used with Mongoose rules makes that era preferable. without too much difficulty. It will also give you a feel for where Traveller has come from. Next you might want to consider whether you’d prefer to create your own setting or use an ‘off the shelf’ offering. Of course, for the Incidentally, there has been something of a resurgence on the latter, there aren’t many role playing games with a setting larger than web of fans who feel that classic Traveller is the only rule set they that of the Third Imperium across all its space and time so you’ll find need – perhaps with some of its later development such as task rolls rich seams of material to explore as books from many of the eras are – and this is certainly a possible route for those on a budget as the FFE very suitable. Mongoose Traveller particularly is well supported with discs contain so many ebooks. If you’d like to capture this experience supplements, adventures and other support material. Traveller5 has in print, then the reprint of The Traveller Book is a great one volume yet to have much support although material from other eras and rules way of doing something similar. can often be easily adapted. Sample file Not everything has to be purchased however, and there is a However, Traveller originally didn’t have a setting at all – aside wealth of free material on the internet that can help with sparking from the minimal hints the rules implied – and there are many ideas, getting to grips with rules, or offering material for you to use alternate settings, from home grown ones that are quite developed directly. There are three things you shouldn’t miss: such as Clement Sector through to milieux with just one book • wiki.travellerrpg.com provides ‘Library Data’ on a vast scale supporting them. It should also be noted that if you already have an compiled from many of the books listed in this bibliography. If interest in other science fiction settings, several have Traveller you must have something in print there is LBB9: Library Data or support: Babylon 5, Judge Dredd and Hammer’s Slammers to name Supplement 8: Library Data (A-M) and Supplement 11: Library just three. See sections K, M or P of this bibliography for more. If Data (N-Z) but the wiki covers much, much more. It’s also you’re content to create your own setting then your choice of rules is partially referenced which can help lead into further exploration. going to be much more flexible. Another consideration is whether you’re coming from other role • Secondly, although there are many good online sites and playing systems. If you’re already familiar with GURPS, HERO System periodicals, pre-emiment amongst those that are current is or d20, then GURPS Traveller, Traveller HERO or Traveller20 are going Freelance Traveller at (www.freelancetraveller.com/index.html). to make the transition that much smoother. All three editions are Here you’ll find articles, rule additions/modifications, available on compilation discs and may be available in print as second background material, adventures and stories for many Traveller hand items. eras. It’s a growing treasure trove and it might not be long before you’re aiming to contribute something yourself. Finally, you may wish to think about whether print is particularly important to you. Unless you’re planning on haunting second hand • Thirdly, if you’re using the Third Imperium setting – but even if possibilities, or in printing off electronic files, then the choices will be you’re not and want to be blown away by the nearest thing much more limited as publication moves more and more to electronic Traveller has to a Total Perspective Vortex – take a look at formats. www.travellermap.com; another astonishing piece of work and a demonstration of how complex data ought to be presented. Where Do I Begin? 6 I would also normally point those getting interested in Traveller at a fourth free resource, Don McKinney’s excellent Integrated Timeline which does for time what TravellerMap does for space. However, it’s offline at time of writing although still available on the Golden Age CD-ROM mentioned above. THERE’S SO MUCH MORE These are only the picks of the rich universe of Traveller material on the internet, however and I haven’t even mentioned the great communities that exist such as The Traveller Mailing List, various Facebook or Google+ groups, and so on. Here you can find like- minded others, discuss Traveller, ask questions and often get a heads up on forthcoming publications or developments. Don’t just explore the 57th Century – delve into the 21st century’s foothold on the far future! Sample file 7 Where Do I Begin? Format Layout of Entries Each entry in this bibliography follows the same format, for ease Electronic format of comparison. The only exceptions to this are the boxed items For preference, the print version is detailed, but if there is also an (usually games) which have been slightly modified but follow the e-book version this is noted in the comments section along with a file same general layout. size. If there is only an e-book version, this is noted here, along with Throughout this bibliography, Traveller as a science fiction role- file size. File sizes can vary for a variety of reasons, not least because playing game has been left unitalicized as distinct from Traveller (its of a minor update, so these should be taken as indicative rather than first incarnation, referred to by some as ‘classic’ Traveller), authoritative. Almost all e-book versions currently are PDF files, MegaTraveller, Traveller: The New Era, Marc Miller’s Traveller, GURPS however there are some exceptions such as Agent of the Imperium in Traveller, Traveller20, Mongoose Traveller, Traveller5 etc. multiple formats and these are noted in the comments. Periodicals have only been covered very superficially in this volume and the five main titles are covered in detail in the companion Collation volume The Traveller Periodical Bibliography. If books contain any one (or more) of the following, it is noted: Maps (not including deck plans) Tables (including ‘blank’ forms) KEY: Diagrams (including deck and building plans) Title Illustrations (not including the front cover) The title page is used as a primary source, e.g. Uragyaden of the Glossary (not including ‘Library Data’) Seven Pillars as on the title page and cover not ‘Uraqyaden’ as given Bibliography (not including invented bibliographies) in the text. If there is no title page (some PDFs and all CD-ROMs) the Index cover title is used as the primary source. Cover title variations from ISBN the title page are noted in the comments. Double Adventures have The International Standard Book Number. Few Traveller items both titles divided by a ‘/’, e.g.