Savage Worlds Traveller

[ddamant]

I am curious if anyone has used savage worlds for traveller type games. Traveller was originally created to be a generic system, as is Savage Worlds. SW does not focus on minutia such as starship micromanagement, trade management, etc. The main draw for me to the Traveller system is the character generation system. You could use the same system for SW and simply assign a skill point to an equivalent skill. Some skills of course do not exist but could either be created or merged. Starships could either be used as is from traveller or created via the science fiction companion with the understanding that you are only trying to capture the feel vs the rules.

Anyway, I am curious if anyone has done this?

[vegas]

I am not real familiar with SW, so I don't really know how much is SW, how much is Solo, and how much is Traveller, but I enjoy reading Andy Slack's blog and he seems to be blending the three, and if you know all the rule sets, maybe you would understand better what is coming from where.

There is a link to his blog on COTI but it is the old version. His latest blog is housed here:

https://hws3.wordpress.com/

[ddamant]

Interesting. I will give it a read. Over the years I have owned every version of Traveller. Curiously the only one without critical flaws (IMO) is Classic. Every other version has tried to reinvent the wheel but it appears that each version falls short. Mega was too complex too military oriented. New era was Twilight 2000 in space. T4 was just a jumbled mess with several books being only good for campfires (although I liked the personal combat and damage system). T20 was meh. GURPS was much too detailed for my liking (one second combat rounds are ridiculous). T5? The book could be useful to either stop bullets or perhaps beat someone to death with but is otherwise unplayable by normal humans. Mongoose has tried their own spin twice and I cannot say I like either very much. Horrible editing and I hate 2E’s full color PDF and books. As I get older I find all of those rule heavy books unappealing from a gaming perspective. Classic is nice since I can print off everything in booklet form or in a small 6x9 digest size binder which holds 8 books at a time. Very compact and portable.

I think my ideal version would be classic with t4 weapons and damage.

[mike wightman]

Originally Posted by ddamant

I think my ideal version would be classic with t4 weapons and damage.

You just described how I run my game these days, with one addition from MgT2e - boon and bane rolls (I can not break my players from the habit - they like the mechanic)

Back on topic I have a pdf download of Savage Worlds Traveller hybrid, and if you do a search for Savage Worlds Traveller there is a rather interesting google doc...

[ddamant]

I have seen that document. A lot of work went Into it. Probably will use it as is.

Mike, how did you reconcile the rolls to hit at the different ranges? T4 uses a different system roll mechanism then Classic.

My thought was to go with the BITS system
Close +4 Dm
Very short +2 dm
Short 0
Medium -2
Long -4
Very long -6

What mechanisms do you use?

[aramis]

Savage Worlds has a Sci-Fi companion (hereafter, SW SFC)...

It has some passable (but cinematic rather than simulational) ship rules. their terminology is bloody annoying to anyone versed in the terminology of the US Navy before Korea. (A terminology which has been largely inherited into Traveller.)

THe size categories are interesting...

Size Category	Ship types
World Killer	MegaDreadnoughts, Megacarriers, Colony Ships
Leviathan	Superdreadnoughts, Supercarriers, Settlement ships
Behemoth	Dreadnoughts, Invasion Carriers
Gargantuan	Battleships, Strike Carriers
Giant	Cruisers, Destroyers, Light Dreadnoughts, Troop Ships
Huge	Bulk freighters, Corvettes, Light Frigates
Large	Cutters, Scientific exploration vessels, small freighters
Medium	Bombers, Large shuttles, Scout Ships
Small	Fighters, Shuttles

(Most Sci Fi authors use a late 19th C to WW2 derived model:
SD, DN, BB, BC, CA, CL, DD, FF, Corvette, Escort
or
BB, DN, BC, CA, CM, CL, DD, FF, Cutter

A few have used the US "Frigate = Light Cruiser except for the reporting to the appropriations committee."


It uses "Superstructure" in an odd way, as well.

[ShawnDriscoll]

Originally Posted by ddamant

I am curious if anyone has used savage worlds for traveller type games. Traveller was originally created to be a generic system, as is Savage Worlds. SW does not focus on minutia such as starship micromanagement, trade management, etc. The main draw for me to the Traveller system is the character generation system. You could use the same system for SW and simply assign a skill point to an equivalent skill. Some skills of course do not exist but could either be created or merged. Starships could either be used as is from traveller or created via the science fiction companion with the understanding that you are only trying to capture the feel vs the rules.

Anyway, I am curious if anyone has done this?

Serenity is what I use whenever I have a Traveller/SW itch.

[aramis]

Originally Posted by ShawnDriscoll

Serenity is what I use whenever I have a Traveller/SW itch.

Aside from both using dice steps, and point build, the two systems are very different.

	Savage Worlds	Serenity	Firefly
Basic Roll Mode	dSkill & d6, keep 1d	dStat+dSkill+dPlotPointSpend total	dStat+dSkill+d(4 or 8 Distinction)+d6{Item}+d6{Specialty}+d6{Skill focus}+dPenalty{Opponent's penalty}{another of any of these per plot point
Damage	Wildcards 3 wounds, others 1 wound	Hit Points	A wound removes from scene; target PP converts it to a penalty based upon an unkept die (d4 if no dice)
MetaCurrency	Bennies. Reroll a task, keep best. Early editions allow converting to XP.	Plot Points can add a die to a task (more=bigger) can reduce damage can trigger advantages	Plot Points Can convert taken out into wound. Can buy temporary items at d6 Power some abilities Can allow adding a second distinction, skill, attribute, item, or opponent penalty die to pool can directly add things to the situation
Advancement	XP, spent only at level up.	XP spent between session	VERY slow, completion of prior sessions.
Player Narrative Authority	None	Limited, plot point spend.	moderate, see plot point spends.
Ships	tools with statblock	Look like PCs, but function is more like tool.	Stats used by PCs in place of attributes

[ShawnDriscoll]

You left off Traveller on your chart.

[aramis]

Originally Posted by ShawnDriscoll

You left off Traveller on your chart.

Intentionally, as it would add 12 columns to do all the editions.