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5th Ed. What does it solve?

Cross references, while potentially difficult to manage in a big document, can also cut down on the number of tables repeated in different places that then get updated in isolation (which leads to two or three revisions of the same table in the book.)
That said, *some* table repeats are good from an ergonomic standpoint.
 
I think it fixes skills (vs. Class Traveller/CT). In CT, every book added more skills. If you weren't playing with all the books, you were missing some skills.

You're spot-on. The integration of skill rolls from across different testing fields (combat on ground and space, general skills, even personals) makes play easier once the players grasp what's going on. It's new, took a bit of time with my group, but we like it.

Traveller5 returned the game to a simpler rules system. The QSP really is a quick ship profile (with a few extensions: crew, computers, power plant, hull fittings and etc.) Character design is back to the 7-digit UPP and a collection of skills and equipment. Weapons and armor can be designed but are still recorded in a very simple way

It's quick and simple, without being simplistic or annoyingly brief. Okay, just my opinion there...
 
I think it fixes skills (vs. Class Traveller/CT). In CT, every book added more skills. If you weren't playing with all the books, you were missing some skills.

T5 solves that by having exactly 64 skills, and no more.

Of course, that seems to cut out expansionistic stuff, but they're using Knowledges for that. You can have as many knowledges as you like, but they all fit under the 64 specific skills.

I also really like the roll-under mechanic. It's used pretty much throughout T5, for combat, for tasks, etc.

Finally, I think they did a good job with tasks. The harder the task, the more dice you roll, trying to roll under a target. Some things can modify the target number, but then it's one simple roll.

NOTE: There's a maligned "spectacular failure" and "spectacular success". There's a math problem, but with a house rule, I really like it.

Well, we don't know for certain that new skills wont come in future books.
 
Well, we don't know for certain that new skills wont come in future books.

You're right there. It is possible that the skill list is not complete.

The assumption, however, is that the skills represent all of the categories needed for Traveller. Knowledges, on the other hand, represent specializations which really can't be fully listed. So future books would probably first resort to Knowledges.
 
You're right there. It is possible that the skill list is not complete.

The assumption, however, is that the skills represent all of the categories needed for Traveller. Knowledges, on the other hand, represent specializations which really can't be fully listed. So future books would probably first resort to Knowledges.

One can hope that the Powers that Be™ will maintain enough control over future development to prevent any new skills from being introduced. If not, and future writers begina dding in new skills, then we are looking at one element of T5 that would have to be seen as less than successful.
 
KD said:
One can hope that the Powers that Be™ will maintain enough control over future development to prevent any new skills from being introduced. [...]

That's true. A different question, but true.

Here's both questions, side by side.
[FONT=arial,helvetica]
[/FONT](1) Is the skill list complete?

(2) Will future authors honor that?
[FONT=arial,helvetica]
[/FONT]
 
That's true. A different question, but true.

Here's both questions, side by side.
[FONT=arial,helvetica]
[/FONT](1) Is the skill list complete?

(2) Will future authors honor that?
[FONT=arial,helvetica]
[/FONT]

My reading of it was:

The Skill list is complete and comprehensive.

Expansion comes through the addition of Knowledges under (or possibly independent of) a Skill.

The list of Skills including Personals and Intuitions, is complete; there are no others available.
The lists of Knowledges and Talents are advisory; many different and additional Knowledges and Talents are possible

My emphasis. Source: T5 BBB p.142
 
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