Dream list of wishful thinking

[DaveChase]

I am sure that this has been done before but I was wondering about the following:

Which movies/books would you like to see as part of the Traveller universe?

I am not thinking of dramatically changes like the Honor Harrington series (which I really like

but more along the lines of extra flavor or scenario/background type information.

I would like the Soldier/Blade Runner Movies as background material.

Ice Pirates is a fun little scenario/pocket empire set up.

Any way please post some of your thoughts about movies/stories that would fit/add background into the Traveller universe.

Thanks

Dave

 

[Pickles]

I've always thought Outworld was in the Traveller universe ...

 

[Golan2072]

Alien could be easily incorporated; actually, there was an old JTAS article giving stats and description of Aliens (egg, facebuster, chestbuster and adult/drone).

That said, MTU is inspired by the Alien(s) "light cyberpunk" feel (lots of metal; corporate machinations rather than noble bickering and so on).

 

[kafka47]

For a real weird but recognizable take on Blade Runner and the cyberpunk realm wait for the Signal GK CD ROM...

What I would like to see to add more flavour to the Traveller universe is a series of adventures that really begin to explore the regions of the major races to show how really alien they are.

Failing that would be a revisiting of the Hinterworlds or Far Frontiers sectors.

From the world of film and novels, an exploration of Space Opera like in Elizabeth Moon's Trading Novels or bringing in Robots of an Asimovian variety in a major way.

 

[DaveChase]

Originally posted by kafka47:
...

What I would like to see to add more flavour to the Traveller universe is a series of adventures that really begin to explore the regions of the major races to show how really alien they are.

I like this idea.

From the world of film and novels, an exploration of Space Opera like in Elizabeth Moon's Trading Novels or bringing in Robots of an Asimovian variety in a major way.

I think the Robot one could work well. I like having robots around as common as cars/vehicles but limit the number of highly intelligent ones by having the owners pay special taxes on them

I have not read Elizabeth Moon's novels. I keep looking at them. So they are good to read?

Dave

 

[kafka47]

Originally posted by DaveChase:

Originally posted by kafka47:
[qb] ...

What I would like to see to add more flavour to the Traveller universe is a series of adventures that really begin to explore the regions of the major races to show how really alien they are.

I like this idea.

Dave

It would take too much work. One could have the adventurers play the role of either Imperial Diplomats who must negociate or courier a message or have tips to role play the races themselves.

All one would need to do is graft several different time periods of Terran history superimpose them onto different worlds to give the majestic flavor.

For example:

Aslan:

A feudal Japan/China/Lord of the 7 Seas/Oriental Adventures Campaign can be adopted for a series of low tech Aslan worlds. Then as we climb up the ladder, we could employ those disaster films that Japan produced in the 50s/60s plus a measure of Western films (You Only Live Twice) to convey TL 6-9 before launching into a cyberpunk Alleycat campaign...evolving into a traditional Japanese Space Opera for the real high TLs.

Hiver:

One could do the Hivers, like the history of Yugoslavia at the lower tech levels. Before achieving Self Management in TL 6-9. Moving toward a Horvatian system for the postindustrial period before moving a truly Vanek style system at very TLs or at very least Parecon system.

Solomani:

Germany naturally provides the perfect template for the Solomani. Not only for the 3rd Reich but also for the modern Federal Republic for the contemporary Solomani Confederation. Bismark and all that plus the roving bands of Germans from the Middle Ages onward provides an ideal state for the period before the Solomani Rim War.

Vargr

The history of Africa, provides an excellent study for the Vargr. Possessing great civilizations and chrismatic warrior kings. Plus, the whole composition and decomposition of various states.

Zhodani

The current nexus between Iran & Iraq provide an excellent history for the Zhodani. Substituting Islam for psionics and we got a winner.

 

[flykiller]

One could have the adventurers play the role of either Imperial Diplomats

yeah, they could enter into aggressive negotiations.

some good stuff, I'll have to use it when my players get around to it.

 

[kafka47]

I just need to find a civilizational mold for the Droyne & K'kree and some of the minor races. Heck, I would even call this Group Two to gloss over the tragedies of the earlier Traveller epoch.

Agressive negociations would certainly be in order but if I were to develop them, I would stress peacefully as a way of gaining insight. Naturally, this does preclude things like Honor feuds or getting involved in a Vargr coup.

 

[Theo D Lite]

Are we looking here for books/films that evoke elements of Traveller or are we looking for books/films that can be fitted to a current or historic phase of the OTU?

I've always tended towards trying to evoke a grittier people focussed future rather than a shiny utopian society. This is like 'Bladerunner' (already mentioned), 'Alien' and sequals (already mentioned) and 'Outland' (also already mentioned). 'The Fifth Element' was kind of Travelleresk as well IMHO.

There are some classic movies/TV series which although not Traveller by any stretch of the imagination could easily be grafted into a higher tech universe: 'Where Eagles Dare' springs to mind, one GM reworked this into a T2000 post apocalypse type scenario. Another that could work with some corporate and political intriege would be 'Edge of Darkness' which originally aired in the 80's. 'The Wild Geese' is also a classic Mercenary ticket with a twist.

Of course if you're looking for evocations of events in the history of any TU, particulalrly those that were pivotal in changing political direction or marked some other turning point then you probably need to be looking at the epics like 'Ben Hur' for inspriation.

 

[Morte]

I very much like the novels in Chris Cherryh's Merchanter/Union universe, and I think they're not so far off Traveller. They're maybe a bit too anti-heroic for most fans, and too close to the bone for MWM's "family values" rule, but they're darned good.

 

[daryen]

I want to see aliens that have as much diversity of thought as humans do, but are still alien.

I find it very hard to believe that humans ("real" humans, not those weirdo manipulated ones) are the only sentient species that aren't trapped into some sort of static, monolithic culture.

These races have had spaceflight, not just civilization, for thousands of years, and yet we can describe each race within the context of a single human culture? Are humans truly that unique? How conceited we are!

(Sorry for the rant. It's a pet peeve of mine.

)

 

[flykiller]

I find it very hard to believe that humans ("real" humans, not those weirdo manipulated ones) are the only sentient species that aren't trapped into some sort of static, monolithic culture.

...

(Sorry for the rant. It's a pet peeve of mine.

it is indeed a sore point. I too would like to see a pacifist aslan, or a vengence-driven hiver, or a k'kree that says if you can't beat the carnivores then join them, or a vargr that ignores charisma and says "just the facts".

but when you do that then the aliens lose what little distinctiveness they have and become even more zipper-suit (to use mr. whipsnade's turn of phrase). humanity is all we know and it's hard to imagine aliens as being anything more than weird humans.

 

[mike wightman]

Originally posted by daryen:
I want to see aliens that have as much diversity of thought as humans do, but are still alien.

<snip>

(Sorry for the rant. It's a pet peeve of mine.

)

I agree with you completely.

I can't remember ever reading a sci fi book or watching a sci fi show/movie that includes multi-cultural aliens.

 

[kafka47]

Originally posted by daryen:
I want to see aliens that have as much diversity of thought as humans do, but are still alien.

I find it very hard to believe that humans ("real" humans, not those weirdo manipulated ones) are the only sentient species that aren't trapped into some sort of static, monolithic culture.

These races have had spaceflight, not just civilization, for thousands of years, and yet we can describe each race within the context of a single human culture? Are humans truly that unique? How conceited we are!

(Sorry for the rant. It's a pet peeve of mine.

)

I accept the criticism of your rant. However, in visualizing completely alien worlds, it does help to have something in mind when writing the adventures outline above as a way of convincing the reader they are no long in Kansas.

Creating a wholly new civilization would not do justice to what has already been done to the major races. However, having said that think of any culture and it is more complicated then even the most superficial treatment of it. For example, should I as a Canadian go to Japan and see all the anime dealing with the Shogunate really understand what is going on when a Japanese person views it. Instead, I will carry out my perception of it. Therefore, in this series of modules, I would want to show how the familar can be alien at the same time.

 

[Rotters2]

Dunno if this helps, but I tend to play most Aliens as pretty much like Homo-Sapiens. I reckon that, by the time they've been trading/living with eachother for millenia, there would sort of become a 'Status-quo' of culture, that would span all sentient life. The question that begs asking, then, is "How has humaniti changed culturally, to fit in more with the other races?"

But, as for historical background, I reckon Liam is definitely onto something.

For movies/books? Hmmmmm..... most of the campaigns I've played in are sort of like Onedin Line meets Dark Star .....

 

[Rotters2]

Dunno if this helps, but I tend to play most Aliens as pretty much like Homo-Sapiens. I reckon that, by the time they've been trading/living with eachother for millenia, there would sort of become a 'Status-quo' of culture, that would span all sentient life. The question that begs asking, then, is "How has humaniti changed culturally, to fit in more with the other races?"

But, as for historical background, I reckon Liam is definitely onto something.

For movies/books? Hmmmmm..... most of the campaigns I've played in are sort of like Onedin Line meets Dark Star .....

 

[DaveChase]

Wow, this has gotten interesting

I think we could break this thread into 2 parts.

Part one, What books/movies/TV shows would you like to see become part of the Traveller universe.

Part two, What would you like to see expanded upon in the Official Traveller universe, specifically dealing with alien races.


Please don't stop posting. And if anyone would like to break up this thread please do.

(break up in the nice way that is .

Dave

 

[Fritz_Brown]

Rotters2 is partly right. Some cultures are just so overwhelming that they will tend to creep into others over time - it happens here (IRL) with Western culture (and with some elements of Japanes culture coming West) seeping in everywhere. It's partly a result of the level of "success" a culture has.

So, K'kree will be denouncing us carnivores in loud voices, while sitting around sipping SolaCola.