JWMcFarlin
SOC-6
These are my observations:
Classic Traveller is a refined sort of gaming. Lots of thought, role-playing, and brief, frighteningly lethal fits of combat, that when its done, the characters are more akin to Call of Cthulu characters than anything else because the survivors tend to be fewer by half than when they started.
It is hard science fiction and plausible in its approach to technological advancements. Technology is not treated as some pastel slicky-boy coolness, but bulky, black and white angly stuff. Technology is also scary, because a FGMP cuts both directions.
The character generation system is absolutely the best. What other character generation system permits the player to decide whether they want to keep what they have, or risk it for another term of service? Plus, it forces the player to deal with what has been generated (I do allow players to trade characters if they want, in situations when they all generated their characters in one sitting).
The sci-fi settings that seemed most Traveller to me were: Alien Trilogy, Outlands, Blade Runner, Empire Strikes Back, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, THX-1138, 2001, 2010, Dune, that sort of film, as opposed to The Phantom Menace, The Matrix, or more flashy settings.
It's definitely retro. Old school.
John
Classic Traveller is a refined sort of gaming. Lots of thought, role-playing, and brief, frighteningly lethal fits of combat, that when its done, the characters are more akin to Call of Cthulu characters than anything else because the survivors tend to be fewer by half than when they started.
It is hard science fiction and plausible in its approach to technological advancements. Technology is not treated as some pastel slicky-boy coolness, but bulky, black and white angly stuff. Technology is also scary, because a FGMP cuts both directions.
The character generation system is absolutely the best. What other character generation system permits the player to decide whether they want to keep what they have, or risk it for another term of service? Plus, it forces the player to deal with what has been generated (I do allow players to trade characters if they want, in situations when they all generated their characters in one sitting).
The sci-fi settings that seemed most Traveller to me were: Alien Trilogy, Outlands, Blade Runner, Empire Strikes Back, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, THX-1138, 2001, 2010, Dune, that sort of film, as opposed to The Phantom Menace, The Matrix, or more flashy settings.
It's definitely retro. Old school.
John
