Megatraveller alien chargen

[Kpeterson]

I'm curious what materials I'd need to facilitate generating alien characters for a Megatraveller campaign. Career paths, specific characteristics, modifications to characterisitics, etc.

Would I need to shell out for the rare, out-of-print DGP books? (Vilani & Vargr, and Solomani & Aslan). Or, could I dig up the Classic Traveller alien books and use those? (Perhaps the reprints 1-4 or 5-8).

I did download a program titled, "MegaTraveller GM Aid v2" which is quite useful, but I wouldn't mind seeing the chargen process more clearly than the automation provided by the program.

 

[Kpeterson]

I'm curious what materials I'd need to facilitate generating alien characters for a Megatraveller campaign. Career paths, specific characteristics, modifications to characterisitics, etc.

Would I need to shell out for the rare, out-of-print DGP books? (Vilani & Vargr, and Solomani & Aslan). Or, could I dig up the Classic Traveller alien books and use those? (Perhaps the reprints 1-4 or 5-8).

I did download a program titled, "MegaTraveller GM Aid v2" which is quite useful, but I wouldn't mind seeing the chargen process more clearly than the automation provided by the program.

 

[Kpeterson]

I'm curious what materials I'd need to facilitate generating alien characters for a Megatraveller campaign. Career paths, specific characteristics, modifications to characterisitics, etc.

Would I need to shell out for the rare, out-of-print DGP books? (Vilani & Vargr, and Solomani & Aslan). Or, could I dig up the Classic Traveller alien books and use those? (Perhaps the reprints 1-4 or 5-8).

I did download a program titled, "MegaTraveller GM Aid v2" which is quite useful, but I wouldn't mind seeing the chargen process more clearly than the automation provided by the program.

 

[Glen Allen Mcinnes]

You can get away with the alien modules (or the re-prints) but compared to human characters they may be a touch limited with skill selection as their was no Cascade groups apart from combat and vehicles also lots of skills where introduced for MT, on the plus side the alien modules had advanced term resolution (eg. merc/high guard ect.) down side their where some new basic careers for Aslan and a heap for Vargr in the MT books. as far as Solomani the CT character generation was in my opinion better but MT had more background info (more not better, The same goes for all the races covered) and their was nothing on Vilani apart from the data libiry stuff in CT they where treated as just a type of Imperial (as far as I know).

If you want ease of integration go for the MT stuff but if you’re not afraid of a little work, and have got the time to spear, the CT option may work better for your group.

In my opinion hit the second hand book stores and gaming clubs you may get lucky (I have in the past) and hit upon a good deal on originals, but either way you go you should consider picking up the others any-way (when finances [and the S.O.] permit) it will only make your game better also Survival Margin is a grate resource converting any TNE or earlier edition to each other for skills.

 

[Glen Allen Mcinnes]

You can get away with the alien modules (or the re-prints) but compared to human characters they may be a touch limited with skill selection as their was no Cascade groups apart from combat and vehicles also lots of skills where introduced for MT, on the plus side the alien modules had advanced term resolution (eg. merc/high guard ect.) down side their where some new basic careers for Aslan and a heap for Vargr in the MT books. as far as Solomani the CT character generation was in my opinion better but MT had more background info (more not better, The same goes for all the races covered) and their was nothing on Vilani apart from the data libiry stuff in CT they where treated as just a type of Imperial (as far as I know).

If you want ease of integration go for the MT stuff but if you’re not afraid of a little work, and have got the time to spear, the CT option may work better for your group.

In my opinion hit the second hand book stores and gaming clubs you may get lucky (I have in the past) and hit upon a good deal on originals, but either way you go you should consider picking up the others any-way (when finances [and the S.O.] permit) it will only make your game better also Survival Margin is a grate resource converting any TNE or earlier edition to each other for skills.

 

[Glen Allen Mcinnes]

You can get away with the alien modules (or the re-prints) but compared to human characters they may be a touch limited with skill selection as their was no Cascade groups apart from combat and vehicles also lots of skills where introduced for MT, on the plus side the alien modules had advanced term resolution (eg. merc/high guard ect.) down side their where some new basic careers for Aslan and a heap for Vargr in the MT books. as far as Solomani the CT character generation was in my opinion better but MT had more background info (more not better, The same goes for all the races covered) and their was nothing on Vilani apart from the data libiry stuff in CT they where treated as just a type of Imperial (as far as I know).

If you want ease of integration go for the MT stuff but if you’re not afraid of a little work, and have got the time to spear, the CT option may work better for your group.

In my opinion hit the second hand book stores and gaming clubs you may get lucky (I have in the past) and hit upon a good deal on originals, but either way you go you should consider picking up the others any-way (when finances [and the S.O.] permit) it will only make your game better also Survival Margin is a grate resource converting any TNE or earlier edition to each other for skills.

 

[Elliot]

I'd get the FFE alien modules series first, as they give you a wide range of aliens and some (if on the light side) background information.

In my view the DGP modules are excellent - the background material shows how good DGP were at writing for use in role playing. However, the trouble with these books is the prohibitive cost. Given that most of the material is in the FFE reprints, I would not (if I had not got the DGP stuff when it came out) line someone else's pocket's with the large amounts of $$$$ asked for on ebay.

In order to make the conversions from the CT alien modules using basic character generation you need to remember that MT gives more skills. The rules are:

2 skills per initial term of service, 1 skill per term thereafter

Position/Commission = 1 skill
Promotion = 1 skill
Special Duty = 1 skill

If any roll for position/commission, promotion or special duty exceeds 4 of the stated number then 2 skills are awarded instead of 1.

Special duty is a new addition to beef up characters. Looking at the MT players manual the range is always between a 4+ and 6+ roll (barbarians getting 7+) with the lower figures applying to Action Man careers and the higher to desk type careers.

Therefore, to use Droyne as an example, a Warrior would be 4+, a Sport and a leader 5+ and a Tech or Drone 6+.

And as 313 says, MT uses more cascades. The way around this in the CT Alien Modules is to convert individual skills to cascades - e.g. Pilot, Navigation, Engineering becomes the SPACE cascade. Admin skill becomes INTERPERSONAL case, etc, etc.

 

[Elliot]

I'd get the FFE alien modules series first, as they give you a wide range of aliens and some (if on the light side) background information.

In my view the DGP modules are excellent - the background material shows how good DGP were at writing for use in role playing. However, the trouble with these books is the prohibitive cost. Given that most of the material is in the FFE reprints, I would not (if I had not got the DGP stuff when it came out) line someone else's pocket's with the large amounts of $$$$ asked for on ebay.

In order to make the conversions from the CT alien modules using basic character generation you need to remember that MT gives more skills. The rules are:

2 skills per initial term of service, 1 skill per term thereafter

Position/Commission = 1 skill
Promotion = 1 skill
Special Duty = 1 skill

If any roll for position/commission, promotion or special duty exceeds 4 of the stated number then 2 skills are awarded instead of 1.

Special duty is a new addition to beef up characters. Looking at the MT players manual the range is always between a 4+ and 6+ roll (barbarians getting 7+) with the lower figures applying to Action Man careers and the higher to desk type careers.

Therefore, to use Droyne as an example, a Warrior would be 4+, a Sport and a leader 5+ and a Tech or Drone 6+.

And as 313 says, MT uses more cascades. The way around this in the CT Alien Modules is to convert individual skills to cascades - e.g. Pilot, Navigation, Engineering becomes the SPACE cascade. Admin skill becomes INTERPERSONAL case, etc, etc.

 

[Elliot]

I'd get the FFE alien modules series first, as they give you a wide range of aliens and some (if on the light side) background information.

In my view the DGP modules are excellent - the background material shows how good DGP were at writing for use in role playing. However, the trouble with these books is the prohibitive cost. Given that most of the material is in the FFE reprints, I would not (if I had not got the DGP stuff when it came out) line someone else's pocket's with the large amounts of $$$$ asked for on ebay.

In order to make the conversions from the CT alien modules using basic character generation you need to remember that MT gives more skills. The rules are:

2 skills per initial term of service, 1 skill per term thereafter

Position/Commission = 1 skill
Promotion = 1 skill
Special Duty = 1 skill

If any roll for position/commission, promotion or special duty exceeds 4 of the stated number then 2 skills are awarded instead of 1.

Special duty is a new addition to beef up characters. Looking at the MT players manual the range is always between a 4+ and 6+ roll (barbarians getting 7+) with the lower figures applying to Action Man careers and the higher to desk type careers.

Therefore, to use Droyne as an example, a Warrior would be 4+, a Sport and a leader 5+ and a Tech or Drone 6+.

And as 313 says, MT uses more cascades. The way around this in the CT Alien Modules is to convert individual skills to cascades - e.g. Pilot, Navigation, Engineering becomes the SPACE cascade. Admin skill becomes INTERPERSONAL case, etc, etc.

 

[Vargas]

IMO, DGP had, as some one else said it, more, not better information.

 

[Vargas]

IMO, DGP had, as some one else said it, more, not better information.

 

[Vargas]

IMO, DGP had, as some one else said it, more, not better information.

 

[aramis]

Yes, the MT DGP alien modules were excellent. More info, better info, and easier to use info.

some small differences creep up wih MT Solomani vs CT solomani.

If you don't mind breaking the law, copying the tables from S&A and V&V are a midway option.

Otherwise, use the closest extant MT career and use its' special duty, and the changes noted above.

the other option is the T4 option: use base careers from MT, but apply restrictions in a manner similar to the early (Adv 0 and JTAS) writeups for Zhodani, Vargr, and Aslan, as well as virush, newts, and some others.

 

[aramis]

Yes, the MT DGP alien modules were excellent. More info, better info, and easier to use info.

some small differences creep up wih MT Solomani vs CT solomani.

If you don't mind breaking the law, copying the tables from S&A and V&V are a midway option.

Otherwise, use the closest extant MT career and use its' special duty, and the changes noted above.

the other option is the T4 option: use base careers from MT, but apply restrictions in a manner similar to the early (Adv 0 and JTAS) writeups for Zhodani, Vargr, and Aslan, as well as virush, newts, and some others.

 

[aramis]

Yes, the MT DGP alien modules were excellent. More info, better info, and easier to use info.

some small differences creep up wih MT Solomani vs CT solomani.

If you don't mind breaking the law, copying the tables from S&A and V&V are a midway option.

Otherwise, use the closest extant MT career and use its' special duty, and the changes noted above.

the other option is the T4 option: use base careers from MT, but apply restrictions in a manner similar to the early (Adv 0 and JTAS) writeups for Zhodani, Vargr, and Aslan, as well as virush, newts, and some others.

 

[Malenfant]

The first three GURPS Traveller Alien Races books are pretty good info sources. You'd obviously need to do some work converting the systems, but if it's more background that you want then those are both good and currently in print.

 

[Malenfant]

The first three GURPS Traveller Alien Races books are pretty good info sources. You'd obviously need to do some work converting the systems, but if it's more background that you want then those are both good and currently in print.

 

[Malenfant]

The first three GURPS Traveller Alien Races books are pretty good info sources. You'd obviously need to do some work converting the systems, but if it's more background that you want then those are both good and currently in print.

 

[Kpeterson]

I actually own the first 2 Gurps Traveller Alien Races books, so really don't have much need for background material.

 

[Kpeterson]

I actually own the first 2 Gurps Traveller Alien Races books, so really don't have much need for background material.