MegaTraveller character generation

[zonk]

As I've said before MT was one of the few Traveller sets I never got (I now remembered I never got T4 either).

How did the character generation differ from CT?

Was character death removed from character generation?

Were medals removed from military careers?

Did you roll for a whole 4 year term or was each term broken into 1 year intervals with some kind of resolution provided for each year?

What I am wondering is how much game flavour was in the MT character generation.

 

[far-trader]

MT was largely a compilation of the collected CT rules as expanded on through Journals, Supplements and Adventures over the years.

From memory...

How did the character generation differ from CT?

"Basic" MT char gen was much like "Basic" CT char gen but included the expanded careers of Supplement 4. There were more skills to choose from and characters acquired more skills too. There were also some "Advanced" MT char gen options much like that in LBB4-6.

Was character death removed from character generation?

Death was the optional rule.

Were medals removed from military careers?

Nope, there were medals in the advanced gen anyway.

Did you roll for a whole 4 year term or was each term broken into 1 year intervals with some kind of resolution provided for each year?

Advanced gen was year by year, basic was by term.

What I am wondering is how much game flavour was in the MT character generation.

About the same as all the collected CT material. So, yes, it was very tasty and all in one place. CT (without the extras) might (just might) have allowed more imagination into the generation process, which depending on the players could mean more flavour. So it's a bit subjective.

 

[Supplement Four]

"Basic" MT char gen was much like "Basic" CT char gen but included the expanded careers of Supplement 4. There were more skills to choose from and characters acquired more skills too.

Characters acquire more skills through two rules.

1 - The Special Duty roll.

2 - Rolling 4+ over certain throws during character generation.

These two rules are actually brilliant. I use them in CT. What they do is equalize characters created with Basic CharGen and characters created with Advanced CharGen.

Before enactment of these two rules, Advanced CharGen characters always turned out much better than Basic CharGen characters.

(But...let's not forget that Advanced CharGen characters also have to throw many, many more Survival Throws than Basic CharGen characters.)

 

[aramis]

The biggest change from CT to MT character generation was the massive increase in cascade frequency. About 1/3 of rolls result in cascades.

This allows a lot more control over character development, and allows levels 3 and 4 to be significantly more common if desired....

Advanced generation is almost identical, except that cascades are increased slightly in frequency.

 

[Hyphen]

Example of MT chargen

Dear Folks -

Although the MT rules themselves are not publicly available, my Police Character generation rules are identical in flavour.

Go to Tavonni Repair Bays ==> House Rules == > Police Characters for MegaTraveller.

This should give you an indication of what the advanced chargen rules are like.

BTW, I added a couple of Cascade skill groups to my MoJ chargen rules (they're also under House Rules):
Influence (new Cascade Skill): Includes Persuasion, Liaison, Carousing, Streetwise.
Investigation (new Cascade Skill): Includes Computer, Interview, Interrogation, Forensic.
Infiltration (new Cascade Skill): Includes Intrusion, Stealth, Recon, Hunting.

It just gives the players more choice over what specific skills they can get, while still chanelling them toward a certain flavour of character.

 

[zonk]

Thanks everyone.

Hyphen I had already looked at your Police character generator from the other topic on Law Enforcement characters. What I wasn't sure was how representative it was of MT.

I had been told that MT reduced the flavour from the character generator. Obviously that was incorrect.

Basically MT is, or can be, the expanded system from LBB 4 with some additions such as cascade skills.

 

[DonM]

MT Character Generation...

With the exception of two careers (Journalist and Entertainer), all T4 careers appear in MT. MT's basic generation codifies and clarifies the CT careers (including the mess from Spinward Marches Campaign).

A few other bits...

The Pre-Career Options in the Advanced Generation are easily used with the basic generation (in fact, doing this, with the extra skills from the Special Duty and 4+ rolls, will make all MT characters equal to anything from the Advanced Rules).

The Homeworld Limitations and Homeworld Defaults for skills are clearly laid out -- in CT, these were afterthoughts and later additions.

MT Basic Generation has rules for Anagathics availability and use DURING character generation (find that in another set of rules).

I also use the Decorations, Paltrooney and Brownie Points systems from Advanced Generation in my Basic Generation.

But having Anagathics in your character generation is just neat!

 

[Supplement Four]

Basically MT is, or can be, the expanded system from LBB 4 with some additions such as cascade skills.

Most of MT is taken directly from CT.

MT came out a decade after CT. There were a lot of improvements and rule changes implemented in magazines, adventures, and sourcebooks over those ten years, like there is in any game. What happens in MT is that, based on that ten year span of CT, MT collects it all together for presentation.

Very little in MT is original to MT. Most of it is taken from far flung CT publications. Even things like the cascade skills. This is something that is implemented in CT and then presented again in MT.

In fact, one should consider MT and CT pretty much the same edition of Traveller (although there are some major differences, as in comparing a starship from one edition to the other).

 

[zonk]

DonM, I thought I had a handle on MT character creation but after your comment I'm no longer sure.

There are 'advanced' character generator rules beyond the LBB 4 rules in MT?
And pre-gen rules as well? So a character begins before age 18? Or can?

WJP that's what I thought, but now I'm a bit confused. Probably just me.

From everyone's comments on character creation I can see that the two (CT and MT) weren't very different. MT made the skill system more prominent and streamlined (and cleaned it up).

Maybe I make a new thread for this... but how different are the starships between two editions? I don't necessarily mean things like the grid versus coils (?) but compare say Sulieman Scout ships.

I guess what I'm saying is, the difference between ships in the two editions is flavour but no actual difference?

 

[Supplement Four]

There are 'advanced' character generator rules beyond the LBB 4 rules in MT?
And pre-gen rules as well? So a character begins before age 18? Or can?

Again, something that showed up on a CT magazine article, implemented in MT.

Basically what happens is that MT suggests that each character have a home world. The character gets some skills automatically based on the characteristics of the home world.

It's an autmatic thing where you look at the UWP of the homeworld, then compare it with the MT text, then give the character (pre-18 years old) whatever skill(s) is indicated.

From everyone's comments on character creation I can see that the two (CT and MT) weren't very different. MT made the skill system more prominent and streamlined (and cleaned it up).

And, one of the things that IS original to MT is that Basic CharGen characters and Advanced CharGen characters are equilized because of the "Special Duty" throw and the extra skill when 4+ is thrown.

Maybe I make a new thread for this... but how different are the starships between two editions? I don't necessarily mean things like the grid versus coils (?) but compare say Sulieman Scout ships.

I guess what I'm saying is, the difference between ships in the two editions is flavour but no actual difference?

There is an actual difference in the way stats are presented. MT ships can easily be used in a CT game, because all the CT stats are there. But, the reverse is not true. CT ship's don't have near the info needed for MT combat.

Plus, MT starship combat is a version of CT's High Guard.

With CT, starship combat can be played out in a number of ways: High Guard or Mayday, or with the starship combat system presented in Book 2 (which is my personal favorite as it is very, very conducive to role playing and not just war gaming...especially if you use Range Bands and not the mm measurement system for distance).

 

[zonk]

To get back on topic...

If I understand you correctly (WJP) for character creation you use either the LBB 4 style or CT style with the addition of special duty and success (?) of greater 4+? I had had the impression that special duty and the success roll was used with the advancedchar generator.

Thanks for the input on the ships. NOW I remember some of the differences. I'd forgotten that sensors etc were added in the design rules. I jumped over to the starship design topic and read that. Was there ever a consolidated version of the multiple power plant or example of it? It might be clear with the rules but since I don't have them just yet...

--
zonk

 

[Supplement Four]

If I understand you correctly (WJP) for character creation you use either the LBB 4 style or CT style with the addition of special duty and success (?) of greater 4+?

I typically use Basic CharGen, with the Special Duty and 4+ Success rules, yes. I run a CT game.

I'm also big on modding CharGen. It's important not to enforce the Surival Rule (make your players start over with a character if they fail a survival rule), the Optional Surivival Rule (make your players cease character generation as soon as they fail a survival throw), the Experience Limit (that no character can have a total number of skill levels that exceeds the sum of his INT + EDU), and the Maximum Terms Rule (Even if a player gets really lucky and makes all his Surival Throws, that total number of terms cannot exceed 7 terms unless boxcars are thrown on re-enlistment).

Enforcing those rules will ensure you don't unbalance your game. There's a discussion about this in the Classic Traveller forum. You should persuse that.

But...

Also check out the document in my sig. There's many ideas in there that will unbalance your game, but there's also many ideas on how to mod your game without unbalancing it too. Many people have found that to be good reading when starting a Traveller game.

I had had the impression that special duty and the success roll was used with the advancedchar generator.

Nope. The Special Duty roll and the 4+ success rule are strictly for the Basic CharGen types (the 4-year terms). This rule equalizes Basic characters with Advanced characters.

I'd forgotten that sensors etc were added in the design rules. I jumped over to the starship design topic and read that.

There are some rules for sensors in CT too. DGPs GRAND SURVEY presented rules for sensors in CT.

Here's a thread about those sensor rules:

http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=10994&highlight=sensor







Note, though, that many people today argue that sensor rules are usless in Traveller because technology would allow for all combatants to see each other waaaaayyy before either got into firing range. So, the CT style of "no rules for sensors" is acutally more realistic (if you listen to that argument...and it's a pretty strong argument).

Check out this thread for additional information on other Sensor rules written for use with CT (and you might want to look at that whole thread, because it's got a lot of good stuff in it):

http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=11055&highlight=Index+Thread&page=11







Also, many people don't know that the LBB's had a 1st edition. What we think of as the LBB's today is really the revised edition. 1st edition Traveller actually had some sensor rules.

Here is a thread about 1st edition sensor rules:

http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=11077&highlight=Sensors







Finally, if you want some simple, easy-to-use sensor rules for your game, yet you crave some detail to go along with those simple rules, you can check out these sensor rules that I wrote just a few months ago.

The rules are very simple, but there's a lot of verbage there in the thread (I was trying to provide a lot of information about sensors for role playing purposes. A GM can play with as much, or as little of, that detail as he sees fit).

Here's the linky for those rules:

http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=11103&highlight=Sensors

 

[aramis]

Dear Folks -

Although the MT rules themselves are not publicly available, my Police Character generation rules are identical in flavour.

Incorrect, David. MT rules ARE available to the public on DTRPG and from FFE on the CD.

 

[zonk]

Actually, and maybe I should post this in CT, my only copies of CT are 1st edition of, well everything.

What's the difference? nah, as I said I should post that in the CT forum.

WJP thanks for clearing up the chargen changes for me. I kinda wonder though what the difference is? I mean if you use the basic rules and add special duty and success rolls isn't it as time consuming as using the advanced rules? Of course if you don't have access to the other books I can see it ... but when did those changes (special duty and success) occur? If it's MT then isn't the advanced version of chargen in the MT rule books?

 

[Supplement Four]

Actually, and maybe I should post this in CT, my only copies of CT are 1st edition of, well everything.

Are you sure you have the first edition of CT? That's very rare.

You can tell easily. Just look at the weapons charts. If you see a lot of stuff like "3D+4" damage, then you've got the first edition.

If you see that all damage is in solid dice without modifiers (3D...4D...etc), then you have the common revised edition.

I mean if you use the basic rules and add special duty and success rolls isn't it as time consuming as using the advanced rules? Of course if you don't have access to the other books I can see it ... but when did those changes (special duty and success) occur? If it's MT then isn't the advanced version of chargen in the MT rule books?

I have just about everything for CT ever written. I'm missing some obscure stuff, but my collection of Traveller is quite large.

The Special Duty and 4+ rule are original in MT.

I use Basic CharGen with those two rules not to save time but to allow either Basic or Advanced CharGen in my game.

There are many, many more careers in Basic CharGen than in Advanced CharGen. LBB 1 plus Supplement 4 gives you a broad range of careers to choose from. (not to mention the various careers that appear in magazines and such...typically they're Basic CharGen).

If a player, though, wants to use Advanced CharGen, it's not a problem because his character won't have an edge over the players who went with Basic CharGen.

 

[Fritz_Brown]

Aramis, I think he meant available for free on the net (like his house rules).

zonk, any roll made by more than 4 in MT basic chargen gets you an extra skill roll. Also, there was a Special Duty roll added (so, instead of Enlistment, Survival, Commission, Promotion and Re-enlist each term, you have Enlistment, Survival, Commission, Promotion, Special Duty, and Re-enlistment). Those bits were added beginning in MT.

That was just Basic chargen. For MT advanced chargen, you still roll every year, have loads of charts to consult, more varied skill tables available, etc. It actually didn't change much (except as noted by aramis) from LBB4-7.

 

[aramis]

I kinda wonder though what the difference is? I mean if you use the basic rules and add special duty and success rolls isn't it as time consuming as using the advanced rules? Of course if you don't have access to the other books I can see it ... but when did those changes (special duty and success) occur? If it's MT then isn't the advanced version of chargen in the MT rule books?

Basic CT Char gen, per 4 year term: 3-4 throws per term

• Survival
• Commission (if not commissioned)
• Promotion (if commissioned)
• Reenlistment

Basic MT Char: 4-5 rolls per term

• Survival
• Commission (if not commissioned)
• Promotion (if commissioned)
• Special Duty
• Reenlistment

Advanced (both; CT in Bk4,5,6, & 7; MT in PH, COACC and Hard Times) per year: 1-5 throws (thus 4-20 per term)

• Assignment
• Survival
• Promotion if allowed
• Decoration if allowed
• Bonus if merchant and allowed
• Position (if merchant)

 

[zonk]

Are you sure you have the first edition of CT? That's very rare.

If I don't have first edition then I have a copy that must have been dropped off by a time traveler. I bought it when it first came out. Ever supplement I have will be a 'first' edition also cause they were bought new when they came out. I was quite the Traveller collector back in the day. We played it a lot, and did the obligatory tons of new character careers.

Until now I didn't even know there was a second edition. Oh I knew the Traveller book came out and later what I thought were just reprintings. But I didn't need a new copy so ...

I guess I should go look through the storage locker to see exactly what I have. I'm not sure if I have all of the JTAS up to the changeover to Challenge or not.

--
zonk

 

[Supplement Four]

I bought it when it first came out. Ever supplement I have will be a 'first' edition also cause they were bought new when they came out.

The very first edition of Traveller has a relatively small print run. I've never even seen a copy.

As I said above, what most people think of as the first edition of Traveller is really the revised edition.

A quick way to tell, as I said, is to check the weapons chart. Solid dice means the common revised edition (what is included in the CT reprints). Weapon damage with dice plus or minus a modifier means the very first edition (rare) of Traveller.

I know the first edtion also has stuff like different sensor rules from the revised edition. Distance is in miles instead of km. Stuff like that.

 

[Supplement Four]

I'd forgotten that sensors etc were added in the design rules.

BTW, I'd forgotten to mention above...

Sensors weren't added, for the first time, to MT. There are some sensor rules in CT. Just check out Book 2. You'll see that sensors are included as part of the bridge assembly in the starship design system, and the starship combat material explains how to use sensors in a game (with detections ranges and such).