OOG: Game

[Tiglath]

I absolutely get that and I see the opportunities of a blank canvas (an original Traveller concept) but it seems here that the game has traded its "Firefly" for "Star Trek". The very scale means that for PCs to make meaningful decisions they have to be in executive positions: bridge crew, marine detachment, fighter wing, etc. However in that case then they surely can't be going tactical???

Therefore the GM and players have to (constantly) provide all the (almost illogical) framework for continuing PC interaction. So the scenario as written just isn't a role playing scenario but actually a framework for a bigger strategic game/campaign that surely risks eclipsing the PC's input? I suggest this last only as per (maybe over rigourous ) Traveller (High Guard) logic/cannon.

However, the game might work really well (especially via PbP) in this form - where (mostly) the PCs only ever meet off duty or in the mess hall?

Of course as per Star Trek/Rogue Trader (or the way Traveller players may choose to have it! ) the Admiral and his (irreplaceable?!?) bridge crew always lead the away team/boarding party! Unless its better contrived and written scenario than Enemy of my Enemy (have you worked out how this irked me yet? ) how can all these folk logically keep being at the same critical place at the same time? Now, I know I can do it - but if I'm paying someone for the scenario...

I suppose that in an exploration scenario making the PCs the Admiral's "retinue" fixes a lot but (if applied to Enemy of my Enemy) they then miss almost all the action...

Have I added a "Doh!" yet???

[terrymixon]

I absolutely get that and I see the opportunities of a blank canvas (an original Traveller concept) but it seems here that the game has traded its "Firefly" for "Star Trek". The very scale means that for PCs to make meaningful decisions they have to be in executive positions: bridge crew, marine detachment, fighter wing, etc. However in that case then they surely can't be going tactical???

Therefore the GM and players have to (constantly) provide all the (almost illogical) framework for continuing PC interaction. So the scenario as written just isn't a role playing scenario but actually a framework for a bigger strategic game/campaign that surely risks eclipsing the PC's input? I suggest this last only as per (maybe over rigourous ) Traveller (High Guard) logic/cannon.

However, the game might work really well (especially via PbP) in this form - where (mostly) the PCs only ever meet off duty or in the mess hall?

Of course as per Star Trek/Rogue Trader (or the way Traveller players may choose to have it! ) the Admiral and his (irreplaceable?!?) bridge crew always lead the away team/boarding party! Unless its better contrived and written scenario than Enemy of my Enemy (have you worked out how this irked me yet? ) how can all these folk logically keep being at the same critical place at the same time? Now, I know I can do it - but if I'm paying someone for the scenario...

I suppose that in an exploration scenario making the PCs the Admiral's "retinue" fixes a lot but (if applied to Enemy of my Enemy) they then miss almost all the action...

Have I added a "Doh!" yet???

I found it interesting that the adventure calls for the PCs to have got all the lead positions. Yep, just like Star Trek. I could live with that though.

[Tiglath]

Same format then?

I (perhaps unfairly) bridled at something advertised as an "off the peg scenario" but which actually wasn't and instead involved a deal of form but little function and lots of leg work for the GM...

[terrymixon]

Same format then?

I (perhaps unfairly) bridled at something advertised as an "off the peg scenario" but which actually wasn't and instead involved a deal of form but little function and lots of leg work for the GM...

Not sure it the criticism is unwarranted. It would be a lot of work for the GM.

I was attracted to seeing places not detailed that I could make into whatever I liked (within reason). They have six supplements expanding on specific things they find, and I’ll likely get those at some point.

One of the big things I don’t like about the setting is having the big details all spelled out. It just feels too organized. I like another of Eris’s games where even a few jumps off, there isn’t much detail. We could literally find anything.

[Tiglath]

Wasn't there a contemporary but earlier expansion/"boxed set" recently released for the Rift with a more exploration/development style?

Can't quite place the product title...

[terrymixon]

Wasn't there a contemporary but earlier expansion/"boxed set" recently released for the Rift with a more exploration/development style?

Can't quite place the product title...

The Great Rift box set. It was included with the add-on I got. I haven’t looked at it closely yet. The print books will eventually make their way to me and that’ll make it easier for me.

—-

Go far beyond the empires of Charted Space and
explore the furthest reaches of deep space. This pack contains two box sets that will allow vou to do just this.

The Great Rift provides everything you need to travel
through a lonelv area of unexplored space, while
Deepnight Revelation gives you a campaign that covers one of the greatest vovages launched by Humaniti.

[terrymixon]

I also got their JTAS 1-6 issues in print (as well as issues 7-12 when they come out) to go with my original set. Those will be fun to read.

[Tiglath]

That's it! I may have mistakenly got the impression that this last was more of a classic hexcrawl/encounter system in a more of a freeform "generated" style than a more rigidly defined scenario with serial events.

[terrymixon]

That's it! I may have mistakenly got the impression that this last was more of a classic hexcrawl/encounter system in a more of a freeform "generated" style than a more rigidly defined scenario with serial events.

The campaign is more rigidly defined but with plenty of blank canvass to add additional places of interest.

[Eris]

Same format then?

I (perhaps unfairly) bridled at something advertised as an "off the peg scenario" but which actually wasn't and instead involved a deal of form but little function and lots of leg work for the GM...

Not sure it the criticism is unwarranted. It would be a lot of work for the GM.

I was attracted to seeing places not detailed that I could make into whatever I liked (within reason). They have six supplements expanding on specific things they find, and I’ll likely get those at some point.

One of the big things I don’t like about the setting is having the big details all spelled out. It just feels too organized. I like another of Eris’s games where even a few jumps off, there isn’t much detail. We could literally find anything.

OOC: And you just might! I assume you're talking about Akus Moby, yes? Well, you haven't been to Spectra, NOBODY has been to UE-3, and you're about to do that. You haven't found out where that alien jump drive you have was manufactured, what that note about it having something to do with "squids and squishies" means. You don't know what is the Montrose Hegemony or the Zeristu Emptire are really like (they are painted as bad guys, but that's by the folks you have come into contact with (maybe *they* aren't) and Mark and the CSA are? Muan Qui is a strange world only J2 from Mark, you've never been there. There are multiple political sides, at least, one of which wants to kill one of your PC's and maybe others want to kill, capture, you, your ship and what you know....and you don't know what they think you know. Heck, you don't know what you know!

Oh, and beyond that ring of systems it's all pretty much a blank slate even for me. If we ever get there we'll be figuring it out as we go.

Back to the Mongoose thing. It reminds me of Adventure 4: Leviathan, writ large. I could never run Leviathan because it seemed like it was two or three different games mashed into one...and it didn't really gronk with me that the players could have different PC's playing in all the different games at the same time.

One PC is high ranking officer (Captain, 1st, Chief Engineer, Head Scientist) who make all the big command decisions. One PC is much lower level (scientist, ensign, Lt, jg) to implement those decisions, and maybe a third is a "red shirt." Each have specific roles that they stay within, High doesn't go on Away teams, they order the Lower to do so and have those sort of "adventures." Red Shirts get shot up and replaced a lot, but you need some cannon fodder now and then.

To give an example, take the Mantan game. I encouraged all of you to have two PC's, one for ship board and one for away teams...the Leviathan problem is one reason why. I'm not thrilled by how that is working out, but it still may work in the end.

[terrymixon]

Same format then?

I (perhaps unfairly) bridled at something advertised as an "off the peg scenario" but which actually wasn't and instead involved a deal of form but little function and lots of leg work for the GM...

Not sure it the criticism is unwarranted. It would be a lot of work for the GM.

I was attracted to seeing places not detailed that I could make into whatever I liked (within reason). They have six supplements expanding on specific things they find, and I’ll likely get those at some point.

One of the big things I don’t like about the setting is having the big details all spelled out. It just feels too organized. I like another of Eris’s games where even a few jumps off, there isn’t much detail. We could literally find anything.

OOC: And you just might! I assume you're talking about Akus Moby, yes? Well, you haven't been to Spectra, NOBODY has been to UE-3, and you're about to do that. You haven't found out where that alien jump drive you have was manufactured, what that note about it having something to do with "squids and squishies" means. You don't know what is the Montrose Hegemony or the Zeristu Emptire are really like (they are painted as bad guys, but that's by the folks you have come into contact with (maybe *they* aren't) and Mark and the CSA are? Muan Qui is a strange world only J2 from Mark, you've never been there. There are multiple political sides, at least, one of which wants to kill one of your PC's and maybe others want to kill, capture, you, your ship and what you know....and you don't know what they think you know. Heck, you don't know what you know!

Oh, and beyond that ring of systems it's all pretty much a blank slate even for me. If we ever get there we'll be figuring it out as we go.

Back to the Mongoose thing. It reminds me of Adventure 4: Leviathan, writ large. I could never run Leviathan because it seemed like it was two or three different games mashed into one...and it didn't really gronk with me that the players could have different PC's playing in all the different games at the same time.

One PC is high ranking officer (Captain, 1st, Chief Engineer, Head Scientist) who make all the big command decisions. One PC is much lower level (scientist, ensign, Lt, jg) to implement those decisions, and maybe a third is a "red shirt." Each have specific roles that they stay within, High doesn't go on Away teams, they order the Lower to do so and have those sort of "adventures." Red Shirts get shot up and replaced a lot, but you need some cannon fodder now and then.

To give an example, take the Mantan game. I encouraged all of you to have two PC's, one for ship board and one for away teams...the Leviathan problem is one reason why. I'm not thrilled by how that is working out, but it still may work in the end.

With a lot of characters, even played by a few players, is harder to herd. Especially if they aren’t proactive. I need to poke the thread there again and see if I can’t get some things moving.

[dmw71]

Just checking on the status of this game as the last post in it was 45 days ago.

[joertexas]

Just checking on the status of this game as the last post in it was 45 days ago.

We're a little slow, but I think it's still moving along.

[dmw71]

We're a little slow, but I think it's still moving along.

Hey, that’s great. Keep having fun!

[dmw71]

Can I please get Eris to confirm whether they still plan on continuing their game?

In both Traveller games, the players have posted their intentions to continue; but we still haven't received confirmation from the actual person running the game.

In weeks.


I'm going to be making this same request in both games.

[dmw71]

Eris, the GM, has not posted anywhere in the forums for over a month:

by Eris
Fri Sep 02, 2022 3:51 pm

His games are not being shut down -- he is more than able to resume that any point -- but I am going to go ahead and move the following games to the archived section:

Silverband (C&C)
In the Marches (Traveller)
Akus Moby (Traveller)

Eris, when you're ready to resume all/some of the above, just post a reply here and I'll get notified and can restore your game(s) to the active list.