Here are some thoughts on the T2K2 d20 system.
The group I play Dark Conspiracy with tried using the d20 system suggested in
the PC Booster Kit during one play session. We were pleased with the greater
options for task difficulty levels that a d20 provided, but we also encountered
some drawbacks. The d20 system proposed in the Kit failed to adequately adjust
some characteristics--recoil of weapons and damage causing knockdown,
specifically. Simply doubling these values were not enough--effects of recoil
were severly exagerated over the d10 system, for instance.
These problems could easily be overcome in the Next Era game, of course, but it
would mean that existing T2K2 weapon stats would require significant
modification. This would be somewhat inconvenient--there are lots of stats
out for old weapons such as the Enfield Mk.3, and at the rate GDW is having
planets degenerate, those weapons will be high-tech after 80 years.
Personally, I prefer the task system found in Traveller and 2300AD, but I can
see GDWs motive for changing things. The T2K2 system is widely used by
players, and using this system will make it easy for non-Traveller players to
quickly learn the game (and pay GDW lots of money, of course).
The T2K2 system does have little in the way of equipment design rules, and the
small arms stats published are highly inconsistent with the guidelines GDW has
published (and indeed, with reality). Hopefully GDW will decide to incorporate
MegaTraveller's (comparatively) superior vehicle design rules in TNE.
Lord Krieg
Internet: [email removed]
America Online: Empr Krieg