[Yes I'm listening, and I just forwarded this message to TML -- James]
There have been a couple of postings asking for info on Traveller- The
New Era, so here is my two work units worth....
I would throw this into the Traveller mailing list, but my subscription
to that still hasn't been processed yet (are you reading this???)
I have just purchased the game (Softback book, 300+ pages, GDW code
number 0300) and what I guess is the first supplement, Survival Margin
(Softback book, 100+ pages, GDW code 0301). First the game:
My first impressions were Oh My God, what have they done? I was rather
taken aback by the *Major* change to the campaign world...
The rules have not been changed greatly from MegaTraveller (still a task
based system), but enough changes have been made to basically need some
work to get the two compatible (should you want to). The old 'flavour'
of Traveller is there, just in a different form. I haven't had time to
playtest the rules yet, so I can't comment in detail, but of what I have
looked at, they seem ok. The character generation is distinctly
different - gone are the highly complex (and IMHO fun) High Guard and
Mercenary advanced character generation, but we do have a system by
which players can pick and choose small portions of different careers to
get a rounded character - this does however leave the system open to
munchkinism, as a character could switch between lots of high skill
careers and collect lots of initial skill packets.
Starship rules are conspicuous in their almost absence - the rules
presented give a tantalising glimpse at some interesting changes (the
organization of lasers into power ratings, and the introduction of large
turrets - barbettes), but all the stuff on screens, construction, energy
guns, and in fact just about everything is missing. This is just so that
they can sell us another box set of course....
Psionics have been improved, and are now a legitimate career in places.
The system for Psionics has been made more flexible with the
introduction of success levels.
Other material is what could be expected - the aliens are covered in
about 5 pages (!), which means we will be purchasing separate alien race
sourcebooks (lets hope they get it right this time). The campaign
material is sound, with adequate equipment lists, a few sample subsector
maps and two sample adventures (which I wish they would leave out of
rule books, as once used, they become just so much dead weight in the
middle of the text).
Presentation is OK - there is a lot to read, so you get the feeling of
value - most diagrams are fine - I especially like the slightly neater
look of the subsector maps. However there are some flaws - for instance
the list of skill clusters (which is needed at generation) is at least
60 pages away from the rest of the character generation rules.
And onto the background - this is the most radical change to the
Traveller universe. The Shattered Imperium of MegaTraveller went through
a 14 year long war of despair, which basically ruined the infrastructure
of the Imperium. Then, in 1130, an ultimate weapon was released called
Virus - an intelligent machine virus which soon spread throughout the
Imperium. This caused all machinery controlled by computers to rebel
against humanity and effectively kill off a large portion of the
populace and throw the rest of them into the pre-industrial era.
The background to all this is well presented, and results in some
distinct campaign areas:
The Regency - This is the old Deneb/Spinward Marches area (Norris's area
in MegaTraveller). It is basically an area of the Imperium which has
survived through rigorous quarantine from Virus. The Regenecy has also
formed closer ties with Zhodani, Vargr and Aslan nearby. This area could
thus be used for a traditional Traveller campaign.
The Old Expanses - This is where the Hivers have started to educate
Humanity in an attempt to restart their technology. This allows a
flexible approach to what tech can be used
Pocket Empires - Small groups of worlds which have survived the Virus -
these can be a few worlds which can be placed anywhere.
The Wilds - The vast majority of the Imperium, which has been knocked
back to pre-stellar tech, and has virtually lost spaceflight. The rules
seem to indicate that this will be the main concentration for the
campaigns in the future, which is a great pity, as it is pointless
having a sci-fi roleplaying game set in the middle ages! This is very
disappointing by GDW - and I for one will not be bothering to buy any
Wilds campaign books.
The maps also show an area called the Black Curtain, which so far I
haven't found a reference to... This area is centred on Core, and I
guess we will all have to buy another book to find out about that...
Oho - just found a reference - this is Lucan's old empire, and
apparently, no ship ever going in has ever come out, and no ship ever
comes out of its own accord. Hands up those of you who reckon this will
turn out to be a small empire of high tech run by Lucan's descendants...
The second book, Survival Margin, is IMHO a waste of time and money. It
may provide a good sourcebook for anyone still using MegaTraveller who
wants more info on the war after the assisination of Strephon. It is
basically a timeline of that war until the Virus release. It also
includes a section on converting MegaTrav chars to TNE chars, including
such gems as "if the character has a large supply of Medical Slow drug,
then they could pass the seventy years from the war to the new era in
little more than one year subjective time" Yeah right...
The conversion is not a recommendation for buying this book - just start
with new characters.....
Overall, THE seems to have promise, but it also seems to have been
rushed out with no support. There is the promise of the ship combat
boxed set, and a Traveller Technical manual which allows the tech basis
of the universe to be altered. I would also guess that we will get the
ubiquitous ship compendiums, alien race books, and other crap that we
have all already bought for Traveller and MegaTrav.... *sigh*
I would recommend TNE to anyone who wants to progress in the Traveller
game - but have a stiff drink before reading the background to the
campaign. I think that with only a few small modifications, the campaign
is workable - I will probably set my campaign a few years into the new
era, when Virus has all but lost its contagiousness. The first steps
into rebuilding the Imperium can then be the focus of the game, perhaps
starting with the arrival of a Hiver ship at the Regency, having
discovered a few Pocket empires on the way, and the subsequent
re-expansion of the Regency into the wilds....
Ralph.
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[Believed to be the smallest .sig in the world]