[TML] Mongoose Traveller

[Tom B]

>
> I think it has the most in common with Classic Traveller. Let me append
> that comment with the statement that I think that as good as they all
> are, every version of Traveller has had some flaw. Hell, I think every
> game has had some flaw,


I'm with you in that. Some have more than their share in one form or another
(MT's typos come to mind). But that's a decent generalization.


> with the possible exception of Spirit of the
> Century.  This game seems to do all of the things that I commonly think
> of as Traveller without the  glaring flaws of the other versions.


Particularly, what do you think it does well system-wise? Or what glaring
flaws do you think it addresses (or fails to make)?


> I
> think that the game is fairly success-oriented, has a decent core
> mechanic, and has the core of a great game.


Is it D20 based, 2D6 based, dice-pool based or what? Does it have an
underlying skill system like MT or TNE? (One can argue CT may have had one
underlying but each skill had different rolls and mods) Would I build a
character like you do in GT or would I grow one like you do in CT/MT?


> Yes it is a little old
> school as compared to newer more narrative and collaborative systems.


The thing that I found interesting about MT was there was a lot of detail
there (if you were patient with bollix'd up charts) if you wanted it, but
all you really needed to run a session was 2d6, an idea of how to read or
create a task description (UTP), and maybe a ref's screen for combat data.
Otherwise, you could run it in a fairly story-intensive and player-oriented
fashion, rather than a rules-heavy way. If you wanted to dig, you had some
good bits, but you didn't have to.

I've never really been all that fond of collaborative systems. At least,
with the diverse groups of players I tend to get, I suspect they'd be a
major effort in diplomacy.


> As for what we call it, I have seen people refer to it as MongTrav, and
> Mongoose Traveller. I don't think it matters.
>  To me it is Traveller, plain and simple.


Sure, but when you discuss version specific things, it is nice to have
language to do it. When people talk about MT, most people know what that
abbreviation means. When people talk about CT, the same. MongTrav is longer
than any of the others (TNE, T4, MT, CT, T20, GT) so I suspect something
shorter will evolve... MgT seemed like a good compromise...

Is there any sort of preview or primer available for this version? Or do I
just have to buy the whole thing sight unseen?

Thanks for taking the time to speak on these points.

Thomas B