tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post3202771022569813032..comments2024-03-26T04:58:54.326-04:00Comments on The Wandering Gamist: Classic Traveller: Closing Thoughtsjedavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586249502818922886noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-57392206188829135872014-01-07T14:08:42.502-05:002014-01-07T14:08:42.502-05:00When you describe what Classic Trav did with the M...When you describe what Classic Trav did with the Merc expansion book, it really highlights how little depth seems to be valued in Mongoose. Maybe "avoiding" isn't the right word? That sort of implies there's a reason they don't want to go into that stuff other than "we have cheaper, more moneyable books we could release".<br /><br />I still think the initial omissions are an attempt to make the game more accessible. Their choices for inclusion in splat books are a mystery to me. Some of them sound kind of cool though.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13159737770614165905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-77493941335781734342014-01-06T21:00:32.184-05:002014-01-06T21:00:32.184-05:00What do you think they've been avoiding Tim? ...What do you think they've been avoiding Tim? For my part, I feel like Mongoose has been releasing supplements primarily for cash inflow than for proper rules expansion; consider, for instance, the character generation expansions in CT Mercenary vs Mongoose Mercenary. Mongoose expands the random events tables for army and marines, then adds a bunch of mediocre specialist mercenary careers that are basically just slight variants on existing careers. CTMerc, on the other hand, goes into great detail with the army and marine careers, providing military operating specialties, one-year assignments within each four-year tour, conditional modifiers to the lots of tables such that (for example) low-ranking enlisted are likely to roll Brawling while high-ranking officers are likely to roll Admin on the skills tables, and such gems as "marines who earn Melee must save vs marine tradition (with appropriate modifiers) to take any weapon other than Cutlass, unless the skill was earned as Special Operations Training, in which case it may be with any weapon." CT adds depth and complexity to existing careers, while Mongoose adds breadth of marginal utility.jedavishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08586249502818922886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-989416283434154662014-01-06T19:58:10.153-05:002014-01-06T19:58:10.153-05:00Huh! Neat idea. I'd be down to help proofrea...Huh! Neat idea. I'd be down to help proofread it. How much playtesting does a close clone need?jedavishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08586249502818922886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-32024807687139799752014-01-06T13:59:37.391-05:002014-01-06T13:59:37.391-05:00It's the problem of depth vs. initial presenta...It's the problem of depth vs. initial presentation. If you want people to adopt your game, it's tempting to cut anything that might be too confusing, or slow down the game too much for new players. But if you do this, you limit the depth of the game once players have picked it up. The solution is expansion books (as MgT has been doing), but there are definitely some things they've been... avoiding? Anyway, that's my read on it.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13159737770614165905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-41104098434888911572014-01-04T06:09:24.956-05:002014-01-04T06:09:24.956-05:00I've been playing a solitaire MGT campaign, bu...I've been playing a solitaire MGT campaign, but one that is heavily supported by the enormous pile of CT books on my gaming table. I don't know how I'd manage without the NPC reaction table or morale rules. Overall, I think MGT is eminently playable, but I wish they hadn't omitted so much useful stuff.Alea iactanda esthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17951704235056042923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-9189983777789662902014-01-03T13:02:27.329-05:002014-01-03T13:02:27.329-05:00I can definitely write something from the MGT OGL ...I can definitely write something from the MGT OGL if there would be a market and if I get help with playtesting, layout and, especially, art.<br /><br />Careers can be easily renamed and remade. This isn't a problem. Though no one can really copyright terms such as "marines", "merchants" or "army", even in a sci-fi context, and scouts are in the OGL.Omer Golan-Joelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09242085820257230639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-77297989573112561162014-01-03T12:26:04.319-05:002014-01-03T12:26:04.319-05:00You and me both! I wonder if MgT's OGL could b...You and me both! I wonder if MgT's OGL could be used? I think we run in to problems with the actual professions, since CT professions aren't under OGL, if I remember correctly.<br /><br />I'd love to see a Swords&Wizardry-ish CT "re-statement", but I'm not talented enough to produce one myself.hdanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16748671444451280112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-27490873623123050912014-01-03T10:21:16.475-05:002014-01-03T10:21:16.475-05:00You have actually made me want to go and play CT a...You have actually made me want to go and play CT again. The main problem with that is that teh CT book I have (reprint) is quite poor in its presentation of the game - small font, relatively dry language, and almost no art. A bit difficult to get new players into that, and also vector combat might be too much for the non-math-oriented players.<br /><br />I sometimes hope that there will be a retro-clone for CT, not that the rules are unavailable (they are - TONS of books on CD in PDf for DIRT CHEAP), but someone should do a cleared out, neatly presented, well-written version of the rules with good art, a bit like some of the OSR clones did to OD&D.Omer Golan-Joelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09242085820257230639noreply@blogger.com