I've told the story before of how my first encounter with the game did not exactly endear it to me. It seemed a very lackluster vision of the future to someone who, at the age of 10 or so, was enamored with the kind of Science Fiction found in Star Trek, Star Wars, Space:1999, the Legion of Superheroes, and a number of SF novels above my grade level (I was an advanced reader).
Traveller was more akin to Alien, or Outland (which would come out after I first played the game), and that just wasn't how I saw Space Adventure Sci-fi, or how I wanted it to be. It certainly wasn't the universe I wanted to live in as a character in a Role Playing Game.
For the next 7 years I basically ignored Traveller. It wasn't even on my radar. I only got back into it on the recommendation of my friend Jason (shout to Big J!), and the release of MegaTraveller in 1986.
Fast forward to the present, and it is one of my all time favorite RPGs.
Granted, I play it a little faster, and looser than most people probably do, and although I try to adhere to the Hard Science aspects of it, a solid dose of Space Opera finds its way in to my campaigns. I love that the game can handle that. I love that it has a simple structure that is easy to use, or modify as needed.
It feels like only yesterday that I didn't like it, then rediscovered it, and then made it one of my reoccurring, go-to games.
Happy 40th Anniversary Traveller! Clear skies, and keep on flying!
AD
Barking Alien
I feel like everyone who really enjoys Traveller plays it "faster and looser than most people probably do", haha. I read you article about your first encounter with the game. Great stuff. I'm running a monthly game now, after about 30 something years of not playing it, and I love it more now than ever. And yes, playing fast and loose. Homebrew setting, lots of aliens, still not many energy weapons, still not FTL communication.
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by blofin2.
DeleteI love hearing stories about people going back to their old favorite with renewed vigor.