Traveller is the original sci-fi tabletop RPG, released in 1977. It was one of the first games to break from the mechanics as imagined in D&D, and has been more or less continuously published ever since, with Mongoose Publishing recently taking the IP over completely from its creator, Marc Miller. So why isn’t it big?
Background
This question had my social media feed on fire the other day, but one of the big take aways from it all was that Traveller has an image problem. Part of it comes from the stigma its original edition, where death in character creation was a thing. This was so jarring that even though it was optional by MegaTraveller in 1987, gone in The New Era in 1993, and reduced to a career ending injury in Marc Miller’s Traveller (T4), the impression remains to this day. The other thing is that the setting was under explained/confusing/too shallow to come to grips with fast. And after a bit, I agreed.
Looking back over my own Traveller experience, the easiest time I had getting into the setting, and getting other people into the setting, was with The New Era. Why? Compared to conventional Third Imperium set game, it’s focused. The core play area is around the Regency. There’s a defined danger, the Virus. There’s a nebulous danger, the Hivers and their manipulations. And it’s a post-apocalypse period that’s into the re-exploration/reconstruction phase. Compare that to the sandbox of Third Imperium game and it’s figure it out yourselves approach, and it’s no wonder people bounce off the game.
Now, what’s coming is happening precisely because someone in the thread said not everything needed to be anime and that they didn’t like anime. But I like anime, and reading that just made me think “What anime is Traveller?”, so apologies, but here we go. What Anime is Traveller?
Legend of the Galactic Heroes is Traveller
This series, helpfully shortened to LotGH, originally debuted in 1988 and is currently experiencing a remaster/re-imagining. It’s epic in the literal sense, a space opera set against the background of a galactic war between the Galactic Empire and Free Planets Alliance. It dips into the social, political, and military machinations of galactic level societies, and has some of the best large scale fleet battles in anime. The technology is also roughly where Traveller was originally imagined, making it a great visual point to grasp the setting. However, it’s predominantly happening in the upper echelons of the universe it’s in, and doesn’t grasp the grittier day to day of the people well outside the odd rebellion or brutal suppression of a riot.
LotGH is Traveller at its peak. At or near the highest tech levels, a slow burn storyline with big payouts, and highlighting the struggles and challenges at the elite levels of society. It’s also brutal, with death not caring about “plot” or “character importance”. If you’re looking for military action, or games about or in proximity to the powers that be, this is a solid anime to check out.
The original trailer.
The reboot trailer.
Cowboy Bebop is Traveller
A seminal series in of itself, Cowboy Bebop released in 1998 and has a cult and popular following since. It follows the shifting crew of the Bebop as they take jobs and get into trouble in the solar system around a ruined Earth. Political and criminal elements abound, and secret government operations and prisons are all part and parcel of the life. And not everyone makes it out in one piece. Awesomely, again, the technology falls well within the imagined boundaries of Traveller, dwelling in the mid range for the most part.
Cowboy Bebop is a great example of a Traveller campaign happening in a single system. Because remember, there’s no need to have your Traveller campaign be multi-system spanning. A well or even okay designed solar system can provide years of campaigns. It’s also has great examples of criminal, political, and anti-government movements that would fit well in a game.
Original series trailer.
Bodacious Space Pirates is Traveller
What happens when a teenage girl discovers she’s inherited the position of pirate captain on an old pirate ship in a system where piracy is a formalized affair, and then discovers they need to prove to the larger sharks in the universe that they’re still the real deal? You get a surprisingly plausible show that captures the lighter side of Traveller’s potential game play. It’s largely limited to a small area, that’s not a bad thing. It means details and immersion. The show also gets into the nuts and bolts of starship combat in game approachable ways by dividing tasks between crew (potentially the players) in meaningful manners. It’s the only show I’ve seen where electronic warfare has been presented in a way that would be easy to mechanize at the table. The technology is a mix or mid and low range high tiers, with only some tech being outside of the parameters of normal Traveller, making it a not bad place to get ideas.
For Traveller, Bodacious Space Pirates is the kind of stretch the system can withstand without losing its “Traveller” vibes completely. For lighthearted games, it’s a great set of examples of the kinds of actions and challenges a crew might face off with. And again, it actually shows everyone being useful in starship combat!
Original series trailer.
Final Thoughts
Obviously, this is a short list. There’s dozens of sci-fi anime I’ve seen and loved that don’t fit the Traveller mould, and that’s okay. Systems matter, and Traveller wasn’t built to deal with mecha action. I have Mekton Zeta and Lancer for that. But my point it this. Traveller’s setting is a sort of retro-futurist sandbox, and on the harder side of science fiction, and it has a lot of flex. Too much to easily communicate what kinds of games it can support, and combined with sometimes confusing artwork, it holds the game back. And that’s a shame, because Traveller deserves more love than it gets.
Also, no, you can’t die in character generation anymore. Unless you’re playing Classic Traveller. In which case, fortune favours the bold. Good luck!
