Windward, and maybe a Traveller Scouting game

Last weekend I finally got to play Windward, a game that I've had for a number of years. We messed up the first round or so, but in the end, it is a relatively simple game. It is just the rules as written are not particularly well-done, even after their 2nd Kickstarter for the expansion and deluxe version. But we had a good bit of fun, and you cannot go wrong with sky whales! But we figured a few things out as we went along, and the next game we'll have a better handle on things. 

player board and my hired crew

And I've been thinking a lot about why I cannot seem to run a good Traveller game with my current group. Probably a primary reason is that they prefer fantasy over SF for the most part. And Traveller runs both a sandbox SF RPG universe but also adds some limits to the style of universe (and this is from conversations on COTI and a few other blogs I've read, so nothing original other than me realizing it!). It wants to do a harder version of pulp-style science fiction: people have to do things, and it is not so much an extrapolation of science and technology in the real world, but one based on the stories of the first half of the 20th century. It came out well before the cyberpunk/AI/transhumanism themes became prevalent in the SF world. 

And honestly, I like it that way. Traveller is great for things like early Heinlein, 70s TV shows like Space:1999 and UFO (though I actually have the Space:1999 RPG but doubt I'll ever run it). It cannot run a Star Trek or Star Wars style of game: those have entirely different technological assumption underpinnings. Instantaneous interstellar communication would change a great number of things and break the basic idea of Traveller. Even cheap spaceships would have a huge impact (my pet peeve with Star Wars is everyone seems to be able to afford a starship, they never worry about fuel or life support unless it becomes THE plot point. And even a small single-seater ship is capable of vast interstellar journeys. Without a bathroom). 

However, I've been thinking that if I perhaps did an exploratory game instead. I'd limit career options to Scouts, Scientists and military careers, and they would just be the crew of a ship. I'd also reduce fuel usage by 50% and life support as well. That would allow double jumping with the same tankage and not cost so much for life support. Which would not matter much for the players as they would probably be the "boots on the ground" for our planet of the week adventure. Basically, structure it around an episodic TV format. Plus it would allow me to flesh out that section of the D'Arlee Quadrant that has been empty since college! Though I did stick the world of Corsairs there!

Time Keeps on Slipping, Slipping

The new job has been a bit time consuming. Which eats into my mental ability to do much of anything else it seems. It will settle down, it always does.

Last weekend one of the players had car trouble and could not make it, so we ended up playing classic Zombicide instead. I screwed up on the car rules, but we did win (though I feel we cheated).

And I've been playing a couple of other games with my buddy that shows up - while we started with The Fantasy Trip with his kids, teenagers being teenagers and a few other things, meant that they eventually stopped playing. So, we played Zombicide as well and now are moving on through a few of the other games I have for some variety. Which reminds me - need to find a game for tomorrow and get it set up before he shows up. Maybe we'll try Windward this time!

Sadly, not a lot of Traveller things going on for me. While it is my favorite game, I just cannot get a good game going with this group. Part of it is me, but only part of it. I've even stopped working on the software, though I may revisit that again. But as I spend all day right now in software, after hours I need a break. And I am, honestly, depressed by seeing the stuff others are doing over on COTI. Not sure how much of that is AI-driven vs the old-fashioned way of doing it yourself, but regardless it is very impressive.

Which actually does have a Traveller-like connection: over on COTI there are numerous interesting conversations, and one being that a lot of the stuff Travellers do could be automated. My response to that is that it then becomes Passengers. The conceit of Traveller is a pulp-style of science fiction where characters do stuff, not just jump aboard a starship or vehicle and say "go there". I'm re-reading some old Heinlein stories, and Starman Jones is about an astrogator. And their job is all about doing the math to punch it into the computer. I can see this sort of thing as the impetus behind that skill. Yes, computers could do all that. But this is Traveller, a SF RPG for a more pulp-style of science fiction. If I want something to reflect where I think technology is going versus where Traveller had its tech levels, I'd really play something else. And with all the AI now, to be really realistic I fear it would have to be a post-apocalyptic type of game. Or a "utopia" where we don't do anything at all and everything is fully automated. 

I'll just leave it with this image I found. And one of the things that does have me worried is people starting to lose the ability to even think anymore. And I hate that Lego added their smart block - can we not just let kids use their imagination? Sorry, old man screaming at the sky I suppose.

Running Traveller Games

I've tried running a few Traveller games with my current group, and sadly it never really seems to work out well. While part of it is me, I think another part is that Traveller is, in many ways, a lot different than most RPGs.

The obvious differences start with it being a level-less game. Though it is really does have levels - your skill levels. But: you don't start out as a kid off the turnip wagon. You start play usually as a middle-aged person who has already had a full life. You start the game already leveled up.

Which brings up the 2nd point: there is no reward other than credits and surviving. Most games you level up, improving stats or skills. At some point you become basically gods depending on the game, though not all games do it that way obviously. Traveller, no matter how long your character has been in play, can be killed by a laser blast as easily as dying in character generation (which is another major difference!) And yes, there are rules for improvement. But it takes a lot of in-game time! And you can still fail to learn anything new.

And for my group, the nail in the coffin, so to speak, is that space travel in the far future is expensive. Getting a ship is a major expense. While I understand a lot of those rules are designed to force the player into taking risks to just be able to survive, to players used to Star Wars or Star Trek, having to work for an adventure just does not go over well. Add in the mechanics for fuel, jump, and the deliberate "communication at the speed of ships" and it is a SF universe they just don't enjoy. Personally, I have no idea how the economics of the Star Wars or Star Trek universes work: people have spaceships as easily as people have cars now it seems. And unless it is a plot point, never worry about fuel or life support.

I'll admit a large part is on me, and I've tried more rules-light versions where they had benefactors and NPCs to handle all those details. Details I like for a number of reasons, and I can work with that. And I get stressed a good bit beyond my normal levels of stress as Traveller is my favorite RPG (you never forget your first love!) and want them to like it as much as I do. 

I cannot compare our games to my college games. First, 40+ year old memories are always burnished to a high shine, and second. most of us in that group all owned and both refereed and played Traveller. We lived Traveller for those glorious years. And we were in our late teens, early 20s. That is an entirely different gamer than those of us *cough* a bit older now.

Anyway, between a new, high-intensity job and my desire to make them like the game too much, the last game fizzled out. I think I mentioned I may just take a break from running games for a while: still adjusting to a new job, and also very disappointed in myself. To be honest, I feel make a better assistant referee I think: I love creating maps, deck plans, NPCs and the like. But effectively running a game seems like something I am just not doing well. 

However, I know I'll try again anyway. Though I may do the Space:1889 concept instead and so bypass some of those pesky OTU details that they seem to not particularly enjoy. I just love the game too much to give up so easily!