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Traveller BRP


Conrad

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I've been running a very Traveller like game using BRP and the Worlds Beyond setting. Searching about on the net for some way to convert classic Traveller npcs into BRP format I discovered this, on hackslash.net (Mike Hensley's website):

"I just recently got the new Basic Roleplaying book and, like I do with all generic systems, my thoughts turned to how I could use these rules to play D&D and/or Traveller. I'm getting a bit burned out running my D&D 3.5 campaign at the moment, so let's try a bit of Traveller.

The first step in learning any rpg is to roll up a character. I really like the life-path character generation system found in Mongoose Traveller, so I'll keep that and just convert the characters created with it to BRP stats. I rolled up a character some months ago here, so I'll just use him as a test case. Here he is again:

Drake Tungsten - 38yo retired Scout (5 terms)

STR- 7

DEX- 7

END- 9 (+1)

INT- 8

EDU- 11 (+1)

SOC- 4 (-1)

Astrogation- 3, Pilot(spacecraft)- 1, Pilot(smallcraft)- 1, Mechanic- 1, Comms- 1, Energy Pistol- 1, Xenology- 1, Vacc Suit- 1, Streetwise- 1, Jack of all Trades- 1, Navigation- 1, Computer- 0, Trade- 0, Drive- 0, Carouse- 0, Survival- 0

50,000 Credits, TL11 Laser Pistol

First thing to convert are stats. Traveller uses 2d6 to roll up stats but after character creation they can range from 1 - 15. BRP has similar character stats (in a 3d6 range) with the addition of Appearance, Size, and Power. Endurance is renamed to Constitution. Also, Social is a skill in BRP and not a stat. Sanity is not a necessary stat for Traveller. A simple way for converting is to take the Traveller stat and add half of it (rounded down) to get the BRP equivalent. Example- Drake's STR is 7. Add half (3.5 rounds down to 3), so 7 + 3 = 10. For the new stats, roll 3d6 twice and arrange as wanted for Appearance and Power. Size is rolled with 2d6+6. Society is dropped and will be converted to a skill later. With these rules in mind, here are Drake's BRP stats:

STR- 10

CON- 13

DEX- 10

SIZ- 15

INT- 12

POW- 11

APP- 13

EDU- 16

Hit Points are calculated by adding SIZ and CON together, then dividing the total by two and rounding up. Example- Drake's SIZ is 15 and his CON is 13, so his Hit Points are (15+13)/2 = 14.

Next comes conversion of skills. This is surprisingly easy to do as well. Simply take the Traveller skill level and multiple that by 10 and add 40 to it to get the BRP percentile skill level. Example- Drake has Astrogation- 3, so his skill level in BRP terms would be 3 x 10 + 40 = 70%. Here are Drake's converted skills:

Astrogation- 70%, Pilot(spacecraft)- 50%, Pilot(smallcraft)- 50%, Mechanic- 50%, Comms- 50%, Energy Pistol- 50%, Xenology- 50%, Vacc Suit- 50%, Streetwise- 50%, Jack of all Trades- 50%, Navigation- 50%, Computer- 40%, Trade- 40%, Drive- 40%, Carouse- 40%, Survival- 40%"

I've posted the article here as you have to scroll down this page a bit to find it: http://www.hackslash.net/?cat=27

May I suggest that if you don't want to use Jack of All Trades you convert the skill as per above, and then use the skill percentage as skill points to buy whatever skills you deem necessary for the npc, or add the points to already existing skills.

Edited by Conrad
I'm a perfectionist!
http://www.basicrps.com/core/BRP_quick_start.pdf A sense of humour and an imagination go a long way in roleplaying. ;)
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is it a free game??

As well as Soltakss' SpaceQuest rules there is Cthulhu rising, which is a free game that has an Aliens style setting.

[ CTHULHU RISING: Game Downloads ]

Edited by Conrad
http://www.basicrps.com/core/BRP_quick_start.pdf A sense of humour and an imagination go a long way in roleplaying. ;)
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i was under the impression Cthulhu rising was a cost game, I believed you had to pay for the pdf

If you want the monograph, yes. There is a ton of background on the site, along with rules that get updated before the monograph.

The book is nice to have in hand for the game, and the site for the pre-game research.

SDLeary

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  • 4 weeks later...

I will have to post my Planet of Adventure aliens (Pnume, Chasch and Dirdir), converted from a Traveller article in The Space Gamer sometime. Typing it all up is time consuming.

Edited by Conrad
http://www.basicrps.com/core/BRP_quick_start.pdf A sense of humour and an imagination go a long way in roleplaying. ;)
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  • 3 months later...

I will have to post my Planet of Adventure aliens (Pnume, Chasch and Dirdir), converted from a Traveller article in The Space Gamer sometime. Typing it all up is time consuming.

How does it going?

At last i have found something that makes me want too play Traveller again, Dark Hunter. Thanks http://Zho.berka.com/.

Adventuring in the Oolite universe should also be fun.

The Elite/Oolite wiki:http:

//wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Oolite_Main_Page

I dont want too travel in the space lanes with an Beowulf far trader anymore. A want an Python class cruiser:).

Pcc-ship-art.jpg

Edited by Solardog
Typo

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.

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How does it going?

See my blog for the Vance alien stats converted from an old Traveller Space Gamer article, Solardog.

There are some cute spaceships on the Oolite web page. If it is something different from the standard Traveller spaceship designs you're looking for, check these out!

http://www.dcmstarships.com/gallery-star-vessels.html

Edited by Conrad
http://www.basicrps.com/core/BRP_quick_start.pdf A sense of humour and an imagination go a long way in roleplaying. ;)
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See my blog for the Vance alien stats converted from an old Traveller Space Gamer article, Solardog.

If it is something different from the standard Traveller spaceship designs you're looking for, check these out!

http://www.dcmstarships.com/gallery-star-vessels.html

Thanks!

I have visited dcmstarships many years ago. I have forgotten about it:thumb:.

Nice starship, perfect for my Dark Hunter campaign.

th_Libertinesk72.jpg

An dead space station, dont go there you will die:rolleyes:.

th_FabianSatellite72.jpg

Click on the thumbnails for larger view.

Art By:Storn,http://www.stornart.com/

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.

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Hey there guys,

Well I have been here before...I am a 32+ yr D&D DM, and 30+ yr Traveller GM as well too. When Hero System came up with Traveller Hero rules (ver 5 Revised) and they also had Fantasy Hero , I started to convert both of my long running 25+ yrs campaigns in both systems to use the Hero Systems. Yes I used ver 3.5 d20 system and refused to yet again go to another version 4 of D&D. Then Hero System did it to and started version 6. Then Mongoose Publishing anounced they had the only licencse for Traveller, and Hero Traveller was taken out of print with no more support for it.

So I have always used different rules borrowed in part from BRP games system, as the basis for many of my House Rules. I have bought all the printed BRP products that have come out lately, and although the idea of Taveller BRP sounds good but it will never be able to be more than Free Ware player created only product. The license issue will prevent it from ever seeing a product or line in buyable printed products. Mongoose Pub. has that only line and they are doing a good job with the Line. Now as to D&D, although I will NOT bother with version 4 of D&D, but Pathfinder's ver 3.5.1 revised D&D d20 system is pretty darn good and has picked up many of the players fed up with D&D v4 system.

BRP is pretty good, and seems to have mostly older gamers but doesn't have the appeal to the general masses of gamers. For me I think the poor system of support that Chaosium shows for the product seems to be part of the issue. Heck for me I ordered (4) products back on 2/9 and since that day it has had a status of "Order Being Prepared", seems a bit long to prepare such a small order...19+ days seems to be a bit long to prepare a order. I have even sent a email asking for a status update on thursday, and still no email Customer Service reply or anything. All these things add up to show "POOR" support or customer care from Chaosium, and thus that might also explain why BRP isn't doing to well with new gamers. Lets face it you need to get the products out to gaming stores, to be seen and allow folks to know that it even exists. Oh the Core book is out there but how often or many of the other books have any of you seen in a gaming store. Heck I only know about the other products because I read stuff from this site and buy my other BRP products from Chaosium site. Just a FYI I do NOT collect anything Cthulhu at all.

Just my 2 cents...

Penn

Old time RPGer of +34 yrs, player/DM/GM.

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Well I have been here before...I am a 32+ yr D&D DM, and 30+ yr Traveller GM as well too.

Oh the Core book is out there but how often or many of the other books have any of you seen in a gaming store.

If you have the core rules and you are an old time experienced GM, that collects lots of resource materials and buys Mongoose Traveller stuff, you don't need any more support from Chaosium. There is plenty of free Traveller conversion stuff on this site done by Soltakss http://www.soltakss.com/rq_scifi.doc, Stefan Matthias http://www.basicrps.com/links/stefan/brp.html, and Vile http://basicroleplaying.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=109, and you can easily convert your Traveller game to BRP. You could even check out Cthulhu Rising http://www.cthulhurising.co.uk/downloads.php which is full of useful things for a space based campaign, and its free!

Solardog, you should have linked to this Storn cook site: http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/Storn/

Edited by Conrad
http://www.basicrps.com/core/BRP_quick_start.pdf A sense of humour and an imagination go a long way in roleplaying. ;)
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Hmmmm I have said I have not looked at anything Cthulhu in years. Now I like the Cthulhu Rising stuff so far and will down load it first and if I like it I will buy the printed copy for Chaosium next. Are there any other supplements for that version of the game and do you need the Version 6 Core rules book as well too? Actually is CR version 6?

Penn

Old time RPGer of +34 yrs, player/DM/GM.

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Are there any other supplements for that version of the game and do you need the Version 6 Core rules book as well too? Actually is CR version 6?

The only Cthulhu Rising supplement I am aware of is Jovian Nightmares, also available as a

PDF or a printed monograph from Chaosium:

http://catalog.chaosium.com/product_info.php?products_id=3683

If you like Cthulhu Rising, this planned setting also written by John Ossoway could interest

you, too:

http://basicroleplaying.com/showthread.php/1811-D101-Games-presents-quot-River-of-Heaven-quot

You do not need Call of Cthulhu 6 for Cthulhu Rising, basically any version of Call of Cthulhu

will do, the differences are really minimal.

"Mind like parachute, function only when open."

(Charlie Chan)

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Very nice guys...thank you very much. The one thing that I never liked about Cthulhu is the "Insanity" thing and would most likely drop that all together. Play it as BRP only minus that part of the system. It wouldn't be Cthulhu anymore, but just another flavor of BRP and that is ok with me.

Penn

Old time RPGer of +34 yrs, player/DM/GM.

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Guest Vile Traveller

If anything, John's Cthulhu Rising game is more closely based on RuneQuest 3 than on the CoC rules. It's quite easy to strip the mythos out of the setting, although he does have a whole bunch of cool campaigns for download. Those might be a bit more tricky to de-Cthulhufy (is that a word?) but the additional background info in them is still very useful.

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Hello, whats is yours favorite Traveler adventure? Mine is Uragyad'n of the Seven Pillars by John Andrew Keith & William H. Keith, Jr.

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.

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