Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

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Hvalreki
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Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#1 Post by Hvalreki »




The Starport Bar is the place for all non-game related or OOC conversations.

Try to keep the gaming stuff in the game threads and anything else, cat memes, whatever goes here in this section.

Oh before I forget. If you're new to the site here's the rules you agreed to when you joined- Wall of text below but we'll honor it.
The goal of The Unseen Servant is to provide a helpful and supportive forum for RPG play by post games and RPG-related discussions. With that in mind, we have developed the following Rules to help you better understand what is and what is not acceptable behavior on this site.

Be respectful of other forum members, whether they are users, moderators or administrators, and of people in general. If you can't be polite, you don't belong here.
Do not insult, engage in name-calling, or demean anyone's intelligence or character. Sarcasm or jest may be taken seriously. Remember that written communication is much different than speaking face to face. Don't make your humor personal, as it will most likely be misunderstood.

Do not denigrate anyone's playing style or preferred gaming system. While this forum has attracted a good amount of ‘old-school’ gamers, all systems and genres are acceptable here, as long as it’s an RPG and suitable to the play by post style.

No posting links to copyrighted documents (e.g. scanned rule books), not-free software, etc. Also, if it is not safe for work, then do not post it. EXCESSIVE profanity or profanity just for the sake of it, pornography or links to such material are not acceptable. If you’re not sure if you should post something, then it’s probably a good idea to NOT post it.

Profanity within your game is perfectly acceptable, but just as a courtesy, let your players be aware of it before you start a game, just in case. And most of all, don't direct any profanity towards other players.

Discussion of real-world politics and religion is discouraged. If you want to discuss politics or religion as it relates to some other aspect of your life, there are other forums in which to do so.

No trolling or flaming. This should go without saying. If you’re here, you’re most likely an intelligent person and are capable of civil conversation. If you want to troll or flame just because, put the bottle or pipe down and go outside. If you come across trolling/flaming behavior, please inform a moderator.

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All of the above rules apply to all aspects of this forum: thread posting, private messaging, and chat.
Last edited by Hvalreki on Tue Jan 25, 2022 5:24 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#2 Post by Hvalreki »

Hi Travellers!

Welcome to the Starport Bar

Check in here once you're on the forum. Let me know your general Traveller background and what kind of game you're hoping to play.

This will be player driven game in the sense that I'm not running any module or preset adventure (I may steal bits :D ). I have a subsector sketched out and depending on what you all decide to do that is what we'll do! Just like they did it in 1977!

The dice are going to dictate somewhat how we start. If one of the players musters out with a ship that will change things up a bit to start out.

I’d like to understand everyone’s experience with Traveller so I know where the group is coming from with the game mechanics and background. Also let me know if you've played in a Play by Post game before.

For this game we’re going to use Classic Traveller books 1-3 ONLY. Specifically the first 1977 edition (with errata fixes and minor house rules).

This my second Play by Post experience as a referee. The first game is still going but I've been reading the amazing Tales To Astound blog by Christopher Kubasik (a bit late to the OSR party for me I guess) the past few months and have been dying to try a 1977 style game ever since so here we are.

I was an avid gamer back in the day, mainly AD&D and Traveller but also enjoyed boxed wargames- Avalon Hill, SPI, etc. I have mostly refereed Traveller and DM for Advanced D&D but also enjoy playing as a character once in a while too. I'm in a game now on this site playing D&D first edition and having a blast.

It's been many years since I've played any RPGs at all. I tried to kickstart a Roll 20 game when Covid began but didn't really get off the ground. I think the PBP may be more of my style these days so looking forward to see how it goes.

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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#3 Post by Totalguest »

I only got into Traveller in the last year or two, but something about it really hooked me in! I also really like the tales to astound blog and find it really inspiring!
I’ve been in a couple of classic games, but unfortunately they all fell apart fairly quickly due to lack of commitment from other players.
This is my first experience with play by post. It never used to appeal to me, but Ive realized it can be a really good format for good roleplay, and it helps with the scheduling conflicts that always come up..
I’m pretty open as to where the game style goes, I enjoy a little intrigue and action, but I’m happy to see how it shapes out and go with it.
As for my general rpg experience, I played a lot of ad&d 2e and palladium games back in the 90s and then drifted away from gaming in the early 2000s. I just got back into the hobby a couple of years ago and am really happy I did!

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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#4 Post by dongriffiths »

Hi,

I started roleplaying with original D&D, mainly played 1st ed AD&D along with Gamma World and Traveller. The Sci-fi side became more interesting as we gained experience in roleplay with some weird hybrid homebrew stuff occupying much of the 80s.
The group broke up as life got in the way and I've played on and off since then, rarely finding a regular group for any length of time. In the last year or so I took up active play on Roll20, mostly DnD 5E as that was the easiest to get a game in.
I saw that there was still some life in Traveller even if there are so many editions it's hard to work out which are being used although they all see quite compatible with each other, so I've been looking to get into a game.

There's no better place to start than dying multiple times in character creation.

My main from our longest running campaign was a merchant who managed to establish a successful shipping line servicing a lucrative route between the Sword Worlds and the Imperium. Ably assisted by the rest of the party who had setup up a mercenary company to help with those delicate negotiations.
Non enim propter gloriam, diuicias aut honores pugnamus set propter libertatem solummodo quam Nemo bonus nisi simul cum vita amittit.

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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#5 Post by Hvalreki »

Great to meet both of you!

Looking forward to kicking this thing off. I’ll try to get a starter thread up this weekend.

Cheers

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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#6 Post by perryb413 »

Howdy all. Character posted in the CC thread. Looking forward to it.

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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#7 Post by Totalguest »

It doesn’t make a huge difference, but are you using the 77 LBBs or the 81 LBBs? Just wondering cause of the mention of scouts getting 2 skills per term which I believe came in with the 81 books.

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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#8 Post by Hvalreki »

It doesn’t make a huge difference, but are you using the 77 LBBs or the 81 LBBs? Just wondering cause of the mention of scouts getting 2 skills per term which I believe came in with the 81 books.
You may be right. If so I'll add it to the house rules. I just realized I'm missing my original 1977 book 1 (I still have 2 and 3 though :D ). I was looking at the 81 reprint.

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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#9 Post by dongriffiths »

What timezone is everyone in?

Most posts seem to be between midnight and 5:00 AM my time so would I be right in guess US West Coast?

I'm in the UK
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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#10 Post by Totalguest »

I’m in Vancouver, PST

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#11 Post by Hvalreki »

Fellow Left coaster! I'm LA, a tad further South.

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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#12 Post by BackworldTraveller »

Hi Guys.
In a fit of madness, I've been admitted to this select circle by Hvalreki.

I'm another guy from the UK (Just NE of London in Essex).

I think I'll be bringing a young, brash Army Captain (Hvalreki to confirm). My first Traveller character appeared out of the box in 1977 - Just after watching Star Wars with my friends. OK That was 45 years ago...Doesn't time fly.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to this.
David

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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#13 Post by Hvalreki »

Welcome to the fray David!

Brash young former Army Captains are most welcome.

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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#14 Post by BackworldTraveller »

Now fascinated to find out where I'm (in character) from!

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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#15 Post by Hvalreki »

Now fascinated to find out where I'm (in character) from!
So about that - you can flesh out the backstory however you see fit. The Third Imperium of my TU (not the "official" Third Imperium) is far, far away (i.e. so far away I didn't bother generating any planets :D ) so the particulars of what you did there back home I leave up to you to let us know about during gameplay. You can also add a short bio to your character if you wish. I recommend a short bio just in case the character dies off. We'll figure out more about who these guys are as we play and the characters interact in the world.

One thing you as a group should banter a bit here in the Bar is how did you meet and what are your goals now that you're "Here" (I will get to where exactly Here is when we start.)
Last edited by Hvalreki on Sat Jan 29, 2022 1:05 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#16 Post by Hvalreki »

Made a quick update to the house rules
All players have Vacc Suit-0 and Air/Raft 0 if they don't already have the skill at level 1. You gotta go outside sometime!

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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#17 Post by BackworldTraveller »

By Far, Far away...What sort of jump tech is available commercially?...How long can we have been travelling for between mustering out and now? 6 months, one jump every two weeks at J4, is only one sector(ish) away.

If we've been travelling for longer, then we'd need to adjust our ages!

Anyway, I'm Captain Jordan (retired) of the Itrian Army - Not a famous institution, but effective in its way - until the Sidiri over-ran the colony (but I won't go into that politics). Anyway I'm out here keeping my client from self-harm, getting mugged, etc. Although if he doesn't pay me soon, he'll soon be an ex-client!

How about you lot? You can't be in this establishment without some story of woe or disaster.

(Barman - Tap water for me. I seem to have omitted to bring my wallet and my client's somewhere else so won't be paying tonight.)

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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#18 Post by Totalguest »

Terry Case here. Unfortunately was born into the belter life, never much took to it though. Always had a knack for tinkering with stuff and didn’t much mind spending time alone so in a desperate bid to get out there and see some stuff, signed up for the scouts as soon as I could. You’d be surprised how rickety some of these old scout ships are, got pretty good at knocking them back together to make that next jump.
After sixteen years (was it really 16!) cruising around system to system and way too many close calls (if you’re lucky I’ll tell you about some of them sometime), I decided to take my savings and get out of the game. I know the money isn’t gonna last forever, so I’m just out here looking for the next job…

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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#19 Post by Hvalreki »

Hi all,

Will be using these Rules on Experience (they are the regular game rules but posted there here anyone forgets they exist).

Experience - Characters may choose to embark on a 4 year program of self improvement - Make a dedication throw (8+ 2d6) and you can:

A) Improve EDU: If EDU is less than INT score - increase EDU through correspondence courses up to 2 per week at the end of 50 courses EDU increases by 1 (cost 50 per course)

B) Weapons Training: Pick one Gun and One Blade weapon and increase their skill by 1 in each.

C) Skill Improvement: Increase a non-weapon skill you already know by 1 for 2 different skills.

D) Fitness: Increase STR, DEX, and IND by 1 for the duration of the program (Note +2 to dedication throw if INT is 8 or less; +4 if INT is 4 or less)

Everyone can make the dedication role for training starting from when they left the Third Imperium. If you make the throw you are already into year 1 of the program. The group has been travelling for 9 months from the frontiers of Imperial space to get where they are now. If you failed the throw you can try again in 3 months game time to make another dedication throw.


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Re: Starport Bar (OOC Chat Area)

#20 Post by Hvalreki »

By Far, Far away...What sort of jump tech is available commercially?...How long can we have been travelling for between mustering out and now? 6 months, one jump every two weeks at J4, is only one sector(ish) away.
Back in the Imperium highest tech is 11 with Jump 1 and 2 most common. If anyone decides to go home call it roughly 6 months + 1 d6 to get there. This group has been travelling together for 9 months. If you wish a shared backstory you can make one or you can assume the group gelled during the trip here. People who leave home and become Travellers generally recognize each other as kindred spirits and often join forces. This is one such group.

Our basic premise is that each of you have served in and mustered out of services of the Third Imperium, which is currently expanding outward and reclaiming worlds after The Long Night (the collapse of the Old Empire).

Many, many light years away, beyond countless parsecs of dead worlds, news has come of another area of civilization, lost for hundreds of years to your people. A new frontier not yet touched by the Third Imperium, and still holding lost wonders and treasures of the Old Empire.

A few expeditions have been launched, a few diplomatic missions, and a noble house has been sent to establish contact. But the peoples of the Old Empire have their own agendas and fights.

Each of you are men and women who have decided that you don’t quite fit in at home in the Third Imperium. And either from wanderlust, a need to know more about the universe, greed, a need to flee from or cause trouble, a desire to find a patch of space to rule, a path of vengeance that leads across lights years, or any other strong, emotionally grounded reason, you have decided to travel to this distant patch of space and see what there is to see.


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