When Traveller first appeared on the shelves in 1977, it wasn’t the instant hit that some games today are. In fact, I remember seeing it at my local hobby store for at least a year before I finally decided to pick it up. Little did I know that this small box, with its three iconic little black books, would become the cornerstone of my role-playing adventures for years to come.
Once I took Traveller home, it quickly became my "anytime go-to game." It was more than just a game to pull out when the group got together—it was a gateway to endless possibilities, a universe waiting to be explored. I spent countless hours creating adventures, sometimes carefully crafting an intricate plot, other times throwing something together on the fly. That was the beauty of Traveller—it didn’t matter how much time you had to prepare; it was always ready to deliver.
But what truly made Traveller shine was the character generation system. We didn’t just love it because it was something new—though it was, of course, groundbreaking at the time—we loved it because it was fun. So fun, in fact, that there were evenings where we would gather around, not even to play an adventure, but just to roll up characters. We spent hours doing it, reveling in the randomness and the stories that emerged from the process. Would our new character survive their career progression? Would they emerge as a seasoned scout with stories to tell, or would they retire early with an injury and a pension? The anticipation was half the excitement.
The same held true for starship design. Designing ships wasn’t just part of the gameplay; it became an event in itself. We even held contests, competing to see who could create the most unique, ingenious vessel. Some ships were practical, others wildly imaginative, but every one of them held the potential for adventure. The starships in Traveller weren't just vehicles; they were characters in their own right, integral parts of the stories we crafted together.
While I was serving in the military, Traveller became a weekend and sometimes even weekday evening tradition. We’d gather around a table in the common area, rolling dice and figuring out the next step in our galactic adventures. Whether we were battling some fearsome alien species or navigating the political intrigue of the Imperium, the game never failed to capture our imaginations. It provided a break from the daily grind and offered a chance to dive into a universe far, far away from reality.
One of the things that made Traveller special for me was its flexibility. The game wasn’t constrained by rigid rules or overly complicated mechanics—it offered freedom. Whether I had a meticulously planned session or was improvising on the spot, Traveller gave me the tools to craft engaging, memorable stories every single time. The sandbox nature of the game meant that the players shaped the story as much as the game master.
When Traveller came out, it might not have been immediately recognized as a game-changing RPG. But over time, it’s become one of the most iconic games in the genre. Its open-ended structure, combined with its deep systems for character generation and starship creation, set a standard that other games would try to emulate for years to come. Even now, decades later, the memories of those late-night sessions—filled with laughter, tension, and creativity—are some of my fondest.
If you're someone who loves freedom in your games, the ability to explore vast universes, and the joy of building characters with depth (and a bit of risk), Traveller remains a timeless classic. Whether you’re just rolling up characters for fun or designing ships with friends, Traveller offers an experience that’s hard to beat. It didn’t just change the way we play games—it changed the way we think about them.
The following is a short, slightly more objective review of Traveller. I spent some time putting it together and I'm finally done with it.
Traveller Overview:
Traveller is one of the oldest and most influential science fiction role-playing games, originally designed by Marc W. Miller and published by Game Designers' Workshop (GDW) in 1977. Its premise allowed players to explore an expansive, sandbox-like universe, with the freedom to engage in exploration, trade, diplomacy, and combat across star systems.
Unlike Dungeons & Dragons, Traveller wasn’t set in a fantasy world of wizards and monsters. Instead, it tapped into the “hard” science fiction tradition, drawing from the works of authors like Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Robert Heinlein. This focus on realistic interstellar societies, combined with the game’s systems-driven mechanics, made it a standout.
Iterations of Traveller:
Since its initial release, Traveller has undergone several updates and versions, each refining aspects of gameplay while keeping the core elements intact:
1. Classic Traveller (1977) – The original version, often called Classic Traveller, introduced the universe-building and character generation systems that would become a hallmark of the game. It set the tone for many future space RPGs, emphasizing non-linear play and personal agency.
2. MegaTraveller (1987) – This iteration introduced a more complex ruleset, including rules for large-scale combat and empire-building. It also expanded the lore by focusing on the collapse of the Third Imperium, adding a greater emphasis on political intrigue.
3. Traveller: The New Era (1993) – With a new publisher and a slightly altered tone, The New Era explored a post-apocalyptic setting after the fall of the Imperium. This version leaned heavily into rebuilding and survival, marking a significant thematic shift for the series.
4. GURPS Traveller (1998) – Steve Jackson Games' GURPS Traveller brought the Traveller universe into the GURPS system, maintaining much of the lore but using the GURPS rules for gameplay. It was notable for preserving the Third Imperium, avoiding the destructive timeline introduced in The New Era.
5. Traveller 20 (2002) – Incorporating the d20 system popularized by Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition, this version aimed to appeal to fans of the OGL system but didn't quite capture the essence of classic Traveller for many long-time fans.
6. Mongoose Traveller (2008/2016) – Mongoose Publishing released Traveller 1st Edition in 2008, which simplified some of the mechanics and brought back elements of Classic Traveller. The second edition in 2016 built upon that, further refining the system, and making it more accessible to modern players.
7. Traveller 5 (2019) – Created by Marc W. Miller, this version was released by Far Future Enterprises. It sought to be a more comprehensive and complete take on the game, offering in-depth rules for everything from starship construction to political systems. However, it was seen by some as overly complex.
Play and Character Generation:
Traveller became famous for its unique character generation system. Unlike other RPGs where characters start young and evolve through adventuring, Traveller characters often start with established careers and even a few war wounds.
- Character Creation: This is one of Traveller’s signature features. Players roll for careers, skills, and even life events. A character could begin play as an experienced scout, merchant, or naval officer. One of the most intriguing aspects was the possibility of dying during character generation if a character’s chosen career proved too dangerous. This element gave the game a sense of realism and added stakes to character creation.
- Gameplay: Traveller is known for its “sandbox” style of play, offering a wide range of activities from interstellar trade, exploration, political intrigue, and large-scale military campaigns. Combat, both personal and in space, was often deadly, requiring players to be tactical and strategic in their approach.
Early Reception:
Upon release, Traveller was heralded by magazines like White Dwarf, The Space Gamer, and Ares, with many praising its originality and the depth of its mechanics. White Dwarf in particular noted that it offered a fresh alternative to the popular but over-saturated fantasy genre of the time. Its realistic take on spacefaring life and its detailed world-building made it a game that attracted players who wanted something different from the sword-and-sorcery focus of many RPGs of the era.
Impact on Gaming:
Traveller's release marked a significant shift in role-playing games, demonstrating that the medium wasn’t confined to fantasy worlds. The concept of a living universe, one with dynamic politics, trade routes, and factions, influenced later games like Star Wars: Edge of the Empire and Eclipse Phase. Its focus on “hard” science fiction elements has inspired future game designers to ground their worlds in plausibility, rather than magic or the supernatural.
Traveller was also instrumental in advancing the idea of non-linear, player-driven storytelling. The game's open-ended nature allowed players to explore vast star systems, create their own narratives, and play characters that weren’t defined by “levels” but by skills and life experiences.
Traveller’s influence can be seen in nearly every sci-fi RPG that followed, particularly in its flexible, systems-based approach to world-building and player agency. Over time, it has cemented itself as a timeless classic, revered by old-school gamers and still relevant to modern audiences.