Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Traveller Open Content

Though I'm a committed classic Traveller fan, I've lately been taking a much greater interest in Mongoose Publishing's Traveller line, which I've (largely) found to be a solid updating of both the rules and the Third Imperium (Charted Space) setting. Earlier today, Matthew Sprange posted the following:

In light of recent events, Mongoose Publishing is going to be introducing a brand new Traveller Open Content programme, allowing gamers and publishers to build their own projects using the most recent edition of Traveller rules.

We will be working with existing Traveller OGL publishers to build a new SRD based upon the Traveller Core Rulebook Update 2022, using their feedback to ensure best utility, and a logo licence will be made available to clearly mark compatible products.

At this time, we are looking to the ORC licence to maintain openness, now and in the future.

The current TAS programme on Drivethru, which allows the publishing of material set in the official Charted Space universe, will continue to run separately, but alongside, Traveller Open Content.

More news as it develops!

5 comments:

  1. This is promising. I don't know much about the actual reach of Traveller in terms of the player base, but I've heard of it and not just on your website. WotC released another apologia last night, and it's a positive development but at this point isn't the genie out of the bag?

    I'd love to hear more from people who are directly impacted by this, because I've watched at least parts of a bunch of Youtube videos by people who clearly don't know what they're talking about.

    At the same time I'm not sure you want to clog up your comments with that discussion, so if anyone can point me to a place where an informed discussion is ongoing, I'll license the right to all of my content* to you for free.**

    *There is no content.
    **Service charges may apply.

    ReplyDelete
  2. There is an entire 2d6 ecosphere based off the Cepheus Engine, which is derived from the SRD(OGL) from 1st edition Mongoose Traveller. I wonder how this affects that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mongoose announcement? Pretty much good news but ultimately depends on what they share.

      In terms of the general situation? Badly, from Section 15 of Cepheus

      High Guard System Reference Document, Mongoose Publishing.
      Mercenary System Reference Document, Mongoose Publishing.
      Modern System Reference Document, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
      Swords & Wizardry Core Rules, Matthew J. Finch
      System Reference Document, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; T20 - The Traveller’s Handbook , Quiklink Interactive, Inc. Traveller System Reference Document, Mongoose

      Unless the OGL 1.0a survives nearly all of the open content in the above documents goes away. T20 and D20 modern are critical as they contain material that was need to cover what Mongoose didn't release as open content for the Mongoose Traveller 1e.

      Delete
  3. All this feels over my head as I am a rather luddite type perfectly content with my gdw Traveller Books from way way back and mostly I just use them to help with my first generation mechwarrior campaign. But I am glad that mongoose wants to help the fans keep doing their thing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Very cool. I'd love to see an SRD of the Traveler rules that would allow designers and hobbyist to develop their own secondary universes.

    ReplyDelete