Apathy Blogs

Something New for Traveller

Twilight Sector is a sourcebook from Terra/Sol Games for the Mongoose Traveller RPG. I received a free review PDF and have not used it in a game yet.

Traveller is one of the oldest science fiction role-playing games. There have been many versions over the years; right now the most active and widely available version is by Mongoose Publishing. At its heart, Traveller is a game about space travel. Characters are usually the crew of a space ship. They may be mercenaries, free traders, outlaws or military. The idea is that there are countless worlds out there to explore.

It was originally designed to be a generic space role-playing game that could be used for any setting. Star Trek, Red Dwarf, Babylon 5, Firefly, Farscape or many others could all easily be adapted to the Traveller rules. But a game needs an example setting to get people started. What started as a few example sectors of space grew over time to be known as the “original traveller universe”. I have seen a map of the Third Imperium printed out in a 56”x50” poster and it is overwhelming to behold. The traveller universe however, is just one possible setting you could use.

One of the things Mongoose has done is opened the production of supplements to third party publishers. It is an open license similar to the d20 license that Wizard’s of the Coast used to offer, or the GSL of 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons. So Terra/Sol Games has created their own alternative universe for people to play with. It is really just a beginning, as it only details an area the size of a subsector. There are 7 systems and 2 starbases, each of which is quite detailed. They even have maps of each main planet and solar system. Even if you don’t want to use the detailed timeline and alternate history, these planets are worth borrowing to insert into whichever universe you do play in. The sector itself is meant to have a number of mysteries and it is left to the individual GMs to decide what the answers are. It can easily be worked into an existing campaign as a newly discovered region on the edge of known space.

Twilight Sector also focuses on mutants. There are both natural mutants and genetically induced mutants. There is a fairly detailed section on how to create characters of both types. I would have to use them in play to get a feel for the balance, but they usually have both positive and negative mutations. They can certainly add a unique feel to a game. I could see a group of mutants trying to fit in as an excellent basis for a campaign.

The book has served to rekindle my interest in Traveller. I myself will probably just borrow parts from it, as building my own universe is part of what I enjoy about the game. Twilight Sector certainly provides some interesting bricks for me to use though. The alternate history is an interesting read and full of good ideas. I definitely look forward to more books from Terra/Sol Games, as it is always refreshing to look at an old game from a new perspective.

Apathy Rating: 3/5.

Want to learn more about Twilight Sector? Read on…

• Atomic Array: Twilight Sector (Atomic Array 034)
• Game Cryer: Review by Chris Perrin
• The Zhodani Base: Twilight Sector – A new TU
• Apathy Blogs: Something New For Traveller
• Rogue Puppet: A Role Player’s Dream is Discovered
• Examiner.com: Review by Michael Shorten

Drop by Terra/Sol Games today!