Introduction
Three versions of running the Classic Traveller adventure
Annic Nova solo – one using my
own solo RPG, one using an SF version of 3 Dice (4 Dice
SFRPG) and also another SF version of 3 Dice (4 Dice PPS
SFRPG)
Background
I am attempting to replay solo Classic Traveller
adventures. I started with Traveller RPG
but then moved onto writing my own, streamlining them as I go. I use a spreadsheet to run through the
adventures that has grown into a monster with dozens of buttons, macros and formulas
that I cannot remember how they work! I
ran through Annic Nova with a version of the spreadsheet and then completely
rewrote the rules. I then got jack of
that and while on hiatus looked at various solo RPGs I had previously
acquired. I tried an SF version I wrote
of Dungeon Roll but was unsuccessful. I
ended up looking a 3 Dice and all its derivatives and wrote an SF version. I worked up a simple spreadsheet for replay
and ran a few generic adventures through it and then tackled Annic Nova again
to see if it worked with CT adventures.
While 3 Dice SF does not provide the level of granularity of characters
compared to other RPGs, for running solo adventures I find I am just looking
for the main difference of the characters – why use one in a situation over
another? And I also found I needed to
make more choices with 3 Dice SF. And
lastly, the way I generated the narrative using 3 Dice was more conducive to
adding to the narrative. I think I had
gone too far in formulaic narrative in my older spreadsheets.
After doing 3 Dice SF I still thought there was room to
improve it to what I was looking for and revised it to a new version 4 Dice
SFRPG. I found I could automate the
adventure flow entirely so ran a party through 4 Dice SFRPG with no human input
to see if they could reach the end. I
may not do this automation in future though.
Game with 3 Dice SFRPG
Note that this is almost the raw narrative generated by the
spreadsheet but did add some dialogue.
Prologue
The date is 001 1105 on Keng. The party is:
·
Riley Kidd, a female Human from a rich
background with good skills.
·
Kaylynn Gallagher, a female Human from a poor
background with good skills.
·
Niko Davila, an intimidated male Aslan from a
military background with good skills.
The team need to find a treasure: The Annic Nova!
Act 1: Investigate
To succeed the group have to pass a number of tasks to
obtain a working spaceship.
The group travel to the space location. It is quiet and
calming.
Scene 1 Space Obstacle
It is daytime. It is
in space they discover the possible location of a spaceship. The task seems
routine. The possible bonus is a clue (to the spaceship whereabouts).
“I’ve got this,” says Kaylynn.
Kaylynn has great skill but fails badly and breaks some
special equipment in the process.
Riley steps up. “Here, let me.”
Riley continues with the detection task and brings it to a
successful conclusion.
Scene 2 Spaceship Hazard
It is outside the spaceship the party have their safety
endangered trying to enter the ship. The task seems easy. The possible benefit
from completion is having time to recover.
Niko tackles opening the airlock with great skill and
succeeds.
Hooray, the encounter is finished! With time to recover once
inside, Kaylynn regains some health.
Scene 3 Command Obstacle
It is afternoon. It
is in the command location the team try and solve how to use the computer. The
task seems fairly easy.
Riley has great skill and succeeds.
“It looked hard to start with, but in reality computers are
computers no matter who invented them!”
It is now completed.
Scene 4 Engineering Obstacle
It is afternoon. It
is in the engineering location they are attempting to understand engine
operation. The task seems very hard.
Riley tackles the task and loses faith and decides not to
continue. He hands it over to Niko. Niko
has great skill and succeeds.
“Thanks Nico.”
The task is complete! Riley regains some health.
Scene 5 Commons Hazard
It is now the next morning.
The adventurers may potentially become sick from the disease aboard the
ship. Riley becomes sick (in a week so) and his skill level is reduced
permanently. The rest recover fine
after a small period of convalescence.
They have a ship!
Game with 4 Dice SFRPG (automated)
This was a single run though completely automated. It is the raw narrative to provide as an
example.
Here is the
automation rules I used (based what dice rolled are not random):
Acts: 1
Adventure aim: 3
(an unknown spaceship)
Scene 1: Zone 6,
Objective 6 (Investigate but this is just a placeholder and not using
objectives), Location 1, Class 3, Reward 6 (They have
found a clue to the spaceship's location.)
Scene 2: Location 5, Class 5, Reward 2 (They have
broken into to spaceship.)
Scene 3: Location
1, Class 3, Reward 6 (They have
figured out how to use the computer.)
Scene 4: Location 3,
Class 3, Reward 2 (They now
understand how the engines function.)
Scene 5: Location 4,
Class 5, Reward 1 (They have
the sickness disease.)
Prologue
The date is 001 1105 on Keng. The party is:
·
Ibrahim Curry, a dim male Aslan from a military
background with great skills.
·
Meadow Velez, a female Human from a industrial
background with great skills and a grenade.
·
Kendrick Mullen, a snobbish male Robot from a
space background with average skills especially technical.
·
Kamron Hutchinson, a male Robot from a space
background with good skills and a stimpack.
The team need to recover an object, specifically an unknown
spaceship.
Act 1: Investigate
To succeed the group must talk to people in the area to
determine a way forward.
The party travel to the spaceship location. "Hmm. No weapons or blast to be found. At least there is less danger here!"
Anxiety levels are low.
Scene 1 Command Obstacle
It is now the late hours.
In the command zone the party are subject to sudden darkness and attempt
to resolve this. The task seems routine. The possible benefit is a clue.
Ibrahim applies good technical skill and succeeds.
Hooray, the encounter is finished! They have found a clue to
the spaceship's location.
Scene 2 Cargohold Hazard
The main part of the day is over. It is evening at the moment. While in the cargohold locale the party are
paralysed and try and overcome it. The task seems trivial.
Ibrahim has great survival skill and is successful.
It is now successfully completed. They have broken into to
spaceship.
Scene 3 Command Obstacle
The time has moved to the morning. In the command region the team squabble and
attempt to resolve this. The task seems difficult. The possible benefit is a
clue.
Ibrahim applies good technical skill but does not succeed.
Meadow acts with great technical skill and gets a win.
The scene has come to a successful conclusion. They have
figured out how to use the computer.
Scene 4 Engineering Obstacle
The time has moved to the morning. In the engineering locale the group squabble
and attempt to resolve this. The task seems trivial.
Meadow applies great technical skill and succeeds.
The encounter is won! They now understand how the engines
function. Ibrahim recuperates.
Scene 5 Commons Hazard
It is the early hours of the day. In the commons region the party have their
safety endangered and try and overcome it. The task seems trivial.
Ibrahim applies great survival skill and succeeds.
This event is now done. They have the sickness disease.
Finally, the objective is completed.
Adventure aim completed successfully.
Ibrahim still at great skill level; Meadow still at great
skill level and has: a grenade (1); Kendrick still at average skill level;
Kamron still at good skill level and has: a stimpack (1).
Older Game run through
This is the run though with the older spreadsheet. I am now favouring 4 Dice PPS SFRPG over the
older rules.
Chapter 1 - An objective is established
The story begins on Keng during the late hours on 001 1105
with the team located in the command area of the space locale. The team leader is Leslie Figueroa with the other
members being Ouraeglluez, Diego Valentine. The starting tension is low.
Leslie Figueroa is an introverted human female politician
from Keanou with average fortitude. Notable attributes are Survival, Mind,
Interaction, Combat. They are armed with a knife.
Ouraeglluez is a disagreeable Vargr male business magnate
from Human with average fortitude. Notable attributes are Survival, Technical,
Mind, Interaction, Vehicle. They are armed with a shotgun.
Diego Valentine is a thoughtless human male police officer
from Human with high fortitude. Notable attributes are Survival, Mind,
Interaction, Combat.
Keng is an Imperial planet located in the Spinward Marches.
It is a small sized world with a breathable atmosphere, little or none (desert
world) and is at a agreeable temperature. The tech level is similar to
17th-19th C, population is average and the law level has highly restrictive
measures. The government is based on dictatorship with an aristocratic society
and an average economy based on agriculture and industry. It has landing pad
only and no military bases.
The team need to find a treasure: derelict starship. To
achieve this requires around three clues and may take up to six scenes to
complete.
Chapter 2 - Solve a puzzle concerning the method to enter
the starship
That they may fulfil the challenge at this time the band of
travellers must work out a puzzle concerning the method to enter the
starship.
Inwardly, the team have no misgivings about the task. Before
attempting the challenge, it seems the adventurers may need to overcome one
possible problem along the way.
It is early hours in the command's outside spaceship. On
this occasion an issue arises for the travellers to confront.
The group require cautiousness to continue. Leslie gives it
a try with high talent. Leslie has
overcome the hazard.
The band require cautiousness to continue. Ouraeglluez
undertakes to achieve success with average talent. Ouraeglluez has overcome the hazard.
The group require cautiousness to continue. Diego takes it
on with high know-how. Diego did not get
through the hazard.
It is late hours in the Command's outside spaceship. It is a
strange sight to see something out of place and unexpected like this. Diego is
laughing far louder and more often than others. Finally the party are ready for
the undertaking to fathom out a puzzle concerning the method to enter the
starship.
The party have a go at decoding the puzzle. Leslie
endeavours to settle the matter with very high know-how. Leslie solves the puzzle and gains a clue.
They manage to get into the "Annic Nova" without
breaking anything.
Chapter 3 - Solve a puzzle concerning the working of the
ship's computer
In order to carry out the upcoming difficulty the team must
work out a puzzle concerning the working of the ship's computer. To do this the
group need to travel to the space command area.
The tension level is low. Looking at what is required to
perform the challenge, it seems the party may need to survive a few possible
difficulties along the way.
It is daytime in the command's work area. It doesn't have to
be stark, but this area is devoid of any attractive décor. While travelling
through this locality a predicament takes place for the team.
The crew have their survival threatened. Leslie looks to
conclude the task with average know-how.
Leslie did not get through the hazard.
The team have their survival threatened. Ouraeglluez seeks
to settle the issue with low expertise.
Ouraeglluez has endured the hazard but wounded in the process.
The party have their survival threatened. Diego endeavours
to carry out the task with low proficiency.
Diego could not beat the hazard.
It is early hours in the Command's Bridge. It doesn't have
to be stark, but this area is devoid of any attractive décor. Leslie is
squinting. At last the party are primed for the test to solve a puzzling
problem concerning the working of the ship's computer.
The party labour at working out the puzzle. Leslie
endeavours to settle the matter with high proficiency. Leslie manages to easily solve the puzzle and
gain a clue.
Chapter 4 - Solve a puzzle concerning the working of the
engines
In order to carry out the next difficulty to overcome the
travellers need to solve a puzzle concerning the working of the engines. To do
this the gang need to travel to the space command area.
The air is quiet and calming. Preceding the execution of the
challenge, it seems the crew may need to surmount a few possible complications
along the way.
It is evening in the Command's Engineering. A broken light
is still visible. It is a strange sight
to see something out of place and unexpected like this. Diego is chewing
something. At last the group are ready for the challenge to solve a puzzle
concerning the working of the ship's computer.
The band attempt to solve a puzzle. Leslie aims to complete
the job with high capability. Leslie
solves the puzzle and gains a clue.
The party have solved the working of the Annic Nova.
Note that Leslie and Diego have contracted the disease and
become sick in about a week.
The band of travellers find time to rest and recuperate.
Leslie Figueroa needs to recover and remains carrying an injury. Diego Valentine needs to recover and is no
longer able to continue with the team.
A high price to pay for a ship.
