Traveller: Islands in the Rift - RPG Review

Imperial Intelligence hires the Travellers to recover a missing spy ship and its valuable data across a hotbed of spies and rivaling nations. This 33-page adventure is really the framework for an espionage campaign set in The Great Rift. Here’s my thoughts, criticisms, and suggestions on playing it.
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Guest starring Jack the NPC

[@patrickmiller4229]

The skull in the back wearing Jack's helmet is a great touch.

[@ManicEngine]

Jack, don't be sad about Seth not getting to put the painted mini onto the table. I can virtually assure you he was waving it around in the air going "kkkkrrrrssshhh neeeowwww pewpewpew" when you weren't watching

[@richmcgee434]

That's what starship minis are for, after all.

[@SSkorkowsky]

I cannot deny my running through the house with my starship minis and going, "kkkkrrrrssshhh neeeowwww pewpewpew!".

[@damienblauwald]

Not having a gaming group, but also being a fan of Traveller, this is the next best thing to playing. Thank you for the review.

[@roundishwhale]

4:35 As someone from Bavaria, reading "Neubayern" (-> New Bavaria) on that map felt really strange xD Also the other three German things! "Zuflucht" means something along the line of "refuge"^^ Herzenslust -> Heartsjoy Nebelwelt -> Fogworld

[@manfredconnor3194]

Ever been to Vileheim? Ermmm . . . Weilheim?

[@manfredconnor3194]

I think Seth hates it when people tell him how to pronounce things. tszoo-floocht = Zuflucht = "refuge" Noi - Bi - Ern = NEUBAYERN = "New Bavaria"

[@Ryan_Winter]

I suspect the person who came up with the names was a native English speaker, which is why my guess is that Herzenslust is supposed to be Heart's Passion.

[@dubuyajay9964]

What should it be then?

[@--enyo--]

Cool, thanks.

[@jeluenhayo2410]

I always thought that "Seth Skorkowsky" would be a great name for Call of Cthulhu character. Seth/Set has this "Egyptian god-antagonist" mythos flare while Skorkowsky sounds like a neutral polish surname, grounding the first half. All in all great name for a great content creator. Contgratz on 100k!

[@nyuzotturunk]

Since I discovered Seth's chanel, I always incorporate his name and his characters' names to every scenario I know from here. Some times it's just an NPC named Jack, sometimes it's a guesthouse named Skorkowsky Lodge, and sometimes it's Seth, the PCs' ill-fated cousin and fellow heir (in Uncle Timothy's Will). I wonder when will my players notice this trend. :)

[@richmcgee434]

@@nyuzotturunk The royal house in my last fantasy campaign was the Skorkowsky family. Their coat of arms was the Chaosium dragon logo. That was quite a while back though, he was still doing the Two-Headed Serpent campaign on the channel here. If I work a Seth into my current Sentinels game I guess using the Traveller Imperial starburst would be more appropriate for his current content - that's look pretty good on a superhero's chest.

[@Panicagq2]

@@nyuzotturunk If you can work Dweebles into a scene successfully I'll be impressed lol

[@colinmerritt7645]

"Islands in the Rift, That is where we are. Why are we adrift? Oops, we jumped too far."

[@odgreen9113]

It's odd singing this in my head with dolly's voice. Lol

[@Fuzzy_Barbarian]

Congratulations on hitting 100k subscribers! Your videos are my favourite RPG content on KZbin! You've gotten me into several systems, and I love how in-depth you go with your reviews and RPG Philosophy videos, while still keeping it fun and approachable. Keep up the good work, Seth!

[@reallyangrysnowman]

The real problem with these reviews is that I now want to play Traveler or other skill based rpgs, but I’m lost on how to find a group to play with. Which means you’re doing a great job with your videos 😆

[@DapperestDave]

Only real way is to sell it as the new gm

[@nokomarie1963]

Be the GM. Talk people into playing with you, and entice them with the story. It's hard work but rewarding. Traveler particularly needs hard work in fleshing it out,

[@plucas1]

Those cartridges for the cartridge-powered lasers were likely Explosive Power Cartridges, from an earlier version of Traveller (TNE I think?). They're based loosely on a real life experimental technology called Flux Compression Generators. which can be googled. Essentially, it used a small shaped explosive charge wrapped by an alectromagnetic wire coil. When the explosive goes off, it spikes the amperage to huge levels a split-second before the coil is destroyed, allowing it to power a single shot of the weapon. It has to be TL 13+ because you need advanced material tech and engineering to contain the micro-explosion without damaging the device. I bring that up because one those were established in my campaign, it added a lot of flavor and gave the PCs unexpected opportunities in some adventures. The cartridges have to out-gas after each shot, so the weapons have a recoil and a loud sound just like a slug thrower, despite being laser weapons. Remove the protective casing from a cartridge and you have a small EMP grenade (we established an effective radius of about 2m for TL-13, + 1m for every TL of a device below that.) An engineer can rig them up to other equipment if a single huge pulse of power is needed (like for a personal radar pulse to ferret out stealthed enemies)

[@esoopthederp7672]

Tl13 is low stellar, maybe too high but still a very cool concept

[@AGrumpyPanda]

That makes me think of a non-rechargable equivalent to a Hot-Shot lasgun cell in Warhammer 40'000, which amps up the power of a lasgun to nearly that of a bolter, but only has one shot before it needs to be recharged. They're a popular choice for snipers, for obvious reasons.

[@eltipazodelpoe]

congrats for the 100k subscribers!!! love your content

[@mathsalot8099]

That story at the end about the minis is heartbreaking!! I felt that. I also went online for quarantine, and I'm so thankful my players were willing to put in the extra effort to do that. We've been online now for longer than we had been in person, but it allows us to still play with people who moved out of town or even across the country. I miss in-person games SOOO much, but online is better than nothing.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

When our group went online, we actually still used minis and battlemats, as everything for that was at one person's house and he went and bought a web camera to aim down at the table. We still use it from time to time when a player can't show (work half the session time making travel silly, simple flu, sprained ankle, etc.) but they can still play at least part of the session.

[@mathsalot8099]

@@MonkeyJedi99 thats great!

[@dutch6857]

@@MonkeyJedi99 Way to work through it! I was just getting into table top terrain when the lockdown kicked in. I felt it was pointless to make stuff if we couldn't meet, so I stopped crafting.I wish I had been creative like your group because it has been hard to get back on that horse.

[@nrgspike]

It's kind of impressive to turn up to a session and be 'that guy' when your GM has built a 100k following in no small part based off of detailing problem player behaviours and in-depth coverage of the very game system you're currently playing - with a Venn Diagram intersection like that, you gotta know you're getting referenced in a video sooner or later.

[@novaiscool1]

To be fair to them, who hasn't been "that guy" when they had a rough day/week. Like yeah we all want to pretend that every session we're all upstanding players, but we are all guilty of having an off night where we played like a dick.

[@dutch6857]

Thinking the same. How long ago was that first session? And your very understanding GM is still annoyed? When you set the game on fire, are we only talking metaphorically?

[@krispalermo8133]

@@novaiscool1 Years ago went I joined my second gaming shop playing 3.5e D&D, after around ten months people said out load that I was just too nice of a guy. So to show them what type of Sith bastard I could really be I started off in an 8th-level game with a multiclass rogue2/bard2/wizard3,CR: 7 with a few self-made magic items. I rolled skill checks of Bluff and Intimidate at 10 ranks to f-ck with people in con jobs. Smile at the DM and told everyone, " Nothing personal, I am just playing in character. Take it easy it is just a game. I am messing with Your characters and not with You. You are separate being from your PCs so don't take it personal." After close to six months of being around them, I was Messing with them, tapping on all their little quarks to piss them off. At the end of the game, I rob them of all of the treasure and made off with an Invisibility spell and a fast get away using Alternation to give my PC wings to fly off. Then I said to the table, " I just gave you all a N/PC for the campaign to really hate and want to get revenge on, have fun looking to that .. special .. moment." With a few dozen times when that N/PC came up again in game, I only played him a few times, .. he was just a background B-plot device for the players to deal with. Such as dragging him through horse manure in the street, setting him up to take the fall for a robbery, .. selling him off to a Drow priestess for a night of getting beat with a riding crop. Follow with getting dropped into an outhouse. Well my party's paladin was set up for stealing a talking chicken, ...

[@Tomyironmane]

Probably, but at that point are you more upset about being pointed out, or by the amount your GM has profited by the Midas touch of turning your dickish behavior into youtube gold? Besides, your GM admitting to the world that the session sucked even before that is kinda worth it.

[@SSkorkowsky]

A month or 2 back, we're sitting around the table doing our pre-game chit-chat and catching up with each other. One of my old friends who used to play with us a long time ago, but started playing with us again last year told a story about how was talking to a friend about gaming that weekend and mentioned he was in my group. His friend knew who I was. Player's Friend: "Hey, maybe you'll end up in one of Seth's stories." My buddy: "Oh I am. You ever seen his video The Story of Jeff?" Player's Friend: "Holy crap, are you Jeff, the Greatest DM Alive?" My Buddy: "Um... no. I'm the one he one called "Todd"." My response was something along the lines of, "Dude! Seriously? You admitted that?! You could have claimed to have been in just about any story and you went with the truth?!

[@scottturner3831]

Man you make Traveller seem so cool. My players enjoyed our first adventure, that took place over a few sessions. But sadly we had to go back to DnD.

[@Toyall1]

Why did you have to go back?

[@paulcrosslin6011]

Seth is a great story-teller. Filling in the gaps with his imagination in order to give his players intriguing decisions based on integral descriptors.

[@scottturner3831]

@@Toyall1 because it's the system everyone knows already and the squeaky wheel in our group complained until we did.

[@Sofus.]

As Seth says everyone must be on board otherwise it will not work.

[@jayteepodcast]

@@scottturner3831 i hear you on that brother

[@d.unterreiner161]

I was just telling a friend about the Scott Brown video when I got the notification about this video.

[@janwitts2688]

The first laser pistol was developped by the USSR.. it was a cartridge device just like these.. so likely brought older ones with them... there's articles online about this weapon

[@SSkorkowsky]

Holy crap!

[@janwitts2688]

@Seth Skorkowsky Yup.. look up soviet laser pistol Made to punch through a vacc suit at 20 metres...

[@themightymash1]

@@janwitts2688 it was designed to damage optical sensors on hardware and possibly blind Astronauts. The idea that it could penetrate a spacesuit doesn't appear to be backed up by any Russian sources. Neither the single shot nor the revolver type made it beyond prototyping. It's a fascinating solution to the problem of firearms don't work in space. That it came from a fear that the US would be able to steal satellites with the space shuttle makes the story even more interesting

[@janwitts2688]

@Martin Whitmarsh The russian lead engineer was on tv in the 90s and explained it's purpose to puncture space suits likely causing fire as well... with the astronaut as an ingredient... I'm a laser physics engineer and between my knowledge of directed energy weapons and materials science I believe that 80 percent of the surface area of a NASA space suit would fail to stop this penetration ... the reason the progect was cancelled was that the ussr had started to collapse ...

[@jonothanthrace1530]

17:29 As Vizzini said, starting wars is a prestigious line of work with a long and glorious tradition.

[@CleverRat]

I 100% agree with your statement at around the 27-minute mark. It's the whole reason modern D&D is getting harder for me to enjoy prepping for, because they've decided to not include lore or backstories for things in their modules. So now I have to spend more time trying to get the feel of the world than I do writing the adventure. Also, congrats on 100K, I've been watching you since Madness in London Town. You'll hit 200k in no time, and you deserve it.

[@Seelenverheizer]

yeah modern books really cheap out on those extra infos even tho its not much work and a lot of stuff can be recycled from older sources. I especially hate the design of modern monster manuals. No mention of economy, habitat, tactics etc. Just here take this got damn stat block and be happy to even get that. Just look at 2nd e dnd MM where every page is a treasure of infos and plothooks while it also provides everything you need to run those monsters nicely. I dont understand why they are making it so hard for new DMs. I guess they think the less text stupid DM needs to read the easier its for him to run the adventure / monster by just winging it.

[@krispalermo8133]

@@Seelenverheizer AD&D2ndE Ravenloft monstrous compendium was great with a little plot hook in the creatures' Habbit paragraph section. Or you had compendium ii where each creature had two pages covering said creature with plot hooks on its tactics where you could easily get three to five games from a single monster. I started to notice all the other source books for 3.5e to be lacking and 4e was just a waste of money in buying flashy artwork. I haven't touched 5e. Working on my own home brew system, already have a dozen monsters and I am just working on creating a three-page adventure for each. Somewhat like a comic book format similar to the old TMNT rpg.

[@jts8053]

Missed op to include a screenshot of the Firefly "Crybaby" coffee can satellite. =) Great review!

[@nicholaswallen8147]

I felt the show Firefly didn't use Crybaby's enough. They were quite the brilliant idea

[@richmcgee434]

Always weirded me out that the interstellar polities (and big NGOs) of this setting don't invest a lot more heavily in deep space refueling stations and the infrastructure to support them. I suppose using "parked" mega-tankers would be more versatile (since they'd be mobile, and could be withdrawn or shifted around in tie of war or other emergencies) but still, you'd think establishing more transit routes would be a high priority anywhere that might make a profit or grant a significant military advantage. 2300's got it even worse, that setting's FTL limit can't be overcome easily with artificial means but their astrographic resources ought to be constantly focused on finding rogue planets that would let people use their gravity wells to bridge 7.7 LY gaps.

[@genericpersonx333]

If it helps, common sense is not very common, so whenever I encounter lore in a game setting that seems a little off, I say "just people being people," and roll with it unless it really messes with my ability to gamemaster for whatever reason, in which case I just adjust lore to work. In this case, I just shrug and say "I live in California so I don't expect efficient governance IRL, so why should I expect galactic governments to be any better?" :)

[@DahVoozel]

They might, it might just not be something known to people outside of the organizations. Remember, space is big and if you don't know the precise coordinates of some interstellar Lagrange point where AgriStar put the fuel station they use for their own logistics... well... bunch of empty space out there. Jumping into an empty sector, even one where you expect a filing station, is going to be tense because of that needle in a haystack anxiety.

[@Seelenverheizer]

@@genericpersonx333 having those stations seems so lucrative the free market should allow companies to step in and become extremly rich.

[@TheParagade]

In Traveller, M-Drives almost cease to function outside of gravity wells, only being able to operate at 0.1% efficiency. Deep-space stations still are a thing, but the inconvience of maneuvering to them are probably what leads to them not being super common, combined with keeping them restocked with fuel being a logistical nightmare of its own.

[@gmradio2436]

@@Seelenverheizer From history, large companies are not fond of building infrastructure they do not control. Additionally space stations are expensive. Deep space even more so.

[@maciejkukla9615]

Schlesien Belt? Wow, I'm born Silesian (Schlesier). We keep our own culture, grudges and biases - just like in your description :) Man, I have to play this scenario and a whole Great Rift Campaign, just to let my players discover that place.

[@midnightplatypus1973]

And quarantine war story coda to boot! I really appreciate it when Seth drops his own game aids into the videos. It's like bonus content. I wonder if he consolidates them anywhere or do they simply have to be hunted for through the video catalog? Other thought, while I'm not as charged for a Jack the NPC movie as other Seth fans, I would like a Jacks the NPCs Debriefing Roundtable, where Traveller Jack, Cyberpunk Jack, Gumshoe Detective/Cop/Investigator Jack, Archaeologist outfit Jack, and Heroic Fantasy/Conan Jack do a round table that could be a clip show of their "greatest hits" taken, like who got blown up, who died in a cave in, who was killed by unspeakable horrors, etc. It's a rough idea, but since the gang has their own videos and they're imaginary stand-ins for presumably actual people, I think it's time for Seth's art to go one step beyond and give space to these figures of pure imagination.

[@Wraithing]

Now I have context for all those other module reviews and Shawarma Cat! Excellent summary of how you approached the sandbox style book. Your enthusiasm is infectious. Interesting locations and background.

[@SMooreArtDesign]

Amazing! I've been porting over several of the Traveller modules you're reviewed to my Stars Without Number Campaign. I'm opening with Flatlined, Chariots of Fire and Death Station is how they get a patron and their first their first ship, and I love this for some espionage after that. Keep them coming Seth!

[@calibur12001]

I love your reviews. In fact, I based my Traveller campaign based on your recommendations. It started with Flatliners, then Death Station, Islands in the Rift, and then ended almost a year later with The Mystery of BT-SHT 365. I had to play a little loose with planet placement with the last adventure, but my players didn't notice or care. Thanks. I'm still looking forward to your Cyberpunk RED review.

[@dane3038]

I read High and Dry after watching your review and It's awesome. I plan to use it to run a Star-Wars d6 adventure. I'll be picking this one up too but yeah, I'm dropping the ship pick up gag this time if I run it. Actually, I need to run a search and find everything this guy has written.

[@superpheemy]

Hey look at you Seth! 100k subz! Gratz! I always appreciate your candid discussion on being a DM and Player. Having watched a bunch of your vids i get the feel that we have similar years of experience as tabletop gamers. Having a bad session, taking ownership for your missteps in pacing as well as sharing that you had a player at your table who was dealing with some bad attitue, it shows your audience that we all have bad games. We even have "worst games in five years" levels of bad. You deserve your successes. Many happy returns and here's hoping for a million Subs!

[@mrfordf3508]

More Traveler! It's a great day! Congrats on 100k! Lots of exclamation points!!!!

[@romulusnuma116]

100k Congratulations you deserve it

[@DaHermitGamer]

Congrats for making the big 100k, Seth. Thanks for always brightening our days with your enthusiasm and wisdom.

[@tolentarpay5464]

Ah, Traveller; that RPG got me thru high school in the mid-80s...loved-every-minute (a LOT of the modules & campaign settings we used came from Judge's Guild; such a shame there)! P.S. your t-shirt is TOTALLY CLUTCH, MAN!

[@richmcgee434]

More Seth so soon after that big Q&A? He's spoiling us. :)

[@Noob2Ever]

Love to see more Traveller content and reviews, thanks for being awesome as always!

[@Elvydnir]

I had been waiting for this one, since it was my first module and am actually still running it after 2 years because my Travellers misjumped to a whole different part of the galaxy. What I like about this module is that it's easy to incorporate other modules to the adventure 👍

[@ebony1442]

"Neubayern" = literally New Bavaria. All aboard for the Space Adventures of Mad King Ludwig and his excessively baroque Neuschwanship!

[@BanjoSick]

haha, that is great, man!!!

[@jajsem1109]

100k! Nicely done, you deserve this and much more. Thank you for all the entertainment and information you gave me.

[@GreenDM]

Congratulations on 100k! Well deserved. I watch so many of these videos and I'm starting to pick up CoC and a few of the adventures! Even if I don't use this exact adventure, your fixes help recognize stuff I can do better in my own games.

[@bsparky01]

Woot 100k! Congrats Seth! Always love seeing your videos showing up in my notifications 😁 I sooo want to run a Traveller game, just can't get my players to let go of D&D lol

[@dinisnascimento4929]

100K subscribers! Took you long enough Seth Congratulations!!!

[@victorbrianmcreynolds2200]

Love your videos Seth! They're always fun & informative. Neubayern is pronounced "Noy-buy-urn". It's German for 'New Bavaria'.

[@SSkorkowsky]

In 3,500 years you can feel free to travel 200 light years and tell them they're pronouncing it wrong.

[@johanneskaiser8188]

You are correct, but as a german living in Bavaria for a little over a year now, the galaxy does not need a new one of that. Also, is the pronounciation really that important until Seth decides he wants to learn German (or any other language that would warrant spcificed pronounciation)?

[@photon8935]

I am running Traveller again after many years and have run a few campaigns with the current one set in a period closer to Traveller 2300 AD. I had forgotten just how fun this game is to run and now have 12 other people who raced out to buy it. Thanks for the great videos Seth.

[@bonbondurjdr6553]

You make me want to play every adventure that you present! I would love if you could cover more boxed sets, please! Keep up the great work! :D

[@jamesaskins9547]

Absolutly fascinating seeing how you integrate multiple adventures together adding to a whole cloth plot, brilliant and informative.

[@earlkriewall7251]

Congratulations on 100k subscribers! You have definitely earned it. Here's to the next milestone!

[@FairyEvergardens]

Thank you for making these videos. They are so nice to listen too. ✨

[@Reaperman4711]

3:19 I kind of perked up for this part, since it sounds a lot like the premise for the Freelancer video game. Nation-themed competing colony ships.

[@SSkorkowsky]

I friggin LOVED that game. I hadn't made that connection, but it might explain my affinity for The Islands sub-sectors.

[@manfredconnor3194]

It is sort of reminiscent for Traveller 2300 too . . . at least as far as the competing nations are concerned. There was a Cid Meyer video game along those lines too back in 1999. I think it was called Alpha Centauri.

[@cgriffen]

Great summary of the adventure! Having run it myself, I ran into some of the same problems. I intend to run this adventure again and will crib your Perfect Stranger and cartridge laser mods. Great ideas! When I ran it, I started them at Filentred in Moibin subsector. This allowed them to make the crossing to Riftspan Station and begin the adventure in earnest... well, after I inserted a little transportation crisis for them to solve at the station. Starting on the right (trailing) and heading left (spinward) allowed the players to discover the Islands as they jumped from system to system.

[@ZonkPJ]

Have to tell you that thanks to this review the spanish version of this adventure has the Perfect Stranger stats included. All 3 Great Rift adventures come out in a unique tome, as we had an extra page I told the line editor about the missing stats and we included the page in the proper place. So, the spanish gamers do not know it, but they have you to thank about that. :D ;)

[@kamikazetsunami9137]

I've been rewatching all your vids since the Livestream. This is a treat!

[@the_epipan]

Thanks Chris, and Seth! Ohh... damn Covid, that model looks awesome!

[@richmcgee434]

I wonder if Chandler Station is named for scifi author A. Bertram Chandler? Outside of the setting, anyway. Diegetically it's probably named for the CEO of the company who oversaw/authorized its construction, since the place is privately owned. Chandler's Rim Worlds setting was one of many inspirations Traveller, and his John Grimes character is almost as stereotypical of a player character as Tubb's Dumarest of Terra. Maybe more so even - Grimes is pretty gray morally, screws up constantly and most of his woes are the result of his own bad choices. He's much more protagonist than hero, unlike the obsessive but honorable and extremely competent Dumarest. Seems likely that it is a nod. Theodore Sturgeon and his infamous "law" (90% of everything is crap") certainly is.

[@tabletopgamingwithwolfphototec]

😊 Also congratulations on hitting 100k subscribers. I'm nearing 75 subscribers my self and will be happy to break over 100 subscribers by the end of the year.

[@malonemalo]

I will never thank you enough for making me discover Traveller, Seth.

[@AndrewJHayford]

Love your adventure reviews as a GM!

[@artaweunderhill4480]

100k subscribers congrats mate

[@valenzetti2]

This video makes me wish I could listen to Seth do videos of rpg lore more often. I loved hearing him talk about the setting.

[@Gabrong]

I couldn't watch it when uploaded but I'm (again) binging all of your vids while cooking anyways.

[@darthjoel6357]

Congratulations on the 100k subs Seth! Keep up the great work young man!!

[@johanneskaiser8188]

You cracked the 100k, congratulations, you've earned it.

[@dwightlee4315]

Enjoyed your review and I have decided to use what you did as a sort of pattern. My friends and I are running a "test" series of adventures in Traveller. I started with "Flatlined" and then I will be running "High and Dry" as sort of an audition in ship recovery for the longer mission of "Islands in the Rift". ( the missions will be given by the same NPC ) Instead of giving them the Scout there will just be payment for its return, and if successful, the reward will be the more lucrative mission in "Islands" and I am moving "High and Dry" to a secondary planet in the Tonnurad system as a better jumping off point for "Islands in the Rift". I like how you used "Islands", as sort of a background for a series of adventures in the island subsector, I will absolutely be doing the runaway ship one and am looking at other modules that I think I can fit into that adventure well. You have been an inspiration Seth.. thanks! Using Fantasy Grounds as our VTT, and I am creating the ship maps myself as I am not a fan of the maps provided in the PDF's ( I like more detail in my maps ). Another interesting tidbit I am doing, "Flatlined" is ending with them being picked up by a ships boat of a Cruiser that is headed to the Tonnurad system with an Agent and Diplomat that is negotiating Tonnuard's entry into the Imperium, that is the NPC that is trying to clean things up in Tonnurad and the Islands subsectors and has the missions for "High and Dry" and "Islands", it all worked out very neatly for a mini campaign. after this series I will probably start on a Homebrew of Traveller set in a different age.

[@maxpower3050]

Thanks for the work on Islands in the Rift. On payday I'll pick up your Traveller adventure on DTRPG.

[@jroden06]

Great video as always!! Congratulations on 100k!!

[@loganjmcquaid]

Thanks for introducing me to Trav

[@oldhatAN]

For me, when they leave stuff that is part of the main adventure blank "for the GM to fill in", that's just an unfinished adventure. It's one thing if it's some side material that is beyond the scope of the main adventure like a possible side quest. If it's something that is part of the adventure, it should be included. I can change it if I want to. If it's not there, I have to fill it in myself. I paid for a published adventure so I don't have to spend time doing that.

[@MaxWriter]

Excellent review, as always. It makes me want to start getting the Mongoose Traveller stuff and play. Sorry about not being able to use your miniature. Nice paint job.

[@biffstrong1079]

I can't believe I bought this before I heard your review. Have decided on a RIFT campaign and I do have Ship in the Lake, Death Star, Chariots of Fire, Rule of Man Commemorative and Flatlined Queued up and might try to use High And Dry, Murder on Arcturus Station and The Calixuel Incident to edge them over in the right direction. Though the murder mystery you can plug in anywhere and is a nice set piece that maybe creates a base for the party in a hostile rift. Love the idea of the extra crew member that you can be rescued. I appreciate your coverage of traveller. It has taken me from being tangentially aware of the game in the 80's to fan of the game and a huge fan of their character creation process and their skill based play.

[@Incrediblefatslug]

Wow 100k subs. You deserve it, man.

[@brentblake3471]

100K subs and a great new shirt! I love it. On an unrelated note I have a scenario idea I'd love to bounce some ideas off you for!

[@harjutapa]

Hey, congrats on hitting 100K! I was just looking for one of your older videos and noticed your sub count.

[@aerodynamiccerebrum]

Congrats on the 100k inlisten to your videos at work and have gathered a few new players. Now to get them to try systems other than 5e

[@ImaginerImagines]

I really enjoyed this video. I have the adventure and the Great Rift Box set. Now I feel ready to run them if ever I get the chance.

[@roberthultz9023]

The Islands figured in one of the old GDW books (Trillion Credit Squadron???) ; essentially a naval arms race. My old group attempted to run it - I believe my world was New Home and although a "Rich" planet; my Naval budget was dwarfed by those of the High Pop worlds. Still: I used the world creator to map out the entire system on graph paper... Good (Nerdy) Times

[@Golluk4]

Thank you Seth for introducing me to traveller. I am Going to run Pirates of drinax for my group soon. And congratulations for hitting 100k

[@wolfyblackknight8321]

alright more traveler always love these videos

[@jeffbrownstain]

Mongeese are the best ground dwelling mammals. I approve of this release. -This message was sponsored by Mongoose BMX

[@TheCharlesFr]

This gives me some great ideas. Could work as a fantasy campaign as well! Love all the spy stuff

[@DingusKhan42]

I love traveller and I love your traveller videos

[@OomaGooma]

Islands in the rift? The duet with Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers?

[@jts8053]

You beat me by 10 minutes!

[@OomaGooma]

@@jts8053 😆

[@Vergast]

oh Seth! I'm so sorry you didnt get to use your mini!

[@Dwarfman01]

As soon as the title was mentioned, I started humming Islands in the Stream by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rodgers. Like Islands in the Rift. That is what we are...

[@robertnett9793]

With not knowing about this tidbit about Traveller and the Islands - meaning that the wider Imperium has developed some merged and altered culture, while the Islands are more akin to us today - there's an interesting difference to my world. Basically the Alliance is a multi-ethnic society a bit akin to the Holy Roman Empire, with, yeah one Honcho at the top, but the different Houses are pretty much inheritants of their former cultures. With Earth destroyed (long story) cherishing this culture became the new norm for the Alliance. But then there's a confederacy of human colonies that for one or another reason refuse being vassals of the Alliance forming their own defensive pact. This 'Free Settlers Project' is a hotch potch of all sorts of ideas, ideologies, experimental societies and even Noble Houses fallen into disgrace. So there is where you find the strange and awesome cultures, rather than in the way bigger group...

[@alexbaldwin490]

Great shirt!

[@MrTryAnotherOne]

Nicely done

[@ricbo358]

Yes! Another Seth Traveller review

[@DMRaptorJesus]

Been a traveller fan for years, and everytime I see this sector I hear "Thousand Islands Sector" lol. Thats a good call on the cartridge lasers, I always liked that style of energy weapons. Instead of brass casings all over its burnt out and melted AA batteries all over.

[@richmcgee434]

My memory isn't what it once was - the Island subsectors are the same ones from the LBB High Guard/Trillion Credit Squadron campaign, right? They sure sound familiar and I know I've seen those maps somewhere.

[@SSkorkowsky]

Not sure. Probably is.

[@johnbonnelljohnbonnell9547]

McGee is correct. The island subsectors were introduced in the CT supplement Trillion Credit Squadron. They were further fleshed out in the TNE Regency Sourcebook, as were more of the deep space jump points. It’s great to see Mongoose revisiting these CT and other stories, and I’m glad that you, Seth, are presenting them to a new audience.

[@OgamiItto70]

I like how one of those electronic rack units in Jack's quarters has an LCARS display on it. I also like the system name _Sturgeon's Law._ In case anyone doesn't know, Sturgeon's Law states: "90% of everything is crap." (Theodore Sturgeon, a science fiction author.)

[@promiscuous5761]

Thank you.

[@nordicmaelstrom4714]

Late to this video. The Great Rift is what first interested me in Traveller and fortunately I was able to get the box set at a great price last year.

[@GavinTheGray]

Hey Seth love your videos!!! I’ve learned a ton from watching them! Ever consider doing another war story episode or nah?

[@alantheinquirer7658]

Makes me look towards my much-tattered boxes of "Tarsus" and "Beltstrike" for the old Traveller. :-)

[@midshipman8654]

this seems like a really cool premise. the cold war space europe spy shtick with the larger imperium further away has so many interesting aspects to it, im going to have to look into this one.

[@sirguy6678]

Fun review and story!

[@MrChupacabra555]

Thanks! Not to be a downer, but...... I recently lost a friend who was a huge Traveller geek, who coincidentally enough was also named Seth (I often sent him links to your Traveller videos, which he liked). Maybe someday, when the pain has subsided, I'll get my own 'gang' together and run a one shot in his honor.

[@SSkorkowsky]

Damn. I'm terribly sorry.

[@richmcgee434]

29:20 Hey, at least you've got the minis ready for the next time you need them. Paint jobs look nice.

[@RavenStarver]

Still waiting for that Rescue on Rui review... Someday.

[@SSkorkowsky]

One day.... one day

[@robertgillis2345]

Island comes from Trillion credit Squadron - a campaign game for fleet combat

[@mccambjd]

Thanks!

[@SSkorkowsky]

Wow. Thank you very much! I appreciate it.

[@Rosivok]

I played traveler back in the day when it was still a bunch of 5x8 small bucks and then later I played mega traveler I really do miss it because I absolutely enjoyed the game the wide open field the ability to travel a different planets have any deal with new environments it was everything that every other RPG was at the time plus the ability to really get out and stretch your legs in space.

[@stonedstreamingna6852]

Glad to have something great to watch with breakfast

[@driver3899]

11:25 cool ship sheets