When I first heard that Marc Miller was getting back the rights to the Traveller line from GDW, my first thought was great! My next thought was maybe Mr. Miller will agree to an interview. Mr Miller was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions. I would like to thank Mr. Miller again for his cooperation.
Hope you enjoy the interview, Craig Janssen
Q. You been away from the industry for quite sometime. Can you tell us
where you have been and what you have been doing? Or were you abducted by
Ancients ;-).
A. Between 1988 and 1991, I was executive vice president of Game
Designers' Workshop, Inc, which meant that I had day-to-day managerial
responsibility for the company, and I did not do large amounts of design.
I left GDW in 1991 and pursued a variety of activities: in the real world,
I sold insurance for four years, which I believe gave me valuable
experience and a grounding in non-game business operations. I work in
partnership with my wife Darlene in Heartland Publishing Services... that
company provides printing and publishing consulting services to game
companies (both established and start-up) in print and in marketing
activities. I designed several computer games and published a collectible
card game.
Q. What computer games did you design?
A. I worked on MegaTraveller, MegaTraveller II, and Twilight: 2000 (from
Paragon/Microprose) and on Challenge of the Five Realms (also Paragon/
Microprose). In each case, I was writing the basic story/scenario and then
looking over their shoulder as they programmed and implemented what I
provided. It's amazing how it changes in light of what is possible and under
time pressure.
Q. Can you tell us of your background in the gaming industry?
A. I started in gaming in 1967 in college when, as a political science
minor, I worked with political science role-playing and simulation games
at the University of Illinois. In 1972, after leaving the Army, I attended
Illinois State University, where I hooked up with Frank Chadwick, Rich
Banner, and Loren Wiseman in the establishment of SimRAD (Simulation
Research Analysis and Design), a project at the university dedicated to
producing educational simulations for classroom use. I produced a variety
of custom simulations (on politics, economics, and history) between 1972
and 1974. In 1973, the four of us also established Game Designers'
Workshop.
Q. Are you going to use ideas and rules based on Classic Traveller for
the new Traveller game? Or are you looking to overhaul the entire system?
Or start from scratch?
A. My statement on T4 has been that it will be based on Classic Traveller
in light of 20 years of role-playing experience. By that I mean, the rules
will be upgraded to include a task system, new character career types, and
other details. I have seen the final basic rules set (which is now at the
printers) which will release at GenCon (keep your fingers crossed).
Q. There have been all kinds of rumors on the direction that you will take
the new Traveller. Can you enlighten us on the direction and theme(s),
that you currently have in mind?
A. I think the proof will be in the game book at GenCon.
Q. There will be quite a few of us,that will not be at GenCon. Can you
elaborate?
A. We have reduced the broad number of character / career types a double
handfull. The new ones of note are: Agents, Scholars, and Entertainers. I
think entertainer has great potential... as a talented person, you are
travelling to the stars performing you speciality in order to survive, and
having adventures along the way.
The task system (in its latest incarnation tanks to Lester Smith) continues
our effort to make Traveller able to handle any situation.
Q. For the people not acquainted with Traveller product line, can you give
us some of the background of the game and changes it has seen?
A. The original Traveller science-fiction game rules were published in
1977 as three 5.5 by 8.5 inch books in a distinctive black cover
highlighted with a characteristic red stripe. Book 1 detailed the creation
of characters and resolution of personal combat. Book 2 dealt with
starships (including interstellar travel, starship design and
construction, and starship combat). Book 3 included a system for
describing worlds and how to adventure on them.
This original edition (now called Classic Traveller) was envisioned as
generic or universal game system in which any situation or adventure could be
player out. Each individual referee was expected to create and administer his
or her own adventures. Its innovative rules introduced the concept of skills
for characters and detailed random generation tables for characters, animals,
and worlds.
The game was an immediate success, filling the as yet unfilled need for
science-fiction (and more sophisticated) equivalent to the fantasy oriented
Dungeons & Dragons. For more than a year, the three black books in a box were
the only items in game system. But player response during that period
demanded additional game support in the form of additional rules, and in an
expanded, more specific background against which to play.
For expanded rules, Game Designers' Workshop began a tradition of
issuing additional Books numbered in series with the first three.
Mercenary (Book 4; by Frank Chadwick) appeared in 1978 and detailed
military characters and operations. High Guard (Book 5) appeared in 1979
and detailed naval characters and space combat. Scouts (Book 6) appeared
in 1983 and detailed interstellar scout characters and star system and
world generation. Merchant Prince (Book 7) appeared in 1985 and detailed
merchant characters and an expanded trade and commerce system. Robots
(Book 8; by Joe Fugate and Gary Thomas) appeared in 1986 and dealt with
robots and their place in the universe.
For a more specific background, Game Designers' Workshop began a
concerted effort to publish materials which defined the interstellar
society of the future. In more than 60 additional volumes, extensive
details of the vast Third Imperium were revealed to followers of the
Traveller game system. This milieu of the Late Imperium became the
foundation of the Traveller universe.
At the same time players and referees wanted to publish their own
materials, and a series of licensed materials were authorized. Judges
Guild, Digest Group, and Seeker produced numbers of materials. It is
interesting to note that FASA began its existence as a Traveller
licensee.
MegaTraveller:
In 1987, the Traveller game system was revised to consolidate the
materials of the past ten years and in the process, it became a more
detailed and somewhat more complex game system. To its credit and at its
core, it introduced a task system capable of resolving a wide range of
situations.
MegaTraveller also introduced violent change in the Traveller universe
by advancing the background of the game one step into the future. The new
edition introduced the Rebellion Milieu, which chronicled the assassination
of the Emperor who ruled the Third Imperium and the deterioration of the
empire into a number of competing states embroiled in rebellion and civil
war.
Traveller: The New Era:
In 1992, Game Designers' Workshop determined that all of its
role-playing game rules systems should be consolidated under what was
called the house rules system, which was essentially the rules set for
Twilight: 2000. An extensive re-write of the game system by Dave Nilsen
produced Traveller: The New Era, which again advanced the background one
step into the future: into the increasingly chaotic aftermath of the
Rebellion called the Virus Era. Although the game won the Origins Award
for best role-playing game and has devoted followers, it also introduced
another level of complexity to the system.
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