Cepheus Editions Rpg

[SeaJay]

Does anyone know for the best place to discuss the Cepheus (Traveller) RPG? I've taken a look on the Traveller forums, but no dedicated forum there nor is there anything on the Traveller/Reddit forums.

 

[Vile Traveller]

Does anyone know for the best place to discuss the Cepheus (Traveller) RPG? I've taken a look on the Traveller forums, but no dedicated forum there nor is there anything on the Traveller/Reddit forums.

I seem to remember a Cepheus Engine Discord? Don't have a link, though.

There's Facebook but that's not great for discussions.

The Citizens of the Imperium forums are moribund.

Um... start a megathread here?

 

[Raleel]

There are quite a few Cepheus and Traveller fans here.

 

[SeaJay]

Ok cool. I was thinking about just asking here in any case.

So, Stellagama has just released the latest in their Cepheus/Traveller clone ruleset, called Cepheus Deluxe Enhanced (CDE ). It was only last week, that I bought Paul Zozer's Hostile rulebook and Hostile setting book, and they are very good products. They aim for a more, industrial sci-fi look, where it's more about grim, grit, and hard-working labourers mining for resources (amongst other endeavours, of course), and more to do with buttons pressed, dials turned, and switches flipped, than it is, immaculate uniforms and touchscreens. And Hostile is not a setting based on the Alien movies, but it is a setting where the Alien movies would feel right at home in (if you know what I mean). Ultimately, there's a lot more to the setting than bug-hunting.

Thing is, whereas Hostile cleaves to a certain kind of gritty sci-fi, and almost everything within its pages guides (not forces) you in that direction, CDE's setting seems more loosely defined, meaning I can pick up the gritty sci-fi of Hostile for one campaign, and then drop it later on for a different themed sci-fi campaign. So right now I'm favouring CDE. This is absolutely no reflection on the Hostile products themselves, which are very good; it's more a case of my personal taste.

Anyway.../ramble off

I've only just bought the CDE pdf, and I was wondering if anyone else has it. My initial impression is that CDE's rules are easier, whereas the Hostile rules are geared more towards simulating that gritty feel. I'm also not too sure how I feel about the art direction. It's good, but, a little too colourful for me.

 

[Vile Traveller]

I think all Cepheus Engine (and before that, MGT 3PP) books suffer from, dare I say it, pedestrian art direction in most cases. The upside is that you won't be tempted to buy anything just because it's pretty. On the whole I wish publishers would adopt Classic Traveller's original 'less is more' approach as good SF art is a lot more expensive than good fantasy art, and average art doesn't add to the game. That said, I love Ian Stead's ship art.

I think you're right, Omer Golan's Cepheus books (Light and Deluxe) are much more adaptable - by design, he also produces his own, more focussed settings. I do tend to stick with PDF on his books, though, because he does update them rather frequently.

The Hostile setting is basically everyone's favourite late '70s-through-'80s SF movies rolled into one near future. It's great if you lived through that era because everything is already there in your subconscious - another reason why it doesn't need much art IMO.

 

[Baragei]

The Traveller-discord has several Cepheus sub-fora, as well as pointers to Stellagama, IG and others. There is a sub for Cepheus on reddit too, although it doesn't seem to get much action.

 

[SeaJay]

I think all Cepheus Engine (and before that, MGT 3PP) books suffer from, dare I say it, pedestrian art direction in most cases. The upside is that you won't be tempted to buy anything just because it's pretty. On the whole I wish publishers would adopt Classic Traveller's original 'less is more' approach as good SF art is a lot more expensive than good fantasy art, and average art doesn't add to the game. That said, I love Ian Stead's ship art.

I think you're right, Omer Golan's Cepheus books (Light and Deluxe) are much more adaptable - by design, he also produces his own, more focussed settings. I do tend to stick with PDF on his books, though, because he does update them rather frequently.

The Hostile setting is basically everyone's favourite late '70s-through-'80s SF movies rolled into one near future. It's great if you lived through that era because everything is already there in your subconscious - another reason why it doesn't need much art IMO.

As concerns purchasing rpg products, I realised a few years ago that, art, influences me a lot more than I like to admit.

 

[SeaJay]

The Traveller-discord has several Cepheus sub-fora, as well as pointers to Stellagama, IG and others. There is a sub for Cepheus on reddit too, although it doesn't seem to get much action.

Thanks, I'll check them out.