Can't believe I'm here. Other people play this game too?

[caffeineNYC]

This is a trick I learned from the Keeper of the Call of Cthulhu campaign I play in. Unfortunately, it will only work if you have 1 or more additional displays connected to your PC which are not configured for surround spanning. Don't run FGU in full screen mode, but instead run it windowed and resize the window to fill most of your primary display. Then stretch the window side(s) as far a you want on to your secondary display(s). Configured as such, it's easy to move floating windows like the Combat Tracker onto the portion of the FGU window on that second display. By not having surround spanning enabled, you can still use portions of your secondary display(s) for PDFs, or audio and voice apps. I'm currently only doing this for the Combat Tracker and Encounter windows, but those alone go a long way towards increasing FGU's screen real estate and reducing clutter.

Ahhh, nice idea! I do the same thing for work when I RDP into a < Win10 machine. It might be a little tricky b/c my main monitor is 30" and I'd probably be using a laptop to extend the desktop -- the mismatch in size cause readability problems on the laptop, but I'll give it whirl. Even if the size mismatch is an issue, I can use the 2nd display for pdfs, browser work, and just to put FGU windows that aren't in use. Thanks for the suggestion!

[superteddy57]

How unusual for 1980! I've never met anyone whose first game was Traveller. That's so cool!

I started around the same time. Not sure about Australia, but here in the US were seriously asking whether role playing was causing "Satanism" and delinquency. I think those were our Reagan years, where our conservative party pretty much dominated politics, so the liberal party was looking for issues to demonstrate that they, too, were the party of morals and ethics. They glomed on to "Dungeons and Dragons" (the catch-all phrase for all role playing) and music, mostly hair metal (which seems so tame by today's standards). I remember all the hubub surrounding D&D was the best advertising that anyone could buy; EVERYBODY I knew wanted to play D&D because of what we were hearing on the news.

I think that's why D&D got so popular in the US relative to the other games out there, even though there were a lot of really great games back then. All that free advertising in our media. So, at least for us, D&D definitely became the "gateway drug" for other RPGs. That's why it's so interesting to hear that Traveller was your first RPG!

My first gaming experience was Traveller as well. Along with Ars Magica.

[chumbly]

My first RPG was Traveller too. Little Black Books 1980s. Had been playing SPI war games, and started playing Europa from GDW. Saw the
little black books, took home one Christmas in 1980, my brothers and I poured over them enthralled, and my great love for Traveller began.
I remember a few years later, during the Mega Traveller era going to an Origens Con, and talking at the GDW booth to Marc Miller, Frank Chadwick,
and a very long conversation with Loren Wiseman. Lordy, he was a nice guy, a pleasure to talk to about SCI-FI.

Chumbly

[johnecc]

Well, here in Australia we naturally didn’t get the games as early as those overseas. My brother was a big scifi reader and actually bought me Traveller as a Xmas present because he wanted to play it. ��

Yes, we went through the entire D&D is devil worshiping. The 1st club I joined actually folded because the guy who ran it was also a christian leader and felt he could champion the hobby if he wasn’t actually involved in it.

[kronovan]

Ahhh, nice idea! I do the same thing for work when I RDP into a < Win10 machine. It might be a little tricky b/c my main monitor is 30" and I'd probably be using a laptop to extend the desktop -- the mismatch in size cause readability problems on the laptop, but I'll give it whirl. Even if the size mismatch is an issue, I can use the 2nd display for pdfs, browser work, and just to put FGU windows that aren't in use. Thanks for the suggestion!

Yes having secondary displays with the same screen dimensions as your primary screen is ideal. That said, my primary, center display is a 40" HDTV, while my 2 secondary displays on the side are 27" LEDs. It's a bit awkward, but I do manage to make it work. A self contained window with icons like the Combat Tracker or Encounters window are much more managable when displayed on my side displays. Whereas windows with detailed text like stories are less optimal. Just having the extra screen real estate for maps and other images makes it worth it though..

[greyseasunder]

Have played D&D/AD&D since back in the day, along with a bunch of the old TSR titles (Gamma World, Star Frontiers, Top Secret, Boot Hill), Battletech, Twilight 2000, but had never played Traveller until about 2 years ago- just in time for the pandemic to hit. Since then, we've been doing weekly gaming sessions, alternating between Traveller 2e and D&D5e. The thing i really like about Traveller is, the comparative lack of violence- combat can be really deadly, so my players strive to keep out of it as much as possible. Really encourages role-play and thinking through situations.

[caffeineNYC]

Have played D&D/AD&D since back in the day, along with a bunch of the old TSR titles (Gamma World, Star Frontiers, Top Secret, Boot Hill), Battletech, Twilight 2000, but had never played Traveller until about 2 years ago- just in time for the pandemic to hit. Since then, we've been doing weekly gaming sessions, alternating between Traveller 2e and D&D5e. The thing i really like about Traveller is, the comparative lack of violence- combat can be really deadly, so my players strive to keep out of it as much as possible. Really encourages role-play and thinking through situations.

I totally forgot about Boot Hill. I bought the core rulebook and WANTED to play, but never actually played it, since I was the only DM in my core group of friends, and was already running Traveller, AD&D, Gamma World, Top Secret, and Paranoia.

It looked like a good game, but it also looked a little limiting in terms of the type of adventures you can dream up (e.g. no non-humanoids and I don't remember there being a leveling up / experience mechanic). I have a fondness in my heart for good westerns, so I always regretted not running Boot Hill.

[greyseasunder]

Boot Hill was pretty simple, we mucked around with it a bit, but it was never one of our top games- just felt too limiting in scope. I remember having fun with it though! You didn't miss much.

[Patrick Tuttle]

I, too, an looking for a traveller game. If anyone knows of a gm, please post the info. Thanks!!!

[savoylen]

I, too, an looking for a traveller game. If anyone knows of a gm, please post the info. Thanks!!!

I just posted an opening in the LFG forum.
Be sure to get on the Traveller discord as well... games post there all the time.

You might have to wait a bit longer for a FG based game but they do come up.

Good luck! - Savoy