That is kinda what they did in the Pendragon RPG
On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 3:19 PM, <> wrote:
>
>
> Was originally thinking of simply using Variable History as a tool to keep
> players in the dark on what some of the more important historical events
> were until they either researched them or encountered the consequences
> in-game. But it would work pretty good as part of an alternate universe
> toolkit. Something like a random table based alternative to Microscope.
>
> Start by making a core timeline with a handful of the more important bits
> in place - then roll for variable outcomes. Put the major and minor races
> in - then roll for possible variations or replacements. Add in another
> layer of events/details from my big timeline event tables. Add in some
> historical figures. Create a few historical worlds with my simple
> systemless generator. Drop in some Instant Game setting elements to taste -
> then shuffle in a few more random table bits for extra flavor. Work up some
> story hooks, oddities, and Library Data. Rinse, Lather, Repeat. Find more
> fun random tables.
>
>
> For reality shifts, I would probably do it with misjumps instead of
> intoxication. Make temporal misjumps easier and more common than spatial,
> and have severe misjumps initiate crossover to a totally new (scrambled)
> universe. Sort of like an old sf series where the stardrives always
> dimensionally displaced the ships into closely linked timelines - but the
> more you traveled, the harder it was to get back to your 'real' home.
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> In what way? Like alternate universes/timelines ?
>
> The closest thing I can think of in Traveller is the way all refs have the
> freedom to modify or leave things out.
>
> On the other hand, I am imagining the PCs waking up each morning to a
> "Dude, Where's My Starship?" scenario, where they have to figure out which
> parts of reality shifted out from under them over night.
>
> > Has anyone experimented with the concept of using Variable History to
> > maintain a sense of mystery?
> > It was an interesting design feature of Mekton Empire that might be
> > adaptable to Traveller campaigns.
>
>
On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 3:19 PM, <> wrote:
>
>
> Was originally thinking of simply using Variable History as a tool to keep
> players in the dark on what some of the more important historical events
> were until they either researched them or encountered the consequences
> in-game. But it would work pretty good as part of an alternate universe
> toolkit. Something like a random table based alternative to Microscope.
>
> Start by making a core timeline with a handful of the more important bits
> in place - then roll for variable outcomes. Put the major and minor races
> in - then roll for possible variations or replacements. Add in another
> layer of events/details from my big timeline event tables. Add in some
> historical figures. Create a few historical worlds with my simple
> systemless generator. Drop in some Instant Game setting elements to taste -
> then shuffle in a few more random table bits for extra flavor. Work up some
> story hooks, oddities, and Library Data. Rinse, Lather, Repeat. Find more
> fun random tables.
>
>
> For reality shifts, I would probably do it with misjumps instead of
> intoxication. Make temporal misjumps easier and more common than spatial,
> and have severe misjumps initiate crossover to a totally new (scrambled)
> universe. Sort of like an old sf series where the stardrives always
> dimensionally displaced the ships into closely linked timelines - but the
> more you traveled, the harder it was to get back to your 'real' home.
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> In what way? Like alternate universes/timelines ?
>
> The closest thing I can think of in Traveller is the way all refs have the
> freedom to modify or leave things out.
>
> On the other hand, I am imagining the PCs waking up each morning to a
> "Dude, Where's My Starship?" scenario, where they have to figure out which
> parts of reality shifted out from under them over night.
>
> > Has anyone experimented with the concept of using Variable History to
> > maintain a sense of mystery?
> > It was an interesting design feature of Mekton Empire that might be
> > adaptable to Traveller campaigns.
>
>