Traveller (role-playing game)

Traveller is a science fiction role-playing game created by Marc Miller, and originally published by Game Designers' Workshop (GDW) in 1977. It is notable for its focus on a sandbox style of play, with a vast and detailed universe known as the Third Imperium, allowing players to explore, trade, and adventure across numerous star systems.

The game system is known for its character generation process, which can be dangerous, potentially resulting in characters dying before the actual game begins. This process creates unique and diverse characters with varying skills, backgrounds, and even ailments, shaping their motivations and capabilities.

Traveller's core rules are relatively simple, based on a 2D6 (two six-sided dice) system. Success is determined by rolling 8 or higher on a skill check, modified by relevant attributes and situational factors.

The game's setting, the Third Imperium, is a sprawling interstellar empire spanning thousands of star systems. It features a blend of high-tech and low-tech societies, with varying levels of governmental control and technological advancement. This provides a rich backdrop for a wide variety of adventures, from diplomatic missions and military campaigns to trading voyages and explorations of uncharted territories.

Over the years, Traveller has been published by numerous companies under various licenses and editions, including MegaTraveller, Traveller: The New Era, and Mongoose Traveller. Each edition has introduced its own rules and setting changes, but the core themes of exploration, survival, and adventure in a vast and complex universe have remained constant.