This thread is definitely and officially Golden Stuff

Two more must-watches just popped into my head:  Space: Above and Beyond (which I think had it been released in the 2000s probably would have made it at least a few seasons) and Space Rangers.

Space Rangers

Space: Above And Beyond

actually, space: above & beyond was only one season.  i remember watching it during the original run--it had a shitty time slot and would get bumped if a football game ran into overtime :mad:

Just to set expectations for some of my recommendations:

With Starhunter 2300 was a low-budget television show, so they did their best to make due with limited money.  The first season (aka Starhunter) was even lower budget, and there are episodes that have fewer than 10 actors on screen throughout.  The reason why I recommend just going to the second season is that they had enough money to do better.  Both Starhunter 2300 and Cowboy Bebop take place (almost) entirely in our solar system and both are about a group of bounty hunters.  But I think that what they capture, beyond the technology, is a working class sensibility that the characters need to earn money to keep their ship flying, and that's very Traveller to me.  

Space Rangers was made around the same time as the pilot of Babylon 5.  It's a lot lighter and campier than Babylon 5 but worth a look for the technology and some of the ideas.  In some ways, I think the old Buck Rogers in the 25th Century TV show, particularly the more mission-oriented first season, could provide some inspiration.  

Lifepod is a science fiction version of the classic movie Lifeboat, about the survivors of a luxury liner sabotaged by terrorists stuck together in a lifepod.  Some interesting ideas in there and the set-up could be combined with the ISCV King Richard luxury liner material from FASA for Traveller.

The book The Shattered Stars isn't great literature, nor is it a particularly thick book, but it reads like the Traveller setting and like a role-playing adventure.

If you wanted to run a game with nobles and governments in the Imperium, on the other hand, the Dune movies (the David Lynch movie and the Sci-Fi miniseries both) might actually provide some useful inspiration.

Quote from: John Morrow;532436If you wanted to run a game with nobles and governments in the Imperium, on the other hand, the Dune movies (the David Lynch movie and the Sci-Fi miniseries both) might actually provide some useful inspiration.

This and history itself. I'm researching the Wars of the Roses in order to apply the interfamily battles to a Traveller setting of "palace intrigue" both on- and off-world.

Quote from: jeff37923;532438This and history itself. I'm researching the Wars of the Roses in order to apply the interfamily battles to a Traveller setting of "palace intrigue" both on- and off-world.

That's what you were using the Wars of the Roses research for then.  Very cool Jeff!

Quote from: Kuroth;532442That's what you were using the Wars of the Roses research for then.  Very cool Jeff!

Yeah, a campaign where the PCs are nobles of various ranks all trying to reach the top of the subsector heap just seems like fun.

History has usually provided more inspiration for campaigns and adventures for science fiction RPGs. It doesn't seem to work so well for fantasy, but then again our history never really had magic in it quite the same way.

Ignore the above and pursue (frex) sociology, physics, geology etc., especially history. Depending on campaign pursue military history and/or economics, probably engineering. Non fiction sources are of the essence.

Capsule:
You will find Traveller to be a good outlet if you are into some related area of interest.

If your goal is to regurgigate "media" you might as well be playing Buffy or worse.

Quote from: Kuroth;532442That's what you were using the Wars of the Roses research for then.  Very cool Jeff!

As anyone who read Albion knows, I've used the same for fantasy; but I've often thought of using something along the lines of the 100 years war for sci-fi.

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPundit;533131As anyone who read Albion knows, I've used the same for fantasy; but I've often thought of using something along the lines of the 100 years war for sci-fi.

RPGPundit

100 Years Wars....

I hadn't looked in that direction before....

Got any books on those conflicts that you would recommed?

I just got done reading H. Beam Piper's 'Slave is a Slave' the other day and what struck me about it was how much, in so many ways, it rang true to the descriptions of the Imperium were essentially identical to Piper's description of the Imperium.

True, the story entirely takes place on one planet that is not at all part of the Imperium... in fact that's sort of the point.

But the essential elements are there: The Imperium only controls Space, leaving planetary politics to the locals, the sunburst symbol of the Emperor (sunburst and cog in the story)... hell, there are even Sword Worlders, with their worlds named after the famous swords of mythology.  Now, as I really mostly read his other stuff (The FUZZIES!!! WOOOHOOO!!!.... er... and some other earlier setting stuff like Ullanor), I can only say I know that these things show up in various Piper stuff, and seeing that Piper shot himself ten years before Traveller went into print we know who got there first...

LOL.

H. Beam Piper was a major influence on Traveller.

Bladerunner also has many of the elements I associate with a high-tech world in Traveller. Hovercars, a mix of low and high tech based on your social status, over-crowding and the strange synergy of multiple alien cultures living in close proximity (you might be Vilani, but your friends all eat at the local Solimani curry palace and talk about the latest Vargr combat-reality shows).

I also like Outlander. It's lower tech and has a 'high-noon in outerspace' vibe, but its still worth a look. It would be especially good if you plan to have your players stop over at a planet or space station that is completely owned by one of the Megacorporations that exist in the Imperium.

Quote from: jeff37923;533967LOL.

H. Beam Piper was a major influence on Traveller.

Yes, I gathered that, which is why I brought it up as a suggestion for 'inspirations and media' for Traveller.

The specificity of the Sword Worlds names is far too close to be coincidental by any stretch.  

Though if I run a Traveller game, mine will have Fuzzies in it, something Trav is sorely lacking.  Also the Zarathustra Corp, Sunstones, and maybe... just maybe... Jack Holloway.

And god damnit, more people need to swear by Niflhiem, something ALSO sorely lacking in traveller.

Quote from: Spike;533990Yes, I gathered that, which is why I brought it up as a suggestion for 'inspirations and media' for Traveller.

The specificity of the Sword Worlds names is far too close to be coincidental by any stretch.  

Though if I run a Traveller game, mine will have Fuzzies in it, something Trav is sorely lacking.  Also the Zarathustra Corp, Sunstones, and maybe... just maybe... Jack Holloway.

And god damnit, more people need to swear by Niflhiem, something ALSO sorely lacking in traveller.

Oh stop it, you're getting my hopes up....