Playtested Traveller in 1-on-1 mode recently. Also, decided on a starting scenario concept for Space Opera tRPGs like the Traveller that I'll be using as a template.

The main trouble I see in the pace of mechanics adoption. In a game about space travel newbies are also advised to start from local bar fights, slowly picking up vehicle control and - finally - finding (or paying a mortgage for) their own ship.

This is an understandable complexity ladder... but it's boring as hell! Also, it won't save us from flipping back and forth through the books when ship operations come in play. Therefore, instead of picking well-known world, I would place campaign start in the depth of Space.

The campaign seed starts on an asteroid habitat somewhere near distant mining colonies. It has several troubles to deal with:

• The water processor and filters are deteriorating and need repairs..

  • ..with required spare parts only to be found within remains of a convoy fleet..

  • ..assaulted by the pirates.

• Maneuver Drive of the habitat is also non-operational by the way, and needs repairs.

• Yes, the habitat is old and serves as a hostel for miners and a few passers by. No, the malfunctions were not critical until recently..

  • ..when aforementioned pirates became a threat to the habitat as well..

  • ..therefore it has to be moved from the old position ASAP.

• This situation creates tensions on the habitat itself..

  • ..with an upcoming mutiny of the Service Crew vs. Facility Crew, unless the players interfere.

While not being totally open world, such plot seed allows to actually travel around part of the sector, first in their old gig shuttle, next in one of the salvage-able ships. A potential ambush in the convoy wreck introduces spaceship ops. Solution of the problems on the habitat makes use of various ship modules.

To sum up, I wanted a starting scenario that revolves about the game main theme of the ship operations.

The 1-on-1 went quite vegetarian. The habitat dwellers won't get their spare parts, because the player character together with a survived Aslan convoy guard decided to deliver them to the original destination: a desert colony dying for water processors. A noble decision well-rewarded with a Prospector ship and the whole mining company as future rivals.

I'll put sample UPPs here for reference (in case we'll decide to continue).

Player's PC:

The found Companion: