Cryptobibliography

From Traveller Wiki - Science-Fiction Adventure in the Far future
Revision as of 19:35, 7 June 2022 by Rje (talk | contribs) (→‎DGP)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Wiki Navy.png

The Cryptobibliography article provides a list of Traveller books that were proposed by various publishers, but which ultimately never saw the light of day (...for various reasons).

  • Some of these books have ISBN numbers; please note that, despite having been allocated ISBN numbers, these books were never published and thus cannot be purchased.

Library Data Referral Tree[edit]

Please refer to the following AAB Library Data for more information:
Traveller: (Where it all started...)

Description (Specifications)[edit]

Creative teams often pitch a multiplicity of ideas. Not all of them see the light of day for a variety of reasons. These are the books that didn't reach publication... that we know about.

GDW[edit]

Classic Traveller[edit]

From p. 48, Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society (No. 13): By Christmas, we should have the Traveller Adventure ready, and volumes coming in the 12-24 months include:

  • The Traveller Alien,
  • The Traveller Encyclopedia,
  • The Traveller Fleet, and...
  • The Traveller Soldier.
GDW Traveller Cryptobibliogrpahic Titles "Lost Books"
Title Version Period Remarks
The Traveller Alien Classic Traveller 1980's Aliens were instead covered in a series of "Alien Races" books. None
The Traveller Encyclopedia Classic Traveller 1980's The Encyclopedia was split into two Supplements, Library Data (A-M) and Library Data (N-Z).
The Traveller Fleet Classic Traveller 1980's The Fleet became Supplement 9: Fighting Ships.
The Traveller Soldier Classic Traveller 1980's It simply never happened.

NOTES: Contributor's Note: The Traveller Adventure was published in 1983.

  • The other volumes mentioned above were not published, at least not in the original format.

MegaTraveller[edit]

GDW Traveller Cryptobibliogrpahic Titles "Lost Books"
Title Version Period Remarks
FLASHBACK: Historical adventuring in the Imperium's past MegaTraveller Late 1980's Somewhere, ages ago, a squad caught the edges of a devastating radiation blast. Rather than die lonely deaths, its members swore a pact to seek out a cure, then they retired to cold sleep. Every time they awake, they come out in a nexus of history. They are there when the Long Night falls, when the Imperium is founded, when Nicholle is assassinated, when the Civil War ends, and more. They are travellers in time the only way possible forward, ever forward. And their greatest challenge awaits them when they reach the present!
  • 96 pages
  • Stock Number 0217
  • $10.00
  • Publisher: GDW
  • ISBN 1-55878-034-3
REBELS’ TALES MegaTraveller Late 1980's 5 Desperate Adventures in the Rebellion.
  • Sourcebook and Adventure Module.
  • The Rebellion is sweeping the Imperium, and in its wake, it has disrupted the very fabric of Imperial society. Rebels’ Tales is a sourcebook of information about the Rebellion and its effects on the Imperium. Rebels’ Tales provides an opportunity for players to use the information in the sourcebook as they play five desperate scenarios set against the background of the Rebellion.
  • Coming in November 1990.
  • 96 pages
  • Stock Number 0220
  • $10.00
  • Publisher: GDW
ASLAN: The proud warrior race MegaTraveller Late 1980's The Aslan are a young race of intelligent beings, evolving on their own world of Kusyu to spinward of Sol, and their emergence on the interstellar scene has been relatively recent. Proud male Aslan are bent on the possession of land in large quantities, and the ihatai, or second sons, have propelled the race through the stars. Female Asian, typically more business-minded and practical, administer the businesses of the clans, running a huge star-spanning nation known as the Aslan Hierate.
  • 48 pages
  • Stock Number 0254
  • $7.00
  • Publisher: GDW
  • ISBN 0-943580-03-X
ROBOTS & CYBORGS: Complete design rules for robots in the MegaTraveller universe. MegaTraveller Late 1980's The high-tech stellar civilization of the Imperium has been developing the science of robotics for centuries -improving, adapting, modifying robots for all types of tasks. At the lower end of the spectrum are common working robots, capable of carrying out a few routine tasks At the upper end are pseudobiological robots able to imitate human beings almost down to the finest detail. Get robots into your MegaTraveller campaign!
  • 48 pages
  • Stock Number 0344
  • $6.00
  • Publisher: GDW
  • ISBN 0-943580-10-2
  • This book was published as Book 8 in Classic Traveller. Its replacement by DGP was to be called "ROBOTS AND CYBORGS".

NOTES: Contributor's Note: None of the above books were ever published, as MegaTraveller was superceded by the publication by GDW of Traveller: The New Era.

Traveller: The New Era[edit]

From an advertisement in The Guilded Lilly (pg. 47)

GDW Traveller Cryptobibliogrpahic Titles "Lost Books"
Title Version Period Remarks
Reformation Coalition Player's Handbook TNE Early 1990's None

From an advertisement in Regency Combat Vehicle Guide (pg. 48)

GDW Traveller Cryptobibliogrpahic Titles "Lost Books"
Title Version Period Remarks
The Regency Starship Guide TNE Early 1990's None

NOTES: Both were planned but never completed.

Paranoia Press[edit]

From the back cover of Merchants & Merchandise:

Paranoia Press Traveller Cryptobibliogrpahic Titles "Lost Books"
Title Version Period Remarks
Aliens & Artifacts Classic Traveller Early 1980's Four new races (mentioned in the Library Data in the Vanguard Reaches and Beyond) with complete character generation system and artifacts and weapons used by them. Nr 01006. Available Soon
Traveller Data Sheets Classic Traveller Early 1980's Large format booklet containing several copies of our popular Data Sheets series: Planetary, System, Personal, Ship's Papers, and Starship Log Entry. Also featured are new tables and system s for determining additional details of the Traveller universe. Nr. 2501. Available Soon
Ryker's catalog of arms vol 1, Nr 1 Classic Traveller Early 1980's First edition in a continuing series of military and civilian weapons, vehicles, and other equipment for use with Traveller. Catalog sheets in a ziplock bag: Nr 03101. Available Soon

DGP[edit]

From page 1, Vilani & Vargr: The Coreward Races (volume 1):

DGP Traveller Cryptobibliogrpahic Titles "Lost Books"
Title Version Period Remarks
Solomani and Aslan: The Rimward Races (volume 2) MegaTraveller Late 1980's to early 1990's None
Zhodani and Droyne: The Psionic Races (volume 3) MegaTraveller Late 1980's to early 1990's None
K'kree and Hiver: The Exotic Races (volume 4) MegaTraveller Late 1980's to early 1990's None
Humans and Nonhumans: The Minor Races (volume 5) MegaTraveller Late 1980's to early 1990's None

NOTES: Contributor's Note: Only volumes 1 and 2 were ever published. Volumes 3, 4 and 5 were never published, as DGP went out of business.

The following information is taken from the editorial on page 3 of Travellers Digest number 20:

DGP Traveller Cryptobibliogrpahic Titles "Lost Books"
Title Version Period Remarks
'Manhunt (Onnesium Quest Trilogy, Vol 1): MegaTraveller Late 1980's to early 1990's The first in a trilogy of adventures where the player characters seek out the fabled Victory Belt, a mythical planetoid belt of untold wealth in Onnesium-118.
  • A GenCon '90 release.
  • 56 pages,
  • $8.95.
  • On schedule (more or less)...
  • (The Solomani and Aslan book and Flaming Eye campaign book are mentioned in the above paragraph, but omitted here as those books were published.)
  • Finally completed in Spring 2022 and on sale at DriveThruRPG.

In the works, but no definite release date... - DGP Annoucement

DGP Traveller Cryptobibliogrpahic Titles "Lost Books"
Title Version Period Remarks
Robots and Cyborgs MegaTraveller Late 1980's to early 1990's Updated robot design rules for MegaTraveller, plus new rules for creating cyborg characters. Also incorporates 101 Robots, with new art.
Starship Operator's Manual (Vol 2) MegaTraveller Late 1980's to early 1990's More information on jump drive physics, annual maintenance, skill certification, acquiring used starships, and alternative drive systems. Includes copious details of the 100-ton Scout-Courier and its many variations.
Grand Explorations MegaTraveller Late 1980's to early 1990's Going beyond charted space into the great unknown. Includes new rules on exploratory missions and colonization as well as a new world generation system for star systems beyond charted space. Also incorporates four adventures to give the referee ideas on how to run exploratory adventures in MegaTraveller.

Behind schedule - DGP Annoucement

DGP Traveller Cryptobibliogrpahic Titles "Lost Books"
Title Version Period Remarks
Black Duke MegaTraveller Late 1980's to early 1990's We've all agreed on a working outline (finally). Writing is now underway.
World Builder's on Computer MegaTraveller Late 1980's to early 1990's The software was partially done and went back to drawing board for redesign. Trust us: the wait will be worth it!
Second Survey on Computer MegaTraveller Late 1980's to early 1990's Roughly half of the 37 sectors of data has been updated to the current Imperial date of 1120. Once the other half has been updated, this will be released. Again. You will be glad we took the extra time to make sure this data is right!

Games Workshop[edit]

According to Dark Star I the following books were planned, but not published:

GW Traveller Cryptobibliogrpahic Titles "Lost Books"
Title Version Period Remarks
Trojan Reach Sector Classic Traveller 1980's It was to be a supplement by Bob McWilliams.
Riftspan Reaches Sector Classic Traveller 1980's It was to be a supplement by Andy Slack.

FASA[edit]

According to the Far Future Enterprises page, the following books were planned, but not published:

FASA Traveller Cryptobibliogrpahic Titles "Lost Books"
Title Version Period Remarks
Adventure 10 - Target: Assassin Classic Traveller Summer 1982 None
Double Adventure - Piracy / Stardust Classic Traveller Summer 1982 None
Starport Module Two - Orbiting Base Classic Traveller 1980's None
Far Frontiers Sector Classic Traveller 1980's A Far Frontiers sector supplement manuscript was prepared by Dale L. Kemper for FASA, but was unpublished when FASA ended their Traveller line. The details were later republished in Ares Magazine and the Traveller Chronicle. The author also occasionally sells copies of his manuscript.
Issue #3 of Far Traveller Classic Traveller 1980's It was also prepared by Dale L. Kemper for FASA, but remained unpublished by FASA. The author occasionally sells copies of his manuscript.

Imperium Games[edit]

Imperium Games Traveller Cryptobibliogrpahic Titles "Lost Books"
Title Version Period Remarks
Book F Nobles T4 Marc Miller's Traveller 1990's It was supposed to be "Nobles", a look at the Sylean and early Imperial Nobility. The book never got beyond the concept stage before Imperium Games folded.

Steve Jackson Games[edit]

GURPS Traveller Cryptobibliogrpahic Titles "Lost Books"
Title Version Period Remarks
GURPS Traveller: Imperial Navy GURPS Traveller Early 2010's A book long on the wish list, and still seen on the list of GURPS Traveller books. A manuscript for this book was written, and went into playtest. Shortly after the playtest was completed, the book was withdrawn for unknown reasons.
  • A second manuscript was written by Martin Dougherty and Neil Frier but never made it past the first draft stage. Several years later Martin published his manuscript, minus the game rules, as Grand Fleet.

Avenger Enterprises[edit]

Avenger Enterprises Traveller Cryptobibliogrpahic Titles "Lost Books"
Title Version Period Remarks
Various Traveller D20 2000's Avenger Enterprises is Martin Dougherty's company for publishing gaming materials including Traveller material.
  • At the end of November 2008, Avenger's official license to publish Traveller materials expired and Avenger could no longer sell any of their books.
  • Some of these books have been republished through Mongoose Publishing.

History & Background (Dossier)[edit]

In most cases, the hopefuls didn't reach publication, but the manuscripts were kept. A few such authors sell these often unfinished and unpublished manuscripts.

References & Contributions (Sources)[edit]

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.
Retrieved from "http://wiki.travellerrpg.com/index.php?title=Cryptobibliography&oldid=688948"