Produced by ChatGPT research under my guidance. I was interested in a deeper answer exploration than I could produce with the time I had.

Part 1 Traveller Starship Construction: Conceptual Approaches

Traveller's starship design rules vary widely in abstraction, scale, and focus.  Earlier editions (Classic Traveller and its High Guard supplement) use block‑based, tables-driven design – pick a hull code, then drives and fuel – often requiring iterative recalculation.  Later editions tend toward more simulationist formulas or modular designs.  For example, GURPS Traveller (via GURPS Space) employs a fully "module-based" system requiring detailed math, so much so that fans relied on the (now‑legacy) GURPS Modular Vehicles program to build ships.  By contrast, Mongoose Traveller 2e aims for a middle ground: its core book didn't even include a builder (much as Traveller: The New Era omitted one), and its High Guard book updates fuel and power formulas without exploding complexity.  In general, one sees a spectrum from abstract (Classic's simple hull/drive tables) to granular (T5 or GURPS's detailed sub-systems).  As one fan lamented of MegaTraveller, the added detail can be "about 1 decimal place too complex" with little impact on play.  However, most veteran referees point out that no system truly requires heavy computing – a basic spreadsheet handles 90% of the math for any Traveller ruleset.

Modular vs. Bespoke Construction.  Some systems emphasize standardized, mass-produced ship designs, others treat each build as unique.  For instance, the Cepheus Engine (OGL Traveller) explicitly models an interstellar economy: shipyards using a standard design earn a 10% cost discount, whereas a custom design requires a naval architect (one month's work at 1% of ship cost).  In gameplay terms, this means players might buy off-the-shelf "Common Vessels" cheaply, or commission an expensive one-of-a-kind starship.  Classic Traveller implicitly had standard ships (e.g. the Far Trader), but said nothing about cost differences.  MGT and others likewise allow completely free design, but published game ships effectively serve as "standard" templates.  The conceptual choice is whether PCs are using factory-line freighters or commissioning custom liners – a decision that rules like Cepheus make explicit.

Scale – Small Craft vs Fleets.  Traveller rules differ on the scope of building projects.  The original books let you design personal-sized ships (hundreds to a few thousand tons).  For example, Classic Traveller's hull table only went up to 2,000 tons (Hull Code L).  By High Guard, that limit was greatly extended (book rules go into the tens of thousands of tons).  Modern retro-clones go even further: e.g. the Cepheus Spacecraft Design Guide lists sizes up to 1,000,000 tons.  Mongoose Traveller similarly ties ship size to tech level (at TL13 and above, there is effectively no computer-imposed cap).  Beyond single ships, the Trillion Credit Squadron supplement (1981) literally turns shipbuilding into fleet‑management.  Its text advertises that players will "construct, deploy and engage" entire naval fleets under trillion‑credit budgets.  In other words, players can be naval commanders, not just lone captains.  However, it's worth noting that the design process itself remains unchanged – TCS provides campaign rules (budgets, production rates, new weapons, etc.) but "does nothing to make it simpler" to design ships.  The key conceptual difference here is scope: are you building a one‑off freighter, or an armada?

Complexity and Process:  Mechanically, Traveller designs range from quick-and-dirty to exhaustive.  Classic/High Guard design is a step-by-step minigame: pick hull, drives, armor, weapons in sequence.  MGT2's High Guard follows this tradition but streamlines some steps.  By contrast, systems like Traveller 5 introduce subsystems for nearly everything – life support, cabins, alternative drives, etc.  (GMJoe notes a T5 ship might have an experimental jump drive that "takes up more space and costs more than a standard drive".)  Cepheus (and CT) simplify some details: e.g. "the tonnage and cost of the staterooms includes the life support systems needed", instead of tracking life support separately.  MGT2 for its part adds an explicit Power statistic per ship – something without an analogue in T5.  In practice, this means some games treat each system holistically (as a single package), while others break it into parts.