Subj: Traveller-digest V1999 #1566
Date: 12/23/99 4:11:37 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: owner-traveller-digest@lists.imagiconline.com (Traveller-digest)
Sender: owner-traveller-digest@lists.imagiconline.com
Reply-to: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
To: traveller-digest@lists.imagiconline.com
Traveller-digest Thursday, December 23 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 1566
(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.
All rights reserved.
The following topics are covered in this digest:
Re: Geographical idiocy (
Re: Drawing Program
Re: Drawing Program
Re: Drawing Program
Re: Gone for the holidays, and 1yr anniversary
Re Deck Plan Software.
Re: Terran polities
Re: Drawing Program
Re: Drawing Program
Re: Geographical idiocy (
Re: Drawing Program
[none]
Re Keyboard Kill Flags
Re: Gunnery
Re: Emperors of the Rule of Man #8
OT-- North Pole Standoff with the ATF
TNE combat (a little long)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 16:07:52 -0600
From: tim@premier.net
Subject: Re: Geographical idiocy (
From: "Thomas Vickers"
To:
Subject: Re: Geographical idiocy (
Date sent: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 13:38:53 -0600
Send reply to: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
>
> Plus, if California is anything like Texas, geography in the sense of what
> is where is not stressed. We have the nice pretty 5 themes of geography to
> teach. Place, location, Movement, Human Environment Interaction, and one
> other that my soft brain can't remember.
> The idea is to stress how people affect the environment and how the
> environment in turn affects people and culture.
> Its History Concepts versus hard facts these days or so everyone claims.
> Fact is, if you don't like it, go beat your school board with axe handles
> till they change it and if that doesn't work, get ahold of your state board
> of education. They respond much better to a good beating :)
>
As far as geography goes one of the problems is that it is not
taught at most US Univ anymore as an independent even Thomas
here got his from his history professor though he seems to have
learned alot. The best schools are Berkly and Chicago. Luckly I go
to LSU which actually has a good/great geography/anthropology
departenment. Its amazing what you can learn. In my Research
Methodologies Class are reports covered a wide range of topics.
Though I am a human ie history, political,economic, and area
studies grad stundent, ie I study geopolitics, I look foward to
learning GIS software and satellite tasking. Also there is all that
cool physical geography stuff as well.
So much to learn so little money : )
Geography can be extermly fun
Tim Reynolds
tim@premier.net
225-334-5063
- ------------------------------------------------------------
Getting an education was a bit like a communicable
sexual disease. It made you unsuitable for
a lot of jobs and then you had the urge to pass it on.
Terry Pratchett
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 17:12:39 -0500
From: "Jory Earl"
Subject: Re: Drawing Program
ok how do you want to do this? I zipped up both Business and Technical
versions which weighs in at 67 megabytes.
I can setup an FTP server on my system for you to log into and download, or
you can give me an IP address to upload to. Your call.
___________________________________________________________
J-Man
ICQ# 2843475
New Hampshire - U.S.A.
Email : j-man@iname.com
Home Page : http://www.geocities.com/~jman037/
___________________________________________________________
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Leonard Erickson"
To:
Sent: Thursday, December 23, 1999 3:33 PM
Subject: Re: Drawing Program
> In mail you write:
>
> > If you have a cable modem I'll unload my copy of Viso on you. I NEVER
used
> > it and now no longer even bother installing it. Not because its bad,
but
> > because I'm into too many other things and don't have the time for it.
I
> > have Viso 3.0 business and Viso 3.0 Scientific.
>
> I don't have a cable modem, but the system my shell account is on has a
> T-1 line. I can grab it from you easily, and then take my time getting
> it from the shell account.
>
> --
> Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
> shadow@krypton.rain.com <--preferred
> leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com <--last resort
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 14:09:21 -0800
From: "Zane H. Healy"
Subject: Re: Drawing Program
>Hi all.
>
>Can anyone recommend a shareware/freeware prog for drawing
>deckplans, planetary maps and that sort of thing? It doesn't have to be
>anything fancy...
>
>Thanks,
>Charles C.
Well, if you can find someone selling a copy of ClarisDraw, I've got a
library for doing deckplanes on my web site. I don't know if it will work
under ClarisWorks/AppleWorks. I've never tried it with my old version of
ClarisWorks, and haven't had a reason yet to get the latest version of
AppleWorks.
The library is at http://zane.brouhaha.com/healyzh/files/DeckPlan.hqx it
includes all the common deckplan symbols and the common smallcraft.
If you can't find ClarisDraw I would recommend AppleWorks though since it
includes most of the functionality of ClarisDraw. I think it's available
on the PC still, and I know it's available for the Mac. I've found
ClarisDraw to be the best program out there for doing deckplans and
starcharts, but it isn't suited for planetary maps. Personally for
planetary maps I'd use Painter, but Painter is a rather expensive program.
Zane
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator |
| healyzh@aracnet.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast |
| healyzh@holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
| Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, |
| and Zane's Computer Museum. |
| http://www.aracnet.com/~healyzh/ |
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 17:20:22 -0500
From: "Jory Earl"
Subject: Re: Drawing Program
Fidonet? Holy Leaping Lizards Batman! I haven't seen that name in a long
time. It's still around I assume? :) My copy is on a 5 1/4 floppy
somewhere..I think another copy is on CD somewhere else..I'll go look.
Yup found "TheDraw" and "TheBrush" on an old CD.
___________________________________________________________
J-Man
ICQ# 2843475
New Hampshire - U.S.A.
Email : j-man@iname.com
Home Page : http://www.geocities.com/~jman037/
___________________________________________________________
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Leonard Erickson"
To:
Sent: Thursday, December 23, 1999 3:30 PM
Subject: Re: Drawing Program
> In mail you write:
>
> > I also have TheDraw sitting around somewhere too. :)
>
> Unlike you, I know *exactly* where it is
> (\\td-3\main\freq\dos\graphics\editors). If you are in Fidonet, you
> can FREQ TDRAW*.* from me.
>
> --
> Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
> shadow@krypton.rain.com <--preferred
> leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com <--last resort
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 15:03:30 -0700
From: Bruce Johnson
Subject: Re: Gone for the holidays, and 1yr anniversary
Leonard Erickson wrote:
>
> In mail you write:
>
> > p.s. Meant to have a TML Happy Holiday picture for everyone, but alas, I
> > didn't have the time. Think of Ditzie roasting chestnuts on an open fire
> >>;D
>
> Knowing Ditzie, the "open fire" was made by lighting a few bags of
> gunpowder or the like that were past usage date (they really do
> dispose of old powder by burning it).
>
Naaaahhh. Ditzie does it _right_:
Take one 25 lb bag charcoal.
Soak with a couple liters LOX.
Drop match on it from a _distance_.
The charcoal will be gone in seconds...but what _glorious_ seconds they
are!
(NB: There was an engineering prof somewhere who's done this a number of
times. He's made Dave Barry's column, and was the killer of the INternet
once upon a time as everyone dl'ed his mpeg of the events...I forget
where it is; it's probably still posted somewhere.)
- --
Bruce Johnson
University of Arizona
College of Pharmacy
Information Technology Group
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 13:47:11 -0900
From: "William F. Hostman"
Subject: Re Deck Plan Software.
>
>For the newbies to the Mac Scene ClarisWorks is what AppleWorks used
>to be called. And it's a damn fine, stable package. This ships with
>the iMac and iBook (not sure about the G4's) and is about 70 GBP to
>buy otherwise for WINDOWS and MacOS.
>
>Personally, I like Adobe Illustrator but that's out of the price
>range we're considering.
Also good on the Mac Scene is DeskDraw/DeskPaint. Runs about US$40 for the
pair, if still available. Nice, simple, and it has run on my machines from
OS 6.0.8 through 8.1, and has always been smooth and fault free. I did my
CarWars Vehicle Sheets with it. And Roadway sections.
William F. Hostman | "Smith & Wesson: THe original Point and Click
interface!"
Aramis 0602 C55A364-C S kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge-
533
Mailto:aramis@gci.net http://home.gci.net/~aramis mailto:wilh@alaska.com
ICQ:14640742 AIM:AKAramis ARM 1.0: 3 R H++ P+
IMTU 1.0: tc tm++ tn- t4-- tt+ to- tg-- ru+ ge 3i+ c+ jt-() au+ st- ls
pi+() ta+ he+(-) kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge- pi+
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 22:50:29 -0000
From: "Matthew Bond"
Subject: Re: Terran polities
- -----Original Message-----
From: Kiri Aradia Morgan
To: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
Date: 23 December 1999 22:01
Subject: Re: Terran polities
From: Florian Merx
>> William F. Hostman writes:
>> I doubt there is a continuity there. For example, Egypt, which was nation
3-5000 years ago, is a nation now; for well over 100 years it was NOT a
nation. Only China has survived 5000 years with a clear national identity.
>>
>Wait a second there. The idea of a nation only came up in the 17th/18th in
*western* Europe. Absolutism and all that. Until then the general populace
(mostly illiterate farmers) didn't care if their (land)lords were French,
German or Swedish. Indeed, in Germany, a country that was one of the latter
ones to achieve the status nation, it wasn't until the protests of 1832
(Hambacher Schloß, nudge nudge) that the cry for a unified nation was heard.
The nobility until then derived their claims from god - and possibly
Napoleon, depending on where you were at the time. ;)
>
This is a rather eurocentric view, don't you think?
I am pretty sure that people in China have always had a very good sense that
they are Chinese and and that their rulers were Chinese (or invaders) and
that they are living in the Middle Kingdom.
My Chinese ex can trace his family back to the Han (don't get him started on
the Manchu). I don't know about the academic definition of nationalism and
all-- it's been years since I did academic history-- which hasn't always got
much relationship to actual history-- but there is a very definite sense of
what is and is not China and what is and is not Chinese that has been a
factor in Chinese thinking for a lot longer than 300 or 400 years.
And I am pretty sure that the Tokugawa, to whom my Beloved One's family were
once retainers (don't get him started on the Meiji), had a pretty good sense
of Japan as a nation-- and what they did and did not want coming into and
out of that nation.
Kiri =)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, to my mind a 'nation' is a contiguous geographical area occupied by a
single culture, ruled by a single government (be that a Monarch, Senate,
Parliament, Emperor etc),
ie China & Japan, have been nations for ages (single cultures, single
governments). Italy & Germany have only been nations for 100 - 150 years
(single cultures, formerly many governments). Nations, once formed, tend to
last a long time (unless conquered) due to a sense of commonality. Some
areas that are, or have been, 'nations' in the modern era are really Empires
by a different name eg Russia/Soviet Union, Yugoslavia. They aren't
(weren't) true nations, as they were composed of many cultures ruled by a
single government, and thus readily fell apart into smaller nations at the
first real opportunity.
Matt
Matthew Bond
mgb@akira.swinternet.co.uk
www.akira.swinternet.co.uk/strom.html
- --------------------------------------------------------------
"To strike a man who insults you is one thing...
...To run him through with a sword is quite another!"
- --------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1999 09:51:50 +1100
From: "Jim & Peta Lawrie"
Subject: Re: Drawing Program
>JPG is the *worst* possible format for *drawings*. It's designed to
>*throw away* fine details.
>If the color set is small use GIF files. If it's more than 256, use PNG
>files.
>And for vector files, CGM files are probably the most portable. I know
>Corel can handle them.
>Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
Thanks! I'm redoing some deckplans right now.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 23:03:39 -0000
From: "Matthew Bond"
Subject: Re: Drawing Program
>Well, if you can find someone selling a copy of ClarisDraw, I've got a
>library for doing deckplanes on my web site. I don't know if it will work
^^^^^^^^^^^
Yes, but do you have any plans for the carriers whose decks they fly from
> Zane
Matt
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1999 10:12:13 +1100
From: "Jim & Peta Lawrie"
Subject: Re: Geographical idiocy (
As far as geography goes one of the problems is that it is not
taught at most US Univ anymore as an independent even Thomas
here got his from his history professor though he seems to have
learned alot. The best schools are Berkly and Chicago. Luckly I go
to LSU which actually has a good/great geography/anthropology
departenment. Its amazing what you can learn. In my Research
Methodologies Class are reports covered a wide range of topics.
Though I am a human ie history, political,economic, and area
studies grad stundent, ie I study geopolitics, I look foward to
learning GIS software and satellite tasking. Also there is all that
cool physical geography stuff as well.
So much to learn so little money : )
Geography can be extermly fun
Tim Reynolds
Maps! I love maps! I have hundreds of 'em! Thats why I'm studying
Spatial Information Systems! So I can roll around in them!
(In our mapping principles class a few years back a student answered the
"multiple guess" question of : What does the note "Ford" mean at grid ref
blah-blah, with "Dumped car")
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 17:16:59 -0600
From: Black ICE
Subject: Re: Drawing Program
Matthew Bond wrote:
>
>
> >Well, if you can find someone selling a copy of ClarisDraw, I've got a
> >library for doing deckplanes on my web site. I don't know if it will work
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^
> Yes, but do you have any plans for the carriers whose decks they fly from
>
I have a pretty nice .jpg of SARATOGA from S:AAB.... ;-)
- --
AuricTech Shipyards Journeyman Gearhead
"Gold-Plated [tm] solutions for copper-plated problems!" (r)
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shadowlands/9776
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 14:12:33 -0900
From: "William F. Hostman"
Subject: [none]
>Seriously, I would like to try out things like Infini-V ... does
>anyone know of a *simple to install* Mac emulator for the PC?
>
>Regards PLST
Check out www.emulation.net. However, the only Mac Emulators I've seen for
the PC have emulated M68000 systems ONLY. They will only run through system
7.1.1 at best. Black and White only. Forget even trying to run PPC code...
There was a Linux project for mac emulation[1], but I haven't heard the
penguins peep about it since 1997.
Funny enough, there is a Mac Plus emulator for the PPC system8+ machines... [2]
[1]As in, emulating MacOS on the Linux OS, specifically to get Mac Software
running on x86 boxes.
[2] Many of the Anchient (sys 4, 5, 6) titles won't run under OS 7.5 or later.
William F. Hostman | "Smith & Wesson: THe original Point and Click
interface!"
Aramis 0602 C55A364-C S kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge-
533
Mailto:aramis@gci.net http://home.gci.net/~aramis mailto:wilh@alaska.com
ICQ:14640742 AIM:AKAramis ARM 1.0: 3 R H++ P+
IMTU 1.0: tc tm++ tn- t4-- tt+ to- tg-- ru+ ge 3i+ c+ jt-() au+ st- ls
pi+() ta+ he+(-) kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge- pi+
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 14:24:45 -0900
From: "William F. Hostman"
Subject: Re Keyboard Kill Flags
>We need them printed on little stickers. Cant you get paper/stickers for
>inkjet printers?
>This might be fun
>
>TV
Avery corp makes a wide variety of labels for a broad spectrum of machines,
including InkJets, Laser Printers, and Photocopiers.
William F. Hostman | "Smith & Wesson: THe original Point and Click
interface!"
Aramis 0602 C55A364-C S kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge-
533
Mailto:aramis@gci.net http://home.gci.net/~aramis mailto:wilh@alaska.com
ICQ:14640742 AIM:AKAramis ARM 1.0: 3 R H++ P+
IMTU 1.0: tc tm++ tn- t4-- tt+ to- tg-- ru+ ge 3i+ c+ jt-() au+ st- ls
pi+() ta+ he+(-) kk+ as+ hi+ dr+ va++(--) so+ zh++ vi+ da++ sy- ge- pi+
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 15:50:47 -0800
From: "Bruce Macintosh"
Subject: Re: Gunnery
>Yeah, I know, I know... the function of the gunner is
>largely abstracted to the issues of sensor operation, threat management and
>selecting the right fire-plan for the job... the computer brings up its
>five recommendations and then the human operator says "use THAT one"...
> If you *don't* opt for push button warfare, it becomes awfully "Star
>Wars"-y in feel to me... which is fine, but then you have to allow for
>tigher engagment ranges, smaller combat turns, and that sort of thing.
I agree completely - it's just amusing that TNE, arguably the most
hard-science Traveller incarnation yet, had skill levels play such
a large role in combat.
If part of the gunner's job is adjusting the input from his/her
individual
targeting sensor, than the job does become more skill-driven.
(Also, if one is using only passive sensors, there's an issue of determining
the range, at least for the first turn of fire...)
Bruce
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 18:01:04 -0600
From: Black ICE
Subject: Re: Emperors of the Rule of Man #8
JFZeigler@aol.com wrote:
>
> In a message dated 11/3/99 7:56:41 PM Eastern Standard Time, tiamat@tsoft.com
> writes:
>
> > Nobody with a name like that is what I think of as U-S-of-A American! But
> > I do understand what you mean. Of course there's no reason to think at
> > that late date that he was even born on Earth, is there? Have you been
> > doing characters from the Martian Colonies, etc.?
>
> Not yet. There aren't a *lot* of characters in the book anyway, so I
> probably won't be introducing more than two or three that haven't already
> appeared in canon. On the other hand, I've got a lengthy sidebar on
> "Personalities of the Interstellar Wars" in the works, and if there's room
> I want to list at least one prominent colonial.
>
> Hey, maybe Albadawi was from the colonies. . .
I was going over some old TML posts (looking for keyboard kills), and I
noticed that I never told you what "Albadawi" means. It's Arabic for
"The Bedouin."
So, find an early colony with a large Arab population....
- --
AuricTech Shipyards Journeyman Gearhead
"Gold-Plated [tm] solutions for copper-plated problems!" (r)
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shadowlands/9776
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 15:42:57 -0800
From: "Kiri Aradia Morgan"
Subject: OT-- North Pole Standoff with the ATF
Dec. 23, 1999
Northpole Standoff
A fierce battle ended in a stand-off today as a multi-jurisdictional task
force of federal law enforcement agents tried to arrest the leader of a
militant doomsday cult, who call themselves "Elves," living in a heavily
fortified compound at the Northpole. According to witnesses, federal agents
hid in livestock trailers as they drove up to the compound.
The approach was difficult in the snow using wheeled vehicles. Several
agents were reportedly thrown from the trailer when it hit a snowbank. The
agents were unable to use dogteams and sleds because the ATF agents shot all
the dogs during training at a nearby recreational facility where agents had
practiced for weeks on a mock-up of the compound in preparation for the
raid.
As three National Guard helicopters approached, over 100 law officers
stormed the main compound, a heavily fortified gingerbread structure,
throwing concussion grenades and screaming "Come out!" Cult members and law
officers negotiated a cease-fire about 45 minutes after the incident began.
For the next several hours, ambulances and helicopters swarmed the premises.
The area was cordoned off and ATF agents with machine guns were posted in
the roadways to keep reporters at least two miles from the main battle area.
In a lengthy report on the group Saturday, The Northpole Tribune-Herald said
that the cult was known to have a large arsenal of high-powered weapons,
probably produced in a workshop disguised as a "toy factory." This toy
factory is also believed to be the sight of a methamphetamine laboratory,
according to sources inside the ATF.
The article quoted investigators as saying the crazed cult leader, who uses
several aliases, "Santa Claus," "Saint Nick," "Sinterclaas," and "Saint
Nicholas," age unknown, has abused children and claims to have at least 15
wives. Santa Claus denies these accusations of abuse and said he has had
only one wife, Mrs. Santa Claus.
Authorities had a warrant to search the Northpole compound for guns and
explosive devices and an arrest warrant for its leader, Santa Claus, said
Mess Stanford of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in Washington,
D.C. Mr. Stanford added it would be useless to attempt to get a copy of this
warrant, however, because it had been sealed, "for national security
reasons."
The assault came one day after the Northpole Tribune-Herald began publishing
a series on the cult, quoting former members as saying the deranged cult
leader, Santa Claus, abused children and had at least 15 wives.
ATF spokesman Jack Killchildren in Washington said the assault had been
planned for several weeks, although he added, "I think the newspaper's
investigation set up heightened tension." The cult's fortress, called "The
Toy Factory," is dominated by a tower with lookout windows facing in all
directions. Guards reportedly patrol the 77-acre grounds at night.
Attorney General Janet Reno ordered the raid after cult members refused to
surrender documents relating to national security. A source inside the
Justice Department said that the documents were lists of cabinet members and
highly placed government officials who were naughty or nice. Despite
preliminary, secret negotiations to obtain the list, the Elves refused to
surrender the document to the Justice Department.
The raid was scheduled for December 23, because December 25 is believed to
be a traditional cult holiday and all the militant elves would be engaged in
cult rituals in preparation for the event.
At a press conference this afternoon, Attorney General Reno said, "These
militants abuse children in the most vile manner, by teaching them to expect
charity. They have even distributed free, working replicas of 'assault
weapons' and 'handguns.' It is a matter of dire importance to our future and
the future of all our children, that this peril be ended by every means at
our disposal."
She went on to say that "I do not want to surround the compound and shoot
everyone and then burn it to the ground in order to prevent this child abuse
from occurring again, but that appears to be our only alternative."
According to Reno, the "Toy Factory" itself is a sweatshop and conditions
inside were horrendous. The Department of Justice is also looking into
allegations of animal cruelty. Former members of the cult have claimed that
Santa Claus frequently uses leather restraints on at least eight reindeer,
housed in sordid conditions on the compound. Witnesses reported seeing a
reindeer with a protruding red nose, which Janet Reno said was further
indication of the abusive conditions inside the compound.
Several of the elves were reported by the BATF to have been carrying
automatic weapons. However, independant sources dispute this, claiming that
the "automatic weapons" were nothing more than large candy canes.
ATF leader Ted Oyster, shaken after the ordeal, spoke to reporters as
hundreds of agents, many of them in tears, were taken away from the
Northpole in military airlifts, ambulances, and private vehicles.
"We had our plan down, we had our diversion down, and they were waiting..."
Oyster said resignedly, shaking his head.
A hospital spokesman said that most of the wounded ATF agents appeared to be
suffering from shrapnel wounds from broken candy canes, as well as
frostbite, apparently suffered from wearing forest-green camoflage in the
wintery terrain.
Attorney General Reno offered no comment on these reports.
Mack "the knife" McWarty was seen strolling across the White House lawn,
chuckling to himself as he read what inside sources say was a copy of the
naughty/nice list.
One highly placed government official was found dead in Marcy Park. His name
and the cause of death are unknown at this time, however, the White House
immediately issued a statement claiming the official had committed suicide
after learning his name was not on the nice list.
Patsy Thomahawk refused to comment on the advice of her attorney on whether
she had any part in removing copies of the naughty/nice list from a safe in
the White House.
A spokesman from the MJTF said that it was indeed a tragedy that Santa Claus
had caused this confrontation, but this should be a lesson to anyone who
tries to give to everyone without permission from the welfare department,
and that gathering sensitive data without a permit from official sources
will be stopped by any means.
FBI spokesman Bob Pricks, the former National Abortion Rights Action League
Poster Child of 1944, relayed that "We are dealing with a madman. We have
cut off all electricity, water, and communications to the compound. Santa
Claus has demanded that we relay a message to the world. It reads, 'Merry
Christmas to all and to all a good night.' FBI psychological experts are
presently analyzing the message, however,preliminary reports indicate this
is an encrypted threat to invade the neighboring towns near the Northpole.
It may also be a doomsday message that the cult intends to commit suicide,
like Jonestown."
Shortly after the raid, a smiling Reno was seen strolling through the pile
of rubbish looking for anatomically correct Barbie dolls. She claimed that
she was going to confiscate any that she found as "evidence" and that they
were for a personal investigation that she was conducting.
Attorney General Reno also disclosed some information about plans to raid
Mr. E. Ster Bunny sometime next spring. According to the FBI's report on Mr.
Bunny, he has been hoarding food all year. This is in direct violation of a
secret Presidential Directive. "This ingratitude for everything that we have
done will stop, even if it means raiding every house in the USA to enforce
these new laws that were made to insure your freedom...." Reno said.
This, boys and girls, should make us all sleep just a little bit better
tonight. The government will protect us from overindulging in freedom. If
they didn't step in and take control of that "naughty/nice" list, just think
what shape we might be in..... :-)***********
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kiri Aradia Morgan 93! Thou Art God...
tiamat@tsoft.com
"That wickedness weltering around inside of you, inside of everyone, is
sacred somewhere. There's
a deity out here who digs it. You can respect and love your darkest side,
disposing of only what is obsolete or impractical. It's all about giving
yourself permission."
-- Jack Darkhand
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1999 10:56:15 +1300
From: "Rupert Boleyn"
Subject: TNE combat (a little long)
Hi, after looking over the latest recurrence of the "TNE combat sucks"
cycle, I've decided to write up a quick fix I came up with last time.
For those that are interested here it is:
Rupert's Non-Ablative Damage System for TNE v0.9
*Warning: This has not been play tested*
This is an attempt to fix something that has bothered many people
(including me, from time to time) about TNE's combat system, namely
that it's too hard to injure PCs without using ridiculously powerful
weapons.
The system works as follows:
1. Use D10s for damage
2. All PC hit points are halved, except for the head. All NPCs have
hit points equal to double their base stats (12 for Novice and
Experienced NPCs, 14 for Veterans and 16 for Elites).
3. The severity of a wound is determined by comparing the rolled
damage to the damaged locations hit points, as normal. However damage
is not cumulative - each wound stands on its own. The procedure for
NPCs is the same, and damage to the head is not doubled.
4. Wound states are somewhat cumulative.
A second slight wound results in -2 initiative, three slight wounds
equal one serious wound, but do not disable any part of the body,
unless they're all on the same place. Slight wounds do have extra
effect beyond the third one, and do not have any extra effect if the
character is already seriously or critically wounded.
A second serious wound results in a -4 to initiative, and a third
one results in the equivalent to a critical wound (the character is
unconscious and will die in 10 minutes, etc). Extra serious wounds
beyond this have no extra effect.
5. Note the "no extra effect" in 4 above does not mean that no knock-
down, panic, etc is caused, just that the character's overall wound
severity does not get any worse.
That's about it. All normal consequences of wounds still apply (knock-
down, stun, etc). The big thing is that body locations aren't ablative,
and that there is some consequence to having lots of light wounds
scattered over one's body. NPC's wounds are now assessed the same way
as PCs, too. This should balance things up somewhat.
That's about it folks.
- --
Rupert Boleyn
Wellington, New Zealand
A pessimist is an optimist with a sense of history.
------------------------------
End of Traveller-digest V1999 #1566
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