
-------- TML Message #502 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 502
Date: Fri, 18 Aug 89 13:10 EST
From: METLAY@vms.cis.pittsburgh.edu
Subject: Fifty Starbases!



What they are is fifty funky drawings of roads and buildings, most shaded
in haltones so you can't label them. You're supposed to pick one that looks
pretty, fill in the suggested code marks where appropriate ("Hmm, I'll make
this circle here the landing pad, and this series of ovals the fuel tanks"),
and let your player characters look at them and go "Ooooh. Ahhhhh."

I've found use for perhaps six of the fifty drawings. The rest are good for
a laugh. 

metlay

PS. Anyone remember the mess Judges' Guild made of the four whole sectors they
    mapped for GDW before their license got pulled? There are two versions of
    Ley Sector, the Glimmerdrift Reaches, and two other sectors, called the
    Crucis Margin and the Maranantha-Alkahest Sectors by Judges' Guild and 
    something different by GDW, I can't recall what at the moment. Confusion
    and fun for Imperium mappers everywhere, YIPPEE!

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-------- TML Message #503 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 503
Date: Mon, 21 Aug 89 11:07 EST
From: METLAY@vms.cis.pittsburgh.edu
Subject: "official" deckl planz



So bob, what's to keep you from getting your plans accepted as official?

Add a second set for the TI, copyright 'em, and send them to DGP or Seeker!

just a suggestion.....

metlay

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-------- TML Message #504 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 504
From: (Adrian Hurt) adrian%cs.heriot-watt.ac.uk@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk
Subject: re the Algine story
Date: Mon, 21 Aug 89 9:50:48 BST



> Is that story gospel? In which book is it? I've got both FIFTH FRONTIER
> WAR and "The Spinward Marches Campaign" and don't remember that from 
> either item.

The story is in "The Spinward Marches Campaign". I don't have it right here, so
I can't check which part; I think it's in the part describing Santanocheev,
Norris and the Zhodani commander (who was also in his position more due to
social status than skill). "Fifth Frontier War" has admiral counters for all
three; Santanocheev and the Zhodani chief are worse than useless, while Norris
seems to be great at planning and initiative, but not so good at tactics (not
as bad as the other two, though).

 "Keyboard? How quaint!" - M. Scott

 Adrian Hurt			     |	JANET:  adrian@uk.ac.hw.cs
 UUCP: ..!ukc!cs.hw.ac.uk!adrian     |  ARPA:   adrian@cs.hw.ac.uk

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-------- TML Message #505 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 505
Date: Mon, 21 Aug 89 16:20:50 PDT
From: (Be True to Your Song 21-Aug-1989 1040) baranski@yoda.enet.dec.COM
Subject: Has anyone gotten a look at FASA's BATTLETECH stuff?  BATTLETECH is very


similiar in flavor to Traveller.  FASA has *loads* of very professional and
well written rules, text, history, fiction and graphics for BATTLETECH, which
is pretty amazing to me since BATTLETECH has only been out a couple of years.
(I believe).  That's quite a contrast to Traveller & GDW.  In this respect, I
consider BATTLETECH to be the way Traveller 'should have been'.

Other comments:

BATTLETECH's rules seem to be complete enough, yet very simple.  It leaves me
with a feeling that I'm missing something, or the rules are missing something.
Yet the only thing that I can think of is that  BATTLETECH has very little to
account for  differing Tech Levels.

BATTLETECH is even more militaristic then Traveller was...  Necessarily so? I
don't think so.  I think that it is still quite possible to play a non military
campaign with BATTLETECH.

Jim Baranski

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-------- TML Message #506 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 506
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 89 17:00:22 EDT
From: (Greg Givler - QA) givler@cbmvax.commodore.COM
Subject: Trade and Commerce Vol. 6



  ***************************************************************************
  ** TRADE & COMMERCE DIGEST: Cargo, freight, and passenger issues.        **
  **                                                                       **
  ** All followups on this topic should be sent to                         **
  ** givler@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com.  They will be edited for clarity     **
  ** and resent to the Traveller Mailing List in a following digest.       **
  ** For my benefit, if you would include the word TRADE or COMMERCE in    **
  ** your SUBJECT: this will help me track these articles for inclusion    **
  ** in this digest. Thanks, Greg Givler <givler@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com> **
  ***************************************************************************

Hi sorry it has been a while since the T&C Digest has been out. Sorry, but
I have had some changes at work, and have been on vacation in there too. 
Below are a couple of articles from Maurice Schekkerman. Enjoy, and if you have
any responses, let me know. Don't post any replies to these articles send them
to me. Thanks, Greg

Contents:

1. From: Maurice Schekkerman <schekker@cst.prl.philips.nl>
   Subject: [Tech Level Ruminations -- JamesP]

2. From: schekker@cst.prl.philips.nl (Maurice Schekkerman)
   Subject: Traveller Trade

*****************************

Date: Mon, 31 Jul 89 08:48:09 +0200
From: Maurice Schekkerman <schekker@cst.prl.philips.nl>
Subject: [Tech Level Ruminations -- JamesP]

I have followed the discussions on several aspects of the tech-level a while
ago with interest (yes, I'm new to the list). Still the whole handling of it
just doesn't sound right to me. I will try to explain my view by looking at
the situation as it now exists on Earth.

On Earth we've countries with different technology level. The USA, Japan and
Western Europe have technology level 8. The other countries have a less level.
Especially in Africa the tech level is quite low. Some of these countries have
the tech level of around 1900 (or even less). Still this doesn't imply that
they build steam engines, very primitive cars and so on. They're better of 
importing them. The higher developed countries can produce better machines
and cars at lower costs.

So, why aren't they full of all this imported stuff. Because they can't afford
them. In general the higher the technology level of a country, the richer they
are. Low tech countries are poor countries which just can't pay for all the 
stuff they want.

This doesn't imply however that all technology is built in the countries with
the highest tech level. Most products can be produced at lower tech levels 
(think of the countries in South-East Asia). The production there is not as
advanced as in the high tech countries, but the people are a lot cheaper.
This also solves the problem of computers and jump drives becoming smaller
at higher tech levels. Of course the USA can now built a computer which can do
the same thing twenty years ago, but is x times smaller. But the countries
which lay twenty years behind don't build the computers which were build then,
they just build very cheap computers which aren't very advanced. So they have
the technology of twenty years back but build computers which weren't even
available then!

This is the key-point in my view on technology level. Less developed countries
don't build the same devices advanced countries did when they were on that
level. They build the simpler devices which they can produce cheaper than the 
advanced ones.

Now replace countries with planets and you have my basic view on interstellar
trading. The planets with the highest TL are the richest planets. The planets
with a lower TL can produce cheaper. And the difference between spaceships of
TL 12 and TL 15 is that spaceships of TL 12 are simpler to construct and 
maintain, so they are cheaper. However, they aren't only used on TL 12 worlds.
Worlds of higher TL may also have use for them.

[This would account for the plethora of Tech 12 startships in the Imperium.
A question, are we being fair to our players. I know I tend to side with 
my players and see if I can get them the Newest equipment available. I know
this is digressing a bit, but is it right to give player characters the 
advantage. The game already does that does it not? Just a thought - Greg]

I don't know the Traveller rules very well, so perhaps this view is 
contradicting with them. Still I think this approach is a neat way to cover 
[Bsome of the problems which were discussed in the list.
So again, why doesn't a TL 15 world built TL 12 ships (with much smaller 
drives, etc.)? They perhaps do, but the TL 12 world can also build the smaller 
drives (after all they only have to buy the technology, it is already 
invented). Perhaps the TL 12 drives aren't as small as the drives produced on 
the TL 15 world, but they are sure a hell of a lot cheaper.

One last remark. Of course it's still possible that a world of low tech
level build obsolete machinery. Perhaps they can't buy new technology, perhaps
they lay in a remote part of the galaxy, perhaps they don't allow free trade
to protect the government (think of dictators and communist countries on 
Earth), perhaps ...(fill in yourself). Furthermore communication is slow in
the Empire and the trade between planets probably isn't as large as between
countries on Earth. So planets with lower tech level may produce machinery
for the local market which is obsolete on the higher TL worlds. But I don't
believe that on one world they are still building Spitfires while on e planet
five jumps further away you can by F16 in a discount shop.

Allright, what do you think of it?

                                     Maurice Schekkerman
                                     schekker@cst.prl.philips.nl

*************************************

Date: Tue, 1 Aug 89 16:21:04 +0200
From: schekker@cst.prl.philips.nl (Maurice Schekkerman)
To: givler@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com
Subject: Traveller Trade
Status: R

Hello Greg,

If everything went right James should have send you my article. (I sent it to
him yesterday). I'm sorry, but I thought I had lost your mailing address. 
Apparantly I found it somewhere. As you should already have received the 
article, I'm not including it here (don't know how to do it without 
destroying what I have typed already anyway). However, I do have a copy of 
the article, so if anything went wrong, mail me and I'll send it to you.

Furthermore I only want to say I like what you're doing. I haven't seen a
Trade and Commerce Digest in the last few weeks however. I hope it's because
yoBu were on holidays, but I'm afraid it's because of lack of articles.
Don't give up! 

Then some advice (their just my opinions, so throw away if you want:-)
What I miss in your Digest are personal comments. In order for people to send
the articles to you instead of the mailing list, you have to add something to
the articles (without changing their meaning). Personal comments or suggestions
for discussions might be a good way of doing that.
Furthermore you once or twice took articles from the mailing list itself
because they hadn't send the articles to you, although the articles were 
about trade and commerce. I don't think that's a good idea. Afterall, every-
body already knows the article (it would be something different if you
commented the article and gave suggestions). Why not just mail the 'offenders'
and ask them if they would send such articles to you in the future.
Another problem is that sometimes you just receive no articles (the
average message traffic isn't that high), so there is no digest to send.
And people forget fast (look at me), so if they don't receive your digest
they don't send articles to you (e.g. they forget or are to lazy to look up
your mailing address). There are two solutions:
1. include your mailing address in the standard crap james always include in
   the Traveller mailing-list (I suggested this to james also).
2. make sure your digest appears weekly. If nobody else write an article, you
   do. It doesn't have to be long. Especially discussion topics might be a 
   good idea (they result in articles for your mailing list). As you must be
   interested in trade and commerce, it can't be hard to think of some good
   topics.

That's all. I repeat that I do like what your doing and hope that some of 
my suggestions might be usefull to you.

					Maurice Schekkerman
					Centre for Software Engineering (CST)
 					Philips, Eindhoven
					the Netherlands
					schekker@cst.prl.philips.nl

P.S. As you can see my English isn't that good, so you have my permission to
correct any error you find in my article (stronger, I would appreciate it!)

[I want to thank Maurice for his comments and his suggestions. I will be
trying to get an Article out weekly, and I will add my comments, stupid 
though they may be. - Greg]

==============================================================================
TRADE AND COMMERCE DIGEST             | ****This*SPACE*intentionally*left****
Greg Givler, Editor                   | *************************************
James Perkins, List Administrator     | ************FULL*OF*STARS************
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Send replies to: givler@cbmvax.uucp or givler@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com
==============================================================================


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-------- TML Message #507 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 507
Subject: World generation program
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 89 17:48:53 EDT
From: (Jonathan Bayer) jbayer@ispi.COM


Greetings, fellow travellers :-)

I am currently working on writing a program to save me the trouble of
rolling dice.  I am making the program based directly on the World
Builder's Handbook, put out by Digest Group.  My questions are this:

1.	Is there, and if so, what kind of copyright problems would I
	have if I wanted to distribute the program via this mailing
	list?

2.	Is there interest?

3.	Assuming that there is a copyright problem, would there be
	interest in my sending the program to people who have proved
	(via a receipt or other hard copy) that they own the book.



I await your replies (hopefully I do not need an asbestos suit)


JB
- -- 
Jonathan Bayer		Intelligent Software Products, Inc.
(201) 245-5922		500 Oakwood Ave.
jbayer@ispi.COM		Roselle Park, NJ   07204    


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-------- TML Message #508 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 508
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 89 10:46 EST
From: METLAY@vms.cis.pittsburgh.edu
Subject: world building



Ask DGP if they don't mind. They may wish to license you. I'd like to see it.

Tecnically, you can't distribute it at all, even to owners of the book, without
permission from the copyright owners.

metlay

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-------- TML Message #509 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 509
Subject: Re: World generation program 
Date: 24 Aug 89 10:45:56 PDT (Thu)
From: ("James T. Perkins") jamesp@dadla.WR.TEK.COM



> I am currently working on writing a program to save me the trouble of
> rolling dice.  I am making the program based directly on the World
> Builder's Handbook, put out by Digest Group.  My questions are this:

There are others on this list, who probably wish to remain anonymous,
who would be able to answer your question regarding copyrights.  If they
have a reply and wish to retain their anonymity, I'd be happy to
manually edit and forward a reply.

Jonathan, take a look at Page 96 of the WBH.  It should answer your
question very nicely.  To paraphrase, the WBH will be made available by
Digest Group on computers (IBM PC, Macintosh, Apple II, Commodore
64/128), available Jan 1990.  The WB program will be $24.95 for IBM and
Mac, and $29.95 Apple II and Commodore.  They are also sending the UWP
data for "37 sectors in and near the Imperium", called "Second Survey
Data", which will also cost 24.95/29.95.  They aren't taking any pre-orders,
though.

Maybe somone on this list could convince DGP to let them do a UNIX port
of the software and data files?

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-------- TML Message #510 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 510
Subject: Minor types in World Builder's Handboot
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 89 15:28:53 EDT
From: (Jonathan Bayer) jbayer@ispi.COM


For those of you who are using the World Builders Handbook, there
are a couple of minor typos on page 63.

The typos are on page 63, step 12, the Seismic Stress Factor
calculations.  The given equation is:

	F = X + P + M + S

where

	F = Seismic Stress Factor
	X = 1d6 - 3
	P = random # based on the planetary core type
	M = Satellite diameter in km + (orbit number * 64).  Compute for
	    each satellite and add all together
	S = Mass of central star + worlds orbital distance in AUs

The problem is the calculation for M and S.  They should read:

	M = Satellite diameter in km / (orbit number * 64).  Compute for
	    each satellite and add all together
	S = Mass of central star / worlds orbital distance in AUs

Somehow the slash "/" got replaced with a plus "+".  Either that, or
they are trying to use the divide sign and the printing was not good
for those characters.

I came across this while programming the step on my system.  I was
getting outrageous numbers until I looked at the examples given, (the
results are ok, the description is also wrong) and realized that
somebody made a small mistake.



JB
- -- 
Jonathan Bayer		Intelligent Software Products, Inc.
(201) 245-5922		500 Oakwood Ave.
jbayer@ispi.COM		Roselle Park, NJ   07204    


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-------- TML Message #511 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 511
Date: Fri, 25 Aug 89 17:20:41 PDT
From: joshua@Atherton.COM (Flame Bait)
Subject: Re: world building (software)


jbayer@ispi.com writes:
> I am currently working on writing a program to save me the trouble of
> rolling dice.  I am making the program based directly on the World
> Builder's Handbook, put out by Digest Group.  My questions are this:
> What kind of copyright problems would I
> have if I wanted to distribute the program via this mailing list?

To which metlay@vms.cis.pittsburgh.edu replies:
> Tecnically, you can't distribute it at all, even to owners of the book,
> without permission from the copyright owners.

Metlay is totally wrong from a legal point of view.  Books are copyrighted,
which means no one else can publish the book (or parts of the book) without
permission of the copyright holder.  Since jbayer is writing a program, it is
very unlikely that he will be coping large sections of the book.  There are,
however, two dangers:

    1. That jbayer's documentation might violate the copyright in some way.
       He should be very careful to avoid using paragraphs similar to 
       paragraphs in the world building book.

    2. Jbayer could violate copywrites by distributing tables from the book.
       Remember that copyright covers the form of a book, NOT THE INFORMATION
       IN THE BOOK!  As long as jbayer does not display tables that look like
       the tables in the book he is OK.  Also, using tables from the book is
       fine, it is displaying tables so that they look like tables in the book
       that is a problem.

Consider an example:  There is something called the Yourdon design method,
which was described by Mr. Yourdon in a book he wrote.  There are many software
companies which sell software which implements this methodology.  Yourdon is
one of these companies, but there are several others.  Jbayer is doing the
exact same thing, so he will not have any legal problems.  Accounting
software is very similar.  The ideas have all been published in books, but
that does not keep people from appling those same ideas to computer programs.

It is also important to note that a computer program is not a dirivitive
work.  Examples of dirivitive works are translations to foreign languages
or editing a book down into a short story or magazine article.  Obviously,
a computer program is a different form of expression from a book.  It can
not be a dirivitive work unless it contains text from the book.

Remember that some phases are not mearly copyrighted, but also trademarked.
Trademark is a much stronger pertection than copyright, so be careful how
you use words like TRAVELLER which are trademarked.  You can still use
them, of course, but you must say that they are trademarked.

I'm not a lawyer.

Joshua Levy                          joshua@atherton.com  home:(415)968-3718
                        {decwrl|sun|hpda}!athertn!joshua  work:(408)734-9822 


 



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-------- TML Message #512 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 512
Subject: Re: world building (software) 
Date: Sat, 26 Aug 89 14:44:05 EDT
From: (Jonathan Bayer) jbayer@ispi.COM


joshua@atherton.COM writes:

> 
>     1. That jbayer's documentation might violate the copyright in some way.
>        He should be very careful to avoid using paragraphs similar to 
>        paragraphs in the world building book.
> 
>     2. Jbayer could violate copywrites by distributing tables from the book.
>        Remember that copyright covers the form of a book, NOT THE INFORMATION
>        IN THE BOOK!  As long as jbayer does not display tables that look like
>        the tables in the book he is OK.  Also, using tables from the book is
>        fine, it is displaying tables so that they look like tables in the book
>        that is a problem.

Does this mean that I can distribute a compiled version of the program,
but not a source code version?  The source code version would obviously
contain tables from the book, in almost the same format as the book.  

Regarding documentation, all I would supply would be instructions for
running the program.  All interpretation would be referred to the book. 
This would solve # 1 above, I think.

Is there anybody from Digest Group or GDW on this mailing list who could
respond with some more concrete information?


JB
- -- 
Jonathan Bayer		Intelligent Software Products, Inc.
(201) 245-5922		500 Oakwood Ave.
jbayer@ispi.COM		Roselle Park, NJ   07204    


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-------- TML Message #513 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 513
Date: Sun, 27 Aug 89 19:33:48 PDT
From: joshua@Atherton.COM (Flame Bait)
Subject: Re: world building (software)



This is part of the legal discussion of writing a program based on a book.

> From: jbayer%ispi.com@RELAY.CS.NET
> Does this mean that I can distribute a compiled version of the program,
> but not a source code version?  The source code version would obviously
> contain tables from the book, in almost the same format as the book.  

I do not think so.  The tables in your program would look like this:

int extra_special_table[3][10] = {
    { 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0 },
    { 11,22,33,44,55,66,77,88,99,100},
    { 111,222,333,444,555,666,777,888,999,1000}
} ;

But in the book, it would look like this:

                    Extra Special Table

       +----------------------------------
       |   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9    0
       |  11  22  33  44  55  66  77  88  99  100
       | 111 222 333 444 555 666 777 888 999 1000 

> Is there anybody from Digest Group or GDW on this mailing list who could
> respond with some more concrete information?

These would not be the folks I would ask, unless you trust them completely.
They have a large vested interest in the outcome.  I'd ask a friend who was
a lawyer, if you have one.  I wrote this responce (and my last one) off the
top of my head.  Next weekend, I'll get a chance to put this question to a
friend of mine who is a business lawyer.  I'll pass on what he says.

I'm not a lawyer.

Joshua Levy                          joshua@atherton.com  home:(415)968-3718
                        {decwrl|sun|hpda}!athertn!joshua  work:(408)734-9822 



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-------- TML Message #514 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 514
From: bart@videovax.tv.TEK.COM (Bart Massey)
Subject: Game Copyrights and Other Arcana (Re: world building (software))
Date: Mon, 28 Aug 89 10:53:04 PDT


jbayer@ispi.com writes:
> I am currently working on writing a program to save me the trouble of
> rolling dice.  I am making the program based directly on the World
> Builder's Handbook, put out by Digest Group.  My questions are this:
> What kind of copyright problems would I
> have if I wanted to distribute the program via this mailing list?

Well, it's probably more complicated than posters so far would have
you believe.

As joshua@atherton.com pointed out, you normally have full legal ownership
of any software you wrote "from scratch" on your own time.  His arguments
about inclusion of tables may be incorrect -- one is allowed to "quote"
copyrighted works in an original work to some extent, and at any rate, if
you embed the tables in C code, just the reformatting could make them your
own work.

However, there exists a special kind of copyright status specifically for
*games*.  This is why no one can produce a computer game just like Monopoly
except with slightly rewritten text and graphics.  It is possible that DG
would argue that their "World Builder's Handbook" is in fact a new "game",
and that the "concept" contained therein is thus protected.

This and other factors make it appear that you probably have three safe
choices.  First, you can just release the stuff.  If you do this, I would
strongly suggest that you consult with a lawyer with copyright expertise
first, as you could conceivably get sued.  Remember that in America, one can
sue over practically anything with no penalty :-).  Second, you can get
written permission from DG to distribute your code.  This may or may not be
possible.  Third, you can design your own world-building system from
scratch...

In answer to your question, no, an object-only distribution wouldn't help
anything, according to several court decisions on the subject...

					Bart Massey
					..tektronix!videovax.tv.tek.com!bart

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-------- TML Message #515 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 515
Date: Wed, 30 Aug 89 11:02:55 -0500
From: wrgate.wr.tek.com!uxc.cso.uiuc.edu!zephyr.ENS.TEK.COM!gslisa!gsliss!jcunning@tektronix.TEK.COM
Subject: Judges Guild Sectors




GDW superceeded the JG versions of the sectors when Atlas of the
Imperium came out. Apparently, Marc was not terribly impressed
with their efforts. It was frusterating for us at High Passage
as well. JG placed a world in Glimmerdrift Reaches with a jump
route extending into the Old Expanses, into an area where no
world was placed. As a result, we had to modify the Rusco
subsector, adding a world and several jump routes to make the
whole thing fit. The added world is named Siaj, which stands for
Searing is a jerk (Dave Searing designed the JG sectors).

A useless but interesting bit of trivia, no?


			Jim Cunningham
			Traveller Relic



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-------- TML Message #516 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 516
Subject: TML Admin Speaks on Issues of Legality
Date: 31 Aug 89 21:35:35 PDT (Thu)
From: jamesp



Hey folks, I encourage you to ask the list for advice, but when it comes
to real-life legal matters you better call your lawyer.  Please don't
accept as truth anything about law or contracts except what a lawyer
discusses with you as his client.

Moving back to science fiction, anyone want to come up with a Law Level
chart for software copyrighting? We can discuss copyright law in a
fictional universe as much as we want! :-)

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
James T. Perkins		    Traveller Mailing List Administrator
Tektronix Digital Systems Division	     "Load Auto/Evade, Beowulf!"
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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-------- TML Message #517 --------

Archive-Message-Number: 517
Date: Sat, 2 Sep 89 15:38:52 +0200
From: ("Hans Rancke-Madsen.") rancke@diku.dk
Subject: Amazing new ship design philosophy.


Some time ago I tried my hand at the Megatraveller ship design
system and attempted to create the smallest ship with a spinal
gun possible  -  sort of a space-age floating gun platform  -
and I came up with two insights: One (a minor one) was that it
was ridiculous that you only have a choice of 3 or 4 different
sizes in spinal mounts for each tech level. Instead, I suggest
a table where you can cross-reference tech level  with desired
UCP factor and come up with the size and price of a spinal gun
to meet your precise needs. Ah well.. some day I may even make
such a table (Sure! Just after I've finished a couple of dozen
other projects... :-/)

   The other insight, however, is a major one, and destined to
make my name shine  amongst spaceship designers throughout the
Imperium! (Ta-dah!):
   I tried first with a 8000 T design and then with a 10000 T.
To no avail  -  it couldn't be done.  It was the fuel consump-
tion that defeated me.  Those spinal mounts uses up tremendous
amounts of power. I could accomodate the power plant needed to
feed that  ravenous beast,  but the fuel  -  no way.  You just
can't imagine  the amount of fuel needed  to keep  that spinal
gun blazing away for a full 30 days!

   !?!?!?!?! Say! Run that last sentence by me again!

That's right, starship fuel requirements are calculated on the
assumption, that all guns are fired **constantly** for the en-
tire 30 days that the fuel are supposed to last!

Now, that's not really a reasonable assumption, is it? Come to
think about it, fuel consumption calculations also assume that
the maneuver drive is going full blast for the entire 30 days.
But traders  usually  spends 1 week of every 2  in jump space,
where you can't use the maneuver drive,  and several days more
on the ground or in orbit loading and unloading passengers and
goods.  On an ordinary  landing and takeoff  a ship  with a 1G
drive would use the drive for less than 20 hours (this assumes
a word size of 10). A refueling run would take longer, but the
ship would be getting more fuel at the same time! So actually,
many traders freighters could make do with 1 day's maneuvering
fuel.

Well, this is perhaps a bit TOO restrictive, but I really feel
that a starship constructor would be justified in cutting fuel
space quite a bit.  The figures  I'm using myself,  is 15 days
worth of maneuvering fuel and 33 1/3 hours (100 combat rounds)
worth of weapon fuel.

Now, the last figure is just "grabbed out of the air" (to use a
danish expression),  and if anyone  with experience  in playing
'Trillion Credit Squadron"  and knowlegde about how long an en-
gagement usually lasts,  could comment on this,  I would really
appreciate it.

One of my players thinks that the Rancke Ship Design Philosophy
are faulty because a fusion drive is either "on" or "off" - you
can't  turn the output  up or down.  I maintain that controlled
fusion is just that - controlled. Oh, perhaps not at tech level
 9, but surely by tech level 11 or 12?  What do you think?  (In
any case,  even if fusion drive ARE only either on or off,  you
could easily have 3 different fusion drives. If you connect the
three chambers,  you could cold-start the other two in a matter
of seconds as long as one of them were on).


      Hans Rancke
University of Copenhagen
     rancke@diku.dk

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