
-------- TML Message #48 --------

Date:  4 Aug 87 09:18 EST
From: DAVIS JONATHAN E <DAVISJE@ge-crd.arpa>
Subject: Maru Class - Medium Freighter
Archive-Message-Number: 48


Date:  4-AUG-1987 08:57
From: Jon Davis
Sender: DAVISJE
Subject: Maru Class - Medium Freighter
To: traveller%dadla.TEK.COM@RELAY.CS.NET@SMTP@TCPGATEWAY
- --------
This ship appeared in the Adventure Class Ships, Vol. 1 by FASA.
Copyright 1981, by FASA

Maru Class

Merchant          MH-5421431-000000-40000-0  MCr 144.20  500 tons
	Batteries bearing           5        TL   = 15
        Batteries                   5        Crew =  9

Passengers=7 Low Berths=14 Cargo=180 Fuel=120 EP=20 Agility=0

	Tonnage:	500 tons (standard).
	Crew:		9.
	Performance:	Jump-2. 1-G. Power Plant-4. 20 EP. Agility 0.
	Electronics:	Model/3 computer.
	Hardpoints:	Five hardpoints.
	Armaments:	Five triple beam laser turrets firing as five
			batteries. 
	Defenses:	None.
	Craft:		One standard lifeboat.
	Fuel Treatment:	None.
	Cost:		MCr 180.25 standard. MCr 144.20 in quantity.
	Construction:	14 months.

Comments:  The Maru is a fairly standard merchant ship.  With its 180
ton capacity and jump-2 capability, it can go just about anywhere 
carrying a large amount of cargo.  Its main drawback is a limited space
for passenger accomodations and facilities.
	Even so, the Maru class is still popular among merchant 
captains.  Its five triple laser turrets provide an adequate offense 
and limited defense.  Ships which are travelling in troubled areas 
usually sacrifice cargo area for armor protection.  Twenty tons of 
cargo space can be sacrificed for an armor factor of five.  This 
fairly inexpensive ship has been built, with slight modifications, 
throughout known space.  It is a common encounter wherever traders
travel.

Details:  The upper deck contains the bridge, computer, low berths, and
the bulk of the crew's staterooms.  The lower deck houses the lounge 
and galley, the bulk of the passenger's staterooms and the lifeboat.
	Four of the laser turrets are accessable through the gunner's
staterooms.  This provides a measure of security for these weapons.
The five turret is accessable through a deck hatch in the lounge area.

- --------



-------- TML Message #49 --------

Date:  4 Aug 87 14:48 EST
From: DAVIS JONATHAN E <DAVISJE@ge-crd.arpa>
Subject: Aquator Class - Non-starship for bulk liquid transport
Archive-Message-Number: 49


Date:  4-AUG-1987 11:27
From: Jon Davis
Sender: DAVISJE
Subject: Aquator Class - Non-starship for bulk liquid transport
To: traveller%dadla.TEK.COM@RELAY.CS.NET@SMTP@TCPGATEWAY
- --------


Aquator Class

Bulk Liquid
Transport          W-6601211-000000-20002-0  MCr 146.76  600 tons
	Batteries bearing           1   1    TL   = 12
        Batteries                   1   1    Crew =  6

Passengers=0 Low Berths=0 Cargo=489 Fuel=12 EP=12 Agility=1

	Tonnage:	600 tons (standard).
	Crew:		6.
	Performance:	Jump-0. 1-G. Power Plant-2. 12 EP. Agility 1.
	Electronics:	Model/1 computer.
	Hardpoints:	Two hardpoints.
	Armaments:	One triple pulse laser turret firing as one 
			battery. One triple missile turret firing as
			one battery.
	Defenses:	None.
	Craft:		None.
	Fuel Treatment:	Fuel scoops installed.
	Cost:		MCr 183.45 standard. MCr 146.76 in quantity.
	Construction:	16 months.

Comments: The Aquator Class ship is designed for liquid transport within
a system.  The principal cargo is water for industrial and drinking 
purposes on worlds which lack available water resources such as 
oceans, rivers, or ice caps.  Additional equipment include transport and
handling equipment for large pieces of ice from asteroids or ice caps 
on moons or planetoids.  A large cargo bladder is filled with liquid 
water as it is passed through a ice entry port through heating coils
powered from the main power plant.  Pumping equipment is available 
for loading or unloading of the cargo from a liquid source of water to 
storage tanks.

- --------


-------- TML Message #50 --------

Date: Tue, 4 Aug 87 14:06:32 PDT
From: michaels@tekgvs.TEK.COM (Michael D. Smith)
Archive-Message-Number: 50

Greetings,

I had no response to the following questions so
I thought I would ask them again.

1. How do you increase the skill level for a robot?

    Page 35 of Book 8 says that skills above level 4
    can not be bought but can be learned by the robot.
    It also says that the information on how this is
    done is in the URP chapter.  Well ...  I haven't
    found this information in Book 8 and it is 
    definitely not in the 3 pages of the URP chapter.


2. Should the additional strength gained by battle dress
    be used when computing damage taken by the individual?

    If so, is the damage removed first from the battle dress
    or is the damage shared between the person and the battle dress?

Thanks for the help,


P.S. Our group has room for a few players.  If anyone in the 
     Portland, Oregon area (Beaverton etc...) is interested, 
     please call or email me.

- --------------------------------------------------
The Best
michaels@tekgvs@tektronix

Michael Smith
Days     Phone: 627-1739
Evenings Phone: 644-2190
- --------------------------------------------------


-------- TML Message #51 --------

Date:  5 Aug 1987 17:50-EDT 
From: John.Pieper@n.sp.cs.cmu.edu
Subject: Battle dress answers and more questions
Archive-Message-Number: 51

"The individual wearing battle dress is effectively doubled in strength
	 and given unlimited endurace (for lifting, carrying and
	 fighting purposes; not for wounds received) and receives a DM
	 of +2 for surprise."	--Traveller Book, p.43

I hope this answers the question. I would like to add some new questions:
	Suppose LTC North has Battle Dress-8 and FGMP-15-3, and is
	 wearing battle dress and carrying a FGMP-15. Does he get a DM
	 of +11 on his "to hit" roll? I would argue that he does
	 because he is able to use the enhanced senses of the armor for
	 sighting pruposes.
	Also, I would rule that "unlimited endurance" only applied
	 while carrying a "normal" load, since the strength is doubled,
	 and not increased to a flat number (or by a flat number). This
	 implies that the wearer does have to use some of his own
	 strength for heavy loads.
- -------------------------------------------------------------
John Pieper				 jsp@n.sp.cs.cmu.edu
Computer Science Department
Carnegie-Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pa 15213
"Gun for hire: have FGMP, will travel"

-------- TML Message #52 --------

From: reed!percival!bucket!leonard@tektronix
Date: Wed,  5 Aug 87 19:00:50 PDT
Subject: Re: Tantilin Class (or Let's talk about water....)
Archive-Message-Number: 52

Why bother loading the ice? There are several ship designs that carry
bulk cargo *outside* the ship. 

And the in-system ship, only has to start the ice on it's way, and
be around to decelerate it when it arrives. While it is "in-transit"
he can be doing something else.

For that matter, on some worlds, they may be content with letting
the ice impact on the planet. This raises the water content of the atmosphere,
and indirectly raises the oxygen content (if you go in for *long* term
thinking). This could be a step in terraforming.



-------- TML Message #53 --------

Subject: GDW's Standard UPP data format for worlds
Date: 06 Aug 87 03:39:36 CDT (Thu)
From: Michael Rossow <rossow@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu>
Archive-Message-Number: 53

GDW recently defined a standard data format for storing world UPPs 
for Traveller sectors.  Their hope is make it easier for people to
share sector data between various Traveller software packages.  

Marc Miller presented this standard in a recent issue of Challenge,
along with a Sector Generator written in Applesoft Basic for Apple II
computers.  He describes a format for storing world data for a 
Traveller sector as sequential file of text.  

The format takes into account hex location, UPP, trade classifications,
system bases, Interstellar Allegiance, Trade Zone, and existence of
gas giants.  Most notably missing are planetary names.  This is 
probably to keep the size of files small enough for easy manipulation 
with really memory-poor personal computers (64 Kbytes).

I have not included the list of standard codes to be used in the world
descriptions.  Most of it is real straight forward, simple, UPP stuff.
The only other things were codes for bases, trade notations, and 
allegiances.  If anyone wants to see a complete list, drop me a note,
and I can real-mail you a photocopy.

As a note, GDW has already made three of their sectors available in 
this format (Spinward Marches, Solomani Rim, and Gvurrdon).

I would be interested in hearing what people think of this idea of a
standard exchange format for Sector information.


							-Mike



- ----------
An excerpt from the article 'Electronically Exploring the Traveller
Universe' by Marc W. Miller, published in Challenge No. 26.
Copyright 1986, by Game Designers' Workshop.
- ----------

The Standard UPP Format for worlds saves basic data generated
in accordance with world generation rules in Traveller.

All Data for a sector is contained in one file (if disk space or
available memory precludes it all being in one file, two or more may
be necessary).  Each record in the file is one world UPP.  

Each record is divided into six fields:

Hex Location: Bytes 1-4.  The hexagon location of the world within a
   sector map.  Values range from 0101 to 3240.

UPP: Bytes 6-14.  The actual generated UPP.  Byte 6 is starport type;
   byte 7 is world size; byte 13 is always a hyphen (-); byte 14 is 
   tech level.

Bases: Byte 16.  A single code letter for any bases in the system.

Trade Classifications: Bytes 18-32.  Up to five 2-letter trade
   classifications can be held in this field.  Each classification 
   is separated from the others by a space.  It is possible to generate 
   some of these trade classifications from the world UPP, but they 
   are computed and included as part of the world data to allow quick
   scanning and analysis of the data.

Allegiance: Bytes 33-34.  A 2-letter code for the interstellar
   government which claims the allegiance of the world.

Travel Zone: Byte 36.  If the world is travel zoned, then this field
   holds the letter A (for Amber) or R (for Red).

Gas Giant: Byte 38.  If the system has one or more gas giants, then
   this field has a G.

Tradeworld: Byte 40.  Reserved for later use.

Explored?: Byte 42.  Reserved for later use.   

-------- TML Message #54 --------

Date: Thu, 6 Aug 87 07:01:30-1000
From: Glenn Fernandez <glenn@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu>
Subject: Thry star system
Archive-Message-Number: 54

Subsector: Xanith
Planet: Thry     UPP: B7659CA  Hex: 107

B Class Starport
	good quality, refined fuel availible,
	spaceship contruction and repairs.
7000 miles in diameter.
Standard Atmosphere.
50% of land surface covered with water.
Population: Five billion beings.
Government: Charismatic Oligarchy.
All weapons prohibted, law level 10.
Technology level: 1990-2000 (circa Earth).
Langauge difficulty: -2 (native language).
Binary star system (touching stars)
	Primary: M5 size: V
	Secondary: G0 size: D
	One gas giant
	Two planetiod belts
Orbital space station around the main planet.


	The planetery government is known as Worlgov in the local 
language and the current leader is Chairmen Melar Maole.
The government is a cross between Imperial China and 1984, this is due to
the subsector government attempts to enforce conformity in planetary
government. These attempts have been succesful on some planets but only
marginal on Thry, the problem lies with the remaining nobles of the 
prevouse government.

Binary star system:

	Primary: 'Gishka'. Type: M5. Size: V
	Secondary: 'Nagon'. Type: G0. Size: D
	Touching stars.

Orbits.

0	Mislav	G12022D 8
1	Sogo	YS0000
2	Thry	B7659CA 9
		Monit	11	G34356D 8
		Jalera	50	F6B336D 8
3	Segan	Y56223D 8	Military base
4	Ini Belt F00036D 8
5	Outr Belt F00026C 8
5.9	Sapaller Y652000
6	Tanet	H976169 8
		Moor	21	H713000
6.2	Milanez Y730000
		Kanez	12	Y200000
7	Bigan	LGG
		Ring	R000000
		Jagi	YS000000
		Sigi	YS000000
		Pund	Y4000000
8	Punal	H885369
		Teral Y76726C 8  Military Base
		Zenil Y647000 8
9	Qwal	Y693000
9.6	Valtra	H896000


Glenn Fernandez
University of Hawaii at Hilo
Computing Center

Have star system, will generate.

-------- TML Message #55 --------

Date: Mon, 10 Aug 87 11:48:44 EDT
From: Charles Martin <ihnp4!hsi!yale!martin-charles@tektronix>
Subject: House rule, combat, and DARK NEBULA
Archive-Message-Number: 55

I like the recent submission with the "Hospital Life" table for characters
that fail their survival roll.  Having already come out against the expanded
generation procedures, I thought I'd offer a "house rule" for this situation.
Any character failing a Survival roll is assumed to be still in service at the
time of the adventure.  This means responsibility to authority, control over
certain resources, etc.  Usually, the character can enter any particular
scenario without trouble (shore leave), though campaign play may be harder due
to fixed locations and tours of duty.  Still, surviving "in service"
characters make excellent NPCs.

Once again on the subject of weapons emphasis.  To my mind, SFRP has a lot
more opportunity for non-combat related scenarios.  The average fantasy
fiction is a sequence of monster encounters with appropriate derring-do;
exceptions (e.g., _Wizard of Earthsea_) are hard to game since the sphere
of action (research and contemplation) are fairly introspective.  But
science fiction has many examples where hard external decisions have to
be made which require no combat.

If you and your players are wargamers, then I can understand the decision
to do a lot of _Mercenary_ scenarios.  But to my mind too many GDW offerings
center around the application of firepower.  Adventures like Leviathan
suit my taste much better.

Of course, combat will occur (players and referees being what we are).
Has anyone tried to use Azhanti High Lightning or Snapshot on a regular
basis?  I'd like to hear people's reactions.

Dark Nebula question.  This game looked pretty fun, but a friend and I
spent a day trying to see how we could overcome what seemed a fundamental
imbalance.  One of the sides (I forget which) gets a "cheap" battleship
costing seven points (the other side must pay 14).  A winning strategy
seemed to be to buy the cheapies as quickly as possible and launch an
all-out attack.  The only way we found to make it even was to force the
"Dark Nebula" to separate the two home systems, which gives the doomed
side a chance to build up strength.  But this is artificial, as well as
nearly impossible given the map placement rules.

Also, each side gets only one (1) tanker.  The rules imply that your
developed systems will only count if there is a tanker located in
every empty system along the route.  Is this correct?
- -------



-------- TML Message #56 --------

Date: Tue, 11 Aug 87 17:47:32 +0200
From: Yngve Larsson <enea!liuida.UUCP!yla@uunet.uu.net>
Subject: Personal Combat
Archive-Message-Number: 56

Hello,

I'm new to the list, so perhaps this question has popped up before,
but anyway:

By what system do you run personal combat? 

Personally, I run a (naturally :-)) modified version of STRIKER. I'll
bother you with the gory details if there is any interest. The most 
obvious effect is that I do not implement any Hit Points for characters, 
but stick to the Light Wound/Serious Wound/Death classification of
STRIKER. My players don't seem to mind.

As a partial answer to martin-charles@yale.UUCP I briefly tried to
run Azhanti High Lightning Combat, but found the Action Point system
slowing the game. 

Yngve Larsson             UUCP: ...mcvax!enea!liuida!yla OR yla@ida.liu.se
Dept of CIS                            Arpa: YLA%IDA.LIU.SE@SEISMO.CSS.GOV
Linkoping University, Sweden                          Phone: +46-13-281949


-------- TML Message #57 --------

Date: Tue, 11 Aug 87 16:35 PDT
From: Scott <SELLSWORTH%HMCVAX.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.edu>
Subject: the newer books
Archive-Message-Number: 57

  Hello all.
    Has anyone used the robot design rules presented in book 8 or the merchant
rules in book 7 to any great degree?  I am hoping to start a game at some
future date, and I would like any observations from someone who has played
them.  Thanks in advance
                                               Scott
                                  sellsworth%hmcvax.bitnet@relay.cs.net
                                  Sellsworth@hmcvax

-------- TML Message #58 --------

Subject: Challenge 29 Sector Generator
Date: 18 Aug 87 16:58:33 PDT (Tue)
From: James T. Perkins <jamesp>
Archive-Message-Number: 58


Marc Miller came up with a Applesoft Basic Traveller Sector Generator.
Well, here's the same thing in 3.6K of C-code (actually 6.2K with all
the comments), although it produces an expanded output format.

By clipping out strategic columns of text, you should be able to exactly
reproduce the output specification for Marc's program.

Note that the "extras" provided here include room for a 18-character
system name, produce the "Terran-Norm" and "Terran-Prime" output codes,
flag the presence of a planetoid belt (the last ("P") column), and
ignores the plethora of bugs present in the Applesoft listing in
Challenge (must've been typed in by hand, yech!).

Gee, this generates a lot of amber zone worlds (8- on 2D).

For you VMS people out there, this isn't a far deviation from the
standard C-library, so with a little adjustment it should work okay.

Enjoy, and please tell me if it was useful to you.

 _	___
| |    / _ \   James T. Perkins, jamesp@dadla.TEK.COM, 629-1149
| |__ | |_| |  Tektronix Logic Analyzers, DAS System Software, Display
|____||_| |_|  MS 92-725, PO Box 4600, Beaverton OR 97075

Killed processes never die... They just go to the big Bit Bicket in the sky.

- ------- O/ cut here ----------
- ------- O\ snip snip ---------
/*

	gensec - a simplistic traveller sector generator

	Simplistic Traveller sector generator, based on Marc Miller,
	"Traveller Sector Generator", Using Your Model 2/BIS, Challenge
	No.  25; and other Traveller material (Books 3 and 6, and
	wherever T-norm, T-prime designations came from).

	The format of the output of gensec is a superset of the material
	produced by Mr.  Miller's published program.  A field is
	included for system name, and a "P" field in the last column
	notes the existence of a planetoid belt not in the main world
	orbit.

	This program rewritten C and Unix Aug 18 1987 by James T.
	Perkins.  (jamesp@dadla.TEK.COM, seismo!tektronix!dadla!jamesp)

	4.2BSD Unix sites Compile/link with: cc -s -O -o gensec gensec.c
	Sys V Unix sites Compile/link with: cc -s -O -o gensec -DSYSV gensec.c

	-----------------------------------------------------------------

	Copyright 1987 James T. Perkins

	This notice and any statement of authorship must be reproduced
	on all copies.  The author does not make any warranty expressed
	or implied, or assumes any liability or responsiblity for the
	use of this software.

	Any distributor of copies of this software shall grant the
	recipient permission for further redistribution as permitted
	by this notice.	 Any distributor must distribute this software
	without any fee or other monetary gains, unless expressed written
	permission is granted by the author.

	This software or its use shall not be: sold, rented, leased,
	traded, or otherwise marketed without the expressed written
	permission of the author.

	If the software is modified in a manner creating derivative
	copyrights, appropriate legends may be placed on derivative
	work in addition to that set forth above.

	Permission is hereby granted to copy, reproduce, redistribute or
	otherwise use this software as long as the conditions above
	are met.

	All rights not granted by this notice are reserved.

*/

/* System include files */
#include <stdio.h>
#include <strings.h>
#include <ctype.h>

/* Local macros */
#define D2 nd(2, 6)
#define D1 nd(2, 6)
#define DM(test, dm) ((test) ? (dm) : 0)
#define limit(x, l, u) (((x) < (l)) ? (l) : (((x) > (u)) ? (u) : (x)))

/* allows compilation on System V Unix */
#ifdef SYSV
#define random rand
#define srandom srand
#endif

/* Boolean type declaration */
typedef int bool;

/* External (system) functions */
extern long srandom(), random(), time();

/* Forward declarations */
char hexchar();

/* Source module globals */
static char *copyright = "Copyright 1987 James Perkins";

main(ac, av)
int ac;
char **av;
{
	int x, y;
	int genpctg = 50;
	char *progname;

	(void)srandom(time(NULL));

	progname = *av;
	av++; ac--;
	if (ac > 0)
	{
		if (isdigit(**av))
			genpctg = atoi(*av);
		else
		{
			fprintf(stderr, "usage: %s generation_percentage\n",
				progname);
			exit(1);
		}
	}

	for (x = 1; x <= 32; x++)
	{
		for (y = 1; y <= 40; y++)
		{
			if (d(100) < genpctg)
			{
				gensys(x, y, stdout);
			}
		}
	}
	exit(0);
}

gensys(x, y, fp)
int x, y;
FILE *fp;
{
	static char *nam = "Unnamed", *ali = "IM";
	char cla, bas, zon, tra[50], out[81];
	int siz, atm, hyd, pop, gov, law, tl;
	bool gas, sco, nav, pla;

	/* Starport class */
	cla = *("AAABBCCDEEX" + D2 - 2);

	/* Physical characteristics */
	siz = D2 - 2;
	atm = D2 - 7 + siz;
	atm = ((siz == 0) ? 0 : atm);
	atm = limit(atm, 0, 15);
	hyd = D2 - 7 + siz + ((atm < 2 || atm > 9) ? -4 : 0);
	hyd = ((siz < 2) ? 0 : hyd);
	hyd = limit(hyd, 0, 10);

	/* Demographics */
	pop = D2 - 2;
	gov = D2 - 7 + pop;
	gov = limit(gov, 0, 13);
	law = D2 - 7 + gov;
	law = limit(law, 0, 20);

	/* Technological level */
	tl = D1 + DM(cla == 'A', 6) + DM(cla == 'B', 4) + DM(cla == 'C', 2) +
		DM(cla == 'X', -4);
	tl = tl + DM(siz < 5, 1) + DM(siz < 2, 1);
	tl = tl + DM(atm < 4, 1) + DM(atm > 9 && atm < 15, 1);
	tl = tl + DM(hyd == 8, 1) + DM(hyd == 9, 2);
	tl = tl + DM(pop > 0 && pop < 6, 1) + DM(pop == 9, 2) +
		DM(pop == 10, 4);
	tl = tl + DM(gov == 0 || gov == 5, 1) + DM(gov == 13, -2);
	tl = limit(tl, 0, 15);

	/* System caharacteristics */
	gas = (D2 < 10);
	pla = (D2 < 7);

	/* Travel advisories */
	zon = ((cla == 'X') ? 'R' : ((D2 < 10) ? 'A' : ' '));

	/* Bases */
	nav = (cla < 'C' && D2 > 7);
	sco = (cla < 'E' && (D2 + DM(cla == 'A', -3) + DM(cla == 'B', -2) +
		DM(cla == 'C', -1) > 6));
	bas = (nav && sco ? 'A' : (nav ? 'N' : (sco ? 'S' : ' ')));

	/* Trade classifications */
	*tra = '\0';
	if (siz > 5 && atm > 3 && atm < 10 && hyd > 2 && hyd < 10)
	{
		if (siz > 6 && siz < 10 && atm > 5 && atm < 8 && hyd > 4 &&
			hyd < 8)
			strcat(tra, "TN ");	/* Terran-Norm */
		else
			strcat(tra, "TP ");	/* Terran-Prime */
	}
	if (atm > 3 && atm < 10 && hyd > 3 && hyd < 9 && pop > 4 && pop < 8)
		strcat(tra, "AG ");		/* Agricultural */
	if (atm < 4 && hyd < 4 && pop > 5)
		strcat(tra, "NA ");		/* Non-Agricultural */
	if ((atm < 3 || atm == 4 || atm == 7 || atm == 9) && pop > 8)
		strcat(tra, "IN ");		/* Industrial */
	if (pop < 7)
		strcat(tra, "NI ");		/* Non-Industrial */
	if ((atm == 6 || atm == 8) && pop > 5 && pop < 9 && gov > 3 && gov < 10)
		strcat(tra, "RI ");		/* Rich */
	if (atm > 1 && atm < 6 && hyd < 4)
		strcat(tra, "PO ");		/* Poor */
	if (hyd == 10)
		strcat(tra, "WA ");		/* Water World */
	if (hyd == 0 && atm > 1)
		strcat(tra, "DE ");		/* Desert World */
	if (siz == 0)
		strcat(tra, "AS ");		/* Asteroid Belt */
	if (atm == 0 && siz > 0)
		strcat(tra, "VA ");		/* Vaccuum World */
	if (pop == 0 && gov == 0 && law == 0)
		strcat(tra, "BA ");		/* ??? */

	/* Create world data string */
	sprintf(out, "%02d%02d %-18s %c%c%c%c%c%c%c-%c %c %-15s %2s %c %c%c\n",
		x, y, nam, cla,
		hexchar(siz), hexchar(atm), hexchar(hyd), hexchar(pop),
		hexchar(gov), hexchar(law), hexchar(tl),
		bas, tra, ali, zon, (gas ? 'G' : ' '), (pla ? 'P' : ' '));

	/* Write it out to file (or stdout) */
	fwrite(out, strlen(out), 1, fp);
}

char hexchar(i)
int i;
{
	if (i < 0 || i > 34)
		return '?';
	else
		return *("0123456789ABCDEFGHJKLMNPQRSTUVWXYZ" + i);
}

int d(nsides)
int nsides;
{
	return (int)(random() % (long)nsides + 1L);
}

int nd(ndice, nsides)
int ndice, nsides;
{
	if (ndice < 1)
	{
		return 0;
	}
	else
	{
		return nd(ndice - 1, nsides) + d(nsides);
	}
}

-------- TML Message #59 --------

Subject: OOPS!  Bug in gensec
Date: 19 Aug 87 13:01:07 PDT (Wed)
From: James T. Perkins <jamesp>
Archive-Message-Number: 59


There's a bug in the gensec program that William Ricker pointed out to
me.  At the top of the file where I define my macros, D1 (the single
six-sided die) is defined the same as D2 (the pair of six-sided dice).
This will cause tech levels to be higher than expected by an average of
3.5 units!.  Here is a context diff which will fix the bug (replaces
"nd(2, 6)" with "d(6)" on that one single line).

If you are running a UNIX system that has patch(1), simply save this letter
into "file", then type: "patch gensec.c < file".  Otherwise, just edit the
line from "#define D1 nd(2, 6)" to "#define D1 d(6)".  And yes, this counts
as an official update to the source.

*** gensec.c	Wed Aug 19 12:48:16 1987
- --- gensec.c	Wed Aug 19 12:47:42 1987
***************
*** 57,63 ****
  
  /* Local macros */
  #define D2 nd(2, 6)
! #define D1 nd(2, 6)
  #define DM(test, dm) ((test) ? (dm) : 0)
  #define limit(x, l, u) (((x) < (l)) ? (l) : (((x) > (u)) ? (u) : (x)))
  
- --- 57,63 ----
  
  /* Local macros */
  #define D2 nd(2, 6)
! #define D1 d(6)
  #define DM(test, dm) ((test) ? (dm) : 0)
  #define limit(x, l, u) (((x) < (l)) ? (l) : (((x) > (u)) ? (u) : (x)))
  

 _	___
| |    / _ \   James T. Perkins, jamesp@dadla.TEK.COM, 629-1149
| |__ | |_| |  Tektronix Logic Analyzers, DAS System Software, Display
|____||_| |_|  MS 92-725, PO Box 4600, Beaverton OR 97075

Killed processes never die... They just go to the big Bit Bicket in the sky.


-------- TML Message #60 --------

Subject: Test of new mailing list software
From: jamesp
Date: 22 Aug 87 16:17:55 PDT (Sat)
Archive-Message-Number: 60



This is a test of new traveller mailing list software.  Please ignore.

- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
James T. Perkins		Traveller Mailing List Administrator
Tektronix Logic Analyzers	"Load Auto/Evade, Beowulf!"
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
UUCP:	  {decvax,gatech,hplabs,ihnp4}!tektronix!dadla!traveller-request
INTERNET: traveller-request@dadla.TEK.COM
CSNET:	  traveller-request%dadla.TEK.COM@csnet-relay.CSNET

-------- TML Message #61 --------

From: (Tim Thomas) tim@gondor.psu.edu
Subject: robot skills
Date: 27 Aug 87 13:16:06 PDT (Thu)
Archive-Message-Number: 61


I could not find how a robots skill level could be increased beyond
4 either.  Just an idea: how about a year per skill level.

for example: the robot has 	pilot -4.   In five years, he will have 
pilot 5.  This time could possibly be modified by intelligence and if 
the robot was trying to increase more than one skill.

		any ideas...............

Also, is anyone out there interested in a PBM trillion credit squadron game.
- --Just anothrer idea.....

-------- TML Message #62 --------

From: (Tim Thomas) tim@gondor.psu.edu
Subject: computer programs
Date: 27 Aug 87 13:16:06 PDT (Thu)
Archive-Message-Number: 62


Does anyone have any ideas on computer programs for ship-board comps?
All i have seen is book 2.  I heard that some magazine was to publish naval onesbut i could not find them.  Also,  does anyone have ideas of their own?

thank you
tim

-------- TML Message #63 --------

Subject: Trillion Credit Squadron
From: jamesp
Date: 02 Sep 87 16:23:44 PDT (Wed)
Archive-Message-Number: 63



I've got a couple of messages in the last week about people interested in
Trillion Credit Squadron Play By Mail.  The messages came to me, but they
seemed to be of general interest to the net, so here they are forwarded.

To summarize:  Jon Davis (davisje@ge-crd.arpa) is wondering if anyone out
there is interested in PBM Traveller, specifically TCS (he's willing to play
or Referee), and James Baranski is interested in being involved in a PBM TCS
game.  Is anyone else out there game?

Sorry it took a week; I've been going through the throes of evaluating a
major release of customer software!

- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
James T. Perkins		Traveller Mailing List Administrator
Tektronix Logic Analyzers	"Load Auto/Evade, Beowulf!"
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
UUCP:	  {decvax,gatech,hplabs,ihnp4}!tektronix!dadla!traveller-request
INTERNET: traveller-request@dadla.TEK.COM
CSNET:	  traveller-request%dadla.TEK.COM@csnet-relay.CSNET

- ------- Forwarded Messages

Received: by dadla.TEK.COM (5.51/6.23)
	id AA16650; Fri, 28 Aug 87 16:42:57 PDT
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Date: 28 Aug 87 12:23 EST
From: DAVIS JONATHAN E <DAVISJE@ge-crd.arpa>
Subject: PBM Traveller - Trillion Credit Squadron
To: traveller-req%dadla.TEK.COM@relay.cs.net


Date: 28-AUG-1987 10:36
From: Jon Davis (davisje@ge-crd.arpa)
Sender: DAVISJE
Subject: PBM Traveller - Trillion Credit Squadron
To: traveller-req%dadla.TEK.COM@RELAY.CS.NET@SMTP@TCPGATEWAY
Cc: davisje
- - --------

James,
	I would be interested in participating in a Trillion 
Credit Squadron over the net.  I am not sure how the game would
effectively operate, whether a moderator would be required or 
what.  I am able to play or referee if necessary contingent on 
the amount of time required.

Jon Davis

- - --------


- ------- Message 2

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Message-Id: <8708311412.AA14577@decwrl.dec.com>
From: ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU!decwrl!yoda.dec.com!baranski@ucbcad (I thought you liked surprises?!?)
To: tektronix!dadla.tek.com!jamesp@ucbvax, baranski@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU
Subject: Trillion Credit Squadron

I'm interested... want to talk about schemes for doing PBM TCS?

From:	DECWRL::"ucbvax!tektronix!dadla.TEK.COM!jamesp" "27-Aug-87 1316 PDT" 29-AUG-1987 18:37
To:	yoda::baranski
Subj:	

Also, is anyone out there interested in a PBM trillion credit squadron game.
- - --Just anothrer idea.....


- ------- End of Forwarded Messages

-------- TML Message #64 --------

From: tim@gondor.psu.edu (Tim Thomas)
Subject: Re:  Trillion Credit Squadron
Date: 03 Sep 87 16:35:28 PDT (Thu)
Archive-Message-Number: 64


I would also be interested....,
- -----
tim

-------- TML Message #65 --------

From: amdcad!sun!convex!sheppard@cae780 (Andy Sheppard)
Subject: PBM game
Date: 04 Sep 87 16:54:07 PDT (Fri)
Archive-Message-Number: 65


I might be interested, if I knew more about how a PBM type game was
operated...

Andy Sheppard
Convex Computer Corporation
{ihnp4,sun,uiucdcs}!convex!sheppard

-------- TML Message #66 --------

Subject: Anybody want to play Traveller via E-mail?
From: jamesp
Date: 08 Sep 87 16:45:49 PDT (Tue)
Archive-Message-Number: 66



If there's anyone out there interested in playing in a one-on-one or
two-on-one play-by-electronic-mail Traveller game, I would enjoy
refereeing one or two scenarios.  Players would have to be reasonably
prepared (at least Basic Traveller, advanced rules are fine but not
crucial).  If you're curious in what Traveller's like, this could
provide an opportunity to listen in on a game...

CAVEATS/PHILOSOPHY (where I drone on and on):

At the outset I should warn that I do not follow GDW's Imperium campaign
(although my "Imperium" superficially resembles GDW's), and adventures
are set in a freelanced sector.  I tend to be a designer/story teller
more than a wargamer, and stress roleplaying/story-weaving far more than
attribute advancement; when it comes to stories I drop my engineer's
gadgeteer hat and set a writer's hat on my head.  Furthermore, merchant,
scout, ex-naval, pirate/smuggler, etc. stories are more natural to me
than than army/marines.  I'm also bigoted and mostly go for
human/near-human player characters (my designed worlds have all the vices
and blessings of most human habitations); for me they're the more
flexible and most easily deepened characters, unless the player can help
me understand and relate to the alien by painting a picture of the life,
culture, and society of the alien (most advanced players can accomplish
this).

My philosophy to SFRP gaming is that referee and player corroborate to
tell a story, weaving individual twists into a fictional fabric that
grows stronger and more believeable as each person adds detail,
personality, depth, and urgency into characters and settings.  If this
sounds almost like soap-opera, that is to a degree what I mean; at least
that all characters and situations are believable.  The player does
their best to play a "real" person, while the referee tries to provide a
"real" futuristic society.  As such a rules system is a reference to
enhance and guide the storytelling; rules are not the essence of the
game itself. I tend to be very open, reasonable and laid back.

As for combat: combat is a very dangerous situation for players, and
usually is avoided by player characters.  When invited, it is typically
because the players know what they are doing and it is the right action
to achieve their goals.  Provoking non-player characters has an alarming
tendency to pile revenge and unsavory enemies upon the player character;
but under the right conditions the NPC is powerless and soon left
behind.  Those who take out a gun and start shooting madly meet with
real-world problems, just like *you* would if you walked into a
MacDonald's and committed a mass murder.

Also, I do tend to get busy with work (what's that?) at times, so
turnaround would probably be anything from two days to two weeks.

STILL CURIOUS?

If you made it past all the philosophy, congratulations! Sorry about the
boredom, but if you wanna play we gotta know if we're gonna be able to
generate real stories together.

If you want to play, send your name and indicate whether listeners are
okay, and tell me a little about what you're expecting.  If it looks
like its a relationship with promise, great! If I get a whole pile of
people I'll have to pick and choose; maybe some of them would want to
referee their own PBM games?  I'll act as a clearing house.

If you want to listen, send me your name and I'll put you in a list and
get back to you as soon as a selection is made.

If I don't get any responses, I'll go crawl in a hole, hide my
embarrassed face since I invaded everyone else's personal space with my
own philosophies, put a "Jerk of the Year Award" on my terminal, and
never again post to this list <half-serious :-|>.

Come on, live a little!  If you're interested check this out.

 _	___
| |    / _ \   James T. Perkins, jamesp@dadla.TEK.COM, 629-1149
| |__ | |_| |  Tektronix Logic Analyzers, DAS System Software, Display
|____||_| |_|  MS 92-725, PO Box 4600, Beaverton OR 97075

Killed processes never die... They just go to the big Bit Bicket in the sky.

-------- TML Message #67 --------

Subject: PBEM Traveller -- Player Candidate Qualification
From: jamesp
Date: 15 Sep 87 18:26:09 PDT (Tue)
Archive-Message-Number: 67



[I am sending the first pieces of mail to the list because: 1) A large
fraction (~25%) of the list is interested in my PBEM Traveller game, and
2) when I finally start refereeing I'm only going to be sending to the
player and listeners lists, and thought everyone still considering
playing or listening should be given a chance.  --JP]

I got a great response! Please check that your name appears on the
correct lists.  Especially note that I've included all possible players
on the listeners list (assuming that if you can't play, you'd at least
like to listen).  If I've included you on an incorrect list, please send
me mail for correction.

Clearly this is way too many people for me to referee, and probably too
many for Eric Kaylor (esk@hpldola) to referee, so I'm going to have to
select one or two players (more discussion below, after the lists).

Player Candidates:

	Bill Oliver <oliver@cs.unc.edu>
	DAVIS JONATHAN E <DAVISJE@ge-crd.arpa>
	DAVIS JONATHAN E <DAVISJE@ge-crd.arpa> (a netless friend)
	Glenn Fernandez <glenn@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu>
	Jon Davis
	Mark Carroll <carroll@aim.rutgers.edu>
	Tim Thomas <tim@gondor.psu.edu>
	gatech!emory!silver@tektronix (Stuart Stirling)
	hp-pcd!hpldola!esk@tektronix
	ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU!decwrl!vino.dec.com!kstevens@ucbcad (I do not think about what I do not think about.)

Alternate Referee Candidate:

	hp-pcd!hpldola!esk@tektronix

[Eric: if you decide you want to referee too, feel free to post to the
list, or contact me for better mailing addresses to candidates.  You can
then pursue the candidates with whatever player-qualification scheme you
see fit.]

Registered Listeners:

	"D. J. McCarthy" <mccarthy%uxe.cso.uiuc.edu@uxc.cso.uiuc.edu>
	Bill Oliver <oliver@cs.unc.edu>
	DAVIS JONATHAN E <DAVISJE@ge-crd.arpa>
	DAVIS JONATHAN E <DAVISJE@ge-crd.arpa> (a netless friend)
	Glenn Fernandez <glenn@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu>
	Jon Davis
	Mark Carroll <carroll@aim.rutgers.edu>
	Tim Thomas <tim@gondor.psu.edu>
	bart@reed (Bart Massey)
	bobl@tessi (Bob Lewis)
	gatech!emory!silver@tektronix (Stuart Stirling)
	hp-pcd!hpldola!esk@tektronix
	rpg@cs.brown.edu
	ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU!decwrl!vino.dec.com!kstevens@ucbcad (I do not think about what I do not think about.)

The rest of this letter is directed at the above-mentioned player
candidates, but could be of general interest/discussion/flaming on the list
:-).

Okay, here's how I'm going to figure out who will be a player: I'll send
historical background of the sector/subsector of play out to all
potential players; you'll come up with a one-page character description
(of a young adult); I'll pick the ones I think I can best referee; and
then we'll run the character through the service/skill generation system
together and start playing.  I'm expanding on this below.

The subsector is Chosen Subsector/Menion Sector.  I generated these star
systems and sector/subsector history this weekend.  The sector as a
whole is very unfinished and there's lots of room for creativeness there
on the part of both player and referee.  I'll send the history to the
traveller list tommorrow or Thursday when I have it a little more
complete.

When the subsector history mail comes, prepare and send me a one-page
character description.  To make this easy, tell me your candidate
character's home world (choose any planet in Chosen), family upbringing
(merchant captain's daughter, whatever), dispostion, rough physical
characteristics and an indication of their personality.  Assume an age
of 18-22 (if you want to figure out stats, run 'em through advanced
college system, or something else, you're welcome to but it's not
necessary).  Tell me about your character's career aspirations (in other
words, does she/he want to become a navy officer, merchant, smuggler,
scout, diplomat, whatever) but DO NOT run them through the military
character generation yet.

Don't be overly concise; be creative.  Use as much space as necessary to
tell me who this character is and why they're interesting.  Don't get
too carried away unless you think I'll like the character so much I'll
pick him; i.e. don't get your hopes up too much.  I expect around one
page (60 lines or so) of material, more is fine but don't waste valuable
time on a maybe unless you get into this stuff (like I do :-).  Be
forwarned, I don't go for supermen (UPP ABAACC) but I am fairly flexible
nonetheless.

When I receive all the responses I think I'm going to get, I'll look at
the characters I get and choose the one or two that most inspire me.
These are the characters that we'll navigate through the UPP/service/skill
generation systems (quite arbitrarily and in a pick-and-choose manner,
mind you) until we have a fleshed-out character ready to play.

Sorry I have to be so arbitrary about who gets to play! I'd really like
to ref everyone! I expect that even mild effort on your part is going to
end up quite creative and inspiring to me.  I'm pretty easygoing and
have a good appreciation for imagination.  I have a feeling I'll have a
hard time deciding.

Be aware that these games will evolve slowly, over months.  If you feel
your account is going to be unstable and die in 6 months and you don't
know if you'll get net access, please tell me and I'll take that into
account.  A fast game is possible, but I'd have to evaluate whether its
probable and desired or not.

 _	___
| |    / _ \   James T. Perkins, jamesp@dadla.TEK.COM, 629-1149
| |__ | |_| |  Tektronix Logic Analyzers, DAS System Software, Display
|____||_| |_|  MS 92-725, PO Box 4600, Beaverton OR 97075

Currently reading:	Keith Laumer, Retief_and_the_Warlords

Killed processes never die... They just go to the big Bit Bicket in the sky.

-------- End of TML Messages --------

