       TRAVELLER Digest 31

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Re: Solomani Rim Stars by bonnevil@mermaid.micro.umn.edu (Steven M Bonneville)
  2) DNI by Joni M Virolainen <jonimv@evitech.fi>
  3) sensor by Joni M Virolainen <jonimv@evitech.fi>
  4) Re: DNI by Quibell E D <quibez@essex.ac.uk>
  5) Re: Plethora of races by Jo Grant <Jo_Grant.LOTUSINT@crd.lotus.com>
  6) CLASSIC TRAV FOR SALE by Roger Sanger <rodge@case.cyberspace.com>
  7) TNE Errata by tek@FICUS.CS.UCLA.EDU (Ted Kim (Random Dude))
  8) Auction Report... by rodge@case.cyberspace.com (Roger Sanger)
  9) TL-15 Heavy BD            by Roger Myhre <myhre@oslonett.no>

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

Date: Mon, 5 Sep 1994 00:26:30 -0500
From: bonnevil@mermaid.micro.umn.edu (Steven M Bonneville)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Solomani Rim Stars
Message-ID: <199409050526.AAA19286@barracuda.micro.umn.edu>

Regarding stellar data in TML sector UWPs:

After reading through Harold Hale's last couple of postings on 
the Solomani Rim stars, I went through my computer files and
verified that the stellar data in at least some of the old DGP
sector files that were on sunbane is certainly incorrect.  For
instance, in two printed sources (GDW: MT _Imperial Encyclopedia_
and DGP: Traveller's Digest #9), Capital is clearly identified 
as having a yellow G-class star not unlike Sol.  But in the 
UWPs from sunbane, the star is given as M0 V.  As far as I can
tell, the other categories of data are fine (for now).  So 
some of my comments may have been a bit, er, misinformed....

On Cicero as Aldebaran:

I don't know how solidly it's in the canon, but as far as I can
tell, that position is pretty bad for Aldebaran -- the angle 
should place it closer to Capella/more rimward than Cicero.  I
think that would bear out on a galactic coordinate grid.  Not
that that's going to stop anyone, especially with the two-d
sparsely populated grid we pretend is a galactic map, but 
somebody might want to know.

  Steve Bonneville
  <bonnevil@mermaid.micro.umn.edu>


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

Date: Mon, 5 Sep 1994 11:35:48 +0200 (EET)
From: Joni M Virolainen <jonimv@evitech.fi>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: DNI
Message-ID: <199409050832.EAA15917@Mithril.MPGN.COM>

You are right that it would be REALLY scary possibility to get infected by
the Virus. And you are actually right that cyberspace IS Viruses home turf.

BUT I think that it is also really scary possibility to get shot down by
someone or mugged down. But still PCs (and NPCs) goes to fights again and
again until they drop. Of course they don't usually do suicides that is true.

Let's assume that Virus acts with about speed of light. 
That is about the speed the signal moves in human nerve cells also.
Okey, then comes the reaction time. Much of the reaction time needed to
physical tasks can be forgotten, because DNI is just that (*Direct* Neural
Interface) which also transfers data at the speed of light. And when the
net jockey is well trained (in simulations which can be done easily) then
he also acts by instincs not thought.

As it is said the Virus can infest any computer system it has acces to.
If I recall right the Virus needs time to figure out new systems it
encounters.
And I suppose that RC (or Regency) has developed some new systems which are
new to Virus, thus slowing it down. Plus deckers of New Era KNOW that the 
Virus is out there and they can prepare themselves with Defence Programs.
In the light of this, I don't think net jockeying would be sheer suicide. It
would be dangerous, of course, but not suicidal.

And one more point. Is it possible to slow down the computer so it also would
slow down the Virus thus giving the poor decker even more time to react?
Besides in one cyberpunk genre magazine, I suppose it was Interface, there
was an article about Dragons (AIs) and Dragon killers (AI hunters) and they
also faced the fast opponents.

"Scientific progress goes boink" -Calvin & Hobbes

Joni Virolainen
jonimv@evitech.fi


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

Date: Mon, 5 Sep 1994 11:36:14 +0200 (EET)
From: Joni M Virolainen <jonimv@evitech.fi>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: sensor
Message-ID: <199409050833.EAA15961@Mithril.MPGN.COM>

About sensors.
Actually I asked about WHAT KIND OF SENSORS WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR 
THAT KIND OF TASKS! But thanks anyway. Personally I think that this
kind of surveillance would help even in tactical situations because that
way groups (PCs) could get information where their comrades and enemies are.
That prevents them shooting their own and getting to ambushes. That also
needs personal receivers for every combatant.

BTW my players also prefer being in middle of the fight rather than just
watching it from distance. 

In fact I have tried to device a method which gives ratings of alertness for
characters maybe from 1 to 3, a bit similar to space combat alertness.
If you are highly alerted, then you react quickly but by instinct and you
can shoot your friend instead of foe. Low alertness affects you so you act
more slowly, but then you don't propably shoot your friend. Any ideas?

So, keep it hot!

Joni Virolainen
jonimv@evitech.fi


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

Date: Mon, 5 Sep 94 15:35:22 BST
From: Quibell E D <quibez@essex.ac.uk>
To: traveller <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Re: DNI
Message-ID: <7825.9409051435@cscf5.essex.ac.uk>


jonimv@evitech.fi writes :-
 
> You are right that it would be REALLY scary possibility to get infected by
> the Virus. And you are actually right that cyberspace IS Viruses home turf.
> 
> BUT I think that it is also really scary possibility to get shot down by
> someone or mugged down. But still PCs (and NPCs) goes to fights again and
> again until they drop. Of course they don't usually do suicides that is
true.

Yes I agree, charachters go into fire fights all the time, and I expect that
they don't appreciated haveing boadily parts blown off or dying, but there is
something in human psgology which is different about, going blind, going mad
and dieing by battlefield fire. This is one reason that GW has no blinding
rules for lasers in TNE. As you said as well charachters are not suicidle,
you
have a relativly good chance of surviving a firefight, especialy if your
waring
battledress .... while decking into virus infected cyperspace would be
suicidle.

> Let's assume that Virus acts with about speed of light. 
> That is about the speed the signal moves in human nerve cells also.
> Okey, then comes the reaction time. Much of the reaction time needed to
> physical tasks can be forgotten, because DNI is just that (*Direct* Neural
> Interface) which also transfers data at the speed of light. And when the
> net jockey is well trained (in simulations which can be done easily) then
> he also acts by instincs not thought.
>
> As it is said the Virus can infest any computer system it has acces to.
> If I recall right the Virus needs time to figure out new systems it
encounters
> And I suppose that RC (or Regency) has developed some new systems which are
> new to Virus, thus slowing it down. Plus deckers of New Era KNOW that the 
> Virus is out there and they can prepare themselves with Defence Programs.
> In the light of this, I don't think net jockeying would be sheer suicide.
It
> would be dangerous, of course, but not suicidal.

Agreed the decker will have reaction times approching that of the virus, but 
they would still be slower. Signals of the Virus will be faster, because they
have no messy chemicals signal carriers which we have to deal with. I would
think that there would still be reaction times, admitidly small, between the
thought or instinct of the decker and the opperation of the DNI, as the
thought or instinct is reacted to by the DNI, convertion of the chemical
signals, and understanding of what is needed to be done (the interface, and
there would have to be an interface ...).

As for the virus reacting to new computers, that dosn't come into it untill
all the deckers defences are down, and the virus tries to infect the deck or
carbon cyberspace (the human brain), through the interface of the DNI. Once
the DNI is encounterd the virus will have a better understanding of how to
get past
and into carbon cyperspace the next time, and of course it might just tell
all
it's other virus friends about it as well (most early strains of the virus
are
gone).

As to the virus trying to infect new systems, how about the decker ... each
system which is home to the virus will be uneque, a one off, as the virus
makes
it's computer it's home by rewireing the chips and recoading it's procedures
to work just haw the virus want's it to. This would nessesitate the decker 
working by thought and not on instinct as each system would be new, not
totaly
different but significaly so. The decker would not be able to rely on any
assumptions, as they might work in some systems, but the virus might have
changed these to sute it's self in others. Speacking in todays terms, each
system would be different at microcode, BIOS, system, interface, and
application level .... give that to your decker and have him eaten. The
decker
wouldn't even know if his defence programs would work outside his deck, it's
not like there is a standards boady for virus infected computers .... this is
the reason that they mutated ... (say in a realy sarcastic voice ..) to the
realy nice creatures they are now (in TNE).

> And one more point. Is it possible to slow down the computer so it also
would
> slow down the Virus thus giving the poor decker even more time to react?
> Besides in one cyberpunk genre magazine, I suppose it was Interface, there
> was an article about Dragons (AIs) and Dragon killers (AI hunters) and they
> also faced the fast opponents.

Yes it's possible to slow the computer down, but do you realy think that the
virus is going to let you .... ?

In cyberpunk the systems and cyperspace would be specified by standards
boadies
which is why you can deck in the first place, the interface and communication
protacols to systems would be the same everywhere, only the systems would be
different, like an IBM to a DEC or an ICL, so when you go AI hunting all your
assumptions would work, and you would be able to act on instinct. Not so with
the virus, although computers and comms were once based on standardrs
authoritys, presumably something like IEEE today, that was 70 years ago,
and 70 years with no standards is a long long time .... 

In the light of all that I still think it would be total suicide ....
but probably a nice quick death ....
not too much pain ....
and that's "if" you die ....

Ewan


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- E.D.Quibell ------------------------------------ Thought is just about
----
-- Data Communications Technician ----------------- the hardest thing a
----
-- University of Brighton ------------------------- human can do - which
----
--------------------------------------------------- probably explains why
----
-- Email   edq@unix.bton.ac.uk -------------------- so few seem to do it.
----
--         edq@vms.bton.ac.uk
-----------------------------------------------
--         quibez@essex.ac.uk  ------------------------------ Henry Ford
-----

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- Who me ? Na, I didn't say that. My Employers ? They don't say anything
---
----- My spelling is entirely due to dyslexia, typos, and poetic licence
-----

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

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

Date:  2 Sep 94 15:40:43 ES
From: Jo Grant <Jo_Grant.LOTUSINT@crd.lotus.com>
To: traveller <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Subject: Re: Plethora of races
Message-ID: <9409051517.AA16201@internet1.lotus.com>

556N@delphi.com writes:
>Here is an issue that's been really bugging me since I first began
>playing Traveller (Classic) quite some time ago...
>Where did the plethora of races from Terra go?
 Who said they aren't there? If you look at the Aslan and
Solomani supplement I think you have many races depicted in the
artwork. I think there are two things contributing to your perception
that the Solomani are homogeneous.
 Firstly, in the setting your species and/or extraterrestrial
racial origin are more important than your planetary or terrestrial
racial origin. Out there in the first empire of man it was much
more important to be Solomani than to be Nigerian Solimani.
 Secondly, because most of the writers (and artists) of the
supplements were white middle-class (male) americans most of what
they depict reflect this.
 I think you are pefrectly within the spirit of (old) traveller
to hilight the multi-racial origins of Solomani. I think it is one
thing they would flaunt amongst other (especially human derived)
races. No other "race" is going to have quite the variety of
Terra.
 In my own campaign setting the majority population of the
Imperium conforms to the ethnic Indian colourations. I.e. brown
skin, black eyes and hair. In one competition scenario we ran
in Dublin there were a group of "aliens from beyond the fringe"
on the same ship as the PCs. These were unusual as they had fair
skin, black hair and green eyes (ethnic Irish colourations).
 One particularly humerous incident occured as one of the
refs described them to the players:
 Ref: "A groups sits at the table next to you. You can tell
just by looking at them that they are aliens."
 Player: "How? Do they have green skin?"
 Ref: "No, white."
 The player and ref both stopped for a second. The player was
black (very uncommon in Ireland). Then they both burst out laughing
for several minutes...


    Jo

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

Date: Mon, 5 Sep 1994 14:23:10 -0700 (PDT)
From: Roger Sanger <rodge@case.cyberspace.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: CLASSIC TRAV FOR SALE
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9409051438.A17732-0100000@case>

 
 
ATTENTION TRAVELLER AFFIONADOS...
 
My Traveller Surplus Pile has grown so large that I'm up to my
ears in Classic Traveller!!!
 
If you are interested in anything on the list below, please
contact me for a price list...
 
 
Book 1 -- Characters and Combat                            GDW
Book 1 -- Characters and Combat                            GDW
Book 2 -- Starships                                        GDW
Book 3 -- Worlds and Adventures                            GDW
Book 4 -- Mercenary                                        GDW
Book 4 -- Mercenary                                        GDW
Book 4 -- Mercenary                                        GDW
Book 4 -- Mercenary                                        GDW
Book 4 -- Mercenary                                        GDW
Book 5 -- High Guard                                       GDW
Book 5 -- High Guard                                       GDW
Book 5 -- High Guard                                       GDW
Book 5 -- High Guard                                       GDW
Book 5 -- High Guard                                       GDW
Book 5 -- High Guard                                       GDW
Book 5 -- High Guard                                       GDW
Book 6 -- Scouts                                           GDW
Book 6 -- Scouts                                           GDW
Book 6 -- Scouts                                           GDW
Book 6 -- Scouts                                           GDW
Book 8 -- Robots                                           GDW
Supplement  1 -- 1001 Characters                           GDW
Supplement  1 -- 1001 Characters                           GDW
Supplement  1 -- 1001 Characters                           GDW
Supplement  2 -- Animal Encounters                         GDW
Supplement  2 -- Animal Encounters                         GDW
Supplement  2 -- Animal Encounters                         GDW
Supplement  2 -- Animal Encounters                         GDW
Supplement  2 -- Animal Encounters                         GDW
Supplement  2 -- Animal Encounters                         GDW
Supplement  3 -- The Spinward Marches                      GDW
Supplement  3 -- The Spinward Marches                      GDW
Supplement  4 -- Citizens of the Imperium                  GDW
Supplement  4 -- Citizens of the Imperium                  GDW
Supplement  4 -- Citizens of the Imperium                  GDW
Supplement  4 -- Citizens of the Imperium                  GDW
Supplement  6 -- 76 Patrons                                GDW
Supplement  6 -- 76 Patrons                                GDW
Supplement  6 -- 76 Patrons                                GDW
Supplement  6 -- 76 Patrons                                GDW
Supplement  6 -- 76 Patrons                                GDW
Supplement  6 -- 76 Patrons                                GDW
Supplement  6 -- 76 Patrons                                GDW
Supplement  7 -- Traders & Gunboats                        GDW
Supplement  8 -- Library Data A-M                          GDW
Supplement  8 -- Library Data A-M                          GDW
Supplement  8 -- Library Data A-M                          GDW
Supplement  8 -- Library Data A-M                          GDW
Supplement  9 -- Fighting Ships                            GDW
Supplement 10 -- Solomini Rim                              GDW
Supplement 11 -- Library Data N-Z                          GDW
Supplement 11 -- Library Data N-Z                          GDW
Supplement 11 -- Library Data N-Z                          GDW
Supplement 12 -- Forms and Charts                          GDW
Supplement 13 -- Veterans                                  GDW
Supplement 13 -- Veterans                                  GDW
Supplement 13 -- Veterans                                  GDW
Supplement 13 -- Veterans                                  GDW
Adventure  1 -- The Kinunir                                GDW
Adventure  1 -- The Kinunir                                GDW
Adventure  2 -- Research Station Gamma                     GDW
Adventure  2 -- Research Station Gamma                     GDW
Adventure  2 -- Research Station Gamma                     GDW
Adventure  2 -- Research Station Gamma                     GDW
Adventure  3 -- Twilight's Peak                            GDW
Adventure  3 -- Twilight's Peak                            GDW
Adventure  4 -- Leviathan                                  GDW
Adventure  4 -- Leviathan                                  GDW
Adventure  4 -- Leviathan                                  GDW
Adventure  4 -- Leviathan                                  GDW
Adventure  6 -- Expedition to Zhodane                      GDW
Adventure  9 -- Nomads of the World Ocean                  GDW
Adventure  9 -- Nomads of the World Ocean                  GDW
Adventure  9 -- Nomads of the World Ocean                  GDW
Adventure  9 -- Nomads of the World Ocean                  GDW
Adventure 10 -- Safari Ship                                GDW
Adventure 11 -- Murder on Arcturus Station                 GDW
Adventure 11 -- Murder on Arcturus Station                 GDW
Adventure 11 -- Murder on Arcturus Station                 GDW
Adventure 11 -- Murder on Arcturus Station                 GDW
Adventure 13 -- Signal GK                                  GDW
Adventure 13 -- Signal GK                                  GDW
Double Adventure 1 -- Annic Nova / Shadows                 GDW
Double Adventure 1 -- Annic Nova / Shadows                 GDW
Double Adventure 2 -- Mission on Mithril/Bright Face       GDW
Double Adventure 2 -- Mission on Mithril/Bright Face       GDW
Double Adventure 2 -- Mission on Mithril/Bright Face       GDW
Double Adventure 2 -- Mission on Mithril/Bright Face       GDW
Double Adventure 2 -- Mission on Mithril/Bright Face       GDW
Double Adventure 2 -- Mission on Mithril/Bright Face       GDW
Double Adventure 3 -- Death Station / The Argon Gambit     GDW
Double Adventure 3 -- Death Station/Argon Gambit           GDW
Double Adventure 3 -- Death Station / The Argon Gambit     GDW
Double Adventure 3 -- Death Station / The Argon Gambit     GDW
Double Adventure 4 -- Marooned / Marooned Alone            GDW
Double Adventure 4 -- Marooned / Marooned Alone            GDW
Double Adventure 4 -- Marooned / Marooned Alone            GDW
Double Adventure 4 -- Marooned / Marooned Alone            GDW
Double Adventure 4 -- Marooned / Marooned Alone            GDW
Double Adventure 4 -- Marooned / Marooned Alone            GDW
Double Adventure 4 -- Marooned / Marooned Alone            GDW
Double Adventure 4 -- Marooned / Marooned Alone            GDW
Double Adventure 4 -- Marooned / Marooned Alone            GDW
Double Adventure 4 -- Marooned / Marooned Alone            GDW
Double Adventure 5 -- The Chamax Plague / Horde            GDW
Double Adventure 5 -- The Chamax Plague / Horde            GDW
Double Adventure 5 -- The Chamax Plague / Horde            GDW
Double Adventure 6 -- Conquest / Intervention              GDW
Double Adventure 6 -- Conquest / Intervention              GDW
Double Adventure 6 -- Conquest / Intervention              GDW
 
 
For U.S orders, plus 15% postage & handling, minimum $3.  Let me
know ASAP if you want any of the above, so I can hold them for
you.
 
Sincerely,
HYPERODGE


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

Date: Mon, 5 Sep 94 14:27:59 -0700
From: tek@FICUS.CS.UCLA.EDU (Ted Kim (Random Dude))
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: TNE Errata
Message-ID: <9409052127.AA14777@penzance.cs.ucla.edu>

What official errata has been issued for GDW TNE and related products?

Is there more than the slips of paper in the BL and BR boxes and the
FFS Upgrade Booklet?

Beyond official errata, has someone on TML collected up the various
unofficial errata posted on TML?

-ted

Ted Kim                           Internet: tek@ficus.cs.ucla.edu
UCLA Computer Science Department  UUCP:
...!{uunet|ucbvax}!cs.ucla.edu!tek
4760C Boelter Hall                Phone:    (310) 825-8524
Los Angeles, CA 90024             FAX:      (310) 825-2273

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

Date: Mon, 5 Sep 94 17:26:56 PDT
From: rodge@case.cyberspace.com (Roger Sanger)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Auction Report...
Message-ID: <9409060026.AA25477@case.cyberspace.com>

 
 
AUCTION UPDATE:
 
 
The highest bids so far on the Traveller items being auctioned
are as follows:
 
 
    High Passage Magazine #1     Joseph           $15
    101 Robots                   Glenn            $25
    MegaTraveller Journal #1     David            $40
    MegaTraveller Journal #2     txw              $24
 
 
If you would like to make a bid on any of the above listed items,
please send your bids to  rodge@cyberspace.com
 
This auction (#1) shall end at 11:59pm on September 10th, 1994,
and the items shall go to the highest standing bidders at that
time.
 
Sincerely,
Roger Sanger

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

Date: Tue, 6 Sep 1994 05:58:50 +0200
From: Roger Myhre <myhre@oslonett.no>
To: TRAVELLER@MPGN.COM
Subject: TL-15 Heavy BD           
Message-ID: <199409060358.AA21777@oslonett.no>

Some time back I managed to start the thread that has been running on
battledresses. I'll here present the BD that started it all.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

TL-15 Heavy Battledress (AGL -2, Init -2)

Equipment                       Mass (Kg)    Pow (MW)      Price (Mcr)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Skeleton                         100.000       -              0.255000
Armor Head (AV:30)                 0.340       -              0.000063
Armor Chest (AV:30)                1.028       -              0.000200
Armor Abdomen (AV:30)              1.028       -              0.000200
Armor Legs (AV:28)                 1.800       -              0.000330
Armor Arms (AV:28)                 0.600       -              0.000110
IGS (nav aid)                      1.000      0.0100          0.025000
Radio 30Km                         0.200      0.0010          0.000250
NAS 50m                            5.000      0.0060          0.020000
PEMS 3Km*                         15.000      0.0005          0.016250
WSV Goggles                        0.100      0.0001          0.005000
Chameleon Option                    -          -              0.001000
Looking Glass Option                -          -              0.050000
PSI Shield                          -          -              0.004000
TL-15 PNF (0.0232MW)              15.470     (0.0232)         0.000077
Fuel (H2O) Duration=323Hrs        15.000       -               -
Accessory space**                243.434       -               -
Suit Power Req.                     -         0.0056           -
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals                           400.000      0.0000          377,230Cr
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

*  Antenna included in the figures.
** Weight allocated for integral systems as weapons, sensor and other
support systems.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

I wouldn't let one in this suit run around as the user wanted. It just
takes too much time to knock someone out with concussion alone. And
hoping for head hits are just too silly. I want a HiTech (tm) weapon
that kills or incapacitates the user on a hit or two. And it should be
portable.

As you see there is still more room for armor. More than 200Kg for it.
The suit will be tough as a tank if those are used too!


Roger "StarWolf" Myhre
                                                       

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

End of TRAVELLER Digest 31
**************************
