TRAVELLER Digest 500

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Drop Tanks by Jyrki.Paajanen/OU=im/OU=ccbi@smc.carel.fi
  2) Partial Armour Missing by aswfh@orion.alaska.edu (William F. Hostman)
  3) Re: Copyright Infringement by PPUGLIESE@pimacc.pima.edu
  4) RE: 7 Ideas...plus a few more gripes and a NSC by sma@kiel.netsurf.de (Stefan Matthias Aust)
  5) Traveller novels by sma@kiel.netsurf.de (Stefan Matthias Aust)
  6) Re: Copyright Infringement by eackerma@vt.edu (Eric Ackermann)
  7) Re: Copyright Infringement by PPUGLIESE@pimacc.pima.edu
  8) On Teleportation by Eric Nolan <ericno@microsoft.com>
  9) Re: Lewis/Aramis by Steven Bonneville <bonnevil@itlabs.umn.edu>
 10) Re: Sector Mapping Systems by Steven Bonneville <bonnevil@itlabs.umn.edu>
 11) Re: Traveller novels by Scott and Vivian Nolan <nolan@DGS.dgsys.com>
 12) Re: RSB Data by Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
 13) Re: Pirates by Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
 14) Letter to FASA:  Save Traveller! by Christopher_Griffen_at_DMC-SJ3@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen)
 15) Drop Tanks by ryn@pis.bekkoame.or.jp (Mike Wrenn)
 16) Re: Letter to FASA: Save Traveller! by Scott and Vivian Nolan <nolan@DGS.dgsys.com>

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

Date: Thu, 30 Nov 95 09:11:39 +0200
From: Jyrki.Paajanen/OU=im/OU=ccbi@smc.carel.fi
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Drop Tanks
Message-ID: <H000058703aa002e@MHS>

No. I mean that they use the fuel in drop tanks to charge jump drives,
drop tanks before jump, and jump using their normal displacement tons.
So drop tanks are leaved to the system they are jumping from and those
tanks can be picked up by some special ships (maybe old tenders) and
used again for next fleet. And the fleet arrives to new system with
their main fuel tanks full.
Every Naval Base should have large numbers of drop tanks and a few
tenders to collect them after use.

Jyrki Paajanen


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

Date: Wed, 29 Nov 1995 23:49:30 -0900
From: aswfh@orion.alaska.edu (William F. Hostman)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Partial Armour Missing
Message-ID: <v01530503ace31dab1cc7@[137.229.100.61]>

>And now I ask: Is it OK to leave a gap in the hull to the drive plunge? As
>the rules stands there is no hole at all. Cutting a hole will save several
>tons on the design. The drawback is that a hit in this hull location will go
>straight to the drive without passing through armor.
>
>If the drive is on there may be some protection.
>
>I would like your thoughts and comments on this.

I would simply figure the volume, based upon surface area and hull
thickness, of the drive plunge, and then figure the amount of armor
absolutely required for spaceworthiness, and use that thickness on the
amount of SA of the drive plunge. Figure which hit locs are at the reduced
armor value, based upon the process for Surface hit tables. Vehicles do it,
so why not ships?

Radiators and thruster vents should still have a minimum av=1 per G or per
Atm. (Probably a little thin, but who's really nitpicking?).

I wouldn't have the drive give any protection, as the exhausts will be much
smaller than would be needed, especially at the speeds needed to make
HEPlaR work.

-Wil

William F. Hostman

EMail:          ASWFH@Orion.Alaska.EDU
HomePage:       http://orion.alaska.edu/~aswfh/index.html



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

Date: Thu, 30 Nov 1995 02:01:09 -0700
From: PPUGLIESE@pimacc.pima.edu
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Copyright Infringement
Message-ID: <01HY8JXYNEW28Y72XA@pimacc.pima.edu>

From:IN%"traveller@MPGN.COM" 27-NOV-1995 12:08:18.11
To:IN%"traveller@MPGN.COM"  "Multiple recipients of list"
CC:
Subj:Copyright Infringement

> From: Michael Bailey <pd82495@wapol.gov.au>
> I'm slowly (I've finished 10 of 16 subsectors) transcribing the Spinward
> Marches UWP data found in the Regency Sourcebook into standard ASCII format.
> When I'm done it'll be available to anyone who wants it.

This sounds rather like copyright infringement to me.  If you do this,
what reason do most people have to buy the book itself?  Particularly
at a time when GDW seems to be in difficult straits, this seems grossly
unethical as well as unkind.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Well the RSB *is* a *little* bit more than just a list of UWP's.
Besides, do you really think that a list of numbers can be copyrighted?
Well, I don't.

Phil

ppugliese@pimacc.pima.edu
-----------------------------*-------------------------*-----------------------

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

Date: Thu, 30 Nov 1995 14:01:44 +0000
From: sma@kiel.netsurf.de (Stefan Matthias Aust)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: RE: 7 Ideas...plus a few more gripes and a NSC
Message-ID: <m0tL8gF-0001GXC@kiel.netsurf.de>

>Finally, since Jim started this...I have a couple of ideas of my own
>to throw out.

>One of the worst contradictions in the books is trying to justify
>the number of starships.  The whole thing starts out going on about
>how the post-Virus era only had a precious few rickety, 70 year old
>starships, then in the next paragraph talks about the dangers of
>pirates. C'mon...which is it?

But I also understand that at least Aubaine has a working ship yard and that
Aurora is cabable of repairing star ships. Other RC star ports might have
ship yards than can construct SDBs. Does the rules book say something about
construction time? Otherwise I suggest a construction time of about 1 Week
per 5 MCr ship price, perhaps depending on TL of the ship yard.

Also, each week a S&M team will home stolen or found ships, stranded by
virus, destroyed in the final war, abandoned by the crew that could be
repaired and sold at Auction.

Finally I bed that a relative wealthy region like the RC will attract
spacefaring people (Fartrader, Guilds captains, Virus ships, exploration
vessels from other pocket empires, and so on) from all about the bordering
sectors.

>  If there are so damn few ships, piracy
>is not an option...no on would risk getting their ship shot up for
>the little trade goods that might be passing through. Where are the
>pirates getting <their> ships, fer Chrissakes?

Why do you think that piracy means stealing goods? A starship is worth about
30-40 MCr, no ship can transport goods worth more than the transport ship's
price. Of course pirates should hijack starships. The misrelation between
cargo price and ship price is IMHO the real contradiction.

>If the pirates are raiding defenseless coastal villages and selling
>their stuff in more sophisticated markets a la the original Vikings,
>it makes little more sense, because the economics don't hold
>up...who do they sell stuff to?

Well, I think you mix up here caribian pirates and Skandinavian vikings.

Pirates were attracted by south american gold, they entered ships, captured
goods, people and ships for their own wealth or for their country (as for
example Francis Drake did). They were thief, thugs, sailors how sold most of
their loot.

Vikings on the other hand, were trader, warriors and explorers. They often
robed for their own use. Among their motives are feelings of more strength,
true belief (that's because they liked to rob these wimpsy Christian
beliefers. It shows their own goods greater strength), real worth of
ownership. They laught at their enemies, Frankish knights or Irish monastries.

>what do they take in return?

Slaves, Human work or Information for example.

>Remember all the high tech manufacturing was wiped out.  Without
>some sort of manufacturing base the pirates are limioted to trading
>this high tech relic for that high tech relic, and become more of
>the Fred Sanford of the spaceways rather than Blackbeard.

..or Eric the Red.

>Most of my problems with TNE, like the piracy issue, stem from their
>statements like 'Virus wiped everything out', and 'the Wilds were a
>blasted wasteland'  No, it didn't, and they aren't.

I understand this statement as the first idea of the Dawn League this has
proven false by their first expedition. Now it's to re-explore the
not-so-empty wilds and contact the not-so-rare pockets of remained civilisation.

TED's are another point of misinformation. I think, it's the ignorance of
the RC to call every other government as TED and it's a comfortable excuse
why to steal their technology.

>I see the Imperium in it's latter days, with these vaccuum worlds
>with 3 billion inhabitants, as more of a collection of 'company
>towns' than individual self-supporting planets.  When the company
>goes, so does the town, in quick order, no Virus needed. The
>remaining inhabitants turn to subsistence living, and scratch their
>way through somehow.

I agree one this.

>What this does is make the Wilds less dangerous, and less lucrative
>than before, and forces the strategy of the players to go out and
>find those places that still do support some trade, which means wide
>ranging exploration, and a lot less smash and grab.

What, of course IMHO, is much better than stupid S&G combat missions.


Someone raised the idea of a Rimward exploration mission to contact Terra or
other remains of the Solomani Confederation. I think, that expedition would
be a great campaign setting and a great chance to contribute to TNE without
the fear of contradicting GDW's 'holy plan' of what's the only true story
that has to be written ;-)

Let's take one of this newly repaired ships from Auction on Aurora, a 400t
merchant, refitted with a recovered Jump-3 engine and two laser and missile
turrets, called 'The Memory of Trees.' Plan some useful flight routes based
on the old available star maps and then let's imaginem what could happen to
the 'Memory of Trees' one their two year mission to find other survived
civilisations.

This is captain Eibedo Oleido [EYEbedow olEYEdow],
owner of the Memory of Trees.

STR 5, AGL 7, CON 7, INT 9, EDU 10, CHR 7, SOC 9;
Armed martial arts (blade)-6, Early firearms-6, Slug weapon (pistol)-6,
Pilot (Interface/Grav)-10, Stealth-8, Environment suit-8,
Zero-G-environment-9, Sensors-12, Ship tactics-11, Survey-12,
Astrogation-12, Communications-11, Computer-11, Electronics-11, Physics-11,
Starship architecture-11, Act/Bluff-8, Bargain-9, Leadership-9, Enlightment-12.

[The last skill is his occupation with his own spiritual balance, a skill
special for Spiri and their special kind of religion.]

Oleido is born on Spires 1176. Because of his intelligence, education and
strong wish to 'feel the stars' he managed to visit the second class of the
Hiver Technical Academy 1194 and then got enlisted to the RCN where he made
an astonishing career. After two special operations he leaves 1205 RCN with
the rank of a Lieutenant. He already owns an old merchant starship called
'The Memory of Trees.' Originally planing to work as free trader for the
Kruyter corporation (he already signed the contract), the RCES came to him
with the plan to do a rimward exploration in exchange for a new recovered
jump-3 engine. He agreed.

Oleido is a peaceful man, carefully thinking man. Other people might call
him a slow thinker, but he need to reason a matter from all sides first
before he take a decission. He hates cruelity, loud words, and toughtless
actions. He's good in following long or difficult plans and will neither
give up nor stop it. He really beliefs in success and seems to force it. No
RCN officer ever managed to force Oleido to cut his long brown hair or
remove the typical Spirish headband.


Anybody's other contribution to the crew?

bye
--
Stefan Matthias Aust  //  But it's gonna be really happening to ya


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

Date: Thu, 30 Nov 1995 14:01:42 +0000
From: sma@kiel.netsurf.de (Stefan Matthias Aust)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Traveller novels
Message-ID: <m0tL8gE-0001G8C@kiel.netsurf.de>

I wonder, if someone on the list has read the Traveller novels and what his
opinion is about? I've just finished reading the first book 'The Death of
Wisdom' and I'm neither really excited nor very disappointed.

For me, the book looks more like an instruction and example how to play a
Traveller RC campaign than a real story. Protagonists are more types of
characters than real persons. Perhaps the use of only call signs instead of
real names, the emotionless military behavior (I would call this typical
Prussian) and overwhelming use of direct speech that has no room for
thoughts, emotions or longer descriptions gives me that idea. I guess the
language used by RCES and RCN is derived from US military customs. Very
interesting. I always imagined RCES (and Imperial Scouts) as less formal
organizations whose members talk more like 'real humans' :-)

However, I liked the story line. Good enough that I ordered the second book.
It gave an example how an adventure could look like. And probably, that was
the overall intent of the book! I nice sightseeing tour corewards of the RC.

I was a little bit disappointed that the novel doesn't contain any new
information. It only uses known information from the Path of Tears source
book. It looks like the author wasn't allowed to be creative. (As a side
note, I was amused  about the strange Vilani-German dialect of the Meadsk,
very nice ;-)

What's the book about? A RCES team led by a survived feminine Imperial scout
called Read Sun break a Guild conspiracy against the Hiver race.

bye
--
Stefan Matthias Aust  //  But it's gonna be really happening to ya


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

Date: Thu, 30 Nov 1995 08:57:44 -0500
From: eackerma@vt.edu (Eric Ackermann)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Copyright Infringement
Message-ID: <199511301357.IAA00914@quackerjack.cc.vt.edu>

>From:IN%"traveller@MPGN.COM" 27-NOV-1995 12:08:18.11
>To:IN%"traveller@MPGN.COM"  "Multiple recipients of list"
>CC:
>Subj:Copyright Infringement
>
>> From: Michael Bailey <pd82495@wapol.gov.au>
>> I'm slowly (I've finished 10 of 16 subsectors) transcribing the Spinward
>> Marches UWP data found in the Regency Sourcebook into standard ASCII format.
>> When I'm done it'll be available to anyone who wants it.
>
>This sounds rather like copyright infringement to me.  If you do this,
>what reason do most people have to buy the book itself?  Particularly
>at a time when GDW seems to be in difficult straits, this seems grossly
>unethical as well as unkind.
>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
>Well the RSB *is* a *little* bit more than just a list of UWP's.
>Besides, do you really think that a list of numbers can be copyrighted?
>Well, I don't.
>
>Phil
>
>ppugliese@pimacc.pima.edu
>-----------------------------*-------------------------*-----------------------

Actually, it can. Please realize that copyright infringement criteria
includes an adverse economic impact component. That is, adverse to GDW's
financial interests. It couldn't hurt to get their permission first, and it
might save unnecessary hard feelings (or worse) later on.

Eric

Eric G. Ackermann
Special Collections/University Libraries         VV      TTTTTTTTTTT
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State Univ.      VV     VV  TT
PO Box 90001, Blacksburg, VA 24062-9001            VV   VV  TT
(540) 231-6308 FAX(540) 231-9263  eackerma@vt.edu   VV VV  TT
http://scholar2.lib.vt.edu/spec/spechp.htm           VVV  TT


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

Date: Thu, 30 Nov 1995 07:44:01 -0700
From: PPUGLIESE@pimacc.pima.edu
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Copyright Infringement
Message-ID: <01HY8VO3ZDYA8Y72XA@pimacc.pima.edu>

From:IN%"traveller@MPGN.COM" 30-NOV-1995 07:04:38.21
To:IN%"traveller@MPGN.COM"  "Multiple recipients of list"
CC:
Subj:RE: Copyright Infringement

>From:IN%"traveller@MPGN.COM" 27-NOV-1995 12:08:18.11
>To:IN%"traveller@MPGN.COM"  "Multiple recipients of list"
>CC:
>Subj:Copyright Infringement
>
>> From: Michael Bailey <pd82495@wapol.gov.au>
>> I'm slowly (I've finished 10 of 16 subsectors) transcribing the Spinward
>> Marches UWP data found in the Regency Sourcebook into standard ASCII format.
>> When I'm done it'll be available to anyone who wants it.
>
>This sounds rather like copyright infringement to me.  If you do this,
>what reason do most people have to buy the book itself?  Particularly
>at a time when GDW seems to be in difficult straits, this seems grossly
>unethical as well as unkind.
>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
>Well the RSB *is* a *little* bit more than just a list of UWP's.
>Besides, do you really think that a list of numbers can be copyrighted?
>Well, I don't.
>
>Phil
>
>ppugliese@pimacc.pima.edu
>-----------------------------*-------------------------*-----------------------

Actually, it can. Please realize that copyright infringement criteria
includes an adverse economic impact component. That is, adverse to GDW's
financial interests. It couldn't hurt to get their permission first, and it
might save unnecessary hard feelings (or worse) later on.

Eric

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Copyright infringement includes a bit more than just economic impact cri-
teria. Precedent also figures largely. Besides, from the posts I've seen
from GDW to this list, they've made it pretty clear, IMO, that they won't
be giving permission for anything.

Do you realize that *every* sub-sector of UWP data that's been published
by GDW has been made avail. over the 'Net *except* for the data in the RSB?
Sounds to me as though ample precedent has been set.

Phil


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

Date: Thu, 30 Nov 95 13:46:37 PST
From: Eric Nolan <ericno@microsoft.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: On Teleportation
Message-ID: <199511301450.GAA21884@imail2.microsoft.com>


> As Niven pointed out *long* ago in "Theory and Practice of
> Teleportation", any sort of receiverless or transmitterless
> teleportation isn't a transport system, it's a recipe for a short, ugly
> war.

Somewhat facetiously I would say.  _Any_ is a pretty broad term after
all.  What is the Jump drive except a receiverless teleportation
device?  Sure it has limitations that anyone could point out.

Takes a week.
Cannot jump in within the 100 diameter limit.
Debatably has an indeterminate vector on exit.

However to say that Jump Gate technology without a receiver will allow
you to steal missiles from their racks and drop hydrogen bombs on the
bridge of enemy warships is a big leap.

After all the Zhodanians supposedly have/had teleportation commandoes
and the Imperium still exists . . . . . (sort of)

If you want to talk about teleportation you need to look at the
Traveller universe as it exists/existed and see how teleportation could
fit in.  If some mechanism makes for an unstoppable war machine, then
you have to invent some reason why that cannot work.

Eric.

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

Date: Thu, 30 Nov 1995 09:37:45 -0600
From: Steven Bonneville <bonnevil@itlabs.umn.edu>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Lewis/Aramis
Message-ID: <199511301537.JAA08764@betty.itlabs.umn.edu>

Hyphen wrote:

>2.      LEWIS
>
>>    Most members of the Regency Senate have been reluctant to overturn
>>the interdiction of Lewis, since it was an Imperial decree, and if the Senate
>>were to overturn it, this would signify that the Senate could overrule
>>the Emperor.  While currently there is no emperor, many members cling
>>to the hope that there will someday be one.
[...]
>Perhaps a better explanation could be found as to why the planet is still
>interdicted:

Maybe the Tukeras finally bought out or chased off all the people that they
sold out to, and own the entire planet free and clear again.  Then it would
be the private property of the Tukera family again, and they could retain
the Interdiction to keep the paparazzi out.

This brings up the Andor-and-Candory situation again.  You know, the Tukeras
have a special waiver from the Emperor that lets them come and go from Lewis
as they please, so there's no reason why the Droyne can't have a similar
dispensation to protect the privacy of Andor and Candory, yet still come
and go as they please.  Maybe they needed protection from outsiders coming
in and stealing their religiously-significant artifacts of the Ancient era.

  Steve Bonneville
  <bonnevil@itlabs.umn.edu>


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

Date: Thu, 30 Nov 1995 09:53:09 -0600
From: Steven Bonneville <bonnevil@itlabs.umn.edu>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Sector Mapping Systems
Message-ID: <199511301553.JAA08800@betty.itlabs.umn.edu>

James Kiley <tenzil@io.com> wrote:

>II.  Along the same lines, drop the sector/subsector designations.
>I don't like looking at the map of the RC and seeing it split
>down the middle between Oriflamme subsector and Aubaine subsector.
>It's silly.  Those designations were Imperial tools, and there
>are better designations now.

Actually, the arguments for the way sector and subsector boundaries
are laid out make sense.  The Imperial surveys and astrogational
charts laid out their baseline from Reference/Cadion (Core 0140).
(According to CT's Library Data books.)  They use a ring/ray system
to mark coordinates, radiating from the galactic center.  (In the
game, we ignore this and just use the hex numbers.)  But Reference
is an red dwarf sitting in the lower-left hand corner of the Core
sector.  It's my guess that horizontal sector borders may roughly
follow galactic rings and vertical sector borders follow galactic
rays.  Charted space is small enough that I don't think the curve
or deviation of the lines should be terribly noticable except at
the very edges of Charted Space.

Since all the old surveys would still use this notation, and the
RC may agree that Reference is a handy baseline, there isn't much
reason to change mapping systems.  Besides, sector and subsector
maps in a scale of 8:10 are very easy to draw on a piece of paper
that probably has the same length to width ratio.

  Steve Bonneville
  <bonnevil@itlabs.umn.edu>

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

Date: Thu, 30 Nov 1995 13:12:16 -0500 (EST)
From: Scott and Vivian Nolan <nolan@DGS.dgsys.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Traveller novels
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.951130131151.16346A-100000@DGS>



On Thu, 30 Nov 1995, Stefan Matthias Aust wrote:

> I wonder, if someone on the list has read the Traveller novels and what his
> opinion is about? I've just finished reading the first book 'The Death of
> Wisdom' and I'm neither really excited nor very disappointed.

The second book, "To Dream of Chaos" is better.

Scott

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

Date: 30 Nov 1995 16:54:11 GMT
From: Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: RSB Data
Message-ID: <65535.11033209@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca>

Good point re: copyright, and I usually make a big deal of it too.  <blush>

How does this sound?

Send me a copy of a proof-of-purchase of the RSB (such as a photocopy of the
cover) and a note promising not to pass the file along or post it to a
BBS/Internet, and I'll email you an ASCII file with the UWPs for the sectors
covered in the RSB.

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

Date: 30 Nov 1995 17:02:53 GMT
From: Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Pirates
Message-ID: <65534.11033369@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca>

Actually, you also had pirates in the Aegean back in the Bronze Age.  Landing,
scooping up the portable wealth, and leaving with that (and any decent slaves
you could grab) was one way to help defray the cost of a ship.

Of course, you could also repair your ship by hand.

Try looking at piracy during the Age of Steam.  Small local-built ships
preying on merchant traffic in mainly barbarous regions: but rarely enough to
provoke a naval response or cut off trade.  I think that's the only way you
can make piracy work.

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

Date: Thu, 30 Nov 1995 15:11:38 -0800
From: Christopher_Griffen_at_DMC-SJ3@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Letter to FASA:  Save Traveller!
Message-ID: <0be3b7d0@MailXFER.DMCWAVE.COM>

To celebrate the 500th edition of the TML, I thought I'd send a copy to all of
you of an e-mail message I recently sent to the president of FASA Corporation.

Basically, my message suggested that FASA should solicit GDW for the right to
purchase the Traveller line from them.  GDW has fallen on such difficult
financial times that it appears the company may soon shut down.  Now, I know the
death knell has been sounded for GDW before, and they've somehow managed to
remain in business to this point, but indications are that they are now in worse
shape than they've ever been.  With apologies to Mark Twain, I don't think the
reports of GDW's demise are greatly exaggerated.

As a diehard fan of Traveller, I thought it prudent to at least do something to
try and save the game.  I've played this game for 15 years and have enjoyed each
and every incarnation of it.  It'd be a shame to see that all go away when
there's still strong market interest in the game and high potential for
Traveller products to have continued financial success.  So I composed this
e-mail message and sent it to the company I thought would best assume the
Traveller mantle.

If you agree with me, please join me in e-mailing FASA at fasalou@aol.com, the
address I was given by the company receptionist.  If you do not, your
comments/criticism are welcome.

===============================================================================



Dear FASA:

As a longtime player of roleplaying games, and occasional watcher of RPG market
activity, I'd like to make a suggestion to FASA.

Though I've played AD&D, Shadowrun, Gamma World, Star Frontiers and Star Trek
over the years, the game that has more consistently held my attention is GDW's
Traveller.  The game's rich background history and abundant source material has
made it very accessible to me and many other players.  Traveller is arguably the
best far-future science fiction roleplaying game on the market, and has been
since its inception in 1977.

However, Traveller's parent company, GDW, has fallen on lean times and has begun
to show signs that the end is near.  The current incarnation of Traveller, "The
New Era," has not been a hot seller for a number of reasons, but the reason I'm
most concerned about is GDW's inability to put out Traveller products on a
consistent, timely basis.

In recent weeks, GDW has seen the departure of two of the driving forces behind
Traveller:  Dave Nilsen and Loren Wiseman, the former being the driving force
behind the New Era and the latter being the game's perennial creative guru.
While the two remain with GDW on a consulting basis, they are no longer
permanent employees.  Personnel cuts have been made in other areas as well,
which brings into question the company's continued ability to maintain adequate
product support or to pay creative talent.

Now, why in the heck am I writing FASA about a game from another company?  The
answer is simple.  I and many others in the gaming community would love to see
FASA buy out the Traveller line from GDW and do it justice.  FASA's products are
recognized industrywide as some of the highest quality gaming materials
available.  You release products on time and with more than adequate quality and
selection to satisfy the market.  With the loss of the Star Trek license,
Traveller would make an excellent fit with your considerable line of games.
Furthermore, FASA developed licensed Traveller products in its infancy, and
therefore has some experience with the game.

I believe that FASA's ability to advertise Traveller products properly coupled
with the game's market recognition would result in a profitable venture for your
company.  All the tools are there.  All the game needs is the right company to
take it back up to the level where it should be.

Though this all hinges on your current ability and inclination to make such a
purchase and GDW's willingness to sell Traveller, I couldn't keep silent about
this any longer.  I'd hate to see a game as excellent as Traveller go to its
grave.  Instead, I and multitudes of other loyal Traveller players, would love
to see it resurrected under the guidance of a company who can make the game what
it should be.  I can think of no other company that could accomplish this as
well as FASA.

Sincerely,

Christopher Griffen

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

Date: Fri, 1 Dec 1995 10:18:10 +0127
From: ryn@pis.bekkoame.or.jp (Mike Wrenn)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Drop Tanks
Message-ID: <v01530500ace46dbd82a6@[202.251.250.145]>

Hello,

        It's been a while since I've played Traveller, and all my books are
back home, but I decided to offer a few ideas about the drop tank thing.
        I guess it might be obvious that drop tanks should be either very
disposable or very retrievable.  Very disposable might be a little
difficult, but something like a flexible material that balloons out and
hardens (but doesn't break) when filled with liquid hydrogen might be nice.
Ideally, something that balloons out but doesn't harden would be best, but
that sounds unlikely.  I'm not real familiar with what exactly happens to
clothes and plastics and rubber materials when they get that cold, but if
you're in space and can prevent anything from hitting the tanks (?) it
might be ok.  Just an idea.
        Very retrievable is much easier.  Somebody recommended an idea like
this a few days ago.  Put on the tank a computer and reaction drive which
are big enough and smart enough to find the planet with the space port and
push the tank into a course for orbit with that planet.  Or you could
probably tell it to place itself in one of the Trojan points for easy mass
retrieval if you wanted to.  The main thing is patience.  If you don't mind
waiting about 20 years or so for the initial return on your drop tanks
(after which you would then have a constant return of drop tanks), then you
don't have to put much gas in the drop tank to send it back home.
Retrieval would be very easy and gauranteed (except for the occasional
dumby computer), as you could expect all the drop tanks to show up at the
same place.  Make them come to you.

ryn



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

Date: Thu, 30 Nov 1995 23:51:29 -0500 (EST)
From: Scott and Vivian Nolan <nolan@DGS.dgsys.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Letter to FASA: Save Traveller!
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.951130235017.13340C-100000@DGS>



On Thu, 30 Nov 1995, Christopher Griffen wrote:

> If you agree with me, please join me in e-mailing FASA at fasalou@aol.com, the
> address I was given by the company receptionist.  If you do not, your
> comments/criticism are welcome.

This was a good idea, Christopher!  I'll be writing!

Scott

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

End of TRAVELLER Digest 500
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