TRAVELLER Digest 586

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Why did TNE "Die?" by Christopher Beattie <chrisb@MPGN.COM>
  2) Re: Losing Limbs and Unstreamlined Ships by "David J. Golden" <goldendj@whip.com>
  3) TNE Remains Canon by "David J. Golden" <goldendj@whip.com>
  4) Re: TRAVELLER digest 585 by Steve Charlton/Avalon Software Inc
  5) Okay, I'll stop! by Christopher_Griffen_at_DMC-SJ3@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen)
  6) Re: Discarding TNE?!, & various... by "Harold D. Hale" <hdhale@smtpgate.read.tasc.com>
  7) RE USL Hulls by anwfh@acad2.alaska.edu (William F. Hostman)
  8) Re: TRAVELLER digest 584 by merrick@Rt66.com (Merrick Burkhardt)
  9) Grandfather's hidey hole by anwfh@acad2.alaska.edu (William F. Hostman)
 10) Re: RE USL Hulls by merrick@Rt66.com (Merrick Burkhardt)
 11) Task Systems by anwfh@acad2.alaska.edu (William F. Hostman)
 12) Chunks of TNE History by anwfh@acad2.alaska.edu (William F. Hostman)
 13) RE: Chunks of TNE History by That Computer Guy <darkstar@UDel.Edu>
 14) RE:  Discarding TNE?!, & various... by fredm@datasync.com (Paul Walker)
 15) Traveller VPE: Construction Worker by Michael.Barry@FINANCE.ausgovfinance.telememo.au
 16) Re: Zho's & The E~ by fredm@datasync.com (Paul Walker)
 17) Starports... by jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com (JEFF ZEITLIN)

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

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1996 13:58:19 -0500
From: Christopher Beattie <chrisb@MPGN.COM>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Why did TNE "Die?"
Message-ID: <199602071858.NAA02464@Central.KeyWest.MPGN.COM>

I hate to jump into such nice solar flare
wars but with all the various stupid things
being said this one I simply can not stand.

Q. Why did TNE die?
A. Uh, because GDW died?
Q. Why did GDW die? (Huh huh ... say TNE I dare you!)
A. Well, remember "Dangerious Journies?"
   GDW went downhill from there.

Cutting all other game support didn't help any.
The rise of CGA's and the great role playing
Depression, (Even White Wolf had layoffs) can
not be excluded.

Given that it cannot be determined whether
a different traveller product other than TNE,
would have kept GDW alive or not the statement
that TNE was so bad it died cannot be proven,
and is academic.

Let's face it, there was the good, the bad,
and the ugly in all versions of Traveller.
But hopefully we have learned the mistakes
of the past and the future will have ...
NEW AND UNIQUE GOOD BAD AND UGLY FEATURES!
Just like everything else in life does.

|     _____         |Christopher Beattie |Tantalus Incorporated|
|  ___ |[]|_n_n_I_c |Tantalus @ Key West |        P.O. Box 2310|
| |___||__|###|____)|Development Division|   Key West, FL 33045|
|  O-O--O-O+++--O-O |chrisb@mpgn.com     |Phone: (305) 293-8100|
| Opinions expressed here belong to me!  |  Fax: (305) 292-7835|


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

Date: Wed, 07 Feb 1996 12:11:20 -0700
From: "David J. Golden" <goldendj@whip.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Losing Limbs and Unstreamlined Ships
Message-ID: <1.5.4b11.32.19960207191120.00754818@lynx.csn.net>

At 12:03 pm 2/7/96 -0500, you wrote:
>Dave Golden wrote:
>>       3. Put on my grav belt, which generates a field
>>around it. 99% of my weight magically disappears. Stick my
>>arm outside the field. Now everything up to my elbow is
>>only feeling 0.01G. Everything beyond my elbow is feeling
>>1G. *SNAP* *RIP* Now I don't have anything past my elbow.
>
>Let me see If I have this straight.  1G of force acting on
>eveything below my elbow would come out to about 7 pounds of
>force.  This would be the same as the force that is
>currently being applied to my arm by gravity! OH MY GOD!
>IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE *SNAP* *RIP*!!  I MUST ACT
>QUICKLY OR MY LIMBS WILL BE LOST!!!
        OK, I was exaggerating for effect. The point is, there is going to
be a discontinuity in force applied over the limb resulting in a _shear_
force at the interface. It's not the net magnitude of the force that might
cause a problem, it's the shearing force. For something as short and stout
as your arm, it won't cause any more trouble than laying the upper part on a
table and sticking the forearm out. But for larger or more fragile objects
it will.
 ___________________________________________________________________
  Dave Golden                              PGP Public Key available
  goldendj@whip.com        http://www.whip.com/~goldendj/index.html

  "Faith is not belief without knowledge.
   Faith is trust without reservation." -- unknown


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

Date: Wed, 07 Feb 1996 12:11:23 -0700
From: "David J. Golden" <goldendj@whip.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: TNE Remains Canon
Message-ID: <1.5.4b11.32.19960207191123.00758124@lynx.csn.net>

>No, GDW by fiat killed space to create the space viking RCES.  And paid the
>price.
>The only way to undo it is for FarFutures to publish something saying
>"ignore large
>chunks of published TNE history."

        Can we all save our breath and bandwidth? Marc Miller has already
stated he _won't_ do this. So Traveller IV is going to have TNE as part of
the canon. If that bothers you, feel free to ignore it. Let's move on to
less partisan discussions ...
 ___________________________________________________________________
  Dave Golden                              PGP Public Key available
  goldendj@whip.com        http://www.whip.com/~goldendj/index.html

  "Faith is not belief without knowledge.
   Faith is trust without reservation." -- unknown


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

Date:  7 Feb 96 11:25:28 MS
From: Steve Charlton/Avalon Software Inc
To: traveller <mpgn.com!traveller@globe.indirect.com>
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 585
Message-ID: <9602071839.AA01436@khan.avalon.COM>

Thank you, Jerry.  One could only hope everyone is as reasonable.


>Chris Cox
>DESPERATELY BUILDING AN EXOSKELETON IN NEW YORK CITY
>(chriscox@ix.netcom.com)
>(http://users.aol.com/yanbeck/trav.htm)

I would reply to the abject silliness of your response, but a gravitational
vortex has ripped off all of my fingers....

Steven "Fingers" Charlton
scharlto@avalon.com
Official Kibbitzer for Digest Group Publications
Now completely free of my nail-biting habit

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

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1996 11:24:01 -0800
From: Christopher_Griffen_at_DMC-SJ3@dmcwave.com (Christopher Griffen)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Okay, I'll stop!
Message-ID: <118fdb10@MailXFER.DMCWAVE.COM>

Whoops.  For the record, I posted my last response to Phil Pugliese _before_
reading several posts requesting that the TML war reach a ceasefire.  I will now
cease, too.

It's evident that the whole thing stopped being a rational constructive debate a
long time ago and degraded into a pi$$ing contest anyway.

--Chris

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

Date: Wed, 07 Feb 1996 14:46:47 -0500
From: "Harold D. Hale" <hdhale@smtpgate.read.tasc.com>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Discarding TNE?!, & various...
Message-ID: <s118bb09.056@smtpgate.read.tasc.com>

Phil writes:

>Face it Harold. TNE died not because I don't like it but because it failed to
>generate the necessary support. So, as you said, cut the bullsh*t &
>admit that you don't really care how little support  TNE garnered, you
>just want it because it's what you want.

   The problem is this--do you now abandon any attempt at advancing
the timeline so that you can spend eternity delving into the past?  Even
if you said, ``OK, it's now X years later, and this is a brief summary
of what happened in the interim,`` that would be better than just leaving
everything hanging.

   That's my major concern in all this.  OK fine, MM thinks the TNE game
mechanics don't work for Traveller--his game, his rules.  You still have
to advance the timeline at _some_ point, whether you do that in detail
from 1202 or 2000 is irrelevant.  The story has to continue.

>Nothing wrong with that but don't expect me to agree to squander
>limited resources on a scheme that's already failed. And, yes, it's
>failure *does* mean it is entitled to less, quite a bit less.

   This of course begs the question, ``why did it fail?`` and I think the
answer is more complicated than ``TNE sucks.``  Remember, GDW was
on a downhill slide in revenue long before TNE was introduced.  You'll
find that collapse of GDW caused the failure of TNE, not so much the
other way around.

Regards,

Harold





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

Date: Tue, 06 Feb 1996 19:30:54 -0900
From: anwfh@acad2.alaska.edu (William F. Hostman)
To: traveller@mpgn.com
Subject: RE USL Hulls
Message-ID: <v01530500ad3dd0fd450f@[137.229.100.51]>

>Subject: Re: USL Hull landings
>Message-ID: <9602061804.AA29730@Rt66.com>
>
>This works with the canon, and still allows zepellin type ships if you
>wish, you just pay the extra CRs for "streamlining."  All you need to
>clear up is the definition:  "Streamlined (SL) hulls are those braced
>for operations in significant gravity wells, or that require bracing for
>g-loads off the thrust axis."  and, "Airframe (AF) hulls are hulls that
>meet the requirements for SL hulls, but which also either generate lifting
>force with their hulls (or wings) and/or are capable of X relative
>velocity through an atmosphere."
>
>Sorry, but I don't have FFS in front of me to make the AF definition
>clearer.

FF&S is clear enough; here is a very direct paraphrase: USL hulls cannot
land at all, SL cannot land if atmosphere is thin+; Only AF hulls can land
in any atmosphere of note. CG can modify this. (FF&S, p10)

On page 75, it makes no references to streamlining in the text on CG. It
simply allows a ship to float down. It still takes thrust to get back up.
So one CAN land that way. In BL (mk1md1) it clarifies that SL hulls can
land in atmospheres of thin+ only if they have CG (BL, mk1 md1, p. 1)

>I don't allow CG on USL hulls since they aren't braced for the loads.
>That's my few credits worth, anyway.
>
>-Merrick

Note: Under Mega, all vehicles except for "Aircraft" aircraft (Helo's,
Blimps, planes, and ballons) used a configuration and streamlining code.
Many ground vehicles had code 4usl (box, unstreamlined). They obviously
could land in atmosphere.

Also, under MT, the following quote applies:

"Streamlining: Any ship of configuration one to six, regardless of
streamlining, can land on a world with an atmosphere of zero or one; for
all other worlds, streamlining is required. Irregular structures and
planatoids cannot land on any world."
(MT Referee's manual, pg. 58.)

For reference, the codes are as follow:
0       open frame              5       sphere
1       needle                  6       dome/disk
2       cone                    7       irregular
3       cylinder                8       planetoid
4       box                     9       buffered planetoid


So, since all designs done with book 2 under CT were in that 1-6 hull type
range, they can all land on planets w/o significant atmosphere.

I belive this is the basic answer to the origional question. (Phil's
diatribe not withstanding.)

-Wil

William F. Hostman

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



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

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1996 12:56:16 -0700 (MST)
From: merrick@Rt66.com (Merrick Burkhardt)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 584
Message-ID: <9602071956.AA01611@Rt66.com>



> Yep, but, again, so what? The rules elsewhere make it quite plain - see page
> 10 of FF&S - that there is no structural mass difference between a USL, SL,
> and Aerofoil Hull. They all mass the same, their internal structure all
> masses the same. All these structures are modified by the G Rating of the
> (presumably) HePlaR engines in the same way. They can perform maneuvers that
> will stress the hull in a variety of different ways that will make the simple
> act of sitting on a planetary surface in a 1G gravity well seem completely
> inconsequential. Given that there is no mass difference between the different
>hull types, and that the hulls need bracing to meet the same maneuver elements,
> then there seems little likelihood that the hull would be unable to stand up
> to gently floating down on cg lifters at around 40 kph. We're not talking
> high speed re-entry here.

This isn't always true.  It is along the thrust axis.  All the g loading
is along the thrust axis.  Well not always.  The total acceleration
applied over a time interval is x gs.  It is either from one axis of
thrust, in which case my comment applies, or it has several rockets that
push in different directions and to get the full x gs, it rotates them
to the same direction serially to apply their thrust.  In that case the
g loading in the non-prefered thrust axis is x/#rockets gs (since it's
braced for the total possible).

For most ships this means a prefered thrust axis.  The others have
several thrust axies all braced to their share of the load.

So you could land the sucker on its tail if you bothered to put the CG
on there as long as the surface gs aren't more than the hull is rated at
along the axis in question.

As for the "gently floating down" concept, I guess I keep thinking this:
If the CG lifters are discreet, then they apply forces to the hull where
they are (as if they were little rocket motors).  Can the USL ship
cantelever mass from those points where the CG is?

I still (personally) tend towards the definition:

Any ship that can't land is USL.

A ship that can only land with CG is SL.

A ship that can fly (land without CG) is AF.

Then all you do is pay the extra few % on the hull cost, and don't worry
about it, since the only thing that'll change is adding/removing a U on
your ship form :)

I agree that FFS isn't clear about this and that you could prove damn
near anything with lots of it.  I saw the point in the rules that said
landing ability could change depending on the installation of CG, but it
never says exactly how.  I think it's reasonable to interpret the rules
in such a way that the designs published make sense with the canon, and
there are ships that can't land in traveller.  Of course I never used
AG/CG on anything larger than an APC in my universe (ot thruster plates
for that matter).

-Merrick

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

Date: Wed, 07 Feb 1996 11:06:55 -0900
From: anwfh@acad2.alaska.edu (William F. Hostman)
To: traveller@mpgn.com
Subject: Grandfather's hidey hole
Message-ID: <v01530500ad3eb530c293@[137.229.100.71]>

>The Zhodani core expiditions were getting too close to Grandfather, so he
>hit them where it would hurt, the glue of their civilization.  When the
>Ancient's War was over, Grandfather retired to the clean environment of the
>core(compared to the devastated area of known space).  There, with
>specimines of all the major and minor races he could collect as well as many
>animal specimines, he continued his genetic experimentation until he saw
>(heard, sensed, whatever) the Zhodani's coming coreward, and getting rather
>close to some of his experiments.


Grandfather's hidey holes, and eskaloyt, are located in the spinward
marches, according to supplement 12: Secrets of the Anchients.

Sorry Paul, but you've just run against a cannon wall... Yaskodray
(Grandfather) is alive and well in the marches, where you can find access
to his pocket universe, if you know were to look. And yes, he took more
than one system with him when he hid. Including the Anchient's homeworld.

-Wil

William F. Hostman

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



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

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1996 13:19:17 -0700 (MST)
From: merrick@Rt66.com (Merrick Burkhardt)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: RE USL Hulls
Message-ID: <9602072019.AA03852@Rt66.com>


> FF&S is clear enough; here is a very direct paraphrase: USL hulls cannot
> land at all, SL cannot land if atmosphere is thin+; Only AF hulls can land
> in any atmosphere of note. CG can modify this. (FF&S, p10)
>
> On page 75, it makes no references to streamlining in the text on CG. It
> simply allows a ship to float down. It still takes thrust to get back up.
> So one CAN land that way. In BL (mk1md1) it clarifies that SL hulls can
> land in atmospheres of thin+ only if they have CG (BL, mk1 md1, p. 1)

If this is the case then does it need to mention it?  Page 10, USLs
can't land, period.  Page 75, here're the CG rules (implied: use them as
long as it doesn't contradict other rules).  CG on a USL, sure.  Land
with it... hmmm, see page 10.  No.

I don't see any paradox here.  Saying there is is like saying that
"sure, I can put a 6g drive in any hull, the Mdrive rules don't mention
hull types."  Then you make a hull to the 1 g specs. Whatever bracing is,
USL forms are those that don't meet the requirements to land by
definition.  I'd tend to let them land if they are set up for it, but
make accidents very nasty indeed and control would be non-trivial in
many cases.

Wind would be interesting, too.  You'd decend Mdrive down, and any cross
winds would have to be corrected for with attitude thrusters (assuming
you don't use flywheels for this).  If the wind is too strong you have
all the control of a balloon.

-Merrick

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

Date: Wed, 07 Feb 1996 11:39:19 -0900
From: anwfh@acad2.alaska.edu (William F. Hostman)
To: traveller@mpgn.com
Subject: Task Systems
Message-ID: <v01530502ad3ebc256504@[137.229.100.65]>

>> Success: 2d + Skill Level +(Att/5)
>> Success targets of 3+/7+/11+/15+/19+ for the five difficulty levels.
>
>
>I'd rather see a new system based on TNE, than one based on the (roll
>some dice, add some numbers, compare to (target with modifiers
>applied)) that seems to be the MT system.
>

Difficulty numbers were fixed; no modifiers to them were ever involved
under DGP/MT task system. All modifiers were to the dice rolls.

Wereas, under TNE, both difficulty level chances and direct additions to
asset exist. (look up Hand Computer in TNE).

-Wil

William F. Hostman

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



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

Date: Wed, 07 Feb 1996 11:39:28 -0900
From: anwfh@acad2.alaska.edu (William F. Hostman)
To: traveller@mpgn.com
Subject: Chunks of TNE History
Message-ID: <v01530503ad3ebd7eb60d@[137.229.100.65]>

No, GDW by fiat killed space to create the space viking RCES.  And paid the
price.
The only way to undo it is for FarFutures to publish something saying
"ignore large
chunks of published TNE history."

                                                                        Ted7
Which brings back the basic problem of TNE History: it prevents any real
rebuilding of the Imperium. It changed the way things work, the way people
and good travelled, and the background, and then came out with FF&S, which
said, ok, if you want to use them, here's the old stuff. It did this too
late for most of us, and really is different enough to be a separate
universe.

Traveller? Yes, but just barely.
Mainstream Traveller? Not really. Too many differences in how things work.

-Wil

William F. Hostman

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



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

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1996 17:06:20 -0500
From: That Computer Guy <darkstar@UDel.Edu>
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: RE: Chunks of TNE History
Message-ID: <199602072206.RAA20450@chopin.udel.edu>

In Reply to Your Message of Wed, 07 Feb 1996 15: 37:20 EST
Date: Wed, 07 Feb 1996 17:06:20 -0500
From: That Computer Guy <darkstar@chopin.udel.edu>

: No, GDW by fiat killed space to create the space viking RCES.  And paid the
: price.
: The only way to undo it is for FarFutures to publish something saying
: "ignore large
: chunks of published TNE history."
:
:                                                                         Ted7
: Which brings back the basic problem of TNE History: it prevents any real
: rebuilding of the Imperium. It changed the way things work, the way people
: and good travelled, and the background, and then came out with FF&S, which
: said, ok, if you want to use them, here's the old stuff. It did this too
: late for most of us, and really is different enough to be a separate
: universe.
:
: Traveller? Yes, but just barely.
: Mainstream Traveller? Not really. Too many differences in how things work.

I don't see this.  I see new boundries for the Imperium, with The
Marches as the center of it.  At least for the time being.  Granted,
there could be a time in the far future (pardon the pun) when the
Imperium is back to it's former glory.  But there's no reason to
assume that it can't achieve a little bit of its old self in the near
future.

       --Jerry

8) Jerry Alexandratos                %  "Nothing inhabits my    (8
8) darkstar@strauss.udel.edu         %   thoughts, and oblivion (8
8) darkstar@canary.pearson.udel.edu  %   drives my desires."    (8

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

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1996 16:02:13 -0600
From: fredm@datasync.com (Paul Walker)
To: traveller@mpgn.com
Subject: RE:  Discarding TNE?!, & various...
Message-ID: <199602072202.QAA00856@osh1.datasync.com>

>Forget it Phil.  You can have the last word.  People have asked us to
>stop and I'm going to respect their wishes.
>
>       --Jerry

Bravo to Jerry.  Thank you for showing some maturity.  Don't stop discussing
the subject, though, just don't argue.

Anyway, IMHO, TNE didn't kill Traveller.  I agree with a point I think you
made.  Shop owners were skeptical to carry TNE after the MT flop due to poor
proofing.  I know if I were a shop owner, I would be leery(sp) to carry it
(and I like it).  With so many other professionally done games, it doesn't
make sense for a shop to waste valuable shelf space with a second rate
product(Not that TNE was second rate, but after MT, I'm sure many end
consumers weren't willing to take the chance).

I also agree with Phil.  MM will likely not have initial investments enough
to produce multiple historical settings.

So, If you are listening Mr. Miller.  My wish list is as follows:


  - TRAVELLER 4: A main rules book that includes:  basic character
generation         (human and alien) for multiple careers (at least ten),
basic world/system         gen charts, basic starship/equipment/vehicle
design sequences (FF&S extra         lean and lite :*), basic trade
guidelines, basic combat guidelines, lots         of
equipment/vehicles/starships, basic task resolution, a major detailed
timeline (including maps of the imperium at such&such a date), a short
write-up about each of the main time periods available, and at least
three mini adventures (one for each of the three main time perions:
CT/MT/TNE and any new time periods you want to include).  The size of
this book would be along the size of the TNE book, but must be well
organized, well proofed, and readable.  I know this is a major work, but
it may be the only way to at least soothe everyone. (300-500pgs(possibly
in a 3-ring binder))

  - CONVERSIONS - A complete rules book to transfer all characters,
equipment/vehicles/starships, and any other items to the new system.
This book must be fair and easy to work.  Everything ref's and players
currently have must be transferrable(sp).  (30-50pgs)

  - ADVENTURES 1 - A booklet of two (one regular/one mini) adventures for
each           time setting you choose to support initially.  (6-10
adventures in 60-100         pages)

These first three books should come out at the same time, or relatively
close to one another (within two months.)  The rest of these would be
Printed as resources become available.

  - EQUIPMENT GUIDE - One equipment guide for each time setting.  Any new
settings books would need more equipment than already published settings
(the equipment from previous settings can be transferred usine the
Conversions book).  The newer settings would also need a section
detailing the general guidelines for equipment/vehicles/starships from
that setting (Main Tech level, Main uses of equipment, etc).(25-35pgs for
old settings/50-75 pgs for new settings)

  - "TIME PERIOD" SOURCEBOOK - One sourcebook for each time period.  This
would          include details about each time period.  This would become
the main              reference guide for the time period covered.
Includes:  Main Regions            (ie, TNE: RC & Regency),  Main people
(ie, MT: Dulinor, Lucian, Norris,          Strephon), Corporations,
Adventure hooks, Aliens known, Etc.  (50-100pgs)

  - ADVENTURES # - One book of 5-10 adventures for each time period.
Include all         types of adventures:  Hack-n-slash, Diplomacy/Spy,
Colonization, Trade,         Others.  (75-100 pgs.) (Multiple Books)

  - ALIEN SOURCEBOOK - A detailed book on each of the major races, and one
book         to cover multiple (2-4) minor races.  This should include:
Advanced Char         Gen, History Timeline, History Time Period Write-ups
(To run alien         campaigns in alternate time periods), small
equipment/vehicle/starship         guide, physiology, psychology, other
relevant info.  (75-100pgs)

  - REMBERANCE - A Reprint of CT/MT/TNE out of print material.  Three or
more         seperate books.  (For the benefit of people like me :) who
didn't get on         the bandwagon until too late.)

  - FF&S LITE - As has been discussed here often.  (More gearhead oriented
than         the Basic rule book, but not as much as the current FF&S (If
you want the         detail of FF&S use FF&S and convert the
equipment/vehicle/starship.))

  - CAREER SUPPLEMENT -  Rulesbook for advanced char gen for the main
character         types (Does construction worker fall in this category?  :)
)  Include         modes of operating for military/business, NPC generation
in this field,         Main employers in this field:

         - Trader Guidebook - includes major companies, modes of business
operation, etc.
         - Naval Guidebook - includes major race navies, Standards of
Operating,                 etc.

        Each book would help players and Ref's Flesh out character
backgrounds         (could include detailed background rules) as well as
give players and         ref's an idea of what type of life the character is
used to.

  - OTHER - Miscellaneous other supplements.  IE, Virus, Coyns, Etc. Others
as         Requested/Desired/Necessary.

  - DETAILED RULES - Detailed rules for World/System building, Large scale
ground         combat(Striker), Small scale Ground Combat, Small Scale
Starship                 combat(BL), Large Scale (Fleet) Starship
Combat(BR), Etc.  (Multiple         Books)

This is nearly my complete wishlist.  This is also nearly a complete product
line and would probably not be completed for a decade or two.  I hope this
is what you wanted to hear.  I like your Idea of multiple timelines, and I
think the best way to support them is jointly at first (ie ADVENTURE 1
above).  The only other products I would like to see are Novels and
Promotional Items (Shirts, Posters, Pins, Ties, Etc.).

I also am prepared to offer my services as writer on a commission basis.
Please let me know if you are interested, I would love to help keep
Traveller alive.

Paul

"54-40 or Fight!"

PS.  I almost Forgot.

  - REFEREE QUICK GUIDE - A reference for Referee's including the most
useful            tables (ie Encounter, NPC gen, Etc)  and a master index to
all Teaveller         products.


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

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1996 17:05:51 +1000
From: Michael.Barry@FINANCE.ausgovfinance.telememo.au
To: traveller@MPGN.COM (Non Receipt Notification Requested)
Subject: Traveller VPE: Construction Worker
Message-ID: <500517070296*/G=Michael/S=Barry/O=FINANCE/PRMD=AUSGOVFINANCE/ADMD=T
ELEMEMO/C=AU/@MHS>

Since GDW is now defunct and it is up to us to Keep the Flame, I am working on a
new rules set for Traveller: Village People Era.

Special thanks to the intrepid Traveller who posted their ideas on Construction
Workers for TNE. I am going to base the GI on Mercenaries from Book 4, Felipe
Hose (the Indian Chief) on the Barbarian from Citizens of the Imperium, and the
Policeman from the TNE rules. If I can incorporate enough aspects of CT, MT,
Rebellion/Hard Times and TNG (sorry! TNE), I can corner the massive unseen
market for Traveller products that GDW just didn't quite manage to tap into. I
know they're out there, only silent: just like the Moral Majority.

I guess what I'm looking for is ideas for songs, equipment, other characters,
grubby spaceport bars etc etc etc to 'flesh out' my universe (so to speak). I
thought that 'In the Navy' would be a good theme song.

Comments?


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

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1996 16:39:52 -0600
From: fredm@datasync.com (Paul Walker)
To: traveller@mpgn.com
Subject: Re: Zho's & The E~
Message-ID: <199602072239.QAA02854@osh1.datasync.com>

I said...

>>The Zhodani core expiditions were getting too close to Grandfather, so he
>>hit them where it would hurt, the glue of their civilization.  When the
>>Ancient's War was over, Grandfather retired to the clean environment of the
>>core(compared to the devastated area of known space).

Tom replied...

>Stop me if I am wrong, as it has been a while since I last read CT's Alien
>Module 5, Droyne, but didn't Yaskodray pinch himself off a pocket universe
>seperate from this one?

Sorry, I don't have access to CT materials and my MT materials are limited
(Main rules Boxed set & Ref's Companion).  If this is true someone please
let me know as it tends to break down, mutilate and destroy my otherwise
perfectly solid theory of the Empress Wave.  :)=)

Paul (tiger)

"54-40 or Fight!" - TBW SK


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

Date: Wed, 07 Feb 96 17:38:00 -0500
From: jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com (JEFF ZEITLIN)
To: traveller@mpgn.com
Subject: Starports...
Message-ID: <8BA5422.0100069AB4.uuout@execnet.com>


The following is the result of the NYPD underemploying me.  I had
to at least _look_ busy...  Comments/Criticisms welcome.  Flames to
/dev/null, please.
====================================================================

Introduction

Starports tend to take on a certain importance to a frequent Traveller.
They are a focus for certain necessary activities, and they provide
services that Travellers of all types find desirable.  However, the
typical Universal World Profile provides only for a single-character
descriptor for a starport - the familiar A, B, C, D, E, X ratings, and
the ratings for spaceport types F, G, H, and Y.  These ratings give
enough information for routine activities - they answer the questions
"Can I get fixed here?" and "Can I get fuel here?".

There are other activities that take place at a starport - Quarantine,
on the Frontier and inter-polity borders is one such activity; cargo
loading and unloading is another; and various kinds of services,
including tourism-related services, will be available.  The following
system will allow for an extended profile to give the Traveller
information at a glance about the starport and its suitability for a
particular purpose.

The Universal Extended Starport Profile

The format of a Universal Extended Starship Profile (UESP) is as
follows:

A-AAAAAAAA
| ||||||||
| |||||||+--- Tourist Facilities                             (TF)
| ||||||+---- Business Facilities                            (BF)
| |||||+----- Live Cargo Handling                            (LC)
| ||||+------ Non-living Cargo Handling                      (CH)
| |||+------- Fuel Availability                              (FA)
| ||+-------- Dock Size                                      (DS)
| |+--------- Ship Repair Capability                         (SR)
| +---------- Ship Construction Capability                   (SC)
+------------ Overall Rating - this is the code from the UWP (OV)

Each character has a specific meaning, which, when combined with the
ratings in other areas, gives an overview of what to expect at the
starport.  Note that no distinction between orbital ports and ground
ports are made; it may be assumed that ports with an OV of A or B have
orbital components; C ports may or may not, and all other ports are
ground-based only.

Ship Construction Capability

This code represents the ability of the starport to construct
spacegoing vessels.

Numeric codes larger than 0 represent an exponent of 10 that denotes
the displacement of the largest starship that can be constructed at
the port.  A 0 means that the starport is known to construct military
starships of classified displacement, but is not known to construct
civilian ships.  Letter classifications represent an ability to
construct non-starships of displacements in hundreds of tons, with
the ordinal position of the letter in the Anglic alphabet, omitting
the letter X, representing the multiplier.  Thus, a ship construction
rating of 4 indicates that the port can construct starships
displacing tens of thousands of tons, while a rating of Z represents
an ability to construct non-starships of up to 2500 tons
displacement.  The code of X represents an inability to do any ship
construction.  Note that a starport with a starship construction
rating can also construct non-starships of similar size, but no
larger.

Ship Repair Capability

A starport can automatically perform annual maintenance and
structural repairs on any ship that it could construct.  This rating
represents its ability to repair ships that are larger than it can
construct, up to a limit of the port's dock size.  Codes are one of
the following:

        S - Structural Repairs: Replacement of load-bearing members
            and hull sections
        M - Annual Maintenance: heavy maintenance needed once per
            year, including replacement of drive components
        H - Heavy damage: similar to annual maintenance, but
            availability of parts may not be immediate, as it is in
            annual maintenance.
        L - Light damage: drive parts are unavailable, but
            adjustments and remanufacturing of old components is
            possible.  Parts for other systems easily available.
        C - Cosmetic damage: adjustments and refinishing possible.
            Replacement parts generally not available.
        X - Repairs to large ships not possible.

Dock Size

This code is interpreted the same as the code for Ship Construction
Capability.  Letter codes are not used, except for X, which refers to
a port that has no docking facilities.  The 0 code is used for
starports that permit only military craft to dock.

Fuel Availability

This code represents the type of fuel available, and, in the case of
unrefined fuel, the method of availability.

        R - Refined fuel available from starport facilities
        U - Unrefined fuel available from starport facilities
        D - Unrefined fuel available through "dipping" under control
            of starport authorities
        W - Unrefined fuel available through "dipping" with no
            restrictions
        X - No fuel available

Non-living Cargo Handling

This code represents the level of loading and unloading services for
non-living cargo available from the starport.

        M - Massive:  Virtually any starship can be loaded into the
            cargo hold of a sufficiently larger ship.
        H - Heavy: Hundreds of displacement tons can be loaded in one
            operation.  Special Packaging (radioactive, biological,
            special environment, etc.) available.
        L - Large: Cargos not requiring cranes or heavy antigrav can
            be loaded.  Special Packaging other than special
            environment available.
        N - Normal: Special Packaging other than Flammable, Gas,
            Corrosive, Radioactive not available.  Maximum loadable in
            one operation 100 displacement tons.
        S - Small: As Normal; maximum loading 75 displacement tons or
            less.
        P - Portable: Manual loading only.  Antigrav not available.
        C - Crew: Facilities available, but no stevedore service.
        X - No cargo handling facilities available.

Live Cargo Handling

This code represents the level of loading/unloading and life-support
services for living cargos.  Note that these codes apply only to
broadly terrestrial-compatible life forms.  The capability drops
based on the need of an ungeneered human to survive in the required
environment as follows:  If a human needs a class C environment
suit (basically thermal clothing and/or filter masks), life forms
from that environment can be handled at the indicated level.  If a
class B suit (pressure differential) is required, life form handling
is at one level lower.  If a class A suit (protection from corrosives
or extreme pressure differentials) is required, life form handling is
at two levels lower.  Note that these codes assume that all life forms
involved are for a single cargo, and are all of the same type.  Many
starports are able to handle several live cargos at once.

        H - "On the hoof": Herds of large herd animals can be
        maintained for up to one week.
        S - Single large animals can be maintained for up to one
        week.
        P - "Packs": Groups of medium-sized animals (dog or
        cat-sized) can be maintained for up to one week.
        K - Kennel: Single medium-sized animals can be maintained for
        up to one week.
        C - Contained: Small animals (caged or otherwise contained
        [e.g. aquaria, terraria, et cetera]) can be maintained for up
        to one week.
        X - No live cargo maintenance available.

Business Facilities

This code describes the ability of the shipowner or operator to
conduct business without leaving the starport.  It includes
availability of brokerage services, legal assistance (both barristers
and solicitors), obtaining permits and clearances, and other
business-related services.  Note that the absence of any particular
service implies that higher-level services are also not available
(e.g., no solicitors implies no barristers and no Consular/Diplomatic).

        A - All activities can be managed without leaving the
            starport.
        C - Consular/Diplomatic services cannot be obtained at
            starport.
        B - Barristers are not available.
        S - Solicitors are not available.
        T - Trans-shipment of cargo to the planet's surface/nearby
            cities is not available.
        K - Brokers are not available.
        P - Permits/Clearances are not available.
        X - Public communications facilities are not available.

Tourist Facilities

Most planets consider it advisable to make it easy for tourists to
visit - tourism, after all, brings in offworld money, which makes it
easier for the planet to engage in offworld trade.  Nevertheless, there
can be a wide variation in the quality of service that an incoming
tourist can expect to experience.  This code provides a guideline on
what to expect.

        A - Every courtesy is extended to tourists; any service
            requested is likely to be available (perhaps at a price)
        R - Transient residential facilities (B&B, hotel, etc.) are
            available.
        S - Shopping (usually duty-free) and dining facilities are
            available.
        B - Baggage/Package transfer to the planet's surface/nearby
            cities can be arranged
        L - Live communication to the planet's surface/nearby cities
            is available
        M - Recorded Message Transfer to the planet's surface/nearby
            cities is available.
        C - Customs/Health/Immigration and Frontier Quarantine (where
            applicable) only.
        X - The port does not have provisions for incoming tourists.

Standard Expectations

As was indicated earlier, the single-character starport/spaceport code
allows you to assume a certain level of facilities at a port.  The
table below shows the minimum and "normal" facilities levels in UESP
format for each single-character port type.

Minimum                 Normal
A-5M7RLXBB              A-6M7RHSAR
B-ZM4RLXBB              B-4M5RHPAR
C-XL4UNXSB              C-ZH4UNKCS
D-XC3WPXSL              D-XL4USCBB
E-XX3XXXXX              E-XX4WCXPC
F-ZC3ULXSC              F-ZL3ULCCC
G-XX3WPXTC              G-XC3DSXBC
H-XX2XXXXX              H-XX2WXXPC
X-XXXXXXXX              X-XXXXXXXX
Y-XXXXXXXX              Y-XXXXXXXX

==========================================================================
Jeff Zeitlin                                      jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com
---
  OLXWin 1.00a  Chief Archivist, Regency Institute for Cultural Education


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

End of TRAVELLER Digest 586
***************************
