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From: owner-traveller-digest@mpgn.com (Traveller-digest)
To: traveller-digest@Phaser.ShowCase.MPGN.COM
Subject: Traveller-digest V1996 #739
Reply-To: traveller@mpgn.com
Sender: owner-traveller-digest@mpgn.com


Traveller-digest     Tuesday, December 10 1996     Volume 1996 : Number 739



(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.
All rights reserved.

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Re: Mechs in Traveller
Re: Roller Coasters in the 57th Century
Re: Grand Adventure stuff, Foss Art Design Competition
Re: Grand Adventure stuff, Foss Art Design Competition
Re: Traveller-digest V1996 #737
RE: Starships--Got IT! (fwd)
RE: Starships--deckplans
Bitter Starships Review
Re: Roller Coasters in the 57th Century
Bruce Who?
Traveller on IRC - Very Long!
re:  Traveller on IRC
Re: Roller Coasters in the 57th Century
RE: Mechs in Traveller
Psi Musings Article (Draft) (LONG)

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

Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 13:15:57 -0800
From: Rich Ostorero <stormhvn@inreach.com>
Subject: Re: Mechs in Traveller

Daniel Poulin wrote:
> 
>
> >
> Gimme a bloody break! Giant Robots!
> 
> My favorite description of Giant Combat Robots can be found in the
> supplement Trident/RMBK for Living Steel: 70 tons of junk, 70 tons of
> Molten Slags, 70 tons of useless scrap".  Giant Robots, while
> technically feasable in Traveller terms (remember the mention in 101
> vehicles), they are useless militarily.  The pressure on the ground
> would make these vehicles useless on any type of terrains but the
> hardest.  The technology (and space) required to put legs on something
> like that and make it walk is useless when one can think of what you can
> put on a grav tank.  The signature of these things would be so great as
> to make them useless militarily.  Any decent missiles would blow them to
> pieces.  It would be sufficient to blow one leg away to make these
> vehicles stationary.  At least a stationary tank can be thought of as a
> light pillbox that can rotate.  A stationary mech is but a target.  You
> couldn't put any decent armor on these things because of the weigt ratio
> (you don't want your mech to end up in the ground evertime).  Think
> there is a reason for tracks on tanks.  Once more, while building mechs
> is a fun thing to do using the traveller rules (even FF&S), any decent
> general would prefer to donate them to his enemies in the hope that they
> would use them.  This was my ranting for today.  This closes our
> programming for today.  Thank you :-#).

Ahhh yes, the "walking tanks suck" thread. 

I counter by saying: Trav is a science-fiction game. Technical barriers are assumed to 
be overcomable. You say they can't be overcome, I say that technology can and will 
overcome the barriers you raise. 

I'm a gentleman, not a flamer, so can we agree to disagree?  

- --Rich Ostorero
stormhvn@inreach.com

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

Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 13:39:24 -0800
From: Rich Ostorero <stormhvn@inreach.com>
Subject: Re: Roller Coasters in the 57th Century

Craig Berry wrote:

<<much kewl stuff about grav roller-coasters deleted>>
> 
> Just imagine it..."Nine Flags Over Sylea"...

My over-caffienated mind reels, Craig . . . .:)

A serious question:

What would be the proper number for "X" in "X Flags Over Sylea?"

Just wondering out loud,

Rich
stormhvn@inreach.com

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

Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 13:31:35 -0800
From: Rich Ostorero <stormhvn@inreach.com>
Subject: Re: Grand Adventure stuff, Foss Art Design Competition

Joseph E. Walsh wrote:


> 
> Sounds like a good idea.  I'll even donate a free copy of Starships to be
> the prize, as long as you do the judging and take the heat for the whole
> thing, Bruce. ;)

Why stop with just the monorail illo? How 'bout that "mech?"

- --Rich
stormhvn@inreach.com

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

Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 16:50:46 -0600 (CST)
From: "Joseph E. Walsh" <ransom@connect.iconnect.net>
Subject: Re: Grand Adventure stuff, Foss Art Design Competition

On Tue, 10 Dec 1996, Rich Ostorero wrote:

> Why stop with just the monorail illo? How 'bout that "mech?"

We'll see how this contest turns out - if it goes well, I'm not opposed 
to doing another one in January, if Bruce isn't (perhaps with a prize of 
a copy of Aliens or CSC).  We'll see...


- -Joe
______________________________________________________________________________
Joseph E. Walsh      |  Atari 8-Bit User and Programmer Since 1982
ransom@iconnect.net  |  Classic Traveller Referee Since 1983
Stuck in the '80s    |  Microsoft-Free and Loving It! :)
       .....Official Reporter of Imperium Games Product Info.....

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

Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 10:40:34 +1100
From: "Phillip McGregor" <aspqrz@curie.dialix.com.au>
Subject: Re: Traveller-digest V1996 #737

> Date: Mon, 9 Dec 1996 22:11:08 +0000
> From: "Bill Hopper" <whopper@pobox.com>
> Subject: Re: Carriers & Fighters
> 
> > From:          "Douglas E. Berry" <dberry@hooked.net>
> > At 10:26 AM 12/8/96 +1100, Phillip McGregor wrote:
> ...
> > >In other words, why don't Imperial Carriers carry most of their
fighters in
> > >*external* racks rather than all internally. Also, with Thruster
plates
> > >(rather than HePlaR), which go to full speed and (as I understand it)
don't
> > >have accel (they do 6G as a *speed* rather than as an accel) and a
zero-G
> > >environment, there's no real need for a steam catapult equivalent, you
can
> > >launch directly from the hull with little adverse effect. Internal
Hangar
> > >space is for maintenance and repairs.
> 
> > One problem that leapt out at me as I read you post was you are making
the
> > fighters' "roost" a very tempting target.  Since the majority of the
> > docking/pilot access gear is *outside* the CVs hull, it isn't defended
by
> > armor, and, as any BL player will tell you, surface hits scour away
things
> > like docking rings and external grapples like a sandblaster.
> 
> The thing that leapt immediately to my mind was the logistics of 
> manning the fighters in a crisis.  On a wet navy carrier, the pilots 
> run out on deck and jump in their planes.  That doesn't work in a 
> space navy.  10,000 externally mounted fighters means to me that you
> have 10,000 pilots running down 10,000 corridors to get to the 
> 10,000 hatches which lead to them.  How many and how long would the 
> corridors have to be in order to give access to all those fighters?  
> How much internal volume would have to be didicated to those 
> corridors?  What provision would you make for recovering damaged fighters

> when you have 10,000 different docking locations?

Since there are no rules in Traveller for *any* sort of corridor/access
space, so what? Sure, this *is* a "cop out", but we're not *really*
pretending that Traveller Ship design is realistic, are we?

Anyway, I doubt that you'd get carriers with 10k fighters - that's 100k
displacement tons of fighters alone! Since most CV designs in Traveller
don't have that many *anyway* it is a ridiculous objection. IIRC, the
biggest CVs in "Fighting Ships" (the Antiama Class Fleet Carriers) only
displace 100ktons themselves, and carry a mere 300 fighters. They also have
offensive armament that could (and should) be disposed of - a 100 ton Meson
Gun Bay, a 100 ton Particle Accellerator Bay, 5 x 50 ton Fusion Gun Bays,
60 x 50 ton Missile Bays, 160 triple beam laser turrets.

All it needs are the fighters and its *defensive* armament - 100 ton
Repulsor Bay, 160 triple Sandcaster Turrets, Nuclear Damper, Meson Screen -
*and* its Battle Group of escorts. Carriers do *not* operate alone.

I would guess that you could fit at least double the number of fighters in
with no loss of functionality.

Even if you did, the way you'd do it is, of course, by dispersal. You'd
have the fighters deployed on the hull in clusters, probably one per
Squadron or Wing, and the Pilots and Crew would have their quarters (or
ready rooms) situated close by for immediate access. Think of something
like the multi-plane access hubs at major airports, but for Fighters. I see
no problem, personally.

Phil

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Phillip McGregor | aspqrz@.curie.dialix.oz.au
Have Game Designer, Will Travel 

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

Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 19:03:50 -0500
From: Eric Freitas <edf@atlantic.net>
Subject: RE: Starships--Got IT! (fwd)

From: 	Andrew Boulton

>1. Say what everything is - it's really annoying to find a room on a 
>deckplan and not be able to identify it (T&G did this a few times).
>
>2. Grid squares.
>
>3. Consistent symbology - CT defined this, but for some reason TNE 
>chucked it out the window and made up a different one every time the 
>printed a plan.

I think that I can handle those three points.  I hope to have my first
converted ship up on my ("under construction" would be an 
understatement) web page.  I'll announce the location when it's 
ready.  

Eric Freitas

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

Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 19:17:18 -0500
From: Eric Freitas <edf@atlantic.net>
Subject: RE: Starships--deckplans

Eris Reddoch wrote:

>As file attaches?  I don't have much luck with file attaches that go
>*through* this list.  I can handle them if they are sent directly to me
>though.

I'm going to put them on my web page.  The first ship should be
available this weekend.  I'll post a message to let everyone know 
when & where to get it.

Eric

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

Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 19:27:58 -0500
From: BrianMays@aol.com
Subject: Bitter Starships Review

After waiting weeks for Starships to arrive in my game store, I am sorely
dissappointed.  I know it's Traveller, it's nostalgic, and we've been giving
them lots of room to get their act together, but how much room is enough?

My previously posted fear regarding ship design limitations proved true.
 5000 tons, no more.  The ship design sequence is fabulous, but should have
been extended.  Waiting for a supplement is no excuse.  There would have been
plenty of room in THIS book if they'd removed the superfluous "art" plates.
 These plates are all clotted into a section in the back without explanation,
and, as everyone has pointed out, have nothing to do with Traveller.  And I
am sure they added considerably to the (over)price on this book, which is a
$12.00 book at most.

The ship layouts are pathetic "Windows Paint" computer-generated sketches.  I
pulled out Supplement 7 to compare, and there was NO comparison: Traders &
Gunboats was phenomenal, Starships is juvenile.  One detail in particular
irks me more than others:  there are tiny areas on the ships labelled "fuel",
and there are also large "grey" areas that serve no apparent function.  Are
they fuel, too? Streamlining?

As much as I LOVE the T4 rules (simple, clean, rational), so far Imperium
Games' production has just, to put it politely, REEKED.  The many volumes of
errata for MT and TNE told me something wasn't right at GDW; now I'm starting
to think they should have just let it die gracefully.

I know, a game is what you make it, and a lot of us have been playing
Traveller for long enough to be able to make up for any errors on the part of
the company, but if they, as professionals, expect people (especially the
"next generation" of Traveller players that's been discussed as being their
focus) to PAY them to put out game material, they have GOT to get their act
together.  The products thus far have been unprofessional in a way that is no
longer accepted among game companies.  This isn't the 70's anymore: the
market is full of other GREAT sci-fi games.

I get the creeping feeling that IG is coasting on their reputation to produce
sales.  In my eyes they are rapidly losing credibility.  I ADORE Traveller!
 I want IG to excel!  However, their next releases better kick butt, or I
fear IG won't be bragging about "20 years" of anything.

Brian

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

Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 18:43:42 -0600 (CST)
From: Joseph "Chepe" Lockett <jlockett@io.com>
Subject: Re: Roller Coasters in the 57th Century

Quoth Rich Ostorero:
> What would be the proper number for "X" in "X Flags Over Sylea?"

I'll cast my bet for "Seven Flags over Sylea":

	Pre-Contact "United Nations" -type flag
	   (Assuming the Sylean race, like the Solomani, tended towards
	    balkanization in their early, pre-starflight history)
        Sylean multi-world government
	   (After jump drive acquired from Vilani traders)
	Vilani Ziru Sirka
	Solomani Rule of Man            (-2204 to -1776 or so)
	Independent world in Long Night (-1776 to - 650 or so)
	Sylean Federation                (-650 thru   0)
	Third Imperium                      (0 and on)

- ----------------------------*------------------------*------------------------
 Joseph L. "Chepe" Lockett  |"Nullum magnum ingenium | GURPS fan, Amiga user,
http://www.io.com/~jlockett | sine mixtura dementiae | Shakespearean scholar,
  Email: jlockett@io.com    | fuit." -- Seneca       | actor and director.

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

Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 19:33:28 -0600 (CST)
From: "Joseph E. Walsh" <ransom@connect.iconnect.net>
Subject: Bruce Who?

Hi,

I've had some email questions asking who the heck I mean when I say, 
"Bruce Johnson will judge the Foss Art Contest."  So, I'll answer that 
here so everyone knows: I mean the frequent TML participant who is at 
Arizona State University's Department of Phramacology. 

"Oh, THAT Bruce Johnson!" :) 

Sorry for not being more specific...


- -Joe
______________________________________________________________________________
Joseph E. Walsh      |  Atari 8-Bit User and Programmer Since 1982
ransom@iconnect.net  |  Classic Traveller Referee Since 1983
Stuck in the '80s    |  Microsoft-Free and Loving It! :)
       .....Official Reporter of Imperium Games Product Info.....

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

Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 18:34:12 +0000
From: "Suzette C. Dollar" <suzd@goodnet.com>
Subject: Traveller on IRC - Very Long!

Thursday night is Traveller night on IRC!

Last week had a reasonable turnout, we had a total of ten people show 
for the evening.  We'd love to have more!   Our topic last week was 
"Game Handouts" and we came to the general concensus that nobody 
really gives anything out, but do generate deck-plans, maps and that 
sort of thing.  Many of the attendies remembered Supplement 12 fondly 
for its ID's and forms.

Here is a sample of part of the evening's conversation:

<SteveP> Y'know...all the handouts I ever got in any game 
were durring cons while playing LARPG's.  Pretty neat 
stuff, though....albeit not Traveller related.

<JoeW> What type of stuff?

<SteveP> Various currency (drawn or typeset up...it's 
fake, of course), Mangled documents...cut glass used to 
simulate crystals or jems...

<JoeW> The cut glass idea is good.  Rhinestones would 
work, too.  

<SteveP> Yep.  And I think somewhere packed away is my 
"official Temporal Council of Earth" membership card.

<JoeW> Ah, right - I have used ID cards in my games.

<SuzD> I would think that various ID's would be fun.

<SteveP> I got to play Santa Claus...it was a hoot.

<SuzD> Think of all that kind of stuff we carry around now...
<SuzD> And imagine what kind of stuff they'd have then.

<SteveP> IG should release another set of ID cards like 
GDW used to have in Supplement 12.

<JoeW> If the game was taking place within Solomani 
space,there is a perhaps interesting possiblity.  If 
it's happening at a supposed Ancient site, they could 
dig up some product currently available in th real 
world...or from earlier this century...
<SuzD> That would be fun.

<JoeW> ..might be a good opportunity for role-playing as 
th characters try to figure out the purpose of this 
"ancient" device.
<JoeW> Maybe ATari 2600 paddle controllers or something. 
[G]

<SteveP> Hmmm...CredCards that read your thumbprint...a-la 
MasterCard?

<JoeW> Steve: Yup.  I had those printed up on cardstock, 
cut 'em up, and used 'em.

<SteveP> Joe: Or Worse...run an RCES game where the 
players have to access some incompatable computer 
database...and hand them an 8" floppy disk!

<JoeW> LOL, Steve. :)

<shadowcat> oooohh...
<shadowcat> better idea 
<shadowcat> hand them a stack of punch cards

* SuzD grins

<SteveP> Ouch!  Much better!

<SteveP> Shadow> AND get them to translate them?

<shadowcat> my dad actually asked me to take a box full of 
puch cards to have read

<shadowcat> this was yesterday

<SteveP> Ick!  Wha'd you do to irritate him so?

<JoeW> Steve: Yah, make them do conversion to octal, then 
to EBCDIC or something like that - by hand. ;)

<SuzD> I thought we were trying to make the game enjoyable for 
our players?
* SuzD looks confused *

<shadowcat> He had NFC that you couldnt find a reader for 
them

<JoeW> Suz: Oh, yeah. :)

<SuzD> Oh, we're in the "out to get them" mode.

<SteveP> Suz: our Evil Ref side is coming out.

<SuzD> Ok, I can play that game, too.
* SuzD grins


The conversation always wanders around the Traveller universe, and 
rarely stays on the topic of the week, so even if the topic announced 
doesn't interest you, come by anyway!

This week's topic is "Your Favorite Character", either one you played 
or one that played in one of your games.  Discuss what made the 
character so memorable. Was it their personality or something 
eventful he/she chose to do?  

I will be asking all attendees tonight what night next week would be 
best in light of the Holiday week.  Please feel free to email me a 
preference, as well.

I'll be on IRC by 6:00PM Mountain Standard Time.  The following time
zone equivalents apply:

             US Eastern :  9:00 PM 
             US Pacific :  6:00 PM 
             London     :  2:00 AM 
             Paris      :  3:00 AM

We have been trying to use the same server to help keep us from
getting lag.  We have had recentt luck with:

             Manhattan.KS.us.undernet.org
             ports numbered:6660-6669 

If at first you don't get through, try again.  If you can't get on
this server, try another one that you have with your program, but make
sure that it has the '.undernet.org' suffix or you may not be able to
find us. Finally, as a last resort, if you have any troubles, eMail
me. I will keep my email running and checking mail every 3 minutes.  I
will be happy to try to help you land at the correct jump coordinates.
My email address is:  suzd@goodnet.com
Sorry for the length. 

Your IRC Gang... 

SuzD, stiger, JoeW, shadowcat  (AKA, Suz, Paul, Joe, Kevin)
Suz Dollar
suzd@goodnet.com

*Nothing is really work, 
 unless you would rather
 be doing something else*
           --James M. Barrie

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

Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 18:45:23 +0000
From: "Suzette C. Dollar" <suzd@goodnet.com>
Subject: re:  Traveller on IRC

Sorry about the reference to the holiday....  Hold that thought til 
the week after :-)  I don't *really* want Xmas a week early <g>

Suz
Suz Dollar
suzd@goodnet.com

*Nothing is really work, 
 unless you would rather
 be doing something else*
           --James M. Barrie

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

Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 17:58:29 -0800
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <dberry@hooked.net>
Subject: Re: Roller Coasters in the 57th Century

At 01:39 PM 12/10/96 -0800, Rich wrote:
>Craig Berry wrote:
>
><<much kewl stuff about grav roller-coasters deleted>>
>> 
>> Just imagine it..."Nine Flags Over Sylea"...
>
>My over-caffienated mind reels, Craig . . . .:)

You should try growing up with this guy as a big brother.. he ALWAYS is
thinking like this.


>What would be the proper number for "X" in "X Flags Over Sylea?"

Hmmmm... Vland, Rule of Man, whatever they had before the SF, Sylean
Federation, Third Imperium.  Since sylea might have been balkinized at some
point in it's history, the possibility for multiple flags for the Long Night
must be considered.  (78 Flags, Shields, Rock Paintings, and Transponder
Codes Over Sylea!)

Now let's put these flags *high* over Sylea.. Orbital roller-coaster,
anyone?  AT TL14-15 You could probably build it so an atmosphere is
reatained along the track, allowing for thrilling open-car rides.

+----------------------------------------------+
| Douglas E. Berry          dberry@hooked.net  |
|     Professional Driver - Traveller Guru     |
|        http://www.hooked.net/~dberry/        |
|**********************************************|
| "Life's a journey, not a destination."       |
|                                   -Aerosmith |
+----------------------------------------------+

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

Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 17:58:34 -0800
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <dberry@hooked.net>
Subject: RE: Mechs in Traveller

At 08:42 AM 12/10/96 -0500, you wrote:
>But the thing about the original question that I think everyone has 
>strayed from is what the purpose the mechs were designed for.
>
>Not large scale warfare.  As people have pointed out, they would be 
>handicapped.  The purpose was for duelling or grudge matches.  Mech 
>against mech.  Like in Robojox.  A champion from the contesting worlds 
>brought their mechs to an arena to battle.  In this form, the mechs 
>would be feasible.

So train your nobles in fencing.  Or use a sim-tank.  Or play Yahtzee.

>"Let's see.  We can spend millions of MCr on an army to settle our 
>desputes or we could spend a couple of hundred on a champion to fight 
>their champion."
>
>Which makes more sense economically and humanly?

You expect people to make sense?  In 1939, Hitler made outrageous demands of
the Polish government to widen the East Prussian corrider to Danzig.  The
Poles, mindful of what had happened to the Austrians and Czechs, not only
agreed, but gave Hitler more than he wanted.  Hitler broke of talks, fuming
to the press that the Poles were being unreasonable.

You expect a Hitler to accept the results of one-on-one combat to decide the
fates of worlds?

Human history is filled with vendettas and wars that spiralled far beyond
their modest beginnings.  (A prize to those whose can explain to me how the
assassination of an Austrian Arhduke by a Serbian led France and Germany to
four years of bitter warfare.)

I think that if this contest were to take place, the losing leader would
calmly open his comm, state "begin plan 'B'" and then gun down his oppenents.

+----------------------------------------------+
| Douglas E. Berry          dberry@hooked.net  |
|     Professional Driver - Traveller Guru     |
|        http://www.hooked.net/~dberry/        |
|**********************************************|
| "Life's a journey, not a destination."       |
|                                   -Aerosmith |
+----------------------------------------------+

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

Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 17:22:43 -0900
From: aramis@lunatic.asylumbbs.com (William F. Hostman)
Subject: Psi Musings Article (Draft) (LONG)

] since the bulk of the comments on long articles goes against my better
] judgement, here goes one for them. This is put out for playtest prior to b=
eing
] submitted for JTAS. (c) =A91996 by William F. Hostman. Permission to use i=
s
] granted to Far Future Enterprises and the members of the Traveller mailing
] list. No other commercial use, and please, no posting to the www.
]
] please comment on the content and mechanics; the typos should be cleared u=
p
] soon.
]       -Wil

=46irst off, let me say that there is nothing inherently wrong with nor
missing from the T4 Psionics rules. However, there are both several
"traditional" special disciplines, and some extensions to the standard
five, as well as some new (read: optional) rules for dealing with psionics.

*Disciplines* and Powers
The following new powers and disciplines should be rolled for just like the
base five, but some of these may either have pre-requisites of other
disciplines, or be augmented by other disciplines, or may be part of other
disciplines, or diallowed entirely, all at the ref's option. Note that
expansions to some of the existing disciplines are listed under headings of
that discipline.

*Telepathy*
Telepaths have so many abililities that I thought these abilities should be
in a separate discipline; GM's may, at their discretion, merge them into
one or re-arrange them.

One other note: a telepath should be able to converse freely (as long as
they want) with another telepath at no cost to a range of 3 meters; It may
be adviseable to let them converse with anyone who is willing by this
method, to.

*Advanced Telepathy*
=46eeder: This ability allows one Psionic to feed Psi-Points to another
Psionic. The other cannot go above his normal maximum.
Range: Contact ,+ 1 band per +1 point.
Target gains: 1 per point.
Duration: until used.

Mental Illusion:This power allows the telepath to plant visions into the
target's mind. ONLY the target will see them. If the target is not
conscious, they will be nothing more than a dream. This power may be
actively resisted by the target, if the target has a reason to believe that
the images he's seeing are not real. To do so, the target rolls versus the
higher of Int or End, and rolls with a number of dice dependant upon the
nature of the illusion. A Firebreathing dragon while the character is in
the bathroom would be easy; the same dragon in the woods would be average
or difficcult (depending upon local fauna and the target's knowledge of
it). Resisting against a gunshot in the middle of a firefight while
charging would be impossible.

Also, the target will react as though the illusory world is real, but
willactually act out the fantasy. To change the illusion while it is going,
the telepath must roll 2d6+(Telepathy Level) -(number of active changes).
Normal changes due to the target's actions do not count. Ths power can also
be used to present the real world, as it is, with only minor differences,
with little or no effort.
Range: Touch, + 1 range band per point.
Duration: 1 minute, x2 per point.

Invisibility: This power allows the telepath to become invisible to direct
observation by sapient or near sapient beings. Most animals with
centralized nervous systems will also be affected, but will become edgy.
The character will not be percieved by anyone within range by any means
(direct or indirect), but no equipment will be affected whatsoever. So,
afterwords, the guard's security taes will show the telepath, even though
the guard will swear he didn't see the telepath at all.
Range: Close plus 1 per range band
Duration: Minimal concentration.
Effect: non-Psi's, +1 level of shield per +1 point

Shield Other: This ability allows a Psionic to shield other persons than
himself; unlike his or her personal shield, this is not automatic nor free
(except at low ranges and durations). The target loses the shield if he
gets too far from the Psi during the duration.
Range: Contact, +1 band per point
Duration: 5  minutes, x6 per point
Targets: 1, +1 per point

Borrow Senses: This ability allows one to telepathically "Ride Along" and
utilize someone else's senses. The Telepath has no direct control over the
person whose senses he's borrowing. Excellent for teleporters, as they have
"Directly Percieved" the area.
Range: Contact, +1 band per point.
Duration 1 minute per point.

=46licking: Flicking is the ability to utilize psionically sensitive
switches. To use such a switch, one must know (or have reason to assume
correctly) the location of the switch. This power is most common amongst
the Zhodani, for whom it is simply an aspect of normal telepathy OR
telekinesis. Such switches are usually of the on/off type, but may also be
3 position, or even "Keypads" or "Keyboards" composed of multiple switches.
Range: Contact, +2 range bands per point.
Duration: instant, +1 minute per point.

*Domination*
This discipline is a relative of telepathy, but focuses upon forcing ones
will upon another. While some can do both, many can only do one or the
other, despite the fact that both use the same basic neural pathways. The
same task rules apply to dominate as for telepathy: Roll 2d6+(Dominate
Level)-(Target's Telepathy Level) for Int or less. Also, unless the Psionic
is a telepath, many of the powers will require the user to speak to the
victim in a language the target knows. Unless noted otherwise, the dominate
powers require communication. Those who posses this discipline are often
(sometimes for other reasons) called Dominatrixes.

Stun: This ability allows one to momentarily stun or frighten the
target(s). The target will be unable to act for a certain (very short)
period of time. This power may be used upon more than one target. This
power does not require communication.
Range: Contact, +1 band per point.
Duration: 5 seconds, +5 seconds per point
Targets: 1 point for 1 target, x2 per point

Command: This power lets the character give a simple (one sentence, must be
short) command to the target. If the command would bring physical harm to
the target, the ref may allow a resistance roll versus (Target's
Int)+(Target's Telepathy or Dominate)-(Dominatrix's Dominate), and at a
difficulty based upon how innocuous the action seems; ie. the less obvious
the harm, the harder the task. Also, the target will not contiune the task
after the duration expires. The target must succeed at a formidable task
against intelligence to recall doing the command, unless the Dominatrix
lets him, in which case the target recalls the whole thing, including the
Dominatrix's telling him what to do (unless telepathy was used to give the
actual command).
Range: 1 pt for contact, +1 band per point.
Duration: 1 minute, x10 per point.
Add send thoughts: +1 point (if a telepath)

Subjugation: This power completely subjugates the target's will; he will do
whatever he is told. He will not even hesitate to do things directly
putting him at risk. He will, however, recall the entire action (although
not know why he did it). The target may be given command after command, and
there is no range limit upon completion of the task.
Range: 3 points for contact, +1 band per point
Duration: Concentration, +5 minutes per point
Add send thoughts: +1 point (if a telepath).

Compulsion: This power is used to plant a deep seated compulsion (one
sentence in length) into the tartget's psyche. Compulsions implanted with
this power are treatable by a good Psychologist; who must roll a
psychology + Int task to eradicate it, usually taking several weeks of
therapy. The more obvious the compulsion, the more likely someone will
notice. May be resisted, as well, an impossible task of int, unless the
task is directly and obvously hazardous, in which case it would merely be
staggering. In cases where the compulsion is obviously lethal, the
resistance roll is Formidable. Compulsions may be beneficial, too; the
Zhodani use them in severe criminal insanity cases to prevent the abberant
behaviours so that the underlying psychological problems may be cured.
Range: 3 points for touch. +1 range band per +2 points
Duration: Permanent
Difficulty to cure: Easy, + 1 difficulty level per +1 point.

Exhaustion: The target will suddenly become mentally and physically
exhaused. This is enhanced by the target's brain releasing sleep hormones
and excercise by-products, as well as reducing respiration and heart rate,
and setting opposed muscle groups off at the same time. This power does not
require communication. The "Damage" is an addition to the target's
endurance pool, and lasts until the target has rested enough to recover
from the endurance pool.
Range: Contact, +1 point per range band.
Duration: Instant/Until rested.
Damage: 1d6 per point.

*Teleport*
Teleport, as shown in the T4 rulebook, is a one-trick discipline... but it
need not be so. Here are a few new abilities to go with it

Exoteleport: The ability to send items elsewhere. Especially usefull with
grenades, buckets of paint, clips of ammo. Note tat the power has two
ranges: one from Teleporter to object, one from teleporter to destination.
Both must be paid for separately (it is easier to send a held something 25
meters than to move an object 20 meters away a mere 5 meters from its
starting point). As with teleport, the teleporter must have a good
visualization of the destination, and of the target. Just like normal
self-teleportation, the attempt will fail if there is matter in the target
point. Also, the whole object must be teleported as a whole; you cannot
exoteleport parts of an object or being.
Range to item: Touch, +1 range band per point.
Range to destination: Contact, +1 band per point.
Mass: 1kg, x5 per point

Blink: This power allows one to "Dodge" bullets, blades, fists, etcetera.
This is an active, semi-instinctual, and expensive defense. Blinking moves
you one to one and one-half  meters in the direction of your choice
(provided nothing is at the target point). You can turn this power on and
off at no cost; you cannot override a blink when it is on, and you cannot
bring it up in time to avoid an attack that has already been rolled. You
must also have been aware of the attack for the blink to occur, best
handled as a task: Int +Perception +Teleport with the same difficulty as
the attacker had for hitting you. Note that blink is generally ineffectual
against autofire when in the open.
Range: 1 point for 1 meter.
Duration: Instant.
Mass: self and items carried only. No other beings or life-forms.

=46licker: This power involves teleporting inches at a time, continuously. I=
t
is very draining, and causes as much to be added to the endurance pool as
is taken from the Psi Points for using it. It causes the Teleporter to
"flicker" through teleportations, making him harder to hit.
Range: Self
Mass 100kg per 1 point
Attacker Penalty: DM-1, additional -1 per +1 point.

*Telekinesis*
This Discipline is relatively complete, although some would say that the
Thermokinesis should be part of it. (One previous edition of traveller did
so.) I will present Thermokinesis as a separate discipline.

*Thermokinesis* (AKA Adv. Telekinesis)
The ability to heat and cool matter through force of mind. There are only
two powers, and they are both (intentionally) fairly "low powered" at first
glance. Keep in mind, though, that a 5=B0 C change in body temperature can b=
e
fatal, and that objects should (for play ballance reasons) be heated or
cooled as a whole... it's fine to heat the door 'til it melts, or the knob
and lock, but not the tumblers, nor 1g of the petrol at the fuel dump.
Effect is in Degrees C per second.
Also, the two powers are so closely related as to need only one set of stats=
:
Pyrokinesis and Cryokinesis
Range: Contact, +1 band per point
Duration: 5 sec, x6 per point
Mass: 1kg, x10 per point.
Effect: 1 point per 1=B0/sec.

*Clairavoyance*
This discipline is again, fairly complete. However, a few more oddball
clairavoyant techniques might find some use. The new abilities are all
temporal in nature; mucking about with viewing the past can make a Ref's
life hard. Some ref's might want to split these off into Temporal
Perception as a Discipline of its own.

When using Clairavoyance, Clairaudience, Clairaolfactilism, or
Clairatactilism, the character can move his sensual focus anywhere within
his range; anything within range will be visible; anything beyond will be
grey fog. When using them in combination, they all shift focus together.
The movement can be as fast or slow as the user desires. These powers
should be blocked by artificial psionic shields. An individual in a shield
should have his face described as an orb of grey fog.

Psychometry: The ability to read psychic impressions off of a device,
primarily the unique signature of someone who has handled it previously.
Effect is a measure of time back that the clairavoyant can check. This
power cannot give a view of the circumstances, but only the user and how he
was handling the item.
Effect: 1 day for one point, x7 per point thereafter.
Range: Touch, +1 range band per point thereafter.
Viewing: one sense, +1 sense per point

Postcognition: the ability to see the past. Range is a measure of how large
an area the clairavoyant will percieve; said effect is always centered upon
his location at the start of the viewing. Effect is, once again, the amount
of time into the past he can look. Normally, the clairavoyant will be using
sight, although other forms of perception are allowed. Duration is how long
he can look around.
Effect: 1 day for 1 point, x7 per +1 point.
Range: Close, +1 range band per point.
Duration: 1min, x10 per point thereafter.
Senses: one sense, +1 sense per point.

Clairaolfactilism: The ability to Smell and Taste at range. This ability is
of rather limited use on its own, but is able to be added to clairaudience
or clairavoyance for +1 point. The effect is that the clairavoyant's senses
of smell and taste become located at the focus of his power; he can sniff
at anything in range.
Range: Contact, +1 range per 1 pt
Duration: 1 minute, +1 minute per 1pt
Effect: Clairavoyance, Clairaudience, clairatactilism may be added for 1
point each.

Clairatactilism: The ability to feel at range. Just as sensitive as the
character's chosen Range: Contact, +1 range per 1 pt
Duration: 1 minute, +1 minute per 1pt
tactile appendage.
Effect: Clairavoyance, Clairaudience, clairasentience may be added for 1
point each.

Precognition: The ability to see into the future. Thiswould be great, were
it not for the axiom "If you don't want the players to ruin the plot, don't
let them roll the dice". Rather than letting the player aim this one, the
Ref should instead let the playerse part of the event, but not its
resolution. For example: let the player see the back of Dulinor's head
before he assasinates strephon, with Dulinor raising his gun, but from such
an angle as not to see who he's aiming at, and the vision should fade
before Dulinor fires. Also, don't let them ask specific questions; rather,
let this power be a plot hook generator, that the players invoke. There is
no range limit, per s=E9, but rather a time limit. Due to the lack of rolls
under T4 rules, this power can easily be a problem if not handled
carefully. Also, the events might require task rolls to be understood; 4d6
vs Int + Clairavoyance Discipline is a basic guideline for anything the
player wants explained. Players should be free to leap to conclusions of
their own, without resort to system mechanics.
Number of Events: 1 event per 1 point.
Time Range: 1 month, x5 per point

*Computer Empathy*
This discipline, I have found, can be one of the most unballancing psionic
abilities in a game unless held carefully in check by the ref and the
player. You have been warned. This discipline is the ability to access,
control, and program computers via a warped, machine-specific, form of
telepathy. This discipline is not meant to be a catch-all machine controll;
it should be a tool for the hacker of the party. It can be even more fun to
put the least computer-friendly of the party with computer empathy, and let
him learn to be a hacker.

Terminal: The Psionic can acess the computer as though he was at a
terminal. He has no more access than any other terminal connected to the
machine, nor are his actions any less traceable by the security software.
It is just that he need not be near any actual terminal, and his actual
location might baffle guards for quite a while. If he does anything he's
not allowed to, he will set off security protocols, just as though he were
at a terminal.
Range: Contact, +2 range bands per 1 pt.
Sophistication: 1point per 2 Computation Ratings (CR; see T4, pp. 64 and
78)  of the computer.
Note: 1 point could also get +1 Range Band and +1 Computation Rating.

Back Door: This allows the user full access, as though he were logged in as
the system adminisitrator (superuser status). His actions are not traceable
nor logged, but he can still only do what the system is designed for and he
is skilled enough to do with full access at a terminal anyway. So if he
can't program, he can't write new programs. If he doesn't know how the
system's password file is set up he can't make any new accounts. But he can
still look around. He can run programs. He can muck up the system. He
effectively has all the passwords (although he will NOT remember them
afterwords, since the real process is bypassing them all, but he might be
able to set up a new account for himself with superuser priveledges...),
and cannot be traced.
Range: Contact, +1 range band per 1 point.
Sophistication: 1 point per 1 CR.

Thought into Code: The psionic can actually put programs into the computer
with mere thought. Such programs are not commercially viable, however, as
they are totally machine specific, and utilize actual code from the
existing software. They cannot be run on any machine other than the one
they were put into. The character must have the needed skills, as well
(except computer). Said programs function just like any other program, so
long as no other programs on the machine are removed, moved, or upgraded,
and so long as no hardware is added or removed. This power can also be used
to create data files; Data files created this way ARE portable.
Range: 1 for contact, 1 point per range band.
Sophistication: 1 point per CR.
Program Size: 1 per size point of the program.

Zap CPU: The psionic can actually cause damage to a computer, as a telepath
would a mind. The damage may be chosen as either permanent or temporary.
When the damage rating of the computer is exceeded by permanent damage, the
CPU and memory storage systems are all melted, blanked, or otherwise
permanently destroyed. Temporary damage, or some combination of temporary
and permanent, that exceeds the damage rating results in shutdown until a
techie resets the machine and reloads the software.
Range: contact, +1 band per 1 point
Damage: 1d6 per 1 point, on the personal combat scale.
Duration: until repaired if permanent.
        until reset/rebooted if temporary.

Read Storage Devices and Peripherals: the ability to read data going to or
from a given peripheral or memory device (Printers, drives, sound cards,
jump drive interface, holo-crystals). This power is the most problematic;
it should be carefully watched, if allowed at all.
Range: 1 point for touch, +1 range band per point thereafter.
Duration: 1 minute. +1 minute per 1 point.
Speed: same as reading.

Handling Psionics: Rules Options

With the addition of new disciplines and powers comes a need to re-evaluate
some of the methods of character aquisition of psionics. Since some of
these also involve adding to the existing disciplines, the task is more
complex.

Rolling for Psionic Disciplines
When looking at the gaining of psionic disciplines, one must consider how
many disciplines the ref wants. The standard, -2 per roll, is enough to
limit average characters to one or two, and the brightest will have 3 to 5;
few will have more disciplines than that. Switching this modifier to -1 per
roll will tend to give every psionic at least 1 discipline (assuming Int
7+), and many will have two or three; some will actually have 6 or 7
disciplines!

Going the other direction, to a -3 per roll means that most will haveno
abilities, and no human can have more than 3, as a roll at -16 to Int is at
best a target of -1.

Wild Talents
Another Option is for the Ref to check for "Wild Talent". Wild talents are
individuals who posses the ability to use a particular discipline without
formal training. I reccomend 4d6 versus the lower of the character's Int or
age 18 Psi. Wild talents should have a 1d6 skill in 1d3 POWERS, all from a
single discipline. These powers are used normally, but the player only
knows what the powers are, and nothing else. Wild Psi's do not lose their
power-specific skills when trained. They learn the disciplines normally,
and until the discipline is to the power's skill, uses either. As they are
eclipsed, they may be dropped. Additionally, Wild Talents continue to lose
points off the Psi attribute until trained. (In a lot of the  literature,
Wild Talent Psionics tend to fade in power with age.) Wild talents may not
raise their "wild" skills.

Power Specific Skills
This option allows Ref's to require separate skills in each psionic power,
rether than the broader disciplines.

Doing so is simple; the character graduates with all the powers he can use
at level 1. Using Telepathy against a shielded target requires rolling your
skill in the offensive power, and deducts the target's skill in shield.
(Shield gets a check any time it blocks a telepath.)

This proceedure has the additional advantage of slowing down psionicists
development rapidly.

Limited numbers of powers per discipline
as an option, require players to roll for each power within the disciplines
they have. Either they can do it or they can't. The proceedure is simple:
roll 2d6 for each power for Int - number of powers in that discipline
attained. Each discipline resets the target numbers. A 12 roll means stop
rolling for that discipline.

Learning New powers requires some rationale. It also usually requires a
teacher. Basically, the proceedure is basically about a week or two of
training, followed by rolling as above. Said roll is at the same modifier
as you left off at. Because of the nature of the modifiers, you will never
have more powers in a discipline than Int -1 (roll a 1 on 2d6 buddy... I
dare you... and no cocked dice or telekinnesis, either!)

This option works even better when combined with the Power-Specific Skills
Option.

Going Too Far
When a psionicist pushes his ratings, under the T4 rules he permanently
loses one point of his Psi rating if he fails the Int roll. Several other
options are presented here.

Losing the Use of Powers
When the player fails the Int check, he loses the use of the power, for as
many weeks as he failed the roll by. On a crit fail, he loses it
permanently.

Losing Psi Temporarily
The psionicist still  loses the psi, but only for as many months as he
failed the roll by. Again, a critical failure is a permanent loss.

Gaining Insanity Points
The psionicist has a blow-out causing hallucinations, bad dreams, or other
psychological problems... gain one insanity point per point you failed by.
(See the Insanity Rules, below.)

Losing Disciplines
Rather than the loss of  Psi point, the character loses a discipline, and
all of its powers. This can be either temporary (1 month per point failed
by is reccomended) or permanent.

Combinations
Randomly or logically choose which of the options best fits the current
plot lines and needs of the game each time a psi pushes his limits. Tell
him the effects AFTER he has failed his Int check... and watch him squirm.
Losing disciplines, or a whole point of psi permanently can be very
draconian, and make for hard choices, especially if the players know in
advance that those outcomes are possible. If using a random table, each ref
should set it up for the feel and style of his campaign.

Pushing too Hard, part II
Players will often feel contstrained by the costs of powers, in terms of
psi-points. This is both good, and needed for play ballance. There are
times, however, where a few extra points would be really usefull for the
plot.

Burning Psi
I allow players to permanently burn one point of Psi to refresh their whole
pool of Psi-Points; this is not a safe thing to do.  In addition to the
permanently lowered Psi,  they take 1d6 damage to each attribute except Soc
and Psi. Such damage is healed normally. No rolls needed. The damage alone
is enough to keep the use of this down.

Burning Endurance
Allowing PC's to burn past their Psi can be useful; Spending endurance on a
1 for 1 when all Psi points are gone is fairly useful. This tends to be
abused by power-mongers, so I make them roll 2.5d6 against endurance (now
lowered by the expenditures) to avoid blacking out. If this is abused,
change it to one point of Psi costs 1 point of damage each from Str, Dex
and End.

Insanity and Losing It
Traveller is about heroes and adventure... but the most memorable
characters are those who have overcome some major flaws. Also, Psionics and
Horror tend to go hand in hand, so derangements resultant from these can
become major factors in a psionically oriented or horror oriented campaign.

Insanity Points
Each time a character is subjected to mind bending stress (ie: Ref's call),
he or she rolls versus the lower of Int or End, at a difficulty set by the
Ref. If he makes it, no problem. If he fails, he gains 1d3 insanity points.
He might gain more if the experience is particularly hideous or personal.
Being in Jump for more than 8 days is usually grounds for a difficult roll
or gain 1 insanity point; roll daily from day 9 on  to represent the
growing fear and claustrophobia that is exacerbated by the certanty of a
misjump. Being dead is usually no problem, but the resuscitation is usually
good for an automatic d3 insanity points. Watching your family tortured to
death is usually grounds for an imossible roll or gain 1.5d6 to 2d6
insainity points. You lose one insanity point per month during which you
gained none.

These points add up; any time the character gains more, the ref should roll
3d6 for the number of insanity points or less; on a crit failure, lose 1d6
insanity points, as your mind  leans new ways of coping. On a success, you
lose your sanity, 1.5d6 insanity points, and should gain a minor to
moderate insanity. On a roll of a 3, you go completely berserk or gain some
other major insanity, and must hand over your character during his bouts.

Also note that all insanities gained this way are curable without recourse
to chemotherapy (Drugs); they are products of an overstressed mind, not a
brain that doesn't produce the right chemicals in the right ammounts.

Sample Minor Insanities
1       Delusional (sky is the wrong color, etc)
2       Paranoid (they're out to get you)
3       absent minded
4       Bloodthirsty
5       Obscession &/or Compulsion
6       Phobia (Irrational fears)

Sample Major Delusions
1       Schitzophenic (The whole world becomes one big delusion/hallucinatio=
n)
2       Multiple Personality Disorder
3       Homocidal or megalomaniacle
4       Catatonic
5       Regressed (Acts like a  child of 2.5d6-3 years old)
6       Suicidal or deathwish

Note that Schitzophrenia has nothing to do with Multiple personality.
Schitzophrenics live in their own little world of their own creation,
denying reality, or at least "adjusting" it to make it fit there warped
world view.
Catatonia is fits of total incapacitation; a catatonic person will have
periods where they will do absolutely nothing; if they are phobic, exposure
to the phobic trigger will make them totally useless, otherwise, they
should be semi-random.
Homicidal means seeking to kill, and megalomaniacs believe they are the
center of the universe, and generally become violent when not treated as
such.

Curing Disorders
Each disorder will require 2d6 months of intensive psychological theraphy
to cure, followed by a task roll by the psychologist. The difficulty is
generally difficult for minor disorders, and staggering for major ones; if
the first try fails, anonther may be made after another 1d6 months.
Critical failures result in causing 2d6 more insanity points for major
disorder treatment and 1d6 for minor disorders. Major disorders are
actually not cured, but reduced to a minor level, which may then be treated
separately. Outpatient therapy increases the difficulty by one level, and
triples the time required.

Outpatient therapy generally costs around Cr1000 per month, and takes 4-6
hours a week, with no session less than one hour. Missing any session time
at all in a week means the whole week doesn't count; if more than 2 weeks
are missed in a row, the whole process must start over.

Resident therapy generally costs from Cr4000 to Cr10,000 per month. missing
more than a day means the week doesn't count, and missing more than one
week in a row causes the time to be reset.

Psionic therapy, with a good telepath, cuts the required time to 4d6 days
for the first roll, and 2d6 days per additional attempt. Psionic Therapy is
rare (except in Zhodani Space), and often not available commercially. It
requires intense in-patient type treatment. Psionic Therapists with the
Probe and Compulsion disciplines can crack even the toughest nut, and can
halve the time taken for Psionic Therapy. Psionic Therapists can only
handle one patient at a time.

Chemotherapy can be added by any therapist with Medical 3 or more; It
raises the difficulty by one level, but allows adding Medical skill to the
Psychology total.

Low Tech Level Effects: Below Tech 8, double all times taken. Below Tech 5,
double them again.


William F. Hostman
Aramis@asylumbbs.com

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

End of Traveller-digest V1996 #739
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