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From: owner-traveller-digest@mpgn.com (Traveller-digest)
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Subject: Traveller-digest V1996 #752
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Traveller-digest      Friday, December 13 1996      Volume 1996 : Number 752



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

The following topics are covered in this digest:

RE: T Plates
Re: The future look...etc
Re: Starship Suggestion
Re: The begining of T4; Part one
Re: Imperium Games, Starships, future products
Re: Starship Suggestion
Re: STARSHIPS
Re: Beginning of T4
What's wrong with T$/Starships
RE: Starship Suggestion
Radiation and its nasty things...
Strength of the Aslan&Vargr
Re: I'm not anti-Foss...I'm pro-Choice :-)
Re: Landing ships.
Re: Strength of Aslans and Domain of Deneb (Long)
Re: A good deed during the holiday season (FREE)
Reviewing T4 Products
Re: Strength of the Aslan&Vargr
re:Fuel SHovelling

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

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 09:19:12 -0800
From: bmac@astro.ucla.edu (Bruce Alan Macintosh)
Subject: RE: T Plates

>Also, maybe they were using some other type of drive besides 
>T-plates.  Heplar or some other type?  I don't know.  Dark Nebula 
>says sublight.  It could be anything.

In fact, they must have been usign HEPlaR, since T-plates are now TL-11
(or maybe 12.) Which makes it harder to cross interstellar distances - max
delta-V you can get out of a HEPlaR drive is a few thousand km/s before you
run out of fuel.

However, on the whole, Imperium and DN (though wonderful games) are hard enough
to reconcile with Traveller tech that it's probably not worth worrying 
about the details. Maybe those interstellar crossings really represented
the slow process of using tankers to establish refueling points.

Bruce

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

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 11:31:27 -0600
From: John Kovalic <muskrat@msn.fullfeed.com>
Subject: Re: The future look...etc

Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
did write

>>I thought the SOM was an incredible game aid.
>
>Me too.  Of the two books (both of which I contributed to), I much prefer
>SOM.  Mind you, Given the choice of only one of SOM and, say, Traders &
>Gunboats, I think that a T&G-style supplement should have higher priority.
>
>Which is to say, Starships was the right choice of product, however much I
>don't like the way it was done.

I agree. But it could have been so much more. Even a fraction of the info
from SOM (which couldeasily have fit into some of the blank spaces or
full-art pages) would have made it a better product.

John Koalic



********************************************************
           "This must be Thursday. I never COULD get the hang of Thursdays"
                                                     - Arthur Dent
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*                                 "Wild Life": a Web comic --
*
*              MUSKRAT CENTRAL: http://www.msn.fullfeed.com/muskrat/
*
********************************************************

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

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 11:29:55 -0800
From: Glenn Hoppe <starcity@eagle.wbm.ca>
Subject: Re: Starship Suggestion

Peter wrote, in response to Rob Prior's suggestion:
> I love this idea.  (Hell, I thought this was the main purpose of this list
> when I joined).  I will be happy to post my designs, and would be more than
> happy to write, or edit, backstory for anyone else designs, if they feel they
> are unable.  Alas, I am not so great at drawing deckplans (probably why I
> love others so much), and have no software to produce them on my computer
> anyway, so I would gladly let someone else (who IS good at that sort of
> thing) do it.  Sign me up, Rob.  I'm in.

I'd be happy to make deckplans. I live for that sort of thing. Sign me
up too, Rob. This weekend I'll post a deckplan I made in jumpspace for
your consideration...

- -- 
===== Glenn Hoppe =====\ /--- MailTo:jumpspace@geocities.com ----
\ . . Enter Jumpspace --X-> http://www.geocities.com/Area51/8275 \
 ----------------------/ \========== Eschew Obfuscation ==========
     Examine what is said, not him who speaks. - Arab Proverb

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

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 09:52:41 -0800
From: "Peter J. Miller" <PeterMiller@youngmerlin.com>
Subject: Re: The begining of T4; Part one

>When we first stared, we always knew we were going to base the game on CT.
>However, when we talked about the system for T4 there were 3 schools of
>thought;
>1) just reprint the old CT;

Ack, I'm glad you didn't choose that option.  CT is flawed, no matter how
good it may be.

>2) completely revamp Traveller with a new system (1-100) that kinda thing);
>3) Change only what needed to be changed in light of 20 years of role-playing.
>
>Originally, I proposed that we start an alternate time line that would take
>place after the Virus Era.  We were going to write a summary book to T:NE
>and start from there. However, because Marc and I were working with
>Hollywood, they wanted every possible timeline plotted out.  Marc wrote
>over 16 timelines.  Miliieu 0, Milieu 200: Aslan Borderwars, etc.  Then we
>decided to go retro and bring the universe up to the Virus Era in 3 to 5
>years.  I hope that is still the plan.

16 timelines!  Wow!  I hope they're all released as Milieus, that'd be a
great background for Traveller, think of the choice!

>Other things I plan to talk about
>1) Alternate D6 systems that were proposed
>2) Why Chris Foss
>3) The new T4 look
>4) Concepts on T4 direction

Looking forward to it Ken.

Thanks

_______________________________Peter John Miller
"I'll sit around and stay a little longer...if they don't want me, I'll stay
at home and watch them" - Jays manager Cito Gaston on his future with the
team (12/12/96)
- ------------------------------------------------
Traveller, Prime Directive, AD&D, and the home of the Imperium Games FAQ!
       http://www.dragonfire.net/~pm/

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

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 09:52:46 -0800
From: "Peter J. Miller" <PeterMiller@youngmerlin.com>
Subject: Re: Imperium Games, Starships, future products

>I take it that the standard T4 rulebooks are softback (I have a hardback
>copy of the main rulebook), and that Starships is also softback.
>
>I say, make the books hardback!

This was suggested by, I think Don Perrin to the list, that IG, or him were
thinking that offering each book, in a limited fashion available as a
hardcover.  I guess it fell through, at least for Starships.

My idea, is that instead of increasing the cost of sourcebooks like
Starships by making them hardcover, why not just make the Milieu books,
which are the core background material hardcover?

However, I also like the limited hardcovers idea that someone proposed (I
think it was Don, not sure).

Thanks

_______________________________Peter John Miller
"I'll sit around and stay a little longer...if they don't want me, I'll stay
at home and watch them" - Jays manager Cito Gaston on his future with the
team (12/12/96)
- ------------------------------------------------
Traveller, Prime Directive, AD&D, and the home of the Imperium Games FAQ!
       http://www.dragonfire.net/~pm/

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

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 11:56:03 -0600
From: "David Blustein" <dtb@NASCRAG.ORG>
Subject: Re: Starship Suggestion

Rob Prior wrote:

> Judging by my email, you lot are pretty evenly split between scales
> (1.5m or 2m squares) and how to mark [deckplans]

Combat ranges in T4 are in multiples of 3m. A 1.0m, 1.5m, or 3.0m
square grid is compatible with the T4 combat system.

Personal weapon ranges in T:TNE are given in meters. Several pistols
have short ranges that are an _odd_ number of meters. A 1.0m square
grid is compatible with T:TNE. T:TNE uses a 2.0m grid system, but
that is compatible with a 1.0m grid system.

Deckplans made with a 1.0m square grid are 100% compatible with T4
and T:TNE. (Heck, a 1.0m square grid is compatible with every game
that uses the metric system, for that matter!)

Why not use a 1.0m square grid for deckplans, and be done with the 
issue of compatibility?

Cheers,
     David
- -- 
David T. Blustein
http://www.nascrag.org./~dtb/
mailto:dtb@nascrag.org

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

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 96 18:07 GMT0
From: aboulton@cix.compulink.co.uk (Andrew Boulton)
Subject: Re: STARSHIPS

In-Reply-To: <01ICW73FDPC295RQNO@vms.cis.pitt.edu>

<<  I agree entirely, that's one reason it would have been good to
see nicer deck plans. The lack of a grid doesn't bother me, but the lack
of detail does. Oh well, it's not like they suck; they just aren't as
good as Traders and Gunboats, which was a lot cheaper than Starships
even adjusting for inflation. >>

Noo, let's be honest - they *do* suck.

    ---------=========oooooooooOOOOOOOOooooooooo=========---------
Andrew M J Boulton                  http://www.compulink.co.uk/~fubar/
 "Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste"

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

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 13:33:44 -0500
From: 34zbtxq@cmuvm.csv.cmich.edu (Susan M. Shock)
Subject: Re: Beginning of T4

Thanks, Ken! This is exactly what I've been wanting to see; a glimpse at the
decision-making processes that went into T4. If nothing else, it will be
useful for me from the standpoint of someone who would like to work in the
field, and it might answer some of the burning questions going around the
list. Thanks!
                                        Allen

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

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 13:24:16 -0500 (EST)
From: Ethan Henry <ehenry@mag1.magmacom.com>
Subject: What's wrong with T$/Starships

Well, I though I might as well throw in my two cents...

Someone mentioned that "The problem with Starships is that
we got exactly what we asked for." I think this is it.

The Traveller we all know and love was produced by a few people
who, due to the nature of things at the time, were by and large
out of touch with the people who bought the product. By which
I mean they didn't have direct correspondance, not that they didn't
understand people who bought RPGs. I think that our heaping
suggestions upon IG/Marc probably does as much harm as good - 
either these people have the vision and creativity to put together 
a great game and a great background that fits what we all know
and love as Traveller, or they don't. If they don't have it, no
amount of work on our part is going to give it to them.

After hearing all the complaints about Starships, I'm sorely tempted
to buy it, fix the typos, put in useful info, sidebars, steal
a copy of Pagemaker and relayout the entire thing! Of course, I'd probably
do a shit job, but hey, if they can't do it the way I like it and
I can't either, then I might as well give up. I think CORE has
the right idea - get a license and publich good stuff for T4.
You think that SOM was the best supplement ever published? Well,
CORE, GoldRush, etc all have licenses.  Go out and write it. If
I had the smallest shred of artistic talent, I'd do it in a minute.
(Well, I guess I'd need a spare minute too, which I don't have, but
my point is...) Like it, lump it or DO BETTER I say.

OK, rant over.

P.S. I really wish someone would go out and find a better artist
or track down Blair Reynolds or someone, 'cause I don't like
Foss or Elmore and it's not like they're the last artists on the face of the 
Earth or something!

Ethan

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

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 13:21:58 -0500
From: Clint Fishback <C-Fishback@mail.dec.com>
Subject: RE: Starship Suggestion

I'd be willing to do this too.  Does anyone have any stencils for 
Corel Draw or AutoCad for PC.  I have both of these and would be able 
to draw in them.  I also could use Visio if someone has stencils.

- ----------
From: 	Glenn Hoppe[SMTP:starcity@eagle.wbm.ca]
Sent: 	Friday, December 13, 1996 2:29 PM
To: 	traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: 	Re: Starship Suggestion

Peter wrote, in response to Rob Prior's suggestion:
> I love this idea.  (Hell, I thought this was the main purpose of 
this list
> when I joined).  I will be happy to post my designs, and would be 
more than
> happy to write, or edit, backstory for anyone else designs, if they 
feel they
> are unable.  Alas, I am not so great at drawing deckplans (probably 
why I
> love others so much), and have no software to produce them on my 
computer
> anyway, so I would gladly let someone else (who IS good at that sort 
of
> thing) do it.  Sign me up, Rob.  I'm in.

I'd be happy to make deckplans. I live for that sort of thing. Sign 
me
up too, Rob. This weekend I'll post a deckplan I made in jumpspace 
for
your consideration...

- --
===== Glenn Hoppe =====\ /--- MailTo:jumpspace@geocities.com ----
\ . . Enter Jumpspace --X-> http://www.geocities.com/Area51/8275 \
 ----------------------/ \========== Eschew Obfuscation ==========
     Examine what is said, not him who speaks. - Arab Proverb

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

Date: 13 Dec 96 14:08:12 EST
From: Jeff & Michelle Norton <103010.212@CompuServe.COM>
Subject: Radiation and its nasty things...

	I'm in a game/write-up and come accross a problem. Seems a valuable metal
deposit (used for jump grids, I think lanthium(?)) is in a radioactive area and
contaminated. Does anyone know what a nuclear damper would do to effect the
area? What procedures would tech 12 have to fix this mess? What would treatment
of radiation poisoning would the imperium use? Could the radioctive metal be
usefull? Could they remove the radioactivity?
	I understand army decon procedures, but they don't seem to apply. I seem
to remember somthing about boron and water mixture, but my mind fails me. 
	Any budding physisist out there have any clues and wish to share them?
	Thanks to all who help in advance....
	
	Jeff
	
	Life IS a minefield.... 

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

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 96 14:18:16 -0500
From: lewis@slipher.chara.gsu.edu.chara.gsu.edu (Lewis Roberts)
Subject: Strength of the Aslan&Vargr

Hi,
Hans Rancke has been arguing about the strength of the Imperium vs the Vargr.  

In one post you mentioned that a planet would be able to produce
several hundred 50,000 ton cruisers in rather short time. That seems a
bit high to me.  I am guessing that you are basing your numbers on
Trillion Credit Squadron, I don't own this, but is it possible that
this produces inacurrate results. 

Lewis Roberts
- -----------------------------------------------------------------
Q:What did Noah use to light up the Ark? 
A:Floodlights!        
       
lewis@chara.gsu.edu
http://www.chara.gsu.edu/~lewis/roberts.html
- ----------------------------------------------------------------- 

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

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 13:43:27 -0600 (CST)
From: Joseph "Chepe" Lockett <jlockett@io.com>
Subject: Re: I'm not anti-Foss...I'm pro-Choice :-)

Quoth John Kovalic:
> e.gutierrez3@genie.com astutely noted...
> > Think CHROME, Tailfins, Bluelight taillights, V8's roaring with 
> > testosterone...  Yes, Brothers and Sisters I'm talking the dream of
> > Detroit Steel thundering with life!!!
> 
> The problem is, we've seen those chrome tailfins before - in 1950s
> science fiction. So instead of evoking the optimism of the 50s for me,
> it evokes some of the cheesiest SF I can remember.

And this all comes down to: how does IG want to position Traveller?  CT
drew a heck of a lot of inspiration from 50's/60's science fiction, which
showed in technology, background, history, and on.  It seems to me that
the quest for "real science" really took hold with DGP and MegaTraveller,
then even greater purity with TNE (viz. Chadwick & Nilsen's articles on
laser focusing, the change to HEPlaR, and so on).

People didn't like that.  And Traveller had too much at stake in the old
paradigm (okay, I said it, shoot me now) that it had trouble dealing with
newer science fiction tropes like cybernetic augmentation, direct brain
interfaces, nanotech, and the actual research rather than wild storytelling
being done in those fields and contemplating their realistic social effects.
(Look at some of the tech charts in MT: we're close, or conceivably capable
of getting close, to many of those things within two or three tech levels,
I'd gauge, rather than six or seven.  Look at books like Rifkin's THE END
OF WORK, or others, about the real social effects that increasing
automation may bring).

So -- which Traveller do we want?  One which harks back to the science and
science fiction of the past, and its grand romantic vistas, or one which
explores the strange and hardly-conceivable wonders of a more "realistic"
future, totally different in feel and assumptions from the present day?
T4 looks to be perched precariously in both camps, between Foss art and
Greg Porter's wonders of widespread synthetic diamond and spray-on view
screens, and Traveller fan reaction seems equally to be questing for the
best of both worlds while disliking the baggage that comes with either.

Sorry to wax so philosophical on you guys.  :-)  Any comments?

- ----------------------------*------------------------*------------------------
 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: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 13:43:23 -0800 (PST)
From: Douglas <douglas@teleport.com>
Subject: Re: Landing ships.

On Fri, 13 Dec 1996, Glenn M. Goffin wrote:

[snip]

> >Depends on the mission parameters and the environment.  If you are dealing
> >with a fair tech level (7 or even 6), sophisticated orbital surveillance
> >is possible.  To reduce the chance of detection, 1 trip down and 1 trip up
> >maybe more favorable.
> One trip may indeed be better.  Nevertheless, you don't have to land the ship on your
> one trip.  Can't it hover at one meter above the (presumably spongy or above major
> animal warrens) ground, and let the team jump out?

Again, it depends on the mission.  If you are smuggling in 100 tons of
contraband, it's not very practical to hover during the off-loading
period.  If it's strictly an insertion of a covert team, then yes...but
what about extraction?  (or is this something the players are not being
told?!)

- --------------------------------------------
Never anger a dragon, for you are crunchy and go well with Brie!

Douglas@Teleport.Com
http:\\www.teleport.com\~douglas\

MSPS: Windows95, Windows NT 3.51 Server, Windows NT 3.51 Workstation,
Networking
- --------------------------------------------

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

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 15:52:03 -0600
From: "Talisman" <shimmer@utelco.tds.net>
Subject: Re: Strength of Aslans and Domain of Deneb (Long)

unsubscribe

- ----------
> From: TPeterAZ@aol.com
> To: traveller@MPGN.COM
> Subject: Re: Strength of Aslans and Domain of Deneb (Long)
> Date: Monday, December 09, 1996 08:45 AM
> 
> In a message dated 96-12-08 10:26:32 EST, Hans Rancke-Madsen wrote:
> 
> > There are no rules about how quality of crew affects ship performance,
but
> >  as far as that goes the Aslans aren't elite; they are _ihatei_,
equipped
> >  with obsolescent ships. As for the TL of the reserve forces, the
salient
> >  point about them seems to be that they are locally produced and
> maintained, 
> >  which means that they may be TL 14 in some subsectors and even TL 13
in a 
> >  few, but in Tobia, Trin's Veil, and Glisten they would be TL 15 (They
may 
> >  be _old_ TL15 ships, if they are regular navy hand-me-downs, but they
> won't 
> >  be any older than the _ihatei_ ships). 
> 
> Actually there are rules re: crew quality in BL & BR, as well there
should
> be.  A trained, experienced, and motivated crew is a greater asset that
a
> *slightly* better ship.  It ain't just the bus, it's who's driving it.
> 
> >   As for crew quality, it is possible
> >  under High Guard rules to have a long career in a planetary navy. I
see no
> >  reason why the reserve fleets and PDFs wouldn't be up to snuff.
>  
> 
> Don't confuse a long career with an elite crew.  Elite forces are those
who
> are trained and experienced, but not yet worn out from constant
fighting.
>  Reserve forces, by their very nature, don't get into a whole lot of
fights,
> so the idea of them being *elite* is very, very unlikely.  Mind you,
they
> would be fighting to protect their homes, which has got to count for
some
> sort of advantage, though I see reserves vs. ihatei as something of a
> stalemate at best for the Regency.
> 
> I have stayed out of this one for a while, but here's my Cr 0.02:
> 
> If Norris tried to cross Corridor for the purposes of helping Strephon,
or
> himself, to reintegrate the Imperium, the results likely would be
disastrous.
>  I don't believe that the Regency has the naval strength for extended
> campaigns toward Capital, *and* defending it's spinward flank.  As I
said
> above, the reserve fleets could probably hold their own, and little
else, vs.
> the ihatei, the Vargr or the Sword Worlds, but against a coalition of
the
> same with or without the Zhodani, they would be hard pressed to achieve
any
> significant victories.  If the Zhodani were to support a new Outlands
> Coalition (of the Sword Worlds and Vargr, and possibly the ihatei), (a
none
> too unlikely scenario, given the fact that the "joes" wouldn't welcome a
> reunited Imperium) the reserve fleets would be hip deep in what would
hit the
> fan.  
> 
> Now to really throw y'all a curve:  I don't believe Norris would agree
that
> it is in the best interest of the Regency to reunite the Imperium
anyway.
>  His reforms are far easier for him to enact "behind the Claw," without
a
> distant emperor trying to tell him what is best for his domain. 
Remember,
> Norris is a man who used his advance knowledge of the emperor's death to
> elevate himself to a position of greater authority, a fairly mercenary
> tactic, regardless of how altruistic his motives were.  He is a former
> intelligence officer who must have been planning some kind of radical
(by
> Imperial standards) course for Deneb for some time, and saw an
opportunity
> when he received that fateful message.  What good would it do him to now
> subjugate himself, and his territory, to the larger desires of a
reunited
> Imperium?  Very little good, indeed.  An interesting "alternate future,"
> starting prior to the assassination of Strephon might involve Norris
seizing
> power and Deneb seceding from the Imperium.  Given my feelings about the
> power controlled by the dukes which I've expressed here before, it isn't
that
> unlikely a scenario.  Really.  Norris is surrounded on all sides (except
for
> a few subsectors to trailing) by societies which distrust the Imperium
(the
> Zhodani), dislike the Imperium (the Sword Worlds), want to invade it's
lands
> (the Aslan), or want to plunder it's wealth (the Vargr).  Norris
supports
> fairly radical notions of government (again, by Imperial standards) and
seeks
> acceptance of psionics in general and the Zhodani specifically.  The
Zhodani
> would be pleased by this turn of events (a psionic-tolerant,
non-expansionist
> polity with plenty of high-tech resources would be a valuable and
welcome
> trading partner), and probably would be able to help keep the Sword
Worlds
> and Vargr in line.  Likewise, the Aslan could be coopted effectively
using
> the tactics seen in the Regency sourcebook (offering land to some clans
in
> return for patrolling the border, keeping other clans out, thereby
avoiding
> direct conflict between the Regency and the Aslan governments).  Just an
idea
> I've been brewing for a while.  What do you think?
> 
> 
> Tim Peter
> <TPeterAZ@aol.com>
> "Never let your schooling get in the way of your education."--- Mark Twain

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

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 96 16:54:00 -0500
From: jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com (JEFF ZEITLIN)
Subject: Re: A good deed during the holiday season (FREE)

I received the following on two mailing lists that I subscribe
to.  I called Houghton-Mifflin directly (+1 (212) 420-5800, ask
for the publicity department) and they verified that this is in
fact true.  Under the circumstances, I felt justified in posting
this to the list, in spite of its lack of topicality.

S::>| While I know this e-mail message has absolutely nothing to do with the
 ::>| topic of this list, its free, its for a good cause, and with all the
 ::>| bibliophiles here, I thought there may be some sympathetic soles.  My
 ::>| apologies for presenting something so off-topic. Thanks.
 ::>| Melinda
 ::>|=======================================================================
 ::>| Thought I'd share with you a message I received today from a friend. She
 ::>| called  Houghton Mifflin Publishing Corp. to verify that they really do
 ::>| this, and they said yes, they do!  So if you're willing to take a moment,
 ::>| here's an easy way to do a good thing!
 ::>| >BOOKS FOR SICK KIDS
 ::>| >
 ::>| >Houghton Mifflin Publishing Corporation will donate one
 ::>| >book to a children's hospital for every 25 e-mails they
 ::>| >receive.  Please e-mail them at - -
 ::>| >
 ::>| >          share@hmco.com
 ::>|
 ::>| >So far they have only received 3, 400
 ::>| >messages.  Last year they reached 23,000.
 ::>| >

 Since this has been verified, I encourage others to spread the
 word and to participate themselves.  It's nice to see a
 corporation that does things like this, even if they're doing
 it for the publicity.

==========================================================================
Jeff Zeitlin                                      jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com
- ---
  OLXWin 1.00b  ...follow the yellow brick PATH...

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

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 96 16:54:00 -0500
From: jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com (JEFF ZEITLIN)
Subject: Reviewing T4 Products

  There have been a lot of negative reviews of Starships here
  lately, and I must admit that I agree with most of the points
  made.  This is simply not what I had hoped, nor, IMO, does it
  even live up to the standard set by the T4 core rules book.

  'Nuff said on that topic.

  Ken Bearden said, prefatory to his comments about Starships...

        I feel a certain responsibility to promote T4--thereby
        promoting my favorite rpg in an effort to do my part in
        its success.  But, you can think about it another way
        too.  It is obvious that many people are disappointed
        with Starships.  If we don't tell IG about it, they may
        continue doing what they're doing, and T4 will fail.
        People won't play it if they are unhappy with it.  In
        this sense, I feel a responsibility to report what I do
        not like about Starships as a consumer.

  This is a telling remark, with respect to my current thoughts.

  First, I'd appreciate it if we could drop the repetitive
  remarks about the non-Travelleresque Foss artwork.  I happen
  to agree with them, but really, it's something that only need
  be said once. At best, a side remark to the effect of "...and,
  as usual, there are a number of those gorgeous Foss color
  plates" would remind people of the point.  See below about how
  to promote changing it.

  Second, on promoting T4: Bad reviews are a service to the
  buyers, just as good reviews are.  However, they have the side
  effect of discouraging some buyers, and potentially injuring
  the very game that we have all agreed we want to keep alive.
  I spent a while pondering the implied problem, and came up
  with the following solution, which will be implemented
  effective immediately on Freelance Traveller:

        Freelance Traveller has a self-imposed responsibility to
        _support_ Traveller.  Because of this, Freelance
        Traveller can not in good conscience print outright
        negative reviews of a product. Non-committal or neutral
        reviews are acceptable, as they permit the reader to
        draw his own conclusions; and positive reviews are
        always good promotional material for the product and
        product line.

        The reader of FT may draw his/her own conclusion
        concerning the lack of a review of a Traveller product.

  I'm sure that IG and Sweetpea are continuing to monitor this
  list, and are aware of people's opinions.  I would encourage
  people to provide direct feedback (i.e., letters and email) as
  well, setting forth, as Ken has done, what you find
  unsatisfactory about the product.  In this way, we can make it
  quite plain that we are less that totally pleased by their
  work, and why, while at the same time _not_ doing things that
  will ultimately cut into their ability to produce future (and
  hopefully better) products.  Someday, when the company is on
  solider ground, it will be appropriate to change this
  attitude.  But for now, I am inclined to back off to the
  extent that I have outlined here, _in_public_only_.  In
  private correspondence, and perhaps on the TML and GDW-Beta
  (whose name should probably be changed), polite but insistent
  mercilessness is called for - it's the closest thing to a
  "family" environment that Traveller has.

  Now, having said that, I'm going to get off this damn soapbox,
  get into my asbestos/Nomex PJs, and crawl under my bed to get
  some sleep.

==========================================================================
Jeff Zeitlin                                      jeff.zeitlin@execnet.com
- ---
  OLXWin 1.00b  "I can't belive I ate the whole thing" - Circa 1973

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

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 17:33:35 -0500
From: TPeterAZ@aol.com
Subject: Re: Strength of the Aslan&Vargr

In a message dated 96-12-13 14:25:03 EST, Lewis Roberts wrote:

> I am guessing that you are basing your numbers on
>  Trillion Credit Squadron, I don't own this, but is it possible that
>  this produces inacurrate results. 

I don't own this, either, but IIRC correctly Frank Chadwick and Dave Nilsen
wrote in a Challenge "Designer's Notes" article that construction times were
left out of FFS because they couldn't come up with a system that produced
results that consistently seemed realistic enough.  And, again IIRC, they
said TCS and High Guard each had problems with construction times being
generally too short for most large (over 10Ktons) vessels.  Just adding fuel
to the fire.


Tim Peter
<TPeterAZ@aol.com>
"There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, Ignorance."--- Socrates

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

Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 13:48:36 -0900
From: aramis@lunatic.asylumbbs.com (William F. Hostman)
Subject: re:Fuel SHovelling

Boolie Sputtered:
>On Fri, 13 Dec 1996, William F. Hostman wrote:
>> Moons with rocky bodies, rings with some rocky material, Sulfur, wildly
>> variable magnetic fields (which can generate power...) possibly some
>> life-bearing moons (Chemosynthetics come to mind, also the possible
>> magnetosynthesys?)
>
>All true, though you can find many of these things in various planets.
>
BUT NOT IN COMETARY BODIES

<rant mode>
YOU SEEM TO BE MISSING THE ENTIRE POINT!!! IT IS NOT ABOUT THE INNER SYSTEM!!!
MY POINTS ARE OUTER SYSTEM GASEOUS BODIES Vs COMETARY BODIES!!!!
</rant mode>

My apologies for this little outburst to the rest of you.

Anyway, as for his points about high winds: velocity is all relative to
your frame of reference, Bolie. BASIC PHYSICS. If you match up with the
"High Winds", they effectively do not exist for the person in them unless
they NEED to reference beyond the high winds.

Take, for example, the jet stream. If you get into it in a cessna (Not very
doable, but just for hyperbolic example's sake), you will have a ground
speed of over 400 kts, even if your Air speed is only 85 kts. You air speed
simply measures how fast you are to the air around you, a narrow frame of
reference. Ground speed, while insignificant to keeping a plane airborne,
uses a larger frame of reference than the physics of flight, therefore, in
same example, could be in any direction relative to the plane, since a
cessna cannot overcome the jet stream. But the cessna, other than ground
speed, will not really notice the local winds for flight effect, but only
when referncing the ground. The only really notivceable wind effects while
flying are when you cross a boundary between tow different air movement
patterns.

Assuming T-plates, you can enter an atmosphere at relatively low
velocities. Just thrust at 0.95-0.99 of local gravity, and you slowly waft
right down. if you do this slowly enough, most wind effects will be barely
noticeable to the ship until it references the GROUND.

William F. Hostman
Aramis@asylumbbs.com

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

End of Traveller-digest V1996 #752
**********************************

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