Traveller-digest      Thursday, June 12 1997      Volume 1997 : Number 1421



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

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Re: Hydrogen Bubbles (was Re: Star ship design question)
Re.- Andy Lilly
Re: Scenario: Generation-Ship
Stellar codes (Re: Traveller-digest V1997 #1416)
Fire in Zero-G (Re: Scenario: Generation-Ship)
Re: T4.1 Char Gen Checklist
T4.1 Char Gen Checklist
Hits from the past
Re: Scenario: Generation-Ship
Re: Star ship design question
RE: Traveller-digest V1997 #1420
Re: Scenario: Generation-Ship
Re: T4.1 Char Gen Checklist
Re: T4.1 Char Gen Checklist
Re: T4.1 Char Gen Checklist
Re: T4.1 Char Gen Checklist
Re: Scenario: Generation-Ship
Re: T4.1 Char Gen Checklist

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

Date: Tue, 10 Jun 1997 23:41:52 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: Hydrogen Bubbles (was Re: Star ship design question)

In mail you write:

> Quibble #1: What is it about our space that jumpspace doesn't like?
> Ship's make a jump in outer space which is nearly vacuum, why should
> jumpspace react violently with it?

It's "spacetime" that it is reacting with. sort of like a magnetic
field or electrical field reacts when you stick the other sort of field
into it. Unless you balance things carefully, it gets messy.

> Why Hydrogen?
>
> Heavier elements react violently with jumpspace. Hydrogen, and some
> isotopes of Helium (just throwing that in for fun...) seem to be
> relatively inert. This is why it is imperative that the hydrogen be free
> from impurities. Small impurities in the bubble may cause jumpspace
> incursion and misjumps.

Consider... hydrogen is just protons and electrons. As such it can
exist under conditions (changes in fundamental "universal" constants)
where other forms of matter *cannot* exist. Putting the other forms of
matter into such alternate conditions will resulting in a rather messy
conversion of the other matter into hydrogen. Messy in the sense of "boom".

Hmmm. Now that I think about it, that's why you dump hydrogen into the
bubble at first. It can exist ok under phsyical laws that other things
can't. You monitor the rate at which the impurities get converted to
hydrogen to tell you when the laws in your jumpspace bubble stabilize
close enough to ours to let you stick in an instrument to monitor the
final fine tuning.

While I don't like the hydrogen needed for the jump bubble idea, this
*does* make a good handwave. You can't be sure that the spacetime
bubble you are creating matches ours closely, so you need something
"safe" to stick in to see if it gets "eaten". 

> Although the idea of jumpspace slowly intruding upon the jumpspace
> bubble, chewing through it like some flesh-eating disease, has some
> appeal, it's perhaps a bit too melodramatic, imho.

Well, in keeping with my idea of the spacetime bubble not quite
matching ours, there could be a risk of things getting out of hand
because of small differences (c is 2.996666e8m/s instead of 2.9979245e8
m/s for example).

> You also have to deal with loss of mass in our universe, and whatever
> nastyness that may entail.

True, the contents of the bubble should wind up back here, regardless.

> As I said, the loss of the LHyd to jumpspace opens a can of worms that
> unsettles me. Why not have the ship jump in-system with the hydrogen
> bubble still intact? This would cause some neat role-playing
> opportunities.
>
> "Sir, picking up increased hydrogen density at 45 mark 30, 12 light-sex
> distance..."
>
> "That might be the Azhanti, she might have just arrived. Red Alert! I
> want a detailed analysis of the shape of that cloud before it disperses!
> We may be able to determine the heading of the Azhanti by following her
> wake... she's probably still dragging hydrogen..."
>
> By the way, any physics buffs care to speculate how long a hydrogen
> shell would hang around after returning to normal space? I imagine it
> would depend on whether any G's were expended for maneuver or evasion.
> Otherwise, the shell would likely have the same vector as the ship.

The bubble will disperse at the speed of the component atoms. A few
km/sec as I recall. This depends on temperature. What happens is that
with nothing to confine them, they just keep moving in a straight line
in a random direction until they hit something. As the cloud spreads,
that happens less and less often.

> Of course, then there's the effects of the solar wind, planetary
> magnetospheres...

Neglible. In less than an hour it'd be far too dispersed to distinguish
from such things.

> How much time would a ship have to detect a hydrogen cloud?

Not too long. Minutes at most. And the emerging ship will leave it
behind, the ship's mass isn't enough to keep it nearby.

> How hard would it be for sensors to detect it?

Hard. you'd have to detect some effect on photons travelling thru it.
Not bloody likely. No way to tell the difference between a photon
that's passed thru a ship sized bubble and one that's passed through a
few million km of slightly denser than normal interplanetary space.

> Would a ship jumping in-system light up momentarily, like a comet?

Nope. But it *will* create quite a pulse on any gravity wave detectors
or mass detectors as its mass "appears out of nowhere". 

- -- 
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort

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

Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 14:10:36 +0200
From: Miguel Rodriguez <Miguel_Rodriguez@seker.es>
Subject: Re.- Andy Lilly

Dear Andy,

Though everybody's help (thanks to everybody which helped) I have been
unable to get a message through your server's defences=8A I am sorry because
I wanted to send you some bids. Please, tell me if I could send them
through some friend of you.=20

In the meantime I'll keep on trying.=20

Your friend,

miguel.=20

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

Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 06:48:55 -0700 (MST)
From: Bruce Johnson <johnson@Pharmacy.Arizona.EDU>
Subject: Re: Scenario: Generation-Ship

Ahhh...Metamorphosis Alpha...fond memories of munchkin daze

MA was a SF roleplaying game put out by T$R a long time ago...perhaps
before, but certainly of an age as CT; it's another claimant to the
"First SF RPG ever" title. You play a mutant 'something'
living on a huge generation ship where the central reactor blew a gasket
flooding the ship with radiation a long time ago.

You don't know you're on a ship.

I know someone who played a mutant telepathic fungus living on the back of
another player's character, a spider, whose player had no clue why the GM
told her that her character did these odd things occasionally, or why she
heard voices in her head.  She thought her mutant had an insanity
disability. 

Me, I was pretty normal, a 6' tall cobra with these skinny weak arms.

Bruce Johnson
University of Arizona
College of Pharmacy
Information Technology Group

Institutions do not have opinions, merely customs


On Wed, 11 Jun 1997, Volker A. Greimann wrote:

> -> >Hi folks,
> -> >yesterday during a perticularly boring lecture, i hit upon a new idea 
> -> >for a scenario: Travel onboard a GenerationVessel, a whole new take 
> -> >on the "limited space" campaigns. 
> -> 
> -> A few of us have played with "Metamorphosis Traveller" with credit due to
> -> Jim Ward and his "Metamorphosis Alpha"...  Not only limited space - limited
> -> awareness of its limitedness!
> Never heard of MA, what is it?
> 
> Ad Astra,
> V.A.G.       
> ------  Volker A. Greimann, also known as: Grei5001@uni-trier.de  ----
> -- Am Weidengraben 86,C6 - 54296 Trier - Germany - T+F: +49651148846 -
> ------- check out: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Vault/4061 --------
> ---- Student of Law, Gamer, Illuminatus Primus, Slayer of Windows95 --
> 
> -----  "Don't hold me up: I am just barely ahead of insanity!!!" -----
> 
> 

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

Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 08:00:06 -0600
From: Erwin Fritz <efritz@glja.com>
Subject: Stellar codes (Re: Traveller-digest V1997 #1416)

Douglas E. Berry wrote:
> 
> At 06:18 PM 6/10/97 -0400, you wrote:
> 
> >It's the last part, the "F4 V" and "M7 V1" I don't get.
> 
> Stellar codes.. the first world orbits a type F4 Main sequence star..
> bigger and hotter than our sun.  The second orbits a much smaller, colder
> star (though the "VI" needs to be changed, we don't use that anymore, IIRC.)
> 

Really? What do we use instead of the VI then?

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

Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 08:20:50 -0600
From: Erwin Fritz <efritz@glja.com>
Subject: Fire in Zero-G (Re: Scenario: Generation-Ship)

Leonard Erickson wrote:
> 
> Just be *very* careful. The program wasn't very SF. For example, that
> shipboard fire could have been fought in two different ways. First, cut
> off the air. Ok, that's a bit hard on anybody trapped in there. But the
> SF answer is "turn off the gravity". No gravity, no convection
> currents, no flames. The fire strangles on its own smoke (no grav,
> smoke don't "rise").
> 

Convection currents have little to do with the presence of a 
gravitational field. Consider: the flame, in zero-G, creates a 
high temperature, low pressure region of air in its immediate 
vicinity. The lower temperature, higher pressure air further away
immediately moves in to occupy the space, driving the warmer air
out. That's the convection and gravity has nothing to do with it.

Smoke particles will be carried away with the lower pressure air.

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

Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 07:25:34 -0700
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <dberry@hooked.net>
Subject: Re: T4.1 Char Gen Checklist

At 05:51 AM 6/10/97 -0400, you wrote:
>CHARACTER GENERATION
>CHECKLIST
>	Use the following sequence to create Traveller characters.
>
>	1. Basic Characteristics. Roll the six personal characteristics (2D each):
>Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, Intelligence, Education, and Social Standing.

Include a few alternate methods (points plus random amount, 4D6 keep
highest, etc..) trust me, if it isn't in their, some people will moan about
the "lack of options."

>	3. Birthworld. Determine the character's birthworld.
>	4. Homeworld. If player decides that homeworld is not the same as
>birthworld, determine homeworld.

Nice to see these seperated

>	5. Homeworld Skills. Determine homeworld skills. For each trade
>classification of the homeworld, on World Skills Table 1 or World Skills
>Table 2, roll 1D to determine the specific skill received.

If I read this correctly, a PC from a Lo, Na, Po world would recieve 3
rolls on the World Skills tables, while a PC from a Hi, In world would
recieve 2.  Am I right?

>	6. Education. Determine Educational Background.

This looks good, I like the inclusion of Educational Certificate.. makes us
high school only types feel included.

>	7. Service. Determine Career Path.

>				a) If Army, Navy, or Marines and Injury roll is 10, 11, or 12, consult
>the Military Heroism Awards Table.

Yay!  The return of the MCUF!

>				b) In any service, an Injury reduces one characteristic; consult the
>Injury Table.

This is a great feature.. makes the military careers dangerous, without the
possibility of killing off a well-developed character.

>			6. Determine skill eligibility.
>				a) Automatic Skills.

Please, i beg of you, replace Blade Weapon with BattleDress for Marines.. 

>				b) Allowed Skills. Player chooses which of the six career tables to roll
>on (each table may be different) and rolls 1D until all currently allowed
>skills are taken.

Will skills be allocated in a similar manner to T4 ver 1.0?  One skill per
year, with additional skills for commission and promotion?

>	8. Muster Out. Roll on the Muster Out Cash or the Muster Out Benefits
>Tables, taking one benefit for each term served, and one benefit if the
>character held a commission. If Muster Out is required due to Injury, the
>total number of benefit rolls allowed is doubled.

Ah, the Golden Boot Award!  This will make players more likely to hang out
in dangerous occupations longer, in hopes of winning the benefit lottery.

>	10. Cold Sleep Weeks. Determine the total number of weeks spent by >the
character in Cold Sleep during service.

This is the single best change I've seen so far.. I've tried playing with
various methods to account for low berth time, but never to my satisfaction.

>		H. Military awards.
>			1. Heroism Awards.
>			2. Wound Badges.

Thank you for changing the name from Purple Heart.

>	14. Aging. At the end of each term (beginning with term 6), determine
>the effects of aging on the character.

Gee, we're no longer over the hill at 34?  Maybe because Traveller players
are getting older?

>	15. Skills. Note skills received.
>		A. List in alphabetical order.
>		B. Note Cascade skills received in parentheses behind the specific skill
>selected.

Personaly, I always list skills from highest skill to lowest.  YMMV.

All in all, it looks like T4.1 will be much better than even I had hoped.
Kudos to Marc for doing it right this time.
- --
+------------------------------------------------+
|   Douglas E. Berry         dberry@hooked.net   |
| Gearhead & Planetologist, Traveller since 1977 |
|         http://www.hooked.net/~dberry/         |
|************************************************|
|    "Traveller assumes a remote centralized     |
|   government (referred to in this volume as    |
|    the Imperium)...                            |
|       -Introduction, Book 4: Mercenary (1978)  |
+------------------------------------------------+

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

Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 10:55:30 -0400 (EDT)
From: Robert Flammang <FLAMMANG@vms.cis.pitt.edu>
Subject: T4.1 Char Gen Checklist

   Hi.

> Date: Mon, 9 Jun 1997 15:11:02 +0000
> From: "Kenneth Bearden" <dreamer@weck.brokersys.com>

>> 	7. Service. Determine Career Path.
>> 		A. Select Career. Select a career from the Available Careers Table.
>> 		B. Resolve Career. Consult the specific Career Page and

> One note of caution here.  The T4 system is a little too generous 
> with regard to awarding skills.  With the way default skills are 
> being handled in T4 (which I think is brilliant), a character comes 
> out of chargen too powerful with no where to grow to.

> It should be a rare occurrence when we see a character with a level 5 
> or 6 skill--especially straight out of chargen.

   Hmmm.  Ken, I suspect that you are being biased by your own task
   system, which puts alot of emphasis on skill level, essentially
   multiplying it relative to the attributes.  So for you, a character
   with skill level 6 will be the role playing equivalent of skill-12
   character in my campaign (where I use the simple target =  skill +
   attribute system).  In my campaign, skill level 6 is no big deal.

   I suggest that Marc use a system that awards skills comensurate with
   the canonical task system, whatever that will be.  Those of us who
   tweak our task system (myself included) should also be responsible
   for tweaking our own skill award system.

> One way to put a limiting factor in the T4 chargen process is to have 
> a character roll to see if he is awarded a skill that year--just like 
> in CT/MT advanced chargen.

   This is how it was handled in CT, and I for one did not care for it.
   There is nothing more heartbreaking than to watch one of your players
   fail skill roll after skill roll and end up with characters who were
   substatially weaker than their comrades.  

   I suggest a faster and fairer method, the N-skills-per term plus a
   few extras for good rolls, like the old Book-2 and the current T4.

> One thing I'd like to add, Marc.  Going hand in hand with chargen is 
> character experience.  I hope that you have devoted some time to this 
> because the system in T4 is completely broken.  I'd like to see a 
> character expereince system that allows the character to grow at the 
> same rate he did in chargen.  If he averaged 1 or 2 skills per year 
> in chargen, then while playing the character, he should gain skills 
> at a rate of 1 or 2 skills per year as well.

   Actually, the experience system in T4, along with the excellent
   multi-task system, is the most delightful innovation I've seen in
   this new Traveller release.  No book-keeping to worry about, no
   grubbing for points by the players, no recording of training dates on
   the character sheets, just a simple roll at the end of each adventure
   (or, the way I handle it, at the beginning of each new session). 
   It's fun to watch the players strategize their rolls, taking gambles
   or playing it safe.

> Keep up the good work.  I sincerely like what you have posted here.

   I like it too.  On this, at least, Ken and I agree. 8^)

   -Rob

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

Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 10:01:27 -0700
From: "Douglas E. Berry" <dberry@hooked.net>
Subject: Hits from the past

Is anybody else seeing messages from the May TML Blackout trickling in?
I'm getting one or two a day with dates like 5/21 on them..

Must be them telepathic Templars....
- --
+------------------------------------------------+
|   Douglas E. Berry         dberry@hooked.net   |
| Gearhead & Planetologist, Traveller since 1977 |
|         http://www.hooked.net/~dberry/         |
|************************************************|
|    "Traveller assumes a remote centralized     |
|   government (referred to in this volume as    |
|    the Imperium)...                            |
|       -Introduction, Book 4: Mercenary (1978)  |
+------------------------------------------------+

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

Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 18:41:41 +0100
From: Bruce E J Lewis <bruce@legend.ftech.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Scenario: Generation-Ship

At 06:48 11/06/97 -0700, Bruce Johnson wrote:
>Ahhh...Metamorphosis Alpha...fond memories of munchkin daze
>
>MA was a SF roleplaying game put out by T$R a long time ago...perhaps
>before, but certainly of an age as CT; it's another claimant to the
>"First SF RPG ever" title.

	Metamorphosis Alpha was first reviewed in White Dwarf in the UK in the
first edition, dated June / July 1977. Traveller was first reviewed in
White Dwarf nearly a year later, in the April / May 1978 issue.

	I don't know if these dates or gaps between them could be applied to the
US release schedules. However the Travller review specifically mentions
that MA came out before it.

	BTW, looking at the MA review, it lists the books a few of us mentioned
here, Orphans of the Sky, Non-Stop, and Captive Universe.

	See ya...


Bruce E J Lewis - mailto:bruce@legend.ftech.co.uk
Telephone - 0956-506527

	From Barkingside, within the London home county of Essex, E N G L A N D

Spurs Ticket Info can be found at - http://web.ftech.net/~legend/fixtures.htm

	Tottenham Hotspur - "Everybody will be singing..."
	Paxton Road Stand - Block R, Row 14, Seat 58

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

Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 11:48:32 -0700
From: bmac@astro.ucla.edu (Bruce Alan Macintosh)
Subject: Re: Star ship design question

At 12:55 AM 6/9/97 -0400, "Michael D. Peters" <Letterworks@Comten.com> wrote:
>Now maybe one of the gearhead types could explain why I can build a ship
>that needs only [125 m^3] of fuel for a YEAR to move around inside a
>system, but can't jump without more than five times as much LIQUID fuel?

My favourite explanation is that the fuel isn't used for power; it's
"jump ballast", somehow dumped into jumpspace (or maybe anti-jumpspace) to
initiate the jump. That explains why fuel requirements don't go down with TL,
for example, even though power plants are getting morefficient - and why
these miraculous jump power plants that can burn kilotons of fuel in minutes
aren't used for anything else.

Bruce

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

Date: 11 Jun 1997 20:30:40 +0100 (BST)
From: "That Blues guy....." <94038589@STUDENT.ucc.ie>
Subject: RE: Traveller-digest V1997 #1420

	I've been trying to Unsubscribe from the Traveller mailing list for
some time now, but the server still insists i'm not a member! Can anyone help?
- -Brian Caball

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

Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 08:35:19 +0100
From: John Wood <John@elvw.demon.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Scenario: Generation-Ship

Peter  H. Brenton <pete@cummings.uchicago.edu> asked,
>Damn, what was the Heinlien book? Tunnel in the Sky?  Do I have the right
>author?

You have the right author.  The generation ship book was _Orphans of 
the Sky_, IIRC.  I think _Tunnel in the Sky_ was the stargate one.
- -- 
John G. Wood  |  john@elvw.demon.co.uk  |  Oxford, United Kingdom

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

Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 01:09:05 +0100
From: Bruce E J Lewis <bruce@legend.ftech.co.uk>
Subject: Re: T4.1 Char Gen Checklist

At 07:25 11/06/97 -0700, Douglas E. Berry wrote:
>>	5. Homeworld Skills. Determine homeworld skills. For each trade
>>classification of the homeworld, on World Skills Table 1 or World Skills
>>Table 2, roll 1D to determine the specific skill received.
>
>If I read this correctly, a PC from a Lo, Na, Po world would recieve 3
>rolls on the World Skills tables, while a PC from a Hi, In world would
>recieve 2.  Am I right?

	I'd agree with this, plus why not assign some specific skills to specific
trade classifications in the new version?

	Lo could have maybe a vehicle skill (for getting to your neighbours!), Comms
	Na = Business
	Po = Streetwise , Gambling
	Hi = Computer, Electronics, Medical, Physics, Comms, Streetwise, Aircraft
	In = Computer, Electronics, Medical, Physics, Chemistry, Vehicle, Comms
	Ic = Survival, Climbing, Aircraft, Vehicle
	Wa = Watercraft, Navigation, Swimming (I know, it doesn't exist but it
should)
	Fl = 
	Ag = Aircraft (crop spraying!), Craftsman, Mechanics, Equestrian, JoT
	As = Vac Suit, Space Craft
	Ba = Survival, Vehicle
	De = Survival, Vehicle
	Ni = JoT, Craftsman
	Ri = Trader, Broker, Computer, Gambling
	Va = Vac Suit, Vehicle

	These is, like, a _really_ rough model, so hopefully you can get the gist.
Some skills may need removing, and conversely, some may need entering as well.

>	b) Allowed Skills. Player chooses which of the six career tables to roll
>>on (each table may be different) and rolls 1D until all currently allowed
>>skills are taken.
>
	This is the way I do it.

	See ya...


Bruce E J Lewis - mailto:bruce@legend.ftech.co.uk
Telephone - 0956-506527

	From Barkingside, within the London home county of Essex, E N G L A N D

Spurs Ticket Info can be found at - http://web.ftech.net/~legend/fixtures.htm

	Tottenham Hotspur - "Everybody will be singing..."
	Paxton Road Stand - Block R, Row 14, Seat 58

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

Date: Tue, 10 Jun 1997 21:14:17 +0000
From: "Kenneth Bearden" <dreamer@weck.brokersys.com>
Subject: Re: T4.1 Char Gen Checklist

> All in all, it looks like T4.1 will be much better than even I had hoped.
> Kudos to Marc for doing it right this time.

I whole-heartedly second this sentiment.  It is very refreshing to 
see somthing I can get excited about.

Good job, Marc.

Kenneth.

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

Date: Tue, 10 Jun 1997 21:14:18 +0000
From: "Kenneth Bearden" <dreamer@weck.brokersys.com>
Subject: Re: T4.1 Char Gen Checklist

>    Hmmm.  Ken, I suspect that you are being biased by your own task
>    system, which puts alot of emphasis on skill level, essentially
>    multiplying it relative to the attributes.  So for you, a character
>    with skill level 6 will be the role playing equivalent of skill-12
>    character in my campaign (where I use the simple target =  skill +
>    attribute system).  In my campaign, skill level 6 is no big deal.

Well, you are right about me being influenced by my task system, but 
my task system was designed to fit in perfectly with T4.

T4 is basically a re-working of CT with a task system.  Paragraphs in 
the main book are taken word for word from the Traveller Book.  

Other game mechanics besides the task system are based on the value 
of CT skills.  Since most of the T4 main book is duplicated from CT 
rules, the value of skills in T4 should be kept the same as in CT.

For example, everytime a game mechanic calls for a skill level to be 
used as a DM on a throw, they're talking about a CT value skill.  
Using your example above, a character with a CT level 6 skill would 
equate to a level 12 skill in your game.  Clearly, we are talking 
about two different values for a skill level.

Given all of this, T4 skills should be kept the same value as CT 
skills.

Mind you, I am not advocating that the number of skills a character 
has be reduced.  I think it is a good change in T4 for a character to 
have multiple, different skills to choose from.

What I'm saying is that it should be hard for any one skill to reach 
level 5 or 6 because so much of the T4 rules are based on CT.  
Chaning the value of a skill level will unbalance the game.

Kenneth.

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

Date: Wed, 11 Jun 97 22:09:40 -0500
From: eris@pen.net (Eris Reddoch)
Subject: Re: T4.1 Char Gen Checklist

On 06/12/97 at 01:09 AM,  Bruce E J Lewis <bruce@legend.ftech.co.uk>
said:

> 	I'd agree with this, plus why not assign some specific skills to
> specific trade classifications in the new version?

This sounds like a good idea.  I've always thought characters should get
quite a few entry level skills for their first 18 years of life.

> 	Lo could have maybe a vehicle skill (for getting to your
>       neighbours!), Comms
> 	Na = Business
> 	Po = Streetwise , Gambling
> 	Hi = Computer, Electronics, Medical, Physics, Comms, Streetwise,
>        Aircraft
> 	In = Computer, Electronics, Medical, Physics, Chemistry, Vehicle,
>        Comms
> 	Ic = Survival, Climbing, Aircraft, Vehicle
> 	Wa = Watercraft, Navigation, Swimming (I know, it doesn't exist but
>        it should)

There are a number of skills that *should* exist things like swimming,
climbing, hacking (computer intrusion), singing..and from another thread
maybe something like "Combat Experience" or "Cool under fire." So, do
like I do and just add 'em. ;->

The only thing that troubles me is that you'll have to use an actually
existing world, ie. one that already has all the Trade Codes created,
generate one, or have such a detailed system to create a birthworld on
the fly that you might as well just use the World Generation System and
be done with it.  

It's just too bad a way can't be found to get more skills to choose from
during the rolls.  I'd rather have 10 (or even 20) on each table, and
use d10 or d20...personally, I'll end up doing that anyway. ;->


Eris
- -- 
- -----------------------------------------------------------
eris@pen.net (Eris Reddoch)    using MR/2 ICE #245
- -----------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 00:27:02 -0400
From: Bill Rutherford <worj@topgun.cinecom.com>
Subject: Re: Scenario: Generation-Ship

At 07:04 AM 6/11/97 EST, you wrote:
<Snip>...
>Never heard of MA, what is it?
>

Back in the mid '70s, TSR released MA, by Jim Ward.  In 1994 they
rereleased a completely revised version called Metamorphosis Alpha to
Omega, by Slade Henson, as part of their Amazing Engine series of games.

Summary:  Generation ship (sublight?) Warden is launched from Earth on
12/25/2290 to Xi Ursae Majoris.  28 years into voyage Warden passed through
radiation cloud (???) that hosed most ship systems and killed most crew and
colonists.  Most colonists go native in nature areas (parklands aboard
ship?) on Warden.  68 years into voyage, ship reachs destination.  Various
(game oriented) mutants and other neer-do-wells kill the last of the
crew(descendents) who are in the final stages of preparing things for
debarkation to the colony world.  For the next 150 years, Warden orbits
world with inhabitants living aboard in complete ignorance.  PCs are
humans, mutant humans, mutant animals, and mutant plants.  The genre's
entertaining in the same manner as, say, a Wild West interlude...



- ---------------
Bill Rutherford
worj@topgun.cinecom.com

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Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 21:11:21 -0800
From: Richard Hough <rdhough@orca.bc.ca>
Subject: Re: T4.1 Char Gen Checklist

The new character generation sequence looks good. I especially like the
idea of determining birthworld and homeworld from trade classifications
rather than UWP; this makes worlds easier to fit into an existing campaign.

How exactly will characters increase Education level during character
generation? The current system of adding 1 to Edu every year is far too
generous and unbalances the game. In my campaign I add 1 to education only
if the character gets honors. This does not seem to unbalance things too
much, and does give an education advantage to characters who have schooling.

I am not in favor of making Computer a common skill. In my campaign,
Computer skill is used for programming and design tasks. At tech levels 7-,
computers are still too rare and specialized for everyone to automatically
have skill in operating them. And at TL 8+ computers are designed to
operate without requiring special training. In either case, not everyone
would automatically have Computer skill.

I like the re-introduction of the military awards, but there should also be
awards for non-military careers.

I also like the possibility of reducing characteristics due to injury or
cold sleep. This will give some disincentive to staying in character
generation until your forties.

If you are mustering out due to injury, do you get a maximum of 6 rolls on
the Cash table or a maximun of 6 benefit rolls?

Perhaps T4.1 could revisit the notion of the Injury roll during character
generation. Currently the only way to leave a career during a term is
through injury. I know of very many people who have left a career in the
middle of a project; and only one was because of injury. I also know of
people who were injured during a career but who returned after a short
absence. The nature of the "injury" is rather peculiar; it's supposed to
make it forever impossible for a character to continue in the current
career, regardless of tech level, yet it requires no time for recovery and
has no effect on any future careers or adventuring. Even a psychological
illness can be treated effectively at higher tech levels, and would
strongly affect the character in future careers. The entire step seems
vague and military-oriented. Perhaps you could combine the Injury and
Continuance rolls into a single Outcome roll, where you determine what
happened to the character through a single die roll. It could look
something like this:

	2-	Decoration
	8-	Continuance
	9-	Honorable Discharge
	10-	Dishonorable Discharge
	11+	Injury

It could have the same DMs as the existing Injury roll, and the table could
be customized for different careers. Comments?

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End of Traveller-digest V1997 #1421
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