Traveller-digest      Saturday, August 14 1999      Volume 1999 : Number 959



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

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Re: People's Republic of Berzerkley
Re: Traveller-digest V1999 #958
Re: Comment on GT Stuff?
Re: Terran Research
Apologies (was Re: Terran Research)
Re: Fast Food 
Re: Ethically Challenged Merchants
Re: People's Republic of Berzerkley
Re: Ethically Challenged Merchants 
OT Anyone know how I can unsubscribe this list? NT
Re: Alternate Game Mechanics (Re: What's the News on T5?)
Re: Ethically Challenged Merchants
Re: The "Its Harder Than I Thought" rule (Was: What's the News on T5?)
Re:  The "Its Harder Than I Thought" rule
Re: Traveller-digest V1999 #958
Re: The "Its Harder Than I Thought" rule (Was: What's the News on T5?)
not really re: Iron Chef
RE: Back on Topic
Re: not really re: Iron Chef 
Re: MT Task Varients
Re: Decided on system...
Re: Traveller-digest V1999 #957

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

Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 20:25:22 -0600
From: cos 90 <cos90@powersurfr.com>
Subject: Re: People's Republic of Berzerkley

>Actually, the naked people (there are more than just TNG) did pretty
>well in court.  The city usually couldn't get a conviction out of a
>Berkeley jury.  Eventually the city downgraded the offense from
>misdemeanor to infraction, so the cops could just write a ticket, and
>there was no jury trial right.  I don't know if that's led to any
>convictions, but I don't seek the naked people anymore.

You California types get all the fun. Way up here in the frozen north,
where there is snow on the ground for over half the year, we *never* see
naked people in public...

(I've heard of Naked Guy, but didn't know he had followers...)

>There's surely an Ob Traveller in there somewhere.

Either a Minor Human Race from an idyllically warm planet where
clothes are unnecessary (think the South Seas, but on a planetary
scale), or a religious sect that eschews clothing for some reason
or other... the fun part will be working them into a plot...


     Glenn St-Germain  Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 
cos90@powersurfr.com  http://plaza.powersurfr.com/glenn
        "There is no longer any normal to be"
                                 -- Gary Numan

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

Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 21:35:50 -0500
From: "Kurtis Rodgers" <kurtis@fastlane.net>
Subject: Re: Traveller-digest V1999 #958

> Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 18:06:54 -0700
> From: "Benyamene' ZeAbe' Akella" <xrp@sierratel.com>
> Subject: Re: Alternate Game Mechanics (Re: What's the News on T5?)
>
> Oh, I would keep the open-endedness, just with d12's. The half die thing
> sounds silly to me too, like the pips in Star Wars (not the new one). SR
is
> up to 3rd Ed., eh? Cool.
> BZA

Whatever floats your boat, man.  :)  Still, hitting a target number of 9
(extreme range with an unmodified firearm, for example) will be easier on a
d12 than rolling a 6 and then a 3 or better with d6.  Target numbers seldom
get any higher than 12 anyway.  Besides, my players already have skads of
d6, I'm not gonna ask them to go out and buy 30 d12s.  :P  Or even, more
realistically (I hope), a dozen of them.

3rd Edition SR has quite a number of small but far reaching tweaks that
further polishes the game.  Melee combat still sucks of course (but not
quite as badly), just about everything else works really well.

Kurtis

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

Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 20:32:32 -0600
From: cos 90 <cos90@powersurfr.com>
Subject: Re: Comment on GT Stuff?

>The question is:
>If I'm going to use a Traveller rules set, AND I own just about
>everything ever published by GDW for Traveller, will the GURPS stuff be
>useful to me?
>Or, is the GURPS stuff just repetitive information I already own using a
>new rules set?

The answer is: maybe. The GURPS sourcebooks such as First In and
Behind The Claw tend to go into a lot more detail than their equivalent
LBBs from CT. On the other hand, they are written with GURPS players
first and foremost in their minds (or so I assume, anyway). The G:T
main rulebook you can safely ignore, since you aren't going to be
using GURPS to begin with.


     Glenn St-Germain  Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 
cos90@powersurfr.com  http://plaza.powersurfr.com/glenn
        "There is no longer any normal to be"
                                 -- Gary Numan

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

Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 22:43:56 EDT
From: JFZeigler@aol.com
Subject: Re: Terran Research

In a message dated 8/13/99 2:27:52 PM US Eastern Standard Time, 
kafka47@hotmail.com writes:

> I would be happy to send you DGP stuff TD's....do you need Aslan
>  and Solomani (DGP)? 

Have that.

> Do you have access to H. Hale's Children of Earth
>  archive?

Have access to it, although I'm not likely to be using it much.  The GURPS
timeline is too different, and I don't think the Gabreelists would fit :-).

> And there was an issue of Challenge which had a so-so adventure
>  called the Green Hills of Earth?

Probably don't need that.  Adventures are notoriously bad at defining
canon.

> There is also a world called Azun from
>  JTAS that maight be worth including when it looked like that CT was moving
>  to the Rim.

Have that too.

> BTW, Marc might be moving T5 to the Rim...have you contacted
>  him.  If I am going to a lot of copying could we agree on a price of 15c a
>  page with International Reply coopon.

Marc knows about this, as he knows about all of the GURPS projects.
Sounds like I have or don't need almost all of the sources you mention,
and a kind gentleman here in the States has offered to run off the Digest
copies I asked for.  Thanks for your offer, though.

Jon

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

Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 22:51:36 EDT
From: JFZeigler@aol.com
Subject: Apologies (was Re: Terran Research)

Sorry, folks.  Meant to reply only to Boris, not spam the list.

Jon

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

Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 20:59:14 -0600
From: cos 90 <cos90@powersurfr.com>
Subject: Re: Fast Food 

>ObTrav:  Is there as many references to "late 20th-century Vland" or even
>"mid 25th-century Rhylanor" or whatever in all of the T-variations as there
>are to "late 20th-century Terra" or even "pre-20th century Terra?"  Just
>that I tend to recall things (people/places/locations/equipment) in
>adventures/magazines/library data (the scout's "poni" springing quickly to
>mind) being named or modelled mostly on "late-20th century" Terran
>people/places/locations/equipment or even on "pre-20th century" Terran
>people/places/locations/equipment.  I do recall some non-Terran references,
>but the alleged (remember, I still haven't gotten my old stuff back, so I
>can't confirm) Terran references just seem to out number them??

The reason for all of the Terran references stems from the Rule of Man,
during which the Solomani of Terra brought their culture to the rest of 
known space, in much the same way as the culture of the United States of 
20th-Century Terra spread around the world once communication technology 
reached TL6 or thereabouts. And the reason that 20th-Century Terra in
particular is so often used is that many Solomani historians look back
upon that era as the Golden Age of Human Culture, the pinnacle of human
cultural evolution, the... 

... sorry, I can't keep a straight face any longer... :)


     Glenn St-Germain  Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 
cos90@powersurfr.com  http://plaza.powersurfr.com/glenn
        "There is no longer any normal to be"
                                 -- Gary Numan

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

Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 19:46:21 -0400
From: "Daniel Phelps" <phelpsd@gate.net>
Subject: Re: Ethically Challenged Merchants

In a recent post re this thread it was suggested that one of the big
problems for pirates is what to do with the ships they take.   It was
suggested that most pirates just take the cargo and run.  I had a rather odd
thought at that, how about a pirate ring that runs a high tech chop shop.
They steal to not just to fill a cargo bay with looted cargo but parts from
an "order list" as well.  No need for fake transponders if you strip the
ship to the hull and run.  Seems to me that such an enterprise would go over
pretty well with the doggies,  they are always in need of cheap spare parts.
Anyone see any huge holes in the logic/economics of it?

Dan

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

Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 21:23:03 -0700
From: George Herbert <gherbert@crl.com>
Subject: Re: People's Republic of Berzerkley

I did 11 years in the PRB, and I don't find this discussion
thread funny AT ALL.  You will all report to your re-education
centers immediately!  That is all.

"Douglas E. Berry" <dberry@hooked.net> writes:
>>You're BOTH parsing it wrong - it's (Free People)'s Republic of
>>Berzerkley, not Free (People's Republic) of Berzerkley.
>>
>>Although I understand that they're not so flamingly liberal
>>anymore...  Oh well... Another picturesque cultural image bites
>>the dust...
>
>You must have missed the Great KPFA war...  KPFA, the nation's oldest
>public-radio station, recently suffered a bewildering series of lock-outs,
>on-air protests (including one that ended with the DJ being physically
>dragged from the booth while still broadcasting!), sit-ins, and marches
>that attracted anybody in Berkeley with an ax to grind along with The Naked
>Guy{1}.

I think the summary there is that incoherent inexplicable Dilbert
Manager Disease struck the Pacifica Foundation management.
The rest was pure unadulterated Berzerkeley...

>[1] The Naked Guy is an ex-UC Berkeley student who lost several court cases
>in which he demanded the right to attend classes nude.  He still wanders
>around naked.  They've given up arresting him.  He seems to enjoy it.

I considered writing a character based on TNG into a story at one
point, but it's too wierd for fiction.  Some things are only believable
if you see them in real life, him included.

Anthony Jackson <ajackson@molly.iii.com> writes:
>"Douglas E. Berry" <dberry@hooked.net> writes:
>> Just when we think they've calmed down.. of course, Berkeley is the home of
>> the Lawrence National Nuclear Labs, where most of our nuclear weapons were
>> designed!  Thus, the cosmic karma is maintained, dude.
>
>Um.. nuclear weapons are designed at Lawrence Livermore National
>Laboritories, which are (surprise) located in Livermore.
>Lawrence Berkeley Lab doesn't do nuclear weapons research.

That's what they keep saying, but there's a bunch of spinal grade
particle accelerators and a functional nuclear reactor up on
that hill, plus military grade biological research.
It's all one big conspiracy, I tell ya.


- -george william herbert
gherbert@crl.com

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

Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 00:24:39 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: Ethically Challenged Merchants 

> In a recent post re this thread it was suggested that one of the big
> problems for pirates is what to do with the ships they take.   It was
> suggested that most pirates just take the cargo and run.  I had a rather odd
> thought at that, how about a pirate ring that runs a high tech chop shop.
> They steal to not just to fill a cargo bay with looted cargo but parts from
> an "order list" as well.  No need for fake transponders if you strip the
> ship to the hull and run.  Seems to me that such an enterprise would go over
> pretty well with the doggies,  they are always in need of cheap spare parts.
> Anyone see any huge holes in the logic/economics of it?

Nope.  But then, I'm a piracy advocate.  <grin>  Fact is, my fave area of space, Reavers' Deep, even has a couple planets that used to be havens, plus 1 current wide open freeport.

Keven

- -- 
tc++ tm+ tn t4- to ru++ ge+ 3i c+ jt au st- ls pi+ ta+ he+ so- vi zh sy
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Science-Fiction Adventure
                                                     In Reavers' Deep

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

Date: 13 Aug 99 22:14:26 -0800
From: Michael Kirk <bricktosser@netzero.net>
Subject: OT Anyone know how I can unsubscribe this list? NT

Michael Kirk
bricktosser@netzero.net

________________________________________________________
NetZero - We believe in a FREE Internet.  Shouldn't you?
Get your FREE Internet Access and Email at
http://www.netzero.net/download/index.html

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

Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 15:03:30 +1000
From: "Alan Bradley" <alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au>
Subject: Re: Alternate Game Mechanics (Re: What's the News on T5?)

> From: "Kurtis Rodgers" 
> > From: "Benyamene' ZeAbe' Akella" 
> Ironically, IMTU I'm exploring the idea that despite the increasing
> sophistication of 'intelligent' devices, reliance on networked data
systems
> is reduced in many cases.  I can easily see some hi-pop, TL 12+ worlds
> having worldnets resembling SR's Matrix, but we're talking a handful of
> worlds in any sector.

I tend to assume most worlds have a fairly basic network, even if it relies
on imported gear.  Anything above an E class starport is likely to have a
few satellites around it, and if a C class or better port, definitely will.
 This gives you a basic backbone.  I usually assume some centralised
processing power at the starport - equivalent, at least, to a starship's
computers (or if I'm really really pushed, a cutter's - but that blows up
my last 'at least').  This will often allow some kind of "Library Data" to
be available, plus some communications.

I add more capabilities as population and technology increase.

The end result is usually a fairly sparse, minimalist network, even though
the individual components are usually far more powerful than anything that
exist on Earth today.  Can such a network be hacked?  Well, duh!  This just
means that financial and other secure communications have to be dealt with
in different ways.  On relatively low-pop worlds, that means a lot more
face-to-face transactions, which is usually fine, given that I assume that
populations tend to cluster around a small number of population centres,
with a "big", essentially unpopulated, outback in most cases.

Megacorps, governments, and other major institutions often have their own
"secure" networks, as required.

> > Oh, and the cybernetics rules too! Joy!
> 
> Hmm.  I'm an old skool CT guy at heart - I do think injecting some
elements
> of SR gameplay can liven up traditional Traveller themes (Megacorp
activity,
> in particular, translates quite well to the TU), but heavy cyber will
> suppressed tech in MTU.  Still, there bound to be shadow labs out there
> somewhere, cranking out some outrageous super-duper covert types for the
> Impies and the Bureaus.

I tend to view the whole "cyberpunk" thing as being a result of social
immaturity, at least from the viewpoint of the 3I.  The Imperium operates,
largely, on mature technology, where any social impacts occurred long ago,
and little is considered particularly gee-whiz.  As such, people who use
cyberjunk, apart from 'normal' prostheses, are generally considered nerds,
if sometimes dangerous ones.  After all, very little can't be achieved by
non-invasive means - there's slow drug, and combat drug, and night vision
gear, armour, wrist computers, and so on.  So a cyborg doesn't have any
real advantage over a properly prepared normal, and is really only someone
wandering around saying "look at me - I'm a dangerous idiot".

Are there advantages to covertly equipping people with "stuff"?  Of course.
 Most of the time, however, I suspect that it would tend to be "Stainless
Steel Rat" type gear - itself, of course, pretty serious.  Now I think of
it, I was using that kind of stuff in campaigns pretty much from the
beginning, along with "power-holsters" - quick draw gear lifted from the
"Deathworld" books.

For Net/hacker stuff, see above.

I've always been intrigued by the possibility of running a scenario where
the 3I runs into a "cyberpunk" world.  The image of a massively powerful
"Big Iron" interstellar state colliding with a bunch of smart barbarians is
kind of appealing.  The Imperial Marines hits the mean streets....

Alan Bradley
alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au

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

Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 22:42:54 -0700
From: "Legate Legion" <legate@futureone.com>
Subject: Re: Ethically Challenged Merchants

From: Daniel Phelps <phelpsd@gate.net>
Subject: Re: Ethically Challenged Merchants


>In a recent post re this thread it was suggested that one of the big
>problems for pirates is what to do with the ships they take.   It was
>suggested that most pirates just take the cargo and run.  I had a rather
odd
>thought at that, how about a pirate ring that runs a high tech chop shop.
>They steal to not just to fill a cargo bay with looted cargo but parts from
>an "order list" as well.  No need for fake transponders if you strip the
>ship to the hull and run.  Seems to me that such an enterprise would go
over
>pretty well with the doggies,  they are always in need of cheap spare
parts.
>Anyone see any huge holes in the logic/economics of it?


    Nope, other than the time element.

Legate Legion
ICQ # 8973001
legate@futureone.com
http://www.futureone.com/~legate/index.htm

"A man may fight for many things; his country, his principles, his friends,
the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally, I'd
mudwrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock, and a stack of
French porn." - Edmund Blackadder

"I am ready man, check it out, I am the ULTIMATE bad ass.
State-of-the-bad-ass-art.  You do not want to f*** with me.  Check it out!
Hey Ripley, don't worry. Me and my squad of ultimate bad-asses will protect
you. Check it out! Independently targeting particle beam phalanx...FWAP! Fry
half a city with this puppy.  We got tactical smart missiles, phase plasma
pulse rifles, RPGs, we got sonic, electronic, BALL breakers!  We got nukes,
we got knives, sharpsticks..." -Hudson, Aliens (1986)

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

Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 18:03:43 +1200
From: "Andrew Moffatt-Vallance" <a.vallance@netaccess.co.nz>
Subject: Re: The "Its Harder Than I Thought" rule (Was: What's the News on T5?)

Date sent:      	Fri, 13 Aug 1999 14:33:22 -0500
From:           	Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions <dreamer@brokersys.com>
 
> Pardon my French, but this is a great fucking rule!

> I've pretty much decided to use a CT based game (combat) combined with the MT task system,
> so the IHTIT rule won't apply to my game.  But, I'd use it if I was running a T4 game with
> the rules as written, or even Marc's T4.1 patch.

Last time I looked, IHTIT is slated to become official in T5. The thing I really
like about IHTIT is that it makes low skill/high stat characters good a
basic tasks, but when you need to do something out of the ordinary, the
high skill characters really come into their own. To me it better represents
reality than any fixed weighting of skill vs stats ever could. Its also so
elegant in its simplicity. How many dice am I rolling, does my skill equal
that? if not roll two more dice, is what I rolled less than my skill and stat?
I've played using this for quite awhile now and it really is fast

> The IHTIT rule wouldn't work well with the KB2.0 task system, but it sure as heck fixes some
> of the things that KB2.0 fixes in T4.

> As most of you know, my peeve is game mechanics, and I have to applaud whoever came up with
> that one.

The initial idea was mine, but it had a different level of prerequisite skill for
each taskm (making if rather unweildy). Marc took that idea and made the
prerequiste skill level equal to the number of dice (a stroke of sheer brillance,
which really makes the system work) and replaced my variable penalty with
a fixed penalty of two levels.


Andrew etc
http://users.netaccess.co.nz/amv/
    Listening to way to much Dave Brubeck

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

Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 02:22:20 -0400
From: Glenn Grant <neo@total.net>
Subject: Re:  The "Its Harder Than I Thought" rule

Kenneth sez,

>Pardon my French, but this is a great fucking rule!
[snip]
>The IHTIT rule wouldn't work well with the KB2.0 task system, but it sure
>as heck fixes some
>of the things that KB2.0 fixes in T4.
>As most of you know, my peeve is game mechanics, and I have to applaud
>whoever came up with
>that one.

 Of *course* it's a great rule: *Marc* came up with it.

And it really kills off most of my remaining problems the T5 task system.
Except for that half-die -- I might use that, maybe not. But I'm sure as
heck going to get the book when it finally appears.  The playtest chapters
Marc has been circulating look terrific. He's too enamoured with his little
index cards, but otherwise the rules rock.

Good to have ya back, Ken. Watch out for those low-flying jetskis, eh?

Best,

 + GMG +

                        Glenn Grant
                      <neo@total.net>
       "I hate waking up in someone else's nightmare.
  I especially hate waking up in someone else's bathroom."
                        --The Maxx

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

Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 23:23:10 -0700
From: "Benyamene' ZeAbe' Akella" <xrp@sierratel.com>
Subject: Re: Traveller-digest V1999 #958

> Whatever floats your boat, man.  :)  Still, hitting a target number of 9
> (extreme range with an unmodified firearm, for example) will be easier on a
> d12 than rolling a 6 and then a 3 or better with d6.  Target numbers seldom
> get any higher than 12 anyway.

Well, I *assumed* if one were to use a die with twice the range, one would
double the target numbers. Or at least raise them somewhat.

>Besides, my players already have skads of
> d6, I'm not gonna ask them to go out and buy 30 d12s.  :P  Or even, more
> realistically (I hope), a dozen of them.

I have skads of all the dice, except tens. I have a strong affection for
polyhedrons. :)
BZA
////////////////////////////////////////
Akella 0609 C654474-6 S kk+ hi++ as+ va+ dr+ da+ so@ zh- vi+  A523
IMTU tc++ ?t4 ru@ 3i+(-) c+ jt au@ st- ls+ pi+ ta@ he+

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

Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 01:25:34 -0500
From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions <dreamer@brokersys.com>
Subject: Re: The "Its Harder Than I Thought" rule (Was: What's the News on T5?)

Andrew Moffatt-Vallance wrote:

> The initial idea was mine, but it had a different level of prerequisite skill for
> each taskm (making if rather unweildy). Marc took that idea and made the
> prerequiste skill level equal to the number of dice (a stroke of sheer brillance,
> which really makes the system work) and replaced my variable penalty with
> a fixed penalty of two levels.

Well, that's some damn fine work, Andrew.  Kudos to you and Marc.

This is the type of thing that is possible with game mechanics--simple ideas, easy to implement,
but detailed in their representation and elegant with respect to logic.

The reason I like this rule so much is the same reason I cringe when I see that single half die in
the T4.1 task system.  That's just lazy work.  If the designers of T5 put their heads to it, and
sprinkle in little inspiration, they could come up with a task system worthy of the Traveller
name.

I admire well thought out game mechanics.  I can't stand anything less.

But, the IHTIT rule is pure brilliance.

Kenneth.

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

Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 03:22:23 EDT
From: GypsyComet@aol.com
Subject: not really re: Iron Chef

>>Hmmm, guess you haven't read _Survival Margin_ or _Hivers and
>>Ikthlur_ yet ;-)
>
>>Corn dog is _too_ a natural ingredient!
>
>Ugh!  Hiver corndogs!  Yeah they are natural, but what they do with
>them *is* unnatural!  From a human perspective anyway. ;->

 I take it you've never seen what they do to Mars bars in Scotland...

GC

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

Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 04:37:25 -0400
From: "DaveShayne" <daveshayne@email.msn.com>
Subject: RE: Back on Topic

I don't know who first figured it out (I read it in an old [ late fifties?]
asimov book, I don't remember which one) but any sex in free fall is going
to require physical restraint of at least one of the participants. (Isaac
didn't get graphic, just mentioned it.)

Just some additional chrome.

daveshayne@msn.com

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

"Violence is the last refuge of the incompotent."-
     Isaac Asimov

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

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

Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 04:59:53 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: not really re: Iron Chef 

> >>Hmmm, guess you haven't read _Survival Margin_ or _Hivers and
> >>Ikthlur_ yet ;-)
> >
> >>Corn dog is _too_ a natural ingredient!
> >
> >Ugh!  Hiver corndogs!  Yeah they are natural, but what they do with
> >them *is* unnatural!  From a human perspective anyway. ;->
> 
>  I take it you've never seen what they do to Mars bars in Scotland...

Nope.  And I *DON'T* think I wanna know.

Keven

- -- 
tc++ tm+ tn t4- to ru++ ge+ 3i c+ jt au st- ls pi+ ta+ he+ so- vi zh sy
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Science-Fiction Adventure
                                                     In Reavers' Deep

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

Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 07:53:17 -0300 (ADT)
From: misha@empire.atlantic-online.ns.ca
Subject: Re: MT Task Varients

On Thu, 12 Aug 1999 trentfs@ix.netcom.com wrote:

> On 08/11/99 22:53:07 Eris wrote:
> 
> >Why is it that Characteristics couldn't simply *be* some smaller
> >range of values that are used throughout character generation *and*
> >play?  As much as I don't like the d3, why not just roll 2d3-2 for
> >the Characteristic and be done with it?
> 
> Other than than, my non-mathematically-inclined intuition tells me that 2D6 
> generates a nice bell-curve, something that smaller-range systems might not 
> do as well. 2D3-2 would work for this, I suppose, except ...
> 
> Trent
> 

	Hi, Trent!
	You've got it right on the nose here.  A very good friend of mine
runs his own gaming company and spent a good deal of time on
game-mechanics design when developing thier system.  Without a bell-curve,
and preferably a *substantial* one, it becomes too easy for a player to
pile DM+1's on top of each other to make up for not having invested in a
skill or stat.

	--Michel

	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-
		Michel R. Vaillancourt
		misha@atlantic-online.ns.ca

	   Dad, Hubby, MIS Manager, Gamer, Author, SCAdian....
		"Who the heck has the time to have a LIFE?"
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-
		Into Cyberpunk?  Check Out:
		"http://www.atlantic-online.ns.ca/cp2020"
		Into Traveller?  Check Out:
		"http://www.atlantic-online.ns.ca/traveller"
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-

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

Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 06:10:46 -0600
From: "Christopher B. Thrash" <thrash@io.com>
Subject: Re: Decided on system...

>Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 18:45:45 -0500
>From: Anthony Salter <badman@austin.rr.com>
>Subject: Re: Decided on system...
>
>In the interest of completeness, here is a heavily modified RPG system
>based on Classic Traveller that I came up with.  The full version is on my
>web page at http://home.austin.rr.com/darkbox/one.htm .
>
...
>        Skill  List                                 Speed Chart
>DEXTERITY         INTELLIGENCE            Speed        Segments
>Club              Bureaucracy                                   1 1 1
>Grav Vehicle      Disguise                    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2
>Hand Blade        Forgery
>Hovercraft        Gunnery                  1                        1
>Long Blade        Gambling                 2            1           1
>Motor Watercraft  Hacking                  3        1       1       1
>Pickpocket        Hand Projectile          4      1     1     1     1
>Short Blade       Helicopter               5      1   1     1   1   1
>Tracked Vehicle   Interplanetary Craft     6    1   1   1   1   1   1
>Unarmed           Interstellar Craft       7    1 1   1   1 1   1   1
>Wheeled Vehicle   Jet Plane                8    1 1   1 1   1 1   1 1
>                  Long Projectile          9    1 1 1   1 1 1   1 1 1 
>STRENGTH          Mechanical              10    1 1 1 1 1   1 1 1 1 1
>Polearm           Prop Plane              11    1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
>                  Sail Watercraft         12  1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
>NO BASE           Short Projectile 
>Engineering       Social Engineering 
>Medical           Streetwise
>Navigation

I really like this system -- simple, elegant, and captures the feel of CT
pretty well.

By way of reality check, I have to say that Intelligence has very little to
do with actually flying a helicopter -- it is almost purely an exercise in
Dexterity. [I'm a rated helicopter pilot.] The Intelligence-related
functions would fit well under Navigation, anyway.

By way of suggestions:

(1) Navigation has always seemed to me an exercise in mathematics and
visualization (Intelligence), while Social Engineering (if I understand
what you mean by it) is more nebulous and hard to specify. I'd say switch
them on the chart.

(2) Remember that while CT had no science skills, it did have an Education
statistic instead. Suggest you add at least a generic "Science" skill.

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

Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 08:03:20 -0500
From: Andy Holzrichter <jhereg@southwind.net>
Subject: Re: Traveller-digest V1999 #957

	We've discussed using Shadowrun rules in Traveller before.  It is a really
good game system.  You might look at the Deadlands game system.  It reminds
me a lot of a much improved Shadowrun game system.  The points I like in
Deadlands were.
	1) Random character generation. (Some people won't like this. :} )  You
draw cards.
	2) Your stat determines the size of the dice you roll (4, 6, 8, 12, 20).
	3) You normally reroll the dice and add the extra when  you roll the
maximum on a die. 
	
	This gives you helpless incompetents (D4 stat, 1 skill, would roll 1D4 ),
talented amateurs (D12 stat, 1 skill who would roll 1d12), good talented
professionals (D12 stat, 4 skill roll 4 D12) or anything in between.  If
you have a D4 for the stat, you are NEVER going to be as good as the man
with the D12.  Since you place your stats where you want it was your choice.

									Andy

>Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 15:28:33 -0700
>From: "Benyamene' ZeAbe' Akella" <xrp@sierratel.com>
>Subject: Re: Alternate Game Mechanics (Re: What's the News on T5?)
>
>> Rating 9 heresy armor.
>
>And where might one get *that*? ;)
>
>Seriously, though, I think the SR rules set should work well for M:0, I like
>the Comp rules, and some of the vehicle stuff would be great. Like the
>silloette(sp) rules. Maybe that isn't even the term used, it's been a while.
>They pioneered (AFAIK) the "target per die" system Storyteller uses, and the
>Condition Monitor too. How about d12's though? They give a greater range
>without going too crazy (ie: d20's). Oh, and thecybernetics rules too! Joy!
>
>Methinks I might get some SR books, as my SR arbiter took his away. :(
>BZA

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

End of Traveller-digest V1999 #959
**********************************

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