Traveller-digest    Saturday, September 11 1999    Volume 1999 : Number 1089



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

The following topics are covered in this digest:

GT:First In Terraforming
Re: WotC & Hasbro
Re: Roger Sanger?
Re: Science Q: Star Position Accuracy
Re: MegaTraveller ship design help...
Tear Down Party
Re: Re Grognard Gaming Companies
test, please ignore
Re: Traveller-digest V1999 #1085
ping?
Re: Naff
Re: Standards of Beauty
GIF's & copyright
Re: Tear Down Party
Re: GIF's & copyright
Re: Zhodani Core Expeditions Maps
Re: GIF's & copyright 
Wanted: Reviews
Re: Technology Demographics
Re: Naff (was Re: Vacuum Tube Computers) 
Re: GIF's & copyright 
RE: GIF's & copyright 
RPG Market (was: WoTC)
Re:Trudi Truu (was Re:UpPorts)
re:GURPS Design: Missile (redesign)
Re: WotC & Hasbro

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

Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1999 21:21:55 -0400
From: Thom Jones-Low <tjoneslo@together.net>
Subject: GT:First In Terraforming

	I know a few weeks/months ago when GT:First In was first published, the
group of Computer designers noted that the System generation rules
tended to produce many more un-inhabitable worlds than the original
CT/Book 6 rules. 

	I was wondering if, off list, there had been some consensus or
unofficial rules alterations to the GT:First In generation system to
include the terraforming effects of the 1st Imperium?

	I just got GT:First In, and the discussion sparked thoughts through my
tiny little mind. I was going to take a look at it and see if I could
come up with something that made sense. But if consensus had already
been reached, or no one is interested, I won't waste the time. 

- --
	Thomas Jones-Low
	tjoneslo@together.net

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 06:20:18 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: WotC & Hasbro

In mail you write:

> A chat with my local FLGS owner turned up other ugliness. Apparently WotC is 
> pursuing a direct-distribution scheme in combination with their recently 
> bought chain of retail stores, GameKeeper. At first (two months ago) this 
> resulted in independent game stores being dropped to the bottom of the list 
> when Pokemon, Magic, and TSR allocation was done, no matter how large or how 
> long they had been customers.  Now I'm hearing that any independent who has 
> the misfortune to be too close to either a GameKeeper or a ZainyBrainy is 
> being dropped from the WotC lists altogether. The store in question is close 
> to BOTH, and has just discovered that it cannot get restocks or new items 
> from any of the WotC/TSR lines.  Bad? Oh yes. Combined with the everpresent 
> threat of GW moving in and doing the same thing (this is California, so they 
> haven't yet...) we have the potential to lose a lot of stores and a lot of 
> product exposure in a very short period of time...

The store owners might want to consider a lawsuit. 

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

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 06:22:11 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: Roger Sanger?

In mail you write:

>>A ps to my last bit. Anything *sold* that you weren't paid for writing
>>means that you have a good chance of claiming a *lot* of damages. And
>>it's fairly likely that Roger "inherited" this when he bought the
>>rights.
>>
>>Regardless, he *can't* market them without your permission *if* you go
>>to the trouble of re-establishing your claims.
>
> And how would one do this? I suspect that it would be fairly expensive...

First step is talk to a lawyer who specializes in copyright law. Also,
check and find out if DGP actually *registered* the copyrights. It
makes a difference.

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

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 06:23:37 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: Science Q: Star Position Accuracy

In mail you write:

> For all you professional (or unprofessional ...) astronomers out
> there, I have a quick question: how accurately do we know the
> positions of various stars, relative to earth? Specifically, I need
> to figure out how accurately you could figure your position based
> solely on star pattern matching.
>
> I know you can get *angular* position quite accurately (i.e. pitch,
> roll, yaw in heliocentric or earth centric inertial). But I'm looking
> for more than attitude determination. Any ideas?

The answer is not so simple trig. We figure the parallax. That is, we
figure the apparent change in position over the course of a year. At
one parsec, the position change is one second of arc. 

E1

S                                                              star

E2

E1 and E2 are earth's position at opposite sides of it's orbit, S is
Sol, and star us the position of the star. The distance from E1 to S is
one AU. The distance from S to Star is one parsec if the angle between
the lines connecting E1 & star and E2 & star is one second of arc. 

This gives a right triangle with E1-S being 1 AU, and the angle
E1-star-S being .5 seconds of arc. So a parsec is arctan(.5") AU or around
204,000 AU. 

The farther out, the smaller the angle.

So it basicly depends on two factors. First, how well can you determine
the length of your "baseline" (E1-S-E2). Second, how accurately can you
determine the angles. A tiny change in angle can be a *large*
difference in distance.

*However*, the situation in Traveller is a bit different. For explored
space, and quite a ways outside it, stellar positions will have been
determined by observations from systems *parsecs* apart. Which makes
the angles much larger, and thus the inaccuracies smaller. 

If you can match several bright stars with your charts (probably by
taking spectra), you'll have your position nailed to a matter of a
small fraction of a parsec.

Try it on paper. If you measure an angle of, say, 40.5 degrees between
two stars that are 10 parsecs apart, you've placed yourself at one of
two points. Add a third star that isn't on the line joinu\ing the first
two and you know which of the two points you are at. And the
uncertainty in your angular measurements defines the area that has to
contain your ship. 

You could *literally* plot this on a table sized starmap given the "2D"
nature of Traveller. And doing so will do for an example of just how
easy this is. For 3D you need a computer. Or a good 3d model of the
stars. 

But let's examine that 2d map version. I said that the stars were 40.5
degrees apart. Let's say you've got a .5 degree uncertainty (which is a
*huge* error, bigger than the width of the full moon). 

You can determine coreward fairly well in most places. If you can't you
use Andromeda or one of the Magellinic clouds to establish coreward &
spinward (and galactic north in a 3D universe.

So, you place a straightedge running through one star, and move it
until it's at the right angle to coreward or spinward. Now draw a
*long* line going thru the star. Repeat for the other star(s). The
lines *won't* all intersect at the same point. But the area containing
their intersections should be fairly small. Much less that a parsec. 

Of course, it gets even easier since your "charts" also tell you how
*bright* the stars are. Measure how bright they *appear* to be and you
can tell how far away they are (+/- the accuracy of your measurements).

So you draw a pair of circles centered on each of your three "guide
stars". One at the minimum distance your measurement allows, one at the
maximum. There will be a small volume where the areas thus degined
overlap. That's where you are. 

If there *isn't* an overlap, you've misidentified a star or your
equyipment is badly broken. 

But seriously, both the angular measurements and distance measurements
are likely going to pin down your position to within an AU or so even
after a 36 parsec misjump.

All because the charts will be so much more accurate thanks to
astronomers having been able to measure things from places parsecs
apart. 

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

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 07:32:32 PDT
From: "Paul Zumstein" <pzumstein@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: MegaTraveller ship design help...

>From: igor@truserve.com
>
>In particular, this thing appears to need a s**tload of power plant fuel, 
>much more
>than any other version of Traveller. I'm baffled. Either that or I'm 
>calculating the
>power plant too large or something...
>

Andy,

Sounds like you're doing it correctly.  MT ships tend to need large power 
plants and huge fuel reserves for a decent cruise duration.  Try to make use 
of lower power weapons (missles, etc.).  You might have to drop the cruise 
duration down to 20 days or so to make most designs profitable.

PZ

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 09:42:02 -0500
From: "shadowcat" <meow@advancenet.net>
Subject: Tear Down Party

Were taking down the old GDW office sign on monday Sept 20th,
around High Noon.
if any other suitable victims are in the area, and want to 
help/kibbitz/keep score, come join us. then we can hoist
a toast to the last of an era.

e-mail me for details or to pass on death threats/flames
etc...

Shadowcat AKA Kevin Walsh
Captain of the Free Trader Beowulf
ADD/ADHD Advocate
http://www.advancenet.net/~meow

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 09:32:33 -0500
From: "Thomas Vickers" <redroach@flex.net>
Subject: Re: Re Grognard Gaming Companies

Hero Games (Champions etc..) is still in print and about to release the 5th
edition of the Hero system rules. So despite poor advertising some companies
are still alive.

TV
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ------------
"The dumber you seem to be, the more surprised they'll be when you kill
them."

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 09:02:27 -0600
From: Erwin Fritz <efritz@GLJA.com>
Subject: test, please ignore

testing
- -- 
Erwin Fritz
Gilbert Laustsen Jung Associates Ltd.
http://www.glja.com

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 00:43:13 -0400
From: Thom Jones-Low <tjoneslo@together.net>
Subject: Re: Traveller-digest V1999 #1085

	Check out this listing in the GurpsNet Archive:
http://gurpsnet.sjgames.com/Archive/Vehicles/Construction/traveller_modules

	It give the listing of the modules for the ships without their
powerplant, and then gives the powerplants as separate modules. I
personally prefer this method of ship design, and I think that the Gurps
Space has the powerplants separate. It should give you and idea of how
big the powerplant were when they build the modules. 
> 
> Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1999 10:36:00 -0500
> From: "Robert Eaglestone" <eaglesto@nortelnetworks.com>
> Subject: Where's my power plant?
> 
> Fellow Travellers,
> 
> Shortly after entering the Spinward Marches, I came across a
> great deal of money, related to a sale of a certain ship whose
> technology cannot easily be assessed.  So I spent the cash, of
> course!
> 
> I ordered a custom frontier cruiser built on Mire, in the Darrian
> Group.  It is outfit to run sizeable cargo jobs and can carry luxury
> passengers.  It is also equipped to hold dozens of people in low
> berths, and so can function as a troop transport.  It also has a
> number of tiny labs, supporting a number of research disciplines,
> and has adequate defenses to be a charter vessel for study in
> non-safe subsectors.  And, of course, it comes with two 10-ton
> launches and a 20-ton launch.  I'll probably christen it the "Jack of
> all Trades" since that is sort of what it is.  We have GURPS
> deckplans and stats if anyone's interested.
> 
> Anyway, we've got this ship, but there's no power plant.  That is,
> each component is priced and sized to take power generation into
> account; however, we've reasoned that all these considerations
> still add up to one power plant somewhere in the ship.  Well, how
> big is it?  Does it matter how large it is?  And where would you
> place your power plant?
> 
> Thanks all,
> Rob
>

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 09:24:59 -0600
From: Erwin Fritz <efritz@GLJA.com>
Subject: ping?

Hello? Is this list alive?
- -- 
Erwin Fritz
Gilbert Laustsen Jung Associates Ltd.
http://www.glja.com

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 09:49:34 -0600
From: cos 90 <cos90@powersurfr.com>
Subject: Re: Naff

>> "Zark" -- from Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (as in, "Zark off!")
>> "Smeg" -- from Red Dwarf (several permutations)
>> 
>> The latter has the advantage (?) of being derived from a real word...
>> :)
>> 
>> (And both are better than the one from Battlestar Galactica: "Frak")
>
>You forgot 'feltercarb'.

No, I didn't. We're discussing 4-letter words. "Feltercarb" has 10
letters. (And I'm not sure either of us are spelling it correctly.) :)


     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: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 09:00:32 -0700
From: Bruce Johnson <johnson@pharmacy.arizona.edu>
Subject: Re: Standards of Beauty

Thom Jones-Low wrote:
> 
>
>         IMTU, Granfather change as few of of the physical characteristics of
> the Canis species as possible. Vargr females only go into heat once or
> twice a year. and in groups of females, only the strongest does (like
> wolves, only the alpha female goes into heat). And no, female vargr do
> not have the exaggerated breasts of humans. This make telling (for
> ignorant people any ways) male and female apart difficult. And makes for
> some interesting encounters.
>         Vargr are much less interested in sex than dominance, because only the
> dominate males & females have sex. For everyone else it's a non-issue.

While this is a good survival trait for small packs of carnivores needing huge
hunting territories to support their populations, in an environement that can
support higher densities, this will break down rather rapidly.

Either less dominate individuals will start breeding in a pack, battles for
dominance become constant, and escalate, or the pack breaks up rapidly into
couples (another common canid strategy, as in coyotes). If only the 'leaders
of the pack' breed, in Vargr society, they will have real problems achieving
the population densities required for building a high tech society.

The other thing to remember is that Gramps didn't play with humans and wolves
because he wanted to see what would happen, he did it to have a steady supply
of slaves. Being able to ramp up reproduction as needed is a definite
advantage if you're breeding slaves.

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 12:00:00 EDT
From: Kagehira@aol.com
Subject: GIF's & copyright

    Just thought I should mention this. Apparently Unisys is threatening to 
sue anybody you uses GIFs on their web sites if it's not made by software 
that has licensed the format from them (and of course there is no list of 
official software that has purchased this license), so if you can't prove 
your site uses GIFs created by software that has been licensed you are open 
to a lawsuit (and you need to prove that all the Gif's where licensed).

Bryan

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 09:03:29 -0700
From: Bruce Johnson <johnson@pharmacy.arizona.edu>
Subject: Re: Tear Down Party

shadowcat wrote:
> 
> Were taking down the old GDW office sign on monday Sept 20th,
> around High Noon.
> if any other suitable victims are in the area, and want to
> help/kibbitz/keep score, come join us. then we can hoist
> a toast to the last of an era.
> 

"...To absent friends..."

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 11:19:42 -0500
From: "shadowcat" <meow@advancenet.net>
Subject: Re: GIF's & copyright

Interesting, but how can they prove you've used software that doesnt 
have the license? and without providing a list of what software does 
have the license, how can they sue?

Shadowcat AKA Kevin Walsh
Captain of the Free Trader Beowulf
ADD/ADHD Advocate
http://www.advancenet.net/~meow

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 11:52:37 -0500
From: Shimmergloom <shimmer@mhtc.net>
Subject: Re: Zhodani Core Expeditions Maps

is that the 8.5 x 11 book?


David Scott wrote:

> >       Does anyone know if ANY maps were made for the Zhodani Core
> >Expeditions?
>
> In the Original Zhodani Alien Module you had to randomly generate your
> own. There was a little description about different areas but not much.
>
> David
>
> David Scott
> Interactive Media, National Museum of Science & Industry.
> Direct Line 020-7942-4867
> d.scott@nmsi.ac.uk

- --
- ----------------------------------------------
he he he he he he he he he he he he

      Shimmer

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 12:32:00 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: GIF's & copyright 

>     Just thought I should mention this. Apparently Unisys is threatening to 
> sue anybody you uses GIFs on their web sites if it's not made by software 
> that has licensed the format from them (and of course there is no list of 
> official software that has purchased this license), so if you can't prove 
> your site uses GIFs created by software that has been licensed you are open 
> to a lawsuit (and you need to prove that all the Gif's where licensed).

Whatta buncha wankers.

When'd H & R Block (former owners of Compu$erve) let go of the copyright for 
the format?

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, 11 Sep 1999 13:32:38 EDT
From: Kagehira@aol.com
Subject: Wanted: Reviews

    On my website (members.aol.com/kagekiha/traveller/) I have a list of 
Traveller products and list of Sci-fi authors/books.
    I've been wanting to add reviews to the list for awhile.
    What I'd like to see, in the case of Authors, what relevance do they have 
for Traveller in your view. In the case of a series or a particular book, 
what relevance does that series/book have to the Traveller universe in your 
view.
    In the case of Traveller items, I'd like a short explanation of what's 
covered and if pertinent, how well do you think it's covered (or how useful 
it still is).

    All reviews will give appropriate credit (provided of course I get your 
name).

    I'm also interested in any other Authors/Books/Items I should add.


Bryan
P.S. Nope I'm not trying to replicate Jeff's (FreeLance) work, in fact we've 
discussed coordinating the work although that went on hold somewhere along 
the way.

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 10:29:22 -0700
From: "Benyamene' ZeAbe' Akella" <xrp@sierratel.com>
Subject: Re: Technology Demographics

> There's someone like Leonard in our office, only worse, he'll run
> 1280x1024 _small_ fonts on a 17" monitor. I can work for about 5 seconds on
> his system before running away screaming and tearing my eyes out. I think
> he'll be blind before he's 35. ;-)

Nah, he'll evolve microscopic vision. ;)
////////////////////////////////////////
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, 11 Sep 1999 18:25:26 GMT
From: j_pete@bellsouth.net (Pete)
Subject: Re: Naff (was Re: Vacuum Tube Computers) 

On Fri, 10 Sep 1999 23:59:26 -0400, "Jory Earl" <j-man@iname.com>
wrote:

>Also forgot great ones like :
>
>"dingo's kidneys!"
>
>"holy zarquan's singing fish!"
>
>"Belgium!"
>
>"Tanj!"

"Tanstaafl!"


================================================================================
- - Pete                                                      j_pete@bellsouth.net

"Everything has an end, except sausages, which have two."     -Viking Proverb

Pete 0609 D258A85-3 S kk- hi++ as+ va++ dr++ so zh- vi+ da++ A833

- -----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
Version: 3.12
GCS d- s:+: a- C+++ UH++$ P-- L+ E-- W++ N++ o-- K- w++++(---)$
!O M-- V- PS-- PE++ Y+ PGP t+ 5++ X+ R+ tv+ b+++ DI++ D++
G e+ h--- r+++ y+++
- ------END GEEK CODE BLOCK------

NOG #74   Nova 700

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 14:27:30 -0400
From: "Thom Harris" <thomharr@mediaone.net>
Subject: Re: GIF's & copyright 

Actually this is OLD data resurfacing. Over 5 years ago Unisys licensed
Compuserve and several other companies to continue using the ".GIF"
compression routine. All they asked was they be given the credit for its
invention/code writing. Compu$erve NEVER owned the rights as Unisys NEVER
gave them up.

Thom

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Keven R. Pittsinger <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
To: <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 11, 1999 12:32 PM
Subject: Re: GIF's & copyright


> >     Just thought I should mention this. Apparently Unisys is threatening
to
> > sue anybody you uses GIFs on their web sites if it's not made by
software
> > that has licensed the format from them (and of course there is no list
of
> > official software that has purchased this license), so if you can't
prove
> > your site uses GIFs created by software that has been licensed you are
open
> > to a lawsuit (and you need to prove that all the Gif's where licensed).
>
> Whatta buncha wankers.
>
> When'd H & R Block (former owners of Compu$erve) let go of the copyright
for
> the format?
>
> 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, 11 Sep 1999 14:55:02 -0400
From: "Paul Schirf" <Paul@Schirf.com>
Subject: RE: GIF's & copyright 

And the issue is not really the creation of GIF files, 
its the creation of software that displays GIF files.  

See http://www.mvps.org/vbnet/faq/unisysgif.htm

OBTrav: If I understand correctly, the 3I grants
nearly perpetual patents?  How about copyrights?

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 15:01:23 -0500
From: "Kurtis Rodgers" <kurtis@fastlane.net>
Subject: RPG Market (was: WoTC)

Many of you are probably already familiar with this site, but I thought I'd
throw this out there for anyone who isn't:

http://www.rpg.net

This is my #1 roleplaying bookmark.

Cheers,
Kurtis

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 21:05:58 +0100
From: John Buston <John.Buston@tesco.net>
Subject: Re:Trudi Truu (was Re:UpPorts)

>Sorry - I just really noticed your name - would you be the same John Buston
>I played GURPS Trav and Discworld with last weekend?

Infamy at last. 

>Nick Bradbeer   aka
>Trudi Truu (What? *The* Trudi Truu? I've got all your records! I mean...both
>your records..)

You will always be Trudi Truu to me :-^

Ace pilot at your service. What do you mean I crashed the ship. You try flying a
ship with only one and a half wings. It wasn't my fault I tell you ;-)

>and Hunchbroad Modoscousin (I'll scream and run at it with an axe....)

Limestone the troll (I think therefore it must be Thursday...)

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 20:36:24 +0100
From: John Buston <John.Buston@tesco.net>
Subject: re:GURPS Design: Missile (redesign)

>NTW-17 Space Missile (TL 10 except for Brain and Power, which is TL 12 )

>Sensors and navigation: 1200 mile PESA ( 120lbs, 2.4cf, Cr480,000),

I got Cr496,000.

>Navigation sensors ( 20lbs, 0.4cf, Cr1,000).

? What are these?

>Power: TL 12 Rechargable power cell stores 10,753,046kWS (301.08lbs, 3.0cf, 
>  Cr30,109),  good for four hours of operation.

The figures are consistent with 8,136,000 kWS, which is four hours duration.

>Body: 24cf (including .20cf empty space). Area 50cf. Medium frame,
>  very expensive materials, robotic (50lbs, Cr50,000, 75 Hit Points).

I got Cr25,000.

>Statistics: Volume 24cf, Weight 1,610.19lbs. Mass: 0.8 tons. Price:
>  Cr696,087. HT: 12 (75 Hit Points). Size Modifier: +0. Space 
>  Acceleration: 7 G (for four hours).

Size modifier: +1 (round up).

>GT Ammo space: 1 Space, 16.1 tons, holds 20 missiles.

Is four percent dead space enough for missile separation?
Consider that the stealth coating probably needs to be protected, and is
probably irregular, so it is unlikely they could just be stacked. I realise this
is not addressed by GV2 - just a thought.

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

Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 12:16:44 -0900
From: Peter Newman <pnewman@gci.net>
Subject: Re: WotC & Hasbro

SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com> wrote

> The US *distribution* system for RPGs is absolutely lousy at the moment and
> is probably doing more damage to the market in a long term basis than CCGs
> did in the short term.
> 
> They do not return calls, and are disorganised and poor at handling
> products in. This is from experience - BITS tried to just *talk* to the
> distrubutors in the US to establish what they wanted from us.
> 
> WoTC are making a rational decision if they establish their own
> distribution chain. Much like SJG having warehouse23.
> 
> It's a shame that the FLGS are being hammered, but WoTC (as an OEM) wants
> to shift units of their product. A secure chain helps this. :-/

[This message is from my personal point of view and does not
necessarily reflect the views and opinions of my employers.]

I order games for a small us distributor, Mad Als, in
Alaska.  Let me describe it to you from a distributors point
of view.  Every single day we get more cold call from new
retailers looking for Pokemon than we received of customer
calls, of all sorts, in any given _month_ last year.

When retailers call WOTC looking for Pokemon, WOTc refers
them to their distributor list despite the fact that they
will not sell distributors even
5% of what they need to meet existing accounts.  WOTC will
tell you they do not have enough Pokemon for everyone (they
do not), what they will not tell you is that each of their
WOTC stores in Seattle was receiving more Pokemon to sell
each day then they sent to some distributors each month. 
WOTC says distributors are not serving the market and
ignores the fact that we are not getting enough Pokemon to _try_.

The reason I don't return phone calls much this year is that
usually everyone in
sales is busy all day on the phone and I have to answer it
as well.  Then I have to talk to people who only want to buy
one product from us.  I often end up selling them other
Pokemon products (plush, posters, PVC, etc) but every minute
I spend talking to them is a minute I am not spending
ordering games.  

If your name is not WOTC, TSR, Palladium, FASA, or SJG I may
not return your calls. [I prefer to work via fax, with a fax
you do not have to waste time on the phone or on the web,
with a fax it is all right there for me.]
We could hire additional people to handle the work load but
since calls have gone up several _thousand_ percent we would
end up loosing money on this since we do not have the
Pokemon cards (although we do have other great Pokemon
merchandise) to sell them.

We are still filling (a few percent at a time) Pokemon
backorders from March and April.

I love Traveller and I considered selling BITS products.
Last year I asked them to fax me their terms and policies. 
When I discovered that their minimum orders were more than I
thought I could sell, I told them no thanks (albeit not as
rapidly as I should have). Remember that distributors sell
to stores at good discounts.  When SJG sells BITS over the
web they charge full retail, that is part of what enables
them to sell BITS products profitably (I am assuming it is
profitable for them). 

If a new company tried to sell me a product this year I
would tell them to send me a fax with the information I
needed.  If I did not get this fax, if it did not have the
information I need [Not just retail price, but wholesale
discount, case quantity, minimum order size, freight
policies, reliable contact numbers, etc.], or if I did not
think we could make a profit with their products I would
probably never get back to them.

Because of Pokemon related problems caused by the way WOTC
is distributing Pokemon (WOTC & GameKeeper stores get first
crack, ToysRUS second crack and their current distributors
are about 27th in line).  We (and lots of other US
distributors) are much more time stressed then we used to
be.  That is why we may seem disorganized.

We are in business to _make_a_profit_ (It is called
capitalism, boys and girls) not to carry games we do not
think we will loose money on.   If handling Pokemon related
products means we have less time to sell and solicit other
product then we will not be able to sell as many copies of
those products.
This means we are less likely to order them. If Pokemon
changes the market then everything else _will_ suffer.

[This message is from my personal point of view and does not
necessarily reflect the views and opinions of my employers.]

Peter Newman

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

End of Traveller-digest V1999 #1089
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