Traveller-digest      Monday, October 18 1999      Volume 1999 : Number 1223



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

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Re: MIA's???
Re: Important: The Kinunir Warrant!
Re: Itty Bitty Traveller page from an Itty Bitty World...
RE: Supporting our Game
New gamers, old gamers
Request for information
Re: Important: The Kinunir Warrant!
Re: GT Task System
Re: The Nth Traveller Flamewar
To Simulate, Perchance to Dream... (was Re: Great Task Debate)
Re: PBeM TCS Islands Campaign
Re: OT question
Re: Important: The Kinunir Warrant!
To Simulate, Perchance to Dream... (was Re: Great Task Debate)
To Simulate, Perchance to Dream... (was Re: Great Task Debate)
Re: In what book did Norris get his warrant
Re:  New gamers, old gamers
[BITS] Website update 18 October 1999
Re: Heplar Efficiency
Re: GTL9 Standard Components
Re: Great Task Debate

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 15:19:33 +0100
From: Mark Watson <markw@antares.demon.co.uk>
Subject: Re: MIA's???

On Wed, 13 Oct 1999, Keven R. Pittsinger wrote:
>Anybody seen or heard from Mark Watson <markw@antares.demon.co.uk> lately?
>
>Keven
Keven
I've been in France but have been checking my email. I *have* been watching
catn1 - sorry for lack of acknowledgement. I'm just now going through the 500
email backlog on TML.
- -- 
Mark Watson, markw@antares.demon.co.uk

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 17:45:49 -0400
From: "Micheal D. Peters" <Travelleri@home.com>
Subject: Re: Important: The Kinunir Warrant!

Well,

Now I finally realize how the Imperium fell on HARD TIMES!

P.S. Thats's at least the fourth key board that a Ditzie related post has
killed! I am going to start recording how and why they died, so that I can
bury these poor brave soilders with the proper honers!

Mike
- ----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Seamans <semo@pil.net>
To: <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com>
Sent: Monday, October 18, 1999 12:01 PM
Subject: Important: The Kinunir Warrant!


> The final resting place of the Imperial Warrant that was on the Kinunir
has
> been hotly debated for many years. Some say Norris used it to keep the
peace
> and stability of the Spinward Marches. Others swear that they were part of
> the adventuring party that found it and they used it mainly to circumvent
> local authorities when they got into fusion powered bar brawls.
>
> The truth is much, much more frightening. A deep cover IISS Scout was
> recently found, a victim of "spacing," in the [CLASSIFIED] Subsector. A
> small holocube was found in his stomach. Go to
> http://www.pil.net/~semo/warrant.jpg to see what was on it. Please pass
this
> on to other loyal and patriotic Imperial citizens and let them know what a
> threat to Imperial security this is.
>

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 17:51:32 -0400
From: "Micheal D. Peters" <Travelleri@home.com>
Subject: Re: Itty Bitty Traveller page from an Itty Bitty World...

Rob,

Very nice work there. I particularly like the starport info. With you
permission I'd like to steal it for later use!

Mike
- ----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Eaglestone <eaglesto@nortelnetworks.com>
To: <traveller@lists.imagiconline.com>
Sent: Monday, October 18, 1999 1:46 PM
Subject: Itty Bitty Traveller page from an Itty Bitty World...


> Corlano, a rich world at the edge of the wilderness, in a homebrew
> Reidain subsector just Spinward of the Third Imperium, has put up
> a fledgeling web page containing mostly odds and ends... and mostly
> images.
>
> So come visit Corlano's Olbeta Downport webpage.
> Comments welcome!
>
> http://www.members.home.net/eaglestone/olbetaDown.html
>
> Rob
>
>

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 16:58:17 -0500
From: Donald McKinney <dmckinne@itds.com>
Subject: RE: Supporting our Game

As both a long-term Traveller player/referee and a convention organizer,
I've done some thinking about this, and while I recognize that the 
cyberpunk aspects of the sci-fi genre are popular, I don't think that's
the problem.

The problem is that Traveller is associated with the "tramp freighter"
view of science-fiction.  While cyberpunk is very popular right now,
there's one other area that is popular, and much more Traveller in feel:
"fleet actions".  Personally, I've always been bored with the "tramp
freighter" storyline, and I've always enjoyed a more political, military
feel to my sci-fi.

Anyone who's read David Weber's Honor Harrington series or its numerous
copycats on this list will immediately recognize the Traveller feel.
However, I've NEVER seen any published Traveller materials which go in 
this direction.  I have great hopes for GURPS Imperial Navy (or whatever
its going to be called).

It's not over yet.  There's a future for Traveller.

Yes, I know.  I should submit an adventure to Pyramid.  I was sort of
waiting for GURPS Imperial Navy though...



DonM.
- --
========================================================================
= Donald E. McKinney, ConfigMgt 3x Team Lead         dmckinne@itds.com =
= International Telecommunications Data Systems         (217) 239-8365 =
= 2109 Fox Drive, Champaign, IL                         (217) 351-8250 =
= Winter War 27 Convention Chairman, Champaign, IL, February 4-6, 2000 =
= winterwar@prairienet.org        http://www.prairienet.org/winterwar/ =
========================================================================

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 15:02:14 -0700 (PDT)
From: Craig Berry <cberry@cinenet.net>
Subject: New gamers, old gamers

> Date: Sun, 17 Oct 1999 06:36:09
> From: "Douglas E. Berry" <gridlore@pop.mindspring.com>
> 
> At 01:39 AM 10/17/1999 EDT, you wrote:
> >Hello all.  Just wanted to announce the birth of a future gamer.  My
> >daughter was born October 5th.  Jocelyn Rosemary Best-Silva.  I will, of 
> >course, teach her the great game of Traveller (in many of it's incarnations) 
> >as well as other RPGs.  
> 
> This wonderful news coming so quickly on the heels of Andrew Keith's death
> reminds of the line from "Cassidy" by the Grateful Dead:
> 
> "There he goes and here she starts, hear her cry"

Or Blood, Sweat, and Tears:  "And when I die, and when I'm gone, there'll
be one child born in this world to carry on."

Andy *would* reincarnate where he could play Traveller again as early as
possible, right? :)

- -- 
   |   Craig Berry - cberry@cinenet.net
 --*--  http://www.cinenet.net/users/cberry/home.html
   |   "They do not preach that their God will rouse them
      a little before the nuts work loose." - Kipling

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 17:57:27 -0400
From: "Micheal D. Peters" <Travelleri@home.com>
Subject: Request for information

Hi,

I'd like to ask the lsit for some help. I'm looking for any Canon
information that may be out there on the Empty Quarter Sector. Baisically
I'm looking for references to any Canon data that might be out there. If you
happen to think of anything please email me in private so  we don't waste
list bandwith at

Travelleri@home.com

Mike

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 17:01:36 -0500
From: "Smart, David J (David)" <dasmart@lucent.com>
Subject: Re: Important: The Kinunir Warrant!

Chris Seamans wrote:

> The final resting place of the Imperial Warrant that was on the Kinunir
has
> been hotly debated for many years. Some say Norris used it to keep the
peace
> and stability of the Spinward Marches. Others swear that they were part of
> the adventuring party that found it and they used it mainly to circumvent
> local authorities when they got into fusion powered bar brawls.
>
> The truth is much, much more frightening. A deep cover IISS Scout was
> recently found, a victim of "spacing," in the [CLASSIFIED] Subsector. A
> small holocube was found in his stomach. Go to
> http://www.pil.net/~semo/warrant.jpg to see what was on it. Please pass
this
> on to other loyal and patriotic Imperial citizens and let them know what a
> threat to Imperial security this is.

To quote Monty Python:   "RUN AWAY!!!"

(you are soooo bad! <weg>)

David

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 15:22:18 -0700
From: "David P. Summers" <summers@alum.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: GT Task System

At 7:24 PM -0700 10/16/99, owner-traveller-digest@lists.imagiconline.com
(Traveller-diges wrote:
Sat, 16 Oct 99 15:34:21 -0500, "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
>I know you are correct about what *happens*, but I don't think you
>are right if you think that *should* happen.
[snip]
>skill levels
>of 20, or even routinely in the upper teens, are unbalancing for the
>*Traveller* universe (at least in MTU they would be).
[snip]
>IMO, Traveller PC's are only "a cut above average", *not* supermen.
>They are heroes because of *what* they do, not because of their high
>Stats or Skills. Their Stats should range from 8 to 14, and that 14
>is after all advancement.  Their *best* one or two skills should be
>15 to 17, their average professional skills should be 12 to 14, and
>their other skills should vary from 8 to 12.  Very, very rarely
>should you see an 18+ for any skill, and then only in some narrow
>specialty and only if the PC has disadvantaged himself in other
>areas.  As for advancement, that should be *very* slow once past 15,
>taking *years and years* of experience, and should be mostly offset
>by aging penalties.

Of course that depends on how the GM runs things.  It is certainly
possible to run a cinematic Traveller campaign.  This relates to
what I say below.

>>An "Impossible" task should be just that, very nearly impossible.
><snip>
>
>I agree., aybe the *very* best skill of a *very* rare PC, but we're
>talking about a one in ten thousand case.  Impossible *should* be
>virtually impossible...and Hopeless shouldn't be much easier. <g>
>
>>I haven't run the numbers yet, but the BITS spread (+/- 3 steps)
>>looks pretty reasonable to me.
>
>Rob, I did and they are pretty reasonable *if* skills don't inflate
>beyond the ranges I listed above.  If skills start getting routinely
>into the upper teens and twenties then virtually Impossible tasks
>begin to get too easy.

This may not be a problem.  GM's who tend to allow player's skills
to rise to very high levels are also the ones who are going to be
willing to let players perform "impossible" tasks.  So maybe
the way to go is to peg "impossible" so it makes the _best_ of
a "realistic" campaign (say an 18) able to only do the impossible
in very rare circumstances.  So if "impossible" is a -14 or -15,
then you a "very good" character (15, 16) won't be able to
suceed at all.  A "best of the best" character (say a 18) will
be able to suceed on a critical sucess  (and will critically
fail on something like a 14+ :-).  If you get up into "cinematic"
levels (say 20+), then you start having real chances to suceed.

>>As to skill levels, would this be a reasonable description of GURPS
>>skill levels?
>
>Personally, I'd drop the scale just a little...
>
>>Amateur or beginner (11-)       (10-)
>>Journeyman (12-14)              (11-13)
>>Professional (15-16)            (14-15)
>>Expert (17-18)                  (16)
>>World-renowned expert (19+)     (17)
> Best in the Subsector           (18)
> Best in the Sector              (19)
> Best in the Imperium            (20)
> An Asimov "mule"                (21+)
>
>I'm as tough on Stat inflation as I am on grade inflation. <g>

I probably would go closer to Rob's here though.  I could see the
best in the entire Imperium having a 22.  It is really high, OTOH,
we are talking the best of a _lot_ (trillions?) of people.  Top
2% might be a 18 and 20 might be best in the sector.

______________________________
summers@alum.mit.edu
(This is the net.  My e-mail address may be in Boston, but I'm in California.)

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 15:25:56 -0700
From: "David P. Summers" <summers@alum.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: The Nth Traveller Flamewar

At 7:24 PM -0700 10/16/99, owner-traveller-digest@lists.imagiconline.com
(Traveller-diges wrote:
Sun, 17 Oct 1999 11:51:09 +1300, "Frank Pitt" <frankie@mundens.gen.nz>

>> The ease of metric is exagerated.  One doesn't really convert that
>> much in English Units.  You generally just stick with the unit that
>> are convenient.

>You obviously haven't studied physics.
>Try doing that in Imperial units, or even American units.
>
>How many horsepower metres are there in an erg mile again ?
><grin>

Heck, I have a minor in pysics.  What your doing it mixing systems
and playing on the unfamiliarity of American units.  The fact is
that there are consitent sets of English units too and I have
had engineers who have told me that, to them, the most important
thing is to be able to redily refer to reference works, archived
spec, etc. and say American is way to go for them. (I don't
remember what subfield of engineering they were in).
______________________________
summers@alum.mit.edu
(This is the net.  My e-mail address may be in Boston, but I'm in California.)

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 17:54:08 -0500
From: "Kurtis Rodgers" <kurtis@fastlane.net>
Subject: To Simulate, Perchance to Dream... (was Re: Great Task Debate)

I was quite aware when I wrote my little dissertation that some would see it
as a total rules-lawyer geek-out, so I feel like responding to this
critique.  I'm really not trying to be nit-picky, but I feel like I and
others have been painted with a really broad brush here.

> Date: Sun, 17 Oct 1999 20:28:22 -0700
> From: "Luther Martin" <martin@ksarul.com>
> Subject: Re: Great Task Debate
>
> <opinion>
> Those who are losing sleep over this are missing the point of RPGs: the GM
> uses the game as a meduim to TELL A STORY. Because of this overriding
> concern, sometimes accomplishing a particular thing may be more or less
> difficult, depending on how it influences the GM's plot. These games are
not
> simulations of reality. They are just games.
>
> Check out the framework for Cinematic Roleplaying at
> http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Vault/9327/rpg.html for a description of
how
> to implement this idea.
> </opinion>

I'm cool with that opinion, and I largely agree with it - but allow me a few
corrections, please.

"...missing the point of RPGs: the GM uses the game as a meduim to TELL A
STORY." - I'll see your point and raise:  Rule #1 in my GMing manual says
"First, make sure everyone has a good time."  As GM, my job is to see that
my players leave with the feeling that the game session was time well spent.
Its like hosting a party.  Telling a story is a very good way to do this,
especially in a RPG, but this concern does not override the need to
entertain.  Storytelling and having a good time are not necessarily
synomomous.

"...depending on how it influences the GM's plot" - presumes the GM *has* a
plot.  As Chris, points out, many Traveller campaigns are intended from the
get-go to be 'plotless', character-driven games.  This does NOT preclude
drama, or even a story, btw.

"These games are not simulations of reality." - I can't resist some sarcasm
here: DUH.  <sorry!>  It's actually a good point - there *are* gamers out
there that will slam a rule system because its not 'realistic enough'.  The
degree of realism in a game is another personal style thing, as far as I'm
concerned, but none are truly realistic.  That's what makes it a game, after
all.  But most games are simulations, nonetheless.

Allow me to quote myself:  "...this is the 'Simulation Layer', where the
imaginary game world is modeled."  Lets emphasize that word _imaginary_ some
more.  My favorite computer game right now is EverQuest, an online CRPG
which is very much a simulation, and is not even remotely realistic.  Its a
virtual fantasy world, where despite the fact that my character interacts
with the world in three 'virtual' dimensions, the realism is kept to a
minimum by both the fantasy RPG themes and the technological limitations of
the game itself.  This task system discussion was not about realism.

"Check out the framework for Cinematic Roleplaying at..." - hey man, your
still using dice?  How pass!  <just kidding!!!>  If anyone reading this
isn't already familiar with the Amber Diceless Role Playing Game (Eric
Wujik, Phage Press), I highly recommend it as a perspective twisting jaunt
in RPG mechanics.  : P

As far as "losing sleep" goes, I would've been up late anyway, its just a
question of how many Orcs I would've slain in Crushbone if I hadn't spent
the time writing that post.  ; )

Kurtis
- --
aka Jonduval,
Knight of Passion,
Brell Serilis

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 23:46:08 +0100
From: "Matthew Bond" <mgb@akira.swinternet.co.uk>
Subject: Re: PBeM TCS Islands Campaign

- -----Original Message-----
From: Ian Ferguson <ian@vax2.concordia.ca>
To: traveller@mpgn.com <traveller@mpgn.com>
Date: 18 October 1999 14:49
Subject: Re: PBeM TCS Islands Campaign


>Mark S Peace writes:
><snipped>
>>Would we have to build couriers, or would this just be taken
>>for granted?
>
> I prefer keeping the couriers in.  The whole dynamic of
> communication is pivotol.


I agree, you will need to design couriers and pay for them.

I'm still in the process of writing up my initial draft of the house rules
for this game, and will post them soon to the players. I'm also thinking of
setting up a list on onelist or egroups, for general postings, and another
for lurkers, but as I've never run a list before I'm not entirely certain
what would be the best way of implementing this, advice gratefully accepted
<g>

Matt

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 18:49:16 -0600
From: "David J. Golden" <goldendj@pcisys.net>
Subject: Re: OT question

At 04:16 PM 10/18/99 -0500, you wrote:
>Does anyone here know how often GPS sats have to be replaced?
>
>Please reply to lkw@io.com, not to the TML.

	I figured the TML would be interested as well ...

from http://www.laafb.af.mil/SMC/PA/Fact_Sheets/gps_fs.htm:

Block IIA Design life: 7.5 years
Block IIR Design life: 10 years 
Block IIF Design life: 15 years

- -- A popular Government, without popular information, or the
   means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a
   Tragedy; or, perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern
   ignorance: And a people who mean to be their own Governors,
   must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. 
   -- James Madison

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 19:08:05 -0400
From: Jeff Zeitlin <jzeitlin@cyburban.com>
Subject: Re: Important: The Kinunir Warrant!

On Mon, 18 Oct 1999 17:37:43 -0400 (EDT), "Chris Seamans"
<semo@pil.net> wrote:

>The truth is much, much more frightening. A deep cover IISS Scout was
>recently found, a victim of "spacing," in the [CLASSIFIED] Subsector. A
>small holocube was found in his stomach. Go to
>http://www.pil.net/~semo/warrant.jpg to see what was on it. Please pass this
>on to other loyal and patriotic Imperial citizens and let them know what a
>threat to Imperial security this is.

You owe me a keyboard.

Bastard.

- --
Jeff Zeitlin
jzeitlin@cyburban.com

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 18:14:11 -0500
From: "Kurtis Rodgers" <kurtis@fastlane.net>
Subject: To Simulate, Perchance to Dream... (was Re: Great Task Debate)

> Date: Sun, 17 Oct 99 23:15:32 -0500
> From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
> Subject: Re: Great Task Debate

<snip>

> Hee!  I suspect you might get some argument that the point of RPGs
> is for the *GM* to "tell a story."

Heh.  All I'm saying is its not the *game's* job to tell a story.  : )  The
storytelling, if any, must reside at a much higher layer of abtraction than
the RPG mechanics.  The degree to which a game's rules hinder good
storytelling is a very worthwhile discussion, however.

<snip>

> ...just mention that there is a
> *long* standing debate between dramatists vs simulationists.  And
> IMO, each side is right for their own games.
>
>
> Eris

My take on this is that 'drama vs. simulation' is a false dichotomy.  I have
plenty of respect for diceless and live-action RPGs (and especially PBEM's,
which I've dabbled in myself), and was once caught up in the 'role-play' vs.
'roll-play' mindset.  I eventually came to the realization that *most*
gamers truly enjoy rolling dice.  Mine certainly do.  Does that make them
bad role-players?  No.  We all know who the Munchkins are - and they're not
the only ones playing 'rules-heavy' dice games.

Players enjoy rolling dice *because* its dramatic.  Rolling dice in Vegas is
drama as gambling.  Rolling dice in a RPG is betting your character's
abilties against the price of losing, or not acting at all.  Rolling dice is
the player's way of controlling their character's destiny outside the GM's
control.  We don't allow them to just say "I kill the monster and take it's
treasure!" or "I fix the jump drive with plenty of time to spare!", but we
do let them roll for it.  I totally understand the idea of 'secret rolls',
but have decided for my games that I will never roll dice for a player,
because that takes away a fun activity.  Fun is job #1.  : )  For 'uncertain
tasks', I get up and watch the player roll the dice, look at the result, and
then simply tell them what happens as a result.  If a percieved loss of
drama occurs, because the player can infer 'secret' statistics from this,
then its a worthy sacrifice, IMO.

The most common question is a Shadowrun game is "what is my target number?"
While this sounds mechanistic, an experienced player is not really asking
"tell me a number" or "tell my a diffuculty rating", the real question is
"how smart is my opponent?" or "how sophisticated is this alarm system?"  If
a player tries to spoof his way past a security guard, and I say "roll Fast
Talk (6)", then he's learned that *this* guard is unusually smart and he
should feel free to start sweating this one out.  : P

How about game rules that actively enable dramatic tension?  Shadowrun has a
game mechanic called the Karma Pool.  This is a pool of points, purchased
with experience, which can be used during the game to re-roll failures.
Very handy, and an absolute must for higher level characters going against
tremendous odds.  The kicker is, the pool only refreshes when I, the GM,
says it does.  <grin>  The Karma Pool represents an abstract combination of
luck, experience, fate, and deus ex machina.  I only refresh this pool at
major plot points or between primary encounters.  Players sometimes starve
for Karma; at other times it is like a famous Chinese curse.

Player:  "I open the air lock."

Me:  "Karma refesh everyone."

Players in unison: "Oh, sh_t!"

I bet there are some drama queen wannabes out there that think it's ironic
that 'role-playing' games evolved from old grognard wargames.  What could
possible be more dramatic than war?  (No offense intended toward any *real*
drama queens!  : P  )

On the question of "what then, is a non-sim dramatic game?", I would say any
game which substitues a scripting system of some kind for 'rules', has no
simulation element.  And that's cool, too.  I like apples *and* oranges (but
I don't try to equate them or say one is intrinsically better than the
other).

Kurtis

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 18:15:05 -0500
From: "Kurtis Rodgers" <kurtis@fastlane.net>
Subject: To Simulate, Perchance to Dream... (was Re: Great Task Debate)

> Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 00:19:31 -0000
> From: "Chris Seamans" <semo@pil.net>
> Subject: Re: Great Task Debate

<snip>

> Fair enough, but you know what they say about opinions?

Heh.  But we respect them all the same, right?  : P

<snippage of several very good points>

> Unfortunately, neither side is "right", because it's not an issue of right
> and wrong.

I would say, fortunately.  Let extremist forever be frustrated by they're
own short-sightedness!  There's nothing more amusing than watching a fool
hoisted on his own petard - which reminds me, how the hell do I get down
from here?!

Kurtis

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 16:19:13 -0700
From: "David P. Summers" <summers@alum.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: In what book did Norris get his warrant

Where is what Norris had to do to retreive that Imperial warrant described?
______________________________
summers@alum.mit.edu
(This is the net.  My e-mail address may be in Boston, but I'm in California.)

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 19:19:16 EDT
From: Sethkimmel@aol.com
Subject: Re:  New gamers, old gamers

In a message dated 10/18/99 3:08:10 PM, you wrote:

<<Andy *would* reincarnate where he could play Traveller again as early as
possible, right? :)>>

I move that we lobby by Steve (GT) and Marc (T5) to name an Imperial capital 
ship (or maybe a starport or even a planet...) the "J. Andrew Keith" so the 
guy BECOMES canon. It's the least we can do...

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 23:26:34 +0100
From: SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com>
Subject: [BITS] Website update 18 October 1999

BITS - British Isles Traveller Support
http://www.bits.org.uk/

News: 18 October 1999 - BITS Task System & Laser Design Tool Spreadsheet.

BITS would like to mention that the BITS task system is now on the archive
page as a single page Acrobat file for your entertainment.

Additionally, we are happy to be hosting Holger Kadlez's Excel 97 Starship
Laser design spreadsheet for FFS1.

Happy Travelling,

Dom Mooney (BITS webmaster)

- -------------Dom Mooney---webmaster@bits.org.uk----------------
                 BITS - British Isles Traveller Support.
 http://www.bits.org.uk/              mailto:bits@bits.org.uk
Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.
GURPS is a registered trademark of Steve Jackson Games, Inc.
BITS and CORE are trademarks of BITS UK Limited.
All rights reserved.

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 23:32:50 +0100
From: John Buston <John.Buston@tesco.net>
Subject: Re: Heplar Efficiency

>>>My personal preference for Traveller drives is a modified t-plate which
>>>totally converts hydrogen to light-speed neutrinos.  No exhaust problems,
>>>and the fuel consumption is 2/15s that of heplar (since the exhaust
>>>velocity is C). 

>>Wouldn't the neutrino density from total conversion be enough to kill people, or
>>at least give them cancer? (remembering the supernova thread from a few months
>>ago).

>There are already 10,000,000,000 neutrinos from the sun passing through
>every cm2 of your body every second.  IIRC you need about 4,500 light
>years of lead to shield from neutrinos. 

It's a half life thing. The original Supernova thread was quoting that it had
been worked out that the _neutrino_ density from a Supernova had been calculated
to be dense enough to sterilize planets at IIRC several light years.

So I thought total conversion at say 5 metres might just be equal to a Supernova
at 5 light years.

My astronomy textbook says that Supernova 87 produced 10E58 neutrinos in around
10 seconds and that a million people on Earth had a neutrino interaction in
their bodies as a result. This is at a distance of 175,000 light years from the
supernova.

To work it out you need to postulate the nuclear equations for total conversion
and the amount of H2 fuel you burn per second. You also need to know what
neutrino density is fatal. None of which I know.

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

Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1999 00:24:06 +0100
From: John Buston <John.Buston@tesco.net>
Subject: Re: GTL9 Standard Components

Robert Prior wrote:
>GT Shipyard (available from BITS) has a great many GTL9 components already
>built in. Some of these are described in 101 Starships (free from BITS).

After finding the number of design errors made in the original GT, I don't take
anyone else's designs at face value. Nothing personal. 

BTW I have been unable to exactly match your implied fusion thruster design
stats using both short term and long term access, and by shifting TLs.

>More GTL9 (and lower) components will be released with GT Starships.
>(Further details will have to come from Chris Thrash, as per usual
>non-disclosure rules.) Gearheads who can't wait for the book are strongly
>encouraged to subscribe to Pyramid and participate in the playtesting.

Hmm, I have a feeling that would be very limiting on my ability to post designs
of my own. I am quite keen to get as many GTL9 modules and designs into the
public domain as possible before Starships comes out. I would have thought
independent design is as useful as design verification.

What's the general view of play testers and refuseniks, particularly gearheads? 
Is it more fun in (hands tied) than out (hands free)?

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

Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 18:44:05 -0500
From: "Kurtis Rodgers" <kurtis@fastlane.net>
Subject: Re: Great Task Debate

Hey, I gotta task for ya.., right here pal!

Convince Storm Trooper that these are not the droids he's looking for:
Difficult, Fast Talk, Force Power, <i>charm person</i>, Charisma, Bribery, 1
min. (hazardous, fateful, confrontation).

Bwa-ha-haa!!!  : P

Kurtis

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

End of Traveller-digest V1999 #1223
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