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<TD><B>Traveller-digest V1999 #3482</B></TD></TR>
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<TD vAlign=top width="10%">Date: </TD>
<TD>12/29/00 5:36:29 PM Pacific Standard Time</TD></TR>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Friday, December 29 2000&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3482<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>Re: Traveller Space Combat System<BR>Re: Iris valves<BR>Re: Iris valves<BR>RE: If MT were unknown...<BR>Re: Traveller Space Combat System<BR>Re: JJ0<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>Re: The Perfect 2d6 System<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: JJ0<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 15:51:51 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR><BR>&gt;From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Interestingly, establishing an inner ring (including the prime<BR>&gt;&gt; oil-field objectives) _without_ striking at Pearl might have led<BR>&gt;&gt; to "victory"; a long, hard, fight with no one but the Chinese and<BR>&gt;&gt; the oil companies _really_ concerned about the short-term (long-<BR>...<BR>&gt;Presumably the inner ring would include the Philippines.&nbsp; That would drag<BR>&gt;in the US.&nbsp; Empires tend to get offended when people mess with their colonies.<BR><BR>&nbsp; True, but that's the wrong set of terms to raise public interest :&gt;<BR>The _involvement_ of the US was a given - the existence of a deeo-water<BR>navy was evidence of that. But their desire to intervene in China hadn't<BR>been great enough; war over the Pacific periphery (to the US) might have<BR>been inevitable, but a war that _would_ last through `44 would have led<BR>to dawning horror at the prospect of it affecting the outcome of the `48<BR>elections. US national interests would have been less threatened than<BR>those of the party promoting/enacting unpopular/expensive policies.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Which begs the question of just who at Capital was allowing the Sollies<BR>to remake the Sphere in their own image. Given the lack of repercussions<BR>perhaps either solidarity once the war started led to forgiveness, or the<BR>blame was owned by someone beyond reproach...?<BR><BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;sigh&gt; Desire to run 5FW/Imperium type game vs time constraints...<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Yeah.&nbsp; Hmm - the Pacific War would play quite well as a 5FW game.&nbsp; You<BR>&gt;could even stick a game of Invasion Earth on the side to represent the war<BR><BR>&nbsp; 5FW/_Imperium_ both work well enough - TCS often collapses for things <BR>even as large as the Islands Cluster - and squadron scale and abstraction<BR>both help keep things manageable and focussed on the strategic.<BR><BR>&nbsp; I understand that Mayfairs old _The Company War_ is darned neat.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 16:06:48 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR><BR>&gt;From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;GVOUDZON'S RUN...&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; EXAMPLE OF PLAY USING KB3<BR>...<BR><BR>&nbsp; Doesn't the series of examples contradict your statement in<BR>answer to the issue of the time required by the sheer number <BR>of dice to be handled (and results checked!)?<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 11:07:11 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Traveller Space Combat System<BR><BR>Anthony Jackson wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; 2)&nbsp; Evade.&nbsp; This represents the ship's ability to dodge weapons fire.<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; It is equal to 5 * log10(Gs) - log4(dTons) + 5.&nbsp; A ship with a<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; positive evasion score can dodge weapons fire at a range of one<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; light-second.<BR><BR>Wouldn't it be better to cast all results into a consistent<BR>logarithmic base?&nbsp; e.g. 5 log10(Gs) - (5/3) log10(dTons) + 5?<BR><BR><BR>&gt; 1) Determine each ship's modified evasion rating.&nbsp; This is the<BR>&gt;ship's evasion rating + 10 * log10(light-seconds).<BR><BR>i.e. 5 log10 (10 * Gs * sensor_lag^2 / ship_length).<BR><BR>This looks OK, it scales properly anyway.&nbsp; So Evasion is 2.5 times the<BR>base-10 logarithm of the size of the area of uncertainty expressed in<BR>terms of target cross-section.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; 3) If ROF is greater than evasion, you hit.&nbsp; Add (ROF-evasion) to<BR>&gt;damage.<BR><BR>The RoF scale seems to be out of line with the evasion scale.&nbsp; Each<BR>+10 to the RoF modifier should be a factor of 10000, not a factor of<BR>1000, since the number of shots required should scale linearly with<BR>the area of uncertainty.&nbsp; For people who prefer to use calculators<BR>over tables, RoFmod = 2.5 log10 (RoF).<BR><BR>Rating&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0&nbsp; &nbsp; 1&nbsp; &nbsp; 2&nbsp; &nbsp; 3&nbsp; &nbsp; 4&nbsp; &nbsp; 5&nbsp; &nbsp; 6&nbsp; &nbsp; 7&nbsp; &nbsp; 8&nbsp; &nbsp; 9&nbsp; &nbsp; 10&nbsp; &nbsp; +10<BR>ROF/Batt&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1&nbsp; &nbsp; 3&nbsp; &nbsp; 6&nbsp; &nbsp; 15&nbsp;&nbsp; 40&nbsp;&nbsp; 100&nbsp; 250&nbsp; 600&nbsp; 1500 4000 10000 x10000<BR><BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; To use shorter turns, simply reduce the ROF of all combatants by<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1 per halving of turn length.&nbsp; Turns of less than 1 minute (-5<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ROF) are usually not advised.<BR><BR>With the above modification needed to RoF, this changes somewhat but<BR>it's not important as the same modification to turn length holds for<BR>all combatants.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; 1)&nbsp; Mapped Combat: it is possible to use these rules on a map grid; the<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; standard 0.1 light-second hexes and 30 second turns used in traveller<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; space combat work well enough.&nbsp; The range modifier table, in hexes, is:<BR>&gt; Hexes&nbsp;&nbsp; 1&nbsp;&nbsp; 2&nbsp;&nbsp; 3&nbsp;&nbsp; 4&nbsp;&nbsp; 5&nbsp;&nbsp; 6&nbsp;&nbsp; 8&nbsp;&nbsp; 10&nbsp; 13&nbsp; 16&nbsp; 20&nbsp; 25&nbsp; 32&nbsp; 40&nbsp; 50&nbsp; 63&nbsp; 80<BR>&gt; Range&nbsp;&nbsp; -10 -7&nbsp; -5&nbsp; -4&nbsp; -3&nbsp; -2&nbsp; -1&nbsp; 0&nbsp;&nbsp; 1&nbsp;&nbsp; 2&nbsp;&nbsp; 3&nbsp;&nbsp; 4&nbsp;&nbsp; 5&nbsp;&nbsp; 6&nbsp;&nbsp; 7&nbsp;&nbsp; 8&nbsp;&nbsp; 9<BR><BR>I've never actually used traveller's space combat.&nbsp; Is it really 30<BR>second turns?&nbsp; That would make it very low RoF in terms of your<BR>system.<BR><BR>How are initial engagement range and velocity vectors determined in<BR>normal Traveller?&nbsp; These would seem to be of the utmost importance.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; 2) Manuevering vs Dodging: if you're trying to actually go anywhere,<BR>&gt;that makes your course significantly more predictable, particularly<BR>&gt;from the sides (it's easier to wobble than to speed and slow).<BR><BR>Whoa!&nbsp; How do you figure that it's easier to wobble than speed and<BR>slow?&nbsp; Wobbling *is* speeding and slowing.<BR><BR>I agree that biasing your motion in a particular direction makes you a<BR>slightly easier target, but not with your wording.&nbsp; Besides, if you<BR>are already partway through your journey you don't need to accelerate<BR>- -- you can just coast while fighting.<BR><BR>Note - with 30 minute turns you could end up on the wrong side of the<BR>system after a protracted battle if you're already traveling a few<BR>thousand kilometres per second, such as being midway though an<BR>acceleration/deceleration cycle.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; Accel&nbsp;&nbsp; 30%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 50%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 70%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 86%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 94%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 97%<BR>&gt; Front&nbsp;&nbsp; +0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; +0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -2&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -3&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -4<BR>&gt; Side&nbsp; &nbsp; +0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -2&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -4&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -6&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -8<BR>&gt; Meson&nbsp;&nbsp; +0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -3&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -5&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -8&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -10<BR><BR>The figures I get are hugely different; maybe I'm assuming better<BR>piloting.&nbsp; It seems you just did a linear subtraction of acceleration<BR>capacity rather than a 3-dimensional vector decomposition.&nbsp; That can<BR>be an appropriate model in some circumstances, but not for a competent<BR>pilot.<BR><BR><BR>My figures:<BR><BR>Accel&nbsp;&nbsp; 30%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 50%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 70%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 86%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 94%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 97%<BR>Front&nbsp;&nbsp; +0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; +0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; +0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -2<BR>Meson&nbsp;&nbsp; +0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; +0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; +0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -2&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -2<BR><BR>There is no difference from the sides.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; 4)&nbsp; Facing: needles, wedges, and other narrow configurations can usefully<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; choose which facing is turned towards the enemy;<BR><BR>Needles have a single best facing and a circle of worst facings.&nbsp; Thin<BR>disks and wedges should have a single worst facing and a circle of<BR>best facings.&nbsp; This makes a difference if you're facing multiple<BR>enemies in widely separated positions.&nbsp; A needle can only orient their<BR>best facing toward one of them.&nbsp; The others can always orient their<BR>best facing circle to intersect two of them.<BR><BR>If combat takes place in 2D (I can't remember, does Traveller do<BR>this?) then a thin wedge or disk can always present its smallest<BR>cross-section (or near to it) to *all* enemies.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 15:19:43 PST<BR>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>Subject: Re: Iris valves<BR><BR>In mail you write:<BR><BR>&gt; Howdy!<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Leonard remarked:<BR>&gt; [snip]<BR>&gt;&gt; <BR>&gt;&gt; Rescue crews can erect a temporary airlock over the hatch *if* they<BR>&gt;&gt; need to use it. <BR>&gt;&gt; <BR>&gt; I work at Military Sealift Command Headquarters. Sometimes, people<BR>&gt; leave interesting reading matter in the mens room...<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; There was a newsletter from Hydrex, a marine repair firm. They specialize<BR>&gt; in on-site hull repairs. They have these portable (by lorry) dry-dock<BR>&gt; thingies that seal against the hull to allow them to cut out a bad piece<BR>&gt; of hull plate without having to drydock the whole ship. <BR><BR>That's exactly the sort of thing I was thinking of. <BR><BR>Similar ideas have popped up in *lots* of stories. And it's one of the<BR>few practical solutiond to the "they're trapped in a compartment that<BR>still has air, but don't have any usable suits" problem.<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>shadow@krypton.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;--preferred<BR>leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;--last resort<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 15:21:47 PST<BR>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>Subject: Re: Iris valves<BR><BR>In mail you write:<BR><BR>&gt; Leonard Erickson wrote:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt; In mail you write:<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt; &gt; There are easier ways to seal an access way, airlock or bulkhead. The <BR>&gt; good<BR>&gt;&gt; &gt; old swinging hatch is hard to beat.<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt; The problem with a swinging hatch is that while it provides a good seal<BR>&gt;&gt; if the high pressure is in the compartment it opens into, it provides<BR>&gt;&gt; *no* seal if the pressure differential runs the other way.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; No seal?!?&nbsp; What its just sitting there closed? Most hatches I've ever<BR>&gt; dealt with the dogs were on the opposite side from the swing, and when<BR>&gt; properly dogged down they where air tight. The newer ones had a bleeder valve<BR>&gt; so on could see what was on the other side at least, equalize pressure at <BR>&gt; most.<BR>&gt; Some even had a HP air fitting installed.<BR><BR>Keep in mind that with a 1 atmosphere pressure differential, a 1m x 2m<BR>hatch has a load on it equivalent to 20 *tons*. It'll take one hell of<BR>a set of dogs to handle that.<BR><BR>Quick shortcut for figuring pressure: 1 "technical atmosphere" is<BR>*defined* as "1 kilogram-force per square centimeter". And 1 kilogram-<BR>force is the force exerted by a 1 kilogram mass in a 1 g field.<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>shadow@krypton.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;--preferred<BR>leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;--last resort<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:31:54 +1300<BR>From: "Frank G. Pitt" &lt;frankie@mundens.gen.nz&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: If MT were unknown...<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden wrote :<BR><BR>&gt; Can you imagine what the reception on this list would be like if MT had<BR>&gt; never been written, and I was standing here touting the advantages of<BR>&gt; this new system I had made up--KBMT!<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Can you really imagine that?<BR><BR>Yes.<BR>You'd be looked at as if you were some sort of idiot and told to go away and<BR>stop being silly.<BR>&lt;grin&gt;<BR><BR>Frankie<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 16:28:17 -0800 (PST)<BR>From: Anthony Jackson &lt;ajackson@molly.iii.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Traveller Space Combat System<BR><BR>Timothy Little writes:<BR>&gt; Anthony Jackson wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; 2)&nbsp; Evade.&nbsp; This represents the ship's ability to dodge weapons fire.<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; It is equal to 5 * log10(Gs) - log4(dTons) + 5.&nbsp; A ship with a<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; positive evasion score can dodge weapons fire at a range of one<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; light-second.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Wouldn't it be better to cast all results into a consistent<BR>&gt; logarithmic base?&nbsp; e.g. 5 log10(Gs) - (5/3) log10(dTons) + 5?<BR><BR>Sure, but these are very close in meaning.<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; 1) Determine each ship's modified evasion rating.&nbsp; This is the<BR>&gt; &gt;ship's evasion rating + 10 * log10(light-seconds).<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; i.e. 5 log10 (10 * Gs * sensor_lag^2 / ship_length).<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; This looks OK, it scales properly anyway.&nbsp; So Evasion is 2.5 times the<BR>&gt; base-10 logarithm of the size of the area of uncertainty expressed in<BR>&gt; terms of target cross-section.<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; 3) If ROF is greater than evasion, you hit.&nbsp; Add (ROF-evasion) to<BR>&gt; &gt;damage.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; The RoF scale seems to be out of line with the evasion scale.&nbsp; Each<BR>&gt; +10 to the RoF modifier should be a factor of 10000, not a factor of<BR>&gt; 1000, since the number of shots required should scale linearly with<BR>&gt; the area of uncertainty.<BR><BR>The problem is that the area of uncertainty isn't as great as you think it is.<BR>My assumption is that evasion can be broken into discrete 'legs', each of <BR>which involves moving far enough to evade fire.&nbsp; If you use a perfect random<BR>algorithm for the movement in each leg, the total distance moved will be<BR>roughly proportional to the 3/2 power of the number of legs.&nbsp; It is possible<BR>to construct evasion formulae which are superior at long ranges, but you pay<BR>a cost in terms of being more predictable at close ranges.<BR><BR>This is why x2 shots (+0.3 logarithm) hits a target with 40% of the area (+0.4<BR>logarithm) -- the smaller ship takes somewhat shorter legs, and therefore does<BR>not move as much in total.&nbsp; If you wish, you may use the 'range-optimized <BR>evasion' rule, in which case it does take 10,000 times more shots (because <BR>evasion climbs from 10 to 13).<BR><BR>&gt; I've never actually used traveller's space combat.&nbsp; Is it really 30<BR>&gt; second turns?&nbsp; That would make it very low RoF in terms of your<BR>&gt; system.<BR><BR>Oops.&nbsp; 30 _minute_ turns, at least in things like brilliant lances.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; How are initial engagement range and velocity vectors determined in<BR>&gt; normal Traveller?&nbsp; These would seem to be of the utmost importance.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; 2) Manuevering vs Dodging: if you're trying to actually go anywhere,<BR>&gt; &gt;that makes your course significantly more predictable, particularly<BR>&gt; &gt;from the sides (it's easier to wobble than to speed and slow).<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Whoa!&nbsp; How do you figure that it's easier to wobble than speed and<BR>&gt; slow?&nbsp; Wobbling *is* speeding and slowing.<BR><BR>No it isn't.&nbsp; Wobbling is accelerating sideways, and if you have 1.0 G of<BR>acceleration and want to go in a particular direction at 0.7 Gs, you can<BR>reasonably move at 0.7 Gs sideways (pythagorean theorem) but can only freely<BR>adjust your acceleration in the direction of travel by about 0.3 Gs.<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; Accel&nbsp;&nbsp; 30%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 50%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 70%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 86%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 94%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 97%<BR>&gt; &gt; Front&nbsp;&nbsp; +0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; +0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -2&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -3&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -4<BR>&gt; &gt; Side&nbsp; &nbsp; +0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -2&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -4&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -6&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -8<BR>&gt; &gt; Meson&nbsp;&nbsp; +0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -3&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -5&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -8&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -10<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; The figures I get are hugely different; maybe I'm assuming better<BR>&gt; piloting.&nbsp; It seems you just did a linear subtraction of acceleration<BR>&gt; capacity rather than a 3-dimensional vector decomposition.<BR><BR>Nope.&nbsp; I broke apart the vector for sideways acceleration, but you _do_ use<BR>linean subtraction for front to back acceleration.<BR><BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Accel&nbsp;&nbsp; 30%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 50%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 70%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 86%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 94%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 97%<BR>&gt; Front&nbsp;&nbsp; +0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; +0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; +0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -2<BR>How the hell do you think you can get 86% in one direction and still not more<BR>than half the uncertainty in position?&nbsp; You've only got about 14% of play <BR>left in the direction of acceleration (1/7) and 50% crosswise (1/2) for a<BR>total of 1/4 the area from the front (-2), 1/14 the area from the side (-4),<BR>and 1/28 the volume for meson fire (-5).<BR><BR>&gt; If combat takes place in 2D (I can't remember, does Traveller do<BR>&gt; this?) then a thin wedge or disk can always present its smallest<BR>&gt; cross-section (or near to it) to *all* enemies.<BR><BR>It does, but that's an abstraction for playability, and should not be taken<BR>advantage of in terms of game mechanics.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 18:34:33 -0600<BR>From: "James Jensen" &lt;cheeb0@hotmail.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: JJ0<BR><BR>&gt;I'm guessing that Stat and Skill are on the same scale?<BR><BR>Yeah.<BR><BR>&gt;You're rolling oppssed rolls, right?&nbsp; The Player rolls his task, then the <BR>&gt;GM<BR>&gt;rolls his...<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;I mean, the GM is not rolling 2 rolls, right?<BR><BR>Yes, I'm using opposed rolls.<BR><BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;And, do you have static target numbers too?&nbsp; You'll need them if a GM ever <BR>&gt;needs<BR>&gt;to roll for an NPC behind his GM screen on a roll that doesn't involve a <BR>&gt;player<BR>&gt;throw.<BR><BR>I'm afraid not. The very nature of the system rules this out. Remember, <BR>we're comparing the highest numbers here. I'll have to work on static <BR>difficulties. I'll post when I've got it down.<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; Now here's where it becomes like KB3: If ALL of the dice are tied<BR>&gt; &gt; (disregarding the lowest dice if one side has more than the other; hope <BR>&gt;you<BR>&gt; &gt; know what this means), then roll one more die. If it's even, the player<BR>&gt; &gt; scores a Critical Success; if it's odd, he gets a Critical Failure.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;You're loosing me.&nbsp; I need an example.<BR><BR>Sorry for the confusion. Here's a example of a sweet-spot roll (using d6s):<BR><BR>Player's Side&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; GM's Side<BR>6&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 6<BR>5&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 5<BR>3&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 3<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 2<BR><BR>The player has just rolled a sweet-spot or equal roll. All that matters is <BR>the three that he and the difficulty have in common, not the extra die. Now, <BR>one die is thrown, and if it comes up even, the player gets a Critical <BR>Success. If it comes up odd, it's a Critical Failure.<BR><BR>Optionally, the player and GM may if one gets an even number and he other <BR>doesn't, that side gets a Critical Success (if GM gets a CritSuccess, the <BR>player gets a CritFailure). Otherwise, it's a Partial Success for each side. <BR>This is how I originally designed the system.<BR><BR>BTW, I like to call getting a Critical Success with this system "Blowing the <BR>Curve".<BR><BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;And, I don't understand if this is a higher-is-better, lower-is-better, or <BR>&gt;sweet<BR>&gt;spot system.<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>If you're just going for a normal success, it's a higher-is-better. If <BR>you're going for a critical success, it's a sweet spot system.<BR><BR>- -J. Jensen<BR>Administrator of the Milieu: 0 Aid Society<BR>http://members.nbci.com/cheebzero/trav_index.htm<BR><BR>_________________________________________________________________<BR>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 11:42:11 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; KB3 is a "sweet spot" system.&nbsp; The logic behind a system like this<BR>&gt; is that a controlled, directed, effort is needed.<BR><BR>I have no idea what this means.&nbsp; You can't mean character effort,<BR>since effective control and direction of effort comes under skill.<BR>You also can't mean player effort, since there isn't any.<BR><BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; You need enough to attain your goal, and anything over that is a<BR>&gt; waste of effort.<BR><BR>Unfortunately it's worse than that.&nbsp; Additional skill in KB3 is not<BR>just wasted, it actively detracts from level of success.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; I thought of an analogy that fits "sweet spot" thinking well, and I<BR>&gt; thought I'd share it with you.....<BR><BR>Unfortunately I think your analogy is highly flawed.&nbsp; Comat fighters<BR>train a lot in striking strength and speed as well as precision.&nbsp; They<BR>are all aspects of skill.<BR><BR>Unfortunately for your analogy, greater precision does not "blow<BR>through".&nbsp; Harder hitting does not "blow through".&nbsp; Faster reflexes do<BR>not "blow through".&nbsp; The barroom brawler is simply less skilled.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; He said, basically, that the chance that GS will occur gets lower,<BR>&gt; the more skilled you are.&nbsp; And, he's right if you go with strict<BR>&gt; "higher-is-better" thinking.<BR><BR>We're right regardless of how you *think* about it.&nbsp; The distribution<BR>of outcomes is an objective aspect of the system.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; We're throwing too much at it.&nbsp; We're wasting the character's energy<BR>&gt; and ability.&nbsp; The "sweet spot" logic of the system is kicking in.<BR><BR>Bleh.&nbsp; "Sour spot" is more like it.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; And believe it or not (it even slipped past me--and I wrote the doggone<BR>&gt; rules!), KB3 does handle this situation nicely as written.&nbsp; Take a look<BR>&gt; at the revised summary I posted a couple of days ago.&nbsp; There are options<BR>&gt; for using your skills.&nbsp; KB3 characters don't have to blindly use their<BR>&gt; skill points to gain D6 to throw at a target.&nbsp; You can also reduce your<BR>&gt; target number with your skill points.&nbsp; You can increase your stat for<BR>&gt; measuring purposes too.<BR><BR>I think we're up to around 50 versions of KB3 now, counting the<BR>various combinations of modifiacations you've proposed to patch<BR>various problems.&nbsp; Are you actually going to collect them into one<BR>document?&nbsp; I'm sure I've missed a few dozen somewhere.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; One of the KB3 skill options is to reduce your target number with<BR>&gt; your skill level.&nbsp; If you employ this one rule option, you change<BR>&gt; the whole dynamic of the throw we used in the example above.<BR><BR>Yep, making this KB3.34 or something.&nbsp; It also increases player effort<BR>(above the already complex system), does strange things to the<BR>probabilities and discounts skill relative to stats by a factor of<BR>over 3 from the base system.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; See, as a player using KB3, you're more involved with how your<BR>&gt; character attempts a task.<BR><BR>One problem: The KB3.34 skill options correspond to absolutely nothing<BR>in the character world.&nbsp; It's just a dice-rolling decision which is<BR>completely out of character.&nbsp; Fine for people who just like rolling<BR>dice and playing with game mechanics of course, but less suited for<BR>those who like to roleplay.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 18:50:31 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR><BR>Steven Hudson wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &gt;GVOUDZON'S RUN...&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; EXAMPLE OF PLAY USING KB3<BR>&gt; ...<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Doesn't the series of examples contradict your statement in<BR>&gt; answer to the issue of the time required by the sheer number<BR>&gt; of dice to be handled (and results checked!)?<BR><BR>You check results under the MT system too.&nbsp; Like in combat, you check to see<BR>if you rolled the target number exactly...if you beat it by 2...if you failed<BR>it by 2...if you beat it by 4...if you beat it by 8...etc.<BR><BR>KB3 does not use a generic, constant number like MT uses, so maybe it does<BR>take a bit more time.&nbsp; I don't know.<BR><BR>I am positive that using KB3 doesn't bog the game down though.&nbsp; *I* wouldn't<BR>want it, if it did.<BR><BR>I don't think the question is:&nbsp; How many miliseconds is it longer to play<BR>than MT.&nbsp; I think the question is:&nbsp; Does KB3 provide fun, fast paced, gaming?<BR><BR>And, to this, I would say "yes".<BR><BR>You read through the example (I'm guessing your did).&nbsp; Did it seem like KB3<BR>bogged the game down in any way?<BR><BR>I don't think that scenario (or any Traveller scenario) would be any shorter<BR>or faster using KB3 or MT.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>As your players get used to KB3...as they get "familiar" with the system, KB3<BR>will glide along like most systems do.&nbsp; Players will instinctively know what<BR>their character's stats are and play the game using them.&nbsp; Players will also<BR>get a good feel for when to throw all dice, when to use some dice and lower<BR>difficulty, when to use some dice and raise stat for measurment.<BR><BR>The example glided along as I was writing it (even rolling for both the<BR>player and the GM).&nbsp; I was very happy with the speed, and I did not notice it<BR>being either faster or slower than any other *good*, *clean* systems I've<BR>used (now, the new D&amp;D 3rd edition d20 system is a good one, but bogged down<BR>with too many "if-then" modifiers).<BR><BR>I honestly don't think you'll notice a speed difference gaming this way.<BR><BR>And, I *do* think your players will find more enjoyment gaming using a<BR>back-n-forth, opposed roll based system.<BR><BR>Believe me.&nbsp; It's just down right fun.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 11:56:30 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System<BR><BR>Steven Hudson wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; +2 at 15+ on d20 means going from 30-&gt;40%, whereas a mere +1 at 12<BR>&gt; on 2d6 triples your chance!<BR><BR>And a mere +1 at 20 on d20 doubles your chance!&nbsp; All finite dice<BR>systems have edge effects.&nbsp; Most bell curves smooth these effects, not<BR>increase them.<BR><BR>It seems to me that +1 on a bell curve is more consistent than a +1 on<BR>a linear system.&nbsp; I can back this up mathematically if you like, via<BR>statistical examination of the natural parameters of the binomial<BR>distribution as compared with discretized uniform and normal<BR>distributions.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 12:00:09 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>eris@pcola.gulf.net wrote:<BR>&gt; Hum, well I'd make a slight change here...<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; GURPS: A skill (based on a stat) vs target comparison.<BR><BR>(modified by chance)<BR><BR>Sure.&nbsp; It's just that I don't care where the skill comes from.&nbsp; It<BR>could come from stat, or half stat, or independent of stat, or<BR>modified by advantages, disadvantages or temporary conditions.<BR>Various GURPS skills give examples of each.<BR><BR>The important thing is that only the final skill level matters when<BR>determining the outcome of the task.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 18:59:49 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: JJ0<BR><BR>James Jensen wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &gt;And, do you have static target numbers too?&nbsp; You'll need them if a GM ever<BR>&gt; &gt;needs<BR>&gt; &gt;to roll for an NPC behind his GM screen on a roll that doesn't involve a<BR>&gt; &gt;player<BR>&gt; &gt;throw.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; I'm afraid not. The very nature of the system rules this out. Remember,<BR>&gt; we're comparing the highest numbers here. I'll have to work on static<BR>&gt; difficulties. I'll post when I've got it down.<BR><BR>I guess you could use different colored die too.&nbsp; But, this type of arrangement<BR>would only work well if you were comparing highest-die to highest-die, not<BR>highest-total to highest-total.<BR><BR>That way, a GM, when he wanted to roll behind a screen, he could throw a handful<BR>of dice, in two colors, and compare the highest of each of the colors.<BR><BR>I don't think that would take too much work.&nbsp; But, asking a GM to roll twice,<BR>for difficulty and task, is too much in my book.&nbsp; If the system mandates<BR>highest-total to highest-total, then you've got to have static targets--just for<BR>ease-of-use reasons.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; Sorry for the confusion. Here's a example of a sweet-spot roll (using d6s):<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Player's Side&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; GM's Side<BR>&gt; 6&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 6<BR>&gt; 5&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 5<BR>&gt; 3&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 3<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 2<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; The player has just rolled a sweet-spot or equal roll. All that matters is<BR>&gt; the three that he and the difficulty have in common, not the extra die. Now,<BR>&gt; one die is thrown, and if it comes up even, the player gets a Critical<BR>&gt; Success. If it comes up odd, it's a Critical Failure.<BR><BR>So...a player throws 3D6.&nbsp; Then the GM throws 3D6.<BR><BR>Success can only occur when all three dice match equally?<BR><BR>That can't be right.&nbsp; I must still be missing something.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; BTW, I like to call getting a Critical Success with this system "Blowing the<BR>&gt; Curve".<BR><BR>I like that.&nbsp; You've got a "blow".<BR><BR>I may use that in KB3....the E-Die results of a "1" or a "6" will give you a<BR>"blow".<BR><BR>I don't know why...but that's kind of cool.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; If you're just going for a normal success, it's a higher-is-better. If<BR>&gt; you're going for a critical success, it's a sweet spot system.<BR><BR>Gotcha.&nbsp; Like in KB3...you have to beat your target number to even achieve<BR>success....but the higher you roll over that target number the worse your<BR>success results are.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 12:13:24 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; NOTHING about that throw is tied to the character.&nbsp; It's a straight<BR>&gt; 2D6 throw...completely generic...completely independent of anything<BR>&gt; that makes the character a character.<BR><BR>So what?&nbsp; That's what makes it a good, consistent system.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; What makes his throw unique to him?<BR><BR>The numbers he adds to the dice roll.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; What about the difficulty is unique to Michael?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Nothing.<BR><BR>Nothing in KB3, either.&nbsp; (Unless you've got a KB3.51 I haven't seen)<BR><BR><BR>&gt; No matter how you slice it in T4, your roll is "representative" of the<BR>&gt; character you are dicing for.&nbsp; It's not a generic system modified by the<BR>&gt; character, like in MT.&nbsp; In T4, your throw is "defined" by the character.<BR><BR>Not at all.&nbsp; Like every system you've mentioned so far, the system is<BR>consistent for each character.&nbsp; Only the numbers change.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; When Kirk throws to hit, he throws 1D...which is based on THAT<BR>&gt; CHARACTER'S SKILL!<BR><BR>Whoopee -- the throws in MT are also based on TH4T CH4R4CT3R'5 5K1LL !!1!1!<BR><BR>I've got a better idea, to personalise every character's throws.&nbsp; The<BR>player should take every symbol on their character sheet and written<BR>history in a standard Vilani encoding system, and encrypt the result<BR>using the current game timestamp as a key.&nbsp; Apply a cryptographic hash<BR>to the resulting stream.&nbsp; If the resulting block contains a '1' in the<BR>position corresponding to their character's age in years, then the<BR>task succeeds.<BR><BR>WOW!&nbsp; A TASK RESOLUTION METHOD THAT DEPENDS ON EVERY ASPECT OF THE<BR>CHARACTER'S LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!&nbsp; NO ARBITRARY NUMBERS AT<BR>ALL!!!!!!!!<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3482<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe<BR>"local-traveller":<BR><BR>subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net<BR><BR>A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to<BR>subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"<BR>in the commands above with "traveller".<BR><BR>Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgn.com<BR></I></I></S><XMP></XMP>
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<P align=left><FONT color=#0f0f0f face=Arial size=2 PTSIZE="10" BACK="#FFFFFE"><BR><BR>----------------------- Headers --------------------------------<BR>Return-Path: &lt;owner-traveller@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>Received: from&nbsp; rly-za03.mx.aol.com (rly-za03.mail.aol.com [172.31.36.99]) by air-za01.mail.aol.com (v77.31) with ESMTP; Fri, 29 Dec 2000 20:36:29 -0500<BR>Received: from&nbsp; lists.ient.com (lists.ient.com [204.85.32.11]) by rly-za03.mx.aol.com (v77.27) with ESMTP; Fri, 29 Dec 2000 20:36:02 -0500<BR>Received: from localhost (daemon@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) with SMTP id UAA26757;<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Fri, 29 Dec 2000 20:10:59 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller@lists.ient.com)<BR>Received: by lists.ient.com (bulk_mailer v1.12); Fri, 29 Dec 2000 20:10:50 -0500<BR>Received: (from majordom@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) id UAA26712<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; for traveller-digest-outgoing; Fri, 29 Dec 2000 20:10:50 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com)<BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 20:10:50 -0500 (EST)<BR>Message-Id: &lt;200012300110.UAA26712@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>From: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>To: traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Subject: Traveller-digest V1999 #3482<BR>Reply-To: traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>Sender: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR><BR></FONT></P></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML><HTML><HEAD><BASE></HEAD>
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<TD><B>Traveller-digest V1999 #3483</B></TD></TR>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Friday, December 29 2000&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3483<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>Re: Jump emergence<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Traveller Space Combat System<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: Jump emergence<BR>Re: HazMat was ACQ was RE: BITS adventures...<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>UNSUBSCRIBE<BR>Re: JJ0<BR>Re: JJ0<BR>RE: If MT were unknown...<BR>Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>Re: System Traffic: Counting the Ships<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 12:15:06 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Jump emergence<BR><BR>Thom Jones-Low wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &nbsp; &nbsp; Like how small a planetoid you can safely jump to. Given Marc<BR>&gt; Millers Jumpspace article variance of 3000 km in the emergence of a<BR>&gt; jump 1 drive.<BR><BR>Where was this?&nbsp; I thought the variation was more on the order of a<BR>couple of hundred thousand km according to Marc?<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 19:40:49 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; One problem: The KB3.34 skill options correspond to absolutely nothing<BR>&gt; in the character world.&nbsp; It's just a dice-rolling decision which is<BR>&gt; completely out of character.&nbsp; Fine for people who just like rolling<BR>&gt; dice and playing with game mechanics of course, but less suited for<BR>&gt; those who like to roleplay.<BR><BR>You could look at it that way I guess.&nbsp; Or, you could look at it the way I do:<BR>Players are "pulled into" the action of the game world by actually experiencing<BR>decisions with their skills.<BR><BR>Players decide how best to use their skill and ability.<BR><BR>If we accept that an attack roll in any RPG models the action of a character<BR>swinging a broadsword at his enemy, then KB3's skill options certainly model task<BR>decisions the character has to make in the same abstract way.<BR><BR>Mainly, though, dicing with KB3 is "fun".&nbsp; The "Gvoudzon's Run" post should show<BR>you that.<BR><BR>If your character is an absolute expert, and he's got Skill-6, in most RPGs, like<BR>MT, you roll and add in your skill, and your roll is high, and that's it.<BR><BR>There's nothing wrong with that.&nbsp; I like gaming that way too.&nbsp; And, I'm not saying<BR>that using KB3 is a "better way to go" than most "higher-is-better" systems.<BR>There's too many higher-is-better systems that I like out there.<BR><BR>What I am saying is that KB3 is another way to go with your gaming, and it's fun in<BR>its own right--the mechanics are actually fun, not just dead-head rolls.<BR><BR>Take your Skill-6 character above.&nbsp; Using KB3, a player gets to evaluate the<BR>difficulty of the task before him and tune his character's ability to best tackle<BR>that situation.&nbsp; More skill level gives you more options.<BR><BR>If you've got a Skill-6, under KB3, you can throw 7 dice at task, if it is very<BR>hard to do (read:&nbsp; high target number).<BR><BR>Or, you can throw 1D at it, reducing your target number by 6.<BR><BR>Or, you can throw 1D at it, raising your stat for measuring purposes, attempting to<BR>achieve Greater Success.<BR><BR>Or, you can mix and match those options--whichever is appropriate to the situation.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>Tim, I don't get anything out of it whether you use KB3 or not.&nbsp; I just know it is<BR>a good system, and I know it is fun to game with.<BR><BR>If you'd give KB3 a fair shake and stop blindly shaking your head to it, you<BR>might...you just might...find yourself liking something that you can't accept now.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 19:41:00 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; I think we're up to around 50 versions of KB3 now, counting the<BR>&gt; various combinations of modifiacations you've proposed to patch<BR>&gt; various problems.&nbsp; Are you actually going to collect them into one<BR>&gt; document?&nbsp; I'm sure I've missed a few dozen somewhere.<BR><BR>Well, no.&nbsp; There have been only two version of KB3 so far.&nbsp; And, the system is in<BR>playtesting, as I originally said when I released it to the list.&nbsp; The *aim* here<BR>*is* to work out any wrinkles.<BR><BR>I posted a several post series describing KB3 in detail when I first released it to<BR>the list.&nbsp; That was the first version.<BR><BR>Then, finding a few wrinkles, I posted a revised summary of the system that<BR>included three changes.<BR><BR>That's two versions of KB3 released so far--the original, and the newest one with<BR>the three changes.<BR><BR>And, *since* the system is in playtesting, it wouldn't bother me if there were 50<BR>versions of it.<BR><BR>The whole idea is to get it right.<BR><BR>So far, I've been able to do that in two.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 19:41:13 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; We're throwing too much at it.&nbsp; We're wasting the character's energy<BR>&gt; &gt; and ability.&nbsp; The "sweet spot" logic of the system is kicking in.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Bleh.&nbsp; "Sour spot" is more like it.<BR><BR>Tim,<BR><BR>Are you trying to get under my skin with comments like these?<BR><BR>Do you want to talk like two gamers discussing a system, or do you want to incite<BR>non-productive word fights?<BR><BR>I'd rather talk, agree to disagree on topics, and enjoy the conversation, myself.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 19:41:18 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Unfortunately it's worse than that.&nbsp; Additional skill in KB3 is not<BR>&gt; just wasted, it actively detracts from level of success.<BR><BR>No, they don't.&nbsp; As a player, you just have to use your resources<BR>intelligently--which is why dicing with KB3 is "fun".<BR><BR>Here's the example lifted from the original post.&nbsp; As you can see, your success<BR>increases with your level--and you have choice in how you want your success<BR>increased.&nbsp; If you just need to tackle a large target number, roll all of your<BR>dice.&nbsp; Or, you may want to tailor your skill at the task at hand by using the KB3<BR>skill options.<BR><BR>That's what is happening in the example here.&nbsp; There is a point where "number of<BR>dice" for success are traded to bring the target number down.<BR><BR>Joe Normal<BR>Average Throw of 7+<BR>GS made if throw is less than Stat-7<BR>KB3 skill option used on some throws.<BR><BR>Skill-0<BR>Throw 1D<BR>Task Success 0%&nbsp; (We're not using the E-Die in this example.)<BR>GS on 7-<BR>GS not possible.<BR><BR>Skill-1<BR>Throw 2D<BR>Task Success 58%<BR>GS on 7<BR>GS 17%<BR><BR>Skill-2<BR>Throw 2D<BR>Reduce target number from 7+ to 6+.<BR>Task Success 72%<BR>GS on 6-7<BR>GS 31%<BR><BR>Skill-3<BR>Throw 2D<BR>Reduce target number from 7+ to 5+.<BR>Task Success 83%<BR>GS on 5-6-7<BR>GS 42%<BR><BR>Skill-4<BR>Throw 2D<BR>Reduce target number from 7+ to 4+.<BR>Task Success 92%<BR>GS on 4-5-6-7<BR>GS 50%<BR><BR>Skill-5<BR>Throw 2D<BR>Reduce target number from 7+ to 3+.<BR>Task Success 97%<BR>GS on 3-4-5-6-7<BR>GS 56%<BR><BR>Skill-6<BR>Throw 1D<BR>Reduce target number from 7+ to 1+.<BR>Task Success 100%<BR>GS on 1-2-3-4-5-67<BR>GS 100%<BR><BR>- ------------------------------------<BR><BR>See.&nbsp; The more skilled you are, the better your chance of success.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 12:55:07 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Traveller Space Combat System<BR><BR>Anthony Jackson wrote:<BR>&gt; &gt; Wouldn't it be better to cast all results into a consistent<BR>&gt; &gt; logarithmic base?&nbsp; e.g. 5 log10(Gs) - (5/3) log10(dTons) + 5?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Sure, but these are very close in meaning.<BR><BR>No problem, this was more a a nitpick.&nbsp; :^)<BR><BR><BR>&gt; The problem is that the area of uncertainty isn't as great as you<BR>&gt; think it is.&nbsp; My assumption is that evasion can be broken into<BR>&gt; discrete 'legs', each of which involves moving far enough to evade<BR>&gt; fire.&nbsp; If you use a perfect random algorithm for the movement in<BR>&gt; each leg, the total distance moved will be roughly proportional to<BR>&gt; the 3/2 power of the number of legs.<BR><BR>I'd rather make the 'known distance' case the base one, since its not<BR>going to be very often that a large number of ships engage at greatly<BR>differing distances.&nbsp; Make the short-range evasion case the special<BR>one.<BR><BR>The other matter is that even if you do use a 3/2-power rule, then the<BR>time-dependence changes in a way that your formula doesn't indicate.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; No it isn't.&nbsp; Wobbling is accelerating sideways, and if you have 1.0 G of<BR>&gt; acceleration and want to go in a particular direction at 0.7 Gs, you can<BR>&gt; reasonably move at 0.7 Gs sideways (pythagorean theorem) but can only freely<BR>&gt; adjust your acceleration in the direction of travel by about 0.3 Gs.<BR><BR>You are neglecting the ability to accelerate in a completely different<BR>direction for brief periods.&nbsp; This is enough to substantially widen<BR>the area in the direction of motion, even with a 0.7G-forward average.<BR><BR>Your assumption seems to be that of a continuous 0.7G component of<BR>acceleration in the desired direction, onto which are overlaid evasive<BR>0.7G accelerations in transverse directions and +- 0.3G in the forward<BR>direction.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; How the hell do you think you can get 86% in one direction and still<BR>&gt; not more than half the uncertainty in position?<BR><BR>Oops, I was dividing by 2 twice.&nbsp; Sorry, double my numbers.&nbsp; Still<BR>quite different from yours at the high end, though.<BR><BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; You've only got about 14% of play left in the direction of<BR>&gt; acceleration (1/7) and 50% crosswise (1/2) for a total of 1/4 the<BR>&gt; area from the front (-2)<BR><BR>There are three problems here.&nbsp; One is that with anisotropic<BR>acceleration capacity, your "short-range" evasion model changes in a<BR>way that you didn't anticipate.&nbsp; The duration of your "legs" alters in<BR>the 'forward' direction, and you haven't allowed for that.&nbsp; The second<BR>is that with a high forward average component, it is not at all<BR>optimal to follow your assumed acceleration pattern -- you can do<BR>substantially better by evading in a non-ellipsoidal volume, and<BR>better still if you know where the enemy ship is.&nbsp; The third is that<BR>the formula relating area to evasion modifiers is 2.5log(area), which<BR>even with your area figures should give smaller modifiers than you<BR>typed.&nbsp; e.g. 1/14 area is -3, not -5.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; It does, but that's an abstraction for playability, and should not<BR>&gt; be taken advantage of in terms of game mechanics.<BR><BR>OK, but needles still have a disadvantage against multiple enemies<BR>compared with thin wedges and disks even in 3D.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 19:51:48 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; What makes his throw unique to him?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; The numbers he adds to the dice roll.<BR><BR>Did you read the example?<BR><BR>If you've got a MT character with Dex-4, Pistol-0, there is nothing in the game to<BR>differintiate him from another character with Dex-1, Pistol-0.<BR><BR>It's a straight, generic, 2D6 roll with NOTHING tied to that character.<BR><BR>It's like dicing for armies in Risk.<BR><BR>If you go with T4, you DO have a system tied to the characters--in fact their<BR>target numbers are defined by the characters.&nbsp; So there is a BIG difference between<BR>a Dex-4, Pistol-0 character and his poor, shot up shipmate who's got a Dex-1,<BR>Pistol-0.<BR><BR>But, in T4, stats greatly overpower skills, so...<BR><BR>I've created KB3 where you can have a character with Dex-4, Pistol-0, and his<BR>ability to succeed on a task is defined by his skill and measured by his stat.<BR><BR>It's not a generic 2D6 roll.<BR><BR>And this character is unique compared to his shot up shipmate with a Dex-1,<BR>Pistol-0.<BR><BR><BR>MT is a GENERIC roll system modified by the character.<BR><BR>T4 is a CHARACTER-DEFINED system, but stats over power skills.<BR><BR>KB3 is a CHARCTER-DEFINED system, but unlike T4, there is not powerful stat<BR>problem.&nbsp; Skills and Stats have different jobs, although those jobs are<BR>interconnected.&nbsp; Skills define your chance of success.&nbsp; Stats measure your success<BR>or failure.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 19:55:20 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; What about the difficulty is unique to Michael?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Nothing.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Nothing in KB3, either.&nbsp; (Unless you've got a KB3.51 I haven't seen)<BR><BR>What are you talking about?<BR><BR>The throw a character makes in KB3 is DEFINED by his skill level.&nbsp; It's not<BR>generic.&nbsp; It's not a 2D6 roll that every character gets.&nbsp; It's tied to the<BR>character.<BR><BR>The character's Stat MEASURES the character's success or failure.&nbsp; It's not<BR>generic.&nbsp; It's tied to the character.<BR><BR>How many ways do I have to show you that?<BR><BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 22:58:08 -0500<BR>From: Thom Jones-Low &lt;tjoneslo@together.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Jump emergence<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I'm not finished beating a dead horse yet. I went back through my<BR>physics texts and references and did a little more math. <BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; The Tidal Acceleration is what limit the safe use of the jump drive.<BR>Tidal acceleration is calculated by the formula:<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Ta = (G * M / R^3) * h<BR>Where:<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; G = Gravitational Constant 6.67E-11<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; M = Mass of the planet, star or other mass (kg)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; R = Radius from the center of the mass (m)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; h = separation of the object (m)<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; The formula's units are acceleration (m/s^2). <BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; The Tidal acceleration is dependent upon the separation of the points<BR>in space. But not on the size of the starship, but rather the size of<BR>the opening into jump space. By assuming this opening is spherical and<BR>the same size regardless of the size of the jumping ship, h becomes a<BR>constant. <BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; The effect of the Tidal acceleration pulls the jump gate sphere apart<BR>along a radial line between the jump gate and the central mass, and<BR>compress it along the other two axies. If the jump opening becomes too<BR>distorted while the ship is making the transition, bad things happen. <BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; The fixed size of the jump opening creates an upper limit on the size<BR>of a jump capable starship. A 1,000,000 dTon sphere is 296 meters in<BR>diameter. So if the jump space opening is a little over 300 meters in<BR>diameter, you can build 1M dTon jump capable ships, but it become<BR>dangerous or difficult to build them larger. The Tigress, at 500 kDtons<BR>and 235 meters in diameter is probably about as large as the Naval<BR>architects want to get. &nbsp; &nbsp; <BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; <BR>- -- <BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Thomas Jones-Low<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; tjoneslo@together.net<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 20:43:17 -0600<BR>From: Charles R Hensley &lt;hensley.cr@gte.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: HazMat was ACQ was RE: BITS adventures...<BR><BR>Leonard Erickson wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;And the ref gets to teach players why folks turn white when they see<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;that "diamond" sign with 3 "4"s on it. :-)<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt; Leonard, you owe me a beer,&nbsp; sorry no keyboards were injured.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;I take it you understand the hazard diamond coding?&lt;eg&gt;<BR><BR>Yes (just went through HazCom training again), and that my last group of<BR>players 1) did not, 2) do not care, 3) "how do we make this explode?",<BR>and/or 4) all of the above.<BR><BR>normally, anything hazardous they would try to egnite/explode without<BR>ANY safety precautions.<BR><BR>I don't know how many characters I have killed because of this.<BR><BR>Charles H<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:49:55 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Well, no.&nbsp; There have been only two version of KB3 so far.&nbsp; And, the<BR>&gt; system is in playtesting, as I originally said when I released it to<BR>&gt; the list.&nbsp; The *aim* here *is* to work out any wrinkles.<BR><BR>Sure, I can accept that there are many versions.&nbsp; So far, there have<BR>been four different ways to use stats, three ways to determine<BR>difficulty numbers, four ways to apply skills, and two E-die<BR>possibilities.&nbsp; They combine to give a *lot* of different systems.<BR><BR>The problem I've been having is that whenever I comment on various<BR>aspects of a given system (mainly the bad points since you post enough<BR>yourself on the good points), you tell me I should use one of the<BR>hundreds of variants to fix that particular problem.&nbsp; However, the<BR>variants have their own problems, and the process is repeated when I<BR>mention them.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:53:01 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; Bleh.&nbsp; "Sour spot" is more like it.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Are you trying to get under my skin with comments like these?<BR><BR>It was no more than the sort of comment I'd make to a friend in the<BR>middle of a friendly discussion of game systems.&nbsp; :^)<BR>One of the limitations of a text-only interface, no doubt<BR><BR>The more important stuff was everything else, which you snipped.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:59:45 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; If you've got a MT character with Dex-4, Pistol-0, there is nothing<BR>&gt; in the game to differintiate him from another character with Dex-1,<BR>&gt; Pistol-0.<BR><BR>So?&nbsp; There's nothing in either system to distinguish his Str-9 from<BR>another character with Str-1 either.&nbsp; That's fine with me, since all I<BR>care about is his ability to actually use a pistol, and that's covered<BR>by skill.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; If you go with T4, you DO have a system tied to the characters--in<BR>&gt; fact their target numbers are defined by the characters.&nbsp; So there<BR>&gt; is a BIG difference between a Dex-4, Pistol-0 character and his<BR>&gt; poor, shot up shipmate who's got a Dex-1, Pistol-0.<BR><BR>Is there a difference between Dex-4/Pistol-0 and Dex-1/Pistol-3 in T4?<BR><BR>Is there a difference between Str-9/Pistol-0 and Str-1/Pistol-0 in<BR>KB3?<BR><BR><BR>&gt; KB3 is a CHARCTER-DEFINED system,<BR>[Whereas MT is not]<BR><BR>You can repeat that as much as you like, but it doesn't make it true.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 14:02:02 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Timothy Little wrote:<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; What about the difficulty is unique to Michael?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Nothing.<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; Nothing in KB3, either.&nbsp; (Unless you've got a KB3.51 I haven't seen)<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; What are you talking about?<BR><BR>Nothing in KB3 makes the difficulty throw unique to the character.<BR>It's rolled (or chosen) by the Ref, independent of any character<BR>features.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 14:02:14 +1100<BR>From: "steven" &lt;steven@terra-australis-mandes.com.au&gt;<BR>Subject: UNSUBSCRIBE<BR><BR>Unsubscribe me off the list please<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 21:14:57 -0600<BR>From: "James Jensen" &lt;cheeb0@hotmail.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: JJ0<BR><BR>&gt;I guess you could use different colored die too.<BR><BR>Good idea. Thanks.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; &gt; Sorry for the confusion. Here's a example of a sweet-spot roll (using <BR>&gt;d6s):<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; Player's Side&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; GM's Side<BR>&gt; &gt; 6&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 6<BR>&gt; &gt; 5&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 5<BR>&gt; &gt; 3&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 3<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 2<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; The player has just rolled a sweet-spot or equal roll. All that matters <BR>&gt;is<BR>&gt; &gt; the three that he and the difficulty have in common, not the extra die. <BR>&gt;Now,<BR>&gt; &gt; one die is thrown, and if it comes up even, the player gets a Critical<BR>&gt; &gt; Success. If it comes up odd, it's a Critical Failure.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;So...a player throws 3D6.&nbsp; Then the GM throws 3D6.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Success can only occur when all three dice match equally?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;That can't be right.&nbsp; I must still be missing something.<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>Judging by the last part of your reply, I think you've figured this out, but <BR>just to be sure:<BR><BR>The dice only have to be equal if you want to "Blow the Curve" or get a <BR>Critical result. Also, the GM in the above example rolled 4D6 (a Hard task).<BR><BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; BTW, I like to call getting a Critical Success with this system "Blowing <BR>&gt;the<BR>&gt; &gt; Curve".<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;I like that.&nbsp; You've got a "blow".<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;I may use that in KB3....the E-Die results of a "1" or a "6" will give you <BR>&gt;a<BR>&gt;"blow".<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;I don't know why...but that's kind of cool.<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>For family-friendliness's sake, I'd call rolling a "6" on the E-Die "Blowing <BR>Up" and rolling a "1" on the E-Die "Blowing Down".<BR><BR>- -J. Jensen<BR>Administrator of the Milieu: 0 Aid Society<BR>http://members.nbci.com/cheebzero/trav_index.htm<BR><BR>_________________________________________________________________<BR>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 11:46:49 +1000<BR>From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: JJ0<BR><BR>&gt; From: Kenneth Bearden <BR>&gt; &gt; BTW, I like to call getting a Critical Success with this system<BR>&gt; &gt; "Blowing the Curve".<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; I like that.&nbsp; You've got a "blow".<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; I may use that in KB3....the E-Die results of a "1" or a "6" will give<BR>&gt; you a "blow".<BR><BR>As in "this task system blows"?&nbsp;&nbsp; : )<BR><BR>Alan Bradley<BR>alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 12:02:22 +1000<BR>From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: If MT were unknown...<BR><BR>&gt; From: "Frank G. Pitt" <BR>&gt; Kenneth Bearden wrote :<BR>&gt; &gt; Can you imagine what the reception on this list would be like if MT had<BR>&gt; &gt; never been written, and I was standing here touting the advantages of<BR>&gt; &gt; this new system I had made up--KBMT!<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; Can you really imagine that?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Yes.<BR>&gt; You'd be looked at as if you were some sort of idiot and told to go away<BR>&gt; and stop being silly.<BR>&gt; &lt;grin&gt;<BR><BR>Actually it reminds me a little of my response to the initial DGP task<BR>system for CT.&nbsp; I started reading it, thought "this looks like a good<BR>idea", and then my eyes glazed over and I fell asleep.&nbsp; <BR><BR>I don't think I have ever been able to read through a set of task rules in<BR>a single sitting.&nbsp; I still prefer to use a "roll two dice and pray" system:<BR>high rolls are good, low rolls are bad, and rolls in the middle work out<BR>whichever is best for drama and keeping the plot moving along.<BR><BR>Now I think about it, my response to MT was a more polite version of what<BR>Frankie suggested:&nbsp; "Well, I'll look at it if you insist.&nbsp; Hmm.&nbsp; No, I<BR>really can't be bothered playing it."&nbsp; (Of course, this was heavily<BR>influenced by the number of typos.)<BR><BR>So Kenneth:&nbsp; in the case you have put forward I would also tell you to go<BR>away and stop wasting my time.&nbsp; : )<BR><BR>Alan Bradley<BR>alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 12:29:22 +1000<BR>From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR><BR>&gt; From: Steven Hudson<BR>&gt; &gt;From: "Alan Bradley" <BR>&gt; &gt;Presumably the inner ring would include the Philippines.&nbsp; That would<BR>&gt; &gt;drag in the US.&nbsp; Empires tend to get offended when people mess with<BR>&gt; &gt;their colonies.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; True, but that's the wrong set of terms to raise public interest :&gt;<BR><BR>An attack on the Philippines would have been presented as a sinister<BR>Japanese aggression, just like the attack on Pearl.&nbsp; It mightn't have hit<BR>as hard, but Americans would have died, and things would have carried on<BR>from there.<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Which begs the question of just who at Capital was allowing the Sollies<BR>&gt; to remake the Sphere in their own image. Given the lack of repercussions<BR>&gt; perhaps either solidarity once the war started led to forgiveness, or the<BR>&gt; blame was owned by someone beyond reproach...?<BR><BR>_Styryx_!&nbsp; _Everything_ is Styryx's fault.&nbsp; <BR><BR>PS:&nbsp; Bad, but classic Australian film alert.&nbsp; On the tellie at the moment<BR>is a truly shockin' film: "The Rats of Tobruk".&nbsp; Wooden acting, superficial<BR>characterisation, thin plot, lots of Bren Carriers.&nbsp; A masterpiece.<BR><BR>Alan Bradley<BR>alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 22:19:46 -0500<BR>From: Christopher Thrash &lt;thrash@io.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: System Traffic: Counting the Ships<BR><BR>&gt;Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 09:16:24 -0800 (PST)<BR>&gt;From: Anthony Jackson &lt;ajackson@molly.iii.com&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: System Traffic: Counting the Ships<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Starports has a system of estimating it which is probably wrong. <BR><BR>Cheap shot, Anthony. The method was published here for comments first, and<BR>found to be accurate within +/-20% of the actual value for the cases<BR>tested. I don't recall you proposing a better method at the time, either.<BR>In any event, Starports explicitly invites you to use Far Trader for<BR>greater accuracy if you have the time and inclination.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3483<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe<BR>"local-traveller":<BR><BR>subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net<BR><BR>A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to<BR>subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"<BR>in the commands above with "traveller".<BR><BR>Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgn.com<BR></I></I></S><XMP></XMP>
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<P align=left><FONT color=#0f0f0f face=Arial size=2 PTSIZE="10" BACK="#FFFFFE"><BR><BR>----------------------- Headers --------------------------------<BR>Return-Path: &lt;owner-traveller@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>Received: from&nbsp; rly-yh05.mx.aol.com (rly-yh05.mail.aol.com [172.18.147.37]) by air-yh04.mail.aol.com (v77.31) with ESMTP; Fri, 29 Dec 2000 23:02:41 -0500<BR>Received: from&nbsp; lists.ient.com (lists.ient.com [204.85.32.11]) by rly-yh05.mx.aol.com (v77.27) with ESMTP; Fri, 29 Dec 2000 23:02:16 -0500<BR>Received: from localhost (daemon@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) with SMTP id WAA39401;<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Fri, 29 Dec 2000 22:32:56 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller@lists.ient.com)<BR>Received: by lists.ient.com (bulk_mailer v1.12); Fri, 29 Dec 2000 22:32:21 -0500<BR>Received: (from majordom@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) id WAA39320<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; for traveller-digest-outgoing; Fri, 29 Dec 2000 22:32:20 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com)<BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 22:32:20 -0500 (EST)<BR>Message-Id: &lt;200012300332.WAA39320@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>From: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>To: traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Subject: Traveller-digest V1999 #3483<BR>Reply-To: traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>Sender: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR><BR></FONT></P></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML><HTML><HEAD><BASE></HEAD>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp; Saturday, December 30 2000&nbsp; &nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3484<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>Re: Skills in CT<BR>Re: My last obscenity of the century<BR>Re: My last obscenity of the century<BR>Re: Jump emergence<BR>Re: Iris valves<BR>Re: Their is no perfect 2d6 system, but this one is reasonable<BR>Re: My last obscenity of the century<BR>re: If MT were unknown...<BR>Re: The Perfect 2d6 System<BR>Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>Re: HazMat<BR>Re: The Perfect 2d6 System<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Hatches (was "Re: Iris Valves")<BR>Re: JJ0<BR>Re: If MT were unknown...<BR>Re: If MT were unknown...<BR>Re: JJ0<BR>Stupid Dice Tricks<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 19:40:53 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: Skills in CT<BR><BR>&gt;From: eris@pcola.gulf.net<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: Skills in CT<BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; Hmm, I gather that representing the entire range of values from 2<BR>&gt;&gt;to 16 allows _great_ flexibility :&gt;&nbsp; It is of course _very_ CT.<BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;4.&nbsp; Roll 2d6+(Skill or Stat/3)* &gt;= Difficulty Level<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; *note this is either Skill OR Stat, as determined by the Ref, not both<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; So this approach gives you your stat checks for long-jumping,<BR>...<BR>&gt;Yes, it does.&nbsp; The full Stat is used for damage and in chargen, but<BR>&gt;for all tasks it's the Stat/3 that is used.&nbsp; Say a PC (STR 7) needs<BR>&gt;to force that stuck hatch, the task is...<BR><BR>&nbsp; Fair enough, and the comparative lack of granularity (3/6/9/12)<BR>isn't too bad (5/10). It does accentuate (vs MT) the problems with<BR>non-human stat ranges, but some other approaches are _much_ worse.<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; To Open Stuck Hatch<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; Formidable. Str. 6 sec.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;...that would be 2d6+2 GE 10&nbsp; (42% chance of success).<BR><BR>&nbsp; FWIW, are there hideous problems to making an extreme physical<BR>task use the same stat (Str. in this case) twice? It would mean<BR>that you could finesse moving something very heavy so that only<BR>a quite strong PC (or one with a wrecking bar :&gt; ) would be at<BR>all likely to succeed.<BR><BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; Those are the standard MT values (?), yes - shouldn't they be ~1<BR>&gt;&gt;higher due to the increased stat bonus from /3 replacing /5?<BR>...<BR>&gt; Description&nbsp;&nbsp; MT&nbsp; Mine<BR>&gt;&nbsp; Easy&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 3&nbsp;&nbsp; 3<BR>...<BR>&gt;&nbsp; Impossible&nbsp;&nbsp; 19&nbsp; 24<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Personally, I like the easy skills to be easy and the hard skills to<BR>&gt;be *hard*.&nbsp; So, I have more levels and they really start getting<BR>&gt;harder as you get to Staggering skills.&nbsp; Yes, Difficult and<BR>&gt;Formidable skills *are* a little easier with my scale, but that<BR>&gt;doesn't bother me.<BR><BR>&nbsp; I'll keep the above in mind for my eventual Trav game - CT, of course :)<BR><BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; Any suggestions beyond MT for mods for taking a task slowly?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;I make it simple:&nbsp; double the time on a task and it's one level<BR>&gt;easier, halve the time and it's one level harder.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Changing levels vs mods? Is there a rationale behind that?<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 23:32:11 -0500<BR>From: Kenji Schwarz &lt;schwarz@fas.harvard.edu&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: My last obscenity of the century<BR><BR>At 12:36 PM -0800 12/29/00, Kiri Aradia Morgan wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt; Or are you claiming that in the interests of intercultural<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; communication I should have designed the thing as one of those<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; jelly-covered gumball machines with the little dolphin/muskrat<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; attachment vibrators?? Is that what you want???<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Yes, but if you do that, you have to promise not to tell, because then all<BR>&gt;the girls will want one.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;(and the boys will feel inadequate... )<BR><BR>I am concerned to report that only a few minutes after posting that <BR>as a joke, I had a full-fledged "concept" for exactly such a <BR>Traveller spaceship.<BR><BR>Not this millennium!<BR><BR>No ma'am, it's not "for real".<BR><BR>No, sir, that's not to scale.<BR><BR>No ma'am, I don't have the blueprints.<BR><BR>Yes sir, it was in poor taste.<BR><BR><BR>Kenji<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 23:34:40 -0500<BR>From: Kenji Schwarz &lt;schwarz@fas.harvard.edu&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: My last obscenity of the century<BR><BR>At 12:36 PM -0800 12/29/00, Kiri Aradia Morgan wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt; No, just remember the retaining ring next time.<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;Make sure it's attached securely.&nbsp; You KNOW what happened the last time.<BR><BR>I told them stupid skullfarmers that if they didn't use a laboratory <BR>ship for safety purposes, they was gonna be needing a lavatory ship <BR>instead.<BR><BR>(Speaking of which, does anyone happen to have kept a copy of that <BR>priceless output of mistranslated design competitions?)<BR><BR>Kenji<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 20:41:05 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Jump emergence<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; Like how small a planetoid you can safely jump to. Given Marc<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; Millers Jumpspace article variance of 3000 km in the emergence of a<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; jump 1 drive.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Where was this?&nbsp; I thought the variation was more on the order of a<BR>&gt;couple of hundred thousand km according to Marc?<BR><BR>Oddly enough, i just found the article i was looking for a week ago.<BR><BR>"One of the benefits of the jump drive is its controllability: jump <BR>is predictable. When known levels of energy are expended, and when <BR>certain other parameters are known with precision, jump drive is <BR>accurate to less than one part per ten billion. Over a jump distance <BR>of one parsec, the arrival point of a ship can be predicted to within <BR>perhaps 3,000 kilometers (on larger jumps, the potential error is <BR>proportionally larger). Error in arrival location is also affected by <BR>the quality of drive tuning, and by the accuracy of the computer <BR>controlling the jump; these factors can increase jump error by a <BR>factor of ten."<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; "Jumpspace" Marc W Miller, Journal of the travellers' Aid <BR>Society No. 24 pp. 34-35<BR><BR>Reading through this article, i think it is too inconsistent to <BR>provide answers to our main points of dispute in jump emergence.<BR><BR>TTFN<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 21:35:44 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Iris valves<BR><BR>&gt;Keep in mind that with a 1 atmosphere pressure differential, a 1m x 2m<BR>&gt;hatch has a load on it equivalent to 20 *tons*. It'll take one hell of<BR>&gt;a set of dogs to handle that.<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>It's really not as horrendous as it sounds. These sort of values are <BR>common in structural work.<BR><BR>First let's size the hatch to a standard household door, ~ 0.75 m x <BR>2.00 m. Raise the bottom by 0.15 m for a standard hatch sill and <BR>provide room for the dogs, and round the corners with a radius of <BR>0.10 m.<BR><BR>The reshaped hatch now has a load of ~135.337 kN.<BR><BR>With twelve dogs (two each top and bottom and four each side) that's <BR>~11.278 kN per dog. A 90 kg man (~200 lbs) is roughly 880 N in a 1g <BR>field. So each dog needs to hold the equivalent of ~13 large adult <BR>men. That's really not much. I've built models out of 1/4" wooden <BR>dowels and string which weighed less than 2 kg and supported 3 large <BR>men over a span of 30". If the dogs are 5 cm rods through the <BR>bulkhead and hatch body (the simplest solution), each would be <BR>subject to a shear force of ~575 N/cm^2 or 575 MPa. My material data <BR>books are in storage, but browsing the web i found a company selling <BR>pins with a nominal diameter of 35 mm and a minimum single shear of <BR>429.5 kN (in laboratory conditions w/o safety factor) that weighs <BR>only 42.86 kg/m. http://www.connexusa.com/HTML/typeS.html<BR><BR>Summary of all the above hot air - we can build systems to these <BR>specs /today/ without difficulty.<BR><BR>Disclaimer: All of this is very rough and i am not responsible for <BR>anyone who gets themselves sucked out a hatch into space 8^)<BR><BR>TTFN<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 21:41:40 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: Their is no perfect 2d6 system, but this one is reasonable<BR><BR>&gt;From: "Katharine Whitchurch" &lt;katts@globalfreeway.com.au&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: Their is no perfect 2d6 system, but this one is reasonable<BR>...<BR>&gt;IW2<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Roll under a target number is a 16 for Simple (skill 0 required), a 12 for<BR>...<BR>&gt;Special Success. Blow it by more than (double your skill level) and it's a<BR>Botch.<BR>...<BR>&gt;Amendment for 2d6 fundamentalists : Rather than rolling extra dice, give a<BR>&gt;DM of 3 for every skill level below the minimum that you are missing.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Designers notes : The It's Harder Than It Looks element adds quite a bit of<BR>&gt;subtlety to this. For example, lets look at a long 2-part horse ride. First<BR>&gt;half of the course is an Average Equestrian (Dex) test. Second half is an<BR>&gt;Average Equestrian (Con) test.<BR><BR>&nbsp; (example snipped)<BR><BR>&nbsp; I like the results it gives, but I'm uncomfortable with how much<BR>practice it may take the ref (let alone players) to get a good idea<BR>of how the odds work out, especially the number of dice multiplying<BR>the effect of skills.<BR><BR>&nbsp; That said, I also think that the "It's Harder Than It Looks"<BR>element is a great thing, and I look forward to what T5 does<BR>with it. Hmm, must move wargames to make T5 space on Trav shelf...<BR><BR>&nbsp; I'm also getting the impression that this is aimed at T4 rather<BR>than CT - the levels expected (yes, this is a draft, I know :&gt; )<BR>seem rather high for most CT games?<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 21:48:52 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: My last obscenity of the century<BR><BR>&gt;At 12:36 PM -0800 12/29/00, Kiri Aradia Morgan wrote:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; &gt; No, just remember the retaining ring next time.<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;Make sure it's attached securely.&nbsp; You KNOW what happened the last time.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;I told them stupid skullfarmers that if they didn't use a laboratory <BR>&gt;ship for safety purposes, they was gonna be needing a lavatory ship <BR>&gt;instead.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;(Speaking of which, does anyone happen to have kept a copy of that <BR>&gt;priceless output of mistranslated design competitions?)<BR><BR>I went looking in someone's web archives recently and got 404 File <BR>Not Found on you various cirmes. Either the sites gone or good sense <BR>has prevailed 8^)<BR><BR>Surely the THUDDD archives have them. Although, i think that's where <BR>i was looking.<BR><BR>TTFN<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 22:02:53 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: re: If MT were unknown...<BR><BR>&gt;From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: If MT were unknown...<BR>...<BR>&gt;Can you imagine what the reception on this list would be like if MT had<BR>&gt;never been written, and I was standing here touting the advantages of<BR>&gt;this new system I had made up--KBMT!<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Can you really imagine that?<BR><BR>&nbsp; Having never played MT/TNE/T4, and never even rolled dice to "test"<BR>them (OTOH, I know the odds well enough not to have to), _yes_.<BR><BR>&gt;I bet if MT were my own creation, and I was laying it on you now, there<BR>&gt;would be no way to overcome the negative feedback I'd get about it,<BR>&gt;posting it here on the TML, even showing you that the system is sound<BR>&gt;statistically.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Correct me if I'm wrong, but in the current context "negative" means<BR>"feedback that disagrees/questions"? Or at least that's the way it has<BR>seemed from the sidelines for the last few days.<BR><BR>&nbsp; But then again, I'm probably just "resistent to change", or not <BR>willing to put the effort into learning something *new*. :|<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 22:03:31 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System<BR><BR>&gt;From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System<BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt; +2 at 15+ on d20 means going from 30-&gt;40%, whereas a mere +1 at 12<BR>&gt;&gt; on 2d6 triples your chance!<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;And a mere +1 at 20 on d20 doubles your chance!&nbsp; All finite dice<BR>&gt;systems have edge effects.&nbsp; Most bell curves smooth these effects, not<BR>&gt;increase them.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Yes, but you've 20 distinct values to build your scale around rather<BR>than only 11; not only are your edge effects less (2:1 &amp; 3:2 vs 3:1 &amp;<BR>2:1 for the two points nearest each end, respectively) but they will <BR>also occur less often - _much_ less often if the numbers are laid out<BR>with malice aforethought :&gt;<BR><BR>&gt;It seems to me that +1 on a bell curve is more consistent than a +1 on<BR>&gt;a linear system.&nbsp; I can back this up mathematically if you like, via<BR>&gt;statistical examination of the natural parameters of the binomial<BR>&gt;distribution as compared with discretized uniform and normal <BR>&gt;distributions.<BR><BR>&nbsp; I don't have anything like the math to even understand what you <BR>said, let alone what it _means_ - and the first physicist I asked<BR>told me that they didn't want to think about it :&gt;<BR><BR>&nbsp; In all seriousness I'd love to hear about it, if only you can put<BR>it in simple enough terms. :)<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 22:16:57 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR><BR>&gt;From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; True, but that's the wrong set of terms to raise public interest :&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;An attack on the Philippines would have been presented as a sinister<BR>&gt;Japanese aggression, just like the attack on Pearl.&nbsp; It mightn't have hit<BR>&gt;as hard, but Americans would have died, and things would have carried on<BR>&gt;from there.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Japanese strategy and judgement was sub-optimal; at least this wouldn't<BR>have been as bad. If the Japs have Singapore and the US has Pearl undamaged<BR>then the USN can hardly interfere in ops against the Philippines worth a <BR>damn. The carrier forces wouldn't be able to sally against those zones<BR>with heavy surface escorts, whereas the IJN could hope for the war to end <BR>with US carriers eliminated (partly?) by efforts of said IJN types.<BR><BR>&nbsp; But no scenario avoids US troops in Tokyo if the US _insists_ :|<BR><BR>...<BR>&gt;PS:&nbsp; Bad, but classic Australian film alert.&nbsp; On the tellie at the moment<BR><BR>&nbsp; "Mad Max"? :&gt;<BR><BR>&gt;is a truly shockin' film: "The Rats of Tobruk".&nbsp; Wooden acting, superficial<BR>&gt;characterisation, thin plot, lots of Bren Carriers.&nbsp; A masterpiece.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Yeah, but if they're _real_ Carriers rather than jeeps with skirts<BR>then it would be worth it just for that. Then again, you guys might<BR>have been using those into the `60's, mightn't you? &lt;cringe&gt;<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 22:45:52 -0800<BR>From: "Kelly St.Clair" &lt;kellys@efn.org&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: HazMat<BR><BR>On Fri, 29 Dec 2000 00:47:32 PST, shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR><BR>&gt; &gt;&gt;And the ref gets to teach players why folks turn white when they see<BR>&gt; &gt;&gt;that "diamond" sign with 3 "4"s on it. :-)<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; Leonard, you owe me a beer,&nbsp; sorry no keyboards were injured.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;I take it you understand the hazard diamond coding?&lt;eg&gt;<BR><BR>I don't know what each of the fields means, but I do know that three 4s <BR>pretty much describes a substance which, to quote the Happy Fun Ball(tm) <BR>sketch), "should not be touched, inhaled, or looked at."<BR><BR><BR>- --------------<BR>Kelly St.Clair&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; "Homines est! Dici omnes! Soylens viridis HOMINES EST!"<BR>kellys@efn.org<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 18:06:44 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System<BR><BR>Steven Hudson wrote:<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Yes, but you've 20 distinct values to build your scale around<BR>&gt; rather than only 11; not only are your edge effects less<BR><BR><BR>Yes, the biggest advantage of linear systems is that they give low<BR>granularity (i.e. lots of possible results) without nasty math like<BR>adding two-digit numbers together.<BR><BR>However, the edge effects are actually greater in the linear system.<BR>They only seem smaller because modifiers mean less in general in such<BR>systems.&nbsp; +1 at the centre of 3d6 means about 3 times as much as +1 at<BR>the centre of d20.<BR><BR>What you really need to do when answering such questions is compare<BR>how much difference there is between effect of modifiers near the<BR>centre and near the edge.&nbsp; Once the effect varies too far, you've left<BR>the 'useful' range of modifiers.<BR><BR>For any given level of tolerance, the resulting 'useful' range of<BR>probabilities on bell-curves is wider than on linear systems.&nbsp; of<BR>course, this comes at the price of granularity, as you mention.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; they will also occur less often - _much_ less often if the numbers<BR>&gt; are laid out with malice aforethought :&gt;<BR><BR>I'd have to disagree.&nbsp; If you're happy with the effect of each +1<BR>varying by as much as 100% depending where in the distribution you<BR>are, the useful range of linear systems is about 25%-75%.&nbsp; The<BR>corresponding range for 3d6 is about 5%-95%.<BR><BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; In all seriousness I'd love to hear about it, if only you can put<BR>&gt; it in simple enough terms. :)<BR><BR>OK.&nbsp; The main thing is actually pretty close to what you already have<BR>done in your post: looking at the relative effect of variations.&nbsp; For<BR>technical reasons, the 'best' way to measure the effect of variations<BR>in probability is to look at relative changes in the success/failure<BR>ratio.&nbsp;&nbsp; e.g. 60% success -&gt; s/f ratio of .6/.4 = 1.5<BR><BR>To convert relative changes to simple differences, you need to take<BR>the logarithm.&nbsp; The resulting number is the "natural parameter of the<BR>binomial distribution", where the binomial distribution gives the<BR>probabilities of getting various numbers of successes out of some<BR>fixed number of trials.<BR><BR>So to measure how much effect a modifier has on a dice-rolling method,<BR>you look at the difference it has on the 'natural parameter'.<BR>Ideally, it should be constant across the whole range 0-100%.<BR>Unfortunately it won't be, so you have to settle for less by picking a<BR>tolerance for how far you are willing to let it vary.&nbsp; Once you do<BR>that, you get a range of probabilities within which the variation is<BR>'tolerable'.<BR><BR>If you do this for any linear system, the range is narrower than any<BR>bell-curve system, for a suitable technical definition of 'bell-curve'<BR>which includes most systems you would think of as being so.<BR><BR>This basically comes down to your "laying out the numbers with malice<BR>aforethought" -- avoiding the nasty areas where the modifiers have too<BR>much effect.&nbsp; This puts a limit on maximum and minimum useful chances<BR>of success.<BR><BR>Whew -- that was a bit long and probably boring.&nbsp; The main effect is<BR>that linear systems are great in the middle where they have fine<BR>detail, but go icky at the edges.&nbsp; Bell-curve systems give up detail<BR>in the middle for a wider range of applicability.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 01:39:52 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; The problem I've been having is that whenever I comment on various<BR>&gt; aspects of a given system (mainly the bad points since you post enough<BR>&gt; yourself on the good points), you tell me I should use one of the<BR>&gt; hundreds of variants to fix that particular problem.&nbsp; However, the<BR>&gt; variants have their own problems, and the process is repeated when I<BR>&gt; mention them.<BR><BR>All right then.&nbsp; What, specifically, do you think is a "problem" with KB3?<BR><BR>Can you give me an example?<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 01:40:55 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; It was no more than the sort of comment I'd make to a friend in the<BR>&gt; middle of a friendly discussion of game systems.&nbsp; :^)<BR>&gt; One of the limitations of a text-only interface, no doubt<BR><BR>I'll accept that.<BR><BR>Let the discussion continue!<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 01:43:13 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; So?&nbsp; There's nothing in either system to distinguish his Str-9 from<BR>&gt; another character with Str-1 either.&nbsp; That's fine with me, since all I<BR>&gt; care about is his ability to actually use a pistol, and that's covered<BR>&gt; by skill.<BR><BR>You subscribe to the school of thought that a character's stats have nothing to do<BR>with his natural ability to succeed on tasks?<BR><BR>Skill is everything....Stats mean nothing?<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 01:48:33 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Is there a difference between Dex-4/Pistol-0 and Dex-1/Pistol-3 in T4?<BR><BR>You've touched on the problem here with T4.&nbsp; Stats over power skills.&nbsp; That's a<BR>discussion from 4 years ago on this list.<BR><BR>The problem with T4 is that there *should* be a difference between these to<BR>characters.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; Is there a difference between Str-9/Pistol-0 and Str-1/Pistol-0 in<BR>&gt; KB3?<BR><BR>Why would Str matter when shooting your pistol?<BR><BR>Now, if you're talking about Dex-9/Pistol-0 and Dex-1/Pistol-0....yeah, there's a<BR>big difference.<BR><BR>The Dex 9 guy will likely make better shots when he hits.&nbsp; The Dex 1 guy will<BR>always roll Marginal Success unless he throws within 1 place of his target number.<BR><BR>The Dex 9 guy has Greater Success, regular Success, and Marginal Success open to<BR>him.<BR><BR>The Dex 1 guy is most likely just going to roll Marginal Success when he hits.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 01:50:44 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Nothing in KB3 makes the difficulty throw unique to the character.<BR>&gt; It's rolled (or chosen) by the Ref, independent of any character<BR>&gt; features.<BR><BR>That's true.&nbsp; But the actual Task Throw is unique to the character under KB3.<BR><BR>In T4, you have the reverse.&nbsp; The difficulty is unique to the character, but the<BR>throw is not.<BR><BR>Character-Defined systems need one of those things to happen--which one, it does<BR>not matter.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 02:56:45 -0500 (EST)<BR>From: Dalton Spence &lt;dalton.spence@hwcn.org&gt;<BR>Subject: Hatches (was "Re: Iris Valves")<BR><BR>Not being an engineer, I have no idea what kind of hatch designs<BR>would remain airtight in space. My instinct is to keep them as<BR>simple as possible, and in my uninformed opinion an iris has too<BR>many moving parts to make a reliable pressure hatch. A common sense<BR>safety protocol that all spacers should automatically observe is<BR>KTDHS ("Keep The Damn Hatch Shut!"). It should not be possible to<BR>open a hatch against a pressure differential. Does anyone know what<BR>hatch design is being used in the International Space Station?<BR><BR>- -- <BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; @==================================================@<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; | Dalton S. Spence, B.Sc. &lt;dalton.spence@hwcn.org&gt; |<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; | Home Page: http://www.hwcn.org/~ag775/home.html&nbsp; |<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Family Motto: Virtute Acquiritur Honos&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; |<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; |&nbsp; &nbsp; "Trade is the lifeblood of the Imperium."&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; |<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp; Cleon I, First Emperor of the Third Imperium&nbsp;&nbsp; |<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; |&nbsp; Mr. Science must take the best spider from the&nbsp; |<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Death Star. FNORD!&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; |<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; @==================================================@<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 01:55:19 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: JJ0<BR><BR>James Jensen wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; The dice only have to be equal if you want to "Blow the Curve" or get a<BR>&gt; Critical result. Also, the GM in the above example rolled 4D6 (a Hard task).<BR><BR>OK, I've got it.&nbsp; Player rolls.&nbsp; GM rolls.&nbsp; Higher total wins, but if all dice<BR>match up exactly (throws from both sides), there is a chance of a Critical<BR>result.<BR><BR>If I've got that right, you're hardly ever going to have Criticals.&nbsp; I'm not<BR>sure what it is, but the chance of rolling 3D and having those dice match<BR>exactly to another throw of 3D has got to be close to 0%.<BR><BR>Then, you roll another die to determine if the Critical results.&nbsp; That's a real<BR>low percentage if I'm reading your right.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 02:01:40 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: If MT were unknown...<BR><BR>Steven Hudson wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Correct me if I'm wrong, but in the current context "negative" means<BR>&gt; "feedback that disagrees/questions"? Or at least that's the way it has<BR>&gt; seemed from the sidelines for the last few days.<BR><BR>Sorry you feel that way.&nbsp; I like KB3 questions.&nbsp; I don't mind KB3 feedback<BR>that disagrees.<BR><BR>I just don't put up with people who are butts on the list.<BR><BR>I can be passionate about the things I believe in, and maybe I do come across<BR>too strong sometimes.&nbsp; But I try to treat people on the list with respect<BR>until they do something that looses that respect.<BR><BR>You'll see that I am still talking to Frankie and one or two others as long<BR>as they aren't making spiteful comments.<BR><BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; But then again, I'm probably just "resistent to change", or not<BR>&gt; willing to put the effort into learning something *new*. :|<BR><BR>I meant that as an observation on trying to show people something<BR>new--something that I think is good--something that I believe in.<BR><BR>I didn't mean it as a disparagement.<BR><BR>You shouldn't take it that way.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 02:06:45 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: If MT were unknown...<BR><BR>Alan Bradley wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; I still prefer to use a "roll two dice and pray" system:<BR>&gt;&nbsp; high rolls are good, low rolls are bad, and rolls in the middle work out<BR>&gt; whichever is best for drama and keeping the plot moving along.<BR><BR>A true, fly by the seat of his pants GM, then...<BR><BR>Nothing wrong with that.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; So Kenneth:&nbsp; in the case you have put forward I would also tell you to go<BR>&gt; away and stop wasting my time.&nbsp; : )<BR><BR>Well, OK then.<BR><BR>Thanks for the words.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 02:07:22 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: JJ0<BR><BR>Alan Bradley wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; As in "this task system blows"?&nbsp;&nbsp; : )<BR><BR>Funny.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 01:24:31 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Stupid Dice Tricks<BR><BR>- --============_-1233954222==_ma============<BR>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"<BR><BR>I cannot resist the temptation to toss in a stupid dice trick of my own. 8^)<BR><BR>Here's a ten minute system i threw together just now. The numbers <BR>could be improved, characters winging it are too successful. However, <BR>it's just a throw-away system to annoy people, so i'm not going to <BR>sweat it.<BR><BR>There are eight skill levels, including zero-skill, as follows:<BR>0&nbsp; Wing It<BR>1&nbsp; Amateur<BR>2&nbsp; Hobbyist<BR>3&nbsp; Professional<BR>4&nbsp; Specialist<BR>5&nbsp; Expert<BR>6&nbsp; TML Member<BR>7&nbsp; Unreal<BR><BR>There are seven target levels as follows:<BR>2&nbsp;&nbsp; Easy<BR>4&nbsp;&nbsp; Average<BR>6&nbsp;&nbsp; Difficult<BR>8&nbsp;&nbsp; Formidable<BR>10 Bloody Hard<BR>12 Impossible<BR>14 Get Real, Sucker!<BR><BR>To resolve a task, throw two ten-sided dice marked <BR>1,1,1,1,2,2,2,3,3,4. (Abbreviated 2DW for "two weird dice.") Sum the <BR>dice and add the relevant skill level. Additional modifiers may be <BR>applied for hasty actions, cautious actions, inebriation (player or <BR>character), etc...<BR><BR>Success: If the total of dice, skill level and other modifiers is <BR>equal to or greater than the target number, the task succeeds.<BR><BR>Exceptional Success: If the total of dice, skill level and other <BR>modifiers is equal to or greater than the target number plus four, it <BR>is an exceptional success. Something good happens.<BR><BR>Failure:&nbsp; If the total of dice, skill level and other modifiers is <BR>less than the target number, the task fails.<BR><BR>Exceptional Failure:&nbsp; If the total of dice, skill level and other <BR>modifiers is less than the target number minus the skill level, it is <BR>an exceptional failure. Something good happens - for the GM 8^)<BR><BR>Probabilities: (view the balance of this message in a monospace font)<BR><BR>Results of 2DW<BR>R&nbsp;&nbsp; n&nbsp; &nbsp; P(R)&nbsp;&nbsp; P(&gt;=R)<BR>0&nbsp;&nbsp; 16&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.16&nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00<BR>1&nbsp;&nbsp; 24&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.24&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.84<BR>2&nbsp;&nbsp; 25&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.25&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.60<BR>3&nbsp;&nbsp; 30&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.20&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.35<BR>4&nbsp;&nbsp; 10&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.10&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.15<BR>5&nbsp; &nbsp; 4&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.04&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.05<BR>6&nbsp; &nbsp; 1&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.01&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.01<BR><BR>Probability of Result Greater Than or Equal To Target (w/o modifiers)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Target<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Easy&nbsp;&nbsp; Average Difficult Formidable&nbsp; BH*&nbsp; Impossible&nbsp; GRS**<BR>Skill&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (2)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (4)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (6)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (8)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (10)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (12)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (14)<BR>Wing It&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (0)&nbsp; 0.60&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.15&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.01&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00<BR>Amateur&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (1)&nbsp; 0.84&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.35&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.05&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00<BR>Hobbyist&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (2)&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.60&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.15&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.01&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00<BR>Professional (3)&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.84&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.35&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.05&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00<BR>Specialist&nbsp;&nbsp; (4)&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.60&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.15&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.01&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00<BR>Expert&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (5)&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.84&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.35&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.05&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00<BR>TML Member&nbsp;&nbsp; (6)&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.60&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.15&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.01&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00<BR>Unreal&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (7)&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.84&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.35&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.05&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00<BR><BR>* Bloody Hard<BR>**Get Real, Sucker!<BR><BR>Probability of Exceptional Success (w/o modifiers)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Target<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Easy&nbsp;&nbsp; Average Difficult Formidable&nbsp; BH*&nbsp; Impossible&nbsp; GRS**<BR>Skill&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (2)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (4)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (6)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (8)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (10)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (12)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (14)<BR>Wing It&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (0)&nbsp; 0.01&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00<BR>Amateur&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (1)&nbsp; 0.05&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00<BR>Hobbyist&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (2)&nbsp; 0.15&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.01&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00<BR>Professional (3)&nbsp; 0.35&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.05&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00<BR>Specialist&nbsp;&nbsp; (4)&nbsp; 0.60&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.15&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.01&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00<BR>Expert&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (5)&nbsp; 0.84&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.35&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.05&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00<BR>TML Member&nbsp;&nbsp; (6)&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.60&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.15&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.01&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00<BR>Unreal&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (7)&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.84&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.35&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.05&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00<BR><BR>Probability of Exceptional Failure (w/o modifiers)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Target<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Easy&nbsp;&nbsp; Average Difficult Formidable&nbsp; BH*&nbsp; Impossible&nbsp; GRS**<BR>Skill&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (2)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (4)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (6)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (8)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (10)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (12)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (14)<BR>Wing It&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (0)&nbsp; 0.40&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.85&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.99&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00<BR>Amateur&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (1)&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.40&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.85&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.99&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00<BR>Hobbyist&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (2)&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.40&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.85&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.99&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00<BR>Professional (3)&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.40&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.85&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.99&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00<BR>Specialist&nbsp;&nbsp; (4)&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.40&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.85&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.99<BR>Expert&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (5)&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.40&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.85<BR>TML Member&nbsp;&nbsp; (6)&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.40<BR>Unreal&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (7)&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.00<BR>- --============_-1233954222==_ma============<BR>Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"<BR><BR>&lt;!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"&gt;<BR>&lt;head&gt;&lt;style type="text/css"&gt;&lt;!--<BR>blockquote, dl, ul, ol, li { margin-top: 0 ; margin-bottom: 0 }<BR>--&gt;&lt;/style&gt;&lt;title&gt;Stupid Dice Tricks&lt;/title&gt;&lt;/head&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;I cannot resist the temptation to toss in a stupid dice trick of<BR>my own. 8^)&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;<BR>&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;Here's a ten minute system i threw together just now. The numbers<BR>could be improved, characters winging it are too successful. However,<BR>it's just a throw-away system to annoy people, so i'm not going to<BR>sweat it.&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;<BR>&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;There are eight skill levels, including zero-skill, as<BR>follows:&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;0&amp;nbsp; Wing It&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;1&amp;nbsp; Amateur&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;2&amp;nbsp; Hobbyist&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;3&amp;nbsp; Professional&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;4&amp;nbsp; Specialist&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;5&amp;nbsp; Expert&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;6&amp;nbsp; TML Member&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;7&amp;nbsp; Unreal&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;<BR>&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;There are seven target levels as follows:&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;2&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Easy&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;4&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Average&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;6&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Difficult&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;8&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Formidable&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;10 Bloody Hard&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;12 Impossible&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;14 Get Real, Sucker!&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;<BR>&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;To resolve a task, throw two ten-sided dice marked<BR>1,1,1,1,2,2,2,3,3,4. (Abbreviated 2DW for &amp;quot;two weird dice.&amp;quot;)<BR>Sum the dice and add the relevant skill level. Additional modifiers<BR>may be applied for hasty actions, cautious actions, inebriation<BR>(player or character), etc...&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;<BR>&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;Success: If the total of dice, skill level and other modifiers is<BR>equal to or greater than the target number, the task succeeds.&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;<BR>&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;Exceptional Success: If the total of dice, skill level and other<BR>modifiers is equal to or greater than the target number plus four, it<BR>is an exceptional success. Something good happens.&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;<BR>&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;Failure:&amp;nbsp; If the total of dice, skill level and other<BR>modifiers is less than the target number, the task fails.&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;<BR>&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;Exceptional Failure:&amp;nbsp; If the total of dice, skill level and<BR>other modifiers is less than the target number minus the skill level,<BR>it is an exceptional failure. Something good happens - for the GM<BR>8^)&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;<BR>&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;Probabilities: (view the balance of this message in a monospace<BR>font)&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;<BR>&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Results of 2DW&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;R&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; n&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; P(R)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>P(&amp;gt;=R)&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;0&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 16&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.16&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 1.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;1&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 24&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.24&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.84&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;2&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 25&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.25&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.60&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;3&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 30&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.20&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.35&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;4&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 10&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.10&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.15&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;5&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 4&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.04&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.05&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;6&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 1&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.01&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.01&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;<BR>&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Probability of Result Greater Than or Equal To Target (w/o<BR>modifiers)&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt<BR>&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;span<BR>&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Target&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt<BR>&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;span<BR>&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Easy&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Average<BR>Difficult Formidable&amp;nbsp; BH*&amp;nbsp; Impossible&amp;nbsp; GRS**&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt<BR>&gt;Skill&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;span<BR>&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (2)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>(4)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (6)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>(8)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (10)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>(12)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (14)&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Wing It&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (0)&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.60&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.15&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.01&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Amateur&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (1)&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.84&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.35&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.05&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Hobbyist&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (2)&amp;nbsp;<BR>1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.60&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.15&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.01&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Professional (3)&amp;nbsp; 1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.84&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.35&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.05&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Specialist&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (4)&amp;nbsp; 1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.60&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.15&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.01&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Expert&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (5)&amp;nbsp;<BR>1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.84&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.35&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.05&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;TML Member&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (6)&amp;nbsp; 1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.60&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.15&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.01&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Unreal&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (7)&amp;nbsp;<BR>1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.84&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.35&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.05&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;<BR>&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;* Bloody Hard&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;**Get Real, Sucker!&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;<BR>&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;Probability of Exceptional Success (w/o modifiers)&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt<BR>&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;span<BR>&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Target&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt<BR>&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;span<BR>&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Easy&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Average<BR>Difficult Formidable&amp;nbsp; BH*&amp;nbsp; Impossible&amp;nbsp; GRS**&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt<BR>&gt;Skill&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;span<BR>&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (2)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>(4)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (6)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>(8)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (10)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>(12)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (14)&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Wing It&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (0)&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.01&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Amateur&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (1)&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.05&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Hobbyist&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (2)&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.15&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.01&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Professional (3)&amp;nbsp; 0.35&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.05&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Specialist&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (4)&amp;nbsp; 0.60&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.15&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.01&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Expert&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (5)&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.84&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.35&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.05&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;TML Member&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (6)&amp;nbsp; 1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.60&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.15&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.01&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Unreal&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (7)&amp;nbsp;<BR>1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.84&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.35&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.05&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;<BR>&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;Probability of Exceptional Failure (w/o modifiers)&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt<BR>&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;span<BR>&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Target&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt<BR>&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;span<BR>&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Easy&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Average<BR>Difficult Formidable&amp;nbsp; BH*&amp;nbsp; Impossible&amp;nbsp; GRS**&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt<BR>&gt;Skill&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;span<BR>&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (2)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>(4)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (6)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>(8)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (10)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>(12)&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (14)&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Wing It&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (0)&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.40&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.85&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.99&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>1.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Amateur&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (1)&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.40&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.85&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.99&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>1.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Hobbyist&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (2)&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.40&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.85&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.99&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 1.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>1.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Professional (3)&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.40&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.85&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.99&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 1.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Specialist&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (4)&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.40&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.85&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.99&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Expert&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (5)&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.40&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.85&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;TML Member&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (6)&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.40&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR>&lt;div&gt;&lt;tt&gt;Unreal&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; (7)&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; 0.00&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;<BR>0.00&lt;/tt&gt;&lt;/div&gt;<BR><BR><BR>- --============_-1233954222==_ma============--<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3484<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; 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<TD vAlign=top width="10%">Subj: </TD>
<TD><B>Traveller-digest V1999 #3485</B></TD></TR>
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<TD vAlign=top width="10%">Date: </TD>
<TD>12/30/00 11:30:25 AM Pacific Standard Time</TD></TR>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp; Saturday, December 30 2000&nbsp; &nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3485<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>New task description<BR>Apologies<BR>Revitalizing an old Thread: Music<BR>Re: HazMat was ACQ was RE: BITS adventures...<BR>Re: Jump emergence<BR>Re: Hatches (was "Re: Iris Valves")<BR>Breaking the 100-ton rule.<BR>Re: HazMat was ACQ was RE: BITS adventures...<BR>Re: If MT were unknown...<BR>Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>Re: Iris valves<BR>Re: Low tech battledress<BR>RE: Revitalizing an old Thread: Music<BR>Re: Revitalizing an old Thread: Music<BR>Re: JJ0<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: JJ0<BR>Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>Re: HazMat<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 01:25:55 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: New task description<BR><BR>Arguing with the ref: Formidable, Harzardous<BR>modifiers:<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; + your years playing Traveller minus the refs years (may be negative)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; - your arrears in club dues<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; +1 if it's your house<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; +1 if you provided the pizza (-1 if the ref did)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; +1 if the ref is dating your sister or brother<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; +2 if the ref is married to your sister or brother<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; +7 if the ref is married to your sister and dating your brother <BR>and they don't know about each other<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 01:30:11 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Apologies<BR><BR>Apologies, all.<BR><BR>My mail client flipped out. You'll probably be receiving some double <BR>posts from me.<BR><BR>Sorry 8^(<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 12:05:34 +0100<BR>From: "Volker Greimann" &lt;volker@greimann.de&gt;<BR>Subject: Revitalizing an old Thread: Music<BR><BR>Hi all,<BR>I was once again thinking of putting music in my new game, and I remeber<BR>there beeing a thread a couple of months back. Now that I need it, its<BR>gone...<BR>So can anyone help me? I am looking for all kinds of music, maybe even<BR>something that could be used as an Imperial Anthem, or the Anthem of the<BR>Marine corps, as all my characters are "in the forces".<BR>Music for Battle Scenes as well as flight scenes are good as well, and if<BR>someone could suggest some somber dark music for a SciFi dungeon crawl, Id<BR>be delighted, too.<BR><BR>Volker<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 01:21:22 PST<BR>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>Subject: Re: HazMat was ACQ was RE: BITS adventures...<BR><BR>In mail you write:<BR><BR>&gt; Leonard Erickson wrote:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;And the ref gets to teach players why folks turn white when they see<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;that "diamond" sign with 3 "4"s on it. :-)<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt; Leonard, you owe me a beer,&nbsp; sorry no keyboards were injured.<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;I take it you understand the hazard diamond coding?&lt;eg&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Yes (just went through HazCom training again), and that my last group of<BR>&gt; players 1) did not, 2) do not care, 3) "how do we make this explode?",<BR>&gt; and/or 4) all of the above.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; normally, anything hazardous they would try to egnite/explode without<BR>&gt; ANY safety precautions.<BR><BR>Yeesh! I haven't been *that* stupid since I was a teenager!<BR><BR>&gt; I don't know how many characters I have killed because of this.<BR><BR>Here's my "cargo from hell" label:<BR><BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; /\<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; /&nbsp; \<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; /&nbsp; &nbsp; \<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; /&nbsp;&nbsp; 4&nbsp; \<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; /\&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; /\<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; /&nbsp; \&nbsp; &nbsp; /&nbsp; \<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; /&nbsp; &nbsp; \&nbsp; /&nbsp; &nbsp; \<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; /&nbsp;&nbsp; 4&nbsp; \/&nbsp;&nbsp; 4&nbsp; \<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; \&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; /\&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; /<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; \&nbsp; &nbsp; /&nbsp; \&nbsp; &nbsp; /<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; \&nbsp; /&nbsp; &nbsp; \&nbsp; /<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; \/&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; \/<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; \&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; /<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; \&nbsp; &nbsp; /<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; \&nbsp; /<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; \/<BR><BR><BR>The bottom diamond contains the following symbols:<BR><BR>Poison (skull &amp; crossbones)<BR>Corrosive (drop eating away a bar)<BR>Radiation (standard purple trefoil)<BR>Biohazard<BR><BR>The number of ways players could kill themselves with that cargo are<BR>innumerable. <BR><BR>Some day, I'll track down the appropriate graphics symbols and create<BR>an image of that label. Maybe Jesse could slip it into an illustration<BR>of a starport loading area or a cargo hold...<BR><BR>OOOOO! Some cargo containers, labelled like that, in the middle of a<BR>firefight. And one person looking at the label next to him with dawning<BR>horror... &lt;eg&gt;<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>shadow@krypton.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;--preferred<BR>leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;--last resort<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 01:32:04 PST<BR>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>Subject: Re: Jump emergence<BR><BR>In mail you write:<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; I'm not finished beating a dead horse yet. I went back through my<BR>&gt; physics texts and references and did a little more math. <BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Tidal Acceleration is what limit the safe use of the jump drive.<BR>&gt; Tidal acceleration is calculated by the formula:<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Ta = (G * M / R^3) * h<BR>&gt; Where:<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; G = Gravitational Constant 6.67E-11<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; M = Mass of the planet, star or other mass (kg)<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; R = Radius from the center of the mass (m)<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; h = separation of the object (m)<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The formula's units are acceleration (m/s^2). <BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Tidal acceleration is dependent upon the separation of the points<BR>&gt; in space. But not on the size of the starship, but rather the size of<BR>&gt; the opening into jump space. By assuming this opening is spherical and<BR>&gt; the same size regardless of the size of the jumping ship, h becomes a<BR>&gt; constant. <BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The effect of the Tidal acceleration pulls the jump gate sphere apart<BR>&gt; along a radial line between the jump gate and the central mass, and<BR>&gt; compress it along the other two axies. If the jump opening becomes too<BR>&gt; distorted while the ship is making the transition, bad things happen. <BR><BR>Note that the stretching force and the compression force differ by a<BR>factor of 2!<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>shadow@krypton.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;--preferred<BR>leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;--last resort<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 04:05:04 -0800 (PST)<BR>From: Gerry Harris &lt;harrisgwjr@yahoo.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Hatches (was "Re: Iris Valves")<BR><BR>The ISS looks like it uses quick-acting doors and hatches (the kind<BR>with the wheel in the middle) -- at least that's what the photographs<BR>of the mock-ups where I work show (I work for Boeing, one of the lead<BR>contractors on the project.&nbsp; As for the final design, I do not know.<BR><BR>BTW, not to pick nits, but hatches go through decks and doors go<BR>through bulkheads.&nbsp; Only landlubbers and Army types would call a door a<BR>hatch.<BR><BR>;^)&gt;<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>=====<BR>Gerry Harris<BR>**********************************************************************************************<BR>ther Traveller  http://www.aethertraveller.com <BR>Soldier's Companion  http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Galaxy/6316/Soldiers/soccomp1.html<BR>**********************************************************************************************<BR>"Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war"  Antony, "Julius Caesar," Act 3, Scene 1<BR>**********************************************************************************************<BR><BR>__________________________________________________<BR>Do You Yahoo!?<BR>Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online!<BR>http://photos.yahoo.com/<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:25:48 +0100<BR>From: P-O Bergstedt &lt;zho@berka.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Breaking the 100-ton rule.<BR><BR>After 101 votes, the Jump Torpedo IMTU poll is now closed.<BR><BR>In TATU (The Average Traveller Universe),<BR>some of us use jump torpedoes...<BR><BR>The result was: <BR>jt++&nbsp;&nbsp; 11.88%<BR>jt+&nbsp; &nbsp; 23.76%<BR>jt&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 26.73%<BR>jt-&nbsp; &nbsp; 13.86%<BR>jt--&nbsp;&nbsp; 23.76%<BR><BR>(The new poll is about Hivers.)<BR><BR>&nbsp; _____&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; _____&nbsp;&nbsp; P-O Bergstedt<BR>/&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; \&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; /&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; \&nbsp; Stockholm/SWEDEN<BR>/ * A o \_____/&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; \_____<BR>\&nbsp;&nbsp; @&nbsp;&nbsp; /&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; \&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; / Visit the Zhodani Base:<BR>\BERKA/&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; \_____/&nbsp; http://zho.berka.com/<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 12:39 +0000 (GMT)<BR>From: mcrobertson@cix.compulink.co.uk (Megan Robertson)<BR>Subject: Re: HazMat was ACQ was RE: BITS adventures...<BR><BR>In-Reply-To: &lt;01230.012122.2m9.rnr.w165w@krypton.rain.com&gt;<BR>Greetings dear hearts.<BR><BR>You lot are giving me EVIL ideas... and I have a full set of HazMat <BR>symbols on my computer at work :-)<BR><BR>I have always been an enthusiast for the "You see this" style of DMing. <BR><BR>Hugs and kisses,<BR><BR>Mexal.<BR><BR>PS If anyobne wants a copy of the symbols remind me after Jan 8th.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 23:26:11 +1000<BR>From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: If MT were unknown...<BR><BR>&gt; From: Kenneth Bearden <BR>&gt; Alan Bradley wrote:<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; I still prefer to use a "roll two dice and pray" system:<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; high rolls are good, low rolls are bad, and rolls in the middle work<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; out whichever is best for drama and keeping the plot moving along.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; A true, fly by the seat of his pants GM, then...<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Nothing wrong with that.<BR><BR>Perhaps I am also a little jaded from doing all this stuff for too long...<BR>I've got copies of several dozen games collected over the years<BR>(decades!), and supplements for a bunch more, so I've got more sets of<BR>rules than I can poke a stick at, and even most of the good ones are<BR>collecting dust.&nbsp; But there's just no way I am going to sell them!<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; So Kenneth:&nbsp; in the case you have put forward I would also tell you to<BR>&gt; &gt; go away and stop wasting my time.&nbsp; : )<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Well, OK then.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Thanks for the words.<BR><BR>As the smiley indicates, I wasn't serious.&nbsp; I haven't really been following<BR>this thread, and instead I have been concentrating on one which was<BR>basically OT.&nbsp; I guess that is actually a reflection of a certain<BR>disinterest in new systems.&nbsp; But new systems _are_ on topic.<BR><BR>I have read enough to note that there has been a bit of "passion" flying<BR>about.&nbsp; That's a shame and people need to keep a sense of proportion.<BR><BR>But anyway, whatever rules anyone writes, I am still likely to fall into a<BR>no-braincell pattern anytime I actually sit down and ref:&nbsp; it's just not<BR>worth doing anything else.&nbsp; Heck, these days I prefer my miniatures games<BR>to have one-braincell rules too.&nbsp; (Maybe I _should_ look at Warhamster<BR>after all...&nbsp; um... *No*!)&nbsp; Come to think of it, most of the board games<BR>I've played in recent years were at the simpler end as well.<BR><BR>And in passing:<BR><BR>&gt; Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 02:07:22 -0600<BR>&gt; From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>&gt; Subject: Re: JJ0<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Alan Bradley wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; As in "this task system blows"?&nbsp;&nbsp; : )<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Funny.<BR><BR>Once again, being a recreational a**hole, not a serious one.<BR><BR>Alan Bradley<BR>alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 00:00:15 +1000<BR>From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR><BR>&gt; From: Steven Hudson<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Japanese strategy and judgement was sub-optimal; at least this wouldn't<BR>&gt; have been as bad. If the Japs have Singapore and the US has Pearl<BR>&gt; undamaged then the USN can hardly interfere in ops against the<BR>&gt; Philippines worth a damn. The carrier forces wouldn't be able to sally<BR>&gt; against those zones with heavy surface escorts, whereas the IJN could<BR>&gt; hope for the war to end with US carriers eliminated (partly?) by efforts<BR>&gt; of said IJN types.<BR><BR>So, let's see, the Japanese grab the Dutch East Indies, and the Philippines<BR>(by June '42, as per history).&nbsp; They don't lose all those carriers at<BR>Midway.&nbsp; OK, then they can play hide and seek round the islands to their<BR>hearts content.&nbsp;&nbsp; Do they push towards Port Moresby and the Solomons?&nbsp; What<BR>about Rabaul?&nbsp; Without these, they don't own New Guinea,&nbsp; not even Dutch<BR>New Guinea.<BR><BR>I have a suspicion that land based aircraft might become more important in<BR>this situation.&nbsp; All those US B17s start to look interesting.&nbsp; <BR><BR>&gt; &gt;PS:&nbsp; Bad, but classic Australian film alert.&nbsp; On the tellie at the<BR>&gt; &gt;moment<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Mad Max"? :&gt;<BR><BR>But at least we have a definitive future history.&nbsp;&nbsp; : )&nbsp; (I wonder if it's<BR>a republic...&nbsp; no, sorry, I will not go there again....)<BR><BR>All the same it looks kind of '70s these days.&nbsp; I watched the two "real"<BR>films (No Tina Turner, thank you!) again a couple of months ago.&nbsp; Most<BR>obvious problem (in the first one):&nbsp; no mobile phones, and no computers. <BR>OK, that _could_ be explained away - it was a decaying society after all -<BR>but it dated it.&nbsp; And of course the whole motorbike film genre isn't really<BR>around anymore.<BR><BR>&gt; &gt;is a truly shockin' film: "The Rats of Tobruk".&nbsp; Wooden acting,<BR>&gt; &gt;superficial characterisation, thin plot, lots of Bren Carriers.&nbsp; A<BR>&gt; &gt;masterpiece.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Yeah, but if they're _real_ Carriers rather than jeeps with skirts<BR>&gt; then it would be worth it just for that. Then again, you guys might<BR>&gt; have been using those into the `60's, mightn't you? &lt;cringe&gt;<BR><BR>I don't know when we stopped using Carriers.&nbsp; There were M113s at Long Tan,<BR>though.<BR><BR>The film is pretty old.&nbsp; <BR><BR>Alan Bradley<BR>alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 23:25:53 +1000<BR>From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Iris valves<BR><BR>&gt; From: Gordon Horne <BR>&gt; With twelve dogs (two each top and bottom and four each side) that's <BR>&gt; ~11.278 kN per dog. A 90 kg man (~200 lbs) is roughly 880 N in a 1g <BR>&gt; field. So each dog needs to hold the equivalent of ~13 large adult <BR>&gt; men. That's really not much. <BR>......<BR>&gt; Summary of all the above hot air - we can build systems to these <BR>&gt; specs /today/ without difficulty.<BR><BR>But you would get into trouble with animal welfare groups.<BR><BR>Alan Bradley<BR>alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 10:47:05 -0500<BR>From: Eric Freitas &lt;efreitos@tampabay.rr.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Low tech battledress<BR><BR>- --=====================_78378037==_.ALT<BR>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed<BR><BR>Talking about low tech battledress, here is a link to DARPA's<BR>proposed power armor.&nbsp; The pdf files contain pictures of the<BR>proposed suits, along with other interesting data.<BR><BR>http://web-ext2.darpa.mil/dso/thrust/md/Exoskeletons/briefings.html<BR>- --=====================_78378037==_.ALT<BR>Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"<BR><BR><BR><FONT size=3>Talking about low tech battledress, here is a link to<BR>DARPA's <BR><BR>proposed power armor.&amp;nbsp; The pdf files contain pictures of the<BR><BR>proposed suits, along with other interesting data.<BR><BR><BR><BR><A href="http://web-ext2.darpa.mil/dso/thrust/md/Exoskeletons/briefings.html" title=http://web-ext2.darpa.mil/dso/thrust/md/Exoskeletons/briefings.html eudora="autourl">http://web-ext2.darpa.mil/dso/thrust/md/Exoskeletons/briefings.html</A></FONT><BR><BR>- --=====================_78378037==_.ALT--<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 10:05:58 -0600<BR>From: "Matthew W. Helton" &lt;mwhelton@cox-internet.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: Revitalizing an old Thread: Music<BR><BR>Look for some of M. Walthius' MIDI tracks (I highly recommend using Yamaha's<BR>Y-SXG50 MIDI Soft Tone Generator Software)<BR><BR>Check out the MIDIs at http://www.keybdwizrd.com/music.html Lots of variety<BR>and small memory requirements.<BR><BR>Best,<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Matt<BR><BR><BR>- -----Original Message-----<BR>From: owner-traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>[mailto:owner-traveller@lists.ient.com]On Behalf Of Volker Greimann<BR>Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 5:06 AM<BR>To: traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>Subject: Revitalizing an old Thread: Music<BR><BR>Hi all,<BR>I was once again thinking of putting music in my new game, and I remeber<BR>there beeing a thread a couple of months back. Now that I need it, its<BR>gone...<BR>So can anyone help me? I am looking for all kinds of music, maybe even<BR>something that could be used as an Imperial Anthem, or the Anthem of the<BR>Marine corps, as all my characters are "in the forces".<BR>Music for Battle Scenes as well as flight scenes are good as well, and if<BR>someone could suggest some somber dark music for a SciFi dungeon crawl, Id<BR>be delighted, too.<BR><BR>Volker<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 08:38:50<BR>From: "Douglas E. Berry" &lt;gridlore@pop.mindspring.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Revitalizing an old Thread: Music<BR><BR>At 12:05 PM 12/30/2000 +0100, you wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;So can anyone help me? I am looking for all kinds of music, maybe even<BR>&gt;something that could be used as an Imperial Anthem, or the Anthem of the<BR>&gt;Marine corps, as all my characters are "in the forces".<BR><BR>Well, for the Marine Force, a recording of massed pipes and drums playing<BR>"Sylea the Brave" should do the trick.<BR><BR>&gt;Music for Battle Scenes as well as flight scenes are good as well, and if<BR>&gt;someone could suggest some somber dark music for a SciFi dungeon crawl, Id<BR>&gt;be delighted, too.<BR><BR>I got a cd as a joke gift a few years back, and it is one of my favorites<BR>for mood music.&nbsp; It is _A Dysfunctional Family Christmas_, and has nine<BR>tracks of classical ose.&nbsp; "Mars: The Bringer of War" has always worked for<BR>battle music, as does Kodaly's "Battle Scene" (duh.)<BR><BR>For dungeon crawls of any type, Respihi's "The Catacombs" is recommended.<BR><BR>Also, the soundtrack for the film _Heavy Metal_ is a great resource.&nbsp; The<BR>song "Heavy Metal (Take A Ride)" has always just made me think of huge<BR>starships slipping out of jump and thrusting towards their targets, BOC's<BR>"Veteran of the Psyhic Wars" does great stuff for grim battle scenes, and<BR>so on.<BR><BR>Now for a strange one:&nbsp; If you need strange music for an alien planet, go<BR>pick up one of the Grateful Dead's "Dick's Picks" series.&nbsp; Find one that<BR>has a long version of "Space" listed on the CD, or a track listed as being<BR>a long "something-something jam".&nbsp; That's when the Dead got weird in a big<BR>way.<BR><BR>And at last:&nbsp; Metallica's _The Thing That Should Not Be_ is a must for<BR>exploring Ancient ruins.<BR>- -- <BR><BR>Douglas E. Berry&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; gridlore@mindspring.com<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html<BR><BR>"Trust Ivanova, trust yourself, anybody else: shoot them."<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 10:59:40 -0600<BR>From: "James Jensen" &lt;cheeb0@hotmail.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: JJ0<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; From: Kenneth Bearden<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; BTW, I like to call getting a Critical Success with this system<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; "Blowing the Curve".<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; I like that.&nbsp; You've got a "blow".<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; I may use that in KB3....the E-Die results of a "1" or a "6" will give<BR>&gt; &gt; you a "blow".<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; As in "this task system blows"?&nbsp;&nbsp; : )<BR><BR>Are you talking about KB3 or JJ0?<BR><BR>- -J. Jensen<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 11:15:09 -0600<BR>From: "James Jensen" &lt;cheeb0@hotmail.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; Is there a difference between Dex-4/Pistol-0 and Dex-1/Pistol-3 in T4?<BR><BR>It seems that a LOT of people have missed this. Even you, Kennneth. And I<BR>thought you were a T4 kind of guy.<BR><BR>The fact is that there *is* a difference between Dex-4/Pistol-0 and<BR>Dex-1/Pistol-3 in T4. Don't you remember the rule about 0-level skills? When<BR>you're using a 0-level skill, you roll against half the stat. So, Mr.<BR>Dex-4/Pistol-0 would have to roll against *2*, and Mr. Dex-1/Skill-3 has to<BR>roll against *4*.<BR><BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; You've touched on the problem here with T4.&nbsp; Stats over power skills.<BR>That's a<BR>&gt; discussion from 4 years ago on this list.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; The problem with T4 is that there *should* be a difference between these<BR>to<BR>&gt; characters.<BR><BR>Like I said above, there is.<BR><BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; Is there a difference between Str-9/Pistol-0 and Str-1/Pistol-0 in<BR>&gt; &gt; KB3?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Why would Str matter when shooting your pistol?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Now, if you're talking about Dex-9/Pistol-0 and Dex-1/Pistol-0....yeah,<BR>there's a<BR>&gt; big difference.<BR><BR>Here's what would have to be rolled against in T4 with a character who was<BR>Dex-9/Pistol-0 and a character who was Dex-1/Pistol-0:<BR><BR>Dex-9=5-<BR>Dex-1=1- (impossible unless T4.1 dice are used and even then due to the<BR>IHTIT rule)<BR><BR>Remember, people: Shooting a pistol is *not* that hard. I'm starting to<BR>think that T4 isn't as broken as most people say it is. If you use the T4.1<BR>dice codes and the IHTIT ("It's harder than I thought") rule, it seems<BR>almost realistic. But that's another discussion.<BR><BR>- -J. Jensen<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 11:30:33 -0600<BR>From: "James Jensen" &lt;cheeb0@hotmail.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: JJ0<BR><BR>&gt; Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 01:55:19 -0600<BR>&gt; From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>&gt; Subject: Re: JJ0<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; James Jensen wrote:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; The dice only have to be equal if you want to "Blow the Curve" or get a<BR>&gt; &gt; Critical result. Also, the GM in the above example rolled 4D6 (a Hard<BR>task).<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; OK, I've got it.&nbsp; Player rolls.&nbsp; GM rolls.&nbsp; Higher total wins, but if all<BR>dice<BR>&gt; match up exactly (throws from both sides), there is a chance of a Critical<BR>&gt; result.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; If I've got that right, you're hardly ever going to have Criticals.&nbsp; I'm<BR>not<BR>&gt; sure what it is, but the chance of rolling 3D and having those dice match<BR>&gt; exactly to another throw of 3D has got to be close to 0%.<BR><BR>Actually, it's &lt;0.5%. But if the player was specifically going for a<BR>Critical, the chance would be ~2.8% with D6s<BR><BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Then, you roll another die to determine if the Critical results.&nbsp; That's a<BR>real<BR>&gt; low percentage if I'm reading your right.<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>Yes, it is. Exceptional results are rare, which is arguably (though I won't<BR>join either side) a good thing.<BR><BR>Two more comments here:<BR><BR>1) There are two systems for determining Criticals. The first is for the<BR>player and GM to each roll one die, and if one side gets an even number and<BR>the other doesn't, that side scores a Critical Success (if the GM gets a<BR>Critical Success, that's a Critical Failure for the player); otherwise, the<BR>result is a Partial Success for both sides. The other method is to just roll<BR>one die and if it comes up even, the player gets a CS and if it comes up<BR>odd, the player gets a CF.<BR><BR>2) The KB3-inspired rule states that a character may subtract any number of<BR>dice from his pool (errata: the player MUST leave at least one die is her or<BR>the difficulty pool, whichever has more) in order to subtract the same<BR>number from the difficulty's dice pool. It's easier to get a Critical if one<BR>or both sides have only one die. It might be a good idea to add a rule that<BR>if a player does reduce one side down to one die, that one only has to match<BR>any one of the other side's dice in order to qualify to Blow the Curve. This<BR>would be good if you made it optional.<BR><BR>- -J. Jensen<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 12:09:08 -0600<BR>From: "James Jensen" &lt;cheeb0@hotmail.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR><BR>&gt; Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 02:15:47 -0600<BR>&gt; From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>&gt; Subject: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; GVOUDZON'S RUN...&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; EXAMPLE OF PLAY USING KB3<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>Here's some rules nitpicks. I'm using T4 rules here, so please tell me if<BR>you're using something different.<BR><BR>&lt;snip&gt;<BR><BR>&gt; P:&nbsp; I don't have any skills to help me catch something.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; G:&nbsp; You'll have to go default then, measured with your Dex.&nbsp; That gives<BR>&gt; you 1D.&nbsp; Daeus is not that far away, and the rifle is fairly easy to<BR>&gt; grab.&nbsp; I'll say it's an Average throw.<BR><BR>I would use the Athletics skill here, which he would have at level-0.<BR><BR>&lt;snip&gt;<BR><BR>&gt; G:&nbsp; Well, it looks fine upon quick inspection--just a few scrapes.&nbsp; If<BR>&gt; you take a round to look it over better, I'll give you an Easy roll to<BR>&gt; inspect it using your Rifle skill, governed by Edu.<BR><BR>This should use the Armory skill.<BR><BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; P:&nbsp; I'll do it.&nbsp; If don't need any surprises in a firefight.&nbsp; Gvoudzon's<BR>&gt; skill is Rifle-3.&nbsp; That means I could have 4D on the throw, but that's<BR>&gt; over kill for a 1D difficulty.&nbsp; I'll use the skill option of reducing my<BR>&gt; target number.&nbsp; I'll throw 2D and have a -2 applied to difficulty.<BR>&gt; (Paul rolls 2D....."6-1").&nbsp; Hey!&nbsp; A six on the E-Die!&nbsp; My total is 13,<BR>&gt; and you've got a -2 on the difficulty throw!<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; G: (Gurd rolls 1D....."5").&nbsp; The difficulty is 5 reduced to 3 with your<BR>&gt; skill option.&nbsp; What's your Edu?&nbsp; There's a possibility that E-Die hurt<BR>&gt; you, pushing you up into the Marginal Success bracket.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; P:&nbsp; Gvoudzon's stat is Edu 6.&nbsp; Damn.&nbsp; I rolled over by 10 points.&nbsp; That<BR>&gt; does put me in the Marginal Success bracket.<BR><BR>He rolled over by 7 points.<BR><BR>&gt; P:&nbsp; I'm going to use my Vargr sense of smell to see if that can tell me<BR>&gt; anything more.&nbsp; Do I smell anything?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; G:&nbsp; That's another attribute roll.&nbsp; You can default it at 1D using your<BR>&gt; Int to interpret what you smell, but I'm not going to give you any idea<BR>&gt; of difficulty.&nbsp; Gvoudzon's has no idea where the intruders went, so he<BR>&gt; has no idea how hard it would be to "smell them out".&nbsp; Roll your bone.<BR><BR>Nope. It's a Perception task.<BR><BR>&gt; rolls himself.&nbsp; The NPC does not have Stealth, but it is a default<BR>&gt; skill.&nbsp; Under the circumstances of the firefight, Gurd decides it is an<BR>&gt; Average task for the NPC to sneak up on Gvoudzon--the Vargr's attention<BR>&gt; is on the other man trying to kill him.&nbsp; The sneaking NPC's Dex is 7,<BR>&gt; and since this is an attribute roll, this is subtracted from from the<BR>&gt; difficulty.&nbsp; The static difficulty of an Average task is 7+, so this<BR><BR>So if the character has a level of 0 in a default skill, his attribute is<BR>subtracted from the difficulty roll, and if he has a skill of 1+ (like he<BR>does with the Rifle skill), he doesn't get to do that? That doesn't seem<BR>quite right.<BR><BR>&gt; G:&nbsp; (Gurd looks at the NPC's Str of 7)&nbsp; It does.&nbsp; He hit, but it's<BR>&gt; Marginal Success.&nbsp; Hands do 1D damage, so removing that one die means<BR>&gt; that he hit you but did not damage you.&nbsp; It's the end of the round now,<BR>&gt; and the guy at the end of the hallway will start to run up to where you<BR>&gt; two are fighting.&nbsp; He can cover that 20 meters in 1 round, so he'll be<BR>&gt; part of the fight next round.&nbsp; And that's right now.&nbsp; Gvoudzon has high<BR>&gt; initiative.&nbsp; What do you want to do?<BR><BR>I would have him do at least one point of damage.<BR><BR>&gt; G:&nbsp; I'm going to apply it randomly for the Greater Success.&nbsp; (The NPC's<BR>&gt; stat's are reduced to 404).&nbsp; Damn, Paul!&nbsp; Gvoudzon just shoved the<BR>&gt; barrel of his autorifle into this guy's gut and blew a hole in him!&nbsp; He<BR>&gt; falls down, blood dripping from a smoking wound in his abdomen.&nbsp; You've<BR>&gt; gone this round, and this guy can't go.&nbsp; It's time for the original NPC<BR>&gt; to make his move.&nbsp; He's using his weapon as a club.&nbsp; He could shoot you<BR>&gt; with it, but he's not.&nbsp; You notice this.&nbsp; He's got Brawling-3, and he<BR>&gt; just saw you blow his buddy away.&nbsp; So, he's got no idea how well you<BR>&gt; fight hand-to-hand.&nbsp; He's going to play it safe and throw all 4D into<BR>&gt; trying to beat you into unconsciousness (with the NPC's reduced Str 1,<BR>&gt; Gurd knows there's no hope of rolling Greater Success anyway.&nbsp; The GM<BR>&gt; rolls 4D....."6-2-3-4").&nbsp; 27!&nbsp; You can defend with your weapon using<BR>&gt; your Infighting skill.<BR><BR>What's the Infighting skill?<BR><BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; P:&nbsp; All right, then.&nbsp; My skill is Infighting-1.&nbsp; Even if I throw 2<BR>&gt; sixes, I don't have a chance of beating that 27!&nbsp; (Paul rolls<BR>&gt; 2D....."6-6")&nbsp; I can't believe it!&nbsp; Shit!&nbsp; A total of 24!&nbsp; I should have<BR>&gt; just rolled 1D to ensure he rolled Marginal Success--now he's got<BR>&gt; regular Success on me!<BR><BR>I thought that success was based on total, not margin.<BR><BR>&gt; I could go on with this fight, but I think you've seen enough to see how<BR>&gt; the system plays out.&nbsp; See, KB3 is very quick and very conducive to<BR>&gt; exciting role playing.<BR><BR>Yes, I agree.<BR><BR>- -J. Jensen<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 10:12:13 -0800<BR>From: "Mark F. Cook" &lt;markc@peak.org&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: HazMat<BR><BR>Kelly St.Clair &lt;kellys@efn.org&gt; writes:<BR><BR>&gt;Subject: Re: HazMat<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;On Fri, 29 Dec 2000 00:47:32 PST, shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt;&gt;And the ref gets to teach players why folks turn white when they see<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt;&gt;that "diamond" sign with 3 "4"s on it. :-)<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; Leonard, you owe me a beer,&nbsp; sorry no keyboards were injured.<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt;I take it you understand the hazard diamond coding?&lt;eg&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;I don't know what each of the fields means, but I do know that three 4s<BR>&gt;pretty much describes a substance which, to quote the Happy Fun Ball(tm)<BR>&gt;sketch), "should not be touched, inhaled, or looked at."<BR><BR>The NFPA Hazard Diamond is used to delineate the National Fire Protection<BR>Associations Code 704 "Standard for the Identification of the Fire Hazards of<BR>Materials for Emergency Response." Consisting of an eqaulateral diamond,<BR>it is subdivided into 4 equal quadrant diamonds at the North, South, East, and<BR>West sections. Each sub-diamond is color-coded and contains a single digit<BR>representing the severity of that aspect of the cargo. The values in each <BR>diamond<BR>range from 0 (low severity) to 4 (maximum severity.)<BR><BR>Degrees of hazard are ranked according to the probable severity of hazard to<BR>personnel as follows:<BR><BR>4 - Materials which on very short exposure could cause death or major residual<BR>injury even though prompt medical treatment were given, including those which<BR>are too dangerous to be approached without specialized protective equipment.<BR>This degree should include:<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; a.Materials which can penetrate ordinary rubber protective clothing;<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; b.Materials which under normal conditions or under fire conditions give <BR>off gases<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; which are extremely hazardous (i.e., toxic or corrosive) through <BR>inhalation or<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; through contact with or absorption through the skin.<BR>3 - Materials which on short exposure could cause serious temporary or residual<BR>injury even though prompt medical treatment were given, including those <BR>requiring<BR>protection from all bodily contact. This degree should include:<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; a.Materials giving off highly toxic combustion products;<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; b.Materials corrosive to living tissue or toxic by skin absorption.<BR>2 - Materials which on intense or continued exposure could cause temporary<BR>incapacitation or possible residual injury unless prompt medical treatment <BR>is given,<BR>including those requiring use of respiratory protective equipment with <BR>independent<BR>air supply. This degree should include:<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; a.Materials giving off toxic combustion products;<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; b.Materials giving off highly irritating combustion products;<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; c.Materials which either under normal conditions or under fire <BR>conditions give<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; off toxic vapors lacking warning properties.<BR>1 - Materials which on exposure would cause irritation but only minor residual<BR>injury even if no treatment is given, including those which require use of an<BR>approved canister type gas mask. This degree should include:<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; a.Materials which under fire conditions would give off irritating <BR>combustion products;<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; b.Materials which on the skin could cause irritation without destruction <BR>of tissue.<BR>0 - Materials which on exposure under fire conditions would offer no hazard <BR>beyond<BR>that of ordinary combustible material.<BR><BR>The North diamond is RED and indicates the flammability of the cargo. Examples<BR>might include peanut oil (hazard level 0) or Propane (hazard level 4.)<BR><BR>The East diamond is YELLOW and indicates the stability of the cargo. Examples<BR>might include Sodium Chloride (hazard level 0) or Nitroglycerin (hazard <BR>level 4.)<BR><BR>The West diamond is BLUE and indicates the health hazard of the cargo. Examples<BR>might include helium (hazard level 0) or Hydrogen Cyanide (hazard level 4.)<BR><BR>The South diamond is WHITE and is reserved for additional, special hazards <BR>associated<BR>with the cargo. For example, a capital "W" with a a horizontal bar through <BR>it indicates<BR>that the cargo should not be exposed to moisture (i.e. elemental Sodium.) A <BR>corrosive<BR>cargo would be indicated by "COR" in the white diamond. Radioactive cargo <BR>would display<BR>a radiation trifoil, and so on.<BR><BR>For further information, I refer you all to the National Fire Prevention <BR>Associations website<BR>at &lt;http://www.nfpa.org&gt;.&nbsp; Another good site to visit is "NFPA 704: <BR>Standard System for<BR>the Identification of the Fire Hazards of Materials", located at<BR>http://bifrost.unl.edu/ehs/ChemicalInfo/nfpa704/foreward.html<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; - Mark C.<BR><BR>&nbsp; mark f. cook&nbsp;&nbsp; *&nbsp;&nbsp; shoestring graphics &amp; printing&nbsp;&nbsp; *&nbsp; markc@ssgfx.com<BR>&nbsp; 7160 n.w. somerset dr. * corvallis, or, 97330&nbsp; *&nbsp; http://www.ssgfx.com<BR>&nbsp; Phone: 541-745-5709&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Fax: 541-745-5818<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3485<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe<BR>"local-traveller":<BR><BR>subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net<BR><BR>A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to<BR>subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"<BR>in the commands above with "traveller".<BR><BR>Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgn.com<BR></I></I></S><XMP></XMP>
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<P align=left><FONT color=#0f0f0f face=Arial size=2 PTSIZE="10" BACK="#FFFFFE"><BR><BR>----------------------- Headers --------------------------------<BR>Return-Path: &lt;owner-traveller@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>Received: from&nbsp; rly-yb01.mx.aol.com (rly-yb01.mail.aol.com [172.18.146.1]) by air-yb02.mail.aol.com (v77.31) with ESMTP; Sat, 30 Dec 2000 14:30:25 -0500<BR>Received: from&nbsp; lists.ient.com (lists.ient.com [204.85.32.11]) by rly-yb01.mx.aol.com (v77.27) with ESMTP; Sat, 30 Dec 2000 14:29:49 -0500<BR>Received: from localhost (daemon@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) with SMTP id NAA13955;<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:17:37 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller@lists.ient.com)<BR>Received: by lists.ient.com (bulk_mailer v1.12); Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:17:23 -0500<BR>Received: (from majordom@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) id NAA13910<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; for traveller-digest-outgoing; Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:17:22 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com)<BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:17:22 -0500 (EST)<BR>Message-Id: &lt;200012301817.NAA13910@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>From: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>To: traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Subject: Traveller-digest V1999 #3485<BR>Reply-To: traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>Sender: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR><BR></FONT></P></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML><HTML><HEAD><BASE></HEAD>
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<TD><B>Traveller-digest V1999 #3486</B></TD></TR>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp; Saturday, December 30 2000&nbsp; &nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3486<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>Re: New task description<BR>Re: Traveller-digest V1999 #3481<BR>Re: Skills in CT<BR>Re: Iris valves<BR>Re: Revitalizing an old Thread: Music<BR>Re: If MT were unknown...<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: Hatches (was "Re: Iris Valves")<BR>Re: Hatches (was "Re: Iris Valves")<BR>HazMat<BR>Re: JJ0<BR>Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>Re: New task description<BR>Re: Traveller-digest V1999 #3481<BR>Re: New task description<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>MT - Character-Defined?<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:30:09 -0500<BR>From: knightsky@juno.com<BR>Subject: Re: New task description<BR><BR>&gt; Arguing with the ref: Formidable, Harzardous<BR>&gt; modifiers:<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; + your years playing Traveller minus the refs years (may be <BR>&gt; negative)<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; - your arrears in club dues<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +1 if it's your house<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +1 if you provided the pizza (-1 if the ref did)<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +1 if the ref is dating your sister or brother<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +2 if the ref is married to your sister or brother<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +7 if the ref is married to your sister and dating your brother <BR>&gt; and they don't know about each other<BR><BR>You've met my current gaming group?<BR><BR><BR>Perry<BR>"In a war of nerves, your own arsenal can destroy you."<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>________________________________________________________________<BR>GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!<BR>Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!<BR>Join Juno today!&nbsp; For your FREE software, visit:<BR>http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:35:49 EST<BR>From: GDWGAMES@aol.com<BR>Subject: Re: Traveller-digest V1999 #3481<BR><BR>&gt; I bet if MT were my own creation, and I was laying it on you now, there<BR>&gt;&nbsp; would be no way to overcome the negative feedback I'd get about it,<BR>&gt;&nbsp; posting it here on the TML, even showing you that the system is sound<BR>&gt;&nbsp; statistically.<BR>&gt;&nbsp; <BR>&gt;&nbsp; It's an interesting thought....<BR><BR>Yes . . . almost as interesting as the reaction a certain English author <BR>would receive if she had dropped a screenplay on Hollywood dealing with a <BR>small boy attending a school for witches if the books had never been <BR>published. I can see it all now: "Why does he have to be named Harry? Why <BR>does he have to be English? We'll need to lose those glasses . . . can we <BR>change the setting to California and get rid of some of the silly words . . <BR>."&nbsp; <BR><BR>Assuming they didn't toss it after reading the first couple of pages . . .<BR><BR>LKW<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 03:49:43 GMT<BR>From: Postmark Design Bureau &lt;postmark.design@btinternet.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Skills in CT<BR><BR>Steven Hudson wrote:<BR>&gt; &gt;Having a char gen<BR>&gt; &gt;system that gives stats of 12+ doesn't help either. (Not only is 2d6<BR>&gt; &gt;automatically successful, you can't even fumble.)<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; FWIW, if I were going to insist on fitting stats directly into a CT<BR>&gt; skills system I'd go back and have initial chargen for substitute two<BR>&gt; dAverage (2,3,3,4,4,5) for 2d6 - realistically, that's 6-8 and the<BR>&gt; problem is solved :&gt;<BR><BR>Thanks, I'll store that thought in case it helps.<BR><BR>Of course, being afflicted by D&amp;D, I just let the players roll 14 dice (*)<BR>pair them up as they wished.<BR><BR>Rolling 7d6 and 7dA might be the solution.<BR><BR>* The lowest two dice were their Psi score.<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Phil Kitching<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 10:57:29 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Iris valves<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt; From: Gordon Horne<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; With twelve dogs (two each top and bottom and four each side) that's<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; ~11.278 kN per dog. A 90 kg man (~200 lbs) is roughly 880 N in a 1g<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; field. So each dog needs to hold the equivalent of ~13 large adult<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; men. That's really not much.<BR>&gt;......<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; Summary of all the above hot air - we can build systems to these<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; specs /today/ without difficulty.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;But you would get into trouble with animal welfare groups.<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>I knew it was coming. I was waiting for it. But i still splorted 8^)<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 11:02:00 -0800<BR>From: "Kiri Aradia Morgan" &lt;tiamat@tsoft.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Revitalizing an old Thread: Music<BR><BR>From: Volker Greimann &lt;volker@greimann.de&gt;<BR><BR><BR>&gt;Hi all,<BR>&gt;I was once again thinking of putting music in my new game, and I remeber<BR>there beeing a thread a couple of months back. Now that I need it, it's<BR>gone...<BR>&gt;So can anyone help me? I am looking for all kinds of music, maybe even<BR>something that could be used as an Imperial Anthem, or the Anthem of the<BR>Marine corps, as all my characters are "in the forces".<BR>&gt;Music for Battle Scenes as well as flight scenes are good as well, and if<BR>someone could suggest some somber dark music for a SciFi dungeon crawl, I'd<BR>be delighted, too.<BR>&gt;<BR>I use the soundtrack for "Shoujo Kakumei Utena" for that sort of thing...<BR>dark progrock/classical riffs.&nbsp; And since I'm the only one in the room who<BR>understands them when I use it in a game, even better.&nbsp; There are 6 CD's of<BR>it.<BR><BR>Kiri<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:21:28 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: If MT were unknown...<BR><BR>Alan Bradley wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; I have read enough to note that there has been a bit of "passion" flying<BR>&gt; about.&nbsp; That's a shame and people need to keep a sense of proportion.<BR><BR>I agree.&nbsp; Let's just talk about Traveller and what not and keep the BS out.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; But anyway, whatever rules anyone writes, I am still likely to fall into a<BR>&gt; no-braincell pattern anytime I actually sit down and ref:&nbsp; it's just not<BR>&gt; worth doing anything else.<BR><BR>Like I said before, there is nothing wrong with that.&nbsp; I prefer a little more<BR>structure in a game, myself.&nbsp; I find that the players put more trust into your<BR>judgement if they know and understand the rules you govern yourself by are the<BR>same that you use to govern them--not based on whatever strikes your fancy.<BR><BR>But, then again, even though it doesn't fit my play style, I've seen some<BR>bad-assed GMs over the years take a game and run with it, flying by the seat of<BR>his pants.<BR><BR>As I get older, I do struggle with actually putting my role playing life behind<BR>me.&nbsp; It takes a lot of time, and although I still love it, sometimes it is just<BR>not worth the time I put in.<BR><BR>Because of this, I tend to gravitate to "easy" rules systems.&nbsp; The old Star<BR>Wars D6 system is about right for me.&nbsp; The new Star Wars d20 system is easily<BR>understood, but too "complicated" to run.<BR><BR>I want to dice and go, like you.<BR><BR>I don't want to spend a lot of time between games looking up rules and what<BR>not.<BR><BR>Surprisingly, that's the main reason I created KB3.&nbsp; Sure, I've got to put a<BR>lot of work into it to make sure its a solid system--I don't want to be playing<BR>with a broken one.&nbsp; But, now that I'm almost finished with it, it's pretty much<BR>dice-and-go, just the way I like it.<BR><BR>We'll see how it works on the playtest, when my campaign starts after the new<BR>year.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:30:13 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>James Jensen wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; Is there a difference between Dex-4/Pistol-0 and Dex-1/Pistol-3 in T4?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; It seems that a LOT of people have missed this. Even you, Kennneth. And I<BR>&gt; thought you were a T4 kind of guy.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; The fact is that there *is* a difference between Dex-4/Pistol-0 and<BR>&gt; Dex-1/Pistol-3 in T4. Don't you remember the rule about 0-level skills? When<BR>&gt; you're using a 0-level skill, you roll against half the stat.<BR><BR>Yeah, you're right.&nbsp; It's been a while since I've run T4 (a couple of years).&nbsp; I<BR>did forget about it.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; Remember, people: Shooting a pistol is *not* that hard. I'm starting to<BR>&gt; think that T4 isn't as broken as most people say it is. If you use the T4.1<BR>&gt; dice codes and the IHTIT ("It's harder than I thought") rule, it seems<BR>&gt; almost realistic. But that's another discussion.<BR><BR>I forgot the specifics, but I do remember where T4 was broken.&nbsp; The Stat<BR>overpowering Skill issue was a big one.&nbsp; I think the example I used back then<BR>was...<BR><BR>If you're walking down the street and get hit by a car, who do you want to fix<BR>you up?&nbsp; The paramedic in the ambulance (Edu-11, Medical-1), or the MD with a<BR>speciality in your type of injury (Edu-6, Medical-6).<BR><BR>Under T4, these two guys have the *same* chance, and that's just not right, no<BR>matter how you slice it.<BR><BR><BR><BR>I remember something being wrong with percentages in T4 on the high end, but I<BR>can't quite remember what the problem was.&nbsp; I remember this, because when I was<BR>created KBv2.0, I designed it for the curve to fall off steeper at the higher<BR>difficulties.&nbsp; I remember struggling with T4, trying to make my "fix" include<BR>harder throws at the higher difficulty categories.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 11:32:16 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Hatches (was "Re: Iris Valves")<BR><BR>&gt;Not being an engineer, I have no idea what kind of hatch designs<BR>&gt;would remain airtight in space. My instinct is to keep them as<BR>&gt;simple as possible, and in my uninformed opinion an iris has too<BR>&gt;many moving parts to make a reliable pressure hatch. A common sense<BR>&gt;safety protocol that all spacers should automatically observe is<BR>&gt;KTDHS ("Keep The Damn Hatch Shut!"). It should not be possible to<BR>&gt;open a hatch against a pressure differential. Does anyone know what<BR>&gt;hatch design is being used in the International Space Station?<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>Your instincts and uniformed opinions are very good. Now you need to <BR>be formally educated in the field so you can forget all that common <BR>sense and design impractical and impossible systems 8^)<BR><BR>(An award winning design at my school was the equivalent of Escher's <BR>fork - it was impossible to realize in three dimensions.)<BR><BR>TTFN<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 11:35:10 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Hatches (was "Re: Iris Valves")<BR><BR>&gt;BTW, not to pick nits, but hatches go through decks and doors go<BR>&gt;through bulkheads.&nbsp; Only landlubbers and Army types would call a door a<BR>&gt;hatch.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;;^)&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>Only wetbacks would call a hatch a door.<BR><BR>1st Sergeant Brittic Coloris, INV Tigress<BR><BR>8^)<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 14:38:35 -0500<BR>From: Jeff Zeitlin &lt;jzeitlin@cyburban.com&gt;<BR>Subject: HazMat<BR><BR>Can someone point me to an explanation of the hazmat coding system, and<BR>symbols used to indicate various kinds of hazmat?<BR>- --<BR>Jeff Zeitlin<BR>jzeitlin@cyburban.com<BR>(Ask me via email about the ILink message network!)<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:35:17 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: JJ0<BR><BR>James Jensen wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Actually, it's &lt;0.5%. But if the player was specifically going for a<BR>&gt; Critical, the chance would be ~2.8% with D6s<BR><BR>Two throws of 3D6 ("5-6-1" and "5-6-1") matching exactly like this is only a<BR>half percent chance of ocurring?<BR><BR>I would have guessed it was much lower.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; Yes, it is. Exceptional results are rare, which is arguably (though I won't<BR>&gt; join either side) a good thing.<BR><BR>Why don't you throw out the "critical throw".&nbsp; It seems, even at half a percent,<BR>you've got a real low rate of criticals ocurring.&nbsp; If you throw out the extra<BR>die throw, you'll be removing a die throw from the game, making it cleaner, and<BR>still have a low rate for criticals.<BR><BR>Just a thought--speed of game play and all.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:56:22 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR><BR>James Jensen wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Here's some rules nitpicks. I'm using T4 rules here, so please tell me if<BR>&gt; you're using something different.<BR><BR>Cool.<BR><BR><BR><BR>&gt; I would use the Athletics skill here, which he would have at level-0.<BR><BR>I would use Athletics too.&nbsp; I've covered this in the KB3 rules.<BR><BR>I've got to dig into three areas of KB3 rules to make this act of Gvoudzon<BR>catching the rifle being thrown at him more clear to you, so bear with me.<BR><BR>(1)&nbsp; SKILLS ARE ALWAYS USED:&nbsp; A KB3 character always uses a skill to throw a<BR>die.&nbsp; If you notice in the example, Gvoudzon's player Paul said that Gvoudzon<BR>did not have a skill to use to "catch something".&nbsp; If Gvoudzon had Athletics<BR>(or even some other skill that could be used to help him "catch something")<BR>then he could have certainly used it to catch the rifle being tossed at him.<BR><BR>(2)&nbsp; ATTRIBUTE ROLLS:&nbsp; Under KB3, some throws are considered "attribute<BR>rolls".&nbsp; What this means (under the KB3 rules system) is that a character<BR>still has to have a skill (skills are always used, as stated above), but the<BR>character is allowed to use his Stat as a negative DM to his difficulty.<BR><BR>That's why Gvoudzon's Stat was subtracted from the difficulty.<BR><BR>(3)&nbsp; DEFAULT SKILLS:&nbsp; Now, another general rule of KB3 says that "all<BR>characters have all default skills--there is no need to write them on your<BR>sheet".<BR><BR>So, since no special training is required for Gvoudzon to catch something<BR>tossed at him, whatever skill is used--it's a default skill.&nbsp; Therefore, no<BR>matter what skill covers the action of Gvoudzon catching the rifle, Gvoudzon<BR>has that skill at level 0.&nbsp; That means that Paul the Player can throw 1D<BR>(because of Gvoudzon's Skill-0).<BR><BR>A quick play tip listed in the KB3 rules says:&nbsp; Whenever you have a default<BR>skill that you need to use, don't worry about flipping through a book and<BR>picking the exact skill the your character is using.&nbsp; It's a level 0 skill, so<BR>just throw 1D and be done with it.<BR><BR>- ---------<BR><BR>What you saw in the example was this:<BR><BR>(A)&nbsp; Gvoudzon wanted to try to catch a rifle being tossed to him.&nbsp; Paul the<BR>Player looked at his character sheet and saw that Gvoudzon had no skills to<BR>help him catch that toss.<BR><BR>(B)&nbsp; The GM told Paul that it would be an attribute throw.&nbsp; That immediately<BR>tells Paul that he's got 1D to throw, and that the Stat will be subtracted<BR>from the difficulty.&nbsp; (And, it doesn't matter which skill was used--but it<BR>surely could have been Athletics.)<BR><BR><BR>KB3 rules are designed for quick game play.&nbsp; As you can see in the example,<BR>it's "throw-and-go".<BR><BR><BR><BR>Note:&nbsp; If Gvoudzon HAD the Athletics skill, he could have used MORE THAN 1D on<BR>the throw, or he could have used one of the skill options.&nbsp; Since the GM<BR>called it an attribute roll, no matter if Gvoudzon had the appropriate skill<BR>or not, Gvoudzon's stat would be used to reduce difficulty.<BR><BR>Thus, if Gvoudzon had Dex-8, Athletics-2, Paul the Player could have thrown 2D<BR>for his task and used -8 on difficulty<BR><BR>.....or he could have thrown 1D at his task, raising his Dex to Dex-9 for<BR>measuring purposes, and used -8 on difficulty<BR><BR>....or he could have thrown 1D at his task and used -9 on difficulty<BR><BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:58:37 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR><BR>James Jensen wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; G:&nbsp; Well, it looks fine upon quick inspection--just a few scrapes.&nbsp; If<BR>&gt; &gt; you take a round to look it over better, I'll give you an Easy roll to<BR>&gt; &gt; inspect it using your Rifle skill, governed by Edu.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; This should use the Armory skill.<BR><BR>This is the same deal as the throw where Gvoudzon caught the rifle.&nbsp; If<BR>Gvoudzon had the Armory skill, he certainly could have used it.<BR><BR>Still, the throw is covered by a default skill, and it is an attribute roll.<BR><BR>For more clarification, see my reply to you on the Atheltics skill comment you<BR>made.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 14:09:36 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR><BR>James Jensen wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; P:&nbsp; I'll do it.&nbsp; If don't need any surprises in a firefight.&nbsp; Gvoudzon's<BR>&gt; &gt; skill is Rifle-3.&nbsp; That means I could have 4D on the throw, but that's<BR>&gt; &gt; over kill for a 1D difficulty.&nbsp; I'll use the skill option of reducing my<BR>&gt; &gt; target number.&nbsp; I'll throw 2D and have a -2 applied to difficulty.<BR>&gt; &gt; (Paul rolls 2D....."6-1").&nbsp; Hey!&nbsp; A six on the E-Die!&nbsp; My total is 13,<BR>&gt; &gt; and you've got a -2 on the difficulty throw!<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; G: (Gurd rolls 1D....."5").&nbsp; The difficulty is 5 reduced to 3 with your<BR>&gt; &gt; skill option.&nbsp; What's your Edu?&nbsp; There's a possibility that E-Die hurt<BR>&gt; &gt; you, pushing you up into the Marginal Success bracket.<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; P:&nbsp; Gvoudzon's stat is Edu 6.&nbsp; Damn.&nbsp; I rolled over by 10 points.&nbsp; That<BR>&gt; &gt; does put me in the Marginal Success bracket.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; He rolled over by 7 points.<BR><BR>You're probably looking at the wrong numbers above.<BR><BR>Gvoudzon has Rifle-3.&nbsp; That gives Paul the Player 4D to throw, if he wants<BR>to.&nbsp; But, Paul decides to use a skill option.&nbsp; He's going to throw 2D for<BR>success, and he's going to use the other 2 points from his skill to reduce his<BR>difficulty.<BR><BR>Paul the Player rolled 2D, with a result of a "6" on the E-Die and a "1" on<BR>the other.&nbsp; The six on the E-Die means you double evens in the throw.&nbsp; So,<BR>Pauls total is 13.<BR><BR>When the GM rolled 1D for the difficulty throw, he rolled a "5", but this was<BR>reduced to "3" because of the skill option Gvoudzon used.<BR><BR>Paul rolled 10.&nbsp; GM rolled 3.&nbsp; Paul rolled over by 10 points.<BR><BR><BR><BR>Since Gvoudzon's Stat is Edu 6, his bracket for regular Success is 6 points<BR>over his difficulty.&nbsp; Anything higher, outside of that range, is a Marginal<BR>Success.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 14:10:52 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: New task description<BR><BR>knightsky@juno.com wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; Arguing with the ref: Formidable, Harzardous<BR>&gt; &gt; modifiers:<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; + your years playing Traveller minus the refs years (may be<BR>&gt; &gt; negative)<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; - your arrears in club dues<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +1 if it's your house<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +1 if you provided the pizza (-1 if the ref did)<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +1 if the ref is dating your sister or brother<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +2 if the ref is married to your sister or brother<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +7 if the ref is married to your sister and dating your brother<BR>&gt; &gt; and they don't know about each other<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; You've met my current gaming group?<BR><BR>Rarely to I burst out when a full-bore laugh when I'm sitting, looking at<BR>the computer.<BR><BR>I did this time.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 14:12:43 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Traveller-digest V1999 #3481<BR><BR>GDWGAMES@aol.com wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Assuming they didn't toss it after reading the first couple of pages . . .<BR><BR>They probably did.<BR><BR>Have you read the Harry Potter series?<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 14:17:31 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: New task description<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Rarely to I burst out when a full-bore laugh when I'm sitting, looking at<BR>&gt; the computer.<BR><BR>What the hell was that?<BR><BR>Too many typos.&nbsp; I sound like Porky Pig.<BR><BR>abbaaeeb&nbsp; bbabaaaeeeeb&nbsp; It made me laugh!<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 07:51:10 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; However, the variants have their own problems, and the process is<BR>&gt; &gt; repeated when I mention them.<BR><BR>&gt; All right then.&nbsp; What, specifically, do you think is a "problem" with KB3?<BR><BR>Which KB3?&nbsp; I've mentioned a few for a lot of variants now (all called<BR>KB3).&nbsp; Different variants have different problems.&nbsp; It's just a matter<BR>of which problems are least bothersome for any given person.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:29:30 GMT<BR>From: Postmark Design Bureau &lt;postmark.design@btinternet.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Joe Normal<BR>&gt; Average Throw of 7+<BR>&gt; GS made if throw is less than Stat-7<BR>&gt; KB3 skill option used on some throws.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Skill-0<BR>&gt; Throw 1D<BR>&gt; Task Success 0%&nbsp; (We're not using the E-Die in this example.)<BR>&gt; GS on 7-<BR>&gt; GS not possible.<BR><BR>I'm not surprised that you don't use the E-Die and stick to static target<BR>numbers in this example - the sums are much harder.<BR><BR>But, with the E-die and random target numbers, you can generate a target<BR>number of up to 24 (double 6).<BR><BR>You can't guarantee a success against numbers like this without using all<BR>dice (or are the players told the random target number before they roll - I<BR>can't remember)<BR><BR>So the E-die pretty much kills the rolling options stone dead.<BR><BR>Plus - look at task interpretation. You roll double 6 for a task number<BR>of 24. The player rolls 7 dice - 1,2,3,4,5,6, plus the E-die.<BR><BR>If the E-die comes up 1, they will have failed badly (scoring 12) which is<BR>the whole point of the system - the reason for failure being that the task<BR>proven unexpectedly hard. Had the target E-die been anything other than 6,<BR>they'd have had a greater success.<BR><BR>If the E-die comes up 2, they will have just failed (scoring 23).<BR><BR>If the E-die comes up 6, they will suceed easily (scoring 45). Disappointing<BR>all those ex-rolemaster players hoping for an E-crit, no doubt. :)<BR><BR>If the E-die comes up 3, 4 or 5, they succedd (scoring 24-26) and get greater<BR>success. Of course, the player can bask in their achievement knowing that had<BR>there not been that exceptional complexity to the task, they would not have<BR>succeeded so well.<BR><BR>I'm not convinced. <BR><BR>...<BR><BR>A simple calculation, the E-die scores "6" 1/6th of the time. When it does,<BR>even if the other dice are all odd, that's 12 which, on average, requires<BR>four dice to be rolled to beat it. Since on average about half the other dice<BR>will be even, the number of dice that you need to rolling to "guarantee"<BR>success are<BR><BR>Task Difficulty&nbsp; Dice to roll<BR>1D&nbsp; Easy&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 4D<BR>2D&nbsp; Average&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 5D<BR>3D&nbsp; Difficult&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 7D<BR>4D&nbsp; Formidable&nbsp; &nbsp; 8D<BR>5D&nbsp; Staggering&nbsp;&nbsp; 10D<BR>6D&nbsp; Impossible&nbsp;&nbsp; 11D<BR><BR>Since your E-die can reveal a 1, at which point you only get to score the<BR>even dice, you'd really need to be rolling twice the above numbers of dice<BR>to get the failure rate really low (&lt; 1% failure).<BR><BR>As the tables I posted before show, against average tasks with the E-die and<BR>random target numbers, you need to roll 6 dice (ie skill 5) to have a 91%<BR>chance of success and you can't afford to drop more than 2 dice before<BR>before the failure chance is down to 75%.<BR><BR>Even against easy (1D) tasks, you never want to roll less than 3 dice<BR>(skill-2) if you can help it, because you might roll a 1 on the E-die.<BR>- -- <BR>Phil Kitching, http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo<BR>Postmark Design Bureau, Laser Communications Division<BR>"For when your message must get through"<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 14:52:02 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: MT - Character-Defined?<BR><BR>I'm not so adamant in my beliefs that I can't see the other side of the<BR>coin, and I consider myself big enough to admit, publicly, when I might<BR>be wrong about something.<BR><BR>I've been thinking about my claim that MT is not character defined.<BR>I've been saying that it is a generic system based on a generic<BR>(everybody-gets-it) 2D6 roll modified by the character's ability and<BR>experience.<BR><BR>My argument has been that, if you take away the modifiers, you're left<BR>with a generic 2D6 roll:&nbsp; There is no difference in a Dex-4, Pistol-0<BR>guy and a Dex-1, Pistol-0 character--it's a straight, generic, 2D6 throw<BR>of the bones.<BR><BR>I've been thinking about that a lot, and I'm wrong about MT.<BR><BR>MT *is* character defined.&nbsp; It's a system actually based on character<BR>skill level--just like KB3.&nbsp; The 2D6 throw *is what a level-0 character*<BR>gets!<BR><BR>Level-0 means 2D6<BR>Level-1 means 2D6+1<BR>Level-2 means 2D6+2<BR>Level-3 means 2D6+3<BR>Level-4 means 2D6+4<BR>etc...<BR><BR>I have never said that I do not like the MT system.&nbsp; In fact, I love<BR>it.&nbsp; I always have.&nbsp; I've played it for over a decade.&nbsp; But, I think it<BR>appropriate that I stand here, on the TML, yelling at the top of my<BR>lungs for all to hear...<BR><BR>I WAS MISTAKEN!!!&nbsp;&nbsp; MT IS A CHARACTER DEFINED SYSTEM!!!!<BR><BR><BR><BR>Actually, since I've made that revelation about the system, I feel much<BR>better about it.<BR><BR>Now, if just every point of MT character stat meant something,<BR>somewhere, to the roll....<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 07:57:27 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; You subscribe to the school of thought that a character's stats have<BR>&gt; nothing to do with his natural ability to succeed on tasks?<BR><BR>I subscribe to the view that skill values include natural ability to<BR>succeed on tasks.&nbsp; In my view, a skill is the ability to perform well<BR>in a given set of circumstances.&nbsp; I don't care whether that ability<BR>comes from training, natural potential, or an infusion of supernatural<BR>forces.&nbsp; In my opinion, all should be represented as skill on the<BR>character sheet.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 08:04:12 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; Is there a difference between Str-9/Pistol-0 and Str-1/Pistol-0 in<BR>&gt; &gt; KB3?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Why would Str matter when shooting your pistol?<BR><BR>Being able to hold it in line with less effort and handling recoil,<BR>among other things.&nbsp; Or do you think holding a kilo or two of metal at<BR>arms length in an absolutely steady position is a trivial exercise?<BR><BR>Certainly if I was counting stats at all I'd put Str on a similar<BR>footing with Dex.&nbsp; By the description of what Dex means, it should<BR>hardly make any difference at all.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3486<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; 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<P align=left><FONT color=#0f0f0f face=Arial size=2 PTSIZE="10" BACK="#FFFFFE"><BR><BR>----------------------- Headers --------------------------------<BR>Return-Path: &lt;owner-traveller@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>Received: from&nbsp; rly-yd03.mx.aol.com (rly-yd03.mail.aol.com [172.18.150.3]) by air-yd05.mail.aol.com (v77.31) with ESMTP; Sat, 30 Dec 2000 16:25:33 -0500<BR>Received: from&nbsp; lists.ient.com (lists.ient.com [204.85.32.11]) by rly-yd03.mx.aol.com (v77.27) with ESMTP; Sat, 30 Dec 2000 16:25:12 -0500<BR>Received: from localhost (daemon@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) with SMTP id QAA06656;<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Sat, 30 Dec 2000 16:01:38 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller@lists.ient.com)<BR>Received: by lists.ient.com (bulk_mailer v1.12); Sat, 30 Dec 2000 16:01:29 -0500<BR>Received: (from majordom@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) id QAA06608<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; for traveller-digest-outgoing; Sat, 30 Dec 2000 16:01:28 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com)<BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 16:01:28 -0500 (EST)<BR>Message-Id: &lt;200012302101.QAA06608@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>From: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>To: traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Subject: Traveller-digest V1999 #3486<BR>Reply-To: traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>Sender: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR><BR></FONT></P></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML><HTML><HEAD><BASE></HEAD>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp; Saturday, December 30 2000&nbsp; &nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3487<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Jump emergence<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>Re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>RE: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>Re: Logarithmic Space Combat System<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 15:01:11 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; However, the variants have their own problems, and the process is<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; repeated when I mention them.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; All right then.&nbsp; What, specifically, do you think is a "problem" with KB3?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Which KB3?&nbsp; I've mentioned a few for a lot of variants now (all called<BR>&gt; KB3).&nbsp; Different variants have different problems.&nbsp; It's just a matter<BR>&gt; of which problems are least bothersome for any given person.<BR><BR>Choose ANY problem you see with the CURRENT version you see fit to discuss--that<BR>would be the second version.<BR><BR>(There are two versions of KB3.&nbsp; The original one I posted, and the second summary<BR>I posted with the three changes:&nbsp; static target numbers;&nbsp; skill options;&nbsp; and<BR>attribute rolls).<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 15:16:37 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Postmark Design Bureau wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; I'm not surprised that you don't use the E-Die and stick to static target<BR>&gt; numbers in this example - the sums are much harder.<BR><BR>Yes, the E-Die is harder to calculate, especially when you do it by hand, like<BR>me.&nbsp; (I don't have a spread sheet on this computer.)<BR><BR>But, that's the point of the E-Die...like any "wild-die" or "fate-die" or<BR>"drama-die" in a system, it's included to add unpredicability....and excitement<BR>to the game.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; You can't guarantee a success against numbers like this without using all<BR>&gt; dice (or are the players told the random target number before they roll - I<BR>&gt; can't remember)<BR><BR>I typically don't tell players the random target number.&nbsp; They'll know (usually)<BR>how many dice they're up against, but not the actual number.<BR><BR><BR><BR>&gt; So the E-die pretty much kills the rolling options stone dead.<BR><BR>I disagree. It's actually quite easy to get a handle on what you're up against.<BR>You won't be calculating actual percentages (but who has time to do that in a<BR>game anyway?)<BR><BR>Even when I'm guaging my chance of success in a 2D6 game, I don't think of actual<BR>percentages--I use a general rule of thumb.<BR><BR>So, if you're a KB3 player, you can guage your chance of success (even with the<BR>E-Die) by using these guidelines.<BR><BR>Since the E-Die is used on both sides of the equation, it'll pretty much cancel<BR>out with your rule of thumb below--<BR><BR>If you're up against a 1D difficulty....<BR>.....you'll know that throwing 1D against it will give you about a 50% chance of<BR>success.&nbsp; 2D against 1D will greatly improve your chances.&nbsp; 3D versus 1D will<BR>secure your victory but is probably a waste of skill points (meaning you should<BR>probably throw 2D and either reduce your difficulty or raise your measurment<BR>stat).<BR><BR>If you're up against a 2D difficulty....<BR>.....you'll know that throwing 2D against it will give you about a 50% chance of<BR>success.&nbsp; 3D against 2D will greatly improve your chances.&nbsp; 4D versus 2D will<BR>secure your victory but is probably a waste of skill points (meaning you should<BR>probably throw 3D and either reduce your difficulty or raise your measurment<BR>stat).<BR><BR>If you're up against a 3D difficulty....<BR>.....you'll know that throwing 3D against it will give you about a 50% chance of<BR>success.&nbsp; 4D against 3D will greatly improve your chances.&nbsp; 5D versus 3D will<BR>secure your victory but is probably a waste of skill points (meaning you should<BR>probably throw 4D and either reduce your difficulty or raise your measurment<BR>stat).<BR><BR>...etc...<BR><BR>Or, more simply put, just look at your dice ratios..<BR><BR>2 dice to one?<BR><BR>3 dice to one?<BR><BR>etc.<BR><BR><BR>That's a great way of quickly gauging your chance of success under KB3.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 08:30:43 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Jump emergence<BR><BR>Leonard Erickson wrote:<BR>&gt; Note that the stretching force and the compression force differ by a<BR>&gt; factor of 2!<BR><BR>If you're looking at a thin rod oriented along each of the tidal axes<BR>for a single spherical source, then yes.&nbsp; If you're interested in the<BR>overall internal forces in a 3-dimensional solid or liquid, then the<BR>total stretch is equal to the total compression.&nbsp; (Gradients of a<BR>scalar field are divergence-free)<BR><BR>Which case you are interested in depends upon what sort of problem you<BR>are trying to solve.&nbsp; Chances are you have to treat tensile forces<BR>differently from compression ones anyway, and shear forces differently<BR>again.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 15:27:03 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Postmark Design Bureau wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; If the E-die comes up 1, they will have failed badly (scoring 12) which is<BR>&gt; the whole point of the system - the reason for failure being that the task<BR>&gt; proven unexpectedly hard. Had the target E-die been anything other than 6,<BR>&gt; they'd have had a greater success.<BR><BR>You're on the right track here, but you've got the E-Die mixed up a bit.<BR><BR>The E-Die can hurt you or help you in EITHER direction.<BR><BR>If you look at the example of play I posted using KB3 (the post called Gvoudzon's<BR>Run), you'll see that Paul the Player was hurt by a "6" on the E-Die, running his<BR>total into the Marginal Success bracket.&nbsp; The "6", pushing his total up, could<BR>also help him.<BR><BR>Also, a "1" on the E-Die actually helped the NPC roll Greater Success on Gvoudzon<BR>during the fight.&nbsp; The reverse is also true.<BR><BR><BR>Your success in KB3 is guaged by how far you are from the actual target number<BR>rolled.&nbsp; The greater your stat is, the greater this range is.<BR><BR>Example:&nbsp; If your stat is 8, and the difficulty roll results in a total of 11,<BR>then...<BR><BR>...if your roll results as (11 + 8 = 19) 11-19, you're in the regular Success<BR>bracket.<BR><BR>...if your roll results as 20+, you're in the Marginal Success bracket.<BR><BR>...if your roll results as (11 - 8 = 3) 3-11, you're in the regular Failure<BR>bracket.<BR><BR>...if your roll results as 2-, you're in the Greater Failure bracket.<BR><BR>And Greater Success is not possible unless you use skill options to raise your<BR>stat.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:32:45 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>&gt;And, there is no difference between a character with Stat-2 and <BR>&gt;Skill-0...or even<BR>&gt;Stat-1 and Skill-0.&nbsp; And THERE SHOULD BE.&nbsp; A Stat-1 or a Stat-2 is a <BR>&gt;FAR CRY from a<BR>&gt;character with a Stat-4.<BR><BR>&lt;2 y.o. whine&gt;<BR>Why?<BR>&lt;/2 y.o. whine&gt;<BR><BR>Seriously, why is a Stat-1 a FAR CRY from a Stat-4 if they do the <BR>same thing? Shouldn't we be looking at function rather than <BR>appearance? Is a red Porsche functionally different than a black <BR>Porsche? Of course not. Or to put this in terms Kenji and Kiri can <BR>relate to... er, better not 8^)<BR><BR>If we look at the function of the stat and not the superficial <BR>appearance, canon /5 MT has three stat levels and the /3 MT heresy <BR>has five, as follows.<BR><BR>/5 MT<BR>Stat&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Range&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; P(stat)<BR>Below Average&nbsp; 2,3,4&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0.167<BR>Average&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 5,6,7,8,9&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.667<BR>Above Average&nbsp; A,B,C&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.167<BR><BR>/3 MT<BR>Stat&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Range&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; P(stat)<BR>Poor&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 2&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0.028<BR>Inferior&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 3,4,5&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0.250<BR>Average&nbsp; &nbsp; 6,7,8&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0.444<BR>Superior&nbsp;&nbsp; 9,A,B&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0.250<BR>Superb&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; C&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0.028<BR><BR>All the anguish of not getting full benefit from your stat could be <BR>eliminated by having a conversion table at the front of the chargen <BR>rules which translates the raw dice roll to the functional stat. <BR>Under /5 MT, Stat-1 and Stat-4 are both recorded, and used, as Stat-1 <BR>(Below Average). I prefer the /3 MT heresy distribution.<BR><BR>What about when the raw number is used in a task? Well, why not use <BR>the functional stat instead? The /3 MT heresy in particular matches <BR>the range of skills much better than the raw numbers do. Five stat <BR>levels seems to do the job of eleven very nicely. Throw out the raw <BR>dice roll completely after chargen, don't write it down anywhere, <BR>just use the stat level.<BR><BR>"Hit points?" You'll need a new system for this, but it should be <BR>easy to bodge together.<BR><BR>TTFN<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 15:33:01 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Postmark Design Bureau wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; A simple calculation, the E-die scores "6" 1/6th of the time. When it does,<BR>&gt; even if the other dice are all odd, that's 12 which, on average, requires<BR>&gt; four dice to be rolled to beat it. Since on average about half the other dice<BR>&gt; will be even, the number of dice that you need to rolling to "guarantee"<BR>&gt; success are<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Task Difficulty&nbsp; Dice to roll<BR>&gt; 1D&nbsp; Easy&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 4D<BR>&gt; 2D&nbsp; Average&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 5D<BR>&gt; 3D&nbsp; Difficult&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 7D<BR>&gt; 4D&nbsp; Formidable&nbsp; &nbsp; 8D<BR>&gt; 5D&nbsp; Staggering&nbsp;&nbsp; 10D<BR>&gt; 6D&nbsp; Impossible&nbsp;&nbsp; 11D<BR><BR>The E-Die is used on both sides of the equation.&nbsp; So, the effects of the E-Die<BR>will cancel each other out, on average.&nbsp; So, throw the same number of dice as<BR>your difficulty for a 50% shot at success.<BR><BR>If you want to hedge your bet, throw 1D more than your difficulty.<BR><BR>If you really, really want to be certain, throw 2D more than your difficulty.<BR><BR><BR><BR>I don't understand your logic of a "guaranteed" roll.&nbsp; In my game, if something<BR>is that "guaranteed", I don't even make a player roll.&nbsp; It's an automatic<BR>success.<BR><BR>When there is a question as to whether the task can be completed--when chance<BR>plays a part in the task at hand--that's when I make them roll (even if the roll<BR>is greatly weighted in one direction or the other).<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 08:40:34 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; If you're walking down the street and get hit by a car, who do you<BR>&gt; want to fix you up?&nbsp; The paramedic in the ambulance (Edu-11,<BR>&gt; Medical-1),<BR><BR>Umm, I think you mean more like Edu-8, Medical-3 (with particular<BR>emphasis on immediate short-term treatment)<BR><BR><BR>&gt; or the MD with a speciality in your type of injury (Edu-6,<BR>&gt; Medical-6).<BR><BR>I think you mean Edu-12, Medical-6 (with emphasis on your particular<BR>injury)<BR><BR>Medical specialists have a *lot* more education than paramedics in<BR>general.&nbsp; I have no idea how you think someone becomes a medical<BR>specialist with *less* than average education.&nbsp; Is 6 years of<BR>university education plus more specialist training not enough to<BR>qualify for an average education stat?<BR><BR>I doubt you'd find any real-life person who matched Edu-6, Medical-6.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 15:48:30 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Postmark Design Bureau wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Even against easy (1D) tasks, you never want to roll less than 3 dice<BR>&gt; (skill-2) if you can help it, because you might roll a 1 on the E-die.<BR><BR>You seem to be fighting the unpredictability a wild die/drama die/fate die puts<BR>into a game.&nbsp; That E-Die is supposed to make rolls uncertain.<BR><BR>If you stick to the guidelines I posted for making player decisions (ie even dice<BR>will give you a 50% chance of success;&nbsp; one more die than your difficulty will<BR>greatly shift the odds in your favor;&nbsp; 2 die more than your difficulty will shift<BR>the odds in your favor even more, and you might want to start thinking about<BR>using any other skill points as skill options).<BR><BR>Given that, if you threw (useing your example above) a 1D difficult to me, and I<BR>had Skill-2..<BR><BR>....I'd throw 2D and use that other point to either lower your roll or raise my<BR>stat for measurement (depending on what was important to me).<BR><BR><BR><BR>The KB3 task system is based on random target numbers.&nbsp; The E-Die provides a<BR>"thrill" to the system.<BR><BR>It's not designed to be a straight, percentage based system.&nbsp; Players should be<BR>able to guage success--but not know it exactly.<BR><BR>The unpredictability provides the drama.<BR><BR>That's why I say dicing with KB3 is "fun".<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR><BR><BR>PS&nbsp; I respect your work, Phil.&nbsp; I've seen it here on the TML.&nbsp; And, I respect how<BR>you handle your objections and disagreements with KB3.&nbsp; You're a gentleman.<BR><BR>But, I'm thinking that you prefer a more hard-core, percentaged based system<BR>where chance is kept at a minimum--where you know exactly what you have to roll<BR>each time (maybe % dice and target numbers running 1-100 are your favorite--I<BR>don't know).<BR><BR>KB3 is a blow-and-go system.&nbsp; It's designed for fun role play. I want it to be<BR>statistically sound, and I want players to be able to get a good idea of what<BR>they are up against when they make a toss.&nbsp; But, it is not important to me for<BR>players to know *exactly* what they have to roll.&nbsp; In fact, I don't want them to<BR>know *exactly*.<BR><BR>Therein lies the drama.<BR><BR>Therein lies the fun.<BR><BR>Check out my post Gvoudzon's Run, and you'll see that KB3 is a fun, quick, drama<BR>based system that&nbsp; flows....and makes for great role playing.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 15:53:37 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; I subscribe to the view that skill values include natural ability to<BR>&gt; succeed on tasks.&nbsp; In my view, a skill is the ability to perform well<BR>&gt; in a given set of circumstances.&nbsp; I don't care whether that ability<BR>&gt; comes from training, natural potential, or an infusion of supernatural<BR>&gt; forces.&nbsp; In my opinion, all should be represented as skill on the<BR>&gt; character sheet.<BR><BR>You might like a system like Star Wars then.&nbsp; A character's abilities are defined,<BR>and skills only build on top of those abilities.&nbsp; In then end, you have one number<BR>(not two, like in Traveller).<BR><BR>Since, looking at a Traveller character sheet, I see that skill levels are<BR>completely different and set apart from stats, I can't say that what holds true for<BR>Star Wars is true in Traveller.<BR><BR>I see separation of skill and stat under all four of the official Traveller<BR>systems.<BR><BR>Funny, though, that you don't like KB3...because the dice you throw is based on<BR>skill, and skill only.&nbsp; Your success is only measured by Stat.<BR><BR>Reading that paragraph above, it would seem like that would be an aspect of the<BR>system that appeals to you.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 15:57:28 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>Gordon Horne wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Seriously, why is a Stat-1 a FAR CRY from a Stat-4 if they do the<BR>&gt; same thing?<BR><BR>So, you would run a Dex-4 character just as easily as you would a Dex-1<BR>character?<BR><BR>You don't see a difference in the two?<BR><BR>Between what two set of stats would you describe as a Far Cry?<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 15:59:53 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>Gordon Horne wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; All the anguish of not getting full benefit from your stat could be<BR>&gt; eliminated by having a conversion table at the front of the chargen<BR>&gt; rules which translates the raw dice roll to the functional stat.<BR><BR>Or you could use KBv2.0, which equalizes the Stat/Skill issue....if<BR>you're running a T4 game.<BR><BR>Or you could use KB3 as your Traveller system which does this for you,<BR>keeping other Traveller rules consistent, and not having to deal with a<BR>conversion table.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 16:06:32 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Umm, I think you mean more like Edu-8, Medical-3 (with particular<BR>&gt; emphasis on immediate short-term treatment)<BR><BR>Actually, I was going by an old JTAS article which states that Medical-1 is<BR>equivalent to someone versed in first aid, like a paramedic.&nbsp; Medical-2 is<BR>equivalent to a critical care nurse.&nbsp; And Medical 3+ is a doctor.<BR><BR>If you like, change the example to Edu-10, Medical-2.<BR><BR>Under T4, he still has the same chance as a Edu-6, Medical-6 doctor under T4.<BR><BR>And, that's just not right.&nbsp; Stats should mean more than that.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR><BR><BR>PS<BR><BR><BR>&gt; Medical specialists have a *lot* more education than paramedics in<BR>&gt; general.&nbsp; I have no idea how you think someone becomes a medical<BR>&gt; specialist with *less* than average education.&nbsp; Is 6 years of<BR>&gt; university education plus more specialist training not enough to<BR>&gt; qualify for an average education stat?<BR><BR>That's not quite reflected in Traveller either, is it?<BR><BR>I mean, you can roll Edu-2 when you generate your character, then succeed on the<BR>Doctor career path, and end up with Edu-6, Medical-6 quite easily, now can't you?<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 09:37:06 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; I disagree. It's actually quite easy to get a handle on what you're up against.<BR>[...]<BR>&gt; If you're up against a 1D difficulty....<BR><BR>1D: 42%<BR>2D: 75%<BR>3D: 87%<BR><BR>&gt; If you're up against a 2D difficulty....<BR><BR>2D: 46%<BR>3D: 70%<BR>4D: 85%<BR><BR>Against 3D:<BR><BR>3D: 46%<BR>4D: 68%<BR>5D: 83%<BR><BR>Against 4D:<BR><BR>4D: 47%<BR>5D: 67%<BR>6D: 82%<BR><BR>Against 5D:<BR><BR>5D: 47%<BR>6D: 66%<BR>7D: 81%<BR><BR>Against 6D:<BR><BR>6D: 47%<BR>7D: 65%<BR><BR><BR>&gt; If you're up against a 3D difficulty....<BR>&gt; .....you'll know that throwing 3D against it will give you about a<BR>&gt; 50% chance of success.&nbsp; 4D against 3D will greatly improve your<BR>&gt; chances.&nbsp; 5D versus 3D will secure your victory but is probably a<BR>&gt; waste of skill points<BR><BR>I hardly think so.&nbsp; 1 failure per 2 successes is still quite a lot.<BR>The usefulness of adding an extra die generally overwhelms the effect<BR>achieved by either increasing the stat or reducing difficulty.&nbsp; There<BR>are a few special-case edge-effects in which that is not true,<BR>depending greatly on the specifics of what the Ref is going to rule in<BR>each of the 6 possible levels of result.<BR><BR>To put it another way, from the players' point of view the choice<BR>they've got is a pointless one.&nbsp; They don't have the information<BR>required to make it meaningful, nor any way of approximating it.&nbsp; They<BR>might as well be playing rock/scissors/paper.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; Or, more simply put, just look at your dice ratios..<BR>[...]<BR>&gt; That's a great way of quickly gauging your chance of success under KB3.<BR><BR>From the above table, you can see that dice differences are far more<BR>important than dice ratios.&nbsp; 0 gives about 46%, 1 gives about 70%, 2<BR>gives about 85%.<BR><BR>This makes the final success distribution very similar to an invariant<BR>bell-curve centred on (Skill - Difficulty) only a lot more complex to<BR>actually roll.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 09:41:24 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR>&gt; If you really, really want to be certain, throw 2D more than your<BR>&gt; difficulty.<BR><BR>I'd hardly call 80% "really, really certain".&nbsp; That's not even 5 in 6,<BR>or 5+ on 2D6.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 09:44:56 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; It's not designed to be a straight, percentage based system.<BR>&gt; Players should be able to guage success--but not know it exactly.<BR><BR>Oops.&nbsp; I guess I shouldn't have posted that table of perentages then :^(<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 09:55:45 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Funny, though, that you don't like KB3...because the dice you throw is based on<BR>&gt; skill, and skill only.&nbsp; Your success is only measured by Stat.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Reading that paragraph above, it would seem like that would be an aspect of the<BR>&gt; system that appeals to you.<BR><BR>The first problem is that I don't want stats in tasks at all, except<BR>very occasionally on the border between skilled and unskilled abilities.<BR><BR>The second is that I don't like the nature of the Mishap / Failure /<BR>Greater Failure / Marginal Success / Success / Greater Success<BR>tradeoffs in KB3.&nbsp; The probabilities are counter to anything<BR>reasonable in the game-world, and the options just let players blindly<BR>trade one type for another -- and add more complexity to an already<BR>complex system.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 15:02:28 -0800<BR>From: "tsykoduk" &lt;tsykoduk@bigfoot.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>Or, ya'll could just covert to GURPS and be done with this mess ;)<BR><BR>- -----Original Message-----<BR>Gordon Horne wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; All the anguish of not getting full benefit from your stat could be<BR>&gt; eliminated by having a conversion table at the front of the chargen<BR>&gt; rules which translates the raw dice roll to the functional stat.<BR><BR>Or you could use KBv2.0, which equalizes the Stat/Skill issue....if<BR>you're running a T4 game.<BR><BR>Or you could use KB3 as your Traveller system which does this for you,<BR>keeping other Traveller rules consistent, and not having to deal with a<BR>conversion table.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 10:05:21 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Under T4, he still has the same chance as a Edu-6, Medical-6 doctor<BR>&gt; under T4.<BR><BR>I still disagree that a Edu-6 Med-6 doctor is reasonable.&nbsp; Whether the<BR>system gives unusual output for unreasonable input is irrelevant.<BR><BR>Do you know *any* paramedics with more education than the best doctors<BR>in the world?<BR><BR><BR>&gt; And, that's just not right.&nbsp; Stats should mean more than that.<BR><BR>Um, don't you mean "less"?&nbsp; We agree here -- stats should mean *much*<BR>less.&nbsp; We only disagree on how much less.&nbsp; You think about 80-90%<BR>less.&nbsp; I think about 95% less.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; I mean, you can roll Edu-2 when you generate your character, then<BR>&gt; succeed on the Doctor career path, and end up with Edu-6, Medical-6<BR>&gt; quite easily, now can't you?<BR><BR>I have no idea.&nbsp; I haven't ever rolled a Traveller character using<BR>career paths.&nbsp; I would not be surprised if they turned out that badly,<BR>I remember not being that impressed when I looked at them nearly a<BR>decade ago.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 15:10:53 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt; Seriously, why is a Stat-1 a FAR CRY from a Stat-4 if they do the<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; same thing?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;So, you would run a Dex-4 character just as easily as you would a Dex-1<BR>&gt;character?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;You don't see a difference in the two?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Between what two set of stats would you describe as a Far Cry?<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>You missed the point of my post. In chargen you roll 2d6, which just <BR>happen to sum to 4. Under the /3 MT heresy, you record on your sheet <BR>that your character has inferior dexterity (2). Then you burn the <BR>dice you rolled, grind the slag to a fine powder and scatter it to <BR>the winds so no trace of the 4 remains. Granted, this method can get <BR>a little expensive...<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 18:36:18 EST<BR>From: "Michael A. Hoxie" &lt;ludowick@juno.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Logarithmic Space Combat System<BR><BR>Looks like a good start.&nbsp; I think it will be better for High Guard or BR<BR>type actions than Book 2 style player combats, as damage is abstracted<BR>(PC's ship is fine until it's crippled).&nbsp; Constructive nitpicking<BR>follows: <BR><BR>&gt;I need to add sensible missile rules, but that has its difficulties<BR>&gt;which I<BR>&gt;haven't resolved yet.<BR><BR>How about something like: get logX of the number of missiles/decoys in<BR>the salvo/salvos headed for the target.&nbsp; Assign PD batteries a rating<BR>- -- logX of (ROF * No. of weapons), say.&nbsp; Require attacking salvo factor<BR>to overwhelm PD factor.&nbsp; Use some randomness to give defender uncertainty<BR>vs. always knocking out the same # of missiles with the same PD<BR>batteries.<BR>Details of formulae left to you.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ;P<BR><BR>If using a mapped system, you could factor in detection of missiles &amp; how<BR>much time PD has to disrupt them.&nbsp; An ECM system could also be added? <BR><BR><BR>&gt;3)&nbsp; Toughness.&nbsp; This represents the ship's ability to resist weapons<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; fire.&nbsp; It is equal to 10 * log10(FFS2 armor value) + log4(dTons).<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; For very lightly armored vehicles, use 5 * log10(mass in tons).<BR><BR>I don't mind factoring in armor &amp; a general toughness rating (Traveller<BR>warships are *big*).&nbsp; What is the cutoff point for light vehicles, <BR>though?&nbsp; This will have to be specified (and perhaps hashed out -- <BR>maybe the traditional small craft/ship division at 100 dTs)?<BR><BR><BR>&gt;1)&nbsp; Determine each ship's modified evasion rating.&nbsp; This is the ship's<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; evasion rating + 10 * log10(light-seconds).&nbsp; If this number is less<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; than zero, treat as zero.&nbsp; If desired, the GM may require a<BR>&gt;Difficult<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; piloting roll -- failure reduces evasion by 1, spectacular failure<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; reduces evasion by 2.<BR><BR>Would you rule spectacular success adds 1 to evasion?&nbsp; Same kind of trick<BR>to other rolls in the system (players like it when they succeed big).<BR><BR>&gt;3)&nbsp; If ROF is greater than evasion, you hit.&nbsp; Add (ROF-evasion) to<BR>damage.<BR><BR>A big, massively armored &amp; subdivided ship should be able to shrug off<BR>many<BR>light hits; I'd give additional hits from (ROF-evasion) instead of added<BR>damage levels (think many 5" shell hits upon a WWII BB).<BR><BR>&gt;4)&nbsp; If evasion is greater than ROF, you are likely dodged.&nbsp; Roll<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; (evasion-ROF)d6; if any die comes up a 4 or greater you are dodged.<BR>&gt;5)&nbsp; If ROF and evasion are equal, roll 2d6.&nbsp; If either die comes up 4+,<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; you are hit.&nbsp; If both dice come up 4+, you are hit for +1 damage.<BR><BR>The mechanism seems clumsy, but it works.&nbsp; How about a table based on the<BR>probability of dodging/hitting, instead.&nbsp; Also, on 5), I'd give two (2)<BR>hits vice +1 <BR>damage.<BR><BR><BR>&gt;6)&nbsp; If you hit, roll 1d6 + weapon damage - toughness.&nbsp; If the result is<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; less than zero, you did negligible damage.&nbsp; If the result is<BR>exactly<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; zero, you did one point of damage.&nbsp; If the result is positive, you<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; did as many points of damage as your result.&nbsp; 5+ points of damage<BR>in<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; one hit, or 10+ total damage, disables a ship.<BR><BR>How about a table based on damage points per hit, with increasing chance<BR>of<BR>knocking out/degrading systems (drives, weapons, etc.) as points of<BR>damage<BR>per hit go up -- kinda like "Harpoon", IIRC?<BR>&nbsp; <BR>&gt;2)&nbsp; Trading ROF for damage: even on ships which are armored beyond<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; any normal hope of penetration, lucky shots occur.&nbsp; You may choose<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; to reduce ROF to increase damage, on a 1:1 basis.&nbsp; ROF may be<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; reduced below zero at the GMs option.&nbsp; This is usually only worth<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; doing if you have no chance of penetration.<BR><BR>I see where this is good for game purposes, but I'd make the ratio worse<BR>than 1:1.&nbsp; Could be just my personal bias towards Happy Fun Balls (TM).<BR>:)<BR><BR>Ludowick<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; <BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; <BR><BR>________________________________________________________________<BR>GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!<BR>Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!<BR>Join Juno today!&nbsp; For your FREE software, visit:<BR>http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3487<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe<BR>"local-traveller":<BR><BR>subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net<BR><BR>A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to<BR>subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"<BR>in the commands above with "traveller".<BR><BR>Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgn.com<BR></I></I></S><XMP></XMP>
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<TD><B>Traveller-digest V1999 #3488</B></TD></TR>
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<TD>12/30/00 6:00:17 PM Pacific Standard Time</TD></TR>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp; Saturday, December 30 2000&nbsp; &nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3488<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>My Replies to Kenneth<BR>Re: Revitalizing an old Thread: Music<BR>RE: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>Re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>The Perfect 2-step Task System for Guaranteed Success<BR>Re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>RE: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Volume of Traffic [FILK]<BR>Re: Iris valves<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 23:47:04 GMT<BR>From: Postmark Design Bureau &lt;postmark.design@btinternet.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>I had reached this concluion at the end of this message, but I thought I'd<BR>better state it up front.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I believe that the heart of KB3 is E-die vs E-die rolled<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; difficulty numbers.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Certainly I think Kenneth plans to use it that way.<BR>&lt;rant&gt;<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; The probabilities of static target numbers and non E-die<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; rolls are so different that, whilst easier to calculate,<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; shed no light on how KB3 works.<BR>&lt;/rant&gt;<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Postmark Design Bureau wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; So the E-die pretty much kills the rolling options stone dead.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; I disagree. It's actually quite easy to get a handle on what you're up <BR>&gt; against. You won't be calculating actual percentages (but who has time to<BR>&gt; do that in a game anyway?)<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Even when I'm guaging my chance of success in a 2D6 game, I don't think of <BR>&gt; actual percentages--I use a general rule of thumb.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; So, if you're a KB3 player, you can guage your chance of success (even <BR>&gt; with the E-Die) by using these guidelines.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Since the E-Die is used on both sides of the equation, it'll pretty much <BR>&gt; cancel out with your rule of thumb below--<BR><BR>Nope, the E-die rolled by the referee has the effect of making the possible<BR>target numbers much higher, so unless your players are willing to accept<BR>20% failure chances on easy and average tasks, their highly skilled<BR>characters will never use the dice rolling options.<BR><BR>Take a skill of 3 vs an easy task, the success chances are:<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Normal&nbsp; &nbsp; E-die<BR>4D vs 1D&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 99.9%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 92%<BR>3D vs 1D-1&nbsp;&nbsp; 99.6%&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 86%<BR>2D vs 1D-2&nbsp;&nbsp; 98%&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 83%<BR>1D vs 1D-3&nbsp;&nbsp; 92%&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 80.6%<BR><BR>Where normal means all the dice count normally and E-die means that the<BR>difficulty die and one of the player's dice will have the E-die effect.<BR>I'm assuming that the dice not rolled are used to modify the target number.<BR><BR>So with normal dice, you'd probably be willing to roll 2D or 3D, both of<BR>which are pretty much automatic greater success.<BR><BR>With the E-die, I'm not convinced I'm willing to trade any dice.<BR><BR>And if you add the modifier to your stat instead of subtracting from the<BR>target number, then forget it totally, since the success numbers are even<BR>worse.<BR><BR>Of course, if your players can't do the sums, they'll probably trade the<BR>dice - and then wonder why even reasonably skilled characters seem to fail<BR>a significant number of easy and average tasks.<BR><BR>I stand by my original conclusion - before I'd be willing to trade dice on<BR>an easy task for greater success, I'd need at least a skill of 5 or 6.<BR><BR>I'd probably never trade dice on an average or harder roll, so the option<BR>is not worth the complexity.<BR><BR>I've stated before that I don't like the mechanism. That was when I thought<BR>it worked.<BR><BR>===<BR><BR>Ps, I really don't like what happens when you make the check an attribute<BR>check.<BR><BR>Catching a rifle (default skill-0, so roll 1D+dex) is automatic unless the GM<BR>rolls a 6 and dex 12 character can always catch a rifle.<BR><BR>However throwing a rifle (throw weapons-0, so roll 1D) means that 40% of the<BR>time you'll be throwing it out of reach...<BR><BR>Unless all your tasks are going to add the attribute. ;-)<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Phil Kitching, http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo<BR>Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Products Division<BR>"Microwaving halfbaked ideas from across the galaxy"<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 21:51:22 GMT<BR>From: Postmark Design Bureau &lt;postmark.design@btinternet.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Postmark Design Bureau wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; If the E-die comes up 1, they will have failed badly (scoring 12) which <BR>&gt; &gt; is the whole point of the system - the reason for failure being that the<BR>&gt; &gt; task proven unexpectedly hard. Had the target E-die been anything other<BR>&gt; &gt; than 6, they'd have had a greater success.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; You're on the right track here, but you've got the E-Die mixed up a bit.<BR><BR>No, the "E-die comes up 1" refers to the E-die rolled by the player.<BR>The "target E-die been anything other than 6" refers to the E-die rolled<BR>by the GM.<BR><BR>&gt; The E-Die can hurt you or help you in EITHER direction.<BR><BR>I fully realise this - it depends on the dice being rolled, but generally<BR>the player rolling a "6" on the E-die is either the only way to suceed (and<BR>then success is probably greater) or moves greater success to normal success.<BR>A player rolling a "1" on their E-die usually means failure but can change<BR>normal success to greater occasionally.<BR><BR>I'm not saying this is right or wrong - yours is not the only "roll high but<BR>not too high" system, so you can't be alone. :)<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Phil Kitching, http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo<BR>Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Products Division<BR>"Microwaving halfbaked ideas from across the galaxy"<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 17:50:58 -0600<BR>From: "James Jensen" &lt;cheeb0@hotmail.com&gt;<BR>Subject: My Replies to Kenneth<BR><BR>Since I subscribe to the digest, I'm answering all of your comments in one<BR>post.<BR><BR>&gt; James Jensen wrote:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; Is there a difference between Dex-4/Pistol-0 and Dex-1/Pistol-3 in<BR>T4?<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; It seems that a LOT of people have missed this. Even you, Kennneth. And<BR>I<BR>&gt; &gt; thought you were a T4 kind of guy.<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; The fact is that there *is* a difference between Dex-4/Pistol-0 and<BR>&gt; &gt; Dex-1/Pistol-3 in T4. Don't you remember the rule about 0-level skills?<BR>When<BR>&gt; &gt; you're using a 0-level skill, you roll against half the stat.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Yeah, you're right.&nbsp; It's been a while since I've run T4 (a couple of<BR>years).&nbsp; I<BR>&gt; did forget about it.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; Remember, people: Shooting a pistol is *not* that hard. I'm starting to<BR>&gt; &gt; think that T4 isn't as broken as most people say it is. If you use the<BR>T4.1<BR>&gt; &gt; dice codes and the IHTIT ("It's harder than I thought") rule, it seems<BR>&gt; &gt; almost realistic. But that's another discussion.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; I forgot the specifics, but I do remember where T4 was broken.&nbsp; The Stat<BR>&gt; overpowering Skill issue was a big one.&nbsp; I think the example I used back<BR>then<BR>&gt; was...<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; If you're walking down the street and get hit by a car, who do you want to<BR>fix<BR>&gt; you up?&nbsp; The paramedic in the ambulance (Edu-11, Medical-1), or the MD<BR>with a<BR>&gt; speciality in your type of injury (Edu-6, Medical-6).<BR><BR>The specialist. But you're forgetting again the IHTIT rule. Assuming that<BR>this was a Difficult Task, the specialist would be rolling 4.5D vs. 12,<BR>whereas the specialist would be rolling 2.5D vs. 12 - not even really worth<BR>rolling. So it's not *that* broken.<BR><BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Under T4, these two guys have the *same* chance, and that's just not<BR>right, no<BR>&gt; matter how you slice it.<BR><BR>Under the T4 produced by Imperium Games, yes. But under the IHTIT rule, no.<BR><BR>&gt; I remember something being wrong with percentages in T4 on the high end,<BR>but I<BR>&gt; can't quite remember what the problem was.&nbsp; I remember this, because when<BR>I was<BR>&gt; created KBv2.0, I designed it for the curve to fall off steeper at the<BR>higher<BR>&gt; difficulties.&nbsp; I remember struggling with T4, trying to make my "fix"<BR>include<BR>&gt; harder throws at the higher difficulty categories.<BR><BR>Are you thinking about the fact that IG's T4's hardest difficulty was 4D?<BR><BR><BR>&gt; Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:35:17 -0600<BR>&gt; From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>&gt; Subject: Re: JJ0<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; James Jensen wrote:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; Actually, it's &lt;0.5%. But if the player was specifically going for a<BR>&gt; &gt; Critical, the chance would be ~2.8% with D6s<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Two throws of 3D6 ("5-6-1" and "5-6-1") matching exactly like this is only<BR>a<BR>&gt; half percent chance of ocurring?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; I would have guessed it was much lower.<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>Just cube 6 (now there's a coincidence). Its 216. Divide 1 by this and you<BR>get ~0.005. Divide that by 100 to find the percentage.<BR><BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; Yes, it is. Exceptional results are rare, which is arguably (though I<BR>won't<BR>&gt; &gt; join either side) a good thing.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Why don't you throw out the "critical throw".&nbsp; It seems, even at half a<BR>percent,<BR>&gt; you've got a real low rate of criticals ocurring.&nbsp; If you throw out the<BR>extra<BR>&gt; die throw, you'll be removing a die throw from the game, making it<BR>cleaner, and<BR>&gt; still have a low rate for criticals.<BR><BR>That's a good idea when you're dealing with just the GM. When the task is<BR>opposed by another PC, though, this option makes things more fair.<BR><BR>&gt; Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:56:22 -0600<BR>&gt; From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>&gt; Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; I would use Athletics too.&nbsp; I've covered this in the KB3 rules.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; I've got to dig into three areas of KB3 rules to make this act of Gvoudzon<BR>&gt; catching the rifle being thrown at him more clear to you, so bear with me.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; (2)&nbsp; ATTRIBUTE ROLLS:&nbsp; Under KB3, some throws are considered "attribute<BR>&gt; rolls".&nbsp; What this means (under the KB3 rules system) is that a character<BR>&gt; still has to have a skill (skills are always used, as stated above), but<BR>the<BR>&gt; character is allowed to use his Stat as a negative DM to his difficulty.<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>How do you tell the difference? Maybe it's the D&amp;Der in me, but it seems<BR>like there really isn't a difference. Attributes and skills are intertwined.<BR><BR>BTW, Kenneth, here's a generic difficulty table to try with the d20 System.<BR>Just make a subjective analysis of the situation and choose the proper level<BR>rather than use countless modifers. AC mods from Dex and armor, as well as<BR>Attack mods from Str, Dex and level should stand, however.<BR><BR>Difficulty DC<BR>Easy 5<BR>Average 10<BR>Difficult 12<BR>Formidable 15<BR>Staggering 20<BR>Hopeless 25<BR>Impossible 30 or higher<BR><BR>&gt; Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 13:58:37 -0600<BR>&gt; From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>&gt; Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; James Jensen wrote:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; G:&nbsp; Well, it looks fine upon quick inspection--just a few scrapes.&nbsp; If<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; you take a round to look it over better, I'll give you an Easy roll to<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; inspect it using your Rifle skill, governed by Edu.<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; This should use the Armory skill.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; This is the same deal as the throw where Gvoudzon caught the rifle.&nbsp; If<BR>&gt; Gvoudzon had the Armory skill, he certainly could have used it.<BR><BR>But the facts remain that he didn't have it and that he used his Rifle skill<BR>instead. Not entirely off-base, but there should have been a penalty since<BR>it was a related skill rather than the actual one.<BR><BR>&gt; Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 14:09:36 -0600<BR>&gt; From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>&gt; Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; James Jensen wrote:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; P:&nbsp; I'll do it.&nbsp; If don't need any surprises in a firefight.<BR>Gvoudzon's<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; skill is Rifle-3.&nbsp; That means I could have 4D on the throw, but that's<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; over kill for a 1D difficulty.&nbsp; I'll use the skill option of reducing<BR>my<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; target number.&nbsp; I'll throw 2D and have a -2 applied to difficulty.<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; (Paul rolls 2D....."6-1").&nbsp; Hey!&nbsp; A six on the E-Die!&nbsp; My total is 13,<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; and you've got a -2 on the difficulty throw!<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; G: (Gurd rolls 1D....."5").&nbsp; The difficulty is 5 reduced to 3 with<BR>your<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; skill option.&nbsp; What's your Edu?&nbsp; There's a possibility that E-Die hurt<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; you, pushing you up into the Marginal Success bracket.<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; P:&nbsp; Gvoudzon's stat is Edu 6.&nbsp; Damn.&nbsp; I rolled over by 10 points.<BR>That<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; does put me in the Marginal Success bracket.<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; He rolled over by 7 points.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; You're probably looking at the wrong numbers above.<BR><BR>I was. Please disregard this comment.<BR><BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Gvoudzon has Rifle-3.&nbsp; That gives Paul the Player 4D to throw, if he wants<BR>&gt; to.&nbsp; But, Paul decides to use a skill option.&nbsp; He's going to throw 2D for<BR>&gt; success, and he's going to use the other 2 points from his skill to reduce<BR>his<BR>&gt; difficulty.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Paul the Player rolled 2D, with a result of a "6" on the E-Die and a "1"<BR>on<BR>&gt; the other.&nbsp; The six on the E-Die means you double evens in the throw.&nbsp; So,<BR>&gt; Pauls total is 13.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; When the GM rolled 1D for the difficulty throw, he rolled a "5", but this<BR>was<BR>&gt; reduced to "3" because of the skill option Gvoudzon used.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Paul rolled 10.&nbsp; GM rolled 3.&nbsp; Paul rolled over by 10 points.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Since Gvoudzon's Stat is Edu 6, his bracket for regular Success is 6<BR>points<BR>&gt; over his difficulty.&nbsp; Anything higher, outside of that range, is a<BR>Marginal<BR>&gt; Success.<BR><BR>I thought that anything up to statx2 is a regular success.<BR><BR>Thanks for reading this mess.<BR><BR>BTW, what was KB1 like?<BR><BR>- -J. Jensen<BR>"Does anyone know what's wrong when you can no longer adjust the volume on<BR>your computer with the speakers?" - Me, Today, the TML, relating to an<BR>actual technical problem that I have.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 18:59:47 -0500<BR>From: "Dan Lane" &lt;danielrlane@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Revitalizing an old Thread: Music<BR><BR>I think a good Imperial Anthem would be Vangelis' "Voices". Sounds a little<BR>Vilani, a little exotic.&nbsp; Still classical roots though.<BR>- ----- Original Message -----<BR>From: "Volker Greimann" &lt;volker@greimann.de&gt;<BR>To: &lt;traveller@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 6:05 AM<BR>Subject: Revitalizing an old Thread: Music<BR><BR><BR>&gt; Hi all,<BR>&gt; I was once again thinking of putting music in my new game, and I remeber<BR>&gt; there beeing a thread a couple of months back. Now that I need it, its<BR>&gt; gone...<BR>&gt; So can anyone help me? I am looking for all kinds of music, maybe even<BR>&gt; something that could be used as an Imperial Anthem, or the Anthem of the<BR>&gt; Marine corps, as all my characters are "in the forces".<BR>&gt; Music for Battle Scenes as well as flight scenes are good as well, and if<BR>&gt; someone could suggest some somber dark music for a SciFi dungeon crawl,<BR>Id<BR>&gt; be delighted, too.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Volker<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 17:58:23 -0600<BR>From: eris@pcola.gulf.net<BR>Subject: RE: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>On 12/30/00 at 03:02 PM,&nbsp; "tsykoduk" &lt;tsykoduk@bigfoot.com&gt; said:<BR><BR>&gt;Or, ya'll could just covert to GURPS and be done with this mess ;)<BR><BR>LOL!&nbsp; You think so?&nbsp;&nbsp; How about I start some GURPS threads on <BR><BR>1.&nbsp; bringing a *real* "Task System" to GURPS<BR>2.&nbsp; how to generate random starting stats<BR>3.&nbsp; Careers, an alternative to points in GURPS<BR>4.&nbsp; A better wounding system for GURPS<BR>5.&nbsp; Armor, done the right way<BR>6.&nbsp; how to put the "heat back into" GURPS energy weapons<BR>7.&nbsp; what the hell do we need points for anyway?<BR>8.&nbsp; why game balance is a myth<BR><BR>...you get the idea?&nbsp;&nbsp; And believe me, I could expand on all those subjects, and more! ;-p<BR><BR>Do you *really* want folks like us messing up your nice clean GURPS playhouse?<BR><BR><BR>Eris<BR><BR>- -- <BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>eris@pcola.gulf.net&nbsp; &nbsp; using MR/2 ICE #245<BR>http://www.crosswinds.net/~erisr<BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 16:01:14 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt; All the anguish of not getting full benefit from your stat could be<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; eliminated by having a conversion table at the front of the chargen<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; rules which translates the raw dice roll to the functional stat.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Or you could use KBv2.0, which equalizes the Stat/Skill issue....if<BR>&gt;you're running a T4 game.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Or you could use KB3 as your Traveller system which does this for you,<BR>&gt;keeping other Traveller rules consistent, and not having to deal with a<BR>&gt;conversion table.<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>Or get a custom 36-sided die made with the faces marked 1, 2, 2, 2, <BR>2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, <BR>4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 16:03:56 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: The Perfect 2-step Task System for Guaranteed Success<BR><BR>Step 1: Get photographs of you ref in a compromising situation.<BR><BR>Step 2: Show these to the ref whenever your character is faced with a <BR>task roll.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 11:58:50 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>eris@pcola.gulf.net wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; On 12/30/00 at 03:02 PM,&nbsp; "tsykoduk" &lt;tsykoduk@bigfoot.com&gt; said:<BR>&gt; &gt;Or, ya'll could just covert to GURPS and be done with this mess ;)<BR><BR>&gt; LOL!&nbsp; You think so?&nbsp;&nbsp; How about I start some GURPS threads on <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; 1.&nbsp; bringing a *real* "Task System" to GURPS<BR>&gt; 2.&nbsp; how to generate random starting stats<BR>&gt; 3.&nbsp; Careers, an alternative to points in GURPS<BR>&gt; 4.&nbsp; A better wounding system for GURPS<BR>&gt; 5.&nbsp; Armor, done the right way<BR>&gt; 6.&nbsp; how to put the "heat back into" GURPS energy weapons<BR>&gt; 7.&nbsp; what the hell do we need points for anyway?<BR>&gt; 8.&nbsp; why game balance is a myth<BR><BR>Yes please ;^&gt;<BR><BR>Particularly 1, 3, 7, and 8.&nbsp; I don't really care about 2, 4, 5, and<BR>6 since I'd probably hardly ever use them.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; Do you *really* want folks like us messing up your nice clean GURPS<BR>&gt; playhouse?<BR><BR>Clean?&nbsp; Who cleaned up GURPS while I was away?&nbsp; I suppose they made it<BR>metric too.&nbsp; Now I'll have to buy even more rulebooks.&nbsp; You're to<BR>blame, you know!<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 16:57:57 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>&gt;On 12/30/00 at 03:02 PM,&nbsp; "tsykoduk" &lt;tsykoduk@bigfoot.com&gt; said:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;Or, ya'll could just covert to GURPS and be done with this mess ;)<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;LOL!&nbsp; You think so?&nbsp;&nbsp; How about I start some GURPS threads on<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;1.&nbsp; bringing a *real* "Task System" to GURPS<BR>&gt;2.&nbsp; how to generate random starting stats<BR>&gt;3.&nbsp; Careers, an alternative to points in GURPS<BR>&gt;4.&nbsp; A better wounding system for GURPS<BR>&gt;5.&nbsp; Armor, done the right way<BR>&gt;6.&nbsp; how to put the "heat back into" GURPS energy weapons<BR>&gt;7.&nbsp; what the hell do we need points for anyway?<BR>&gt;8.&nbsp; why game balance is a myth<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;...you get the idea?&nbsp;&nbsp; And believe me, I could expand on all those <BR>&gt;subjects, and more! ;-p<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Do you *really* want folks like us messing up your nice clean GURPS playhouse?<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>He /did/ suggest it. And we rarely get a second invitation, so we <BR>should grab the chance to bring the alien heresy to its knees and <BR>throttle the life out of it once and for all!!!! Uh.... ahem, nurse, <BR>could you pass the pill bottle lease? &lt;grin&gt;<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 00:59:18 GMT<BR>From: Postmark Design Bureau &lt;postmark.design@btinternet.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; I mean, you can roll Edu-2 when you generate your character, then<BR>&gt; succeed on the Doctor career path, and end up with Edu-6, Medical-6<BR>&gt; quite easily, now can't you?<BR><BR>It is possible in T4 (although unlikely)<BR><BR>But the Edu-12 Medical-1 character is possible in real life - just think of<BR>a university linguistics professor who happens to be (or have been) the<BR>department's registered first-aider*.<BR><BR>*In T4 they'd probably have first aid, not medical and that is typically an<BR>Int skill.<BR><BR>But there's no reason why a paramedic wouldn't have a higher education than<BR>a doctor. It's just they would have a higher general education, not<BR>necessarily a higher medical education.<BR><BR>So whilst they have 6 points more general education, perhaps only a third<BR>or a fifth is useful in a medical context.<BR><BR>Hmmm, perhaps I'm starting to see MT as the one true system - for an added<BR>nuance, record the remainder after dividing the attribute by 5 and if you<BR>roll equal or under on 1D6, round the stat up instead of not down.<BR><BR>Not that I'd bother, you understand but with a differently coloured die it<BR>would still only be a 3D6 system.<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Phil Kitching, http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo<BR>Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Products Division<BR>"Microwaving halfbaked ideas from across the galaxy"<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 00:37:12 GMT<BR>From: Postmark Design Bureau &lt;postmark.design@btinternet.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; I'm thinking that you prefer a more hard-core, percentaged based system<BR>&gt; where chance is kept at a minimum--where you know exactly what you have&nbsp; <BR>&gt; to roll each time (maybe % dice and target numbers running 1-100 are your<BR>&gt; favorite--I don't know).<BR><BR>Percentile dice have their place, certainly...<BR><BR>I'd never play Runequest, Call of Cthulhu or Warhammer Roleplay with<BR>anything else :-)<BR><BR>I'm just not convinced by the dice rolling options you've added to<BR>fix the greater success problem.<BR><BR>Personally, I tend to favour systems that are just pass/fail without success<BR>levels - I always forget they're in the system.<BR><BR>I only use them in RQ and CoC because the people that I game with know those<BR>systems better than I do!<BR><BR>So, perhaps I'm trying to fix something that I wouldn't use and your group<BR>wouldn't see as broken.<BR><BR>There is no reason why a skilled person trying for greater success might not<BR>make some trivial mistake that they normally wouldn't, so I'd even accept a <BR>claim that KB3 is *more* realistic in how all the greater success options<BR>works.<BR><BR>But...<BR><BR>I've seen several systems that gave the right sort of results but did it in a<BR>way that didn't seem right, so people didn't like them. Even when the number<BR>of times they didn't work was far fewer than other systems that seemed right.<BR><BR>For me the KB3 greater success options don't seem right.<BR><BR>And I'll apologise now for the message I just sent with the rant - I just<BR>hope it doesn't come across as a strong rant.<BR><BR>Doing sums with the full KB3 is hard, even with a computer. It's just that<BR>one of my players is a computer programmer with a first class degree in<BR>statistics, so oddities in the numbers will get noticed eventually.<BR><BR>Still, time for a positive contribution:<BR><BR>If you're going to roll high, roll high, so<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; roll &gt;= target for success<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; roll &gt;= (target + 15 - attribute) for greater success.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; roll &lt;&nbsp; target for failure<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; roll &lt;&nbsp; (target - 15 + attribute) for greater failure<BR><BR>I don't think this will suit Kenneth, but it might help someone to like KB3,<BR>and that wouldn't be a bad thing.<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Phil Kitching, http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo<BR>Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Products Division<BR>"Microwaving halfbaked ideas from across the galaxy"<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:28:48 +0000<BR>From: "Jonathan 'Caraig' McDermott" &lt;caraig@mindspring.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Volume of Traffic [FILK]<BR><BR>I was reading the latest TML digests tonight when I noticed that just about <BR>every message was devoted to the current discussion of task systems.&nbsp; Even <BR>though there's not been a lot of response to the two filks I posted before, <BR>this sort of insisted that I pos it.&nbsp; Keep in mind that this isn't a <BR>commentary on the worth of any of the systems being discussed (KB3, JJ0, <BR>OU812...) but rather a lighthearted take on the bandwidth that's being <BR>devoted to it.&nbsp; Please keep this in mind before flaming. =)<BR><BR>With that disclaimer out of the way, the audial annoyance returns with...<BR><BR>HEAVY SYSTEM<BR>===== ======<BR>(from: Sammy Hagar's "Heavy Metal")<BR><BR>The list you're perusing<BR>Your e-mail is hot as toast<BR>It all gets confusing<BR>When they shoot out those posts<BR>50,000 bytes of line-text<BR>And it's pushin' overload<BR>I'm feeling kind of perplexed<BR>All the posts are gettin' bold<BR>Pushin' overload<BR>Mail clients explode<BR><BR>&lt;chorus&gt;<BR>It's your one way ticket to madness<BR>Call it Heavy System<BR>Rollin' dice high, wait that's fadness<BR>Call it Heavy System<BR>Frust'ration on the keyboard<BR>Call it Heavy System, boys!<BR><BR>High stats versus high skills<BR>Wondering which is better<BR>All variants it distills<BR>Yeah, iris valves can't detter<BR>Oh, can you feel the passion<BR>So many points are being made<BR>So many dice are in fashion<BR>A bigger hard drive I will need<BR>All of it I can't read<BR>What does it mean<BR><BR>&lt;chorus&gt;<BR><BR><BR>- ---<BR>==============================================================<BR>Jonathan McDermott, CNE/MCSE&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; NOSPAMcaraig@mindspring.com<BR>System Administrator&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; http:\\caraig.home.mindspring.com<BR>- ------------------------------------------------------------<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Anubis@SpatialWastes -*- Caraig,Dermott@FurryMUCK<BR>IMTU tc+ tn t4 ge++ -3i+ c+(**) jt pi+ va+ dr+ pr+ zh+() so@<BR>- ------------------------------------------------------------<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; "Never trust a computer you can't throw out a window."<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -Steve Wozniak<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 01:50 +0000 (GMT)<BR>From: mcrobertson@cix.compulink.co.uk (Megan Robertson)<BR>Subject: Re: Iris valves<BR><BR>In-Reply-To: &lt;a05001900b673e069091d@[24.64.215.251]&gt;<BR>Greetings dear hearts.<BR><BR>I noticed the bits about 'dogs' but said nothing...<BR><BR>I am a bit sensitive right now: my Doberman died, curled up beside me, a <BR>couple of days ago. She was at least 15, my Christmas present in 1988, and <BR>she was full grown then. Piccies at http://www.phoenix.co.uk/csar/pets.htm <BR>- - remembered always.<BR><BR>Hugs and kisses,<BR><BR>Mexal.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 01:50 +0000 (GMT)<BR>From: mcrobertson@cix.compulink.co.uk (Megan Robertson)<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>In-Reply-To: &lt;20001231084034.L7940@freeman.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Greetings dear hearts.<BR><BR>I don't know the US situation, but for UK medical professions: -<BR><BR>A 'doctor' has done 5 years medical school, taken a degree (for us it's a <BR>'Bachelor of Medicine' but the content is about the same as a US MD) and <BR>probably spent some time in 'Accident and Emergency' (UK equivalent of the <BR>ER). TRAVELLER - he'd have a high Edu and Medic about 5-6. Basic. Then <BR>we'd need to look at whatever speciality he went for and add a point or <BR>two for that alone.<BR><BR>A 'paramedic' will have done about 4 years mostly 'on the job' but with <BR>some intensive training. The accent is on practical and on 'first aid' <BR>specifically. If you have studied any first aid, you will know that the <BR>primary objective is to keep the patient alive until the doctors can get <BR>to him. However, when it comes to doing that, YOU are the expert not the <BR>doctor. Most doctors, even ER ones, are aware that a paramedic is better <BR>at the pure 'keep this man alive' than they are. <BR><BR>Ordinary first aiders are qualified on about 4 days' intensive study. <BR>That's the workplace first aid team, and the basic qualification an <BR>ambulance man does (many are not full paramedics, but an ambulance team of <BR>2 men usually includes one who is a full paramedic). You still have to be <BR>able to cope with whatever is thrown at you and keep them alive until the <BR>ambulance comes... often you also have to decide if an ambulance needs to <BR>be called. (Trust me on this, I am a workplace first aider...)<BR><BR>I'd be interested in hearing about how this works in other countries.<BR><BR>As I say, I am a workplace first aider in the UK (and somewhat better <BR>trained than most because I have military 'combat medical technican' <BR>training which goes a bit further than standard first aid).<BR><BR>ObTrav: 'Territorial' disputes between people of different standards of <BR>local qualification: perhaps the 'first aid' qualification you have taken <BR>includes the giving of pain medication and basic injections... only the <BR>planet you happen to be on reserves that for full 'doctors' and so you get <BR>into trouble for doing what you thought best at the scene of an accident.<BR><BR>Hugs and kisses,<BR><BR>Mexal.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3488<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe<BR>"local-traveller":<BR><BR>subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net<BR><BR>A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to<BR>subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"<BR>in the commands above with "traveller".<BR><BR>Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgn.com<BR></I></I></S><XMP></XMP>
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<P align=left><FONT color=#0f0f0f face=Arial size=2 PTSIZE="10" BACK="#FFFFFE"><BR><BR>----------------------- Headers --------------------------------<BR>Return-Path: &lt;owner-traveller@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>Received: from&nbsp; rly-zd05.mx.aol.com (rly-zd05.mail.aol.com [172.31.33.229]) by air-zd02.mail.aol.com (v77.31) with ESMTP; Sat, 30 Dec 2000 21:00:17 -0500<BR>Received: from&nbsp; lists.ient.com (lists.ient.com [204.85.32.11]) by rly-zd05.mx.aol.com (v77.27) with ESMTP; Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:59:54 -0500<BR>Received: from localhost (daemon@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) with SMTP id UAA18042;<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:51:35 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller@lists.ient.com)<BR>Received: by lists.ient.com (bulk_mailer v1.12); Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:51:27 -0500<BR>Received: (from majordom@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) id UAA17972<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; for traveller-digest-outgoing; Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:51:27 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com)<BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:51:27 -0500 (EST)<BR>Message-Id: &lt;200012310151.UAA17972@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>From: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>To: traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Subject: Traveller-digest V1999 #3488<BR>Reply-To: traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>Sender: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR><BR></FONT></P></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML><HTML><HEAD><BASE></HEAD>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp; Saturday, December 30 2000&nbsp; &nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3489<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>Re: HazMat<BR>Re: Jump emergence<BR>Oops...<BR>Guageing Success with KB3<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: My Replies to Kenneth<BR>Re: My Replies to Kenneth<BR>Re: Jump emergence<BR>Re: Iris valves<BR>Re: My Replies to Kenneth<BR>Re: My Replies to Kenneth<BR>Re: Volume of Traffic [FILK]<BR>RE: Volume of Traffic [FILK]<BR>We're too educated for our games!!!<BR>Okay, the millennium came early.<BR>TML should train lawyers<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 01:50 +0000 (GMT)<BR>From: mcrobertson@cix.compulink.co.uk (Megan Robertson)<BR>Subject: Re: HazMat<BR><BR>In-Reply-To: &lt;5.0.0.25.0.20001230094858.00ba3ad0@mail.peak.org&gt;<BR>Greetings dear hearts.<BR><BR>Very interesting...<BR><BR>This is not the same system as taught to UK HazMat drivers (I am webmaster <BR>at a college which teaches same...) so I shall keep this message to refer <BR>to when I get back to work.<BR><BR>Who said the TML wasn't useful :-)<BR><BR>ObTrav: It could be entertaining (for the DM!) when the local HazMat codes <BR>are not the standard interstellar ones...<BR><BR>Hugs and kisses,<BR><BR>Mexal.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 21:28:29 -0500<BR>From: Thom Jones-Low &lt;tjoneslo@together.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Jump emergence<BR><BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 08:30:43 +1100<BR>&gt; From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>&gt; Subject: Re: Jump emergence<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Leonard Erickson wrote:<BR>&gt; &gt; Note that the stretching force and the compression force differ by a<BR>&gt; &gt; factor of 2!<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; If you're looking at a thin rod oriented along each of the tidal axes<BR>&gt; for a single spherical source, then yes.&nbsp; If you're interested in the<BR>&gt; overall internal forces in a 3-dimensional solid or liquid, then the<BR>&gt; total stretch is equal to the total compression.&nbsp; (Gradients of a<BR>&gt; scalar field are divergence-free)<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Which case you are interested in depends upon what sort of problem you<BR>&gt; are trying to solve.&nbsp; Chances are you have to treat tensile forces<BR>&gt; differently from compression ones anyway, and shear forces differently<BR>&gt; again.<BR>&gt; <BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Since the object under discussion is a hole in space to another<BR>dimension with completely different set of physics, does that have an<BR>effect on the internal forces? Or can we treat it as a bubble of<BR>vaporizing liquid hydrogen?<BR><BR>- -- <BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Thomas Jones-Low<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; tjoneslo@together.net<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:08:29 -0600<BR>From: "James Jensen" &lt;cheeb0@hotmail.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Oops...<BR><BR>Kenneth, you were right about the chance fo two sets of 3D6 coming up<BR>identical. It's not ~0.5%. I did the math wrong. The ACTUAL chance is more<BR>to the tune of.... well, I can't give you the percentage because the<BR>calculator can't handle that low of a number. Just know that I was wrong and<BR>that you were right.<BR><BR>Sorry about that.<BR><BR>- -J. Jensen<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:13:56 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Guageing Success with KB3<BR><BR>You're a Traveller player running a character in a game using the KB3<BR>task system.&nbsp; You're hit with a difficulty, and you need to throw a<BR>task.&nbsp; Under KB3 you have choices--do you use your skill level to throw<BR>more dice, lower your difficulty, or raise your Stat to help you attain<BR>Greater Success?<BR><BR>Or, in other words, how do you roll the task to your best advantage?<BR><BR>Simple.<BR><BR>Look at how many dice you're throwing, and look at what the difficulty<BR>is.&nbsp; That will tell you all you need to know.<BR><BR>Use these GUIDELINES to GUAGE your probability of SUCCESS.<BR>- --------------------------------------------<BR><BR><BR><BR>EVEN DICE (50%):&nbsp; If you're throwing even dice (1D vs 1D....2D vs<BR>2D....3D vs 3D...etc), figure you've got about a 50% chance of<BR>succeeding.<BR><BR><BR><BR>1D MORE (70%):&nbsp; If you're throwing one die more than the difficulty (2D<BR>vs 1D....3D vs 2D....4D vs 3D...etc), figure your chance of success is<BR>about 70%, give or take 5%.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Note:&nbsp; The more dice we're talking about, the lower this number<BR>will be (2D vs 1D is 77%....7D vs 6D is 64%).<BR><BR><BR><BR>2D MORE (80%):&nbsp; If you're throwing two die more than difficulty (3D vs<BR>1D....4D vs 2D... 5D vs 3D...etc), figure your chance of success is<BR>about 80%, give or take 5%.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Note:&nbsp; The more dice we're talking about, the lower this number<BR>will be (3D vs 1D is 86%....7D vs 5D is 74%)<BR><BR><BR><BR>EACH DIE AFTER 2D (90%) :&nbsp; The actual benefit to your throw gets smaller<BR>once you've got a 2D lead on your difficulty, and this is the point of<BR>diminishing returns.&nbsp; If it is imperative that you make a roll, throw<BR>more dice.&nbsp; If you are comfortable with a 80% (or so) chance of success,<BR>keep the 2D advantage and use any other skill points for skill options.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Note:&nbsp; Figure a 3D+ advantage over your difficulty gives you about<BR>a 90% chance of success (ie 4D vs 1D is 92%....7D vs 3D is 89%).<BR><BR><BR><BR>A GOOD GENERAL TARGET (2D advantage):&nbsp; A good general target for using<BR>your skill options would be to gain a 2D advantage on your difficulty<BR>and place the rest of your skill points into either lowering your<BR>difficulty number or raising your Stat for measuring purposes.&nbsp; This<BR>will net you the best all around benefit from your skills.<BR><BR><BR><BR>SKILL OPTIONS:&nbsp; Do you want to raise your Stat for measuring purposes or<BR>lower your difficulty?<BR><BR>This depends on what you are trying to accomplish.&nbsp; Look at the average<BR>of your difficulty (1D average is 3-4....2D average is 7....3D average<BR>is 10-11...etc), and look at your Stat.<BR><BR>This is a judgement call on the players part (part of the fun of the<BR>game).<BR><BR>If it doesn't look like you can lower the difficulty under your stat<BR>with your skill options, and rolling Greater Success is important to you<BR>on that throw, then raise your Stat for measuring purposes.<BR><BR>On the other hand, if you need help succeeding on the throw, then, by<BR>all means, lower your difficulty number (which will also help you a<BR>little bit towards Greater Success if the difficulty number is low).<BR><BR>As a SKILL OPTIONS GENERAL RULE, I'd say use your points to lower your<BR>difficulty if unless the difficulty number is likely to be high.&nbsp; In<BR>that case, plan "B" would be to raise the Stat.<BR><BR><BR><BR>If you can grasp these easy concepts, you're ready to be a Traveller<BR>player using KB3 rules.<BR><BR>The E-Die and the non-intuitive probabilities make the task system<BR>scary, but, as you see, it's really simple to guage your success.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:25:00 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; If you're up against a 3D difficulty....<BR>&gt; &gt; .....you'll know that throwing 3D against it will give you about a<BR>&gt; &gt; 50% chance of success.&nbsp; 4D against 3D will greatly improve your<BR>&gt; &gt; chances.&nbsp; 5D versus 3D will secure your victory but is probably a<BR>&gt; &gt; waste of skill points<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; I hardly think so.<BR><BR>But, it's quite true.&nbsp; A 2D advantage over your difficulty will give you a<BR>significant edge, and your probability of success is quite high.&nbsp; In fact, a 2D<BR>advantage will give you an 80% chance of success, plus or minus 5%.<BR><BR>If you throw 3D, and the difficulty is 1D, your chance of success is 85%.<BR><BR>If you throw 7D, and the difficulty is 5D, your chance of success is 74%.<BR><BR><BR>The way I suggested you guage your throw is quite viable.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; To put it another way, from the players' point of view the choice<BR>&gt; they've got is a pointless one.&nbsp; They don't have the information<BR>&gt; required to make it meaningful, nor any way of approximating it.&nbsp; They<BR>&gt; might as well be playing rock/scissors/paper.<BR><BR>If a KB3 player reads my post titled "Guageing Success with KB3", he'll have all he<BR>needs to know to make informed choices about using his skill options.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:27:14 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; I'd hardly call 80% "really, really certain".&nbsp; That's not even 5 in 6,<BR>&gt; or 5+ on 2D6.<BR><BR>Then, if you need more of a comfort zone than that, throw your task with a 3D<BR>advantage over difficulty.&nbsp; That will put you around 90%.<BR><BR>But...I supposed 90% is too low a figure for you to be really, really certain<BR>either...<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:30:23 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; The first problem is that I don't want stats in tasks at all, except<BR>&gt; very occasionally on the border between skilled and unskilled abilities.<BR><BR>Well, there's our problem, Tim!&nbsp; It's a fundamental difference in game logic.<BR><BR>Because I'm a strong believer that Stats SHOULD have a BIG influence on the outcomes<BR>of task rolls.<BR><BR>I think a person's natural ability should count for something.<BR><BR>CT would probably be a good game for you.&nbsp; Stats hardly meant anything in that rules<BR>set.&nbsp; You used them to get a benefit from your weapon, and that's about it.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:39:53 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; I still disagree that a Edu-6 Med-6 doctor is reasonable.&nbsp; Whether the<BR>&gt; system gives unusual output for unreasonable input is irrelevant.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Do you know *any* paramedics with more education than the best doctors<BR>&gt; in the world?<BR><BR>I can't argue with you on those grounds.&nbsp; I could agree or disagree with what<BR>you've said here, but my comments are reflected in the Traveller (CT, MT, T4) game.<BR><BR>Typically, under those systems, a Skill-1 is a basic proficiency.&nbsp; A Skill-2 is the<BR>next step to being a professional.&nbsp; And Skill-3 is considered a professional.<BR><BR>As far as I know, there are no requirements for Edu with medics and doctors in the<BR>Traveller game.&nbsp; Maybe there should be--I don't know.<BR><BR>If we went down this road, we'd have to start discussion whether Traveller<BR>represents Edu correctly.&nbsp; I could see a house rule imposed where there is a<BR>minimum Edu requirement to be a doctor.<BR><BR>Maybe T5 should incorporate a change like that.<BR><BR>Just as a side note, though:&nbsp; I know a lot of doctors from my days in medical<BR>sales.&nbsp; I used to sell medical equipment to capital accounts like hospitals.&nbsp; Some<BR>of those guys aren't as bright was we give credit for, and certainly some of them<BR>did not get as much out of their education as you would think they might.<BR><BR>You should hear some of the discussions I've heard about patients, behind closed<BR>doors.&nbsp; It will amaze you.<BR><BR>Some of those guys are just, basically, mechanics--looking it up in a book once<BR>they know what hurts.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:41:36 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; And, that's just not right.&nbsp; Stats should mean more than that.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Um, don't you mean "less"?&nbsp; We agree here -- stats should mean *much*<BR>&gt; less.&nbsp; We only disagree on how much less.&nbsp; You think about 80-90%<BR>&gt; less.&nbsp; I think about 95% less.<BR><BR>Actually, we don't agree.&nbsp; I think Skills and Stats should either influence the<BR>task roll equally, or the two should have different jobs associated with the task<BR>roll.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:46:29 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; I mean, you can roll Edu-2 when you generate your character, then<BR>&gt; &gt; succeed on the Doctor career path, and end up with Edu-6, Medical-6<BR>&gt; &gt; quite easily, now can't you?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; I have no idea.&nbsp; I haven't ever rolled a Traveller character using<BR>&gt; career paths.&nbsp; I would not be surprised if they turned out that badly,<BR>&gt; I remember not being that impressed when I looked at them nearly a<BR>&gt; decade ago.<BR><BR>No wonder we've had such a hard time communicating here on the TML.&nbsp; I'm a<BR>Traveller player--played CT, MT, TNE, and T4 for years.<BR><BR>I typically use the rules listed in those systems.&nbsp; T4 was the first one I fixed<BR>(with KBv2.0), and the new KB3 system is designed to bring my gaming tastes to<BR>Traveller--but still fit plug-n-play with Traveller as written.<BR><BR>KB3 was designed to be played with characters designed under "classic" Traveller<BR>chargen (used in CT, MT, and T4).<BR><BR>I think we're having a problem communicating because we don't have any common<BR>ground.&nbsp; You don't use the Traveller systems as written.<BR><BR>That explains a lot&nbsp; (and that is sincerity talking--just to be clear, I'm not<BR>being antagonistic).<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:50:46 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: My Replies to Kenneth<BR><BR>James Jensen wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; But you're forgetting again the IHTIT rule.<BR><BR>I agree that the IHTIT rule is AWESOME.&nbsp; In fact, I think it is beautiful.<BR><BR>But, that rule came out of the discussions about the Stat/Skill problems in T4,<BR>and the IHTIT rule is not official until (unless) it makes it into T5.<BR><BR>My comments were directed toward T4 as written.<BR><BR>But..yeah...the IHTIT rule is a fantastic rule.<BR><BR>I like it a lot.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:53:48 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: My Replies to Kenneth<BR><BR>James Jensen wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; This is the same deal as the throw where Gvoudzon caught the rifle.&nbsp; If<BR>&gt; &gt; Gvoudzon had the Armory skill, he certainly could have used it.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; But the facts remain that he didn't have it and that he used his Rifle skill<BR>&gt; instead. Not entirely off-base, but there should have been a penalty since<BR>&gt; it was a related skill rather than the actual one.<BR><BR>GM call.&nbsp; Either way sounds good to me.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 14:00:27 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Jump emergence<BR><BR>Thom Jones-Low wrote:<BR>&gt; &nbsp; &nbsp; Since the object under discussion is a hole in space to another<BR>&gt; dimension with completely different set of physics, does that have an<BR>&gt; effect on the internal forces? Or can we treat it as a bubble of<BR>&gt; vaporizing liquid hydrogen?<BR><BR>I'd just go with the largest stress value for game purposes.&nbsp; If<BR>really pushed, I'd work out the GR curvature scalar and use that.<BR><BR>(Actually, the curvature scalar might be an interesting thing to work<BR>out anyway)<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 22:01:59 +0000<BR>From: "Jonathan 'Caraig' McDermott" &lt;caraig@mindspring.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Iris valves<BR><BR>&gt;Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 01:50 +0000 (GMT)<BR>&gt;From: mcrobertson@cix.compulink.co.uk (Megan Robertson)<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: Iris valves<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;In-Reply-To: &lt;a05001900b673e069091d@[24.64.215.251]&gt;<BR>&gt;Greetings dear hearts.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;I noticed the bits about 'dogs' but said nothing...<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;I am a bit sensitive right now: my Doberman died, curled up beside me, a<BR>&gt;couple of days ago. She was at least 15, my Christmas present in 1988, and<BR>&gt;she was full grown then. Piccies at http://www.phoenix.co.uk/csar/pets.htm<BR>&gt;- - remembered always.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Hugs and kisses,<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Mexal.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;------------------------------<BR><BR>I think anyone on this list who has had a companion for so long would be <BR>saddened by such a loss.&nbsp; I was almost completely off-kilter when my <BR>parents' dog, a sweetheart of a mutt, (part Dobie, part shepherd) was <BR>diagnosed with something possibly fatal.&nbsp; The pictures are wonderful, and a <BR>wonderful way to remember her.&nbsp; You certainly have my most heartfelt <BR>condolences.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 21:03:22 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: My Replies to Kenneth<BR><BR>James Jensen wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; I thought that anything up to statx2 is a regular success.<BR><BR>There have been two versions of KB3.&nbsp; You're talking about the first, from when<BR>I first posted it and declared it in playtest.<BR><BR>I wrote a second summary, simplifing things and adding things (isn't that what<BR>playtest is for?).<BR><BR>You might have missed that one.&nbsp; There's no multiplication this time.<BR><BR>In a nutshell, here's the new way you measure stats (which is just about like<BR>the old way).<BR><BR><BR><BR>SUCCESS:&nbsp; If you beat your target number or opposed roll or GM's difficulty<BR>throw (whichever is appropriate), you've rolled a successful task.<BR><BR>..........is your total less than your Stat?&nbsp; If so, you've rolled GREATER<BR>SUCCESS.<BR><BR>..........is your total less than your difficulty + Stat?&nbsp; If so, you've rolled<BR>in the regular SUCCESS bracket.<BR><BR>..........is your total more than your difficulty + Stat?&nbsp; If so, you've rolled<BR>in the MARGINAL SUCCESS bracket.<BR><BR><BR><BR>FAILURE:&nbsp; If you don't beat your target number/opposed roll/GM's difficulty<BR>throw (whichever is appropriate), you did not succeed at your task.<BR><BR>..........does your total fall within the range of difficulty - Stat?&nbsp; If so,<BR>you've rolled in the regular FAILURE bracket.<BR><BR>..........is your total less than difficulty - Stat?&nbsp; If so, you've rolled in<BR>the GREATER FAILURE bracket.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>I think stating things this way has made the concept of "measuring" your roll<BR>much easier to understand (it's an easy concept--I just don't explain things<BR>well sometimes).<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 21:08:47 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: My Replies to Kenneth<BR><BR>James Jensen wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; BTW, what was KB1 like?<BR><BR>To tell you the truth, I can't even remember KB1.&nbsp; It was a "fix" for T4, and we<BR>used KBv1.1 for a while when KBv2.0 was perculating around in my head.<BR><BR>Then, KBv2.0 was created from the ashes of KB1, replacing KB1, and I completely<BR>forgot about that first system because KBv2.0 did the job of fixing T4 so much<BR>better than KB1 did.<BR><BR>For anybody interested, KB2.0 is listed on FreeLance Traveller, complete with<BR>percentage charts.<BR><BR>I still get the occasional e-mail from someone using KBv2.0 for their T4 game.<BR>It's stood the test of time.<BR><BR>But, to be honest, KB3 is my best Traveller work.&nbsp; I love the system.&nbsp; I think<BR>it's the best I've ever seen for a Traveller game (but it is proving to be a<BR>hard sell).<BR><BR>Anyway...<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 19:14:19 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Volume of Traffic [FILK]<BR><BR>More filks, more filks! Let us sing while the cannons roar!<BR><BR>I haven't been commenting because i cannot remember tunes to save my <BR>life, and i'm not familiar with some of the ones you've used, anyway.<BR><BR>They're funny, though. Maybe if you could sing them for me 8^)<BR><BR>TTFN<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 16:25:01 +1300<BR>From: "Frank G. Pitt" &lt;frankie@mundens.gen.nz&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: Volume of Traffic [FILK]<BR><BR>Good one, Jonno !<BR><BR>Oh, and BTW, I enjoyed the other filk's as well, so don't feel like no-one's<BR>paying yuo any attention.<BR><BR>It's a well know TML fact that really good posts get stored on hard drives<BR>with nary a comment, it's only the the less than good that debated<BR>endlessly.<BR><BR>Frankie<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 21:13:55 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: We're too educated for our games!!!<BR><BR>Something Eris just said made me think of the difference between playing an RPG today and the<BR>type of game play I had back during my second year of high school--16 years old, and this guy<BR>wanted me to come over to his house and show me this new game he was playing, D&amp;D.<BR><BR>It changed my life.<BR><BR>But, Eris said...<BR><BR>eris@pcola.gulf.net wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Do you *really* want folks like us messing up your nice clean GURPS playhouse?<BR><BR>We're too educated for our games today!&nbsp; We don't accept them at face value anymore.<BR><BR>Remember when you'd go out and buy a new game, open it up, read it, say, "Cool", and run with<BR>it.<BR><BR>Those were the days.<BR><BR>I kinda miss 'em.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 22:23:30 -0500<BR>From: Kenji Schwarz &lt;schwarz@fas.harvard.edu&gt;<BR>Subject: Okay, the millennium came early.<BR><BR>'nother filk for youse.<BR><BR>Details are probably all wrong, but I haven't been following close, <BR>I'm afraid to say.<BR><BR><BR>- ---------------------------------<BR><BR><BR>KENNETH BEARDEN: Okay, TML; you're my little test subjects, so I have <BR>to show you how to improve on a Traveller.&nbsp; This is called KB3. It <BR>counts your stats fully, just like your skills!; you roll these dice <BR>and count them up like this, and you sing this song:<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I have a better system,<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; No matter what they say.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Unless you're dead and buried,<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; With KB you shall play.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Oh, KB, KB, KB<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; No matter what they say<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; KB, KB, KB<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; With KB you shall play.<BR><BR>Now you try it, TML.&nbsp; Just roll dice equal to your stat minus half <BR>the odd-numbered count of skill levels, against a secret dice I roll, <BR>and subtract the number of the E-dice, like this!<BR><BR>TML:&nbsp; (incomprehensible muttering)<BR><BR>TIMOTHY LITTLE: Hey, what the hell are you doing?<BR><BR>BEARDEN;&nbsp; Oh, hey, Timothy, we're perfecting KB3.&nbsp; You wanna help?<BR><BR>LITTLE: Suuuure!<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Here's a funny system<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Design prob'ly took one day<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; And I'm not gonna play with it<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; 'Till E-dice go away.<BR><BR>BEAREN:&nbsp; Hey!!! Shut your mouth, math geek!<BR><BR>LITTLE:<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Don't help you aim.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; That's why they're lame.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; BEARDEN<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Stats&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; KB, KB, KB<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Don't help you aim.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; No matter what they say<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Stats.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; KB, KB, KB<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; That's why they're lame.&nbsp; &nbsp; My system you shall play.<BR><BR><BR>JAMES JENSEN:&nbsp; What's going on?&nbsp; Oh... it's that KB3 thing.<BR><BR>LITTLE:&nbsp; It's soooo realistic.&nbsp; You throw all these dice and subtract <BR>a bunch more depending on another dice throw the referee makes, then <BR>you compare them.&nbsp; I could be doing arithmetic all day!<BR><BR>JENSEN:&nbsp; Let me try.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I'll try<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; To make it work.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I checked;<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; These numbers suck.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; BEARDEN<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I'll try &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Oh, KB, KB, KB<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; To make it work&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; No matter what they say<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I checked;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; KB, KB, KB<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; These numbers suck.&nbsp;&nbsp; My system you shall play<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; LITTLE<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I'll try &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Oh, KB, KB, KB<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; To make it work&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; No matter what they say&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I checked;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; KB, KB, KB&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Don't help you aim<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; These numbers suck.&nbsp;&nbsp; My system you shall play.&nbsp;&nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I'll try &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Oh, KB, KB, KB&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; That's why <BR>they're lame.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; To make it work&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; No matter what they say&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I checked;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; KB, KB, KB&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Don't help you aim<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; These numbers suck.&nbsp;&nbsp; My system you shall play.&nbsp;&nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; That's why <BR>they're lame.<BR><BR>DOUG BERRY:&nbsp; Hello, guys!&nbsp; You're all testing a new task resolution <BR>system! Isn't&nbsp; that great?<BR><BR>LITTLE:&nbsp; Oh, yes, Mr. Berry, it's sooo very statistically sound!<BR><BR><BR>BERRY:<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Now when you learn<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; To work penguins in<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; You'll know<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Why keyboards will never win<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (Keep rolling more...)<BR><BR><BR>- ---------------------------<BR><BR>Well, you get the idea.<BR><BR>Will only finish this if no one is preemptively inspired.<BR><BR><BR>Kenji<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 21:25:45 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: TML should train lawyers<BR><BR>Jonathan 'Caraig' McDermott wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; I was reading the latest TML digests tonight when I noticed that just about<BR>&gt; every message was devoted to the current discussion of task systems.<BR><BR>Everybody's on holiday for the New Year and Christmas.&nbsp; There's only a few of<BR>us here, logging on, hashing it out.&nbsp; Bascially your volume is because of just<BR>a few people (and certainly I'm one of them, testing out my new system).<BR><BR><BR>You know, the TML should be a *required* training ground for trial lawyers.<BR>This place is perfect for people who want to spend their lives devoted to the<BR>adversarial process of a trial.<BR><BR>The heat of the give and take....<BR><BR>The struggle to make your point clear, concise, and poignant....<BR><BR>The effort to pull your contemporaries into your way of thinking....<BR><BR>The fact that sometimes (not all the time) the TRUTH is found....<BR><BR><BR>Or, maybe, before they let you sign up for the TML...maybe you should be<BR>required to go to law school first.<BR><BR>Hmm...<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3489<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe<BR>"local-traveller":<BR><BR>subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net<BR><BR>A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to<BR>subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"<BR>in the commands above with "traveller".<BR><BR>Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgn.com<BR></I></I></S><XMP></XMP>
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<P align=left><FONT color=#0f0f0f face=Arial size=2 PTSIZE="10" BACK="#FFFFFE"><BR><BR>----------------------- Headers --------------------------------<BR>Return-Path: &lt;owner-traveller@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>Received: from&nbsp; rly-yh05.mx.aol.com (rly-yh05.mail.aol.com [172.18.147.37]) by air-yh03.mail.aol.com (v77.31) with ESMTP; Sat, 30 Dec 2000 22:48:37 -0500<BR>Received: from&nbsp; lists.ient.com (lists.ient.com [204.85.32.11]) by rly-yh05.mx.aol.com (v77.27) with ESMTP; Sat, 30 Dec 2000 22:48:05 -0500<BR>Received: from localhost (daemon@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) with SMTP id WAA22034;<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Sat, 30 Dec 2000 22:27:52 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller@lists.ient.com)<BR>Received: by lists.ient.com (bulk_mailer v1.12); Sat, 30 Dec 2000 22:27:47 -0500<BR>Received: (from majordom@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) id WAA21990<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; for traveller-digest-outgoing; Sat, 30 Dec 2000 22:27:47 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com)<BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 22:27:47 -0500 (EST)<BR>Message-Id: &lt;200012310327.WAA21990@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>From: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>To: traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Subject: Traveller-digest V1999 #3489<BR>Reply-To: traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>Sender: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR><BR></FONT></P></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML><HTML><HEAD><BASE></HEAD>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Sunday, December 31 2000&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3490<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: New task description<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Okay, the millennium came early.<BR>(Higher is Better) KB3<BR>Re: Okay, the millennium came early.<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Make it stop! get it out of my head!<BR>Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet?<BR>RE: HazMat<BR>Re: Character-defined task rolls (medical comments)<BR>Re : TML should train lawyers<BR>Re : Character-defined task rolls (medical comments)<BR>Re: HazMat<BR>RE: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 21:34:56 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Postmark Design Bureau wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Nope, the E-die rolled by the referee has the effect of making the possible<BR>&gt; target numbers much higher, so unless your players are willing to accept<BR>&gt; 20% failure chances on easy and average tasks, their highly skilled<BR>&gt; characters will never use the dice rolling options.<BR><BR>I still disagree here.&nbsp; Maybe you can help me with the probabilities and change<BR>my mind.<BR><BR>Let's say your character is Dex-6, Pistol-6.&nbsp; And, he has to make an Easy (1D)<BR>roll.<BR><BR>What is the probability that a character will succeed rolling 2D versus 1D-5.<BR>(E-Die included)<BR><BR>That has got to be higher than an 80% chance of success.<BR><BR>Would you use your computer spread sheet to calculate that for me?<BR><BR>....and let's look at the results together.<BR><BR>I'm fascinated by this discussion.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR><BR>PS&nbsp; If I'm right, and this is a low percentage of failure, then your logic above<BR>is not correct.&nbsp; Players will use skill options when appropriate.<BR><BR>Let's check it out and let the number talk (because if I'm wrong, I want to know<BR>about!).<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 21:45:36 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Postmark Design Bureau wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Ps, I really don't like what happens when you make the check an attribute<BR>&gt; check.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Catching a rifle (default skill-0, so roll 1D+dex) is automatic unless the GM<BR>&gt; rolls a 6 and dex 12 character can always catch a rifle.<BR><BR>Yes, that's by design.&nbsp; I wanted attribute checks to be able to reach higher<BR>difficulties (without the -Stat DM to difficulty, attribute checks can only be<BR>applied to Easy tasks--sometimes Average ones.<BR><BR>My logic is that, with an attribute check, that actual stat is required to<BR>contribute to the roll more than it does normally.<BR><BR>Like under MT, when you use two Stats to modify your roll instead of a Skill and<BR>a Stat.&nbsp; I was trying to emulate this.<BR><BR>I would change this aspect of KB3 (by removing the -Stat DM) if Traveller has<BR>more skills like Climbing, Jumping, Throwing, etc.&nbsp; But, Traveller tends to not<BR>have skills for these types of things (I know T4 has Athletics...but I think<BR>that's the first skill of this type I've seen).<BR><BR>I wanted KB3 to be plug-n-play with CT/MT/T4, so the -Stat DM allows a character<BR>to make that Dex check to move out of the way of a speeding ground car....or make<BR>that Str check to tug open that stuck hatch....or even throw that molitav<BR>cocktail into the enemy machine gun nest.<BR><BR>And, with your example above (catching the rifle), it's automatic with the lower<BR>difficulties.&nbsp; It is not automatic with the higher ones (but still gives<BR>characters a reasonable chance).<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 22:51:35 -0500<BR>From: "Thom Harris" &lt;thomharr@mediaone.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>- ----- Original Message -----<BR>From: "Megan Robertson" &lt;mcrobertson@cix.compulink.co.uk&gt;<BR>To: &lt;traveller@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>Cc: &lt;mcrobertson@cix.compulink.co.uk&gt;<BR>Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 8:50 PM<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR><BR>&gt; In-Reply-To: &lt;20001231084034.L7940@freeman.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>&gt; Greetings dear hearts.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; I don't know the US situation, but for UK medical professions: -<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; A 'doctor' has done 5 years medical school, taken a degree (for us it's a<BR>&gt; 'Bachelor of Medicine' but the content is about the same as a US MD) and<BR>&gt; probably spent some time in 'Accident and Emergency' (UK equivalent of the<BR>&gt; ER). TRAVELLER - he'd have a high Edu and Medic about 5-6. Basic. Then<BR>&gt; we'd need to look at whatever speciality he went for and add a point or<BR>&gt; two for that alone.<BR><BR>U.S. doctors get a 4 year degree (bachelors degree) and 3 years med school<BR>plus 2 years internship at a hospital, I believe. That's a total of 9 years.<BR><BR>Thom Harris - GOFIR - &lt;Gnarly Old Fart In Residence&gt;<BR>"I spent most of my money on Wine, Women and Song; the rest I just wasted."<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 21:52:38 -0600<BR>From: Charles R Hensley &lt;hensley.cr@gte.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: New task description<BR><BR>&gt; Arguing with the ref: Formidable, Harzardous<BR>&gt; modifiers:<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; + your years playing Traveller minus the refs years (may be<BR>&gt; negative)<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; - your arrears in club dues<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +1 if it's your house<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +1 if you provided the pizza (-1 if the ref did)<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +1 if the ref is dating your sister or brother<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +2 if the ref is married to your sister or brother<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +7 if the ref is married to your sister and dating your brother<BR>&gt; and they don't know about each other<BR><BR>you missed one<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; + or -10 if married to the ref<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 21:57:18 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Postmark Design Bureau wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; I'm just not convinced by the dice rolling options you've added to<BR>&gt; fix the greater success problem.<BR><BR>We'll see once you run those numbers from the example in the other post!<BR><BR><BR>&gt; Personally, I tend to favour systems that are just pass/fail without success<BR>&gt; levels - I always forget they're in the system.<BR><BR>Oh, I see.&nbsp; Well, that's definitely not KB3.&nbsp; I'm addicted that that back and<BR>forth gaming that comes with opposed rolls.&nbsp; It has added so much to our game.<BR>And the skill options make the players really feel like they are "doing"<BR>something other than rolling because they have a choice in how to apply their<BR>skill.<BR><BR>If you just wanted a pass/fail system, then certainly KB3 might rub you the wrong<BR>way because it is designed NOT to be that.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; So, perhaps I'm trying to fix something that I wouldn't use and your group<BR>&gt; wouldn't see as broken.<BR><BR>This is starting to sound like the case, although I've enjoyed the discussion.<BR><BR>And, I am interested in what you come up with for the percentage of 2D versus<BR>1D-5.<BR><BR>The outcome of that might swing one of us in the other direction.<BR><BR>We'll see.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; There is no reason why a skilled person trying for greater success might not<BR>&gt; make some trivial mistake that they normally wouldn't, so I'd even accept a<BR>&gt; claim that KB3 is *more* realistic in how all the greater success options<BR>&gt; works.<BR><BR>Hmm..&nbsp; Interesting comment.&nbsp; Hadn't thought about it that way.<BR><BR>But I see your point about KB3 putting the "human element" into the<BR>throw--instead of mechanical pass/fail.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; I've seen several systems that gave the right sort of results but did it in a<BR>&gt; way that didn't seem right, so people didn't like them. Even when the number<BR>&gt; of times they didn't work was far fewer than other systems that seemed right.<BR><BR>I can see this viewpoint too.&nbsp; (Like my aversion to using TNE rules/dice with<BR>Traveller--no matter how good TNE is statistically--IT'S JUST NOT TRAVELLER!)<BR><BR>So, I definitely see an opinion-based argument like that.<BR><BR>There's no arguing with personal taste.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; And I'll apologise now for the message I just sent with the rant - I just<BR>&gt; hope it doesn't come across as a strong rant.<BR><BR>It didn't come across wrong at all.&nbsp; In fact, I thank you for the way you've<BR>chosen to state your objections to KB3.&nbsp; You haven't been argumentative,<BR>derogatory, or combative at all.<BR><BR>I'll agree to disagree with someone that states his case like you do any day.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 20:07:50 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Okay, the millennium came early.<BR><BR>Kenji Wins!!!<BR><BR>That's even better than the original. I didn't know you were allowed <BR>to stay up that late 8^)<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 22:06:51 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: (Higher is Better) KB3<BR><BR>Postmark Design Bureau wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Still, time for a positive contribution:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; If you're going to roll high, roll high, so<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; roll &gt;= target for success<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; roll &gt;= (target + 15 - attribute) for greater success.<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; roll &lt;&nbsp; target for failure<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; roll &lt;&nbsp; (target - 15 + attribute) for greater failure<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; I don't think this will suit Kenneth, but it might help someone to like KB3,<BR>&gt; and that wouldn't be a bad thing.<BR><BR>You know...the only thing that makes KB3 a "sweet spot" system is that there is<BR>an "upward" factor for achieving success, and a "downward" factor in measuring<BR>that success.<BR><BR>If I changed the way success was measured, making it a "higher-is-better" system,<BR>the skill options would go away, and I think many of the things that don't sit<BR>right with you about KB3 would change in a positive direction.<BR><BR>One possible way to do this is to:<BR><BR>(1)&nbsp; Use an inverse stat scale for measuring skill results.<BR><BR>Stat&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Measure Number<BR>- ----&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -----------------<BR>2&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 15<BR>3&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 14<BR>4&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 13<BR>5&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 12<BR>6&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 11<BR>7&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 10<BR>8&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 9<BR>9&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 8<BR>10&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 7<BR>11&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 6<BR>12&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 5<BR>13&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 4<BR>14&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 3<BR>15&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 2<BR><BR><BR>(2)&nbsp; Then, Greater Success would be measured by saying, "if you roll over your<BR>Measurement Number, you've got Greater Success".<BR><BR><BR>I played around with this idea when I thought KB3 was broken (a couple of days<BR>ago).&nbsp; When I realized that KB3 wasn't broken, I abandon the idea (mainly because<BR>I "like" the skill options and the clean aspect of just comparing your throw to<BR>your stat--the Measurment Number would add another number to the character's<BR>sheet, and I was trying to make KB3 fit with Stats and Skill only as written).<BR><BR>But, it's a thought, and easily lets you make KB3 a higher-is-better system.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 22:11:35 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Okay, the millennium came early.<BR><BR>Kenji Schwarz wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; KENNETH BEARDEN: Okay, TML; you're my little test subjects, so I have<BR>&gt; to show you how to improve on a Traveller.&nbsp; This is called KB3. It<BR>&gt; counts your stats fully, just like your skills!; you roll these dice<BR>&gt; and count them up like this, and you sing this song:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; I have a better system,<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; No matter what they say.<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Unless you're dead and buried,<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; With KB you shall play.<BR><BR>If I wasn't laughing so hard, wiping the tears from my eyes, I'd be offended.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 22:42:29 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; And, with your example above (catching the rifle), it's automatic with the lower<BR>&gt; difficulties.&nbsp; It is not automatic with the higher ones (but still gives<BR>&gt; characters a reasonable chance).<BR><BR>Phil--<BR><BR>As to your comment about most KB3 attribute rolls being automatic at Easy<BR>difficulty...<BR><BR>I agree with the MT school of thought on this issue, so KB3 reflects that.<BR><BR>If you've got a pure attribute roll under MT, you modify your throw with two stats<BR>instead of skill and stat.<BR><BR>So, if you had Dex -6, Str -7, and you wanted to climb up a rope that your GM has<BR>told you is an Easy task, you'd have automatic success too.<BR><BR>Difficulty 3+ thrown with 2D6+2....or Difficulty 1+ thrown on 2D6.<BR><BR>KB3 kinda does the same thing (although the systems, are, obviously, different).<BR><BR>If you want to climb up a rope that your GM has determined is an Easy task, and your<BR>KB3 character has Str-7 (KB3 uses only one stat), then it's pretty much close to an<BR>automatic success.<BR><BR>You throw 1D versus 1D-7.<BR><BR>Of course, a "6" on the difficulty E-Die might not make this an automatic throw...but<BR>MT has a provision for that too in that a natural "2" is an automatic failure no<BR>matter what the total with modifiers are.<BR><BR>I see the two systems similar (not exact) in this respect.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 00:03:21 -0500<BR>From: Kenji Schwarz &lt;schwarz@fas.harvard.edu&gt;<BR>Subject: Make it stop! get it out of my head!<BR><BR>Okay, I figured* I might as well finish it off, and fix some typos <BR>while I'm at it.&nbsp; The principals themselves are heartily encouraged <BR>to re-write their own lines, of course.<BR><BR>Oh, god, please make it stop.<BR><BR>- ---------------------------<BR><BR>KENNETH BEARDEN: Okay, TML; you're my test subjects, so I have to <BR>show you how to improve Traveller!&nbsp; This task is called KB3.&nbsp; It <BR>counts your attributes fully, just like your skills! You roll these <BR>dice and count them up like this, and you sing this song:<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I have a better system,<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; No matter what they say.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Unless you're dead and buried,<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; With KB you shall play.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Oh, KB, KB, KB<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; No matter what they say<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; KB, KB, KB<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; With KB you shall play.<BR><BR>Now you try it, TML.&nbsp; Just roll dice equal to your stat minus half <BR>the odd-numbered count of skill levels, against a secret die I roll, <BR>and subtract the number of the E-dice, like this!<BR><BR>TML:&nbsp; (incomprehensible muttering)<BR><BR>TIMOTHY LITTLE: Hey! What the hell are you doing?<BR><BR>BEARDEN;&nbsp; Oh, hey, Timothy, we're perfecting KB3.&nbsp; You wanna help?<BR><BR>LITTLE: Suuuure!<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Here's a funny system<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Design prob'ly took one day<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; And I'm not gonna play with it<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; 'Till E-dice go away.<BR><BR>BEADREN:&nbsp; Hey!!! Shut your mouth, math geek!<BR><BR>LITTLE:<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Don't help you aim.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; That's why they're lame.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; BEARDEN<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Stats&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; KB, KB, KB<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Don't help you aim.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; No matter what they say<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Stats.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; KB, KB, KB<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; That's why they're lame.&nbsp; &nbsp; My system you shall play.<BR><BR><BR>JAMES JENSEN:&nbsp; What's going on?&nbsp; Oh... it's that KB3 thing.<BR><BR>LITTLE:&nbsp; It's soooo realistic.&nbsp; You throw all these dice and subtract <BR>a bunch more depending on another dice throw the referee makes, then <BR>you compare them.&nbsp; I could be doing arithmetic all day!<BR><BR>JENSEN:&nbsp; Let me try!<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I'll try<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; To make it work.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I checked;<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; These numbers suck.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; BEARDEN<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I'll try &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Oh, KB, KB, KB<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; To make it work&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; No matter what they say<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I checked;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; KB, KB, KB<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; These numbers suck.&nbsp;&nbsp; My system you shall play<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; LITTLE<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I'll try &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Oh, KB, KB, KB<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; To make it work&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; No matter what they say&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I checked;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; KB, KB, KB&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Don't help you aim<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; These numbers suck.&nbsp;&nbsp; My system you shall play.&nbsp;&nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I'll try &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Oh, KB, KB, KB&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; That's why <BR>they're lame.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; To make it work&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; No matter what they say&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I checked;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; KB, KB, KB&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Don't help you aim<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; These numbers suck.&nbsp;&nbsp; My system you shall play.&nbsp;&nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; That's why <BR>they're lame.<BR><BR>DOUG BERRY:&nbsp; Hello, guys!&nbsp; I see you're all testing a new task <BR>resolution system! Isn't that great?<BR><BR>LITTLE:&nbsp; Oh, yes, Mr. Berry, it's sooo very statistically sound!<BR><BR>BERRY:<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Now when you learn<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; To work penguins in<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; You'll place<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Our keyboards in the bin<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (Keep rolling dice...)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; LITTLE<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Now when you learn&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; To work penguins in&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Don't help you aim<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; You'll place&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Our keyboards in the bin &nbsp; &nbsp; That's why they're lame.<BR><BR>BEARDEN:&nbsp; Oh, hi, Eris!<BR><BR>ERIS REDDOCH:&nbsp; Hi, everyone!&nbsp; Say, can I help out?<BR><BR>BEARDEN:&nbsp; Uh... sure!<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I have a better system,<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; No matter what they say.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Unless you're dead and buried,<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; With KB you shall -- everybody!<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; BERRY&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; LITTLE<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Oh, KB, KB, KB&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Now when you learn&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; No matter what they say&nbsp; To work penguins in&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Don't help you aim<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; KB, KB, KB&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; You'll place&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; With KB you shall play&nbsp; &nbsp; Our keyboards in the bin&nbsp;&nbsp; That's <BR>why they're lame<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; JENSEN&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; REDDOCH<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; I'll try&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Diceless games<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; To make it work.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Are the best<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; I checked;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Chuck the rules<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; These numbers suck.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; And all canon<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (repeat)<BR><BR>REDDOCH:<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Diceless games<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Are the best<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Chuck the rules<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; And all canon<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; BEARDEN: Eris?<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Diceless games<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Are the best<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Chuck the --&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Eris?<BR><BR><BR>BEARDEN: I just now made KB3 up.&nbsp; It's heretical, too.<BR><BR>REDDOCH:&nbsp; Oh.&nbsp; Sorry!<BR><BR>HANS RANCKE-MADSEN (offstage):&nbsp; We'll get you thrown off the list for <BR>this yet, Eris!<BR><BR><BR>(finale)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; BEARDEN&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; BERRY&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; LITTLE<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Oh, KB, KB, KB&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Now when you learn&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; No matter what they say&nbsp; To work penguins in&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Don't help you aim<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; KB, KB, KB&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; You'll place&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stats<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; With KB you shall play!&nbsp; &nbsp; Our keyboards in the bin!&nbsp; That's <BR>why they're lame!<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; JENSEN&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; REDDOCH<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; I'll try&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Diceless games<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; To make it work.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Are the best<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; I checked;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Chuck the rules<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; These numbers suck!&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; And all canon!<BR><BR><BR>- ---------------------------<BR><BR>It seemed self-indulgent -- *redundantly* so, I mean -- but REDDOCH <BR>could also be played by SCHWARZ:<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Sex and drugs<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Are the point!<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Commie dykes<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Will pre-vail!<BR><BR>- ---------------------------<BR><BR>* This burst of creativity is due to being FORCED to listen to the <BR>most irritatingly catchy tune I knew of, South Park's "Dreidl song", <BR>in order to expunge from my head the most horrifyingly WRONG cover <BR>I've heard:&nbsp; the Indigo Girls "doing" the Clash's "Working for the <BR>Clampdown."&nbsp; There is so much evil in the world.<BR><BR>Seven or eight gin and tonics were merely hapless bystanders and <BR>should not be considered accessories.<BR><BR>Kenji<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 04:16:13 -0000<BR>From: "Ben Aaronovitch" &lt;bem@imaginaryfilms.demon.co.uk&gt;<BR>Subject: Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet?<BR><BR>Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet.<BR><BR>Ben<BR><BR><BR>'Let's be honest here - you paid for the women.'<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Bill Murrey - Scrooged<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 13:14:34 -0000<BR>From: "Antony Farrell" &lt;Skaran@bigpond.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: HazMat<BR><BR>In one of my games, a player who wanted to get out of a ground starport<BR>quickly in a 150 dt scout broadcast that there was a level 4 bio-hazard<BR>problem on board (I dont know if this is a genuine term in real life but<BR>IMTU this was as nasty as a biohazard can get). Obviously believing the<BR>authorities would give him an immediate clearance to launch.<BR><BR>He was a little surprised when instead the weather dome on the launch pad<BR>was closed and tanker trucks carrying a quick setting liquid plastic arrived<BR>with troops to seal the ship in a block.<BR><BR>I figured that an authority would not let a ship with a declared biohazard<BR>emergency fly through the atmosphere.<BR><BR>He activated the jump drive on the ground!<BR><BR>Somehow he survived, only to be subject to a version of Murder On the Orient<BR>Express where he starred as the victim.<BR><BR>Antony<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 17:08:53 +1100<BR>From: "Robert O'Connor" &lt;robocon@ozemail.com.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-defined task rolls (medical comments)<BR><BR>"Mexal" (Megan Robertson) wrote :-<BR>&gt; If you have studied any first aid, you will know that the <BR>&gt; primary objective is to keep the patient alive until the doctors can get <BR>&gt; to him. However, when it comes to doing that, YOU are the expert not the <BR>&gt; doctor. Most doctors, even ER ones, are aware that a paramedic is better <BR>&gt; at the pure 'keep this man alive' than they are.<BR><BR>Hmm...<BR>Any senior trainee or specialist in emergency medicine, anaesthesia, or<BR>intensive care is preferable to a paramedic or 'trained first aider',<BR>regardless of experience level. The medical personnel have a<BR>significantly larger useful skill set and knowledge base.<BR><BR>On the other hand, they would be preferable to the average dermatologist<BR>or psychiatrist in a resuscitation situation...<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden wrote :-<BR>&gt; Just as a side note, though:&nbsp; I know a lot of doctors from my days in medical<BR>&gt; sales.&nbsp; I used to sell medical equipment to capital accounts like hospitals.&nbsp; Some<BR>&gt; of those guys aren't as bright was we give credit for, and certainly some of them<BR>&gt; did not get as much out of their education as you would think they might.<BR><BR>Their exposure to a general education is likely to be minimal ; pre-med<BR>courses are generally science oriented, with little time in a crowded<BR>curriculum for other stuff. <BR><BR>Your average medical student is also not as bright as supposed by the<BR>general community. In Australia, at least, the really bright ones tend<BR>to do law, sciences (esp. IT/biotech/maths) or engineering.<BR><BR>Realistically, you don't have to have great amounts of general<BR>intelligence or knowledge to be a successful physician and surgeon.<BR>Clinical skills and attention to detail will lead to a successful career<BR>almost every time. <BR><BR>Hence the introduction of post-grad style training in Australia (basic<BR>degree in anything, then 4 years of medical school ; specialty training<BR>can take up to another 8-10 years to complete after that).<BR><BR><BR>Robert O'Connor<BR>Medico, Gamer<BR>(Registrar, Anaesthetics and Intensive Care)<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 17:12:21 +1100<BR>From: "Robert O'Connor" &lt;robocon@ozemail.com.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re : TML should train lawyers<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden wrote :-<BR>&gt; Or, maybe, before they let you sign up for the TML...maybe you should be<BR>&gt; required to go to law school first.<BR><BR>The horror, the horror!<BR><BR>;-)<BR><BR>Maybe some courses in debating, rhetoric and introductory logic might be<BR>a better alternative.<BR><BR>Reintroduce the quadrivium! (?or the Heidelberg-style gymnasium?)<BR><BR>Ob Trav : En Garde, the 'Military Academy' scenario published in<BR>Challenge all those years ago...<BR><BR><BR>Robert O'Connor<BR>Medico, Gamer<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 17:19:54 +1100<BR>From: "Robert O'Connor" &lt;robocon@ozemail.com.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re : Character-defined task rolls (medical comments)<BR><BR>I wrote :-<BR>&gt; Any senior trainee or specialist in emergency medicine, anaesthesia, or<BR>&gt; intensive care is preferable to a paramedic or 'trained first aider',<BR>&gt; regardless of experience level.<BR><BR>'senior' = at least 1 year of accredited training in the above<BR>specialties (which implies at least 3 years post graduation from medical<BR>school in British and British-influenced systems).<BR><BR>and :-<BR>&gt; Realistically, you don't have to have great amounts of general<BR>&gt; intelligence or knowledge to be a successful physician and surgeon.<BR>'...physician OR surgeon.'<BR><BR><BR>Robert O'Connor<BR>Medico, Gamer<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 01:13:31 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: HazMat<BR><BR>Antony Farrell wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; He was a little surprised when instead the weather dome on the launch pad<BR>&gt; was closed and tanker trucks carrying a quick setting liquid plastic arrived<BR>&gt; with troops to seal the ship in a block.<BR><BR>I haven't been following this thread...just poked my head in...but that sounds<BR>like my kind of Traveller game!<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 23:36:07 -0800<BR>From: "tsykoduk" &lt;tsykoduk@bigfoot.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>LOL...<BR><BR>Sokay, I do 2-8 on a regular basis. Except 1 - I like the task system when<BR>you use the BITs cheat sheet.. :)<BR><BR><BR><BR>- -----Original Message-----<BR>From: owner-traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>[mailto:owner-traveller@lists.ient.com]On Behalf Of eris@pcola.gulf.net<BR>Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 3:58 PM<BR>To: traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>Subject: RE: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR><BR>On 12/30/00 at 03:02 PM,&nbsp; "tsykoduk" &lt;tsykoduk@bigfoot.com&gt; said:<BR><BR>&gt;Or, ya'll could just covert to GURPS and be done with this mess ;)<BR><BR>LOL!&nbsp; You think so?&nbsp;&nbsp; How about I start some GURPS threads on<BR><BR>1.&nbsp; bringing a *real* "Task System" to GURPS<BR>2.&nbsp; how to generate random starting stats<BR>3.&nbsp; Careers, an alternative to points in GURPS<BR>4.&nbsp; A better wounding system for GURPS<BR>5.&nbsp; Armor, done the right way<BR>6.&nbsp; how to put the "heat back into" GURPS energy weapons<BR>7.&nbsp; what the hell do we need points for anyway?<BR>8.&nbsp; why game balance is a myth<BR><BR>...you get the idea?&nbsp;&nbsp; And believe me, I could expand on all those subjects,<BR>and more! ;-p<BR><BR>Do you *really* want folks like us messing up your nice clean GURPS<BR>playhouse?<BR><BR><BR>Eris<BR><BR>- --<BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>eris@pcola.gulf.net&nbsp; &nbsp; using MR/2 ICE #245<BR>http://www.crosswinds.net/~erisr<BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3490<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe<BR>"local-traveller":<BR><BR>subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net<BR><BR>A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to<BR>subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"<BR>in the commands above with "traveller".<BR><BR>Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgn.com<BR></I></I></S><XMP></XMP>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Sunday, December 31 2000&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3491<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>RE: Volume of Traffic [FILK]<BR>Re: The Perfect 2-step Task System for Guaranteed Success<BR>Re: Make it stop! get it out of my head!<BR>Re: The Perfect 2-step Task System for Guaranteed Success<BR>Re: Make it stop! get it out of my head!<BR>Harry Potter (Was something else, although I saw "Digest")<BR>Re: New task description<BR>Re: The Perfect 2-step Task System for Guaranteed Success<BR>RE: H&amp;E Question<BR>RE: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>RE: Beowulf Ship Dimensions + ACQ<BR>Water on Reno?<BR>RE: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>RE: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>Re: Character-defined task rolls (medical comments)<BR>RE: Aliens (was Re: Noble vs. military rank)<BR>Re: Jump emergence<BR>Re: Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet?<BR>re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 23:48:38 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR><BR>&gt;From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Japanese strategy and judgement was sub-optimal; at least this wouldn't<BR>&gt;&gt; have been as bad. If the Japs have Singapore and the US has Pearl<BR>&gt;&gt; undamaged then the USN can hardly interfere in ops against the<BR>...<BR>&gt;So, let's see, the Japanese grab the Dutch East Indies, and the Philippines<BR>&gt;(by June '42, as per history).&nbsp; They don't lose all those carriers at<BR>&gt;Midway.&nbsp; OK, then they can play hide and seek round the islands to their<BR>&gt;hearts content.&nbsp;&nbsp; Do they push towards Port Moresby and the Solomons?&nbsp; What<BR>&gt;about Rabaul?&nbsp; Without these, they don't own New Guinea,&nbsp; not even Dutch<BR>&gt;New Guinea.<BR><BR>&nbsp; True, but they're fencing rather beyond the practical limits of US<BR>logistics (for some time), and the US then has the problem of real<BR>policy/political debates without great issues to fire things up. To<BR>conscript men for jungle hells so that the Phillipines can be (re-)<BR>conquered so that the US can give them their independence...<BR><BR>&nbsp; Wazzat?! And enforcing Japanese compliance with a treaty settlement<BR>is easy - the USN will win any long contest.<BR><BR>&nbsp; The Japanese may be wrong in hoping that the US will treat, but they<BR>weren't better off thinking that the US would cave in :(<BR><BR>&gt;I have a suspicion that land based aircraft might become more important in<BR>&gt;this situation.&nbsp; All those US B17s start to look interesting.&nbsp; <BR><BR>&nbsp; Given, although their offensive capability is unimpressive - they<BR>won't have escorts.<BR><BR>...<BR>&gt;All the same it looks kind of '70s these days.&nbsp; I watched the two "real"<BR>&gt;films (No Tina Turner, thank you!) again a couple of months ago.&nbsp; Most<BR><BR>&nbsp; Ditto with MM only - was thinking "why was this cool the first time?".<BR><BR>...<BR>&gt;obvious problem (in the first one):&nbsp; no mobile phones, and no computers. <BR>&gt;OK, that _could_ be explained away - it was a decaying society after all -<BR>&gt;but it dated it.&nbsp; And of course the whole motorbike film genre isn't really<BR>&gt;around anymore.<BR><BR>&nbsp; And this is bad how? :)<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 00:16:42 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>&gt;From: Postmark Design Bureau &lt;postmark.design@btinternet.com&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>...<BR>&gt;Percentile dice have their place, certainly...<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;I'd never play Runequest, Call of Cthulhu or Warhammer Roleplay with<BR>&gt;anything else :-)<BR><BR>&nbsp; Speaking of _Warhamster_ Roleplay, it appears that GW stores<BR>in NorAm now stock it; no idea if their other retailers can get<BR>it. Supporting your FLGS seems so much more preferable to giving<BR>money to Pudding Workshop.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 02:01:57 -0600<BR>From: eris@pcola.gulf.net<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>On 12/30/00 at 04:06 PM,&nbsp; Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt; said:<BR><BR>&gt;Timothy Little wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;&gt; Umm, I think you mean more like Edu-8, Medical-3 (with particular<BR>&gt;&gt; emphasis on immediate short-term treatment)<BR><BR>&gt;Actually, I was going by an old JTAS article which states that<BR>&gt;Medical-1 is equivalent to someone versed in first aid, like a<BR>&gt;paramedic.&nbsp; Medical-2 is equivalent to a critical care nurse.&nbsp; And<BR>&gt;Medical 3+ is a doctor.<BR><BR>&gt;If you like, change the example to Edu-10, Medical-2.<BR><BR>&gt;Under T4, he still has the same chance as a Edu-6, Medical-6 doctor<BR>&gt;under T4.<BR><BR>&gt;And, that's just not right.&nbsp; Stats should mean more than that.<BR><BR>Just a point here.&nbsp; In games that add Skill and Stat, T4 for instance, every skill gets the same advantage from a high controlling Stat. If a PC has pumped their EDU up to 15 then they are going to be very, very good in *every* skill that uses EDU where they have a level 1...Medical, History, Chemistry, Astrogation, Law...equally good at all of them. IMO, where Stat is equal to Skill this is a flaw and in T4 and TNE where the Stat generally is double to triple the Skill it's a really *big* flaw. Of course, T4 and TNE isn't alone in this, IMO, flaw. GURPS suffers from it, too.&nbsp; <BR><BR>Eris<BR><BR>- -- <BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>eris@pcola.gulf.net&nbsp; &nbsp; using MR/2 ICE #245<BR>http://www.crosswinds.net/~erisr<BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 02:07:37 -0600<BR>From: eris@pcola.gulf.net<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>On 12/31/00 at 10:05 AM,&nbsp; Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt; said:<BR><BR>&gt;&gt; Under T4, he still has the same chance as a Edu-6, Medical-6 doctor<BR>&gt;&gt; under T4.<BR><BR>&gt;I still disagree that a Edu-6 Med-6 doctor is reasonable.&nbsp; Whether<BR>&gt;the system gives unusual output for unreasonable input is<BR>&gt;irrelevant.<BR><BR>&gt;Do you know *any* paramedics with more education than the best<BR>&gt;doctors in the world?<BR><BR>Tim, my problem with this is that a PhD, *history* (Edu-15) with a<BR>course in First Aid (First Aid-1) is as better at tramua care than an<BR>very experienced paramedic (Edu-10, First Aid-4).&nbsp; This is a<BR>different expression of the same problem that Ken is talking about.<BR><BR>Eris<BR>- -- <BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>eris@pcola.gulf.net&nbsp; &nbsp; using MR/2 ICE #245<BR>http://www.crosswinds.net/~erisr<BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 02:16:44 -0600<BR>From: eris@pcola.gulf.net<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>On 12/30/00 at 10:51 PM,&nbsp; "Thom Harris" &lt;thomharr@mediaone.net&gt; said:<BR><BR>&gt;U.S. doctors get a 4 year degree (bachelors degree) and 3 years med<BR>&gt;school plus 2 years internship at a hospital, I believe. That's a<BR>&gt;total of 9 years.<BR><BR>I thought it was 4 for undergraduate, 2 Med School and 2 internship, then optionally 1+ for a speciality.&nbsp; One of our MD members ought to clear this up for us. &lt;g&gt;<BR><BR>BTW, is Law: 4 undergrad, 2 law school, then as long as it takes to pass the bar?<BR><BR>Eris<BR>- -- <BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>eris@pcola.gulf.net&nbsp; &nbsp; using MR/2 ICE #245<BR>http://www.crosswinds.net/~erisr<BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 02:22:00 -0600<BR>From: eris@pcola.gulf.net<BR>Subject: RE: Volume of Traffic [FILK]<BR><BR>On 12/31/00 at 04:25 PM,&nbsp; "Frank G. Pitt" &lt;frankie@mundens.gen.nz&gt; said:<BR><BR>&gt;Good one, Jonno !<BR><BR>&gt;Oh, and BTW, I enjoyed the other filk's as well, so don't feel like<BR>&gt;no-one's paying yuo any attention.<BR><BR>&gt;It's a well know TML fact that really good posts get stored on hard<BR>&gt;drives with nary a comment, it's only the the less than good that<BR>&gt;debated endlessly.<BR><BR>It's a sad commentary on the TML, but Frankie is correct. Your filks have been wonderful, please, do continue.<BR><BR>Eris<BR>- -- <BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>eris@pcola.gulf.net&nbsp; &nbsp; using MR/2 ICE #245<BR>http://www.crosswinds.net/~erisr<BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 02:43:41 -0600<BR>From: eris@pcola.gulf.net<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2-step Task System for Guaranteed Success<BR><BR>On 12/30/00 at 04:03 PM,&nbsp; Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt; said:<BR><BR>&gt;Step 1: Get photographs of you ref in a compromising situation.<BR><BR>&gt;Step 2: Show these to the ref whenever your character is faced with<BR>&gt;a&nbsp; task roll.<BR><BR>Now imagine doing this in a game Reffed by Kenji....&lt;g&gt;&nbsp; What *would* Kenji think was compromising?<BR><BR>Eris<BR>- -- <BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>eris@pcola.gulf.net&nbsp; &nbsp; using MR/2 ICE #245<BR>http://www.crosswinds.net/~erisr<BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 02:49:33 -0600<BR>From: eris@pcola.gulf.net<BR>Subject: Re: Make it stop! get it out of my head!<BR><BR>On 12/31/00 at 12:03 AM,&nbsp; Kenji Schwarz &lt;schwarz@fas.harvard.edu&gt; said:<BR><BR>&gt;Okay, I figured* I might as well finish it off, and fix some typos <BR>&gt;while I'm at it.&nbsp; The principals themselves are heartily encouraged<BR>&gt; to re-write their own lines, of course.<BR><BR>Standing ovation for Kenji, I say, standing ovation and three cheers.<BR><BR>Hip, hip, hurrah!<BR>Hip, hip, hurrah!<BR>Hip, hip, hurrah! <BR><BR>&gt;Oh, god, please make it stop.<BR><BR>Kenji, remember only *you* can prevent forest fires!<BR><BR>Eris<BR>- -- <BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>eris@pcola.gulf.net&nbsp; &nbsp; using MR/2 ICE #245<BR>http://www.crosswinds.net/~erisr<BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 20:15:02 +1100<BR>From: Robert Houghton &lt;rhoughto@one.net.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2-step Task System for Guaranteed Success<BR><BR>eris@pcola.gulf.net wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; On 12/30/00 at 04:03 PM,&nbsp; Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt; said:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt;Step 1: Get photographs of you ref in a compromising situation.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt;Step 2: Show these to the ref whenever your character is faced with<BR>&gt; &gt;a&nbsp; task roll.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Now imagine doing this in a game Reffed by Kenji....&lt;g&gt;&nbsp; What *would* Kenji think was compromising?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>"I'll have one of that one, two of those, a wallet size of that one and poster sized blowups of those<BR>two..."<BR><BR>Other Rob<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 01:03:24 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Make it stop! get it out of my head!<BR><BR>Oooh! I think i wet meself 8^)<BR><BR>Darn you, Kenji! Now i'm going to hear all of Timothy Little's posts <BR>in Eric Cartman's voice. And the image of Doug Berry as Mrs. Kowalski <BR>is just scary 8^)<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 11:25:01 +0200 (EET)<BR>From: "Mikko V. I. Parviainen" &lt;mvparvia@cc.hut.fi&gt;<BR>Subject: Harry Potter (Was something else, although I saw "Digest")<BR><BR>On Sat, 30 Dec 2000 GDWGAMES@aol.com wrote:<BR>&gt; Yes . . . almost as interesting as the reaction a certain English author <BR>&gt; would receive if she had dropped a screenplay on Hollywood dealing with a <BR>&gt; small boy attending a school for witches if the books had never been <BR>&gt; published. I can see it all now: "Why does he have to be named Harry? Why <BR>&gt; does he have to be English? We'll need to lose those glasses . . . can we <BR>&gt; change the setting to California and get rid of some of the silly words . . <BR>&gt; ."&nbsp; <BR><BR>Actually, this is more or less what really happened : the American version<BR>of the first Harry Potter book is quite Americanised. The Hollywood film<BR>is also made from the US version, which is maybe understandable, if<BR>everything you consider is profit. B-)<BR><BR>I am pretty certain that also the other books have been localised, but<BR>"Harry Potter and the Philopher's Stone" is, beginning with the title.<BR>Across the water, they call it, and the movie, "Sorcerer's Stone". Also<BR>the setting is somewhat changed. I should probably acquire the US version<BR>and try to compile differences. Probably the other books use this US<BR>setting, too.<BR><BR>The name change amuses me, because I first saw "Philosopher's stone" in a<BR>very American product, namely AD&amp;D Dungeon Master's Guide. <BR><BR>I still want my English book English, not American. B-) (Or usually, not<BR>even Finnish. Pern series is quite horribly mutilated in the Finnish<BR>translation, some passages have been left out, concepts have been changed,<BR>and it is advertise as a fantasy series. This last item is admittely<BR>debatable, but in my opinion Pern is science fiction. Speculative fiction<BR>is not a very much used term in Finland. And Pern is not the only<BR>example, I tried to read translated Feist, and quit after two pages.)<BR><BR>ObTrav:<BR>How many different languages is in use in the 3I? Galanglic is of course<BR>for intersystem use, but is there big business in translation?<BR><BR>Or are there localised versions of media for different planets, even if<BR>they all use Anglic? "Bible for Vilani"? <BR><BR>- -- <BR>+++++++++[&gt;+++++++++&lt;-]&gt;-.&lt;+++++[&gt;+++&lt;-]++&gt;++.&lt;++[&gt;++++&lt;-]+&gt;+.&lt;++[&gt;----<BR>&lt;-]&gt;-.&gt;+++[&gt;++++++++++&lt;-]++&gt;++pare@iki.fi&lt;+[&gt;++++&lt;-]&gt;+.-&gt;+[&gt;++++[&lt;&lt;---&gt;<BR>&gt;-]&lt;-]&lt;.&gt;&gt;+++++++[&lt;++++++++++&gt;-]++++[&lt;+++++&gt;-]&lt;-.&gt;[-]&gt;+++[&gt;++[&lt;&lt;&lt;----&gt;&gt;<BR>&lt;&gt;&gt;-]&lt;-]&lt;&lt;.+.&gt;[-]++[&lt;++&gt;-]&lt;.++.[-]&gt;[-]++++[&lt;++&gt;-]&lt;++.&gt;&gt;++[&gt;++[&gt;-&lt;-]&lt;--]<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 04:42:53 -0500<BR>From: knightsky@juno.com<BR>Subject: Re: New task description<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; You've met my current gaming group?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Rarely to I burst out when a full-bore laugh when I'm sitting, <BR>&gt; looking at<BR>&gt; the computer.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; I did this time.<BR><BR>Well, it's not a keyboard kill, but I'll take what I can get...<BR><BR><BR>Perry<BR>"In a war of nerves, your own arsenal can destroy you."<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>________________________________________________________________<BR>GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!<BR>Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!<BR>Join Juno today!&nbsp; For your FREE software, visit:<BR>http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 01:47:34 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2-step Task System for Guaranteed Success<BR><BR>&gt;On 12/30/00 at 04:03 PM,&nbsp; Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt; said:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;Step 1: Get photographs of you ref in a compromising situation.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;Step 2: Show these to the ref whenever your character is faced with<BR>&gt;&gt;a&nbsp; task roll.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Now imagine doing this in a game Reffed by Kenji....&lt;g&gt;&nbsp; What <BR>&gt;*would* Kenji think was compromising?<BR><BR>Suit and tie and copies of the Wall Street Journal and Atlantic Monthly?<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 11:51:12 -0000<BR>From: "Jones, Dean" &lt;Dean.Jones@fox-europe.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: H&amp;E Question<BR><BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; I remember Dean Jones and David Smart as being involved in <BR>&gt; the testing. They are on the TML, I think, so maybe they'll <BR>&gt; help you out. Heck, Stuart Ferriss might be, too.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; <BR><BR>Was I? Oh. OK, let me install H&amp;E and I'll see what I can do. Which OS are<BR>you using, Ken?<BR><BR>Dean<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 12:57:15 +0100<BR>From: "Kjeld Johansen" &lt;kjeld@games.dk&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>From: eris@pcola.gulf.net<BR>&gt; LOL!&nbsp; You think so?&nbsp;&nbsp; How about I start some GURPS threads on<BR>&gt; 1.&nbsp; bringing a *real* "Task System" to GURPS<BR>&gt; 2.&nbsp; how to generate random starting stats<BR>&gt; 3.&nbsp; Careers, an alternative to points in GURPS<BR>&gt; 4.&nbsp; A better wounding system for GURPS<BR>&gt; 5.&nbsp; Armor, done the right way<BR>&gt; 6.&nbsp; how to put the "heat back into" GURPS energy weapons<BR>&gt; 7.&nbsp; what the hell do we need points for anyway?<BR>&gt; 8.&nbsp; why game balance is a myth<BR><BR>Number 3. I would like a career type system for Gurps.<BR>A system there is generating stats, advantages, disadvantages and skills<BR>(well any thing but quirks). But there still let the master control the<BR>point total.<BR><BR>Regarding number 2. Then I use 9d6/3 if I ever need a random stat for a NPC.<BR>PC's never have random stats. But if I ever made a career type system, them<BR>I might use this for PC's as well.<BR><BR>Kjeld.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 11:56:56 -0000<BR>From: "Jones, Dean" &lt;Dean.Jones@fox-europe.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: Beowulf Ship Dimensions + ACQ<BR><BR>I got my Beowulf deckplans through today, with Cardboard Heros for scale.<BR>The answer is "effing huge" .<BR><BR>BTW..Dom: I was unable to playtest " Hijack" using ACQ and the deckplans,<BR>because I don't have ACQ and Esdevium are out of stock! I'll order from the<BR>website, but for those of you who really want to know how useful the plans<BR>are I'm going to run Hijack with the GURPS rules instead. ACQ testing will<BR>probably be sometime next week, after I order it from BITS.<BR><BR>Dean<BR><BR>&gt; -----Original Message-----<BR>&gt; From: eris@pcola.gulf.net [mailto:eris@pcola.gulf.net]<BR>&gt; Sent: 29 December 2000 02:31<BR>&gt; To: traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>&gt; Subject: Re: Beowulf Ship Dimensions<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; On 12/29/00 at 01:40 AM,&nbsp; "Ben Aaronovitch" <BR>&gt; &lt;bem@imaginaryfilms.demon.co.uk&gt; said:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; &gt;Does anyone have any idea what the rough dimensions (height,<BR>&gt; &gt;length, width) of the various 'standard' ships are. I'm<BR>&gt; &gt;particularly interested in Beowulf free traders.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Probably, but here's a rough estimate for you.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; The Beowulf is a 200 dton ship, so it has 2,800 cubic meters of<BR>&gt; volume.&nbsp; TNE lists it as having a length of 43 m, and I think it has<BR>&gt; two decks, so that would be about 7 meters.&nbsp; With the length and<BR>&gt; height we can figure the width:&nbsp; W = 2800 / (43*7) = 9.3 m.<BR>&gt; Therefore, I'd estimate the Beowulf's dimensions as...<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Length: 43 m<BR>&gt; Width:&nbsp;&nbsp; 9 m<BR>&gt; Height:&nbsp; 7 m<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; ...a little less than 2,800 cubic meters, but close enough for<BR>&gt; government work. &lt;g&gt; <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; If you'd like to use nice easy numbers try...<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Length: 40 m<BR>&gt; Width:&nbsp; 10 m<BR>&gt; Height:&nbsp; 7 m<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; ...that works too. &lt;g&gt;<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Eris <BR>&gt; -- <BR>&gt; -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>&gt; eris@pcola.gulf.net&nbsp; &nbsp; using MR/2 ICE #245<BR>&gt; http://www.crosswinds.net/~erisr<BR>&gt; -----------------------------------------------------------<BR>&gt; <BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 13:04:47 +0100<BR>From: P-O Bergstedt &lt;zho@berka.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Water on Reno?<BR><BR>In the Classic Listings, Reno had hydrographics-2.<BR><BR>In some web-based listings, and in Galactic 2.4,<BR>and in GT:BtC, Reno has no water.<BR><BR>When and How did the water on Reno <BR>(Spinward Marches/Chronor/0102) disappear?<BR><BR>&nbsp; _____&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; _____&nbsp;&nbsp; P-O Bergstedt<BR>/&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; \&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; /&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; \&nbsp; Stockholm/SWEDEN<BR>/ * A o \_____/&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; \_____<BR>\&nbsp;&nbsp; @&nbsp;&nbsp; /&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; \&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; / Visit the Zhodani Base:<BR>\BERKA/&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; \_____/&nbsp; http://zho.berka.com/<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 12:01:02 -0000<BR>From: "Jones, Dean" &lt;Dean.Jones@fox-europe.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>Eris wrote:<BR><BR><BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; ...you get the idea?&nbsp;&nbsp; And believe me, I could expand on all <BR>&gt; those subjects, and more! ;-p<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Do you *really* want folks like us messing up your nice clean <BR>&gt; GURPS playhouse?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; <BR><BR>Yeah, nothing Steve Jackson hates more than people changing his rules :)<BR>(for those unfamiliar with the GURPS way of doing things, that was sarcasm).<BR><BR>Anday Slack ( G:T Alien Races 2 author) lives the next town over. Should I<BR>give him a call to ask about female Aslan in comfortable shoes? :)<BR><BR>Dean<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 12:03:30 -0000<BR>From: "Jones, Dean" &lt;Dean.Jones@fox-europe.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>Gordon Wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; He /did/ suggest it. And we rarely get a second invitation, so we <BR>&gt; should grab the chance to bring the alien heresy to its knees and <BR>&gt; throttle the life out of it once and for all!!!! Uh.... ahem, nurse, <BR>&gt; could you pass the pill bottle lease? &lt;grin&gt;<BR>&gt; <BR><BR>You lease your pills? I find it more cost-effective to buy pills outright.<BR><BR>Dean<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 14:41 +0000 (GMT)<BR>From: mcrobertson@cix.compulink.co.uk (Megan Robertson)<BR>Subject: Re: Character-defined task rolls (medical comments)<BR><BR>In-Reply-To: &lt;3A4ECD75.FD995FD0@ozemail.com.au&gt;<BR>Greetings dear hearts.<BR><BR>Naturally, given the availability of resus kit, someone trained to the <BR>level Robert describes is preferred over a first aider or even paramedic. <BR><BR>However when you are the person under whose nose a road accident occurs, <BR>or the one summoned to a classroom where someone has passed out and gone a <BR>truly frightening shade of greyish-green, you have to cope while more <BR>expert help is summoned. At the same time, you are telling other <BR>bystanders who to call and what to say...<BR><BR>Neither of these are 'what-ifs', both have happened to me. Both victims <BR>are alive and well, I'm glad to say. Wish you'd been around though, <BR>Robert; I'd have happily stood back and left you to it!<BR><BR>Hugs and kisses,<BR><BR>Mexal.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 10:23:39 -0700 (MST)<BR>From: Bruce Johnson &lt;johnson@Pharmacy.Arizona.EDU&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: Aliens (was Re: Noble vs. military rank)<BR><BR>On Wed, 27 Dec 2000, Kenji Schwarz wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; At 10:20 PM +0000 12/27/00, Dominic Mooney wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; &gt;That would be the same 'hack' who later directed 'Seven'?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Yup.&nbsp; David Fincher, I think is the name?&nbsp; I gather A3 was his first <BR>&gt; film after a career in music videos -- which we shouldn't hold <BR>&gt; against him, really, given how Alien (1) was Ridley Scott's first <BR>&gt; film coming out of TV commercials.&nbsp; In the '70s, no less.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Kenji<BR>&gt; <BR><BR>Actually "The Duellists" predates Alien by 2 years. One of the best<BR>movies, ever!<BR><BR>Bruce Johnson<BR>University of Arizona<BR>College of Pharmacy<BR>Information Technology Group<BR><BR>Institutions do not have opinions, merely customs<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 12:45:53 -0500<BR>From: Thom Jones-Low &lt;tjoneslo@together.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Jump emergence<BR><BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 14:00:27 +1100<BR>&gt; From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>&gt; Subject: Re: Jump emergence<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Thom Jones-Low wrote:<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Since the object under discussion is a hole in space to another<BR>&gt; &gt; dimension with completely different set of physics, does that have an<BR>&gt; &gt; effect on the internal forces? Or can we treat it as a bubble of<BR>&gt; &gt; vaporizing liquid hydrogen?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; I'd just go with the largest stress value for game purposes.&nbsp; If<BR>&gt; really pushed, I'd work out the GR curvature scalar and use that.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; (Actually, the curvature scalar might be an interesting thing to work<BR>&gt; out anyway)<BR>&gt; <BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I'd be interested in seeing what the GR curvature scalar looked like.<BR>I've been using the Tidal acceleration because it was as much physics<BR>and math as I knew and could reasonably communicate to others. <BR><BR>- -- <BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Thomas Jones-Low<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; tjoneslo@together.net<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 13:12:54 -0500<BR>From: Thom Jones-Low &lt;tjoneslo@together.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet?<BR><BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 04:16:13 -0000<BR>&gt; From: "Ben Aaronovitch" &lt;bem@imaginaryfilms.demon.co.uk&gt;<BR>&gt; Subject: Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Ben<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; 'Let's be honest here - you paid for the women.'<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bill Murrey - Scrooged<BR>&gt; <BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Considering the Starship playtest board is having an argument about the<BR>modules designs to be included in the Beowulf, I'd say no. <BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; What in particular were you wondering about?<BR>- -- <BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Thomas Jones-Low<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; tjoneslo@together.net<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 10:04:55 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>&gt;From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>...<BR>&gt;Seriously, why is a Stat-1 a FAR CRY from a Stat-4 if they do the <BR>&gt;same thing? Shouldn't we be looking at function rather than <BR>&gt;appearance? Is a red Porsche functionally different than a black <BR>...<BR>&gt;If we look at the function of the stat and not the superficial <BR>&gt;appearance, canon /5 MT has three stat levels and the /3 MT heresy <BR>&gt;has five, as follows.<BR>...<BR>&gt;Average&nbsp; &nbsp; 6,7,8&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0.444<BR>&gt;Superior&nbsp;&nbsp; 9,A,B&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0.250<BR>&gt;Superb&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; C&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0.028<BR>...<BR>&gt;(Below Average). I prefer the /3 MT heresy distribution.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Well, you've made Eris proud. Of course, now we have to burn you :&gt;<BR><BR>...<BR>&gt;levels seems to do the job of eleven very nicely. Throw out the raw <BR>&gt;dice roll completely after chargen, don't write it down anywhere, <BR>&gt;just use the stat level.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Isn't that a little bit extreme? Heck, doesn't it prevent use <BR>of the current ageing or prospective stat-improvement rules?<BR><BR>&gt;"Hit points?" You'll need a new system for this, but it should be <BR>&gt;easy to bodge together.<BR><BR>&nbsp; And encumbrance :)&nbsp; And you still have some oddities with non-humans :(<BR>Of course, it'll confuse the heck out of the TNE/G:T people, so it can't<BR>be all bad :&gt;<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 10:13:11 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR><BR>&gt;From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Doesn't the series of examples contradict your statement in<BR>&gt;&gt; answer to the issue of the time required by the sheer number<BR>&gt;&gt; of dice to be handled (and results checked!)?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;You check results under the MT system too.&nbsp; Like in combat, you check to see<BR><BR>&nbsp; I'm referring to checking the dice roll results _accurately_ - 90%<BR>of my players can do 2d6 to ~98% (?) accuracy. Some I would doubt <BR>being able to count out more than two dice reliably :(<BR><BR>&gt;KB3 does not use a generic, constant number like MT uses, so maybe it does<BR>&gt;take a bit more time.&nbsp; I don't know.<BR><BR>&nbsp; I'm used to rolling fistfuls of dice, with no errors acceptable (i.e.,<BR>I play _Titan_, and usually to win after the first few "friendly" turns).<BR>2d6 and simple task step #'s is _much_ faster, IMHO.<BR><BR>&gt;I am positive that using KB3 doesn't bog the game down though.&nbsp; *I* wouldn't<BR>&gt;want it, if it did.<BR><BR>&nbsp; You're positive that it doesn't bog the game down, but it sure as heck<BR>slows play - potentially drastically. You know the statistics are sound, <BR>yet you didn't know what the odds _were_ when you said that; forgive the<BR>skeptics if they're dubious about the rest of the sales spitch after that.<BR><BR>&nbsp; You know it's a fun and a good system - that I won't argue with.<BR><BR>&gt;As your players get used to KB3...as they get "familiar" with the system, KB3<BR>&gt;will glide along like most systems do.&nbsp; Players will instinctively know what<BR>&gt;their character's stats are and play the game using them.&nbsp; Players will also<BR>&gt;get a good feel for when to throw all dice, when to use some dice and lower<BR>&gt;difficulty, when to use some dice and raise stat for measurment.<BR><BR>&nbsp; I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but that's laughable. Most people<BR>who "feel" that they "instinctively know" the odds on dice are _marks_.<BR>You've postulated a skill system that's _very_ heavy on strange odds<BR>without any understanding of those same odds.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3491<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe<BR>"local-traveller":<BR><BR>subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net<BR><BR>A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to<BR>subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"<BR>in the commands above with "traveller".<BR><BR>Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgn.com<BR></I></I></S><XMP></XMP>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Sunday, December 31 2000&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3492<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>Re: The Perfect 2d6 System I<BR>re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>TCS squadrons - Serendip fleet train <BR>Re: H&amp;E Question<BR>Re: Aliens (was Re: Noble vs. military rank)<BR>RE: Volume of Traffic [FILK]<BR>Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>crimson short one<BR>Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>Re: My last obscenity of the century<BR>The E-Die<BR>re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>Re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>Re: My last obscenity of the century<BR>RE: Volume of Traffic [FILK]<BR>Re: Make it stop! get it out of my head!<BR>Re: The Perfect 2d6 System II<BR>Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>Re: HazMat<BR>Re: Harry Potter (Was something else, although I saw "Digest")<BR>Re: Water on Reno?<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 10:36:46 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System I<BR><BR>&gt;From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System<BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Yes, but you've 20 distinct values to build your scale around<BR>&gt;&gt; rather than only 11; not only are your edge effects less<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Yes, the biggest advantage of linear systems is that they give low<BR>&gt;granularity (i.e. lots of possible results) without nasty math like<BR>&gt;adding two-digit numbers together.<BR><BR>&nbsp; From a wargaming perspective there's also the fact that multiple-<BR>die solutions restrict you to rolling one resolution at a time :(<BR>For RPG's I'm perefectly comfortable with d% - as I half-jokingly<BR>pointed out last week it allows perfect _and_ variable mapping of<BR>stats to success, eg - Pistol could be 4x Dex +10/level, whereas<BR>a rifle (or pistol w/"smart-link" etc) could be 5 or 6x Dex base.<BR><BR>...<BR>&gt;What you really need to do when answering such questions is compare<BR>&gt;how much difference there is between effect of modifiers near the<BR>&gt;centre and near the edge.&nbsp; Once the effect varies too far, you've left<BR>&gt;the 'useful' range of modifiers.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;For any given level of tolerance, the resulting 'useful' range of<BR>&gt;probabilities on bell-curves is wider than on linear systems.&nbsp; of<BR>&gt;course, this comes at the price of granularity, as you mention.<BR>...<BR>&gt;I'd have to disagree.&nbsp; If you're happy with the effect of each +1<BR>&gt;varying by as much as 100% depending where in the distribution you<BR>&gt;are, the useful range of linear systems is about 25%-75%.&nbsp; The<BR>&gt;corresponding range for 3d6 is about 5%-95%.<BR><BR>&nbsp; If that "effects of +1 varies by as much as 100%" occurs at 3 &amp; 18<BR>on d20 (18:2-&gt;19:1 ratios; d=100%?), leaving 14 values as usable in<BR>the def'n, shouldn't the same occur at 6 &amp; 15 on 3d6 (~9:1-&gt;19:1,etc)<BR>leaving a range of only 8 values?<BR><BR>&nbsp; Looking at success-only changes, 18- on d20 is where the marginal<BR>change hits 100% (doubling) and drops from there; the equivalent<BR>(not that this is inherently an important thing to measure, AFAIK)<BR>on 3d6 is 14, IIRC (14- = ~90%, 15- = ~95%)?<BR><BR>&nbsp; From a role-play perspective my main problem with 3d6 is that it<BR>tends to be used in systems where the players get to design for<BR>the points where the system produces maximum oddities, but I'm not<BR>hostile to the mechanism itself, although it seems that I'm still<BR>not grasping the underlying statistics quite well enough.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 10:37:35 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>&gt;From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>...<BR>&gt;Seriously, why is a Stat-1 a FAR CRY from a Stat-4 if they do the <BR>&gt;same thing? Shouldn't we be looking at function rather than <BR>&gt;appearance? Is a red Porsche functionally different than a black <BR>...<BR>&gt;If we look at the function of the stat and not the superficial <BR>&gt;appearance, canon /5 MT has three stat levels and the /3 MT heresy <BR>&gt;has five, as follows.<BR>...<BR>&gt;Average&nbsp; &nbsp; 6,7,8&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0.444<BR>&gt;Superior&nbsp;&nbsp; 9,A,B&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0.250<BR>&gt;Superb&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; C&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0.028<BR>...<BR><BR>&nbsp; Bah, insufficient granularity! Make way for real fistfuls of dice!*<BR><BR>&nbsp; Try Yet Another D6 System - roll dice equal to the value of the one<BR>governing stat. Target number is skill level or less; if skill level <BR>is zero then target remains one but the number of dice to be rolled is<BR>halved (drop fractions).<BR><BR>&nbsp; Easy or slow/cautious tasks give +1 to target number. Difficult or<BR>hasty task resolutions are either at a -1 to target number or halve<BR>the number of dice to be rolled, at PC's option.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Hmm, degree/number of successes is measured inherently if you want;<BR>a "critical" failure could be measured by making a second check to<BR>"save" against such where appropriate?<BR><BR>&nbsp; And odds are actually quite straightforward to calculate at design :|<BR><BR>&nbsp; *hmm, K'kree males making Str. or End. checks -&gt; bucketfuls! <BR><BR>"ONE FOR THE MONEY TWO FOR THE SHOW THREE TO GET READY NOW ROLL KIDS ROLL!"<BR><BR>&nbsp; Steven Hudson (only half-serious just now)<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 10:52:05 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: TCS squadrons - Serendip fleet train <BR><BR>Happy Soon-to-be New Millenium!<BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; I'll try to fake one up from my Serendip fleet - w/o the cheezy<BR>&gt;&gt; drop-tank units :|<BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;TL 11, unlimited pilots,jump 2 minimum, 2 g manuvere minimum, and<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;Gas Giant refuling. <BR><BR>&nbsp; In the spirit of CT and in order to reduce my workload, I'm going<BR>to largely ignore the terms of reference and post parts of my TCS<BR>(Serendip; TL C) fleet train instead:<BR><BR>Dispatch Boat (TL C)<BR><BR>Ship: 1098-A3<BR>Class: PEEPER<BR>Type: Fleet Courier<BR>Architect: Serendip Combine Yards<BR><BR>USP&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; BA-1631331-030000-20000-0&nbsp; MCr 91.35&nbsp;&nbsp; 130 tons<BR>batt&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Crew = 2<BR><BR>Cargo: 0.6&nbsp; Fuel: 81.9&nbsp; EP: 3&nbsp; Agility: 1<BR>Fuel Treatment: none; relies on fleet units &amp; facilities<BR>Backups: bar fridge<BR>Notes: quarters is one double-occupancy stateroom.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ********<BR><BR>Tanker (TL B)<BR><BR>Ship: Mighty Moose<BR>Class: MILCH KOW<BR>Type: Tanker <BR>Architect: SCY<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <BR>USP&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; BA-K4015F3-091100-74002-0&nbsp; BCr 9,467.67&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 19,900 tons<BR>batt&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 68&nbsp; 1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Crew = 116<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; TL B<BR>Cargo: 0&nbsp; Fuel: 16318&nbsp; EP: 398&nbsp; Agility: 1&nbsp; Marines = 20<BR>Fuel Treatment: partially streamlined, refitted w/TL C purifier&nbsp; &nbsp; system<BR>Backups: comp 4 left-over at refit; may install &amp; displace two marines<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ********<BR><BR>Fleet Repair Dock (TL B)<BR><BR>Ship: Aileen<BR>Class: COTTERPIN<BR>Type: Rider Tender<BR>Architect: SCY<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <BR>USP&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; AT-P7212F3-091106-87808-0&nbsp; BCr 30438.9&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 74,900 tons<BR>batt&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1&nbsp;&nbsp; L A11 Z&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Crew = 398<BR>bearing&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1&nbsp;&nbsp; G 811 S<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; TL B<BR>Hangar: 43221&nbsp; Fuel: 16478&nbsp; EP: 1498&nbsp; Agility: 1&nbsp; Marines = 225<BR>Fuel Treatment: unstreamlined<BR>Backups: comp/4, both screens<BR>Notes: Z is 33<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson, 2000.<BR><BR>The CT Creed: There is no Game but Traveller, and High Guard is its Product<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 13:12:46 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: H&amp;E Question<BR><BR>"Jones, Dean" wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Was I? Oh. OK, let me install H&amp;E and I'll see what I can do. Which OS are<BR>&gt; you using, Ken?<BR><BR>I'm not sure which question you are answering.&nbsp; I'm using Windows 95.&nbsp; I've<BR>got the .dll needed to run the program, in fact, I can run the program nicely<BR>(although it's a bit slow crunching up world info).<BR><BR>I can generate planet maps, but when I hit the "print" button, only the text<BR>data prints--not the maps.<BR><BR>I spoke with Stuart over e-mail, and he just basically scratched his head.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 13:17:20 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Aliens (was Re: Noble vs. military rank)<BR><BR>Bruce Johnson wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Actually "The Duellists" predates Alien by 2 years. One of the best<BR>&gt; movies, ever!<BR><BR>Oh, gawd, Bruce!&nbsp; The Duellists!<BR><BR>Slow, boring movie.<BR><BR>I think Ridley is a great director if you like "visually interesting", but<BR>his pace sux!&nbsp; In fact, the only film that Ridley did that I can put on my<BR>all time fav list (because it had "visually interesting" and pace) is<BR>Thelma &amp; Louise.<BR><BR>It's a bit of a man-hater movie (there's really only one sympathetic male<BR>character in the entire cast), but it's a masterpiece.<BR><BR>Love that film.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 11:11:41<BR>From: "Douglas E. Berry" &lt;gridlore@pop.mindspring.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: Volume of Traffic [FILK]<BR><BR>At 04:25 PM 12/31/2000 +1300, you wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;It's a well know TML fact that really good posts get stored on hard drives<BR>&gt;with nary a comment, it's only the the less than good that debated<BR>&gt;endlessly.<BR><BR>The really good ones end up on the Traveller Filk Page<BR><BR>http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/travfilk.html<BR><BR><BR>- -- <BR><BR>Douglas "Penguin Boy" Berry&nbsp; gridlore@mindspring.com<BR>&nbsp; http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html<BR><BR>"But that's not the point!" raged Ford. "The point is that I am now a<BR>perfectly safe penguin, and my colleague here is rapidly running out of<BR>limbs!"&nbsp; - The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 13:21:13 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR><BR>Steven Hudson wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; I'm referring to checking the dice roll results _accurately_ - 90%<BR>&gt; of my players can do 2d6 to ~98% (?) accuracy.<BR><BR>What, do you&nbsp; give these guys a math test before you let them play in your game?<BR><BR><BR>&gt; Some I would doubt<BR>&gt; being able to count out more than two dice reliably :(<BR><BR>Oh....I see....maybe you test them!<BR><BR>:-)<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 13:26:29 -0600<BR>From: Charles R Hensley &lt;hensley.cr@gte.net&gt;<BR>Subject: crimson short one<BR><BR>I have been watching the Red Dwarf special on BBC America.&nbsp; I did not<BR>care for the early episodes. But the story line seams to have changed<BR>drastically and I think they skipped several eppisodes.The ship now has<BR>a full crew and I don't know where they came from. Lister is about to be<BR>court martialed.<BR><BR>Charles<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 13:28:15 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR><BR>Steven Hudson wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; I'm used to rolling fistfuls of dice, with no errors acceptable (i.e.,<BR>&gt; I play _Titan_, and usually to win after the first few "friendly" turns).<BR>&gt; 2d6 and simple task step #'s is _much_ faster, IMHO.<BR><BR>Figure that most of your character's skills are going to be level 1 or level 2,<BR>with a couple of specialties at level 3+.<BR><BR>What that means is that you're usually going to be throwing 1D to 3D using KB3.<BR>On some occasions, you'll throw more than that, but that won't be the norm.<BR><BR>Also figure, at Easy and Average (maybe even Difficult) difficulty categories,<BR>players will use their skill options--which means they are throwing less dice.<BR><BR>For example, If I had Skill-6, and I had to throw against an Easy (1D) difficulty,<BR>I'd throw 1D and use the skill option to remove my skill level from the<BR>difficulty.&nbsp; (1D vs 1D-6).<BR><BR>When you read through Gvoudzon's Run, notice the number of dice being thrown.<BR>What you read is a pretty typical encounter from my game.<BR><BR>The number of dice being throw with KB3 shouldn't bother you too much (even with<BR>the players you have! 8-&gt;&nbsp; )<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 13:32:03 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR><BR>Steven Hudson wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &gt;I am positive that using KB3 doesn't bog the game down though.&nbsp; *I* wouldn't<BR>&gt; &gt;want it, if it did.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; You're positive that it doesn't bog the game down, but it sure as heck<BR>&gt; slows play - potentially drastically. You know the statistics are sound,<BR>&gt; yet you didn't know what the odds _were_ when you said that; forgive the<BR>&gt; skeptics if they're dubious about the rest of the sales spitch after that.<BR><BR>Well, I've had a sheet I made telling me the odds were on the various dice throws<BR>since before I posted KB3 to the TML.&nbsp; I just couldn't figure what the real<BR>numbers were with the E-Die.&nbsp; But, I had a pretty good idea of what they were (if<BR>not specificially) just by using logic.<BR><BR>Then, Phil posted the odds sheet with the E-Die included, and my "pretty good<BR>idea" was confirmed.<BR><BR>I know the odds exactly now.&nbsp; Which odds concern you?<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 13:37:23 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR><BR>Steven Hudson wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but that's laughable. Most people<BR>&gt; who "feel" that they "instinctively know" the odds on dice are _marks_.<BR>&gt; You've postulated a skill system that's _very_ heavy on strange odds<BR>&gt; without any understanding of those same odds.<BR><BR>I can't argue with this from the way I presented myself.&nbsp; Like I said, with Phil's<BR>odds sheet, my "instinctive feel" (which was based on logic and understanding of<BR>probabilities) has been confirmed.<BR><BR>Like I said in the other post, I knew the odds on straight die vs straight die.&nbsp; I<BR>just don't have a spread sheet on this computer to figure out the effect of the<BR>E-Die, so I winged the E-Die part of it by studying the problem.<BR><BR>Now that Phil has posted the E-Die odds chart, I know the odds.<BR><BR>And, I can say to you, definitely, it's a sound (statistically speaking) system<BR>(barring objections of taste).<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 13:56:34 -0600<BR>From: John Groth &lt;wombat@premier.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: My last obscenity of the century<BR><BR>Kenji Schwarz wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; At 12:36 PM -0800 12/29/00, Kiri Aradia Morgan wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &gt; No, just remember the retaining ring next time.<BR>&gt; &gt;&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt;Make sure it's attached securely.&nbsp; You KNOW what happened the last time.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; I told them stupid skullfarmers that if they didn't use a laboratory<BR>&gt; ship for safety purposes, they was gonna be needing a lavatory ship<BR>&gt; instead.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; (Speaking of which, does anyone happen to have kept a copy of that<BR>&gt; priceless output of mistranslated design competitions?)<BR><BR>Try:<BR><BR>http://www.cinenet.net/users/cberry/t8_sayat.html<BR><BR>BTW, could you repost the translation?&nbsp;&nbsp; By the time I joined the TML,<BR>your Sayat pages were down.<BR><BR><BR>- -- <BR>AuricTech Shipyards Journeyman Gearhead<BR>"Gold-Plated [tm] solutions for copper-plated problems!" (r)<BR>Keeper of the TML Keyboard Casualty List<BR><BR>http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shadowlands/9776<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 13:54:25 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: The E-Die<BR><BR>What I like about the E-Die is the "drama" it puts into the game.&nbsp; It<BR>represents those unpredictable conditions that occur.<BR><BR>Ever read a real war story that reported some strange, real event that<BR>occured in battle?&nbsp; The E-Die puts that effect in my game.<BR><BR>If you've got a level-0 guy, and he tries to make an Impossible shot<BR>with his rifle, the chance of success under KB3 is pathetically low.<BR><BR>But, it is possible!&nbsp; The guy could roll 1D vs 6D and beat the 6D<BR>total--very, very unlikely, but possible.<BR><BR>If that happened in our game, we'd all be droppin' bricks.&nbsp; It would be<BR>a game situation that we'd be talking about for years to come.&nbsp; "Hey,<BR>remember that time when Dave was running that Traveller character, Frank<BR>Fornne, and old Frank made that damn Impossible roll to hit that Zhodani<BR>guard!&nbsp; Damn!&nbsp; What a game!"<BR><BR>The drama.&nbsp; The fun.<BR><BR>That's why I like the E-Die used in the game.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 11:56:47 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;levels seems to do the job of eleven very nicely. Throw out the raw<BR>&gt;&gt;dice roll completely after chargen, don't write it down anywhere,<BR>&gt;&gt;just use the stat level.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Isn't that a little bit extreme? Heck, doesn't it prevent use<BR>&gt;of the current ageing or prospective stat-improvement rules?<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>I've never seen a PC live long enough to age. I've aged, my players <BR>have aged, but PCs tend to burn brightly and quickly (failed reentry <BR>piloting roll). Is it a problem in any campaign?<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 14:00:40 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>Gordon Horne wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; I've never seen a PC live long enough to age. I've aged, my players<BR>&gt; have aged, but PCs tend to burn brightly and quickly (failed reentry<BR>&gt; piloting roll). Is it a problem in any campaign?<BR><BR>Depends on how you play your campaign. I've played them where we play the<BR>character's life, day by day, adventure stuck on top of adventure.&nbsp; It<BR>would take two real years to play, but the characters have only aged 2 mos<BR>(and most of that only because you tack on weeks because of jump space<BR>travel).<BR><BR>Then again, I've played them the other way too--where you play an<BR>adventure, then pick up "months later" or even "years later" to see what's<BR>happening to the characters.<BR><BR>The second way is kind of like the Dune books I'm reading.&nbsp; The second book<BR>took place 12 years after the first... the third one is 9 years<BR>later...etc.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 14:15:40 -0600<BR>From: John Groth &lt;wombat@premier.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: My last obscenity of the century<BR><BR>Kenji Schwarz wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Who would have thought I'd make it this far?&nbsp; Peculiar, I thought; and<BR>&gt; what better way to celebrate than designing an interstellar stealth<BR>&gt; military sex toy?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; (Of course, all blame must go to Andrew Akins, for providing the<BR>&gt; spreadsheet that is the ideal playground for my disorders.)<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Play safe, kids!<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; REAR INTRUSION CRUISER (FF&amp;S v2)<BR>&gt; <BR>&lt;&lt;snip&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; WEAPONRY<BR>&gt; 12xBay Lasers (+6) 1/4-4-4-4 [1,200/40-40-40-40] (LR)<BR>&gt; 1xSpinal Meson (+6) 2/10-8-5-3 [1,200/710-374-192-96] (LR)<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; [Lasers for point defense and dealing with smaller escorts and pickets<BR>&gt; that can't be sneaked past.&nbsp; Short-range but powerful meson gun to<BR>&gt; slip in past the armor and induce internal explosions in the target.]<BR><BR>I would think that a PA spinal mount would be more effective, since<BR>meson guns are unaffected by armor anyway.<BR><BR>Of course, this would be an ideal ship for inserting boarding parties. <BR>Once the RI cruiser has penetrated enemy defenses, it discharges a whole<BR>bunch of guys deep inside the target's hull, much to the dismay of the<BR>target.<BR><BR>&lt;&lt;snip&gt;&gt;<BR><BR>- -- <BR>AuricTech Shipyards Journeyman Gearhead<BR>"Gold-Plated [tm] solutions for copper-plated problems!" (r)<BR>Keeper of the TML Keyboard Casualty List<BR><BR>http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shadowlands/9776<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 15:23:17 -0500<BR>From: Kenji Schwarz &lt;schwarz@fas.harvard.edu&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: Volume of Traffic [FILK]<BR><BR>At 2:22 AM -0600 12/31/00, eris@pcola.gulf.net wrote:<BR>&gt;On 12/31/00 at 04:25 PM,&nbsp; "Frank G. Pitt" &lt;frankie@mundens.gen.nz&gt; said:<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;It's a well know TML fact that really good posts get stored on hard<BR>&gt;&gt;drives with nary a comment, it's only the the less than good that<BR>&gt;&gt;debated endlessly.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;It's a sad commentary on the TML, but Frankie is correct. Your filks <BR>&gt;have been wonderful, please, do continue.<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>It's very true.&nbsp; I try to make some appreciative noise to counteract <BR>this, but then that adds to the noisy clutter, which pleases no one, <BR>really.&nbsp; On the other hand, if the Bad Eggs -- which I'm not one of, <BR>I'm proud to claim -- start thinking that an icy, "I hope they'll <BR>just go away" silence is actually the TML equivalent of applause, the <BR>lack of feedback could end up *encouraging* crap.<BR><BR>Kenji<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 15:24:09 -0500<BR>From: Kenji Schwarz &lt;schwarz@fas.harvard.edu&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Make it stop! get it out of my head!<BR><BR>At 1:03 AM -0800 12/31/00, Gordon Horne wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;Darn you, Kenji! Now i'm going to hear all of Timothy Little's posts <BR>&gt;in Eric Cartman's voice. And the image of Doug Berry as Mrs. <BR>&gt;Kowalski is just scary 8^)<BR><BR>You have it easy, then, boyo.&nbsp; Imagine having to watch South Park and <BR>see it all as a metaphor for Traveller.<BR><BR>Kenji<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 12:30:56 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System II<BR><BR>&gt;From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System<BR>...<BR>&gt;technical reasons, the 'best' way to measure the effect of variations<BR>&gt;in probability is to look at relative changes in the success/failure<BR>&gt;ratio.&nbsp;&nbsp; e.g. 60% success -&gt; s/f ratio of .6/.4 = 1.5<BR><BR>&nbsp; OK, so both mechanisms are 50:50 at 10 or less = 1.0, and then:<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; d20&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 3d6 (%'s are approximate)<BR>12&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 60%-&gt; 1.5&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 74%-&gt; 4<BR>14&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 70%-&gt; ~2.33&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 90%-&gt; 9<BR>16&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 80%-&gt; 4.0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 98%-&gt; 49<BR>17&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 85%-&gt; ~5.67&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 99+%&gt; 215<BR>18&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 90%-&gt; 9.0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; n/a<BR>19&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 95%-&gt; 19.0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; n/a<BR><BR>&nbsp; Yes?<BR><BR>&gt;To convert relative changes to simple differences, you need to take<BR>&gt;the logarithm.&nbsp; The resulting number is the "natural parameter of the<BR>&gt;binomial distribution", where the binomial distribution gives the<BR>&gt;probabilities of getting various numbers of successes out of some<BR>&gt;fixed number of trials.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;So to measure how much effect a modifier has on a dice-rolling method,<BR>&gt;you look at the difference it has on the 'natural parameter'.<BR>...<BR>&gt;Whew -- that was a bit long and probably boring.&nbsp; The main effect is<BR>&gt;that linear systems are great in the middle where they have fine<BR>&gt;detail, but go icky at the edges.&nbsp; Bell-curve systems give up detail<BR>&gt;in the middle for a wider range of applicability.<BR><BR>&nbsp; I'm still not understanding what you mean by "a wider range of <BR>applicability", but then my last serious math courses were ~`93.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 12:57:31 PST<BR>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR><BR>In mail you write:<BR><BR>&gt;&gt;I have a suspicion that land based aircraft might become more important in<BR>&gt;&gt;this situation.&nbsp; All those US B17s start to look interesting.&nbsp; <BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Given, although their offensive capability is unimpressive - they<BR>&gt; won't have escorts.<BR><BR>Use YF-??s (the "gunship" configured B-17 variant).<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>shadow@krypton.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;--preferred<BR>leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;--last resort<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 12:59:17 PST<BR>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>Subject: Re: HazMat<BR><BR>In mail you write:<BR><BR>&gt; Antony Farrell wrote:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt; He was a little surprised when instead the weather dome on the<BR>&gt;&gt; launch pad was closed and tanker trucks carrying a quick setting<BR>&gt;&gt; liquid plastic arrived with troops to seal the ship in a block.<BR><BR>Not practical. Even if the ship has thruster plates, there are ways it<BR>can make one *hell* of a mess out of the place if they don't let it go.<BR>And in such a way that the biohazard will escape.<BR><BR>If it has a reaction drive, shutting the dome turns it from a ship to a<BR>*bomb*. <BR><BR>Also, plastic is not a good idea. There are organisms that would<BR>cheerfully *eat* the plastic...<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>shadow@krypton.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;--preferred<BR>leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;--last resort<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 13:07:06 PST<BR>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>Subject: Re: Harry Potter (Was something else, although I saw "Digest")<BR><BR>In mail you write:<BR><BR>&gt; On Sat, 30 Dec 2000 GDWGAMES@aol.com wrote:<BR>&gt;&gt; Yes . . . almost as interesting as the reaction a certain English author <BR>&gt;&gt; would receive if she had dropped a screenplay on Hollywood dealing with a <BR>&gt;&gt; small boy attending a school for witches if the books had never been <BR>&gt;&gt; published. I can see it all now: "Why does he have to be named Harry? Why <BR>&gt;&gt; does he have to be English? We'll need to lose those glasses . . . can we <BR>&gt;&gt; change the setting to California and get rid of some of the silly words . <BR>&gt; . <BR>&gt;&gt; ."&nbsp; <BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Actually, this is more or less what really happened : the American version<BR>&gt; of the first Harry Potter book is quite Americanised.<BR><BR>&gt; I am pretty certain that also the other books have been localised, but<BR>&gt; "Harry Potter and the Philopher's Stone" is, beginning with the title.<BR>&gt; Across the water, they call it, and the movie, "Sorcerer's Stone".<BR><BR>Yes, and since "the Philosopher's Stone" was one of *the* major driving<BR>elements behind alchemy in the real world, the *only* reason for the<BR>change is the contempt that US publishers have for the intelligence of<BR>the US Public. (well, the lack of intelligence of top executives may<BR>have something to do with it as well).<BR><BR>&gt; Also<BR>&gt; the setting is somewhat changed. I should probably acquire the US version<BR>&gt; and try to compile differences. Probably the other books use this US<BR>&gt; setting, too.<BR><BR>I've read all 4 of the US versions and it's definitely set in England,<BR>and other than spelling, and that stupidity with changing the name of<BR>the Stone, haven't seen evidence of other "Americanization". <BR><BR>&gt; The name change amuses me, because I first saw "Philosopher's stone" in a<BR>&gt; very American product, namely AD&amp;D Dungeon Master's Guide. <BR><BR>That's because it's a "real" myth, not a "made up" one.<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>shadow@krypton.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;--preferred<BR>leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;--last resort<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 13:16:00 PST<BR>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>Subject: Re: Water on Reno?<BR><BR>In mail you write:<BR><BR>&gt; In the Classic Listings, Reno had hydrographics-2.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; In some web-based listings, and in Galactic 2.4,<BR>&gt; and in GT:BtC, Reno has no water.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; When and How did the water on Reno <BR>&gt; (Spinward Marches/Chronor/0102) disappear?<BR><BR>Well, it's like this... a research lab discovered a new crystal form of<BR>water. Ice-9...<BR><BR>&lt;g&gt;<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>shadow@krypton.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;--preferred<BR>leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;--last resort<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3492<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe<BR>"local-traveller":<BR><BR>subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net<BR><BR>A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to<BR>subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"<BR>in the commands above with "traveller".<BR><BR>Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgn.com<BR></I></I></S><XMP></XMP>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Sunday, December 31 2000&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3493<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>Re: crimson short one<BR>Re: HazMat<BR>Re: crimson short one<BR>Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR>Re: HazMat<BR>Re: HazMat<BR>Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR>Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>Re: Lend-Lease<BR>Re: The Perfect 2d6 System I<BR>RE: Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet?<BR>RE: crimson short one<BR>Re: HazMat<BR>Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>Re: The Perfect 2d6 System II<BR>Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>Re: The Perfect 2d6 System II<BR>Re: Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet?<BR>Re: Water on Reno?<BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 01:02:56 -0000<BR>100% skill &amp; stat task system, ausfuhrung B.<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 13:17:37 PST<BR>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>Subject: Re: crimson short one<BR><BR>In mail you write:<BR><BR>&gt; I have been watching the Red Dwarf special on BBC America.&nbsp; I did not<BR>&gt; care for the early episodes. But the story line seams to have changed<BR>&gt; drastically and I think they skipped several eppisodes.The ship now has<BR>&gt; a full crew and I don't know where they came from. Lister is about to be<BR>&gt; court martialed.<BR><BR>That sounds like the *first* episode! Lister *was* court-martialed. And<BR>placed in stasis. That's how he survived the accident!<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>shadow@krypton.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;--preferred<BR>leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;--last resort<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 14:12:59 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: HazMat<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt; Antony Farrell wrote:<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;&nbsp; He was a little surprised when instead the weather dome on the<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;&nbsp; launch pad was closed and tanker trucks carrying a quick setting<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;&gt; liquid plastic arrived with troops to seal the ship in a block.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Leonard Erickson wrote:<BR>&gt;Not practical. Even if the ship has thruster plates, there are ways it<BR>&gt;can make one *hell* of a mess out of the place if they don't let it go.<BR>&gt;And in such a way that the biohazard will escape.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;If it has a reaction drive, shutting the dome turns it from a ship to a<BR>&gt;*bomb*.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Also, plastic is not a good idea. There are organisms that would<BR>&gt;cheerfully *eat* the plastic...<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>It's a good thing you weren't at the table when Anthony sprung his <BR>surprise on the player, Leonard. 8^) Actually, there's a lot of <BR>clever people on this list i'd not want to have at the table, <BR>particularly at the same time. IT's much safer if we inflict our <BR>mayhem across many different groups.<BR><BR>What is the critical mass of TML members?<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 14:15:57 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: crimson short one<BR><BR>&gt;In mail you write:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; I have been watching the Red Dwarf special on BBC America.&nbsp; I did not<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; care for the early episodes. But the story line seams to have changed<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; drastically and I think they skipped several eppisodes.The ship now has<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; a full crew and I don't know where they came from. Lister is about to be<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; court martialed.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;That sounds like the *first* episode! Lister *was* court-martialed. And<BR>&gt;placed in stasis. That's how he survived the accident!<BR><BR>Lister is also court-martialed at the start of the ?9th? season. <BR>Seems the nanobots had been busy.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 09:26:34 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-Defined Task Rolls<BR><BR>eris@pcola.gulf.net wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Tim, my problem with this is that a PhD, *history* (Edu-15) with a<BR>&gt; course in First Aid (First Aid-1) is as better at tramua care than an<BR>&gt; very experienced paramedic (Edu-10, First Aid-4).&nbsp; This is a<BR>&gt; different expression of the same problem that Ken is talking about.<BR><BR>Absolutely.&nbsp; I was nitpicking the example, not the argument.&nbsp; (Again.<BR>Maybe I should stop doing that)<BR><BR>Happy New Millennium!<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 16:36:02 -0600<BR>From: John Groth &lt;wombat@premier.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: HazMat<BR><BR>Leonard Erickson wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&lt;&lt;snips discussion of encapsuled "biohazard" ship&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Also, plastic is not a good idea. There are organisms that would<BR>&gt; cheerfully *eat* the plastic...<BR><BR>Ah, but the plastic (being quick-setting) buys a little time while the<BR>authorities melt enough glass to encapsulate the ship _right_.... ;-)<BR><BR>- -- <BR>AuricTech Shipyards Journeyman Gearhead<BR>"Gold-Plated [tm] solutions for copper-plated problems!" (r)<BR>Keeper of the TML Keyboard Casualty List<BR><BR>http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shadowlands/9776<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 09:42:17 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: HazMat<BR><BR>Gordon Horne wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; IT's much safer if we inflict our mayhem across many different<BR>&gt; groups.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; What is the critical mass of TML members?<BR><BR>From a rough extrapolation of previous posting history, I'd guess one.<BR><BR>Hang on a minute, that's ridiculous!<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 01:06:02 +0200 (EET)<BR>From: "Mikko V. I. Parviainen" &lt;mvparvia@cc.hut.fi&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR><BR>On Sun, 31 Dec 2000, Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR>&gt; Steven Hudson wrote:<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; I'm referring to checking the dice roll results _accurately_ - 90%<BR>&gt; &gt; of my players can do 2d6 to ~98% (?) accuracy.<BR>&gt; What, do you&nbsp; give these guys a math test before you let them play in your game?<BR><BR>I have noticed that Blood Bowl (and a league running for some five years)<BR>help a lot.<BR><BR>Of course the CS or engineering education helps, too...<BR><BR>- -- <BR>+++++++++[&gt;+++++++++&lt;-]&gt;-.&lt;+++++[&gt;+++&lt;-]++&gt;++.&lt;++[&gt;++++&lt;-]+&gt;+.&lt;++[&gt;----<BR>&lt;-]&gt;-.&gt;+++[&gt;++++++++++&lt;-]++&gt;++pare@iki.fi&lt;+[&gt;++++&lt;-]&gt;+.-&gt;+[&gt;++++[&lt;&lt;---&gt;<BR>&gt;-]&lt;-]&lt;.&gt;&gt;+++++++[&lt;++++++++++&gt;-]++++[&lt;+++++&gt;-]&lt;-.&gt;[-]&gt;+++[&gt;++[&lt;&lt;&lt;----&gt;&gt;<BR>&lt;&gt;&gt;-]&lt;-]&lt;&lt;.+.&gt;[-]++[&lt;++&gt;-]&lt;.++.[-]&gt;[-]++++[&lt;++&gt;-]&lt;++.&gt;&gt;++[&gt;++[&gt;-&lt;-]&lt;--]<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 15:22:51 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR><BR>&gt;From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; I'm referring to checking the dice roll results _accurately_ - 90%<BR>&gt;&gt; of my players can do 2d6 to ~98% (?) accuracy.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;What, do you&nbsp; give these guys a math test before you let them play in your<BR>game?<BR><BR>&nbsp; I'm assuming _some_ errors, and that they won't all be caught<BR>And in _Titan_ (etc.) even expert players occasionally roll the<BR>wrong number of dice.<BR><BR>&gt;&gt; Some I would doubt<BR>&gt;&gt; being able to count out more than two dice reliably :(<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Oh....I see....maybe you test them!<BR><BR>&nbsp; I play _Settlers of Catan_ with them (great game, BTW - see <BR>www.mayfairgames.com - the basic 4-player game takes ten minutes<BR>to learn and an hour to "master" tolerably well. The rest is <BR>learning to screw over the most threatening player). If they<BR>consistently have trouble adding 2d6 - and some do - I see it :&gt;<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 15:24:02 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: re: All bow before the Great and Glorious Stat!<BR><BR>&gt;From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Isn't that a little bit extreme? Heck, doesn't it prevent use<BR>&gt;&gt;of the current ageing or prospective stat-improvement rules?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;I've never seen a PC live long enough to age. I've aged, my players <BR><BR>&nbsp; Even in char-gen! Now _that_ is a tough game :&gt;<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 15:33:56 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR><BR>&gt;From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>...<BR>&gt;Figure that most of your character's skills are going to be level 1 or level 2,<BR>&gt;with a couple of specialties at level 3+.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Doesn't T4 use substantially higher skill levels than that? At least<BR>for the skills that each PC will be trying to use the most, anyway?<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 15:41:16 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: Lend-Lease<BR><BR>&gt;From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;I have a suspicion that land based aircraft might become more important in<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;this situation.&nbsp; All those US B17s start to look interesting.&nbsp; <BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Given, although their offensive capability is unimpressive - they<BR>&gt;&gt; won't have escorts.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Use YF-??s (the "gunship" configured B-17 variant).<BR><BR>&nbsp; This wasn't the solution over Europe, although some of the Jap a/c<BR>were a bit flimsy if you could get at them, or so I hear. Their <BR>defensive role didn't start well, but radar and proper war-readiness <BR>status should have changed that a lot. <BR><BR>&nbsp; But without the accuracy of low-level attacks it's hard to see what<BR>the B-17's would be able to bomb of Japanese facilities. Which could<BR>very well leave them marginal at best while carrier strikes try to<BR>fight the war; once the logistics are in place the USN can move in<BR>all of the heavy units and start to destroy the IJN basing structure<BR>in the SW-Pac. Probably a much better war for the Aussie economy :&gt;<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 10:44:05 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System I<BR><BR>Steven Hudson wrote:<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; From a wargaming perspective there's also the fact that multiple-<BR>&gt; die solutions restrict you to rolling one resolution at a time :(<BR><BR>Yes, I've been there too :(<BR><BR>&gt; For RPG's I'm perefectly comfortable with d% - as I half-jokingly<BR>&gt; pointed out last week it allows perfect _and_ variable mapping of<BR>&gt; stats to success, eg - Pistol could be 4x Dex +10/level, whereas<BR>&gt; a rifle (or pistol w/"smart-link" etc) could be 5 or 6x Dex base.<BR><BR>Yes; the granularity is very fine, so small variations are easier to<BR>deal with.<BR><BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; If that "effects of +1 varies by as much as 100%" occurs at 3 &amp; 18<BR>&gt; on d20 (18:2-&gt;19:1 ratios; d=100%?), leaving 14 values as usable in<BR>&gt; the def'n, shouldn't the same occur at 6 &amp; 15 on 3d6 (~9:1-&gt;19:1,etc)<BR><BR>We're not interested directly in the effect of +1 on the s/f ratios,<BR>we're interested in how much that effect *varies* across the range.<BR>i.e.&nbsp; The relative effect.<BR><BR>The absolute effect you calculate here is useful for determining<BR>granularity.&nbsp; As you correctly state, d20 is less granular than 3d6 --<BR>the effect of a +1 is generally smaller than on 3d6.<BR><BR>The relative effect simply compares the effects near the centre to<BR>those further out, looking at how 'uneven' the effect is.&nbsp; This is<BR>actually fairly independent of the details -- a d100 system has about<BR>the same useful range as d20 for a given value of tolerance, though<BR>much finer granularity.<BR><BR>The useful range is wider in XdY systems, but again it is relatively<BR>independent of which XdY you pick.&nbsp; I'll run through an example:<BR><BR><BR>(Let's call the natural paramter 'mu' so I don't have to keep writing<BR>it out)<BR><BR>At the centre of d20, a +1 increases s/f by a factor of 1.222<BR>(i.e. 10:10-&gt;11:9).&nbsp; Taking the natural logarithm (to get mu), that<BR>means that +1 in modifier gives +0.2 in mu.<BR><BR>So if we have a tolerance of a factor of two in effect, we need to<BR>look at where a +1 modifier changes mu by 0.4 or less.&nbsp; That happens<BR>between 4 and 16 on a d20.&nbsp; (16-&gt;17 is a change of +0.35 in mu, 17-18<BR>is +0.46).&nbsp; That is, we have a range of useful probabilities between<BR>20% and 80%.&nbsp; If you do the same calculation for d100 you will get<BR>a similar result (15%-85%).<BR><BR>At the centre of (say) 3d6, a +1 increases s/f by 66% and hence mu by<BR>0.51.&nbsp; We're interested in the range over which mu changes by less<BR>than 1.02.&nbsp; For 3-&gt;4, mu changes by 1.4.&nbsp; For 4-&gt;5, mu changes by<BR>0.95, so the useful range is thus 4 to 17 or probabilities between 2%<BR>and 98%.<BR><BR>If you tighten the tolerance, both ranges will shrink.&nbsp; If you widen<BR>the tolerance, both ranges will expand.<BR><BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Looking at success-only changes, 18- on d20 is where the marginal<BR>&gt; change hits 100% (doubling) and drops from there; the equivalent<BR>&gt; (not that this is inherently an important thing to measure, AFAIK)<BR>&gt; on 3d6 is 14, IIRC (14- = ~90%, 15- = ~95%)?<BR><BR>Yes, this is a reflection of the fact that 3d6 is about 2-3 times<BR>coarser to begin with.&nbsp; If you want both consistent modifiers and high<BR>granularity, you could always roll 2d20 :^) A much wider useful range<BR>than d20 alone, with the same granularity at the centre and much<BR>better behaviour out toward the edges.<BR><BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; From a role-play perspective my main problem with 3d6 is that it<BR>&gt; tends to be used in systems where the players get to design for the<BR>&gt; points where the system produces maximum oddities,<BR><BR>:^)<BR><BR>Every system has oddities.&nbsp; I prefer bell-curve systems because they<BR>tend to reduce many of those oddities.&nbsp; I'd like higher granularity<BR>though; 2d20 might be a reasonable compromise between complexity,<BR>granularity and consistency of modifiers.&nbsp; 13+15 isn't really any<BR>different in difficulty from adding 5+3+4, though still more effort<BR>than just reading a single d20.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 12:55:36 +1300<BR>From: "Frank G. Pitt" &lt;frankie@mundens.gen.nz&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet?<BR><BR>Ben Aaronovitch wrote :<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet.<BR><BR>It's in the basic GURPS:Traveller rulebook with GT Stats and a simple<BR>deck-plan, if that helps at all.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 12:55:35 +1300<BR>From: "Frank G. Pitt" &lt;frankie@mundens.gen.nz&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: crimson short one<BR><BR>Leonard Erickson wrote:<BR>&gt; In mail you write:<BR>&gt; &gt; I have been watching the Red Dwarf special on BBC America.&nbsp; I did not<BR>&gt; &gt; care for the early episodes. But the story line seams to have changed<BR>&gt; &gt; drastically and I think they skipped several eppisodes.The ship now has<BR>&gt; &gt; a full crew and I don't know where they came from. Lister is about to be<BR>&gt; &gt; court martialed.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; That sounds like the *first* episode! Lister *was* court-martialed. And<BR>&gt; placed in stasis. That's how he survived the accident!<BR><BR>It's also in the seventh series, the nanobots recreate Red Dwarf, including<BR>the crew.<BR>And naturally our heroes get in trouble....<BR><BR>Frankie<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 15:54:14 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: HazMat<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt; It's much safer if we inflict our mayhem across many different<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt; groups.<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; What is the critical mass of TML members?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;From a rough extrapolation of previous posting history, I'd guess one.<BR><BR>HA!!<BR><BR>&gt;Hang on a minute, that's ridiculous!<BR><BR>And so are we 8^)<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 17:53:38 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR><BR>Steven Hudson wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Doesn't T4 use substantially higher skill levels than that? At least<BR>&gt; for the skills that each PC will be trying to use the most, anyway?<BR><BR>My campaign is mixed with characters generated from CT, MT, and T4.&nbsp; If a player<BR>goes with a 4 year method from CT or MT, I give them 1 skill per year (instead of 1<BR>per four years), and the systems come out about equal.<BR><BR>I have noticed that the actual skill level you get under the T4 chargen system is<BR>about the same as the CT/MT methods, but, in T4, you tend to just get more skills<BR>(more in number--not really in skill level).&nbsp; My method of giving CT/MT 4 yr chargen<BR>characters balances out nicely, and I leave CT/MT advanced chargen as is--that<BR>balances nicely with T4 too.<BR><BR>So, right now, in my group, I've got:<BR><BR>Gvoudzon (NPC from the Traveller Adventure, beefed up with some skills that the<BR>players needed when we started the campaign 4 years ago--I'm assuming this guy was<BR>generated for the Traveller adventure using CT rules--but like I said, I added a<BR>couple of skills as a GM option).<BR>1 level-3 skill<BR>3 level-2 skills<BR>12 level-1 skills<BR><BR>Baron Vaan Praygor (generated with T4 "noble" career).<BR>1 level-2 skill<BR>12 level-1 skills<BR><BR>Daeus Jacks (generated with MT advanced chargen)<BR>1 level-4 skill<BR>1 level-3 skill<BR>3 level-2 skills<BR>9 level-1 skills<BR><BR>Frank Fornne (generated with MT advanced chargen)<BR>1 level-3 skill<BR>2 level-2 skills<BR>13 level-1 skills<BR><BR>Too Neimerani (generated with T4 "doctor" career)<BR>1 level-5 skill<BR>7 level-1 skills<BR><BR>Gyr Lurkhurdaadaagige (generated with MT advanced chargen)<BR>3 level-3 skills<BR>1 level-2 skill<BR>6 level-1 skills<BR><BR><BR><BR>So, the question was:&nbsp; Am I going to be using a lot of dice using KB3.&nbsp; Judging by<BR>those skill levels, I don't think so.&nbsp; Most of the game will consist of 2D and 3D<BR>dice throws.<BR><BR>Anyway...<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 19:02:09 -0500 (EST)<BR>From: Michael Houghton &lt;herveus@Radix.Net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR><BR>Howdy!<BR><BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Use YF-??s (the "gunship" configured B-17 variant).<BR>&gt; <BR>YB-40; add another Bendix top turret in the radio area and a boatload more<BR>ammo in the bomb bay.<BR><BR>yours,<BR>Michael<BR>- -- <BR>Michael and MJ Houghton&nbsp;&nbsp; | Herveus d'Ormonde and Megan O'Donnelly<BR>herveus@radix.net&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; | White Wolf and the Phoenix<BR>Bowie, MD, USA&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; | Tablet and Inkle bands, and other stuff<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; | http://www.radix.net/~herveus/<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 11:11:13 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System II<BR><BR>Steven Hudson wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; d20&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 3d6 (%'s are approximate)<BR>&gt; 12&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 60%-&gt; 1.5&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 74%-&gt; 4<BR>&gt; 14&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 70%-&gt; ~2.33&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 90%-&gt; 9<BR>&gt; 16&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 80%-&gt; 4.0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 98%-&gt; 49<BR>&gt; 17&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 85%-&gt; ~5.67&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 99+%&gt; 215<BR>&gt; 18&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 90%-&gt; 9.0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; n/a<BR>&gt; 19&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 95%-&gt; 19.0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; n/a<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Yes?<BR><BR>That's pretty close to the s/f ratio table, yes.<BR>Next the table of 'natural parameters' i.e. ln(s/f):<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; d20&nbsp; &nbsp; 3d6<BR>10&nbsp; &nbsp; 0&nbsp; &nbsp; 0<BR>11&nbsp; &nbsp; .20&nbsp; &nbsp; .51<BR>12&nbsp; &nbsp; .41&nbsp; &nbsp; 1.05<BR>13&nbsp; &nbsp; .62&nbsp; &nbsp; 1.64<BR>14&nbsp; &nbsp; .85&nbsp; &nbsp; 2.28<BR>15&nbsp; &nbsp; 1.10&nbsp; &nbsp; 3.03<BR>16&nbsp; &nbsp; 1.39&nbsp; &nbsp; 3.97<BR>17&nbsp; &nbsp; 1.73&nbsp; &nbsp; 5.37<BR>18&nbsp; &nbsp; 2.20&nbsp; &nbsp; Inf<BR>19&nbsp; &nbsp; 2.94<BR>20&nbsp; &nbsp; Inf<BR><BR>Now the effect of a +1 at each point:<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; d20&nbsp; &nbsp; 3d6<BR>10&nbsp; &nbsp; .20&nbsp; &nbsp; .51<BR>11&nbsp; &nbsp; .20&nbsp; &nbsp; .54<BR>12&nbsp; &nbsp; .21&nbsp; &nbsp; .59<BR>13&nbsp; &nbsp; .23&nbsp; &nbsp; .64<BR>14&nbsp; &nbsp; .25&nbsp; &nbsp; .74<BR>15&nbsp; &nbsp; .29&nbsp; &nbsp; .95<BR>16&nbsp; &nbsp; .35&nbsp; &nbsp; 1.40<BR>17&nbsp; &nbsp; .46&nbsp; &nbsp; Inf<BR>18&nbsp; &nbsp; .75<BR>19&nbsp; &nbsp; Inf<BR><BR>As you can see, each +1 has less effect in d20 than in 3d6.&nbsp; That is,<BR>d20 is a less granular system.&nbsp; As you can also see, 16 on d20 is as<BR>high as you can go without more than doubling the effect of a +1<BR>compared with the center.&nbsp; That happens at 15 on 3d6.&nbsp; There would be<BR>a similar effect in the bottom half of the scale.<BR><BR>In terms of usefully-generated probabilities, they correspond to<BR>20-80% on d20, and 5-95% on 3d6.<BR><BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; I'm still not understanding what you mean by "a wider range of <BR>&gt; applicability", but then my last serious math courses were ~`93.<BR><BR>I hope this makes it a little more understandable.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 09:35:42 +1000<BR>From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR><BR>One hundred years ago, some bunch of fortunately now dead rich white guys<BR>stitched up a deal.&nbsp; &lt;Expletive deleted&gt; them. &lt;Expletive deleted&gt; their<BR>children.&nbsp; &lt;Expletive deleted&gt; their country.&nbsp; &lt;Expletive deleted&gt; the<BR>horses they rode in on.&nbsp; <BR><BR>No country ever deserves to be formed on the basis on such a totally Monty<BR>Python basis as Australia:&nbsp; No P**fters!&nbsp; No Women!&nbsp; (I don't know how that<BR>was supposed to work.)&nbsp; No Black People!<BR><BR>This is my official message to recognise that the Commonwealth of Australia<BR>is one hundred years old.&nbsp; <BR><BR>Its _first_ just war was in 1998.&nbsp; The Commonwealth of Australia is an<BR>enemy of humanity.&nbsp;&nbsp; Victory to the Yellow/Red/whatever Peril!<BR><BR>Alan Bradley<BR>alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 16:24:46 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System II<BR><BR>&gt;[one of the larger snips in TML history]<BR>&gt;I hope this makes it a little more understandable.<BR><BR>I've just been following along these two threads, but that is one of <BR>the clearest explanations i've heard. I learned something new (and <BR>how to apply it).<BR><BR>Thank you very much, Tim.<BR><BR>TTFN<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 00:28:53 -0000<BR>From: "Ben Aaronovitch" &lt;bem@imaginaryfilms.demon.co.uk&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet?<BR><BR>As far as I can tell the Beowulf in GT is broken (at least when I design it from<BR>scratch using GTS.<BR><BR>I just want to use one for a trading campaign (sort of) and the exact amount of<BR>cargo it can carry becomes very important when every credit counts.<BR><BR>Ben<BR><BR>'Let's be honest here - you paid for the women.'<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Bill Murrey - Scrooged<BR>- ----- Original Message -----<BR>From: Thom Jones-Low &lt;tjoneslo@together.net&gt;<BR>To: &lt;traveller@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2000 6:12 PM<BR>Subject: Re: Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet?<BR><BR><BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 04:16:13 -0000<BR>&gt; &gt; From: "Ben Aaronovitch" &lt;bem@imaginaryfilms.demon.co.uk&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; Subject: Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet?<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet.<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; Ben<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; 'Let's be honest here - you paid for the women.'<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bill Murrey - Scrooged<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Considering the Starship playtest board is having an argument about the<BR>&gt; modules designs to be included in the Beowulf, I'd say no.<BR>&gt; What in particular were you wondering about?<BR>&gt; --<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Thomas Jones-Low<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; tjoneslo@together.net<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 20:06:20 -0500<BR>From: Jeff Zeitlin &lt;jzeitlin@cyburban.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Water on Reno?<BR><BR>On Sun, 31 Dec 2000 13:10:45 -0500 (EST), P-O Bergstedt &lt;zho@berka.com&gt;<BR>wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;In the Classic Listings, Reno had hydrographics-2.<BR><BR>&gt;In some web-based listings, and in Galactic 2.4,<BR>&gt;and in GT:BtC, Reno has no water.<BR><BR>&gt;When and How did the water on Reno <BR>&gt;(Spinward Marches/Chronor/0102) disappear?<BR><BR>/me wonders if Alvin Plummer was being entirely candid about the setting<BR>for one of his submissions to Freelance Traveller<BR>(http://www.downport.com/freelancetraveller/features/advents/visitors.html)...<BR>- --<BR>Jeff Zeitlin<BR>jzeitlin@cyburban.com<BR>(Ask me via email about the ILink message network!)<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 01:02:56 -0000<BR>From: "michael.scanlon" &lt;michael.scanlon@bmthonline.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 01:02:56 -0000<BR><BR>Subscribe<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 20:16:17 EST<BR>From: "Michael A. Hoxie" &lt;ludowick@juno.com&gt;<BR>Subject: 100% skill &amp; stat task system, ausfuhrung B.<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;Now, if just every point of MT character stat meant something,<BR>&gt;somewhere, to the roll....<BR><BR>Here is an updated version of my earlier post for a task system<BR>that uses all of a character's skill, and all of their stat.&nbsp; Now<BR>even easier to use.&nbsp; It works its magic by making success/failure<BR>(skill based) a different mechanic from degree of success/failure<BR>(stat based).&nbsp; Sort of like combat rules, where to hit rolls are<BR>separate from damage.<BR><BR>Get five D6: 3 red, 2 white (where's that "Risk" box...).&nbsp; The white<BR>dice are used to determine success, the red determine the degree of<BR>success.&nbsp; Roll using the MT or CT or BITS task system.&nbsp; Use only DMs<BR>for skill &amp; situation, none from stat.&nbsp; For MT, the new difficulty <BR>levels are:<BR><BR>Easy:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 3+<BR>Routine:&nbsp; &nbsp; 6+<BR>Difficult:&nbsp; &nbsp; 10+<BR>Formidable:&nbsp; &nbsp; 14+<BR>Impossible:&nbsp; &nbsp; 18+<BR><BR>The GM could optionally specify most tasks as skill + skill, and use<BR>the MT success levels as stated in the rulebooks.<BR><BR>The method for determining exceptional success/failure from MT is<BR>also deleted, as it's replaced by my new mechanic.<BR><BR>When a player or the ref rolls for a task, roll the five dice (3 red<BR>2 white) at once, in one big handful.&nbsp; The white dice determine if<BR>the roll succeeds/fails, according to the rules from CT, BITS, or MT,<BR>whatever is the rule set used by the gaming group -- i.e. sum them &amp;<BR>compare with target number (modified by any situational or skill DMs).<BR><BR>The three red dice determine success/failure level.&nbsp; Sum them and <BR>subtract 2 from the total (3D-2, for a range of 1 to 16).<BR><BR>If the result of the red dice roll is &lt; = Stat, then the task is a <BR>greater success if the white dice roll indicated a success, or an <BR>ordinary failure if the white dice indicated failure.<BR><BR>If the red dice roll &gt; Stat, then the task is a marginal success if<BR>the white dice indicate a success, or a greater failure if the white<BR>dice indicate the task failed.<BR><BR>The GM may want to set additional requirements (second roll must be less<BR>than Stat by 2 or more, say, to get greater success; second roll must<BR>be higher than stat by 3 or more for greater failure -- something like<BR>that).&nbsp; Works best if greater success/failure is ruled to be not very<BR>much greater/worse (e.g. +1D damage instead of 2 x damage).<BR><BR><BR>It's easy.&nbsp; Uses 100% of skill &amp; stat.&nbsp; All done in one dice throw.<BR>Covers stat range 1-16, thus is broken by K'kree &amp; Virushi, but they<BR>don't show up in too many campaigns.<BR><BR>Ludowick&nbsp; <BR><BR>________________________________________________________________<BR>GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!<BR>Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!<BR>Join Juno today!&nbsp; For your FREE software, visit:<BR>http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3493<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe<BR>"local-traveller":<BR><BR>subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net<BR><BR>A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to<BR>subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"<BR>in the commands above with "traveller".<BR><BR>Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgn.com<BR></I></I></S><XMP></XMP>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Sunday, December 31 2000&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3494<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>Hell's Bells &amp; Buckets of Dice: MT5 Task System!<BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 01:20:15 -0000<BR>Re: HazMat<BR>re: Lend-Lease<BR>Happy New Millennium<BR>re: 100% skill &amp; stat task system, ausfuhrung B.<BR>Re: crimson short one <BR>Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>Re: The Perfect 2d6 System II<BR>Commercial Niches for Small Ships - One (was counting ships)<BR>re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>Re: Character-defined task rolls (medical comments)<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: New task description<BR>Re: HazMat<BR>Re: The Perfect 2-step Task System for Guaranteed Success<BR>Re: crimson short one<BR>Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: The Perfect 2d6 System II<BR>Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>Oops!&nbsp; Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>Re: Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet?<BR>Re : medical training (was Character-Defined Task Rolls)<BR>Re: Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet?<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 20:16:17 EST<BR>From: "Michael A. Hoxie" &lt;ludowick@juno.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Hell's Bells &amp; Buckets of Dice: MT5 Task System!<BR><BR>Arrrgh!&nbsp; Here's a timber-splittin' task system that makes *every*<BR>point of stat-n-skill count.&nbsp; Arrgghh!&nbsp; It's so easy, it doesn't<BR>require any division.<BR><BR>Basically, it's just the plain old DGP/MT task system that seems<BR>pretty popular around these waters.&nbsp; There are some minor changes:<BR><BR>1)&nbsp; &nbsp; Multiply all required rolls by 5:<BR><BR>Easy:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 15+<BR>Routine:&nbsp; &nbsp; 35+<BR>Difficult:&nbsp; &nbsp; 55+<BR>Formidible:&nbsp; &nbsp; 75+<BR>Impossible:&nbsp; &nbsp; 95+<BR><BR>2)&nbsp; &nbsp; DMs provided by skills are multiplied by 5 (skill-1 provides<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; a +5 DM, skill-3 provides +15, etc.).<BR><BR>2A)&nbsp; &nbsp; Zero level skills add a +3 DM.<BR><BR>2B)&nbsp; &nbsp; PCs using JOT to do a task they are not truly proficient in<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; get +1 DM per level of JOT skill to succeed in the attempt.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Referee's judgement is necessary to determine if JOT could<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; be used in any given task (as in CT).<BR><BR>3)&nbsp; &nbsp; Instead of add stat/5 (dropping all fractions) as a DM, you add<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; THE WHOLE STAT!&nbsp; So if PC has Dexterity-7, they get a +7 DM<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; to any task where Dexterity provides a DM.&nbsp; Dexterity-6 gives<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; +6 DM.<BR><BR>4)&nbsp; &nbsp; Roll all tasks on 10D.&nbsp; That's 10D6.&nbsp; Sum, add the DMs, compare<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; to target number.&nbsp; Easy as souffle.<BR><BR>5)&nbsp; &nbsp; Spectacular success, etc. require beating a target number by<BR>10.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; No problem.<BR><BR>I think we've done it, mateys, Arrggh!&nbsp; Twice as much fun as Yahtzee!<BR><BR>Ludowick &lt;It was so simple; why hasn't anyone thought of it before...&gt;<BR><BR>________________________________________________________________<BR>GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!<BR>Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!<BR>Join Juno today!&nbsp; For your FREE software, visit:<BR>http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 01:20:15 -0000<BR>From: "michael.scanlon" &lt;michael.scanlon@bmthonline.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 01:20:15 -0000<BR><BR>Subscribe<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 16:37:51 PST<BR>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>Subject: Re: HazMat<BR><BR>In mail you write:<BR><BR>&gt; Leonard Erickson wrote:<BR>&gt;&gt; <BR>&gt; &lt;&lt;snips discussion of encapsuled "biohazard" ship&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt; <BR>&gt;&gt; Also, plastic is not a good idea. There are organisms that would<BR>&gt;&gt; cheerfully *eat* the plastic...<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Ah, but the plastic (being quick-setting) buys a little time while the<BR>&gt; authorities melt enough glass to encapsulate the ship _right_.... ;-)<BR><BR>Actually, given fusion ower sources and the like, it'd be trivial to<BR>design a "glass blower". Something that you fed pellets or "sand" and<BR>sprayed glass droplets that would cool just enough to spread, and fuse<BR>with any existing layer of glass. The effect would be rather like the<BR>ice buildup from "freezing rain". Only faster, since glass is more<BR>viscous. <BR><BR>Heck. It'd be a good way to seal tunnels on airless worlds. So it<BR>doesn't even have to have been developed to contain biohazards. <BR><BR>BTW, can you imagine troops in anything less than battledress coming up<BR>against such a gizmo in a tunnel or corridor? &lt;shudder&gt;<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>shadow@krypton.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;--preferred<BR>leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;--last resort<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 20:37:40 -0500<BR>From: "Walt Smith" &lt;firelock_ny@hotmail.com&gt;<BR>Subject: re: Lend-Lease<BR><BR>Michael Houghton wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;Use YF-??s (the "gunship" configured B-17 variant).<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;YB-40; add another Bendix top turret in the radio area and a boatload more <BR>&gt;ammo in the bomb bay.<BR><BR>(For those who are not WW2 warplane afficionados:&nbsp; he's referring<BR>to a powered turret with twin .50 caliber machine guns in it.)<BR><BR>IIRC, the gunship variant of the B-17 also had dual powered<BR>gun mounts at both waist positions, and some extra armor<BR>on vital areas.&nbsp; As it was based on the B-17 G, it also had<BR>a dual .50 caliber machine gun turret in the nose - so seven<BR>dual gun mounts and two single gun mounts in the sides of<BR>the nose (the "cheek guns"), the YB-40 was quite well-armed.<BR>It was tested, but wasn't put into production for two reasons:<BR><BR>1) Once the regular B-17's had dropped their bomb loads, the<BR>YB-40 (with its armor and extra gun mounts) couldn't keep<BR>up with them.&nbsp; Even with its extra teeth, it still couldn't<BR>survive the trip home alone.<BR><BR>2) Long range allied fighters were in development, and seemed<BR>to be a better and more flexible solution to bomber escort<BR>than gunship variants of the bombers.<BR><BR>But they still looked really cool.<BR><BR>Walt Smith<BR>_________________________________________________________________<BR>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 01:55 +0000 (GMT)<BR>From: mcrobertson@cix.compulink.co.uk (Megan Robertson)<BR>Subject: Happy New Millennium<BR><BR>Greetings dear hearts.<BR><BR>A very happy new millennium to all of you...<BR><BR>Good TRAVELLING.<BR><BR>Hugs and kisses,<BR><BR>Mexal.<BR>(who sat down to watch '2001' - well, it seemed appropriate, really!).<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 18:11:18 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: re: 100% skill &amp; stat task system, ausfuhrung B.<BR><BR>&gt;From: "Michael A. Hoxie" &lt;ludowick@juno.com&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: 100% skill &amp; stat task system, ausfuhrung B.<BR>...<BR>&gt;It's easy.&nbsp; Uses 100% of skill &amp; stat.&nbsp; All done in one dice throw.<BR>&gt;Covers stat range 1-16, thus is broken by K'kree &amp; Virushi, but they<BR>&gt;don't show up in too many campaigns.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Luckily - they're hell on the furniture, too.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 20:12:21 -0600<BR>From: Charles R Hensley &lt;hensley.cr@gte.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: crimson short one <BR><BR>&gt;&gt;In mail you write:<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;&nbsp; I have been watching the Red Dwarf special on BBC America.&nbsp; I did<BR>not<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;&nbsp; care for the early episodes. But the story line seams to have<BR>changed<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;&nbsp; drastically and I think they skipped several eppisodes.The ship now<BR>has<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;&nbsp; a full crew and I don't know where they came from. Lister is about<BR>to be<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;&nbsp; court martialed.<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;That sounds like the *first* episode! Lister *was* court-martialed.<BR>And<BR>&gt;&gt;placed in stasis. That's how he survived the accident!<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Lister is also court-martialed at the start of the ?9th? season.<BR>&gt;Seems the nanobots had been busy.<BR><BR>The next episode helped.&nbsp; It started out Red Dwarf 8. The whole crew was<BR>court martialed.&nbsp; But it seams I missed the episodes with the nanobots,<BR>or BBCA skipped those episodes. season eight was much better than the 17<BR>shows I saw yesterday.<BR><BR>Charles H<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 18:12:26 PST<BR>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR><BR>In mail you write:<BR><BR>&gt; Howdy!<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt; <BR>&gt;&gt; Use YF-??s (the "gunship" configured B-17 variant).<BR>&gt;&gt; <BR>&gt; YB-40; add another Bendix top turret in the radio area and a boatload more<BR>&gt; ammo in the bomb bay.<BR><BR>They had more than that. I recall a figure of 17 50 cal machineguns and<BR>a nose mounted 20mm cannon.<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>shadow@krypton.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;--preferred<BR>leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;--last resort<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 18:26:51 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR><BR>&gt;From: "Mikko V. I. Parviainen" &lt;mvparvia@cc.hut.fi&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: Gvoudzon's Run...<BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt; &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; I'm referring to checking the dice roll results _accurately_ - 90%<BR>&gt;&gt; &gt; of my players can do 2d6 to ~98% (?) accuracy.<BR>...<BR>&gt;I have noticed that Blood Bowl (and a league running for some five years)<BR>&gt;help a lot.<BR><BR>&nbsp; I finally got a copy of the old game _Grav Ball_ (FASA?) but it wasn't -<BR>needless to say - as good as I remembered it. Didn't get the teensy little<BR>6-8mm lead minis for it though :(&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; But I'm patient...<BR><BR>&gt;... engineering education helps, too...<BR><BR>&nbsp; I dunno - several of them are pretty bad with 2d6 - _and_ they<BR>tend to eat with their fingers, etc. :)<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 18:27:42 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System II<BR><BR>&gt;From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System II<BR>...<BR>&gt;I've just been following along these two threads, but that is one of <BR>&gt;the clearest explanations i've heard. I learned something new (and <BR>&gt;how to apply it).<BR><BR>&nbsp; "But Brain, what will we _do_ with this knowledge?"<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 02:27:37 -0000<BR>From: "Ben Aaronovitch" &lt;bem@imaginaryfilms.demon.co.uk&gt;<BR>Subject: Commercial Niches for Small Ships - One (was counting ships)<BR><BR>I've been solo role playing various Free Trader set ups recently and I've<BR>identified some market niches which are not really suitable for player<BR>characters could make interesting background elements.<BR><BR>Niche One.<BR>The routine tramp steamer.<BR>Example: Mora and Nadrin. Distance: 1 parsec.<BR>Bilateral Trade Numbers (freight/passengers) 7/7<BR><BR>This route generates 4-5 dtons of cargo and around 1 passenger per day. It will<BR>take on average 2 weeks to fill the hold of a standard Beowulf (69-75 dtons, the<BR>same period will generate about 14 passengers. There is unlikely to be<BR>competition because given the volumes involved 'there can be only one'.<BR><BR>The key to this niche is a timetable, the ship departs each system on a fixed<BR>day, like clockwork, customers can then plan their deliveries in advance. This<BR>cuts down on warehouse time etc. This ship would also probably have the mail<BR>contract as well. The crew would be very well known on Nadrin (population 900).<BR>The best Terran analogy would be a small Island community (such as those in<BR>Scotland).<BR><BR>Game Implications.<BR>Anyone planning a one off of bulk transport to or from Nadrin would probably<BR>have to charter a ship to carry it. If they try to undercut the routine<BR>freighter on the return journey they may incur some hostility from the freighter<BR>crew (and possibly the locals as well).<BR><BR>Ben<BR><BR><BR>'Let's be honest here - you paid for the women.'<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Bill Murrey - Scrooged<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 18:38:11 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR><BR>&gt;From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;One hundred years ago, some bunch of fortunately now dead rich white guys<BR>&gt;stitched up a deal.&nbsp; &lt;Expletive deleted&gt; them. &lt;Expletive deleted&gt; their<BR>&gt;children.&nbsp; &lt;Expletive deleted&gt; their country.&nbsp; &lt;Expletive deleted&gt; the<BR>&gt;horses they rode in on.&nbsp; <BR><BR>&nbsp; You know, with an attitude like that you can see why they wanted to<BR>wash their hands of the lot of troublemakers! :)<BR><BR>&gt;No country ever deserves to be formed on the basis on such a totally Monty<BR>&gt;Python basis as Australia:&nbsp; No P**fters!&nbsp; No Women!&nbsp; (I don't know how that<BR>&gt;was supposed to work.)&nbsp; No Black People!<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 10:32:20 +1000<BR>From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Character-defined task rolls (medical comments)<BR><BR>&gt; From: "Robert O'Connor" <BR>&gt; Your average medical student is also not as bright as supposed by the<BR>&gt; general community. In Australia, at least, the really bright ones tend<BR>&gt; to do law, sciences (esp. IT/biotech/maths) or engineering.<BR><BR>Heh.&nbsp; I dropped out of Med nearly two decades ago.&nbsp; I was playing too many<BR>roleplaying games to pass....<BR><BR>I saw the kind of chowderheads who are med students.&nbsp; (Covers head, curls<BR>up into a ball, hopes to never need medical attention.)<BR><BR>The best ones are the god-botherers, sadly.&nbsp; They are the ones that paid<BR>attention in lectures.&nbsp; The more real people get, the less attention they<BR>paid at Uni.<BR><BR>One of the people I went to med school with is now a doctor in town.&nbsp; Yes,<BR>he is a little t*rd.&nbsp; Yes, I would send my kids to see him.&nbsp; No, I would<BR>not send my kids to see the people who were my friends...&nbsp; <BR><BR>(I didn't have to drop out.&nbsp; I just realised that I wasn't _safe_.)<BR><BR>Alan Bradley<BR>alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 10:32:52 +1000<BR>From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>&gt; From: Kenneth Bearden <BR>&gt; But, that's the point of the E-Die...like any "wild-die" or "fate-die" or<BR>&gt; "drama-die" in a system, it's included to add unpredicability....and<BR>&gt; excitement to the game.<BR><BR>Oh, that's right.&nbsp; You work in Hollywood, don't you?<BR><BR>This is not so much an example of a Far Cry as a Far Call....<BR><BR>: )<BR><BR>Alan Bradley<BR>alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 10:33:04 +1000<BR>From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: New task description<BR><BR>&gt; From: Charles R Hensley <BR>&gt; &gt; Arguing with the ref: Formidable, Harzardous<BR>&gt; &gt; modifiers:<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; + your years playing Traveller minus the refs years (may be<BR>&gt; &gt; negative)<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; - your arrears in club dues<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +1 if it's your house<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +1 if you provided the pizza (-1 if the ref did)<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +1 if the ref is dating your sister or brother<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +2 if the ref is married to your sister or brother<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +7 if the ref is married to your sister and dating your brother<BR>&gt; &gt; and they don't know about each other<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; you missed one<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; + or -10 if married to the ref<BR><BR>The biggest one:<BR>+ or - whatever you what - you _are_ the ref...<BR><BR>Alan Bradley<BR>alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 10:33:40 +1000<BR>From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: HazMat<BR><BR>These two messages were next to each other in the digest...<BR><BR>Bad.&nbsp; Very bad.<BR><BR>&gt; From: Megan Robertson<BR>&gt; ObTrav: It could be entertaining (for the DM!) when the local HazMat<BR>&gt; codes are not the standard interstellar ones...<BR><BR>&gt; From: Thom Jones-Low<BR>&gt; Subject: Re: Jump emergence<BR>&gt; &nbsp; &nbsp; Since the object under discussion is a hole in space to another<BR>&gt; dimension with completely different set of physics, does that have an<BR>&gt; effect on the internal forces? Or can we treat it as a bubble of<BR>&gt; vaporizing liquid hydrogen?<BR><BR>&lt;boom&gt;<BR><BR>Alan Bradley<BR>alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 10:43:12 +1000<BR>From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2-step Task System for Guaranteed Success<BR><BR>&gt; From: Gordon Horne <BR>&gt; &gt;&gt;Step 1: Get photographs of you ref in a compromising situation.<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt;&gt;Step 2: Show these to the ref whenever your character is faced with<BR>&gt; &gt;&gt;a&nbsp; task roll.<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt;Now imagine doing this in a game Reffed by Kenji....&lt;g&gt;&nbsp; What <BR>&gt; &gt;*would* Kenji think was compromising?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Suit and tie and copies of the Wall Street Journal and Atlantic Monthly?<BR><BR>Alan goes "schnork" and falls over.<BR><BR>He probably needs medical attention.&nbsp; Medic-1 would do.<BR><BR>Alan Bradley<BR>alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 10:55:14 +1000<BR>From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: crimson short one<BR><BR>&gt; From: Charles R Hensley <BR>&gt; I have been watching the Red Dwarf special on BBC America.&nbsp; I did not<BR>&gt; care for the early episodes. But the story line seams to have changed<BR>&gt; drastically and I think they skipped several eppisodes.The ship now has<BR>&gt; a full crew and I don't know where they came from. Lister is about to be<BR>&gt; court martialed.<BR><BR>This would be season *8*!&nbsp; &lt;mumbles about "I did not care for the early<BR>episodes"&gt; <BR><BR>&lt;shudders&gt;&nbsp; <BR><BR>Actually this is being shown again on tellie here at the moment.&nbsp; It's not<BR>bad.&nbsp; I am not going to warn you about the Cat's big dance scene.&nbsp; You will<BR>see it soon enough.<BR><BR>Alan Bradley<BR>alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 12:07:03 +1000<BR>From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR><BR>&gt; From: Steven Hudson<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; True, but they're fencing rather beyond the practical limits of US<BR>&gt; logistics (for some time), and the US then has the problem of real<BR>&gt; policy/political debates without great issues to fire things up. To<BR>&gt; conscript men for jungle hells so that the Phillipines can be (re-)<BR>&gt; conquered so that the US can give them their independence...<BR><BR>Ah, but you have to liberate them, so that you can liberate them!&nbsp; Besides,<BR>"our boys" were there and got jumped.&nbsp; This is almost as bad as Pearl.&nbsp; OK,<BR>it's not US territory, but doing an "unprovoked" (don't think about that<BR>too hard) attack on US troops is bad.<BR><BR>&gt; &gt;I have a suspicion that land based aircraft might become more important<BR>&gt; &gt;in this situation.&nbsp; All those US B17s start to look interesting.&nbsp; <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Given, although their offensive capability is unimpressive - they<BR>&gt; won't have escorts.<BR><BR>The whole point of bombers is offense.&nbsp; They go somewhere and blow it up. <BR>Fighters are basically defensive - stop the bombers blowing stuff up, or<BR>stop the fighters that are trying to stop your bombers blowing stuff up.<BR><BR>I take the point about their escorts.&nbsp; Still, flying from Darwin to Timor<BR>or thereabouts wasn't a problem in the 40s, or rather it was a problem for<BR>the people in charge of Darwin's air defence. <BR><BR>The RAAF was bomber-heavy, by the way.&nbsp; That was _one_ of the reasons why<BR>there were so many cases of "half a dozen Wirraway trainers versus a<BR>hundred Zeroes" in the first six months.<BR><BR>Speaking of stoopid Australian designed aircraft:&nbsp; the Boomerang fighter<BR>was your basic underpowered nothing design.&nbsp; But it seems to have been<BR>quite successful, because most Japanese aircraft weren't Zekes.&nbsp; It was<BR>perfectly adequate for shooting down reconnaisance aircraft, seaplanes and<BR>bombers.&nbsp; The general doctrine was:&nbsp; don't dogfight with Zekes, even<BR>(especially) when you are flying Spitfires.&nbsp; <BR><BR>&gt; &gt;All the same it looks kind of '70s these days.&nbsp; I watched the two "real"<BR>&gt; &gt;films (No Tina Turner, thank you!) again a couple of months ago.&nbsp; Most<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ditto with MM only - was thinking "why was this cool the first time?".<BR><BR>You were young?&nbsp; It's a film aimed at young males.&nbsp; Try watching "Lost<BR>Boys", or better yet, don't - it will ruin your memories.<BR><BR>Even when I saw MM the first time, I could see the defects.&nbsp; But it made<BR>the grade _despite_ it being a nasty cheapo motorbike revenge testosterone<BR>flick.&nbsp; <BR><BR>The real hoot is that Mel Gibson is Mr Hollywood, while Steve Bisley (Jim<BR>Goose) is doing hack roles on TV in Aus.&nbsp; The woman in the first car that<BR>Max takes out is someone I don't like to think about.&nbsp; Think "married to<BR>Yahoo Serious", or better yet, don't.&nbsp; Now _there_ is a contribution to<BR>human civilisation....&nbsp; It makes the whole last hundred years seem kind of<BR>worthwhile, doesn't it?&nbsp; And then there is Steve Irwin, Crocodile Botherer,<BR>and Rolf Harris, and....&nbsp; Oh dear.&nbsp; Nuke us, please.&nbsp; Oh, but if you get a<BR>chance to see an Australian show called "Frontline", do.&nbsp; It's _satire_. <BR>There isn't much of that on TV - lots of cheesy comedy, but not much of the<BR>real thing.<BR><BR>&gt; &gt;And of course the whole motorbike film genre isn't really<BR>&gt; &gt;around anymore.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; And this is bad how? :)<BR><BR>&lt;thinks about this for a second&gt;&nbsp; Umm... but... never mind.<BR><BR>Alan Bradley<BR>alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 12:10:35 +1000<BR>From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>&gt; From: Postmark Design Bureau <BR>&gt; Percentile dice have their place, certainly...<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; I'd never play ... Warhammer Roleplay with<BR>&gt; anything else :-)<BR><BR>&lt;cough cough&gt;&nbsp; I'd never play Warhammer Roleplay.<BR><BR>&lt;never admitted in public&gt;<BR>Actually, Warhammer Roleplay isn't quite such a pig as Warhammer itself. <BR>It actually has some quite cool stuff about medieval settings.<BR>&lt;/never admitted in public&gt;<BR><BR>Alan Bradley<BR>alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 19:02:13 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System II<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System II<BR>&gt;...<BR>&gt;&gt;I've just been following along these two threads, but that is one of<BR>&gt;&gt;the clearest explanations i've heard. I learned something new (and<BR>&gt;&gt;how to apply it).<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; "But Brain, what will we _do_ with this knowledge?"<BR><BR>The same thing we do every millennium Komrade Pinky, try and take <BR>over the Imperium!<BR>But first we need to find out who on this list is actually Snowball <BR>in a Cunning Disguise.<BR><BR>(Isn't "Komrade Pinky" rather redundant?)<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 20:13:17 -0700<BR>From: timmon@primenet.com<BR>Subject: Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR><BR>So how the hell &lt;expletive not deleted&gt; is your political tirade even<BR>remotely related to Traveller?<BR><BR>At 09:35 AM 1/1/01 +1000, you wrote:<BR>&gt;One hundred years ago, some bunch of fortunately now dead rich white guys<BR>&gt;stitched up a deal.&nbsp; &lt;Expletive deleted&gt; them. &lt;Expletive deleted&gt; their<BR>&gt;children.&nbsp; &lt;Expletive deleted&gt; their country.&nbsp; &lt;Expletive deleted&gt; the<BR>&gt;horses they rode in on.&nbsp; <BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;No country ever deserves to be formed on the basis on such a totally Monty<BR>&gt;Python basis as Australia:&nbsp; No P**fters!&nbsp; No Women!&nbsp; (I don't know how that<BR>&gt;was supposed to work.)&nbsp; No Black People!<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;This is my official message to recognise that the Commonwealth of Australia<BR>&gt;is one hundred years old.&nbsp; <BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Its _first_ just war was in 1998.&nbsp; The Commonwealth of Australia is an<BR>&gt;enemy of humanity.&nbsp;&nbsp; Victory to the Yellow/Red/whatever Peril!<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Alan Bradley<BR>&gt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au<BR>&gt; <BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 12:50:36 +1000<BR>From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Oops!&nbsp; Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR><BR>I wrote:<BR>&gt; Its _first_ just war was in 1998.&nbsp; <BR><BR>I meant 1999.&nbsp; (East Timor, of course.)&nbsp; I was having issues with what year<BR>it is.<BR><BR>Alan Bradley<BR>alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&nbsp; <BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 16:45:52 +1300<BR>From: "Andrew Moffatt-Vallance" &lt;a.vallance@netaccess.co.nz&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR><BR>On 31 Dec 00, at 20:13, timmon@primenet.com wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; So how the hell &lt;expletive not deleted&gt; is your political tirade even<BR>&gt; remotely related to Traveller?<BR><BR>About as much as the standard "yah its &lt;insert local festivities&gt; day" or <BR>"its&lt;insert some sacrifice&gt; day, lets remember everything we owe to <BR>&lt;insert some group&gt;" posts that are common place around here. Tolerate <BR>and move on.<BR><BR>Hey its the 21st Century, where's my fusion powered antigrav aircar?<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 22:40:45 -0500<BR>From: Thom Jones-Low &lt;tjoneslo@together.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet?<BR><BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 00:28:53 -0000<BR>&gt; From: "Ben Aaronovitch" &lt;bem@imaginaryfilms.demon.co.uk&gt;<BR>&gt; Subject: Re: Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; As far as I can tell the Beowulf in GT is broken (at least when I design it from<BR>&gt; scratch using GTS.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; I just want to use one for a trading campaign (sort of) and the exact amount of<BR>&gt; cargo it can carry becomes very important when every credit counts.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Ben<BR>&gt; <BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; I would suggest that you design a TL10 200 dton freighter to what ever<BR>standards you feel work for you. Depending upon which edition of the GT<BR>book and which release of GTS you have, you will get slightly different<BR>results.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; The other problem is the current design of the Beowulf is built using<BR>modules and design assumptions, both under disussion, from a book not<BR>yet published. And if you are not a Pyramid subscriber you are not<BR>cleared for that information. <BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; The current Starship design matches the one published in the GT book as<BR>closely as possible while updating the modules to the current correct<BR>ones. It has 68.5 dtons of cargo. <BR><BR>- -- <BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Thomas Jones-Low<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; tjoneslo@together.net<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 15:02:08 +1100<BR>From: "Robert O'Connor" &lt;robocon@ozemail.com.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re : medical training (was Character-Defined Task Rolls)<BR><BR>Eris Reddoch wrote :-<BR>&gt; I thought it was 4 for undergraduate, 2 Med School and 2 internship,<BR>&gt; then optionally 1+ for a speciality.&nbsp; One of our MD members ought to<BR>&gt; clear this up for us. &lt;g&gt;<BR><BR>Depends on the school and speciality.<BR>The usual course of events in North America is approximately :-<BR>Pre-med (undergrad) : 3-4 years<BR>Medical school : 4 years (includes 2+ 'clinical rotation' years)<BR>Registration (internship) : 1 year<BR>Residency (speciality training) : 5-8 years (e.g. radiology -<BR>neurosurgery at each end of the spectrum).<BR><BR>I've given an overview of the British model in an earlier post.<BR><BR>&gt; BTW, is Law: 4 undergrad, 2 law school, then as long as it takes to pass the bar?<BR><BR>In Australia, it's up to 5 years (usually Law is taken with other<BR>subjects, hence various combinations of L.L.B's with Arts/Science<BR>degrees), then there is a year of clerkship, with eventual streaming<BR>into solicitor (office work) or barrister (appears in court) at the<BR>various levels of the judicial system (Local, District, State Supreme,<BR>Federal, High Court of Australia).<BR><BR>Judges and magistrates are appointed to the various courts, but I am not<BR>familiar with the intricacies of that system. <BR><BR><BR>Robert O'Connor<BR>Medico, Gamer<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 03:57:28 -0000<BR>From: "Ben Aaronovitch" &lt;bem@imaginaryfilms.demon.co.uk&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet?<BR><BR>Thanks. T<BR><BR>That's what I basically wanted to know.<BR><BR>Ben<BR><BR>'Let's be honest here - you paid for the women.'<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Bill Murrey - Scrooged<BR>- ----- Original Message ----- <BR>From: Thom Jones-Low &lt;tjoneslo@together.net&gt;<BR>To: &lt;traveller@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>Sent: Monday, January 01, 2001 3:40 AM<BR>Subject: Re: Has the Beowulf been redesigned under the GT:STARSHIPS rules yet?<BR><BR><BR>&gt; The current Starship design matches the one published in the GT book as<BR>&gt; closely as possible while updating the modules to the current correct<BR>&gt; ones. It has 68.5 dtons of cargo. <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; -- <BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Thomas Jones-Low<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; tjoneslo@together.net<BR>&gt; <BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3494<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe<BR>"local-traveller":<BR><BR>subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net<BR><BR>A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to<BR>subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"<BR>in the commands above with "traveller".<BR><BR>Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgn.com<BR></I></I></S><XMP></XMP>
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<P align=left><FONT color=#0f0f0f face=Arial size=2 PTSIZE="10" BACK="#FFFFFE"><BR><BR>----------------------- Headers --------------------------------<BR>Return-Path: &lt;owner-traveller@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>Received: from&nbsp; rly-yc04.mx.aol.com (rly-yc04.mail.aol.com [172.18.149.36]) by air-yc05.mail.aol.com (v77.31) with ESMTP; Sun, 31 Dec 2000 22:58:44 -0500<BR>Received: from&nbsp; lists.ient.com (lists.ient.com [204.85.32.11]) by rly-yc04.mx.aol.com (v77.27) with ESMTP; Sun, 31 Dec 2000 22:58:14 1900<BR>Received: from localhost (daemon@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) with SMTP id WAA77119;<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Sun, 31 Dec 2000 22:57:46 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller@lists.ient.com)<BR>Received: by lists.ient.com (bulk_mailer v1.12); Sun, 31 Dec 2000 22:57:35 -0500<BR>Received: (from majordom@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) id WAA77074<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; for traveller-digest-outgoing; Sun, 31 Dec 2000 22:57:35 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com)<BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 22:57:35 -0500 (EST)<BR>Message-Id: &lt;200101010357.WAA77074@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>From: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>To: traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Subject: Traveller-digest V1999 #3494<BR>Reply-To: traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>Sender: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR><BR></FONT></P></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML><HTML><HEAD><BASE></HEAD>
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<TD><B>Traveller-digest V1999 #3495</B></TD></TR>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Monday, January 1 2001&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3495<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>re: Hell's Bells &amp; Buckets of Dice: MT5 Task System!<BR>Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>[Ad] New Traveller-Friendly SF eBook with Lotsa Cool Maps<BR>Re: TML should train lawyers<BR>Re: My last obscenity of the century<BR>Re: My last obscenity of the century<BR>Re: The Perfect 2-step Task System for Guaranteed Success<BR>Re: The Perfect 2d6 System II<BR>TCS squadrons - Serendip Combine Fleet<BR>Re: The Perfect 2d6 System II<BR>Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>733<BR>RE: Character-defined task rolls (medical comments)<BR>RE: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>RE: My last obscenity of the century<BR>Fw: UNSUBSCRIBE<BR>Re: Commercial niches for ships<BR>Re: Commercial Niches<BR>Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>re: Lend Lease<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 22:10:57 -0600<BR>From: John Groth &lt;wombat@premier.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR><BR>Andrew Moffatt-Vallance wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&lt;&lt;snip&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Hey its the 21st Century, where's my fusion powered antigrav aircar?<BR><BR>The problem is that we don't have Imperial Credits yet.&nbsp; No money, no<BR>toys.<BR><BR>- -- <BR>AuricTech Shipyards Journeyman Gearhead<BR>"Gold-Plated [tm] solutions for copper-plated problems!" (r)<BR>Keeper of the TML Keyboard Casualty List<BR><BR>http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shadowlands/9776<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 20:49:56 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: re: Hell's Bells &amp; Buckets of Dice: MT5 Task System!<BR><BR>&gt;From: "Michael A. Hoxie" &lt;ludowick@juno.com&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Hell's Bells &amp; Buckets of Dice: MT5 Task System!<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Arrrgh!&nbsp; Here's a timber-splittin' task system that makes *every*<BR>&gt;point of stat-n-skill count.&nbsp; Arrgghh!&nbsp; It's so easy, it doesn't<BR>&gt;require any division.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Oh great - _another_ entrant into the Y2K Task System burlesque!<BR><BR>&gt;Basically, it's just the plain old DGP/MT task system that seems<BR>&gt;pretty popular around these waters.&nbsp; There are some minor changes:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;1)&nbsp; &nbsp; Multiply all required rolls by 5:<BR>...<BR>&gt;Ludowick &lt;It was so simple; why hasn't anyone thought of it before...&gt;<BR><BR>&nbsp; &lt;ahem&gt; Because that's _simple-minded_ :)<BR><BR>Wait, it would work perfectly, but where will we get a pair of d30's...<BR><BR>&nbsp; More importantly, don't roll them near any breakables!<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 20:50:05 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>&gt;From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR>...<BR>&gt;&lt;never admitted in public&gt;<BR><BR>&nbsp; That's OK, we realize that you didn't inhale :&gt;<BR><BR>&gt;Actually, Warhammer Roleplay isn't quite such a pig as Warhammer itself.<BR><BR>&nbsp; One of the obscure details is that the two games used the same world<BR>_back when WFB was the newly released third edition_; WFB then later<BR>mutated into a kiddies game, whereas the Siege book for 3ed was in some<BR>ways as detailed as _Striker_ is for Trav!<BR><BR>&gt;It actually has some quite cool stuff about medieval settings.<BR><BR>&nbsp; The design crew was pretty good, and featured lots of gamers of<BR>varius sorts, and people who took history &amp; archeology, etc. in uni.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Then there's the humour - the Imperial House of Holswig-Schliestein?<BR><BR>&nbsp; And it's a damned sight more economical than the D&amp;D3 thing - unless<BR>you really plan to play with only their PHB!<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR><BR>&nbsp; <BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 21:07:21 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR><BR>&gt;From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>...<BR>&gt;&gt; conscript men for jungle hells so that the Phillipines can be (re-)<BR>&gt;&gt; conquered so that the US can give them their independence...<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Ah, but you have to liberate them, so that you can liberate them!&nbsp; Besides,<BR>&gt;"our boys" were there and got jumped.&nbsp; This is almost as bad as Pearl.&nbsp; OK,<BR>&gt;it's not US territory, but doing an "unprovoked" (don't think about that<BR>&gt;too hard) attack on US troops is bad.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Yeah, well, nobody is going to listen to the Japanese whining that the<BR>US embargo was a de facto ultimatum, because the Japanese were scheduled<BR>to lose as big as the US wanted them to.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Besides, they lost the privilege of whining credibly after Manchuria :|<BR><BR>&gt;&gt; &gt;I have a suspicion that land based aircraft might become more important<BR>&gt;&gt; &gt;in this situation.&nbsp; All those US B17s start to look interesting.&nbsp; <BR>&gt;&gt; <BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Given, although their offensive capability is unimpressive - they<BR>&gt;&gt; won't have escorts.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;The whole point of bombers is offense.&nbsp; They go somewhere and blow it up.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Which w/o escorts means high altitude bombing, which means offense =<BR>"land bombs all around target, often within a mile or two" :(<BR><BR>&nbsp; IIRC, the strategic role of the B-17s was invasion defense as a <BR>cheaper alternative to (~unskilled) manpower. Oops.<BR><BR>&gt;I take the point about their escorts.&nbsp; Still, flying from Darwin to Timor<BR>&gt;or thereabouts wasn't a problem in the 40s, or rather it was a problem for<BR>&gt;the people in charge of Darwin's air defence. <BR><BR>&nbsp; Sure, and the US could have eventually put enough bombers into place<BR>to pave Jap bases despite whatever fighters were there. But it would<BR>have been slow and meant real $$; only the carrier-based air would<BR>have flexible and precise enough for invasion support (vs prep), and<BR>sending that within reach of Japanese land-based air _and_ heavy<BR>naval assets was asking to get your fleet neutralized.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Time and a real amount of luck were the Japanese only hopes.<BR><BR>&gt;Speaking of stoopid Australian designed aircraft:&nbsp; the Boomerang fighter<BR>&gt;was your basic underpowered nothing design.&nbsp; But it seems to have been<BR>&gt;quite successful, because most Japanese aircraft weren't Zekes.&nbsp; It was<BR>&gt;perfectly adequate for shooting down reconnaisance aircraft, seaplanes and<BR><BR>&nbsp; An interceptor that can kill a target isn't obsolete :|<BR><BR>&nbsp; ObTrav - none; the Imperium is a just society, and abhors the<BR>unjust use of force. Dulinors death was a tragic accident; go<BR>about your business, "citizen" - Or Else.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 23:22:25 -0600<BR>From: "S. John Ross" &lt;sjohn@io.com&gt;<BR>Subject: [Ad] New Traveller-Friendly SF eBook with Lotsa Cool Maps<BR><BR>CG&amp;D RELEASES POINTS IN SPACE 1: STARPORT LOCATIONS<BR><BR>... And there's a 20-page free sampler for immediate download, so lookin's<BR>free AND it'll give you a cool map that'll cover a large chunk of your<BR>gaming table with tactical goodness ...<BR><BR>In the dim corridors of a backwater starport, starfarers offer themselves to<BR>the maw of the Mad God, bitter men seek revenge outside the law, and strange<BR>aliens titter and scream at the sight of inhuman erotica! From grim tragedy<BR>to salty satire, this is Points in Space, a new series of science-fiction<BR>roleplaying resources by S. John Ross, author of Among the Clans, the Star<BR>Trek Narrators Toolkit, GURPS Warehouse 23 and more.<BR><BR>Volume 1: Starport Locations describes 15 locations that might be found in<BR>any starport, orbital colony, or outpost. The locations can be used<BR>together, or inserted into any setting at need. Backstory, secrets,<BR>important NPCs, services provided, seeds for adventure and annotated<BR>floorplans accompany every one!&nbsp; There's more. Points in Space comes with a<BR>103-page book of table-smothering 1:36 scale versions of every floorplan:<BR>fifteen tactical maps for months and years of varied miniatures play! The<BR>book even includes rules for an alien gambling game (complete with the<BR>cards), Face of Emoch!<BR><BR>Points in Space is a part of the All-Systems Library, Cumberland's line of<BR>rules-free gaming books. All-Systems titles contain no system-specific game<BR>rules whatsoever, just the "good stuff" - the people, the places, the ideas,<BR>the sense of adventure you crave! Points in Space is delivered<BR>electronically in Adobe Acrobat form, so you can print all the copies you<BR>need! Print extras of the maps for writing on, or extras of the pages for<BR>player handouts . . . All the art and graphics are in 100% scalable vector<BR>form, to take full advantage of the power of your printer! Points in Space<BR>is designed in full color, but optimized for clean black-and-white output.<BR><BR>To read more about Points in Space, the All-Systems Library, and other<BR>Cumberland books and toys, visit the Cumberland Games &amp; Diversions website<BR>at http://www.cumberlandgames.com<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 23:46:54 -0600<BR>From: Steve Daniels &lt;stevedaniels@portcaddo.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: TML should train lawyers<BR><BR>Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; You know, the TML should be a *required* training ground for trial lawyers.<BR>&gt; This place is perfect for people who want to spend their lives devoted to the<BR>&gt; adversarial process of a trial.<BR><BR>Some of us already *are* lawyers.&nbsp; My learned brother Mister Goffin<BR>and myself at a minimum, though I choose not to practice right now.<BR><BR>The problem with comparing a TMLer to a Trial Lawyer is that<BR>the latter mustn't let personal feelings be involved in anyway.<BR>Gaming and opinions about it are usually hot enough that it is<BR>impossible to be objective.&nbsp;&nbsp; The trial lawyers goal is to win.<BR>Simply that.&nbsp; The issue doesn't matter.&nbsp; Win.&nbsp; Prosecutors<BR>have a slightly different goal, which is to "do justice".&nbsp; But for<BR>many prosecutors, predominantly the ones using it as a stepping<BR>stone, that gets subordinated to the winning.<BR><BR>TML isn't, or at least shouldn't, be about winning.&nbsp; It's about sharing<BR>ideas and critiqueing them.&nbsp; Testing them.&nbsp; As you said when you<BR>first started witht he KB3 material - TML is sort of a play test area.<BR><BR>Yes, it gets OT.&nbsp; Yes, it has small flame wars.&nbsp; Yes, it rehashes<BR>the same material often.&nbsp; But it has much more incommon with<BR>a university environment that a courtroom.<BR><BR>Besides, lawyers don't contribute anything for free.&nbsp; ;-)<BR><BR>bloo<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 00:50:38 -0500<BR>From: Kenji Schwarz &lt;schwarz@fas.harvard.edu&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: My last obscenity of the century<BR><BR>At 1:56 PM -0600 12/31/00, John Groth wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt; I told them stupid skullfarmers that if they didn't use a laboratory<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; ship for safety purposes, they was gonna be needing a lavatory ship<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; instead.<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; (Speaking of which, does anyone happen to have kept a copy of that<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; priceless output of mistranslated design competitions?)<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Try:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;http://www.cinenet.net/users/cberry/t8_sayat.html<BR><BR>Ah, that's the "Sayat Subsidized Merchant", i.e., Covert Biomedical <BR>Research Frigate.&nbsp; I was talking about another accident of machine <BR>translation, the famous Lavatory Ship.<BR><BR>&gt;BTW, could you repost the translation?&nbsp;&nbsp; By the time I joined the TML,<BR>&gt;your Sayat pages were down.<BR><BR>If I can get my old hard drive working again, I'll repost.&nbsp; Might <BR>take a while though.<BR><BR>Kenji<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 00:52:29 -0500<BR>From: Kenji Schwarz &lt;schwarz@fas.harvard.edu&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: My last obscenity of the century<BR><BR>At 2:15 PM -0600 12/31/00, John Groth wrote:<BR>&gt;I would think that a PA spinal mount would be more effective, since<BR>&gt;meson guns are unaffected by armor anyway.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Of course, this would be an ideal ship for inserting boarding parties.<BR>&gt;Once the RI cruiser has penetrated enemy defenses, it discharges a whole<BR>&gt;bunch of guys deep inside the target's hull, much to the dismay of the<BR>&gt;target.<BR><BR>Well, I think with that change of mission, it would be worthwhile <BR>also to change the hull configuration to "long cylinder".&nbsp; For a <BR>durable, impossible-to-dislodge, stable, unthreatening tool, I think <BR>the R.I.C. as it stands can't be beat.<BR><BR>Kenji<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 00:54:38 -0500<BR>From: Kenji Schwarz &lt;schwarz@fas.harvard.edu&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2-step Task System for Guaranteed Success<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt; From: Gordon Horne<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt; &gt;Now imagine doing this in a game Reffed by Kenji....&lt;g&gt;&nbsp; What<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; &gt;*would* Kenji think was compromising?<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt; Suit and tie and copies of the Wall Street Journal and Atlantic Monthly?<BR><BR>The laugh is on you, boyos -- I'm in the process of unknotting a tie <BR>right now, and there's a WSJ on my desk.&nbsp; Know the enemy.<BR><BR>Kenji<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 23:33:48 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System II<BR><BR>&gt;From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System II<BR>...<BR>&gt;Now the effect of a +1 at each point:<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; d20&nbsp; &nbsp; 3d6<BR>&gt;10&nbsp; &nbsp; .20&nbsp; &nbsp; .51<BR>&gt;11&nbsp; &nbsp; .20&nbsp; &nbsp; .54<BR>&gt;12&nbsp; &nbsp; .21&nbsp; &nbsp; .59<BR>&gt;13&nbsp; &nbsp; .23&nbsp; &nbsp; .64<BR>&gt;14&nbsp; &nbsp; .25&nbsp; &nbsp; .74<BR>&gt;15&nbsp; &nbsp; .29&nbsp; &nbsp; .95<BR>&gt;16&nbsp; &nbsp; .35&nbsp; &nbsp; 1.40<BR>&gt;17&nbsp; &nbsp; .46&nbsp; &nbsp; Inf<BR>&gt;18&nbsp; &nbsp; .75<BR>&gt;19&nbsp; &nbsp; Inf<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;As you can see, each +1 has less effect in d20 than in 3d6.&nbsp; That is,<BR>&gt;d20 is a less granular system.&nbsp; As you can also see, 16 on d20 is as<BR>&gt;high as you can go without more than doubling the effect of a +1<BR>&gt;compared with the center.&nbsp; That happens at 15 on 3d6.&nbsp; There would be<BR>&gt;a similar effect in the bottom half of the scale.<BR><BR>&nbsp; So the 3d6 system is superior in giving a more nearly predictable<BR>effect to a given (e.g. +1) mod in the vastly larger number of rolls.<BR><BR>&gt;In terms of usefully-generated probabilities, they correspond to<BR>&gt;20-80% on d20, and 5-95% on 3d6.<BR><BR>&nbsp; But much less of the number (not probability) range on 3d6 :(<BR><BR>&gt;I hope this makes it a little more understandable.<BR><BR>&nbsp; Yes, and thanks for your efforts!<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 23:50:12 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: TCS squadrons - Serendip Combine Fleet<BR><BR>&nbsp; Here's my rather screwy force from TCS - being the Serendips,<BR>and with drop-tanks allowed at the time, there was some pretty <BR>strange "strategic thinking" going on. Specifically, several<BR>hundred bullet-proof battle-rider rocks of doom are missing <BR>from the TO&amp;E now.<BR><BR>&nbsp; S. Hudson, Minister for Social Cohesion, Serendip Combine<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Serendip Combine Self-Defense Forces OOB (abridged):<BR><BR>Designed by: Steven Hudson (see historical footnotes)<BR><BR>Battleship (TL C)<BR><BR>Ship: Chunnel<BR>Class: GREAT WORK<BR>Type: Battleship <BR>Architect: SCY<BR><BR>USP&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; BB-Q2313F3-C91106-878K9-0&nbsp; BCr 99725.6&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 90000 tons<BR>batt&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 H111Z&nbsp; Z = 61 batts&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Crew = 865<BR>bearing&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 D111Z&nbsp; Z = 46 bearing&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; TL C<BR>Hangar: 1300&nbsp; Cargo: 928&nbsp; L-Hyd: 30779&nbsp; EP: 2700&nbsp; Agility: 1&nbsp; Marines = 270<BR>Fuel Treatment: streamlined, purifier, hoses.<BR>Backups: two sets of comp/F &amp; both screens.<BR>Notes: The hangar has capacity for ten 130-Dt couriers (not included);<BR>the L-Hyd tankage includes 1079-Dt as 13 re-fills for such. Hangar and<BR>cargo&nbsp; capacity usually includes various utility craft &amp; vehicles, <BR>although none have been allocated or paid for.<BR><BR>NB - This is, of course, a min-maxxed variant of Doug Berry's "Coronation"<BR>class BB as he designed it for T4 (under IG), re-named to be more acceptable <BR>to technocratic sensibilities.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ********<BR><BR>Cruiser (TL C)<BR><BR>Ship: Aswan<BR>Class: MONUMENT<BR>Type: Light Cruiser<BR>Architect: SCY<BR><BR>USP&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; CA-K2333F3-C91106-84808-0&nbsp; BCr 22,469.59&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 19900 tons<BR>batt&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 1N1 D&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Crew = 160<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; TL C<BR>Hangar: 390&nbsp; Cargo: 0&nbsp; L-Hyd: 7088&nbsp; EP: 796&nbsp; Agility: 3&nbsp; Marines = 140<BR>Fuel Treatment: streamlined, purifier, hoses.<BR>Backups: comp/F &amp; both screens.<BR>Notes: The hangar has capacity for three 130-Dt couriers (not included);<BR>the L-Hyd tankage includes four re-fills for such.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ********<BR><BR>Escort (TL C)<BR><BR>Ship: f2/5b<BR>Class: DOORSTOP<BR>Type: Escort<BR>Architect: SCY<BR><BR>USP&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; CA-C9112F2-J50000-86009-0&nbsp; MCr 1357.954&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1700 tons<BR>batt&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 11&nbsp; 1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Crew = 24<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; TL C<BR>Hangar: 40&nbsp; Cargo: 12&nbsp; L-Hyd: 204&nbsp; EP: 34&nbsp; Agility: 1<BR>Fuel Treatment: unstreamlined; relies on tankers.<BR>Backups: why bother?<BR>Notes: this design originally relied upon abuse of the (broken, IMHO)<BR>drop tank rules, and only has sufficient internal tankage for a J-1 -<BR>difficult enough in a TL C asteroid hull. However, a Milch Kow tanker<BR>can re-supply seventy DOORSTOP's for a Jump-1 while maintaining its<BR>own Jump-1 reserves. Opfor analysts might also recognize that a single<BR>COTTERPIN FRD can carry twenty-five of these, whether damaged or not.<BR>The hangar capacity refers to utility craft &amp; vehicles only - none have<BR>been allocated or paid for.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ********<BR><BR>&nbsp; I suppose that a proper assault ship should be added to the train,<BR>and dedicated carriers to both it and the fleet. Strike cruisers are<BR>sort of needless, as both the BB &amp; CA design presented really are <BR>such already. The riders need to be re-designed for the FRD's, though.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson, 2000.<BR><BR>The CT Creed: There is no Game but Traveller, and High Guard is its Product<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 21:25:00 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System II<BR><BR>Steven Hudson wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; So the 3d6 system is superior in giving a more nearly predictable<BR>&gt; effect to a given (e.g. +1) mod in the vastly larger number of<BR>&gt; rolls.<BR><BR>That's roughly it, yes.<BR><BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; But much less of the number (not probability) range on 3d6 :(<BR><BR>I dunno, they're fairly similar -- 3-16 range on d20, or 4-15 on 3d6<BR>for a reasonable choice of 'tolerance'.&nbsp; But the granularity is much<BR>worse on 3d6: that similar range of numbers is stretched over a much<BR>greater range of probabilities so each one makes a bigger difference.<BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 13:30:22 +0200 (EET)<BR>From: "Mikko V. I. Parviainen" &lt;mvparvia@cc.hut.fi&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR><BR>On Mon, 1 Jan 2001, Andrew Moffatt-Vallance wrote:<BR>&gt; Hey its the 21st Century, where's my fusion powered antigrav aircar?<BR><BR>Hey, it's 2001, where is my manned Jupiter mission?<BR><BR>- -- <BR>+++++++++[&gt;+++++++++&lt;-]&gt;-.&lt;+++++[&gt;+++&lt;-]++&gt;++.&lt;++[&gt;++++&lt;-]+&gt;+.&lt;++[&gt;----<BR>&lt;-]&gt;-.&gt;+++[&gt;++++++++++&lt;-]++&gt;++pare@iki.fi&lt;+[&gt;++++&lt;-]&gt;+.-&gt;+[&gt;++++[&lt;&lt;---&gt;<BR>&gt;-]&lt;-]&lt;.&gt;&gt;+++++++[&lt;++++++++++&gt;-]++++[&lt;+++++&gt;-]&lt;-.&gt;[-]&gt;+++[&gt;++[&lt;&lt;&lt;----&gt;&gt;<BR>&lt;&gt;&gt;-]&lt;-]&lt;&lt;.+.&gt;[-]++[&lt;++&gt;-]&lt;.++.[-]&gt;[-]++++[&lt;++&gt;-]&lt;++.&gt;&gt;++[&gt;++[&gt;-&lt;-]&lt;--]<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 03:36:20 -0800<BR>From: "Trent Smith" &lt;trentfs@ix.netcom.com&gt;<BR>Subject: 733<BR><BR>I just (well, 4 hours ago!) checked my mail for the first time since<BR>returning from my vacation, and found 733 new TML messages -- in one week,<BR>between XMas and New Years!&nbsp; I'm glad to see that the Nth Task War blossomed<BR>nicely, even if I only got to participate in the opening skirmishes.&nbsp; Maybe<BR>we should schedule the next one far enough in advance that I can plan my<BR>vacations accordingly?&nbsp; Anyway, I saved a few tasty postings and if the mood<BR>strikes me I may try and kick around some smoldering embers, but not<BR>tonight; you folks've worn me out!<BR><BR>Trent<BR><BR>P.S. Happy millenium<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 00:42:44 +1300<BR>From: "Frank G. Pitt" &lt;frankie@mundens.gen.nz&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: Character-defined task rolls (medical comments)<BR><BR>Alan Bradley wrote :<BR>&gt; &gt; From: "Robert O'Connor"<BR>&gt; &gt; Your average medical student is also not as bright as supposed by the<BR>&gt; &gt; general community. In Australia, at least, the really bright ones tend<BR>&gt; &gt; to do law, sciences (esp. IT/biotech/maths) or engineering.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Heh.&nbsp; I dropped out of Med nearly two decades ago.&nbsp; I was playing too many<BR>&gt; roleplaying games to pass....<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; I saw the kind of chowderheads who are med students.&nbsp; (Covers head, curls<BR>&gt; up into a ball, hopes to never need medical attention.)<BR><BR>In the Royal New Zealand Airforce, the people who failed basic engineering<BR>(how to use a file, how not to get your head stuck in a lathe, this is how<BR>to use a fire extinguisher, this is why we don't smoke while refueling..)<BR>became medics.<BR><BR>Frankie<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 00:45:19 +1300<BR>From: "Frank G. Pitt" &lt;frankie@mundens.gen.nz&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: Analogy of a Sweet Spot<BR><BR>Alan Bradley wrote :<BR>&gt; &gt; From: Kenneth Bearden <BR>&gt; &gt; But, that's the point of the E-Die...like any "wild-die" or <BR>&gt; &gt; "fate-die" or "drama-die" in a system, it's included to <BR>&gt; &gt; add unpredicability....and&nbsp; excitement to the game.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Oh, that's right.&nbsp; You work in Hollywood, don't you?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; This is not so much an example of a Far Cry as a Far Call....<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; : )<BR><BR>SPLORT!!<BR><BR>I suppose it did have to be an Aussie. <BR><BR>All I can say is 4Q2.<BR><BR>&lt;grin&gt;<BR><BR>Frankie<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 00:49:30 +1300<BR>From: "Frank G. Pitt" &lt;frankie@mundens.gen.nz&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: My last obscenity of the century<BR><BR>Kenji,<BR><BR>You didn't happen to design the space ships in "Flesh Gordom" as well did<BR>you ?<BR><BR>Or the machine that Barbarella blows up ?<BR><BR>Frankie<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 23:03:08 +1100<BR>From: "steven" &lt;steven@terra-australis-mandes.com.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Fw: UNSUBSCRIBE<BR><BR>- ----- Original Message ----- <BR>From: steven &lt;steven@terra-australis-mandes.com.au&gt;<BR>To: &lt;traveller@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 2:02 PM<BR>Subject: UNSUBSCRIBE<BR><BR><BR>&gt; Unsubscribe me off the list please<BR>&gt; <BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 11:20:52 +1100<BR>From: "Katharine Whitchurch" &lt;katts@globalfreeway.com.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Commercial niches for ships<BR><BR>&gt; From: "Ben Aaronovitch" &lt;bem@imaginaryfilms.demon.co.uk&gt;<BR>&gt; Subject: Commercial Niches for Small Ships - One (was counting ships)<BR>&gt; Niche One.<BR>&gt; The routine tramp steamer.<BR>&gt; Example: Mora and Nadrin. Distance: 1 parsec.<BR>&gt; Bilateral Trade Numbers (freight/passengers) 7/7<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; This route generates 4-5 dtons of cargo and around 1 passenger per day. It<BR>will<BR>&gt; take on average 2 weeks to fill the hold of a standard Beowulf (69-75<BR>dtons, the<BR>&gt; same period will generate about 14 passengers. There is unlikely to be<BR>&gt; competition because given the volumes involved 'there can be only one'.<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>The other two alternative are either a number of Type S scouts, or to fudge<BR>the trade amounts. An important function of the idea of Detatched Duty is<BR>there are a lot of low-overhead ships that can service these very niche<BR>markets (I think the IISS' DD program one of the few exceptions to the<BR>Imperial hands-off policy regarding economic development).<BR><BR>The second is possible - if those 900 people are in one mine, then it could<BR>quite possibly send a lot of ore to Mora - more than if the 900 people were<BR>in something (I dunno, a farming or scientific colony) that produced less<BR>tonnage of output.<BR><BR>I'd also be inclined to think there's a niche market in there for tourism -<BR>whether it's extreme adventure sports in a hellhole, or farm-stays for<BR>tourists, a mere parsec from Mora indicates to me that tourism should be a<BR>goer.<BR><BR><BR>&gt; The key to this niche is a timetable, the ship departs each system on a<BR>fixed<BR>&gt; day, like clockwork, customers can then plan their deliveries in advance.<BR>This<BR>&gt; cuts down on warehouse time etc. This ship would also probably have the<BR>mail<BR>&gt; contract as well. The crew would be very well known on Nadrin (population<BR>900).<BR>&gt; The best Terran analogy would be a small Island community (such as those<BR>in<BR>&gt; Scotland).<BR><BR>I used to live on one of those islands - King Island, on the western end of<BR>Bass Strait, between Australia and Tasmania. The boat from King Island to<BR>Wynyard went like clockwork, every 3 months. Of course, with the cheese<BR>factory going so well, they are probably more frequent now (King Island, a<BR>small dairying island, now imports milk products, as local production cannot<BR>keep up with the demand for King Island branded cream and cheese. Thus, an<BR>agricultural center imports agricultural products).<BR><BR>&lt;good stuff snipped&gt;<BR><BR>Ian Whitchurch<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 07:36:26 -0500<BR>From: Christopher Thrash &lt;thrash@io.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Commercial Niches<BR><BR>&gt;Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 02:27:37 -0000<BR>&gt;From: "Ben Aaronovitch" &lt;bem@imaginaryfilms.demon.co.uk&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Commercial Niches for Small Ships - One (was counting ships)<BR><BR>&gt;Niche One.<BR>&gt;The routine tramp steamer.<BR>&gt;Example: Mora and Nadrin. Distance: 1 parsec.<BR>&gt;Bilateral Trade Numbers (freight/passengers) 7/7<BR><BR>&gt;The key to this niche is a timetable, the ship departs each system on a fixed<BR>&gt;day, like clockwork, customers can then plan their deliveries in advance. <BR><BR>Tiny nitpick: such a ship is a liner, not a tramp. A tramp by definition<BR>follows no fixed schedule; the distinction does not depend on size or<BR>ownership, despite the connotations.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 04:48:43 PST<BR>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>Subject: Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR><BR>In mail you write:<BR><BR>&gt; Hey its the 21st Century, where's my fusion powered antigrav aircar?<BR><BR>The ones that aren't held in the EPA/NRC/etc approval process are<BR>back-ordered... <BR><BR>- -- <BR>Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>shadow@krypton.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;--preferred<BR>leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;--last resort<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 05:58:01 -0800 (PST)<BR>From: Michael Cessna &lt;graymask1120@yahoo.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR><BR>- --- "Mikko V. I. Parviainen" &lt;mvparvia@cc.hut.fi&gt;<BR>wrote:<BR>&gt; On Mon, 1 Jan 2001, Andrew Moffatt-Vallance wrote:<BR>&gt; &gt; Hey its the 21st Century, where's my fusion<BR>&gt; powered antigrav aircar?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Hey, it's 2001, where is my manned Jupiter mission?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; <BR>&nbsp; &gt;&gt;<BR>&nbsp; Hey, it's 2001...where is my moon base?&nbsp; MAC<BR>&nbsp; &gt;&gt;<BR><BR>__________________________________________________<BR>Do You Yahoo!?<BR>Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online!<BR>http://photos.yahoo.com/<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 10:09:34 -0500<BR>From: "Walt Smith" &lt;firelock_ny@hotmail.com&gt;<BR>Subject: re: Lend Lease<BR><BR>Leonard Erickson wrote:<BR>&gt; &gt; YB-40; add another Bendix top turret in the radio area and a &gt; boatload <BR>&gt;more ammo in the bomb bay.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;They had more than that. I recall a figure of 17 50 cal machineguns and a <BR>&gt;nose mounted 20mm cannon.<BR><BR>Hmmm...are you sure you aren't thinking of the ground attack<BR>B-25 Mitchells?&nbsp; I've seen some of these with an amazing number<BR>of forward machine guns and cannon in addition to their tail<BR>and turret guns, but I don't recall the gunship B-17 having<BR>a 20mm.<BR><BR>One thing is, a 20mm in the nose would probably have to be<BR>in a fixed mount.&nbsp; A fixed 20mm is fine for attack - a<BR>maneuverable fighter can point it at airplanes, a less<BR>maneuverable bomber can point it at ground targets.&nbsp; A<BR>B-17 would never successfully point a nose-mount at an<BR>agile fighter, except by pure luck.<BR><BR>(They may have experimented with 20mm mounts during the<BR>YB-40 project, of course.)<BR><BR>Walt Smith<BR>_________________________________________________________________<BR>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3495<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe<BR>"local-traveller":<BR><BR>subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net<BR><BR>A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to<BR>subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"<BR>in the commands above with "traveller".<BR><BR>Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgn.com<BR></I></I></S><XMP></XMP>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Monday, January 1 2001&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3496<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>Re: The Perfect 2d6 System I<BR>re: Hell's Bells &amp; Buckets of Dice: MT5 Task System!&nbsp; <BR>RE: My last obscenity of the century<BR>Re: The Perfect 2d6 System I<BR>Re: The Perfect 2-step Task System for Guaranteed Success<BR>Grand finales<BR>RE: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>Re: crimson short one<BR>Changing Accounts<BR>Re: Star Worn? Comments<BR>Re: 733<BR>Re: Commercial Niches<BR>Beowulf Deckplans Are In Dallas!<BR>Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>Re: Make it stop! get it out of my head!<BR>Re: Oops!&nbsp; Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>Personal Web site update<BR>Re: Beowulf Deckplans Are In Dallas!<BR>Filks (yes, with a [FILK])<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 09:31:16 -0600<BR>From: John Groth &lt;wombat@premier.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR><BR>Michael Cessna wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&lt;&lt;snip&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; &gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Hey, it's 2001...where is my moon base?&nbsp; MAC<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; &gt;&gt;<BR><BR>Oh, that went off back in 1999....<BR><BR>- -- <BR>AuricTech Shipyards Journeyman Gearhead<BR>"Gold-Plated [tm] solutions for copper-plated problems!" (r)<BR>Keeper of the TML Keyboard Casualty List<BR><BR>http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shadowlands/9776<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 07:38:33 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System I<BR><BR>&gt;From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System I<BR>...<BR>&gt;Every system has oddities.&nbsp; I prefer bell-curve systems because they<BR>&gt;tend to reduce many of those oddities.&nbsp; I'd like higher granularity<BR>&gt;though; 2d20 might be a reasonable compromise between complexity,<BR><BR>&nbsp; Now _there's_ a neat idea - how well would it work with doubled<BR>GURPS skill numbers?...<BR><BR>&nbsp; FWIW, the only problem I can see is that some people would have<BR>too much trouble adding the 2d20. OTOH, D&amp;D3 will probably involve<BR>a fair number of rolls at the edges of the range as refs try and<BR>make things hard on the players using the "new" skills mechanism,<BR>but I don't know how much the game expects to use them.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 12:36:38 -0600<BR>From: Charles R Hensley &lt;hensley.cr@gte.net&gt;<BR>Subject: re: Hell's Bells &amp; Buckets of Dice: MT5 Task System!&nbsp; <BR><BR>&gt;&gt;1)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Multiply all required rolls by 5:<BR>&gt;...<BR>&gt;&gt;Ludowick &lt;It was so simple; why hasn't anyone thought of it before...&gt;<BR><BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &lt;ahem&gt; Because that's _simple-minded_ :)<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Wait, it would work perfectly, but where will we get a pair of d30's...<BR><BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp; More importantly, don't roll them near any breakables!<BR><BR>this must be the system I need. I already have a pair of d30's<BR><BR>Charles H<BR><BR>hmmmmm now where did I put those d30s<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 15:02:39 -0500<BR>From: Kenji Schwarz &lt;schwarz@fas.harvard.edu&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: My last obscenity of the century<BR><BR>At 12:49 AM +1300 1/2/01, Frank G. Pitt wrote:<BR>&gt;Kenji,<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;You didn't happen to design the space ships in "Flesh Gordom" as well did<BR>&gt;you ?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Or the machine that Barbarella blows up ?<BR><BR>Never saw either film... I actually have a very weak stomach.<BR><BR>Kenji<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 07:44:12 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2d6 System I<BR><BR>Steven Hudson wrote:<BR>&gt; &gt;2d20 might be a reasonable compromise<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Now _there's_ a neat idea - how well would it work with doubled<BR>&gt; GURPS skill numbers?...<BR><BR>Should work fairly well.&nbsp; The mean is very similar, and the variance<BR>is only a bit larger so the properties ought to be similar.<BR><BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; FWIW, the only problem I can see is that some people would have<BR>&gt; too much trouble adding the 2d20.<BR><BR>I expect most people capable of adding 3d6 should be able to handle<BR>2d20 after some practice.&nbsp; Most of the additions would be no harder.<BR><BR>&gt; OTOH, D&amp;D3 will probably involve a fair number of rolls at the edges<BR>&gt; of the range as refs try and make things hard on the players using<BR>&gt; the "new" skills mechanism, but I don't know how much the game<BR>&gt; expects to use them.<BR><BR>Ah yes, D&amp;D3.&nbsp; The system where you can't even walk along the top of a<BR>brick wall until you're about 12th level with Tightrope Walking<BR>skill...<BR><BR>Yes, I do suspect DMs will pick "challenging" DC numbers.&nbsp; I<BR>personally don't see any challenge at all in trying to roll 18+ on<BR>d20, unless I intend to try cheating.&nbsp; Pure chance is pure chance, and<BR>really should not be confused with challenge or drama.&nbsp; Challenge<BR>comes with trying to obviate such tasks.&nbsp; If I have to rely on rolling<BR>such a thing, I've basically already failed.<BR><BR>Sorry.&nbsp; D&amp;D3 rants are *way* off topic.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 13:09:01 -0800<BR>From: Gordon Horne &lt;gordon.horne@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: The Perfect 2-step Task System for Guaranteed Success<BR><BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; &gt; From: Gordon Horne<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; &gt; &gt;Now imagine doing this in a game Reffed by Kenji....&lt;g&gt;&nbsp; What<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;&nbsp; &gt;*would* Kenji think was compromising?<BR>&gt;&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;&nbsp; &gt; Suit and tie and copies of the Wall Street Journal and Atlantic Monthly?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;The laugh is on you, boyos -- I'm in the process of unknotting a tie <BR>&gt;right now, and there's a WSJ on my desk.&nbsp; Know the enemy.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Kenji<BR><BR>That answers my question about who on this list is actually Snowball <BR>in a Cunning Disguise 8^)<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; g<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 16:17:19 -0500<BR>From: Kenji Schwarz &lt;schwarz@fas.harvard.edu&gt;<BR>Subject: Grand finales<BR><BR>Screw this new beginnings stuff.<BR><BR>Last millennium we were discussing, besides rules mechanics, the <BR>Aliens movies, and some of the alternatives that never happened.&nbsp; I <BR>went back and dug out my copy of William Gibson's rejected script for <BR>A3 and thought I'd clutter up the list with the final scenes from it, <BR>just as a curiosity of an alternative past ;P&nbsp; The full text, for <BR>anyone who's interested, is at:<BR><BR>http://daw.avpnews.com/Multimedia/Scripts/index.htm<BR><BR>Reading it again, it's actually pretty interesting, in a way -- he <BR>(deliberately?) inverts almost all the tropes that define the other <BR>films in the series; it's very much "Aliens: The Penis Strikes Back". <BR>Anyway, I think most of you will agree that -- props to Gibson for <BR>the cyberpunk thing aside -- this is the kind of dialogue and Message <BR>that makes _Plan Nine from Outer Space_ look sophisticated.<BR><BR>- --------------------------------------<BR><BR>Bishop reaches into his suit again and brings out a service automatic.<BR><BR>The commando says something angrily, wearily, in her own language.<BR><BR>Bishop hands her the gun.&nbsp; She tosses it aside with evident disgust, curls<BR>up, eyes closed.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; HICKS<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; That was for us?&nbsp; If we were...<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; BISHOP<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Yes.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (he looks at the<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; commando again)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; She's dying, Hicks.&nbsp; Radiation poisoning...<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; HICKS<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Can we do anything?<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; BISHOP<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; No.<BR><BR>Spence groans in her sleep.&nbsp; Hicks absently smoothes her hair back from her<BR>eyes.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; BISHOP<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; You're a species again, Hicks.&nbsp; United against<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; a common enemy...<BR><BR>Hicks moves Spence's head, pillows her on a folded jacket, swings his way over<BR>to the commando, offers her water from a plastic bottle.&nbsp; She refuses it.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; HICKS<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Yeah?<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; BISHOP<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The source, Hicks.&nbsp; You'll have to trace them<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; back, find the point of origin.&nbsp; The first<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; source.&nbsp; And destroy it.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; HICKS<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; I dunno, Bishop.&nbsp; Maybe we just oughta stay<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; out of their way...<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; BISHOP<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; You can't, Hicks.&nbsp; This goes far beyond mere<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; interspecies competition.&nbsp; These creatures are<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; to biological life what antimatter is to matter.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; HICKS<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; How do you mean?<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; BISHOP<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; There isn't room for the both of you, Hicks,<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; not in this universe.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; HICKS<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; That's crazy, Bishop...<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; BISHOP<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; No. You're already at war, Hicks.&nbsp; War to<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; extermination.&nbsp; The alien knows no other mode.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; HICKS<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Hell, man, we been at war all my life.&nbsp; Near<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; enough, anyway.&nbsp; With her.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (he looks down at<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; the commando)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; With all her brothers and sisters.&nbsp; That's what<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; got us into this shit in the first place!<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; BISHOP<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; But now you've seen the enemy, Hicks.&nbsp; So has<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; she.&nbsp; She's not it.&nbsp; Neither are you.&nbsp; This is<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; a Darwinian universe, Hicks.&nbsp; Will the alien<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; be the ultimate survivor?<BR><BR>Hicks doesn't answer.&nbsp; He just looks at Bishop.&nbsp; Bishop goes back to his<BR>circuitry.<BR><BR>CLOSE on Spence's sleeping face, and the face of the dying commando.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; DISSOLVE TO:<BR><BR>EXT. SPACE<BR><BR>Approach of a large ship.<BR><BR>The PING of homing radar.<BR><BR>ANGLE ON THE HULL<BR><BR>As it slides past, enormous letters: KANSAS CITY.<BR><BR>EXT. SPACE - ANGLE UP<BR><BR>From below Kansas City as a wide bay opens.<BR><BR>The interceptor comes INTO FRAME and is drawn up into the brightly-lit hold.<BR><BR>The bay closes.<BR><BR>EXT. SPACE<BR><BR>Kansas City. Receding. Gone.<BR><BR>The stars.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; FADE OUT.<BR><BR><BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; THE END<BR><BR>.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 10:33:56 +1300<BR>From: "Frank G. Pitt" &lt;frankie@mundens.gen.nz&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR><BR>Michael Cessna<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; Hey, it's 2001...where is my moon base?&nbsp; MAC<BR><BR>It left Earth orbit two years ago in 1999.<BR><BR>Frankie<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 15:44:02 -0600<BR>From: Idreea &lt;idrea_starryeyes@yahoo.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: crimson short one<BR><BR>I miss Red Dwarf. (I miss Dr. Who &amp; Blake 7 has well.)<BR><BR><BR><BR>Billye Gilbert<BR><BR>Idreea@obongo.com<BR>Idreea@dotnow.com<BR><BR><BR>__________________________________________________<BR>Do You Yahoo!?<BR>Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.<BR>http://im.yahoo.com<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 15:44:07 -0600<BR>From: Idreea &lt;idrea_starryeyes@yahoo.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Changing Accounts<BR><BR>Hello, is there a way to recieve the TML posts at one address but<BR>reply/post to the TML from another?<BR><BR>I want to set the TML to be sent to my redirector, that would make it<BR>easy to change my main e-mail account without having to unssubscribe<BR>my old account and resubscribe with the new one, just update the<BR>redirector. (I use a redirector for most of my other Mailing list and<BR>was wondering if I could set the TML up the same way.) I have just<BR>changed my main e-mail account OFF of Yahoo and since most everything<BR>was being sent to my redirector, all I had to do was changed it (which<BR>I did) and now&nbsp; everything is now going to my new mail box, everything<BR>except the TML. <BR><BR>Do I HAVE to have to send and recieve from the sme address? (In other<BR>words, if I rescubcribe to the redirector I will not be able to post<BR>from the mail acount because it's mail address will not be the same,<BR>would the fact that I have the reply field set to my redirector set be<BR>enough for it to accept my posts?<BR><BR><BR>Billye Gilbert<BR><BR>Idreea@obongo.com (redirector)<BR>Idreea@dotnow.com (current location it points too)<BR><BR>was<BR>idrea_starryeyes@yahoo.com<BR><BR><BR>__________________________________________________<BR>Do You Yahoo!?<BR>Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.<BR>http://im.yahoo.com<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 15:44:10 -0600<BR>From: Idreea &lt;idrea_starryeyes@yahoo.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Star Worn? Comments<BR><BR>On Wed, 27 Dec 2000 21:31:46 -0500, you wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; At 10:30 PM +0000 12/27/00, Dominic Mooney wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; &gt;Just a Quickie - has anyone (beyond Megan) downloaded 'Star Worn', <BR>&gt; &gt;and are there any comments? I like having comments (good or bad) to <BR>&gt; &gt;pass back to Andy because it encourages him to do things like this <BR>&gt; &gt;again...<BR><BR>Nope, I've missed it, where is it located?<BR><BR><BR>Billye Gilbert<BR><BR>Idreea@obongo.com (redirector)<BR>Idreea@dotnow.com (current location it points too)<BR><BR>was<BR>idrea_starryeyes@yahoo.com<BR><BR><BR><BR>__________________________________________________<BR>Do You Yahoo!?<BR>Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.<BR>http://im.yahoo.com<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 15:50:26 -0600<BR>From: Idreea &lt;idrea_starryeyes@yahoo.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: 733<BR><BR>On Mon, 1 Jan 2001 03:36:20 -0800, you wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; I just (well, 4 hours ago!) checked my mail for the first time since<BR>&gt; returning from my vacation, and found 733 new TML messages -- in one week,<BR>&gt; between XMas and New Years!&nbsp; I'm glad to see that the Nth Task War blossomed<BR>&gt; nicely, even if I only got to participate in the opening skirmishes.&nbsp; Maybe<BR>&gt; we should schedule the next one far enough in advance that I can plan my<BR>&gt; vacations accordingly?&nbsp; Anyway, I saved a few tasty postings and if the mood<BR>&gt; strikes me I may try and kick around some smoldering embers, but not<BR>&gt; tonight; you folks've worn me out!<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Trent<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; P.S. Happy millenium<BR><BR>I know how you feel, I hev been downloading the TML posts into my<BR>client but not keeping up with them for some time. Earlier this week I<BR>started to sort though the message so has to weed everything out. My<BR>mail folders had grown to take almost 70megs of space on the hard<BR>drive (The TML had over 7000 messages unread.) The great part of this<BR>was that I could read the 1st message, and if I was interested in<BR>reading the rest, I was able to save them all to a Text file in order<BR>for later reading, and append any others that was related for later<BR>reading. The sad part, during the operation which actually took me<BR>severial days to do, I had a drive error appear scraping the index for<BR>almost 4000 messages. Oh well, I still have enough to keep me more<BR>then happy for a long time.<BR><BR>Billye Gilbert<BR><BR>Idreea@obongo.com (redirector)<BR>Idreea@dotnow.com (current location it points too)<BR><BR>was<BR>idrea_starryeyes@yahoo.com<BR><BR><BR>_________________________________________________________<BR>Do You Yahoo!?<BR>Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 20:12:05 -0000<BR>From: "Ben Aaronovitch" &lt;bem@imaginaryfilms.demon.co.uk&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Commercial Niches<BR><BR>Noted.<BR><BR>It probably gets a subsidy (or defrayed landing costs) from Nadrin as well.<BR><BR>Ben<BR><BR>'Let's be honest here - you paid for the women.'<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Bill Murrey - Scrooged<BR>- ----- Original Message -----<BR>From: Christopher Thrash &lt;thrash@io.com&gt;<BR>To: &lt;traveller@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>Sent: Monday, January 01, 2001 12:36 PM<BR>Subject: Re: Commercial Niches<BR><BR><BR>&gt; &gt;Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 02:27:37 -0000<BR>&gt; &gt;From: "Ben Aaronovitch" &lt;bem@imaginaryfilms.demon.co.uk&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt;Subject: Commercial Niches for Small Ships - One (was counting ships)<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt;Niche One.<BR>&gt; &gt;The routine tramp steamer.<BR>&gt; &gt;Example: Mora and Nadrin. Distance: 1 parsec.<BR>&gt; &gt;Bilateral Trade Numbers (freight/passengers) 7/7<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt;The key to this niche is a timetable, the ship departs each system on a fixed<BR>&gt; &gt;day, like clockwork, customers can then plan their deliveries in advance.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Tiny nitpick: such a ship is a liner, not a tramp. A tramp by definition<BR>&gt; follows no fixed schedule; the distinction does not depend on size or<BR>&gt; ownership, despite the connotations.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 18:15:13 -0600<BR>From: David Smart &lt;dsmart@imagin.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Beowulf Deckplans Are In Dallas!<BR><BR>Well, the Beowulf deckplans from SJG have<BR>hit Dallas. Since no one else has made<BR>mention of them yet, I thought I'd give<BR>you all a review.<BR><BR>Running US$19.95, the first thing I saw<BR>was the 8.5" x 11" cover sheet with <BR>artwork by none other than our own<BR>beloved Jesse DeGraff. The half-wire, <BR>half-solid colored illo of what could<BR>only be the Grendel's Daughter is a <BR>wonderful rendition of the Beowulf-class<BR>and is reminiscent of the first work of<BR>Jesse I saw some years back (about time<BR>she made it into the public's hands, <BR>Jesse!).<BR><BR>Can you tell I'm one of his fans?&nbsp;&nbsp; ;-)<BR><BR>Flipping the package over revealed SJG's<BR>first publicly released sheet of Cardboard<BR>Heroes(tm) for Traveller. "Gorgeous" just<BR>about covers the work done by Tom <BR>Biondolillo. The detail is easily visible,<BR>the bright colors vibrant, the dark colors<BR>forboding without covering up details, and<BR>the amount of equipment counters a pleasant<BR>surprise. The equipment counters are spitting<BR>images of Traveller equipment illustrated in<BR>previous versions of Traveller and are <BR>beautifully rendered. An excellent <BR>recognition that Traveller is a role-playing <BR>game is the fact that some of the "passenger"<BR>counters are duplicated, with minor <BR>variations, and labeled "Hijacker"! The most<BR>enjoyable and useful illos, IMO, are the two<BR>air/rafts, one for passengers and the other <BR>for cargo.<BR><BR>Eager to get to the deckplans, I opened one<BR>of the folded sheets and found instead a <BR>*huge* poster for GURPS:Traveller!&nbsp; It's one<BR>of the marketing posters found in high-class<BR>hobby/gaming stores showing most of the G:T<BR>product line with the famous (infamous?) line<BR>telling Beowulf that help is available.<BR><BR>Finally, getting to the deckplans, each sheet<BR>is of semi-shiny, medium stock measuring <BR>approximately 16.5" x 21.5". One side has <BR>deckplans with hexes, the other has the exact<BR>same deckplan but with squares.<BR><BR>And there's 13 of them.&nbsp; For *one* ship!<BR><BR>Given that the deckplans are for minis in the<BR>25mm range, this makes the overall ship <BR>*massive*! I laid them out on top of a <BR>ping-pong table and and admired the details<BR>for about 10 minutes. The old 25mm Traveller<BR>minis by Grenadier look awesome on these <BR>deckplans as do the more modern Stargrunt <BR>ones. My favorite sheet is the one for the<BR>bridge.<BR><BR>One caveat, though. The type of paper the<BR>deckplans are printed on is easy to crease<BR>and almost impossible to get any sharp <BR>creases out. It, um, also doesn't stand up<BR>too well to really hot tomato sauce or dogs<BR>walking across them. <BR><BR>*sigh*<BR><BR>Definitely keep the pizza and beverages away<BR>from this one, people.<BR><BR>All in all, the set of Beowulf deckplans <BR>totally rocks and is definitely worth the<BR>price. They can easily be used across all<BR>versions of Traveller and, indeed, any other<BR>sci-fi game. <BR><BR>A strong "BRAVO" to all everyone at SJG who<BR>had a hand in this project, especially Loren.<BR>If SJG decides to print up deckplans for the<BR>other ships of 800dtons or less, God help us<BR>all. Any Traveller fan could easily spend <BR>weeks just drooling rather than playing <BR>Traveller.<BR><BR>Poor us! ;-)<BR><BR>David<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 18:28:59<BR>From: "Douglas E. Berry" &lt;gridlore@pop.mindspring.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR><BR>At 04:45 PM 1/1/2001 +1300, you wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;Hey its the 21st Century, where's my fusion powered antigrav aircar?<BR><BR>There was a wonderful series of radio commercials for some e-tailer that<BR>fetured the actor who played Captain Sisko on DS9.&nbsp; One of them had him<BR>complaining that it was 2000 and he wanted his flying car..<BR>- -- <BR><BR>Douglas E. Berry&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; gridlore@mindspring.com<BR>http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 18:30:04<BR>From: "Douglas E. Berry" &lt;gridlore@pop.mindspring.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR><BR>At 05:58 AM 1/1/2001 -0800, you wrote:<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; Hey, it's 2001...where is my moon base?&nbsp; MAC<BR><BR>and where's my PanAm shuttle?&nbsp; :)<BR>- -- <BR><BR>Douglas E. Berry&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; gridlore@mindspring.com<BR>http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 18:34:26<BR>From: "Douglas E. Berry" &lt;gridlore@pop.mindspring.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Make it stop! get it out of my head!<BR><BR>At 03:24 PM 12/31/2000 -0500, you wrote:<BR>&gt;At 1:03 AM -0800 12/31/00, Gordon Horne wrote:<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;Darn you, Kenji! Now i'm going to hear all of Timothy Little's posts <BR>&gt;&gt;in Eric Cartman's voice. And the image of Doug Berry as Mrs. <BR>&gt;&gt;Kowalski is just scary 8^)<BR><BR>I always saw myself as the vet with the voice box myself.. or Kenny.. :)<BR><BR>- -- <BR><BR>Douglas E. Berry&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; gridlore@mindspring.com<BR>http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 18:35:52<BR>From: "Douglas E. Berry" &lt;gridlore@pop.mindspring.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Oops!&nbsp; Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR><BR>At 12:50 PM 1/1/2001 +1000, you wrote:<BR>&gt;I wrote:<BR>&gt;&gt; Its _first_ just war was in 1998.&nbsp; <BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;I meant 1999.&nbsp; (East Timor, of course.)&nbsp; I was having issues with what year<BR>&gt;it is.<BR><BR>Um, World War II?&nbsp; Korea?&nbsp; Vietnam?&nbsp; Australia had a good number of troops<BR>in all of these.<BR>- -- <BR><BR>Douglas E. Berry&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; gridlore@mindspring.com<BR>http://gridlore.home.mindspring.com/index.html<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 20:24:22 -0700<BR>From: "Joseph Kimball" &lt;jekimball@prodigy.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Personal Web site update<BR><BR>I have made some updates to my Web site.&nbsp; Most of the changes are minor, but<BR>I have added notes about missile magazines to my IMTU page.&nbsp; Enjoy!<BR>- - Joseph<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 22:02:27 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Beowulf Deckplans Are In Dallas!<BR><BR>David Smart wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Well, the Beowulf deckplans from SJG have<BR>&gt; hit Dallas. Since no one else has made<BR>&gt; mention of them yet, I thought I'd give<BR>&gt; you all a review.<BR><BR>David,<BR><BR>Nice review.<BR><BR>Thanks.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 23:02:32 +0000<BR>From: "Jonathan 'Caraig' McDermott" &lt;caraig@mindspring.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Filks (yes, with a [FILK])<BR><BR>I first should apologize; my comment about there not being a comment about <BR>the filks I'd done before wasn't meant to be indirect askance for <BR>comments!&nbsp; The encouragement that did come up, however, was very much <BR>appreciated! =)<BR><BR>(Just as an aside, I like to think that I take constructive criticism very <BR>well, and if anyone can see anything to improve this musical madness I spew <BR>forth, please feel free to mention it!&nbsp; I KNOW it's strictly amateur-grade <BR>stuff.&nbsp; (Amateur even for filks. =) ))<BR><BR>On a like note, something Kenji Schwarz noted, about South Park....<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; What would M. Eneri do<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; If it were here right now?<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; It'd manipulate all of us!<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; That's what M. Eneri'd do!<BR><BR>Okay, THAT needs a lot of work.... =)<BR><BR>Cheers, and a very Happy New Year* (for those of you who follow the <BR>Gregorian calendar, that is) to all of you!<BR><BR><BR><BR>*<BR>CALENDAR<BR>========<BR>(from: "Enemy" by Days of the New)<BR><BR>Listen here now, little man, '01 marks the new millenium<BR>And if you come to accept that, we'll get along fine, yeah<BR>You need to change, yeah, you need to change, yeah<BR>Now...<BR><BR>(I'm not the one who's tryin' to change) I'm not the one who's tryin' to <BR>change Millenium<BR>That's somethin' you need to change<BR>I'm not the one who's tryin' to change Millenium<BR>That's something you need to change<BR><BR>&lt;Repeat&gt;<BR><BR>It's unreal, the way folks thought, it was last year, was last year<BR>It's unreal, the way folks thought, it was last year, was last year<BR>It's unreal, the way folks thought, it was last year, was last year<BR>It's unreal, the way folks thought... Yeah....<BR><BR>(Ya need to change, yeah... Ya need to change, yeah... Ya need to change, <BR>yeah... )<BR><BR>I'm not the one who's tryin' to change....<BR>I'm not the one who's tryin' to change....<BR>Millenium<BR>Millenium<BR>MILLENIUM!<BR><BR>- -30-<BR><BR>Hrm... I think my new-year's resolution should be to use more <BR>commonly-known songs for filks....<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; WHO LET THE VARGR OUT?&nbsp; *woof! woof! woof!*<BR><BR>Ahhhhhhh... maybe not that one. =)<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3496<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe<BR>"local-traveller":<BR><BR>subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net<BR><BR>A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to<BR>subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"<BR>in the commands above with "traveller".<BR><BR>Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgn.com<BR></I></I></S><XMP></XMP>
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<P align=left><FONT color=#0f0f0f face=Arial size=2 PTSIZE="10" BACK="#FFFFFE"><BR><BR>----------------------- Headers --------------------------------<BR>Return-Path: &lt;owner-traveller@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>Received: from&nbsp; rly-yb02.mx.aol.com (rly-yb02.mail.aol.com [172.18.146.2]) by air-yb03.mail.aol.com (v77.31) with ESMTP; Mon, 01 Jan 2001 23:17:47 -0500<BR>Received: from&nbsp; lists.ient.com (lists.ient.com [204.85.32.11]) by rly-yb02.mx.aol.com (v77.27) with ESMTP; Mon, 01 Jan 2001 23:17:11 -0500<BR>Received: from localhost (daemon@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) with SMTP id XAA28342;<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Mon, 1 Jan 2001 23:05:05 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller@lists.ient.com)<BR>Received: by lists.ient.com (bulk_mailer v1.12); Mon, 1 Jan 2001 23:04:33 -0500<BR>Received: (from majordom@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) id XAA28279<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; for traveller-digest-outgoing; Mon, 1 Jan 2001 23:04:33 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com)<BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 23:04:33 -0500 (EST)<BR>Message-Id: &lt;200101020404.XAA28279@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>From: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>To: traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Subject: Traveller-digest V1999 #3496<BR>Reply-To: traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>Sender: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR><BR></FONT></P></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML><HTML><HEAD><BASE></HEAD>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tuesday, January 2 2001&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3497<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>Re: Lend Lease<BR>Re: My last obscenity of the century<BR>Re: Beowulf Deckplans Are In Dallas!<BR>RE: My last obscenity of the century<BR>KB3 Hit Location<BR>Re: Beowulf Deckplans Are In Dallas!<BR>Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>Combat/Weapons design help needed!<BR>RE: Beowulf Deckplans Are In Dallas!<BR>RE: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>The GGV System (Aack! Not Another Task System!)<BR>RE: My last obscenity of the century<BR>UNSUBSCRIBE<BR>Fw: UNSUBSCRIBE<BR>Re: Personal Web site update<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 19:27:34 PST<BR>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>Subject: Re: Lend Lease<BR><BR>In mail you write:<BR><BR>&gt; Leonard Erickson wrote:<BR>&gt;&gt; &gt; YB-40; add another Bendix top turret in the radio area and a &gt; boatload <BR>&gt;&gt;more ammo in the bomb bay.<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;They had more than that. I recall a figure of 17 50 cal machineguns and a <BR>&gt;&gt;nose mounted 20mm cannon.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Hmmm...are you sure you aren't thinking of the ground attack<BR>&gt; B-25 Mitchells?&nbsp; I've seen some of these with an amazing number<BR>&gt; of forward machine guns and cannon in addition to their tail<BR>&gt; and turret guns, but I don't recall the gunship B-17 having<BR>&gt; a 20mm.<BR><BR>No, I'm going from memory of Martin Caidin's "Flying Fortress", a<BR>history of the B-17. Alas, my copy disappeared *years* ago. :-(<BR><BR>I also recall that they *did* see service in Europe, but they never<BR>made that many, because problems stated elsewhere.<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>shadow@krypton.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;--preferred<BR>leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;--last resort<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 19:30:29 PST<BR>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>Subject: Re: My last obscenity of the century<BR><BR>In mail you write:<BR><BR>&gt; At 12:49 AM +1300 1/2/01, Frank G. Pitt wrote:<BR>&gt;&gt;Kenji,<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;You didn't happen to design the space ships in "Flesh Gordom" as well did<BR>&gt;&gt;you ?<BR>&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt;Or the machine that Barbarella blows up ?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Never saw either film... I actually have a very weak stomach.<BR><BR>Neither film is all that graphic in the "gore" sense of the word. It's<BR>just the nudity, adult language (ie sex is openly talked about), and<BR>the phallic spaceships.<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>shadow@krypton.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;--preferred<BR>leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;--last resort<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 19:37:02 PST<BR>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>Subject: Re: Beowulf Deckplans Are In Dallas!<BR><BR>In mail you write:<BR><BR>&gt; Well, the Beowulf deckplans from SJG have<BR>&gt; hit Dallas. Since no one else has made<BR>&gt; mention of them yet, I thought I'd give<BR>&gt; you all a review.<BR><BR>&lt;snip&gt;<BR><BR>&gt; One caveat, though. The type of paper the<BR>&gt; deckplans are printed on is easy to crease<BR>&gt; and almost impossible to get any sharp <BR>&gt; creases out. It, um, also doesn't stand up<BR>&gt; too well to really hot tomato sauce or dogs<BR>&gt; walking across them. <BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; *sigh*<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Definitely keep the pizza and beverages away<BR>&gt; from this one, people.<BR><BR>If you can afford it, get them mounted on posterboard and laminated.<BR>It'll make them harder to transport (but an artist's "portfolio" type<BR>case would work. And it'd make things much easier. <BR><BR>We had a couple of 2'x3' hexmaps laminated, but not mounted, we just<BR>rolled them up. But from the sound of things, this paper would do<BR>better mounted *and* laminated.<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>shadow@krypton.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;--preferred<BR>leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;--last resort<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 23:38:08 -0500<BR>From: Mark Urbin &lt;urbin@bigfoot.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: My last obscenity of the century<BR><BR>Kenji:<BR>&gt;At 12:49 AM +1300 1/2/01, Frank G. Pitt wrote:<BR>&gt; &gt;Kenji,<BR>&gt; &gt;You didn't happen to design the space ships in "Flesh Gordom" as well did<BR>&gt; &gt;you ?<BR>&gt; &gt;Or the machine that Barbarella blows up ?<BR>&gt;Never saw either film... I actually have a very weak stomach.<BR><BR>Both classics.&nbsp; Barbarella was arguably Hanoi Jane's finest film.<BR>Flesh Gordon is just too funny &amp; campy.&nbsp; Kinda like the Nudie Musical film <BR>Ron Howard did back in the late 70's, but with lower production values.<BR>- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>These opinions are mine, no one else wants `em.<BR>Joan of Arc: the patron saint of welders http://www.bigfoot.com/~urbin/<BR>- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 22:42:25 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: KB3 Hit Location<BR><BR>I'm finishing up some combat rules for KB3.&nbsp; I thought I'd share the KB3<BR>hit location rule I designed for the system.<BR><BR>Unlike other hit location mechanics, KB3 hit location does not require a<BR>chart, and it doesn't require another roll be made to determine where a<BR>target has been hit.&nbsp; The same roll that you use to roll your attack is<BR>the same roll that determines where you hit.<BR><BR>In fact, the E-Die determines where you hit--no other dice.<BR><BR>The KB3 hit location is based on a grid.&nbsp; When you hit a target, simply<BR>look at the number that turned up on the E-Die and imagine the hit<BR>location grid over the target.<BR><BR>Hit Location Grid<BR>- -----------------<BR><BR>| 1 | 2 |<BR>| 3 | 4 |<BR>| 5 | 6 |<BR><BR><BR>The Hit Location Grid is a rectangular grid composed of 6 squares,<BR>arranged as illustrated above.&nbsp; Whichever number turned up on the E-Die<BR>from the attack roll reflects which of the target's body areas was hit.<BR><BR>The target areas will mean different body locations on different<BR>targets, and the beauty of this system is that a single number turning<BR>up on the E-die is not locked to a particular body part (head, arm,<BR>torso, etc).&nbsp; The GM will imagine this grid over the target and describe<BR>the hit accordingly.<BR><BR>For instance, if a man is standing in front of you, and you shoot at him<BR>and hit him, the GM will imagine this grid over the target from the<BR>shooter's perspective.&nbsp; A result of "1" or "2" on the E-Die represents a<BR>hit to the upper part of the body--the man's head, his neck, his upper<BR>shoulders, and his upper chest.&nbsp; A result of "3" or "4" on the E-Die<BR>represents a torso, waist, or groin area hit or one of the arms of the<BR>target being hit.&nbsp; A result of a "5" or "6" on the E-Die represents a<BR>leg hit.<BR><BR>Notice that "odd" numbers on the E-Die represent hits to the shooter's<BR>left on the target.&nbsp; "Even" numbers on the E-Die represent hits on the<BR>target to the shooter's right.<BR><BR>You can turn the grid to fit the shape of the target given the shooter's<BR>perspective.&nbsp; For example, if a target is prone and perpendicular to the<BR>persepctive of shooter, then a "3" result would mean the target was hit<BR>from the side on his upper back.&nbsp; A "4" result, under the same<BR>circumstances, would mean that the target is hit from the side, but the<BR>wound is in his chest, close to the ground.<BR><BR>The grid is used to help a GM decide on where a character was hit when<BR>hit location is important to the game (maybe to determine armor<BR>protection before damage is rolled).&nbsp; Some GMs may not want to use a hit<BR>location for every shot, but they still like to have a rule handy for<BR>when determining hit location is important to the game.<BR><BR><BR>LEFT-RIGHT<BR>Like I said above, "odd" numbers reflect shots to the shooter's "left",<BR>and "even" numbers reflect shots to the shooter's "right".&nbsp; (Thus, if a<BR>man was standing at the end of a hallway, facing you, a "1" result would<BR>mean that the target is damaged on the right side of his face, on the<BR>right side of his neck, in his right breast, or in his right<BR>shoulder--all of this is to the shooter's left).<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>SKEWING<BR>You can also skew the hit location.&nbsp; If, for instance, a PC is fighting<BR>a dog-sized four legged animal, then the animal is likely only to hit<BR>the PC's chest, arms, and legs (unless the animal can get the PC on the<BR>ground).&nbsp; In this instance, you can add +2 to the E-Die result, making<BR>head hits impossible and making leg hits more likely.<BR><BR>If a PC was fighting an animal in this fashion, I'd replace "1" and "2"<BR>hits with arm hits since the PCs is using his arms to defend himself.<BR><BR><BR><BR>The hit location grid is designed to "localize" the hit location for the<BR>GM (so that he can be dramatic in the game, describing how a NPC or a PC<BR>got hit).&nbsp; Final, specific, hit location areas are up to the GM.<BR><BR>For instance, if a PC fired at an NPC, and the two were facing each<BR>other--and a "1" appeared on the E-Die--I'd look at the damage rolled.<BR>If the NPC was just scratched, I'd say the bullet just grazed the right<BR>side of the NPC's neck (or something like that).&nbsp; If the NPC was killed<BR>with the shot, I'd say, dramatically in the game, that, "Your shot blew<BR>a hole in the right side of the guy's face!"<BR><BR><BR>Have fun with it.<BR><BR><BR><BR>Notice that you do not make another roll to determine hit location.&nbsp; One<BR>roll, under the KB3 system, determines if you hit (success or failure vs<BR>a difficulty total), how well you hit or missed (measuring your roll vs<BR>your stat), and where you hit (using the result of the E-Die and the hit<BR>location grid.<BR><BR>I like that.&nbsp; It makes for quick, fun, yet detail oriented role playing.<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Mon, 01 Jan 2001 23:57:35 -0600<BR>From: Steve Daniels &lt;stevedaniels@portcaddo.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Beowulf Deckplans Are In Dallas!<BR><BR>David Smart wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; One caveat, though. The type of paper the<BR>&gt; deckplans are printed on is easy to crease<BR>&gt; and almost impossible to get any sharp<BR>&gt; creases out. It, um, also doesn't stand up<BR>&gt; too well to really hot tomato sauce or dogs<BR>&gt; walking across them.<BR><BR>I just got them myself and strongly concur on how nice<BR>they are.&nbsp; I was surprised with the paper as well.&nbsp; It<BR>is much too nice and glossy.&nbsp; I expected a cheaper<BR>and slightly heavier paper, something more akin to the<BR>Chessex large hex and grid sheets.&nbsp; This paper is not<BR>especially conducive to making your own marks on.<BR>And the sheets are much smaller than I expected,<BR>no doubt due to the nature of the paper.<BR><BR>bloo<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 00:58:13 EST<BR>From: Sethkimmel@aol.com<BR>Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR><BR>In a message dated 1/1/01 2:55:04 AM !!!First Boot!!!, <BR>alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au writes:<BR><BR>&lt;&lt; The general doctrine was:&nbsp; don't dogfight with Zekes, even<BR>(especially) when you are flying Spitfires.&nbsp; <BR>&nbsp; &gt;&gt;<BR><BR>Huh; I thought the spit' was the ONLY allied fighter that could turn with a <BR>zero (until the F6F and F4U came to the party...:-) )<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 10:19:03 +0200 (EET)<BR>From: "Mikko V. I. Parviainen" &lt;mvparvia@cc.hut.fi&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR><BR>On Tue, 2 Jan 2001 Sethkimmel@aol.com wrote:<BR>&gt; alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au writes:<BR>&gt; &lt;&lt; The general doctrine was:&nbsp; don't dogfight with Zekes, even<BR>&gt;&nbsp; (especially) when you are flying Spitfires.&nbsp; <BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; &gt;&gt;<BR>&gt; Huh; I thought the spit' was the ONLY allied fighter that could turn with a <BR>&gt; zero (until the F6F and F4U came to the party...:-) )<BR><BR>Although I am not a military expert, I can think up a couple of reasons.<BR>Firstly, Zekes were probably the most maneuverable Japanese plane, which<BR>means that everything else is less maneuverable. You might be very well<BR>off using your own agile planes to harass the clumsy enemy ones. <BR><BR>Of course, this means that someone else must engage the Zekes. The phrase<BR>"don't dogfight with Zekes" can also mean that you must use some other<BR>tactic to engage them, perhaps use a-a artillery. <BR><BR>The second reason is related to the first one : I do not know how many<BR>Spitfires the Allies did have, but if they were in a short supply, I would<BR>use them against targets which were not the largest threat to them.<BR><BR>Military doctrine, especially air doctrine, is intereting.<BR><BR>- -- <BR>+++++++++[&gt;+++++++++&lt;-]&gt;-.&lt;+++++[&gt;+++&lt;-]++&gt;++.&lt;++[&gt;++++&lt;-]+&gt;+.&lt;++[&gt;----<BR>&lt;-]&gt;-.&gt;+++[&gt;++++++++++&lt;-]++&gt;++pare@iki.fi&lt;+[&gt;++++&lt;-]&gt;+.-&gt;+[&gt;++++[&lt;&lt;---&gt;<BR>&gt;-]&lt;-]&lt;.&gt;&gt;+++++++[&lt;++++++++++&gt;-]++++[&lt;+++++&gt;-]&lt;-.&gt;[-]&gt;+++[&gt;++[&lt;&lt;&lt;----&gt;&gt;<BR>&lt;&gt;&gt;-]&lt;-]&lt;&lt;.+.&gt;[-]++[&lt;++&gt;-]&lt;.++.[-]&gt;[-]++++[&lt;++&gt;-]&lt;++.&gt;&gt;++[&gt;++[&gt;-&lt;-]&lt;--]<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2001 09:47:14 +0100<BR>From: "Jens Maskus" &lt;megulon@web.de&gt;<BR>Subject: Combat/Weapons design help needed!<BR><BR>Hi,<BR><BR>After some fruitles searching I need your help with Weapon (Personal/Large) and the<BR>appropriate combat system.<BR><BR>Until now I've been using a MT (Pen/Att/Damage) derivat. The problem with MT is that I can't make my own weapons<BR>and starship combat is incompatible with personal combat.<BR><BR>One example is how can get a hit accurency for a weapon with FFS2, how high is the Penetration at a given range<BR>and how much damage does it?<BR><BR>What I see from G:T and T4 is that they don't have a third stat like Damage. Insteed they substract damage resitence <BR>(or PV) from the weapon damage (DV) to get the total damage. Is this not like Striker? Or am I totally wrong??<BR><BR>Is G:Vehicles a better try than the Traveller products?<BR><BR>Which systems is used by you?<BR><BR>Thanks<BR>Jens Maskus<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 09:27:00 -0000 <BR>From: "Jones, Dean" &lt;Dean.Jones@fox-europe.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: Beowulf Deckplans Are In Dallas!<BR><BR>&lt;snip&gt;<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; Definitely keep the pizza and beverages away<BR>&gt; &gt; from this one, people.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; If you can afford it, get them mounted on posterboard and laminated.<BR>&gt; It'll make them harder to transport (but an artist's "portfolio" type<BR>&gt; case would work. And it'd make things much easier. <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; We had a couple of 2'x3' hexmaps laminated, but not mounted, we just<BR>&gt; rolled them up. But from the sound of things, this paper would do<BR>&gt; better mounted *and* laminated.<BR><BR>Personally I made photocopies of mine...mounting them is definately a good<BR>option but since the maps are double-sided you'd have to choose whether you<BR>want to stick either the hexes or the squares to the board, and I find both<BR>useful.<BR><BR>The photocopies came out rather well and stick together quite nicely with<BR>scotch tape. There's sufficient overlap that nothing really gets lost in the<BR>joins.<BR><BR>Dean<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 09:48:52 -0000 <BR>From: "Jones, Dean" &lt;Dean.Jones@fox-europe.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR><BR>&gt; So how the hell &lt;expletive not deleted&gt; is your political tirade even<BR>&gt; remotely related to Traveller?<BR><BR>The 3I has prison planets, right?&nbsp; When they get over crowded, just remove<BR>the guards and voila! instant space-aussies! ;)<BR><BR>With apologies to the honest citizens of the australasian coninent.<BR><BR>Dean <BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 04:51:58 -0500<BR>From: Glenn Grant &lt;neo@total.net&gt;<BR>Subject: The GGV System (Aack! Not Another Task System!)<BR><BR>Happy New Millennium, Folks!<BR><BR>Reading through the sixty or so TML Digests that had accumulated in <BR>my mailbox over the holiday, I was unable to avoid the temptation to <BR>tinker with a new Task System idea myself.&nbsp; If the following concept <BR>has been suggested previously, I don't recall seeing it.<BR><BR>Personally, I quite like the draft T5 system, which, with Marc's <BR>"It's Harder Than I Thought" rule, pretty neatly fixes many of my <BR>complaints about the (very cool but flawed) T4 system.&nbsp; Rolling below <BR>a Target Number instead of higher than a TN doesn't bother me.&nbsp; But I <BR>can't help wanting to tinker further, in the hopes of eliminating my <BR>few remaining cavils.&nbsp;<BR><BR>In particular, I feel that T4/T5's use of State + Skill for the <BR>Target Number makes Stats too important versus Skills.&nbsp; Marc has paid <BR>lip-service to the idea that, in T5, Stats and Skills would have the <BR>same range and weight, but this isn't quite true in practice.&nbsp; T5 <BR>Chargen does produce characters with a higher range of Skill Levels <BR>than CT/MT, but they're still limited mostly to a range of 1 to 8, <BR>rarely higher, whereas Stats can range up to 15.&nbsp; One *could* fiddle <BR>with Chargen to boost these levels further, but I have the lingering <BR>sense that Skill Levels such as "Brokerage-12" sound absurd.&nbsp; So I <BR>want the Task System to push the importance of Skills a bit further. <BR>This system adds that extra boost.<BR><BR>Warning: if you dislike Half-Die on principle, you're gonna hate this idea....<BR><BR>GLENN GRANT's VARIANT T5 SYSTEM ("GGV"), version 0.1<BR><BR>This is a variant of the T4/T5 Task System, designed to:<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; 1) reduce the number of dice used in most rolls;<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; 2) make sure that each Skill Level is worth roughly twice as much <BR>as each point of Stat;<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; 3) make use of every point of Skill and Stat;<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; 4) accommodate the relatively high Skill Levels that can occur in T5 Chargen;<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; 5) keep things fast and simple.<BR>But in so doing, I find it necessary to:<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; 6) integrate the dreaded Half-Die fully into the Task System (aiieee!).<BR><BR>Here's how it works:<BR><BR>A Task roll succeeds on a roll of Stat or less (NOT Stat + Skill);<BR>Like T4/T5, the number of dice varies with the Difficulty of the Task;<BR>**BUT: The number of dice is reduced by a 0.5 per Skill Level.**<BR><BR>The Difficulty Levels are similar to the T5 system, except that there <BR>is a straight progression of dice from 1 to 7: "Difficult" is 3D, not <BR>2.5D. NOTE that T5 has an added Difficulty Level: "Hopeless", at 5D. <BR>In GGV, "Hopeless" is 6D and ""Impossible" is 7D, but players will <BR>never actually roll such a large number of dice.]<BR><BR>When a character attempts a Task, the Difficulty determines the base <BR>number of dice, which is reduced by one Half-Die for each of level of <BR>Skill. (In doing this subtraction, 2 Half-Die = 1 D6.)<BR><BR>Thus, a character with Skill 4, attempting a Difficult Task (3D), <BR>reduces the number of dice by 2 (4 x 0.5), making a roll of 1D <BR>instead.<BR><BR>NOTE: If the character's Skill Level is less than the base number of <BR>dice, add 1 die.&nbsp; (This is T5's "It's Harder Than I Thought" Rule.)<BR><BR>Instead of the single Half-Die in the T4/T5 system, GGV inserts a <BR>Half-Die between each Difficulty Level.&nbsp; (The Half-Level above <BR>"Difficult" might be called "Very Difficult" or something... <BR>Personally I think it would be best to just dispense with the <BR>Difficulty names and simply refer to a task as a "3D Task" or a "4.5D <BR>Task", etc.)&nbsp; In the table below I've left the half-Levels unnamed:<BR><BR>Difficulty&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dice<BR>- ---------&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ------<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; --&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.5<BR>Easy&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; --&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.5<BR>Average&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 2<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; --&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 2.5<BR>Difficult&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 3<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; --&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 3.5<BR>Formidable&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 4<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; --&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 4.5<BR>Staggering&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 5<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; --&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.5<BR>Hopeless&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 6<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; --&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 6.5<BR>"Impossible"&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 7<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; --&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 7.5<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ...etc.<BR><BR>Skill<BR>Level&nbsp; &nbsp; Dice<BR>- -----&nbsp; &nbsp; -----<BR>0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -0<BR>1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -0.5<BR>2&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -1<BR>3&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -1.5<BR>4&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -2<BR>5&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -2.5<BR>6&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -3<BR>7&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -3.5<BR>8&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -4<BR>9&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -4.5<BR>10&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; -5<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ...etc.<BR><BR>If the number of dice is reduced to zero, the Task succeeds automatically.&nbsp;&nbsp;<BR><BR>However, if there are DMs which reduce the Target Number to zero, the <BR>Task *fails* automatically (even if the number of dice has been <BR>reduced to zero).<BR><BR>A few examples:<BR><BR>Eneri Dinsha has Skill 2, Stat 9, and attempts a Difficult (3D) Task.<BR>His Skill is less than the base number of Dice, so it becomes a 4D Task.<BR>Skill 2 reduces the number of Dice by 1, leaving 3 Dice.<BR>Thus Eneri must roll 9 or less on 3D.<BR>He has a 37.5% chance of success.<BR><BR>Mustapha Jones has Skill 3, Stat 7, and attempts a Formidable (4D) Task.<BR>His Skill is less than the base number of Dice, so it becomes a 5D Task.<BR>Skill 3 reduces the number of Dice by 1.5, leaving 3.5 Dice.<BR>Thus (barring any applicable DMs) Jones must roll 7 or less on 3.5D.<BR>He has a 5.2% chance of success.<BR><BR>Grrrrr has Skill 5, Stat 7, and attempts a Staggering (5D) Task -- <BR>with a sprained finger that increases the Difficulty by 0.5.&nbsp; (5D + <BR>DM of 0.5D) = 5.5D.<BR>Skill 5 reduces the number of Dice by 2.5, leaving 3 Dice.<BR>Thus Grrrrr must roll 7 or less on 3 Dice.<BR>He has a 16.2% chance of success.<BR><BR>Kenyth has Skill 6, Stat 12, and attempts a Hopeless (6D) Task.<BR>Skill 6 reduces the number of Dice by 3, leaving 3 Dice.<BR>Thus Kenyth must roll 12 or less on 3 Dice.<BR>He has a 74.1% chance of success.<BR><BR>"Bob" the Geek has Skill 10 (quite possible under Marc's [draft] T5 <BR>Chargen), Stat 7, and attempts an Impossible (7D) Task.<BR>Skill 6 reduces the number of Dice by 5, leaving 2D.<BR>Thus "Bob" must roll 7 or less on 2 Dice.<BR>He has a 58.3% chance of success.<BR><BR>Bugg Derri has Skill 6, Stat 8, and attempts a Difficult Task.<BR>Skill 6 reduces the number of Dice by 3, leaving no dice.<BR>Thus the Task would succeed automatically.&nbsp;<BR>*However*, Bugg is firing from behind cover (DM -4 according to T4) <BR>at a concealed penguin (DM -4), for a total DM of -8.&nbsp; This reduces <BR>his TN to 0, so he fails automatically.<BR><BR>Probabilities of success for selected Skill Levels, Stats, and Difficulties:<BR><BR>AVERAGE (2D) Tasks:<BR><BR>Stat&nbsp;&nbsp; Skill<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0*&nbsp; &nbsp; 1*&nbsp; &nbsp; 2&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 3<BR>&nbsp; 4&nbsp; &nbsp; 1.9%&nbsp; 3.7% 66.7% Auto&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<BR>&nbsp; 7&nbsp;&nbsp; 16.2% 28.7% Auto<BR>10&nbsp;&nbsp; 50.0% 71.3%<BR>14&nbsp;&nbsp; 90.7% 99.1%<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; *=IHTIT Rule in effect<BR><BR><BR>DIFFICULT (3D) Tasks:<BR><BR>Stat&nbsp;&nbsp; Skill<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0*&nbsp; &nbsp; 1*&nbsp; &nbsp; 2*&nbsp; &nbsp; 3&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 4&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 5<BR>&nbsp; 4&nbsp; &nbsp; 0.1%&nbsp; 0.2%&nbsp; 1.9% 33.3% 66.7% Auto&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<BR>&nbsp; 7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2.7%&nbsp; 5.2% 16.2% 83.3% Auto<BR>10&nbsp;&nbsp; 15.9% 26.5% 50.0% Auto<BR>14&nbsp;&nbsp; 55.6% 73.5% 90.7%<BR><BR><BR>STAGGERING (5D) Tasks:<BR><BR>Stat&nbsp;&nbsp; Skill<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0*&nbsp; &nbsp; 1*&nbsp; &nbsp; 2*&nbsp; &nbsp; 3*&nbsp; &nbsp; 4*&nbsp; &nbsp; 5&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 6<BR>&nbsp; 4&nbsp; &nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.1%&nbsp; 3.7% 16.7%&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<BR>&nbsp; 7&nbsp; &nbsp; 0.0% ~0.7?&nbsp; 0.2%&nbsp;~1.3?&nbsp; 2.7% 28.7% 58.3%<BR>10&nbsp; &nbsp; 0.4% ~1.8?&nbsp; 3.2% ~9.5? 15.9% 71.3% 91.7%<BR>14&nbsp; &nbsp; 6.0%~11.0? 22.1%~37.5? 55.6% 99.1% Auto<BR><BR><BR>IMPOSSIBLE (7D) Tasks:<BR><BR>Stat&nbsp;&nbsp; Skill<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0*&nbsp; &nbsp; 1*&nbsp; &nbsp; 2*&nbsp; &nbsp; 3*&nbsp; &nbsp; 4*&nbsp; &nbsp; 5*&nbsp; &nbsp; 6*&nbsp; &nbsp; 7<BR>&nbsp; 4&nbsp; &nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.1%&nbsp;&nbsp;0.2%&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<BR>&nbsp; 7&nbsp; &nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0% ~0.1?&nbsp; 0.2%&nbsp; 5.2%<BR>10&nbsp; &nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0?&nbsp; 0.4% ~1.5?&nbsp; 3.2%&nbsp; 26.5%<BR>14&nbsp; &nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0? ~1.0?&nbsp; 6.0%~14.0? 22.1% 73.5%<BR><BR>Note: figures marked "?" are approximations, as I don't have the <BR>exact figures at hand.<BR>*=IHTIT Rule in effect.<BR><BR>RANDOM NOTES:<BR><BR>As yet GGV doesn't provide Spectacular Results, Fumbles/Mishaps, or <BR>whatnot.&nbsp; Suggestions would be welcome.<BR><BR>I might have players roll two differently-colored dice with each Task <BR>throw, even for Automatic Tasks. These "Spec Dice" would *not* be <BR>added into the Task Dice; they would *only* be there to provide <BR>Spectacular results: snake eyes = Spec Failure, boxcars = Spec <BR>Success.&nbsp; But since the purpose of GGV is to reduce the number of <BR>dice thrown, this seems a bit contradictory.<BR><BR>Obviously, any method for Spectacular results would affect the <BR>probabilities above, giving characters a slim chance of succeeding <BR>(or failing) at any task.<BR><BR>As it stands, I think the GGV system works okay, though it's a bit <BR>brutal: due to the reduced number of dice, the probabilities drop off <BR>faster towards the upper and lower ends.&nbsp; Otherwise, the mid-range <BR>results are not radically different from T5's.<BR><BR>Because of this, I suspect I may end up using T5, but with a straight <BR>progression of Difficulties from 1-7 (eliminating "Hopeless").&nbsp; The <BR>benefits of rolling fewer dice in GGV are countered by its use of the <BR>Evil Half-Die (an abomination which seems to drive many players away <BR>screaming).<BR><BR>Comments, anyone?<BR><BR>- --------------------------------<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Cumulative Odds Table<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 0.5D&nbsp;&nbsp; 1D&nbsp;&nbsp; 1.5D&nbsp; &nbsp; 2D&nbsp;&nbsp; 2.5D&nbsp; &nbsp; 3D<BR>=========================================<BR>&nbsp; 1 | 33.3&nbsp; 16.7&nbsp; ----&nbsp;&nbsp; ----&nbsp; ----&nbsp;&nbsp; ----<BR>&nbsp; 2 | 66.6&nbsp; 33.3&nbsp;&nbsp; 5.6&nbsp; &nbsp; 2.8&nbsp; ----&nbsp;&nbsp; ----<BR>&nbsp; 3 |100.0&nbsp; 50.0&nbsp; 16.7&nbsp; &nbsp; 8.3&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.9&nbsp; &nbsp; 0.5<BR>&nbsp; 4 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 66.7&nbsp; 33.3&nbsp;&nbsp; 16.7&nbsp;&nbsp; 3.7&nbsp; &nbsp; 1.9<BR>&nbsp; 5 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 83.3&nbsp; 50.0&nbsp;&nbsp; 27.8&nbsp;&nbsp; 9.3&nbsp; &nbsp; 4.6<BR>&nbsp; 6 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 100.0&nbsp; 66.7&nbsp;&nbsp; 41.7&nbsp; 17.6&nbsp; &nbsp; 9.3<BR>&nbsp; 7 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 83.3&nbsp;&nbsp; 58.3&nbsp; 28.7&nbsp;&nbsp; 16.2<BR>&nbsp; 8 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 94.4&nbsp;&nbsp; 72.2&nbsp; 42.6&nbsp;&nbsp; 25.9<BR>&nbsp; 9 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 100.0&nbsp;&nbsp; 83.3&nbsp; 57.4&nbsp;&nbsp; 37.5<BR>10 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 91.7&nbsp; 71.3&nbsp;&nbsp; 50.0<BR>11 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 97.2&nbsp; 82.4&nbsp;&nbsp; 62.5<BR>12 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 100.0&nbsp; 90.7&nbsp;&nbsp; 74.1<BR>13 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 96.3&nbsp;&nbsp; 83.8<BR>14 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 99.1&nbsp;&nbsp; 90.7<BR>15 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 100.0&nbsp;&nbsp; 95.4<BR>16 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 98.1<BR>17 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 99.5<BR>18 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 100.0<BR><BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 3.5D&nbsp; &nbsp; 4D&nbsp;&nbsp; 4.5D&nbsp; &nbsp; 5D&nbsp; &nbsp; 5.5D&nbsp; &nbsp; 6D<BR>============================================<BR>&nbsp; 1 | ----&nbsp;&nbsp; ----&nbsp; ----&nbsp;&nbsp; ----&nbsp; &nbsp; ----&nbsp;&nbsp; ----<BR>&nbsp; 2 | ----&nbsp;&nbsp; ----&nbsp; ----&nbsp;&nbsp; ----&nbsp; &nbsp; ----&nbsp;&nbsp; ----<BR>&nbsp; 3 | ----&nbsp;&nbsp; ----&nbsp; ----&nbsp;&nbsp; ----&nbsp; &nbsp; ----&nbsp;&nbsp; ----<BR>&nbsp; 4 |&nbsp; 0.2&nbsp; &nbsp; 0.1&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ----&nbsp; &nbsp; ----&nbsp;&nbsp; ----<BR>&nbsp; 5 |&nbsp; 0.8&nbsp; &nbsp; 0.4&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.01&nbsp; &nbsp; ----&nbsp;&nbsp; ----<BR>&nbsp; 6 |&nbsp; 2.3&nbsp; &nbsp; 1.2&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.07&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.002<BR>&nbsp; 7 |&nbsp; 5.2&nbsp; &nbsp; 2.7&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.27&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.015<BR>&nbsp; 8 | 10.0&nbsp; &nbsp; 5.4&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.72&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.060<BR>&nbsp; 9 | 17.1&nbsp; &nbsp; 9.7&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.62&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.180<BR>10 | 26.5&nbsp;&nbsp; 15.9&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 3.24&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.450<BR>11 | 37.8&nbsp;&nbsp; 23.9&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.88&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.990<BR>12 | 50.0&nbsp;&nbsp; 33.6&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 9.80&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.968<BR>13 | 62.2&nbsp;&nbsp; 44.4&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 15.2&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 3.588<BR>14 | 73.5&nbsp;&nbsp; 55.6&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 22.1&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 6.076<BR>15 | 82.9&nbsp;&nbsp; 66.4&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 30.5&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 9.647<BR>16 | 89.9&nbsp;&nbsp; 76.1&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 40.0&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 14.46<BR>17 | 94.8&nbsp;&nbsp; 84.1&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 50.0&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 20.59<BR>18 | 97.7&nbsp;&nbsp; 90.3&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 60.0&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 27.94<BR>19 | 99.2&nbsp;&nbsp; 94.6&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 69.5&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 36.31<BR>20 | 99.8&nbsp;&nbsp; 97.3&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 77.9&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 45.36<BR>21 |100.0&nbsp;&nbsp; 98.8&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 84.8&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 54.64<BR>22 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 99.6&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 90.2&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 63.69<BR>23 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 99.9&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 94.1&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 72.06<BR>24 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 100.0&nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 96.8&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 79.42<BR>25 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 98.4&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 85.54<BR>26 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 99.3&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 90.35<BR>27 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 99.7&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 93.92<BR>28 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 99.9&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 96.41<BR>29 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp; 100.0&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 98.03<BR>30 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 100.0&nbsp; &nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 99.01<BR>31 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; ?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 99.55<BR>32 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 99.82<BR>33 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 99.94<BR>34 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 99.99<BR>35 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 99.99<BR>36 |&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 100.00<BR><BR>NOTE: Some values are missing, marked "?" I don't have figures for <BR>these on hand.&nbsp; 6.5D and 7D figures are not shown; in practice such <BR>large numbers of dice won't be needed, as they will be reduced by <BR>Skills.<BR><BR>- -- <BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; ------------------------Glenn Grant------------------------<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;neo@total.net&gt;<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; "I don't want to achieve immortality through my work.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; I want to achieve it by not dying." -- Woody Allen<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 23:50:18 +1300<BR>From: "Frank G. Pitt" &lt;frankie@mundens.gen.nz&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: My last obscenity of the century<BR><BR>Mark Urbin wrote :<BR>&gt; Kenji:<BR>&gt; Frank G. Pitt wrote:<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; You didn't happen to design the space ships in<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt; "Flesh Gordom" as well did you ?<BR>&gt; &gt; &gt;Or the machine that Barbarella blows up ?<BR>&gt; &gt;<BR>&gt; &gt;Never saw either film... I actually have a very weak stomach.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Both classics.&nbsp; Barbarella was arguably Hanoi Jane's finest film.<BR><BR>Having just watched Alien again on DVD, I have to wonder whether Ripley<BR>climbing _into_ her space suit at the _end_ of the movie, was an intentional<BR>reference (perhaps some sort of closure?) to Barbarella's removal of her<BR>space suit at the start of that film...<BR><BR>Frankie<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2001 10:54:08 -0000<BR>From: "Cutter Goode" &lt;cutter_prime@hotmail.com&gt;<BR>Subject: UNSUBSCRIBE<BR><BR>If someone could get me off the list, I'd be very grateful,<BR>I've been trying for about a month now with no result.<BR>_________________________________________________________________________<BR>Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 21:58:28 +1100<BR>From: "steven" &lt;steven@terra-australis-mandes.com.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Fw: UNSUBSCRIBE<BR><BR>If someone could get me off the list, I'd be very grateful,<BR>I've been trying for about a month now with no result.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 05:14:50 -0700<BR>From: "Joseph Kimball" &lt;jekimball@prodigy.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Personal Web site update<BR><BR>Oops!&nbsp; That splitting headache last night must have been from those of you<BR>trying to get the address from my mind telepathically.&nbsp; Unfortunately, you<BR>missed, getting my wife instead of me.<BR>The address is:&nbsp; http://pages.prodigy.net/jekimball/traveler.htm<BR>- - Joseph<BR>- ----- Original Message -----<BR>&gt; Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 20:24:22 -0700<BR>&gt; From: "Joseph Kimball" &lt;jekimball@prodigy.net&gt;<BR>&gt; Subject: Personal Web site update<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; I have made some updates to my Web site.&nbsp; Most of the changes are minor,<BR>but<BR>&gt; I have added notes about missile magazines to my IMTU page.&nbsp; Enjoy!<BR>&gt; - - Joseph<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; ------------------------------<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3497<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe<BR>"local-traveller":<BR><BR>subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net<BR><BR>A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to<BR>subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"<BR>in the commands above with "traveller".<BR><BR>Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgn.com<BR></I></I></S><XMP></XMP>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tuesday, January 2 2001&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3498<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>Re: Personal Web site update<BR>Custom gaming table (was Re: Beowulf Deckplans Are In Dallas!)<BR>RE: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>re: Combat/Weapons design help needed!<BR>Dogfighting Zeroes (was Re: Lend Lease)<BR>Re: UNSUBSCRIBE<BR>Re: Combat/Weapons design help needed!<BR>RE: Combat/Weapons design help needed!<BR>RE: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>RE: Combat/Weapons design help needed!<BR>Deck Plans Scale Question<BR>Re: Beowulf Deckplans Are In Dallas!<BR>RE: Beowulf Deckplans Are In Dallas!<BR>Re: Logarithmic Space Combat System<BR>The GGV System (Aack! Not Another Task System!)<BR>Core Sector Duke?<BR>Re: Core Sector Duke?<BR>Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2001 06:52:10 -0600<BR>From: David Smart &lt;dsmart@imagin.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Personal Web site update<BR><BR>Joseph Kimball<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Oops!&nbsp; That splitting headache last night must have been from those of you<BR>&gt; trying to get the address from my mind telepathically.&nbsp; Unfortunately, you<BR>&gt; missed, getting my wife instead of me.<BR>&gt; The address is:&nbsp; http://pages.prodigy.net/jekimball/traveler.htm<BR>&gt; - - Joseph<BR><BR>Hmmm.<BR><BR>'Fraid the link to the Magazine page from your home page<BR>doesn't<BR>work either.<BR><BR>Time to take more aspirin. ;)<BR><BR>David<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2001 07:07:26 -0600<BR>From: David Smart &lt;dsmart@imagin.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Custom gaming table (was Re: Beowulf Deckplans Are In Dallas!)<BR><BR>Steve Daniels<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; David Smart wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; One caveat, though. The type of paper the<BR>&gt; &gt; deckplans are printed on is easy to crease<BR>&gt; &gt; and almost impossible to get any sharp<BR>&gt; &gt; creases out. It, um, also doesn't stand up<BR>&gt; &gt; too well to really hot tomato sauce or dogs<BR>&gt; &gt; walking across them.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; I just got them myself and strongly concur on how nice<BR>&gt; they are.&nbsp; I was surprised with the paper as well.&nbsp; It<BR>&gt; is much too nice and glossy.&nbsp; I expected a cheaper<BR>&gt; and slightly heavier paper, something more akin to the<BR>&gt; Chessex large hex and grid sheets.&nbsp; This paper is not<BR>&gt; especially conducive to making your own marks on.<BR>&gt; And the sheets are much smaller than I expected,<BR>&gt; no doubt due to the nature of the paper.<BR><BR>I've found the best way to handle *any* printed<BR>gaming product which I might want to mark on is<BR>to cover it with a clear piece of plastic sheeting<BR>Not a sheet protector, mind you, a real 1/16th"<BR>sheet of plastic cut down to size.<BR><BR>Such plastic can be found at most home-improvement<BR>stores as can the cutters. I used to game on a<BR>picnic table covered with a white bed sheet. My<BR>maps &amp; city/building drawings would on the bed<BR>sheet and a sheet of plexiglass would go on top.<BR>The plexiglass was cut to the dimensions of the<BR>picnic tabletop and anchored with small woodwork<BR>clamps at one end.<BR><BR>Worked like a charm in holding marks from grease<BR>pencils and water-based markers. Also did a<BR>bang-up job on protecting my materials from<BR>spills and allowed players to eat on top of<BR>them without fear of damage.<BR><BR>A sheet about 2 feet square would be inexpensive,<BR>fit just about any table, cover all but the<BR>largest printed material, and be easy to transport<BR>without any special carrying case.<BR><BR>David<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 14:04:15 -0000 <BR>From: "Jones, Dean" &lt;Dean.Jones@fox-europe.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR><BR>&gt; -----Original Message-----<BR>&gt; From: Douglas E. Berry [mailto:gridlore@pop.mindspring.com]<BR><BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; At 04:45 PM 1/1/2001 +1300, you wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; &gt;Hey its the 21st Century, where's my fusion powered antigrav aircar?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; There was a wonderful series of radio commercials for some <BR>&gt; e-tailer that<BR>&gt; fetured the actor who played Captain Sisko on DS9. <BR><BR>Avery Brooks.<BR><BR>One of <BR>&gt; them had him<BR>&gt; complaining that it was 2000 and he wanted his flying car..<BR><BR>I'd heard about it (from one of Loren's JTAS editorials I think) but I<BR>hadn't seen it, so I had no idea it was him.<BR><BR>Dean <BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2001 06:21:18 -0800<BR>From: shudson@lightspeed.ca (Steven Hudson)<BR>Subject: re: Combat/Weapons design help needed!<BR><BR>&gt;From: "Jens Maskus" &lt;megulon@web.de&gt;<BR>&gt;Subject: Combat/Weapons design help needed!<BR>...<BR>&gt;What I see from G:T and T4 is that they don't have a third stat like Damage.<BR>&gt;Insteed they substract damage resitence (or PV) from the weapon damage (DV)<BR>&gt;sto get the total damage. Is this not like Striker? Or am I totally wrong??<BR><BR>&nbsp; Both (CT &amp; TNE) versions of Striker (AFAIK) concern themselves solely<BR>with Penetration (down Kenji!!) - the extent to which Penetration plus<BR>dice/die rolls exceeds the targets Armour Value determines the effect;<BR>FWIW, it's about ten minutes work once and for all to re-integrate CT <BR>damage dice for anti-personnel weapons back into _Striker_ (CT) - a<BR>very satisfying combo, IMHO.<BR><BR>&gt;Which systems is used by you?<BR><BR>&nbsp; _Striker_ (CT), with whatever house rules amuse me at the time :)<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Steven Hudson<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2001 09:45:12 -0500<BR>From: "Walt Smith" &lt;firelock_ny@hotmail.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Dogfighting Zeroes (was Re: Lend Lease)<BR><BR>Sethkimmel wrote:<BR>&gt;Of course, this means that someone else must engage the Zekes. The phrase <BR>&gt;"don't dogfight with Zekes" can also mean that you must use some other <BR>&gt;tactic to engage them, perhaps use a-a artillery.<BR><BR>You still use fighters to shoot them down, you just don't<BR>dogfight them.<BR><BR>A dogfight is a maneuverability contest.&nbsp; Most allied planes<BR>wouldn't win that contest with a Zeke.&nbsp; On the other hand,<BR>many allied fighters had other advantages, such as a higher<BR>top speed (especially in a dive).<BR><BR>See the Zeke before its pilot sees you.&nbsp; Roar in and pounce on<BR>it, killing it with the initial burst of firepower.&nbsp; If you miss,<BR>it starts turning to shake you and get on your tail.&nbsp; Don't bother<BR>trying to out-turn it, just use your higher speed (diving if<BR>necessary) to break off and circle very wide for another<BR>pass.&nbsp; Continue the slashing attacks as necessary, using your<BR>aircraft's advantages to completely control the engagement.<BR>If he never gets a chance to make you play his game, then the<BR>advantages his aircraft has are drastically reduced in<BR>effectiveness.<BR><BR>Yup, aircraft tactics are fascinating. ;-)<BR><BR>Walt Smith<BR>Still trying to choose a good WW2 combat flight simulator for<BR>my home PC.<BR>_________________________________________________________________<BR>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2001 07:07:30 -0800<BR>From: Tod Glenn &lt;webmaster@travellercentral.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: UNSUBSCRIBE<BR><BR>on 1/2/01 2:54 AM, Cutter Goode at cutter_prime@hotmail.com wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; If someone could get me off the list, I'd be very grateful,<BR>&gt; I've been trying for about a month now with no result.<BR>&gt; _________________________________________________________________________<BR>&gt; Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; <BR><BR>send email to majordomo@lists.ient.com.&nbsp; include the words unsubscribe<BR>traveller in the body of the message.&nbsp; You can also use my handy form.&nbsp; Got<BR>to http://www.travellercentral.com and click on TML in the nav bar.<BR><BR>Tod<BR>- --<BR>When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend"<BR>- -- <BR>Tod L Glenn<BR>webmaster@travellercentral.com<BR>http://www.travellercentral.com<BR>http://www.solsec.org<BR>http://www.grandsurvey.com<BR>http://travellerguns.com<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2001 07:09:16 -0800<BR>From: Tod Glenn &lt;webmaster@travellercentral.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Combat/Weapons design help needed!<BR><BR>on 1/2/01 12:47 AM, Jens Maskus at megulon@web.de wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Hi,<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; After some fruitles searching I need your help with Weapon (Personal/Large)<BR>&gt; and the<BR>&gt; appropriate combat system.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Is G:Vehicles a better try than the Traveller products?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Which systems is used by you?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Thanks<BR>&gt; Jens Maskus<BR>&gt; <BR><BR>you might try sending this request to the guntech mailing list<BR>(guntech@travellercentral.com).<BR><BR>Tod<BR>- --<BR>When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend"<BR>- -- <BR>Tod L Glenn<BR>webmaster@travellercentral.com<BR>http://www.travellercentral.com<BR>http://www.solsec.org<BR>http://www.grandsurvey.com<BR>http://travellerguns.com<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 15:18:22 -0000 <BR>From: "Trevor, Peter" &lt;Peter.Trevor@rb.cwplc.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: Combat/Weapons design help needed!<BR><BR>Jens Maskus wrote:<BR>&gt; After some fruitles searching I need your help with Weapon<BR>&gt; (Personal/Large) and the appropriate combat system.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Until now I've been using a MT (Pen/Att/Damage) derivat. The <BR>&gt; problem with MT is that I can't make my own weapons<BR>&gt; and starship combat is incompatible with personal combat.<BR><BR>One thing you might like to look at is 3G3 (by&nbsp; Greg&nbsp; Porter&nbsp; at<BR>BTRC).&nbsp; If you are unfamiliar with it it is a&nbsp; personal&nbsp; weapons<BR>design sequence that can be used with a range of different&nbsp; rule<BR>systems (including MT in the edition I&nbsp; have).&nbsp; From&nbsp; what&nbsp; I've<BR>seen on this list people compare it favourably&nbsp; to&nbsp; TNE's&nbsp; FF&amp;S.<BR>Over the years I have used&nbsp; 3G3&nbsp; rather&nbsp; than&nbsp; FF&amp;S&nbsp; for&nbsp; weapon<BR>design (only once having to turn to the TML instead).<BR><BR>In the MT conversion notes it mentions the idea that penetration<BR>(for slugthowers) is derived&nbsp; from&nbsp; the&nbsp; muzzle&nbsp; energy&nbsp; of&nbsp; the<BR>projectile ... more energy = more penetration ... but increasing<BR>the penetration does not increase&nbsp; damage&nbsp; as&nbsp; above&nbsp; a&nbsp; certain<BR>level the projectile will just exit the target.<BR><BR>Another advantage to 3G3&nbsp; is&nbsp; that&nbsp; it&nbsp; generates&nbsp; other&nbsp; weapon<BR>characterists that are not&nbsp; part&nbsp; of&nbsp; MT&nbsp; but&nbsp; which&nbsp; you&nbsp; could<BR>integrate if you wished ... weapon jam rates, range effects that<BR>differ for damage as&nbsp; opposed&nbsp; to&nbsp; aiming&nbsp; based&nbsp; on&nbsp; projectile<BR>ballistics, inherrant accuracy&nbsp; factors&nbsp; for&nbsp; superior&nbsp; weapons,<BR>etc.<BR><BR>As for starship combat being incompatible with&nbsp; personal&nbsp; combat<BR>the basic MT rules give penetration / range / danger space / etc<BR>factors for ship weapons ... but IIRC 1 HP in vehicle&nbsp; combat&nbsp; =<BR>10 HP in personal combat.&nbsp; (On the other hand if&nbsp; Dork Starbrite<BR>decides to stand in an open field and&nbsp; take&nbsp; on&nbsp; a&nbsp; diving&nbsp; TL15<BR>heavy fighter with his trusty magnum revolver do you really need<BR>rules to resolve the inevitable outcome?)<BR><BR><BR><BR>&gt; Is G:Vehicles a better try than the Traveller products?<BR><BR>G:V is a great product ... if you are using GT.&nbsp; If you are using<BR>MT (or other non-GT system) you have the&nbsp; twin&nbsp; problems&nbsp; of&nbsp; (a)<BR>GURPS isn't metric, and (b) GURPS has a slightly&nbsp; different&nbsp; tech<BR>baseline ... ie. different fields of tech&nbsp; advance&nbsp; at&nbsp; different<BR>rates (even after converting TTLs to GTLs).&nbsp; Point (a) is just&nbsp; a<BR>pain in the **** but can be worked around with care&nbsp; (unless&nbsp; you<BR>work for NASA).&nbsp; Point (b) means you shouldn't really mix-n-match<BR>GT gear with non-GT gear ... go all the way or not at all.<BR><BR><BR><BR>Regards PLST<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 07:40:35 -0800<BR>From: "tsykoduk" &lt;tsykoduk@bigfoot.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR><BR>IIRC that the doctrine was "Don't Turn and Burn with Zero's" -<BR><BR>In ACM there are three tactics: Turn and Burn, E Fighting and Boom and<BR>Zoom..<BR><BR>T&amp;B is a classic 'dogfight' - you try and enter the turn at point where you<BR>will get a good deflection shot on the nme (IE on their six) - If the nme<BR>can out turn you, or even turn with you, this becomes harder - to darn near<BR>impossible. Most pilots will be able to tell you how many turns it will take<BR>for an enemy to get on his six after his shot for each plane that he is<BR>going to engage. If you can out turn you nme - this is the safest tactic -<BR>grab his six and hang on for the ride.<BR><BR>E Fighting is like T&amp;B - but you use a lot of vertical maneuvers. This is<BR>esp. useful vs. an nme who has a lower climb rate then you, but perhaps is a<BR>smidge better turning. You take the dogfight and turn it on it's ear. Lots<BR>of loops, Split S's, Immelmans etc..<BR><BR>B&amp;Z is a tactic that is only useful if you have a large E advantage vs. your<BR>nme. Also, it is a really good tactic if you nme has a large maneuverability<BR>advantage on you. You dive in on your nme for a weapons pass. You pull out<BR>of your high speed dive before you go co-alt or pass you nme and climb back<BR>out. Rinse and repeat.<BR><BR>The Zero's had a large advantage in turning over all of the Allied AC -<BR>however they were slow, climbed poorly, were lightly armed (2 7mm and 2 14mm<BR>machineguns usually) and were made out of wood. The later allied AC<BR>(mustangs, P-38's, Hellcats, Corsairs (Go Pappy!!)) mitigated this advantage<BR>that the Zero's had by being faster, climbing better, being tougher and<BR>caring loads of .50's (usually 4 - 6). So, you would not T&amp;B them - you<BR>would B&amp;Z them if at all possible, or E Fight them if you started co-alt or<BR>worse (and try and claw your way to a B&amp;Z).<BR><BR>The other advantage that the Japanese had was a superior training system for<BR>it's pilots. Sadly, we got into attrition mode and just wore them out of<BR>good pilots.<BR><BR>All this B&amp;Z crud started towards the end of WWI - and the French accually<BR>had a hand in it. Planes got faster and less manuverable over time. So we<BR>can blame all this on them. ;)<BR><BR>ObTrav - Low tech planes engaging higher tech planes can be intresting -<BR>esp. if the hi tech pilots are green and the low tech pilots are good.<BR>hehehehe. Grav blows all this out of the water tho - try dogfighting with a<BR>bloody tank. ;)<BR><BR>- -----Original Message-----<BR>&gt; alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au writes:<BR>&gt; &lt;&lt; The general doctrine was:&nbsp; don't dogfight with Zekes, even<BR>&gt;&nbsp; (especially) when you are flying Spitfires.<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; &gt;&gt;<BR>&gt; Huh; I thought the spit' was the ONLY allied fighter that could turn with<BR>a<BR>&gt; zero (until the F6F and F4U came to the party...:-) )<BR><BR>Although I am not a military expert, I can think up a couple of reasons.<BR>Firstly, Zekes were probably the most maneuverable Japanese plane, which<BR>means that everything else is less maneuverable. You might be very well<BR>off using your own agile planes to harass the clumsy enemy ones.<BR><BR>Of course, this means that someone else must engage the Zekes. The phrase<BR>"don't dogfight with Zekes" can also mean that you must use some other<BR>tactic to engage them, perhaps use a-a artillery.<BR><BR>The second reason is related to the first one : I do not know how many<BR>Spitfires the Allies did have, but if they were in a short supply, I would<BR>use them against targets which were not the largest threat to them.<BR><BR>Military doctrine, especially air doctrine, is intereting.<BR><BR>- --<BR>+++++++++[&gt;+++++++++&lt;-]&gt;-.&lt;+++++[&gt;+++&lt;-]++&gt;++.&lt;++[&gt;++++&lt;-]+&gt;+.&lt;++[&gt;----<BR>&lt;-]&gt;-.&gt;+++[&gt;++++++++++&lt;-]++&gt;++pare@iki.fi&lt;+[&gt;++++&lt;-]&gt;+.-&gt;+[&gt;++++[&lt;&lt;---&gt;<BR>&gt;-]&lt;-]&lt;.&gt;&gt;+++++++[&lt;++++++++++&gt;-]++++[&lt;+++++&gt;-]&lt;-.&gt;[-]&gt;+++[&gt;++[&lt;&lt;&lt;----&gt;&gt;<BR>&lt;&gt;&gt;-]&lt;-]&lt;&lt;.+.&gt;[-]++[&lt;++&gt;-]&lt;.++.[-]&gt;[-]++++[&lt;++&gt;-]&lt;++.&gt;&gt;++[&gt;++[&gt;-&lt;-]&lt;--]<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 07:46:39 -0800<BR>From: "tsykoduk" &lt;tsykoduk@bigfoot.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: Combat/Weapons design help needed!<BR><BR>GURPS (and G:T) uses damage, with armor resisting the damage. FFS:1 (there<BR>was no FFS2!!! Pthththththp) is pretty good (you get pen,damage and range<BR>out of it) but the rest of the system is flawed (not to mention the<BR>background - it's also the start of the Evil HEPLAR).<BR><BR>I use G:T now, and think that is is pretty good.. better then most in most<BR>areas, worse then some in others.. but what the hey, I know the system, and<BR>like the background that they have for it...<BR><BR><BR><BR>- -----Original Message-----<BR>From: owner-traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>[mailto:owner-traveller@lists.ient.com]On Behalf Of Jens Maskus<BR>Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2001 12:47 AM<BR>To: traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>Subject: Combat/Weapons design help needed!<BR><BR><BR>Hi,<BR><BR>After some fruitles searching I need your help with Weapon (Personal/Large)<BR>and the<BR>appropriate combat system.<BR><BR>Until now I've been using a MT (Pen/Att/Damage) derivat. The problem with MT<BR>is that I can't make my own weapons<BR>and starship combat is incompatible with personal combat.<BR><BR>One example is how can get a hit accurency for a weapon with FFS2, how high<BR>is the Penetration at a given range<BR>and how much damage does it?<BR><BR>What I see from G:T and T4 is that they don't have a third stat like Damage.<BR>Insteed they substract damage resitence<BR>(or PV) from the weapon damage (DV) to get the total damage. Is this not<BR>like Striker? Or am I totally wrong??<BR><BR>Is G:Vehicles a better try than the Traveller products?<BR><BR>Which systems is used by you?<BR><BR>Thanks<BR>Jens Maskus<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 10:11:20 -0600<BR>From: Loren Wiseman &lt;lkw@io.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Deck Plans Scale Question<BR><BR>Gentles:<BR><BR>I figured this would occur to many of you, so I am forwarding my answer to<BR>this question to the list as a whole:<BR><BR>&gt;&gt; Second, I am a rabid fan of deck plans and Cardboard Heroes (do you feel a<BR>&gt;&gt; "but" coming? Here it is:) I don't understand the scale of the new deck<BR>&gt;&gt; plans. The Cardboard Heroes appear to be a bit shorter than the 25 mm sets<BR>&gt;&gt; from 1987, but the scale of the plans for Brubek's and Beowulf appear to be<BR>&gt;&gt; about twice the scale of the figures. Any reason for this? Since they're<BR>&gt;&gt; packaged together, I assume they're meant to work together, but they don't.<BR>&gt;&gt; Is this intentional?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Yes. When we put 28mm figs on the prototypes, they didn't fit anything but<BR>&gt; 1" hexes.<BR><BR>This has caused some minor confusion, but it does make for some impressive<BR>plans.<BR><BR><BR><BR>Loren Wiseman<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Traveller Line Manager/Traveller Guru-in-Residence<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Editor, Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society&nbsp; http://jtas.sjgames.com/<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; SJ Games<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; lkw@io.com http://www.io.com/~lkw/<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (512) 447-7866 VOX<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (512) 447-1144 FAX<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 08:35:03 PST<BR>From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)<BR>Subject: Re: Beowulf Deckplans Are In Dallas!<BR><BR>In mail you write:<BR><BR>&gt; &lt;snip&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;&gt; &gt; Definitely keep the pizza and beverages away<BR>&gt;&gt; &gt; from this one, people.<BR>&gt;&gt; <BR>&gt;&gt; If you can afford it, get them mounted on posterboard and laminated.<BR>&gt;&gt; It'll make them harder to transport (but an artist's "portfolio" type<BR>&gt;&gt; case would work. And it'd make things much easier. <BR>&gt;&gt; <BR>&gt;&gt; We had a couple of 2'x3' hexmaps laminated, but not mounted, we just<BR>&gt;&gt; rolled them up. But from the sound of things, this paper would do<BR>&gt;&gt; better mounted *and* laminated.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Personally I made photocopies of mine...mounting them is definately a good<BR>&gt; option but since the maps are double-sided you'd have to choose whether you<BR>&gt; want to stick either the hexes or the squares to the board, and I find both<BR>&gt; useful.<BR><BR>Just buy two copies. :-) <BR><BR>Hey, you'll have twice as many Cardboard Heroes that way!<BR><BR>&gt; The photocopies came out rather well and stick together quite nicely with<BR>&gt; scotch tape. There's sufficient overlap that nothing really gets lost in the<BR>&gt; joins.<BR><BR>You *can* get photocopies of stuff that big made. And as I recall,<BR>while it's more expensive, it'd still be cheaper than buying a second set.<BR><BR>- -- <BR>Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)<BR>shadow@krypton.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;--preferred<BR>leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &lt;--last resort<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 09:06:04 -0800<BR>From: "Jesse Degraff" &lt;jedegraf@cisco.com&gt;<BR>Subject: RE: Beowulf Deckplans Are In Dallas!<BR><BR>&lt;SNIP&gt;<BR>&gt; Running US$19.95, the first thing I saw<BR>&gt; was the 8.5" x 11" cover sheet with<BR>&gt; artwork by none other than our own<BR>&gt; beloved Jesse DeGraff. The half-wire,<BR>&gt; half-solid colored illo of what could<BR>&gt; only be the Grendel's Daughter is a<BR>&gt; wonderful rendition of the Beowulf-class<BR>&gt; and is reminiscent of the first work of<BR>&gt; Jesse I saw some years back (about time<BR>&gt; she made it into the public's hands,<BR>&gt; Jesse!).<BR><BR>Thanks David :)&nbsp; Grendel's Daughter did indeed start it all, but the *basic*<BR>paintjob has been in print since "Far Trader".&nbsp; The GD *logo*'d ship hasn't<BR>seen print yet, but has made guest appearences in Derek Stanley's<BR>Confederation of Nightrim game and on one or two other sites out there.<BR>Hadn't thought of it before, but I guess I really should get the old girl in<BR>there somewhere sometime :)<BR><BR>&gt; Can you tell I'm one of his fans?&nbsp;&nbsp; ;-)<BR><BR>Um, I think you were the first :)&nbsp; You and another Dave/David were the first<BR>two folks I got e-mail from regarding my Traveller artwork, and that was<BR>before I was on the TML (Dec 98).&nbsp; And those comments were brought on by my<BR>OLD scout ship....<BR><BR>&lt;SNIP&gt;<BR>Can't WAIT for my comp to arrive!!!&nbsp; Sounds great!<BR><BR>Best,<BR>Jesse<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 09:38:05 -0800 (PST)<BR>From: Anthony Jackson &lt;ajackson@molly.iii.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Logarithmic Space Combat System<BR><BR>Michael A. Hoxie writes:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Looks like a good start.&nbsp; I think it will be better for High Guard or BR<BR>&gt; type actions than Book 2 style player combats, as damage is abstracted<BR>&gt; (PC's ship is fine until it's crippled). <BR><BR>Well, adding criticals to disable one system per 'hit' is not unreasonable.<BR>I just didn't feel like writing up a damage table.<BR><BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;3)&nbsp; Toughness.&nbsp; This represents the ship's ability to resist weapons<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; fire.&nbsp; It is equal to 10 * log10(FFS2 armor value) + log4(dTons).<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; For very lightly armored vehicles, use 5 * log10(mass in tons).<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; I don't mind factoring in armor &amp; a general toughness rating (Traveller<BR>&gt; warships are *big*).&nbsp; What is the cutoff point for light vehicles, <BR>&gt; though?&nbsp; This will have to be specified (and perhaps hashed out -- <BR>&gt; maybe the traditional small craft/ship division at 100 dTs)?<BR><BR>Why bother?&nbsp; The toughness formula does not obviously break down for small<BR>vehicles, there is such a thing as non-penetrating damage.<BR><BR>&gt; Would you rule spectacular success adds 1 to evasion?&nbsp; Same kind of trick<BR>&gt; to other rolls in the system (players like it when they succeed big).<BR><BR>Sure, that's not obviously out of balance.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;3)&nbsp; If ROF is greater than evasion, you hit.&nbsp; Add (ROF-evasion) to<BR>&gt; damage.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; A big, massively armored &amp; subdivided ship should be able to shrug off<BR>&gt; many<BR>&gt; light hits; I'd give additional hits from (ROF-evasion) instead of added<BR>&gt; damage levels (think many 5" shell hits upon a WWII BB).<BR><BR>Well, the problem here is that if ROF-evasion is, say, 4, that amounts to an<BR>average of 16 hits.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;4)&nbsp; If evasion is greater than ROF, you are likely dodged.&nbsp; Roll<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; (evasion-ROF)d6; if any die comes up a 4 or greater you are dodged.<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;5)&nbsp; If ROF and evasion are equal, roll 2d6.&nbsp; If either die comes up 4+,<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; you are hit.&nbsp; If both dice come up 4+, you are hit for +1 damage.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; The mechanism seems clumsy, but it works.&nbsp; How about a table based on the<BR>&gt; probability of dodging/hitting, instead.&nbsp; Also, on 5), I'd give two (2)<BR>&gt; hits vice +1 <BR>&gt; damage.<BR><BR>Well, I don't know of a table in the form of<BR>Diff&nbsp; &nbsp; 0&nbsp; 1&nbsp; 2&nbsp; 3&nbsp; 4&nbsp; 5&nbsp; 6&nbsp; 7<BR>Chance&nbsp; 70 50 25 12 6&nbsp; 3&nbsp; 2&nbsp; 1<BR>is any less clunky.<BR><BR>&gt; How about a table based on damage points per hit, with increasing chance<BR>&gt; of<BR>&gt; knocking out/degrading systems (drives, weapons, etc.) as points of<BR>&gt; damage<BR>&gt; per hit go up -- kinda like "Harpoon", IIRC?<BR><BR>Any damage sufficient to cause one 'hit' will automatically be killing major<BR>systems.<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; <BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;2)&nbsp; Trading ROF for damage: even on ships which are armored beyond<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; any normal hope of penetration, lucky shots occur.&nbsp; You may choose<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; to reduce ROF to increase damage, on a 1:1 basis.&nbsp; ROF may be<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; reduced below zero at the GMs option.&nbsp; This is usually only worth<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; doing if you have no chance of penetration.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; I see where this is good for game purposes, but I'd make the ratio worse<BR>&gt; than 1:1.&nbsp; Could be just my personal bias towards Happy Fun Balls (TM).<BR>&gt; :)<BR>Considering that 8 shots only gives you x2 penetration, superheavy armor is<BR>not inefficient.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 12:50:08 -0500<BR>From: Glenn Grant &lt;neo@total.net&gt;<BR>Subject: The GGV System (Aack! Not Another Task System!)<BR><BR>I said:<BR>&gt;can't help wanting to tinker further, in the hopes of eliminating my<BR>&gt;few remaining cavils.<BR>[snip]<BR>&gt;Stat&nbsp;&nbsp; Skill<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 0*&nbsp; &nbsp; 1*&nbsp; &nbsp; 2*&nbsp; &nbsp; 3*&nbsp; &nbsp; 4*&nbsp; &nbsp; 5&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 6<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; 4&nbsp; &nbsp; 0.0% 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.0%&nbsp; 0.1%&nbsp; 3.7% 16.7%<BR><BR>Where the smeg did these "" come from??<BR><BR>&nbsp; I think I've found a bug in Eudora 5.0.<BR><BR>Best,<BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; +GMG+<BR>- -- <BR>&nbsp; ------------------------Glenn Grant------------------------<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &lt;neo@total.net&gt;<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; "The surest sign that there is intelligent life elsewhere in<BR>&nbsp; the universe is that they have never attempted to contact us."<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; --Bill Watterson, _Calvin &amp; Hobbes_<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 12:29:29 -0600<BR>From: Loren Wiseman &lt;lkw@io.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Core Sector Duke?<BR><BR>Did canon ever define the sector Duke for Core?<BR><BR><BR><BR>Loren Wiseman<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Traveller Line Manager/Traveller Guru-in-Residence<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Editor, Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society&nbsp; http://jtas.sjgames.com/<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; SJ Games<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; lkw@io.com http://www.io.com/~lkw/<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (512) 447-7866 VOX<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; (512) 447-1144 FAX<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 13:49:31 -0500<BR>From: "Dan Lane" &lt;danielrlane@home.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Core Sector Duke?<BR><BR>I thought that it was the Emperor in his capacity as Archduke of the Sylea<BR>Domain.&nbsp; Perhaps this was a poor assumption.&nbsp; The governance of Usdiki,<BR>Core, te Domain of Sylea and the Imperium might be a little much for the<BR>Emperor.<BR><BR>- -Dan Lane<BR><BR><BR>- ----- Original Message -----<BR>From: "Loren Wiseman" &lt;lkw@io.com&gt;<BR>To: &lt;traveller@ient.com&gt;<BR>Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2001 1:29 PM<BR>Subject: Core Sector Duke?<BR><BR><BR>&gt; Did canon ever define the sector Duke for Core?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Loren Wiseman<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Traveller Line Manager/Traveller Guru-in-Residence<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Editor, Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society<BR>http://jtas.sjgames.com/<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; SJ Games<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; lkw@io.com http://www.io.com/~lkw/<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (512) 447-7866 VOX<BR>&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (512) 447-1144 FAX<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 13:53:21 -0800 (PST)<BR>From: John Fox &lt;jfox@verity.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR><BR>Hello Everyone:<BR>&nbsp; The truth of the information was that the Spitfires fared rather badly against <BR>the Zero as the defenders of Singapore will testify to.&nbsp; The Zeke (and Zero) <BR>were extremely manueverable planes.&nbsp; They did suffer from some very glaring <BR>weaknesses, in particular the tendency to catch fire and blowup if hit espically <BR>with incendiary rounds.&nbsp; They also had their manueverablity drop dramitaclly at <BR>high speeds.&nbsp; There was another problem that the Zero took a rather large amount <BR>of labor to produce (to the extent that it took twice as much to produce a Zero <BR>that a hellcat). There were other problems but we will not go into them.<BR>&nbsp; <BR>&nbsp; John W. Fox<BR>&nbsp; <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; On Tue, 2 Jan 2001 Sethkimmel@aol.com wrote:<BR>&gt; &gt; alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au writes:<BR>&gt; &gt; &lt;&lt; The general doctrine was:&nbsp; don't dogfight with Zekes, even<BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp; (especially) when you are flying Spitfires.&nbsp; <BR>&gt; &gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; &gt;&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt; Huh; I thought the spit' was the ONLY allied fighter that could turn with a <BR>&gt; &gt; zero (until the F6F and F4U came to the party...:-) )<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Although I am not a military expert, I can think up a couple of reasons.<BR>&gt; Firstly, Zekes were probably the most maneuverable Japanese plane, which<BR>&gt; means that everything else is less maneuverable. You might be very well<BR>&gt; off using your own agile planes to harass the clumsy enemy ones. <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Of course, this means that someone else must engage the Zekes. The phrase<BR>&gt; "don't dogfight with Zekes" can also mean that you must use some other<BR>&gt; tactic to engage them, perhaps use a-a artillery. <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; The second reason is related to the first one : I do not know how many<BR>&gt; Spitfires the Allies did have, but if they were in a short supply, I would<BR>&gt; use them against targets which were not the largest threat to them.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Military doctrine, especially air doctrine, is intereting.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; -- <BR>&gt; +++++++++[&gt;+++++++++&lt;-]&gt;-.&lt;+++++[&gt;+++&lt;-]++&gt;++.&lt;++[&gt;++++&lt;-]+&gt;+.&lt;++[&gt;----<BR>&gt; &lt;-]&gt;-.&gt;+++[&gt;++++++++++&lt;-]++&gt;++pare@iki.fi&lt;+[&gt;++++&lt;-]&gt;+.-&gt;+[&gt;++++[&lt;&lt;---&gt;<BR>&gt; &gt;-]&lt;-]&lt;.&gt;&gt;+++++++[&lt;++++++++++&gt;-]++++[&lt;+++++&gt;-]&lt;-.&gt;[-]&gt;+++[&gt;++[&lt;&lt;&lt;----&gt;&gt;<BR>&gt; &lt;&gt;&gt;-]&lt;-]&lt;&lt;.+.&gt;[-]++[&lt;++&gt;-]&lt;.++.[-]&gt;[-]++++[&lt;++&gt;-]&lt;++.&gt;&gt;++[&gt;++[&gt;-&lt;-]&lt;--]<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; <BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3498<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe<BR>"local-traveller":<BR><BR>subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net<BR><BR>A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to<BR>subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"<BR>in the commands above with "traveller".<BR><BR>Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgn.com<BR></I></I></S><XMP></XMP>
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<P align=left><FONT color=#0f0f0f face=Arial size=2 PTSIZE="10" BACK="#FFFFFE"><BR><BR>----------------------- Headers --------------------------------<BR>Return-Path: &lt;owner-traveller@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>Received: from&nbsp; rly-yb05.mx.aol.com (rly-yb05.mail.aol.com [172.18.146.5]) by air-yb04.mail.aol.com (v77.31) with ESMTP; Tue, 02 Jan 2001 16:55:57 -0500<BR>Received: from&nbsp; lists.ient.com (lists.ient.com [204.85.32.11]) by rly-yb05.mx.aol.com (v77.27) with ESMTP; Tue, 02 Jan 2001 16:55:27 -0500<BR>Received: from localhost (daemon@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) with SMTP id QAA66842;<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; Tue, 2 Jan 2001 16:54:40 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller@lists.ient.com)<BR>Received: by lists.ient.com (bulk_mailer v1.12); Tue, 2 Jan 2001 16:53:56 -0500<BR>Received: (from majordom@localhost)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; by lists.ient.com (8.9.3/8.9.2) id QAA66566<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; for traveller-digest-outgoing; Tue, 2 Jan 2001 16:53:56 -0500 (EST)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; (envelope-from owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com)<BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 16:53:56 -0500 (EST)<BR>Message-Id: &lt;200101022153.QAA66566@lists.ient.com&gt;<BR>From: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>To: traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Subject: Traveller-digest V1999 #3498<BR>Reply-To: traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>Sender: owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR><BR></FONT></P></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML><HTML><HEAD><BASE></HEAD>
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<TD><B>Traveller-digest V1999 #3499</B></TD></TR>
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<TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2><I>From:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com (Traveller-digest)<BR>Sender:&nbsp; &nbsp; owner-traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR>Reply-to:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller@lists.ient.com<BR>To:&nbsp; &nbsp; traveller-digest@lists.ient.com<BR></I></TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></FONT><FONT size=2 PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR>Traveller-digest&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Tuesday, January 2 2001&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Volume 1999 : Number 3499<BR><BR><BR><BR>(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.<BR>All rights reserved.<BR><BR>The following topics are covered in this digest:<BR><BR>T4 Starships question<BR>Re: Grand finales<BR>Re: The GGV System (Aack! Not Another Task System!)<BR>Friendly Weapons...<BR>Re: The GGV System (Aack! Not Another Task System!)<BR>Re: Jump emergence<BR>Re: The GGV System (Aack! Not Another Task System!)<BR>Back again<BR>Re: Core Sector Duke?<BR>UNSUBSCRIBE<BR>Re: The GGV System (Aack! Not Another Task System!)<BR>Re: Back again<BR>Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR>re:My Replies to Kenneth<BR>Re: Friendly Weapons...<BR>Re: T4 Starships question<BR>Re: T4 Starships question<BR>Re: Oops!&nbsp; Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR>Hand to Hand combat with KB3<BR><BR>----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 17:27:16 -0500<BR>From: knightsky@juno.com<BR>Subject: T4 Starships question<BR><BR>I've recently managed to pick up a copy of T4 Starships for cheap ($5),<BR>but I've heard it referred to as "broken".&nbsp; I haven't really had a chance<BR>to fully read it yet, so can anyone tell me how badly flawed it is?<BR><BR><BR>Perry<BR>"In a war of nerves, your own arsenal can destroy you."<BR><BR><BR><BR>________________________________________________________________<BR>GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!<BR>Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!<BR>Join Juno today!&nbsp; For your FREE software, visit:<BR>http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 17:23:02 -0500<BR>From: knightsky@juno.com<BR>Subject: Re: Grand finales<BR><BR>On Mon, 1 Jan 2001 16:17:19 -0500 Kenji Schwarz &lt;schwarz@fas.harvard.edu&gt;<BR>writes:<BR>&gt; Screw this new beginnings stuff.<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Last millennium we were discussing, besides rules mechanics, the <BR>&gt; Aliens movies, and some of the alternatives that never happened.&nbsp; I <BR>&gt; went back and dug out my copy of William Gibson's rejected script <BR>&gt; for <BR>&gt; A3 and thought I'd clutter up the list with the final scenes from <BR>&gt; it, <BR>&gt; just as a curiosity of an alternative past ;P&nbsp; The full text, for <BR>&gt; anyone who's interested, is at:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; http://daw.avpnews.com/Multimedia/Scripts/index.htm<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; Reading it again, it's actually pretty interesting, in a way -- he <BR>&gt; (deliberately?) inverts almost all the tropes that define the other <BR>&gt; films in the series; it's very much "Aliens: The Penis Strikes <BR>&gt; Back". <BR>&gt; Anyway, I think most of you will agree that -- props to Gibson for <BR>&gt; the cyberpunk thing aside -- this is the kind of dialogue and <BR>&gt; Message <BR>&gt; that makes _Plan Nine from Outer Space_ look sophisticated.<BR><BR>(snip)<BR><BR>Ahh, you're just doing this to get under my skin, I can tell... :-P<BR><BR>(Actually, I'd *much* rather watch Plan 9 than Aliens 3 - Plan 9 at least<BR>having unintentional humor value - but then I'd rather have a root canal<BR>from a drunken dentist that resuffer through A3 again)<BR><BR><BR>Perry<BR>"In a war of nerves, your own arsenal can destroy you."<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>________________________________________________________________<BR>GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!<BR>Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!<BR>Join Juno today!&nbsp; For your FREE software, visit:<BR>http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 17:30:30 -0500<BR>From: knightsky@juno.com<BR>Subject: Re: The GGV System (Aack! Not Another Task System!)<BR><BR>&gt; Personally, I quite like the draft T5 system, which, with Marc's <BR>&gt; "It's Harder Than I Thought" rule, pretty neatly fixes many of my <BR>&gt; complaints about the (very cool but flawed) T4 system.&nbsp; Rolling <BR>&gt; below <BR>&gt; a Target Number instead of higher than a TN doesn't bother me.&nbsp; But <BR>&gt; I <BR>&gt; can't help wanting to tinker further, in the hopes of eliminating my <BR>&gt; few remaining cavils.&nbsp;<BR><BR>For those of us who came in late, what is the proposed T5 Task System?<BR><BR><BR>Perry<BR>"In a war of nerves, your own arsenal can destroy you."<BR><BR><BR><BR>________________________________________________________________<BR>GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!<BR>Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!<BR>Join Juno today!&nbsp; For your FREE software, visit:<BR>http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2001 14:38:06 -0800 (PST)<BR>From: Mark Cook &lt;markc@peak.org&gt;<BR>Subject: Friendly Weapons...<BR><BR>Tod Glenn &lt;webmaster@travellercentral.com&gt; writes:<BR><BR>&gt; "When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend"<BR><BR>Gee, Tod.&nbsp; Until the spoon is actually released, Mr Hand Grenade<BR>and I still get along just *fine*!! :^)<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; - Mark C.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Instructor, Willamette Small Arms Academy<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; EOD, U.S.M.C. 1st MarDiv (Camp Pendleton), Class of '75<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Full-Auto Director, Albany Rifle &amp; Pistol Club, Albany, OR<BR><BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>mark f. cook&nbsp;&nbsp; *&nbsp;&nbsp; shoestring graphics &amp; printing&nbsp;&nbsp; *&nbsp; markc@ssgfx.com<BR>7160 n.w. somerset dr. * corvallis, or, 97330&nbsp; *&nbsp; http://www.ssgfx.com<BR>Phone: 541-745-5709&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Fax: 541-745-5818&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <BR>- -----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ....yip-yip-yip-yip-yap-yap-yip-*BANG*!!.... NO TERRIER.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2001 18:22:30 -0500<BR>From: trentfs@ix.netcom.com<BR>Subject: Re: The GGV System (Aack! Not Another Task System!)<BR><BR>knightsky@juno.com wrote:<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; For those of us who came in late, what is the proposed T5 Task System?<BR><BR>Basically the same as T4, but with tweaked dice numbers on the Difficulty Chart (as shown on the T4 Ref Screen, among other places) and the 'It's Harder Than I Thought' rule (if your skill level is less than the number of (whole) dice being rolled, add 2D to the roll).&nbsp; Spectacular Successes &amp; Failures were also changed, but I don't remember how.&nbsp; There may be more changes, but those are the only ones I'm aware of/can remember. <BR><BR>Trent<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2001 10:33:52 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Jump emergence<BR><BR>Thom Jones-Low wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &nbsp; &nbsp; I'd be interested in seeing what the GR curvature scalar<BR>&gt; looked like.&nbsp; I've been using the Tidal acceleration because it was<BR>&gt; as much physics and math as I knew and could reasonably communicate<BR>&gt; to others.<BR><BR>It would appear that using the curvature scalar is not going to be<BR>helpful.&nbsp; While brushing up on my GR, I noticed (and then remembered)<BR>that the scalar is identically zero in empty space.&nbsp; That makes it<BR>somewhat less than useful for determining the jump limit.<BR><BR>Now I have to dig up my rather dusty notes on the Weyl tensor.&nbsp; I<BR>strongly suspect that many of the components correspond to tidal<BR>acceleration gradients.&nbsp; After all, General Relativity does reduce to<BR>Newton's theory for weak gravitational fields and low speeds.<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2001 10:50:03 +1100<BR>From: Timothy Little &lt;tim@lilly-villa.little-possums.net&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: The GGV System (Aack! Not Another Task System!)<BR><BR>trentfs@ix.netcom.com wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; &gt; For those of us who came in late, what is the proposed T5 Task System?<BR><BR>&gt; Basically the same as T4, but with tweaked dice numbers on the<BR>&gt; Difficulty Chart (as shown on the T4 Ref Screen, among other places)<BR><BR>How does T4 work?&nbsp; From discussion on other task systems, I gather<BR>that it uses (skill + stat) vs (difficulty)D6.&nbsp; Am I completely<BR>off-base here?<BR><BR>If so, I might have to look at the probabilities with the IHTIT rule.<BR>It would seem that it makes skill more important, but how much more<BR>so, and in what manner?<BR><BR><BR>- --<BR>IMTU tg+ tc+() !tt tm tn-- ge++ 3i+ c+&gt;++ au+ ls pi-@ ta- he+ va++ as+ so- kk--<BR>Tim Little 0209 D347577-9 S va++ as+ so- kk-- A 822<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2001 00:01:55 +0000<BR>From: Dominic Mooney &lt;dom@cybergoths.u-net.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Back again<BR><BR>Hi all,<BR><BR>Just a quick note to say that I'm back again after an interesting <BR>trip to Germany for the New Year (Volker - I've just had my <BR>preconceptions about German Culture shattered. Totally. And I have a <BR>totally rational fear of fireworks now.)<BR><BR>I note that there are over three hundred mails in my in box after <BR>five days. I take it that no one started a separate Nth Traveller <BR>Task War Mailing List at eGroups and that these mails will all be <BR>KB^n or JJ^n vs T4.x, MT etc and all my mail will be Digests from <BR>TML!!!???<BR><BR>Dom<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2001 09:31:32 +1000<BR>From: "Alan Bradley" &lt;alanb@elf.brisnet.org.au&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Core Sector Duke?<BR><BR>&gt; From: "Dan Lane" <BR>&gt; I thought that it was the Emperor in his capacity as Archduke of the<BR>&gt; Sylea Domain.&nbsp; Perhaps this was a poor assumption.&nbsp; The governance of<BR>&gt; Usdiki, Core, te Domain of Sylea and the Imperium might be a little much<BR>&gt; for the Emperor.<BR><BR>Sector Dukes and Archdukes are distinct.&nbsp; Each Domain consists of a bunch<BR>of sectors.&nbsp; For example, the Spinward Marches have both Norris as Archduke<BR>and Delphine as Sector Duke.&nbsp; Core _could_ be an exception.<BR><BR>There isn't a canonical Core Sector Duke that I can recall.&nbsp; <BR><BR>The only canonical Duke from Core Sector whose name I can remember is<BR>Simalr of Ushra, who showed up in the Rebellion Sourcebook "speaking for<BR>the Moot" against Lucan's assumption of power.&nbsp; I personally have taken<BR>this to mean that he is some kind of presiding officer ("Speaker") of the<BR>Moot, although this conclusion is not inevitable.&nbsp; Such a role would, I<BR>think, tend to exclude him from being Sector Duke.&nbsp; <BR><BR>Conceivably, Strephon might be Sector Duke, as long as he can delegate his<BR>duties to a suitable Chancellor or other underling.&nbsp; That way he gets to<BR>perform the ceremonial duties, while someone else does the real work.&nbsp; I<BR>personally wouldn't go this way, but it's possible.&nbsp; <BR><BR>I think we just need some more senior nobles. <BR><BR>&gt; - ----- Original Message -----<BR>&gt; From: "Loren Wiseman" &lt;lkw@io.com&gt;<BR>&gt; To: &lt;traveller@ient.com&gt;<BR>&gt; Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2001 1:29 PM<BR>&gt; Subject: Core Sector Duke?<BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; <BR>&gt; &gt; Did canon ever define the sector Duke for Core?<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2001 11:11:33 +1100<BR>From: "steven" &lt;steven@terra-australis-mandes.com.au&gt;<BR>Subject: UNSUBSCRIBE<BR><BR>UNSUBSCRIBE<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2001 19:25:15 -0500<BR>From: trentfs@ix.netcom.com<BR>Subject: Re: The GGV System (Aack! Not Another Task System!)<BR><BR>Timothy Little wrote:<BR>&gt; How does T4 work?&nbsp; From discussion on other task systems, I gather<BR>&gt;that it uses (skill + stat) vs (difficulty)D6.&nbsp; Am I completely<BR>&gt;off-base here?<BR><BR>Exactly.&nbsp; Skill + stat gives Target Number; roll that or below on #D determined by difficulty:<BR>Simple 1D<BR>Average 2D<BR>Difficult 2.5D &lt;spit!&gt;<BR>Formidable 3D<BR>Staggering 4D<BR>Hopeless 5D<BR>Impossible 6D<BR><BR>&gt;If so, I might have to look at the probabilities with the IHTIT rule.<BR>&gt;It would seem that it makes skill more important, but how much more<BR>&gt;so, and in what manner?<BR><BR>That was the idea.&nbsp; Somebody probably already ran these numbers back when the IHTIT rule first came up (late 97? -- sometime during my years-in-exile).&nbsp; Not that I'd mind you doing it again, though...<BR><BR>Trent<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Wed, 03 Jan 2001 01:20:34 +0100<BR>From: "Volker 'V.A.G' Greimann" &lt;volker@greimann.de&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Back again<BR><BR>At 00:01 03.01.01 +0000, you wrote:<BR>&gt;Hi all,<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Just a quick note to say that I'm back again after an interesting trip to <BR>&gt;Germany for the New Year (Volker - I've just had my preconceptions about <BR>&gt;German Culture shattered. Totally. And I have a totally rational fear of <BR>&gt;fireworks now.)<BR><BR>How come? What did you expect?<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2001 13:41:59 +1300<BR>From: "Andrew Moffatt-Vallance" &lt;a.vallance@netaccess.co.nz&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Lend-Lease (with ObTrav's!!)<BR><BR>On 2 Jan 01, at 13:53, John Fox wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Hello Everyone:<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; The truth of the information was that the Spitfires fared rather badly<BR>&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp; against the Zero as the defenders of Singapore will testify to.<BR><BR>There were no Spitfires at Singapore, it was defended by Buffalos and a <BR>few Hurricanes, neither of which could maneuver with an A6M (Zero). The <BR>Spitfire could manuever with an A6M, but it was about the only Allied <BR>aircraft that ever could (including the F6F and F4U). But the Spitfire didn't <BR>reach the east until late 1943.<BR><BR>The problem with the A6M was that (like all designs) it was a compromise. <BR>Its spectaular maneverability (and range) was gained at the price of <BR>extremely poor firepower and durability [ObTravs: 1 - Beware design <BR>compromises, extreme performance in one area is usually bought at the <BR>price of dangeriously poor performance somewhere else. 2 - Design to <BR>mission and make sure your mission requirements are realistic]<BR><BR>Once the A6M's flaws were known, its apparent superiority vanished very <BR>rapidly. It was matched by supposedly inferior fighters such as the P40 <BR>and Hurricane when they changed tactics to capitalise on their strengths. <BR>The A6M's early success was due mainly to the fact that the Allies totally <BR>underestimated the Japanese, everyone *knew* that the Japanese were a <BR>technologically inferior power who just couldn't match the Western powers <BR>(actually quite true, but clever design practice could mask that for awhile). <BR>Once the Allies had reacted to their shock and adapted, the Japanese <BR>posed little problems [ObTravs: 1 - Never underestimate that low tech <BR>planet. 2 - Time spent in recconnaissance is never wasted. 3 - Suprise and <BR>maximising your strengths can do wonders in the short term, but <BR>eventually it wears off]<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2001 00:24:41 +0000<BR>From: Dominic Mooney &lt;dom@cybergoths.u-net.com&gt;<BR>Subject: re:My Replies to Kenneth<BR><BR>At 20:51 -0500 30/12/00,&nbsp; James Jensen" &lt;cheeb0@hotmail.com&gt; wrote:<BR>&gt;Under the T4 produced by Imperium Games, yes. But under the IHTIT rule, no.<BR><BR>IHTIT was part of the proposals for T4.1 (T5?). This also revalued <BR>the dice rolled for tasks - the changes can be seen on the T4 <BR>referee's screen. They are also listed on the BITS task system sheet.<BR><BR>Dom<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Wed, 03 Jan 2001 01:02:16 GMT<BR>From: TML@stempest.demon.co.uk (Stephen Tempest)<BR>Subject: Re: Friendly Weapons...<BR><BR>Mark Cook &lt;markc@peak.org&gt; writes:<BR><BR>&gt;Tod Glenn &lt;webmaster@travellercentral.com&gt; writes:<BR>&gt;&gt; "When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend"<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Gee, Tod.&nbsp; Until the spoon is actually released, Mr Hand Grenade<BR>&gt;and I still get along just *fine*!! :^)<BR><BR>not really - Mr Grenade gets all clingy and possessive, and <BR>starts to threaten that if you ever let go of him, he'll go off<BR>in a tantrum....<BR><BR>Stephen<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2001 17:00:09<BR>From: "Douglas E. Berry" &lt;gridlore@pop.mindspring.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: T4 Starships question<BR><BR>At 05:27 PM 1/2/2001 -0500, you wrote:<BR>&gt;I've recently managed to pick up a copy of T4 Starships for cheap ($5),<BR>&gt;but I've heard it referred to as "broken".&nbsp; I haven't really had a chance<BR>&gt;to fully read it yet, so can anyone tell me how badly flawed it is?<BR><BR>Let me put it this way: you overpaid by about $6.<BR><BR>The problem with Starships is that the vessels weren't so much designed as<BR>thrown together by a cadre of LSD-crazed lemurs.&nbsp; There's one ship that has<BR>twice as much stuff as its hull will allow.<BR>- -- <BR><BR>Douglas Berry&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; gridlore@mindspring.com<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; http://gridlore.home.mondspring.com<BR><BR>"A mrgs einu sinni hluti minn systir..."<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2001 14:49:19 +1300<BR>From: "Andrew Moffatt-Vallance" &lt;a.vallance@netaccess.co.nz&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: T4 Starships question<BR><BR>On 2 Jan 01, at 17:27, knightsky@juno.com wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; I've recently managed to pick up a copy of T4 Starships for cheap ($5),<BR>&gt; but I've heard it referred to as "broken".&nbsp; I haven't really had a chance to<BR>&gt; fully read it yet, so can anyone tell me how badly flawed it is?<BR><BR>The design system (SSDS) is basically OK, but many of the ship designs <BR>seem to have used the TLAR (That Looks About Right) design system and <BR>are pretty much broken. I suspect that the designs credited to Joe Walsh <BR>will be okay (I've not actually checked though), but the rest are all suspect.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2001 15:25:46 +1300<BR>From: "Andrew Moffatt-Vallance" &lt;a.vallance@netaccess.co.nz&gt;<BR>Subject: Re: Oops!&nbsp; Re: Australia happened one hundred years ago...<BR><BR>On 1 Jan 01, at 18:35, Douglas E. Berry wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; At 12:50 PM 1/1/2001 +1000, you wrote:<BR>&gt; &gt;I wrote:<BR>&gt; &gt;&gt; Its _first_ just war was in 1998.&nbsp; <BR><BR>&gt; &gt;I meant 1999.&nbsp; (East Timor, of course.)&nbsp; I was having issues with what year<BR>&gt; &gt;it is.<BR><BR>&gt; Um, World War II?&nbsp; Korea?&nbsp; Vietnam?&nbsp; Australia had a good number of troops in<BR>&gt; all of these. -- <BR><BR>I think Alan was referring to the rather rapacious Imperialism that both of <BR>Britians pacific dominions engaged in (it go *so* bad here in NZ, that the <BR>[hardly enlightened] British refused to let the colonial government use <BR>Imperial troops to steal more land of the Maori). Actually, the early <BR>Imperialistic tendencies of the two dominions almost dragged Britian into <BR>war with the US over Hawaii. And then President Wilson was shocked <BR>when he asked the Australian Premier (William Hughes IIRC) if Australia <BR>really intended to take over PNG and exploit it as a colony only to be told <BR>"Yes, thats about right".<BR><BR>Actually, I can see a rather good Trav senario in that. A mission to reign in <BR>an out of control Subsector/Sector Duke and keep it all hush hush at the <BR>same time.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2001 20:40:06 -0600<BR>From: Kenneth Bearden -- Walker Jane Productions &lt;dreamer@brokersys.com&gt;<BR>Subject: Hand to Hand combat with KB3<BR><BR>You can use KB3 for straight hand to hand combat, if you like, or you<BR>can get a little more detailed with it, making a bar brawl a little more<BR>than a series of higher dice rolls.<BR><BR>KB3 is versitile, allowing for both styles of play, and I'll discuss<BR>them both below.<BR><BR><BR><BR>QUICK HTH COMBAT<BR><BR>The quick method, if you're using KB3, is to roll opposed rolls using<BR>Brawling skill (or some other appropriate skill).<BR><BR><BR>Example.<BR><BR>Gvoudzon, the Vargr, uses his Infighting-1 skill, attacking a Vilani NPC<BR>who has Brawling-2.<BR><BR>Round 1:&nbsp; Gvoudzon rolls 2D, and then the Vilani defends himself with a<BR>difficulty roll using his Brawling skill--the Vilani rolls 3D.&nbsp; (2D vs<BR>3D).<BR><BR>Then, it's the Vilani's turn to attack.&nbsp; He rolls 3D to hit Gvoudzon,<BR>and the Vargr defends himself by rolling 2D.<BR><BR>After everybody's had a turn to act in the round, we move into round 2.<BR><BR><BR>NOTE that skill options could be used on either throw (Gvoudzon's attack<BR>or the Vilani's defense roll--or vice versa).<BR><BR>ALSO NOTE that, typically, a Greater Success result means a die is added<BR>to damage, and a Marginal Success result means that a die is subtracted<BR>from damage (but the GM is encouraged to get creative with<BR>Greater/Marginal Success results, describing a condition unique to the<BR>particular fight--maybe a Greater Success means that the defender is<BR>forced to make a Dex check or be forced off a cliff....or whatever fits<BR>the scenario or develops in the GM imagination...)<BR><BR>AND ANTOHER NOTE is that, when Opposed Rolls are used like this,<BR>difficulty throws are measured (they are measured when they are opposed<BR>throws--not when they are straight difficulty throws).&nbsp; Thus, if the<BR>Vilani above defended a blow made by Gvoudzon with a Greater Success,<BR>I'd say that the Vilani defended himself in such a way that the Vilani<BR>damaged Gvoudzon with his block.&nbsp; If Gvoudzon attacks the Vilani, and<BR>the Vilani wins the toss with a Greater Success, I'd roll damage on<BR>Gvoudzon!<BR><BR><BR><BR>It's quick.&nbsp; It's easy.&nbsp; It's fun.&nbsp; And, using the "measuring"<BR>capability of KB3 allows you to throw some additional, creative "fun"<BR>into the quick pace of KB3 higher dice rolls.<BR><BR><BR><BR>XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>A MORE COMPLEX METHOD OF HTH COMBAT<BR>(But not the only way to add complexity--design KB3 to suit your own<BR>tastes.)<BR><BR><BR><BR>If you want to *add a little more* to your hand to hand fights using<BR>KB3, then consider using the T4 combat pools and the CT fatigue rules<BR>(which are based on End).&nbsp; I'm using these rules in my game.<BR><BR>KB3 is a flexible system, you can play it straight and quick, as<BR>mentioned above, or you can detail the system to fit your tastes.<BR><BR>Here's how I'm going to use KB3 for Hand to Hand fights:<BR><BR><BR>(1)&nbsp; ATTACK IS MADE.&nbsp; The attacker throws a normal attack throw as per<BR>regular KB3 rules.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Gvoudzon has Infighting-1<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Gvoudzon rolls 2D for his hand to hand attack.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Gvoudzon rolls a total of "7"<BR><BR>(2)&nbsp; DEFENDING ROLL IS MADE.&nbsp; The attacker's opponent defends himself<BR>using an Opposed Roll, as per normal KB3 rules.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani NPC has Brawling-2<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani NPC rolls 3D to defend himself<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani NPC rolls a total of "5"<BR><BR>(3)&nbsp; DEFENSE POOL (DEX POOL).&nbsp; A defender is allowed to use his<BR>Dexterity score to change the attack against him.&nbsp; Thus, if Gvoudzon's<BR>attack throw totaled 7, and the Vilani threw his Opposed defense,<BR>throwing a total of 5, this would be a hit for Gvoudzon.&nbsp; But, if the<BR>Vilani player chooses, 3 points can be used from the Vilani's Dex score<BR>to increase the defense roll.<BR><BR>(Thus, Gvoudzon's attack throw resulted in a total of 7.&nbsp; The Vilani's<BR>throw of 5 is increased to 8 by using points from the Dex pool, and<BR>Gvoudzon's attack is a miss.)<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Gvoudzon wins the toss above (7 vs 5)<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; But the Vilani uses points from his Defense Pool to raise his<BR>defense total<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 3 points are used from the Vilani's Defense Pool<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Gvoudzon's attack fails (7 vs 8)<BR><BR>Note that a like number of points is added to the Vilani's fatigue pool<BR>for the extended effort it took to defend himself in this manner.<BR><BR>Also note that the maxium number of points in the Defense Pool is equal<BR>to the Vilani's character's Dex score (and this pool diminishes with the<BR>Dex score if the character is wounded).<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani NPC has Dex-6<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 6 points are available in the Defense Pool<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 3 points are used above, reducing the Pool to a total of 3 points.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 3 points are added to the Vilani's Fatigue total.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; If the Vilani's Dex is reduced due to damage, then the Pool is<BR>reduced too.<BR><BR>(4)&nbsp; DAMAGE IS THROWN.&nbsp; Normally, if the attacker did not hit, then no<BR>damage is thrown.&nbsp; But, the Vilani NPC was able to use his Defensive<BR>Pool to turn his Opposed Roll into a Greater Success.&nbsp; A Greater Success<BR>on a defensive roll allows the defender to roll damage on his attacker.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani has Str 8<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani threw 8 on his defensive throw above<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani threw Greater Success and damages Gvoudzon.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Hands do 1D damage.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani throws 1D, resulting in "1".<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1 point of damage is applied to Gvoudzon.<BR><BR>(5)&nbsp; OFFENSIVE POOL (STR POOL).&nbsp; Damage can be increased with greater<BR>effort, and this is reflected with KB3 using the character's Offensive<BR>Pool.&nbsp; A character can re-roll damage for a number of die equal to the<BR>character's Str score--at the expense of 1 point of combat fatigue<BR>applied for each die re-thrown.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani has Str 8<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; His Offensive Pool is 8 points<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani wishes to re-throw 1D for the damage indicated above.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Offensive Pool is reduced to 7 points<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilan's Fatigue Poll grows by 1 point<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani re-rolls 1D, with a result of "5"<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 5 points of damage are applied to Gvoudzon instead of the "1 point"<BR>above.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; If the Vilani's Str is reduced due to damage, the Offensive Pool is<BR>reduced too.<BR><BR>(6)&nbsp; FATIGUE POOL (END POOL).&nbsp; Like in CT, each combat swing applies 1<BR>point to the character's Fatigue Pool.&nbsp; Use of the Defensive Pool and<BR>the Offensive Pool can also increase the Fatigue Pool.<BR><BR>When the character's Fatigue Pool is higher than his End score, then<BR>only "weakened blows" are allowed.&nbsp; Use CT DMs for "weakened blows".<BR>(Since modifiers in KB3 are added to the difficulty throw instead of<BR>subtracted from the attack throw, you should reverse the "signs" of the<BR>"weakened blow" modifiers listed in CT.)&nbsp; When the Fatigue Pool reaches<BR>over 2 X End, add another +1DM to these modifiers.&nbsp; When the Fatigue<BR>Pool reaches over 3 X End, add another +1DM to these modifiers as<BR>well....etc....<BR><BR>Measuring the Fatigue Pool is subject to the reduction of End through<BR>combat.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani has End 5<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Fatigue Pool grows from 0 to 3 when the Vilani uses his<BR>Defensive Pool above.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Fatigue Pool grows from 3 to 4 when the Vilani uses his<BR>Offensive Pool above.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Each combat attack the Vilani makes will add 1 to his Fatigue Pool<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; If the Vilani's End is reduced due to damage, then the new End is<BR>used to measure Fatigue DMs.<BR><BR><BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; When the Vilani's Fatigue Pool reaches 6+, a +2DM is added to his<BR>difficulty (I got the +2DM from the "weakened blow" column in CT).<BR><BR>Examples:<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani had End 5<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani's Fatigue Pool totals at 6.&nbsp; It is his turn, and he<BR>throws a strike at Gvoudzon.&nbsp; Weakened blows for "Hands" incur a +2DM to<BR>the difficulty.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani has Brawling-2<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Gvoudzon has Infighting-1<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani throws 3D.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Gvoudzon throws 2D+2 to defend himself.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani has End 5<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; When the Vilani's Fatigue Poll reaches 11+, an additional +1DM is<BR>added to difficulty.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani throws 3D on his attack.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Gvoudzon throws 2D+3 to defend himself.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani had End 5<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; When the Vilani's Fatigue Pool reaches 16+, another +1DM is added<BR>to difficulty.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani throws 3D on his attack.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Gvoudzon throws 2D+4 to defend himself.<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani is damaged with End 2.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani's Fatigue Pool is 17.<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 15 points over End<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; +9 is added to difficulty<BR><BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Vilani throws 3D on his attack<BR>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Gvoudzon throws 2D+9 to defend himself.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THE POOLS EASILY IN A GAME?&nbsp; I do this by design of<BR>my character sheets.&nbsp; Stats on my character sheets look like this:<BR><BR>Gvoudzon<BR><BR>Stat&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Lvl&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Dmg&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Pool<BR>- ----&nbsp; &nbsp; -----&nbsp;&nbsp; -----&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; -----<BR>STR&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 7&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 1<BR>DEX&nbsp; &nbsp; 8&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 4&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 4<BR>END&nbsp; &nbsp; 8&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 5&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 7<BR>INT&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 7<BR>EDU&nbsp;&nbsp; 6<BR>CHR&nbsp;&nbsp; 6<BR><BR><BR>Next to the character's stats on a character sheet, I have two columns<BR>(for Str, Dex, and End only).&nbsp; The first column reflects the character's<BR>reduced stats due to damage.&nbsp; The second column is the pool total.<BR><BR>When ever points are used from a pool, the player adds them to the<BR>appropriate column during play.&nbsp; When the Offensive Pool is used, the<BR>total in both the Str and the End rows go up.&nbsp; When the Defensive Pool<BR>is used, the totals in both the Dex and End rows go up.&nbsp; Whenever a<BR>character makes a combat swing, the End row goes up.<BR><BR><BR><BR>READING THE CHARACTER SHEET QUICKLY--<BR><BR>At a glace, looking at the section of the character sheet above.....<BR><BR>**I can tell that Gvoudzon has been damaged.&nbsp; His Dex and End have been<BR>reduced.<BR><BR>**I can tell that he's used his Offensive Pool once, and since his Str<BR>has not been reduced with damage, he can use that Pool another 6 times.<BR><BR>**I can tell that he's used 4 points from his Defensive Pool, and he can<BR>no longer use points from this pool because his Dex has been reduced to<BR>4.<BR><BR>**I can tell that his Fatigue Pool is at 7 points.&nbsp; If I do a little<BR>subtraction, I can even tell where those Fatigue Points came from (He<BR>incurred 1 point from using his Offensive Pool, and he received 4 points<BR>from using his Defensive Pool.&nbsp; That means he's made 2 combat blows so<BR>far.)<BR><BR>**I can see by comparing his Fatigue Pool with his reduced End score<BR>that Gvoudzon is getting tired.&nbsp; He's already adding a +2DM to<BR>difficulty throws against him because of his "weakened blow" status, and<BR>if his Fatigue Pool grows another 4 points (provided his End stays the<BR>same), his weakened blow difficulty penalty will grow to +3.<BR><BR><BR><BR>Keeping records like this does take a little work, and players do need<BR>to mark on their character sheets each combat round.&nbsp; This *will* slow<BR>down your game a bit, and gaming this way is not for everybody.<BR><BR>But, my group has a handle on the pools, and the extra steps needed to<BR>include these combat pools in my game are not super noticable.&nbsp; If you<BR>keep track of ammunition in a fire fight, the amount of time required to<BR>keep track of these pools is about the same.<BR><BR>And they add a whole new dimension to the hand to hand fight.&nbsp; Players<BR>figure how best to maneuver their characters.&nbsp; They ask themselves<BR>questions like, "Do I use my Offensive Pool at the expense of raising<BR>Fatigue?&nbsp; Or do I live with that crappy damage I just rolled?"<BR><BR>The people in my group like this sort of thing.&nbsp; It provides for a more<BR>fun, involving atmosphere than just--"OK, you rolled higher.&nbsp; Roll your<BR>damage."<BR><BR>Player input is required.&nbsp; They have to use strategy, logic.<BR><BR>And, for us, that makes for a funner game.<BR><BR>You may agree, or you may like the quicker pace involved with a<BR>pass/fail, damage-or-no-damage system.&nbsp; (And for people who like it that<BR>way, I recommend the "basic" KB3 system of opposed rolls detailed at the<BR>top of this post.)<BR><BR>Kenneth.<BR><BR>------------------------------<BR><BR>End of Traveller-digest V1999 #3499<BR>***********************************<BR><BR>To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:<BR><BR>unsubscribe traveller-digest<BR><BR>in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.ient.com".<BR>If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is<BR>coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that<BR>address to the "subscribe" command; 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