Assorted Ramblings

A thread of 3 messages, 12 March 1991 to 15 March 1991, in the order they were sent.

#2216 Assorted Ramblings

In subject 2212, METLAY writes:

> So, open question for you completists and archive raiders out there: anyone
> know where I can get extant official data for any of the sectors not listed
> above? And would anyone like to see a schematic view of the BIG BIG picture
> here in the TML? Thrills! Excitement! Learn to answer burning questions like
> "What do the Zhodani call the Spinward Marches?" (answer: Tloql) and "How
> many official names does the Windhorn have?" (answer: at least three--
> Galanglic, old Vilani, and Gvegh-Aek) And so on....

Hmmm, I guess, when I sent you the sector UWP listings, I should have told
you about the OTHER file I have.  GDW indexes the sectors on a standard
cartesian coordinate system with Core sector at [0,0], i.e.:

                            +Y
                   --|-----|-----|-----|--
                     |-1,+1|     |+1,+1|
                   --|-----|-----|-----|--
                 -X  |     |Core |     |  +X
                   --|-----|-----|-----|--
                     |-1,-1|     |+1,-1|
                   --|-----|-----|-----|--
                            -Y

and I have sector names for all the sectors from [-9,5] to [8,-6], with
subsector names for the majority, and multiple names (Zhodani, Vargr,
Aslan, Imperial, K'Kree, Hiver) in many cases.  Interested?

...and in subject 2214, Adrian Hurt writes:

> I have received a request for "Striker", the rules for combat with
> miniatures based on Olde Traveller.  Before I do anything about this
> request, I would like to ask a few questions.
>
> 1.  Is "Striker" still available from GDW?

Nope.  Not for a long, long time.

> 2.  If so, can it be bought from them by mail-order?

Nope.  See answer #1.

> 3.  If not, is it still illegal for me to photocopy the game, or
>     parts of it, and send them to the person who requested it?

Yes, but that's never stopped me. :-)

> 4.  Anyone want to part with an old set?

Not on your life.  However ("Aha," he says, "There really IS a point to
this drivel after all!"), I can tell where you can get mint, reasonably
priced copies of Striker (Original publications; not reprints).  This
is my semi-regular plug for the Weekend Warrior.

The Weekend Warrior is a mail-order only shop in N. Hollywood, California
which carries the completest selection of out-of-print GDW products of
any store on the planet (Earth, that is).  They also carry quite a few
in-print products for GDW and DGP, plus out-of-print and in-print products
from companies such as...

        Ad Technos, Australian Design Group, Avalon-Hill, Bard Games,
        Chaosium, Clash of Arms, Columbia Games, Different Worlds,
        Empire Games, Engelmann Military Simulations, FASA Corp.,
        Game Research, The Gamers Inc., Games Workshop, GHQ, Chester
        E. Hendrix, Hobby Japan, Hero Games, Iron Crown Enterprises
        (ICE), Steve Jackson Games, Leading Edge, Lion Rampart Games,
        Mayfair Games, Nova Game Designs, Omega Games, Palladium Games,
        Ral Partha, Simulations Design Inc., Sho Kikaku, Supremacy
        Games, Tabletop Games, R. Talsorian Games, Task Force, Tactica,
        Thoughts & Images, Timeline, TSR, West End, and World Wide Wargames.

Whew!  BTW, GDW and SPI are so well represented that they each rate their
own separate catalogs.  The GDW catalog that I currently have is an old
one (I gave my newer one to a friend in Norway :-)).  It has Striker listed
as follows:
        Code Year       Title                      Used       New
        ---- ---        -----                      ----       ---
        704  1981  Striker (1st Ed. boxed)        $20.00    $40.00
        704  1984  Striker (2nd Ed. boxed)        $25.00    $50.00
Now I know that sounds spendy, but I bought a new "bagged" 1984 copy of
Striker (Ziplock; no box) for $20.00 just last summer.  I'm pretty sure
they still carry it.  The only thing you're not getting (as opposed to
the boxed mint 1984 set) is the actual cardboard box and a pair of
six-sided dice.  Hardly worth the extra $30.00, unless you're a die-hard
collector.  To avoid keeping you in suspense and longer, here's the
address and phone number:

        Weekend Warrior
        [address removed]
        [phone removed]

They take Cashiers Checks, Personal Checks, and Money Orders (all in
U.S. Currency only), but no credit cards of any kind.  If you're going
to send Cashiers Checks or Money Orders, you can call ahead and they'll
hold items for you (for up to 10 days, I think).

One more thing: they also carry back issues of a number of gaming magazines.
These include Traveller's Digest, Challenge, and (hold your breath) the
*original* JTAS!!  Be advised, issue #1 (Annic Nova) goes for $60.00 in
mint condition.

I am in no way connected with the Weekend Warrior, other than being
a VERY satisfied customer.

...and finally, in subject 2215, Mark Humphreys writes:

> Hi there,
>
> I'm not sure if I'm doing this correctly, but I would like very much
> to join your TRAVELLER mailing list.
>
> mark humphreys ([email removed])
>
> Department of Computer Science, Brunel, The University of West London,
> Uxbridge, MIDDLESEX, Unitied Kingdom
                       ^^^^^^^
...the "UN-TIED" Kingdom!?!  And here I thought the sun was never supposed
to set on the British Empire.  Adrian, better straighten this fellow out. :-)
(Sorry.  Cheap, shallow American humor.  You have to make allowances for us
younger countries.  Give us a few more centuries. :-))

Later,

        [The scene is Muuir City, Urnas (0609 Pretoria/Deneb), in the
         employee lunchroom of Muuir Packet Express (sorta like Fed-Ex).
         Rikainne and Turin are questioning a delivery-van driver in
         connection with a string of city-wide terrorist incidents:]

         Rikainne: "We'd like you to come back to LSP admin, so we can
          ask you a few more questions.  Your cooperation would really
          be appreciated."

         Turin: "Yah...  Take of your pants!"

                        - Paraphrased from last weekend's MT session

        - Mark F. Cook

USMail: User Interface Technical Support
        Hewlett-Packard - Interface Technology Operation
        [address removed]

INTERNET: [email removed]
          [email removed]

#2223 Re: Striker (2216)

In TML biweekly V14#18, message 2216, Mark Cook [email removed] writes:
> > 3.  If not, is it still illegal for me to photocopy the game, or
> >     parts of it, and send them to the person who requested it?
> Yes, but that's never stopped me. :-)

I'm *not a lawyer*, and thus you *shouldn't believe me*, but as I understand
the copyright law, it is perfectly legal to make a copy for personal use of
a work which is (1) out-of-print, and (2) unavailable at a reasonable
price.  Thus, if you (Adrian) can't find a copy of the Striker rules at one
of the places suggested on the list, you shouldn't feel guilty about copying
it.

Somebody should just try to get GDW's permission to photocopy the thing --
if they don't plan ever to publish it again, why should they mind?  (Oh, I'm
sure you creative souls will all think of good reasons -- it's just a
rhetorical question :-).
					Bart Massey
					[email removed]

"I've got so many lawyers working for me, I make Bell Labs look like an
organization engaged in the business of making scientific discoveries."
						-- The Usenet Oracle

#2230 Re: (2223) Re: Striker (2216)

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*|
*| In TML biweekly V14#18, message 2216, Mark Cook [email removed] writes:
*| > > 3.  If not, is it still illegal for me to photocopy the game, or
*| > >     parts of it, and send them to the person who requested it?
*| > Yes, but that's never stopped me. :-)
*|
*| I'm *not a lawyer*, and thus you *shouldn't believe me*, but as I understand
*| the copyright law, it is perfectly legal to make a copy for personal use of
*| a work which is (1) out-of-print, and (2) unavailable at a reasonable
*| price.  Thus, if you (Adrian) can't find a copy of the Striker rules at one
*| of the places suggested on the list, you shouldn't feel guilty about copying
*| it.
*|
*| Somebody should just try to get GDW's permission to photocopy the thing --
*| if they don't plan ever to publish it again, why should they mind?  (Oh, I'm
*| sure you creative souls will all think of good reasons -- it's just a
*| rhetorical question :-).
*|

HA!  Are you kidding?   GDW hasn't struck me as being too
cooperative about much of anything!   When I asked them about
publishing SHAREWARE for Traveller and MegaTraveller they gave me
the knee jerk reaction of "The Traveller and MegaTraveller names
are protected by copyright and remain the property of GDW..."

I tried to explain to them I wasn't trying to STEAL anything but....


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