> Are there any good methods for determining major trading routes,
> other than just connecting all A and B starports? I seem to
> remember that the rules are pretty vague about this.
> Suggestions?
> --Brett Slocum "Never bet with a Sicilian where Death is involved."
My edition 1 Traveller rules had a probability table for assigning randomized
"Jump Routes":
TRAVELLER, Volume 3, Copyright 1977 Game Designer's Workshop, page 2
World --------Jump Distance--------
Pair Jump-1 Jump-2 Jump-3 Jump-4
A-A 1 2 4 5
A-B 1 3 4 5
A-C 1 4 6 -
A-D 1 5 - -
A-E 2 - - -
B-B 1 3 4 6
B-C 2 4 6 -
B-D 3 6 - -
B-E 4 - - -
C-C 3 6 - -
C-D 4 - - -
C-E 4 - - -
D-D 4 - - -
D-E 5 - - -
E-E 6 - - -
However, I have reservations in using such a simplistic and
non-deterministic system for generating Trade Routes. Maybe something
that looks at at least Starport Class and Population, and maybe Trade
Classifications, too? With a great enough number of dependent variable,
the randomness could be almost done away with.
I think it would be an entertaining enterprise to try to come up with
such a scheme. Perhaps something based on the average profit gain
between two systems, weighted by jump distance and surrounding worlds
(i.e. suppose one world provides a link across a great rift... even were
it Class D now, it would probably be a crucial trade route between the
societies on each side of the rift).
When I get a spare week or two I'll look at this item. Maybe I'll come
up with something great and (after everyone on the list gets to alter
it, playtest it, add suggestions, etc.) send it off to the editors of
Challenge magazine as a definitive system for trade routes. And maybe
I'll become President of the United States.... :-) I doubt I'll ever
find time to even start on this myself. How about a communal effort?
James