I have been reading this mailing list for over a year now, and after
subscribing to a few now defunct mailing lists and reading internet news
I can safely say that the idea of TDR is approaching that of oblivion.
What!
I commit heresy?
Actually, let me just list in order of events what I have seen most of
these *ideas* go , and then my response on what we should do:
1) There is a mailing list or group that has a common theme of gaming.
2) After a certain amount of time of some realing good posts someone posts
the idea that we should all write a game.
3) For about 3 days (I'm very serious about that number, not 2 or 4, but
3), people start posting ideas of what can be improved.
4) On the fourth day someone suggests a name for the project.
******So far, so good. ********
5) Then the inevable group of posts start:
a) Copyright infringement laws. This stream discourages people some.
b) Making money off of our work. This stream discourages other
people even more.
c) Who is going to be in charge, and who does what. This stream
really discourages people, because the very least they want is a deadline.
Remember, for most of us this is a hobby, albeit, an extremely entertaining
one (some believe ranks right up there with sex and food gluttonly).
d) "We should write computer programs that do all this." Discourages
people who don't want to write computer programs, and don't care to drag a
computer to their session.
e) The formatting of the text. Discourages people some , because we
are already receiving this mailing list, why does it have to be something
special again? I mean, I am happy with getting this mailing list. In the
same thread, I expect in 2 days, someone will say that a seperate offshoot
mailing list should be formed. Irritates people, because now they have to
worry about more digests.
********DANGER*******
At this point, someone posts a letter, pleading with everybody else to get
on track.
{[
As one aside, I made a comment last Saturday during my groups Traveller
session (which started late, Sat at 1300, when it was suppose to start Fri
at 1800): "All we seem to be able to decide in is our group indecision
and to put off making a decision for 2 hours."
This amused everybody then , and I think applies to the situation at this
point. (By the way, our problem was what shall we do for lunch and
dinner?).
]}
AND, at this point , that poster is generally ignored.
6) About 25% of the original people who liked the idea start on something.
50% continue arguing about the points in number 5.
25% go on to something else.
This all happens about 1 week after the above problems start.
7) After a while, everybody goes on to something else, except for the one
guy who originally posted the idea.
8) AND, after a while, we are left with lots of posts concerning a
nonexistant game we were going to work on, and a lot of people wondering
what ever became of the project.
**********NOVEL IDEA************
The original idea was proposed that we examine the MegaTraveller system,
and post our revisions of what each section should be. Improve the system.
(At this point everybody is nodding their head and wondering why I am
wasting bandwith).
We are starting on number 5, folks, and pretty soon we will be at step
number 8.
Why don't we just post our revisions. Now, we have some guidance and a
goal. It is the same as before, except for a general theme.
The problem with number 5 issues, is that we are not a company. This is
not our means of making a living. At number 5, we are already discussing
something that should be discussed AFTER we have come up with some really
nifty ideas.
1)If you want to put it in Tex, LaTeX, Word, *ruff, *roff, or even SWAHILLI,
do it then. It will come to you off this mailing list, and you can format
it for your own desire and tastes.
Me: I will take it into ASCII, dump it to a NexT machine, and then use the
Laser WRiter to print off a nifty looking copy. And I will dump a copy to
the MAC for future use.
2)Computer programs. Those who want them, go ahead and write them. Noone
is stopping you. Just don't tell me that I have to write a computer
program.
3)Copyright and making money. Let me just say one thing....
So far on this list we have discussed the game, and played with changes.
We have not done anything illegal. These posts are for our use, and whoever
we want to distribute them to for free. Hell, if you charge money for a
letter I wrote I probably won't care.
But, if any of us find out that someone has published our material
without asking us, then they will never , ever, get anything published
again. All a publisher needs is a plagarist, to cause them headaches.
And, those of us who see our stuff in print, will cause those headaches:
end of matter.
4)Who is in charge, and who does what. As for who is in charge, I don't
care. We are just a group having fun. Maybe there should be people who
keep us on track and remind us of things that need to be done. These
people will appoint themselves.
As for who does what, who cares . If we see it needs to be done, and if it
needs to be done badly enough, it will get done . (Whoa! Awful sentence!)
As for me, I said I would do some stuff with Trade and Commerce, because I
want it for my campaign.
If the material that someone writes is not very good, we will discuss it and
try to improve it or rework it (or ignore it and drop it). AS WE HAVE DONE
MANY TIMES IN THE PAST.
Folks, IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES OF NUMBER 5 IN THE FUTURE, PLEASE
JUST POST AS YOUR SUBJECT "NUMBER 5:" AND THEN I WILL KNOW TO SKIP IT,
FOR IT WILL BE A WASTE OF TIME.
When we have a bunch of stuff collected together, maybe then we should
worry about what do with it beyond our group.
Thank you for your time in reading this, I will now proceed back to discussing
the game and any improvements or whatever....
Steven B. Fellows
[email removed]