An archive for TDR development has been established and is ready to accept
submissions. This article details the archive structure, criteria for
acceptance, and some future plans.
The archive will be divided into directories, based on subject matter.
Material in each directory will directly pertain to a specific aspect
of game rules. The initial directories are as follows:
TDR/admin - Transaction affecting the TDR development process
itself; this catagory will NOT be used frequently.
TDR/char_gen - New rules for character generation.
TDR/char_classes - New character classes: including both basic and
extended character generation.
TDR/char_skills - New skill sets for characters, which conform to
the new character generation rules. May also
include mechanisms for defining new skills not
already listed.
TDR/combat - New combat rules (personal, mass troop, vehicle-
to-vehicle, and space combat).
TDR/mail_archive - Month-by-month archives of E-mail between submitters
and the TDR Administrator or the TDR Archivist.
TDR/misc - Anything that doesn't fit into one of the other
specific catagories.
TDR/physics - Rationales for the physical behavior detailed in
the above rules.
TDR/task_rules - New rules for resolving non-combat related tasks
within the framework of a TDR game.
TDR/trade_commerce - New trade & commerce rules.
TDR/vehicle_design - New rules for designing ALL vehicles. This covers
all vehicle forms: land, water, air, and space.
TDR/vehicle_lists - New vehicles designed according to the new rules.
TDR/weapons - New weapons (or modified existing ones) which conform
to the new combat rules.
I will accept any complete rule set (or complete draft) which fits into one
of the above catagories. I will also accept additions and/or modifications
to rules sets which have already been archived. I will AUTOMATICALLY reject
any submissions that consist of only general discussion about a particular
aspect of rule development or WIBNI ("Wouldn't it be nice if...") letters.
This type of dialogue should remain within the confines of the TML. Only
submissions of specific rules should be sent to the archive. I will also
REJECT any rule set sent in piecemeal. Submissions must be complete packages
which contain sufficient breadth to deal with the subject matter (character
creation, combat, etc.) in it's entirety.
Requests for the addition of a new rules subdivision (i.e. a request for
a new catagory for rules on alien race creation) may be submitted to the
archive. They will be forwarded to and reviewed by TDR administration.
If the request seems reasonable, a new catagory will be added to the
archive and an announcement will be made via the TML.
When you make a submission, remember two points. First, plain ASCII only,
no special formatting languages. I will automatically discard anything
which violates this requirement, regardless of the merit of the actual
submission. Second, be sure to preface the submission with a synopsis.
If the submission is long, I may not have the time read it in it's entirety
to determine where it should be filed in the archive. If I'm in a hurry,
and I can't decide where it belongs, it may end up filed in the TDR/misc
directory and forgotten. You are thus forwarned.
I will make a 'best attempt' to responde to any questions regarding the
archive, especially those which only require a short answer. I would
prefer to deal with E-mail only, but for those of you who what more immediate
feedback, I can be reached at [phone removed] from 8 AM - 5 PM weekdays, and
[phone removed] evenings and weekends after 10 AM Pacific time.
Within the next month or two, I will be announcing a 'standard format' for
all vehicle submissions (once a draft set of design rules are in place),
which will lend itself to bursting. This will allow faster seach and
retrieval from the archive.
Regards,
- Mark F. Cook (TDR Archivist)