I've only been catching up on the list every couple of weeks
or so recently (organising a major games convention and getting
married do that to you :-).
Going back to the original article:
>Imagine an RPG that is still a table-top RPG, with GM, and printed
>rules. Only there is one *big* difference. All of the nitty-gritty,
>penicl-pushing, details are handled by silicon, rather than dice and
>gray cells. That is, the game comes with a program (and/or special-
>ized computer) that handles character generation, combat, travel
>times, world generation, trade and commerce, etc.
A lot of benefits, a lot of problems. Most brought up and
discussed already. I felt the same and since the system generation
sub-list wasn't going anywhere I wrote my own: SYSGEN. When the players
want to access Library Data they poke at the screen and keyboard. I
have my own heads-up-display so I can follow them (the screen faces
them). I mainly use it in adventure preparation. I find it exceedingly
useful but, despite being available to the list for over a year, no one
out there has deigned to comment on it.
Thinking that this is because most people run their adventures
in the standard traveller universe I have made LIBRARY. This reads in
the GENII sector data and expands this to World Builder Handbook level.
With the touch of a button I can print out a map of the *entire* Imperium
or the surface of any planet in it. (It only works on a PC and you need
at least a CGA to get the planet surfaces)
But, once again, no one has expressed any interest in it. What's
the problem? It does half of what everyone has been asking for in this
thread and a quarter of the remainder is under development. Why don't
you people out there use it?
The Shareware version of LIBRARY is available by FTP from
lanczos.maths.tcd.ie in the jaymin/trav directory or from the mail
server [email removed] (send one line containing HELP
for information). Please distribute to local bulliten boards and
such and *please* comment. It can't get any better if you don't say
what you don't like.
Jo Jaquinta
_______________________________________________________________________________
Jo Jaquinta | Warbot: "I am the very model of a modern
[email removed] | major war machine!"
Dublin, IRELAND | Jakobot: "So what?" [Extreme Paranoia]