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Let me throw out my application as a rules tester for world generation,
ship and vehicle generation and general mechanics.
(is this going to GDW? I hope so)
Some comments on some of the rules I would like Loren at all to see...
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1) Worlds
Time to chuck the 1d6 mentality. If, as you say, Traveller is heading
toward a d20 system, world design and generation should be more detailed,
at LEAST as detailed as variety allowed by 2300ad, with some of the
World Builder's Handbook thrown in as well.
One of my big gripes with the old system was the VERY FUDGY Size-Atmo
connection. Have the new system generate Size and Density at least.
Mass and Gravity can be calculated via lookup chart (like in 2300ad).
I have a set of formulas I Palmed off (someone's, Mr. Brudick? I
can't remember) STARFORM program. This program generated random star
systems, any I grabbed and reworked some of the formulas to allow the
feeding of 2300ad data to get useful information. For Example, given
Size and Gravity, with a slight random factor and taking into account
how much solar energy the world receives (this process is actually
simpler than it sounds), you can come up with a single number representing
molecular escape velocity. This MEV can be compared to a simple table
of elemental MEV ratings...If the world MEV is less than that required
for O2, then you will obviously not have a T-Norm world. If not
high enough for water vapor, the world will be dry and desert like.
I can create some of these charts if you (at GDW) wish, in a d20 or
whatever format.
2) Ships
For god's sake, relegate the G-maximums to the circular file! While the
Jump idea is nice, I think the Stutterwarp Idea is better. However, to
keep the same flavor as traveller, you CAN make a balance -- Jump ratings
indicate Cycle rate. A J-1 ship can cycle 1 Parsec/week, a J2 can
cycle 1 Parsec in 4 days, 3 days for J3 and J4, 2 Days for J5 and J6,
1 day for J7 to J9, 12 hours for J10+, etc.
Power required is based on "guestimated" ship surface area (for the
jump field, a surface effect) times the cyclic power drain based on the
J rating. This WOULD explain why small craft are not suitable for
jump drives (area goes down a LOT slower than volume due to the power
laws)
G rating is, of course, based on mass divided by reaction drive thrust.
Ships CAN use grav plates for secondary propulsion,
thus avoiding the need to make holes in the tarmac. However, thrust
should drop off as a factor of "current" gravity.
Example: Grav Tank 100t, produces 200t of grav thrust for 2G's on a 1G
world (total accelleration = 1G). At 3.3 planetary radii the gravity is
now 0.1G. Thrust is now 20t. The generators now provide 0.2G thrust, vs
0.1G, for 0.1G net accelleration.
Obviously, PROPULSION grav generators are largely ineffective when
out of the gravity well, but great for getting your ship off the pad and
a couple thousand KM out before you turn on the fusion drive. I would
think this would be REQUIRED procedure for any civilized world (who
wants a fusion lance pointed in your direction spewing all sorts of evil
things -- give me a couple score KM of atmosphere, thankyou)
This gravity requirement does not effect grav PLATES, which
magnify the gravitational effect of the ship.
3) Vehicles
Definitely, as Scott Kellogg mentioned, have a very detailed vehicle
design system (including bits of Striker and MT, with additions from
COAAC and palming of ideas from 2300ad. Keep this system as the BASE,
having it in a supplement book. However, crank out some basic module
rules and incorporate them in the main rules so that we can design vehicles
form DAY ONE without a Cray. Since the modules are built using the base
rules, compatability is assured...
4) Science
Yeah, I know some tradeoffs have to be made to keep the SF flavor
(FTL, Anti-grav, etc), but please please PLEASE watch the bad science used
to make the rules fit. For example, in the MT Ref Guide, Radios are
a BIG botch job. I can accept that radios might very well get lighter
with TL, even with increasing range. (hell, I can accept that Grandfather
has radio's the size of chicklets that have a parsec receptive range).
But don't expect me to swallow that with decreasing mass you get a linear
decrease of power. Be it back pack or walkie talkie, it's still going to
take X watts of power to transmit a clear signal Y miles. Mass isn't the
limiting factor, distance is (with it's spreading of the EM signal).
I talked with someone from the SCI.OPTICS internet group about power
requirements for laser communications. I have the formula somewhere and
can get it to you if you wish, but it basically boils down to
"Power equals Signal frequency", increasing via the square law IF the
laser beam "spot" is larger than the receiver. A Gigabit laser will require
1000x the power of a megabit laser, no matter how you slice it.
5) Characters
Like I said before, I like the "resume" feel of old traveller, but feel
that character's are shafted when you compare them to what comes out of
Mercenary, High Guard or Scouts. The latter three require TOO much
rolling of dice, however, so a happy medium between the two systems, AND
ONLY USING THIS SYSTEM would be ideal.
Remove SOC as a characteristic. The characters can roll for a basic
social level, if you so desire, but I think titles are best left to
career mustering out or career effects.
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Burton Choinski Phoenix Technologies, LTD
"All opinions are mine, not Phoenix's" Cambridge, MA
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