ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Erk Epm Hum!! Time to wake up after the summer hibernation...
Here is another Old Man's Thoughts. (Curmudgeon I am not - at least I
hope not :-). Though I tend to be less talkative than most old timers, I'll
see If I can add something to the discussion?
>
> From: bryan borich [email removed]
> Subject: TNE writer's conference
>
> Item forwarded by M.MIKESH to B.BORICH
>
> T I F F A N Y S T A R # 3 1 Michael R. Mikesh
>
> TRAVELLER: THE NEW ERA -- WHY?
> GDW admits they did not support MEGATRAVELLER (MT) adequately.
> An underlying reason was simply that they did not play MT, and so did
> not know the system very well. As a result, temptation was too great
> to redirect support elsewhere. GDW wasn't offering this reason as an
> excuse, only as an explanation.
They didn't support Traveller, Nor Megatraveller, now they are going
to make it a spin off of their TW:2000 system. (Which got many of
its rules from modifications to traveller). I'll believe the support
when I see it. I always thought that DGP provided good and interesting
background material, (as did Paranoia press, and Gamelords, etc) now
they are part of the unoffical group... Support of third party
products is part of the support of the product line as well...
> To avoid this problem, they want to write TRAVELLER: THE NEW ERA
> (TNE) strictly in-house. Further, it will be based on the
> TWILIGHT:2000 family of games, which is good for a few reasons.
> First off, TNE will belong to the GDW house role playing system.
> Because of this, the designers don't have to think in terms of a
> different rules set when they provide TRAVELLER support, giving them a
> boost in productivity.
What? Think in terms of a different set of rules?? Most of the work for
a module is in the story line, and fitting into the background and mood
of the game system (one would hope). The work to construct the correct
tasks shouldn't be all that difficult, or those people who know the
old system are going to be under a lot of duress in the switch to TNE.
I can however see this point for producing new rules supplements, ship
designs, etc...
> Second, its very easy for gaming groups to hop among GDW RP games
> and even borrow elements from one another.
Sure like putting stutterwarp in Traveller, or perhaps the dark
lords, that won't cause much unbalance...NOT! (more on this later...)
> Contrary to what some might believe, this is not a move just to
> make more money with a new rules set. While it is true that new rules
> sell well, the initial sales of TNE will pay for itself and that's
> all. It takes a lot of effort and resources to put out a rules set.
> Profit comes as a result of reorders, so for TNE to be profitable, it
> must be good and its appeal must grow.
Despite Metlay's comments I agree with this, if you consider all the
development time in the cost of the first issue of a game, then it is
not going to make much money (if any). However the latter releases are
almost pure profit, as is a lot of work on the supplments that are planned
during this time. It all depends on how you do the bookwork. And yes it
is okay, really!, to make money when you do something...
> The changes taking place in the Imperium setting are in effort to
> create more wild frontiers. Originally, the Imperium was a very
> stable place, and well known to characters through the usual networks
> of library data. The Rebellion shattered that stability.
> Unfortunately, the Rebellion itself became a spectator sport, too
> large in scope for player characters to interact with.
I agree that more frontiers were needed, and I also agreee that the
rebellion was a bad idea... Though there was the Leviathan Module which
was about exploration. With just a little manipulation they could have
maintained that as the "Frontier"...
> elite and dedicated players. New players are intimidated by the
> volume of information that exists, which is impeding TRAVELLER's
> growth. So, TNE will render most of that information unknown and
> unnecessary without invalidating the previous literature.
I can't see players intimidated by background information. The GM
perhaps, or players initmidated by huge amounts of rules. But there
are many other games, such as AD&D that seem to thrive with, well
I've lost count, but at least 3 complete worlds, plus umpteen rule
books (in their new simplified third edition...)
> Established players will undoubtedly look back at classic
> TRAVELLER with a sense of nostalgia, which will have an intrinsic
> benefit in gaming with new comers. Long time players running
> characters who skipped the "Short Nap" in cold sleep will remember
> well "the good ol' days." They can relay their knowledge through role
> playing, but also sincerely convey an appreciation for what was lost.
> Perhaps together, old and new characters can restore the glory that
> belonged to that part of space.
This is one of the best things that they have thought up. Instead of
people having to pretend that they didn't know the old rules, you can
have them be a part of the "Aliens" phenomenon. Not only that when
the old players are unfamiliar with how the new rules work, you can
pass them off as being not familiar with the new technology.
"We'll be safe in this cave 1.1km below the surface, densitometers
only work to one 1km..."Just to find out that that part of the rules
have been altered, as the enemy beams in, err digs them out...
>
> RULES SYSTEM
> TNE will come as two books. The first will have only the rules.
> The second will contain the Imperium background. The aim is to give
> players the option to adopt other science fiction universes for their
> campaigns. GDW is even seriously considering a 2300 AD Sourcebook,
> restoring support for 2300 AD as a subset of TRAVELLER.
A good thought. I for one have always liked the near-technology feel
of the 2300 rules. Sometimes the traveller technology can give a player
a feeling of detachment, as the entire lifestyle can be radically
different from our own.
> TNE will definitely not be an outgrowth of MT. Although MT was
> an award winning game design, the GDW staff isn't comfortable
> continuing with it because of elements they considered "fussy". In
> particular, GDW will completely revise the ship design system to make
> it easier. Digest Group made a special effort to assure that classic
> ships were convertible to MT. GDW, however, will not do this so as to
> not risk compromising the new system.
I really have my reservations about this. The ship design rules in the
orignal set were not fussy, but I had a lot of problems with the discrete
values that had to occur to get that level of simpleness. (Actually I
consider the current design rules too simple. Ow. OW! Stop throwing things.)
> The design system will have differing design sequences for
> different vehicles. The tank system, for instance, will not include
> consideration for a jump drive or spinel mount. However, the combat
> system will be compatible with everything. Tanks can fire on
> starships, for instance, without requiring a conversion.
The orignal reason that the systems were different was that ground combat
occured over such a small time scale that a ships maneouvering attempts
would be irrelevant if the same rate of fire was used in starship combat.
So they made the ship combat occur over a longer time scale (10 or 15
minutes instead of 10 seconds if I recall the facts...)
> Three versions of faster-than-light drives will be presented in
> the rules, jump drive (TRAVELLER), stutterwarp (2300 AD), and star
> gates (resembling Pournelle's MOTE IN GOD'S EYE universe).
Presumably one would choose which one you wanted to use. As has
been mentioned elsewhere, stutterwarp and jump drive are not compatable
when it comes to combat. Unless, however, they alter the speeds of
in-system maneuvering. If one could get a good fraction of C out of ones
maneuver drives, then the jump ship might have the edge, as it could
simply jump away if it gets too damaged...
> The ship combat system might include a vector combat system, like
> what appeared in GDW's MAYDAY. However, GDW hopes to simplify bringing
> distant ships to tactical range without burdening players with vector
> mechanics just to get their ships to close. A vector combat system
> will probably not appear if GDW uses instead the stutterwarp combat
> system (see later).
Any combat with more than three ships (two really) requires either a
3-D combat system or idiots for ship captains. I doubt that they will
do this, for the same reason that the universe is flat (or nearly so,
nearly flat can be explained by the current maps). That reason is
complexity. People (myself included) have difficulty imagining a complex
3D situation when only 2D is present.
> Doing this, however, will skew the stellar population
> unnaturally. Most real stars are red dwarfs, whereas they will be
> uncommon in TRAVELLER. However, a misconception crept into star charts
> that GDW might decide to throw back out. Charts were only meant as
> navigation aids. They originally did not represent the actual
> positions of the star systems nor all of the star systems present.
> They showed only systems that might be visited, particularly ones with
> populations or sources of fuel. Other systems did not show.
I have used this before in the past. Letting pirates (Har!) or other
disreputable types (like Megacorps) set up bases in uninhabited and
uncharted systems in the "empty" hexes on the map.
>
> NEW ERA BACKGROUND
> There won't be much left of interstellar society after the Virus
> causes the total collapse interstellar trade. This destroys the
> Solomani Confederation and most of the alien realms as well. We're
> left with what is spinward of the Rift, a remnant of Lucan's Imperium
> in Core Sector, and scattered pocket empires.
I have a big problem with the other races being at all affected by
any form of computer probelms. Okay perhaps the Solomani, as they would
have quite similar systems to the Imperium. Maybe the Aslan, Vargr. But
why on Earth (or off it) would the K'kree, or Hivers have anything even
remotely similar that could be affected in any manner by a plague/Virus
starting in the Imperium???
> The New Era will be an age of discovery. Explorers (Star Vikings)
> from the pocket empires will go out and recontact worlds in a fashion
> loosely resembling what we see in STAR TREK. Starships are still
> especially rare and valuable during this time. Boarding action will
> prevail in space combat so as to capture, not destroy, the hardware.
Are the characters to be these so called Star Vikings? I am not certain
of their place in the cosmos. Perhaps they are the new bad guys?
As for boarding actions, I can see them, if you had a fast enough craft
to close to zero range (and find a spot where no weapons could be
pointed at you to dock to). Or perhaps the Vikings will have a special
Viking power to use aginst the ships, put them in statis or something,
but have to board in order to actually take control of the ship...
> Deneb survives, thanks in part to an impassioned appeal by Chuck
> Kallenbach (Paranoia Press; HIWG). Vargr activity across the Corridor
> slowed the migration of the Virus long enough to give Norris time to
> prepare and counter it. As a result, the Empire of Deneb remains a
> powerful interstellar state even in the New Era.
BZZT. Thanks for playing. I like the Domain and I too would like to
see it remain for sentimental purposes. But I can't see the Virus
taking out the Imperium, Aslan and Vargr without affecting the Domain.
By doing this they have already broken their own rule about exceptions,
I'd like to see how they come up with the reason that a group of
planets using the exact same technology is spared while ones using
radically different ones are not...
> TNE will detail the Zhodani. A modus vivendi exists between
> Deneb and the Consulate whereby the governments are at peace with one
> another, even if the cultures are at odds. Some trade does take place,
> but Deneb will more vigorously pursue trade with the Human Client
> States to replace old Imperial markets. However, an understanding
> exists with the Zhodani that Deneb will not absorb those states.
Yea! I've always liked the Zhodani. But I am feeling cheated that we
won't see anything about the core expeditions (Talk about good frontier
actions), and the threat from the core. Lots of good plot threads there
that they are passing up..
> Conflict still exists with the Vargr and Aslan. Ultimately,
> Deneb might wage a campaign against the Vargr in Corridor and push
> back through the Rift.
Why when they were "mostly destroyed" by the Virus??
>
> THE VIRUS IS YOUR FRIEND
I don't think I need to add anything here. I don't like the term
Virus, I don't like the concept... If it is just a plot device, why
not have some sort of opponent that at least requires some form
of physical contact. Nanomachines, or some sort of AI lifeform that
takes over ships, etc.. Otherwise no communication should or could
exist in the new universe. Open channels to the vampire ship, and
suddenly you ship is not yours anymore. I shudder to think of what
a hacker that thought 10,000x faster than I could could do. And there
would be no way to stop it, short of Isolation.
> As you can see, the Virus offers an endless number of exciting
> science fiction plots.
All sorts of fiction plots perhaps...
>
> STAR VIKINGS
> The Virus inflicted much harm upon the Hive Federation. However,
But not the Domain of Deneb!
> thanks to their advanced knowledge in electronics, they combated it
> more effectively and preserve their interstellar society.
> Hiver traders tried to encourage more benign attitudes through
> their contacts with the humans, but were largely UNSUCCESSFUL. Many
> of their traders were even attacked and destroyed, so the Hivers
> shifted tactics.
What did all the great manipulators die suddenly or what? Manipulation
is now a lost art? Humans are notorious for doing anything for a price.
>
(Enough has already been said about the Vikings...)
>
> TNE PHILOSOPHIES
> Although the rules system will change, nothing will be lost to
> TRAVELLER as a result. As Dave Nilsen explained, "If you can do it in
> TRAVELLER, you can do it in TNE."
Nothing will be lost?? Map changes, all the current library information
ship designs. Perhaps some modules will be able to be converted
without too much difficulty...
> GDW will return to being vague about technology. From the
> feedback they received, STARSHIP OPERATOR'S MANUAL explained too much,
> so things like the lanthanum grid for jump drives will not be carried
> over.
I seem to remember that after the people at GDW had released 2300AD and
set up a background of many decades of their use, the players managed to
come up with some new twists to their use. (I think the tug actions).
This shows that one cannot always catch on to the uses of a new technology
introduced into the game system. This is one of the reason's I think
that GDW doesn't want to get into the details of the various technologies,
as they can more easily plug any holes in the system if there is not
a concrete logical explanation for everything.
> STUTTERWARP & TRAVELLER
As other people mentioned retrofitting Stutterwarp is a bad idea.
I might buy someone discovering it now that J-Drives may not be
availble on certain planets, or maybe if the rules were changed that
it wasn't found feasable, or maybe even outlawed due to extreme health
hazards...
>
> PRODUCTS
> Release of TRAVELLER: THE NEW ERA is postponed to February 1993.
> They do not want to risk a rushed job on this.
Ooh. 6 whole months. I doesn't sound like they have gotten very far on
the rules if they are still hashing out major componets like what types
of drives to use. Perhaps they can protoype it faster than normal as
they have the system already developed, but that isn't a lot of time
for playtesting, even if they had it available today...
-Dan
P.S. Despite all the rambling I made. I will probably buy the new rules
and I will help GDW if at all possible, though I am not a writer...
Dan Corrin, Network Manager, Mechanical Engineering, UWO, London, Ontario
InterNet: [email removed]. [phone removed]
TML/CZ/FrameUsers/Consim FTP site: sunbane.engrg.uwo.ca (129.100.100.12)