Date: 7-JUL-1987 09:04
>From: Jon Davis ([email removed])
Sender: DAVISJE
Subject: Traveller submission
To: [email removed]@[email removed]
Cc: davisje
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> From: Charles Martin [email removed] writes
> Using these skill generation systems usually results in a whole mess more
> skills than the basic system. _Mercenary_ is the worst offender, but I'll
> use it as a whipping boy; you end up with characters who have weapon skill
> after weapon skill.
One rule I believe that gets ignored for the purposes of the expanded
character generation in _Mercenary_, _High Guard_, etc. is the rule
stating that a character may not have skills or skill levels that exceed
the sum of the character's combined intelligence and education. I am
sure that many of these characters (perhaps even GDW's published
characters) in some way violate this skill limitation.
> Why not break Computer skill down into VLSI, Op Sys, AI, whatever?
Good idea. But wouldn't VLSI fall under Electronics? There is no
reason why Computer couldn't become a cascade skill like Gun Combat
or Blade Combat. What other types of subcategories would be useful
for this cascade skill?
> I'd rather run adventures that deal with alien artifacts,
> political intrigues, or even plain space opera (blasters and light sabers).
> But these thirty-page weapon descriptions really get me down. Who cares?
> Do people really run games where the players go down in their armored air
> raft and take out rebellious populations with Gauss Guns? Boring.
I think the maturity of the players plays a major role in the type
of game and characters they will create. Younger players favor
battle dress, laser rifles, fusion guns, etc. Mature Traveller
players tend to be more well rounded and can play diverse roles
of scientist, diplomat, trader, and mercenary.
Request: Has anyone generated a more diverse starship encounter table?
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Jon Davis GE Corporate R & D
Schenectady, NY
ARPA: [email removed]
UUCP: {decvax,ihnp4,ucbvax}!mcnc!ncsu!uvacs!edison!davisje
"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!"
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