Loren Wiseman asks the TML:
< Anybody have any suggestions as to how we should present the alien
races, and in what order?>
Since career tables no longer take up two pages minimum by
definition, you could theoretically fit three or four races in a book
the size of the MT rulebooks (100 pages or so), and still give
them coverage equal to the Classic Traveller Alien Modules. If you
do Aliens to the old Contact! article length, such a book could
hold a dozen or more races. What I would like to see is a combination
of the two ideas. For example:
Races of the Reformation Coalition, Vol 1
Hivers (major race writeup)
Ithklur (Contact)
Geonee (Contact)
Stalkers (Contact)
Dolphins (Contact)
several other shorts
Races of the Spinward States, Vol 1
Zhodani and/or Vargr (major race writeup; the other is in Vol 2)
Addaxur (Contact)
Darrians (length?)
Sword Worlders (Contact)
Llellewyloly (Contact; I'm already working on this one, BTW)
etc.
Races of the Heirate
Aslan (Major race writeup)
Ormine (Contact)
the race of plants from Challenge
etc.
Mix in Minor Human Races to taste and length. The idea is to
minimize reprinted material in each book. Each of the Major Races
has loads of material, some of it printed twice already. By putting
only one major race in each book, but filling out the book with
local minor races (some of which would be brand new, some so old
only us black box Traveller players remember them), the MT complaints
about "having to buy it all over again" are spread much thinner.
By adding new material to the reprinted stuff (or replacing it
entirely; not easy) the complaints are reduced even more. By
providing "how to play" tips and TNE careers for the various minor
races, each book does volumes for the "feel" of Traveller.
The order of presentation only matters in one instance. The Hivers
are very important to RCES play, and the only material on them is
years old. For importance to their setting, no other race comes
close (the Aslan, Vargr, and Zhodani are all in a tie for second, IMO).
The minor races for each setting range from "local color" to "PC"
depending on the individual campaign and the race (not all are suited
to PC play), but are important for all that.
Lastly, one race, the Chirpers, need their own section seperate from
the Droyne entry. Each Chirper colony is different from all others and
different from the Droyne. They deserve their own section.
Later,
James Kundert [email removed]
There was a young lady named Bright,
Whose speed was much faster, much faster than Light.
She departed one day in a relative way,
And returned on the previous Night.
--Albert & the Heart of Gold