Since several people brought up Dumarest of Terra as a source for
Traveller, I dug up some of the books at Powell's up in Portland. Wow.
If you haven't read this series, go get it. It's neat.
Weight vs. Mass:
It ought to be consistent within the game, and most of the tables
are labelled with mass. Furthermore, the table I noticed had a weight
column, while the key had mass...Mostly a nit, but it's kinda grating...:/
Just got a copy of Pyramid #3 today, and in the upcoming releases I see
that _Traveller Player's Handbook_ is coming out in October. I don't
remember having seen any mention of this here, so does anybody know
anything else about it?
I'd like to second both the suggestion that FF&S maybe get some sort of
proofread by the TML -- especially since I doubt it would hurt sales and
would certainly result in a nicer end product -- and the appreciation
towards GDW (and Loren in particular) for taking the time to read and
respond to all the activity here on the list. Especially considering the
rather acerbic nacture of some of the posts :)
Re: Rose colored LI-binoculars and Classic Traveller; I, for one, have
never caught anything beyond very *minor* typos in a Classic Traveller
book. However, I also note that few, if any, are first printings. I
suspect that, although the initial runs may have been as plague-ridden as
more modern offerings, the print runs were smaller and the typos were
fixed rapidly, so that they didn't have as big an impact...The thing I've
noticed is that the more CT stuff I get, the less I enjoy the more modern
offerings. Although the actual game-system of TNE is excellent, the
presentation of the setting doesn't have as strong a feeling of atmosphere
to me. It's much less satisfying. It's also *less* flexible than the old
setting. I mean, such things as choosing a two-syllable code name for use
during combat are included as part of the character generation rules! The
Virus has been complained about up and down, so I won't hit it again. But
all regions have been heavily affected, negatively, by the Short Nap.
There are strong "anti-tech" and "pro-combat" slants in the way the rules
read. Computers can't be allowed to talk to one another because the Virus is
all dangerous and we are unable to defend against it. Quail in your
boots. Stop using robots and automated manufacturing plants, because a
Vampire might infect them. Don't research technology, just steal it from
the graves of a dead civilization. But be careful, because the evil which
destroyed those people might live on in the treasure! Don't interact with
and respect different cultures, destabilize them and replace them with systems
more amenable to your own government.
I hadn't intended to rant. But Classic Traveller was a true Classic
because it actively worked to encompass "nontraditional" gaming
activities. Don't just kill that alien, trek across a desert and learn
about his culture. Solve a murder before you get stuck in jail. Follow
rumors to an ancient treasure and thwart Zhodani war efforts as a side
effect. The newer stuff doesn't seem to have the same range and, well,
intelligence and literacy as the older products. As a consequence, it'll
probably sell better. This isn't GDW's fault, but rather the gaming public
for not supporting a more balanced SF game. They don't want complexity
and cleverness, they seem to want rayguns and BEMs. Or CyberSamurai and
'Mechs. <Sigh> Complexity is 'dull'.
Damn. I've depressed myself.
Dane
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TNS Stringer, Terra/Solomani Rim (1827 G867975-8 Hi 314 G2 V)
My opinions are those of my fuzz-brained, cat-sniffing Norwegian Elkhound.