Scott Kellogg and other Imperiallines subscribers:
Refund checks will be mailed to all subscribers starting this coming
monday. You need take no other action unless you have changed
addresses recently, in which case you should send GDW a COA ASAP.
And now a word from Dave Nilsen:
Re: Gravitic focussing of light
Guy is correct in pointing out that the only reason for
adding in the gravitic laser focussing is to allow Traveller
to retain its long-range laser weapons and still be able to
attach it to real-world optics. (I reasoned that this was a
nice feature for players who would like to build their own
TL-8 SDI programs so that they could get realistic results,
rather than having the long-range fix embedded in the design
sequence so that it was impossible to build realistic TL-8
SDI lasers.)
Gravitic focussing is nothing more or less than a fudge
factor, and we have called it as much. However, reasoning
that players would rather have a science fiction
rationalization for it, I called it gravitic focussing
because the manipulation of gravitic and pseudo-gravitic
effects is a common crutch in science fiction and Traveller,
notwithstanding the fact that it is nonsense. Artificial
gravity and anti-gravity appeared at about the same tech
level that we required long-range lasers, so it was natural
to consider this as another application of the technology
that is embedded in just about everything else in Traveller.
James Kundert correctly points out that breakthroughs in
one area will be embedded in other technologies so that we
can assume that whatever makes the lasers really good also
makes the HEPlaR (not to mention EAPlaC, has anybody seen
how phenomenally good that stuff is?) really good, along
with your TL toasters and hair driers.
However, the fact that the fudge factor is called one form
of nonsense rather than another form of nonsense (if anyone
invents real anti-gravity or reactionless thruster plates in
my lifetime, I owe you all a dollar) seems to be bending
some people's noses out of joint.
I have a solution. Don't call it gravitic focussing, call
it fairy dust.
Do you believe in Tinkerbell? There isn't an Emperor
Strephon either, and there never will be. Fortunately,
having fun with Traveller doesn't require us to believe that
that is exactly what the future will look like, because
A) It won't, and
B) ain't none of us gonna be around to find out anyway.
This is supposed to be fun, not Nostradamus.
Dave Nilsen
For those who care, Deluxe Traveller is available:
The content of TNE Deluxe are:
-- One Traveller: The New Era rules book
-- One Fire, Fusion & Steel
-- One 17"x22" map of the Diaspora Sector
-- Two sector data folders (one player data, one referee data)
-- Two cardstock charts containing useful tables from the book
("Career Entry Requirements," "Skills by Skill Clusters," and the
ever-popular two-pager: "Skill List by Controlling Attribute").
-- One Feedback sheet
-- Sundry advertising material of possible interest to players
and referees of Traveller.
And, last but not least, a box to keep it all in.
All of these items are available as separate components.