Well it looks like all the moans about GDW's massive incompetence
and discussions over obscure traveller/science facts has all moved
to the gdw-beta list. Pity, that's what I really liked about the
TML, but I'm sure all the TNE players out there wouldn't agree...
I just thought I'd try answering a few questions people asked
yesterday. (It's either that or my 'why TNE is trash' flame, and
I'm still collecting evidence for that)
"Michael A. Masten" asked
>I have a question about the Virus that keeps getting mentioned in TNE.
>What is it and where did it come from?
What is it?- A computer virus that turned every computer bigger
than a desktop into an A.I. and then destroyed that computer,also
using any devices that computer controlled to kill as many people
as possible (which with computer controlled life support systems,
vehicles and weapons meant a LOT of people). It spread throughout
inhabited space, except for the area spinward of Corridor which
somehow managed to isolate itself by preventing infected ships
entering. Most planets simply died without high technology or
trade, the rest went back to the dark ages.
What is it?2- depending on peoples point of view, it is also-
1) a way to turn Traveller into a 'Dark Future' RPG, while still
being able to say 'No, it's about REBUILDING society, honest-
we only need the Fusion Rifles for our own protection'
2) a way to release a new Traveller set that didn't need new
players to learn the whole Imperial background (destroying
90% of it may have rather overdone the idea)
3) a way to clean out a background that was just too big and
complex for the new design team to cope with.
4) a way to destroy the Imperial background... just because they
could.
5) a way to annoy me- personally :)
Where did it come from?- The Imperium designed it itself (I think
it was an Imperial Naval Inteligence project originally). The
A.I. routines came from the Cymberline (sp?) intelligent silicon
chips out of the old Signal GK adventure- it was claimed they had
actually been discovered years ago but covered up while the
research was underway. Designed as a Doomsday weapon,
it was accidently released during the Rebellion.
Where did it come from?2- again, depending on who you ask-
1) TNE designers- Frank and Dave (the Game Guys)
2) several other people- but don't claim GDW nicked any ideas
off you, or they'll sue!
3) someone who didn't know squat about computers or the Traveller
background
4) a bad dream
And, if you ARE considering changing to TNE, be warned that the
only things that changed over from CT with no real changes are the
planet generation and trade rules, and with most of the Imperium
having a population code of 0, what use are they?. It is annoying
when weapons change weights, prices, ammo etc- even moreso when
ships change cargo space, crew etc.
-----------------
David Johnson asked-
>concerned with the `Big Picture'. Is there anyone else who thinks
>discussions about weapon penetration, craft design, and planetary
>science is a little moot in a two-dimensional universe?
>(I'm not trying to hassle you `rules junkies' - I'm just looking for
>some like-minded-souls of my own.)
>In an effort to start a `Background' discussion, here's a question: What
>is there to recommend TNE (vs. MT or CT) from a `background' point of
>view? Forget the new rules and such, is the new campaign an improvement
>over the ante-Rebellion, Rebellion and Hard Times eras? (For the sake
>of discussion let's ignore the hard, cold reality that TNE is the only
>campaign being supported officially.)
Good point about the 2D Universe.
Well I'd put myself more in the rules-junkie area, but like most
Traveller players (I suspect) I've stuck with it because of the
background, not the rules.
As for the merits of various backgrounds, the only 'merit' I can
see in TNE is that the 'area of interest' i.e. the area that the
published background covers, is less 'civilised'. PCs have more of
a chance to act as bloodthirsty criminals and get away with it, with
smaller governments or no government in most areas. It has an
advantage- with all these smaller ponds PCs have more chance to be
big fish, which should suit some people and could be interesting
if they use this power for anything other than stealing chickens.
However, most Arses background I've seen implies they prefer to
'shoot people with big guns'- I get the impression it's this that's
making TNE so popular (not on this mature list of course :>)
That you could do all this in CT, just outside of the Imperium,
means TNE has no real improvement over CT. But, again, it depends
who you ask...
---------------------
[email removed] (Constantine, not John I hope) asked
> Yet another questionette for you all. I notice that Thruster Plates
>do not require fuel (directly) to operate - they just burn up power plant
>fuel when they draw their operating power. Since they don't themselves
>burn any fuel like HEPlaR does, then does this mean that the concept of
>G-Hours goes out of the proverbial window for Thruster Plates?
I liked your article on Star/Planet types- I've never seen an RPG
that dealt clearly with the issue of steller lifetimes and heavy
element distribution- the 'star wars' style players may not need
it but some of us try to fit a bit of realism inbetween the FTL drives
and reationless thrusters. Those notes you did look quite useful,
thanks for posting them.
Now, HEPlaR vs. Thrusters... Oh boy, when did you get here?
You certainly missed the big fight over Fusion Drives when TNE
came out. Here's a short history of Traveller Drives-
1) Classic Traveller- Drives move your ship from 1-6G, it's left
to the Ref to descibe how they work. Some assume Scramjet and
Fusion, some use reactionless thrusters, some ignore it etc.
It all seemed to work fine (I suspect most Refs used some form
of safe drive after the players started trying to use it as a
weapon.)
2) First Edition High Guard- for this one book, there was a mention
of drives using fusion. It was removed in the 2nd Ed. Maybe they
realised how dangerous that was.
3) MegaTraveller. Thruster Plates are Official- put the power in,
your ship goes. Forget about reaction mass. Nice and safe.
4) Traveller-The New Error. Fusion Drives are back again, except
they call them HEPlaR and claim they are safe, even if they do
produce exhaust as hot and fast as any Fusion Drive. Rough
calculations showed that any 100T+ ship could incinerate a city
from orbit. The arguement over whether to -ignore physics and
make it useless as a weapon/ stick with thruster plates/ use
the drive realistically and give players a reusable nuclear
weapon - was the closest thing to a flame-war seen on the TML
Basically, you are barking up the right tree. Thruster Plates
work by converting electrical power into thrust, breaking lots
of Physical Laws, no reaction mass needed. No fuel for the Drive
AT ALL. Run them off batteries or Solar Cells, no fuel or reaction
mass need be in the vehicle. This is much more useful than
HEPlaR of course, if you read FF&S it basically explains why
Thruster Plates are so bad (never mind they used to be in
Traveller). Actually I thought FF&S explained most of what you
asked, but being GDW it's STILL difficult to follow unless you've
read everything from CT Book 2 ,then Book 5, then Striker
then MT.
Final Note- Remember that Thrusters no longer exist in the
'official' Traveller background. Thruster Plates are so useful
that HEPlaR is obsolete if they exist. Still, it's so much
cheaper that it has uses...
-------------------
And finally... for those few people on the TML that have ever
sent me mail, please notice I have a new email address. Thanks
for dealing with the address change so quickly James
Hope that was some use.
Anthony K.
(someone must have been telling lies about me)
most reliable email address (HA!) [email removed]