I got my first chance to have a real read of FF&S last weekend and the first
thing that struck me were the lengths gone to to explain how the technology
works - something I like about Traveller. However what I didn't like was the
way that they then used this to eliminate key elements of the MT and CT
universes, especially when there are huge inconsistencies in what they allow.
For example - no thruster plates due to non-conservation of linear momentum
however they explain Jump drive by saying that this conserves linear momentum,
and just changes you position in space. However this violates conservation
of ANGULAR momentum which is derived directly from the linear conservation
law, so in effect J-Drive is no more justified than Thrusters.
HEPlaR drives are a very nice alternative technology and if TNE was a game
with no previous background (although some would argue that it is :-) I
would use them however, IMHO, it alters the game too much from MT/CT.
The biggest inconsistency though has gor to be MESON GUNS! For a book that
explains in huge physical detail how things work why do they leave these in?
FF&S : mesons are a subatomic particle which transmit the strong nuclear force
and which don't interact with matter.
WRONG! Firstly if they don't interact with matter exactly HOW do they transmit
the strong nuclear force? The fact is the mesons DO interact very well with
matter. When a meson hits material it produces a shower of particles with
will penetrate the material to a certain depth depending on the material type
and the original meson's energy. The original meson is lost when it creates
the shower and does not go sailing through matter as FF&S seems to think.
In short the meson gun is in no way different to a particle accelerator so
why leave this is FF&S while taking out other stuff?
Roger