Background skill table messed up?

[Allensh]

I did send in a comment on this but figured I'd bring it up here too.

It seems that the background skills table in v3.0 is...well...not there. I know the trade section is not close to complete yet but the partial table we had is better than one that isn't there at all...

Allen

 

[SableWyvern]

I see background skills for homeworld on page three, although it's gone from a table to a simple list.

The high-tech world computer skill is redundant now, though, given Computer is available to everyone via the education list.

 

[hdrider67]

I see background skills for homeworld on page three, although it's gone from a table to a simple list.

The high-tech world computer skill is redundant now, though, given Computer is available to everyone via the education list.

I'm curious about the loss of drive and flyer from the stellar tech worlds and the now missing Vacuum world (with Vacc suit skill).

Also, aren't fluid oceans other than water? Would people likely be seafarers on worlds where the oceans were composed of acid?

 

[Allensh]

I see background skills for homeworld on page three, although it's gone from a table to a simple list.

The high-tech world computer skill is redundant now, though, given Computer is available to everyone via the education list.

I'm curious about the loss of drive and flyer from the stellar tech worlds and the now missing Vacuum world (with Vacc suit skill).

Also, aren't fluid oceans other than water? Would people likely be seafarers on worlds where the oceans were composed of acid?

Teflon boats?

Allen

 

[Mongoose Gar]

Fluid Oceans is possibly the most irritating trade type imaginable. It's an odd code with a misleading name.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Some of the UWP codes are NOT trade codes.

Only Agricultural/Non Ag, Industrial/Non Industrial and Rich/Poor are true trade classifications. Hi/Lo Population is sort of a grey area.

The other classifications, Vacuum, Desert, Fluid etc are WORLD classifications, but don't really deal directly with Trade as such. Sure, Vacc Suits will sell better on Vacuum worlds.

While each world classification might give you a logical background skill, calling them Trade Classifications would be wrong.

Really, the original tables gave you 3 categories of Home World Classifications:

World Classifications (vacuum, Fluid, Ice Capped, etc)
Trade Classifications (rich/poor, Ni, I etc)
Tech Level Classification (Pre-Stellar, etc)

Each type of classification can give you a possible background skill.

Incidently, Barren was a world classification indicating that the population was ZERO. How can someone be from a world with a ZERO population? Even if you said that was really 0-9 people. How many people within a star-faring culture are going to be from one of these places that you need to have an entire background skill category for it?

 

[hdrider67]

Fluid Oceans is possibly the most irritating trade type imaginable. It's an odd code with a misleading name.

Maybe this would be better dealt with by deleting it? How many people are going to be from a world with sulphuric acid? Sorta like RTT saying about needing a category for a world where any possibly life would be transitory and exploitive of resources (like the odd scavenger or miner in his seeker)

 

[AKAramis]

Incidently, Barren was a world classification indicating that the population was ZERO. How can someone be from a world with a ZERO population? Even if you said that was really 0-9 people. How many people within a star-faring culture are going to be from one of these places that you need to have an entire background skill category for it?

Most likely, everyone on world is part of a starfaring population.

 

[Klaus Kipling]

Isn't it possible to update the code terms?

Any world with 'fluid oceans' is going to be a hostile environment, where protective gear is required. Surely, 'hostile environment' or something equivalent is more useful and descriptive.

'Fluid oceans' would win the Golden Bull award if rpgs ever hist the radar of the Plain English Campaign.

We also desperately need descriptors for worlds that are nice and 'nominal', that is, under current systems have no 'trade' codes.

Wow, the terminology here is a minefield.

Needs a desperate overhaul, methinks.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Fluid Oceans would probably require a HES skill (Vacc Suit?) since they were derived from worlds with a hydrographics percentage above 0 and a non-breathable atmosphere.

Garden worlds are shown as one of the homeworld types in V3.

Also, a nice habitable world would still have trade codes...

Probably Agricultural or Rich - Both assume breathable atmospheres, decent water etc. A VERY nice world would probably be a Rich Agricultural world. Remember it is possible to have Multiple Trade Codes on the same world. Agricultural and Non-Industrial is a common combination.

Without the world design rules, some people don't realize that it is IMPOSSIBLE to have a Vacuum Agricultural world. So those types of combinations while nice for character generation, won't exist in a traveller universe. There are many other combinations that will not be possible, but without the world generation rules, only us old-timers know what the codes REALLY mean in terms of habitability! But, we are the same ones who can also freely converse in Hexidecimal notation, so ignore us!