Clement Sector Forum

[CaptainOrs]

I recently purchased some of the Clement Sector books and was looking for a place to ask questions and discuss their universe. I searched for a forum dedicated to GKG but came up empty. Does anyone know which forum(s) people typically use to discuss the GKG products and universe?

It didn't feel appropriate to me to create discussion threads on products Mongoose doesn't even sell on their forum. Especially since they have their own competing universe and no one else here seems to discuss GKG products beyond the GKG news thread.

Thanks all!

Captain Ors

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

DriveThruRPG maybe has discussion links for products sold there. Don't know if you bought yours there or how busy such commenting might be.

 

[CaptainOrs]

I bought mine there, but it's not really conducive to active discussions.

 

[Gypsy Knights Games]

I recently purchased some of the Clement Sector books and was looking for a place to ask questions and discuss their universe. I searched for a forum dedicated to GKG but came up empty. Does anyone know which forum(s) people typically use to discuss the GKG products and universe?

It didn't feel appropriate to me to create discussion threads on products Mongoose doesn't even sell on their forum. Especially since they have their own competing universe and no one else here seems to discuss GKG products beyond the GKG news thread.

Thanks all!

Captain Ors

We don't have a GKG forum like this one though there has been a great deal of discussion concerning getting one up and running. Matthew or lastbesthope can correct me if I'm wrong, but I've always been under the impression that, since we are licensed through Mongoose, starting such a thread would certainly have been permissible. It has certainly been done before with other third party products and settings (Outer Veil, Terra/Sol, etc.).

OTOH, if you are on Facebook, we have a rather active discussion group there. You can find that discussion group here. And there is often discussion of our products on the Traveller forum there as well as on our Facebook page.

Hope that helps.

John

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

You could set something up at SFRPG.net

http://www.sfrpg-discussion.net/phpBB3

They are really good about setting stuff up for specific settings.

 

[CaptainOrs]

I checked out facebook, but it looked like 1-liner comments about the photos of products posted. Until you get a forum setup, I guess I will post my questions on this thread. I'll be sure to sprinkle in comments on Mongoose products as well... :wink:

Ok, now for some questions:

1) The Zimm Drive appears to be an attempt to make all ships Jump 2, no more, no less. This seems like an odd limitation to me. Before I start altering the rules for the Z-Drive, I'm curious to hear the logic behind this choice.

2) Changes were also made around the tech level of equipment. I'm neither for nor against these changes, but I am curious why there was a need to change things from the Mongoose Core books.

3) Is there a source book that describes the political structure of Earth at the time of the conduit collapse or is one in the works? I ask because I saw a reference to the Republic of Texas but did not see much on the Chinese or Russians (1 minor reference each).

I still have a lot of material to read through, so I imagine I will have more questions later.

 

[Gypsy Knights Games]

I checked out facebook, but it looked like 1-liner comments about the photos of products posted. Until you get a forum setup, I guess I will post my questions on this thread. I'll be sure to sprinkle in comments on Mongoose products as well... :wink:

Ok, now for some questions:

1) The Zimm Drive appears to be an attempt to make all ships Jump 2, no more, no less. This seems like an odd limitation to me. Before I start altering the rules for the Z-Drive, I'm curious to hear the logic behind this choice.

I assume that you are not asking for the "in-game" reason but rather the "game design" reason. Is that correct?

If so, the reason is that I wanted a small ship game in which all of the systems were independent and important. The systems tend to lose their importance if you have a Jump-4 or more and you can just skip right over them.

2) Changes were also made around the tech level of equipment. I'm neither for nor against these changes, but I am curious why there was a need to change things from the Mongoose Core books.

I wanted ships and weapons to have an absolute maximum of TL 12 with most things in Clement Sector at TL11. However, I wanted certain things (computers for example) to be more advanced. So I thought it was best to simply change the tech level at which those items appeared.

3) Is there a source book that describes the political structure of Earth at the time of the conduit collapse or is one in the works? I ask because I saw a reference to the Republic of Texas but did not see much on the Chinese or Russians (1 minor reference each).

Not as of yet though one is on the horizon. Since all of the action is relegated to the Clement Sector side of the collapsed wormhole, it seemed best to concentrate all of our efforts in fleshing out that side before publishing an in-depth history of the other side.

I still have a lot of material to read through, so I imagine I will have more questions later.

Feel free to ask here or in the FB group. I'm fine with whichever you choose.

John

 

[JBRocky]

1) The Zimm Drive appears to be an attempt to make all ships Jump 2, no more, no less. This seems like an odd limitation to me. Before I start altering the rules for the Z-Drive, I'm curious to hear the logic behind this choice.

I have bought a lot of GKG stuff and really enjoy Clement Sector and one of the big reasons is that the Zimm Drive is limited to J-2. I really got hooked on a J-2 game back when I picked up GURPS Interstellar Wars and did later games based around the Old Earth Union before they were contacted by the 3I. The limitation makes a big difference in where you can and can't go and allows for some good adventures having to go the long way around to that system 3 parces away. It makes systems that are choke points that much more important and interesting.

 

[Gypsy Knights Games]

I have bought a lot of GKG stuff and really enjoy Clement Sector and one of the big reasons is that the Zimm Drive is limited to J-2. I really got hooked on a J-2 game back when I picked up GURPS Interstellar Wars and did later games based around the Old Earth Union before they were contacted by the 3I. The limitation makes a big difference in where you can and can't go and allows for some good adventures having to go the long way around to that system 3 parces away. It makes systems that are choke points that much more important and interesting.

JB, we're glad you're enjoying the setting.

Choke points and those limitations on where you go and how you have to get there were also part of our thinking when designing the setting. It gives worlds like Chance in the Cascadia subsector a great deal of importance.

 

[JBRocky]

I have bought a lot of GKG stuff and really enjoy Clement Sector and one of the big reasons is that the Zimm Drive is limited to J-2. I really got hooked on a J-2 game back when I picked up GURPS Interstellar Wars and did later games based around the Old Earth Union before they were contacted by the 3I. The limitation makes a big difference in where you can and can't go and allows for some good adventures having to go the long way around to that system 3 parces away. It makes systems that are choke points that much more important and interesting.

JB, we're glad you're enjoying the setting.

Choke points and those limitations on where you go and how you have to get there were also part of our thinking when designing the setting. It gives worlds like Chance in the Cascadia subsector a great deal of importance.

I figured as much its pretty obvious when you get used to it and see it again, also makes a Subsector a big place.

 

[CaptainOrs]

I like the concept of jump 2 and lower for the players (and most ships in general), but I'm thinking of dropping the hard rule of the technology limitations. I like the thought of having the capability for a very select subset of ships using an advanced drive that no one knows about and allows jump 3. I will probably hold back on revealing that for a while and then surprise the group when an enemy ship beats them to a location and is waiting in ambush for them, or something along those lines.

 

[madmike]

If you do that then it will have to be an entirely new type of technology. The Zimm Drive does not allow transits of above two parsecs. End of story.

But you make the setting how you want it.

 

[CaptainOrs]

I understand how the rules were written Mike, but I appreciate your comment.

Personally, I think to put a hard limit on it and say "end of story" makes very little sense. I can certainly see saying they haven't discovered how to push their technology past 2 parsecs, but to say it's completely impossible reminds me of the many, many people throughout our history who have said something can't be done only to be proven wrong.

That said, I'm taking the material provided as a starting point and not as law. I do think it's important to understand WHY something was done a certain way before you change it though, hence my earlier question on this topic.

So maybe in my universe it's not the end of the story after all... To be honest, I haven't completely decided yet.

 

[Gypsy Knights Games]

I understand how the rules were written Mike, but I appreciate your comment.

Personally, I think to put a hard limit on it and say "end of story" makes very little sense. I can certainly see saying they haven't discovered how to push their technology past 2 parsecs, but to say it's completely impossible reminds me of the many, many people throughout our history who have said something can't be done only to be proven wrong.

That said, I'm taking the material provided as a starting point and not as law. I do think it's important to understand WHY something was done a certain way before you change it though, hence my earlier question on this topic.

So maybe in my universe it's not the end of the story after all... To be honest, I haven't completely decided yet.

Captain, I wish you lots of luck with your campaign!

Even though I certainly never intended for there to ever be anything like Jump 3 in our setting, there's certainly no reason you couldn't do it. I hope it all goes well for you.

 

[Gardensnake01]

I think this is a case of both people being right. GKG set the zimm drive at 2 as a setting feature and at this point in time that is the setting limit. However, in a personal, in house game, having something else show up that has greater range is not that major. If it's rare, it becomes even cooler. Remember the dreadnaught in Star Trek: Darkness Rising? Being able to fight at warp speed was not supposed to be possible. However, the dreadnaught was much more advanced than the Enterprise and was able to do things Enterprise thought impossible. I personally like the jump-2 limit and think it is integral to the Clement Sector setting. If I'm playing in the Clement Sector I stick to jump-2, if I'm playing another version of Traveller, I ignore that limit. Also it's not like John Watts is going to crash your game in session and beat you up for not adhereing to the jump-2 limit. Although on second thought, he might. He's shifty like that :mrgreen:

William

 

[Gypsy Knights Games]

Also it's not like John Watts is going to crash your game in session and beat you up for not adhering to the jump-2 limit. Although on second thought, he might. He's shifty like that :mrgreen:

William

I hereby swear that I will not show up with the gaming police at any home campaign.

 

[CaptainOrs]

I've been seeing GKG men shadowing me wherever I go lately... :shock: John doesn't have to crash my game, he has his loyal minions to call on!

I picked up the Anderson & Felix Guide at the DriveThru sale. Looking forward to reading through it!

 

[madmike]

I've been seeing GKG men shadowing me wherever I go lately... :shock: John doesn't have to crash my game, he has his loyal minions to call on!

I picked up the Anderson & Felix Guide at the DriveThru sale. Looking forward to reading through it!

Tis your game Have lots of fun!

Glad you picked up A&F. Ask questions, I am happy to answer them

 

[CaptainOrs]

I have a quick question on the Hull Configuration section of Spacecraft Design. There are three configurations: Streamlined, Standard and Distributed. The core rulebook and A&F guide lists shapes for each of these types of ships, which makes sense so far.

In the Streamlining section, it states that streamlining a ship adds an additional 10% to the cost and includes adding fuel scoops, but can not be retrofitted (must be included at the time of construction).

1) So does that mean you can have a streamlined-shaped ship, such as a winged ship, but not actually streamline it?

2) If so, would this winged but non-streamlined ship then fall under the standard hull configuration (making shape a non-definitive indicator of the configuration type)?

 

[madmike]

You cannot reconfigure a non-streamlined hull after construction to a streamlined configuration.

So if you have a standard hull (eg a cylinder), you cannot place it back into a yard after it has been built and refit it to provide a streamlined hull type.

A winged ship is streamlined as the wings provide lift and stability in atmosphere, allowing far better atmospheric manoeuvring than a standard hull ship which relies purely on gravitic drives to land or lift.