CSC Power Generators

[phavoc]

In the CSC, why are there no actual stats for how much Power the power generation equipment produces? pg 116-119

I think the easiest answer is that electrical devices don't have individual power stats. There isn't a listing for a Type XYZ battery for a Laser Rifle packpack that takes X power. Without the exact power requirements of each device stating how much power in Kw or Mw being output from a portable generator is useless info. Sure, it's a number, but it's a number that's in search of a reason to be there.

The section leaves it relatively high-level in its description of things:

Extra-Small: Recharges a Traveller’s personal electronic devices, such as portable computers, mobile comms, hand-held lighting instruments, stunner power packs and suit heaters.

Small: Supports a single habitat or advanced base module and allows recharging of personal laser weapon power packs.

Medium: Supports a full-sized family home or an advanced base of five total modules. Can recharge power packs for battle dress, human portable plasma and fusion weapons and light electric vehicles.

Large: Supports an advanced base in a hostile environment with life support and temperature control. Can recharge small vehicle-mounted weapons (up to 250 kilograms) and electric vehicles. A single laser rifle or carbine can operate directly from a large generator with the proper adapters.

Extra-Large: These generators strain the definition of ‘portable’ but may be required for some installations. Can recharge electric G-carriers or heavy trucks and vehicle-mounted weapons up to 1,250 kilograms. A human-portable heavy laser weapon can operate directly from the power of this generator.

This gives you, conceptually at least, what is possible. If you want more details then the MegaTraveller design rules are for you. Or Fire, Fusion and Steel.

 

[Sigtrygg]

How much work is done accelerating a 1000 metric ton ship by 1g?
Option 1 - calculate it and make up an imaginary power plant with that output.
Option 2 - make up a magic maneuver drive that doesn't use anywhere near this amount of energy to achieve that acceleration. Better yet make it volume dependent rather than mass. Ignore that a 1000 metric ton ship accelerating at 1g now has more kinetic energy than the energy output of its power plant. Hope no one notices or handwave it away.

Invent an imaginary EP that powers the m-drive, produced by an imaginary fusion power plant and make up an EP to MW equivalence.

The biggest mistake Traveller ever made was the introduction of EP in HG80, and then rating them as 250MW per EP.

 

[MasterGwydion]

We dont know the electrical consumption and output of spaceships.
The generall community thought is thats its in the gigawatt range at least. We dont even know if DEWs have capictors or if it takes direct feed from power plant.
The limit for the reactors in the CSC is very likely there, to say that one reactor doesnt provide infinite power for everything, over everywhere.
It power four modules. Thats fine. Yea. It might be near its max output, it might underutilized thats also fine. Might even be a bespoke generation for those 4 modules.
Here a thing that even more gnarly. The bio reactor cybernetic implant can recharge a laser rifle.

Here is more gnarly, how many people with that implant would it take to charge and fire a laser turret?

We dont really worry that the heat generation would melt the sophont.

It isn't GW. It is power points. Power points are a fictional measure of power. Based on using power points in Our game mechanics, We do know exactly the consumption and output of spaceship power systems (20% of the ships tonnage in Power Points plus whatever is required for the ship's components). Nothing in Traveller provides infinite power. So, you are saying that I could use each module to hold a spaceship-grade pop-up triple laser turret and it would be powered just fine? I disagree with this logic. That is clearly outside of what the designers intended, but by the rules, that is what they wrote. All providing a number does is provide clarity to players and Referees alike.

Ship Captain to the Ship's Engineer - "We are under attack and the ship's power plant is offline or damaged. We can't fire back, but We have a few portable power generators in the cargo bay. How many and of what size do they have to be to power one of the ship's laser turrets?"

Things like this are needed for one very simple reason, players will always think outside of the box and want to use things in novel ways. (Not that I consider it novel using a power generator to power something, but obviously the writers thought that was a novel use. I consider it novel that the writers don't know how much power a generator puts out, that they created.) All that they have done by this is limit creativity by the players. (Sorry, you can't do that. Or, the Referee makes up the rule and lets them do it, but then the Referee had to do the job of the writers, defining a piece of equipment that they didn't create.) So much easier, just to have this spelled out in the book, the same way it is for spaceship power plants. They are both power plants, use the same mechanic, Power Points)

 

[MasterGwydion]

I think the easiest answer is that electrical devices don't have individual power stats. There isn't a listing for a Type XYZ battery for a Laser Rifle packpack that takes X power. Without the exact power requirements of each device stating how much power in Kw or Mw being output from a portable generator is useless info. Sure, it's a number, but it's a number that's in search of a reason to be there.

I do not want to know the MW or KW of anything. I want the power point output of a generator. If this is not too hard to do for spaceships, than why can it not be done for structures? Structures already state how much power is required for basic systems. If all you want is for these generators to provide the minimum possible, then the mechanics already exist for determining how much power is needed. Why is everyone so resistant to things that We already have in regard to other power systems in the game? Why does no one want the systems to actually function together? How hard is it for the writers to simply say that "x generator produces P power? I have already done it with the Medium and Large Portable Power Generators, but it is a house rule and not in a book.

The section leaves it relatively high-level in its description of things:

Extra-Small: Recharges a Traveller’s personal electronic devices, such as portable computers, mobile comms, hand-held lighting instruments, stunner power packs and suit heaters.

Small: Supports a single habitat or advanced base module and allows recharging of personal laser weapon power packs.

Medium: Supports a full-sized family home or an advanced base of five total modules. Can recharge power packs for battle dress, human portable plasma and fusion weapons and light electric vehicles.

Large: Supports an advanced base in a hostile environment with life support and temperature control. Can recharge small vehicle-mounted weapons (up to 250 kilograms) and electric vehicles. A single laser rifle or carbine can operate directly from a large generator with the proper adapters.

Extra-Large: These generators strain the definition of ‘portable’ but may be required for some installations. Can recharge electric G-carriers or heavy trucks and vehicle-mounted weapons up to 1,250 kilograms. A human-portable heavy laser weapon can operate directly from the power of this generator.

This gives you, conceptually at least, what is possible. If you want more details then the MegaTraveller design rules are for you. Or Fire, Fusion and Steel.

Why should I need FFS to just tell Me the power output of a generator? I am not trying to build a custom generator from scratch. I just want to know the output of the generator that the writers built. I don't need FFS to build a spaceship. Why should I need it to build a building? I am not asking for complexity. I am asking for simplicity. A simple list of how much power a generator puts out. That is all. For F*ck's Sake guys!

 

[MasterGwydion]

How much work is done accelerating a 1000 metric ton ship by 1g?
Option 1 - calculate it and make up an imaginary power plant with that output.
Option 2 - make up a magic maneuver drive that doesn't use anywhere near this amount of energy to achieve that acceleration. Better yet make it volume dependent rather than mass. Ignore that a 1000 metric ton ship accelerating at 1g now has more kinetic energy than the energy output of its power plant. Hope no one notices or handwave it away.

Doesn't matter. In Traveller it costs tonnage x 0.1 in power points to accelerate to 1G. Simple. Easy.

Invent an imaginary EP that powers the m-drive, produced by an imaginary fusion power plant and make up an EP to MW equivalence.

The biggest mistake Traveller ever made was the introduction of EP in HG80, and then rating them as 250MW per EP.

Yeah. This was dumb. As soon as they did this, EP was no longer a fictional number. It was a real world number. That screws everything up since it kills Our suspension of disbelief. We do know how much power things use in Our daily lives. As long as EP and real world measurements are kept separate, then it works. As soon as you make a rule linking them, the whole system fails.

 

[phavoc]

I do not want to know the MW or KW of anything. I want the power point output of a generator. If this is not too hard to do for spaceships, than why can it not be done for structures? Structures already state how much power is required for basic systems. If all you want is for these generators to provide the minimum possible, then the mechanics already exist for determining how much power is needed. Why is everyone so resistant to things that We already have in regard to other power systems in the game? Why does no one want the systems to actually function together? How hard is it for the writers to simply say that "x generator produces P power? I have already done it with the Medium and Large Portable Power Generators, but it is a house rule and not in a book.

Why should I need FFS to just tell Me the power output of a generator? I am not trying to build a custom generator from scratch. I just want to know the output of the generator that the writers built. I don't need FFS to build a spaceship. Why should I need it to build a building? I am not asking for complexity. I am asking for simplicity. A simple list of how much power a generator puts out. That is all. For F*ck's Sake guys!

We have power "points", but not what that point translates in to. Since there hasn't been a reason to specifically define things they haven't. You say you don't want to know the Mw output, but then you state you want the power point output. If you want output you need input of the devices it's expected to power. It all goes together to build the model you are asking for - and it simply isn't that detailed.

While it's nice to have everything link together, that comes with a price - that price being a hyper-vigilant editing and proofing staff to verify that all things published match what is already there. While an admirable goal I do not see that ever happening with MGT (or Traveller in general). GURPS is probably as close to that it has ever come in the Traveller game setting - and that's probably only because SJG has such high publishing standards to start and slotted Traveller into their already pre-existing structure. And they had many game lines to help share the costs to pay for that.

The level of detail you are asking for here and in the many other threads is, in my opinion, beyond the capabilities of MGT and the willingness of the greater gaming community to pay for. It's reasonable to have a certain level of expectation for quality and content (ok, not only reasonable but should be the minimum bar any publisher has to meet), but only up to a point. Sure, it'd be great if they designed the gaming system from the ground up with interlocking rules, concepts and high-quality paper and full-color images! But at what point do the price themselves out of the market?

 

[Sigtrygg]

They did it for TNE, GT, T4.
You start by writing your technical booklet.
You get your team to design everything in the core rules using those systems.
You would likely get a dozen volunteers to provide unpaid help in updating FF&S 1 and 2 and then building the stuff you would need for the core game.

If Marc now owns all the IP to GT, TNE and T4 then you could start with what is already there. Ask him. T5 should not be left out either, nor the various MgT construction systems.

Find someone on the staff willing to coordinate it. Ask for volunteers. Give them the guidelines for what you want and let them get to it.

Real world units or spaces, slots EPs etc. If the latter define how they scale from microscopic constructs to death stars.
How many slots in a space, how many spaces in a displacement ton. mEP, EP, kEP

Google docs etc allow for multiple people to be working on the same projects, looking over each others work.

It would be ready by 2026 at the latest. You then write a new edition of MgT for 2027 using the architecture, which you can release alongside the core rules.
Book 1 core rules - for any setting
Book 2 technical architecture - for any setting
Book 3 the Third Imperium - setting plus adventures

 

[Nelphine]

*chomps at the bit* that'd be an awesome job.

 

[MasterGwydion]

We have power "points", but not what that point translates in to.

I don't care what they translate into in the real world. I am not using them in the real world.

Since there hasn't been a reason to specifically define things they haven't.

There is no reason to specify how much power a laser turret on a ship uses either, but those are defined. You say that there is no reason, but a player simply asking is enough reason. It means that they want to use those for something. This is kind of the whole reason We game. To do stuff. If they didn't want it defined, then they shouldn't have created different size generators. If that is what they wanted, then they should have just said, "Enough power is provide to minimally power the structure." That is all. No size. No descriptions. No nothing. Just, "it works ". They did decide to create 5 different size generators and a whole section on portable power plants. So obviously they did want to "define things." My problem is this. The method the writers used to design things, does not mesh with any of "construction rules" that they have put out previously. Look at what they did with the RH and power generation? They said, you put this in and it works. Right? Wrong. What happens if you strip a power generator out of a robot? What can you use it for? Nothing. You can put it back in another robot, because the rules do not say that it can power anything else. That is all. Why is that all I can do with it? If I pull a power plant out of a ship, I can put it in another ship, put it in a space station, mount it in a large vehicle (such as an aircraft carrier or battleship), connect it to a colony power grid to power the colony, etc. I have options because I know how much power it puts out. A 1-ton TL-12 Fusion Power Plant can power how much? For buildings? It can cover the basic power needs (plugging in your cellphones and energy weapons to charge as well as lights, life support, computers, and any other component that doesn't list a power requirement.) for a 150-ton structure. Those are the rules. Now what if I want to supply power to a 150-ton structure with Portable Power Generators? How do I do that without handwavium?

You say you don't want to know the Mw output, but then you state you want the power point output. If you want output you need input of the devices it's expected to power. It all goes together to build the model you are asking for - and it simply isn't that detailed.

Yes, and that is generalized for buildings as 0.1 power points per ton, same as it is generalized for ships as 0.2 power points per ton. What about that is so difficult? I already know how much power I need. What I don't know is how much power the generators provide.

While it's nice to have everything link together, that comes with a price - that price being a hyper-vigilant editing and proofing staff to verify that all things published match what is already there. While an admirable goal I do not see that ever happening with MGT (or Traveller in general). GURPS is probably as close to that it has ever come in the Traveller game setting - and that's probably only because SJG has such high publishing standards to start and slotted Traveller into their already pre-existing structure. And they had many game lines to help share the costs to pay for that.

Oh no! Gods forbid! People actually want to hold their game designers to high standards! Say it ain't so! If your goal is not to improve, then you might as well never buy anything after the original LBBs.

The level of detail you are asking for here and in the many other threads is, in my opinion, beyond the capabilities of MGT and the willingness of the greater gaming community to pay for.

Why is asking for more data too much? Why is asking for clear rules too much? MGT is not stupid so therefore not beyond their capabilities. Your problem is you guys are used to accepting half-baked gaming materials that never even met a proofreader. Why do you think so many of Us love helping with the books pre-release? To help Mongoose put out a better product for all of Us. Should they have not written the Traveller Companion because... because why? It provides way more detail about things I never have needed to know in all My years playing Traveller. I still think it is a great book and was mostly well-written. How hard is a few lines about size and power output? How about making it so the rulebooks work together? How about listening to people who have solutions, not just smacking them down like you guys do to Me. People on this forum have repeatedly said the exact opposite of My posts as justification for their responses. That is the opposite of helpful. How does that help My games or yours? I am starting to think that more of you are trolls than gamers, and if that is the case, then I am wasting My time here looking for intelligent responses to honest questions and suggestions. You all act like having a concrete UWP or a listed number of power points generated would destroy your whole gaming world. It won't, but it will greatly help Mine. Rule Zero is always easier to do by ignoring a rule rather than have to write new rules from scratch. So, if I get My few numbers for portable power generators in a book or Mongoose writes systems (like they have already done with Geir's WBH) that uses UWP for strictly mechanical operations (such as most of the WBH), then that benefits Me and takes nothing away from you. You can still run your game how you wish and do not have to make up new rules. Whereas, to get what I want, I have to write new rules to cover the gaps that you don't care about.


btw. Your statement about more than the greater gaming community is willing to pay for is a blatant falsehood. How many people bought HG? Or RH? Or the CSC? All of these further detail things that the greater community wants as proven by sales. If the "greater gaming community" (whatever tf that is) didn't want detail, then the books wouldn't have sold. All I am asking for is compatibility in written material. I don't mind being used as a resource to help refine ideas. That is kind of the point of having a community

It's reasonable to have a certain level of expectation for quality and content (ok, not only reasonable but should be the minimum bar any publisher has to meet), but only up to a point. Sure, it'd be great if they designed the gaming system from the ground up with interlocking rules, concepts and high-quality paper and full-color images! But at what point do the price themselves out of the market?

If you really think that good proofreading and making sure that the rules they are writing match the other rules they have written is too much to expect, then We can't discuss anything. Everything on here that I discuss, I ask Myself one question, "Would this improve the game or would this slow it down or cause other issues?" Everything.

Okay. My "rant" is over. I am tired of this and now I have to wait for the police to arrive, since I just beat someone bloody for striking My dog. If no one hears from Me, that is why. Honduran cops are iffy.

Edit: Okay, back. I won't be going to jail today, unless the cops change their minds.

 

[MasterGwydion]

*chomps at the bit* that'd be an awesome job.

If I had a team of smart people to work with, such as Geir, I'd be game. What I do in real life is look at systems and improve them. When I started My own construction company, none of the architects ever took how the buildings would be maintained into account when they designed their buildings. They had no experience with maintenance, nor what is required to maintain a building. I grew up doing building maintenance for My dad's company, so I knew how everything was maintained. My buildings on average were a bit more expensive initially but saved tons of money in maintenance costs once it was built. Architects would have a different light bulb in every fixture, so to maintain the building, you'd need to keep a large inventory of different bulbs on hand. The architects never considered how long a bulb lasts or the benefits of most fixtures using the same bulb.

I love examining systems and helping to improve them to function better. I cannot build a computer program to save My life, but even as a teenager, I would get called in to use the program and see where it needs to be improved for average users. They didn't know, because they were expert users, not average users. I would usually give them ideas for how to simplify their models.

So, if anyone wants to get a team together to do this, I am in, but only if Geir is in. He is waaaayyyyy smarter than Me, so his thoughts and arguments would be invaluable to this endeavor. Without him, we'd be working with one hand tied behind Our backs.

I would have to buy a lot more Mongoose books though to make sure I didn't make the same mistakes that others have already made. CAn't make sure the systems works if I don't have the whole system in front of Me. Most of My copies are electronic. For a job like this, I'd need to go old-school and buy everything in hardcopy.

 

[Nelphine]

Yup I work on systems too. Awesome work. I've done complete overhaul of multiple rpg systems, and wrote university level papers on shortcomings of d&d. It's awesome stuff to play in this field!

 

[MasterGwydion]

Yup I work on systems too. Awesome work. I've done complete overhaul of multiple rpg systems, and wrote university level papers on shortcomings of d&d. It's awesome stuff to play in this field!

Now see? That is just awesome to Me!

 

[Geir]

I appreciate the compliment on my intellect, but without completely revamping to a new edition, a consistent set of power systems is not likely to happen anytime soon.

Warning: ramble follows

There's dangers in doing so, too. A few years back, I tried to do a mathematical model for a m-drive-like system based on volume effects, and it didn't take me long to figure out that a clever modeler could abuse the volume factor and make a tube that sucked up water and dropped it down outside the field to generate energy (like in a hydroelectric dam) and then if you don't set the power requirements for the drive high enough, you can build yourself a nice perpetual motion machine - or at least generate an energy surplus, which is bad. So then you have to look at geometries and limitations to avoid that but still have a workable drive, it soon becomes complex enough for a scientific paper but hardly the right level for a playable game or build system.

I've taken another quick refresher gander at FF&S from TNE and it is a nice system. The end result for everything from guns to vehicles to starships is likely to be nicely consistent, but it won't look much like Classic Traveller and all of the "standard" classic ships and conventions will need a completely new look. If Charted Space is the Beowulf and the Suleiman and a Close Escort, then those designs, built of Classic rules, won't necessarily make much sense in a different construction ruleset.

I make fun of T5 at times, but it is in principle a complete system with tons of detail. It's just that it's execution is rudimentary, scattered, and without clear guidance, making it pretty much a Referee's nightmare and a player's psychedelic bad trip.

Something like @Sigtrygg said, with a book for characters, a book for things and a book for the Milieu (Charted Space being one) would be a good approach for that sort of thing. Done right, 2300AD could build off the same first two books, as could Star Trek, the Wild, Wild, Weird West, adventures in Steampunk or the Aethersphere (aka Space 1889), all sorts of milieu could work from that model. Now psionics and "magic systems" might need their own niche books, but anyway. I kind of like the general concept of a Book#1 on characters, skills, and mechanics (combat, trade, encounters, environments, that sort of thing) a Book#2 on things and how to build them, ranging from pointy TL0 sticks to TL18 planet busters, and then Milieu-specific books and supplements for everything from Charted Space, to Hellenistic Greek civilisation, to post apocalyptic combat, to the land of vampires and werewolves. That would be fun.

As an aside, not sure I like the idea of a Traveller 50th anniversary being the even further future. Already the 1902 Regina Charted Space Milieu is TL16 pushing 17, but a lot of the 'fun' for me happens in that TL11-13 range where there is change afoot in basic tech that makes a difference, and Battledress and superweapons are rare. Sort of like the T4 Milieu, though that seem scattered and unwilling to take a stand (too long a period of time and no timeline or method to deal with changes that didn't conform to the predestined path of the Third Imperium). Instead, running Strong Worlds and Pocket Empires a century after the wave has passed (so circa 1350 ) might be the most interesting post-Third Imperium time to play. All the 'canon baggage' of civil war, virus computer vampire fleets, and the Empress Wave has happened, and now you have to pick yourself up and start expanding again - like Star Vikings with no wave moving through the sectors and Mad Lucan Ships and Psycho Kk'ree flotillas waiting to ruin your day.

Past my bedtime.

 

[Sigtrygg]

My suggestion for 7727AD is to open up the whole galaxy for those who want galaxy spanning sci fi - since MgT has been hell bent on adopting as many Star Wars tropes to the Third imperium as it can then it would make sense to have a setting that allows for Star Wars like adventure.

I'm not saying get rid of the 1105 setting, the FFW setting, 2300AD setting, but write another setting.

It would be a brand new setting. T5 already has the tools for galaxy spanning travel - the TL28 reality drive. or you could adapt the stutterwarp (they came close to using the stutterwarp for TNE), or there are jump gates for long distance travel (already canon in T4)

 

[Sigtrygg]

My biggest complaint with the design systems is the lack of definitive scaling rules, T20 suffered from the same problem.

1-1000 millienergy points - personal scale
1-1000 energy points - vehicle scale
1-1000 kiloenergy points - ACS scale
1-1000 megaenergy points - BCS scale
1-1000 gigaenergy points - fleet/installation scale.

1,000,000 microslots = 1 slot 10 slots =1 space, 10 spaces = displacement ton

microslot - amoeba to personal scale
slot - personal scale
space - vehicle scale
displacement ton

 

[MasterGwydion]

My biggest complaint with the design systems is the lack of definitive scaling rules, T20 suffered from the same problem.

1-1000 millienergy points - personal scale
1-1000 energy points - vehicle scale
1-1000 kiloenergy points - ACS scale
1-1000 megaenergy points - BCS scale
1-1000 gigaenergy points - fleet/installation scale.

1,000,000 microslots = 1 slot 10 slots =1 space, 10 spaces = displacement ton

microslot - amoeba to personal scale
slot - personal scale
space - vehicle scale
displacement ton

I could support this.

 

[MasterGwydion]

I appreciate the compliment on my intellect, but without completely revamping to a new edition, a consistent set of power systems is not likely to happen anytime soon.

Warning: ramble follows

There's dangers in doing so, too. A few years back, I tried to do a mathematical model for a m-drive-like system based on volume effects, and it didn't take me long to figure out that a clever modeler could abuse the volume factor and make a tube that sucked up water and dropped it down outside the field to generate energy (like in a hydroelectric dam) and then if you don't set the power requirements for the drive high enough, you can build yourself a nice perpetual motion machine - or at least generate an energy surplus, which is bad. So then you have to look at geometries and limitations to avoid that but still have a workable drive, it soon becomes complex enough for a scientific paper but hardly the right level for a playable game or build system.

You guys are killing Me. I just asked for the power output of portable power systems. That is all. Not rewriting the system. Not changing how everything works. Just 5 numbers. One for each size generator. Same as We have for ships. Why is this sooo scary for all of you that you are freaking out and talking about changing things that I never mentioned wanting to change? Does printing 5 little numbers in the same format that is already done for ship power generation, scare you guys so badly that you can't even discuss how adding 5 little numbers will break the whole universe? Seriously guys?

I've taken another quick refresher gander at FF&S from TNE and it is a nice system. The end result for everything from guns to vehicles to starships is likely to be nicely consistent, but it won't look much like Classic Traveller and all of the "standard" classic ships and conventions will need a completely new look. If Charted Space is the Beowulf and the Suleiman and a Close Escort, then those designs, built of Classic rules, won't necessarily make much sense in a different construction ruleset.

Adding 5 little numbers to the portable power generators changes nothing for ships. Nothing. They are not even standard equipment on ships. Could you power a ship with a portable generator? One, no, but a cargo bay full, perhaps. No idea, because We do not know how much power they put out.

I make fun of T5 at times, but it is in principle a complete system with tons of detail. It's just that it's execution is rudimentary, scattered, and without clear guidance, making it pretty much a Referee's nightmare and a player's psychedelic bad trip.

Agreed, but T5 is way, way more detail than I ever use in My games, even if I could find anything in the T5 books.

Something like @Sigtrygg said, with a book for characters, a book for things and a book for the Milieu (Charted Space being one) would be a good approach for that sort of thing. Done right, 2300AD could build off the same first two books, as could Star Trek, the Wild, Wild, Weird West, adventures in Steampunk or the Aethersphere (aka Space 1889), all sorts of milieu could work from that model. Now psionics and "magic systems" might need their own niche books, but anyway. I kind of like the general concept of a Book#1 on characters, skills, and mechanics (combat, trade, encounters, environments, that sort of thing) a Book#2 on things and how to build them, ranging from pointy TL0 sticks to TL18 planet busters, and then Milieu-specific books and supplements for everything from Charted Space, to Hellenistic Greek civilisation, to post apocalyptic combat, to the land of vampires and werewolves. That would be fun.

I agree. It would be fun.

As an aside, not sure I like the idea of a Traveller 50th anniversary being the even further future. Already the 1902 Regina Charted Space Milieu is TL16 pushing 17, but a lot of the 'fun' for me happens in that TL11-13 range where there is change afoot in basic tech that makes a difference, and Battledress and superweapons are rare. Sort of like the T4 Milieu, though that seem scattered and unwilling to take a stand (too long a period of time and no timeline or method to deal with changes that didn't conform to the predestined path of the Third Imperium). Instead, running Strong Worlds and Pocket Empires a century after the wave has passed (so circa 1350 ) might be the most interesting post-Third Imperium time to play. All the 'canon baggage' of civil war, virus computer vampire fleets, and the Empress Wave has happened, and now you have to pick yourself up and start expanding again - like Star Vikings with no wave moving through the sectors and Mad Lucan Ships and Psycho Kk'ree flotillas waiting to ruin your day.

Past my bedtime.

I would likely have the same problem with a further advanced future setting. I have not played around much with the new 1900 milieu, but to Me, and this may not be true for others, but it doesn't feel like Charted Space if you go too far into the future or too far into the past. I wouldn't feel much like Charted Space if it was all Star Trek level tech. 1900 is likely as far into the future as I would be willing to go as a player and as a Referee. If I want to play Star Trek or Star Wars, I will use their universes or a universe like those, not Charted Space. That is just My 2 cents on the topic.

 

[Nelphine]

so, if we assume something close to that scale, then the smallest generator is on personal scale. So at TL8, its producing about .. 0.08 power? The largest generator is vehicle scale, so is about 0.8 power. Then mix the other 3 in between.

I can understand why they wouldn't want to publish that.

 

[Sigtrygg]

Not on my scale it wouldn't.

Personal scale energy points are the amount of energy that can be generated that someone could carry around with them.

The smallest vehicle scale generator would have the output of something man portable. Larger power plants are scaling up the the energy of fighter jets.

For smallcraft you could either use very large vehicle power plants or the smallest ACS.

Please bare in mind I just made all this up on the spot. More though is needed but there has to be somewhere to start. the current system is less than ideal.

 

[MongooseMatt]

Why is this sooo scary for all of you that you are freaking out and talking about changing things that I never mentioned wanting to change?

Because Geir is playing with live ammunition and he is a) very wary of the Law of Unintended Consequences and b) can likely already see the dozens and dozens of spin-off rules that could be patched into such a change, which will bring him right back to a).



Traveller is coming up to its 50th anniversary and is already a patched ship. Sometimes a simple change is not always that simple.