Only 1 Computer?

[Condottiere]

Supposedly, it would be free.

 

[MasterGwydion]

See when most people talk about a rules compendium or consultation what they are talking about is a new rule book that bring all the rules into a single book. This is exactly what my post was about. Now as for doing such a thing as a PDF that can be updated you have another problem with that such a PDF would discourage buying of new products especially in a game like Traveller where many of the books are system heavy. Example why buy the field guide when you get the rules with you compendium PDF it’s simply not practical on the business side.

Now a PDF index that tells you what book and page the rule is at I can agree with but keeping something like that updated can be a resource drain in itself. How much details do you put into the index is the Field Guide 40 entries or 4 for example. And you have to be consistent with how. You break things down.

To summarize I think a Rules Compendium would be a mistake and actually counterproductive but a rule index could be useful if handled right.

No one wants a "rules compendium". As you said, it would make no sense.

A consistently accurate and updated index though would actually make the game playable. There is nothing I hate more than trying to remember what book had which rule in it. It does nothing but waste time that could better be spent roleplaying. Right now you need to be a genius with an eidetic memory to remember everything. (For the record, I am neither of those things and can never find anything...lol)

 

[MasterGwydion]

An index needs minimal resources.

Even if the editor gets it wrong, some poster will be happy to correct him.

If the editor gets it wrong, then they shouldn't be an editor. If I pilot gets it wrong, they probably shouldn't be a pilot either. lol

 

[Condottiere]

I think that Traveller has demonstrated a greater tolerance.

 

[Anstett]

I think the Index idea needs its own thread. I think that could be a very valuable addition. I tend towards a wiki than a document but I am biased that way.

A poster on a Facebook Group today (Paul Learned) posted this document of his index.

Mongoose Traveller 2.0 Master Index.pdf

drive.google.com

 

[MasterGwydion]

I think the Index idea needs its own thread. I think that could be a very valuable addition. I tend towards a wiki than a document but I am biased that way.

A poster on a Facebook Group today (Paul Learned) posted this document of his index.

Mongoose Traveller 2.0 Master Index.pdf

drive.google.com

Not a wiki. The Traveller wiki is full of fanon and inaccurate information mixed in as well. I would want an actual pdf document compiled and edited by Mongoose.

 

[Anstett]

Not a wiki. The Traveller wiki is full of fanon and inaccurate information mixed in as well. I would want an actual pdf document compiled and edited by Mongoose.

But are we likely to get a document compiled quicker/more accurately by the community? Or wait on Mongoose to have it work its way through the process and editing, etc.?

I agree that the Traveller Wiki is useful but conflicted. Mostly because it tries to be too many different things to too many different people. A new different wiki would allow trackable changes by a group of editors.

This would be different. Ignoring all previous editions, only concentrating on Mongoose 2nd Edition books. All the PDFs are here on their site, searchable, etc. (That is what I do, I use Copernic Desktop search and get most of my answers answered fairly quickly that way.... IF you know what to ask for)

 

[MasterGwydion]

But are we likely to get a document compiled quicker/more accurately by the community? Or wait on Mongoose to have it work its way through the process and editing, etc.?

I agree that the Traveller Wiki is useful but conflicted. Mostly because it tries to be too many different things to too many different people. A new different wiki would allow trackable changes by a group of editors.

This would be different. Ignoring all previous editions, only concentrating on Mongoose 2nd Edition books. All the PDFs are here on their site, searchable, etc. (That is what I do, I use Copernic Desktop search and get most of my answers answered fairly quickly that way.... IF you know what to ask for)

Waiting on Geir and his OCD will likely get Us a better product.

 

[metlk]

2) More focus on GM advice for how to actually run the core gameplay. How do you the trade table to generate adventures? How do you make exploring a new system exciting to play out? How do you make colonizing a new world into fun game play? We have raw mechanics for lots of these things, but nothing that helps the DM turn them into adventures.

I would LOVE to have an in-depth game mastery guide for Traveller. As it is, I have to adapt a lot of source material from other systems, with mixed results.

On the matter of TL, I think it needs some adjustments. sub TL10 worlds are far too common in a universe where everyone are basically colonists. I don't know if it needs to be an adjustment to how TL is determined, or if the whole scale needs adjusted, but it needs... something.

As to the discussion on computers, I don't know if I'm quite understanding the hangup. Yes, technically the rules state the central computer is often near the bridge. But it's really just a series of systems all linked together. If you choose to run a Computer/10 in your TL12 ship, you're purposely making the decision to install older, outdated tech. You can't simply install a 2nd one because it's already as compact as it's going to get to fit in your ship and provide that /10. In theory, you could install a TL12 computer/10. If you math it out, that would cost half as much at MCr2.5. But footprint wise, it would be like putting a Pentium in instead of an i7. You're not really changing the hardware footprint. You have to upgrade to a newer model that is inherently more compact to provide more power using the same footprint. It's the equivalent of saying you want to fill your bedroom with Tandy computers so you can have the same computing power as your Intel i7. That's my take on it anyway.

 

[MasterGwydion]

I would LOVE to have an in-depth game mastery guide for Traveller. As it is, I have to adapt a lot of source material from other systems, with mixed results.

On the matter of TL, I think it needs some adjustments. sub TL10 worlds are far too common in a universe where everyone are basically colonists. I don't know if it needs to be an adjustment to how TL is determined, or if the whole scale needs adjusted, but it needs... something.

As to the discussion on computers, I don't know if I'm quite understanding the hangup. Yes, technically the rules state the central computer is often near the bridge. But it's really just a series of systems all linked together. If you choose to run a Computer/10 in your TL12 ship, you're purposely making the decision to install older, outdated tech. You can't simply install a 2nd one because it's already as compact as it's going to get to fit in your ship and provide that /10. In theory, you could install a TL12 computer/10. If you math it out, that would cost half as much at MCr2.5. But footprint wise, it would be like putting a Pentium in instead of an i7. You're not really changing the hardware footprint. You have to upgrade to a newer model that is inherently more compact to provide more power using the same footprint. It's the equivalent of saying you want to fill your bedroom with Tandy computers so you can have the same computing power as your Intel i7. That's my take on it anyway.

Then throw a ton or two of cargo space at it. Viola! More space for a computer. The rules do not allow for that though, so, not possible.

 

[metlk]

Then throw a ton or two of cargo space at it. Viola! More space for a computer. The rules do not allow for that though, so, not possible.

I get what your saying. My thought process is that each "ton" of hull has all of the bits of the computer already incorporated into it. You can't add additional tonnage by the very nature of how the computer system incorporates into the walls, bulkheads, plating, cables, and frames. There has be be a limit somewhere I guess. I've not played previous versions, so I don't know why they made the change to a weightless computer system.

 

[MasterGwydion]

I get what your saying. My thought process is that each "ton" of hull has all of the bits of the computer already incorporated into it. You can't add additional tonnage by the very nature of how the computer system incorporates into the walls, bulkheads, plating, cables, and frames. There has be be a limit somewhere I guess. I've not played previous versions, so I don't know why they made the change to a weightless computer system.

No idea, but for the most part you never need more computing power than you get with the basic or core computers anyhow. So no worries.

I kind of want to know what it takes to turn a Computer Core into a Robot Brain.

 

[Terry Mixon]

No idea, but for the most part you never need more computing power than you get with the basic or core computers anyhow. So no worries.

I kind of want to know what it takes to turn a Computer Core into a Robot Brain.

Load a Conscious Intelligence program and find out!

 

[MasterGwydion]

Load a Conscious Intelligence program and find out!

That is actual Sophont consciousness, not a below TL-16 Robot Brain.

 

[Terry Mixon]

That is actual Sophont consciousness, not a below TL-16 Robot Brain.

True, but you'd have way more fun.

 

[Condottiere]

I would say it's not so much that each tonne of hullage is chock full of electronics, more like how they are installed.

 

[Libris]

I tend to consider things like terms ‘Computer’ and ‘Turret’ to be hold overs from ye olde days and tend to consider they are implying function over actual form. For example, in the context of a starship “Computer/20” is functionally “Control Systems /20”.
Similarly, I think of a hard point as space reserved for weapons and don’t get too tied up on the fact that it’s actual real honest to god “Turret” that’s been fitted containing, in some cases up to three (four?), radically different weapons. I just figure the visuals to be more like a missile box launcher next to an actual sandcaster “turrret” on the left and a laser array on top of the box launcher.

 

[ProfGrizzlyJon]

The mainframes of the old type are in the Central Supply Catalogue (2023 version) page 67. I also added a thing for making 'supercomputers' out mainframes or mid-sized computers, where two gives you computer +1, four +2 and eight +3... and etc., at least for midsized. And then add proto and retro rules for even more fun...
Mainframes of the new (future type) are where Core comes in.

But yes, rules are getting rather spread out, so an index would help.

I do this frequently. Most of my players have included additional computers that are not part of the network, for handling things internal to the ship. I only held the primary/alternate computer rule as applying to the ship as a whole.

The rules actually support this very well. I had TL-13 Supercomputer clusters (made from portable computers) that weigh 1.25 dtons, cost Cr128k, and acted as Computer/15. If you add in some of the rules from the Robot Handbook, you can integrate them better (but this causes hacking problems later on)