PoD - Oleb

[J. L. Brown]

Im not finding the virtual mining software in High Guard Update 2022. Did it get removed?

It was not moved forward to the 2022 update; I do not know whether the Mongeese have decreed that it no longer exists. Being present in High Guard meant thinking of it as an option to help pay off ships -- which it was not very useful for, because ships (and ship-board computers) are amazingly expensive. But it was there, and might be an option for giving players a break from the hustle.

But the way the rules for the software were written, it could be run on any computer with at least one bandwidth -- which leads to ideas like robots buying themselves off by running Virtual Miner. Some of that is cool stories, but it also leads to paying off a suit of armor (or a weapon) by running Virtual Miner on the Computer Weave. Nobody thought this out; nobody put this in front of a group of player-testers -- and it shows.

The production of Pirates of Drinax shows a deliberate choice to approach the campaign as error-prone money-grab. Mongoose chose NOT to follow standard 'wait until it is finished, then sanity check' methodology; they chose 'immediately sell whatever these writers come up with independently'. Pirates of Drinax had a great foundation to start, and to a large degree that has saved it; but serious problems were allowed in -- and that was a choice. Mongoose can do, and needs to do, better.

 

[Terry Mixon]

It was not moved forward to the 2022 update; I do not know whether the Mongeese have decreed that it no longer exists. Being present in High Guard meant thinking of it as an option to help pay off ships -- which it was not very useful for, because ships (and ship-board computers) are amazingly expensive. But it was there, and might be an option for giving players a break from the hustle.

But the way the rules for the software were written, it could be run on any computer with at least one bandwidth -- which leads to ideas like robots buying themselves off by running Virtual Miner. Some of that is cool stories, but it also leads to paying off a suit of armor (or a weapon) by running Virtual Miner on the Computer Weave. Nobody thought this out; nobody put this in front of a group of player-testers -- and it shows.

The production of Pirates of Drinax shows a deliberate choice to approach the campaign as error-prone money-grab. Mongoose chose NOT to follow standard 'wait until it is finished, then sanity check' methodology; they chose 'immediately sell whatever these writers come up with independently'. Pirates of Drinax had a great foundation to start, and to a large degree that has saved it; but serious problems were allowed in -- and that was a choice. Mongoose can do, and needs to do, better.

Could you screen capture it and post it here? I might still use it.

 

[Endie]

It was not moved forward to the 2022 update; I do not know whether the Mongeese have decreed that it no longer exists. Being present in High Guard meant thinking of it as an option to help pay off ships -- which it was not very useful for, because ships (and ship-board computers) are amazingly expensive. But it was there, and might be an option for giving players a break from the hustle.

But the way the rules for the software were written, it could be run on any computer with at least one bandwidth -- which leads to ideas like robots buying themselves off by running Virtual Miner. Some of that is cool stories, but it also leads to paying off a suit of armor (or a weapon) by running Virtual Miner on the Computer Weave. Nobody thought this out; nobody put this in front of a group of player-testers -- and it shows.

The production of Pirates of Drinax shows a deliberate choice to approach the campaign as error-prone money-grab. Mongoose chose NOT to follow standard 'wait until it is finished, then sanity check' methodology; they chose 'immediately sell whatever these writers come up with independently'. Pirates of Drinax had a great foundation to start, and to a large degree that has saved it; but serious problems were allowed in -- and that was a choice. Mongoose can do, and needs to do, better.

It’s viewed very widely as an all-time great campaign, and those of us have actually run it (and continue to do so) tend to agree with that. The idea that it’s barely saved by the foundations doesn’t agree with the reality that you’ll experience at the table.

Edit: a money grab is also a wild idea for a campaign that was released for free for years. It was the absolute opposite of “sell whatever these writers [writer: Gareth Hanrahan]” come up with. It was ongoing for literal years before being bound and sold, with vast amounts of reviews and feedback over those years. With a decade of playtest history both Hanrahan and others can now see how to tidy it, but there’s a world of difference between that and “it was a cash grab” on a release that was free for ages.

 

[Jet_Black]

I didn’t see that. Which one is it and where in the interview?

I think he refers to this interview:

The relevant part is starting at 13:02.

 

[Endie]

I think he refers to this interview:

The relevant part is starting at 13:02.

That’s precisely the bit I was referring to, thanks.

 

[MasterGwydion]

It’s viewed very widely as an all-time great campaign, and those of us have actually run it (and continue to do so) tend to agree with that. The idea that it’s barely saved by the foundations doesn’t agree with the reality that you’ll experience at the table.

Edit: a money grab is also a wild idea for a campaign that was released for free for years. It was the absolute opposite of “sell whatever these writers [writer: Gareth Hanrahan]” come up with. It was ongoing for literal years before being bound and sold, with vast amounts of reviews and feedback over those years. With a decade of playtest history both Hanrahan and others can now see how to tidy it, but there’s a world of difference between that and “it was a cash grab” on a release that was free for ages.

I will agree that it is an all-time great campaign. It is my favorite of all time, as a player and as a Referee. It was actually the reason I came back to Traveller after so many years away. It was a great re-introduction to Charted Space for me. It has its issues. What those issues are is known. Why they exist, I cannot say. The PoD I bought was the redone one for MgT2, so I don't know any of the history of it. The creativity in it was top-notch though and I love Gareth's writing style.

 

[Terry Mixon]

That’s precisely the bit I was referring to, thanks.

After having listened to it, I agree that sometimes the adventure calls for a different ship, but if it can't be duplicated under the rules, that's bogus. The rules are what allow us to be consistent and the lack of consistency on a continual basis isn't a case-by-case choice. It's a lack of attention to detail and care.

 

[Terry Mixon]

I think he refers to this interview:

The relevant part is starting at 13:02.

Thanks for posting this.