The Future of Stellar Reaches...

[Flynn]

Good Morning, All:

Mongoose has released the latest draft of the Developer's Pack for Traveller, which included, among other things, the Fair Use Policy that has governed the release of Stellar Reaches in the past. Other things that have been included in the Developer's Pack are the Foreven Sector Logo License (which allows publications in the OTU) and the Traveller Logo License (which allows for the use of a Traveller Compatible logo). While these elements are not yet fully complete, it is likely that we are seeing something close to the final product. Thus, these documents give us an idea of what may lie ahead for Stellar Reaches.

To my understanding, here are our options:

1. If we want to continue to support the Empty Quarter sector and the rest of the OTU, then we will be able to use the Fair Use Policy. However, using the Fair Use Policy means that we cannot publish anything that supports the Mongoose Traveller rules set.

2. If we want to support the Mongoose Traveller rules set and publish in the OTU, then we will have to limit our involvement in the OTU to the Foreven Sector only. This would allow us to support all of the Traveller rules sets AND the OTU.

3. If we want to support all Traveller rules sets, and not worry about the OTU, then we will have to limit our involvement to a non-OTU setting. It is possible for us to create our own setting for the fanzine under the Fair Use Policy, but the fan support may be more limited than an OTU approach would be.

I personally do not feel strongly towards any particular option being presented above, as I do not game in the Empty Quarter sector. However, I recognize that Stellar Reaches fans may have some strong opinions on the matter, and so I'd like to hear your thoughts on what you'd like to see for the future of Stellar Reaches before I make any decisions.

With Warm Regards,
Jason "Flynn" Kemp,
Editor, Stellar Reaches Fanzine

 

[rust]

For me the type and quality of the content are far more important than
the setting or rules version the content is published for, so I have no
opinion on the three options.

 

[zozotroll]

I only use the Mongoose rules, so thats the option that works for me.

But man, go with whats best for you.

 

[Golan2072]

1. If we want to continue to support the Empty Quarter sector and the rest of the OTU, then we will be able to use the Fair Use Policy. However, using the Fair Use Policy means that we cannot publish anything that supports the Mongoose Traveller rules set.

Hmmm... Can you split each SR issue into a separate setting part (Fair Use Policy, CT/T20 rules) and a separate rules/equipment/etc part (TLL, MGT rules if desired)?

2. If we want to support the Mongoose Traveller rules set and publish in the OTU, then we will have to limit our involvement in the OTU to the Foreven Sector only. This would allow us to support all of the Traveller rules sets AND the OTU.

3. If we want to support all Traveller rules sets, and not worry about the OTU, then we will have to limit our involvement to a non-OTU setting. It is possible for us to create our own setting for the fanzine under the Fair Use Policy, but the fan support may be more limited than an OTU approach would be.

If you can't split each SR issue as I've suggested above, then I'll vote for option #3 - develop a new non-OTU ATU, but base it firmly on Traveller assumptions so most of its material would be very easy for individual Referees to recycle into their own campaigns, be them OTU or ATU. This way you'll have as much freedom as possible, rather than being restricted to certain rulesets or to certain settings.

Sure, the OTU is a nice setting, and a widely-played one, but Traveller was meant to play with a wide variety of sci-fi settings, not just the OTU. And if you'll do the ATU right, almost anything you write to it would be usable even for Referees playing in the OTU.

 

[kafka]

#2 Would be the best option IMHO. The Imperium too rich of a setting and MGT does come close to all the versions of Traveller that have been released to date. Hunter has made it clear that he is going to persue a generic SFRPG based on the d20 or D&D4 mechanic thereby leaving all things to either be generic or not tied into the T20 line. And that is assuming that Hunter wants to be true to T20 and without MJD at the helm or at least at its side as one of the Lieutenants...I don't place much hope in T20 continuing.

Therefore, using what we all recognize as Traveller whilst keeping it as generic eg UWPs, weapon descriptions (we can leave dmg and that to the rule system to sort out). Furthermore, retaining the OTU seems to be a recognizable way forward for Stellar Reaches. As much as the Empty Quarter was interesting and underdeveloped. Foreven is also an interesting Sector. I have set Campaigns in it in the past by culling together all written accounts and adding a little of my own. Flynn, I would be happy to send you a document with all my researches.

 

[EDG]

I'm still waiting to see the final version of the Developer's Pack before we can say what's really going on, as it still contains a lot of contradictions and ambiguities.

 

[Klaus Kipling]

Would it be possible for separate editions of SR? One that just uses just the FUP and another for Foreven/TLL stuff?

Any one of those options above reduces the potential amount of submissions available. How about 2 companion fanzines, using the same basic layout, just with different licenses and logos and different brands?

SR tends to come out when it has accumulated enough articles. Couldn't 2 (shorter) versions, say the Empty Quarter Edition and the Foreven Edition, work in a similar way? Or is it going to be a headache to differentiate that stuff?

Just some idle thoughts. Be a shame to lose such a useful avenue for one or the other type of article.

(I group Foreven with TLL stuff as suely the Foreven license will incorporate all OGL stuff too).

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Not sure how much extra work it would be to produce 2 or 3 versions of SR for each issue.

BUT, what if you concentrated an issue under one license?

For example, you publish an issue under the FUP, with every article in there following those guidelines.

THEN, the next issue might be all OGL stuff using the TLL.

If desired (and you got enough material), you could publish a FFSLL issue.

If things can be kept systemless, then the FUP will let you do just about anything you want OTU-wise. The OGL probably covers the rest.

 

[Vile]

Of course I would like to see Stellar Reaches continue to support the older versions, but then I'm biased. :wink:

However, would there be a problem with using both the FUP and the Foreven license? You don't necessarily have to go the whole hog and produce a Stellar Reaches Foreven Sector Special Supplement (I mean, who would want to go through all that ... again ... ), but there is plenty of room for producing adventures and ships and whatnot using the Foreven background.

 

[dmccoy1693]

Flynn, you are an amazingly capable man, but keeping the details of 3 licenses (and corresponding allowable terminology and systems) straight at all time in addition to running your own company may be spreading yourself to thin. It might be best to focus on one license (or the TLL and the FFSLL and simply not mention what sector stuff takes place in sometimes) to make life easy for you.

Alternatively, you could make SR the main "publisher" for grognard material (being the Fair Use Champion) and using SP with the current edition. That'll be tough, but it might be an easy enough way to keep things straight for fans, writers, and yourself.

 

[EDG]

It looks like the new Developer's Pack will let SR continue exactly as it has done with regards to publishing material for the OTU (for older versions of Traveller). If you wanted to add new rules then you could do so under the TLL.

Foreven is the only issue really, because you have to stick with the Foreven LIcense even if it's non-commercial:

If you intend to use the Fair Use Policy to produce (non-commercial) material based on the Foreven Sector, then the Foreven Free Sector Logo Licence must also be used.

 

[rje]

To my understanding, here are our options:

1. Empty Quarter = OTU FUP = Non-Mongoose.

2. Foreven = OTU Mongoose and other rules too.

3. Non-OTU = Mongoose and other rules too, "but the fan support may be more limited than an OTU approach would be."

As EDG says, wait until the ink is dry.

But, my opinion is to stay with the fanbase, and Mongoose fans have proven they're interested, and Traveller fans have also shown their interest.

I think #1 has the smallest following.

I think #2 has the least risk. In my mind, Foreven is currently ripe for the picking. In other words, the first publication there has the advantage of tabula rasa (sort of), even though the sector is intended as a preserve.

On the other hand, Golan made a good point:

develop a new non-OTU ATU, but base it firmly on Traveller assumptions so most of its material would be very easy for individual Referees to recycle into their own campaigns

The more I think about this, the more I like it. It reminds me of the old JTAS articles which would often base scenarios on "completely random" worlds. The difference is that you'd have a chunk of space you're working from, and yet the worlds can easily be ported into the OTU.

 

[Commander Drax]

personally I would plumb for supporting older versions of traveller in order to continue using the Empty Quarter localle as fleshed out in previous SR materials.

Foreven sector is pants! IMHO and too close to the much overexposed Spinward Marches, lets have something a little different.

How about SR being non rule set specific like the 1248 books, by not containing any rules or game mechanics. Can we carry on as before by going down that road.

 

[Golan2072]

How about SR being non rule set specific like the 1248 books, by not containing any rules or game mechanics. Can we carry on as before by going down that road.

We could probably post things such as UWPs with impunity - they're the same in most versions and thus are FUP as long as you watch out for MGT-specific stuff such as Temperature or MGT-specific trade/base codes.