Several replies, see below. Mapping: over 1100 stellar objects are within 50ly plus even more interstellar phenomena like nebulas. I'm going to try and get map which highlights only major features of human space ready for us to use initially which includes all major systems, interesting anomalies, currents, etc. and fill in the holes as we go. The reason I bring this up is society size (part of the reason I made the Seven Dynasties so large). Humanity, especially when clustered into multi-planet systems is TINY. Keep this in mind with some of the comment I give below. Now, does anyone know how to make ChiView do a bloody print screen or (even better) export the screen into a graphics program to make top down maps? It would also be helpful to know which societies did not require specific sun classes (living in domes instead, etc.). M. Keaton > First, players > Tribes, welcome aboard. I need to do another going over, but I think > your ready. You need to think about how spread out your people are, how > well they maintain their communications, and what they'll accept as a > habitable planet -- but I expect your already doing that. > > Remanant, wonderful funny story. How does a secret system work? What > do they do with univited visitors (cometters, pirates, ships passing > through)? Is it long established or did they put it here because of all > the local action? Does this mean I get to play them? I designed them with narrative focus in mind and it does all seem to fit. The mechanics are going to be colorful to work out but we'll make do. The secret system part is easy (It's actually going to be on the map but, with a little "help", it's not quite recorded properly). Uninvited visitors either fall for the illusion, get 're-wired', or just disappear. The system was founded HE 11413 according to Remnant archives (that is not a typo) and has been maintained since. Does anyone else want advisors or is anyone opposed to Remanent presence in their systems? > I've got a few comments on the NPS > Nooians and Parith are in. The Parith need names for their two other > systems. Jason? > The Mechlaus and Seven Dynasties are in, but I'm torn about their size > and might wind up kneecaping them. Keeping in mind my previous concerns over the size of human space and adding that all holdings of a society do not have to occupy livable planets (large mining colonies, etc.), I actually lobby in favor of keeping the size of the 7D and increasing the Mechlaus (esp. if they can occupy non-key stellar worlds). Also, in order for the 7D to function as a society, they need to have broad holdings and a firm agrarian base (China vs. Japan--land gives stability, crowd them and war is inevitable). > The Regressionists, likewise. Keaton, you brought this to my attention > originally, but you need to consider how few habitable planets there > are. Low technology, while intresting, tends not to survive in an > environment where you don't if you don't take proper care of your > equipment. Alternately, there could be marginally related Regressionist > movements on several habitable planets. I like reducing the size of the Regressionists, change the history to say that they found strong sympathizers after the Century of Fire, and place them in the middle of some "democratic" type of larger culture who lets them live within and protects their rights (aka. the Amish in N. America, USA). > T-14 I'm very torn about. Great Mambo is a wonderful book even if the > chicken only gets half a page and I love idea of nanotechnology. But > the potential power is immense though you limited it nicely. I've got > to think. T-14 is dangerous but also very limited in their cultural set-up. The biggest selling point for T-14 is that they can occupy ANY kind of system and will not make a concerted effort to grow beyond it. They also provide a nice hub for black market information intrigue. I was also trying to push the limits of 'human' with this one and get a little creative for an NPS. > (Work on the map for a while and your entire view of things changes. Who cares if it's a good race; can they live in a system without a red or yellow sun? Just me, going crazy over here. How do I put Edmund's nebula in this mess (psiduck, sigh) Hey, do we need more NPS? I can do more. > Game start, > I've been considering how to manage this. I'd like to hold active play > until we have a crude map and I've a refrence card with peoples > determinants. Oh yeah, map is crude. Do you want us to post determinants in any specific template? (I'll also do the NPS if you like.) Please, revisit human geography and let me know where to add the various NPS. >And we haven't even set the starting year. Human Timeline, Revision 2.1 > Current date: 14875 HE. >However I did promise and we have plenty of information built up already. What I > propose I'm sure no-one will like: TURN 0. This idea serves two > purposes; it stalls while we finish wiring the game up and it shows how > your societies aren't starting from nothing on HE ???. Essentially, I'd > like everyone who wishes to write up two internal actions and make up a > resolution. These represent things your society has been working on the > last few years: projects underway, reforms debated, changes rejected, > crises starting. You can choose any degree of sucess, though I recomend > you limit it to something framing future action, not a real > accomplishment, say at Good (+1). Failure on the other hand knows no > bounds and a serious failure sets up all sorts of intresting story > ideas. External actions are allowed as long you negotiate effects with > the other player or have already mentioned the event; GTC taking over > Lanothar or the Tribes entering Mar'san space would be examples. Again > this is an optional activity to do short term what the time line did > long term, establish who is doing what. Anyone really object to this? > I'm fine with it. Do you wish me to do the same for NPS? > Keaton, I'm one of those overly familiar Americans and feel a little > uncomfortable always calling you by your last name. May I use your > first name? If so, what is it? > RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY! About the author: M. Keaton can neither confirm nor deny his own existence. It is believed that he is currently held hostage by a crazy woman and her cats. Ah, the name thing (BTW, for those of you with lives, this message is done. The rest is all insane (inane) ramblings). Well, the story goes something like this: Around the turn of the century (we don't ask for specifics), a simple farmer was born to an Irishman (relocated to the US due to a famine) with a vicious sense of humor and no patience. When said farmer was born, the Irishman (who, himself, at Elis island had refused to give a first name and was, therefore assigned one he never used) was given the duty of naming his son. Now, this Irishman chose to name this poor child JB. That's right 'JB', two letters, without periods, short for nothing, just JB. Historical note: The US government refused to issue a Social Security number to a pair of initials and the farmer, who was my grandfather, lost his temper with a government beuracrat and became legally known in the eyes of the Establishment as "Jay Bird Noname" (the old man always was sarcastic). Now, time passed and spring came and nature took its course. In the fullness of time (well actually at the age of 16), JB had a son. He named this son "J.L." It seems the family had learned to put periods after the letters but we were still having some problems with actually naming. When his second son, R.G. was born, legend has it that JB was confronted with a familiar but daunting sight--an angry wife. It seems that, not coming from insane Irish breeding (actually, she was Irish and insane. It was just a different kind of crazy), my grandmother demanded that her spawn be given proper names. (Oh, and don't be too offended at the word 'spawn'; it took us years to convince her to say "give birth" instead of "whelp".) Anyway, the two children were renamed (Joyce Lee and Ray Glenn) and it seemed that all would be normal in the quiet of the Ozark Mountians. But, like a Lovecraftian tale, in the forested farmlands of the Mountians where strange lights float at night and legend tells of a man-beast who stalks the night and where the locals fear the mountian lion more than even indoor plumbing, our tale continued to twist. For, on a night of storms and sorrow, a child was born and, as is the fashionable thing, named--one Matthew Ray Reuel Keaton. The second middle name, a tribute to a father's favorite author, was dropped because (truely) the hospital could not fit the entire name on the birth certificate. Now, despite this small mix-up, all might have been well in the naming of this Matthew Ray Keaton save that the crazed Irshman who started this whole mess was still alive (my great-grandfather actually lived until I was 13). When confronted with his great-grandchild and told the name assigned, family lore has it that he immediately said words to the effect of "Well, M.R. Keaton. Mr. Keaton, I guess at least somebody around here will get treated with respect," and proceeded to laugh until his teeth fell out (just the upper plate). Unfortunately, it became the joke which would not die and finally reached the critical point when, after several years of 'formal education', the string of letters before and after the name began to get rediculous. Two others occurances have further confused the issue. I spent several years at a job which required that, as part of quality control, I had to sign several hundred documents per day. The other occurances was more dramatic: A young freelance author named Matthew Keaton recieved a royalty check made out to Micheal Keaton. The transition to simply MKeaton suddenly made a lot of sense both in light of family history and because I have a bad habit of eating at least once per day and the bank will not cash a check made out to someone else. So, what do I like to be called? Well, Matthew is too long for most folks and now I'm not used to hearing it. Matt is an insult (it's the whole "door mat" thing from childhood). Matty is the little girl playing in my back yard (my neighbors daughter by strange coincidence). The best answer is: I don't know. I'm not even comfortable using other peoples given names in conversation. Keaton works. MK is what I use for signing most things. The WotC people call me Wolf but it doesn't seem to fit. My students like to call me Doc but, as a writer, I'm not worthy (I'm still old enough to remember E.E.Smith). (My wife calls me Puddin' or Oberon, depending on my mood, but don't you dare go there) Most folks around here call me Keaton or Doc (or Ahhhhhhh! but that might be considered a sound effect). Call me what you want (a rose is a rose and I ain't no rose, to paraphrase Shakes.) Names seem to be like shirts that I wear out and throw away when they no longer fit. Now, my dear overly familiar american, aren't you sorry you asked. Just don't worry about any of it--you won't offend me and I hope I haven't offended you (I don't see how I could have but on the 'net, who knows--Pickman's Modem by L. Watt-Evans is a case study in my use of technology). To steal another line from my great-grandfather "Call me anythin' ya want; just don't call me late to dinner." > Anyone know about or have good sources on terraforming? I'll see what I can find. g'night all M.Keaton (who fears he may now have given WAY too much personal information) ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send mail to celandra-off@phoenyx.net.
