Re: So why Millennium's End?

[CHam628781@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 03/04/02 17:11:34 GMT Daylight Time, forteymj@yahoo.co.uk writes:


> > Thanks for the correction, I have seen only about
> > 20-30 active names.  Just
> > over 100 is still relitivly small world wide.
>
> Larger than many groups though.
>
> Odd that we are generally such a quiet list, given the
> number of subscribers. I've hot 1000 posts in a week
> on another group with less subscribers.
>
> Mike


The Traveller mailing list (TML) only has something like 250 members but there's a lot of posting.

Warning! Warning! <Rant>

I wonder whether it's because for many games the way the the game world is going or personal developments in individual campaign worlds are discussed.

I don't recall ever seeing someone present an ME world in which BE don't exist, or in which there are major deviations from "canon". Lets face it, even in a parallel world like ME's an organisation like BE is a stretch. Look at their real world equivalents - Wackenhut, Group 4 - they aren't out there busting terrorists they're hauling low security prisoners, guarding cash, following husbands/wives and spying on company employees. The exciting stuff still gets done by the government and probably always will.

Perhaps that's part of ME's 'problem' - it is simply too close to the real world and for GMs that's a big constraint. It's much harder to get people to suspend disbelief in something so close to the real world, there's too much disonance for them. Part of the satisfaction for me in sci-fi and fantasy games is creating the world for the players to inhabit. In ME the players know the world too well, they've seen the movies, read the books and know what to expect. Deviate too far from the template and it becomes a less satisfying experience for everyone.

What all that means is that you have to work hard to come up with something that is both interesting and fits well into the games mythos. And to add insult to injury you may find that some lunatic has actually gone and "Real Worlded" a similar stunt to one you were considering.

Another point is that there's little access to the designers here. On the TML there's Loren K Wiseman and parts of the team who are designing Traveller D20. Dave Pulver and other GURPS: Transhuman writers post to the Transhuman list. Does that mean that no "professional" writers are interested in ME or that the morale of the writers and designers is so low they can't face working on ME? Heh it wouldn't suprise me, it must have been a real kick in the teeth watching CE go to the wall.

Perhaps what we need is a comprehensive, fan led re-vamp of the rules and background. Shit, there must be enough knowledge, experience and desire here to produce "3rd Edition", even if it has to be self published. I vote we call it the "New Millennium Project" and start with a brain storm of what does and does not need fixing.

</Rant>

Hmm...now where did I put that asbestos suit?
 
Charles

Its amazing how most people can be vastly improved by sudden death