Philip, only the folks at ADB have permissions to upload images / files to the BBS. You'll have to find someplace to host it (IMGUR works best, in my opinion) for GIF/JPG images.


Garth L. Getgen

By Philip Sokolov (Falconer) on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 - 07:41 pm: Edit

Thanks, I couldn’t find the code to embed an image, so—even better—I created a table.

By Garth L. Getgen (Sgt_G) on Thursday, April 16, 2020 - 05:19 pm: Edit

Well, that works, too, Philip. Just to clarify about what I said, using a host site to post your images ... you can only post the link here; you cannot embed the image such that it will be displayed here. The command is back-slash "newurl" curly braces link comma text close curly braces.


Garth L. Getgen

By Garth L. Getgen (Sgt_G) on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 - 02:39 pm: Edit

Would there be any interest in creating / publishing a map of the stars/planets in the Federation Capitol Region? That is to say, blow the 500-parsec F&E hex up into ~50 parsec hexes.


Garth L. Getgen

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 - 09:30 pm: Edit

Garth, not sure what direction you are going with this.

My first thought is that this moves right in to the long promised mid level theater Game That’s supposed to fit between F&E and SFB/FC.

Unless you are thinking something else? Campaign game for SFB’s that takes place in the capital hex?

By Garth L. Getgen (Sgt_G) on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 - 10:29 pm: Edit

Jeff, to be honest, I'm not sure where it might lead. Yes, I'm thinking that level have map detail, adding in small colonies / settlements and the like, mainly as background fluff for PD.


Garth L. Getgen

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 - 11:01 pm: Edit

Well... just to run a few numbers (just me trying to get a handle on this.)

A 50 parsec hex sub grid on a 500 parsec F&E hex means the diameter of the strategic (f&e hex) is some 10 x 50 sub hexes.

With out measuring a similar proportioned hex, a hex side might measure 6 of these 50 parsec sub hexes. That adds up to (6 x 10)=60 sub hexes.

Guesstimate of the remainder of the hex adds what? Maybe 30 more Of the 50 parsec Sub hexes? (60+30)=90 sub hexes.

According to SFH (one of the places quoting volume of F&E hexes) each hex has roughly 1,000 “useful places” in it. Every thing from Major worlds, minor worlds, bases(star base, BTS, BATS, Base Station, SAMS, Commercial platforms, mines, colonies, moons, asteroids, terrain zones, comets, gas giants, stars etc.)

Now, obviously, 500parsecs diameter hexes containS far more than just a thousand places. It’s just A number that’s been assigned by ADB.

My guessing about how many 50 parsec sub hexes was about 90. If we round that up to 100 sub hexes, then simple division 1,000/100=10.

Translated, that means each of those 50 hex parsec sub hex thingy things have 10 useful places. Star systems, terrain features, rogue planets, stars etc.

Way more than a SFBs tactical map.

Sounds like a lot of work, and you or I might appreciate that level of detail... I just do not see away of making a fun game out of it. And ADB needs sales products to sell.

Guess I am not seeing it.

Sorry.

By A David Merritt (Adm) on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 - 12:46 am: Edit

Given that this the RPG topic, it might be useful there, but the issue becomes everyone wanting a map for . "Just" doing one for everyone's Capital Hex, and some generic other hexes (Border, "regular" hexes in each empire, etc.) would be a major undertaking.

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 - 07:43 am: Edit

Exactly.

It might have some artistic value, something to hang on the wall as a poster... but the potential market would be limited to a local game master running a GURPs PD rpg.

The price point alone for such a product (And it’s likely total sales) would almost certainly be less than the development costs.

This might fall into the category of RPG books that we were talking about in another topic a couple of months ago.

Assume a 48 or 64 page booklet (saddle stapled?). Of which 18 pages are just hex gridS, and the facing page is a column of numbers corresponding to individual numbered hexes.

The game master could populate the hexes him or her self tailored to the needs of the campaign.

The other 12 or 18 pages could be rules or suggestions n how to populate it.

Lot of work, but it would allow the game master to build a star chart for the players to discover...

But it’s not something the Steve’s are likely to whip up in a half hour after lunch discussion n a Wednesday.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 - 08:50 am: Edit

Sounds like a lot of work for no real purpose with no practical sales potential that would either paint us into a corner or get contradicted by the next episode of HOW THE UNIVERSE WORKS.

Gamemasters are perfectly capable of whipping up their own stuff. Why give player 11,435 stars to pick from? Five or ten would do.

By John Christiansen (Roscoehatfield) on Saturday, July 03, 2021 - 11:07 am: Edit

Did I read somewhere that the Seltorian Queens mature to reproductive maturity in 9 months, or is that my imagination and dyslexia getting the best of me?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, July 03, 2021 - 11:16 am: Edit

This
http://www.starfleetgames.com/Hailingfrequenciesextras/Gurps_Seltorian_Queen.pdf
says 7 months.

By James Cain (Jcain) on Saturday, July 03, 2021 - 03:30 pm: Edit

Klingons PD20M, page 95 mentions that K3s & K4s might become military commandants of remote colony planets. Klingons PD20M, pages 17 & 18 mention military deputies for dukes, counts, and governors but do not make any reference to commandants or military deputies thereof.

Does the pattern continue down below the mandate governors and their deputies? Are military commandants similar to military vice-dukes, military viscounts, and military lieutenant-governors - are they one of three deputies for a lower ranking civil administrator with the title commandant?

By John Christiansen (Roscoehatfield) on Saturday, July 03, 2021 - 03:32 pm: Edit

Thank you, that was exactly what I was looking for.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Sunday, July 04, 2021 - 01:57 am: Edit

James, every level of government has a military deputy (and other deputies). Sometimes when there is a vacancy in a given job the military deputy gets promoted.

By James Cain (Jcain) on Tuesday, July 06, 2021 - 09:46 pm: Edit

If a military baronet (rank K6) is promoted to baron, does the officer still hold the rank of K6? If the same baron is then promoted to governmental viscount, what rank do they hold? If the same governmental viscount is then promoted to count, what rank do they hold?

Reference data:
Klingons do not seem to need to "resign their commission" to become a count (or other similar civil administrators) but rather seem to remain on active duty since Thad Vak Kaleen was a DSF K7 commodore, Marine M8 major general, and a Count all at the same time. (Star Fleet Universe Index dated 14 March 2009) This is inconclusive, but would seem to suggest that a count outranks his military viscount deputy by one rank and also suggests the pattern likely holds at other levels.

Klingon military baronet is an active duty posting for officers of rank K6. A military baronet might be promoted to become a military viscount, which is an active duty posting for officers of rank K7. Therefore, clearly promotion from military baronet to military viscount results in a promotion from K6 to K7, though this is silent to the ranks for barons and viscounts. (Klingons PD20M, page 18)

By James Cain (Jcain) on Tuesday, July 06, 2021 - 10:44 pm: Edit

A possible problem with my theory that 'a civil administrator outranks their military deputy by one rank' is that we know that some subjects made baron and even count but we also know that the only subject to make flag rank was Kobol. Perhaps the subjects who made baron and count were not Klingon military officers? Alternatively, perhaps Thad Vak Kaleen earned his promotion to M8 subsequent to and independent of his presumed time as a K7 and/or M7 military viscount and promotion from military deputy to civil administrator brings no promotion? The problem I have with this would then be that a military lieutenant governor promoted to governor promoted to governmental baronet promoted to baron etc./ad nauseam would then still only rank K5 from when they were a military lieutenant governor whereas a equal ranking civil administrator who entered such post directly from military deputy for such post would hold the higher rank of the higher military deputy entry point.

Unless this who question has already been considered, I would suggest that it be said that any subjects who ever held the post of baron or count had not previously served as Klingon military officers and either entered the post of baron or count via the industrial deputy post or by virtue of their governmental position within their race (Dunkar King, Hilidarian Supreme Lord, etc.)

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, July 07, 2021 - 12:56 am: Edit

They do not need to resign their commissions.

Promotions are based on many factors, and are under control of the military. If the count thinks that the K6 assistant baron who just got promoted to viscount needs a promotion, he will "privately speak to someone" and the promotion board may well consider the officer's higher status as needing a promotion to K7 and that making the count happy may result in other favors owed and paid later. It isn't automatic and while baronet is a K6 rank there are some who are still K5s and some who somehow became K7s.

Barons may be K6 or K7, rarely K5 under some really interesting backstory circumstances.

By Hugh Bishop (Hugh62) on Saturday, August 28, 2021 - 09:31 pm: Edit

I'm looking for information on a Lyran minority that had tan fur, an unusual religion and was persecuted by the gray fur majority. Can anyone help me out?

By Mike West (Mjwest) on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 - 09:07 am: Edit

In the Company Weblog, Steve made the comment:

---

Quote:

3. Discussing the current OGL crisis. We're going to wait and see how it plays out.

---

By Garth L. Getgen (Sgt_G) on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 - 01:16 pm: Edit

OGL crisis?? Please explain. Thanks.


Garth L. Getgen

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 - 01:24 pm: Edit

OGL = Open Game License.

Dates back to August 2022. Wizards of the Coast published an open letter.

Controversial.

Lots of very upset people.

By Mike West (Mjwest) on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 - 01:48 pm: Edit

Rather than anyone of us explaining it, just go to YouTube and look for it. There are at least two dozen relatively short (10-15 minute) videos explaining things. Just know that while the older ones protect themselves by stating that nothing is definite yet, know that it is still all quite true (as revealed by later info).

Anyway, the practical effect is that once the Open Game License is officially updated to 1.1 (from the current 1.0a) ADB will have to withdraw any products that use the OGL 1.0a. So, if you ever thought you wanted PD20 or PD20M, go get it now because at any point it might have to go away.

EDIT: To be clear: I am not interested, nor do I in any way advocate having a discussion on the OGL changes, WOTC, or any other acronym involved in this here, or anywhere on this BBS. My point is simply to say that if you want either product, get it now. That's all. There are several other forums and discussion areas where the full conversation is taking place and such expansive discussions are more appropriate there and not on this BBS.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 - 03:28 pm: Edit

In the nickle summary by a non-lawyer who doesn't know much about it, OGL-1.0 and OGL-1.0a were done long ago. In December WOTC warned that there would be an update. While not yet announced, it was leaked, and it contained two provisions which were nuclear in nature. One was a 20% royalty for companies selling over $750,000 per year, which some have said seems intended to put the OGL mega-publishers out of business. The other is that WOTC can reprint and sell without permission or royalties anything done under 1.1 which upsets creative guys down to the level of the ones who just do a book now and then for date money. That provision would stop us since we cannot give WOTC the Paramount property we license. Lots of people say it is not legal for them to cancel 1.0a, at least as far as existing product. I am not a lawyer and while I had a course of "contract law for engineers" I don't intend to speak to the question of just what 1.0a says and just what can/cannot be modified. I will only comment that lots of people don't agree.

It is entirely possible that WOTC will change their position about products done under 1.0a and it is a serious legal argument if they can stop anyone from continuing to produce things done under 1.0a and remain under 1.0a. As I said, we're going to see how it plays out. The next step is for WOTC to release the actual policy and then to see what (if any) legal challenges are raised.

As a military intelligence analyst my suspicion is that WOTC never dreamed that there would be million-dollar companies using OGL and Hasbro (which owns WOTC) ordered them to "fix this mess and increase revenue" without really studying the original contract. I don't think WOTC anticipated the push-back they got. The million-dollar OGL companies have the money to fight (they would be put out of business by 1.1 as it was leaked) and the small publishers (and those with IP licenses) refuse to hand over their work for free to WOTC.

Time will tell. The "worst case scenario" is that we'll have to stop selling PD20 and PD20M when the official policy is revealed. It is possible we would be able to keep selling them under 1.0a but that is not assured. Whether we could do new products under 1.0a or under some special arrangement of the eventual 1.1 is unknown.

Again, I am not a lawyer, and I have no inside knowledge, and I'm only trying to summarize the arguments and issues, not state any opinion on who is right or wrong.

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 - 05:31 pm: Edit

Given the time-difference between publication, is there any game content, lore, etc. in PD20/PD20M that hasn't also been published for GURPS PD?

Not being an active RPG player, personally I lose nothing if any particular flavor of the RPG books go away. However, I do buy the RPG books to keep my library of SFU reference material complete (the deckplans, and ship and fleets descriptions in them were very useful as ground work for the sizing work done for the Shapeways project, etc.).

Just making sure something I might need doesn't become inaccessible (and I had focused on buying the GURPS versions)