From: Dracondis [Dracondis@email.msn.com] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 10:45 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetaceans From: Kintaro Oe > What do you mean never think that something can't be done? _Some_ science > fiction is science that hasn't happened, yet, but by no means is it _all_ > like that. I have no problem with the way decks are handled in a solid > cyberpunk genre game either, but Blue Planet is not solid cyberpunk. There > are elements, but it is a great deal more, including a commitment to the > "reasonable extrapolation of science" part of science fiction. Dangerous > neural feedback and the idea of a cetacean getting hurt when their remote > goes up in smoke and shrapnel simply do not fit into that. Granted. Keep in mind that I have already admitted that I don't have the BP rule books. I am working in non-specific terms, unrelated to game mechanics. I also agree that an individual will not suffer more than a momentary bout of disorientation from having their remote sensors destroyed. It would be equivalent to being hit over the head or tased with a stun-gun. Shocking, momentarily disorienting, but not permanently harmful. Certainly nothing like hard-cyberpunk decking attacks from IC and opposing Deckers. As for someone's comment that fuses and breakers would knock that sort of crap out, guys, think about it like using a dial-up connection on a rickety system. You're cruising along on the internet when your system glitches (a breaker trips). Your system hangs up, you get booted offline, and you are completely annoyed for a moment, or longer... Now, imagine that connection wasn't interruptible. You're booted offline, but you're still there, stuck. You're system has to take a minute to recover from the breaker tripping. After a second the anti-freeze software kicks in, and you're back again. Now remember that your BRAIN is connected to the computer. Think that might be enough of a reason for mental damage from decking? - Drakkon - *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Gareth Hanrahan [hanrahag@iol.ie] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 10:16 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Storm Surge Update www.stormsurge.org Gar http://www.irishgaming.com/warpcon http://chrysanthemumRoad.tripod.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Wil" To: Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2000 4:00 AM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Storm Surge Update > URL please? ^_^ > > "Where are we going and why am I in this handbasket?" > Dreams of Flesh & Spirit: http://www.atomicrumpusroom.net/tribe8/ > The Datacore: http://www.atomicrumpusroom.net/jovianchronicles/ > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com > with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. > > *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: ChrisTheS [stormsurge@stormsurge.org] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 10:12 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Storm Surge Update stormsurge.org ----- Original Message ----- From: "Wil" To: Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 8:00 PM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Storm Surge Update > URL please? ^_^ > > "Where are we going and why am I in this handbasket?" > Dreams of Flesh & Spirit: http://www.atomicrumpusroom.net/tribe8/ > The Datacore: http://www.atomicrumpusroom.net/jovianchronicles/ > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com > with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: ChrisTheS [stormsurge@stormsurge.org] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 10:12 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Storm Surge Update Mailing list? There is one? *goes to check the server* I certainly haven't seen one. Or if so, I haven't seen the instructions for how to get it to work. Well, if there is I'll get it set up right away... --ChrisTheS Occasionally clueless StormSurge webmaster ----- Original Message ----- From: "Andy Wills" To: Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 8:59 PM Subject: [BLUE PLANET] - Storm Surge Update > Thought I'd let people know that I updated Storm Surge again. Added the Orca > Class Heavy Lift Seaplane to the tech section and Thomas Dominguez to the > NPC section. I was originally planning on using Tom for David's PBeM, but if > you want GEO-friendly characters, David, I don't know how well he'll work. > Let me know, I've got plenty of other ideas. Heck, we might be able to use a > Storm Surge mailing list for the PBeM; I'm not sure. There's a spiffy little > "mailing lists" directory(which is empty), but maybe the hosting company is > just playing with us. Chris? If not, egroups works. > > I also fixed a few broken links and added two adventure seeds that somehow > got lost in the transfer over. Go take a look. Happy New Year, > > Andy > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com > with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Andy Wills [andywills@stormsurge.org] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 11:06 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: RE: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetaceans For the Cetecean book, I would like: a) a bit more on their religion b) more on the human-fin partnership bit with the uplink jacks and sensory recorders that's given one line in the main books. c) a few more name suggestions scattered throughout the book; also some 'fin slang. d) a tad bit of cetecean specific tech. e) a better title than 'Fin' f) two complete adventures, one structured and one loose-ended. Oh yes, can you super-size that? (I'm not worried about culture, psych, and all that, as Justin told me he was planning on doing much of it in an Orkworld style, so that's already a given to be in the book) Now to get my greedy little hands(and more importantly, my beady little eyes) on a copy of First Colony. Andy *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Wil [dreamweaver@keyway.net] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 10:01 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Storm Surge Update URL please? ^_^ "Where are we going and why am I in this handbasket?" Dreams of Flesh & Spirit: http://www.atomicrumpusroom.net/tribe8/ The Datacore: http://www.atomicrumpusroom.net/jovianchronicles/ *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Andy Wills [andywills@stormsurge.org] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 11:00 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: [BLUE PLANET] - Storm Surge Update Thought I'd let people know that I updated Storm Surge again. Added the Orca Class Heavy Lift Seaplane to the tech section and Thomas Dominguez to the NPC section. I was originally planning on using Tom for David's PBeM, but if you want GEO-friendly characters, David, I don't know how well he'll work. Let me know, I've got plenty of other ideas. Heck, we might be able to use a Storm Surge mailing list for the PBeM; I'm not sure. There's a spiffy little "mailing lists" directory(which is empty), but maybe the hosting company is just playing with us. Chris? If not, egroups works. I also fixed a few broken links and added two adventure seeds that somehow got lost in the transfer over. Go take a look. Happy New Year, Andy *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: ChrisTheS [stormsurge@stormsurge.org] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 9:20 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Netrunning (was: Cetaceans) > You gotta love Snow Crash. Great, great book RE: Now there's something I could read again... after I finish reading the Guiness Books of Military Blunders :) *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Kintaro Oe [kabael@SoftHome.net] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 8:31 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetaceans > > Culture, psychology, toys, tricks, etc. > >What do you mean by tricks, exactly? mmm.... well basically innovative ideas on how to do stuff as a cetacean. Stuff like new uses for old technology, stuff to do in Blank if your a fin, herding fish using echolocation, stirring up sediment with your tail fluke to give yourself cover, etc. Basically a catch all term for "Did you know that fins can..." and "I bet you never thought of doing...." kinds of ideas. >I think you'll be very happy as far as the other three are concerned. So you're at the helm for this, Mr. Bacon? I was wondering. What's your preliminary ETA? >Sometimes I over look the most obvious stuff. "How to work them into a >campaign..." Check. It'll be there. a lot of times, the obvious stuff is the most important and useful. I've come to the conclusion that "self explanatory" should never be used in an RPG context :) >How have other people dealt with this? A few solutions are obvious, of course >(make sure they have access to remotes; design adventures that either have an >underwater portion, or be prepared to run simultaneous adventures). In >some ways >its very similar to the old Shadowrun/cyberpunk perplexity of "how do we >handle >hacking?" -- except more pervasive, and probably more unfair to the cetaceans. Indeed, I think that a long discussion on how to run mainly aquatic games would be nice. 90% of my plot ideas only bounce the big blue puddle at best, so tips and ideas on how to pull a game into the depths and keep it there without drowning would be nice. and as an aside, I think I might be the only one who never had a problem with deckers. We just had them either come along to get into a closed system or run along with us, defeating the security of a region as we passed through it. I guess I was just lucky ;) And that does provide another option for fins, though. For people who want to have a more traditionally cyberpunk games, fins make great deckers/riggers. Anyone remember the Johnny Mnemonic movie? :) - kabael - Kintaro Oe - Derek the Guder - kabael@softhome.net - ICQ# 24193592 the McGuffin Group - the End Times - RPG Action - the Thirteenth Legion Cabos; resonatos with thermos rather than pluto. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Kintaro Oe [kabael@SoftHome.net] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 8:33 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Netrunning (was: Cetaceans) >RE: Well, I for one (since my favorite character so far is the world's best >hacker) like netrunning in BP. So long as it's not one of those "Internet >Mage War" things you get in some games, which you really can't do with BP's >close adherance to realism. I agree. I've always had a softspot for deckers ever since I first read Shadowrun way back, and I still like 'em. Decking/netrunning in BP is an entirely different experience, that's for sure, but I would certainly like to see some information for it. That's something I was hoping for in FluMech, actually. Trinity has some similar computer ideas, and can be easily mined for things like computer agents and whatnot. >The closest thing to traditional cyberpunk >netrunning that I've ever been acquainted with is when my character released >the Snow Crash virus (which can travel through video links and triggers >overload in any electronic mechanisms it comes into contact with) into the >LavOrg compound and in the process accidentally sent a large proportion of >the population of Kingston into epileptic fits. Everything else is pretty >mild by comparison. You gotta love Snow Crash. Great, great book - kabael - Kintaro Oe - Derek the Guder - kabael@softhome.net - ICQ# 24193592 the McGuffin Group - the End Times - RPG Action - the Thirteenth Legion Cabos; resonatos with thermos rather than pluto. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Kintaro Oe [kabael@SoftHome.net] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 8:17 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - [OT] Shadowfist and other CCGs > > Rage has promise, but also had some amazingly poor design decisions. I >have a > > billion cards for it, but I really wish it had been designed a bit better. > >RE: For a game based on a RPG setting it does a fairly good job though >(notes that Werewolf has a number of poor design decisions too). I found >the rules for Moots impossible to comprehend, however, and the alpha system >of combat, though true for normal wolf packs, is slightly out of touch with >the RPG and with good CCG procedure. Actually, I was more displeased with some of the specific cards (and the revision where you spend gnosis and all that was even worse). There were some elements that were neat, but it just didn't go together that well at all. > It's really hard to do good CCGs from >an established concept, unfortunately (I had the misfortune of playtesting >the Wheel of Time CCG, which has some of the worst mechanics I have ever >seen in a CCG). the Wheel of Time CCG was abominable indeed. Having to tap your guys for the _chance_ of getting _some_ influence was just absurd. If it weren't for the dice, it might have been bearable, I think. - kabael - Kintaro Oe - Derek the Guder - kabael@softhome.net - ICQ# 24193592 the McGuffin Group - the End Times - RPG Action - the Thirteenth Legion Cabos; resonatos with thermos rather than pluto. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Justin Bacon [triad@prairie.lakes.com] Sent: Friday, December 29, 2000 8:01 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetaceans Kintaro Oe wrote: > Thing is, with "dangerous feedback" you also start slipping into the realm > of "dangerous non-science," something BP has done damn well to avoid. It > really is a hard sci-fi game. Unless Greg orders me otherwise, there's no way you're going to see dangerous feedback in the cetacean book. Only an idiot designs (or uses) a remote drone which is still dangerous to use. Drakkon wrote: >Define 'Dangerous Feedback', please. I don't see how you are arriving at the >conclusion that it could be 'Dangerous Non-Science'... Derek is talking about that hoary cyberpunk trope of people too stupid to design computer consoles that incorporate a common household device known as a "fuse". Or, IOW, why would you design a remote drone which could hurt its user? Justin Bacon triad3204@aol.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: ChrisTheS [stormsurge@stormsurge.org] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 8:08 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Netrunning (was: Cetaceans) And please > keep a netrunning system out of BP. I like that it has a non-traditional > take on cyberpunk. RE: Well, I for one (since my favorite character so far is the world's best hacker) like netrunning in BP. So long as it's not one of those "Internet Mage War" things you get in some games, which you really can't do with BP's close adherance to realism. The closest thing to traditional cyberpunk netrunning that I've ever been acquainted with is when my character released the Snow Crash virus (which can travel through video links and triggers overload in any electronic mechanisms it comes into contact with) into the LavOrg compound and in the process accidentally sent a large proportion of the population of Kingston into epileptic fits. Everything else is pretty mild by comparison. -- ChrisTheS *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Justin Bacon [triad@prairie.lakes.com] Sent: Friday, December 29, 2000 7:53 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetaceans kabael@softhome.net wrote: > > On a total tangent: What would people like to see in a cetacean sourcebook? > > Culture, psychology, toys, tricks, etc. What do you mean by tricks, exactly? I think you'll be very happy as far as the other three are concerned. > Lots and lots and lots and lots of advice on how to both how to play a > cetacean character and (even more important) how to work them into a > campaign without being completely silly. Sometimes I over look the most obvious stuff. "How to work them into a campaign..." Check. It'll be there. How have other people dealt with this? A few solutions are obvious, of course (make sure they have access to remotes; design adventures that either have an underwater portion, or be prepared to run simultaneous adventures). In some ways its very similar to the old Shadowrun/cyberpunk perplexity of "how do we handle hacking?" -- except more pervasive, and probably more unfair to the cetaceans. Justin Bacon triad3204@aol.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Kintaro Oe [kabael@SoftHome.net] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 7:43 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetaceans >Never think that something can't be done, or that its non-science. Science >fiction is science that hasn't happened, yet. I have no problems with the way >Decks are handled. What do you mean never think that something can't be done? _Some_ science fiction is science that hasn't happened, yet, but by no means is it _all_ like that. I have no problem with the way decks are handled in a solid cyberpunk genre game either, but Blue Planet is not solid cyberpunk. There are elements, but it is a great deal more, including a commitment to the "reasonable extrapolation of science" part of science fiction. Dangerous neural feedback and the idea of a cetacean getting hurt when their remote goes up in smoke and shrapnel simply do not fit into that. - kabael - Kintaro Oe - Derek the Guder - kabael@softhome.net - ICQ# 24193592 the McGuffin Group - the End Times - RPG Action - the Thirteenth Legion Cabos; resonatos with thermos rather than pluto. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: David R. Crowell [gpfarm-dave@northnet.org] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 7:30 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetaceans I agree. A simple damper or fuse would stop brain-fry. (Simple if you have neural-interface technology mastered, anyway.) I was thinking that theer might be some feedbacks wired in to the pain centers to provide warnings when the remote suffered heavy damage, needn't cause any physical harm or lasting effects, just hurts like crazy at the time. That sort of feedback might help make tele-presence more "real". Now one could argue whether anyone would bother to build in such feedback in the first place, and I'd bet it would be the first system disconected. But really I think we are talking better waldoes not "decking, rigging, or netrunning". And please keep a netrunning system out of BP. I like that it has a non-traditional take on cyberpunk. ----- Original Message ----- > I'm talking about the kind of reactions that people have to feedback in > Cyberpunk or Shadowrun, i.e. overload causing brain damage or cell damage > or something, when it should be pretty easy to insert things like fuses to > stop all of that. > > Derek Guder - kabael@softhome.net - ICQ# 24193592 > *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Dracondis [Dracondis@email.msn.com] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 7:31 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetaceans From: > I'm talking about the kind of reactions that people have to feedback in > Cyberpunk or Shadowrun, i.e. overload causing brain damage or cell damage > or something, when it should be pretty easy to insert things like fuses to > stop all of that. Not really. I think you are missing where the feedback is being generated. The stated method is that IC attacks the Decker thru the sensory subroutines of his deck. Its possible to overcome that (they call it Deck Hardening in Shadowrun), which clamps down on overload level signal increases, but a clever hacker can override those, and can even get around hardware lockouts. Its being done now. We call them computer viruses. Now, I'm not certain if you've ever personally suffered from a sensory overload. I have. I had a guy shine me in the eyes with a 10,000 candlepower LED (yes, it was 10,000 candlepower...) at a range of about 10 centimeters. It nearly knocked me out. I did fall over, and it took me the better part of an hour to regain sight in the eye he hit. The duration of the flash was less than half a seconds. It was enough to hurt me, physically, and cause me to be nauseous for a while. I have no doubts in my mind that sensory overload and neural feedback can cause someone to pass out, and damage their bodies physically. Had I been subjected to a more intense flash, or for a longer duration, the shock to my system could have triggered a heart attack, epileptic seizure, or even death. Never think that something can't be done, or that its non-science. Science fiction is science that hasn't happened, yet. I have no problems with the way Decks are handled. - Drakkon - *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Dracondis [Dracondis@email.msn.com] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 7:11 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - waiting, and not playing From: David R. Crowell > Dracondis and others having expressed strong feelings about Yahoo Clubs, I > will run PBeM instead (sorry Fixer). Do people prefer e-groups or what for > this? > Phins would be fine. > Characters should be GEO-friendly, but not necessarily employees. > I have recieved one very detailed character proposal and a few nibbles so > there is still plenty of room. On-line is not as good as face to face, but > it beats not playing. Great! Now where can I find an online copy of the Cetacean CG rules so I can work up a character for this. - Drakkon - *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: kabael@softhome.net Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 6:49 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetaceans > Define 'Dangerous Feedback', please. I don't see how you are arriving at the > conclusion that it could be 'Dangerous Non-Science'... I'm talking about the kind of reactions that people have to feedback in Cyberpunk or Shadowrun, i.e. overload causing brain damage or cell damage or something, when it should be pretty easy to insert things like fuses to stop all of that. It's getting to close to having the "cetacean decker worrying about getting brain damage from his run-in with some Black Ice" that I'd be worried about. Derek Guder - kabael@softhome.net - ICQ# 24193592 Opinionated reviewer extraordinaire *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: ArchitectDoramos@aol.com Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 1:57 PM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetaceans In a message dated 12/29/2000 10:49:24 PM Eastern Standard Time, kabael@softhome.net writes: > On a total tangent: What would people like to see in a cetacean sourcebook? > Culture, psychology, toys, tricks, etc. Lots and lots and lots and lots of advice on how to both how to play a cetacean character and (even more important) how to work them into a campaign without being completely silly. I'd like to see alot more info on how they look,act,move,etc. Culture info would be helpful too. Maybe see some adventure hooks and ideas that deal with them rather than being centered around humans. Has anyone ever run a game for an all Cetacean group? Dead Throats rattle with hollow pleasure Sightless eyes uplifted in confused worship Chuck "Darshu" Payne ICQ#16586693 AIM: ArchitectDoramos ArchitectDoramos@aol.com From: David R. Crowell [gpfarm-dave@northnet.org] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 11:47 AM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - waiting, and not playing Dracondis and others having expressed strong feelings about Yahoo Clubs, I will run PBeM instead (sorry Fixer). Do people prefer e-groups or what for this? Phins would be fine. Characters should be GEO-friendly, but not necessarily employees. I have recieved one very detailed character proposal and a few nibbles so there is still plenty of room. On-line is not as good as face to face, but it beats not playing. --dave *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Gareth Hanrahan [hanrahag@iol.ie] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 11:57 AM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetaceans From: "David R. Crowell" > From: Greg Benage > > For me, a big part of the enjoyment of roleplaying is the "immediacy" and > > "immersion," being *there*, in the thick of the action, with my > character's > > ass on the line. I think this is the toughest thing about using > telepresence > > technology as a substitute for personal presence. How can we, as GMs, > > overcome that distance and provide the same experience for the player > whose > > cetacean character is participating through a remote constellation? We're > > pretty serious about the "no new rules" mantra for our published > > supplements, but are more detailed and comprehensive rules on remotes > > helpful/necessary in this? > > > If by "new rules" you mean "more game mechanics" I don't think that's > needed. "More flavour text" might help. I know that I am not sure how fins > relate to their remotes. Are they attached to them the way a biker is > attached to his hog? Or do they view them casually as a tool to use but if > it gets trashed no big deal? I'd guess (deep insight here) that it varies from 'fin to 'fin. Most would treat them as nothing more than useful tools, and losing one would be an annoyance, nothing more. Others would probably invest a lot in their drones, always having the most advanced/kick-ass/kewl t3ch. ("Hi Mr Dolphin, what's your name?" "Geekfish! Have you seen my Hydrospan XNM-22 advanced long range microdrone with virtual sensorium and holoemitters!? Froth goober goober squeak!"). > As far as including them in a game, have lots of aquaforms and gillsuits. I > would like to see the underwater aspects of the BP setting expanded upon. Seconded. Other than mining and scientific surveys, everything's being done at or near the surface. We need more stuff happening in the deeps.... Oh. Idea. GEO satellites can spot jumpcraft, but not subs - so most covert operations and inter-Incorp warfare would be conducted by strike subs.... > The telepresence problem reminds me of netrunners in Cyberpunk, and riggers > in Shadowrun. You're an important member of the team, but you're not there > in the thick of it. If you make it harder to obtain repairs and replacements > for all those nifty toys things change... I know I was a lot less likely to > risk a drone if I knew it was going to be a long time before I could get > another. Hmm. How about expanding on the availability tables, marking some items as easier to get in big cities, others as easier to get in the wilds... > The neuro-feedback idea someone just proposed is also a good one. Now it > hurts when your remote gets damaged. >I like the better interface concept too. Perhaps some remotes have sensory recorders, and provide a virtual "body image". (Anyone remember the episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation where the engineer was linked up to a remote probe?) Dolphins could also remotely pilot JumpCraft or other vehicles on the scene. Actually, sensory recorders could be another way for 'fins to get in on the action. Dolphins could piggyback on the sensory output of another PC (ala Molly and Case in Neuromancer). The ultimate "Cetacean-interacting-with-landbound-events-remotely" device is, of course, the Orca-mounted tacnuke. :-) Gar *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: necrobob [necrobob@mail.compfxnet.com] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 9:57 AM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - waiting, and not playing >> >At least you have people interested in games :) >> >> Not enough to show up, apparently. >Anyway, since I can't find a way to play in it, I didn't bother expressing my >interest. I think I speak for everyone when I say, "huh?" -Necromancer "Not Playing Online" Bob *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Dracondis [Dracondis@email.msn.com] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 8:39 AM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetaceans From: Kintaro Oe > Thing is, with "dangerous feedback" you also start slipping into the realm > of "dangerous non-science," something BP has done damn well to avoid. It > really is a hard sci-fi game. Define 'Dangerous Feedback', please. I don't see how you are arriving at the conclusion that it could be 'Dangerous Non-Science'... - Drakkon - *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Dracondis [Dracondis@email.msn.com] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 8:37 AM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - waiting, and not playing From: necrobob > >At least you have people interested in games :) > > Not enough to show up, apparently. Or some of us are deeply interested, but we lack the basic rules so we feel that playing in such a game (I personally despise/loathe/want to take a huge sledgehammer to/revile Yahoo Clubs, so I wouldn't play in a PbP, but a PBEM would be acceptable) would be beyond our grasp at this time. If there was a place to get a copy of the basic CG rules and other game mechanics, bare-bones style, that would help. Unfortunately, most gaming companies have this idea that publishing their rules online would somehow weaken sales, which is kinda lame. Anyway, since I can't find a way to play in it, I didn't bother expressing my interest. Now if you could find a way to include a phin in your game, then I would be more than willing to meet you halfway. Yahoo Clubs is not negotiable. I cannot properly express exactly how much I despise Yahoo Clubs. I have had nothing but trouble from them. - Drakkon - *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: necrobob [necrobob@mail.compfxnet.com] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 8:16 AM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - waiting, and not playing ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: kabael@softhome.net Reply-To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2000 05:12:29 GMT > >> I have a few people that I could throw together as a group, provided we >> aren't all working. I've got about 4 games that I REALLY want to run, but >> no time to do it. :-( > >At least you have people interested in games :) Not enough to show up, apparently. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Kintaro Oe [kabael@SoftHome.net] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 6:58 AM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetaceans >What about some sort of feedback from a cetacean remote; some sort of >'neural link' giving advantages in terms of remote ops, whereas the sonic >trode gives a more grainy quality to the control (ie less responsive). Thing is, with "dangerous feedback" you also start slipping into the realm of "dangerous non-science," something BP has done damn well to avoid. It really is a hard sci-fi game. - kabael - Kintaro Oe - Derek the Guder - kabael@softhome.net - ICQ# 24193592 the McGuffin Group - the End Times - RPG Action - the Thirteenth Legion Cabos; resonatos with thermos rather than pluto. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: David R. Crowell [gpfarm-dave@northnet.org] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 6:40 AM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Hardcover supplements (was First Colony when?) I for one am developing a growing fondness for the new BP look. Hardcovers are very nice, considering howmuch my books get lugged around. The unified cover style is also nice, you can spot a BP book a klick or two away, same as WotC did with D&D3e. BP is more eyecatching IMHO. As long as they remain high quality, and don't proliferate like krill, I'll continue to shell out the higher price. The Bar-hopper's Guide to Secondtry would be krill, a source book on all those little dots in the ocean that haven't been documented yet would not. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: David R. Crowell [gpfarm-dave@northnet.org] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 6:33 AM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetaceans ----- Original Message ----- From: Greg Benage > For me, a big part of the enjoyment of roleplaying is the "immediacy" and > "immersion," being *there*, in the thick of the action, with my character's > ass on the line. I think this is the toughest thing about using telepresence > technology as a substitute for personal presence. How can we, as GMs, > overcome that distance and provide the same experience for the player whose > cetacean character is participating through a remote constellation? We're > pretty serious about the "no new rules" mantra for our published > supplements, but are more detailed and comprehensive rules on remotes > helpful/necessary in this? > If by "new rules" you mean "more game mechanics" I don't think that's needed. "More flavour text" might help. I know that I am not sure how fins relate to their remotes. Are they attached to them the way a biker is attached to his hog? Or do they view them casually as a tool to use but if it gets trashed no big deal? As far as including them in a game, have lots of aquaforms and gillsuits. I would like to see the underwater aspects of the BP setting expanded upon. The telepresence problem reminds me of netrunners in Cyberpunk, and riggers in Shadowrun. You're an important member of the team, but you're not there in the thick of it. If you make it harder to obtain repairs and replacements for all those nifty toys things change... I know I was a lot less likely to risk a drone if I knew it was going to be a long time before I could get another. The neuro-feedback idea someone just proposed is also a good one. Now it hurts when your remote gets damaged. I like the better interface concept to. Maybe up the price as well. Then you have top of the line neuro-feedback remotes, customized to the wormhole and back, almost an extension of self. Contrasted with low end sonic trode interface, bare-bones, fire and forget remotes at the low end. Gives some nice roleplaying opportunities for cetaceans and humans alike. Which sort of remote do you use, and why? *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: sjr [bonzodogdoodah@libertysurf.co.uk] Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 2:38 AM To: blue_planet@lists.ient.com Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Cetaceans > Yeah, that's definitely a serious problem. How do you make it exciting, > realistic and not limited at the same time? I'm sure there are ideas out > there, but they need to be put in writing. > What about some sort of feedback from a cetacean remote; some sort of 'neural link' giving advantages in terms of remote ops, whereas the sonic trode gives a more grainy quality to the control (ie less responsive). SJR *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message.