| From: | Ereskanti <Ereskanti@***.COM> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Brave New World |
| Date: | Mon, 2 Mar 1998 23:16:41 EST |
In a message dated 98-03-02 20:56:24 EST, mneideng@****.CALTECH.EDU writes:
> According to Jeffrey Mach:
> >On Mon, 2 Mar 1998, Avenger wrote:
> >> >>>>>[It is a puzzling situation isn't it Binder? I mean,
there are
> >> resources and other essential items out there, ores and precious metals
> >> on hte moon, on Mars, on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, liberally
> >> littering the asteroid fields, yet as far as I am aware, nothing is
> >> being done to gain access. Most disconcerting.
I am about to reply to this over there...
> >Actually, is this more a matter of your opinion or is it part of any
> >sourcebook? AFAIK, FASA has said next to nothing about space, other than
> >the mention of ballistic flights and the existance of Zurich Oribital.
> >And even with something as important as ZO, I don't remember seeing much
> >of anything. Since they have one orbital station, I don't know if your
> >statement can be made with such surity regarding other space development.
> >On the other hand, I can't have any of my characters stand out to refute
> >your statement since, again, I lack a source to support my claims.
>
> I haven't seen any "official" word from FASA either, but I think it would
be
> somewhat short-sighted to assume that, with everything else the megacorps
> and governments are doing, that they wouldn't have at least sent reasonable
> numbers of mineral assaying craft to those planets. I mean, look at all
the
> missions to Mars going on now. Even given the overly-dramatic-and-
> physically-
> unlikely Crash, the spacefaring capabilities of the Powers That Be in 205x
> should be greatly above those of the present day, and with the economic
> imperative all the more pressing, I'd think that mineral exploration (if
not
> exploitation) should be in full swing.
It is nearly in swing now. An engineers plan has been drawn up for a Lunar
Exploration Colony Site now that is being worked on by a group (and damn I
wish I could remember the name from the show on Discovery). They -could- do
it in 20 years actually, the only thing in the way is the cash.
> >I fear that FASA may be tight lipped about doing a space sourcebook for
> >the same reason that they don't do a heavy military weapons sourcebook.
> >They aren't very relevant to the game or the genre. (Better known as they
> >don't want--shout it with me--"Shadowrunners...in...SPAAAAAAACE!" [all
due
> >apologies to Mr. Henson and Oz]) If people are running a game were their
> >runners are hijacking space shuttles, or singing "Fly me to the moon"
> >whilst and at the same time flying to the moon, they are probably well
> >outside the realm that FASA was originally writing for.
Oh come on, we all think that phrase would be a good point to bring up now and
again... :)
The idea of "hijacking" a shuttle may be a tad extreme or it may not. I
believe Bruce has talked with me before about the "Zurich Run", which should
be in most game groups -THE- run to make. Literally the biggest expression of
SR's idea. The ultimate fortress to break into as it were...
> Concur. We've already seen examples on this list of what happens with
> certain kinds of space-based weaponry, it it is abundantly clear that
FASA's
> game mechanics were never created to deal with the physical scales involved
> (just trying to deal with the Force of a projectile moving at reentry
speeds
> basically breaks FASA's ballistics-and-damage system).
the initial mechanics were not, that is correct. However, I would like to
point out that all of that has changed in recent months. And btw, I have had
an alpha copy of what is coming out in "Target Smugglers" for some time now.
Just wait, Ship Construction will give people ideas, that I am sure of ...
And that isn't meant as a threat or "mine's bigger than yours" remark. That
was meant as the simple truth. If those rules are used, the space shuttle is
a "Hull 1" object and NOT a standard vehicle at all.
> If nothing else, launches of serious spacecraft would be very hard to hide,
> though the exact purpose and capabilities of the spacecraft would be
> easier. =)
And that isn't unnecessarily true in SR mechanics either. Remember,
Corporations hire out most runners in "standard" SR terms. Parasite Launchers
from the backs of Transorbitals would be relatively easy and would be hidden
from view more readily as well. Those vehicles would have to have EC/CM and
E/CD in major values, and with a rigger monitoring them all the way. But it
can be done, it can be imagined, within the mechanics of SR even.
The only problem is Magical restrictions in space. And somehow, I have a
feeling the game writers are working on that one as well.
-K
