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T5, what do you hope it is?

Started by Dominus Nox, April 13, 2007, 11:01:27 PM

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Pierce Inverarity

#45
April 16, 2007, 01:55:43 PM
Quote from: Caesar SlaadI don't buy that. The Traveller Imperium is, principally, humanocentric. A vast majority of worlds in human space are human populated. Aliens live on the fringe or in isolated pockets, and the early core rule sets had no rules for aliens in them. To compare it to "chattering aliens in a cantina" takes something between imagination and chutzpah.

That is not such an unlikely scenario as soon as you're traveling with a couple different alien PCs in the party. It sets a certain tone.

Otherwise I agree, anthropomorphic aliens are easily ignored without distorting the setting. That was my point--they're integral only if you so choose.
Ich habe mir schon sehr lange keine Gedanken mehr über Bleistifte gemacht.--Settembrini

jrients

#46
April 16, 2007, 02:45:41 PM
Quote from: Caesar SlaadThere has been a huge amount of development on the setting since then, largely based on the ancients backstory. The OTU is no longer where you were. Not by a long shot.

For any development in the setting, you will find a number of people among the hardcore Traveller fandom who reject that development.  Choosing to ignore Grandfather and his implications strikes me as a lot less damaging to the spirit of Traveller than say, fiddling with how FTL travel works.
Jeff Rients
My gameblog

Dr Rotwang!

#47
April 16, 2007, 04:18:25 PM
Here in Rotwang! country, where trade routes are mapped in pink (apparently) and whole advenures develop out of the sudden illegality of Tiger Beat at this-or-that planet or somebody's sudden need for a bodyguard in a rough-and-tumble startown, aliens are used as a spice, not a flavor.
Dr Rotwang!
...never blogs faster than he can see.
FONZITUDE RATING: 1985[/font]

beeber

#48
April 16, 2007, 05:42:44 PM
tiger beat?  is that some kind of aslan porno?

:rimshot:

RockViper

#49
April 16, 2007, 05:51:27 PM
I think you may have discovered what traumatized Settembrini. :haw:
"Sometimes it's better to light a flamethrower than curse the darkness."

Terry Pratchett (Men at Arms)

Dr Rotwang!

#50
April 16, 2007, 07:35:19 PM
Quote from: beebertiger beat?  is that some kind of aslan porno?

:rimshot:
Oh, man.  The Winner.
Dr Rotwang!
...never blogs faster than he can see.
FONZITUDE RATING: 1985[/font]

David Johansen

#51
April 16, 2007, 08:19:26 PM
Quote from: QuireFundamentally I agree with you David. Particularly if a race is going to use tools (intelligence) to circumvent evolution. In such a case, they're going to need something to do that with: hands, eg. And there's a strong argument for upright and predator-types eyes (front-facing) for such things. An upright stance does seem to be a pre-requisite for 'intelligence', too.

However, your stance is very anthropomorphic in and of itself. There _could_ be intelligences very removed from our own, and they _could_ exist in non-competitive environments. It's not 'bunk' and it's not unreasonable - but it would make it very hard for us to relate to. Such lifeforms would be unlikely to operate in a similar timeframe to humanity (humaniti!), and we'd probably think they spent an awful lot of time 'dormant'.

What's that Banks novel that has a bunch of gas-giant dwellers that remind us of us on so many levels, but are utterly alien in others? Ah yeah, 'The Algebraist'. That's an interesting example.

- Q

Nope, in any circumstance where there is potential for increase, there will eventually be competition.  The laws of physics will still apply too.  That alone is sufficient common ground to expect that we'll be able to communicate and learn to understand aliens.
Fantasy Adventure Comic, games, and more http://www.uncouthsavage.com
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