Eden, Traveller, 2008 Agenda

[tcpip]

New Year's break was spent in Eden on the "Sapphire Coast" (i.e., Southern NSW). It's a small town (c3000 people) with magnificent ocean views and a relatively cool climate. Formally a whaling station, its chief industries are now environmental tourism (especially whale watching), fishing, woodchipping (ugh) and buying land so others can't live there. Staying at the Great Southern Inn which had a reasonable tariff and exceptional ocean views. Of particular note is the excellent Killer Whale museum, which documented the unique co-operation between the killers and the whalers in capturing their mutual prey. Also took a day trip to the far more populous but less interesting township of Meriumbula.

Mongoose are currently working on a new edition of the classic science-fiction RPG, Traveller and I have started a rules-intensive mini-campaign on livejournal (traveller1113) to contribute to the project. In the next week or so, I particularly want to work on Psionics and World-building, two classic Traveller components which are currently missing in the playtest rules. Over the New Year's period I mapped up a sufficient quantity of the plot that I may also see if I can get a "campaign module" or equivalent published through them, although my dealings with Mongoose have been less than fruitful in the past; maybe this time will be different.

When reviewing 2007 on paper with a subjective interest, I have mixed feelings. My liquid capital is somewhat weaker overall, and my general fitness is (annoyingly) about the same. I made much progress, but little completion, in my varied projects. On the more positive side, I've ended up with a challenging and rewarding job at a great organisation, and I had a hell of great time gaming with some over 50 reviews for RPG.net and over 100 sessions. More formally, I presented a six-part intensive introductory course in formal philosophy, had four (out of six submitted) letters published by The Age, and gave several other presentations (SecureCon, Internet Vision Technologies, Existentialist Society, Linux Users Victoria, Unitarians). In summary however, 2007 was productive, but fun; 2008 needs to be more serious and I have established a personal agenda to do so.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_nightflower_/]

Seriousness is overrated; let your inner child out, and let it show you what living really is ;p

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I spent a fair bit of 2007 having "serious fun", especially in the first half. This year I'm more in the mood to "grasp the nettle". YMMV.

[jayfurr.livejournal.com]

I played Traveller once, around late 1985. We did the Annic Nova adventure. There was much caffeine and a lot of typical college freshman giddyness and at one point I made offhand reference to one of the vac suits aboard the ship being the 'vac suit with all the hair in it'. The GM didn't know for sure what I was talking about and just let it go, but the comment lodged in the subconcious minds of the other players and periodically someone would mention the vac suit with the hair, perhaps it was a clue, perhaps it meant something, until finally the GM threw down his pencil and said "WHAT THE HELL IS IT WITH THE VAC SUIT AND THE HAIR? WHAT HAIR???"

Good times, good times.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

*laughs* That's beautiful.

Actually, Traveller was a pretty damn fine game for moments like that. The combination of alien settings and the range of equipment seemed to lend it to such humour quite well.

[tikiwanderer.livejournal.com]

Heya! Apropos of nothing: I'd like to invite you to this -smile-.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Ahh damn, I'd really love to go to this, but we're already booked :/