Re: Starship! and FT, from the author

Brad Carlson wrote:

>>The part I found really funny was when he asked me what system
>>I play.  I told him I played Full Thrust.  He said that's okay as
long as
>>you stay in the universe they provide, but it doesn't let you create
your
>>own races. 
>>Obviously, he doesn't know Full Thrust, nor does he know about the
>>cross-over battles with Federation Cruisers, Babylon 5 ships, and
>>Battlestar Gallactica just to name a few.

[snip]

>I HAVE played full thrust. According to the books I have (Full Thrust,
>More Thrust), the allowed races are:
>    "Standard" whatever that is
>    "Kra'Vak"
>    "Sa'vasku"

"Allowed races"? I don't think so.

The KV and SV, and nowadays the Phalons as well, are the only races for
which GZG has created specific rules. All other races fall under the
"standard" rules, modified as desired by the "if you are not happy with
a rule or system, throw it out and use your own" clause (verbatim quote
from the FT main rules, page 2, "Introduction and designer's notes").

[snip]

>Have I missed something? 

Yes. Actually I'd say that you've missed the entire, and explicitly
stated, purpose with Full Thrust... specifically, you've missed the
following very important section in the main rulebook (FT2 p.40, "The
background and timeline"):

"FULL THRUST was written from the start as a GENERIC system, that is,
it was not set in any specific 'Future History', but instead provided a
rules framework for players to fit into whatever backgrouhnd they
preferred - whether from a book, film, another game or just their own
ideas.

Although this edition may still be used in exactly the same way, it was
felt that for completeness some sort of background setting should be
included as a OPTION. This optional nature cannot be over-emphasised -
there is a full setting and 'History' provided here  IF you wish to use
it. If you prefer to ignore it completely and use your own ideas, then
all the better - for too long now gamers have been spoon-fed by certain
'big-name' companies inot believeing that they should only set their
games in the 'Official' universe for that system.

Please treat the background just like any of the Advanced rules; if you
like it, by all means use it - if you don't then write your own, and
ignore any ****** who tries to say you're doing it 'wrong'..!"

Back to Brad:

>Or were these Federation, B5, and Gallactica ships created "outside"
>the rules.

They were mostly created using the FT design system, in some cases
amended with background-specific gadgets under the "if you are not
happy with a rule or system, throw it out and use your own" clause -
there are no stats given for Star Wars ion cannons in the published
rules, for example, so the players wrote their own. According to the
section quoted above ("...provided a rules framework for players to fit
into whatever backgrouhnd they preferred - whether from a book, film,
another game...") this is exactly what Full Thrust is all about, so
these ships obviously weren't created "outside" the rules.

>And I don't see any chapter anywhere on creating your own race, with
>its own special abilities and unique weapons.

You mean that *you* have provided detailed rules for how the players
are supposed to invent their own house rules - or are you saying that
you have provided such detailed rules that they players "won't need to"
invent their own house rules?

Regards,

Oerjan Ohlson
oerjan.ohlson@telia.com

"Life is like a sewer.
  What you get out of it, depends on what you put into it."
- Hen3ry