Re: Background Irrelevancy--and Poll (was Re: AIs and such...)

In a message dated 97-07-19 13:02:54 EDT, you write:

 <<SNIP for brevity>>
 
 <So, here's a quick poll:
 
 <1) Do you REALLY care about the FT background? Are you really
interested in
 <what happens to the ESU, NAC, etc. or is it just an excuse for a
battle and
 <nothing more? 

I for one do care about the FT "official" background and find it very
interesting.  I used the FT background when I proposed some of the
scenario
ideas that were used at last year's GenCon and have carried over to the
scenarios to be played this year.
 
 <2) Did you read the FT background stuff or did you ignore it? 

Read it and re-read it looking with an eye towards expanding on it.
 
 <3) Do you use another background for your games (like Star Trek, Star
Wars,
 B5, homegrown)? 
 
 <4) Would you like to see the FT background enhanced, with a more
detailed
 <timeline, in future supplements? If so, how many pages out of a
typical
 <sized rulebook would you be willing to give up to the background?

I would like to see fleet books and campaign materials.  Doesn't have to
be a
requirement for playing the game, just offering one setting for play.
 
 <5) Would you like to see some FT fiction?

Yes
 
 <6) How "accurate" a background do you want? "I want a hard science
 <background taking into effect things like AI development, genetic
 <engineering, relativity, etc." or ""Star Wars was accurate enough for
me."

Accurate, though I still like space opera elements (the FT
"reactionless"
engines and such).  Middle ground I guess but leaning more towards the
accurate side.
 
 <7) Regardless of number 6, do you want to see guys in fighters,
escorts and
 <fleet ships? "Don't bother too much about AI, it's men versus men or
men
 <versus bugs that interest me." 

People in the ships.  I haven't really commented yet, but some of the
posts
I've seen from a few have scared a soldier like myself.  The willingness
to
"sanitize" warfare and then equiping these sentient AI's with high
firepower
and not a lick of emotion or conscience bothers me.  It would seem to
lead to
making war too easy ("Hey, they just machines.") and lead to rapid
escalation
of hostilities.  Also, emotionless AI's sacrificing manned ships because
(for
example) they provide a better tactical/survivability advantage, no
matter
how small, by drawing fire or otherwise sacrificed.
Sorry, better get rid of the soapbox.  Wrong place to put this,
especially
with it being so brief.  I'll try to go more in-depth later.
 
 <8) "Stop with the stupid science posts, already! This is just a game!"

Ah, the science posts aren't that bad.	Just need to have less emotion
in
some.

Morgan Keyes
Sine Pari
Airborne All The Way!