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

Trying something new with formatting, If it does not turn out, I
apologize in
advance and will repost.

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

<< 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? 
Yes. I am interested 

 2) Did you read the FT background stuff or did you ignore it? 
 I read it.

 3) Do you use another background for your games (like Star Trek, Star
Wars,
 B5, homegrown)? 
Mostly getting a feel for the mechanics, stategy of the game, but will
be
starting a B5 variation. 

 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?
 Yes, I would like more background. I might not use it as gospel, but
probably would give me ideas for my own battles.  valen10@flash.net
(Christopher Pratt) had ideas that interested me, and would be happy
with
this. Make the supplements about 40-50 pages (like FT rulebook) and
costing
about the same ($15).

 5) Would you like to see some FT fiction?
 Yes, but not very much in the supplements. Books would be better.

 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."
Somewhere in the middle. Science in games should be consistent with
known
principles, but should allow for new discoveries that add to this
(things
like: you can't travel faster than light speed in normal space, but
hyperspace gives you an apparent velocity many times greater than light,
or
accelerating at 500 g will turn you into 'chunky salsa', except if you
use
inertial dampeners).

 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." 
 In the main don't bother with AI, except in special cases that the
story or
scenerio is built around it.

 8) "Stop with the stupid science posts, already! This is just a game!"
Keep posting them as long as they don't get to far away from the game or
game
mechanics.
  >>

Chan 'Gimme more, gimme more!' Faunce