Quote from: tzunder;523081There is a lot of material written for the earlier version of 2300AD that could be quickly and easily converted.

But none of it is 'splatbook' in the White Wolf sense. It's settings and adventures mainly.

2300AD is nice in that it presented quite a French Arm of space, with French and Germans and other Europeans and a very non American flavour.

Ah yes, because if there's one thing we all really want, its to play "Frogs... in Space!"

RPGPundit

Oh goodness, yes!

As a Brit, playing a game in which one could roleplay every cliche about the French that one could think of in a seely French accent is totally appealing.

Plus, when you've stopped being silly, being a Legionnaire in space and kicking Kafer butt is really rather cool.

Anyway, the French Arm is also very European, so for we in the EU it's quite a lot of fun playing Germans, Italians etc..

Ah yes, the EU, because if one thing says "dashing sci-fi action" its bureaucrats from brussels.

RPGPundit

Ha ha. But I was using it as a simple bloc. But bureaucracy is great for players to kick against.

Quote from: beeber;523439the "intelligence increased while fighting" thing just didn't work for me.  not for an interstellar civilization, anyway.

Technically their intelligence increased under stress. Their neurochemistry was such that the chemicals that were released enhanced their cognitive abilities. Moreso when the chemicals dissipated the resulting increase didn't all disappear. Repeated cycles of this resulted in a permanent increase in intelligence. Which is the ultimately was the foundation of Kaefer civilization.

It took Kaefers a long time before their civilization was able to industrialize. The basic issue was that a successful civilization reduced stress opportunities causing the overall population to become dumber. Eventually the civilization would succumb to smarter barbarians and the cycle would repeat.

The change came when a naturally smart Kaefer developed a philosophy of systematized violence that allowed Kaefer culture to break the cycle and build a lasting civilization.

Bought and read the Book. This version 2300AD is just OK. It biggest issue is that it is not worth $50. Maybe $40. The biggest plus is bringing the 2300AD verse to the Traveller game system. The second biggest plus is that it is a way better and more useful summary of the 2300AD world than the original core rulebook. Although the omission of Kaefer stats is weird.

The biggest downside is that the physical book doesn't justify the $50 price tag. And the deckplans for the starships are stupid. Why? Because there is no anti gravity out side of continuous thrust or spinning up a module. All the zero-g sections are laid up like Classic Traveller style deckplans with chairs, beds, and tables.


While there would be table and chair/stands (with straps) it would look like a gravity based plan would. Instead it would like how Skylab/Salyut/Mir/ISS would look. A series of corridors with all four side used. There would a definite up and down orientation but it would shift depending on the individual sections. For example in Skylab the Orbital Workshop area had a different orientation than the Multiple Docking Adapter (where some controls were housed).

At this point I would only recommend getting the $30 PDF. It is worth $30 for the Traveller conversion stuff including starship creation. You can buy the originals at http://www.farfuture.net/cdroms.html for $35. For $65 ($15 more) you get a 2300 AD with a better rule system and the entirety of the GDW run of material.

Quote from: estar;525288Bought and read the Book. This version 2300AD is just OK. It biggest issue is that it is not worth $50. Maybe $40. The biggest plus is bringing the 2300AD verse to the Traveller game system. The second biggest plus is that it is a way better and more useful summary of the 2300AD world than the original core rulebook. Although the omission of Kaefer stats is weird.

The biggest downside is that the physical book doesn't justify the $50 price tag. And the deckplans for the starships are stupid. Why? Because there is no anti gravity out side of continuous thrust or spinning up a module. All the zero-g sections are laid up like Classic Traveller style deckplans with chairs, beds, and tables.


While there would be table and chair/stands (with straps) it would look like a gravity based plan would. Instead it would like how Skylab/Salyut/Mir/ISS would look. A series of corridors with all four side used. There would a definite up and down orientation but it would shift depending on the individual sections. For example in Skylab the Orbital Workshop area had a different orientation than the Multiple Docking Adapter (where some controls were housed).

At this point I would only recommend getting the $30 PDF. It is worth $30 for the Traveller conversion stuff including starship creation. You can buy the originals at http://www.farfuture.net/cdroms.html for $35. For $65 ($15 more) you get a 2300 AD with a better rule system and the entirety of the GDW run of material.

Thanks for the very informative mini-review, Rob.

I'm one of those "no PDF is worth more than US$10" types, but since all I want from 2300AD is bits and pieces to use for MTU, it's probably a deal.

I'm miffed that Mongoose doesn't work with a Bits & Mortar guarantee. Compare to the class act guys at Autarch which offered me a discount coupon for the physical book, having purchased the PDF.

Also, no Käfer stats? What the fuck, Mongoose.

sounds good to me too, rob, thanks for that.  no kafer stats is a no big deal for me, so i might as well grab it.  would you say the other stuff is easily usable for CT/MT?  i would expect so, but i don't have any of the mongoose trav stuff to compare.

Quote from: The Butcher;525807I'm miffed that Mongoose doesn't work with a Bits & Mortar guarantee.

I think they do work with Bits & Mortar, or at least I got a PDF copy to go with my purchase at LGS.

Quote from: estar;525288And the deckplans for the starships are stupid. Why? Because there is no anti gravity out side of continuous thrust or spinning up a module. All the zero-g sections are laid up like Classic Traveller style deckplans with chairs, beds, and tables.

I think these as drafts rather than exact representations. Besides only the Thorez and the Aconit have sleeping courters without spin habitats. I kept looking for gyms at the designs but I guess I need to handwave this.

Quote from: Mikko Leho;526362I think these as drafts rather than exact representations. Besides only the Thorez and the Aconit have sleeping courters without spin habitats. I kept looking for gyms at the designs but I guess I need to handwave this.

Zero-G Gyms would exist and in fact be even more esstential to the crew's health than when under gravity.

The the machine would include resistance devices and involve the use of bungee cords and harnesses to strap yourself in. The ISS and Mir has treadmills where the user straps on a harness and attaches himself via bungee cords. He or she can then run roughly like earth.

One problem with the treadmill is that certain astronauts running at a certain speed will resonant with the station causing the whole structure to shake violently.

Mongoose does work with Bits and Mortar.