James,

Well, I never got an email - too bad, I had most of the summer off. That's okay, I'm getting hyped about making a SF game again.  I know you sort of held a form of "carte blache" in the old group, but there are some definite directions that I want to go in, so we can either live with the idea that we may go in different directions, or if you decide you like the direction I'm going in, then great for all!  But I definitely can use some fresh perspectives.

As you may or may not remember, I'm mainly a hard SF (ala Niven/Pournelle) and militaristic SF fan, and I pretty much run my MegaTraveller campaign that way.  But alas, a 4th edition of traveller has just come out, and while they did some things better than the previous edition (Traveller: The New Era), it's still a little short of excellent, so I decided to go back to the drawing board on my own game.

I do go back to school next week, but I don' work, so I should still have a bit of time.  I will probably spend a majority of my time on a planetary generation and growth system's mechanics - I know we had decided to do the background first and system 2nd, but considering a lot of the questions that got raised in the old digests, it probably is a good idea to develop a system generation system concurrently with the background.

Anyway, let me know if you get a hold of anyone else - if if you want to (or want me to) put a post up somewhere on usenet.

Later,
 
>Alan,
>
>>Just writing to se what ever became of the old Net SF group.  Did it ever go
>>anywhere?  I hope everyone didn't take off and do some development without
>>me - after all, I was a major contributor.
>
>As far as I know, no one has gone off doing their own development. So no, it
>did not go anywhere -- yet.
>
>>But I summise it just sort of petered out - but I hope that someone's
>>interested in it still.
>
>Yeah, it appeared to start dying out. I sent out an email asking whether
>people were still willing to work on it. I didn't get a response which lead
>me to two conclusions: a) No one was still interested in working on it. b)
>No one got the email.
>
>All in all, I felt it was (b) which meant I should have followed up the
>email with another one just in case, but at the time I was let-go my job,
>had college placements and orientation to worry about, and numerous other
>more important matters to attend with, so I didn't follow it up.
>
>I never wanted to have it come to an end. It has come to mind quite a few
>times, but I didn't want to go ahead and work on it by myself.
>
>So would you be in on getting re-started? In case if you're wondering, I
>still have most of the info that was discussed until the messaging came to
>an end.
>
>Hopefully, you would be willing to continue working on it.
>
>
>James
>---
>"Wake up, time to die!"
>
>	- Blade Runner
>
>maelstrom@csnet.net
>
>
>
Ok, to answer questions here:

>1. Operating system (not too important, but it helps...)

Windows 3.11.  I have a version of 95 available to install (and I did once, but that's another story)

>2. Browser (Netscape, IE, etc. Don't forget version #!)

Currently using Netsape 1.2.  Too lazy to download another version, but that may change soon.  I really never had a reason for anything more.  I really don't spend much time on the WWW, I am mostly a usenet junkie.

>3. Browser cache size (more of a curiousity, but can be helpful...)

?  Got me ?

>4. Typical screen resolution and # colors (or palette etc.)

I could check to find the exact numbers, but don't know right off the top of my head.  Whatever factory settigs happens to be - I never fiddle with graphics unless I have a game that requires it.

>5. Preference (Text, Low/High # graphics, etc.)

Whatever.  For discussion, plain text is fine.  For a web site, fast loading graphics is best.

>6. Other (anything you can think of... could even be software that you
>normally use or something else. Whatever...)

I have AutoCAD and campaign cartographer.  I use the former for any kind of technical drawings and the latter for maps.

I am using MS Works as my word processor and spreadsheet currently.  AutoCAD can export files in post-script, which Works (and Word) can import, so if I make any relevant technical drawings, I can send them to you that way.  The bitmap function would be more universal, but there seems to be a problem with my computer using it (for reasons beyond my level of technical expertise).


>Again, that gives me an idea if I post a site how to design it. Also, it
>allows us to know what kind of info can be shared the easiest. Here's the
>run down for me:
>
>1. Windows 95
>2. Netscape 2.01
>3. 1024 KB mem 5000 KB disk
>4. 1024 x 768 x 16 bit
>5. Low # graphics/fast loading graphics. Text is good since it loads fast.
>Granted, I will have a faster connection at college, but I still don't want
>to spend lots of time to check a site out - especially if it is a work in
>progress that I'm working on! :)
>6. Well, I remember a while ago you mentioned you use MS Word, right? Well,
>I have the whole MS office suite, including Word. What else... That's about
>it right now...
>
>As I said, let me know your feelings and I will be back to you. Talk to you
>soon...
>
>
>James
>---
>
>maelstrom@csnet.net
>
>
>