And, has sued Hasbro for making them, and won, as they have a patent/trademark. So that should be the only place you should be able to get them.
www.crystalcaste.com
Col. Lou Zocchi talks about dice
- Thread starter aramis
- Start date
And, has sued Hasbro for making them, and won, as they have a patent/trademark. So that should be the only place you should be able to get them.
www.crystalcaste.com
Rhialto the Marvelous
SOC-13
So Jeff Rients has collected some third opinions on the Zocchispiel and has published them on his excellent blog (occasionally he has some great posts on Traveller as well, and of course on the legendary Encounter Critical RPG):
http://jrients.blogspot.com/2008/12/diceman-cometh.html
Aramis, I thought you were kidding when you said SFBM was more playable than SFB, but lo, Jeff says the same thing. So now I need to look into the matter...
http://jrients.blogspot.com/2008/12/diceman-cometh.html
Aramis, I thought you were kidding when you said SFBM was more playable than SFB, but lo, Jeff says the same thing. So now I need to look into the matter...
JcFalkenburg
SOC-9
I actually started my gaming "career" at Lou's warehouse on Pass Road in Biloxi, Ms in spring of 1979. I was a starry eyed kid of 12 or 13; we had just moved from Ventura County, Ca. to to Gulfport Ms. ( my father was a navy seabee and had accepted a position at the Disaster Recovery center in Gulfport, Ms, the town across the street from Biloxi. I had actually started Playing wargames ( Panzerblitz, Starship Troopers, Richtofen's War ) the year before, but I had never heard of a roleplaying game. I was a huge fan of comic books at the time, and I had seen an ad for Superhero 2044 ( the first superhero rpg, inspired in great part by a very variant D& D compaign run by John Ford when he was in college) Once I realized that the address in the ad was next door, the gates of Naggery were unleashed on my parents. When I bought the game, the guy at the counter told me that they "gamed" every Friday and saturday night from six until midnight. The rest is History. I bought my first copy of Traveller shortly thereafter. I think I spent every weekend from age 13 until age 17 in that store...
I actually worked for Lou & Gamescience for a Summer in my late teens. It was a great time.
I actually remember when Lou shut the store down...
P.s.
When I was an employee, we used to get 25% off of all purchases, Lou's ex-wife, Sharon, gave me some Killer deals. You guys should see my game collection...
I actually worked for Lou & Gamescience for a Summer in my late teens. It was a great time.
I actually remember when Lou shut the store down...
P.s.
When I was an employee, we used to get 25% off of all purchases, Lou's ex-wife, Sharon, gave me some Killer deals. You guys should see my game collection...
Rhialto the Marvelous
SOC-13
Wow. You have bragging rights, man. AND a privileged childhood.
JcFalkenburg
SOC-9
I was really fortunate. The group that played at "Zochi's"-what we used to call gamescience in that day were all much older thatn me. I have always found the stereotype of gamers as social misfits who game because the don't have much in the way of social skills hard to swallow. Those guys were all in their 30's and 40's, engineers , computer programmers, college faculty and Nasa Employees; I also got to see what the effects of The 80's D&D craze and what it did to the hobby. Got to take the bad with the good....
Rhialto the Marvelous
SOC-13
I was informed of the existence of that stereotype only once I got on the internet (in 1999).
I'm assuming it started to get popular (and maybe got a basis in reality) in the 1990s, when I myself dropped out of gaming. Throughout the 80s I had assumed playing RPGs says nothing about your social being. But once I moved to the US in the late 90s I learned not to bring up the subject of RPGs with, well, most people.
JcFalkenburg
SOC-9
lou and his wife sharon got divorced sometime in the 1990's. Sharon got one of his stores in biloxi, just outside Keesler AFB, she probably has access to the traveller Dice, if not a new lot, at least the original dice. Last time I was down there was 2002, Prior to Katrina, but that store is, in all probability, still open ( air force base + Game store + $$$). Google Diversions Hobbies in Biloxi, Ms, ask for Sharon, Tell Her Elijah sent you.
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
If you have paypal set up you can get some Traveller D6 here:
eBay Traveller Dice
I bought some recently. Reasonable price for shipping through eBay, way too pricey through their store. Shipped quick and good product. I doubt you'll get a better deal anywhere else.
And they carry a lot of other dice, maybe they have the rest you're looking for too, check out their store and auctions, they combine shipping. Try their dice search page:
Fast Find
Not associated with them except as a happy customer
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re: eBay Traveller Dice
Thanks for the link...I actually ordered from these folks the Traveller dice that you have listed. However, either USPS or Canada Post (or customs seized it) failed to deliver it. When I asked for another set (I bought 4)...to be sent, I was asked to wait a month while they investigate. They could not find out what happened and they refunded me the money.
I found the shipping to be rather high from them...although, I did only buy 4 square dice...to be fair. Calculating it from the USPS site, it should have been $1 or less. That is why I am appealing to my fellow Citizens.
The only consolation that I can feel that in the interm, our dollar tanked vis-a-vis the greenback, so I made a small amount of money whilst I was waiting for my dice.
I emailed Lou but he claims he is not Internet saavy enough to use email...so I have yet to phone him.
And, he had not seen the hex dice nor the die within die. Therefore it is also an appeal the group intelligence of the group assembled here.
Thanks for the link...I actually ordered from these folks the Traveller dice that you have listed. However, either USPS or Canada Post (or customs seized it) failed to deliver it. When I asked for another set (I bought 4)...to be sent, I was asked to wait a month while they investigate. They could not find out what happened and they refunded me the money.
I found the shipping to be rather high from them...although, I did only buy 4 square dice...to be fair. Calculating it from the USPS site, it should have been $1 or less. That is why I am appealing to my fellow Citizens.
The only consolation that I can feel that in the interm, our dollar tanked vis-a-vis the greenback, so I made a small amount of money whilst I was waiting for my dice.
I emailed Lou but he claims he is not Internet saavy enough to use email...so I have yet to phone him.
And, he had not seen the hex dice nor the die within die. Therefore it is also an appeal the group intelligence of the group assembled here.
If you have paypal set up you can get some Traveller D6 here:
eBay Traveller Dice
I bought some recently. Reasonable price for shipping through eBay, way too pricey through their store. Shipped quick and good product. I doubt you'll get a better deal anywhere else.
And they carry a lot of other dice, maybe they have the rest you're looking for too, check out their store and auctions, they combine shipping. Try their dice search page:
Fast Find
Not associated with them except as a happy customer
Last edited:
Rhialto the Marvelous
SOC-13
kafka, nobleknight.com has Traveller dice as well. Nobleknight is not cheap but 100% reliable.
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
...not that you're suggesting G2 is unreliable correct
They are reliable (their feedback and my experience attest to that) and I can't understand kafka's trouble. The post office does screw up on occassion. It wasn't G2's fault I'd wager, and give odds. As for shipping, kafka's missing a few points there, they only charge what, $3 and that has to cover not just postage. Try to find it cheaper
(you won't, at least I couldn't, and I tried).As far as having to wait for the refund that is not the way it should have been handled. They should have promptly issued the refund. It can sometimes take more than a month to get the post office to trace and find out what happened but the buyer should not have to wait for that. IMO.
If you don't want to deal with eBay or US sellers I have a set (I ordered two) I can sell you for about $10 (Canadian) plus actual cost of shipping (but CanPost is going to be pricey I expect. And I'm not making anything on that. Or you could order it from G2 for less
(though I understand feeling stung and not wanting to try again).Rhialto the Marvelous
SOC-13
...not that you're suggesting G2 is unreliable correct
Nope, I'm not. IIRC I recommended them upthread myself, and I actually got my own Trav dice from them without any hassle.
Chaps, it is not that I feel stung by them...I bear no ill feelings save that I did not get what I ordered due to some government department...so I feel no ill will toward the merchant. However, the merchant informed me that they will cease doing business with Canada (the fact their eBay posting now says something different concerns me a little but business is business).
However, what I do know is the dice would only cost about US$1-2 for a pair and postage would be less than $1. Therefore, finding a store that would match these costs is impossible. Finding an individual is not.
However, what I do know is the dice would only cost about US$1-2 for a pair and postage would be less than $1. Therefore, finding a store that would match these costs is impossible. Finding an individual is not.
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
That's interesting. I know postage costs (US to Canada) went up a while back, and it seems to be reflected in their web store but not eBay. I saw nowhere on either that they wouldn't be shipping though. Odd.
Good luck and good hunting
Sincerely and honestly....but I don't hold out much hope for your quest.
Your assessment of the s&h costs are frankly naive or misinformed. The cheapest they could mail it to Canada would be over $1 (did you forget to include the weight of the packaging) and that's not including the cost of the bubble mailer (figure another $1) and iirc the new rules in the US require that all international mail needs to be processed at a post office, as in someone has to physically go in and hand it to a postal worker (yay security), which takes time. Being charged $3 is very reasonable imo, it covers expenses only.
As far as the value of the dice themselves, they think they are worth what they are selling them at (you do know they have to include a profit margin right, they won't sell them at "cost" even if your assessment of said cost is accurate), some buyers seem to agree. You don't now and that's ok too. That's the way the free market works. I can't imagine where you'll find an individual to sell them for less though.
Yes, you right I am naive...for a company but not for an individual. Say, FT, you wanted me to ship you a single book or a photocopy of an article. I would not charge you anything for postage, if I could get away with it being letter/documents. And, for Americans, I would find the cheapest way and send it their way without charging for the envelope. Nor would I ever charge transportation. But, maybe, I am a nice guy not a free marketeer.
far-trader
SOC-14 10K
Ah, not naive then, you're just generous to a fault kafka That's not a bad thing if you can afford it, just generally unexpected, even for an individual.
A few businesses I've dealt with operate the same way, but not many. I can probably count them on one hand, if they still operate that way.
The majority grossly inflate their s&h to add to the profit margin. A lot of people fall for it too, low price on the item and high price on the s&h, and apparently think "What a bargin, the widget only cost me $2!" never thinking that the $18 s&h makes it $20 while Bob sells the same widget for $10 with no s&h charge where the buyer apparently thinks "Outrageous! I won't buy Bob's widget for $10! He's overcharging! It's only worth $2." A lot of people are funny that way.
That's not a bad thing if you can afford it, just generally unexpected, even for an individual.A few businesses I've dealt with operate the same way, but not many. I can probably count them on one hand, if they still operate that way.
The majority grossly inflate their s&h to add to the profit margin. A lot of people fall for it too, low price on the item and high price on the s&h, and apparently think "What a bargin, the widget only cost me $2!" never thinking that the $18 s&h makes it $20 while Bob sells the same widget for $10 with no s&h charge where the buyer apparently thinks "Outrageous! I won't buy Bob's widget for $10! He's overcharging! It's only worth $2." A lot of people are funny that way.
