Jump Tapes -- where does the concept first appear?

[whartung]

I happened to be looking through T5 and saw that Jumptapes were listed there as well. In T5 they may be used multiple time, with increasing risk after the 1st time and will automatically result in a misjump in the 6th use.

D.

What does that mean, though, in this context. "Misjump." Does that mean you're cast aloft in to the dark deep space, or simply that the jump worked fine but your destination isn't where it was when the jump was made.

I guess, in the broader sense, what does the fact that a jump tape will fail in the 6th time tell us about jump space, if anything. Also are there any time limits between the jumps? or can I use the tape once every 10 years, and 60 years later it fails?

 

[Condottiere]

Jump tapes are to put you as near as possible at specific point within a time window.

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

On a jump tapes.

I happened to be looking through T5 and saw that Jumptapes were listed there as well. In T5 they may be used multiple time, with increasing risk after the 1st time and will automatically result in a misjump in the 6th use.

D.

What does that mean, though, in this context. "Misjump." Does that mean you're cast aloft in to the dark deep space, or simply that the jump worked fine but your destination isn't where it was when the jump was made.

I guess, in the broader sense, what does the fact that a jump tape will fail in the 6th time tell us about jump space, if anything. Also are there any time limits between the jumps? or can I use the tape once every 10 years, and 60 years later it fails?

Jump tapes are to put you as near as possible at specific point within a time window.

What Misjump means in this case is you are making an 7D Uncertain Impossible Astrogation Task, which even if you attempt to be Cautious still is a 6D Uncertain Hopeless Astrogation Task, which means technically you could try and succeed.

But then the Ref can still roll for a chance to bone players or just send them somewhere interesting. And mostly it is a Timmii the Exploiter Stop...um, I meant avenue for Referee freedom. To bone cheap players who reuse old tapes instead of just spending the Cr 1000 for a new one.

If you read the whole entry under T5, the J-tape is created on large computer arrays and is also used to calibrate the various bits and make sure everything synchs. They are assumed to take into account the fact that everything is moving and that while the math says is safe to Jump at one point in space-time the same math says it isn't in another. Old math, new factors, bad result.

Or that is my take on it.

 

[whartung]

If you read the whole entry under T5, ...

Which I don't have.

the J-tape is created on large computer arrays and is also used to calibrate the various bits and make sure everything synchs. They are assumed to take into account the fact that everything is moving and that while the math says is safe to Jump at one point in space-time the same math says it isn't in another. Old math, new factors, bad result.

As presented earlier, it said it could be used multiple times. But it seems more an expiration date than a "use" issue, right? That the farther away you get from the time it's calculated, the riskier it gets.

My point (and I don't know what it says), is that if time-since-creation (or time outside target window, if you can get a jump tape for a jump 6 mo's from now) is the controlling factor of success, that's what should be detailed in the description, rather than something arbitrary like "use".

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Setting v. Mechanics.

Which I don't have.



As presented earlier, it said it could be used multiple times. But it seems more an expiration date than a "use" issue, right? That the farther away you get from the time it's calculated, the riskier it gets.

My point (and I don't know what it says), is that if time-since-creation (or time outside target window, if you can get a jump tape for a jump 6 mo's from now) is the controlling factor of success, that's what should be detailed in the description, rather than something arbitrary like "use".

Yes, if they were a real thing it would be a time factor, but this is a game and the mechanic is there to keep players from just re-using the tape while giving a somewhat realistic reason for that player stop. So, use is the guide not time. And hey as loose as it is written maybe you can but for Reason X you run the risk of Misjump. And of course you can totally allow them to be reused, raise or lower the price or just chuck them.

Also, adventure! :devil:

Me, I just like the image and the retro feel of them.

 

[Condottiere]

 

[casquilho]

Of course we could be real retro and discuss....

 

[mike wightman]

The original rules say C A S S E T T E cassette not tape. never tape.

This is almost as bad as continually referring to TL12+ heavily armoured fighting vehicles as grav tanks....

 

[aramis]

The original rules say C A S S E T T E cassette not tape. never tape.

This is almost as bad as continually referring to TL12+ heavily armoured fighting vehicles as grav tanks....

The latter is canon. The former, well it may as well be.

 

[casquilho]

The original rules say C A S S E T T E cassette not tape. never tape.

This is almost as bad as continually referring to TL12+ heavily armoured fighting vehicles as grav tanks....

True, but I figure if we could ignore the part where it says they are self erasing then we could ignore the cassette and talk about tapes.

:rofl:

 

[atpollard]

Pre-Virus:


Post Virus:

 

[BillDowns]

The original rules say C A S S E T T E cassette not tape. never tape.

This is almost as bad as continually referring to TL12+ heavily armoured fighting vehicles as grav tanks....

In light of current technology, I figure these are Read-Once thumb drives in a 2"x2" cassette.

Not because they have to be that large, but to decrease the odds of losing the thing! My luck, it wold wind up in the trash. :rofl:

 

[BillDowns]

Like this: http://www.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/spock-tape.jpg

 

[kilemall]

Pre-Virus:


Post Virus:

Virus would just take over paper tape automated robot facilities, and be punching out viral paper tape over and over.

 

[Patron Zero]

My feelings would be that any ships operating during the time of Virus would be susceptible to said infection from any received 'radio' broadcasts from either navigational buoy 'pings' or other standard communications channels so corrupted.

 

[creativehum]

One of the things I love about the Classic Traveller rules is the way they interlock in interesting and specific ways to enhance RPG play.

Digging through rules earlier I found this, for forgotten how the software a ship the PCs gain upon mustering out is determined.

"Standard Software Packages: Each computer comes with a standard software package of programs for use with the equipment. Because each computer may be used differently, this package consists of a credit in MCr equal to the model number of the computer (treat Ibis and 2bis as 1 and 2 respectively). This credit may not be converted to cash."

Well, here's the thing: if you're starting out with a Free Trader or Scout ship you are only starting with 1 million credits. And that means there is no way you are starting with generate on your ship. You are dependent on those cassettes. (A regular expense the PCs might eventually find frustrating and wish to avoid.)

This has two values for a Traveller campaign.

First it limits the range of these ships in the 1977 edition because of the limitations placed by the use of space lanes. This allows the Referee to grow the sandbox of his subsector organically, starting with a few worlds at the beginning and then expanding as the PCs gain more resources. In this way the subsector map does indeed look very much like levels in a dungeon where the PCs can travel further and further by gathering resources and traveling to unknown regions.

Second it gives the players a goal, and an expensive one: to gather enough funds to buy a generate program (as well as offensive and defensive combat programs). This is where the high-stakes, high risk schemes, plots, and plans come into play. The desire of the players to reach beyond the worlds they can easily reach becomes a carrot that they put in front of themselves.

In both cases, the worlds beyond those that the PCs can reach easily are rewards in and of themselves to be sought out by the players through their efforts to make their ship capable of traveling to distant worlds.

 

[mike wightman]

Patrons hire the PCs for their ship and provide them with the jump cassette to take them off the trade line.. but does it take them where the patron says it does...

A world way off the trade line wants to encourage trade and so is offering free jump cassettes... (can't possibly see what could go wrong there)

Rumours of a rich world far beyond the trade lines, this guy in the bar says he knows where to get the jump cassettes to take you there...

 

[CliffBates]

Virus would just take over paper tape automated robot facilities, and be punching out viral paper tape over and over.

Ain't that Vilini style computing? Both that is? :rofl:

 

[Enoff]

Wonderful post creativehum! I really enjoy your ideas.