OK, assuming that they go with the "shipping container cabin" option, a few thoughts:
- If it's self-contained, where's the power coming from?
- How does the waste product tank get flushed/emptied?
- Does it require consumables (filters, refrigerant gasses, etc.) in order to continue functioning?
- Is it easily maintainable (related to the last point above)?
- What additional space does it require for its' occupants to enter and exit the obviously required airlock?
- How does the atmospheric recycler dump excess heat? Is there a heat exchanger? How about an external heatsink?
A small galley (H) allows preparation of meals using the stored rations (I). Three small areas are situated off the main living area. The recycler (F) contains the mechanisms for both oxygen and water recycling. The fresher (G) contains the toilet, a shower, and a basin for personal needs . Finally, the power plant (J) is a self contained power source for the entire structure, providing energy for the recycler, the galley, and for heat and cooling as necessary.
Redcap, have you read the article on the Model 317 Pressu rized Shelter, written by Marc Miller, that appears in JTAS No. 6, pages 35 and 36? The following is part of the description of the shelter.
It also includes an airlock. Basically, the shelter is a container house as described by others. It is designed to be self-contained for a period of over 2 months by 8 people.
Given the price of 50,000 Credits, my view it that the 500,000 credit charge for a ship stateroom should have no problem paying for enough life support equipment to put 4 people in the stateroom. On private ships, such as a Yacht, you can put 2 people per stateroom without any additional charge for the stateroom, clearly, the rules assume a fair amount of excess life support. In the ANNIC NOVA adventure, the staterooms are clearly being used by one individual. That adventure was also written by Marc Miller.
The one person per stateroom is strictly an artificial rule designed to make the players work very hard to cover the costs of a ship.
Further, later versions of Trav actually spell out allowing more than one per state room....
I think the bigger issue is that comparing travel of 20th Century First World transportation to the travel found in the setting implied in Traveller Book 2 is like comparing apples to cocker spaniels.
If that's what someone wants, great. But Book 2 isn't there to help you do that. Book 2 is there to build a setting of pirates, a semi-rare safe fuel, limited cargo and passengers traveling between worlds, risks of misjumps, risk of system failure that will days if not months from help, becoming stranded on worlds lacking proper technology for repairs, gunners primed to defend merchant ships, and so on.
But Book 2 isn't there to help you do that. Book 2 is there to build a setting of pirates, semi-rare safe fuel, limited cargo and passengers traveling between worlds, risks of misjumps, risk of system failure that will leave you days if not months from help, becoming stranded on worlds lacking proper technology for repairs, gunners primed to defend merchant ships, and so on.
Book 2 of 77, sure. Even A class starport systems are infested with opportunist pirates. Book 2 of 81, not so much unless you go to the places without decent starports.
If someone wants their space travel between worlds to feel like going on a cruise in the later half of the 20th century, that's great.
But Book 2 isn't there to help you do that. Book 2 is there to build a setting of pirates, semi-rare safe fuel, limited cargo and passengers traveling between worlds, risks of misjumps, risk of system failure that will leave you days if not months from help, becoming stranded on worlds lacking proper technology for repairs, gunners primed to defend merchant ships, and so on.
I think the bigger issue is that comparing travel of 20th Century First World transportation to the travel found in the setting implied in Traveller Book 2 is like comparing apples to cocker spaniels.
If someone wants their space travel between worlds to feel like going on a cruise in the later half of the 20th century, that's great.
Historically steerage was pretty horrific
fast drug would help.
You know, reading this last little bit of thread, I struck by how true this is. My own imagination see's staterooms as more something like what I saw in the old black and white films I watched on Sunday afternoon as a kid. Things set more in the 1930's - to- 50's or so.
I wouldn't even say that you couldn't get a modern cruise experience but that is the bread-and-butter of FASA's King Richard, not the vast, vast majority of ships. Something like a Subsidized Liner should be like flying in a transcontinental passenger jet, not a luxury cruise. A High Passage is luxurious in comparison to a Middle Passage, but that is arguably a low bar to meet.
Honestly, it would probably be worthwhile to add a extra level of passage, perhaps one that is only semi-legal, "Steerage" - where the captain has converted (temporarily) some or all of the cargo space to passenger space. Some air purification has been added to handle the strain on the ships system, some bottled water (maybe), but a way to capture the misery of actual steerage passage that isn't quite as cargo-ish as Low Berths. Historically steerage was pretty horrific, but is was cheap...
D.