CT Only: Planetary size Errata

[BlindGuy]

So I've been reading through various versions of CT, and was struck by something which seems to have slipped through the editing process. Planetary size is measured in miles, according to TTB and Starter Traveller, at least.

Planetary Size (2D - 2): The digit representing planetary size indicates the diameter of the planetary sphere stated in thousands of miles. This size determines varying gravitational strengths and planetary templates for space combat.

This seems to have been pasted into ST without regard for the range band combat system. SHouldn't size be in metric, along with everything else from 1981 onward? I ask just because I didn't notice this in the Consolidated CT errata. Is there another place to report this kind of thing?

 

[GypsyComet]

The Size code remains indexed to thousands of mile of diameter, even though the measurements were later *also* presented in kilometers.

 

[Carlobrand]

So I've been reading through various versions of CT, and was struck by something which seems to have slipped through the editing process. Planetary size is measured in miles, according to TTB and Starter Traveller, at least.



This seems to have been pasted into ST without regard for the range band combat system. SHouldn't size be in metric, along with everything else from 1981 onward? I ask just because I didn't notice this in the Consolidated CT errata. Is there another place to report this kind of thing?

Planetary size is measured in miles in MegaTraveller as well. I think it's the same in GURPS. It's not an error, as near as I can tell. It appears to be done to make the planetary size fit in better with the Universal World Profile convention, holding the codes down to a 1 through A rather than having to run a 1 through F or G, and perhaps because the American audience is more used to hearing about Earth's size in miles and can therefore more intuitively grasp the UWP code size. If you notice on page 10 of CT Book 2 and page 84 of The Traveller Book, the planetary size is given in terms of miles and UWP code with a translation to metric in parentheses, so clearly it's not a "slipped through editing" thing. It was deliberate.

 

[BlindGuy]

Thanks

Planetary size is measured in miles in MegaTraveller as well. I think it's the same in GURPS. It's not an error, as near as I can tell. It appears to be done to make the planetary size fit in better with the Universal World Profile convention, holding the codes down to a 1 through A rather than having to run a 1 through F or G, and perhaps because the American audience is more used to hearing about Earth's size in miles and can therefore more intuitively grasp the UWP code size. If you notice on page 10 of CT Book 2 and page 84 of The Traveller Book, the planetary size is given in terms of miles and UWP code with a translation to metric in parentheses, so clearly it's not a "slipped through editing" thing. It was deliberate.

Thanks for clarifying. That makes sense now, I hadn't noticed the conversions. Oops.

 

[aramis]

Planetary size is measured in miles in MegaTraveller as well. I think it's the same in GURPS. It's not an error, as near as I can tell. It appears to be done to make the planetary size fit in better with the Universal World Profile convention, holding the codes down to a 1 through A rather than having to run a 1 through F or G, and perhaps because the American audience is more used to hearing about Earth's size in miles and can therefore more intuitively grasp the UWP code size. If you notice on page 10 of CT Book 2 and page 84 of The Traveller Book, the planetary size is given in terms of miles and UWP code with a translation to metric in parentheses, so clearly it's not a "slipped through editing" thing. It was deliberate.

1e of CT (copyrights 1977-1980) uses miles in space combat, as well as in world definitions. It's a case of legacy data.

 

[Timerover51]

Using miles also works best when you are using a 2D6-2 die roll to generate worlds, as that gives you a closer set to Earth at 8.000 miles or so in diameter. If you use kilometers, then you have the Earth at about 12,740 Kilometers in diameter, while a Size A world is 10,000 miles in diameter or about 16,000 kilometers. You would then have to use 3D6-2, and have a lot wider range of world sizes. In my view, it is easier to use miles to start with and then convert.

 

[aramis]

Using miles also works best when you are using a 2D6-2 die roll to generate worlds, as that gives you a closer set to Earth at 8.000 miles or so in diameter. If you use kilometers, then you have the Earth at about 12,740 Kilometers in diameter, while a Size A world is 10,000 miles in diameter or about 16,000 kilometers. You would then have to use 3D6-2, and have a lot wider range of world sizes. In my view, it is easier to use miles to start with and then convert.

Or you go to a 3d6-3 roll with 1000km diameter (which makes earth a size 12), or retain 2d6+2 and use 1000km radius... (which makes earth a size 6), or 1d6 and 2000km radius (which makes earth a size 3)...

 

[Carlobrand]

1e of CT (copyrights 1977-1980) uses miles in space combat, as well as in world definitions. It's a case of legacy data.

Ewww, yucky! We'd have had to have been calculating things in foot pounds and such, or whatever the US system is, if they'd kept that.

 

[aramis]

Ewww, yucky! We'd have had to have been calculating things in foot pounds and such, or whatever the US system is, if they'd kept that.

Except that all the personal scale was "converted" already in 1e...
noting that the conversion appears to be (based upon hectogram accuracy listed) done by pounds/2 rather than pounds/2.2 or pounds/2.204...

 

[Timerover51]

Ewww, yucky! We'd have had to have been calculating things in foot pounds and such, or whatever the US system is, if they'd kept that.

I do all of my calculations in English Units and then convert to metric, as a lot of the formulas that I work with are based on English units. I just spend more time on the calculator.