ShapeShifter
SOC-13
I've been looking for a copy of STAR PROBE by J. Snider (1975), but the prices range from YIKES to ZOINKS! 
I've gleaned precious few details about the game mechanics from what I can find on the intarweb, and I was wondering how much of the original mechanics (exploration, exploitation, first contact with aliens, etc.) I could keep by employing Classic Traveller instead. Does anyone with a copy of STAR PROBE (and mayhap even STAR EMPIRES), have any thoughts about such an undertaking?
The 'staggered square' map can be easily redrawn as hexes. I've heard that SE was 3D in that the worlds were also thought of as being distributed above and below the plane of the map, as opposed to the more managable 2D of CT. Changing that should be no problem.
Ideas welcome.
I've gleaned precious few details about the game mechanics from what I can find on the intarweb, and I was wondering how much of the original mechanics (exploration, exploitation, first contact with aliens, etc.) I could keep by employing Classic Traveller instead. Does anyone with a copy of STAR PROBE (and mayhap even STAR EMPIRES), have any thoughts about such an undertaking? The 'staggered square' map can be easily redrawn as hexes. I've heard that SE was 3D in that the worlds were also thought of as being distributed above and below the plane of the map, as opposed to the more managable 2D of CT. Changing that should be no problem.
Ideas welcome.
I see the same crazy prices by them and a couple others pretty regularly for a wide range of "rare collectible" games on eBay and the net. Thing is unless they are printing fresh copies (not accusing, just observing) they aren't moving any at those prices because I've seen the same asking prices for years now.