A week in Jumspace!?

[Scarecrow]

Anyone got a deck of cards?

Seriously - what does your crew do for their week in Jumspace if they aren't cold-sleeping?

I'm designing a 100 Ton Scout/Courier with 4 crew and I've included the obvious lifesupport equipment but what about entertainment?

Each stateroom has a datacanvas that is capable of running Lan Games and also has a vast library of books and vids. There's a communal holoprojector in the recc area aswell as a communal eating area.

I'm interested in new ideas though so, anyone got anything unusual their crew does in Jumpspace?

Crow

 

[Nearside]

This is going way back, but sometimes we'd study during Jump. This was always a good time to learn more about ship systems and the like.

One of my character's honeymoons was a week in Jump-space, which went terribly well.

Having individual holo-screens in each stateroom is a good idea. You don't want to force people together in the same room for a whole week. Especially if things are tense.

Is it time for an Imperial Network reality show- 'A week in J-Space'?

 

[N.I.C.E. Labs]

Well, past the general things that usually take up time...routine maintenance, personal study, preparing cargo and equipment for thier destination, etc., I like to hit them with a few things that are more adventure specific. Something to make them think about what's going on so they usually spend thier time strategizing or trying to come up with some make-shift device or some such.

There is one little bit that I'll run with a new group...it regards the rumor about something living in Jumpspace. A scientist/loch ness monster hunter hires the group to take him somewhere, but his real goal is to be in Jump. He crowds thier ship with all sorts of sensors and equipment at every porthole and airlock, trying to get a reading. At some point paranoia will definately kick in, with the crew sure that there is something trying to get into the ship whether there is or not. If the scientist has hired the ship for an extended period of time, you could milk this for quite a while...perhaps even make something of it

The first time I did this the ship captain had a broken down Zodani warbot he had rebuilt as a steward. The crew is having breakfast and the bot (named Mongo) glides past them to hover in front of a window, his targeting sensors going nuts as he's trying to track on something with his nonexistant weapons. It was priceless

 

[gardclan]

The crew is having breakfast and the bot (named Mongo) glides past them to hover in front of a window, his targeting sensors going nuts as he's trying to track on something with his nonexistant weapons. It was priceless [/QB]

You, sir, are a very wicked man. I salute you.

I would imagine that there are all sorts of things a crew could be doing while in jump. Something always needs to be fixed, routine maintenance, checking on cargo if you're a merchant, battle drills, simulations, and training if you're military, not to mention the usual duty schedule. About the only thing that probably wouldn't be in use durring jump would be the sensor station.

Since your ship "can't be messed with" while in jump, it might be a good time to service anything that you can get to from inside the hull. Saves a lot of down time later on when you pop back out of the hole.

 

[MichaelL65]

Originally posted by N.I.C.E. Labs:
There is one little bit that I'll run with a new group...it regards the rumor about something living in Jumpspace.

Once while flung through jump-space dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of maintenance lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my air-lock door.
"'Tis some malfunction," I muttered, "tapping near my air-lock door-
Only this, and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was ‘10-344,
And each separate dying light source wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;- vainly I had sought to borrow
From my disc surcease of sorrow- sorrow for the lost Lenore-
For the rare and sencient maiden whom the angels name Lenore-
Nameless here for evermore

And the metal sad uncertain scraping of each hatchway curtain
Thrilled me- filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
"'Tis some malfunction entreating repair near my air-lock door-
Some malfunction entreating repair at my air-lock door;-
This it is, and nothing more."

(With appologies to E.A.Poe)

 

[Nurd_boy]

usually jump time/space <see my entry in ideal player ship> is when overstressed systems fail, pipes rupture, sensors wink off, grav plating fluctuates, interial dampers hickup, and the jump field strength begins to loose intensity <from an external grounding short near the aft quarter...> ...wink,wink...

 

[Vargas]

In one campaign I played in, there was a regular watch position, on the bridge or in engineering, to monitor systems while in Jump.

 

[Scarecrow]

Some excellent ideas. I love the idea of something living in jumpsapce. Reminds me of the rumours of Shadow sightings in early B5.

I guess what I was thinking more of was how a crew would entertain themselves for a week. Whilst maintenance and systems watch is a definite priority if it needs doing, I was thinking more along the lines of what the crew does when there is absolutely nothing to do.

Reading/studying and watching holo-vids are the standards, I was wondering if anyone had anything unusual to add. I guess some sort of gym would be handy for Travellers wanting to stay in shape. Though, I guess if there's no room for one, you could just up the gravity slightly =)

Crow

 

[gardclan]

Originally posted by Scarecrow:
I was thinking more along the lines of what the crew does when there is absolutely nothing to do.

What they do would probably be a measure of their own creativity. Martial artists would probably find some spare room somewhere to work out. Merc types are always cleaning some sort of weapon. As for the others? How about:

1. compile a list of 101 uses for used jump coils.
2. invent new ways to cook the glop that issues from the broken down food dispensers.
3. engage in pun wars with the crew.
4. vid games
5. cards
6. pull the exotic food stash from the hiden compartment in turret #2.
7. get "drunker than poleaxed mules".
8. invent a new role playing game?
9. chase the ship's mascot with a rubber band gun.
10. introduce the resident vargr to wolvesbane.
11. read books
12. study for that remote learning degree from the university of Sylea.
13. study to become a plasma toaster repair man from a cheap distance learning program.
14. introduce the resident aslan to catnip.
15. feed bananas to the ape like humans.
16. learn to play an instrument (in your quarters, so your shipmates don't try to kill you).
17. take up gardening in that spare section of the cargo hold that never seems to fill up.
18. warn your cabin mates not to "disturb the dirt!"
19. cross train on the other ship board skills.
20. twiddle your thumbs
21. write letters for transmission when you get back out of the hole.
22. read up on wild theories about something living in jumpspace. (published by N.I.C.E. Labs holo books LIC, of course)
23. study history.
24. work on those fake ships papers so the customs agents don't sieze your ship in the next port.
25. disguise all that re-routed thruster ducting for the next ship's safety inspection.
26. find a new place to hide the VRF Gaussgun.
27. change the ship's computer's voice to sound like an elderly droyne drone.
28. stare directly into jumpspace for hours at a time. comment to the ship's newbie that the void can suck the soul out of a man if he's not careful.
29. tell ghost stories.
30. make up a list of 30 things to do while in jump.

 

[Vargas]

In the aforementioned campaign, my character, a former Scout, liked to practice his skills on the electric guitar.

Another character like to practice his, er, skills on female passengers.

 

[Tobias]

Originally posted by Vargas:
In the aforementioned campaign, my character, a former Scout, liked to practice his skills on the electric guitar.

Another character like to practice his, er, skills on female passengers.

In one of my early Trav campaigns, the PC´s had a Scout ship. One character was a guitar player who always locked up in his stateroom to practice, and the other (the "owner") basically used the ship to pick up girls.

Eerie....

Tobias

 

[N.I.C.E. Labs]

Originally posted by MichaelL65:

....(With appologies to E.A.Poe)[/QB]

hehe Inspired!

In all seriousness...you might check some navy sites...see what Submariners do...they spend about the same time submerged as in jump...actually many times more....

 

[Scarecrow]

An excellent idea!

I will. Thanks.

Crow

 

[Thorog the Slasher]

One solution to the boredom - play Magic. Assuming a crew of four, you can have a round-robin tournament, or you could play a multi-player game. That would take up a day. Imagine the expansions they'd have put out by this stage...*drool*...
Or RPGs. I read somewhere that they were going to get astronauts to play RPGs to take up time on their way to places and to increase co-operation between crew members. Or maybe my mind invented it. I'm not sure...
Or build a massive model train set all over the ship. Make sure you dismantle it before battle though

 

[Tobias]

Originally posted by N.I.C.E. Labs:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by MichaelL65:

....(With appologies to E.A.Poe)

hehe Inspired!

In all seriousness...you might check some navy sites...see what Submariners do...they spend about the same time submerged as in jump...actually many times more....[/QB]</font>[/QUOTE]I dunno. The thing is, on a submarine, or any warship for that matter, you have to constantly man the stations for sensors, engines, navigation etc., etc., besides having one exercise after te other.

When I was in the Navy, 16 out of 24 hours in a "war patrol" routine were taken up by work. Add to that time for meals, showering, and other everyday necessities, and you won´t have much time for sleeping left, let alone any time to "kill"

A starship in jump is cut off from everthing else. You don´t have to navigate, or watch the skies, or be ready for attack. I´d say It will probably be used for some maintenance or administrative work you never got around to do in the hectic real-space routine. Maybe you will stage some exercises too, but I also imagine that at least a few days will be reserved to provide a welcome relaxation period for the crew.

On military starships, a jump is very likely something that the crew looks forward to. Time to sleep for a full 8 hours finally. You can actually take your time with dinner and not suck it down in 5 minutes. You can sit around and watch a movie in the evening.

My time table for a jump would include a light duty "starport routine" for the first three days, a general "weekend routine" for the middle three days, with only the necessary stations being attended (rotational, so that every crewman gets two days off), and a resumed "patrol routine" for the last day (in anticipation of the jump exit).

The above is of course for military or paramilitary ships. A merchant ship might handle things differently, but with the small crews typical PC ships have, I assume real-space duty will be similarily taxing, and consequently jump time will be used in a similar manner.

Regards,

Tobias

 

[Nurd_boy]

if time in jump space can be related to time at sea for sailors....then there is ALWAYS work to be done, somewhere on board...but one word does come to mind for something to do...

SCRIMSHAW

yes, those ink etchings on whale teeth....in this case it could be from the jump creature that haunts this sector....(says the one-eyed old engineer as he turns the object over in his hands...'be we know it's just old spacer tales..')

 

[Rodina]

The thing I would do over a campaign is assume that if my PCs didn't do something specific during a jump, after a couple of weeks of sloth, I'd make negative DMs on to hit rolls, strength tests (assume they watch the tube), etc.

After a few weeks of this, they started getting organized on ship with training, studying, target practice, etc.

 

[dancha]

All the suggestions above are excellent; I'll definitely be adding a bunch to my repertoire.

One thing to think about -- or keep in mind -- especially with respect to Merchant-oriented campaigns:

==> Think of what life in the Real World is like for crews aboard ocean freighters, or open sea fishing vessels!

Their voyages usually take waaay longer than one week.

So perhaps we should be grateful that the rules say only one week! ; )

Thanks,
Dan

 

[Bishop]

A week in jumpspace? If it was me, I'd be playing Traveller....

Thomas

 

[Stargrove]

While in the Navy I served on two big deployments...

...During the first (Gulf War) we were doing 8 on 8 off shifts with two crews for weeks at a time, the longest of which was 72 days at sea. There was almost no time to do anything except eat and sleep. While awake you would do periodic maintenance, read books, watch movies. Basically anything to kill that time.

...During the second deployment (1994) we did 8 on 16 off shifts with three crews and had alot more time to kill. I had a computer onboard and we spent alot of time playing Doom, Falcon 3 and other games that we bought before the deployment. I also spent time role playing, reading, writing letters, listening to music and watching TV. We would do much of the same while on watch if we weren't doing periodic maintenance.

Unfortunatley we seemed to do more work while in-port since it was difficult, if not impossible to take down the ships radios and radar while underway...