Tap, tap, tap... Is this thing on?

[MongooseMatt]

Hello, everyone...

With the recent news of Mongoose taking on the Traveller mantle, there are obviously some worries and concerns about what the future holds for our favourite RPG. So, I asked the nobles of COTI to set up this little room so anyone can ask us any question directly.

Consider it no holds barred, you are welcome to ask us anything, and we will try to swing by at least once a day. If we can answer your question, we will!

Looking forward to chatting with all of you.

 

[warwizard]

Hi MongooseMatt
Midnight here in Alaska. In continance of my issues with the PDF for the 5th frontier war, I want to refer you to my thread here on COTI. "

I'm having Fith Frontier War maps printed"​

It's the scans, the blue text is seriously out of focus on one of the pages, I looked at printing them at one of the office supply stores $50 a page for full size and the blue text as I mentioned was unfocussed, so I declined having them do it. I'm going to need to get some S/W and see if I can fix the focusing, or remove that layer and create a new layer with the text entered manually.

The past 5 years have been a bit ahem of a problem. I would like you to put fixing the scans on the list of things to do.

 

[Meteoric Assault]

Past midnight here in Alaska WarWiz.

Here is my question will mongoose turn print on demand back on for older versions of traveller at DriveThruRPG? And then echoing WArWiz could print on demand for the lager maps and deck plans be an option as well?

 

[MongooseMatt]

Hi MongooseMatt
Midnight here in Alaska. In continance of my issues with the PDF for the 5th frontier war, I want to refer you to my thread here on COTI. "

I'm having Fith Frontier War maps printed"​

The past 5 years have been a bit ahem of a problem. I would like you to put fixing the scans on the list of things to do.

Consider this (and other PDFs) to be 'on the list', but this is likely to be a very, very slow process. Manpower is an issue for projects like this. It may be more likely that something like this gets updated if we come back to utilise thew material in some way (if, just for example, we were to re-release the boardgame).

 

[MongooseMatt]

Here is my question will mongoose turn print on demand back on for older versions of traveller at DriveThruRPG? And then echoing WArWiz could print on demand for the lager maps and deck plans be an option as well?

In the perfect world, everything would be available on POD, but a lot of the files need a lot of attention and, being realistic, they are unlikely to make back any investment of time we put into them. So, consider this also 'on the list', but that will likely be on a long. long timeline, absent other projects/factors.

 

[Condottiere]

To do, or not to do, that is the question:
Whether 'tis thriftier in the mind to suffer
The salaries and wages of overtime accounts,
Or to take AI against a sea of time lines ...

 

[Meteoric Assault]

In the perfect world, everything would be available on POD, but a lot of the files need a lot of attention and, being realistic, they are unlikely to make back any investment of time we put into them. So, consider this also 'on the list', but that will likely be on a long. long timeline, absent other projects/factors.

Can you be more forthcoming with the “a lot of the files need attention” and maybe I am missing a step here. It is my understanding that many of the files where print on demand at one point. What would be the lost revenue for clicking for example the Ct Traveller adventure book and having it printed. The real reason I ask is the cover is falling off and I don’t want my kids touching it…. It’s Sacred.

 

[TamsinP]

I'm guessing (based on the PDFs I got from the Classic Traveller bundle of holding a few years ago) it is things like:

Not the best quality scans (and mostly not OCR)
Where OCR used, text not checked
Pages missing
Pages not in the correct order

 

[MongooseMatt]

Can you be more forthcoming with the “a lot of the files need attention” and maybe I am missing a step here. It is my understanding that many of the files where print on demand at one point. What would be the lost revenue for clicking for example the Ct Traveller adventure book and having it printed. The real reason I ask is the cover is falling off and I don’t want my kids touching it…. It’s Sacred.

Some of the source files are... less than awesome, with formatting and OCR issues (for example). Even if there is a perfect one, we still need to double check it, and that takes time.

As I say, the ideal is that everything is available, and that is something to aim for.

Edit: Scooped

 

[mike wightman]

Why not ask for volunteers from CotI and the Mongoose forums to do the checking, updating, even new scans, for free? You have a great resource, a fan base willing to help on a voluntary basis. A credit for the work in the final book is the most I would ask, this is a hobby not a job. I'm not really all that bothered about the credit either.

 

[MongooseMatt]

Why not ask for volunteers from CotI and the Mongoose forums to do the checking, updating, even new scans, for free? You have a great resource, a fan base willing to help on a voluntary basis. A credit for the work in the final book is the most I would ask, this is a hobby not a job. I'm not really all that bothered about the credit either.

That is indeed an idea. We will need to set up a process at this end (more time!), but this could well be a workable solution.

Let us ponder on it.

 

[TamsinP]

Of course, the ideal would be for all the relevant errata to be incorporated into new PDFs, but that would be a lot of work (particularly for MegaTraveller) so probably not an option.

 

[mike wightman]

There are people out there who have already produced their own corrected version of MT...

 

[Ildefonse]

Can you be more forthcoming with the “a lot of the files need attention” and maybe I am missing a step here. It is my understanding that many of the files where print on demand at one point. What would be the lost revenue for clicking for example the Ct Traveller adventure book and having it printed. The real reason I ask is the cover is falling off and I don’t want my kids touching it…. It’s Sacred.

If you legally own the PDF(s) you can use other POD services, for your personal use: DTRPG isn't the only option.

 

[Meteoric Assault]

If you legally own the PDF(s) you can use other POD services, for your personal use: DTRPG isn't the only option.

okay which one works the best? Lulu keeps rejecting the LBBs.

 

[Ildefonse]

okay which one works the best? Lulu keeps rejecting the LBBs.

Really? I've used Lulu the majority of the time (DTRPG a minority), and never had an issue, once the formatting was correct (usually ensuring fonts are embedded). Feel free to PM me and I can help: I was just working on yet another Lulu project.

 

[Hairy Jim DeGriz]

Why not ask for volunteers from CotI and the Mongoose forums to do the checking, updating, even new scans, for free? You have a great resource, a fan base willing to help on a voluntary basis. A credit for the work in the final book is the most I would ask, this is a hobby not a job. I'm not really all that bothered about the credit either.

That is indeed an idea. We will need to set up a process at this end (more time!), but this could well be a workable solution.

Let us ponder on it.

Volunteering for copy editing.

 

[Commander Truestar]

Hi @MongooseMatt
I've recently bought the "Fifth Frontier War" sourcebook your team put out.
Sadly,
As soon as I opened the PDF, I found the "top" of the two page map of "Opening Moves" (Pages 2 and 3) were in the PDF in reverse order...Bottom over top.

I found I had to crack the PDF security to fix that

I then started working to track the data on that graphic (STILL on pages 2 &3) with the Timeline of the 5FW on page 169
Very Sadly,
I could quickly tell the person or persons responsible for adding dates to the graphics mis-entered on Pages 2&3 had mistaken and misprinted
the dates on many actions
Just inside the cover, there is a two-page graphic showing the opening moves of the 5FW. I have captured a piece of that and added the correct system names (see the attached image below)
On Page 45 of the book, a passage states that Zhodani Fleet 28 mustered at Cronor before jumping to "Cipango and Clan".
They then attacked "Ruby, Emerald, Mongo, Nakege and Lysen"
But, the image form just inside the cover does not show that
It shows forces leaving the Clan and Chwistyoch systems on those attacks
In fact, if you look at the image in the book (not added here), it shows "No" forces being deployed from Cipango in the opening moves of the war.

--------------------------------------------

On the map of opening moves, a data balloon states the naval base in the Efate system was destroyed on 187-1107
Yet, the timeline given on page 167 states the bases at Eate and Pixie were destroyed on 188-1107

--------------------------------------------

So, the text says that on 208-1107, the Zhodani accepted defeat in the Mirriam system(Vilis, because there is another Mirriam system i the 5 Sisters Subsector)...
But, as you can see in the included image
....BOTH
...1) The withdrawal from Mirriam is shown...AND
...2) a probing attack strikes..
on 208-1107
So, this is not two teams not communicating
This is a single team, possibly a single *Person* not looking at what they were doing!!!

----------------------------------------------
The Text writers stated the Siege of Jewell began on 211-1107
But, as you can see in the image in the book, the people working on the graphics got it wrong....again...and put the date as "209-1107"

---------------------------------------------

This one is an issue where Imperial forces abandon the Jewell Imperial Naval base and withdraw from the system
In the text, the date is 200-1107
In the image, it is 198-1107

---------------------------------

I could go on.....based on the quality control to create a PDF for which you charge $30 US.

These are Basic proofreading failures.....compounded by failures to notice by those assembling pages where type and image are married.....
Compounded by editing failures...

I edit and correct my free-to-read Traveller website better than this, and that takes the form of a full Novella every month.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

That is indeed an idea. We will need to set up a process at this end (more time!), but this could well be a workable solution.

Let us ponder on it.

I was gun shy, but since you have now made a public statement Matt...
Per our emails regarding T4 First Survey, I would volunteer for such work if I have the right software and you feel I have the skillset. I have had to do data editing and project/programming documentation. If you go forward and I am capable, I would like to join.

 

[Boondock]

Matt,

You mentioned in another thread how Classic Traveller publishers will need to change product covers that are similar to the LBBs and I wanted to ask if/how that will affect Cepheus Engine products. For example, would this policy also require someone like Michael Brown to pull their line of Cepheus shorts to make new covers because they're somewhat similar to the LBBs? I ask because I'm planning to launch an imprint of adventures using CE mechanics. Not only is the LBB concept clean and elegant, it's a popular design customers identify with. And, more importantly, doesn't require a small publisher to spend funds hiring a cover artist. A little clarification would be appreciated, although I'm happy you mentioned this now before I entered the design phase. Thanks.

Adam