 April 1, 2009 - 2:22pm | Before you answer: o What are you doing personally with SF? o What is your gaming group doing? o What resources would help you play, GM or promote SF? o I know there are questions out there, send them to the zine!!!! o The new project, FrontierSpace, anything you want to see in the zine? w00t says, "Say it don't spray it." |
 April 11, 2009 - 9:32pm | You wanna know what I want to see in SFMan#12? A page three girl.... "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
 April 12, 2009 - 4:11am |  |
 April 12, 2009 - 8:07am | Shack, Very nice. Time flies when your having rum. Im a government employee, I dont goof-off. I constructively abuse my time. |
 April 12, 2009 - 9:54am | I will be contributing: Paper Standees (preliminary sketches complete) 12 Issue Content and Index lists (Contents complete-minus Issue 12. Article Index complete-minus Issue 12. Subject index on the way) Zethra (Complete-will do intense overview for any needed adjustments) Roleplaying Robots (Almost done) View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
 April 12, 2009 - 10:28am | Wow! I can't wait for issue twelve. I wish I had more to contribute. I can't think up ideas that fast, let alone write them down that fast.  |
April 12, 2009 - 11:47am | Though I don't write professionally (wish I did), I write on the professional level (regarding speed, prose, accuracy, readability, and research). All it takes is practice, practice, practice. The more you write, the faster you get at it, mostly in knowing what you need to do and when, and knowing how to overcome writer's block. Typing 75 words a minute helps too.  Oh, and it also helps to make yourself work on seemingly boring technical things like my doing the Index. This helps with facing tedium in other things you write, helping you overcome writer's block. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
April 12, 2009 - 11:00am | Now, that's what I'm talkin' about.... "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
April 13, 2009 - 5:54am | LOL wish I could take credit for it...I found vacc-suit gal somewhere on the net long ago. I got a couple more... |
April 13, 2009 - 9:05am | The artist has a webpage. I don't remember where, though. Before we print something like that, we would have to get permission. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
April 13, 2009 - 5:52pm | Yes, Mother.... LOL "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
 April 13, 2009 - 10:47pm | o What are you doing personally with SF? Not enough o What is your gaming group doing? Not playing enough o What resources would help you play, GM or promote SF? A gaming group nearby. o I know there are questions out there, send them to the zine!!!! Probes and shuttles need some more detailed rules. o The new project, FrontierSpace, anything you want to see in the zine? Not too familiar... |
April 13, 2009 - 10:59pm | o I know there are questions out there, send them to the zine!!!! Probes and shuttles need some more detailed rules. I've seen a few posts on the probe issue recently but I have nothing personally to commit. Any ideas would be great. |
April 14, 2009 - 4:35am | On the FS note, do we really want to start including this in SFman? I don't mind a reference to it or a write up etc...but not having fully perused the site yet I have at least garnered that it is not Star Frontiers. Seems to me if we start including non-SF material in SFman, than we need to start including Traveller, D&D, Pokemon (okay I'm kidding on that last part) etc? Just throwing that out there... ...and here's a copyright infringement-free page three gal:  |
April 14, 2009 - 6:21am | On the FS note, do we really want to start including this in SFman? I don't mind a reference to it or a write up etc...but not having fully perused the site yet I have at least garnered that it is not Star Frontiers. Seems to me if we start including non-SF material in SFman, than we need to start including Traveller, D&D, Pokemon (okay I'm kidding on that last part) etc? Just throwing that out there... ** Please, no copyright arguments, just read the post ** ;-) Here is my opinion.
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April 14, 2009 - 7:35am | I have to say I am with Shadow here. FS is NOT Star Frontiers. I think submissions for that game would only cause confusion. Maybe it needs its own zine? |
April 14, 2009 - 9:58am | I have to say I am with Shadow here. FS is NOT Star Frontiers. I think submissions for that game would only cause confusion. Maybe it needs its own zine? A very tough question. FS is NOT Star Frontiers, but is said to be similar. Technically, Star Frontiers "belongs" to WOTC. In court, verbal agreements are worth the paper they are written on. If someone at WOTC decided be really nasty SF's web presence would most likely have to go away. Did you know that WOTC has pulled the PDFs of all the old TSR games off "RPG Now" and "Drive Through RPG". You can no longer legally buy PDFs of old TSR games. I hope this is not the start of a crack down on the fan sites of old games. At this time, I think that a separate zine for FS is not a good idea. It would dilute the "effort" and might kill both magazines. I am also not sure that FS material should be included in SFMan. It is not the same game and tying them together might cause legal problems down the road. I am not a lawyer or an oracle, so it is impossible to know what might or will happen in the future. I would hate for Star Frontiers to go away ( as I have just found it again). |
 April 14, 2009 - 10:16am | At this time, I think that a separate zine for FS is not a good idea. It would dilute the "effort" and might kill both magazines. I am also not sure that FS material should be included in SFMan. It is not the same game and tying them together might cause legal problems down the road. I am not a lawyer or an oracle, so it is impossible to know what might or will happen in the future. I would hate for Star Frontiers to go away ( as I have just found it again). Really I dont think that having FS articles mixed in with SF material would be a big deal. Back in the day when I use to buy Space Gamer magazine It was never a problem for me if they had an article in there about a gaming system I didn't play. I often read those to see what I could steal. I'm an idea whore and I'm not ashamed of that. the systems are and will be very compatible and I only see FS as more scope and ideas. I also agree with the Pineapple separate zines would dilute the effort and if WOTC should launch a crack down then the zine could survive as it caters too more than one game. they could force a removal of SF content but not FS. I dont see a down side to this. even if my initial interest in FS has waned if the web presence for SF went away I imagine we'd all pick up with FS and do a little 'changing of names to protect the innocent...' to discuss things like the red demon pirates and stuff that is still dear to us. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
April 14, 2009 - 1:54pm | Although it might appear I'm pushing an agenda I'm really thinking about the community as a whole. Will everyone be happy? Nope. But the ppl that are on this site fight in the back yard and tend to roll with everyone else. Ppl who fight in the front yard are gone! (Thank goodness). SF will always be SF, we love it. Some people are happy with the rule set. Others like tweaks here and there. For me FS is a dream. I love to tinker, build and make stuff. Now I get to make a fun game with all the modern RPG's tweaks with the 80's RPG feel. Then I get to build the Star Frontiers setting (oh.. and the Galaxy Rangers). What has FS done for this community? For one I FINALLY COMPLETED THE "Random Star System Document" and soon it will be in a pretty PDF format. (right now its kinda messy and needs cleaned up) Has anyone tried it? :-P THE WEBZINE We are VERY light on submissions. It seems we have to beg each issue. Some of you could be contributing more often... if that was the case I can see where a separate webzine might be appropriate.Cool? |
 April 14, 2009 - 3:01pm | Just because FS is coming together does not make the Star Frontiers stuff go away or even become irrelevant. I for one will likely use the the Star Frontiers setting largely intact, even if I migrate stuff to use the new rules. Just try to take my Yazirians away from me! One of the goals in the new rule set, is to finally free the community from any copyright worries... to create freely... and share freely... finally and permanently. But for a suggestion, please make the initial forays into FrontierSpace materials for SFMan as game-system neutral as possible, or at the very least provide dual stats for anything that is viable for both. <insert witty comment here> |
April 14, 2009 - 3:19pm | Agreed. Alternatively, we could put the FS material in its own separate section—an ARES for FrontierSpace, as it were. Nice pic, Shadow. Definite page three material. "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
April 14, 2009 - 4:56pm | I agree having a "Ares" section for FS...that could float nicely. P.S. I just submitted a pair...the "page 3 gal" below and a Basically Speaking game summary. I thought I had two more summaries to go, but alas there was only one. Next one will usher in the Dominion summaries. |
April 14, 2009 - 8:28pm | But for a suggestion, please make the initial forays into FrontierSpace materials for SFMan as game-system neutral as possible, or at the very least provide dual stats for anything that is viable for both. Dual stats sounds like a very good plan. Alternatively, we could put the FS material in its own separate section—an ARES for FrontierSpace, as it were. I don't think each game needs a "formal" section of its own, but the articles should be grouped together by system. Otherwise it gets too confusing reading them, especially in a PDF. Ultimately, I think the Editor (Bill? w00t? Someone?) of the SFMan magazine should do as he thinks best. The magazine looks very professional and it would be nice to hold to such high standards. SOME SUGGESTIONS: I know that this has been discussed before: Would quarterly, instead of monthly be better? Also, it might be an idea to decide on a page count for the magazine. Any article that runs over by more than a set amount (2-4 pages? 5 pages?) could be held for the next issue. What is a good size: 30 pages? 50 pages? This would permit the Editor to "bank" articles for slow submission periods. |
April 14, 2009 - 8:40pm | I think the length of the last issue was perfect. 28 pages. Maybe a system profile is in order? Articles on Self Guided Control Systems and the mulebot? |
 April 14, 2009 - 9:36pm | We're currently on a quarterly schedule as it is, The last three issues (that I did the final layout for, taking over for Bill) were Sep 08, Dec 08 and Mar 09. We were hoping to build up a back log of submissions going to the quarterly rate but it hasn't happened yet. As w00t said, we typically have to push repeatedly (or write it ourselves) to get enough submissions. That may change with this issue as we are already starting to get articles and the next quarterly issue would be due out in June. So there is hope. We are typically shooting for 20-30 pages of content per magazine. If we have more, we'll print it but that is the minimum. The truth is, I don't have the time to do it more than quarterly or maybe bi-monthly anyway. It typically takes about 20 hours of work to do the entire layout for a magzine. And that is just the layout (final editing, formatting of tables, finding and adding images and such) after the others (w00t, Will, etc) have edited the articles and vetted them at least a bit. And that doesn't count any of the time spent on the articles I write. As to adding in FrontierSpace material into the 'zine, I have mixed feelings. I think in the majority, I'm with Imperial Lord and Shadow Shack and would like to keep the 'zine pure Star Frontiers. On the other hand, I'm involved with the FS project and branching out does provide more content. Several of our main contributors (past and present) are heavily involved in that project and would probably churn out a bunch of material. The Star Frontiersman wouldn't die out if we had two 'zines as I'd be more than willing to continue to keep it going in a SF only format. But let's face it, we are a very small community (although we slowly seem to be growing) and it takes a lot of effort to generate the material we do get. Splitting the magazine may severly hamper it for a while though. If the main contributors are puting out FS material for a separate 'zine, everyone else will have to step up to the plate to keep it going. And another point, although he has handed the zine off to the community, it really is Bill's brainchild and if he wants to put FS material in it, that is wholly his choice and I don't think we'd argue with him. I play Star Frontiers because I like the setting and the races. I like the feel of the game in that it is almost all technology we have now. If the SF to FS conversion project happens, I will probably be involved with it. Ad Astra Per Ardua! My blog - Expanding Frontier Webmaster - The Star Frontiers Network & this site Founding Editor - The Frontier Explorer Magazine Managing Editor - The Star Frontiersman Magazine |
April 15, 2009 - 10:02am | o What are you doing personally with SF? Reviewing the literature in order to prepare my first gaming session in many years. o What is your gaming group doing? My gaming group, my kids and I, are preparing to run our first SF adventure. o What resources would help you play, GM or promote SF? Battle maps, miniatures, pre-prepared adventure modules since I don't have much time to generate adventures 'on-the-fly'. o The new project, FrontierSpace, anything you want to see in the zine? More race options, please! The kids love playing interesting and unique species characters in that other popular RPG based off of a very popular movie franchise set in a 'galaxy far, far away'. |
April 15, 2009 - 1:16pm | More race options, please! The kids love playing interesting and unique species characters in that other popular RPG based off of a very popular movie franchise set in a 'galaxy far, far away'. The Star Frontiersman has several races to choose from: Bora-Kai Nagana Boon’sheh Yinni Vimh Aleerin Fraal Sesheyan T’sa Weren Kurabanda Gorlian Mechanon Robot PC's Scree Ul-Mor |
April 15, 2009 - 2:08pm | A very tough question. FS is NOT Star Frontiers, but is said to be similar. Technically, Star Frontiers "belongs" to WOTC. In court, verbal agreements are worth the paper they are written on. If someone at WOTC decided be really nasty SF's web presence would most likely have to go away. Emails constitute written (digital hard copies), not verbal, agreements. There can be no renigging on that based on what you claim. However, they did reserve the right in that email to withdraw their consent.Did you know that WOTC has pulled the PDFs of all the old TSR games off "RPG Now" and "Drive Through RPG". You can no longer legally buy PDFs of old TSR games. I hope this is not the start of a crack down on the fan sites of old games. That has only to do with d20 and the digital initiative. It does not affect the d100 version of Star Frontiers. Nor does it affect not for profit publications.View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
April 15, 2009 - 2:18pm | FS Sample page from the Player's Handbook to "wet the appetite". Holy cow! That's lookin' spiffy! View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
April 15, 2009 - 8:13pm | A very tough question. FS is NOT Star Frontiers, but is said to be similar. Technically, Star Frontiers "belongs" to WOTC. In court, verbal agreements are worth the paper they are written on. If someone at WOTC decided be really nasty SF's web presence would most likely have to go away. Emails constitute written (digital hard copies), not verbal, agreements. There can be no renigging on that based on what you claim. However, they did reserve the right in that email to withdraw their consent.Thanks for clearing that up. Did you know that WOTC has pulled the PDFs of all the old TSR games off "RPG Now" and "Drive Through RPG". You can no longer legally buy PDFs of old TSR games. I hope this is not the start of a crack down on the fan sites of old games. That has only to do with d20 and the digital initiative. It does not affect the d100 version of Star Frontiers. Nor does it affect not for profit publications.PDFs of Star Frontiers and Top Secret were never available through "Drive Thru Rpg" or "RPG Now". The WOTC sections of these two sites are completely gone. As far as I know, neither of these two games were ever officially available as PDFs from WOTC. |
April 15, 2009 - 8:51pm | PDFs of Star Frontiers and Top Secret were never available through "Drive Thru Rpg" or "RPG Now". The WOTC sections of these two sites are completely gone. As far as I know, neither of these two games were ever officially available as PDFs from WOTC. I don't know about Top Secret but for SF you are right, they have only ever been available semi-officially from starfrontiers.com. Ad Astra Per Ardua! My blog - Expanding Frontier Webmaster - The Star Frontiers Network & this site Founding Editor - The Frontier Explorer Magazine Managing Editor - The Star Frontiersman Magazine |
