In search of a Different Worlds article

[rust]

While working on my new science fiction setting, which has the colonization

and terraforming of a barren desert world as its background, I have been told

that Different Worlds once included an interesting article on terraforming that

might prove useful for me.

This article, written by Doug Houseman, appeared in two parts in the Diffe-

rent Worlds issues 22 and 23.

Unfortunately this article is quite dated, and not necessarily useful anymore,

and ordering copies of Different Worlds is possible, but rather complicated and

not exactly cheap from over here.

Perhaps someone who has the issues 22 and 23 of Different Worlds could be

so kind to take a look at the article, and tell me whether it would be worth

trying to get a copy ?

Thank you very much !

[ORtrail]

I just moved this past weekend, and I've no idea where DW #23 is at, but it was a great issue on world building/design and there was a great article on terraforming a planet and the spaceships that do it.

I'll dig around tonight and see if I can find it. Worst case, I'll be finishing unpacking this weekend and should have it by Saturday.

[rust]

Thank you !

I am holding my breath ...

[ORtrail]

Good news, bad news. A quick look and I found DW #23, the Super-Hero issue, but it has part two of the terraforming article you wanted. I don't have #22.

The issue on world building is #29.

I'm off to work and will be back late, so I'll try and get our scanner/printer hooked up by tomorrow.

Of course, if someone else has these articles to share?

[Dredj]

I've never even heard of this magazine before. Is it still in production?

[rust]

Different Worlds once was Chaosium's roleplaying magazine. As far as I know,

it is no longer published, although Different Worlds Publishing still exists, and

still sells copies of the old issues.

[Puck]

I have issue 22 but not 23. The Traveler article is 6 (smaller type) pages long and does look rather interesting. The rest of the issue is all fantasy stuff though so may be of limited interest to you.

The article itself looks like a real gem though and goes into a great deal of detail and would be very interesting to you. It details Terrax Corporation, a megacorporation who specializes in terraforming. The sections are History, Terrax Policy, What is a Worthy Planet(Subdivided into Location, Unusual Value, Military value, Monied Interest and Whim), and The Initial Survey (large detailed section). It also has the plans and specs for their Long Range Scout and the Terrax Lab Ship.

[rust]

Thank you very much, it seems I will have to order copies of the two issues

from Different Worlds Publishing, that material is most probably good enough

to spend the money.

Oops, those two issues are no longer available ...

Edited November 4, 2008 by rust

[ORtrail]

Okay, sent out an email to you and puck.

[pulpcitizen]

Different Worlds once was Chaosium's roleplaying magazine. As far as I know,

it is no longer published, although Different Worlds Publishing still exists, and

still sells copies of the old issues.

Reprints of the magazine?

[rust]

Reprints of the magazine?

I do not think so, because quite a number of issues are no longer

available, so they probably just sell their stock of old originals.

[pulpcitizen]

I do not think so, because quite a number of issues are no longer

available, so they probably just sell their stock of old originals.

Gotcha.

[ORtrail]

I got a TON of gaming mileage out of DW #23, especially since it had the designer notes for the WOW version of Superworld, along with lots of stats for the X-men.

I turned the Traveller article into a Prime Directive (Task Force Games version of Star Trek) adventure where the Rider ship (asteroid mining ship) was taken over by space pirates, while also stealing a drill tank to threaten an underwater domed city down on the water planet of New Atlantis.

Good times. Wish I could find all my notes on that one.

[rust]

ORtrail, Puck, thank you both for your help to find an excellent article !

[ORtrail]

No problem, the whole point of being part of a web community like this is to exchange ideas and help each other out when we can.

[Conrad]

I have vague memories about that article. It sounds very interesting. How would you use terraforming in a scenario? Could it lead to some dramatic scenes that would be exciting for player characters or is a terraforming company good only for background?

[rust]

How would you use terraforming in a scenario? Could it lead to some dramatic scenes that would be exciting for player characters or is a terraforming company good only for background?

In my setting I will use terraforming both as a part of the general background,

especially as a way to create a continuously changing planetary environment

of the setting's main world, and as the theme for a number of adventures.

One example of such adventures is the basic wilderness exploration adventu-

re, where characters have to operate and survive under adverse conditions

in order to carry out some task for the terraforming project (e.g. map a seis-

mic fault).

Another example are all the problems that are likely to happen in and around

the "road gangs", groups of prisoners from the core worlds who volunteered

for mining and terraforming work on remote colony worlds in return for a re-

duction of their sentences and a chance to be accepted as colonists after

their "probation period".

And one can also introduce persons or organizations which want to prevent

or sabotage a terraforming project for some reason, from ideology ("Terra-

forming kills the planet's Mother Nature !") to economics.

And these are just a few examples ...

[Conrad]

And these are just a few examples ...

Thanks for posting your ideas. I will have to run a game set on a partially terraformed world to add some spice to my game. :thumb:

[Puck]

As I dug through my old gaming magazines and started looking through old Different Worlds articles it occurred to me that it would be nice to see these in print again. Different Worlds was by far my favorite gaming magazine and with the release of BRP much of their content may become relevant or at least in demand again. Is their any possibility of anyone reprinting of any of these issues? I only really have scattered issues, but the content is really first rate. I would certainly buy and reasonably priced reprints.

[rust]

As far as I know, Different Worlds Publishing still has the rights, but I have

no idea how active that company currently is, and whether they would ha-

ve any interest in a Different Worlds comeback.

[ORtrail]

The days of the magazine are drawing to a close, I believe. I'm old enough to remember a time when these magazine articles were about the only source of inspiration for gamers. Now, well, you just Google it. You kids have it so good... now get off my lawn!

Amazing that some of these articles have aged so well, and are still great ideas though.

Oh, and thanks for the look at part one, Puck.

[Conrad]

The days of the magazine are drawing to a close, I believe. I'm old enough to remember a time when these magazine articles were about the only source of inspiration for gamers.

Please stop. you're making me cry, and it isn't manly.;-( Its a pity that Chaosium doesn't start a magazine aimed at supplying BRP gamers with scenarios,new rules etc. Some of it could be reprints of old but still useful stuff. I'd prefer it printed on paper but nowadays it would cost less to produce it as a pdf.:ohwell:

I used to relish buying White Dwarf for the range of articles it used to have. Thats before it was completely given over to Warhammer wargaming.

Edited November 9, 2008 by Conrad

[rust]

I find it interesting that an online roleplaying game magazine, SJG's Pyramid,

is going to become a PDF magazine in the near future:

Steve Jackson Games Daily Illuminator

(see the entry for November 7)

There are rumours that SJG`s JTAS online magazine for Traveller could go

the same way, also becoming a PDF magazine.

Perhaps there is still hope for printed magazines, although one would have

to print the PDFs ...

[ORtrail]

I think the PDF format is the future for many, and I'll add that I really do prefer having things on the printed page versus a screen. Even if only to print out the articles I intend to use or read again and again.

[pulpcitizen]

I think the PDF format is the future for many, and I'll add that I really do prefer having things on the printed page versus a screen. Even if only to print out the articles I intend to use or read again and again.

Or at least a POD option for PDF's, even if at a higher cost.