RPG Forums

Go Back   RPG Forums > Role Playing Game Section > Morrow Project/ Project Phoenix Forum
Register FAQ Community Calendar Today's Posts Search

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 11-18-2010, 01:33 PM
drashal drashal is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 10
Default some thoughts on bruce

and this is why i dont post ideas any more ty for reminding me

Last edited by drashal; 11-21-2010 at 04:42 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-18-2010, 04:11 PM
dragoon500ly dragoon500ly is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: East Tennessee, USA
Posts: 2,894
Default

I've always had issues with Bruce the time traveller for exactly the reasons you brought up. If BTT is bopping back and forth across the team stream, then he has to know that his Project is going to have a major screwup and be delayed 150+ years, which leads to etc.etc.etc. Its short of like trying to keep all of the Doctor Who storylines straight, sooner or later you have to stop becuase it hurts too much...

If you approach it from another angle, Bruce and the Council of Tommorrow, then there are several kinky twists you can toss into the pie...namely just who is on the COT. Simply adding someone like Albert Einstein into the mix can open all kinds of possibilities (just what was he working on for the last ten years of his life?). I can see someone gathering some of the US/UK political/military/industrial/scientitific leaders and convincing them of an upcoming atomic war. Simply starting this in 1952 or so will convience them
of the dire consquences of the Soviets getting the Bomb, the development of IRBMs/ICBMs. Many of these people would already be familiar with maintaining secrecy due to their involvement with the Manhatten Project, it would be a logical step towards the Morrow Project.

Submitted for your appoval...from the Twilight Zone!
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-18-2010, 07:35 PM
natehale1971's Avatar
natehale1971 natehale1971 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Monroe, NC, USA
Posts: 1,199
Send a message via AIM to natehale1971 Send a message via MSN to natehale1971 Send a message via Yahoo to natehale1971
Default

You also have to remember that Bruce E. Morrow was extremely adamant against the building of Prime Base because he KNEW it was going to fail. It says so in the Prime Base module. He did not want it built, but the Council for Tomorrow built Prime Base during one of his forays into the future. And when he got back, prime base was under construction and all he could do was fume about it. To make him happy the Council allowed him to put together the PHOENIX Team, a team that many have seen as a death squad. But they aren't. They are Bruce's ace in the hole as it were. A team of special forces operators who are dedicated to the US Constitution and the ideals of the Project... And know that if someone in (our out) of the Project become a treat to the Constitution, they can deal with it (goes back to the US Armed Forces oath to protect & defend the US Constitution against all enemies foreign & domestic).

Seeing Bruce as a cold and callus man is kind of... well, wrong. All of the modules and source material showed Bruce as being a kind and compassionate man, and one who tried to set the project up in a way that the loss of Prime Base wouldn't totally screw the pooch as it where, and it would still be able to do the right thing when the time comes.
__________________
Fuck being a hero. Do you know what you get for being a hero? Nothing! You get shot at. You get a little pat on the back, blah blah blah, attaboy! You get divorced... Your wife can't remember your last name, your kids don't want to talk to you... You get to eat a lot of meals by yourself. Trust me kid, nobody wants to be that guy. I do this because there is nobody else to do it right now. Believe me if there was somebody else to do it, I would let them do it. There's not, so I'm doing it.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-19-2010, 07:27 AM
LBraden's Avatar
LBraden LBraden is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: England
Posts: 150
Default

to quote Chief Miles Edward O'Brien "I hate temporal mechanics"

If we go with the now-accepted view of the "infinite quantum reality" theory, we can argue that Bruce was only travelling alone one reality, were, lets argue that humanity went tits up in 1989 (if I recall correctly), the US started rebuilding in 1994, was a strong power again in 2050, and lets say ended up with regular space travel to and fro Mars in 2100.

However, what could have happened was that he also saw the problem with having "Prime Base" and went back in time to try and stop it, but he could only travel linearly, in other words he could not go back a further 10 yrs to tell himself to double check and stop it.

As for Krell, we could argue he too has the ability to time travel, or that he is using a project cryobed

However, this all falls under the purview of Dulmer and Luskly, not an engineer.
__________________
Newbie DM/PM/GM
Semi-experienced player

Mostly a sci-fi nut, who plays a few PC games.
I do some technical and vehicle drawings in my native M20 scale. - http://braden1986.deviantart.com/
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-19-2010, 05:13 PM
natehale1971's Avatar
natehale1971 natehale1971 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Monroe, NC, USA
Posts: 1,199
Send a message via AIM to natehale1971 Send a message via MSN to natehale1971 Send a message via Yahoo to natehale1971
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by LBraden View Post
As for Krell, we could argue he too has the ability to time travel, or that he is using a project cryobed
Actually that' what they called what Krell was doing. He and his most trusted Lieutenants used captured MP Cryotubes to sleep for a few decades, wake up and command the next wave of conquest. Then sleep for another couple decades as the forces build up, and do it all again.
__________________
Fuck being a hero. Do you know what you get for being a hero? Nothing! You get shot at. You get a little pat on the back, blah blah blah, attaboy! You get divorced... Your wife can't remember your last name, your kids don't want to talk to you... You get to eat a lot of meals by yourself. Trust me kid, nobody wants to be that guy. I do this because there is nobody else to do it right now. Believe me if there was somebody else to do it, I would let them do it. There's not, so I'm doing it.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-19-2010, 06:19 PM
drashal drashal is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 10
Default

removed

Last edited by drashal; 11-21-2010 at 04:42 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11-19-2010, 08:12 PM
natehale1971's Avatar
natehale1971 natehale1971 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Monroe, NC, USA
Posts: 1,199
Send a message via AIM to natehale1971 Send a message via MSN to natehale1971 Send a message via Yahoo to natehale1971
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by drashal View Post
Ok i had to go back and check NO WHERE in any of the books does it say that bruce is the kind and genital sole , none of the cannon material has any bio material on him except the very short blip about his time travel ablity as for the Phoenix team um their goal is the project and the projects goals (which have never been full stated in canon) . not one word on the US Constitution at all in the whole module. they are not ex us military that is assumed but not 100 true only that they have seen combat.

the scary thing is after going back though all the books is the following

no where in the books dose it actually state what the goals of the project are besides restoring civilization (it never says how , why or what system of government should be used )(and if you know where in the canon material those are please tell me)

also note i am not trying to start a trolling war here so please dont slam me for this rebuttal i am coming from a canon point of view not a fan based add on pov
It's in the bloody main book, that the goal is to rebuild THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and set up a civilian government based on those ideals established by the constitution. And with my talks with both the ORIGINAL designers of the game and current owners of the game, the dedication is to rebuild the USA and reestablish a Constitutional Government is paramount of the goals of the Council for Tomorrow and the Project.

ALSO the fact is that I am going to be the one who is writing the Organizational Book on how the Project is going to be doing its work. Thus i'm not just pulling this out of my ass. Your rebuttal was rude in that you are claiming to know everything about this game, but you don't. Because check under "Wandering Warlock" and the strong hint that he's Bruce E. Morrow. That shows him to be a kind and compassionate man who takes a hard line against those communities that go against the ideals of the US Constitution.

But using your own logical, your ideal that he's a cold hearted bastard is totally out of character. because NO WHERE is that in the books. But him doing his damnedest to make sure the Project personnel are capable of doing their jobs, and that they wouldn't abuse their positions was one of his highest priorities. That's in every one of the books.
__________________
Fuck being a hero. Do you know what you get for being a hero? Nothing! You get shot at. You get a little pat on the back, blah blah blah, attaboy! You get divorced... Your wife can't remember your last name, your kids don't want to talk to you... You get to eat a lot of meals by yourself. Trust me kid, nobody wants to be that guy. I do this because there is nobody else to do it right now. Believe me if there was somebody else to do it, I would let them do it. There's not, so I'm doing it.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11-20-2010, 04:49 AM
StainlessSteelCynic's Avatar
StainlessSteelCynic StainlessSteelCynic is offline
Registered Registrant
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 2,375
Default

I would say that people need to take a step back, a couple of deep breaths and then re-read the game books AND provide edition numbers and page numbers next time they want to argue this because Drashal is correct in the statement that the main book does NOT state that the Project was set up to rebuild the USA following the ideals of the US Constitution. If it is stated as such in any of the editions, it may be that he doesn't have that particular one and it would be handy for future reference if we knew which edition it was.

The main book I have with me right now is the 3rd edition and what it says in the Introduction is, to quote...
"In 1962 a mysterious man known by the name of Bruce Edward Morrow, origin unknown, gathered nine of the country's leading industrialists into an organization known as the Council of Tomorrow"
Note the the name of the country isn't even mentioned, it seems to have been taken as given that the game would be distributed mainly in the USA and everyone would simply assume that the Project was in the USA (not an unfair assumption given that most RPGs were at that time from the US).
"What method of coercion he may have used to achieve this feat remains a matter mostly for conjecture. The concensus of noted historians indicates that Morrow was a rare form of esper. He seemed to have possessed the ability to transport himself and some small amount of nearby matter into or out of the future. Building a convincing argument from the future, he and the council structured an organization dedicated to the continued survival of the human race beyond the point of destruction."

Further down the Introduction, the end specifically, it states "Pledged to help humanity recover in whatever way they can, they can easily lose sight of their own ideals and adopt the brutal code of survival. They must find Prime Base and each other in order to survive. Will your team survive?"
It does state in paragraph two of the Introduction that the plan of the Project was "...to cryogenically freeze special teams and equipment to aid in the reconstruction of the U.S. after nuclear war." so in this instance we can see that it was indeed the plan of the Project to rebuild the USA but anything further than that is mere speculation or personal belief.

Even in the additional role playing supplement by H.N. Voss, there is no mention of the Project's goal being to rebuild the US based upon the ideals of the constitution.
As for the Wandering Warlock, in the 3rd edition it definitely hints that the man is Morrow but it definitely does not say that he takes a hardline against communities that go against the ideals of the US Constitution. In fact it doesn't say much at all about him, certainly nothing to give the idea that he is a time traveller or a fighter for the constitution.
What it says about his character is as follows: -
"He always appears out of nowhere at times of crisis and seeks to help the common people. He has no tolerance of power seekers but will rarely become directly involved."


There's been a lot of years since the game was published and there's been a lot of pages on the net dedicated to the subject, the idea that the Project was dedicated to rebuilding the US along the lines of the constitution may well be desirable to some but it appears that it was a later addition to the game, either as an afterthought once the earlier editions (up to 3rd Ed. at least) had been released or in response to speculation by the fans.

Last edited by StainlessSteelCynic; 11-20-2010 at 05:18 AM. Reason: adding stuff
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11-20-2010, 02:54 PM
mikeo80 mikeo80 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Fayetteville, NC
Posts: 962
Default Bruce Morrow and the Project

I have a slightly different view of Bruce. Yes he could time travel, saw TEOTWAWKI, came back to found the C.O.T. to try and prepare.

BUT he sowed the seeds of TMP's failure.

I postulate that the COT not only set up TMP to save civilization from itself, but COT actively tried to change the world so that TEOTWAWKI would not happen. This alters the time line that Bruce knows about. So the 1989 that happened in the canon now come to pass. Prime Base falls. THe backups fail. THe project is screwed.

On another one of his future trips forward, Bruce changes from one set of realities to another. He is lost in the reality of "his" 1989. Hence the reality we discuss here in this forum of later dates, equipment upgrades, etc.

Another two cents from yours truly.

Mike
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 11-20-2010, 02:56 PM
natehale1971's Avatar
natehale1971 natehale1971 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Monroe, NC, USA
Posts: 1,199
Send a message via AIM to natehale1971 Send a message via MSN to natehale1971 Send a message via Yahoo to natehale1971
Default

As i have stated, I've been talking with the game developers and will be writing the Project Sourcebook that details how the Morrow Project is suppose to work once it gets started. All of the developers stated that the goal was rebuild the republic along the lines of the constitution (the idea of why fix something that isn't broken, just being ignored).

Why would hundreds or thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people have volunteered for over thirty to fifty years to 'rebuild' the US without having something to hold onto and not let the secret out to some intrepid reporter or family member/loved one/best friends (even if just to warn them what was coming)?

The one thing the military maintains is its oath to protect and defend the constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic... this gives EVERYONE no matter their political beliefs something that can be held onto.

The Goal to rebuild the US was paramount in the project, and the one thing that the RIGHT AND LEFT can agree on is that the Constitution is the basic building blocks of BOTH Political Ideologies. Thus something EVERYONE can agree upon.

The Personnel in the project are composed of people of every ethnic group, every political persuasion, and religion imaginable. But what holds them together, what brings them all together to work as a single unit to rebuild a country that had moved so far away from it's founding document and showing signs of collapsing upon the weight of it's own bureaucracy?

If we were living by the way the constitution set things up, the Federal Government would be a neutral arbitrator when two states have a problem. That each of the states could set up the kind of government that its populace wanted, and those who disagreed with it could 'vote with their feet' and move to the next state over. It was a simple system that would allow states like California, Massachusetts and New York to pass laws that governed its people how they saw fit, as long as those laws did not violate the Bill of Rights.

Thus Massachusetts could pass a law that legalizes Homosexual Marriages, but states that do not believe in it, would not be legally bound to recognize them.

Most people forget that while the Federal Government was not allowed to establish a State Religion, each of the States had their own State Churches. And in some of those early states/commonwealths... those churches still exist, and you use to have to be a member of that church to hold political office.

I have talked with as many of the developers of the game on this subject many times. And I am the one the current owners of the game are going to get to write the Project Sourcebook, because they have seen all of my ideas and notes and felt that they have provided the best rationale on how the project should have been organized and ran. Because i look for the minute details and try and figure out how they would work in practice.

I read logistical manuals for how to make things like this work. When Kato said that Morrow Industries could use a UPS like company to cover their movements, I was like... Hell yes. That would explain a hell of a lot. Back in the 60s and 70s and early 80s such companies really didn't exist, and neither did community public storage complexes.

But those are things that the Project would use to cover their operations. But it's not in the cannon, but it works. It explains just how the project was able to move things about without drawing attention upon itself.

These are the things that the new edition will be taking into account. And will allow the new edition to bring new players to the game.
__________________
Fuck being a hero. Do you know what you get for being a hero? Nothing! You get shot at. You get a little pat on the back, blah blah blah, attaboy! You get divorced... Your wife can't remember your last name, your kids don't want to talk to you... You get to eat a lot of meals by yourself. Trust me kid, nobody wants to be that guy. I do this because there is nobody else to do it right now. Believe me if there was somebody else to do it, I would let them do it. There's not, so I'm doing it.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 11-20-2010, 02:59 PM
natehale1971's Avatar
natehale1971 natehale1971 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Monroe, NC, USA
Posts: 1,199
Send a message via AIM to natehale1971 Send a message via MSN to natehale1971 Send a message via Yahoo to natehale1971
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeo80 View Post
I have a slightly different view of Bruce. Yes he could time travel, saw TEOTWAWKI, came back to found the C.O.T. to try and prepare.

BUT he sowed the seeds of TMP's failure.

I postulate that the COT not only set up TMP to save civilization from itself, but COT actively tried to change the world so that TEOTWAWKI would not happen. This alters the time line that Bruce knows about. So the 1989 that happened in the canon now come to pass. Prime Base falls. THe backups fail. THe project is screwed.

On another one of his future trips forward, Bruce changes from one set of realities to another. He is lost in the reality of "his" 1989. Hence the reality we discuss here in this forum of later dates, equipment upgrades, etc.

Another two cents from yours truly.

Mike
Exactly! This is one of the things I had talked with Chris about, that each of the various timelines that sprang from Bruce's trips through time. Thus allowing GMs and Players to chose which of the timelines they are playing in.
__________________
Fuck being a hero. Do you know what you get for being a hero? Nothing! You get shot at. You get a little pat on the back, blah blah blah, attaboy! You get divorced... Your wife can't remember your last name, your kids don't want to talk to you... You get to eat a lot of meals by yourself. Trust me kid, nobody wants to be that guy. I do this because there is nobody else to do it right now. Believe me if there was somebody else to do it, I would let them do it. There's not, so I'm doing it.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 11-20-2010, 03:31 PM
StainlessSteelCynic's Avatar
StainlessSteelCynic StainlessSteelCynic is offline
Registered Registrant
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 2,375
Default

So this is new background material that is being written up for the 4th edition for Timeline Ltd?
I ask because none of the gaming material from 3rd Ed back has much in the way of background on the Project, its formation or its key personnel and so on.
Most of what I have seen on forums regarding Bruce Morrow & his thoughts on things, Krell & his possible connection to the Project, the numbers of people in the Project, Prime Base, the Phoenix Team etc. has been speculation or educated guess or at best, wishful thinking. People have thrashed it out because there has been so little canon material to work from but in some cases what has been stated is in direct contradiction to what's actually in the game material.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 11-20-2010, 03:57 PM
natehale1971's Avatar
natehale1971 natehale1971 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Monroe, NC, USA
Posts: 1,199
Send a message via AIM to natehale1971 Send a message via MSN to natehale1971 Send a message via Yahoo to natehale1971
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by StainlessSteelCynic View Post
So this is new background material that is being written up for the 4th edition for Timeline Ltd?
I ask because none of the gaming material from 3rd Ed back has much in the way of background on the Project, its formation or its key personnel and so on.
Most of what I have seen on forums regarding Bruce Morrow & his thoughts on things, Krell & his possible connection to the Project, the numbers of people in the Project, Prime Base, the Phoenix Team etc. has been speculation or educated guess or at best, wishful thinking. People have thrashed it out because there has been so little canon material to work from but in some cases what has been stated is in direct contradiction to what's actually in the game material.
For the most part yes.

Even the Phoenix Team description tells WHY Bruce created them. Unfortunately, to many see them as a death squad instead of the SOCOM of the Project.

My thoughts that Krell was a protegee of Bruce has been bouncing around for a while, and the developers like that.. because the original thoughts on who he was, is that he was a disgruntled member of the Council for Tomorrow.

I've been talking with Tim McFadden (the author of Bullets and bluegrass), working with him on the drawings to illustrate the updated game module he's written. And working with him on making the official flag of the KFS.
__________________
Fuck being a hero. Do you know what you get for being a hero? Nothing! You get shot at. You get a little pat on the back, blah blah blah, attaboy! You get divorced... Your wife can't remember your last name, your kids don't want to talk to you... You get to eat a lot of meals by yourself. Trust me kid, nobody wants to be that guy. I do this because there is nobody else to do it right now. Believe me if there was somebody else to do it, I would let them do it. There's not, so I'm doing it.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 11-20-2010, 04:15 PM
mikeo80 mikeo80 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Fayetteville, NC
Posts: 962
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by natehale1971 View Post
For the most part yes.

Even the Phoenix Team description tells WHY Bruce created them. Unfortunately, to many see them as a death squad instead of the SOCOM of the Project.

My thoughts that Krell was a protegee of Bruce has been bouncing around for a while, and the developers like that.. because the original thoughts on who he was, is that he was a disgruntled member of the Council for Tomorrow.

I've been talking with Tim McFadden (the author of Bullets and bluegrass), working with him on the drawings to illustrate the updated game module he's written. And working with him on making the official flag of the KFS.
1) Nate, I am one of those who perceives Phoenix Team as a death squad. I am not sure, but I do not believe that even the hardest of hard core Mossad, Delta Team, SAS, or whatever, could be as lethal as Phoenix is portrayed.

2) Your perception of Krell is the same I have heard about/read about over the years.

Now, correct me if I seem silly. IF top level Morrow management got wind of Krell and what he/they were doing, wouldn't they unleash Phoenix? I propose this as a viable action BEFORE the big bang. Stop the problem NOW.

We have also postulated that Morrow and the GB's were very loosely aware of each other. The GB's would be a PERFECT scouting force. And of could terminate the problem with EXTREAM prejudice.

Another two cents from yours truely.

Mike
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 11-20-2010, 04:31 PM
natehale1971's Avatar
natehale1971 natehale1971 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Monroe, NC, USA
Posts: 1,199
Send a message via AIM to natehale1971 Send a message via MSN to natehale1971 Send a message via Yahoo to natehale1971
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeo80 View Post
1) Nate, I am one of those who perceives Phoenix Team as a death squad. I am not sure, but I do not believe that even the hardest of hard core Mossad, Delta Team, SAS, or whatever, could be as lethal as Phoenix is portrayed.
Once again, I have to state that PHOENIX Team is the Project's version of SOCOM... a force that deals with the problems that the Project faces after TEOTWAWKI Event, but like any Special Operator... they hope that they will be activated only to be decomissioned and allowed to retire and enjoy a new life. Yes, the Prime Base Module portrayed the team as some of the coldest, and hardest operators out there. But also stressed that they were the most dedicated to the ideals of the Project, and that they had to pass some of the most extensive psyche evals imaginable to be on the team... and even then the Team got to vote on whether or not the new member STAYED on the team.. and that really doesn't sound like a death squad to me.

I think the biggest reason people think the team is a death squad is a throwaway line in the module where the Phoenix team would rather kill the team that woke them up instead of FORCING them out of Prime Base into the cold cruel world if they refused to go out RIGHT THEN. And i really think that line shouldn't have been in the module, because in all honesty... it just doesn't portray the kind of people that the Phoenix Team would be.

A friend of mine turned the Phoenix Team into a brain trust of Bruce's closest and most personal advisers.

But I really think that a few of those advisers would definitely be on the team as part of the leadership of the team...

Quote:
2) Your perception of Krell is the same I have heard about/read about over the years.

Now, correct me if I seem silly. IF top level Morrow management got wind of Krell and what he/they were doing, wouldn't they unleash Phoenix? I propose this as a viable action BEFORE the big bang. Stop the problem NOW.
If they did that, they'd be no better than Krell... Going out before TEOTWAWKI Event would break all kinds of laws, and the one thing that the Project did not want to do draw attention to themselves. and anything they would have done to neutralize Krell and his pre-TEOTWAWKI Event would have drawn all kinds of attention.

Quote:
We have also postulated that Morrow and the GB's were very loosely aware of each other. The GB's would be a PERFECT scouting force. And of could terminate the problem with EXTREAM prejudice.

Another two cents from yours truely.

Mike
I've always stated that the creation of the Snake-Eaters was done because Morrow had contacts at the highest levels of the US Federal Government (both executive & legislative branch)... and the Snake-Eaters were a totally military force that would deal with those kinds of problems that the Project MARS teams just couldn't deal with.
__________________
Fuck being a hero. Do you know what you get for being a hero? Nothing! You get shot at. You get a little pat on the back, blah blah blah, attaboy! You get divorced... Your wife can't remember your last name, your kids don't want to talk to you... You get to eat a lot of meals by yourself. Trust me kid, nobody wants to be that guy. I do this because there is nobody else to do it right now. Believe me if there was somebody else to do it, I would let them do it. There's not, so I'm doing it.
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 11-20-2010, 05:26 PM
dragoon500ly dragoon500ly is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: East Tennessee, USA
Posts: 2,894
Default

just some random thoughts....

Phoenix was always the last ditch defense of the Project. Bruce could never be sure that the snake-eaters wouldn't have a hidden agenda of their own. Phoenix gave him a weapon that was at least as good, if not superior to the snake-eaters. Doesn't mean that he wanted to use them, but Phoenix is charged with safe-guarding the Project...from all enemies foreign and domestic, right? This would explain their presence in Prime Base, and in some games I've took part in, there was a backup, frozen Prime Base, complete with a second Phoenix Team, just in case. I've never run across the assumption that Phoenix is a death squad and that idea generated some serious discussion in last night's game. The opinion of my five players is as listed above.

Krell has always been an off sort of villian to run. If Krell was one of the members of COT, then he was in a postion to cause very serious disruption to the project. I'm not talking about his attempt to nuke Prime, but in a position to have access to bolthole locations, not to mention the regional resupply bases, etc. This has serious consequences for the Project, because he would have direct access to the infrastructure of the Project, not just from a logistical point of view, but from a C3I viewpoint as well. Being able to monitor communications for example.

On the other hand, if Krell is run as a member of the Project, but not a COT member, you now have the warlord version. He is aware of the Project, he has access to some of the Project equipment, but he is not in a position to run boltholes or bases down, unless he gets wind of a rumor of Morrows...

It also safeguards Krell from the COT, since they wouldn't know what he was up to, then they would not be able to "sanction" him. IIRC there was a PBEM that had Krell as a gang banger that managed to pass the security protocol, get recruited, and due to his expertise with computers, was able to hack Project records and pass that info to other members of his gang so when TEOTWAWKI took place, this gang had someplace to go and create their own little kingdom.
__________________
The reason that the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 11-20-2010, 05:32 PM
atiff's Avatar
atiff atiff is offline
GM for hire
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Posts: 193
Default Philisophical point...

HI all,

I don't play TMP, never read the books, etc... but just a comment of a general nature.

There are facts, and there are opinions. Facts are perceived by people in different ways, creating perception and influencing opinion. With regards to something like "a reason why," there can be a lot of different ones, depending on what you feel is probable. But just because something is not probable does not mean it is not possible.

Was it probable that I would now be living in a country other than the one of my birth? No, but it was possible, and in fact here I am doing that. Was is probable that I would now have a net worth of $10 million? No, and it didn't happen (unless you measure it in Zimbabwe dollars ). But it could have.

Things are as they are not necessarily because of things that were the most probable, but because of things that were possible. So as long as something is possible, I think it is worth considering, and can form the sound basis for a potential scenario. (And IMO this is why multiple timelines can be so much fun.) If you want to think more on this, consider reading "The Black Swan" by Nassim Taleb; I found it good (although, maybe that was not probable? )

I now return you to your regularly scheduled discussions....
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 11-20-2010, 07:17 PM
drashal drashal is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 10
Default

removed by user

Last edited by drashal; 11-21-2010 at 04:43 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 11-20-2010, 08:17 PM
StainlessSteelCynic's Avatar
StainlessSteelCynic StainlessSteelCynic is offline
Registered Registrant
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 2,375
Default

Personally, once I have the 4th edition I'll be purging any socio-political aspects of the Project from the game for two reasons.
1. Saving humanity from extinction is enough of a reason to convince people to join the Project. Some people don't actually need an appeal to patriotism to encourage them to help humanity - it just comes across as jingoistic, which leads me on to my second point.
2. Making the game so inwardly focused on the USA will definitely weaken its appeal to some new gamers, particularly those not from the US. RPGs have a global market and many of us not from the US aren't so interested in another game that is about playing American PCs doing the "mom and apple pie" thing for America. It's one part of the reason for the failure of 93 Games Studio's revision of Twilight: 2000.

I'll also be toning down the time travel aspects because with today's knowledge of technology and potential future tech, you don't need to have Morrow travelling into the future to bring back the tech to make the Project work. You start mucking about with time and you get the mess that plagues Star Trek and the Terminator series.
I've never been too thrilled with the idea that Morrow had a lot of future knowledge of things such as that Prime Base was doomed because I've always been more than happy with the write up from the actual module itself that basically implies that he, along with the COT believed that a central command & control facility was needed and Prime Base was to be it. All the "might have beens", "could have beens" and "what ifs" of multiple time travels ends up making the situation very messy for the poor SOB running the game and there's already plenty of time travel RPGs out there for those interested in that stuff.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 11-20-2010, 09:27 PM
kato13's Avatar
kato13 kato13 is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Chicago, Il USA
Posts: 3,714
Send a message via ICQ to kato13
Default

Given the original time frame the Us versus Them mentality is totally acceptable IMO. If the Soviet Union survives into the 21st century in a particular time line I see the rivalry continuing.

I read some piece of supplemental material (I have no idea if it is fan generated or canon), about Morrow being about rebuilding the US faster than the Soviet Union post WWIII (to prepare for WWIV I guess). This made sense for me as something that the COT would latch onto. Yes getting individuals to join would be hard, but convincing multi=billionaires to change their paths would be even harder in my opinion.

The tech they are demonstrated will not bring them long term wealth or power. The decisions that they make are not for themselves. In a cold war environment I certainly see using the fear that the Red Bear will conquer everything as a significant motivator. Remember this project starts in the 50's and the USSR is going to be the source of the missiles that rip the heart out of the US.

Sure once the Bear is gone it is easy to forget them, but given the times the COT came out of, I am sure "beating" them in some way would be a focus.
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 11-20-2010, 09:33 PM
natehale1971's Avatar
natehale1971 natehale1971 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Monroe, NC, USA
Posts: 1,199
Send a message via AIM to natehale1971 Send a message via MSN to natehale1971 Send a message via Yahoo to natehale1971
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by StainlessSteelCynic View Post
Personally, once I have the 4th edition I'll be purging any socio-political aspects of the Project from the game for two reasons.
1. Saving humanity from extinction is enough of a reason to convince people to join the Project. Some people don't actually need an appeal to patriotism to encourage them to help humanity - it just comes across as jingoistic, which leads me on to my second point.
2. Making the game so inwardly focused on the USA will definitely weaken its appeal to some new gamers, particularly those not from the US. RPGs have a global market and many of us not from the US aren't so interested in another game that is about playing American PCs doing the "mom and apple pie" thing for America. It's one part of the reason for the failure of 93 Games Studio's revision of Twilight: 2000.
Socio-Political aspect? I don't see how reestablishing a constitutional republic is either to far to the right or the left. It's a building block that created the American republic... a Republic that has become the world's superpower in just a hundred and fifty years. The constitution has inspired other nations constitution's as well. It's something that EVERYONE can read and see that those ideals are universal. Ask the people who are immigrating here why they're coming... it's because of the American Dream that ANYONE can become the next big thing.

I'm sorry if you think that's chauvinistic. But it's not. I've talked to to many immigrants to this country (both legal and not) who said they came here for the opportunities that our Republic provided.

The Morrow Project was focused on the USA, but the Atlantis Project was focused on the rest of the world. So if the game seems too centred on the USA... well, it was set in a shattered USA in a post-TEOTWAWKI. And they didn't describe what happened to the rest of the world in the main book or other sourcebooks.

The reason why T2013 failed to catch on was many. Not the fact it was focused so heavily on the USA market.

Quote:
I'll also be toning down the time travel aspects because with today's knowledge of technology and potential future tech, you don't need to have Morrow travelling into the future to bring back the tech to make the Project work. You start mucking about with time and you get the mess that plagues Star Trek and the Terminator series.
I've never been too thrilled with the idea that Morrow had a lot of future knowledge of things such as that Prime Base was doomed because I've always been more than happy with the write up from the actual module itself that basically implies that he, along with the COT believed that a central command & control facility was needed and Prime Base was to be it. All the "might have beens", "could have beens" and "what ifs" of multiple time travels ends up making the situation very messy for the poor SOB running the game and there's already plenty of time travel RPGs out there for those interested in that stuff.
Actually the module stressed that Bruce DID NOT want Prime Base. That he was overruled by CoT when he was away and when he returned the base was already under construction and couldn't be stopped. Bruce E. Morrow wanted a decentralized command and control that would have been based on regional command bases.
__________________
Fuck being a hero. Do you know what you get for being a hero? Nothing! You get shot at. You get a little pat on the back, blah blah blah, attaboy! You get divorced... Your wife can't remember your last name, your kids don't want to talk to you... You get to eat a lot of meals by yourself. Trust me kid, nobody wants to be that guy. I do this because there is nobody else to do it right now. Believe me if there was somebody else to do it, I would let them do it. There's not, so I'm doing it.
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 11-20-2010, 09:35 PM
natehale1971's Avatar
natehale1971 natehale1971 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Monroe, NC, USA
Posts: 1,199
Send a message via AIM to natehale1971 Send a message via MSN to natehale1971 Send a message via Yahoo to natehale1971
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by kato13 View Post
Given the original time frame the Us versus Them mentality is totally acceptable IMO. If the Soviet Union survives into the 21st century in a particular time line I see the rivalry continuing.

I read some piece of supplemental material (I have no idea if it is fan generated or canon), about Morrow being about rebuilding the US faster than the Soviet Union post WWIII (to prepare for WWIV I guess). This made sense for me as something that the COT would latch onto. Yes getting individuals to join would be hard, but convincing multi=billionaires to change their paths would be even harder in my opinion.

The tech they are demonstrated will not bring them long term wealth or power. The decisions that they make are not for themselves. In a cold war environment I certainly see using the fear that the Red Bear will conquer everything as a significant motivator. Remember this project starts in the 50's and the USSR is going to be the source of the missiles that rip the heart out of the US.

Sure once the Bear is gone it is easy to forget them, but given the times the COT came out of, I am sure "beating" them in some way would be a focus.
Exactly...

Using the Timetravel aspects also allows for the CoT trying to do what ever they could change the future. But each change they do only postponed TEOTWAWKI event, not stop it. Sort of like the Terminator movies.
__________________
Fuck being a hero. Do you know what you get for being a hero? Nothing! You get shot at. You get a little pat on the back, blah blah blah, attaboy! You get divorced... Your wife can't remember your last name, your kids don't want to talk to you... You get to eat a lot of meals by yourself. Trust me kid, nobody wants to be that guy. I do this because there is nobody else to do it right now. Believe me if there was somebody else to do it, I would let them do it. There's not, so I'm doing it.
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 11-20-2010, 10:31 PM
kato13's Avatar
kato13 kato13 is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Chicago, Il USA
Posts: 3,714
Send a message via ICQ to kato13
Default

While I am personally gung-ho about the Constitution, I never put it into my games with the same passion you are presenting. However I can see the logic of the Project using it as a core. It would much harder to recruit the COT and the tens of thousand of followers by saying "well anything we build is going to be based on our 'modified' form of the Constitution" or "We have come up with a new post EOTWaWKT governmental plan". Everyone would ask "Well wait what changes are you making?" and odds are a significant percentage would be upset with any particular change.

I am sure the COT would love some changes to the interstate commerce clause, just as I am sure a small percentage would want changes in the Roe vs Wade interpretation of the right to privacy. Once you start down that path you end up with something no one would accept.

Of course during the initial phases of reconstruction just about everything except is up for grabs, but bringing people back to the "normality" of the Prewar US being a long term goal makes sense.
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 11-20-2010, 11:04 PM
natehale1971's Avatar
natehale1971 natehale1971 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Monroe, NC, USA
Posts: 1,199
Send a message via AIM to natehale1971 Send a message via MSN to natehale1971 Send a message via Yahoo to natehale1971
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by kato13 View Post
While I am personally gung-ho about the Constitution, I never put it into my games with the same passion you are presenting. However I can see the logic of the Project using it as a core. It would much harder to recruit the COT and the tens of thousand of followers by saying "well anything we build is going to be based on our 'modified' form of the Constitution" or "We have come up with a new post EOTWaWKT governmental plan". Everyone would ask "Well wait what changes are you making?" and odds are a significant percentage would be upset with any particular change.

I am sure the COT would love some changes to the interstate commerce clause, just as I am sure a small percentage would want changes in the Roe vs Wade interpretation of the right to privacy. Once you start down that path you end up with something no one would accept.

Of course during the initial phases of reconstruction just about everything except is up for grabs, but bringing people back to the "normality" of the Prewar US being a long term goal makes sense.
That's exactly my point Kato... The Constitution was the basic building block that our Republic was founded upon. From it everything else springs forth from it.

But if i'm passionate about the Constitution, it comes from my ancestor SIGNING that document that has inspired so many wonderful (and yes, at times horrible) things to happen during the past 230+ years.
__________________
Fuck being a hero. Do you know what you get for being a hero? Nothing! You get shot at. You get a little pat on the back, blah blah blah, attaboy! You get divorced... Your wife can't remember your last name, your kids don't want to talk to you... You get to eat a lot of meals by yourself. Trust me kid, nobody wants to be that guy. I do this because there is nobody else to do it right now. Believe me if there was somebody else to do it, I would let them do it. There's not, so I'm doing it.
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 11-21-2010, 12:19 AM
StainlessSteelCynic's Avatar
StainlessSteelCynic StainlessSteelCynic is offline
Registered Registrant
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Western Australia
Posts: 2,375
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by natehale1971 View Post
Socio-Political aspect? I don't see how reestablishing a constitutional republic is either to far to the right or the left. It's a building block that created the American republic... a Republic that has become the world's superpower in just a hundred and fifty years. The constitution has inspired other nations constitution's as well. It's something that EVERYONE can read and see that those ideals are universal. Ask the people who are immigrating here why they're coming... it's because of the American Dream that ANYONE can become the next big thing.

I'm sorry if you think that's chauvinistic. But it's not. I've talked to to many immigrants to this country (both legal and not) who said they came here for the opportunities that our Republic provided.

The Morrow Project was focused on the USA, but the Atlantis Project was focused on the rest of the world. So if the game seems too centred on the USA... well, it was set in a shattered USA in a post-TEOTWAWKI. And they didn't describe what happened to the rest of the world in the main book or other sourcebooks.

The reason why T2013 failed to catch on was many. Not the fact it was focused so heavily on the USA market.



Actually the module stressed that Bruce DID NOT want Prime Base. That he was overruled by CoT when he was away and when he returned the base was already under construction and couldn't be stopped. Bruce E. Morrow wanted a decentralized command and control that would have been based on regional command bases.
Nothing to do with chauvinism, everything to do with the fact that I am not from the USA and I like the game as it is in 3rd edition and I don't see a need to use the US constitution as a goad to make people join the Project. I couldn't give a rat's arse if it was the building block of anything or nothing, my aim with the game is to have fun and in the end, any deep philosophical or socio-political aspect is irrelevant because many players don't actually pay it that much attention.
And I'll say it again, those of us who aren't from the US, don't necessarily want to be playing games were the PCs are Americans saving America. We don't actually care about real world politics in games and some of us prefer not to have it so obvious.
Publish the Atlantis Project and this won't ever be an issue.

In regards to 2013, I think you should actually ask people not from the US what they thought of it. Too many gun books, too little about the rest of the world is a comment I hear often and that can easily be seen based on the products actually released. I base my statement on having spoken to gamers from Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Germany and Israel who all reiterated the same thing - I might be interested if it wasn't so focused on America.
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 11-21-2010, 11:49 AM
drashal drashal is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 10
Default

removed by user

Last edited by drashal; 11-21-2010 at 04:43 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 11-21-2010, 12:36 PM
kato13's Avatar
kato13 kato13 is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Chicago, Il USA
Posts: 3,714
Send a message via ICQ to kato13
Default

I think we all have to accept that there are huge gaps in canon and how we fill those gaps will vary wildly from person to person.

Yes we can quote chapter and verse of the Morrow "Scriptures", but just like any religious text much is left to individual interpretation (not to mention them also containing many contradictions).

Luckily each of us creates our own world and none of us are forced to play in another's.
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 11-21-2010, 02:15 PM
natehale1971's Avatar
natehale1971 natehale1971 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Monroe, NC, USA
Posts: 1,199
Send a message via AIM to natehale1971 Send a message via MSN to natehale1971 Send a message via Yahoo to natehale1971
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by drashal View Post
this will probably get me kicked but have you really read prime base .... every time Bruce is listed in the book he is shown as supporting prime base btw that would be page 8 6th paragraph , page 10 11th paragraph ,and page 72 6th paragraph these are the only mentions of Bruce any where in the module

as for the Phoenix teams please read page 72 the breakdown of the requirements for the team , then page 73 paragraph 5 for what type of people you are dealing with.

what you are saying is conjecture and not canon i made a point that these are my thoughts on bruce but you are treating me like i have blasphemed for my ideas ,if the canon material was a little heavier on the fluff of the background then you make the claims you are making , but its not and slamming people for their ideas is not how you win supporters of yours for a long time i thought a lot of the ideas presented here where good ones but its obvious that you have come to the opinion that only your view point is right and we are all wrong .

i am sorry if this upsets you but i do not like being told that i am wrong when the published facts back me up.

If you claim to know every thing and then tell people they are wrong have your facts right. otherwise you get fubars like this
Actually I have read the damn thing multiple times, and ran the module three times for three different groups.

And you are definitely the pot calling the kettle black.

NO WHERE in any of the books does it describe Morrow as a heartless bastard as you have been portraying him in your posts.

And the module write-up does describe Phoenix Team as a SOCOM type group. Because one of those groups i ran through Prime Base, had a US Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer, A US Army Special Forces Staff Sergeant and a US Air Force Combat Controller Technical Sergeant on it. And when i let them read the write-up for the Phoenix Team after we played he game they STRESSED that Phoenix trains like they did, wish they did not have to use the skills they have trained so damn hard to get. That when they are deployed they hit hard and fast without mercy. But it doesn't change the fact they are still human, and that they have a desire NOT to have to kill anyone.

A Death Squad is a group of cold blooded killers who go out and kill ANYONE who sees them when they go in and do their bloody work. SOCOM goes in like a scalpel and kills only those that they HAVE TO KILL and get out without anyone seeing them.
__________________
Fuck being a hero. Do you know what you get for being a hero? Nothing! You get shot at. You get a little pat on the back, blah blah blah, attaboy! You get divorced... Your wife can't remember your last name, your kids don't want to talk to you... You get to eat a lot of meals by yourself. Trust me kid, nobody wants to be that guy. I do this because there is nobody else to do it right now. Believe me if there was somebody else to do it, I would let them do it. There's not, so I'm doing it.
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 11-21-2010, 02:28 PM
natehale1971's Avatar
natehale1971 natehale1971 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Monroe, NC, USA
Posts: 1,199
Send a message via AIM to natehale1971 Send a message via MSN to natehale1971 Send a message via Yahoo to natehale1971
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by StainlessSteelCynic View Post
Nothing to do with chauvinism, everything to do with the fact that I am not from the USA and I like the game as it is in 3rd edition and I don't see a need to use the US constitution as a goad to make people join the Project. I couldn't give a rat's arse if it was the building block of anything or nothing, my aim with the game is to have fun and in the end, any deep philosophical or socio-political aspect is irrelevant because many players don't actually pay it that much attention.
And I'll say it again, those of us who aren't from the US, don't necessarily want to be playing games were the PCs are Americans saving America. We don't actually care about real world politics in games and some of us prefer not to have it so obvious.
Publish the Atlantis Project and this won't ever be an issue.
you know, you are a real horses arse with how you're acting. just because you're upset that an RPG that was from its design was about rebuilding the USA after a nuclear war is based in the USA and is focused on the USA... it really makes all of this so damn funny.

you are one of the ONLY people who i've talked in the past twenty-five years who's so damn pissed off about the Morrow Project RPG being so American focused.

the only 'socio-political aspect' would be putting faith on rebuilding the USA using the constitution to rally a shattered nation around. Because that would be the one thing that could get everyone behind it here. It would be just like the UK having the monarchy, and a project for reconstruction using the Crown as a way to rally the populace. If that was the way the game was set up, i don't know anyone who'd be pissed about that. Because the game would be set in the UK with UK values being the focus. It's like watching Sanctuary or Doctor Who.

Both are focused on the UK, and we love it just as it is. Hell, my soon to be ex-wife was stunned that i was such a dedicated constitutionalist republican when it came to the USA, but was a dedicated Monarchist when it came to the UK. I told her, "if it's not broke, don't fix it." And no, i don't hold the British People responsible for the horrors that woman has put me or my family through.

Quote:
In regards to 2013, I think you should actually ask people not from the US what they thought of it. Too many gun books, too little about the rest of the world is a comment I hear often and that can easily be seen based on the products actually released. I base my statement on having spoken to gamers from Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Germany and Israel who all reiterated the same thing - I might be interested if it wasn't so focused on America.
I've talked with other games form all around the world about T2013 as well, and it wasn't the US-centred parts that upset then. it was the background's timeline that was just so screwed up and unbelievable. To them that was the hardest of the pills to swallow, not that their part of the world wasn't covered by what was going on in the world.

To them that allowed them to write their own sourcebook (something they say they prefered with just how screwed up the setting was) because they threw the setting as it was written out the window because they really didn't like how it was written.
__________________
Fuck being a hero. Do you know what you get for being a hero? Nothing! You get shot at. You get a little pat on the back, blah blah blah, attaboy! You get divorced... Your wife can't remember your last name, your kids don't want to talk to you... You get to eat a lot of meals by yourself. Trust me kid, nobody wants to be that guy. I do this because there is nobody else to do it right now. Believe me if there was somebody else to do it, I would let them do it. There's not, so I'm doing it.
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 11-21-2010, 03:35 PM
drashal drashal is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 10
Default

removed by user

Last edited by drashal; 11-21-2010 at 04:43 PM.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:29 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.6
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.