I am hoping someone here can give me a hand with a game design.
I'm writing a Space Opera PBM, based on 'high lo-tech' equipment.
Just imagine the Nouveau design of space ships weapons, dress and
equipment evoked in 40's and 50's science fiction writing.
This is the universe were bazillions of megawatts of energy are
required to keep a city alive, or for that matter, a frieghter
plying the space between planets in the same system.
The game already has quite a few variables for the players to adjust,
and which will heighten it's ability to portray a certain realism.
But two facets elude what I feel is an adequate solution.
They are moving a mass through space, and ship to ship combat.
Travel through this galaxy is based on the time it takes to move a
field of hexes. Engines move a ship at a ratio of 1 hex for each
engine factor. Thus Engines-1 moves the ship 1 hex. Engines-5, move it
5 hexes.
My problem with this idea is that if the ship is 20 tonnes or 1000 tonnes
in size, any engine factor will move boths ships the same distance.
My knowledge of physics is strictly bounded my an incomplete reading of
Stephen Hawkings A History of Time.
It seems to me there is more to moving a ship through space.
I'm not looking for an exact duplicate of what happens in "Real Life",
for sure this is strictly a 2D universe. But I'd like something with
a little more 'texture' while still being a relatively easy formula
for players to handle.
As for ship to ship combat, my ideas are rudimentary at best, and not
worth repeating here.
What I'm looking for help with are the 'factors' one must consider
when putting together a combat system. The situation is one of
simple energy shields vs 'beam of energy' weapons and missiles of severely
destructive power, usually reserved for long range attack.
The obvious 'factors' are weapon strength vs. shield strength, but many
other factors could be added. Witness the recent discussions on
agility. There is again the question of engines and how they might
affect combat. Tractor beams have notbeen invented as yet, nor have
other weapons systems.
I realize that this mailing list is not the forum for this topic of
discussion, but I also recognize that the deep involvement with the
Traveller System, evidenced in the high level of discussion between
those who take part in this mailing list, represents my best source of
ideas on the milieu of spacefarers. (In otherwords a bit of shameless
flattery - honest tho' you folks amaze me with the manner in which you
incorporate and project into the future, the state of science in all of
it's facets).
Any help you can offer will be greatly appreciated.
Dale Poole
[email removed]
pbemrednisky