> >> How many people are involved in crewing the ship?
The main reason I even began to contemplate the idea of putting values
on FT's ships (ie weight and volume) is for what Mike just mentioned -
as an adjunct to roleplaying games. It is my hope to come up with "reasonable"
production rates, and use them in my upcoming "civil war". Earth remains
balkanized, and still maintains the basic approach that space shall not become
the militarized domain of any one nation. Only the United Nations could
maintain a space fleet, and said fleet was subsidized by all of the other
nations. However, I have, in my "world" the situation where Brazil and China
begin to work in concert behind the scenes, North America along with England
form a political block, Europe forms another, Russia begins a new block, and
the Islamic nations form yet another block. Unfortunately, Earth begins to
break out into another situation similar
to pre-WW I conditions, and all it will take is a minor spark to set
things in motion. Eventually, the wars will be fought by proxy by the colonies
much like the Spanish Main during the 16 and 17 hundreds AD...
But I too am a veteran of Starfire, Starfleet Battles, Squadleader,
PanzerLeader, etc... and look forward to seeing a campaign structure evolve
for FT...
> On Mon, 9 Dec 1996, Hal Carmer wrote:
> The main reason I even began to contemplate the idea of putting
Fine - but if you set values according to one RPG background, those same
values may be completely off for another background. Crew sizes and ship
masses in, for example, the Honor Harrington universe are something very, very
different from crews and masses in FASA's Renegade Legion universe.
I have no problem with universe-specific conversion rates, but you have
to keep in mind that they are just that - universe-specific. If GZG
starts specifying exactly what a MASS unit is, or how large crews are, FT
gets less generic - which is a Bad Thing <tm>.
<snip>
> But I too am a veteran of Starfire, Starfleet Battles, Squadleader,
However, a campaign structure doesn't really need specific mass/volume
ratios and crew sizes. How big is one Hull Space in Starfire? How many people
are there in a Personnel Point? Neither is really specified, although you can
determine rough sizes for at least pps. Once again,
leave enough for many different backgrounds - don't fix the campaign
system to one single background. It is quite easily done, unfortunately.
Regards,
> On Tue, 10 Dec 1996 12:31:58 +0100 (MET), you wrote:
The game as it stands at the moment has an "open" structure which has allowed
players to customize it to their bent.
Those who are advocating a more complicated legalistic (dare I say pharisaic?)
approach seem to feel uncomfortable with a system which does not define the
game down to the last rivet. That's OK. really. REALLY.
My argument is that there is, without doubt, a large number of folks who want
to keep it simple and not have to point to the rulebook and say a la Judge
Dredd "THIS IS THE LAW".
It's just not required. Simply agree on the options to be used before you play
the game. If players can't do that they're not in it for fun or in a wargames
club, they're in a kindergarten.
The open nature of the system and the approach taken by GZG in More Thrust in
proferring "bug" fixes (e.g. C batteries and fighter movement), optional rules
and new races gives players the *choice* of both. Both camps can be happy. But
I'd hate to see GZG actually *codify* an additional layer of complexity. Once
that's done there's no going back.
> Fine - but if you set values according to one RPG background, those
> to keep in mind that they are just that - universe-specific. If GZG
Once a Hull mass was defined as being 50 Cargo spaces, it already took the
road to becomming "defined". What can I say <shrug>?
> However, a campaign structure doesn't really need specific mass/volume
You are correct as far as FT goes that the above is not specifically needed
- until you start taking trained personnel losses, and need to make them
up...
> How big is one Hull Space in Starfire? How many
STARFIRE, as a game is fun. STARFIRE as a universe as given by the
rules -
stinks. STARFIRE as a story as writen by David Weber and Steve White, is a
great universe. Why do I say the rules do not fit the story? According to one
person's math, Starfire Hull units could only have been around 500 cubic
meters in volume, and yet, according the another guy, who refused to give
rational numbers backed by "infered evidence, the volume had to be closer to
5000 cubic meters. When looking at known volumes required by man in general,
systems in the game were generally too large for a volume of 5000 and didn't
make sense. When looking at volumes where a Hull space took up only 500 cubic
meters, some of the hull space requirements didn't make sense. In all, when
the game was designed, had the game designer had a specific hull volumn in
mind, all other subsequent game design could and would have been consistant.
Such (IMHO) was not the case...
> Once again,
> From my point of view - if the author of the campaign rules were to
button too much, the game becomes a juvinile "hooks and ladders" game, and I
lose interest.