I was impressed with the way that engine threshold checks were managed in the
EFSB, and was thinking of a way it could be used in FT (perhaps
FT3?)
without changing anything already established in the FB.
It's actually rather simple: make one check for every two points of thrust,
which is halved if it fails. If there is a single "off" point (for a thrust 5
custom ship) then it is eliminated on the first failed threshold check.
The advantages of this system is that engine failures may now leave a ship
with most or very little of it's original rating, adding a little more variety
and uncertainty with no additional complexity. Also, the SSD format
established in the FB need not be modified in any way.
Comments?
On Tue, 11 Aug 1998 20:09:08 -0700, Sean Bayan Schoonmaker
<schoon@aimnet.com> wrote:
> It's actually rather simple: make one check for every two points of
Interesting idea, Sean. This could be easily implemented. Have you tried these
in a game, yet?
> agoodall@sympatico.ca (Allan Goodall) wrote:
> It's actually rather simple: make one check for every two points of
Yes; soon after I obtained the EFSB and got the idea of trying it with FT, I
gave it a go. As all the FT standardised designs have even thrust values, it
was quite easy to implement.
I liked the results. I've always thought that loosing exactly half the total
thrust on a roll was a little bit artificial anyway. For two identicle ships
rolling a threshold, one might loose only 1 point, while the other may loose 3
or 4 (for destroyers anyway). Mark down the new rating and you're ready to go.
I found it simpler to treat the damaged thrusters as "new" for subsequent
rolls, and to simply have damage control bring back one point to the rating.
For example: a thrust 8 destroyer makes it's first threshold roll (4 rolls),
and looses 3 points. On the next turn it makes a successful damage control
roll, bringing its rating back up to 6. It then takes more fire, and has to
make its second check. Instead of worrying about which section of two was
halved in the first check, just roll as if it were a "brand new" thrust 6 (3
rolls).
I think it adds a nice bit of diversity to the game without adding any
complexity.