While I love FT2's simplicity, I would like to see a common system to
determine if a shot hits in FT3. This would provide a common method of for
armor, screens, and/or ECM to effect a shot against a target. There are
three ways of doing this:
1) Common damage reduction: This method states that you remove x number of
points from the damage inflicted. For this to work, weapons would need to
cause more damage. This may also cause ship points to be increased to offset
the greater damage.
2) Roll to hit then roll for damage. This makes it easy to reduce the chance
to hit, but makes you roll twice for every hit (and once for every miss).
3) FMA. This method changes die type depending on condition. ECM, screens, and
armor would be combined into a common defensive value. Compair the roll to the
defensive value. If higher, you hit and do damage. Damage could be equal to
the roll, or have a 2nd roll. The major disadvantage to this method is
complication due to different type of dice. It also requires asking what the
defensive value of the opponet is (FT2 does that now with level of screen).
Each of these methods would also offer the chance to increase the diversity of
weapons.
On Monday, October 27, 1997 3:33 AM, Brian Bell
> [SMTP:PDGA6560@compuserve.com] wrote:
I'd plump for common die reduction - just use less D6 for the various
factors, no sums please.
> 2) Roll to hit then roll for damage.
I'm against rolling twice, the whole appeal of the current system is its
simplicity on a single roll.
> 3) FMA.
This appeals as its actually very simple (no sums) and uses a single roll. It
works very well in games like Silent Death where the hit and damage are on a
single die type roll.
sincerely
> On Monday, October 27, 1997 3:33 AM, Brian Bell
Agreed wholeheartedly - although a FEW systems use two rolls, I really
want
to keep the single-roll resolution for most combat.
> 3) FMA.
I think I've mentioned before that a starship (or fighter) game using the FMA
mechanisms would be very interesting to do, and is somethiung that is on one
of the back burners in my mind, but it WOULDN'T be FT. We may do something
along these lines someday, but to move to polyhedrals in FT would change the
game too fundamentally.
> Ground Zero Games wrote:
In article <97927.21319.2786@thingy.apana.org.au>,
> Ground Zero Games <jon@gzero.dungeon.com> wrote:
I'm 100% with Tim here, jon, I rather throw dice once than get all
deterministic about hit calculations. Trust your luck, not your calculator!
> [quoted text omitted]
The problem with common damage reduction, is the different ways in which
weapons use to hit. A 2 point reduction would completely nullify beam weapons
but only reduce damage from a pulse torpedo.
On Monday, October 27, 1997 7:09 PM, Oerjan Ohlson
> [SMTP:oerjan.ohlson@nacka.mail.telia.com] wrote:
You are of course correct. I was using a rather loose definition of FMA to be
a system that uses polyhedral die for factoring. Yes in DS2 you do have
opposed die battles. No I don't want that in FT.
> I wouldn't call the SD system "FMA", though:
<snip>
> Also, I'm not entirely sure if ICE has protected this system or not
They probably have, but its the concept of using different polyhedral die to
represent the various to-hit factors I was getting at, rather than a
direct rip off of their system (which is one of the best things in SD).
However as JT said, the fistfuls of D6 are too fundamental to the FT simple
game mechanics and balance to do away with. So it looks like its going
to be the good ol' to-hit system in FT3.
What we need now is JT to bring out his own range of gaudy combat die
;-|
> While I love FT2's simplicity, I would like to see a common system to
I don't understand what you mean by this.
> 2) Roll to hit then roll for damage. This makes it easy to reduce the
With this modification you are no longer required to refer to the game as Full
Thrust.
> 3) FMA. This method changes die type depending on condition. ECM,
Are the weapons really colorful enough to justify the added complexity?
> Each of these methods would also offer the chance to increase the
If you think of a name for it and need some playtesters, please contact me.