This is the GZG list, isn't it? I wanted to read about some cool FT stuff the
past few days... so far I've been gett'n lots of mail but not much of it seems
to be GZG related.
Rather than just be a whiner however, I do have a question concerning how
other players handle moving asteroids in their games. I'd like to host a FT
"Asteroids" game (you know, like the video game), only using the full thrust
rules and allowing starships to fire at and destroy asteroids for points. They
can also fire at each other... but that isn't worth anything. I'd like to have
the big asteroids blow up into little ones moving at a higher rate but I want
to keep the asteroids from flying off the table. I was thinking of having
ships and asteroids "bounce" off of the edge of the table but I'm not sure of
how to handle the vectors without slowing game play down.
It's a silly idea, but in a strange way, a FT "asteroids" scenario sounds like
it would be fun to try sometime. Anyone have any suggestions on implementing
the above? Any comments welcome...
Thanks,
Pete
> On Sun, 13 Sep 1998, PCARON wrote:
> This is the GZG list, isn't it? I wanted to read about some cool FT
Well, you'd definatly want to use the vector movement system, it'd be
necessary to capture the right feel. If you want, you could handle off the
board asteroids like the game did (fly off one side, come back on the other
side with the same velocity vector) Or bouncing off the wall is really easy
enough too. The vector after collision has the same angle out from the wall as
before. just flip the vector arrow across a plain perpendicular to the wall
through the center of the ship.
> It's a silly idea, but in a strange way, a FT "asteroids" scenario
> PCARON wrote:
XXX It would seem that there are multiiple small digressions from the
mainstream of the list. JTL
XXXX
...Snip... JTL
> FT "Asteroids" game (you know, like the video game), only using the
Pete, How about the trite 'alien capture and test in the arena' scenario. In
this format you can easily cheat to keep the asteroids on the table.
Bye for now,
see www.usd.edu/~thompson/Asteroids.html for an asteroids game on the
net
> ... I want to keep the asteroids from flying off the table.
> Anyone have any suggestions on implementing the above? Any
> In this format you can easily cheat to keep the asteroids
Or you could have new ones entering at random from the table edges every turn.
Silly as it sounds at first, its actually not a half bad idea. Especially if
introducing new players. Many people "get" vector movement once you mention it
in the context of Asteroids.
> the table. I was thinking of having ships and asteroids "bounce" off
Have the asteroids work just like the ones in the real game: they simply wrap
around to the other edge of the table and maintain the same vector. This makes
things relatively simple.
The big questions are how many damage points to break asteroids to smaller
sizes, how many points each break is worth, and the speed of a given size
"chunk." Unfortunately, I suspect that some of these may only be determined
through some creative playtesting, rather than intellectual exercise.
We could work with the following just for starters: 3 points of damage to
reduce a large asteroid to 3 mediums; 2 points of damage to reduce a medium
asteroid to three smalls; one point of damage to destroy a small asteroid
(yeah, I know this doesn't quite mirror the "one shot, one kill" feel of the
arcade game).
Make the various sized bits worth 1, 2, and 4 points for large, medium, and
small asteroids respectively. That way players will want to make more of those
high speed little guys, which make things so damgerous, so they can get more
points.
As for speeds, consider most people have about a 1.5 m square playing area (at
1 inch per MU). Consider each size according to the amount of time you'd like
it to take to cross the playing area. If you want that to be
8,
4, and 2 turns (I picked these out of a hat) for the respective sizes, then
your speeds would be 6-8 inches for large asteroids, 12-16 for mediums,
and
24-32 for smalls. Those little guys would really wiz around the table,
making things difficult for all involved.
> PCARON wrote:
XXX It would seem that there are multiiple small digressions from the
mainstream of the list. JTL
XXXX
<SNIP>
Lately it seems that GZG topics ARE the multiple small digressions on the list
;)
> PCARON wrote:
fine. you would have to ban fighters, though, as, iirc, they are immune to
asteroid impact. to recapture the original asteroids spirit, you might want to
use vector movement.
i think this is an ace idea. it is certainly silly, but then if you can't
enjoy some silliness now and then, you suck and should go and play harpoon or
something.
> ---- schoon you wrote:
> The big questions are how many damage points to break asteroids to
how about determining asteroid breakup by making a threshold check? if you are
teaching game mechanics, then this kills two birds with one stone ('scuse the
pun). in fact, this would be an opportunity to develop
some asteroid design/operation rules, which might also be useful in
regular games for asteroid bases, etc. maybe.
Take the threshold idea and run with it. Give your asteroids a Size rating
- the number of damage points it takes to split it - essentially the
first
threshold row - and then give them damage points accordingly. When the
first threshold is taken the asteroid splits. Divide the second damage row
into 2 nearly equal parts. those are the 2 medium size asteroids. each takes
damage separately and splits on threshold. Further subdivisions represent
smaller asteroids, etc.
For more variety, when you actually cross a threshold and break up the
asteroid, randomly determine how many pieces it breaks into - from 2 to
4 for example. Larger pieces will of course take more damage, and smaller
pieces will move more quickly. keep dividing until only 1 point asteroids.
So a size 7 asteroid - first damage row is completed so roll to see how
many pieces it splits into - 1,2,3=2 4,5=3 6=4 roll a 3, so 2 pieces
(one 3 pt. one 4 pt)
Here's the damage chart for the asteroid
x x x x|x x x <- first split (roll a 3 - split into 2 parts)
x x o o|x x x <- 4 pt asteroid taken 2 pts, 3 pt split
o o o o|x o|x <- first portion will split later
o o o o|o o|-
when the rock split, the 4-pt piece on the left side of the damage chart
has only taken 2 pts and has not split further. the right 3 pt rock took all 3
pts and split into 2 pieces, a 2 pt and a 1 pt. The 1 pt was destroyed, while
the 2 pt has only taken 1 damage and not split yet.
For fun, when the rock splits determine it's new course and speed by a d12
clock face for course and 2d6 (or even 3d6 if vicious) minus asteroid size. If
using vector movement, ADD this amount to the previous vector prior to the
split. Do not assume collision with an asteroid is automatically fatal
- for every size point of the asteroid that hits you, your ship takes
1d6 damage. Big ships could survive impacts by a few small asteroids
("Asteroids do not concern me admiral, I want that ship").
for even more nastiness, use the energy of the asteroid - 1/2 mv^2
Square
the velocity of the asteroid, multiply by size, divide by 2 - roll that
many dice, counting damage as beams. (hmmm - that's sounding close to
the instant death thing again)
just a few rambling thoughts
Jared Noble
tom.anderson@altavista.net on 09/15/98 05:38:03 AM
Please respond to FTGZG-L@bolton.ac.uk
To: ftgzg-l@bolton.ac.uk
cc: (bcc: Jared E Noble/AAI/ARCO)
Subject: Re: GZG List? FT Asteroids, anyone?
> ---- schoon you wrote:
> The big questions are how many damage points to break asteroids to
how about determining asteroid breakup by making a threshold check? if you are
teaching game mechanics, then this kills two birds with one stone ('scuse the
pun). in fact, this would be an opportunity to develop some
asteroid design/operation rules, which might also be useful in regular
games for asteroid bases, etc. maybe.
Tom
> On Tue, 15 Sep 1998, Jared E Noble wrote:
> For fun, when the rock splits determine it's new course and speed by a
Sounds like an interesting idea, but how are you going to *accurately*
determine collision with vector movement? In a game like this, it's going to
be a *very* crucial element.