The problem of modern world dragons

[Rotpar]

This was originally about scaling crew accomodations in Vehicles according to size.

Operating for the most part with GURPS 4th and using Vehicles 3rd for lack of an updated book. I'm kind of a gearhead when it comes to RPG vehicles and I like them to be more realistic then the simplified new method of running them.

I tried searching for an answer but size topics are pretty popular.

I'm trying to figure out how to scale the weight and volume of the crew and passanger accomodations in Vehicles for non-human races. I haven't found any such info in Vehicles and I have a limited grasp on biomechanics. If I have a SM 4 race that needs a car, do I simply quadruple the weight/volume of a crew station? Or would it based off the square or cube of the modifier? I am ultimately trying to design a TL6 motorcycle for a small/medium sized dragon, a vehicle of desperation as the dragons find themselves increasingly too large to get along in a modernizing world.

Now that the crunchy rule stuff is done with:

Any other advice for the setting will be handy. I'm aiming for a semi-realistic SM 4 or 5 race. They're large and powerful, breathe fire, all have some capacity for magic which hand-waves their size and flight to some degree. At adulthood they're more along the lines of the younger D&D dragons then the super-powerful older ones. They could rip a car apart but not an armored tank. Their hide was better armor then anything the primative races could produce but it doesn't withstand firearms larger then pistols. Working on exact stats.

The world is TL6, magic is common to all races but is increasingly frowned upon as governments and laws have modernized. I haven't established what effect magic has had on development of the world, it's handy and needs to be considered but flying carpets and resurrections never worked or gained popularity. You might hire a plumber and he magically welds your pipes together but water elementals don't personally provide water to your neighborhood. And no shape-shifting into humans for the dragons.

When technology was metalworking and animal husbandry, the dragons were dominiant and huge. As gunpowder and mechanics rolled in they're grown physically smaller and less significant in the world. They are civilized creatures, they built cities once and were the ancient Egyptians of this setting, instead of cave dwellers.

They're an abused minority now. An angry dragon can still destroy you. But odds are he's getting gunned down and nobody will mind the vigillante justice. A dragon isn't getting on a plane and flying across country on business. They aren't likely to travel out of their lands, few build enormous hotels to accomodate them. They're huge targets for infantry platoons and tanks to blast away at. A dragon in flight is an easy kill for vastly superior fighters. They have little place in the world.

I have some of this planned out already, just not the time to go into it at the moment. My primary concern is getting that bike "running". But if you have a suggestion about the rest of it feel free to speak up. Thanks for any help and opinion, I'll have a look some time after I get off work.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

This thread makes me very happy and sad all at the same time.

[ClayDowling]

SM+4 motorcycle seems like it's going to be a problem with overpasses. Also, if I've got wings, why do I want to ride a motorcycle? Not that I don't appreciate the value of a fast motorcycle (my current ride: http://dowling.lazarusid.com/claysmagna.html), but flying would seem faster, more convenient and more of a thrill. In short, if I had wings, I wouldn't use a motorcycle, even if it was shiny, red and fast.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by ClayDowling

SM+4 motorcycle seems like it's going to be a problem with overpasses.

Conceded. Maybe some of their fading influence has been exerted on civil works, but it is now threatened and low head room is contributing to the decline of the great reptiles of yore...

Originally Posted by ClayDowling

Also, if I've got wings, why do I want to ride a motorcycle? Not that I don't appreciate the value of a fast motorcycle (my current ride: http://dowling.lazarusid.com/claysmagna.html), but flying would seem faster, more convenient and more of a thrill. In short, if I had wings, I wouldn't use a motorcycle, even if it was shiny, red and fast.

Maybe flying is very tiring for them, and they need all of their FP to power the awesome firey breath and Mighty Blows and stuff, so they ride the motorcycles into battle and then spring into the air off them at the crucial moment, silhoueted against the sun / the moon / a big explosion / etc for one moment of pure awesome before roaring downward at their prey.

[David L Pulver]

Originally Posted by Rotpar

This was originally about scaling crew accommodations in Vehicles according to size.
I'm trying to figure out how to scale the weight and volume of the crew and passenger accommodations in Vehicles for non-human races.

In 3e:

Alien Accommodations and Crew Stations (GURPS Vehicles Expansion 1, p. 22) addressed this issue. To summarize a couple of paragraphs, if density is similar to human, just multiply seats or quarters weight and volume by (average species weight/150).

If you know SM but not average weight or the SM is a better scaling, probably the best bet is to find the distance number for SM, divide by 2 (the average for humans) and cube it. Use that factor to multiply volume and weight. E.g., SM +4 is 10 yards; 10/2 = 5; 5 cubed = 125; the race is probably that much more massive so use 125x weight and volume.

In 4e:
There's an "adjusting for SM" table in Ultra-Tech (and probably High Tech as well). This is based on surface area rather than size, but it is useful for things like body armor and for any features that are more area-than-size limited.