10-27-2011, 01:35 PM | #1 |
GURPS FAQ Keeper
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Kyïv, Ukraine
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Spaceships: Chance of a space combat aid. But is there a need? 2D or 3D?
Greetings, all!
As I mentioned in another thread, I consider it possible to create a game aid of sorts for G:Spaceships combat. As all fan tools, it is likely be born ugly and clumsy, especially in the graphics department, but it seems doable - as a simple 'space map' with movable/rotatable ships and their vectors; adding complexity later is possible but requires a lot of incentive for the author. ;) The questions are:
Thanks in advance for your opinions! |
10-27-2011, 01:40 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Re: Spaceships: Chance of a space combat aid. But is there a need? 3D?
While 2d space combat is of course wrong, I never thought it was a big problem for plausible combats. I may be wrong on that point.
An infinite map with vector support sounds handy, though I can't say with any confidence that I'd actually use it. If you moved to 3d, would you be discarding the hex model and going with free 3-space movement, or what?
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I don't know any 3e, so there is no chance that I am talking about 3e rules by accident. |
10-27-2011, 02:09 PM | #3 | ||
GURPS FAQ Keeper
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Kyïv, Ukraine
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Re: Spaceships: Chance of a space combat aid. But is there a need? 3D?
Quote:
Quote:
Two easiest ways of designating direction would be MouseLook (think any FPS, or typical MMORPG with right-button pressed), or by designating a target ship and selecting either Intercept Course (at current speed), or Face Current Coordinates. Making distances easier to measure is possible - distance spheres, visible vectors (as beams) are quite doable, and will not consume too much memory unless there's several transparent spheres for each of the many ships in battle. |
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10-27-2011, 02:20 PM | #4 |
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Re: Spaceships: Chance of a space combat aid. But is there a need? 3D?
Any particular reason for that?
__________________
I don't know any 3e, so there is no chance that I am talking about 3e rules by accident. |
10-27-2011, 02:30 PM | #5 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: The ASS of the world, mainly Valencia, Spain (Europe)
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Re: Spaceships: Chance of a space combat aid. But is there a need? 3D?
Because infinite is impossible in a computerized tool? Unbounded is quite a different thing though.
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10-27-2011, 02:41 PM | #6 |
Join Date: May 2011
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Re: Spaceships: Chance of a space combat aid. But is there a need? 3D?
I'd be interested.
Heck, I'd be interested in a tool that included two windows with hexes, one on a "x,y" and one window on a "y,z" orientation- that is how I have handled 3d spaceship combat (although when there are more than two or three ships, I just abstract to 2d). Two hex maps makes for a crowded table, but on a computer screen, it might work better. If it is too ugly, I am willing to provide some graphics work (I dabble with Blender 3d). I do think that for maximum appeal, keeping the space ship counters fairly abstract is in order. |
10-27-2011, 03:53 PM | #7 | |
GURPS FAQ Keeper
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Kyïv, Ukraine
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Re: Spaceships: Chance of a space combat aid. But is there a need? 3D?
Quote:
That would be nice if/when we get to it. Right now I'm not sure many people will be even willing to test the thing (and given what we're talking about, it will require quite a lot of testing and tweaking). |
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10-27-2011, 04:44 PM | #8 |
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Re: Spaceships: Chance of a space combat aid. But is there a need? 3D?
I'm more than a little foggy about just what virtue 3D mapping has...except when you are travelling at such speeds that multiple celestial bodies are within your field of engagement.
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10-27-2011, 04:50 PM | #9 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
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Re: Spaceships: Chance of a space combat aid. But is there a need? 3D?
3D mapping would have some value if maneuver really meant much of anything in space combat, but space combat in any reasonably open space has a lot of resemblance to fighting on an infinite featureless flat plane, maneuver doesn't really do much.
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10-27-2011, 06:48 PM | #10 |
Join Date: Oct 2005
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Re: Spaceships: Chance of a space combat aid. But is there a need? 3D?
If you have three or more parties at wide separation, the vertical dimension could become relevant when maneuvering.
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An ongoing narrative of philosophy, psychology, and semiotics: Et in Arcadia Ego "To an Irishman, a serious matter is a joke, and a joke is a serious matter." |
Tags |
game aid, gurps spaceship battles, spaceships |
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