[Spaceships] Getting started on a Java-based ship builder

[Langy]

After all of that, is anyone interested in helping with this. I have a feeling it would probably only take a few weeks to hammer out a working console-based beta and maybe a 1.0 release before the end of the year, assuming school doesn't kill the progress.

I'd be interested in helping! I'm not a professional programmer by any means, but I have some decent experience with Java, including an aborted attempt at making a Java-based ship building program myself and I'm currently working on an implementation of GURPS Space's star system generation sequence. I've also done a lot of tinkering with the Spaceships system - my Ships of Arbitrary Size thread should be helpful in looking up the various formula needed for each system.

Using vectors or lists instead of static arrays is probably a good idea - it'll certainly help when dealing with Smaller or Larger systems later on. No need to have a Core vector, though - just include that in the Front/Central/Rear vectors, since a Core system is still considered part of those sections.

As for data files, tab delineated files are perfectly adequate unless you want to get fancy and put all sorts of complicated bits in the data files rather than hard coding them into the program. It would probably be best to hard code various 'base' system types into the program (things like Generic Armor, Generic Factory, or Generic Reaction Drive) and then have the data file specify what generic system each system is and the specifics of it.