GURPS Spaceships Design Spreadsheet

[hal]

This is an idle question, not a dig or anything...

VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) is very similar to VB.Net. You can download VB.Net express Version for free, and create a simple application that can do everything that this spread sheet does. One could export the resulting ship build as a text file, pdf, or even an excel file.

Why not go that route?

[ericbsmith]

Originally Posted by hal

This is an idle question, not a dig or anything...

VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) is very similar to VB.Net. You can download VB.Net express Version for free, and create a simple application that can do everything that this spread sheet does. One could export the resulting ship build as a text file, pdf, or even an excel file.

Why not go that route?

I suspect that my reasoning is the same as the reason why nobody else has created such a program - because once you go beyond the most basic 'Hello World' program there ain't no such thing as a simple program. If I had known 9 years ago what I would wind up doing with this spreadsheet I may have written a program instead (though at the time I knew very little of programming). Now the amount of work involved writing a program from scratch is considerably more than the amount of work involved in occasionally updating the existing spreadsheet.

If somebody else wanted to start such a project I'd likely help, first providing the raw data and maybe even contributing code. However I have no desire to start over again with a project this big for free and for fun.

[DaltonS]

Just something for the wish list: A "Low Tech" option for "Control Room" systems. No computer, no sensors (or at least a 0 bonus for sensor tasks). I'm trying to design a TL4 Galley (SM+7) and was a bit disconcerted to see it's bridge had a C1 computer. ;) Also, low tech guns (cannons, black powder weapons, etc.) should reasonably have at least one gunner per gun, not one per battery (unless it's major or larger).

Dalton “that's a really big abacus you have there” Spence

[ericbsmith]

Originally Posted by DaltonS

Just something for the wish list: A "Low Tech" option for "Control Room" systems. No computer, no sensors (or at least a 0 bonus for sensor tasks). I'm trying to design a TL4 Galley (SM+7) and was a bit disconcerted to see it's bridge had a C1 computer. ;)

No Computers is a Campaign Option, listed under the Campaign Options at the top of the Design Table (3rd column, about 3/4 of the way down the first block of checkboxes) or in the checkboxes in the Campaign Options sheet (same position, about 3/4 of the way down the first block).

I suppose it could technically be a ship option or control room option, but for the most part either computers exist or they don't, and once they exists most vehicles will probably have use an appropriate one. As for the Sensors, even at TL4 you'd expect ships to have spyglasses (aka telescopes), search lights, crows nests, signal flags, etc. This is what the sensor and comm bonus would represent in a low-tech setting, the ability to get higher and see further, and have bigger signal flags, allowing better communication between ships.

Originally Posted by DaltonS

Also, low tech guns (cannons, black powder weapons, etc.) should reasonably have at least one gunner per gun, not one per battery (unless it's major or larger).

I don't necessarily disagree with you, but the rules officially have one gunner per battery. Note that most lower TL ships would have Lacks Automation, which will up the number of crew required. If you want to change the number of gunners you can do so in the Reduced Crew/Additional Crew Composition that's below all the option checkboxes and above the System Options section. Simply remove all the gunners listed under Reduced Crew Requirement and re-add as many gunners as you desire under the Additional Crew Composition section. Note that this section, like a few others, offers a drop-down menus for some pre-selected options however you can name the crew whatever you want.

[Langy]

Eric, it's been a long while since I've looked at the sheet - but it's looking good! I like all the extra features you've added it since last time I saw it, like the new 'Output' sheet, the troop strength calculations, the auxiliary vehicles, and so on.

Good work!

[DaltonS]

Thanks for the advice on the "No Computers" Campaign Option.

Originally Posted by ericbsmith

I don't necessarily disagree with you, but the rules officially have one gunner per battery. Note that most lower TL ships would have Lacks Automation, which will up the number of crew required. If you want to change the number of gunners you can do so in the Reduced Crew/Additional Crew Composition that's below all the option checkboxes and above the System Options section. Simply remove all the gunners listed under Reduced Crew Requirement and re-add as many gunners as you desire under the Additional Crew Composition section. Note that this section, like a few others, offers a drop-down menus for some pre-selected options however you can name the crew whatever you want.

I just mentioned it because it seemed odd. On my pirate galley the 40 oarsmen (I envision 20 two-man oars with ten on each side) are cross-trained as gunners (manning a 10 gun secondary battery), sailors and troops (for boarding actions). Is there any way to document this besides the comment block?

Dalton “a pirate's life for ... some other guy, I just build the ships” Spence

[ericbsmith]

Originally Posted by DaltonS

I just mentioned it because it seemed odd. On my pirate galley the 40 oarsmen (I envision 20 two-man oars with ten on each side) are cross-trained as gunners (manning a 10 gun secondary battery), sailors and troops (for boarding actions). Is there any way to document this besides the comment block?

For that I would remove all the rowers and gunners under the Reduced Crew Requirements then add 20 Oarsmen/Gunners under the Additional Crew. I'd probably also add a note in the description about the oarsmen doubling as gunners just to keep the description clear.

[DaltonS]

Originally Posted by ericbsmith

For that I would remove all the rowers and gunners under the Reduced Crew Requirements then add 20 Oarsmen/Gunners under the Additional Crew. I'd probably also add a note in the description about the oarsmen doubling as gunners just to keep the description clear.

In Pyramid 3/64, p.30 an SM+7 "Oars" system requires 40 rowers but does not mandate the number of oars. While I can see a TL4 4" (10cm) gun being handled by a 2 man crew, three would be better, and having a reserve is always smart. (I'd also like to give them credit as boarding troops, but that can be done in the notes.) As to removing the mandated gunner, I see him as the officer in charge of the guns.

While the weapon system is a fixed secondary battery (implying all the guns are pointed in the same direction), the ship would list pretty badly if all the guns were on one side. I see the gun deck as being directly over the oar deck and having ten gun ports on each side with a gun positioned at every other one while the ship is not in combat. In combat, the guns on one side would be rolled to the side facing the enemy, with the ammo being placed on the other side for balance. Thus all the guns being fired would be facing in one direction. (Remember, this is a pirate ship and thus an aggressor who has time to set up for an attack.) I'd love to combine the gun deck with the oar deck, but I really can't see that working.

Another thing that puzzles me: the ship's length computes to 60 yards, but a SM+7 hull is supposed to be 30 yards. Did streamlining or nautical lines stretch it?

Dalton “who agrees with Captain Jack Sparrow … ‘what a ship is … is freedom.’” Spence

[Christopher R. Rice]

I didn't include it because a) it varies a lot with designs - you could have 4 rowers per oar for 5 rowers per side or a ong galley with two per rower; b) I didn't have space. This is the sort of thing left to the GM/designer.

[ericbsmith]

Originally Posted by DaltonS

Another thing that puzzles me: the ship's length computes to 60 yards, but a SM+7 hull is supposed to be 30 yards. Did streamlining or nautical lines stretch it?

I believe streamlining doubles length. There's a spot all the way to the right of the Design Switches checkboxes (4th column over) where you can specify ship length, overriding the default. This doesn't affect SM, just the displayed length of the ship.