GURPS Spaceships Design Spreadsheet

[Flyndaran]

Why does the final acceleration never change the total trip time?
Not to mention that it puts AU instead of mps in the cell for Final Burn Delta-V.

Nice sheet otherwise.

[DaltonS]

The last update to the spreadsheet (Version 2.0 Release Candidate 9) was April 25 (over six months ago). The last post to this thread was August 7 (almost 3 months ago). True, I’ve been busy lately, and I might not have noticed if I hadn’t lost my dongle (and all my spaceship files 8{ ), but still. Is this a dead thread, or has it been reborn under a new title?

Dalton “Did I miss a ‘dead horse’ announcement?” Spence

[Langy]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Why does the final acceleration never change the total trip time?
Not to mention that it puts AU instead of mps in the cell for Final Burn Delta-V.

Nice sheet otherwise.

Flyn knows already, but the bugs he mentions have been fixed.

[ericbsmith]

Originally Posted by DaltonS

The last update to the spreadsheet (Version 2.0 Release Candidate 9) was April 25 (over six months ago). The last post to this thread was August 7 (almost 3 months ago). True, I’ve been busy lately, and I might not have noticed if I hadn’t lost my dongle (and all my spaceship files 8{ ), but still. Is this a dead thread, or has it been reborn under a new title?

It's still alive. I have an update planned, but I kind of stalled out on it. There just hasn't been much news because there hasn't been any new material to incorporate - not even Pyramid articles - and the number of issues or bugs has gone way down, so there's nothing much to discuss or report.

[davester65]

I'm not sure what else they could come out with as far as new material goes. While this doesn't relate directly to the spreadsheet, I'd personally like to see some thing like a spaceship systems compendium. No ship designs, no campaign rules or scenarios, just a list of all the systems in one place. A PDF would be fine.

[DaltonS]

Originally Posted by davester65

I'm not sure what else they could come out with as far as new material goes. While this doesn't relate directly to the spreadsheet, I'd personally like to see some thing like a spaceship systems compendium. No ship designs, no campaign rules or scenarios, just a list of all the systems in one place. A PDF would be fine.

Something like what the speadsheet's internal database has? ;) While a PDF would be nice, I'd settle for a filterable summary sheet that works like the drop-down system lists, but with a few more details (like cost).

Dalton “who still misses his lost ship files” Spence

[davester65]

Originally Posted by DaltonS

Something like what the speadsheet's internal database has? ;) While a PDF would be nice, I'd settle for a filterable summary sheet that works like the drop-down system lists, but with a few more details (like cost).

Dalton “who still misses his lost ship files” Spence

With Spaceships 2 - 8 I printed them out, put them in plastic sleeves and put those in a folder. Sometimes it's just easier to read a hard copy.

[DaltonS]

Originally Posted by davester65

With Spaceships 2 - 8 I printed them out, put them in plastic sleeves and put those in a folder. Sometimes it's just easier to read a hard copy.

I did too (no plastic sleeves though) but when I'm working on the spreadsheet it's easier to open a PDF window to check the system descriptions as I go along.
Today's Wish List

• Documentation: Right now the spreadsheet has so many features I'm a bit at a loss on how to use them all. Tutorials on how load/save ships from/to the internal database and creating user defined systems would be very useful.
• Solar Panel options: While the Compact option from Pyramid 3/40: Vehicle article Mecha Operations was meant to apply to fuel using Power Plants, it can work Solar Panels representing a doubled surface area. However, rather than being Volatile (ie. the ship may blow up if they're damaged), they should be Fragile (more easily disabled or destroyed). Also, a Retractable option doubling the cost would be a good idea (while retracted, the system would not be exposed or able to produce power).
• Fuel Cells: Please add a Closed Cycle option for fuel tanks used by fuel cells. They should cost twice as much as regular fuel tanks, as they'd represent separate tanks for the Hydrogen-Oxygen fuel and the water produced. Mass would remain the same, as one would empty as the other filled. (See my Murphy's Rules post and it's sequel.)
• Slower Industrial Systems: this Design Switch (SS7 p.23) should be an option for mining, refinery and factory systems.
• Basement Systems: Since a buried basement system can't really be modular or an equipment pack (no external access for replacement), that option should added to Modular/Equip. Pack column for Building with Basement lower level systems (adding $1,000/ton of system to the cost). (Note: the Core system of any hull section with buried systems should be considered buried itself.) Two more Orientation Design Options could be added:
  1. Partially Buried Building - Buried systems would be allowed in the center hull section, with all systems in the lower section being automatically buried.
  2. Buried Building - Buried systems would be allowed in the top hull section, with all systems in the lower and center sections being automatically buried.

Dalton “who would still like to build a missile silo” Spence

[davester65]

If you're still looking for things to add to an update for the spreadsheet I have an idea. In the rules it has the option to make antimatter based reaction mass cheaper ($6000 a ton I believe) under some circumstances. How about adding that to the fuel tank options? I think the rule was intended for societies that had access to cosmic power &/or total conversion technology. I'd like to have the option available for a less advanced society that uses antimatter technology as their primary power source and have gotten good at producing it. As it stands if you built an spaceship with say an antimatter thermal rocket a full load of fuel ends up costing many times more than the ship itself. $12,000,000 a ton for antimatter catalyzed hydrogen is pretty steep, I really can't even see a military spending that much. Maybe you could list it as "(Cheap) Antimatter Catalyzed Hydrogen" and have it be compatible with the appropriate reaction drives.

[Flyndaran]

One hand wavy way is a non-orientable wormhole that turns matter into antimatter. Just assume mass storage of AM is near impossible, so it's a use it or lose it scenario. Then many of the problems go away.