Re: Vector movement

At 22:18 17/03/97 +0000, you wrote:
>Hi everyone,
>
>Just thought I'd throw in a few thoughts re: the current talk on vector
>(newtonian) movement systems, with particular reference to FT/B5 (ie
the
>Babylon Project ship rules).
>
>First off, we've done several sessions of testing on the "true vector"
>system for FT itself that we posted to this list some time ago (I think
>they are still out there on some of the web pages); most of the players
>liked it a lot, and one got so good at it by just the second game that
he
>managed to slide his cruiser round, just grazing the table edge, then
>pouring on the thrust to bring him back into a lovely tactical position
>right behind the enemy....
>Nearly all the testing group (I was observing, not playing) felt that
the
>system worked well, was easy to use after just a couple of practice
>sessions and gave a whole new feel to the game; we will be using it as
an
>ALTERNATIVE to the "normal" FT movement, NOT as a replacement. The key
>thing is that you DON'T need to do any calculations at all (unless you
>consider measuring one distance and rounding it to the nearest inch to
be a
>"calculation"...!), nor do you have to refer to any tables or charts;
you
>also don't need to measure angles at all.
>
Can you please post this again or refer me to it.

>I'm sure the guys at Wireframe/Chamaeleon won't object to me telling
you
>that the FT/B5 rules are using BOTH movement systems; the EA and other
>"young" races get to use newtonian vectors, while the Minbari etc. use
a
>development of the original FT movement to simulate their "grav"
drives.
>The Centauri use the vector system but with some tweaks of their own,
as
>they retain some of the more advanced technology from their imperial
>heyday.
>
Good idea.

>While I agree that the vector movement does require some degree of
forward
>planning in order to put your ship where you want it, surely that is
part
>of the fun (as well as the "realism", which IMHO in SF terms means
being as
>close and faithful as possible to your source material). In any case,
I've
>seen a few players make some awful mistakes in navigation using the
regular
>FT rules...:)
>
Ohhhh yes !!

>Jon Tuffley, GZG (jon@gzero.dungeon.com)
>
>
>
SDL