Re: Thoughts on FT

In message <Pine.LNX.3.91.970406153743.13644B-100000@swob.dna.fi> Mikko
Kurki-Suonio writes:
> Ok, I didn't really ask all because I didn't know. I asked them
because I 
> wanted to raise some discussion on these points.

I don't know how to say this without being rude, but perhaps you'd
raise more debate if you weren't flogging horses that were dead or, 
at the very least, exceedingly lame.

I think we've all, independently, come to the conclusion that the
rules for the Kra'Vak aren't entirely flawless. Can someone write
this down and make it it a FAQ? Or an FFH (frequently flogged 
horse)?

We could put it next to A-battery balance.

> On Fri, 4 Apr 1997, Mikko Kurki-Suonio wrote:
> 
> > Why doesn't armor have mass?

Why don't thrusters with different ratings have different mass? It
just isn't that important, really. 

Mass should be viewed as a meaningless game parameter. I wouldn't
be the first person to deride mass as "hocus-pocus"...

> > How to combine screens & armor? Is protection-3 maximum?
> 
> Who knows? The game needs a more generic protection system. 

A simple rule might be to make beams ignore armour, and to 
generally make all weapons ignore one or the other. This would
also work towards balancing the Kra'Vak... a little. Just a 
random thought.

> > What do C-batts need to roll to kill a heavy fighter?

This is not ambiguous. C-batts do not inflict kills on a four,
heavy fighters do not count them either. Discounting a four twice
is the same as discounting it once.

> > Do missiles attack 360 or 270 degrees? The rules are contradictory.
> 
> 270. The following paragraph is an editing mistake.

Perhaps the following paragraph assumes we are not stupid. Human
being are often smart enough to understand that a more specific 
logical clause takes priority over a more general one. We are
expert systems.

> More on the subject of Kra'Vak:
[...] 
> For a system that does the same thing, a PTT has more price, more
mass,
> more restricted arcs, requires more firecons, less range, less
accuracy
> and less damage. 
> 
> Quite simply it loses in every category.
> 
> Fair, eh?

See the dead horse. Flog the dead horse. If you don't like 'em, 
don't use 'em, etc.

Alternately, institute a house rule where every time your ship is
fired upon by a Kra'Vak weapon, you are allowed to whack the firing
player in the face with a rolled-up newspaper, or inflict an 
electric shock to their gentital organs, or similar. Pavlov knew how 
to treat powergamers. 

Kra'Vak may rule, but Sa'Vasku drool.

-- 
David Brewer