RE: cm scale

On Thursday, November 20, 1997 9:16 AM, Mikko Kurki-Suonio 
[SMTP:maxxon@swob.dna.fi] wrote:
> Dear Tim, I just checked the line from my office, and it manages
> 2.5kB/sec quite nicely. I know it's not a speed demon, but it's not
> intolerably slow, and best of all it's mine. If your problem persists,
> I suggest you check your connection to Finland in general.

Thanks, how would I do that (check my connection?)

> Since I didn't have anything that big on the table, you're telling me
<snipped>

No, I can't see the pictures because UK/Finland connection won't
let me. All I got was a nice picture of a groin and a bucket full of
die and it stopped... forever.

> >	o Use a virtual system (i know...)
>
> Are you talking about playing on a computer?

Yes, which I know you don't like.

>
> Results in ungainly clumps, as I've found out. Not always, but when
> you have a proper fleet clash with 20+ ships per side it gets ugly,
and
> fast. Nevermind completely ridiculous when ships at the opposite edges
of
> the clump can't even get to short range because of intervening
vessels.
> (This happened in the picture)

Which I haven't seen, anyway my cm games averaged 5 ships per side.

>
> >	o Use a bigger playing area
>
> Will you pay for my new house? I'd really like a heated garage as a
hobby
> room.

Some folks use the floor.

>
> Hmmm... this might actually work... I'm just wondering how I could
manage
> that... the minis are very top heavy and tend to fall down easily.
>

Use a bigger base, er no you can't clump as well...

> >		   o Modify the collision rules to make clumping a bad
idea
>
> This actually might work,

It'll work.

> Cm works better for movement (the aforementioned happens only after
> people start pushing 50+ speeds) but ships tend clump together for
> firing. This is simple geometry -- the area falling under any given
range
> bracket is over 6 times smaller in cm scale, thus you can comfortably
> fit only 6 times less ships within the desired firing distance.
Weapons
> with 6cm short range get especially nasty.

Having longer weapon ranges solves this, I don't think it screws
balance as everyone has the same factor and it stops the
fly-by out of range problem.

> Another argument against cm scale is that it's so bloody small.

Is not chunky like an inch.

> With this in mind, I've come to the following conclusion:
>
> Even though FT technically allows unlimited speeds, it's not really
meant
> to be played so. Unlimited speeds just sound so cool for a space
game...
> anyone disagreeing is welcome to play a test game with 100+ speeds and
> report the outcome.

I Agree, silly for a board game.

>
> Thus a speed cap is in order. This might be a constant for all ships
> (e.g. "c"), or depend on the ship (e.g. "hull vibration" and similar
PSB).

Yep, I agree this is plausible. PSB can be G forces etc.

> AND... the number of ships needs to be limited. Every time we had a
major
> clash of 20+ ships per side, things got ugly. This is kind of sad
since
> the FT is otherwise simple enough to handle largish fleets.
>

20+ Play virtually then :-)

sincerely
tim jones
--
Reality is for those who can't cope with Science Fiction.