RE: Vector movement

On 2 Jun 1998, Geoffrey Stewart wrote:

> The vector system does add some complication, but not much,

True, but my finding at last year's Ropecon was that the movement system

is already too complicated for a con demo. The only sensible games I 
managed to play were with players who already knew the system -- even 
though I had made a large cheat sheet describing the procedure and
format 
of the orders.

> AND it makes it a
> much better game as well. The range of manoeuvres increases, position
becomes
> much more important, and whole areas of new tactics are opened up. The
extra
> work and complication is not great, and the benefits are. When I run
demos I
> will be using the vector system, and emphasing the "realism" of the
system as
> opposed to "cinematic" movement of the ST type.

I'm not too thrilled with the vector system. I passed my high school 
physics, so it is painfully obvious to me that the system abstracts away

even the basic laws of dynamics. 

At least the cinematic system honestly says what it is.

The problem is that with a real realistic system, you soon end up
playing 
the ship's navigational computer instead of the captain.

-- 
maxxon@swob.dna.fi (Mikko Kurki-Suonio) 	   | A pig who doesn't
fly
+358 50 5596411 GSM +358 9 80926 78/FAX 81/Voice   | is just an ordinary
pig.
Maininkitie 3C14 02320 ESPOO FINLAND | Hate me?    |	      - Porco
Rosso
http://www.swob.dna.fi/~maxxon/      | hateme.html |