Computer moderated PBeM for Full Thrust ideas

Medains wrote:
>   I'm currently thinking of writing something to computer moderate a
PBEM FT,
> being a software developer by trade :)  I can see that slight
modifications are
> going to be required to the turn order, and some restrictions on what
people
> can do in order to allow a turn to be run in one go. (Otherwise you
have a
> moving turn/firing turn)
>   How have those who have moderated their own games handled this ? 
What
> restrictions have you made ?

We have made modifications to the face-to-face rules to accomodate the 
play-by-e-mail games.  The Fleet Book rules will also have to be
modified 
slightly with the fighter movement rules for their optional secondary
movement.

Rules changes:

1.  Simultaneous fire	  
    
    All weapons fire is conducted at the same time before any damage is
allocated.

2.  Conditional fire orders

    Ships may designate a conditional set of orders based on the results
of the 
    movement phase.  Submunition packs usually have conditional orders
to control
    their use.

3.  Fighter secondary movement (Fleet Book)

    Fighters can use an endurance point to adjust their position in
order to make
    an attack.	 A flag could specify the option to adjust based on if
the target
    is in range of the fighter's position and the target's ID.

I foresee a number of issues to be addressed to accomplish this goal. 
The movement
format is well specified, either in cinematic or the vector movement
system.  Parsing
and interpreting those orders should be straight forward.

Fighter movement and salvo missile movement requires a Cartesian point
location,
except for screening fighters which require a ship ID.	Fighters will
need a few
optional flags to specify a ship target, endurance point burn, or
fighter target.

Conditional fire orders need a language format for computer
interpretation.  Keywords
could be RANGE, ARC, SIZE, ESCORT, CRUISER, CAPITAL,  F, FP, FS, A, AS,
AP.  Point
defense systems will also require conditional orders in the cases of
fighters or 
missile target.  Area defense firecontrols will need a targeting
priority also.

Based on this first pass brainstorm, I would think that implementing a
computer
moderated system for FT would be done in stages, implementing a game
initialization
file and status file format, a flexible ship data structure, and beam
and pulse torpedo 
weapons systems, conditional fire orders, and report and image
generation.  
Once a reliable system is in place, fighters and salvo missiles and
limited 
intelligence rules and systems can be implemented.  Advancing the game
even further,
a e-mail game could be initiated with a 'Judge' server and be completely
e-mail 
controlled.  This would be really cool!

I know that some work has gone into specifying a file format and it's
documented at 
the FT Computer Core.

I'd be interested in working on this and contributing to it.  I think
we'd also have 
to check on the legal aspects of a system and consult with Jon Tuffley.  

Jon