Re: [GZG] FT vector movement systems

_______________________________________________
Gzg-l mailing list
Gzg-l@lists.csua.berkeley.edu
http://lists.csua.berkeley.edu/mailman/listinfo/gzg-lRichard Bell wrote:

 > I just played a short game of Attack Vector: Tactical.  At first 
glance, AV:T seems to be proof positive that geeks will indulge in all 
manner of cerebral abuse if it is labelled as a game. <

Dunno about AV:T, but my son describes the Saganami Island game, which 
is based on it, as something very like that...

 > The movement system is vector based, straightforward, 3D, on a hex 
map, and actually playable. [...] Compare this to vector movement from 
FB1. [...] All that it would take to adapt this into an even more 
optional movement system for FT is a set of pivot tables for changing 
the facing of the ships, possibly based on a combination of thrust and 
mass points-- large, low thrust ships take the longest to come about and

small, high thrust ships pivot fastest. But all ships should be able to 
swap ends in the space of a turn. <

Is that really needed in FT, given the assumed timescale -- 10-15 
minutes per game-turn, isn't it? While I won't argue that the AV:T 
linear movement system wouldn't be an interesting addition to FT, do we 
need to worry about it in terms of pivoting (as distinct from turning as

a function of thrusting to change the velocity vector), particularly 
since ships only fire once per turn and that's after movement? Unless 
we're going to go to an impulse-based system with multiple 
move-and-shoot opportunities during a game-turn, does it make sense to 
concern ourselves overly with ship rotation? With the FT sequence of 
play as it is, does it make sense to consider pivoting in any other 
context than i) turn to thrust; ii) turn to shoot -- in that order?

I know it's all optional, but perhaps it's getting too pedantic to worry

about angular momentum in FT with the game as it is now -- and that is 
unlikely to alter /that/ much in 3rd edition.

Still, from what you say, AV:T looks to be worth checking out.

Phil