RE: Fiddling with units

Actually, one of my sticking points for the DS2/FT interface is that 1
turn 
be the same length in both systems.  This allows simultaneous play to be

resolved in a much better fashion, and gives a better feel.  I also like

the 15 min space turn - it goes more towards sub combat than the 
fighters-in-space feel (which has it's place, but not in my FT games). 
Low 
thrusts don't bother me - they work fine for either straight FT (hey,
it's 
a reactionless drive - I don't *care* how inefficient it is) or Low Tech
FT 
(this is what you got - now fly it, sailor).  The 7500km/15 min setup is
a 
little better - most planets are on-table, and you're talking about some

hefty boosts in the smaller ships - 4 gs is nothing to sneeze at (and
when 
your fighters boost at 24 gs - yikes).	You want those compensators to 
avoid the 'Flattened Crew Syndrome'. We're not up to the Star Trek
'Chunky 
Salsa' problem, but FT ships don't go from rest to 0.5c in seconds.  But

back to the original position, it's also far more elegant to have a 1:1 
space/ground turn ratio; situations can be resolved simultaneously, in a

much easier fashion.

Noah

-----Original Message-----
From:	Noam R. Izenberg [SMTP:izenberg@jhuapl.edu]
Sent:	Thursday, July 16, 1998 08:05 AM
To:	FTGZG-L@bolton.ac.uk
Subject:	Fiddling with units

Question
 Is there any compelling reason to keep both the distance and
time convention the same? Some of the velocity/distance issues would
change substantially if an MU was 1000 km and a turn was, say _five_
minutes. That makes our velocities faster 1 thrust =~.75 g without
changing
anything else, essentially. Those wanting to match timeframes with the 
ground
games would simply do 2 or 3 space combat turns per ground combat turn.

Noam

Noam R. Izenberg	       noam.izenberg@jhuapl.edu