RE: FT: FB2 Preview - Obi Wan Tuffley (Thruster pushes)

Alun,

No offense but either of those are really good solutions.  
A) really tears a lot of the fun out of maneuvering and B) is just
weird.
<G>  How would you rationalize not having the ability to turn on the
"side
engines" when the "back engines" are running?  I would refuse delivery
on a
spaceship that couldn't maneuver and propel at the same time... <G>

All,
I am not sure about the physics of space travel.  Hell, I barely
remember my
college physics, so bear with me... <G>
If one ignores gravitational effects of near masses,  isn't it true that
every little push on a mass contributes to its velocity and
acceleration?
Aren't 10 engines that can exert 1 foot/pound of thrust equal to one
engine
exerting 10 ft/lbs in zero-G?  If that is the case, then what is the
difference when it comes to thrusters and main drives?	Each propulsion
subsystem would and should be able to act independently.  Also, wouldn't
a
1-G acceleration drive eventually propel a ship towards light speed,
just
slower than a 10-G drive?

I find it logical (and pleasing) to imagine a ship boosting itself in
one
direction then whipping around to fire off the mains.  It "feels" right.
And, since this "Thruster Effect"(tm) is common to all ships using
vector
movement, this isn't a game unbalancing problem.

-=Kr'rt

> ----------
> From:        
alun.thomas@convergys.com[SMTP:alun.thomas@convergys.com]
> The simplest solutions I can see are either:
> 
> a) ban thruster pushes altogether (although they can be used for
docking,
> the effect is too small to show up in combat)
> 
> or
> 
> b) don't allow ships to use thruster pushes in the same turn as MD
burns.
>