Re: [GZG] FT Dice Roller

Damond,

I've noticed at convention games what you say is true. The average
group must be quite pokey at entering orders. With our group in
Ottawa, I found that there was a 'morale penalty' for being the last
one done orders (the others all made remarks about your lackadaisical
pace) so one learned to be fast. We don't allow pre-measuring, so
there was no 'measure, think, more measure, more think' in the orders
phase.

Usually when I'm at ECC, unless I'm the last one firing in the round,
my orders for the new turn are written before the current turn ends. I
always find it funny when the GM (used to dealing with folks who take
more time) points out 'people have started writing orders now' because
I look like I'm sitting wool-gathering and I get to reply 'Mine have
been written for several minutes now'.

I don't think an electronic tool will do anything to solve this. If
you can't write 'PP1, MD1, RP1, Fire SM 1' or something like that in
negligible time, the problem is you need a stenographer or else the
time is NOT being consumed in transcription but in decision making. No
tool will speed that up.

If you have a specific idea about how a tool could speed that up,
other than the ubiquitous kitchen timer sound alarm (which still won't
speed people up unless you inflict a big penalty if they don't get
them done and even then this may ruin their enjoyment of the game),
I'd be glad to hear it.

People just need to learn that most of the time, the minute details of
your planning don't make that much difference. At times, yes, but
mostly not.

The only time it matters much is if you are trying to dodge template
weapons (then being as unpredictable as possible is the way to go,
assuming you've got enough thrust to dodge them at all.... often not
the case in vector...) and the turn where your fleets interpenetrate.
Then you just try to arrange to be somewhere your main batteries can
shoot at something. In vector, this is fairly easy, in cinematic
harder but still not that hard.

10-15 minute order phases will tend to eat 45-60 minutes or more in a
4 hour slot. Counting pips will probably eat the same if it's a big
engagement. At least that seems to be what I see at ECC.

Tom

-- 
http://ante-aurorum-tenebrae.blogspot.com/
http://www.stargrunt.ca

"He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy
from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a
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