Jeff Hopper
Mongoose
rust said:
Ditto.
Deckplans - are they worth it ?
- Thread starter Gee4orce
- Start date
Ditto.
I've never had a chance to properly run a Traveller campaign yet, so I can't say I've used them for such.
However, I've run other Sci-fi based games and LOVEd having Traveller Deck Plans for the game. I've never seen another Scifi game that provides something like this and will gladly take whatever plans I can get my hands on. ^_^
However, I've run other Sci-fi based games and LOVEd having Traveller Deck Plans for the game. I've never seen another Scifi game that provides something like this and will gladly take whatever plans I can get my hands on. ^_^
GypsyComet
Emperor Mongoose
Bobsan said:
Other Suns and Albedo both made cursory attempts, as have both versions of Star Wars, and Space Opera was a bit more persistent about it, but none have had quite the same level of publishing persistence AND a clear path to making your own that Traveller has maintained for 30+ years...
This is something that strikes me as odd, the bridge being on an exposed section or near the hull. The benefit of actual viewports (like they'd be much use anyway) outweighs the benefits of having the bridge in a more location? No. Put the bridge in a reinforced section and put external sensor feeds through so that they can see where they're going. Put the command / backup bridge in a secure location somewhere else. Reinforce engineering and separate out the power plant and engines. For a lot of deckplans, if you take out the power plant then you get the engines as a bonus as they're located in the same section. No bulkheads in between them.whtknght said:
Mind you, I'm as guilty of these things as others.
EDG said:
Schematics for the larger ships! They will tell us where the main ship sections are a format which is easier to read.
Provide Deckplans for ships which are 600 tons or less.
As for Deckplan PDFs, this is a tricky thing. The "scrolling screen thru screen thru screen" problem is never fun, but neither is needing a magnifier to read the plans in the book. I am still working on logical/viable ideas on this area, and will bring them up once I have a few helpful recommendations.
As an old time gamer myself*, I can say that while mini's & deckplans aren't needed, they don't have to be a crutch. Once I started using them as a GM, a fair number of arguments based on misunderstandings went away.EDG said:
I don't really use them as more than a marker - even in combat situations, the minis are typically only used to mark things in the beginning of the combat. Where it's "solved" a lot of issues for me is non-combat situations - like marching order, etc. In my fantasy games, I tend to have the players put their minis in their preferred marching order at the beginning of the game, and the minis may stay that way an entire session, with each of the players periodically re-arranging them. In Traveller games, the minis will tend to sit on the deckplan, and the players will update their mini's position as they do things. Most sessions, a player's mini may only change location three/four times, if at all.
All of that prevents the inevitable situation where every PC happens to be right at the scene of the action I start describing, when realistically, only one or two would be. And though it's not needed all the time, it's prevented enough mis-understandings and arguments thus leading to more enjoyable games overall, that it's worth doing.
I hear you - but bridges in exposed locations just look cool, don't they? You're right though, with all the available sensor tech, Bridges should be in locations that are central, in the middle of the ship in the most protected parts of the ship. They should also tend to be placed where their wiring will have the shortest runs, minimizing control lags, and susceptibility for being cut-off.Valarian said:
That said, there is an argument for smaller ships that land on planets often to have view ports. Since apparently a lot of funny things can happen to sensors as you enter our own atmosphere, it's reasonable to assume that other planets will have similar conditions upon landing. If nothing else, as a "backup" in case your sensor inputs get fried during re-entry.
Hi,
Its my understanding that on modern warships, while they might be navigated from the main bridge (with 'windows' that would provide for reasonable situational awareness when operating in a port or busy waterway), in battle I think that they are commanded from a more protected "Combat Information Center" type space.
In Traveller terms, I think something similar might be possible. Specifically, on the Azhanti High Lightning Class Cruiser (that was published long ago) they showed some of those ships with what they called a 'casual' bridge located under a dome forward, but with a main 'battle' bridge and a secondary 'auxiliary' bridge burried deep within the hull.
As far as deck plans go, I always thought that they were useful in the game. If for nothing else, they help to give a sense of scale and to help define how far apart the different parts of the ship are for when you are trying to role play out different events, etc.
Regards
PF
Its my understanding that on modern warships, while they might be navigated from the main bridge (with 'windows' that would provide for reasonable situational awareness when operating in a port or busy waterway), in battle I think that they are commanded from a more protected "Combat Information Center" type space.
In Traveller terms, I think something similar might be possible. Specifically, on the Azhanti High Lightning Class Cruiser (that was published long ago) they showed some of those ships with what they called a 'casual' bridge located under a dome forward, but with a main 'battle' bridge and a secondary 'auxiliary' bridge burried deep within the hull.
As far as deck plans go, I always thought that they were useful in the game. If for nothing else, they help to give a sense of scale and to help define how far apart the different parts of the ship are for when you are trying to role play out different events, etc.
Regards
PF
GypsyComet
Emperor Mongoose
PFVA63 said:
Once bridge volume requirements drop to the smaller percentage needed for the big ships, back-up bridges are easy. Below a couple thousand tons, not so much.
whtknght said:
I always thought that military starships are more like submarines than surface naval vessels - I think any kind hull weak-point, like a viewport, is an unnecessary risk.
In my Traveller universe, it's only civilian ships that have 'windows' - and even then they are of limited utility and more to do with tradition than function. Most of the time there's not anything to see anyway. They do keep the passengers happy though. Military vessels with their blank, armoured hulls look mean and no-nonsense by comparison.
Incidentally, I heard that the Gemini astronauts ( I think ) had to argue for a window to be added to the space capsule - originally it didn't have any. In the end, the highlight of the mission was looking back down on the earth, which would have been impossible without the window.
In my setting only very few ships actually have "windows", in almost allGee4orce said:
cases what looks like a "window" to passengers is just a video screen in-
tegrated into the wall - and what it shows is not necessarily what a true
window would show.
While the bridges of streamlined ships designed for atmospheric landings
usually are at the front of the ship and have windows, the bridges of non-
streamlined ships usually are at the center of the ship and have video
screens connected to an array of external visual sensors.
AndrewW said:
Right - the Mercury originally had a periscope for sighting earth and navigating (as did the Russian Vostok), but no "sight seeing" window. The early Mercury window was a round portal that could only see sideways, but later capsules had a trapezoidal design that offered limited forward visibility.
Gemini had a forward - facing window for each Astronaut, and the windows were used during docking/rendezvous maneuvers. (Think Space:1999 Eagle or "Planet of the Apes" Icarus.)
Apollo had the "Gemini-style" scoop windows and some side-facing viewports (left, right and in the hatch), remescent of the Type-A Free Trader Beowulf design, only not flat.
I like bridges with windows from a scifi perspective, and on lower tech craft like merchant ships or Small Craft they make good sense, as they are a reliable backup to cameras and viewscreens.
For state-of-the-art warships, you probably want multiple bridges, such as the tactical/battle bridge (where most of the officers work) to the "close approach" bridge with windows and a location near the docking ports.
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