Excel Ship Designer v2025.05.01f

[Arkathan]

It appears that POD construction, which Terry helped reverse engineer, works better for Modules as Space Stations.

It would be nice if the authors used the construction rules available to us OR gave us the rules they are using.

 

[Terry Mixon]

It appears that POD construction, which Terry helped reverse engineer, works better for Modules as Space Stations.

It would be nice if the authors used the construction rules available to us OR gave us the rules they are using.

PODs rule.

 

[boggo2300]

the rules they are using.

It's not often you see this level of optimism!

 

[mavikfelna]

The MCr 55.450 is correct, the other lost reading a page somewhere. I'll put up a hot fix of the current version without the updates I am working on shortly.
Modules don't have their own computers or bridges, so the page doesn't add the totals. The summary being new-ish, I forgot to turn off displaying items from the computer tab.
Basically, by making it as a ship module, they are violating the construction rules. It should be made as a station, fitted in a cargo module or open frame cutter.

Ok. This is problem for a bunch of official designs. I haven't built any station designs yet so I'm not familiar with them yet, but they will be vastly more expensive and introduce un-need redundancies is some system, like power. There is only 1 module designed to be an orbital station and about a dozen designed to left on planets so I can see what changing them to stations does, but it looks like stations require bridges and computers and most of those modules would lose a lot of space for something they don't need.
How do we get this addressed by Mongoose? The rules need to be updated to allow drives, power plants and computers in some designs. Power and gravity sharing with host vessel needs to be addressed as well. Spaceworty pod requirements could be cleared up as well so things like passenger modules or the Orbital Outpost can be built correctly if they don't have to be built as stations.

 

[mavikfelna]

PODs rule.

What are PODs?

 

[Terry Mixon]

What are PODs?

Pods. They are mounted outside the ship on docking clamps and the ships have more powerful engines to carry them.

Look at my document of ships and see my type 1-5 pods and the military and merchant tenders that carry them. The largest example I have is the Warmonger battle tender in a logistics role. That one million ton ship can carry an additional 800,000 tons of pods. They are self contained and can be removed at the destination to be unloaded later.

I have civilian merchant tenders of that size and smaller, going down to adventure class ships with a slew of 30-ton pods. Best idea in shipbuilding I think I can claim credit for (at least this time around).

 

[mavikfelna]

Pods. They are mounted outside the ship on docking clamps and the ships have more powerful engines to carry them.

Look at my document of ships and see my type 1-5 pods and the military and merchant tenders that carry them. The largest example I have is the Warmonger battle tender in a logistics role. That one million ton ship can carry an additional 800,000 tons of pods. They are self contained and can be removed at the destination to be unloaded later.

I have civilian merchant tenders of that size and smaller, going down to adventure class ships with a slew of 30-ton pods. Best idea in shipbuilding I think I can claim credit for.

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Ok, sounds like the TNE Aurora Clipper ship. Thanks!

 

[Terry Mixon]

Ok, sounds like the TNE Aurora Clipper ship. Thanks!

Like this?



I had envisioned them looking like pine cones, but this is probably a better mental image as they are close structures.

 

[Arkathan]

What are PODs?

You can select Pod rules on the Ship Info Tab, in the field where you choose Ship, Station or Module, just in case you didn't see it.

 

[Arkathan]

Mayday! Mayday!

Major Update: I tinkered with a lot of things... Consequently, I may have broken or forgot to hook up a lot of things.
If you do not want to worry about those bugs, wait a couple of days for us to find and eliminate them, otherwise, enjoy!

New Version: 2025.05.01

Summary, Hull and Drive Tabs updated for Breakaway Hull calculations.
Robotic Crew added to Crew Tab
Induction Plates added to Robotic Facilities on 9-b Options Tab (You do not need a robotics lab for them to work)
Adjusted TL for Fuel Tanks to cover Low TL sources.
A Custom Fuel Storage type was added to the Fuel Tab. You can choose Hull, Internal Cargo or External Cargo as sources of space for your custom fuel tanks.
Custom Accommodations were added to the Stateroom Tab.

 

[Terry Mixon]

Mayday! Mayday!

Major Update: I tinkered with a lot of things... Consequently, I may have broken or forgot to hook up a lot of things.
If you do not want to worry about those bugs, wait a couple of days for us to find and eliminate them, otherwise, enjoy!

New Version: 2025.05.01

Summary, Hull and Drive Tabs updated for Breakaway Hull calculations.
Robotic Crew added to Crew Tab
Induction Plates added to Robotic Facilities on 9-b Options Tab (You do not need a robotics lab for them to work)
Adjusted TL for Fuel Tanks to cover Low TL sources.
A Custom Fuel Storage type was added to the Fuel Tab. You can choose Hull, Internal Cargo or External Cargo as sources of space for your custom fuel tanks.
Custom Accommodations were added to the Stateroom Tab.

I’ll dig into it later this evening and reenter some of my designs and see if the details change. Thanks.

 

[Terry Mixon]

I accidentally discovered a few cells on the Ship info tab are unlocked that shouldn't be.

 

[Terry Mixon]

First one transferred with no changes other than what had to be made because I used the small advantage for sandcasters and needed to change that because it shouldn't have been allowed (it is already fixed in the current sheet, but my old copy didn't know that). All looks correct. On to the next.

 

[Arkathan]

I accidentally discovered a few cells on the Ship info tab are unlocked that shouldn't be.

Weird.
But not weird enough for a hot fix version. I reuploaded the last update with those fields locked down.

 

[mavikfelna]

You can select Pod rules on the Ship Info Tab, in the field where you choose Ship, Station or Module, just in case you didn't see it.

Ok, I see the pod option. But how do I build the mother ship? In the case of the Aurora Clipper, do I build a 2080 ton ship, or a 600 ton? how do I get the base ship, if I'm building it at 600 tons, to have the hardpoints for the 2080 tons? That's what's stymied me so far.

 

[Terry Mixon]

Too soon for a hotfix. Still digging.

Barracks isn't showing on the summary.

Old:

New:

 

[Arkathan]

Ok, I see the pod option. But how do I build the mother ship? In the case of the Aurora Clipper, do I build a 2080 ton ship, or a 600 ton? how do I get the base ship, if I'm building it at 600 tons, to have the hardpoints for the 2080 tons? That's what's stymied me so far.

Mother ship: Build as 2080, Modular, with all but 600 as modules, Modules NOT installed. You won't get an exact copy because spinals are different.

 

[Terry Mixon]

Third test build: no issues.

 

[Arkathan]

Barracks issue fixed and re-uploaded above.

 

[Terry Mixon]

Fourth test build: no issues.