Excel Ship Designer v2025.07.22

[Terry Mixon]

I would totally pay a subscription fee, I pay $XX per month and I get all new books that they put out. If at any point they start reducing the number of books to a point that I no longer feel that I am getting my moneys worth I can cancel the subscription and buy the new stuff one at a time.

But I do not feel that we should expect that they give us new systems and components for free jut because we bought a book 5 years ago. I do feel that updates should be free. IE... The newest addition Advanced Fuel Scoops. That is a improvement on an already established component and should be added to the HG as Errata and added to the next update, We shouldn't pay.

But if they added the Pop-up fuel tanks that is a new item and should be added to a book that we need to pay for.

If I buy a book for building things (High Guard, Vehicle Handbook, Robot Handbook, etc) and a new rule for or system used in the building pops up in a setting book or adventure, I’d have a reasonable expectation to get it before a new edition as part of the deal. I’d also expect it to get rolled into a new edition as a matter of course to collect all the little things that have come out.

Most people just buy High Guard will be getting the update, asssuming its big enough to pay for. No one will be paying for a supplement just for a new bit of equipment or a ship’s system.

They’ll come here where people like me that does buy everything will tell them what it is in detail. Let’s just start the process of gathering all the bits and bobs and getting them in one place for ease of use. When a new version rolls them in, the document can be zeroed out and start over.

 

[Hardwire]

And the other way means that he writers cant add anything to the new material that belongs it the CRB, HG, RHB, VHB, CSC. Limiting what new material they can put out there. Because now instead of only writing a new book hey have to update everything and make sure the public has all the new components then they can write the new book. BTW Can add anything about Aslan, Belong in the Clans of the Aslan. It doesn't stop with the HG. Soon the splat books will be 7 pages long with and appendix hat state Added new stuff to Book XYZ.

 

[Terry Mixon]

And the other way means that he writers cant add anything to the new material that belongs it the CRB, HG, RHB, VHB, CSC. Limiting what new material they can put out there. Because now instead of only writing a new book hey have to update everything and make sure the public has all the new components then they can write the new book. BTW Can add anything about Aslan, Belong in the Clans of the Aslan. It doesn't stop with the HG. Soon the splat books will be 7 pages long with and appendix hat state Added new stuff to Book XYZ.

These splat books (I’ve heard the term but don’t know it) would be maintained by Mongoose. A new book is published and the details for a system are added. It wouldn’t even need to be formatted. Just make it text. One for High Guard, the Vehicle Handbook, the Robot Handbook.

They can do it while making the index for the new product. And ADDING THAT MATERIAL TO THE NEW MASTER INDEX THEY SHOULD BE MAKING.

 

[Hardwire]

Splat book is just a different name for a sourcebook meant to highlight a specific part of the rules. IE in Vampire the Masquerade a Clanbook was considered a splat book.

By all rights the WBH should have been rolled into a new CRB because that is where you went to design a new system/world.

 

[Terry Mixon]

Splat book is just a different name for a sourcebook meant to highlight a specific part of the rules. IE in Vampire the Masquerade a Clanbook was considered a splat book.

By all rights the WBH should have been rolled into a new CRB because that is where you went to design a new system/world.

The world builders handbook is an expansion on the basic rules so I think that it deserved its own book.

What we’re talking about here isn’t a splat book. It’s an expansion sheet that covers new equipment and rules for building them that’s introduced in between major additions. I think that’s perfectly fine for a document attached to a high guard or other book purchase. It shouldn’t impact any sales for the subsidiary adventures or settings. It’s too minor.

 

[Hardwire]

I feel that the WBH belongs in it's own book as well. But the CRB contains the original information for World Building. You start demanding that stuff belonging in another book cannot be printed in new book "Because this belongs in XXX Book" then the new books become very small and then it is "I'm not buying a new book that is only 7 pages, I already get the new stuff for free"

 

[Terry Mixon]

I feel that the WBH belongs in it's own book as well. But the CRB contains the original information for World Building. You start demanding that stuff belonging in another book cannot be printed in new book "Because this belongs in XXX Book" then the new books become very small and then it is "I'm not buying a new book that is only 7 pages, I already get the new stuff for free"

That’s not me. Others might want that but I think it’s unreasonable. I’ll settle for gathering the bits and bobs in one place before they get rolled into the books in a future update.

And this has expanded beyond what this thread is for. If we want to keep talking about it, we need a new thread.

 

[Hardwire]

Give them this HG and then they start demanding more. I have seen it in other games, I see it in MMPORG's. So you and I would not but the masses would.

 

[MasterGwydion]

And the other way means that he writers cant add anything to the new material that belongs it the CRB, HG, RHB, VHB, CSC. Limiting what new material they can put out there. Because now instead of only writing a new book hey have to update everything and make sure the public has all the new components then they can write the new book. BTW Can add anything about Aslan, Belong in the Clans of the Aslan. It doesn't stop with the HG. Soon the splat books will be 7 pages long with and appendix hat state Added new stuff to Book XYZ.

Actually, no. Each major race should have a High Guard specific to them that supplements the main High Guard book. Then the rules in the individual High Guards would overrule the generic, non-setting-specific main High Guard book. You could even take the Exotic Technology section out of High Guard since it would no longer be setting-specific. Perhaps each of the major race-specific High Guard supplements would 40 or so pages long. I know I'd pay for that, but I do a lot of shipbuilding.

So, then Mongoose could sell,

High Guard (200+ pages)
High Guard - Third Imperium
High Guard - Solomani
High Guard - Zhodani
High Guard - Aslan
High Guard - K'kree
High Guard - Vargr
High Guard - Hiver

Between these books should be every shipbuilding rule in Charted Space. (with the exception of the main book which is setting-agnostic). You could do the same with Robots, Vehicles, and the CSC. Main book is setting-agnostic and the supplements are the specific rules for building things for the different Major Races. Updates are free in pdf, but new editions and POD updates must be purchased separately. I would totally pay for that and that is a lot of books that Mongoose could sell.

 

[Hardwire]

I would buy those in a New York minute. And the system that you describe could work, Now multiply that by RBH, CSC, VHB, each of those should have race specific stuff and well, Then everyone complains that there are to many books out there and that then can't buy one HG to get all the rules for everything. It is human nature that you cannot please those that want everything for free even if the cooler heads would accept it they will be in the minority.

 

[Terry Mixon]

Actually, no. Each major race should have a High Guard specific to them that supplements the main High Guard book. Then the rules in the individual High Guards would overrule the generic, non-setting-specific main High Guard book. You could even take the Exotic Technology section out of High Guard since it would no longer be setting-specific. Perhaps each of the major race-specific High Guard supplements would 40 or so pages long. I know I'd pay for that, but I do a lot of shipbuilding.

So, then Mongoose could sell,

High Guard (200+ pages)
High Guard - Third Imperium
High Guard - Solomani
High Guard - Zhodani
High Guard - Aslan
High Guard - K'kree
High Guard - Vargr
High Guard - Hiver

Between these books should be every shipbuilding rule in Charted Space. (with the exception of the main book which is setting-agnostic). You could do the same with Robots, Vehicles, and the CSC. Main book is setting-agnostic and the supplements are the specific rules for building things for the different Major Races. Updates are free in pdf, but new editions and POD updates must be purchased separately. I would totally pay for that and that is a lot of books that Mongoose could sell.

The alien books might be too small, but if you grouped them like the aliens in the alien books…

 

[MasterGwydion]

The alien books might be too small, but if you grouped them like the aliens in the alien books…

That would work too. I was thinking more of an a la carte system. The main books are setting-agnostic. So, you buy the main books. CRB, HG, RH, VH, CSC, and the new FC whenever they decide to fix that one. If you want to play in the Third Imperium, you buy the Third Imperium supplements. If you want to play in Aslan Space, you buy the Aslan supplements. For example, I have never run games in Hiver or K'kree space. Therefore, I have no use for rules for things I am not using.

It doesn't matter if the supplements are small as long as they are priced accordingly and Mongoose can still make money on them. Plus, they may start small, but in 40+ more years? Who knows? lol

 

[ResslynHalvik]

I feel that the WBH belongs in it's own book as well. But the CRB contains the original information for World Building. You start demanding that stuff belonging in another book cannot be printed in new book "Because this belongs in XXX Book" then the new books become very small and then it is "I'm not buying a new book that is only 7 pages, I already get the new stuff for free"

I have not seen anyone "demanding" anything, and no-one even suggesting this.

 

[MasterGwydion]

I have not seen anyone "demanding" anything, and no-one even suggesting this.

Nor I. I love the WBH, but it is way too complicated for the CRB. Although you could consider the WBH to be a super-sized supplement to the CRB that is more or less setting-agnostic.

 

[Terry Mixon]

Nor I. I love the WBH, but it is way too complicated for the CRB. Although you could consider the WBH to be a super-sized supplement to the CRB that is more or less setting-agnostic.

All it needs is a spreadsheet to make it useable by the masses.

 

[J. L. Brown]

I feel that the WBH belongs in it's own book as well. But the CRB contains the original information for World Building. You start demanding that stuff belonging in another book cannot be printed in new book "Because this belongs in XXX Book" then the new books become very small and then it is "I'm not buying a new book that is only 7 pages, I already get the new stuff for free"

I have not seen anyone "demanding" anything, and no-one even suggesting this.

Nor I. I love the WBH, but it is way too complicated for the CRB.

Nor I.

It is perfectly acceptable to me (and, I believe, the majority of game-masters) for the Core Rules to include a simplified sub-set of rules that are the subject of subject-specific 'splat' books. The Core Rules is intended to include just enough of the important sub-systems (like world building, ship building, or speculative trade) to allow a group to game and have fun. The Core Rules focuses on game mechanics and definitions, and defines the underlying engine of the game -- everything else is just brief summaries of material which is necessary to support the Core.

But everything to do with Robots-in-general ought to be in the Robot Handbook; everything about Vehicles-in-general ought to be in the Vehicle Handbook; etc. Also, all submissions by authors must conform to the published build rules -- although there is nothing stopping authors from seeking an amendment to the build rules before turning in their work. Everything else is a fail; with varying degrees of 'bad'. The least bad is including all material in the updates, AND keeping a living index available. Next least-bad is the above, but also having race-specific or setting-specific topics in separate books. Far, far down the best-to-worst list of priorities is no requirements on authors to sanity-check anything, no index of new rules, and no central authority making sure any of the rules actually work or make sense.

[Edit:] I think 'Exotic Technology' should stay in the main 'splat' book, even if 'race' and 'setting specific' topics get separated out. Usually 'Exotic Technology' is a list of examples of things which are (to varying degrees) outside the current paradigm; and having those as a benchmark accessible to everyone is just as important as showing everyone examples of what is within the existing paradigm. [/Edit]

 

[Arkathan]

Hey, um... Ya think maybe an off topic conversation that's lasted three pages wouldn't be more appropriate in its own thread?
I know I'm taking a while to get the next version out, but this is not a dead thread.

 

[Technetium 98]

Hey, um... Ya think maybe an off topic conversation that's lasted three pages wouldn't be more appropriate in its own thread?
I know I'm taking a while to get the next version out, but this is not a dead thread.

well at least it ain't a majority of your thread