Hovercars, Opinions Welcome

dmccoy1693

Cosmic Mongoose
I've been working on some hovercars. Please tell me what you think.

Skyler Windchaser
TL
8
Skill Flyer (grav)
Agility +1
Speed 300
Range 1,000 (fuel cell)
Crew/Passengers 1/1
Cargo 0.5 tons
Open no
Armor 3
Hull 4
Structure 4
Cost (Cr.) 400,000
Shipping Size 4 tons
The Windchaser from Skyler rides high above the ground vehicles at a considerably higher rate of speed. Bypass traffic while enjoying the freedom that this two-seat gravcar offers. Leave your cares behind while you take to the sky.

Zargrav X-72
TL
11
Skill Flyer (grav)
Agility +3
Speed 3,000
Range 4,000 (fuel cell)
Crew/Passengers 1/0
Cargo 0 tons
Open no
Armor 4
Hull 2
Structure 2
Cost (Cr.) 1,320,000
Shipping Size 2 tons
Streamlined
For those that know what speed is, Zargrav brings you the X-72. This high performance racing vehicle can now be yours at a truly competitive price.

Everritt Cloudhauler
TL
10
Skill Flyer (grav)
Agility +0
Speed 280
Range 2,000 (fuel cell)
Crew/Passengers 1/2
Cargo 6 tons
Open no
Armor 4
Hull 7
Structure 7
Cost (Cr.) 784,000
Shipping Size 7 tons
Includes Navigation (+2 DM), Communication (continental)
Large enough to take an entire cloud, the Everritt Cloudhauler maximizes your hauling capacity. No other vehicle its size can safely transport this much of your precious cargo and at such an affordable price.

Opinions?
 
F33D said:
Nice but not a lot of data. Type of power source, fuel, instruments, environmental systems...

*Looks in Vehicle Book*

I don't see anything about a power source (EDIT: found it) or fuel. Range is mentioned so fuel is inferred. Instruments and environmental would be under included, but I didn't include an environmental system in any of these. The last one has a navigation and communication system.

Or do you mean modifications like "greater fuel capacity" or "reduced fuel efficiency"?

Question: Should I have a listing for "Options package" so you can get a tricked out sensor system or entertainment system or etc for X amount extra?
 
F33D said:
?????!!!!!!

I missed it. What can I say. Power source is under the universal modification section. So if you go with the default (which these were built with) there is no need to look up a power source.

EDIT: I updated the vehicles to include power source.
 
dmccoy1693 said:
F33D said:
?????!!!!!!

I missed it. What can I say. Power source is under the universal modification section. So if you go with the default (which these were built with) there is no need to look up a power source.

EDIT: I updated the vehicles to include power source.

Thanks, I understand now. I just don't see how a "powered" vehicle design system doesn't have choosing a power source as one of the most important design choices/steps.
 
F33D said:
I just don't see how a "powered" vehicle design system doesn't have choosing a power source as one of the most important design choices/steps.

Easy. The chassis says, "X Speed, X Range" as its default. I called "Done." I didn't look any further than that. But is the above way of stating it cool or would you prefer it another way?
 
dmccoy1693 said:
But is the above way of stating it cool or would you prefer it another way?

I would prefer and actual vehicle design system. Whatever you used certainly doesn't qualify. Although I like the descriptions of yours.
 
There is designing for Effect, which is what Mongoose typically defaults to, and designing for Cause, which the tech types seem to prefer. See TNE's FF&S, MT's design system, and Striker for examples.
 
GypsyComet said:
There is designing for Effect, which is what Mongoose typically defaults to,

Not really. MgT's major design system is for ships. It doesn't follow that path.
 
GypsyComet said:
There is designing for Effect, which is what Mongoose typically defaults to,

Not really. MgT's major design system is for ships. It doesn't follow that path. Also, the fist two vehicle books it put out didn't. So, "defaults to" isn't really accurate.
 
F33D, have you seen this: http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/rpgs/traveller/core-supplements/supplement-5-6-the-vehicle-handbook.html

It's the standard for Mongoose Traveller vehicle builds, not just 3i, but 2300AD, Orbital, and a host of other third party publishers.
 
I'm not thrilled with the Vehicle Book design method.

I designed a hover car for my PC/group's contact, one that a working bureaucrat could afford (or so I thought if the price is right at Cr 20,000 per space) starting at 4 spaces. Not being able to afford a sporty model I lowered the maximum speed by 50%, and got more 5 more space. Not needing a large vehicle (think small economy hovercraft) so I restarted with a size 1 chassis and ended up with a size 6 chassis. Huh? The power plant took up 5 spaces in a space 1 chassis? I just cannot grok that design system. Btw, is the base cost now based on space 1 or space 6?
 
GamingGlen said:
took up 5 spaces in a space 1 chassis?
Unless I read it wrong (and I am admitting to that possibility), the base chassis includes a power plant. Hence the "range" part of it. It cannot have a range without a default power plant.
 
F33D said:
GypsyComet said:
There is designing for Effect, which is what Mongoose typically defaults to,

Not really. MgT's major design system is for ships. It doesn't follow that path. Also, the fist two vehicle books it put out didn't. So, "defaults to" isn't really accurate.

Installing a drive that is a black box which enables Jump 6 is "Effect based".
Building a bridge and ship control system out of 3,242 Holo CPs and a central display, setting aside space for seats, and designing the capacitors, lenses, and (again) seating that comprise your laser turrets is "Cause based". Not the best term for it, I agree, but none of Mongoose's design systems are even remotely close to Fire, Fusion & Steel. Either version.

Possibly "top down" and "bottom up" are better descriptors.
 
GypsyComet said:
Installing a drive that is a black box which enables Jump 6 is "Effect based".


Not really. That would mean that any engine you don't personally know how to build makes something effect based. See difference between original vehicle book, MRB ship design vs. new vehicle book. If you can't see the huge design philosophy difference, there's nothing I nor anyone else can do to further educate you...
 
F33D said:
Not really. That would mean that any engine you don't personally know how to build makes something effect based. See difference between original vehicle book, MRB ship design vs. new vehicle book. If you can't see the huge design philosophy difference, there's nothing I nor anyone else can do to further educate you...

FF&S, MT and GURPS Vehicles are 'bottom-up' design systems. You start from scratch, assemble the design piece by piece and worry about volume and mass and so on and the end result should hopefully be in the right ballpark for the size and speed and weapons etc that you wanted it to be. They're usually very detailed design systems.

MGT Vehicles, and Dream Pod 9's design system is effect-based, or 'top-down'. You start off with an idea of what you want and how fast you want it to go etc, and then work down by from that by 'filling in the design'. Such systems are usually more abstract.
 
Wil Mireu said:
MGT Vehicles, and Dream Pod 9's design system is effect-based, or 'top-down'. You start off with an idea of what you want and how fast you want it to go etc, and then work down by from that by 'filling in the design'. Such systems are usually more abstract.

And while the new vehicle book may be an exception (Robot may as well), Mongoose Traveller as a whole did indeed default to Top Down for the first five years. Now that there is a base of fairly simple tools to work with the Bottom Up tools may start appearing. They take longer to write, are more challenging to present clearly, and, frankly, have a smaller audience. They also draw more vitriol once complete from simulationists who hate the fact that a 100-page rulebook for a game of pretend cannot accurately portray a modern AFV down to the precise horsepower of the engine, size of the fuel tank, and the road weight to the ounce. The same level of scorn applied to star system generation is why Mongoose has so far avoided anything beyond the Top Down two-page method in Scout.
 
Back
Top