SFU points system

[AxisFan67]

Are you going to release the formula you use to arrive at these points. Many of us would appreciate it, to not only use other ships you haven't come out with, but also to apply to V@S and Babylon 5 to generate scenarios.

 

[revford]

That sounds very useful.

Could be a big help to people with existing SFB collections who want to get their exotic ship types on the table early.

 

[Da Boss]

You are assuming there is a formula ? may not be one?

 

[AxisFan67]

This is why I think there is one:

the Burke-class Frigate and the Ramius-class Battle Frigate. These two caused some excitement in the early stages of playtesting, as all our costing formulae said we had the right points values for them, as did the actual playtest results. However, given the small points differential between them, our hearts were telling us that their points values were too close.

AND:

So, 50% more heavy weaponry, an extra phaser and not only a few more shields but more efficient use of them. And for all of this we charge you nothing more than 110 points – a mere 15 point increase.

 

[Iron Domokun]

There probably is a system that generates approximate values for the ships, but sometimes a ship is more valuable than the sum of its parts. Every unit building system for any game I've ever seen has that problem, from the original Car Wars onwards. The SFU games published to date don't have a build-your-own-ship system, simply because it's too hard to balance and players will[\i] be munchkins...

 

[Greg Smith]

Previous versions of ACTA don't have it. Don't expect it with this one.

Out of interest do SFB and FC have points systems?

 

[Iain McGhee]

Yes. There's also optional weapon fit rules for Orions, so you can do a bit of customising using that as a guide if you fancy messing around with cloak and photon using Klingons or the like (unofficially, just for fun), but no full-on construction rules.

It's the same issue as with Firestorm Armada's official ships, I expect. That game does have ship construction rules, but the official ships often give the "wrong" points value if you run them through it because they have been adjusted due to playtesting results.

 

[Myrm]

Previous versions of ACTA don't have it. Don't expect it with this one.
Out of interest do SFB and FC have points systems?

Yes, SFB is a points based system (Basic Points Value) - the BPV of any ship is fixed for combat and then a few ships (notably tugs) have a different economic value for campaigns usually.

 

[MongooseMatt]

There probably is a system that generates approximate values for the ships, but sometimes a ship is more valuable than the sum of its parts.

This.

For once, we'll come clean about our points values (!). To begin with, we simply took the FC points cost of a ship and added 25%.

This was then adjusted during playtesting to suit the differences between CTA and FC. What has been very scary for me (as a designer) is how _few_ ships were modified in any substantial way. Maybe scary is the wrong word - perhaps 'comforting' as it showed that while CTA is a very different game, it is reflecting the relative strengths and weaknesses of ships in FC extremely well.

For 90% of the time, the FC points costs (+25%) can be used in CTA. You just need to keep an eye on anything unusual. For example, the Snipe got a little boost in points because while it is exceedingly fragile, in the hands of someone who knows the game it can be decidedly wicked!

 

[AdmiralGrafSpee]

There probably is a system that generates approximate values for the ships, but sometimes a ship is more valuable than the sum of its parts.

This.

For once, we'll come clean about our points values (!). To begin with, we simply took the FC points cost of a ship and added 25%.

This was then adjusted during playtesting to suit the differences between CTA and FC. What has been very scary for me (as a designer) is how _few_ ships were modified in any substantial way. Maybe scary is the wrong word - perhaps 'comforting' as it showed that while CTA is a very different game, it is reflecting the relative strengths and weaknesses of ships in FC extremely well.

For 90% of the time, the FC points costs (+25%) can be used in CTA. You just need to keep an eye on anything unusual. For example, the Snipe got a little boost in points because while it is exceedingly fragile, in the hands of someone who knows the game it can be decidedly wicked!

That's not a bad method at all Matt. SFB has been around for a very long time, and FC was the modernization of that game. To say those point values have been well scrutinized is an understatement. If you guys have succeeded in porting over all the weapons and systems to have to same relative function then it should work out. Sounds like you've done a good amount of playtesting as well - also lets face it, this isn't the first ACTA game either, you probably have a feel for the point values as well.

-Tim