2,576 Reply by mj12games

(2 replies, posted in Starmada)

runescience wrote:

Where is the starship construction xls for starmada compendium? Can some one send me a link to runescience@yahoo.com

Unfortunately, the version for the Compendium is offline. I would have to do some searching to find it again...

also: I am relearning Starmada 1.0 aka compendium.

Technically, that would be Starmada 5.1... wink

the reason i am confused is that later on on the monitor mark 2 you list fusion torps as 2-pb, 2-sb... and lasercanons as f2, fp2, fs2...  is there a difference with the number of weapons in the front or the back?  Again I am confused. I would rather stay away from banked weapons since im relearning it.

2-FP is two separate FP weapons... FP2 is two weapons in a single FP bank.

Go to forum: Starmada

2,577 Reply by mj12games

(13 replies, posted in Iron Stars)

Good stuff, Dugan! big_smile

Go to forum: Iron Stars

2,578 Reply by mj12games

(13 replies, posted in Iron Stars)

Von Ether wrote:

Perhaps the biggest theme to such a game would be what you've been doing, a unstoppable march towards a WW I type event where the air is charged with change and there's a tension in the air. People know there's something building in the air, though people can't put their finger on it.

A time of innocence and honor is ending.

Ooo... I like that as a hook.

Have you been reading my notes? smile

Go to forum: Iron Stars

2,579 Reply by mj12games

(9 replies, posted in Starmada)

japridemor wrote:

About Range though, I am not sure what to do. Range is already factored into the stock spinal mount's ORat but not the SU. Anyone have any ideas?

Actually, it is sorta included in the SU, as the size of the spinal mount is based on overal ship size, as is range. But you're right, there's not an easy 1:1 correlation...

At the same time, the ORat is the balancing factor, not SU cost... so you could just assume a linear progression. If you want a spinal mount that fires 50% further than a normal one, just increase SU cost by 50%, and so on.

Does anyone see any glaring mathematic or balance issues with any of this?

Not at first, no.

Go to forum: Starmada

2,580 Reply by mj12games

(10 replies, posted in Starmada)

japridemor wrote:

I like this, it is simple and elegant. Of course each installation of ECM is 5% of the ships SU so one obvious work around is to put them ion the smaller hulls so they use less of your total SU.

True. Which is why, if a ship is to be 'loaning' protection to other vessels, the cost would have to be moved to an absolute, rather than percentage-based.

Go to forum: Starmada

2,581 Reply by mj12games

(47 replies, posted in Game Design)

In celebration of Opening Day, I present:

http://www.mj12games.com/wagner1902.png

Why is there a need for another baseball card/board game? Simple...

1) This one's by MJ12! smile

2) All player stats have been adjusted to the modern era (and for park effects) -- e.g., Babe Ruth hit the equivalent of 107 home runs in 1927!

3) Realistic batter/pitcher interaction.

4) Fielder ratings have an effect on each ball put into play. Oh, and fielder ratings are adjusted based on era and pitching staff.

5) "Salary" values are included for easy campaign-style play (average batter = $100).

6) Cards can be created for every team since 1893.

7) Nine different pitcher values for each of four categories -- that's 6,561 possible pitcher grades!

8> Fast, simple, but statistically-accurate game mechanics.

9) It's by MJ12! smile

So, I need playtesters... if you're interested, send an e-mail to cricket@mj12games.com and let me know which two teams you'd like statted up.

Go to forum: Game Design

2,582 Reply by mj12games

(13 replies, posted in Iron Stars)

Von Ether wrote:

But comparing the two subgenres, what would be the big differences between them? I'm not that sharp on my history and nothing comes to mind other than the internal combustion engine and Tesla -- though he's more post WW I.

Not a whole helluva lot, actually... from a tech perspective, some of the speculative Victorian stuff would be a reality in Edwardian times -- but frankly it's more or less a semantic distinction.

I prefer "Edwardian" to describe Iron Stars' setting -- since the first thing that happens in our timeline is that Victoria dies a few months before the Martians invade...

Go to forum: Iron Stars

2,583 Reply by mj12games

(10 replies, posted in Starmada)

japridemor wrote:

Has anyone ever given thought to adding a Special Equipment item that functions as ECM but can be loaned to other ships? Sort of like a jammer. How would this be pointed and what kind of strengths/weaknesses would you suggest?

It has been suggested ... the stumbling block has been the point-costing of it.

The obvious abuse would be to put the ECM 'master' on a weak ship and the ECM 'slaves' on powerful ones. So, I would think the point cost would have to take into account the value of the group as a whole.

Go to forum: Starmada

2,584 Topic by mj12games

(1 replies, posted in Discussion)

I'll be upgrading our forum software today... hopefully there will be no interruptions in service or lost data, but you never know... smile

Go to forum: Discussion

2,585 Reply by mj12games

(60 replies, posted in Starmada)

japridemor wrote:

Would this "fix" change the current weapon SU calculation? I am having a hard time wading through all of the proposals posted in this thread. Until you say "go", I'll continue to use the formula as in the rules.

It would penalize ships for having more weapons -- but whether that penalty would be enough to offset the tactical advantage, I don't know.

It worked in pre-X Starmada, although that was more because weapon hits were fixed at 33% of all damage rolls -- thus making ships with more weapons more survivable.

Go to forum: Starmada

2,586 Reply by mj12games

(60 replies, posted in Starmada)

japridemor wrote:
cricket wrote:

Now, Starmada X was the first time that the number of weapons was not included in the defensive rating (e.g., in the past, it was (Hull + # of Weapons) x Shield Factor). IMHO, putting this back into the formula would be a better solution than complicating the weapon calculation.

This still doesn't resolve the basic problem. Three 1/1/3 weapons give you the same chances of damaging another ship as three 3/1/1 but the three 3/1/1 are a hell of a lot better vs. small units  (and a use a lot less SU too). Maybe the DRat needs to somehow take into account the ROF not just total number of weapons.

It depends on what you mean by "resolve" -- I assume we're not trying to eliminate the fact that three 1/1/1 weapons are more useful than a single 3/1/1 weapon... but we are trying to increase the point cost of the former when compared to the latter.

Adding the number of weapons into the defensive rating would achieve this effect.

Whether or not this "balances" the designs remains to be seen...

Go to forum: Starmada

2,587 Reply by mj12games

(12 replies, posted in Starmada)

gobsmasha wrote:

This system seems to have no down side. In combination with long-range sensors and spinal mount, it seems devestatingly effective.

Yes, the LRS/Stealth combo is very effective. But it is significantly weaker than in previous versions of Starmada, and I think the points value is close to balanced at this point. Stealth's 2.5 multiplier to the defensive rating is the largest in the game, IIRC.

However, if you want to up it to x3 or x4 as a way of limiting its use, then there's nothing stopping you. smile

Dan

Go to forum: Starmada

2,588 Reply by mj12games

(23 replies, posted in Starmada)

RedShark92 wrote:

For my purposes I mostly want something that "feels" right. Part of feeling right is that I shouldn't have to expend thrust to move every turn. SX's vector move does have a better feel than SX's Cinematic move, I just find FT's Vector move to be about as close to perfect as you can get in a space combat game.

I understand the "feels right" thing. Heck, even *I* don't like the basic Starmada movement system -- but every time I've suggested changing it, I've met with fierce resistance! smile

I can't say I'm a big fan of FT's movement tho... but then, I'm a bit biased...

Go to forum: Starmada

2,589 Reply by mj12games

(8 replies, posted in Starmada)

KDLadage wrote:

So... what are the odds I can get some STARSHIP DISKS in 1" size?

Unfortunately, not very good. sad

Go to forum: Starmada

2,590 Reply by mj12games

(16 replies, posted in Starmada)

davydee2000 wrote:

1)  ON DECLARING TARGETS:  When I had to declare my targets, I chose one ship at a time then I declared the targets for ALL of my weapons for that ship before I rolled any dice.  We had to be extra careful about ships with many weapons and different targets.  Is this correct?

This is correct.

2)  A silly question.  The rulebook suggests a 30 x 40 hex battlemat.  Well, I'm getting a 27 x 37 one.  Would the lack of 3 hexes for length and width weaken the game at all (for lack of maneuvering room)?

Not at all. 27x37 sounds big enough to me. smile

Go to forum: Starmada

2,591 Reply by mj12games

(12 replies, posted in Spitting Fire)

elsyr wrote:

What do y'all think?

I'd more readily allow maneuvers to start a move than tracking movement across turns...

Go to forum: Spitting Fire

2,592 Reply by mj12games

(17 replies, posted in Starmada)

jimbeau wrote:

(oh yeah, Rachel Weisz is in the process of six(!) movies planned for 07/08 yay!)

Well, Sienna Miller is working on five, so hah! smile

Go to forum: Starmada

2,593 Reply by mj12games

(16 replies, posted in Starmada)

davydee2000 wrote:

1)  Bsats are like tiny individual "ships.  They are never forced to stay together as one group.  If I launch 3 at once, they can separate and go their separate ways during the fighter phase.  A hit by a ship destroys one immediately without further need for pen roll.  Is this correct?

Yes.

2)  Drones always stay together as one group (up to ten drones) and able to move up to ten hexes.  A hit by a ship destroys one immediately without further need for pen roll.  Like fighters, a die or dice next to the drone counter aids in keeping track how many are in the group at one time.  After successful to-hit rolls, are the following pen rolls half the target shields rounded up?

Yes.

3)  Marine pods are similar to drones in that the number launched always stay together.  A hit by a ship destroys one immediately without further need for pen roll.  Like fighters, a die next to the boarding pod counter aids in keeping track how many are in the group at one time.  After successful to-hit rolls, the subsequent pen rolls halve the target shields rounded up.  Is this correct?

Yes.

Go to forum: Starmada

2,594 Reply by mj12games

(2 replies, posted in Discussion)

themattcurtis wrote:

Brigade just released the first 3 Austrian minis for Iron Stars.

HUZZAH!

Go to forum: Discussion

2,595 Reply by mj12games

(32 replies, posted in Starmada)

BeowulfJB wrote:

Should ships with 13 hull and greater be rare in Starmada "X" games?  For the Starmada Compendium games we play, I have reduced all  but 2 of my ships to hull size 12 and smaller.  It wasn't easy...

The "prohibition" against hull 13+ ships was just the last vestige of my attempts to rein in "hull creep". It failed. smile

There is nothing wrong with larger ships -- the combat rating evaluates them fine. I just happen not to like really big ships.

Go to forum: Starmada

2,596 Topic by mj12games

(0 replies, posted in Discussion)

It appears that Yahoo! is having major issues with forwarding e-mails via their groups... While that doesn't matter to anyone reading this forum on the web site (www.mj12games.com/forum), it does apply to those reading the e-mails as sent via groups.yahoo.com/games/mj12games/.

Some messages are getting sent out of order, others not at all -- and those that get through are often hours late. I hope this will all be sorted soon, but in the meantime at least we still have the forum!

wink

Go to forum: Discussion

2,597 Reply by mj12games

(14 replies, posted in Starmada)

jimbeau wrote:

I prefer the Starmada XXX edition.

mmmm wiggly bits...

I am now HORRIBLY disturbed.

(Thinking of wiggly bits along with the picture of the mega-pillbug...)

Go to forum: Starmada

2,598 Reply by mj12games

(7 replies, posted in Starmada)

jimbeau wrote:

I lament each day the passing of the Compendium Races

Lament lament lament

Oh, lord there was lamenting.

Tee hee.

big_smile

Go to forum: Starmada

2,599 Reply by mj12games

(7 replies, posted in Starmada)

The Kalaedinese were one of the six (!) races from the Compendium-era version of Starmada:

The Terran Empire (i.e., the Starmada)
The Arcturan Federation
The Donegal Alliance
The Kalaedinese Expanse
The S'ssk
The F'Toi

Personally, I was quite fond of the background material for this setting; but until recently I hadn't heard any lamentations about its passing.

I'm working on the future of Starmada -- and I would think that these races will return in some form or another.

Go to forum: Starmada

2,600 Reply by mj12games

(1 replies, posted in Starmada)

RedShark92 wrote:

I bought the download version of the rules and I have gone through the trouble of printing the whole thing out and binding it in three ring insert pages so I'd rather not have to reprint and reinsert every page if I don't have to. smile

Which version do you have?

Go to forum: Starmada