That's nice.

How the heck do I make it do anything?

Yeah... well... that would be the problem. I'm sure the thing is nice and intuitive once it actually starts.

All I can do is get my computer to open it as a text file.

(I never said I was techo-savvy -- I just pretend to know what I'm doing... )

Try going back to that page and downloading StarmadaMoves.jar.  (Example: store it in C:/StarmadaDir/Starmada.java.)

Bring up a Command Prompt (Start menu, Programs, Accessories, Command Prompt) and go to the place you put the jar file.  ("cd C:/StarmadaDir")

type "java -jar Starmada.jar"

If that doesn't work, I'd guess it would be because you didn't have Java on your system.  I have no idea whether someone that isn't very technical would have Java in an accessible place.  Let me know. 

andy

I assume that if someone cared about this, I'd have heard some comments, or requests, or suggestions for publication.  But because I believe in visualization, I went and added some screen capture pictures.  These aren't as good as interaction, but they're still kinda neat.

http://skinner.andy.googlepages.com/javastarmadamovementprogram

andy

Dan, what happens when you download the .jar file and then double-click on it?

andy

I think the hex map helps.  Hopefully Dan will be able to double-click the thing and see it work.

It certainly wasn't intended for use in a game to find out how you can move.  I had some trouble understanding what the movement system would do, and wanted to see it.  And I like making this kind of thing. 

The biggest thing I get from looking at it is that the U maneuver is kind of an anomaly, in terms of what you can do.  You can spin around and even move back the way you came in a way I'm not sure I like.  Just in case someone didn't like a ship to be able to spin around in such a way, how much effect do you think it would have on the game to disallow U turns?  I'm curious about either game play or point balance.  I'm not saying the game is broken and needs to be changed--just that I'm not sure I want my ships to be able to do that.

andy

I could take you down the route of downloading java, but I don't think I'm a good person to do that.  Java is fairly frequently used on the net, and I'm sure I could hook it up so that it would install.  But I think the pictures give at least a feel for what this thing will do.  I assume you've already gotten a feel for it.  Do my pictures look right?

andy

If you're talking to me, then yes, the pix are ok - I cannot vouch for it's accuracy however - I'm not the math guy (8 million+ weapon combos? Holy Crap!)...wait, why does it mispell (C*R*A*P) I didn't mispell it....

Okay, Dan - go here, follow instructions:

http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp

Java is an interpretted language, so it's a bit slow (okay, it can be really BUTT slow in some cases) to start up and run things.

I just heard the shower start...

This is as good as any:
http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp

And Java is pretty safe and should install easily.

andy

Those are markers in gray in the intermediate steps along the way.

Sorry, as a hack, it isn't well documented. 

So does it look right?

Thoughts on my question about U turns?

andy

I wish there was still a Back movement, but understand how confusing that could have become with questions like "um which way was my interia going again. Towards the stern or the bow?"

inertia can be indicated by a note in the "Notes" section if you want to be facing a different direction that you're heading, simply indicate 1-6 in the notes section and that's the direction you're GOING (i.e. not "heading")

but that may be too simplistic.