• Registered: 2005-03-27
  • Posts: 811

Topic: New Drake Notation Standards for the Bourbaki Basin

Since the Admiralty Edition has changed the way we think about starships, I think it's time to update the Drake Notation for the Bourbaki Basin.

in general, the less information on the card, the better, except where defaults are concerned (then I'd like to see them spelled out like ST:X i.e. ROF 1 would be explicitly identified rather than assumed)

Here goes, whaddya think?

<Starship_Name>
(<Combat_Rating>)<Class_Name> <Class_Designation> [<Race_designation>]
Hull: <N> <N-1> <N-2> ... 1
Engines: <N> <N> <N> <N> ...
Shields: <N> <N> <N> <N> ...
Weapons:  [X|Y|Z|-] [X|Y|Z|-] [X|Y|Z|-] [X|Y|Z|-] [X|Y|Z|-] [X|Y|Z|-]

[X] <Weapon_Type>, <RNG_1>/<RNG_2>/RNG_3>, <ACC>, <ROF>/<IMP>/<DMG>

[Y] <Weapon_Type>, <RNG_1>/<RNG_2>/RNG_3>, <ACC>, <ROF>/<IMP>/<DMG>

[Z] <Weapon_Type>, <RNG_1>/<RNG_2>/RNG_3>, <ACC>, <ROF>/<IMP>/<DMG>

Specials: <Specials_List>

Fighters:
<Fighter_Name>: (Capacity), <Size>/<Speed>/<Attack>/<Defense>, <Traits_List>

And an example

(277) Dumbo-Class DreadNose [Elephantine]
Hull: 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1                 
Engines: 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 1                 
Shields: 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1                 
Weapons: X / X / Y / Y / Y / Z
[X]  Super Charger, 4/8/12, 5+, 1/2/1, Extra Hull Damage
[AB] [AB]
[Y]  Stomp Gun, 2/4/6, 3+, 4/1/1, Extra Hull Damage
[A] [B] [E] [F]
[Z]  Sonic Cannon, 10/20/30, 5+, 1/1/1, No Hull Damage
[G]
Specials: Hyperdrive; Armor Plating; Marines (14)

  • Registered: 2006-03-23
  • Posts: 241

Re: New Drake Notation Standards for the Bourbaki Basin

Shouldn't we have a line to state the tech levels used? And if so maybe a place to note the range used under the expanded tech levels. You know people are going to use them ( I am big_smile ).
Also, I'm not sure I like the Weapon line. A lot of ship designs have fewer weapons than hull and so wouldn't have an XYZ value for all of the six slots. Then you would end up with a series of /// next to each other. For example, an HS:6 ship with 3 X battery weapons would have a line like this:
Weapons: X/X/X///

If we use [N] instead then the line would look like this:
Weapons: [X][X][X][][][]

I am not advocating any style, it just looks a little strange to me. The information definately needs to be there, I just want to see alternative formatting styles.

  • Registered: 2005-03-27
  • Posts: 811

Re: New Drake Notation Standards for the Bourbaki Basin

agreed, it should be:

[X] [X] [X] [-] [-] [-]

Thanks for catching that

  • Registered: 2005-06-08
  • Posts: 760

Re: New Drake Notation Standards for the Bourbaki Basin

Please take a look at the text sheet in the latest Admiralty shipyard.
v1.4

Is this sort of what you were wanting?