GPS in Star Wars

[CRMcNeill]

Has anyone ever played around with a Star Wars equivalent for global positioning systems? In the modern world, satellites in orbit are relatively immune to attack, but in the SWU, where space travel is common, they would be little more than target practice. As such, a different approach would be required. I have a couple ideas...

In the Imperial Sourcebook, there is mention of the HOS, or Hyperspace Orbiting Scanner, which orbits a planet at hyperspace velocities and scanning computer network activity by detection and analysis of the computer network's mass shadow. What if someone could do something similar with a navigation satellite, putting it into orbit around the planet in hyperspace, so that it is almost impossible to intercept, but still broadcasts a signal that allows a person on the planet's surface to generate precise navigation data on a hand-held or vehicle mounted unit?

As far as something on a sector or galactic scale, we already have the Holonet, with its thousands of transceiver satellites in deep space throughout the galaxy. What if a ship-mounted unit could generate navigation data based on broadcasts from the various transceivers?

Just some late-night rambling, but I'd like to hear your thoughts...
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[KageRyu]

I had considered that something in the nature of GPS would exist and be common place on Core worlds, and highly developed worlds, and any world of "Space" or "Information Age" technology or above, and definately on worlds that are very highly developed and can build interstellar spacecraft. Many Space technology worlds, and certainly many of the developed core worlds and colonies have numerous orbitals in the form of Space stations, planetary defenses, shipyards, and it's easy enough for the sensor and computer aparatus that is needed for GPS to be on such stations. Expanded Universe sources clearly indicate that satelites do exist and are in use throughout the galaxy, and so I see no reason why some form of advanced GPS could not be in use very similar as it is today (I in fact addressed this issue in a D6 Space Marine type campaign I ran, including the difficulties and pitfalls of it). Surely it's easy enough for any orbital capital ship, or ship in general, to use it's sensors and computers to map out a world and provide a form of positioning data to it's ground forces.
As far as satelites, I would also say it stands to reason that any space faring civilisation with Shields and weapons technology that can mount faster than light drives on a 1 man fighter could easily add defensive capabilities to a satelite, even a comm satelite. Given that almost everything in star wars has shields, I see no reason a satelite wouldn't. However, as to them being "Easy Targets" I sort of disagree. Many satelites in real life are only slighter bigger than a person, and a few are smaller, and if we follow that the same circuitry would use less space and be smaller in the Star Wars setting (and indications are that it would) then satelites that are purely for communications or GPS data might only be Character scale, or Speeder Scale at best (surely one at Starfighter scale would be more than a mere sensor and comms satelite). Given this, Capital scale weapons can't even target them, and starfighter scale would have a really tough time except at close range. More importantly, the gunnery crews of the capital ships will undoubtedly be more concerned with snub fighters, orbitting weapons and defensive satelites, and planetary emplacemtns to worry about picking off a few measily comm and GPS sats. Even more to the point, if the empire is so cheap they don't want to drain power to destroy escape pods without lifesigns, why waste the time and effort on satelites that pose no threat and can more easily be jammed (see below for even more on this). Sure, they might deploy some fighters to take them out once other threats are dealt with, but again this will depend on whether the intent is to conquor and hold, or to decimate the planet - if the intent is to hold, then the more infrastructure you can capture unharmed, the less you need to put in place of your own. Even more of concern, except in significant conflict or time of war, why would they go around blowing up satelites?
A bigger problem to GPS and orbital communications, and a good reason to explain close in dogfighting as seen in the Star Wars movies, I found was explained really well in the Novelizations of the Japanes Anime M.S. Gundam. In a setting where technology exists to blanket entire systems with sensor and comms disruptive radiation and magnetic fields as to mnake long range communications and sensors useless, then such satelites would either need to be extremely large and powerful to cut through the static (thus making them costly and a military target) or only be of use in times of peace. Most likely, a battleflett on the attack would take every effort to jam all such comms and sensors, and may even deploy satelites of it's own for that purpose (as was the issue in my military D6 campaign...only military grade comms and devices had a prayer in such situations).

Personally I never liked that whole satelites at hyperspeed crud - it is counterintuitive to everything else said about hyperspace and astrogation (as the satelite would pose a definite navigation hazard and iminent threat of collision), and would cause serious disruptive effects so close to a planet.

I think the real reason there was nothing said in Star Wars cinema, or many novels, and especially the RPG about such use of satelites is that the tech just did not exist when most of it was written. After all, comlinks in the standard Star Wars book are still mostly 1 channel, voice only, and we have cell phones today that can broadcast full video in 3D! These are things I feel a GM must just wrap his head around and adapt to and either add in with little overthought, or state plainly that it's "A galaxy far far away...technology took a different path".

if my writing is a bit on the rambling side, it's late, I'm exausted, and very stressed out because of impending events of this morning...hope it is not taken as brash or argumentative, that is not my intent, merely offering up my thoughts on this.
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"There's a set way to gain new Force Points and it represents a very nice system, where you're rewarded for heroism, not for being a poor conductor to electricity." ~Jachra

[KageRyu]

Oh, the other issues that came up regarding comms, GPS, and surveilance satelites in my marine campaign and why they didn't just try to destroy them was - why destroy what you can turn to your own use. By instead hacking in to the systems and using the enemies satelites they couldmonitor the enemies communications, track their movements, and access the geographical data on the planet to plot and invasion... this took the age of electronic warfare to new extremes, as not only would the sides build better and more resistant satelites and computers to resist intrusion and break through jamming, but would develop tactics to allow limitted break ins for feeding false information and counter-hacking. Only when intrusion was unachievable would jamming on a blanket and saturated scale be done, as this was inhibitive to comms on both sides. Only when the outright destruction of all strategic targets was planned would satelites and orbitals be freely targeted for destruction. Think "Independance Day", i.e. "Their using our own Satelites against us." It is one of the oldest concepts of military strategy, "turn your enemies strengths into weaknesses." ~ Sun Tzu, The Art of War
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"There's a set way to gain new Force Points and it represents a very nice system, where you're rewarded for heroism, not for being a poor conductor to electricity." ~Jachra

[ZzaphodD]

Also, why assume à 'gps' would use satellites at all? Perhaps thats 'old tech'?
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My Biggest Beard Retard award goes to: The Admiral of course..

[CRMcNeill]

Check the Rebel Alliance Sourcebook before you go shutting down the idea. They actually use a device called a Directional Transponder (page 96) that is essentially a GPS system with a map display that bases its location information from orbiting satellites. In a battle, the satellites have a survival rate of approximately one hour, as they are primary targets for starfighters and hunter/killer satellites. The tech may not fit in your version of the SWU, but it is a part of the official SWU, as does the HOS system that I based my concept upon.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[ZzaphodD]

[CRMcNeill]

[KageRyu]

Nowhere did I "shut down the idea". I provided a lot of alternative ways to look at use of satelites and use of global positioning and the applications and implications in a combat situation. You asked if anyone played around with it and for thoughts. If you didn't want them why ask for them. The RPG does not really address GPS, and I did in fact point out that official sources DO talk about the use of satelites, especially defensive and weapon satelites.

As to the HOS, I stated I never liked it when it was presented and why - and I stand by my feelings on it regardless of whether it is official to the rpg or not - it was poorly thought out and it conflicts with the RPG and other official source information regarding hyperspace navigation, travel, and proximity to gravity wells.
_________________
"There's a set way to gain new Force Points and it represents a very nice system, where you're rewarded for heroism, not for being a poor conductor to electricity." ~Jachra

[KageRyu]

[CRMcNeill]

[KageRyu]

[Raven Redstar]

Galadnium's Fantastic Tech Page 67 has a navigation/direction finder:

[garhkal]

[CRMcNeill]

[CRMcNeill]