Hyperdrive Speed Code

[Ning Leihrec]

I'd like to use a speed code for the hyperdrive instead of a multiplier. One could multiply the roll by 1,000 to determine the number of parsecs per day achieved by the jump, and then use a detailed map of the Galaxy (including nebulas, anomalies, and other obstacles) to figure out the duration of the trip. Astrogation would still play a factor in circumventing obstacles and charting the most direct course. The more perilous the route the higher the astro difficulty. Thoughts?

[cheshire]

It depends. What advantage to you hope to gain by implementing a randomization system on top of the astrogation roll? Adding luck to distance they can travel? Increasing narrative tension?

What is the though process behind the game design change?
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Before we take any of this too seriously, just remember that in the middle episode a little rubber puppet moves a spaceship with his mind.

[CRMcNeill]

I really don't have a problem with the existing system; certainly not enough to justify a radical change like this. Simple linear distance on a detailed galactic map doesn't cover all of the reasons why a route may be slower or faster.
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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

[Savar]

I thought was the biggest change from second edition was the removing the speed codes.

[CRMcNeill]

[Savar]

[CRMcNeill]

It's debatable whether or not that was a good idea. The speed codes were better for resolving speed issues in combat, and were certainly simpler to use. But discussing real space speed codes here is straying from the topic at hand. On that note, unless someone can define how hyperspace speed codes would provide a definite advantage over hyperdrive multipliers, without requiring a massive reworking of the existing system, I don't see a need for it.
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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

[Thx1138]

I don't think you can measure hyperspace in anything other than a multiplyer, since hyper space is a different dimension which is small than our own that makes calculating distance nigh impossible since distance relies on scale and we don't know the scale of hyperspace.

[Ning Leihrec]

Ive wanted to make a speed code work for dramatic reasons mostly, and working off a map would be a more hands on way for players to chart a route. A 1D-5D range of hyperdrives is much broader than x2-x.5. I realize hyperspace is different from sub space, but always imagined a way to code the grids of the Galaxy map to indicate their degree of passibility which would add time to the route and difficulty to the astrogation roll. Hyperspace grid ratings might be something like Impassible/Sluggish/Slow/Moderate/Fast/All Clear. They'd be cumulative across the grid map so it would have to be a very tidy game mechanic. I've just never found a hyper travel chart that was all that comprehensive. Seems like it usually boils down to the GM guessing somewhat arbitrarily as to astrogation difficulties and distances. If anyone knows of a solid chart (2nd edition's didn't cut it for me) that allows for players to take some role in mapping their route I'm all ears.

[CRMcNeill]

It doesn't exist, and if it did, it would be obsolete the moment the next novel gets published.

The closest thing the EU has is the Essential Atlas, but that won't provide the level of detail you are looking for. You could potentially cross-reference planetary system waypoints with travel times on the D6 Holocron Navcomputer, but those numbers are all in trip times, not parsecs.

On top of that, the SWU is very vague (intentionally so?) about actual distance covered by hyperspace travel. To do what you are proposing would require a lot of hard work plus a lot of guessing to generate hard numbers.

In the end, my biggest question is how this proposed change will make gameplay more exciting and make the story flow better.
_________________
"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

[cheshire]

[Ning Leihrec]

One of the wonderful things about Star Wars is that when the characters are at a crossroads about where they want to go next they have an entire galaxy before them. It would be cool if, as they were making that decision, they could consult a chart. Simply knowing "we are here, the following systems are nearby, far off, etc" would open up their game a lot and keep the GM on his toes. A speed code for the hyperdrive is just a possible solution for crossing the map, also it would add a bit of contest (on top of astrogation) to equally matched vessels racing for the same destination.

[CRMcNeill]

That does sound good, but again, the available resources of the Essential Atlas and the Nav Computer would provide players with the same degree of reference.

As to shortening route times for races and the like, the Astrogation rules include the option of decreasing time by increasing difficulty. Depending on the route and the difficulty rolled, it is actually possible for a ship with a lower hyperdrive multiplier to bear a ship with a higher one.

IIRC, the difficulty increases by +1 per hour subtracted from the trip time. So, on an 8 hour route, a x1 ship could beat a x1/2 ship by accepting a +5 difficulty modifier (assuming the x1/2 ship didn't plot a faster course, too). Obviously, this can get ridiculous pretty quickly without some minimum level of reduction, which I don't recall reading about in the Astrogation rules, but the idea is there. In fact, if you have a good astrogator and enough waypoints, it is actually quicker to make a series of short jumps optimized for shorter travel times than it is to make a single, longer one at standard difficulty.
_________________
"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