Playtest One Discussion

[Thorgrimm-28]

Guys, after processing Tssha's orders today, I have to commend him on how he wrote his mission orders. So I am doing so, and showing you all how he wrote them, so you can follow the same template.

Implementing his launch orders was a breeze when written like this:

Order Launch, Lifting Body Type, Mission Items Like Sats, Capsules, and Packages, Exact Mission Name - As written in the rules, Date of Launch - Example: 4 July 57.

When following this easy template the GM has no headscratching, or divining, while trying to figure out what the player intended to do!

So please follow this guideline.

@Gav, ya both will follow the glorious United States into the deep black, after we put the first man in space!



Cheers, Thor

[Thorgrimm-28]

Quote from: Gav on April 11, 2014, 11:52:31 am
Stand in line you English dog .... That Honour will be that of the Soviet Union !


Originally posted by Haegan 2005:

Right! When you pry your astronauts away from the vodka I will stand amazed! Course, now he will likely put the bottles in the capsule and give them straws!

[Thorgrimm-28]

All July turns processed, August turns sent out.



Cheers, Thor

[Thorgrimm-28]

Originally posted by MrAnderson:

The Chinese shall beat you all through quality* engineering!


*quality subject to change

[Thorgrimm-28]

That's the spirit!

And your press release was just fine! Far better than the one the Brits put out.



Cheers, Thor

[Thorgrimm-28]

Quote from: Thorgrimm on April 11, 2014, 11:54:11 am
Guys, after processing Tssha's orders today, I have to commend him on how he wrote his mission orders. So I am doing so, and showing you all how he wrote them, so you can follow the same template.

Implementing his launch orders was a breeze when written like this:

Order Launch, Lifting Body Type, Mission Items Like Sats, Capsules, and Packages, Exact Mission Name - As written in the rules, Date of Launch - Example: 4 July 57.

When following this easy template the GM has no headscratching, or divining, while trying to figure out what the player intended to do!

So please follow this guideline.

@Gav, ya both will follow the glorious United States into the deep black, after we put the first man in space! ;D



Cheers, Thor


Originally posted by Tssha:

No problem, it seemed logical.

Also: quick tip for those who are launching missions (and picking dates for missions). It doesn't matter when you launch a milestone mission; just so long as it is after the previous milestone mission, no penalty will be applied to the following mission. This comes from a question I asked Thor via email, which I am sharing here so all may benefit. I will ask such questions here from now on, where all may see the answer.

Of course, this is assuming the mission is successful and doesn't blow up on the pad. Happy trails!

[Thorgrimm-28]

Yep, those random acts of God sure do hurt!

I can't wait to see Gav's response to your Press Release Tssha! I must say, it is a fine piece.



Cheers, Thor

[Thorgrimm-28]

Tsshas's INN news article has prompted me to post a news piece I was mulling over in my mind. So seeing his good article, I posted mine.

History is already changing for this 'verse!



Cheers, Thor

[Thorgrimm-28]

I hope you folks do not mind if I post any Q's asked in emails, here on WoTG. That way everybody can learn from them.

If needed the questions will be carefully reworded to prevent any details of a Director's orders from getting out.

Below is a question Mav asked me in a recent email:

Quote:
Here's a question, could I boost a sub-orbital rocket to an LEO using strap-on boosters?


Mav, Strap Ons are only good for boosting the CC ability of the Main Lifting Body.

For example, if you were using a LEO Rocket to boost a mission package that weighed 90 CPs, you could use Strap Ons to accomplish the task. Otherwise the launch would be scrubbed for the mission package being overweight.


Cheers, Thor

[Thorgrimm-28]

Originally posted by Tssha:

Would kickers work for that instead of strap-ons? Or do they need to get into a stable orbit first before the kicker can engage?


EDIT: Also, can you only plan one mission for each launch pad at one time? Or, so long as they don't launch in the same month, can you order a launch a month from each pad? That is, if you order a launch for February from Pad A, can you also order a launch from Pad A in March? Or do you have to wait until the launch goes ahead before scheduling a new one, say in June?

If a pad is damaged by a faulty launch, can the scheduled launch be relocated to an empty pad?

[Thorgrimm-28]

Quote from: Tssha on April 11, 2014, 12:06:00 pm
Would kickers work for that instead of strap-ons? Or do they need to get into a stable orbit first before the kicker can engage?

EDIT: Also, can you only plan one mission for each launch pad at one time? Or, so long as they don't launch in the same month, can you order a launch a month from each pad? That is, if you order a launch for February from Pad A, can you also order a launch from Pad A in March? Or do you have to wait until the launch goes ahead before scheduling a new one, say in June?

If a pad is damaged by a faulty launch, can the scheduled launch be relocated to an empty pad?


1) Kickers are only good once in LEO.
Example: Say you are gonna do a Lunar Flyby. And all you have is a LEO rocket and Kicker handy. You can use the LEO Rocket to boost the Probe and Kicker motor into LEO. Then the Kicker will push the probe into a TLI, Trans-Lunar Injection trajectory. But the kicker cannot work until it has been deployed into orbit.

2) You can order an enitre year of launches for each Launch Pad you have constructed. So if you have all four Pads built, you can orders 48 launches for that year. The only constraint is that it takes four months, after the order, for the launch to be scheduled.

Example: You have all four Pads constructed and wish to schedule a full year of launches. So, to be able to schedule launches for January of the next year, you need to schedule the launch in September, October for February, etc. etc. :AH

3) Unfortunately, no. Once scheduled they cannot be moved. It is a time-consuming process to set up a launch. And moving it on a whim is not done. So if a pad blows up, all missions that would have been launched from that pad while it is being fixed, or rebuilt, will be auto-scrubbed. But any missions that have been scheduled after the repairs are finished can be launched. So it behooves you to fix any damage ASAP.



Cheers, Thor

[Thorgrimm-28]

Originally posted by Mavikfelna:

Yea, ask the Japanese what happens when you have a pad blow up.

--Mav

[Thorgrimm-28]

Quote from: Mavikfelna on April 11, 2014, 12:08:05 pm

Yea, ask the Japanese what happens when you have a pad blow up.

--Mav


Mav, I still feel really bad about that. Sorry.

Hey, I know! We can blame Haegan! He made the die rolling program I used.



Cheers, Thor

[Thorgrimm-28]

Originally posted by Haegan 2005:

The program was made to Kens exacting specifications.... Ahem.

[Thorgrimm-28]

In case you folks were wondering what I have been doing today, instead of processing turns, I present the following:

In anticipation of the players getting their space stations going I have been working on the Orbital Facilities Sheet for the game.

The POV is a direct overhead 'look' at the station. I tried many different setups, but this was the best way to highlight the trusses, as well as the modules.

In the attached pic is a very basic space station, although there is room for growth. It has space for 5 more astronauts, but, as you will note, the Heat Rejection Capacity of the PTCS is nearly maxxed out. Which should give you an idea as to what would need to be attached next!

And as to be expected, I am also needing of comments on whether you all approve, or disapprove of the way it is being done. And any suggestions are heartily requested!



Cheers, Thor

[Thorgrimm-28]

Originally posted by MrAnderson:

Shiny.

Might want to use lines to link them together to help decipher some of the bigger space stations though.

[Thorgrimm-28]

Quote from: MrAnderson on April 11, 2014, 12:13:18 pm

Shiny.

Might want to use lines to link them together to help decipher some of the bigger space stations though.


I am not quite following what you mean. Can you provide an example?



Cheers, Thor

[Thorgrimm-28]

Originally posted by MrAnderson:

Like this, but not made out of ASCII

OCM-Truss-OHM

With the -'s showing that they are linked together.

[Thorgrimm-28]

I think you may be misunderstaing what is displayed.

Let's take an example.

The OCM (Orbital Command Module) requires 4 contact points worth of trusses. Each OTS (Orbital Truss Structure) provides 2 contact points.

Notice in the pic that the OCM has 2 trusses attached. Then the OLSM (Orbital Life Support Module) also requires 4 contact points, which is then attached to the OCM. So they are already connected by their attached trusses. Each module must be attached to enough truss structures to equal the required contact points.

Each module in the game, in their descriptions, will have a number of required contact points listed.

And trusses can only be attached to other truss structures. So, in essence the trusses are the lines you are requesting.

As an FYI example, the cells labeled OCM on each side of the truss structures are the same module, not 2 different ones. Think of the pic as you are looking down from above. What you are seeing is the trusses with their attached modules.

If I am misunderstanding what you are requesting, please let me know.



Cheers, Thor

[Thorgrimm-28]

I realized what the problem may be when my brother commented it looked like two different modules on each side of the truss structure.

Does the attached pic fix that problem? Please ignore the labeling mistake on the lower HEM in the right-side example.



Cheers, Thor

[Thorgrimm-28]

Originally posted by MrAnderson:

A quick question about the orbital research module. It says that they have racks to mount study packages, but what does it actually do?

[Thorgrimm-28]

Quote from: MrAnderson on April 11, 2014, 12:19:32 pm

A quick question about the orbital research module. It says that they have racks to mount study packages, but what does it actually do?


In this game, nothing. But in the next game of the series, TTS! The Race for Mars!, the concept of 'slots' will be introduced, along with actual Technology Research.

In essence, for example, the Orbital Research Module (ORM) has 23 Standard Payload Racks (SPRs). What this means is that in the next game the player can configure the ORM any way he wishes. He can have it be a generalist or a specialist type of research module.

The Categories of Technology introduced will be familiar to any player of TTS!, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Physics/Mathematics, and Psychology. Then each actual discovery will require one or more of those categories to be a certain level to go through the R&D cycle.

So, if for example, you wanted an ORM dedicated to Chemistry you will fill the slots with the requisite slots with the required Payload, such as required for the lab to function and storage, while all the rest of the slots are filled with Science Experiments dedicated to Chemistry.



Cheers, Thor

[Thorgrimm-28]

Still waiting on the PRC and UK turns. All others processed and next turn sent out.



Cheers, Thor

[Thorgrimm-28]

The reason for the turns being processed late is due to the fact I have been waiting for the input from my playtesters on something I NEED input on. I must say I am under-whelemed by the responses so far.

The graphical representation of a space station is not required for me to process the turns. All I need is the numbers. This is for the players, to help with immersion.

So, to me, just one tester who responded so far indicates I may be wasting my time on this. It is up to you testers and your responses to my requests for input as to whether or not something gets into, or taken out of, the game.



Cheers, Thor

[Thorgrimm-28]

Latest SS example attached.



Cheers, Thor