Hyperdrive, Mark I

[Zeropoint]

Well, after considering the comments from the "Hyperspace Sickness" thread and consulting Star Hero, I've come up with a writeup for a generic space-opera hyperdrive system:

 

Hyperspace Insertion/Extraction System:

Extra-Dimensional Movement, anywhere in hyperspace corresponding to current realspace location, x2 mass (30 pts.)

Not in a gravity field (-1/2)

Requires a Skill Roll vs Hyperspace Navigation *or* two levels of luck (-1/2)

Side Effects: 3d6 Drain DEX with delayed return rate (5 pts / 20 min) (-1)

Costs END (-1/4)

Increased END Cost: x10 END (-4)

Active points: 30, Real points: 4, END cost: 30

 

plus:

 

Hyperspace engines:

FTL Travel at one light-year per day (roughly) (28 pts.)

Only in hyperspace (-1)

Costs END (-1/2)

Increased END Cost: x10 END (-4)

Active points: 28, Real points: 4, END cost: 30

 

Now, this is basically what I've got in mind, but there are some details that I don't quite know how to represent in game mechanics.

 

First, a marginal failure on the skill roll should still put the craft into hyperspace, but with the "jump shock" effect occurring. I'm thinking this is covered by the statement in the RSR text that "The GM should also consider allowing a 'partial success' with the Power if the character fails Skill Roll by only a point or two." So there we go: fail your roll by one or two, and you still get to hyperspace--you just won't enjoy it.

 

Second, "Not in a gravity field" is a little vague. What I'm actually thinking is more like 1) not at all within 50 diameters of an astronomical body, 2) a penalty of -1 applies within 2 AU (or so) of a star, and 3) as an exception to the first restriction, with a Combat Piloting roll and a penalty to the Hyperspace Navigation roll, a sufficiently bold pilot can jump to hyperspace at a LaGrange point.

 

One the one hand, that seems like a lot to include in the text of a limitation, and on the other hand, I hate to have to include explanatory notes for a power writeup.

 

Third, with this writeup, a ship could jump to hyperspace and then just sit there for a while, then jump back at the same point that it entered from. While that's not necessarily a problem, it seems a little weird to me, and I can't recall any SF vessels ever doing that.

 

I'm assuming that the precise requirements for navigating in hyperspace will go in the campaign notes rather than a power or skill writeup. Furthermore, it just occured to me that the details of the jump restrictions could go there as well.

 

Finally, the x2 mass adder is there to represent that the ship can pull nearby objects into hyperspace with it, up to about the ship's own mass. Since this isn't an intentional feature (at least not with this model), I haven't included the Usable by Others advantage.

 

So, there it is. As always, I'd appreciate any comments that you might have.

 

Zeropoint

[Tamashii2000]

Re: Hyperdrive, Mark I

 

Originally posted by Zeropoint

Third, with this writeup, a ship could jump to hyperspace and then just sit there for a while, then jump back at the same point that it entered from. While that's not necessarily a problem, it seems a little weird to me, and I can't recall any SF vessels ever doing that.

 

So, there it is. As always, I'd appreciate any comments that you might have.

 

Zeropoint

 

 

B5 had ships that 'sat' in hyperspace from time to time, they used it as a way of ambushing foes.

 

It wasn't somethign they wanted to do often as they could get 'lost' in hyperspace, but It was possible.

[Victor]

Re: Re: Hyperdrive, Mark I

 

Originally posted by Tamashii2000

It wasn't somethign they wanted to do often as they could get 'lost' in hyperspace, but It was possible.

The danger of getting lost was self-imposed. As long as you were within sensor range of one of the beacons that marked the gates (and maybe a few along the routes between them), you didn't have to worry about getting lost.

 

That meant you were in sensor range of any passing ships, including any heavily armed warships, however.

[Aroooo]

This is a lot like how I've build hyperspace for B5. The main difference is that a ship with a hyperspace engine can allow other ships into hyperspace.

 

And the other B5 comments are accurate - as long as you can maintain a lock on an existing hyperspace gate, you can travel aroud hyperspace all you want. Just don't lose the lock or you will be lost.

 

Aroooo

[NuSoardGraphite]

NICE!

(Thats the second time today that I've said that)

 

I just might use that for my Star Hero game.

 

Side note:

 

its actually quite common for ships with "Hyperdrive" style engines to enter Hyperspace and hang out. Happened all the time in Babylon 5 and is a quite commonly used tactic in the Expanded Universe Star Wars novels.

Most commonly used by space pirates to ambush cargo ships on common routes.