Tracking Acceleration

[Guest Black Lotus]

Re: Tracking Acceleration

 

Upon extremely careful examination of those Velocity-Based Movement House Rules by John Kim, I'm thinking I'll be better off not using it; it doesn't cover all the areas changing the system that way affects. Instead, I'll use the normal system, with my own acceleration/ deceleration house rules, and finally, use the Velocity Factor optional rules to determine damage from Move Throughs and Move Bys.

 

I think my poor brain can finally get a little rest.

[Chris Goodwin]

Re: Tracking Acceleration

 

If that is the official ruling, how then am I supposed to determine a target's velocity when a character performs a Move Through on them? To properly calculate the extra damage done by using a Move through maneuver, you must know the speed and direction (velocity) of both the attacker and the attacked.

 

If a target's velocity automatically resets to 0 after his Phase, what's the point of factoring in the target's velocity at all?

 

You're making it a lot harder than it needs to be.

 

If you made a move, either half or full, the previous Phase, then it is reasonable that your velocity at the beginning of your next Phase could, if you wanted it to, equal your inches of movement. I wouldn't pick the nits; I'd ask the player at the beginning of his next Phase, but only if he wanted to either (a) run into something (perform a Move Through or Move By) or ( accelerate to noncombat.

 

But, from a standing start, if you can move at least 3", that's 15" of velocity right there.

 

And a Move Through is specifically a case of running into something. One of those times I said that velocity, y'know, matters.

 

And what about a character with Flight 40"? He can just stop dead at the beginning of his next Phase if he flew 40" last Phase?

 

Yes. But if he's not moving noncombat or running into something, knowing his velocity is more trouble than it's worth.

 

Consider this: what if that guy with 40" of movement wanted to make a 20" half move then attack? He's got enough movement that at any point during that move he could have a velocity of 40" per Phase. Does he have to track acceleration and deceleration? No. Because he's making a half move.

[Guest Black Lotus]

Re: Tracking Acceleration

 

It's OK, Chris, Steve Long answered my last question in the Game Rule Question forum.

 

I'm cool now.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Tracking Acceleration

 

I haven't read the whole thread yet, but I just thought I would illustrate my approach.

1. Forget the, "Zero-Phase," part of acceleration/deceleration. The important parts are that: 1.) it is part of your movement and takes no additional time or actions to do; 2.) you can only accelerate once per Phase and you can only decelerate once per Phase. Thus, I would let a character with 10" of Running accelerate up to 10" while moving 3", then decelerate to 5" of movement in the next 2" of distance, then move another 5" before ending his Phase (they character's final velocity must be 5" since the Phase's deceleration has already been done).
   
2. If a player doesn't specify a character's velocity when they are done moving, ask them to specify or assume they stop if it fits the deceleration constraints and they perform an action that would reasonably imply that they stop (such as engaging an opponent with a Strike).
   
3. From the end of a character's Phase until the beginning of their next one, they are simply in their final hex, moving at their final velocity in the direction they were last facing. It may not be completely realistic, but we are only modeling time, location, and movement anyway with our Time Chart, Phases, movement rules, etc.