Crazy Idea about TL and dT

[Adam Dray]

What if ship construction rules allowed for greater miniaturization at higher TLs?

Set a baseline TL (say, 12) and that's book cost. Then apply different rules for reducing tonnage requirements for large systems like computers, jump drives, M-drives, and so on. Perhaps 5% reduction per TL. Compound, not cumulative, so if something was at 100 dT at TL 12, it would be 100 x .95 = 95 dT at TL 13, 100 x .95 x .95 = 90.25 dT at TL 14, 100 x .95^3 = 87.74 dT at TL 15, etc.

Hull and armor remain the same.

Allow reduction of minimum jump size from 200 down, at higher TLs.

Repair of high-TL components require a space port of that TL, but reduced by a technician's engineering skill (a component requiring TL 14 to fix can be fixed at a TL 13 facility by a +1 Engineer).

TL becomes a measure of miniaturization as well as new functionality. This makes all the "in between" TLs at higher levels do something useful.

 

[scottscane]

I like this-I also like mixed-TL ships. Thank you.http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/images/icons/icon3.gif

 

[Adam Dray]

Yeah, I'm imagining buying an old TL11 freighter for cheap and slowly swapping out major components with newer, smaller parts. Some can be retrofitted easily (computers, maybe). Others take special adapters (M-drive output shafts, etc.).

Doing that doesn't make the ship smaller, but it gives you more cargo space.

 

[pendragonman]

Yeah, I'm imagining buying an old TL11 freighter for cheap and slowly swapping out major components with newer, smaller parts. Some can be retrofitted easily (computers, maybe). Others take special adapters (M-drive output shafts, etc.).

Doing that doesn't make the ship smaller, but it gives you more cargo space.

Oddly shaped spaces for extra cargo though. Like the strange extra spaces on the New Jersey after she got the digital computing upgrades...

 

[AnotherDilbert]

Set a baseline TL (say, 12) and that's book cost. Then apply different rules for reducing tonnage requirements ...

MgT has rules for this.

 

[Adam Dray]

Aroo?

I'll go look for it. I must have a) overlooked it, or b) read it, internalized it, and then thought it was my idea. Heh.

Follow-up: Weirdly, I no longer have any version of MgT on my DriveThruRPG.com account. I suspect 1e was removed and I had the early version of 2e and didn't upgrade it to the finished version with my discount, which I think I never received. Time to do some email sleuthing and see if I can email Matt and fix it. (I still play 1e at cons, and will probably switch to CE at some point, unless a palatable T5 version is ever released.)

 

[Xerxeskingofking]

its in both 1st and 2nd ed versions of High guard, along with the options for greater performance form the same space (ie you can make a Bay weapon smaller, or make it more powerful, or some mix of the two).

 

[Condottiere]

Mixing technological level systems and improving equipment is possible, just a question of how far the rules permit it.

Mongoose takes the view that you can significantly optimize something to about three levels above default; I think Tee Five has a more complex algorithm between technology and quality.

 

[Carlobrand]

What if ship construction rules allowed for greater miniaturization at higher TLs?

Set a baseline TL (say, 12) and that's book cost. Then apply different rules for reducing tonnage requirements for large systems like computers, jump drives, M-drives, and so on. Perhaps 5% reduction per TL. Compound, not cumulative, so if something was at 100 dT at TL 12, it would be 100 x .95 = 95 dT at TL 13, 100 x .95 x .95 = 90.25 dT at TL 14, 100 x .95^3 = 87.74 dT at TL 15, etc.

Hull and armor remain the same.

Allow reduction of minimum jump size from 200 down, at higher TLs.

Repair of high-TL components require a space port of that TL, but reduced by a technician's engineering skill (a component requiring TL 14 to fix can be fixed at a TL 13 facility by a +1 Engineer).

TL becomes a measure of miniaturization as well as new functionality. This makes all the "in between" TLs at higher levels do something useful.

Could get fun if you give it full rein. I remember the Foundation series, little fusion plants in belts powering personal shields.

 

[aramis]

Mixing technological level systems and improving equipment is possible, just a question of how far the rules permit it.

Mongoose takes the view that you can significantly optimize something to about three levels above default; I think Tee Five has a more complex algorithm between technology and quality.

T5 also assumes that initial experimentation is 3 tech-levels before general, and that optimization is fairly limited, but you can get stuff down to 50% cost and 90.9% volume (100%baseline/110%Eff) at TL+2. At TL+4, costs go up, but so does efficiency and fuel continues to drop...

Drives at TL+4 Ultimate are 3x cost, 77% size (130% efficiency), and 70% fuel required...

And that's without stacking modifiers. If one goes whole hog, with the Ultimate Advanced Modified Improved Generic... 110%*90%*110%*120%*130%=170% Eff, or 58% size, +11 TL, and 1.5x cost... and 49.89% fuel use...

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Eh-hem...

T5 also assumes that initial experimentation is 3 tech-levels before general, and that optimization is fairly limited, but you can get stuff down to 50% cost and 90.9% volume (100%baseline/110%Eff) at TL+2. At TL+4, costs go up, but so does efficiency and fuel continues to drop...

Drives at TL+4 Ultimate are 3x cost, 77% size (130% efficiency), and 70% fuel required...

And that's without stacking modifiers. If one goes whole hog, with the Ultimate Advanced Modified Improved Generic... 110%*90%*110%*120%*130%=170% Eff, or 58% size, +11 TL, and 1.5x cost... and 49.89% fuel use...

See that bold bit, yeah not doable but thanks for trying Timmii. But no.

You get one Stage Effect slot, so chose. Chose or perish. Still nice try.

 

[aramis]

See that bold bit, yeah not doable but thanks for trying Timmii. But no.

You get one Stage Effect slot, so chose. Chose or perish. Still nice try.

At least one of the examples Marc worked in a discussion email used two... Also note: TL+11...