Dynamic Sector Map Idea

[Enoki]

Question: In terms of the game and a scenario where does this play a major role in one?

 

[aramis]

Question: In terms of the game and a scenario where does this play a major role in one?

If you use both the complex motion tracking, and the 100 diameter limits of stars, and T5 style jump line interference (any crossing of any 100 diameter limit at any point in the week drops you at the closest 100 diameter limit intersection to your origin point that your jumpline crossed), it means that at least* 1/10th of the time, mainworld to mainworld travel is blocked by a star at one end, resulting in an addition 0.5-2 weeks travel time at either end.

Taking, for example, CT/MGT's [Aramis:] The Traveller Adventure (TTA)... your choice of systems to travel to along the Aramis Trace is much more limited than may orignaly appear.

You can approximate it by, for a given system, rolling an initial setup. Let's presume for the moment all systems are G0-G5 class Size V stars (simply to make the math easier) and block 1 hex-side.

Take this small sample of space.

   \_____/       \_____/       \_____/ 
   /     \       /     \       /     \ 
__/   o   \_____/   o   \_____/       \
  \       /     \       /     \       /
   \_____/   o   \_____/   o   \_____/ 
   /     \       /     \       /     \ 
__/       \_____/       \_____/   o   \
  \       /     \       /     \       /
   \_____/   o   \_____/       \_____/ 
   /     \       /     \       /     \ 
__/   o   \_____/       \_____/   o   \
  \       /     \       /     \       /
   \_____/   o   \_____/   o   \_____/ 
   /     \       /     \       /     \ 
__/       \_____/       \_____/       \

I'll roll the blockages... Doubles indicate blocks

   \_____/       \_____/       \_____/ 
   /     \       /     \       /     \ 
__/   o   \_____/   o   \_____/       \
  \      //    \\       /     \       /
   \____//   o  \\_===_/   o   \_____/ 
   /     \       /     \       /     \ 
__/       \_____/       \_===_/   o   \
  \       /     \       /     \\      /
   \_____/   o   \_____/       \\____/ 
   /    \\      //     \       /     \ 
__/   o  \\____//       \_____/   o   \
  \       /     \       /    \\      //
   \_____/   o   \_____/   o  \\____// 
   /     \      //     \       /     \ 
__/       \____//       \_____/       \

This was in fact random rolled.
You'll notice that J1 traffic no longer can treat this as a J1 main. Sure, J1 can get there, but it means having to treat it for finances as 1.5 to 2 jumps worth of travel time. It means financial breaks.

2 months later...

[SIZE="1"]
   \_____/       \_____/       \_____/ 
   /     \       /     \       /     \ 
__/   o   \_____/   o   \_____/       \
  \       /     \\      /     \       /
   \_===_/   o   \\____/   o   \_____/ 
   /     \      //     \\      //    \ 
__/       \____//       \\____//  o   \
  \       /     \       /     \       /
   \_____/   o   \_____/       \ ____/ 
   /     \       /     \       /     \ 
__/   o   \_===_/       \_____/   o   \
  \      //     \       /     \       /
   \____//   o   \_____/   o   \_===_/ 
   /     \       /     \      //     \ 
__/       \_===_/       \____//       \
[/SIZE]

You'll note that this means up to a 4 month gap for a given world. Truth is, it should be more.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-​

* Noting that for a main sequence star in the G range, and mainworlds being preferentially in the habitable zone, it's going to be a hair over 1/6 of the time for a 3D universe, and 1/4 of the time for a 2D one. Small but bright massive stars could cover less.

 

[whartung]

That's a great way to model this pretty simply. Block a hex side randomly, every 2 months the block moves clockwise. To calculate the time, draw a line from hex A to hex B, if the path crosses a blocked hex side in either the source and/or destination hex, add N time to the trip (thus if you cross blocks on both hexes, it's 2N).

The problem isn't solely the delay in travel. The problem is the economic system and fees (as mentioned in the rules) do not take absolute travel time in to account. Because, again, it's not like these blockages are a "surprise". It's not a "Oh my gosh, a sudden space storm". It's a predictable, seasonal "truth" about travel.

It's actually an interesting dimension to the speculative trade game, as it gives another decision point as to whether to visit a system or not.

 

[aramis]

That's a great way to model this pretty simply. Block a hex side randomly, every 2 months the block moves clockwise. To calculate the time, draw a line from hex A to hex B, if the path crosses a blocked hex side in either the source and/or destination hex, add N time to the trip (thus if you cross blocks on both hexes, it's 2N).

Actually, the intervening systems are so unlikely to matter as to be ignorable. All you need to look at is if the two end systems are blocked from each other. And if they happen to block, they will permanently block on the timescales involved.

 

[whartung]

Actually, the intervening systems are so unlikely to matter as to be ignorable. All you need to look at is if the two end systems are blocked from each other. And if they happen to block, they will permanently block on the timescales involved.

I mentioned to take in to account only the source and destination systems.

The blocks aren't permanent as they're based on the orbital positions of the planets, which "change every month", that's why I suggested moving the blocks 1 hex side every two months.

It hand waves away different orbital speeds, but odds are for habitable worlds around G stars, their years will be close enough that the timings of the hex side blocks will likely not really change for 5 or 10 years.

 

[DangerousThing]

Question: In terms of the game and a scenario where does this play a major role in one?

This is mainly for my private use, because as a GM I like to be consistant within the reality of the game. I was hoping that somebody else had written it, but I can do it.

Unfortunately the simplifying assumptions don't work all that well. Planets in the life zone may have radically differently timed orbits. I just want to be consistent for my players. However, since the time I asked the question and now, I have changed the drive assumptions for the campaign and no longer need worry about this.

Thanks much all, it has been an interesting discussion.