Movement Rates

[Supplement Four]

I'm looking at movement rates in CT.

I use a multiple action rule in my game (because I know somebody can quick-aim and pull a trigger more than once in 15 seconds), and I'm looking at modifying movement.

There are two basic movement rates in CT: Walk and Run.

I want to keep these (Speed 1 and Speed 2). And, I typically map out areas using the standard 1.5m grid.

Question: How far can a person reasonably walk in 15 seconds? How far can he run?

Also, it seems that circumstance might play a part in this. In a combat situation, walking is much slower and careful, but just walking down the street, a person could travel much faster.

Maybe I'll have some quick and easy situational modifers to move rate to consider things like that.

And, what about Evasion? It seems that if you're running across a field, in a zig-zag fasion, then you won't move as far linearly.


==============

If you look at different versions of Traveller, you get different answers to the question above.

CT says a character can Walk 8 sqs. per combat round and run 16 sqs.

That's a Walk movement of 0.8 meters per second, and a Run movement of 1.6 meters per second.

Now, let's look at MT, since MT is basically CT on steroids.

MT allows a Walk movement of 10 sqs. per combat round (MT combat round is 6 seconds vs. CT's 15 seconds), and a Run movement of 20 sqs. per round.

So, MT allows a Walk movement of 2.5 meters per second and a Run movement of 5 meters per round.

</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">Move Rate in Meters Per Second
---------------------
CT MT
Walk 0.8 2.5
Run 1.6 5</pre>[/QUOTE]MT allows movement at over 3 times faster than CT.

What are your thoughts on what a character can move in a single round (let's use a per second measurement)?

Do you think MT is closer to realistic? Or CT?

 

[Supplement Four]

I'm looking at movement rates in CT.

I use a multiple action rule in my game (because I know somebody can quick-aim and pull a trigger more than once in 15 seconds), and I'm looking at modifying movement.

There are two basic movement rates in CT: Walk and Run.

I want to keep these (Speed 1 and Speed 2). And, I typically map out areas using the standard 1.5m grid.

Question: How far can a person reasonably walk in 15 seconds? How far can he run?

Also, it seems that circumstance might play a part in this. In a combat situation, walking is much slower and careful, but just walking down the street, a person could travel much faster.

Maybe I'll have some quick and easy situational modifers to move rate to consider things like that.

And, what about Evasion? It seems that if you're running across a field, in a zig-zag fasion, then you won't move as far linearly.


==============

If you look at different versions of Traveller, you get different answers to the question above.

CT says a character can Walk 8 sqs. per combat round and run 16 sqs.

That's a Walk movement of 0.8 meters per second, and a Run movement of 1.6 meters per second.

Now, let's look at MT, since MT is basically CT on steroids.

MT allows a Walk movement of 10 sqs. per combat round (MT combat round is 6 seconds vs. CT's 15 seconds), and a Run movement of 20 sqs. per round.

So, MT allows a Walk movement of 2.5 meters per second and a Run movement of 5 meters per round.

</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">Move Rate in Meters Per Second
---------------------
CT MT
Walk 0.8 2.5
Run 1.6 5</pre>[/QUOTE]MT allows movement at over 3 times faster than CT.

What are your thoughts on what a character can move in a single round (let's use a per second measurement)?

Do you think MT is closer to realistic? Or CT?

 

[Supplement Four]

Quick figuring: MT Run is 5 m per second.

That's 300 meters in a minute.

That's a pretty quick clip. A football field in one minute.

That's a mile in 4.5 minutes or so (something around 4 minutes 24 seconds)....I don't know of too many people, outside extreme athelets, that can run a mile in 4 or 5 minutes.

Since we're talking about average people here (unless they've got some high physcial stats), I think the MT numbers are a little high.

CT numbers are probably a little low.

 

[Supplement Four]

Quick figuring: MT Run is 5 m per second.

That's 300 meters in a minute.

That's a pretty quick clip. A football field in one minute.

That's a mile in 4.5 minutes or so (something around 4 minutes 24 seconds)....I don't know of too many people, outside extreme athelets, that can run a mile in 4 or 5 minutes.

Since we're talking about average people here (unless they've got some high physcial stats), I think the MT numbers are a little high.

CT numbers are probably a little low.

 

[Plankowner]

WJP, I wouldn't extrapolate those speeds out too far. There are a lot more people who could cover 5 meters in 1 second than can run 300 meters in a minute or a 4 1/2 minute mile. The combat speeds should only apply for short distances/times. If you are running a marathon, you cannot use the combat speeds.

Perhaps your system needs Combat Speeds (Walk and Run) which assume that you are being careful, looking around, zig-zagging etc and Normal Speeds (Walk and Run) which would be what you would measure if you went out and timed yourself running 300 meters or a mile.

Even using those differences, the Normal Walking and Running speeds would have some natural upper limit. You can walk a mile in 6 minutes, but you cannot walk 100 miles in 10 hours (600 minutes). Same with running.

You might be able to run a 4-minute mile, but you will not be able to keep that up over a Marathon (23+ miles).

 

[Plankowner]

WJP, I wouldn't extrapolate those speeds out too far. There are a lot more people who could cover 5 meters in 1 second than can run 300 meters in a minute or a 4 1/2 minute mile. The combat speeds should only apply for short distances/times. If you are running a marathon, you cannot use the combat speeds.

Perhaps your system needs Combat Speeds (Walk and Run) which assume that you are being careful, looking around, zig-zagging etc and Normal Speeds (Walk and Run) which would be what you would measure if you went out and timed yourself running 300 meters or a mile.

Even using those differences, the Normal Walking and Running speeds would have some natural upper limit. You can walk a mile in 6 minutes, but you cannot walk 100 miles in 10 hours (600 minutes). Same with running.

You might be able to run a 4-minute mile, but you will not be able to keep that up over a Marathon (23+ miles).

 

[Theo D Lite]

OK this may not be very relevant but when designing pedestrain crossings here in the UK we normally work on either a walk speed of 1.2m/s and add 2 seconds to the crossing time or we work on a walk speed of 1m/s but add no margin on to determine the time the green man is displayed for.

Probably not much help but you can always add it to your 1001 useless facts to bring out at dinner parties when the conversation dries up.

Regards

 

[Theo D Lite]

OK this may not be very relevant but when designing pedestrain crossings here in the UK we normally work on either a walk speed of 1.2m/s and add 2 seconds to the crossing time or we work on a walk speed of 1m/s but add no margin on to determine the time the green man is displayed for.

Probably not much help but you can always add it to your 1001 useless facts to bring out at dinner parties when the conversation dries up.

Regards

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by Plankowner:
WJP, I wouldn't extrapolate those speeds out too far. There are a lot more people who could cover 5 meters in 1 second than can run 300 meters in a minute or a 4 1/2 minute mile.

(Snip)

You might be able to run a 4-minute mile, but you will not be able to keep that up over a Marathon (23+ miles).

Extremely good point. I will take that to heart.

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by Plankowner:
WJP, I wouldn't extrapolate those speeds out too far. There are a lot more people who could cover 5 meters in 1 second than can run 300 meters in a minute or a 4 1/2 minute mile.

(Snip)

You might be able to run a 4-minute mile, but you will not be able to keep that up over a Marathon (23+ miles).

Extremely good point. I will take that to heart.

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by Theo D Lite:
OK this may not be very relevant but when designing pedestrain crossings here in the UK we normally work on either a walk speed of 1.2m/s and add 2 seconds to the crossing time or we work on a walk speed of 1m/s but add no margin on to determine the time the green man is displayed for.

Probably not much help but you can always add it to your 1001 useless facts to bring out at dinner parties when the conversation dries up.

Regards

Actually, that's very useful, Theo. Thanks for posting it.

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by Theo D Lite:
OK this may not be very relevant but when designing pedestrain crossings here in the UK we normally work on either a walk speed of 1.2m/s and add 2 seconds to the crossing time or we work on a walk speed of 1m/s but add no margin on to determine the time the green man is displayed for.

Probably not much help but you can always add it to your 1001 useless facts to bring out at dinner parties when the conversation dries up.

Regards

Actually, that's very useful, Theo. Thanks for posting it.