Newbie question about deckplans

[alveric]

OK, trying to draw out some deckplans for a free trader (not a 'Beowulf').

Hitting a problem, in that the tonnages don't seem to account for "stuff" (ie. water tanks, air tanks, and machinery (miscellaneous, spaceships, for the use of)).

It goes against my instincts to not use up tonnage for 'systems' (above and beyond the drives, the powerplant, and the computer).

How does everyone else deal with it? (Come on you Master Draughtsmen, and -women).

 

[rancke]

OK, trying to draw out some deckplans for a free trader (not a 'Beowulf').

Hitting a problem, in that the tonnages don't seem to account for "stuff" (ie. water tanks, air tanks, and machinery (miscellaneous, spaceships, for the use of)).

It goes against my instincts to not use up tonnage for 'systems' (above and beyond the drives, the powerplant, and the computer).

How does everyone else deal with it? (Come on you Master Draughtsmen, and -women).

All that stuff is assumed to be tucked away between decks. Each deck has a height of 3 meters of which a bit less than a meter is life support machinery and the like.


Hans

 

[Ref00000]

also, most designs incorporate a fair amount of space around the living/working tonnage in the hull outlines. assume much is 'above, around and below' the shown features.

 

[Vladika]

Assume a drive is actually a bit smaller than the tonnage stated and "extra" space used for those realistic ancillary devices.

Also, you are allowed 20% +/- so enjoy the "free" 20% and add what you will. (Note: NOT for extra tonnage items like Staterooms, Lowberths or Cargo, just living space, galley, lounge, life support, game room, sickbay etc.)

 

[alveric]

also, most designs incorporate a fair amount of space around the living/working tonnage in the hull outlines. assume much is 'above, around and below' the shown features.

Unfortunately, my design is a bit of a box so there isn't an awful lot of 'spare' volume...

But thanks for your tips, everyone.

 

[atpollard]

Start with the assumption is that the identified object/space on the starship design checklist (Maneuver Drive, Power plant, Stateroom, Bridge) is only 50% of the required tonnage. The remaining 50% of the tonnage is flexible space to accommodate all of the things related to the listed use, but not actually part of the use.

For example, 8 staterooms x 4 dTons each requires 32 dTons of space on the ship. However, each stateroom is actually only 2 dTons (4 deckplan squares), so the actual staterooms require only 16 dtons of space on the deckplan with the remaining 16 dTons free to accommodate the commons, the galley and some life support equipment.

Same deal for the 20 dTon Bridge. The physical workspace is only 10 dTons with another 10 dTons free for airlocks and landing gear and avionics and sensors.

That's how I do it.

 

[GypsyComet]

I do similar to what atpollard has described, though I don't follow a strict 50% rule.

 

[atpollard]

I do similar to what atpollard has described, though I don't follow a strict 50% rule.

Yeah, don't let it make you crazy. I just use the 50% as a starting point when I block out squares for the ruff guesstimate on the design.

Scarecrow once made an even better recommendation ... draw whatever makes sense to you and use the rules as a guideline. If the ship has 8 staterooms, then your design should have roughly 8 beds when the design is finished. Beyond the bare minimum criteria, don't let the rules get in the way of your design.

 

[alveric]

Thanks, everyone

 

[rancke]

For example, 8 staterooms x 4 dTons each requires 32 dTons of space on the ship. However, each stateroom is actually only 2 dTons (4 deckplan squares), so the actual staterooms require only 16 dtons of space on the deckplan with the remaining 16 dTons free to accommodate the commons, the galley and some life support equipment.

I use the other half for commons, galley, and corridors, the parts that characters can move around in, and tuck the life support equipment into the non-accessible part of the deck above.

Same deal for the 20 dTon Bridge. The physical workspace is only 10 dTons with another 10 dTons free for airlocks and landing gear and avionics and sensors.

That's one handwave, yes. If you check out actual canonical deck plans, the bridge itself rarely fill out even 20 squares.


Hans

 

[atpollard]

I use the other half for commons, galley, and corridors, the parts that characters can move around in, and tuck the life support equipment into the non-accessible part of the deck above.

For gaming reasons, it can sometimes be nice to point to a 1 deck square space and say "That's where all the life support equipment is."

That's one handwave, yes. If you check out actual canonical deck plans, the bridge itself rarely fill out even 20 squares.
Hans

Yeah but I was attempting to avoid that particular :CoW:.

Personally, I really like the Bridge = 2% rule from high guard. Just throw the 20 dTon minimum out the airlock. Using 4 squares on a 100 dT Scout or 8 squares on a free trader just looks so much better. Almost every CT deckplan seems to have recognized that instinctively.

 

[flykiller]

allotted dtonnage includes everything needed to make the system work. e.g. "20 dtons power plant" includes operating stations, equipment lockers, power distribution panels, and also access space necessary to perform regular work on the equipment, in addition to the power plant itself. that's how it's done in the united states navy.

 

[Condottiere]

It also seems that some drives are split into two balanced modules.

 

[atpollard]

It also seems that some drives are split into two balanced modules.

... and Maneuver Drive are always drawn WAY too large.
(Don't get me wrong, I think they look better the way that they are drawn, but the MD-A on a scout or free trader is only supposed to be about 1 dTon ... that's just 2 deck plan squares maximum!)

 

[alveric]

For gaming reasons, it can sometimes be nice to point to a 1 deck square space and say "That's where all the life support equipment is."

I like that idea, too. Asking that passenger if they'd just mind going to the common area for a while - no problem, nothing to see here (except that the primary life support air generators are behind the bulkhead in their stateroom...).

 

[BlackBat242]

Of course, moving the LS from the inter-deck spaces into the same deck space as everything else will require that you change the deck height from 3 meters (10') to ~2.4 meters (7' 10") - which will increase the floor-plan space of one dton to 2 1/2-1.5m squares instead of the current 2.

 

[Condottiere]

I've been toying with the idea of subfloor or decks, in the sense that you have a primary deck that would be subdivided with relatively thin wooden, metal or polymer floors and walls.

Maybe lofts?