Stutterwarp Astrogation

[Darkwing]

I don't agree that detection is automatic - even today, radar misses things, conditions mask contacts from sonar, and so forth, at considerably lower-than-C speeds. If the ship is at a superluminal pseudo-velocity, then I'd suggest that your scanner has a blind spot in front of it. The faster you're going, the further away is the area you can resolve clearly, due to your speed, out to the limit of the detector.
Another way to look at it is this: when driving at highway speeds, you can more clearly tell that the driver 100 yards away just tossed a soda can out the window, while the driver you just passed seems to have made a hand movement, but you're not sure what he was holding.
On the subject of updated navigational messages - if travelling in settled systems, there'll be satellites and navigational bouys. Those bouys will no longer merely mark things. They'll broadcast lanes and hazards, as well as an NOTICE TO SPACERS(Notice to Mariners), NAVAREA, SPATIALFRENCH (equivalent to modern HydroPac/HydroLant messages), SPACE ADVISORY (MARADS), and BROADCAST WARNINGS applicable there. In addition, they will accept certain messages downloaded for delivery to official sources, such as Mayday, revised track messages, etc.
And as mentioned above, yes, the settled systems will have set tracks already published, just like today's Storm Tracks. Probably called Star Lanes and Space Lanes (out of system and in-system).

 

[rgrove0172]

I rather like the idea of FTL travel (hell, even STL travel at stutterwarp speeds) having some inherent risk with minor to catastrophic hazards, but the lack of such reports in the canon has me hesitant to implement something so radical. Similar to some of my ideas toward conventional weaponry in space and such, it can radically alter the setting.

Slower speeds, adherence to established routes, more time spent in plotting a sutterwarp run, newer and more sophisticated equipment and better trained crew should all have an effect on spacetravel in my book. Make for a 'funner' game.

 

[Darkwing]

look up the reports of some real world submarine and surface ship collisions and groundings, as well as aircraft mid-air collisions and birds going through engines for ideas on how to implement it. Tell your players you're play-testing new ideas. If you dislike the way it affects your game, you can scooby-doo the scene and drop it.
Also, I suggest Bowditch: http://msi.nga.mil/NGAPortal/MSI.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=msi_portal_page_62&pubCode=0002
for a good look at real world navigation to get some idea how things work and what can affect it.