Turning the Gravity "off"

[Supplement Four]

Here's a quickie question, since this came up in my game last night.

From the bridge, how long do you think it takes to flip the 1G floor field to a Zero-G environment. On the spur of the moment, last night during the game, not taking a lot of time to think about it--just going with my gut, I decided the field is not unlike a light switch. A unit electrically-based. So, I deemed that the deck G plates can be adjusted to any amount desired once per combat round (once per 15 seconds).

So, if you've got a standard 1G field, a person on the bridge can flip a control, and you'll be sitting in 2Gs within 15 seconds. Or, you can be floating in Zero-G within the same amount of time.

Dissenting opinons on this?

How fast can the G field be manipulated?

 

[Supplement Four]

Here's a quickie question, since this came up in my game last night.

From the bridge, how long do you think it takes to flip the 1G floor field to a Zero-G environment. On the spur of the moment, last night during the game, not taking a lot of time to think about it--just going with my gut, I decided the field is not unlike a light switch. A unit electrically-based. So, I deemed that the deck G plates can be adjusted to any amount desired once per combat round (once per 15 seconds).

So, if you've got a standard 1G field, a person on the bridge can flip a control, and you'll be sitting in 2Gs within 15 seconds. Or, you can be floating in Zero-G within the same amount of time.

Dissenting opinons on this?

How fast can the G field be manipulated?

 

[mike wightman]

I've usually done it the same way - a few seconds for the field to be switched on and reach desired strength, a few seconds to increase or decrease intensity, and instant off.

You can have a lot of fun switching off the acceleration compensators instead and then violently maneuvering your ship.

If you are strapped into your acceleration couches, you won't be affected too badly, but pity the poor intruder

 

[mike wightman]

I've usually done it the same way - a few seconds for the field to be switched on and reach desired strength, a few seconds to increase or decrease intensity, and instant off.

You can have a lot of fun switching off the acceleration compensators instead and then violently maneuvering your ship.

If you are strapped into your acceleration couches, you won't be affected too badly, but pity the poor intruder

 

[jrients]

My gut instincts say that such fast on-offs could be a hazard. I'd expect built-in safety precautions that slow the transition times. I would expect that these precautions could be over-ridden in some way. Perhaps a specific code ("Command Override Riker Omega Three") given to the computer or else someone could physically remove the safety components. So a random hijacker couldn't easily alter the grav settings in a ship, but the captain or engineer could do it. Or a saboteur or hacker.

 

[jrients]

My gut instincts say that such fast on-offs could be a hazard. I'd expect built-in safety precautions that slow the transition times. I would expect that these precautions could be over-ridden in some way. Perhaps a specific code ("Command Override Riker Omega Three") given to the computer or else someone could physically remove the safety components. So a random hijacker couldn't easily alter the grav settings in a ship, but the captain or engineer could do it. Or a saboteur or hacker.

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by Sigg Oddra:
If you are strapped into your acceleration couches, you won't be affected too badly, but pity the poor intruder

This situation in my game last night has really taught me just how hard it is to take over a ship from within.

It's not easy at all.

Doors can be sealed from the bridge. 02 can be screwed with. Atmosphere can (somewhat) be screwed with. Gravity can alter every 15 seconds. Temperature can be screwed with. Override on the airlocks allow certain sections of the ship to be blasted out into space.

Plus, a high tech ship (say, a TL 13 vessel) can have bio-recognition on the hatchways (according to the SOM) so that the ship's computer actually recognizes crew members from their bio readings, allowing access to the bridge and engineering and such. For non-recognized, non-crewmembers, the doors simply won't open.

And, voice recognition on locked portals can be a problem too.

Not to mention that the bridge consoles need activation codes (voice recognition, bio recognition, or manual input), or the command functions are locked down.

And all this is without an Anti-Hijack program (which involves gas and such).

Man, it can't be easy at all for pirates.

Taking over a ship, even from within, is a bitch.

If I can get my next game encounter to get the two ships to dock (the Vemene ship and the PC's ship), then I'm going to have the PCs come abour the WOLBLUTN one by one--not the other way around.

I'm not going to do a boarding action on the PC's ship unless I know their powerplant is down, or something like that.

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by Sigg Oddra:
If you are strapped into your acceleration couches, you won't be affected too badly, but pity the poor intruder

This situation in my game last night has really taught me just how hard it is to take over a ship from within.

It's not easy at all.

Doors can be sealed from the bridge. 02 can be screwed with. Atmosphere can (somewhat) be screwed with. Gravity can alter every 15 seconds. Temperature can be screwed with. Override on the airlocks allow certain sections of the ship to be blasted out into space.

Plus, a high tech ship (say, a TL 13 vessel) can have bio-recognition on the hatchways (according to the SOM) so that the ship's computer actually recognizes crew members from their bio readings, allowing access to the bridge and engineering and such. For non-recognized, non-crewmembers, the doors simply won't open.

And, voice recognition on locked portals can be a problem too.

Not to mention that the bridge consoles need activation codes (voice recognition, bio recognition, or manual input), or the command functions are locked down.

And all this is without an Anti-Hijack program (which involves gas and such).

Man, it can't be easy at all for pirates.

Taking over a ship, even from within, is a bitch.

If I can get my next game encounter to get the two ships to dock (the Vemene ship and the PC's ship), then I'm going to have the PCs come abour the WOLBLUTN one by one--not the other way around.

I'm not going to do a boarding action on the PC's ship unless I know their powerplant is down, or something like that.

 

[Stainless]

As an aside, but slightly related. I like to use grav plates for prisons. Get a very tall room (say 50' high) and line the ceiling with grav plates. Then build living quarters up there. Now you can march your prisoners up the wall (using grav plates), settle them in, and then turn the wall grav plates off. Stuck on the ceiling like flys

 

[Stainless]

As an aside, but slightly related. I like to use grav plates for prisons. Get a very tall room (say 50' high) and line the ceiling with grav plates. Then build living quarters up there. Now you can march your prisoners up the wall (using grav plates), settle them in, and then turn the wall grav plates off. Stuck on the ceiling like flys

 

[Whipsnade]

WJP,

The only time it came up for me IMTU during a near miss hijacking attmept(1),I decided the internal grav-net built up or decayed at 0.1 gee intervals every 15 seconds (a CT combat round). Therefore it would take 10 rounds, 2.5 minutes to go from 0 gees to 1 gees, another 2.5 minutes to reach 2 gees, and so on. I did this specifically so the players or their opponents couldn't use grav-pong. (Although the term 'grav-pong' had to wait for TNE over a decade in the future.)

My rationale was safety. A malfunctioning grav net wouldn't slam everyone with an instantaneous 6 gees or leave everyone in an immediate zero-gee environment. There'd be some warning when the grav-net began to go screwy.

I was also worried about equipment in an area that was 'grav-ponged'. What happens to cable harnesses, piping runs, and all sorts of other shipboard systems when gravity instantly leaps from 1 to 6 gees? A slower change would allow those components to handle the strain, although there would still be quite a bit of repairs necessary.

This restriction wasn't due to how gravitics worked IMTU, rather it was how the equipment that provided gravity worked. It was a built-in limitation. Players could attempt to bypass the limitations at the risk of damaging the gravitics equipment. Bypassing required changes in both software controls and power supply. You wouldn't be able to merely flip a switch, thumb a button, or turn a key to make it happen.

When presented with these restrictions, my players immediately went about customizing the grav-net in certain portions of their ship; the hold, passenger areas, the passageway outside the bridge, etc. They removed and/or replaced the software and power interlocks, they also 'beefed' up the affected gravitic generators to (hopefully) prevent damage and burnouts.

This customization took time, parts, and money. Those requirements in turn provided me with various adventure hooks; i.e. we need a frommitz board for the grav-net upgrade. The customization also let me bedevil the players in another way. They all but forgot about their work after it was done but it was the primary reason their vessel failed it's next annual maintenance inspection!


Have fun,
Bill


1 - A hijakcing that was supposed to fail.

 

[Whipsnade]

WJP,

The only time it came up for me IMTU during a near miss hijacking attmept(1),I decided the internal grav-net built up or decayed at 0.1 gee intervals every 15 seconds (a CT combat round). Therefore it would take 10 rounds, 2.5 minutes to go from 0 gees to 1 gees, another 2.5 minutes to reach 2 gees, and so on. I did this specifically so the players or their opponents couldn't use grav-pong. (Although the term 'grav-pong' had to wait for TNE over a decade in the future.)

My rationale was safety. A malfunctioning grav net wouldn't slam everyone with an instantaneous 6 gees or leave everyone in an immediate zero-gee environment. There'd be some warning when the grav-net began to go screwy.

I was also worried about equipment in an area that was 'grav-ponged'. What happens to cable harnesses, piping runs, and all sorts of other shipboard systems when gravity instantly leaps from 1 to 6 gees? A slower change would allow those components to handle the strain, although there would still be quite a bit of repairs necessary.

This restriction wasn't due to how gravitics worked IMTU, rather it was how the equipment that provided gravity worked. It was a built-in limitation. Players could attempt to bypass the limitations at the risk of damaging the gravitics equipment. Bypassing required changes in both software controls and power supply. You wouldn't be able to merely flip a switch, thumb a button, or turn a key to make it happen.

When presented with these restrictions, my players immediately went about customizing the grav-net in certain portions of their ship; the hold, passenger areas, the passageway outside the bridge, etc. They removed and/or replaced the software and power interlocks, they also 'beefed' up the affected gravitic generators to (hopefully) prevent damage and burnouts.

This customization took time, parts, and money. Those requirements in turn provided me with various adventure hooks; i.e. we need a frommitz board for the grav-net upgrade. The customization also let me bedevil the players in another way. They all but forgot about their work after it was done but it was the primary reason their vessel failed it's next annual maintenance inspection!


Have fun,
Bill


1 - A hijakcing that was supposed to fail.

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by Stainless:
I like to use grav plates for prisons.

Excellent idea. This idea is going to pop-up in my game at some time in the future, I guarrantee you. It may not be a prison, but I sure like the idea.

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by Stainless:
I like to use grav plates for prisons.

Excellent idea. This idea is going to pop-up in my game at some time in the future, I guarrantee you. It may not be a prison, but I sure like the idea.

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by Bill Cameron:
Therefore it would take 10 rounds, 2.5 minutes to go from 0 gees to 1 gees, another 2.5 minutes to reach 2 gees, and so on. I did this specifically so the players or their opponents couldn't use grav-pong.

This is exactly why I posted this here. I hadn't put a lot of thought into the "adjusting grav plates" thing, and I knew some of you had.

Excellent recommendations, Bill. I'm strongly considering moving towards your way of thinking.

I hadn't even considered the effect of quick G change to piping and conduit and stuff. I like it.

Is "grav pong" mentioned in TNE somewhere? I have a lot of TNE stuff, but in not likeing the game much, I haven't spent a lot of time looking over the TNE stuff I have.

As a matter of fact, I'm considering selling most of my TNE stuff.

But, if you can point me in a direction about the "grav pong" mentioned in TNE, I'll go look it up.

 

[Supplement Four]

Originally posted by Bill Cameron:
Therefore it would take 10 rounds, 2.5 minutes to go from 0 gees to 1 gees, another 2.5 minutes to reach 2 gees, and so on. I did this specifically so the players or their opponents couldn't use grav-pong.

This is exactly why I posted this here. I hadn't put a lot of thought into the "adjusting grav plates" thing, and I knew some of you had.

Excellent recommendations, Bill. I'm strongly considering moving towards your way of thinking.

I hadn't even considered the effect of quick G change to piping and conduit and stuff. I like it.

Is "grav pong" mentioned in TNE somewhere? I have a lot of TNE stuff, but in not likeing the game much, I haven't spent a lot of time looking over the TNE stuff I have.

As a matter of fact, I'm considering selling most of my TNE stuff.

But, if you can point me in a direction about the "grav pong" mentioned in TNE, I'll go look it up.

 

[Whipsnade]

Originally posted by WJP:
Excellent recommendations, Bill. I'm strongly considering moving towards your way of thinking.

WJP,

Ah! But my way of thinking isn't as much fun as the other way. I ran things that way IMTU because I didn't want my players routinely cuisinarting their opponents.

Is "grav pong" mentioned in TNE somewhere? I have a lot of TNE stuff, but in not likeing the game much, I haven't spent a lot of time looking over the TNE stuff I have.

'Grav-pong' is specifically cited as how Virus killed the crews in most of the ships It infected. I believe it's mentioned in the last section in Survival Margin. It's also mentioned in the Virus sections of the main TNE book.


Have fun,
Bill

 

[Whipsnade]

Originally posted by WJP:
Excellent recommendations, Bill. I'm strongly considering moving towards your way of thinking.

WJP,

Ah! But my way of thinking isn't as much fun as the other way. I ran things that way IMTU because I didn't want my players routinely cuisinarting their opponents.

Is "grav pong" mentioned in TNE somewhere? I have a lot of TNE stuff, but in not likeing the game much, I haven't spent a lot of time looking over the TNE stuff I have.

'Grav-pong' is specifically cited as how Virus killed the crews in most of the ships It infected. I believe it's mentioned in the last section in Survival Margin. It's also mentioned in the Virus sections of the main TNE book.


Have fun,
Bill

 

[cheepicus]

If it's difficult there will be special training and equipment. Hijackers will have devices to fool biometrics. Boarders will have someone with computer skill load a "Hijack" program and then lock out control from the bridge. If no prize-crew could be formed, a hostage situation would be used, but I guess they'd take them out of the ship before they allowed the crew to mess with the controls.

Reading your summary, it sounds like the boarders underestimated the ability of the bridge crew to defy and overpower the two soldiers on the bridge, and overestimated their control of the hostages in the cargo bay.

 

[cheepicus]

If it's difficult there will be special training and equipment. Hijackers will have devices to fool biometrics. Boarders will have someone with computer skill load a "Hijack" program and then lock out control from the bridge. If no prize-crew could be formed, a hostage situation would be used, but I guess they'd take them out of the ship before they allowed the crew to mess with the controls.

Reading your summary, it sounds like the boarders underestimated the ability of the bridge crew to defy and overpower the two soldiers on the bridge, and overestimated their control of the hostages in the cargo bay.