quote:
Originally posted by Quikngruvn:
Puke, when you say 'free space', so you mean space in the system map or space in general? Turning costs wouldn't figure in system movement, since it's not nearly as time- and reflex-critical as tactical combat.
But, even in space, everything has momentum, based on its mass and velocity. A ship wanting to turn 180 degrees would have to (a) engage manuevering thrusters to turn the ship; (b) engage additional maneuvering thrusters to keep the ship from veering to the side while turning; and (c) engage main thrusters when finally turned around to overcome the original forward velocity.
beats the hell out of me, when did i say 'free space?'
I think i was talking about both tac and strategic movement though, and I think my general idea was that you can turn on a dime by using principals (a) and (b) you describe. immagine a ship fires a thruster on the starboard side of the bow, and simultaniously fires one on the port side of the stern in 180degree opposition. it will spin in place, regardless of linear momentum. it should be able to do it fairly quickly, too (especially if it has enough overall thrust to cross a solar system in the space of a month). to stop turning, its the same process in reverse. principal (c) need not be applied unless you want to do something more than just turn. which is why i started talking about facings and such sillyness.
this would of course work on strategic map scale too, if you could build up velocity, would you have to slow down before hitting a planet? stands to reason that half your trip would be acceleration and the other half deceleration. what would happen if you hit a wormhole at some velocity? come out at the same velocity? what happens if you hit a map edge on the strategic map?