Structure Points vs. STA Points vs. Hit Points?

JCab747's picture
JCab747
February 28, 2019 - 6:06pm
I've got a bit of a quandry here as I'm working on finishing up yet another story submission to the magazine.

What to do about vehicle structure points.

Allow me to explain.

Joe Cabadas
Comments:

JCab747's picture
JCab747
March 5, 2019 - 4:04pm
TerlObar wrote:
Still don't know why Joe can't post files and Shadow can't quote.  Those are really wierd issues that I don't have an answer to.  I was asked to weigh in on my opinion in the side topic and in an effort to not hijack the discussion more, have started a new thread:


As to the discussion topic,  I typically go very similar to Shadow Shack.  1 SP = 2 STA. I also go with 1 Hull point = 100-150 SP.  I usually convert SP to STA and just let weapons to their rolled damage.
 

Ah, such as 1 Knight Hawks Hull Point = 100-150 SP?

How then to account for damage from the nuclear-tipped torpedoes? Are those "suitcase" nukes... but even those would be devastating.

I think I had seen some other fan conversion where they were saying 1 Knight Hawks hull point = 1,000 SP/STA... That seemed a bit much, however.
Joe Cabadas

jedion357's picture
jedion357
March 5, 2019 - 5:46pm
JCab747 wrote:
When you burn through the SP/STA, the vehicle is unusable. It is not necessarily blown to smithereens, but would need extensive repairs.

1 Credit / STA point for the repair cost?

Maybe 5 Credits / STA point for the repair cost?

Or 10 Credits / STA point?

Heck, it could be a graduated repair cost. For the first 10 percent of the STA, it's 2 Credits per STA point; if the damage is between 11-50 percent, it's 10 Credits per STA; for any points over 50 percent, it's 20 Credits per STA point.

So, if your car had 300 STA originally and 15 points were damaged, you'd spend 30 Credits for repairs; but if the damage was 31 points, you'd spend 310 Credits on repairs; if the damage was 151 points (more than 50 percent), you'd spend 3,020 Credits for repairs. Might be time to look for a new car under SF prices. 


I think Tom S's hull point conversion to STA SP is in line with established SP for blowing open airlocks and holes in the hull. a 1000 might be way outside that.

as to repair cost I think all 3 are vallid. and while I shy from tables that slow down game play a repair table is consulted during a slower moment in game play so here it is 1 Cr/ low damage, 5 Cr per moderate damage, 10 CR per high damage, 50 Cr per total damage or what ever number ensures that total damage is just cheaper to buy new than repair. Any failed repair roll means what ever part is being fixed is more seriously damage than the table would indicate such that with new parts and the more expensive repair category anther attempt can be made. a failed repair roll on total means it cant be repaired no matter how much money you throw at it.

edit you can even add a repair roll modifier for low its +0, for moderate its +10, for high its +15, for total its +20
I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!

JCab747's picture
JCab747
March 5, 2019 - 7:34pm
TerlObar wrote:
As to the discussion topic,  I typically go very similar to Shadow Shack.  1 SP = 2 STA. I also go with 1 Hull point = 100-150 SP.  I usually convert SP to STA and just let weapons to their rolled damage.
 

Hmm, I think I copied the following from Knight Hawks.

Boarding Actions

Generally, the crew of an attacking ship does not want to completely destroy an enemy’s ship. Instead, they will try to board the ship and accomplish some objective inside. Rescuing prisoners, stealing cargo or capturing the ship intact are a few reasons why boarding parties would be used.

Entering an Enemy Ship. Getting inside a defended enemy ship is the most difficult part of a boarding action. The attackers must decide what section of the enemy ship will be boarded, and how the attempt will be made.

Boarders must wear spacesuits or be inside some type of vehicle or machine when they cross the 10 or 20 meters separating the two ships. Once they reach the enemy ship, there are two ways boarders can get inside: open the hatches or cut holes in the hull.

Opening Hatches. Hatches on a hostile ship must be opened by force. Each hatch has 200 + d100 structural points. The hatch can be attacked with Kaboomite or hand weapons.

When damage equal to the hatch’s structural points has been caused, the hatch is shattered and an opening big enough to step through is made. If the hatch separating the airlock from the rest of the ship also is secured, it must be destroyed the same way.


So, I think a hull point needs to be more. How about 500 STA = 1 hull point? That's at least at the same level as a heavy-duty robot.


Joe Cabadas

Shadow Shack's picture
Shadow Shack
March 5, 2019 - 8:19pm
JCab747 wrote:
One benefit of the FB page is I can post documents there where I can't upload them here anymore!

It's weird how this site picks and chooses what quirks each member has to contend with. I can upload anything, but when it comes time to posting a link this site won't let me. I have to physically enter the text editor and MAKE a link into a clickable link.

Still, I find this site to be light years more valuable than the facebook page. See, facebook caters to the lowest common denominator, so things like instant gratification are an important feature, such folks simply lack the patience to support the dial-up speed this site can produce while navigating page to page (okay, it's not THAT slow but you catch my drift). Also noteworthy, that same denominator has a short attention span so "history" simply does not matter, "old posts aren't important because we're talking about something else now." That, and if we can't find that old post from six hours ago we can always regurgitate a new discussion on that old topic and get our instant gratification (again).

Frankly I'm quite content with avoiding that element here. Cool


{EDIT} Sorry, I didn't see TerlObar's request to continue this discussion elsewhere. I blame my lack of instant gratification. Wink
I'm not overly fond of Zeb's Guide...nor do I have any qualms stating why. Tongue out

My SF website

jedion357's picture
jedion357
March 6, 2019 - 4:57am
Shadow Shack wrote:

It's weird how this site picks and chooses what quirks each member has to contend with.


I can add a picture to my post again. couldn't do it for a long time.
I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!

Stormcrow's picture
Stormcrow
March 7, 2019 - 10:19am
Reducing structural points to zero does not totally destroy the vehicle or object. Reducing structural points to zero renders the vehicle or object nonfunctional. The vehicle no longer moves or plays your mix tapes. The door no longer blocks the doorway. You can walk through the wall. The computer no longer runs programs.

JCab747's picture
JCab747
March 7, 2019 - 3:03pm
Stormcrow wrote:
Reducing structural points to zero does not totally destroy the vehicle or object. Reducing structural points to zero renders the vehicle or object nonfunctional. The vehicle no longer moves or plays your mix tapes. The door no longer blocks the doorway. You can walk through the wall. The computer no longer runs programs.
 

We could look at it that way too.
Joe Cabadas

Shadow Shack's picture
Shadow Shack
March 8, 2019 - 10:24pm
If you shoot something enough, it will fall apart. Case in point, I go dumpster diving to find targets any time I go out shooting in the desert here. One day I found a 16-18 cubic foot fridge so I loaded it into the back of my truck for a day in the desert. 

Naturally I checked to make sure there wasn't a kid trapped inside prior to loading. Wink

After I got bored of filling it with .22 lead via a dozen or so 30 round magazines, I got the 30-06 out and began to surgically take it apart, starting with the door hinges and working my way to other components. The analogy here is this: remember those carnival fair games where you try to shoot out the red star with a BB-machine gun? If you're simply aiming at the center of the star and unload all 100 BBs into it, you're not going to shoot it out. The trick to that game is you shoot out each of the five points with controlled bursts and the inside will easily fall out with the remaining shots. 

In other words, you can fire 100 shots and leave it somewhat recognizable or the same 100 shots can completely obliterate it. SP represents the former, the rest of the Vehicle Damage Table is the latter.
I'm not overly fond of Zeb's Guide...nor do I have any qualms stating why. Tongue out

My SF website

jedion357's picture
jedion357
March 9, 2019 - 9:11am
Shadow Shack wrote:

In other words, you can fire 100 shots and leave it somewhat recognizable or the same 100 shots can completely obliterate it. SP represents the former, the rest of the Vehicle Damage Table is the latter.


This is an interesting concept.
I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!

JCab747's picture
JCab747
March 9, 2019 - 9:33am
Structure points reach zero:

See the source image
Joe Cabadas

JCab747's picture
JCab747
March 9, 2019 - 9:35am
Structure points beyond zero:

See the source imageSee the source image
Joe Cabadas

jedion357's picture
jedion357
March 9, 2019 - 9:44am
One of the art museums in Boston had an exhibit of police photos of car bombs in Lebanon during the 80s for many the remains of the car were just an engine block and a crater.
I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!