[soltakss]

This is still very rough at the moment, but here are some quick thoughts about Space Travel. I like such rules to be quick and dirty rather than particularly scientific.

Space Travel in BRP

I’ve had a few thoughts about how to generalise and abstract Space Travel in BRP. Of course, these are my own opinions and I don’t claim to be an expert in any way, in fact the opposite is true. That can actually be an advantage as I am not bogged down in hard-line astrophysics so I can safely ignore any attempts at real-space modelling.

The trouble with modelling space travel in any role-playing game is that it has to be easy and quick and needs to be at least reasonable, by which I mean that you can look at it and not think it’s a silly idea. You also have to be able to deal with different types of space travel and allow for different technology levels and technologies that use the same general rules-sets.

Mapping Space

Space, as we know, is multidimensional, which makes mapping it difficult. Some RPGs have used the “Flat Space” model which says that most Galaxies, in particular the Milky Way, are spirals which means that they can be modelled 2-dimensionally. This makes mapping a lot easier as you don’t have to worry about extra dimensions. However, you might want to give the galaxies a thickness which involves a third dimension. For gaming purposes, I am assuming that Space is mapped in 3 Dimensions.

How do you map 3 Dimensions easily? By using multiple 2-Dimensional maps. So, you have a number of maps overlaid on top of each other.

What scale is best? Whatever scale you think works for your setting. This mapping is extremely relative and abstract and can be used for different types of setting.

Mapping is on a stellar scale, so solar systems are lumped together and are only referenced as Stars. Stars are placed on a 2D grid with each star occupying a single square on the grid. How far apart the stars are on the grid depends on how many days you think it should take to travel between stars. If you think that starships should hop from solar system to solar system every day then put them close together. If you think it should be an epic voyage between systems then put them far apart. Personally, I think it should take a couple of days to hop between systems, so I’d have them fairly sparse but not too sparse.

You can map them in a paint/drawing package or in a spreadsheet. Excel is ideal for multiple level starcharts.

Moving Between Solar Systems

Movement between stars is relatively simple. Each Interstellar Drive technology has a Factor that determines the distance that technology can move. Some use a single jump/move, others allow the starship to move that distance in a day. Simply move your starship a number of adjacent cells left/right/up/down on the same plane or to the equivalent cell on an adjacent plane on the star map. You might even be able to move diagonally if your GM wants slightly faster movement.

Interstellar Drive Technology

There are many types of Interstellar Drive, all with their own difficulties and foibles. I have tried to abstract them and group similar technologies together for convenience. Although SciFi novels/films/series traditionally have a set technology that works in that setting, there is no reason why you can’t have different technologies working at the same time. I would guess that the technology would be species/culturally driven, so that each species/culture would guard its own special technology and leave the rest of the Galaxy to use the standard technology.

Jump Drive

This allows a starship to jump to another point in space. Such a jump is instantaneous as it opens up a temporary wormhole or join between two points and passes through the hole.

Each Jump Drive has a Factor and a Recovery Time. A starship can move up to the Factor in units on the starmap. Each Jump costs the Movement-squared in Energy Points, so a Jump 1 costs 1 EP, a Jump 10 costs 100 EPs. The Recovery Time is the minimum time between jumps. A starship with a small Factor and low recovery Time is sometimes faster and more economical than one with a high Factor but long Recovery Time.

HyperDrive

A HyperDrive allows the starship to travel through Hyperspace as if it were normal space. This allows Faster Than Light (FTL) travel without breaking Einsteinian laws such as the Velocity of Light in a Vacuum speed limit.

Each Hyperdrive has a Factor and a Cost. It costs 1 EP to Jump to Hyperspace and another to Jump to normal space. A starship can move its Factor in units per day, such travel costs a number of EPs equal to the distance moved multiplied by the Cost. So, a starship with a Factor 5 Cost 3 Hyperdrive can move 5 units a day, but this costs 15 EPs.

FTL Drive

Similar to a Hyperdrive, a FTL Drive allows faster than light travel but in normal space rather than in Hyperspace. This breaks Einsteinian laws by being clever, but that’s fine if allowed in your setting.

Each FTL Drive has a Factor and a Cost. A starship can move its Factor in units per day, such travel costs a number of EPs equal to the distance moved multiplied by the Cost. So, a starship with a Factor 6 Cost 2 FTL Drive can move 6 units a day, but this costs 12 EPs.

Jump Gates

A Jump Gate can open up a Jump Point between itself and another Jump Gate. Each Jump Gate has a Factor and can connect with another Jump Gate as long as the other gate is within its Factor. A starship can move through the Jump Gate, exiting at the other Jump Gate. Such a Jump costs the Movement Squared in EPs but this comes from the EPs of the Jump Gate rather than the starship.

There is normally a cost associated with using Jump Gates as they are run as commercial ventures.

Starships with a functioning Hyperdrive may use Jump Gates to jump into Hyperspace. This is useful if they are short on EPs or have lost the ability to jump into Hyperspace.

Wormholes
These are naturally occurring phenomena that link two regions of space. A starship can pass through a wormhole at no cost, emerging at the other end. Stable wormholes are very useful for interstellar navigation and are often guarded by Starbases of some kind.

Some advanced technologies can create wormholes. These then become semi-permanent and can be summoned for fast travel.

Obstacles to Interstellar Travel

There are many obstacles to Interstellar Travel, some are just annoying, others are dangerous and others block travel completely.

Hyperspace Scars

Sometimes an area of space can be damaged by a natural event such as a Supernova or an artificial event such as a powerful ancient weapon. These areas are called Hyperspace Scars and have an effect on Interstellar Travel.

Black Holes

No starship may cross a cell containing a Black Hole and any travel through a cell adjacent to a Black Hole costs double Movement. No Jumps can be made to or from a cell adjacent to a Black Hole.

Dust Clouds

Dust Clouds exert a gravitational pull that affects the local space and hyperspace. Travel through a Dust Cloud costs double Movement.