So here’s a question for you folks: How do you imagine the player characters would control their spacecraft?
In a WWII Bomber flight deck layout? An Enterprise-like bridge? The CnC on Battlestar Galactica? Or something else entirely.
(For those of you wondering what I mean by WWII Bomber flight deck, look at the flight deck of the Leonov from 2010: The Year We Make Contact that’s what I call a Bomber flight deck.)
Or… is it more like:
Captain: Ship?
Ship: Yes sir?
Captain: Plot a course for the Gary’s Excuse jump point.
Ship: Done sir.
Captain: Engage once we get clearance from System Control.
Ship: Yes sir. Sending query. [beat] Flight path approved.
Captain: Engage!
Ship: Yes sir. Attention crew, ship will be engage ship’s fusion drive in 5 minutes. Please secure all loose items and belongings. [3 minutes] Engaging fusion drive in 2 minutes. [1 minute, 45 seconds later] Engaging drive in 15 seconds. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, drive spin up, 3, 2, 1. Drives engaged.
Let’s be honest, you don’t need a bridge or even a cockpit on a spaceship. You’re not going to be flying it, the computer is. Even when you dock, your ‘puter will do a better job than any person could. (That’s assuming the space port will let you dock under your own steam. It may use tugs or even docking arms that reach out and grab you and control the whole process.)
Warships will have a CnC, Command and Control, center not a bridge and it will be buried deep inside the ship. That’s something Battlestar Galactica got right.
Barring computer control, at least use a system where the pilot plugs into the ship and becomes the ship for critical maneuvers or at the very least use VR/AR systems to control the ship with virtual consoles and 360° view.
I actually imagine their are controls for adjustments only. Even the most efficient factory production lines have rejects – automation screws up sometimes, and having another set of eyes is a good thing.
I always like to think of Gay Deceiver from Number of the Beast
However the players say they do.
Jared Rascher As long as the game doesn’t remind you of Event Horizon you’re doing fine. 🙂
Alfred Rudzki The question is kind of linked to how the players imagine doing this. Most will probably opt for something that’s a cross between The Enterprise and the Leonov in layout.
John Reiher I think the table’s answer may depend on the size of the ship. Class 2 ships are still going to feel more like bomber command // Firefly // YT1300 Stock Light Freighter controls, because tradition, familiarity, and the like. For a Class 3 or 4, something like an attack sub CnC makes more sense.
Although now I have the mental image of a ship’s pilot sitting in meditation in the center of a big ol’ 3d holosim of the ship and surrounding environment out to about fifteen light minutes, using virtual controls.
Old English Club Room with lots of teak wood and curios and xenomorph heads mounted about. The avatar of the ship is the majordomo and information is shared as configurable books in the Readings Nook.
Judd Goswick Captain: Jeeves?
Jeeves: {avatar appears} Yes Captain?
Captain: {Swirling a tea cup} Is there a place near by that has a decent cup of tea?
Jeeves: I shall see what I can find sir.
Captain: Theres a good chap, get right on it!
John Reiher , heck yeah!
Jeeves: Sorry to interrupt but those infernal pests in Imperial Freight Control have a ship approaching on intercept.
Captain: The deuce you say! How heavy are we with what that lot deems contraband?
Jeeves: As an executive summary, ‘Considerably.’ Specifics in the Cargo volume on the reading table.
Captain: Punch it, Jeeves, and summon the fellows to arms!
(cross posted reply)
All of the above and probably based on they user’s Interface. If you have a zero, you’re probably comfortable with a traditional control panel. If you have a +2, you probably use the VR rig. Because the captain needs to see multiple stations, they tend to prefer to overlook multiple consoles. I should probably start doodling interiors.
Could we have some kind of Undertake a Perilous Journey like move so space travel could be a bit exciting?
When you’re traveling a legitimate route through space, it isn’t exciting. These are mapped routes, with space stations guarding the Jump Points, as the book says. If these moments need to be made more exciting (but really, why? Just move on to the Cool Stuff), you’re looking to the GM to see what happens anyway — so the GM will use their Moves to make cool stuff happen. They’ll tell you what Faction manages the Jump Point, or asks if there’s anything tricky between Point A and Point B, etc.
Beyond that, a Perilous Journey is when you don’t know where you’re going and you go off the beaten path. That’s covered by Wild Jump, and Cramped Quarters!
For an idea of how boring, take a look at Nathan Lowell’s Trader’s Tales and how they have to find things to do while in space (plus, it’s a fantastic series).