Starship Stuff

[EbbCubed]

Hey, how have things been going on the ship tracker? I only recently picked up the SF book and found out about the issues with ship combat and saw you were making some good progress on a fix. How has that been going? Did you take a break or is it still being worked on?

[Nutter4Ever]

Sorry for the radio silence, it's gotten to a crunch time at work. I've not made any further progress on this. And unfortautly my next project at work will have me learning yet another programming language. Not LUA so my head will be mash and peas for a while until I get that sorted out.

I do endeavour to resume working on this when time allows, but for the moment it's on a hiatus sorry folks.

[EbbCubed]

All good Nutter, gotta focus on life first. We can wait in the meanwhile. I just saw your thread and was curious to know what happened with the project. ^^

[Kibri_Oakbright]

Nutter4ever - so awesome to see you working on this in your spare time. the SF community I am sure appreciates all your efforts as well as those supporting you in various ways.

Shame on Smiteworks for not resolving the entire ship combat issue along time ago. Yes, I know of some of the road blocks, but ship combat should have been re-tackled long ago.

[Nutter4Ever]

Road blocks aside, I actually defend their position. I'm using the term ghosting, following, for they left without finishing the job, I pass neither judgement nor blame on them for their reasons, just stating facts.

1. They hired a guy to do it, he ghosted.
2. They contracted a guy to do it, he ghosted.

And while hopefully they are making a profit out of the Starfinder Licence, so they continue with production on the Adventure Paths and future rule books, I've seen a post some where that states they lost a fair chunk of their whole Starfinder licenced products on contracting that second guy. And while they don't have an ideal situation at the moment. Compared to other VTT products they have some of the highest degree of automation for starship combat as it stands. Yes it could be better, but I run two campagins on Fantasy Grounds including starship combat, and all I have to do is pull out my trusty piece of pen and paper and jot notes and just get skill check rolls on Fantasy Grounds and do the checking, shield points and hull points, critical threasholds manually. And I would much love to see other improvements in the starship combat. I can see scope for improvement all around the Starfinder rule set which would make a majority of my time on Fantasy Grounds alot smoother. Here's a list just for fun:

Buttons for skill checks against targetted enemies, which could include, culture checks where it reveals what it's calculated it should to the PC, but also when they want to intimidate, move thru the space, move around the space.
Buttons for the operative trick attack, so you don't have to manually remember that it's 20 + CR, and if it's a success apply flat-footed to the target, and then flat-footed for the round if the attack hits when the player reaches that certain level.
Better automation for damage calculation, I have a solarian who we are always having to reculate because they get so many bonuses from here there and everywhere that we for gets. +1 for attunement, + CHA mod for that sweet Fusion, +1d4 for that crystal, + what ever damage it is for the level of the solarian, + STR mod... I think that covers it.
How about a mood tracker for NPCs so you the GM don't have to work out how the players are supposed to go up and down the tracks for diplomacy on NPCs getting them to friendly status?
Vehicular/Chase mechanics/combat, cause that's not really tracked as far as I've seen, and that kind applies to more than one system, yes I suppose unless the system is really really built for it then it's not really part of any system, but chase mechanics are in pathfinder, starfinder and DnD. But I never really see that brought up.

And that's it off the top of my head, my wishlist, but for now when I get the chance I'll be going back to starship combat, not because I feel it's the most important thing to work on, but because I think I have a chance to finish it before they do :-) And who knows, they might be able to get all the stuff above and in there.

Finally, another point of interest, is if you go searching around other forums, facebook groups and general store chatter for Starship combat in Starfinder, there is a considerable fraction of people, that don't like the starship combat and have house ruled it so that it bears no resembalance for the RAW of it. While I don't agree with them, Smiteworks has to consider the profit of the project, the added quality of life, and the usefulness of the endevour, and in all honesty, what we've got here is already alot better than what you have sat round a table with pen and paper. So yeah, I don't see Smiteworks getting round to this any time soon, I hope that Smiteworks gets around to this before too long.

[LightBringer]

Well, the Starship combat automation should be a priority one as Starfinder is a space RPG. Not arguing about the motivations that are holding the development back, just stating that it's a major flaw at the moment. I really hope this will be sorted out and not in 2022.

[Samarex]

Nutter, your 1/2 right. There were three people assigned to the Starfinder ruleset. They primary Developer, AP Converter and myself. I was assigned creating the source books and helping with the ruleset. I did most of the PC record sheet and automation for it and all the source books.
The AP developer has done a great job with keeoing them current, and I have tried to fix bugs that I can as they pop up. Im in the same boat as you with LUA I am learning it.
I have not as you put it ghosted, there has just been alot of life stuff thats taken up my time, but I am starting to look at some of the issues and see if I can tackle some Starship stuff

Kumusta
Samarex.

[goodmanje]

You've done an excellent job.

[Octavious]

Finally, another point of interest, is if you go searching around other forums, facebook groups and general store chatter for Starship combat in Starfinder, there is a considerable fraction of people, that don't like the starship combat and have house ruled it so that it bears no resembalance for the RAW of it. While I don't agree with them, Smiteworks has to consider the profit of the project, the added quality of life, and the usefulness of the endevour, and in all honesty, what we've got here is already alot better than what you have sat round a table with pen and paper. So yeah, I don't see Smiteworks getting round to this any time soon, I hope that Smiteworks gets around to this before too long.

I am coding a combat tracker in C# at present time.. it is only for the GM to help automate the starship combat .. this will make the starship combat a more enjoyable play.. can be used by VTT and pen and paper.. ill have it done in a few months and a video on release and where to download it.. I wont need any permissions to release this so its a guarantee to be released. eventually I may include a networking code and supply a PC tracker but anytime soon..

in any case you will be able to breeze thru ship combat pretty easily.. so even if FG gets the tracker working .. this can be an aid to pen and paper ppl.

[Samarex]

Im going to give it a shot. There are a few things I want to change on the Ship sheet, maimly the combat tab, I want them all to be mini windows so if your the Pilot you can ooen the Pilot mini window and you will have everything you need,. You will be able to close the ship sheet and do your combat.

I think most of the complaints are due to the fact that the stuff is alll there on the ship sheet but most of it does nothing. And there are bugs in what is there and suspose to work.

But I going to dig in and see If I can do it.

Samarex