Interest in a Space Battle Competitoin

[Lt. Staplic]

This is what I'd like to do:

I would like to get a few (4-16) people that would be interested in participating in a space combat simulation. The tournament would be 1v1 matches to start out with at least. This will differ from the SIM's or from the old DITL battles in that I won't be using star trek ships/technology/physics. My plan is to use current available/theoretical (in some cases) technologies in as close to a real physics engine as possible to simulate these battles.

Each player would have the ability to design their own ship from a technologies list I'm preparing (I"m also preparing some initial hull types that can be used, or the user can design their own). Ship designs will have to balance engine thrust against the mass of their ship for total acceleration, location and size of maneuvering thrusters to change orientation. Location, orientation, and type of weapons. Defenses against different types of weapons (lasers, particle radiation, EM radiation), and it will all have to fit into a budget of some kind.

Once ships are designed a tournament (style dependent on player number) will be created where two ships will face each other in combat. Combat will have to deal with things like light-speed delay, momentum (i.e. your still moving even though your engine isn't firing), momentum conservation (weapon momentum must come from somewhere). etc.

So, the only question before I start getting serious work done on this is who's interested?

[Sonic Glitch]

I'm intrigued.

[Tinadrin Chelnor]

Sounds interesting, I'd be up for it.

[Tsukiyumi]

Could be really cool. Count me in.

Though, I do have to ask what a "Competitoin" is before we get started.

[Lt. Staplic]

There's a reason I'm not an English major

[Tsukiyumi]

You just play one on TV?

[Teaos]

Sweet

[Deepcrush]

Killing people always sounds fun.

[Lt. Staplic]

Alright, for the 5 of you that have already signed up,

if you go to here and do a search for Staplic, or DITL you should be able to find the three basic hull types I designed.

You can take a general 3D look off the website, or if you install google sketchup (it's free) you can download the model and get a better look at it from all angles as well as size information (I included measurements on the model but they're hard to see online)

remember you are not limited to these three designs. If you wish you can design your own. If you do choose to do the latter then I will need either: a top, side, and front profile view of the design so that I can get an idea for what it is going to look like in 3D, OR if possible, a 3D design sent to me in Sketchup like I did with these three designs. obviously the latter has a better ability to communicate what the hull looks like; however I understand that there can be a learning curve to the software.

[Lt. Staplic]

I am also going to put up the initial lists. Remember this list is not inclusive. if you find something else you would like to use, talk to me we can see what we can work on, also, all components are customizable to a degree so feel free to talk to me about that too.

Hull/Armor Materials:
Steel
Titanium
Aluminum
Tungsten
Lead
Boron Carbide

Power Plant:
U-235 Fission
Pu-239 Fission
pp-chain H Fusion
H-2 + He-3 Fusion
Isomer Power Cell

Engines:
APCP Solid Chemical Rocket
H-O Liquid Chemical Rocket
Nuclear Thermal Rocket
Magneto Plasma Rocket
Ablative Laser Rocket

Weapons:
RailGuns
Lasers
Nuclear warheads

You must pick a hull material, as well as design your armor (if any) you want to go over the hull. Pick a Powerplant for the ship and engine, decide if you want a double-duty engine (some of the engines allow for the engine power to also be harnessed as power for the ship.) Having discussed armor and the powerplant, don't forget that with most of the powerplants they emit radiaiton that is just as deadly as enemy weapons, you'll need to shield against that too. You'll then need to pick your engine(s). Then you'll need to pick the type of weapon you want and design it. All three weapon types are open to what ever parameters you want to use in their design.

You'll also need to think about the number and placement of maneuvering thruster jets for added maneuverability/mobility. The last thing (I think) that I would need is the layout of the ship. i.e. what deck is the bidge on, toward the front, middle, center, etc. a deck-by-deck layout of the ship is the goal here. I don't need/want to know exacly how many cm from the aft bulkhead is the washroom, but I do need to know what rooms are on the outer hulls of your ship, where the important stuff is located, etc.

[Deepcrush]

I take it i'll have to make a google account for this?

[Lt. Staplic]

I don't think you have to unless you upload to the warehouse, but that can be avoided by just emailing me the file.

[Captain Seafort]

While I'm certainly interested in the concept a space combat league/knockout tournament, I''ll have to pass on this - designing the the thing as well is out out my league.

I'd be in if you ever did something like this for the old DITL battles. Stitch still owes me a rematch for our re-enactment of the Battle of the Bassen Rift.

[Deepcrush]

I don't think you have to unless you upload to the warehouse, but that can be avoided by just emailing me the file.

Well could you email me the file so I can look it over

[Lt. Staplic]

How go ship designs?