NASA still has plenty of cool projects afoot in the real world—did you hear about that asteroid-redirecting test? Or those space-friendly cameras?—but it’s also trying to stir imaginations in fantastically creative ways, too. Enter The Lost Universe, the agency’s first-ever tabletop roleplaying game.
https://gizmodo.com/nasa-reveals-tabletop-roleplaying-game-lost-universe-1851306892
#Catastrophic #Contagion Highlights Reel
10,376 views Nov 10, 2022
The highlights reel from Catastrophic Contagion, a #pandemic #tabletop #exercise at the Grand Challenges Annual Meeting in Brussels, Belgium on October 23, #2022.
Quote Whenever there is a pandemic “exercise” pay attention!
Here is the latest
Fictional my arse. #Gates is a MENACE TO SOCIETY!
Here's an alternative map, which has a bit of a Blakes 7 vibe. This map is based more on an octahedron than a cube.
There are 6 nodes - note that the "near" node is expanded into an outer circular border. These correspond to the faces of the cube, or vertices of an octahedron.
There are 12 edges; the way they line up is more like an octahedron than a cube.
There are 8 octants; these are the faces of an octahedron.
This view has more of a "circular" theme going on, and it's really easy to visualize the polar orbits (straight lines through the center) and equatorial orbit (the main circle).
The four inclined orbits are a bit less obvious, but still easy to visualize once it "clicks". These orbits are similar to the equatorial orbit, but the spend half an orbit "inside" and half an orbit "outside" the main circle.
An orbital space combat game in 3 dimensions
I've come up with an elegant board game design for 3 dimensional orbital space combat. The emphasis is on simulating the decisions, rather than fine details of orbital motion.
There are three distinct scales of motion:
1) Orbital Level - 3x3x3 sector map
2) Approach Level - no map, just a delta-v auction to determine Z gap of closest approach
3) Tactical Level - flat X-Y map, but with a fixed Z gap between the opposing task forces
Sectors are defined by a 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube, with the planet/moon in the center. You can occupy any of the 26 corners, edges, or faces. An orbit consists of 8 sectors, either parallel to a face or aligned with opposite edges.
The map is a flat image of a cube, with 8 dots for the corners and 12 edges connecting them. You place a task force counter on a corner, edge, or face, pointed at where you are headed next.
This system elegantly enforces movement along the 9 allowed orbits. When you're on a face, you can point to 8 possible neighbors. When you're on a corner, you can point to 6 possible neighbors. When you're on an edge, you can only point to 4 possible neighbors. In particular, this does NOT allow going from one edge to another, which would result in 4 more possible orbits. These pure edge orbits are only 6 sectors around (rather than 8) and they're more difficult to visualize.
Normal orbital movement is determine by your "orbital period". There is a hard lower limit on your orbital period - below that, you would crash into the planet/moon. You can spend delta-v to increase or lower your period. You can also spend delta-v to perform a plane change, but this costs a lot of delta-v. Thus, it's more typical to adjust period to try and intercept or avoid the enemy.
You can also perform an aeromaneuver once per orbit. All ships can perform a mild aerobrake, that lowers your orbital period a small amount. A heat shield allows a heavy aerobrake, that lowers your orbital period a large amount. Lifting body spacecraft can also perform an aeromaneuver that does a plane change, at some cost to your orbital period.
This movement system feels a bit like air combat, where "speed is life". In air combat maneuvering, everything costs you energy in the form of speed and/or altitude. In orbital maneuvering, orbital energy has a similar role - at least when there's an atmosphere to work with.
When a taskforce enters a sector occupied by enemies, either side may choose to attempt an intercept. The base delta-v cost and starting Z is determined randomly, before the decision.
If one side is willing to pay the base delta-v cost, it begins the detla-v auction at T-10. Time counts down from T-10 to T-1. Both players may choose to add or remove Z, according to delta-v. This delta-v is multiplied by the time remaining to determine its effect on Z. Clip Z at zero rather than going negative.
At T-0, the scale switches to the tactical map, which looks like a narrow corridor. The opposing forces coast in opposite directions, separated by the Z gap. During this time, no maneuvering is allowed. This isn't 100% realistic, but I deem it adequate. The idea is to streamline tactical combat resolution, rather than burden the players with too many minor decisions.
As the opposing forces pass each other, they may roll/pitch/yaw in 90 degree increments.
This should be shared everywhere there's people who play #DnD.
#RPG #Philippines #Tabletop #Games
Creating a 16th Century Philippines-inspired D&D World – Barangay and NPC Generator
This is the Plague Sorcerer conversion model I mentioned in my previous post. As it came, sitting on a plain base, it looked a whole lot like the Terminators, which is boring. Also, psyker units also usually have some kind of staff or banner. So, to make him a bit more interesting I made a raised base and pieced together a standard-type staff from leftover bits from my Bloat Drone kit. It will all look a lot less crappy when it's painted.
#warhammer #warhammer40k #gaming #tabletop #wargaming #miniatures #kitbashing
Yesterday a friend was visiting from out of town, and I had an opportunity to play my first fill game of Warhammer 40,000. We pitted my fledgling Death Guard army against his Deathwatch (no relation) space marines. I actually won quite handily, which surprised me. I was ahead on points and completely destroyed all of his units by turn 3. I'm not going to feel smug about it because my friend was giving me a lot of advice along the way. Still, he didn't let me win; it was a legitimate victory.
I also gained a unit of five Blightlord Terminators which he was able to get me at half price from his local hobby store because they're already assembled (but unpainted). They accidentally threw in a kit-bashed Lord of Contagion that as best we can tell was meant to be a conversion to a Sorcerer in Terminator Armour, which is awesome because I've been lacking an HQ unit. Score.
#warhammer #warhammer40k #gaming #tabletop #wargaming #miniatures
"... don't even think of it ..."
#mywork #fun #humor #smurfs #tabletop #sea #pirates #photography #fotographication #photos
Homeoffice …
;-)
#mywork #foto #fotos #photo #photos #tabletop #smurfs #littlepeople #fotographication #homeoffice
Der #Blütenstaub der #Blutbuchenzweige aus Nachbars #Garten Teil 2.
#mywork #foto #photo #photographie #Fotografie #photography #tabletop #Blutbuche #Coronaphotochallenge
Der #Blütenstaub der #Blutbuchenzweige aus Nachbars #Garten auf dem #Wohnzimmertisch.
#mywork #foto #photo #photographie #Fotografie #photography #tabletop #Blutbuche #Coronaphotochallenge
