Galactic Hyperdrive changes.

[ffutures]

What would Oolite be like if there was a maximum ship size for galactic hyperdrive? Or if the cost of galactic hyperdrive went up steeply with the size of the ship? Or, conversely, if galactic hyperdrive was cheap, or it was possible to misjump?

For the first of these, let's say the maximum is 50 tons capacity, so that Cobras etc. would be fine but something like a Python or Boa couldn't make the trip. The only way to switch galaxies would be to sell your old ship, buy something smaller, make the trip, then buy another big ship in the new galaxy. That would be a big financial hit, of course, but I think it's generally agreed that it's too easy to get rich and stay rich after a while, something that absorbs cash should help with that.

For a variable cost, maybe the price could be related to ship mass, with a minimum price rigged so that GH for smaller ships stays around the same price, but rises exponentially with tonnage over a certain size. You'd need to think carefully before buying one for the biggest ships, and really wouldn't want to keep them on board longer than you had to in case they got damaged or destroyed.

Cheap galactic hyperdrive doesn't initially seem to have much of a down-side, but there are some consequences. Currently GH is instantaneous, so there might be shortcuts where you could (for example) bypass a big rift by ducking into the next galaxy, travel a few light years, buy another GH, and repeat, taking say eight shortish jumps through as many galaxies. It obviously isn't going to be possible in every case, because you need a high-tech system to get GH, but there might be a few special routes that would become major trading arteries.

The last one would presumably be the easiest to implement, since everything needed for it already exists in the game. Currently, when you use GH you usually arrive with full fuel tanks, and always arrive in a solar system. What if you misjumped and came out between systems? Or in the wrong galaxy? That's usually going to be survivable, but it could be interesting.

I don't know how practical any of this is, but this is one part of the game that seems overdue for some development. The only alternative I'm aware of is galdrivepod, which makes two or more successive jumps possible and permits a Lave to Lave run through all eight galaxies in 35 minutes. Some more options might be interesting.

[Cody]

Have you tried  Galactic Misjump?

As for the galactic round trip: 8 days, 6 hours, 13 minutes, is the time to beat (without any OXP assistance).

[ffutures]

Thanks - I'll give that a try.

[Disembodied]

Interesting ideas! It might also be worth considering if there should be restrictions on how and where you can make a galactic jump - just to make a bit more of an occasion about it (bearing in mind though that any changes to who can jump, and how, would affect gur Abin zvffvba). Perhaps, under normal circumstances, to make a galjump you would need to be in close proximity to a star? It would get away from the usual launch - accelerate - jump routine.

[Cody]

It would get away from the usual launch - accelerate - jump routine.

You mean the usual load-up on narcotics - launch - accelerate - jump routine!

Perhaps, under normal circumstances, to make a galjump you would need to be in close proximity to a star?

Or perhaps in deep space, a long way from a star/gravity well?

[Disembodied]

perhaps in deep space, a long way from a star/gravity well?

That's possible, too - although I was thinking about something that might fit with gur Abin zvffvba without too much rearrangement. If it takes a lot more energy to punch out a galjump wormhole, maybe you need to be close to a big energy source for it to work.

[Cody]

I was thinking about something that might fit with gur Abin zvffvba without too much rearrangement.

I've forgotten how long you get - time enough to head for deep space, riding the shock-wave? I'll have to run the test-save.


As an aside, my brain automatically decrypts rot-13 - should I be worried?

[Disembodied]

As an aside, my brain automatically decrypts rot-13 - should I be worried?

As long as it only works one way, I think you're OK. When you start speaking it, it's maybe time to cnavp ...

[ffutures]

Have you tried  Galactic Misjump?

OK, yeah, that's intense. Thanks for the heads-up!