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Working on a Car Wars/Metamorphosis Alpha mashup with a friend

Started by thedungeondelver, March 02, 2016, 05:00:05 PM

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thedungeondelver

So we came up with the idea that within the Warden II there's a perimeter transit system that was originally installed to facilitate moving construction personnel and material around during the end phases of the ship's construction, it wraps around the inside of the ship running from port all the way around to starboard, for a total of 30 some miles.  30 miles of Post-Apocalypse highway!  The intention was that when the ship launched, shuttles, mass transit, lift tubes and so on would be the primary method crew would move around, and that the old "autoway" would be shut down, with the vehicles kept onboard to use at the colony world, but, the best laid plans of mice and mutants...

So you have two main threats "on the road" - the Speed Tribe, who know how to operate the vehicles (trikes and cars), just enough to cause trouble.  They're like the villains of The Road Warrior.  Then, there's Mad Mechs, a squad of police robot cars that attempt periodically to subdue them.  Their "subdue" programming has gone a bit awry and it is (predictably) kill rather than subdue.  Anyone not a Security Bot found on the road is considered a Speed Tribe member and subject to "arrest".  The Speed Tribe has its small fleet of ailing vehicles - anyone they catch who displays any level of understanding of technology is immediately pressed into service as a mechanic.  Anyone who refuses finds themselves on the wrong side of the Speed Tribe PDQ.

Combat on the road is resolved using the Car Wars rules with some adjustments for driver injury.  The Mad Mechs have an automated repair/construction facility - they'll always be around...!  The Speed Tribes don't have that luxury but can usually find enough scrap to keep their vehicles going.  The vehicles don't function off the track, so if one accidentally leaves the track (or is deliberately taken off-road) it will stop operating (this was a safety feature built in to the computer traffic control; thankfully at least that feature still works).

So what do y'all think?
THE DELVERS DUNGEON


Mcbobbo sums it up nicely.

Quote
Astrophysicists are reassessing Einsteinian relativity because the 28 billion l

Omega

You could adapt the vehicle combat rules from the Ares Star Frontiers articles. Tanks Alot and Tanks Again.

Ravenswing

Car Wars works very well for things.  My own mashup came when I decided that the clunky and awful vehicle combat rules in Champions didn't work for me, but that Car Wars looked like it'd port pretty well into the system with a minimum of fuss and bother.

As it happened, Steve Jackson and Aaron Allston agreed, quite unbeknownst to me, and Autoduel Champions hit print the following year ...
This was a cool site, until it became an echo chamber for whiners screeching about how the "Evul SJWs are TAKING OVAH!!!" every time any RPG book included a non-"traditional" NPC or concept, or their MAGA peeners got in a twist. You're in luck, drama queens: the Taliban is hiring.


cranebump

So, "Meta-car-phosis Alpha?" (Cymbal crash...crickets)
"When devils will the blackest sins put on, they do suggest at first with heavenly shows..."

Rincewind1

Sounds good to me, but if it's the main idea for a campaign (not just a sideline), more factions.

Also I'd actually reconsider the lethality of security bots. Runaway AI is cliche at this point, and actually an AI that can self repair, and sticks to original programming of non-lethal takedowns could be more interesting - the human tribes can't destroy the AI cops, but the AI cops don't really ever kill anyone (except fatalities that occur because of human caused accidents during chases, etc.). So there is a kind of equilibrium, eternal road war, that the PCs can interact within and probably destroy. And with non-lethal AI you can grab some Indian traditions and import them wholesale - to become a man you need to touch the Mad Bot with a stick and return while driving, etc. etc.
Furthermore, I consider that  This is Why We Don\'t Like You thread should be closed

Spinachcat

Interesting! Please keep us informed as this progresses.

I like the idea of non-lethal security bots, but crashes happen, and escapes from prison happen, and lots of insanity can occur when you have Post Apoc Savages versus an "Enlightened" Peaceful AI whose programming doesn't evolve, so its stuck with directives from a previous age.

Bren

Quote from: thedungeondelver;882876...it wraps around the inside of the ship running from port all the way around to starboard, for a total of 30 some miles.  30 miles of Post-Apocalypse highway!
  • I think you need more than one human faction. The in-human bots are a force of nature not a true faction. The Speed Tribe needs a rival or at least some peaceful farmers or fixers who are preyed on by the Speed Tribe.
  • I agree that non-lethal bots are better.
  • And I think that if you want a feature film length crazy car chase, you'll need a longer highway.
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Rincewind1

Quote from: Bren;883416
    And I think that if you want a feature film length crazy car chase, you'll need a longer highway.
Where they go, they don't need roads.
Furthermore, I consider that  This is Why We Don\'t Like You thread should be closed

Spinachcat

I agree there should be multiple rival Speed Tribes.

The Warden is 50 miles long, 25 miles wide, 8.5 miles high. That gives you a surface area of

2lh + 2wh = 850 + 425 = 1275 miles of surface area.

Or you could assume one track per level instead

The Warden's perimeter is  150 miles x 17 levels of tracks would provide 2550 miles to roam.

That's some good turf.

You also don't need vehicles moving 200mph. You can have all the Mad Max you need at 55mph! :)

thedungeondelver

Quote from: Spinachcat;883459I agree there should be multiple rival Speed Tribes.

The Warden is 50 miles long, 25 miles wide, 8.5 miles high. That gives you a surface area of

2lh + 2wh = 850 + 425 = 1275 miles of surface area.

Or you could assume one track per level instead

The Warden's perimeter is  150 miles x 17 levels of tracks would provide 2550 miles to roam.

That's some good turf.

You also don't need vehicles moving 200mph. You can have all the Mad Max you need at 55mph! :)

Okay for some reason I was thinking the Warden was only 10 miles long, but this is way, way better.  Thanks.
THE DELVERS DUNGEON


Mcbobbo sums it up nicely.

Quote
Astrophysicists are reassessing Einsteinian relativity because the 28 billion l