Mad Dogs and Spacemen: Why the Terran Frigate is the Mad Dog of Infinite Space

Mad Dogs and Spacemen: Why the Terran Frigate is the Mad Dog of Infinite Space

In the Infinite Space trilogy, the Terran frigate is one of the most recognizable capital ships, having appeared in every game with the exception of the original Strange Adventures in Infinite Space. It's also good value for money, costing no more than 500 credits when you trade in a lesser Terran capital ship for it. OK, so it's not as fast, agile, or capacious (in terms of cargo space) compared to a Terran corvette, but its greater size gives it one additional weapon slot in addition to an extra equipment slot (although it lacks the fourth hardpoint of the larger, but slower, less maneuverable, and far more expensive Terran destroyer). Also, with its wide weapon coverage, it's a solid, if relatively unspectacular, choice among frigates in Sea of Stars, and is most commonly employed as a long-range missile boat, with additional shorter-ranged weapons for backup. In fact, the Terran frigate's role, default loadout, and performance remind me of one of the more common Clan OmniMechs in BattleTech: the Mad Dog, better known in the Inner Sphere as the Vulture. This 'Mech is not quite as capable as the more expensive and heavier Timber Wolf/Mad Cat, but is far more affordable and readily available by comparison.

The stock loadout for a Terran frigate, as shown in the scenario editor (above), compared with a highly upgraded custom configuration I acquired in a normal game (below). The standard setup is effective at all ranges, but when upgraded with stronger shields, longer-ranged missile launchers, and more advanced thrusters and/or engines, along with any other higher-end equipment, it becomes even more formidable, to the point that it can take on entire fleets on its own without too much effort.

Just as the Terran frigate (with or without the the rear-facing turret that's part of the optional Advanced upgrade) is one of the premier missile boats in the Infinite Space trilogy (its description even explicitly states that it is the mainstay of the Terran fleet), the Mad Dog (Vulture) fulfills a similar role among the Clans of BattleTech, being a common sight in their toumans, and providing excellent value for money by being very effective at indirect fire support (although it's not quite as capable overall as the heavier, but more expensive, Timber Wolf/Mad Cat). A few configurations buck this trend by not having any missile weapons by default, but they are the exception that proves the rule.

Above, from top: Three different configurations for the Mad Dog/Vulture (a 60-ton Clan heavy 'Mech), as shown in MechDB: the stock Prime configuration, a more optimized LRM boat using the MDD-B set of 8 OmniPods, and an SRM brawler based on the Revenant (an apocryphal Hero variant), but with the arms of the Prime and the side torsos of the MDD-A.

In short, you can't go far wrong with a Terran frigate in the Infinite Space universe, just as the Mad Dog has never let the Clans of BattleTech down over the centuries.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 172: Matters of the Heart

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 172: Matters of the Heart

About a month or so ago, I was stricken by unusual and unexpected chest pains. I feared I was at rick of having a heart attack, but given that I had no prior history of heart disease (or any other cardiac disorders, for that matter), I realized that the problem originated in my digestive system; specifically, excess gas had accumulated in my stomach, which prompted me to get rid of it as best as I could. Not only that, I also had to increase stool bulk - the lack thereof was another symptom that annoyed me for weeks on end. Eventually, through careful management of my diet, I was back to full strength physically, and a visit to a cardiologist confirmed that my ailment had nothing to do with the heart whatsoever, much to my relief.

This brings us neatly to the topic for my latest post: idle speeds. Defined as the lowest rpm at which an engine can operate when it's running, it has a significant impact on most of a car's stats, especially the three most important ones (drivability, comfort, and safety). A lower engine idle speed (resulting from a lower cam profile and/or increased balancing mass, both of which will yield more smoothness) helps improve drivability and comfort. Comfort-focused and utility/offroad builds generally benefit from having engines with lower idle speeds, since they need more torque in the lower rev range for better drivability at lower speeds.

On the other hand, a higher idle speed will compromise drivability and comfort, but since it can be induced by reducing balancing mass or increasing cam profiles (both of which decrease smoothness), it generally yields more sportiness due to increased throttle response. As such, race cars and high-performance road cars tend to suffer less from an increased idle speed, since the aggressive cam profile required to raise the idle speed shifts the power and torque peaks towards the upper rev range, where such engines are expected to spend most of their time. Moreover, with sportiness being a key trait of these cars, lower balancing mass (and the associated reduction in drivability and comfort) is generally an acceptable tradeoff for superior throttle response, which is among the key sportiness criteria (as shown in the detailed stats tab).

Here's an example of an engine intended for use in premium and luxury cars, with an accordingly low idle speed, as shown in its dyno sheet:

Above and below: This engine has a low idle speed for improved drivability and comfort - perfect for low-speed urban driving and relaxed freeway cruising. To achieve this, the balancing mass was increased and the cam profile reduced, thereby sacrificing throttle response (and hence sportiness), which is not much of a priority in these applications. The upshot is a smoother engine that's better suited to everyday use.

And for comparison, here is the dyno sheet for a high-revving, ultra-high-performance engine with a high idle speed:

Above and below: In contrast to the previous engine, this one has a higher idle speed (1000 vs 500 rpm) and trades balancing mass (and hence drivability and comfort) for much sharper throttle response (and therefore sportiness) - a boon for high-performance and racing applications. Although it runs rougher than it otherwise would, this loss of smoothness is not as much of a hindrance in the high-performance driving conditions for which it was intended.

In short, different engine idle speeds work best for different situations: high idle speeds are best reserved for high-performance and racing applications, while most other cars (especially utility, offroad, and premium/luxury vehicles) deserve to have lower idle speeds. Finding the right idle speed range (i.e., the minimum and maximum recommended idle speeds) that works best for you is a crucial Automationeering skill - one that you should strive to learn the basics of at first, on your way to mastering it later on.

Building Zombie 'Mech Loadouts in MechDB: A Quick Guide

Building Zombie 'Mech Loadouts in MechDB: A Quick Guide

One of the design philosophies for BattleMechs in MechWarrior Online (and by extension, BattleTech) is the zombie 'Mech, which emphasizes survivability above all else. To this end, such a 'Mech would have no ammunition-dependent or explosive weapons (including any type of Gauss Rifle) of any kind. This necessitates an all-energy loadout, but on its own, it's not enough to create a zombie 'Mech - there are also a few other criteria which must be met for a 'Mech to qualify.

With survivability being the key objective, light and extralight engines should be avoided since they occupy at least two critical slots in each side torso, and can be damaged (or in the case of Inner Sphere XL engines, destroyed outright) if either side torso is destroyed. Moreover, zombie 'Mechs also need to have (almost) as much armor for their tonnage as they can carry, to reduce the risk of components being blown off in the first place. Finally, for a BattleMech to be a zombie 'Mech in the strictest sense, it must have at least one weapon in its all-energy loadout located in its center torso or head, since this will allow it to continue attacking as long as its head, center torso, and legs remain intact.

With the above advice in mind, it's time to consider what 'Mech variants can(not) be configured as a zombie 'Mech. Clan OmniMechs (as well as the Black Hawk-KU scheduled for introduction in the next major patch) cannot be "zombified", since the ones in MWO all have XL engines. However, some variants of standard Clan BattleMechs (such as the Stone Rhino SR-6 and SR-7, the Marauder IIC MAD-IIC, Warhammer IIC WHM-IIC-3) can be turned into zombie 'Mechs if the player desires. Even so, most zombie 'Mechs in MWO will use the Inner Sphere tech base.

The stock loadout for the Awesome AWS-8Q is a classic example of an Inner Sphere zombie 'Mech. With a 240-rated standard fusion engine, 15 tons of standard armor, 3 PPCs (one each in its right arm, left torso, and right torso), a head-mounted Small Laser as a backup weapon, and 28 tons of standard heat sinks, it's a very slow assault 'Mech, but also a very strong one, both offensively and defensively.

Above and below: The stock configuration (above) for the Awesome AWS-8Q fulfills all the requirements for a true zombie 'Mech, as does this custom quad-Binary Laser setup (below).

Another example of a zombie 'Mech loadout for the AWS-8Q would be the one shown above, featuring four Binary Laser Cannons (two in each side torso) and an ER Medium Laser in the head as backup. However, with a 260-rated engine and 14 Double Heat Sinks, it is barely any faster, and requires more skilled heat management (i.e. firing the BLCs in pairs at a time) to get the most out of it. Even so, with a theoretical maximum of 77 alpha strike damage, it has more than twice the theoretical firepower.

Here's my idea of the ultimate zombie 'Mech in MWO: an Annihilator Stone Crusher with 8 ER Medium Lasers (3 in each arm), a Binary Laser Cannon in each side torso, 21 Double Heat Sinks, a 325-rated Standard fusion engine, and 19 tons of standard armor over a standard structure, plus Laser AMS, a Mk1 Inner Sphere Targeting Computer, and a Beagle Active Probe. It may not run as cold as a stock AWS-8Q, but it delivers a lot more firepower, with advanced sensors to ensure it always makes its mark on the opposition, and in a more heavily armored chassis to boot;

Above: My idea for MWO's ultimate zombie 'Mech. Replace the Laser AMS, TC and BAP with 3 additional ER Medium Lasers if you want more offensive potential, but whatever you do, be sure to split fire to minimize ghost heat.

In short, zombie 'Mechs may not be to everyone's taste, but if survivability and endurance are a key priority, they may just be your best bet - as long as you configure and use them correctly.

Eat Electric Death II: How A Sea of Stars Tabletop Game Could Look Like

Eat Electric Death II: How A Sea of Stars Tabletop Game Could Look Like

Having heard of the failed attempt to create a card game based on Infinite Space III: Sea of Stars, I eventually realized that such a game would work better as a BattleTech-style hex-based wargame, as Eat Electric Death! was. That game, based on Sea of Stars' immediate predecessor, Weird Worlds, came with a set of scenarios for a campaign revolving the conflict between the Free Worlds Alliance (comprised of the Terrans, Zorg, and Klakar) and the Dark Consortium (which consists of the Garthans and Urluquai), as well as the Tan Ru (a race of mechanical lifeforms), and a final battle pitting a lone Yellow Kawangi Dreadnought against a combined fleet from either the Alliance or the Consortium. In addition to these, there were also a few standalone scenarios with different victory conditions to the ones found in the main campaign. How well would these translate to a sequel or re-release, and what other changes would have to be made as a consequence?

For starters, any scenarios with at least one Tan Ru Decimator would have to be revised to take into account the replacement of the Plasma Torch (which was part of the Decimator's stock loadout in Weird Worlds) with the Gatling Laser. Moreover, with the introduction of the Calatians and Ravians as full-fledged factions, it could be possible to incorporate them into a new set of scenarios, along with the Muktians, whose fleet now includes Destroyers and Space Stations. In addition, the Terrans, Garthans, Urluquai, Zorg, Klakar, and Tan Ru (the six normal factions featured in EED) will all have additional ship classes (including Space Stations for the Terrans, Urluquai, and Klakar) to choose from, to be deployed in expanded versions of the original EED scenarios. Finally, at least two additional scenarios (one involving the Alliance using the captured Kestrel to defeat a pirate fleet, and another based on the battle against Primordius, with the Damocles as part of either an Alliance or Consortium fleet) could be added, to reflect the introduction of these quests (among others) to later instalments of the source material.

Taking the idea further, it could be possible to implement a full-scale ship customization system similar to that seen in BattleTech. In that case, each ship's value (rather like BattleTech's Battle Value system) would be determined by the sum of its base price and the combined total of all items (weapons, sublight thrusters, and other equipment) installed on it. Cost caps for players' fleets would also be necessary to avoid the possibility of overpriced and/or overpowered vessels, ensuring a more balanced and fun game experience overall. However, with the Sea of Stars trilogy still being much more obscure when compared to the BattleTech universe as a whole, it's currently unlikely that a tabletop sequel to Eat Electric Death! will ever be made - but it's good to know that, for now at least, it still can, at least in theory.

Infinite Space Suggestions: A MechDB-Inspired Ship Editor

Infinite Space Suggestions: A MechDB-Inspired Ship Editor

When I'm not Automationeering, exploring the Infinite Space trilogy, or experimenting with different car, event, and track combinations in Hotshot Racing, I spend a lot of time creating custom BattleMech loadouts in MechDB's MechLab for MechWarrior Online. A more detailed explanation of how it works can be found here. Now for the basics: You start by clicking on the Select 'Mech button at the top, which allows you to select a 'Mech chassis from one of the four weight classes (Light, Medium, Heavy, and Assault, with Inner Sphere and Clan 'Mechs being grouped separately for each class), after which you'll be taken to the 'Mech customization screen.

Above: A screenshot of the MechDB MechLab showing stats, quirks, current loadout, selectable equipment, warnings (if any), and structure/armor/heat sink/guidance types.

The Warehouse (top right) shows the amount of mass and critical slots for all items (which are grouped into four tabs: Weapons, Ammunition, Equipment, and Engines/OmniPods) that are compatible with the currently selected 'Mech variant. For example, an Inner Sphere Double Heat Sink occupies 3 critical slots, whereas the Clan equivalent requires only two. In addition, when customizing a standard BattleMech, the fourth icon from the left will take you to the engine selection tab which shows a list of compatible engines, whereas when customizing an OmniMech, you will instead be shown a list of available OmniPods for that chassis.

To install a weapon on a 'Mech, click on the Weapons tab in the Warehouse box (first from the left), and from there, drag and drop it from there to any component that has enough free space for it and at least one unused hardpoint for any weapons of that type (e.g., energy weapons can only be installed on components that have at least one energy hardpoint). Ammunition for ballistic and missile weapons can be placed in any component with at least one free critical slot. You can only fire an ammunition-dependent weapon if you provide compatible ammunition for it; to aid this, you can click on the Mounted Weapons checkbox in the Ammunition tab (second from left) in the Warehouse box, so that it only shows ammo types for your 'Mech's ammunition-dependent weapons (as long as this option is toggled on).

Engines must be placed in the center torso, with standard engines (the heaviest of all) requiring 6 critical slots there, whereas Inner Sphere Light and Clan XL engines take up an additional 2 critical slots each in both side torsos, and Inner Sphere XL engines occupy 3 critical slots in both side torsos. As such, a Standard engine can continue to operate even if both side torsos are destroyed. Inner Sphere XL engines, on the other hand, will immediately shut down if either side torso is destroyed. Finally, Clan XL and Inner Sphere Light engines will operate at reduced speed if one side torso is blown off, but will still shut down if both side torsos are destroyed.

All components on Inner Sphere 'Mechs (except for the center torso or head) can be fitted with CASE (Cellular Ammunition Storage Equipment) which prevents ammunition and/or weapon explosions from affecting any adjacent components - this item is automatically fitted to every component of all Clan 'Mechs. In addition, some 'Mechs have provision for Jump Jets (which lift your 'Mech into the air for a limited time - the type of available Jump Jet being dependent on the 'Mech's weight) and/or MASC (Myomer Accelerator Signal Circuitry - a device which boosts your 'Mech's maximum running speed when activated, but causes damage to its legs if overused). Note that for any given 'Mech variant, you cannot install more Jump Jets than the maximum number it can carry, nor can you equip more than one MASC on a 'Mech that is compatible with it.

'Mechs can also be equipped with Beagle Active Probes (which improve detection capabilities at closer ranges), Targeting Computers (which improve your weapons' accuracy, velocity, and range), and on some variants, ECM suites (which shield the 'Mech from detection in Disrupt mode, and can negate the effect of enemy ECM in Counter mode). It should be noted that Inner Sphere Targeting Computers have a range from Mk1 to Mk8 (the higher the number, the more mass and critical slots required), whereas Clan TCs only max out at Mk7, reflecting the fact that in BattleTech, the latter require one ton and one critical slot for every five tons of direct-fire weapons they control, instead of four, as is the case for Inner Sphere TCs. Regardless of tech base, however, you can only install one Targeting Computer or ASP (Advanced Sensor Package - a universal item weighing 1.5 tons and requiring one critical slot) on any given 'Mech variant at a time. Moreover, Inner Sphere Guardian ECM suites occupy 2 critical slots and weigh 1.5 tons each, whereas Clan ECM requires 1 critical slot and weighs only 1 ton. Finally, Inner Sphere Beagle Active Probes have had the same space and weight requirements (1 critical slot and 1 ton) as their Clan counterparts for some time (prior to which they required 2 critical slots and weighed 1.5 tons, as in the tabletop), whereas the Clan-exclusive Light Active Probe requires 0.5 tons (half the mass of a regular Active Probe), but has a shorter range.

The top left section can be toggled between Stats (self-explanatory) and Tonnage (which shows a breakdown of how much mass your components require, as well as the type and quantity of some of them). The bottom left section shows a list of Quirks (perks that provide benefits to the 'Mech) - each quirk positively affects sensors, weapons, equipment, performance, or survivability. At the bottom-right corner of the screen, you can select the structure, armor, heat sink, and missile guidance type upgrades that will be fitted to your 'Mech. These are as follows:

• Endo Steel Structure: Reduces the amount of mass in the 'Mech's internal structure, but occupies more critical slots (14 for Inner Sphere, 7 for Clan) compared to standard armor.
• Ferro-Fibrous Armor: Reduces the amount of mass required the 'Mech's armor to achieve the same amount of protection, but occupies more critical slots (14 for Inner Sphere, 7 for Clan) compared to standard armor.
• Light Ferro-Fibrous Armor: Exclusive to the Inner Sphere tech base, it also reduces the mass of the 'Mech's armor and is bulkier than standard armor, though not to the same extent as Inner Sphere Ferro-Fibrous Armor in these aspects, requiring only 7 critical slots.
• Stealth Armor: Also exclusive to the Inner Sphere, it occupies 2 critical slots in every component other than the center torso and head, and is only selectable if a Guardian ECM system is installed. It does not save weight compared to standard armor, though, and activating it during a game will increase heat levels.
• Double Heat Sinks: Dissipates more heat and increases heat threshold by a greater amount than standard heat sinks, but occupies more space (3 and 2 critical slots, respectively, for Inner Sphere and Clan Double Heat Sinks). Standard and Double Heat Sinks cannot be combined on the same 'Mech.
• Artemis IV Missile Guidance: Improves accuracy of any and all LRM and standard SRM launchers fitted to the 'Mech, but adds 1 ton of mass and 1 critical slot to all such launchers. It does not affect NARC, Streak SRM (Inner Sphere and Clan), Inner Sphere MRM, Inner Sphere Thunderbolt, and Clan ATM (Advanced Tactical Missile) launchers, though.

Here's an example of a customized 'Mech loadout created in MechDB:

Above: An example of a custom loadout created in MechDB, showing a Firestarter FS9-K (a 35-ton Inner Sphere light 'Mech) configured for high DPS, while still retaining enough speed and agility for brawling and skirmishing.

If you have registered to MechDB, you can save and export your loadouts for future use in MechWarrior Online, and from there, test them in the Proving Ground to judge their effectiveness.

OmniMech customization differs from standard BattleMech customization in the following aspects:

• You can mix and match head, arm, leg, and side torso OmniPods from different variants. However, if all OmniPods are from the same variant as the center torso, you will gain an additional Set of 8 Quirks that improve the 'Mech's abilities further.
• All variants must share the same structure, armor, and heat sink type, as well as engine type and rating (except in non-OmniMech variants of an OmniMech chassis, and the Executioner Sovereign, a Legendary 'Mech variant whose 285-rated engine makes it slower than other Executioner variants, which each have a 380-rated engine).
• Fixed equipment (including armor and structure slots, if the OmniMech has ferro-fibrous armor and/or endo-steel structure, respectively) cannot be removed from an OmniPod.
• When selecting OmniPods, you will be shown a list of compatible head, side torso, arm, and leg OmniPods for the OmniMech, along with the number and types of hardpoints for each one.

Here's an example of a customized OmniMech loadout:

Above: An example of a customized Clan OmniMech loadout, based on the Dire Wolf DWF-Prime (a 100-ton Clan Assault 'Mech) and geared towards long-range sniping.

Alongside creating customized loadouts for 'Mechs in general, one of the more popular uses of MechDB is to create zombie 'Mech loadouts on 'Mech variants that can support them. Such layouts (named for their ability to absorb immense amounts of damage) have (near) maximum armor for their mass, an all-energy loadout (with at least one energy weapon in its center torso or head) lacking in ammunition-dependent weapons, and a standard engine (which will never shut down even if both side torsos are blown off). They are especially useful in prolonged engagements where you expect to receive a lot of punishment, and can even continue to attack as long as the head, center torso, and at least one leg all remain intact. Here's an example:

Above and below: Two loadout ideas for the Stalker STK-7D that turn it into a zombie 'Mech, taking the idea to ridiculous extremes by placing all of its weaponry in its head and torso sections, leaving the arms empty and allowing them to be used as shields.

After all this, you may be asking why I'm mentioning a game I do not yet own in a post that's supposedly related to the Infinite Space trilogy. As it turns out, nobody has created a webpage that allows you to create a custom loadout for any ship (whether it's a fighter or a capital ship) in the game, right down to its affiliation, class, engine, thruster, weapons, and equipment. In addition to this, when customizing a ship, all eight major stats (armor, shield strength, weapon range, firepower in terms of damage per shot, maximum speed during combat, maneuverability, and interstellar travel speed both outside and within nebulae) would also be shown, as they are whenever you're customizing a ship in a standard game. In addition, the overall cost of the loadout (base price of the chosen hull + combined price of all weapons and equipment installed) would also have to be displayed.

Above and below: A MechDB-style ship editor for Sea of Stars could look like a combination of the customization shown in these screenshots, with all key stats for items and ships being shown at once.

Taking the idea further, you could add the ability to not only load and save custom layouts, but also create, load, and save whole fleets of ships (with capacity of up to six ships of any kind for each) - as well as tools to either install the default loadout for a particular ship, or to remove all items from the currently selected one, just as in MechDB. The resulting ship loadout editor would therefore be incredibly useful for planning ship builds, especially when predicting the effectiveness of one you expect to be using in actual gameplay.

In short, a MechDB-style ship/fleet loadout creator/editor tool for Sea Of Stars would be a boon to the player base - and also to fans of the series. It could even be helpful for designing ship loadouts you want to use in a hypothetical board game sequel to Eat Electric Death! - an adaptation of the preceding game (Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space) that utilizes a similar hex-based board and movement system to BattleTech, and even comes with its own preset scenarios to jump into. That, by the way, will be the subject of my next post in this series.

Hotshot Tales, Part 3: A Marathon Track?

Hotshot Tales, Part 3: A Marathon Track?

Having player Hotshot Racing to 100% completion, I started revisiting the track layouts and noticed something unique to the Coast track set. Specifically, it should be theoretically possible to combine sections from all four tracks to create a gigantic supertrack that didn't intersect with itself. So without further ado, here's how it would be like.

The start/finish line would be on the same location (and facing in the same direction) as it would be for Sea View, the fourth track in the Coast environment (although as an alternative, it could instead share its location with The Marina or Ocean World, with the latter's starting grid facing in the opposite direction to that of the former). However, after the first turn, the track diverges onto the Ocean World route (the second track in the set) instead of going straight on, and continues to use much of that track's length before going straight on (instead of turning right) to take the final turn of The Marina (the first track in the set) in reverse. From there, it rejoins with Sea View's route all the way to the finish line. It might even be possible to extend this track even further by diverging one last time onto a reversed section of Heated Highway (the third track in the set), but since this track intersects with Sea View, this would change the final turn into a very tight 90-degree left-hander. However, given that most of the Desert tracks (and even some of the Jungle tracks) have at least one sharp 90-degree turn, this change would not be as difficult to implement as you might think.

Most of the corner sequences from this new mega-track would be familiar to those who have experienced its constituent tracks. However, the reversed hairpin would be unique, given that whereas it's a right-hander with a downhill exit in The Marina, it would now be a left-hander with an uphill approach. You'd still be likely to enter it at a high speed, though, making heavy braking a necessity. Moreover, the approach to the next turn (which leads back to Sea View) will be faster, and hence more challenging, although the left/right sequence that follows would remain as-is. Finally, if the section from Heated Highway is added to the lap, instead of a simple right-hand hairpin, there will be a 90-degree left feeding almost directly into a second hairpin turn, this time to the right. The resulting corner sequence would again require quick direction changes, and lead to the last long straight before the final corner. Speaking of which, it should be treated as a mirror image of the fourth turn (the one immediately before the double-apex hairpin) on the Downtown layout of the Desert track: slam on the brakes, steer hard towards the left, then straighten out quickly. However, this new 90-degree turn leads to a straight instead of a hairpin, so boosting away from the apex is a lot safer as long as you keep the revs up.

Here's how it would feel like. Starting in the same place as Sea View, you turn left at the first fork instead of going straight on...

Above, from top: How the first few corners at a hypothetical Coast mega-track would look like - the fast right-hander at the start of Sea View, followed by a left-right chicane onto Ocean World's layout.

...before heading left instead of right at the start of Ocean World's lap.

Above: Approaching the start/finish line at Ocean World. The mega-track would not head right, but instead continue straight onto the final turn at The Marina... Below: which would be an uphill left-hand hairpin instead of the downhill right-hand hairpin shown here (essentially the next turn in reverse).

Head straight on for a while, then turn right to rejoin Sea View, before turning left again onto the first part of Heated Highway.

Above: This is the fork that leads to Sea View - my proposed mega-track would turn left instead of right.

The left-right sequence leads to one more long "straight", followed by a fast right-hander before the final turn...

Above, from top: Imagine these sections of track taken in reverse order and direction - this would be the final part of my hypothetical Coast mega-track.

...a tight 90-degree left that's a mirror-image of the fourth turn at Desert's Downtown layout that leads back to Sea View to finish the lap.

Above: This is where the last corner of my proposed mega-track on the Coast map would be.

This leaves one last question: Where do you place the checkpoints (which mark the end of the current sector and the start of the next one)? I'd suggest placing the first one in the same place as the second checkpoint at Ocean World (which is just after leaving the aquarium), and the second one just after the right-hand turn that leads back to Sea View.

In short, it's unlikely that Lucky Mountain Games or Sumo Digital (the developers of this game) will ever introduce such a long track to Hotshot Racing in the future, considering that they wanted all of their track layouts to be relatively short and sweet (in keeping with the old-school arcade nature of the game), but it's nice to know that they could have done so without compromising what makes this game so special.

A Lifer's Diary, Part 14: Another Semi-Enhanced Game?

A Lifer's Diary, Part 14: Another Semi-Enhanced Game?

Having come up with a suggestion for a "semi-enhanced" rule set for my Spinner Wheel set based on Generation II of the Game of Life, I  now feel confident enough to do the same for Generation III. Here's how I'd do it.

General

The rule set will be based on the original "Classic" version, but it will also incorporate some aspects from the Enhanced Play option available in the 2008 video game adaptation. Further details are provided below.

Share the Wealth and Special Effect Cards

These will be retained as-is; however, in addition to receiving a Share The Wealth Card when landing on a Share the Wealth space, players must also draw a Special Effect Card that takes effect immediately. They will be simulated by a single spin of the movement wheel (1-10) as follows:

• 1: Lose the Debt - Decrease your debt by $25,000.
• 2: Give the Debt - Increase any opponent's debt (including interest) by $25,000.
• 3: Shared Memories - Take a Life Tile from any opponent, if possible.
• 4: Job Exchange - You may trade your current Career Card (regardless of its type) with any opponent, if possible; however, if you choose to trade Careers with another player, both players must lose all of their previously accumulated Pay Raises and return them to the bank.
• 5: House Exchange - You may trade your Starter Home/House with an opponent, if possible.
• 6: Free Pay Raise - Take a Pay Raise from an opponent, if possible.
• 7: Lucky Spin x2 - Starts a Spin to Win in which you may select two numbers, but all other players may only choose one each, regardless of whether or not they currently have any Spin to Win Share the Wealth Cards of any types.
• 8: Lucky Spin x4 - As above, but you may choose from four numbers instead of two.
• 9: Half Salary Bonus - Receive 50% of your current salary from the bank.
• 10: Spin Again - Self explanatory. Spin again until a number less than 10 is spun.

Some of these options were not present in the video game adaptation, but I added them anyway to spice things up further.

Wedding Gifts

I could use either leave it unchanged from the Classic Mode ruleset, or use the Generation II Enhanced Game rules regarding wedding gift amounts, which are as follows depending on the number spun:

• 1-2: $0
• 3-4: $5,000
• 5-6: $10,000
• 7-8: $15,000
• 9-10: $20,000

Baby Gifts

These would remain unchanged from the Classic Mode ruleset for Generation III, with one exception: any player who adds twins to their family would receive $10,000 from every other player, instead of the usual $5,000.

College Career Choice

Unlike in the video game, this aspect will not be randomized; instead, I will use the Classic Mode rules for College Career Choice, both for the start of a game (for players who chose to go to college at the start) and when changing careers after returning to school.

Special Abilities

Although I have already mentioned these in an earlier post in this series, I'll explain them again, just to remind ourselves of how they would work:

• Salesperson: Receive 25% of the price of any Starter Home or House purchased by another player.
• Mechanic: Receive $10,000 whenever you overtake (or are overtaken by) another player. If one of your opponents overtakes another, collect $10,000 each from both of them.
• Hair Stylist: Whenever an opponent adds a child, spin to determine the baby gift you receive from them. The amount earned is the same as for wedding gifts in the Classic Mode rule set ($0 for 4 or below, $5,000 for 5 through 7, and $10,000 for 8 and above).
• Police Officer: Collect $5,000 from any opponent who spins a 10.
• Entertainer: Receive a Pay Raise when two identical numbers greater than 7 (i.e., 8, 9, or 10) are spun on consecutive turns.
• Athlete: Receive two Pay Raises (instead of one) when passing over or landing on a Pay Raise space. In addition, retaining this Career after returning to school will earn three Pay Raises instead of two.
• Teacher: Does not have to pay for children's tuition fees (i.e., any Pay space in which the payment's size is solely dependent on the number of children belonging to the player who landed on it), or for returning to school.
• Computer Designer: Allows the player to select one additional number during Spin to Win (except during the Lucky Spin special effect).
• Accountant: Cannot pay taxes or receive a tax refund, but will collect $10,000 from the bank when any opponent pays taxes.
• Veterinarian: Receive a Life Tile when landing or passing a Pay Raise space, taking from an opponent if necessary (unless, for whatever reason, there are no other players to take Life Tiles from).
• Lawyer: Gains $50,000 more and loses $50,000 less from Lawsuits. In addition, if one opponent successfully sues another, that player must also pay the Lawyer $10,000.
• Doctor: Exempt from any and all medical expenses. Note that this only takes effect if a Doctor lands on any one of several spaces on the board, and any opponent who lands on any of these spaces must pay the Doctor instead of the bank (unless no player has that Career Card).

Starter Home and House Values

All Starter Homes and Houses must now have a resale value 25% greater than their original purchase price; however, they will no longer be chosen at random when someone purchases them.

Lawsuits

With the exception of the Lawyer's special ability mentioned above, Lawsuits will remain unchanged from the Classic Mode ruleset.

Career Choices

These will remain completely unchanged from the Classic Mode ruleset, right down to the ability to retain your current Career Card if none are available, at the expense of having to return all of your Pay Raises (if you still have any) to the bank.

Spin to Win

This will generally follow the rules used in Classic Mode, with the only changes being those that I have mentioned above.

Pay Raises

Again, this mechanic will be almost identical to what it was in Classic Mode (except for the Athlete's special ability), for simplicity's sake. However, there will now be provision for an additional rule in which any player who lands exactly on a Pay Day space (as opposed to simply passing over it) will receive an additional Pay Raise. This bonus may also stack with the Athlete's special ability, if it is implemented.

Conclusion

Among the changes I would make to the Generation III Game of Life ruleset, the ones listed above are the most significant. I could implement additional rules if I wanted to, but for now, this is as much meddling that I could get away with before it starts to become too unwieldy for my Generation III Spinner Wheel set.