Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Master_Vega Aug 05, 2008 17:11:36	Comments, thoughts? I had a list of questions, but Gleemax ate it so I'll have to ask them later when I'm not frustrated. Hope you enjoy! It's not done yet, and any help would be appreciated. Questions off the top of my head: Weight, scale, price, power and speed? My inability to determine how heavy, big, expensive, damaging and quick hounds are in the d20 system is the only thing blocking me from working on parts and hammering out the rest of the system. What do you guys think? Without further to do, here's the system so far: Chassis determine a great deal about a hound, including base speed, a large portion of HP, and the maximum carrying capacity among other things. To avoid confusion, choose your chassis before choosing any other parts. Note: Because the chassis determines how fast a hound moves and turns, it defines the maximum bonus to defense that a pilot can grant from his dexterity. Modes of movement: Different chassis rely on different modes of movement. Some use wheels, others treads, others two or even four legs. Each type of movement has its own advantages and disadvantages. Those generalities are listed here: Hovercraft: The lightest and fastest mode of movement. Hovercraft chassis are highly maneuverable and are not slowed by water, but they have the lightest carrying capacity and armor, and have increased difficulty moving up steep slopes. Hovercraft chassis make for great scouts and, if done correctly, excellent snipers, though their lower carrying capacity means you must choose your weapons wisely. Hovercraft use the D20Modern Vehicle rules for acceleration and maneuvering. Viper Size: Huge (-2 attack and defense) Defense bonus: +2 dodge, +6 armor (before size modifiers) Maximum Dexterity Bonus: +3 Maneuver: -2 HP Base: 130 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: 36 tons Carrying Capacity: 4.6 light/9.33 medium/14 tons heavy Energy Consumption: 210 (not incredibly familiar how much power things like this take, so I'm going to use a generic unit to measure it.) Base Maximum Speed: 165 (16) Wheels: Second lightest and second fastest, wheel chassis are slightly more armored than hover chassis. Wheels have only normal difficulty moving uphill, and gain tremendous mobility moving downhill. Due to their lightness and fragility, however, this chassis has difficulty moving over rough terrain. Wheel chassis make good scouts, and can often survive encounters hovercraft chassis hounds would not; they can also carry a decent portion more. Wheel chassis use the D20Modern Vehicle rules for acceleration and maneuvering. Legs - Bipedal: The next step up from wheels, bipedal leg chassis are the middle ground for armor and carrying capacity. Bipedal leg chassis lose no momentum for moving uphill, and gain normally for moving downhill. They are, in fact, the second slowest mode of movement, though, which renders them poor for scouting purposes if combat is not an option. Bipedal chassis are the only chassis capable of making climb checks. The Bipedal chassis higher carrying capacity, heavy armor, and steadfast mobility do, however, make it the ideal soldier-type combatant. Despite being especially suited to the frontliner role, bipedal legs allow for a large range of roles and can fill in for most any absent hound if fitted correctly. Bipedal chassis can reach their full speed in one move action. Note: Reverse-joint Bipedal chassis can carry the most weight of any bipedal chassis. They may not climb, however; instead they may jump when only carrying their light load. Treads: The most armored chassis, and even more maneuverable than bipedal legs, this chassis makes a good heavy weapons platform. Tread chassis have a slightly higher carrying capacity than bipedal legs as well, though they gain no bonuses or penalties for terrain (except for water, which slows them down as normal). Treads make ideal heavy-soldiers, but can take on nearly as many roles as bipedal chassis. Tread chassis use the D20Modern Vehicle rules for acceleration and maneuvering. Legs - Quadrupedal: The strongest chassis available, capable of carrying numerous weapons as well as armor only bested by tread chassis, Quadrupedal chassis are the ideal choice for ultra-heavy-support. Though not slowed down or sped up by any terrain type, quadrupedal chassis move at a ponderous pace at best, so it is recommended that they are accompanied by at least one other hound. Quadrupedal chassis can reach their full speed in move action. The cockpit is where the pilot of a hound resides in combat. It also houses three systems that can fundamentally change a hound. Each cockpit has nine or less slots, which a total of three systems can occupy. Each system takes a different number of slots. The more powerful the system, the more slots it takes. Arrowhead Size: large HP addition: +60 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: 1.8 tons System Slots: 9 Energy Generation: 165 Mobility System: Mobility systems affect a hound's movement speed and maneuverability. Some add to its reaction time, allowing a hound to better dodge incoming fire. MS867a Blitzkrieg Slot Occupation: 5 Speed Boost: +35 Defense Boost (dodge bonus): +2 Maximum Dexterity Bonus Boost: +1 Targeting System: Targeting systems can affect several things, from range, to multi-targeting, to improved fire-linking. TS355b Slot Occupation: 2 Accuracy Boost: +1 Group Firing Adjustment: +2 (but no higher than the penalty for grouping) Special: None Stability System: Like Mobility systems, Stability systems can help the maneuverability of a hound. They can also increase terrain-tolerance and grant the hound additional carrying capacity. StS767a Slot Occupation: 2 Carrying Capacity Boost: +.5 Tons Attacks of Opportunity: 1 Special: None For Carrying Capacity Boost, simply add the number listed to all loads (light, medium, and heavy). Generator: Every part on a hound takes up a certain amount of power, and thus different generators are required. The trade-offs of a generator are simple: power, heat, weight, and durability. Once a hound design is laid out, picking the right generator should be simple. Mobilous Size: Medium HP addition: +30 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: 2.2 tons Energy Generation: 355 Heat Regulation: 7 Combat Fuel Consumption (light): 1 gallon / 10 rounds of active combat Traveling Fuel Consumption (light): 5 miles/gallon Fuel Tank Size: 40 gallon Note: Fuel consumption increases by 1/2 each weight category. What is a war machine without weapons? Of weapons, there are several categories, normal and heavy, and within those categories there are several different sub-types. Grouping (or Fire-Linking) Weapons: To fire more than one weapon at a time without a high enough base attack bonus, grouping is required. When two or more weapons are grouped, the highest-powered weapon's damage is treated as the base damage for the weapon grouping. The related weapons' damage die are cut in half and added together, then added to the damage of the main weapon. The downside to this affect is that each weapon wired into the group makes the targeting less accurate, stacking a -2 penalty to the shot for each weapon added. If one weapon in the group is different from the rest, it instead increases the attack penalty by -4. Reload times: A reload time is the amount of time (in rounds) a weapon takes to be ready to fire again. The number of rounds displayed afterwards includes the round the weapon is fired on, so a weapon with a reload time of 3 rounds would be able to fire again two rounds after being fired. Light Weapons: Light weapons can be fired without stopping Machine Guns: A standard, fully automatic gun. Machine guns are short-ranged weapons, but their high rate of fire can wear down even the toughest armor given enough time (or an abundance of machine gun units). Note: Machine Guns can be used with the Burst Fire feat. M113 Gatling Size: Medium HP: 30 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: .5 tons Energy Consumption: 10 Damage: 4d6 Ballistic Range: 100ft Reload Time: Negligible Ammunition Capacity: 1500 (Chain) Ammunition Type: Kinetic (only available) Sub-Weapons: Sub weapons are inexpensive, moderately powerful weapons commonly stacked onto a hound as an extra option. Unlike most non-heavy weapons, sub weapons are not hexagonal and therefore do not add weapon slots when attached. Grenade Launchers: Grenade launchers are short to short-mid-ranged weapons with a mild individual splash effect. These fairly concentrated weapons are mostly used to sunder equipment and grouped weapons on an enemy hound before using more precise weaponry. GL127 Size: Medium HP: 30 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: .7 tons Energy Consumption: 10 Damage: 5d6 Ballistic 19/20x2 Range: 75ft Reload Time: 1 round Ammunition Capacity: 14 (magazine) Ammunition Type: Standard Kinetic, High-Powered Kinetic (+1 damage/damage die) 10-round magazine, Heavy-Round Kinetic (+2 damage/damage die) 6-round magazine Shotguns: Shotguns are short-ranged high-powered weapons designed for a very narrow field. If you want to get close to your opponent, but not close enough to use a parrying blade, this is the weapon to go with. Note: Instead of becoming less accurate over range, shotguns instead become less powerful, losing one damage die per range increment. GS67 Size: Medium HP: 35 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: .85 tons Energy Consumption: 10 Damage: 6d6 Ballistic Range: 50ft Reload Time: 1 round Ammunition Capacity: 36 (magazine) Ammunition Type: Standard Kinetic, High-Powered Kinetic (+1 damage/damage die) 30-round magazine, Heavy-Round Kinetic (+2 damage/damage die) 24-round magazine. Light Rockets: Light rockets are a mild-splash effect weapon with a wide attack range. Due to the small number of launchers in a rocket rack, these weapons are less about barraging an enemy, and more about placing splash attacks as close as possible if not directly on top of the foe. HEAT225 Size: Medium HP: 30 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: 1.2 ton Energy Consumption: 10 Damage: 6d6 Ballistic Range: 150ft Area: 20ft (DC10+BAB+dex/half) Reload Time: 2 rounds Ammunition Capacity: 34 (magazine) Ammunition Type: Standard Kinetic, High-Powered Kinetic (+1 damage/damage die) 30-round magazine, Heavy-Round Kinetic (+2 damage/damage die) 28-round magazine. Assault Rifles: Assault rifles are medium to long-range weapons that fire a single large round toward the target. These weapons have a high reload rate, and can be fired more than once per round. Note: Assault Rifles can be used with the double-tap feat. AR37a Size: Medium HP: 35 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: 1.1 tons Energy Consumption: 10 Damage: 6d6 Ballistic Range: 300ft Reload Time: Negligible Ammunition Capacity: 68 (magazine) Ammunition Type: Standard Kinetic, High-Powered Kinetic (+1 damage/damage die) 60-round magazine, Heavy-Round Kinetic (+2 damage/damage die) 52-round magazine. Sniper Rifles: Slightly more powerful than assault rifles, Sniper rifles are light-weight weapons designed for pin-point accuracy at long range. SR32 Size: Medium HP: 30 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: 1 ton Energy Consumption: 10 Damage: 6d6 Ballistic 19/20x2 Range: 500ft Reload Time: 2 round Ammunition Capacity: 24 (magazine) Ammunition Type: Standard Kinetic, High-Powered Kinetic (+1 damage/damage die) 20-round magazine, Heavy-Round Kinetic (+2 damage/damage die) 16-round magazine Mortars: Higher-yield light weapons, mortars are deceptively short ranged for their name. They are, however, light and easy to mount. Unfortunately, they are not hexagonal and therefore do not add weapon slots when attached. Some mortars fire special ammunition like flares and smoke mortars. MS88 Size: medium HP: 25 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: .5 tons Energy Consumption: 10 Damage: 6d6 Ballistic 19/20x2 Range: 50ft Splash Area: 20ft (DC10+BAB+dex/half) Jostling Effect: -1 to opponent's attack until your next turn. (DC10+BAB+dex/half) Stacks. Reload Time: 1 round Ammunition Capacity: 14 (magazine) Ammunition Type: Standard Kinetic, High-Powered Kinetic (+1 damage/damage die) 10-round magazine, Heavy-Round Kinetic (+2 damage/damage die) 6-round magazine MU328 Size: Medium HP: 20 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: .25 tons Energy Consumption: 5 Damage: NA Range: 50ft Area: 50ft (Smoke) or 150ft (light) Reload Time: 1 round Ammunition Capacity: 30 (magazine) Ammunition Type: Smoke Rounds (or Flare Rounds) Medium Weapons: Medium Weapons are more powerful than light weapons, but the hound must stop to fire them. In addition to normal grouping penalties, medium weapons that are not grouped symmetrically take another -1 penalty for each unbalancing weapon. Cannons: An incredibly powerful weapon that works at a variety of ranges, the cannon is the backbone of the soldier role. With easy aiming adjustment and quick reload time, this is one of the quickest medium weapons. C336 Hammer Size: Medium HP: 60 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: 1.5 tons Energy Consumption: 10 Damage: 8d6 Ballistic (chemical optional) Range: 300ft Reload Time: 2 rounds Ammunition Capacity: 32 (magazine) Ammunition Type: Standard Kinetic, High-Powered Kinetic (+1 damage/damage die) 24-round magazine, Heavy-Round Kinetic (+2 damage/damage die) 16-round magazine, Standard Chemical (-2 to attack), High-Powered Chemical (-2 to attack, +1 damage/damage die) 24-round magazine, Heavy-Round Chemical (-2 to attack, +2 damage/damage die) 16-round magazine. Sniper Cannons: The bigger, badder cousin to the sniper rifle, the sniper cannon can do serious amounts of damage before the enemy even has a prayer of returning accurate fire. Sniper cannons are the primary asset to any self-respecting hound sniper. SC22 Hathcock Size: Large HP: 50 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: 1.5 tons Energy Consumption: 10 Damage: 10d6 Ballistic (chemical optional) Range: 500ft Reload Time: 3 rounds Ammunition Capacity: 14 (magazine) Ammunition Type: Standard Kinetic, High-Powered Kinetic (+1 damage/damage die) 11-round magazine, Heavy-Round Kinetic (+2 damage/damage die) 8-round magazine, Standard Chemical (-2 to attack), High-Powered Chemical (-2 to attack, +1 damage/damage die) 11-round magazine, Heavy-Round Chemical (-2 to attack, +2 damage/damage die) 8-round magazine. Howitzers: With a large splash radius, howitzers can bring down multiple small units at once if used correctly. Due to their incredible power, howitzers also have the potential to ruin an opponents aim if the rounds land near him. The trade-off is that howitzers are difficult to aim beyond short range (which is certainly not where any sane pilot wants to use them.) H482 Size: Large HP: 60 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: 1.5 tons Energy Consumption: 10 Damage: 6d6 Ballistic (Incendiary optional) Range: 150ft Splash Area: 20ft (DC10+BAB+dex/half) Jostling Effect: -2 to opponent's attack until your next turn. (DC10+BAB+dex/half) Stacks. Ammunition Capacity: 35 (magazine) Reload Time: 2 rounds Ammunition Type: Standard Kinetic, High-Powered Kinetic (+1 damage/damage die) 30-round magazine, Heavy-Round Kinetic (+2 damage/damage die) 25-round magazine, Standard Incendiary (-4d6 damage die, 4d6 fire damage for 1d6 rounds). Parrying Blades: Despite their immense power, punching blades are more or less a last resort option due to their incredibly limited range. Punching blades are essentially held spears propelled into opponents at high velocities, punching a hole through armor, machinery, and unlucky pilots. Unlike most medium weapons, this weapon takes no accuracy penalty when grouped asymmetrically. Mine Layers: A brutally effective trap, mines can be quickly dropped from a hound. These advanced weapons dig slightly below the surface after touching the ground, and there they wait for something that breaks their weight threshold to pass over them. Unlike most medium weapons, this weapon takes no accuracy penalty when grouped asymmetrically. Bomb Droppers: Barely even effective as an escape weapon, these high-explosive bombs are truly meant to be used against structures or incredibly slow-moving enemies. Similarly to mines, they are simply dropped onto the battlefield, but bombs roll for a round before exploding where mines lie in wait as long as needed. Unlike most medium weapons, this weapon takes no accuracy penalty when grouped asymmetrically. Heavy Weapons: Heavy Weapons take up incredible amounts of room and are not hexagonally mounted, therefore, only a few of these weapons may be mounted on any hound. Like medium weapons, most heavy weapons cannot be fired while moving. In addition to normal grouping penalties, heavy weapons that are not grouped symmetrically take another -2 penalty for each unbalancing weapon. Barrage Rockets: Unlike the light rockets, barrage rockets expend massive amounts of small rocket-propelled warheads to swamp foes in an inescapable area attack. The sheer number of rockets exploding nearby or on a hound deals incredible damage. Unlike other heavy weapons, this weapon can be fired while moving. Missiles: These heat-seeking rocket-propelled projectiles are the bane of many a hound. Even quick hounds that rely on their agility and small silhouette will be caught in the wrath of Missiles. Even if they do not hit, missiles have a decent-sized splash radius and ruin an enemy hound's aim when they strike near (or directly). The drawback is that missiles have an incredibly low ammunition count (usually only eight rounds a piece), take obscene amounts of time to reload, and require the user to spend a round acquiring a target before firing. Heavy Cannons: The larger, meaner brother of howitzers, heavy cannons have an obscenely large splash zone and devastating damage yield. Just like howitzers, though, heavy cannons are incredibly difficult to aim beyond short range. Hounds can have plenty of other assets besides weaponry, the following utility types are available. NightVision (Startlight) systems: Nightvision systems work by using light amplification to enhance the hound pilots vision via viewscreen. When active, these effectively give the pilot lowlight vision, and some degree of darkvision. These pieces take up one slot as normal, but they do not create anymore slots. Infrared Sensor Systems: Infrared Sensor Systems allow the user to view objects by detecting the heat they produce. This way the pilot can see through visual impairments such as smoke, snowfall, and sand storms. These pieces take up one slot as normal, but they do not create anymore slots. IS33 Rattler Size: small HP: 15 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: .2 tons Energy Consumption: 20 Maximum range: 350ft Rotors: Rotors allow a hound to "jump" or glide for a very short time. The length of time is related to what cockpit you are using, and what rotor you pick. You can place more than one rotor on your hound to increase your lift, but it also consumes stored power faster. These pieces take up one slot as normal, and have a second slot on the end opposite the first. Heat Sinks: Heat sinks are useful for fending off the effects of incendiary rounds, and keeping a hound with heat-intensive parts from damaging its generator. Heat sinks are small and light, but limited in their functionality. These pieces take up one slot as normal, but they do not create anymore slots. Radiators: Radiators are heavier, but more efficient than heat sinks. They serve the same purpose. These pieces take up one slot as normal, but they do not create anymore slots. Mine Detectors: Mine detectors add to the normal sonar system used to track heavy vehicle movement and amplify it's power to detect mine fields and individual mines. These pieces take up one slot as normal, but they do not create anymore slots. Missile Countermeasures: Even with all of their drawbacks, missiles are devastating pieces of equipment, so much so that they warrant their own countermeasures device. Though limited in uses, missile countermeasures are an effective means to distract missiles from a hound. Missile countermeasures are hexagonal, and can be mounted on any slot, including slots created by weapons. As heavily armored as a hound's parts already are, sometimes they simply need more in between them and incoming fire. Attaching Armor: Armor can be mounted on any attachment part, though it does not allow anything else to attach to it. When armor is added to a particular part, any attack that would be directed at that part is instead directed at the armor first -unless the part is targeted as the result of a critical hit-. Types of Armor: Different types of armor provide different types of protection. The two kinds of armor available are as follows: Ferro Fibrous: Standard metal alloy armor. Fairly light and effective against KE damage, but generally weak against CE damage. Block Size: Medium HP: 40 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: 1 ton Energy Consumption: 5 Defense Bonus: +2 Reactive: A heavier, but more effective armor type designed so that the part an incoming round contacts with explodes, refracting the round. Effective against both KE and CE damage. More expensive. Spacers are pieces that allow hounds more sockets and thus more expansion and build possibilities. The different types of spacers are as follows: Extension Spacer: Two ports with a small block between them. They are light, and their primary use is to inch a part just far away enough that it will not collide with another part. Standard Spacer: Simple, rectangular prism-shaped six-socket spacer. Though it is the most commonly used spacer, the short distance between its ports may not allow all to be used. T-Spacer: T-shaped spacer with a socket at each end of the piece. Good for spreading out a build so that nothing collides. Arm Spacer: A diagonal-extension spacer with a longer reach than normal. Arm spacers are most often used when a part position must be reached and there are other obstacles in the way. Curved Spacer: Similar to the arm spacer, but with a joint in the middle, and with the two main sockets pointed at right angles from each other. There are two more sockets on either side of one end of the piece. Curved spacers are useful for reaching around or 'hiding' parts. Note: Spacers, aside from the Standard spacers, are only important in games where you plan to draw up/build your hound in three-dimensional space (Possibly using the Chromehounds Xbox360 game to do so.) If you do not plan on doing this, GM discretion should dictate what parts should fit on a hound. Hound Operation Benefit: You do not take penalties to drive checks to operate a hound. Normal: A character without this feat takes a -4 to all drive checks using a hound. Hound Gunnery Benefit: Select a classification of weaponry (light, medium, or heavy). You are now proficient with all weapons under that category, and do not take penalties for firing them. Normal: Characters who are not proficient with a weapon take a -4 penalty when trying to use it. Hound Sunder Your experience in combating hounds as made you familiar with their movement patterns, so familiar that you can semi-reliably pick off individual pieces of the mechanical behemoths. Prerequisites: Hound Gunnery or Proficiency with a high explosive weapon, Weapon Focus with either of the aforementioned, Base attack +6 Benefit: You may make sunder attempts with any Hound or High Explosive weapon you have the Weapon Focus feat for. If the weapon has splash damage, apply half of the damage again (minus hardness) against the Hound's total HP. Sample Hound: A Hound should end up looking like this, with a statistics block, and then a list of parts. Pit Viper Size: Gigantic (-3 attack and defense) Crew: 1 Passengers: None Carrying Capacity/load status: 5.1 light/9.83 medium/14.5 heavy (6.7 Medium) Maneuver: -2 Top Speed (light load): 200 (20) Top Speed (Medium load): 150 (15) Top Speed (Heavy load): 100 (10) Energy Use: 265/570 Defense: 19 (10-3 size+6 armor +4 dodge+2 Shield) Hardness: 20K/15C Hit Points: 190 Armor Pieces: Block - defending cockpit (all sunder attempts on cockpit instead hit Block armor.) 40HP Weapons: Twin Grouped M113 Gatling Machine Guns Damage: 6d6 Ballistic Range: 100ft Ammunition Capacity: 1500 (Chain) Ammunition Type: Kinetic Total Attack Modifier: -2 (+1 system +0 grouping -3 size) Twin Grouped MC328 Smoke Mortars Damage: NA Range: 50ft Ammunition Capacity: 30 (magazine) Ammunition Type: Smoke Rounds Parts used Viper Size: Huge (-2 attack and defense) Defense bonus: +2 dodge, +6 armor (before size modifiers) Maximum Dexterity Bonus: +3 HP Base: 130 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: 36 tons (does not count against carrying capacity) Carrying Capacity: 4.6 light/9.33 medium/14 tons heavy Energy Consumption: 210 Base Maximum Speed: 165 (16) Arrowhead Size: large HP addition: +60 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: 1.8 tons System Slots: 9 Energy Generation: 165 MS867a Blitzkrieg Slot Occupation: 5 Speed Boost: +35 Defense Boost (dodge bonus): +2 Maximum Dexterity Bonus +1 TS355b Slot Occupation: 2 Accuracy Boost: +1 Group Firing Adjustment: +2 (but no higher than the penalty for grouping) Special: None StS767a Slot Occupation: 2 Carrying Capacity Boost: +.5 Tons Attacks of Opportunity: 1 Special: None Mobilous Size: Medium HP addition: +30 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: 2.2 tons Energy Generation: 355 Heat Regulation: 7 Combat Fuel Consumption (light): 1 gallon / 10 rounds of active combat Traveling Fuel Consumption (light): 5 miles/gallon Fuel Tank Size: 40 gallon M113 Gatling X2 Size: Medium HP: 30 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: .5 tons Energy Consumption: 10 Damage: 4d6 Ballistic Range: 100ft Ammunition Capacity: 1500 (Chain) Ammunition Type: Kinetic (only available) MC328 X2 Size: Medium HP: 20 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: .25 tons Energy Consumption: 5 Damage: NA Range: 50ft Ammunition Capacity: 30 (magazine) Ammunition Type: Smoke Rounds IS33 Rattler Size: small HP: 15 Hardness: 20K/15C Weight: .2 tons Energy Consumption: 20 Maximum range: 350ft Block Size: Medium HP: 40 Hardness: 20K/15C (half against CE) Weight: 1 ton Energy Consumption: 5 Shield Bonus: +2 Note: I understand that a Gatling gun is something different from your normal machine gun. I named the gun after the guy to follow Chromehounds theme (where most parts bear the name of someone famous for war-related matters.)
#2 AnimeSniper Aug 05, 2008 19:49:42	Looking Good though I personally just got my X-box 360 today and chrome hounds a little while ago and I still haven't set it up! What is wrong with me?
#3 Master_Vega Aug 05, 2008 20:05:40	Nothing's wrong, there are far exciting games to play. Chromehounds can be really cool, but you have to be patient. Designing your hound takes time, and the hounds can be slow in battle if you overload them. When you get a good design, though, and are able to pick off your enemies in 2 to 3 salvos, it starts getting really fun. :P Also, know that as you trudge through the singleplayer mode in all its terrible "meh"-ness, online gaming is what Chromehounds was made for, and it's where all the fun is. Anyhow, after you've played some, perhaps you can help me out here. :D
#4 Master_Vega Aug 07, 2008 10:46:12	Sorry for the double-post, but I recently added some new information and it doesn't seem I've had any new visitors. :P Check out the parts. How are they?
#5 iron_stomach Aug 11, 2008 22:55:00	I was reading the bipedal legs and I wanted to ask a question. What about things like reverse joint legs, if i remember correctly the game said that they had the highest carrying capacity, would you consider them their own category? Also could they make jump checks?
#6 Master_Vega Aug 12, 2008 0:31:42	Chromehounds classifies reverse-joints as a different class than bipedal, and yes they have a high carrying capacity, but it's still not as much as treads, and not nearly as much as quads despite the flavortext during loading screens. If you guys think I should classify them differently, instead of simply calling them bipedal parts with a higher carrying capacity, then I suppose I could do that. I suppose they could make jump checks, though no one jumps in Chromehounds (not without a rotor, anyway). Then again, the only climbing you get is going up fairly steep mountains, something that every chassis can do, but leg (bipedal, reverse-joint, and quadruped) chassis do best. Thanks for the reply, btw. I wasn't sure anyone was interested in this thread.
#7 keithd Aug 14, 2008 0:53:26	It all looks good. It has been a while since I have played chrome hounds but it's a good idea. But it looks like to me like it would be hard to mix these templates with others in the 'modern/futuristic' d20 game. The die for damage seems a bit low for me as a pistol can do somewhere between 2d6 and 2d8, I guess if you did that you would also have to heighten the hp of the machine. Also a normal bullet shouldn't be able to inflict any damage on these things in my opinion and a person could get 1 or 2 points through hardness if they rolled good enough. ~Shrug~ but I lack so much knowledge I am probably the wrong person to say anything so I will shut my mouth. It all does look really good and quiet fun to mess with.
#8 Master_Vega Aug 14, 2008 9:17:27	Actually, the only weapon I have listed is the machine gun, which is pathetic in chromehounds... except when gathered in packs of four. They are then incredibly deadly if the pilot can keep a bead on his target. A group of four of these machineguns would deal 10d6, and burst-firing would bring that up to 13d6 per round. Most of the weapons in Chromehounds have a reload time longer than a round, so being able to fire every round is a nice asset. I understand that, even with all of this explanation, the machine guns are still weak in comparison to existing mecha weapons... but I haven't gotten around to statting cannons or howitzers yet. ;) Those will most definitely have a higher damage output. Finally, this system isn't meant to compete with the existing mecha system. It's there to replace it. After all, why would you want a Hound when you could have a fully-capable Gundam? Thanks for your comments. I guess I should get onto designing other weapons and parts now. Edit: Yeah, in the game, man-carried machine guns do absolutely nothing to your hound... Perhaps I'll raise the hardness to 20.
#9 AnimeSniper Aug 19, 2008 16:32:39	"Anybody have a battery? Not a Car Battery... We need a fusion battery to jump this thing! Ah thank you corporal!" looks around briefly, "Now private I want you to hold these cables to this Chromehounds Fusion Core... Don't worry you'll be fine!" He says pointing to a nameless private before jumping in another jeep and speeding away. "Charging in the Hole!" the corporal screams before ducking down as millions of watts of power course into the salvaged chromehound killing the nameless private, "Ah well, he would have died in the next assault anyways... what kind of soldier drops the grenade and throws the pin?"
#10 Master_Vega Aug 19, 2008 20:19:31	I'm guessing that was a thread bump? lol! I'll get working on some parts as soon as I have a decent amount of free time. Last weekend was busy, what with my grandma's 90th birthday party. @_@
#11 iron_stomach Aug 20, 2008 20:59:38	I wasn't saying that they needed to have their own area I just thought that they were worth mentioning. Also I just got the jumping idea cause the reverse joints always remind me of frog legs... but onto important questions. On the subject of linking weapons, does cut the damage in half imply the damage die or the rolled damage? Example I link two cannons that would deal 6d6 each on their own would the damage be 9d6 (one half of the second weapon) or just half of what I roll on the second cannon's damage? Great work by the way I look forward to more weapon options in the future. P.S. have you thought about making a Hound pilot advanced class for the different types like scout or sniper?
#12 Master_Vega Aug 20, 2008 21:30:55	I wasn't saying that they needed to have their own area I just thought that they were worth mentioning. Also I just got the jumping idea cause the reverse joints always remind me of frog legs... but onto important questions. I'll look into it. Maybe if your (reverse-joint) hound is in its light load it can jump? On the subject of linking weapons, does cut the damage in half imply the damage die or the rolled damage? Example I link two cannons that would deal 6d6 each on their own would the damage be 9d6 (one half of the second weapon) or just half of what I roll on the second cannon's damage? You're correct in your assumption. I'll be sure to edit the top post to clarify. Great work by the way I look forward to more weapon options in the future. Thanks a bunch! I just finished my last shift of the week and should actually have time to work on this stuff now! P.S. have you thought about making a Hound pilot advanced class for the different types like scout or sniper? Haven't actually gotten that far. Well, I've thought about the idea of having advanced or prestige classes for this stuff, but I haven't put any thought into individual classes. I'd be more than happy to see some efforts on your (or anyone else's) part once this system is more fleshed out.
#13 Master_Vega Aug 22, 2008 11:25:43	Added three new weapons and changed hardness levels to better reflect the hounds in Chromehounds. What do you think?
#14 iron_stomach Aug 24, 2008 20:36:09	I like the cannon but isn't that alot damage? Also, concerning the howitzer, since the hound gets a chance to negate half of the damage shouldn't the damage be a bit higher, or maybe the blast radius takes care of that problem I'm not sure? I see no problem with the sniper rifle, however can you add scopes to these rifles? (I would assume not since you already have a targeting computer but you never know) And finally I am not sure I understand the hardness, I rented the game briefly but wasn't able to learn much beyond the fact that the howitzer was hard to use.
#15 Master_Vega Aug 25, 2008 10:19:21	Have you ever gotten a four-cannon grouping to fire on a single hound before? It'll usually half-strip the thing of weapons in the first salvo, and then the second will finish the enemy off. That said, if you think hounds shouldn't be that powerful, that's understandable. In the game they all but ignore M1-esque tanks, truly ignore everything of less value, and generally make short work of most ACV's (the legged enemies that weren't hounds.) This might not necessarily be conducive to a good RPG experience, so I'd like to hear your opinions on that. On howitzers: I would have made the damage higher, but I planned on adding a special effect. I just forgot to add it... I'll do so now, and that should balance things out out. On sniper cannons: The closest thing I could think of is a targeting system specifically devoted to increasing the range increments of all the hound's weapons. The gun-cam already kinda acts as a scope, anyway. As for the DR, DR 20K = 20 vs kinetic rounds (and everything else), DR 15C = 15 vs chemical rounds. It's kinda not consistent with the rest of D20, so if someone would like to show me a better way to denote the effectiveness of chemical rounds vs. armor, that would not negate the entirety of the armor, I'd really appreciate it. Howitzers are difficult to fire, but that's why you set your hound up to fire four at once. Oh, and direct hits are over-rated. Sure they deal a lot of damage (still not as much as a cannon), but a hound is perfectly capable of winning a battle using splash, especially because it screws up enemy aim so badly. Thanks again for the feedback! EDIT: I threw a few more weapons up there. I'm going to try and play Chromehounds later today and compare my stats (particularly the ammo counts and selections) with those in the game. Expect these recent additions, and some of the older ones, to change sightly.
#16 iron_stomach Aug 28, 2008 23:08:04	Have you ever gotten a four-cannon grouping to fire on a single hound before? It'll usually half-strip the thing of weapons in the first salvo, and then the second will finish the enemy off. As for the DR, DR 20K = 20 vs kinetic rounds (and everything else), DR 15C = 15 vs chemical rounds. It's kinda not consistent with the rest of D20, so if someone would like to show me a better way to denote the effectiveness of chemical rounds vs. armor, that would not negate the entirety of the armor, I'd really appreciate it. Sorry I had mixed up the cannon with the assault rifle for a second there. Also, thank you for the explanation of the DR 20K vs. DR20C. Now I have another question for you, I have not yet received my copy of D20 Future yet, what is wrong with the current rules for mechs, or is this just an expansion on the already existing?
#17 Master_Vega Aug 29, 2008 0:33:59	'Tis cool. I understand, and you're welcome. Ooookay, about the existing mecha system, it's... well, I don't really know where to start. I suppose one of the problems with the mecha system is that it doesn't deal well with either regular characters or starships. Weapon ranges on mecha, which are supposed to be incredible weapons, are pitiful (the longest-range among the weapons is 100ft!) Then there's the issue that the system seems to better fit Gundam-like mecha, as they are more like an extension of one's body than a vehicle. There are other issues, but you'd be better off asking one of the d20Future buffs about it. I never really did much on the D20Future forum when it existed. In Futuretech there's a ruleset for "Mecha as Tanks", but I don't own futuretech, and from what I remember from reading at my friend's house the system doesn't quite fix the blending problems... and thus I'm working on this, which will hopefully blend better with normal characters and surface vehicles... I'm not even going to try to make it compatible with the absurd space-combat system. >>
#18 grimgrin Aug 31, 2008 17:26:14	This is a cool idea. If you can get hold of a used copy of the "Chromehounds" guide book you would have an easier time figuring the stats of the various weapons power supply of the various generators and the capabilities of various cockpits. Also system "chip" upgrades exist for increasing mobility & speed and reducing the penalty for linked weapons (while limiting the total number of available weapons). One thing I think you have overlooked recoil suppression. Quad and Reverse Biped have the best. Biped is the worst. Also the quadreped is equiped with area effect weapons that fire indirectly. Your aim is not a factor with these weapons but rather estimating the range to your target group (This is likely a "skill" roll rather than an "Attack" roll.).
#19 Master_Vega Aug 31, 2008 23:06:52	It might be worth it to pick up that guidebook, but I'm going to see how far I can get without it. Thanks for the suggestion, though. As for the "chips", that's what I meant by systems. I haven't gotten around to making more than a few because of work and other commitments, though. If you'd like to help making parts (since you and Iron seem to know a decent lot about Chromehounds), that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for pointing that out. I did overlook recoil suppression, or "stability" as it is referred to in the game. Do you think it would be too much to include it? I mean, I don't want to create a system that's too convoluted. If you think it won't bog things down (and even if you do), though, by all means put forth your suggestions. Technically any hound chassis could be equipped with area weapons. I'm kinda treating those like most explosives and autofire weapons in d20. If you think a skill is merited, again, put forth your suggestions for the system behind it. Thanks for your reply!
#20 iron_stomach Sep 25, 2008 16:55:08	I just got my copy of futuretech and you memory is correct the mechas as tanks is a bit of a flop. Wouldn't it be a bit easier to just create weapons or maybe modify the existing rather than a total tear down. (not to dissuade you from your current path of course).
#21 Master_Vega Sep 26, 2008 14:44:32	I just got my copy of futuretech and you memory is correct the mechas as tanks is a bit of a flop. Wouldn't it be a bit easier to just create weapons or maybe modify the existing rather than a total tear down. (not to dissuade you from your current path of course). It might be easier, but I think the best course of action is to start from scratch. To me the original D20Future system is too flawed to begin with, so I'm starting anew. Anyhow, I'll keep working on this. I'm kinda going through writer's block at the moment, though.