Table-O-Tron - deep space terrain generator

[arloid]

So I questioned myself, how do you make sure one player doesn't set up the table lobsided, in their favor without making it tedious...well you don't do what I just made.

All say hello to Table-O-Tron a automatic terrain placement generator that makes you roll dice (between 1-6 separate dice rolls for each sector, based on how well you combine all these seperate rolls. Table-O-Tron comes in 2 flavors, one with less sectors using "zones" to denote where terrain needs to be placed. Requiring less dice rolls and capable of utilzing multiple Flesh-Computing-Units or FCU's but suffering from less coherently placed terrain.

Dice rolling for this version resolves around rolling 1d6 for the number of planets, followed by 1 d10 for the first number of the zone followed by a d6, d8 or d10 depending on how many possibilities there are for the second number, but generally you roll them all at once.

And a flavor that uses angles to calculate where terrain is placed, but only able to utilize 1 FCU at a time with double the sectors to calculate. This flavor also generates the most coherently placed terrain with systems forming more or less naturally.

Which again rolls a d6 for the number of planets, but this time 2d6 are rolled for the distance from the center followed by a d20 for the angle.

Obviously Table-O-Tron needs a bit more visual work, but my evening has run out with time slowly creeping into Tuesday. Finishing the visual work has to wait for tomorrow, I think I need a different background image as this copyright free image from nasa is too bright for the white used to contrast the black although with a 100% contrast ratio for the white lines that might not be too much of a issue, but maybe it is better to be safe and not blow 50 bucks on a game mat.

[Macrossmartin]

This is a fascinating idea, and you're to be commended on the work and time you've put into it.

A couple of observations if I may:

The table-o-tron is circular, but we tend to not play on circular tables. That leaves the corners of the table bereft of scenics. Not a big problem, given the corners of a table rarely see action beyond set-up, but something to consider.

Also, being a true circle in shape, it cannot accommodate a rectangular surface, such as a 6'x4' table. How do you think this could be altered?

[Mako]

Space terrain can be useful, though I'd like to point out that in deep space, no terrain is infinitely more likely than having some/any show up.

[arloid]

This is a fascinating idea, and you're to be commended on the work and time you've put into it.

A couple of observations if I may:

The table-o-tron is circular, but we tend to not play on circular tables. That leaves the corners of the table bereft of scenics. Not a big problem, given the corners of a table rarely see action beyond set-up, but something to consider.

Also, being a true circle in shape, it cannot accommodate a rectangular surface, such as a 6'x4' table. How do you think this could be altered?

Thank you for the feedback, the corners are indeed left a bit barren, there is really no way around in expanding to them outside some extra dice rolling to also fill the corners. Could be easily solved by adding some extra zones in the zone based Table-O-Tron, but I’m pretty sure most people will be sick of throwing dice by the time they come around the corners. I would say throw a few d6 for corner allocation and leave the terrain off if a 5 or 6 is rolled.

I don’t however plan on expanding this map to 4x6, that is quite outside the scope right now and doesn’t play to the strengths of This design. I think I’m going to pass on that, I’ve already got a whole background image to replace and draw due to resolution.

Space terrain can be useful, though I'd like to point out that in deep space, no terrain is infinitely more likely than having some/any show up.

This is true but we all know how boring that is to play on. 

[DS615]

Space terrain can be useful, though I'd like to point out that in deep space, no terrain is infinitely more likely than having some/any show up.

I'll point out that space is huge, and conflicts in deep space are not at all likely.
If you're going to fight, your going to fight over something, and you'll have to be where people are.
People will congregate around stuff, not out in the void.

For the placement, I don't see how it works any better than a scatter die and a Dx.
Maybe I just didn't read it enough.

[Mako]

Yes, I totally agree.

I've toyed with adding in planets, asteroid fields, moons, and other stuff, just to make life interesting/difficult for the players too.

A planetary defense scenario is always a good one, since it offers lots of room for unusual forces - planet-based fighters, hordes of small missile and torpedo boats, armed satellites, etc., etc..

[arloid]

To be honest this is meant for quite large scale, as far as distance engagements for something I’m homebrewing myself. Each piece of terrain is supposed to be a system of planets and there are some plans for these mattering in the grand scale of combat. Paying some points to have a repair yard, FTL fuel depots, rearming stations and planetary defenses were supposed to play a role in random placement. In the sense that you can’t choose where a strategic position is positioned, though the placement of these strategic resources still in the players power, all be it limited to the generated systems.