What sort of starship flaws can you think of?

Roscoe Del'Tane · Sat Jul 07, 2007 5:50 am

taalismn wrote:
*Delayed Revenge---The ship's main architect/designer(or a previous crewmember) had a secret grudge against somebody(the service he designed the ship for, or a specific individual aboard) and has designed a plan for an appropriately painful/terrifying/gruesome revenge involving the ship....so promises a message that flashes across the screens once the ship is sufficiently far from any safe haven/help....
Problem is, the ship is no longer in the service of the government, or had aboard, the party cited for revenge...the message has been delayed by a glitch...
Now, is it a hoax, a toothless threat, or is there REALLY a scheme of vengeance about to unfold? Try not to panic....

To quote a radical genius, "Hex Hex, the Chessmaster! Edward is playing him right now!"

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 9:05 pm

*Moth to the Flame---The ship's navigational system is optically oriented and the ship suffers from a serious navigational glitch that the autopilot will fix on the brightest(most radiant) object in its vicinity and plot a course directly for it unless constantly overridden....

*Faulty INertial Compensators---The ship's gravity adjustment systems are faulty...every time the ship makes a course correction or sudden change in acceleration/deceleration, there's a 25% chance that everything not secured, braced, or holding on tightly to the frame will go slamming across the room....flying people will take 2d6 SDC from being flung around, and make take an additional 1d4 to 1d6 from loose objects hitting them...

Roscoe Del'Tane · Sat Jul 07, 2007 11:29 pm

Bass Akwards Controls: Somebody put somethign in backwards or misprogrammed the AI. Every pilotting roll is done at -15% due to thefact that all movement controlls are the reverse of what they should be (up is down, stop is go, etc.). Cannot be fixed without yanking the entire steering column and control system out and completely rebulding it form square one. Ship tends to fly rather jerkily, leaping about as the pilot struggles with the darn thing, wrestling it into the correct flight path (fingers crossed they never have to do any space rescues with this hunk of junk).

Mislabeled Instructions: Everything that should be labeled in a common tongue is written in indescipherable gobledygook (not the language, just plain unreadable). EVERYTHING. From the Mr. Cofee, to the Warp Core, to the toilett, all completely unreadable. Take at least three times longer to do anything, due to the need to mentally double check everything ("Is this the autopilot or the self destruct?").

Roscoe Del'Tane · Sun Jul 08, 2007 1:45 am

Psychitic Influence: "We prefer the term 'Morally Ambiguouse.'" "But your a PRIEST of Light! Your not supposed to practice Live Sacrafices!"
Whoever is on command starts a slow degredation of their morals as long as they keep the ship. Each month they have to make a roll vs. Insanity with no bonuses. If they fail more than 2 in the span of 6 months, their alignment slips one peg. This also applies to evil characters (only they go in reverse, becoming goody-twoshoes).

KLM · Unread post by **KLM** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 5:53 am

Adrenaline junkie (or junkheap - aka "falcon syndrome"):

- Propulsion systems are tuned for high speed performance,
the ship is jerky, unefficient and constantly breaking down
if not going at least on 90%.

- Computer system is made of several "brains", which are
constantly bickering or even sabotaging each other as long
as they have free CPU to do so. As long as the ship is fired
at, however, they are doing perfectly.

- Weapons (and shield) systems are also optimised for
overload - otherwise they send unpleasant power feedback
to the ship's grid (burning out light bulbs, personal electronics,
etc.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------

"Drunken spider" syndrome: in conjunction with the previous,
the ship has large amounts of - intentionally - mislabeled
wirings, as well as seemingly unused powergrid (or computer
network) parts.
Maintenance is a nightmare, kinda debugging someone else's
assembler code (particularly if the original programmer used
comments mainly for distraction). In case of computer systems
it also can be taken literally.

Adios
KLM

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 11:36 pm

Those are all greatones! That was a great quote Roscoe! I own that entire collection including the movie. Love the series! Please keep them coming!

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 5:59 pm

"Warped Physics-Warped Minds"(aka Larry Niven's 'Vanishing Point' Syndrome---Whenever the FTL drive is engaged, either tyhrough poor tuning or the very nature of the drive system, it produces an effect on the nervous system of crewmembers akin to an irritating subliminal hum...NOt harmful in itself, but those failing to make an ME save every 12 hours of continious drive operation will begin experiencing tunnel vision, moving optical 'blank spots' in their vision, and vertigo, that only increases and intensifies the longer the drive is engaged.
On short jaunts this effect is annoying, but harmless, but on prolonged FTL cruises and galactic jumps, the constant irritation can escalate into nausea, severe disorientation, and even acute paranoia and marked increases in bad temper/aggression, especially for beings with already hair-trigger tempers and/or low mental endurance...

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 6:26 pm

That is a great one!

What about your medical center is not set up to handle every race represented in the present crew!

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 6:53 pm

Aramanthus wrote:That is a great one!

What about your medical center is not set up to handle every race represented in the present crew!

That would be a common one on bean-counting Golgan ships...Med COmputer only has databases for Golagns(and maybe Zebuloids) with treatment skills equiv, to Medical DOctor of 90% ...all other species are treated at First Aid 40%

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 1:03 pm

That is along the way I was thinking it should go too!

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:54 pm

*Differing Gravitational Planes----the direction of shipboard gravity varies dramatically from deck to deck and even room to room....people thus running from one room to another risk suddenly discovering that gravity is pulling parallel to the floor of the room they just left, causing them to be actually diving through a hatch in the adjacent room's 'ceiling'.

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 12:32 pm

LOL Good one.

What about fluctuating gravitational planes. Basically the strength varies from minutes to minute, but never goes to lethal levels for most species. So the gravity can go from zero G to say 5 times standard. (For some light G worlds inhabitants this could be fatal, and most standard one will find it a pain in the backside.)

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 6:25 pm

THink we already covered that one...

*Inefficient Cargo Management---The design of the cargo bays makes loading and unloading an arduous, dangerous, chore....requiring 2d4 times as much time to do so as other ships, requiring special handling gear that is specifically designed for the ship(and likely prone to breakdown), and the cargo bay doors are inconviently located(like on top of the ship, and well inboard of the wings/hull sides, or directly in front of the engine radiators...)

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 6:27 pm

I could see that being a problem in a huge ship where the cargo holds are located in the center of it instead of the edges. And the only way to load it would be to navigate those narrow cargo ways.

Great one Taalismn!

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:25 pm

*THruster Wash---Landing and take-off are particularly hazardous on the landing area due to the ascent/descent thrusters producing dangerous amounts of thermal efflux or short-lived, but intense, radioactive particles or toxins...great if you're not particulary fond of anyone in the landing/takeoff area, but not good if you plan on operating out of densely populated areas or controlled aerospace.

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 1:58 pm

I could some ships with that flaw being something those in the Phase World Snydicate would like to get ahold of for threat of using it on those who didn't pay their weekly payment.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 7:01 pm

*Incriminating Evidence---On a surprise ship inspection, customs officials find something the characters likely didn't know about...a dead body or two welded into the structure or embedded in the reactor housing...limbs bound and likely mummified/dessicated from radiation/vaccuum...

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:49 pm

:::Moving the plate out of the way after using a torch on it.::: "Captain, we should have that glitch in the electrical system fixed in a second. Just let me move this subpanel. Wait I see something! What is it? :::Reaching into the opening.::: "It's a body. And there is a tag on the toe. Its pretty faded. It looks like it says J.........Jim.......................
Jimmy. Thats the first name. Huffa looks like the second name."

Roscoe Del'Tane · Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:13 am

Inquisitive Critters: Characters ship has a rather large colony (at least 2d4x10 if a small vessel, more if larger than that) of small, insatiably curious pixie like beings. These beings are usually around 2-3 inches tall, and never over eight, and are very curious, but very cautious. They wil never reveal themselves unless it is too late for rescue (i.e. they turn up in time to comfort those on a crippled ship floating abandoned in space, see it as their duty to keep the spirits of the crew and passangers up before the Long Sleep). They frequently move small things back to their homes to study them; so somebody could set down their keys for a moment, turn their backs, turn back around and they would be gone.

The items taken are always returned, they don't see themselves as theives, just 'borrowers', and would never, under any circumstances, keep any of the things they take. They see such people as the lowest of the low, and utterly untrustworthy. Theives who come onto this ship tend to have incriminating evidence fall into the security guards and commanders hands on a regular basis (would take a lot of fast talking to explain some if it).

Items are never 'misplaced' for more than an hour or two under normal circumstances, but sometimes are picked up multiple times in one day. This can lead to the mistaken, and sometimes unfair, impression that the crew is addle-brained or forgetfull.

No matter how hard you look, or what scans, magic, or psionic sweeps you run, the critters somehow manage to blend into the background of the ship (treat as them as being Untrackable, having Cloaking, and Immune to Psionics abilities).

On the plus side, during repairs, hard to find pieces (small things, a rare bolt, or electrical transformer, etc.) frequently turn up where they shouldn't be, important items that are genuinly lost turn up in a place where they could be rationalized ("huh, guess I brought my plasma cannon into the bathroom when I took my shower. Weird, I ain't never don that before."). Change also unearths itself on a regular time-table, what the Little Ones have scavanged from the floors and sofa cushions. They do their share of the work in running and maintaining the ship, they just never get any of the credit for it (which is how they want it).

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 2:27 pm

Roscoe, that is a totally awesome one! Thank you for creating it and sharing it!!! :ok:

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 10:42 pm

*Slow Drive Startup---Activating the drive from a cold start, even with the reactors still on and delivering power, takes a LONG time(at least 1d4x10 minutes) of pre-warming, spooling up, field activation, and the like, before the drive can be openned up....Failure to do so will result in the drive stalling(60% chance) and across the boards power loss, requiring another safety check, systems diagnostic run(at least 4d6 minutes), and another 1d4x10 minutes of start up.
Keeping the engine 'warm' and idling constantly can avoid this problem, but also consumes fuel and emitts heat/radiation(as well as requires someone to monitor the engine at all times...).

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 2:39 am

That is a cool one! Good job Taalismn!

Roscoe Del'Tane · Sat Jul 14, 2007 10:08 am

Shaky FTL: Put simply, when this ship enages its FTL Drive, it feels like your driving in a car with no shocks down a bumpy gravel road while a crew of construction workers use jack-hammers in the back. Very rough, very uncomfortable, and really I hope you don't have any fragile cargo or beings on board. Getting bits or gags for all crew members would most likely be a good idea and investment to save on dental bills.

Good news is the ship is actually about 10-15% faster than normal FTL; but each time that it activates its FTL there is a base 10% chance that something (an important someting) has shaken loose or become disconected. Hope you don't have any persuers, 'cause if you do, it will take at least 3 hours of non-stop work before any type of propulsion is possible once you stop. Fortunatly, the things that come loose/break are easily replaced and the mechanics know by the third or forth time to have a large stock of them on hand.

Roscoe Del'Tane · Sat Jul 14, 2007 11:10 am

Corrupted Food Stores: The crews food (or food delivery device) has been tampered with or contaminated. Any body eating from said food stores gets a chronic, assassin case of the runs, and something fierce to boot. The kind where you lock yourself in the bathroom for a few days, and all outsiders hear is the odd primal scream or howl of agony. To avoid this is simple, don't eat the bad food, or make two throws out of three saving vs. lethal poison with no bonuses.

Effects pass after 1d4 days, but for another 1d4 days, the victem is pale, drawn, walks limply, and drinks liquids like their going out of style.
They also prefere to stand when available, and try not to walk to quickly.

shiiv-a · Unread post by **shiiv-a** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 12:26 pm

didn't take the time mto read this .. so it may have been already posted

lightbulbs

thats my biggest issue with space ships .. WHO does the replacing .. and where the heck do they store the spares? ...

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 9:21 pm

*Necromantic Repair---The ship possesses a technology never seen before...and it repairs itself! BUT,,,every time it does substantial repairs to itself, a crewmember dies....The ship powers its advanced capabilities through life energy, and takes what it needs.....

Roscoe Del'Tane · Sun Jul 15, 2007 12:29 am

taalismn wrote:*Necromantic Repair---The ship possesses a technology never seen before...and it repairs itself! BUT,,,every time it does substantial repairs to itself, a crewmember dies....The ship powers its advanced capabilities through life energy, and takes what it needs.....

Dude, that's harsh! Incredibly cool, but harsh nonetheless. Wouldn't be too bad on a large freighter or frigate, but on a small crewed ship it could be disaterous. Then there's the fact that the poor doctor will be flummoxed about the cause of death. "Well, he was holding a cup of coffee, and reading a paper, but other than that, I haven't got a clue. He should healthy as an ox, not stone cold dead on my slab."

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 4:44 am

Those are all some great flaws! Wow! Please keep them coming!

KLM · Unread post by **KLM** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 8:22 am

"Haunted" - version X.

Somewhere in the ships' past it was stranded in the middle
of nowhere, so crewmembers tried to "save" their personalities
into the computer core.
A few systems reinstalls later, those "ghosts in the shell" try
to get new, breathing bodies... Somehow.

Adios
KLM

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 9:37 pm

*Dangerous Magazine Design---Applicable only to ships with reloadable missile launchers....Not enough attention was paid to safety when designing the relaoding mechanisms, or else the system in place is insufficient...any targetted hit on a missile launcher/turret has a 25% chance of blowing back down the magazine conveyors and setting off any remaining missiles in a chain reaction...For conventional warhead missiles, a warhead explosion isn't likely(since they get armed in the launcher), but their propellant stages are susceptible to igniting...and anti-matter weapons are especially susceptible to premature detonation...
At best, this takes out the entire launcher and several decks of the ship...at worst, a single shot vaporizes the entire ship, even if the initial MD done to the affected turret was nowhere near total MDC of the ship...

KLM · Unread post by **KLM** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 3:15 am

Mind you, most missiles in the 3G setting are CG propelled,
however I would not bet my life on the fact, that unarmed
MDC explosives will not detonate in a chain reaction.
Especially K-Hex warhead.

Nuclear and fusion warheads however, will only explode
as a - further - design flaw.

That said, such a flaw is viable and stylish.

Adios
KLM

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 2:15 pm

Cool flaws! Please let's keep them coming!

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 6:45 pm

*Insufficient Weapons Insulation----Heavy energyw eapons aboard the ship have been designed with flawed heat management systems...Prolonged firing at maximum rate of fire(more than 2d6 melees of continiuous fire) runs the risk of overheat, automatic shutdown(if you're lucky) or a catastrophic degradation of the weapons' mechanisms(laser crystal develops flaws abnd shatters, coolant develops bubbles and bursts, aiming actuators seize up), unless the weapon is allowed to cool down for 1d4 melees). NOt much of a problem with ships with multiple batteries that can be 'cycled' or rested in sequence, but a real problem for inexperienced crews and ships relying on one or two main energy weapons.

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 11:15 pm

That is a great one Taalismn!

shiiv-a · Unread post by **shiiv-a** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 11:43 pm

how about them flea infestations you get after having a furry as a crew member or guest? ... the ones that seem immune to almost everything you use to kill them ? ...

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 11:36 am

That is a cool one. I remember having a dog or two who ended up with fleas. And getting rid of them can be a huge problem.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 10:48 pm

Straight from Cowboy BeBop....

*The Thing in the Refrigerator....somebody's neglected to clean out the food processing system/supply locker...something's gone bad...real bad...really really bad...and the supply locker is no longer room and world enough for it....

Roscoe Del'Tane · Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:30 am

Right Gun, Wrong Sensor: This flaw means that a weapon is tied to a different sensor/targeting system. So instead of targeting the enemy cruiser off the bow, you instead shoot your ally off the stern.

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:41 pm

Those are both great ones! I remember that episode your talking about Taalismn! :ok:

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:43 pm

*Dominatrix Security Systems----One of the problems with second-hand ships, or subcontracting subsystems to the lowest bidder....you never know where they've been....In this case the internal security system doesn't just lock out intruders, it HUMILIATES them....Anyone failing to properly enter the right security codes or not registering in the pass-logs gets stripped(even body armor), gagged, cuffed, hog-tied, gimp-suited, suspended, fanny-paddled, whipped, and clamped. Unless somebody overrides the security system, victims are likely to get the third degree, including sensory dep, electroshock treatments, and the like, as the computer subroutine 'breaks' them in.
Worse, the system will seemingly look for any excuse to activate its security apparatus, such as a fractional second delay/hesitation in inputing the appropriate passcodes...
Not good if you're expecting strangers or friendly company over to your ship for a visit...
Often found on Pleasurer- and Paradise Foundation-owned ships....

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:55 pm

ROFLMAO!!! That is a great one Taalismn!

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 6:28 pm

*Coin-Operated Ship Systems---The ship was designed as a rental money-making scheme...everything is credit-operated..."To have another 24 hours of life support, please deposit 5 credits"..."To Fire the Main Laser Cannon, Please Deposit 25 credits"...Hope you have lots of spare change...or a Pick Locks skill...

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 11:12 pm

*Ultra-Orthodox---The outfitters of the ship practiced a rigorous religion fraught with ritual and ceremony, and have incorporated this dogma into the ship's design either to sanctify the ship by making it part of the ceremonial process, or to keep the crew faithful by making them constantly practice....Major actions on the ship and key functions can only be carried out successfully after elaborate ceremony, often involving a sequence of events or spoken phrases that must be carried in proper form and order, or else the function will not be possible....Such as filling two chalices and setting them in place before the engine console, lighting two torches, and chanting the Litany of Ignition, or bespeaking the TakeOff, and then saying the same upon Landing...only backward. Most actions tend to take 2-5 times as long as normal, though emergency 'short forms' also exist, but require acts of contrition and purification afterwards. Other rituals seem just plain outright absurd, expensive, and embarassing; "The navigation inputs may be made only by a nude virgin(either gender) floating in a tank of purest water". Crewmembers are well advised to pick up a skill selection in Etiquette: Religion to become truly profficient at running their ship.

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 12:18 am

ROFLMAO!!!! When I first saw the pay as you go one, I started to laugh so hard I hended up having a coughing fit! I'm still laughing about it!!! They were both awesome! Please keep them coming.

shiiv-a · Unread post by **shiiv-a** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 11:00 am

not sure about this one ... but ....

how many hulls does a spaceship have? ... and how thick would one hull have to be?

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 12:52 pm

You could make them like submarines with and inner and outer hull.

You could also make them a twin hulled, triple hulled. You just have to take into consideration the connection between the various hulls.

shiiv-a · Unread post by **shiiv-a** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 6:34 pm

not to mention the extra cost ... or the fact that it WILL be on the shipping manifesto doohicky they have to complete when they get to a space station for repairs/upgrades ...

gives the other guys a chance to plot HOW to take it out? ... *shrugs*

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 9:17 pm

Multiple hulls?
Make it like those Russian dolls...You know, the nested ones?
BY the time you reach the last one, your battlecruiser's been whittled down to a one man escape pod...

NOT what you want to discover once you've taken delivery and paid the ship broker...

And yet another reason not to buy spacecraft over the internet(or galactic equiavlent)

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 9:19 pm

*Non-standard Landing Gear---The ship is NOT designed to land as conventionally; it must land in specially prepared pits, gantries, or in water...or perhaps lands on a gyrostabilized unipod..either way, pilots used to runway landings or VTOL touch-and-gos are going to have fits....

Aramanthus · Unread post by **Aramanthus** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 3:10 am

That's a good one.

Actually the dual hulled and triple hulled ships I was talking about I was thinking of laying the hulls parallel to each other.