[Pax]

Originally posted by Andr&eacutes Lescano:
I also wanted to make normal motor have arond 10 standard movs, so more advandec engines could be sligtly better, not twice or three times better. A feature I cannot combine with QNM.

Then you want to use mQNP.

For example -- the P&N mod; I love it, but I hate basic QNP (big ships = too many clicks, argh!).

So I converted a local copy to mQNP; all the ships have 3epm. The Engines (which, ofc, I made MUCH larger) have 3 (ion), 4 (contra-terrene), 5 (jacketed photon), 6 (quantum), or 7 (gravitic) move points each.

A single Ion engine will move any ship at a speed of 1. So will a single Contra-terrene or JAcketed Photon engine; those advanced engines are only of use if you use more. Specifically:

... three Contra-terrene engines would push as much as four Ion drives. 25% drop in total engine mass to maintain the same speed.

... four Jacketed Photon drives would do the work of five Contra Terrene engines. 20% drop in total engine mass, for the same speed.

And so on.

Ao an mQNP system, qwith EPM>1, can give you just what you seem to be looking for.

Let's assume you want EMP of 5; start with the basic Ion engine giving 5 movement.

Next is the Contra-terrene engine. Give it 7 movement points.

Then the Jacketed Photon drive; give it 9 (notice we're counting by two's).

Quantum engine, 11 movement.

And so on.

...

Of you can get really oddball:

Ion 1 = 5mp
Ion 2 = 6mp
Ion 3 = 7mp

C-T 1 = 9mp
C-T 2 = 10mp
C-T 3 = 11mp

JPh 1 = 13mp
JPh 2 = 14mp
JPh 3 = 15mp

Qua 1 = 17mp
Qua 2 = 18mp
Qua 3 = 19mp

All ships have EPM = 5

Thus, even with in a single engine class, you start to get some benefits to speed, IF you have sufficient numbers of engines installed.

The balance between EPM and engine movement points, in all honesty, is an issue SEPERATE from mQNP ... mQNP satisfies the quasinewtonian aspect by adjusting engine mass directly.

Also, it's NOT an advantage for large ships. Supply USE goes up ... but not supply STORAGE (less and less of the engine, as a %, is represented by fuel tanks, if you will). An escort can get 5 engines and do fine, spending 50% of it's mass and having decent range,maybe with a single solar panel.

OTOH, a 1500kT Baseship consumes TEN TIMES as much fuel per move as the 150kT escort ... so while the 50% "free space" is also ten times larger, much of it will be filled with fuel tanks, AND/OR ... those baseships won't operate far from supply bases and/or ships (say, Medium and Large transports packed with Supply Bay components, or a Quantum Reactor ship ...).

So to an extent, the %-ship-mass used on engines-and-fuel-supply inherently goes up anyway ... but you can choose to make a short-range, more-heavily-armed ship if you wish (for self-defense purposes, for example).

[ January 08, 2003, 03:01: Message edited by: Pax ]