Knight Hawks makeover

Deryn_Rys's picture
Deryn_Rys
January 13, 2011 - 8:26pm
Thanks to the snow I was able to complete the work I was doing on the Administrator's guide long before I had thought I would. So we are two thirds of the way done with the core rules rewrite. I've started working on the upgrade of the Knight Hawks rules. So far I've started work on the construction rules. I've gotten past the ship sizes, superstructure, power plant, engines, and planetary thrusters. I will say that so far of all the books that I've updated this one has started with a lot changes, and a lot of material has had to be rearranged to make more sense. 

 I am very excited that it looks like I might actually have the core rules for 4.5 ready by early February. I know that there's still a long way to go before everything I have in mind for this project to come to fruition but I really think that version 4.5 has come a long way from version 4.0.
"Hey guys I wonder what this does"-Famous last words
"Hey guys, I think it's friendly." -Famous last words
"You go on ahead, I'll catch up." -Famous last words
"Did you here that?" -Famous last words
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Deryn_Rys's picture
Deryn_Rys
January 14, 2011 - 11:32am
One thing that I realized last night as I continue to refine the space craft construction rules is that I'm more than likely going to have to rework the stat blocks for all the spacecrafts that I've designed for the system. I'm almost done with the construction rules at this point, and I realized that I'm going to have to include a section about Heroes in space. The original rules were focused more on adding ships to the rules set, and I neglected to include info on the use of space suits. I did deal with the affects of vacuum exposure in the Administrator's guide, but I'll probably reprint it in this book as well.

Things are moving forward, and hopefully when the rules set is put out there in February you guys can hopefully join in on the fun of creating material for the game. There's always room for cooks in this kitchen.


"Hey guys I wonder what this does"-Famous last words
"Hey guys, I think it's friendly." -Famous last words
"You go on ahead, I'll catch up." -Famous last words
"Did you here that?" -Famous last words

Deryn_Rys's picture
Deryn_Rys
January 14, 2011 - 11:03pm
I'm almost done with the revised space combat rules now, which means I'm about a third of the way done with revamping the Knight Hawks rules. Of course what will slow me down will be adding the stuff I overlooked in version 4.0 and putting in those sample space stations in the Administrator's section.

I am sorely tempted to release the Players and Administrators guide as they currently stand now, but I want to release all three core books in February. Of course they won't be perfect but they should be a major improvement on version 4.0. It's gotten to the point that I'm even dreaming about Star Frontiers because I've been putting so much effort into having this done on time, but I figure when the rulebooks are put out there I can catch my breath for a day or two before I start work on the other stuff that I've got on hold, while I finish the rules.
"Hey guys I wonder what this does"-Famous last words
"Hey guys, I think it's friendly." -Famous last words
"You go on ahead, I'll catch up." -Famous last words
"Did you here that?" -Famous last words

Deryn_Rys's picture
Deryn_Rys
January 17, 2011 - 4:27pm
Boy this is getting to look like a project diary rather than a forum. Hopefully that'll change when the core 4.5 rules are released and we can turn our attention to adding new material to the project and clarifying inconsistancies in the rules.

Anyway Over the weekend I started working on the Rule conversion for the core URS rule books (version 1.5) to bring them in line with what has been changed in version 4.5 of the Star Frontiers rules set. I made the corrections up to the skills in that book.

As for the Knight Hawks rules I have finished the combat section and am now adding new material to flesh out the inclusion of space travel and spaceships on a Star Frontiers campaign. I would say I'm about 40% of the way to finishing the Knight Hawks book. I estimate the book should come in at about 100 or so pages, but not more than 120.  
"Hey guys I wonder what this does"-Famous last words
"Hey guys, I think it's friendly." -Famous last words
"You go on ahead, I'll catch up." -Famous last words
"Did you here that?" -Famous last words

Deryn_Rys's picture
Deryn_Rys
January 20, 2011 - 5:52pm
I knew it would happen....The page count is now 111 and I'm about 50% finished with the conversion. I added some new spacecraft equipment, and had to create a lot of rules to cover things that were so simple in classic SF. I'm still trying my best to have this stuff done within the time I've set for myself. 
"Hey guys I wonder what this does"-Famous last words
"Hey guys, I think it's friendly." -Famous last words
"You go on ahead, I'll catch up." -Famous last words
"Did you here that?" -Famous last words

Anonymous's picture
w00t (not verified)
January 20, 2011 - 8:30pm
What size font and margins are you using?

Deryn_Rys's picture
Deryn_Rys
January 20, 2011 - 9:09pm
I usually use the default 1 inch margins (1.25 for left and right) and I use 9 as my default font size so I can squeeze as much text as possible in a small space, otherwise the size of the work would increase. I know that I should use at least 10 or 11 for the font size but I'm trying to keep the page count low. (And if you think 9 is small you should see my handwriting it's just as small as the font size I use).
"Hey guys I wonder what this does"-Famous last words
"Hey guys, I think it's friendly." -Famous last words
"You go on ahead, I'll catch up." -Famous last words
"Did you here that?" -Famous last words

Anonymous's picture
w00t (not verified)
January 21, 2011 - 10:17am
The Star Frontiersman uses Verdana 9, FrontierSpace uses Caliabri 9.


Deryn_Rys's picture
Deryn_Rys
January 21, 2011 - 4:13pm
A quick update, I've just finished the rules section for the core Knight Hawks book. I should be done updating the stats for the various spacecraft in that book by tonight and then I can proceed to the much smaller Administrator's section of the book. The book will probably hit 125 or so pages when all is said and done, and I should have it ready by my deadline.

I also updated the templates and forms for version 4.5 and should be deleting the old 4.0 forms and adding the new ones after this post.You will see that at the end of those forms is the template for Classic Star Frontiers creatures as posted by W00t. That's because when I create creatures for the SF URS rules I'm trying to also create them for Classic SF as well, and I'm hoping that if you guys do end up creating creatures for this system you'll make the conversions to classic stats as well  so we can always help make Star Frontiers in whatever version you choose to play great.
"Hey guys I wonder what this does"-Famous last words
"Hey guys, I think it's friendly." -Famous last words
"You go on ahead, I'll catch up." -Famous last words
"Did you here that?" -Famous last words

Deryn_Rys's picture
Deryn_Rys
January 22, 2011 - 11:26pm
Gotta love the weekends. Even though I had to do some real life stuff, I managed to put in some time  rewriting the core URS (Universal role Playing system) rules to match the Star Frontiers rules. I managed to update everything in that rules set up to the modern day PGS weapons which means I'm about half way done with a fully compatable Modern era core rules book based on the Star Frontiers (URS) rules.

As For Knight Hawks I would say by Monday I should have all the military ships upgraded to 4.5 specs and then its off to the Administrator's section which will probably just focus on Space Stations, and the Sathar Warmachine.

We're in the home stretch now! Smile
"Hey guys I wonder what this does"-Famous last words
"Hey guys, I think it's friendly." -Famous last words
"You go on ahead, I'll catch up." -Famous last words
"Did you here that?" -Famous last words

Deryn_Rys's picture
Deryn_Rys
January 25, 2011 - 10:35am
before I update this let me open the Argh department and say that in my haste I screwed up. I put out the forms document for 4.5, before I updated the Space Station section of the Knight Hawks rules and of course there are two small but significant mistakes in the Space Station forms...Maneuverability ratings and Defensive ratings. So I'll put up a document in the document section of this project with the corrected space station templates, and you guys who have downloaded those forms can just delete the Space station templates there and cut and paste the currect space station templates to the forms if you want.

Which leads me to the update. I'm keeping the administrator's guide to knight Hawks short and sweet. It will focus as I said on Space Station design, with a few samples and then I'll have a section detailing the most common Sathar ships classes that are such a pain in the butt for the spacefleet. I'm also thinking about adding a section that should have some templates for modifying the ships in the core book to reflect the various races (Dralasite, Humma, Ifsnit, Osakar, Vrusk, and Yazirian) races preference for weapons and such. I'm hoping that I can seal this book by the end of the week.
"Hey guys I wonder what this does"-Famous last words
"Hey guys, I think it's friendly." -Famous last words
"You go on ahead, I'll catch up." -Famous last words
"Did you here that?" -Famous last words

Deryn_Rys's picture
Deryn_Rys
January 27, 2011 - 12:01am
Another snow filled day has allowed me a good amount of time to work on the Knight Hawks book. I've managed to design about eight or so space stations ranging from small 6-10 men communication's relay stations to colossal Spacecraft construction stations. I think tommorow I'll tackle several military stations (outpost, and maybe two or three fortresses) and then I'll move on to Pirate ships and the Sathar battle fleet.

After that I guess I'll try to adapt the material detailing Spacefleet for the Administrator's section, and that should be it. The only thing I am surprised at is that this book is turning out to be bigger than I had thought. Its now at about 124 pages and that's without the stuff that's still pending. I will say however that it has been interesting to go through everything I'd written and to try to make it better. I sent a copy of the rules to one of my old gaming buddies who is in California right now and from his reaction I think this version is a big improvement over the last. Anyway things are moving forward which is good, so soon you guys will get to see what I've been prattling on about. I hope you guys will enjoy it.


"Hey guys I wonder what this does"-Famous last words
"Hey guys, I think it's friendly." -Famous last words
"You go on ahead, I'll catch up." -Famous last words
"Did you here that?" -Famous last words

Deryn_Rys's picture
Deryn_Rys
January 27, 2011 - 11:21pm
Things are looking really good today, I finished all the Space stations that are going into this book, and put in samples of 5 Pirate vessels, and two Sathar fighter craft. I've still got 6 Sathar ships left to write up, and then update the Info from Knight Hawks about Spacefleet and I can call Knighthawks a wrap. 

That doesn't mean that your suggestions for space Stations won't be used, They will just appear in one of the other Zebs guides. I know that there's still the expanded universe guidebook that hasn't been reworked, and that's the next one that I'll be working on but the important thing is the three main books are updated and for the most part ready for you guys to check out. (There's still one or two things I haven't finished in the core book, but its nothing that will affect the rules, just some equipment descriptions that were going into the appendix of the book).

Well the ship is being moved onto the launch pad, and it looks like things may be going off without a hitch....and then things will get interesting.
"Hey guys I wonder what this does"-Famous last words
"Hey guys, I think it's friendly." -Famous last words
"You go on ahead, I'll catch up." -Famous last words
"Did you here that?" -Famous last words