Creating Starships

[sagajr]

Does anyone know of ways to create a character that comes with his own star ship or aircraft, however humble? Are there any O.C.C.'s that start out with a ridiculous number of starting credits or are capable of building a vehicle on the cheap, etc...?

Where are the best Palladium rules for vehicle design and construction? Are there any?

I'd like to be able to construct a mid-sized ship capable of transporting 6-8 people, crew included, and a bit of cargo. Light arms and armaments would be nice as well. I'm hoping to be able to create a small and mobile base of operations for our characters, but I'd like to be able to do it as close to the book as I can without the GM just giving it to us.

Greetings!

Check this topic for starships:
http://palladium-megaverse.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=66139

For the vehicle desing rules... while its not canonical rules, you can find a vehicle desing rule set in The Rifter 50 and 51 (or 52) created for Rifts Earth vehicles (IIRC).
For starships, you can use the Galactic Tracer ship creation rules from the Rifter 47 (very limited and basic, not as detailed as the vehicle design rules mentioned above), or you can find a fan made starship design rule set (its long and detailed) in the above linked topic (on page 54, near the bottom of the page) if you want to create you own ship.

[ShadowLogan]

Spaceship construction:
Rifts Manhunter
Rifts Mutants in Orbit (these are more of a intra-stellar craft than inter-steller)
(IINM) Heroes Unlimited has one (forget the specific title, it deals with space)

Vehicle Construction:
Robot R.C.C in Rifts Source Book 1 (original or revised), with a bit of flexibility with the creation rules (the AI falls under a heading mentioned, but not described)
Heroes Unlimited (Vehicle and Robot creation rules, in fact the Robot rules appear to be adapted to SB1, some conversion for MDC universes would need to be done)
Ninja's and Superspies (Vehicle table, basically the same in HU)

Rifts Operator or Technowizard would probably be the best way to start out with a vehicle.

[The Beast]

Spaceship construction:
Rifts Manhunter
Rifts Mutants in Orbit (these are more of a intra-stellar craft than inter-steller)
(IINM) Heroes Unlimited has one (forget the specific title, it deals with space)...

Aliens Unlimited: Galaxy Guide is the one you're thinking of, and is really the only book with rules for building a spaceship. The other two above just scratch the surface.

[DhAkael]

Spaceship construction:
Rifts Manhunter
Rifts Mutants in Orbit (these are more of a intra-stellar craft than inter-steller)
(IINM) Heroes Unlimited has one (forget the specific title, it deals with space)...

Aliens Unlimited: Galaxy Guide is the one you're thinking of, and is really the only book with rules for building a spaceship. The other two above just scratch the surface.

Fleets of the 3 galaxies also has "Guidelines" ( ) on limitations for spacecraft.
There's also a Rifter article a number of issues back that has a quick & nasty point-build system for Galactic Tracers / Bounty hunter small-ships.

As per usual there are multiple sources with somewhat contradictory info and mutually exclusive rules-sets, BUT... anyone with a half-way decent GM who's willing to work with the player(s) to kit-bash their own space-capable ride, should be able to work out something playable.

[Nightmask]

Spaceship construction:
Rifts Manhunter
Rifts Mutants in Orbit (these are more of a intra-stellar craft than inter-steller)
(IINM) Heroes Unlimited has one (forget the specific title, it deals with space)...

Aliens Unlimited: Galaxy Guide is the one you're thinking of, and is really the only book with rules for building a spaceship. The other two above just scratch the surface.

Although it does need some addition of building costs to cover things like recycling/life-support systems. Currently it only covers oxygen needs and nothing regarding dealing with water and other waste recycling, which so far as I know Mutants In Orbit is the only spot to even briefly cover that.

[drewkitty ~..~]

I go with the AU:GG set of rules because it makes you 'budget' your costs, as if you are paying to get the ship built.

The 3G tables for making ships are more possible options with thought about what they cost.

So you have two sets of rules to put together ships. One more real world, and the other more munchkinish.
---------
The rules in MiO is greatly abbreviated form (or say precursor form) of the AU:GG text.

The MH text is a bit better then the MiO but looks more like the 3G text in that its hull, Engine, and weapons, and not much else.

[MaxxSterling]

Galaxy Guide, but if you have access to all the books, I'd suggest smooshing them all together, if you have a cool GM and don't mind doing a bit of reading and writing, you should be able to do something.

HOWEVER. I'd actually suggest that you write an entire sourcebook on ship construction and offer it up to K.S. at a discounted rate. Then we could all have ship creation rules!

[Shark_Force]

perhaps i've misunderstood, but the way i read the question he's asking for a character that starts with a spaceship or aircraft, not a way to design a spaceship or aircraft for a character...

[dragonfett]

You somewhat misread what he wants. He does want to know if any characters start with that, but he also wants to know if there are any characters that start with the ability and resources to make one as well.

The closest you are really going to come to any character starting with their own spaceship/aircraft or the ability to make one (to the best of my knowledge at least) are the Operator and the Techno-Wizard.

[The Beast]

Does the Spacer OCC start with one?

[DhAkael]

Does the Spacer OCC start with one?

NOT always...
Depends on GM / campaign.

[drewkitty ~..~]

a char that comes with a spaceship......

A Hardware Char in HU can start with a ship. However, they have to be in the expanded setting of the Galaxy, not on earth.

[dragonfett]

You somewhat misread what he wants. He does want to know if any characters start with that, but he also wants to know if there are any characters that start with the ability and resources to make one as well.

The closest you are really going to come to any character starting with their own spaceship/aircraft or the ability to make one (to the best of my knowledge at least) are the Operator and the Techno-Wizard.

I meant to say on Rifts Earth.

[MaxxSterling]

Oh, lots of characters can start with ships. Check the phase world main book...

[Blue_Lion]

There are no space ships on rifts earth. You can not got to space from rifts earth. There are OCC that are pilots and some that say choice of vehicle.
(Other than the ones in SA)

[DhAkael]

There are no space ships on rifts earth. You can not got to space from rifts earth. There are OCC that are pilots and some that say choice of vehicle.
(Other than the ones in SA)

Canonicaly.
HOWever if people just ignore that blanket meta-plot (or come up with a REALLY good reason how they managed to get space borne; like say what is described in M.I.O.), then YES, they can go space-flying
Oh wait...did i mention M.I.O.? Yes?
Then yes, Canonicaly. it is possible.
...but DAMNED unlikely.

[dragonfett]

Even with out going to Mutants In Orbit, there is a way for characters to get into space. In the Mercenaries book, Naruni sells the Crescent Moon Delta Wing Spaceplane, where, in the very first line, it states that it is capable of flying and fighting in space. (Mercenaries p. 139)

[Nightmask]

Even with out going to Mutants In Orbit, there is a way for characters to get into space. In the Mercenaries book, Naruni sells the Crescent Moon Delta Wing Spaceplane, where, in the very first line, it states that it is capable of flying and fighting in space. (Mercenaries p. 139)

It then goes on to say it is so maneuverable that it could theoretically get through the containment zone and reach the space community, but you'd need a really good pilot.

[Blue_Lion]

Star ship is large with a crew of several peple, and travel faster than light. That space plane may count as a spaceship but you will not get far in space with it.

[Nightmask]

Star ship is large with a crew of several peple, and travel faster than light. That space plane may count as a spaceship but you will not get far in space with it.

Star ships don't have FTL travel as a requirement to be a star ship, and there's no reason to think it wouldn't get you far in the Earth solar system. While we don't know much about its life support capabilities it can certainly get you around, and with some minor magic to stretch things you could easily travel anywhere in the solar system if patient enough.

[Shark_Force]

You somewhat misread what he wants. He does want to know if any characters start with that, but he also wants to know if there are any characters that start with the ability and resources to make one as well.

The closest you are really going to come to any character starting with their own spaceship/aircraft or the ability to make one (to the best of my knowledge at least) are the Operator and the Techno-Wizard.

well, yeah, but point being, he's not looking for rules on how to design a spaceship. he's asking for a way to start off with one, one way or another. all the stuff about "oh, there's rules for designing ships in <book>" are nice and all, but ultimately, are not the answer to the original question, was my point

[Nightmask]

You somewhat misread what he wants. He does want to know if any characters start with that, but he also wants to know if there are any characters that start with the ability and resources to make one as well.

The closest you are really going to come to any character starting with their own spaceship/aircraft or the ability to make one (to the best of my knowledge at least) are the Operator and the Techno-Wizard.

well, yeah, but point being, he's not looking for rules on how to design a spaceship. he's asking for a way to start off with one, one way or another. all the stuff about "oh, there's rules for designing ships in <book>" are nice and all, but ultimately, are not the answer to the original question, was my point

Looking it over he apparently wants something large enough to transport a group of people (i.e. a PC group) plus some cargo but favors air travel over ground travel, preferring it to be something built or purchased by the group. Although I think he misses the small point that if he favors the GM not just handing them something then looking for a PC that is given an aircraft kind of defeats the purpose since the PC is simply given a craft as part of starting gear.

Unless you have some PC in the group with ridiculously expensive starting gear to sell off to fund it I doubt your average PC group would start with sufficient resources to pool to construct a vehicle in the size range he's talking (and not many become Glitter Boy Pilots just to sell the GB off for the credits). There's also nothing wrong with the GM just deciding the group gets to start with a transport, odds are it won't last that long before they're left having to build or buy a replacement anyway.

[ShadowLogan]

You somewhat misread what he wants. He does want to know if any characters start with that, but he also wants to know if there are any characters that start with the ability and resources to make one as well.

The closest you are really going to come to any character starting with their own spaceship/aircraft or the ability to make one (to the best of my knowledge at least) are the Operator and the Techno-Wizard.

Don't forget the Robot R.C.C in Source Book 1. In which case the character is the ship/vehicle. With a bit of work (and GM approval) they could give the ship an avatar (like in "Andromeda", or the current 3D Green Lantern 'toon on CN) by decking out a remote probe.

[Lt Gargoyle]

Thank you all for the info and point outs. To clarify, I was looking for a way to have a character start off with a ship by the rules of the O.C.C. Rather the the GM just deciding we could have one. It would be nice if I could design it, as the Player or Character. I'd prefer it to be Rifts legal, but Palladium-crossover legal would work as well. What would you recommend in that case?

It does not matter if an OCC say the PC starts out with one or not if the GM doesn't want the player to possess it. Your gonna need your GMs approval, a ship of any kind can throw a GMs campaign right off track.

[drewkitty ~..~]

Star ship is large with a crew of several people, and travel faster than light. That space plane may count as a spaceship but you will not get far in space with it.

Star ships don't have FTL travel as a requirement to be a star ship, and there's no reason to think it wouldn't get you far in the Earth solar system. While we don't know much about its life support capabilities it can certainly get you around, and with some minor magic to stretch things you could easily travel anywhere in the solar system if patient enough.

Just defining terms.
Starships need to have the capability to travel, with their crew still intact, to another star system.

Those ships that do not have such capability are just spaceships.

[Armorlord]

Spacer, Runner, and Galactic Tracer all could start with a ship, if memory serves. I believe there were a few others besides those.
A generous GM may allow for stretching the 'starting vehicle' from other classes as well.

[MADMANMIKE]

Thank you all for the info and point outs. To clarify, I was looking for a way to have a character start off with a ship by the rules of the O.C.C. Rather the the GM just deciding we could have one. It would be nice if I could design it, as the Player or Character. I'd prefer it to be Rifts legal, but Palladium-crossover legal would work as well. What would you recommend in that case?

Strictly speaking, there is no "RIFTS Legal" character class that can have a spaceship, as RIFTS is not a space setting. Phase World is a separate setting (other dimensions, hence the dimension books) that uses RIFTS rules and character classes, as well as it's own space oriented classes. In Phase World, as mentioned above, there are several space classes that can start with a ship. Also in Phase World, there is already a ship designed to be for adventure groups, the Proctor Class Long Range Interceptor, an over-sized fighter; I've created deck plans for it by the description in the book HERE; in the description at that link, the interior over-view is at the 09 link.

If Palladium-Crossover is allowed, I recommend the Aliens Unlimited Galaxy Guide; before Coffin obliterated them in editing, the ship creation rules were excellent; now they're just serviceable. In that book The Barbarian Class Interceptor was designed as the adventure group ship, but I don't think the book stats reflect that anymore; I'd have to dig for my notes from the conversation I had with Wayne Breaux about the inconsistancies... If you go this route however, I'd suggest capping Factors to 100 and dividing by 10 to get LYPH (Light Years Per Hour); so Factor 10 = 1 LYPH, and Factor 100 = 10 LYPH.