Post by omnipotentvoid on Apr 10, 2017 12:18:29 GMT
1. Intro (pseudo abstract):
Over the past couple of years, I have played quite a few games that implement vehicle construction (most notable CoaDE, From the Depths, KSP with BDArmory and Gmod with the ACF addon). One of the major problem in these games(/mods) is figuring out how effective or efficient a specific weapon is. There is no natural metric for either of these properties, nor is there any easy metric that gives any reasonable measurement of either. My goal is to create metrics for both properties that is both reasonably easy to use (read: make a spreadsheet where variables are plugged in and an answer pops out) and reasonable accurate (read: if one weapon is better than an other as per the metric, it will perform better in that category in most situations than the other weapon).
The distinction between efficiency and effectivity, in this case, is (essentially) that effectivity is per encounter/engagement and efficiency stretches multiple encounters/engagements. As an example: a coilgun that accelerates kg scale projectiles to ~75% of c at an energy efficiency of ~40%. This weapon is fairly effective: capable of destroying almost all opponents in a single hit, hard to dodge due to high projectile velocity, energy and mass efficient and near impossible to intercept. It is also extremely inefficient: the mass of the weapon means it requires immense amounts of fuel to move and retarget. It is also slow to target making it hard to switch between targets that approach from different directions. Etc.
These metrics must take into account properties that can be (and traditionally are) split into three categories:
2. The Categories/Properties
As discussed in the intro, the properties, these metrics must be derived from, can be split into three major categories as shown below. Properties derived from stated properties are not listed (will list them if enough people request it and the properties are subject to change):
2.1 Internal Ballistics
These are the properties of the weapon an projectile as the weapon is fired/targeted/moved.
2.3 Terminal Ballistics
These are the properties that determine what happens when the projectile hits (basically damage).
This is more or less as far as I've gotten. I have started on working out the interaction of the properties in the terminal ballistics part of the metric for effectivity and will post it as soon as I consider it presentable. I feel fairly confident in figuring out how these properties interact, but am currently at a loss as to how to express this in term of numbers. Any help is appreciated.
Over the past couple of years, I have played quite a few games that implement vehicle construction (most notable CoaDE, From the Depths, KSP with BDArmory and Gmod with the ACF addon). One of the major problem in these games(/mods) is figuring out how effective or efficient a specific weapon is. There is no natural metric for either of these properties, nor is there any easy metric that gives any reasonable measurement of either. My goal is to create metrics for both properties that is both reasonably easy to use (read: make a spreadsheet where variables are plugged in and an answer pops out) and reasonable accurate (read: if one weapon is better than an other as per the metric, it will perform better in that category in most situations than the other weapon).
The distinction between efficiency and effectivity, in this case, is (essentially) that effectivity is per encounter/engagement and efficiency stretches multiple encounters/engagements. As an example: a coilgun that accelerates kg scale projectiles to ~75% of c at an energy efficiency of ~40%. This weapon is fairly effective: capable of destroying almost all opponents in a single hit, hard to dodge due to high projectile velocity, energy and mass efficient and near impossible to intercept. It is also extremely inefficient: the mass of the weapon means it requires immense amounts of fuel to move and retarget. It is also slow to target making it hard to switch between targets that approach from different directions. Etc.
These metrics must take into account properties that can be (and traditionally are) split into three categories:
- Internal Ballistics
- External Ballistics
- Terminal Ballistics
Note: Ballistics as used here refers to the properties that the projectile has in explosively propelled projectile weapons and in the case of internal ballistic also some properties of the weapon. From here on I will use these to refer to both weapon an "projectile" (this includes laser beams and missiles) properties, simply because I have become used to using these terms.
2. The Categories/Properties
As discussed in the intro, the properties, these metrics must be derived from, can be split into three major categories as shown below. Properties derived from stated properties are not listed (will list them if enough people request it and the properties are subject to change):
2.1 Internal Ballistics
These are the properties of the weapon an projectile as the weapon is fired/targeted/moved.
- weapon mass
- weapon dimensions
- static power use
- active power use
- energy used to fire projectile
- projectile mass
- projectile dimensions
- exit velocity
- projectile impulse
- projectile energy
- effectivity/efficiency metric of warhead(/shrapnel)
- waste heat produced
- fire rate
note: a warhead is counted as its own weapon and its efficiency/effectivity effect the metric of the weapon that uses it. The same is true for shrapnel created by explosives: the count as "weapons fired by the warhead".
2.2 External Ballistics
These are the properties of the projectile and weapon that describe targeting/accuracy and flight of the projectile.
- Velocity over time
- Dv
- thrust
- rotational ability
- weapon dispersion
- projectile/energy dispersion (laser, radiation(nukes) and multi projectile weapons such as shotguns/frag warheads)
2.3 Terminal Ballistics
These are the properties that determine what happens when the projectile hits (basically damage).
- projectile dimensions
- distribution of energy across target
- projectile mass
- projectile energy
- projectile impulse
- projectile velocity
- impact energy conversion ratios
This is more or less as far as I've gotten. I have started on working out the interaction of the properties in the terminal ballistics part of the metric for effectivity and will post it as soon as I consider it presentable. I feel fairly confident in figuring out how these properties interact, but am currently at a loss as to how to express this in term of numbers. Any help is appreciated.