Range on bikes Options

[Snow_Fox]

Since SR for many people has moved out of Seattle the element of gas/fuel for vehicles becomes more of an issue. I mean when limited to the metroplexs like seattle or Denver you don't have to worry about fuel too much, but if, for example you're running between Philly and NYC or across central France down to cote d'azure or racing a ferry from the UK around the north sea coast to Oslo (cookie if you know what I mean by that) Suddenly fuel becomes an issue.

I mean I just, like tonight, traded in my Honda Shadow for a HD 1200C. Looking at tank size and milage the Honda when new could do 120 miles. The HD has a range of about 200 miles. When I number crunched bikes I found that 200 seems to be the longest range for a bike. After that point the bigger bikes get heavier decreasing milage. what this translates to and what I was thinknig of in game terms. If I were on a run from North of Philly to Nroth of NYC I might be able to squeak it out on a tank but I'd need fuel as soon as I arrived on the Honda. By comparrison the HD would not need to stop. I would need to refuel before returning but i could get onto the target and still move. So how often does that sort of logistic enter into your games?

[Yerameyahu]

SunCell.

But aren't all operating ranges in SR4 extremely vague at best? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

[Snow_Fox]

They were because the game was tied to Seattle where running out of gas really wasn't an issue, you find a gas station and pull over. My point is that 4th ed has broken out of that mold-though we still use Seattle, and it is possible people are playing in other areas and in that, fuel logistics should start to work into it.

[KarmaInferno]

Vehicle ranges are 6 hours of continuous operation time per "tank", unless specified otherwise.

Arsenal page 103




-k

[Snow_Fox]

My bike has a range of 200 miles on a full tank. My VW has a range of 400+ miles on a full tank.

[KarmaInferno]

Yeah, SR vehicle ranges are kinda anemic.



-k

[CanRay]

Lack of hard and fast rules with a heavy suggestion and provision for allowing homebrew. By RAW, it SUGGESTS six hours per tank.

[Daishi]

Yeah, SR vehicle ranges are kinda anemic.

I never got that impression. Six hours of operation time at full speed will get you pretty far with most vehicles. A Harley-Davidson Scorpion will get over 800 km at that rate.

[Yerameyahu]

Assuming you have the opportunity to run at max speed the entire time.

The one-size-fits-all suggestion is not quite worse than no rules at all, but almost. This is worse considering the existence of mods specifically affecting this nonexistent game mechanic.

[Medicineman]

So how often does that sort of logistic enter into your games?

Never ever
I guess it would be considered "Hartwurst" at my tables. Gasoline is paid for by Lifestyle (none of our Chars has Street or Squatter Lifestile so we can afford it) and Range was never an Issue

Hough !
Medicinemane

[Mayhem_2006]

Its a glaring lack, but its utterly trivial compared to the lack of useful information about passenger capacity, load capacity and max weight carried :/

Vehicles really could use a redo from start.

[Pendaric]

Still on SR3 and though rare, there has been times where a refuel has not only been necessary but vital to the plot.

[Modular Man]

I thought those vehicle rules were meant to be fast and loose. There are modifications as well that don't always make sense because they do not cover every obstacle. That's fine by me, I like a system that is a little undefined around the edges much better than something that is fleshed out on every detail.
So, should it become an issue, make something up for yourselves. If a GM thinks that the PCs' travel habits overtax their gasoline meters, tell them beforehand and everybody should be fine.
See, I'd also rather envision large Trucks to operate for more than a mere six hours. But on the other hand, I didn't really miss specifics on passenger numbers when I didn't have them.

[Mardrax]

Suncell, which has been mentioned. Gridlink will get you quite a long way along the civilised routes.
Now this'll get more ugly when taking that Thundercloud through a tour of the Amazonian jungle.
Or when your nuclear submarine runs out of nukejuice 6 hours out of the coast. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)

[Ascalaphus]

Yeah, especially air and seacraft with only 6 hours operation time is awkward, if you're in the middle of the Pacific.

Take it with a grain of salt, salt does wonders for operational range (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[hobgoblin]

heh. If one want to be crazy, there is always the SR2/3 rigger books and their otempo rules (bordering on the "sanity" that is delta-v in transhuman space)...

Btw, i do not think SR have been Seattle-focused for at least a couple of editions now. But it is still urban-focused, in that one is largely swapping one city for another. As such, access to fuel/recharge should be a lesser issue.

And i think the 6 hour rule in Arsenal was mostly for airborne drones and vehicles that need to stay in an area for a while (like say a on station air support for the rent-a-cops).

[HunterHerne]

Honestly, never had this problem. Generally when my players go on a roadtrip, they decide they will "stop to refuel" when they can. Makes it easy on me, since I don't need to plan to let them run out, and it lets me plan little traps if they are on the run.

[Snow_Fox]

The cost of gas is covered in the lifestyle but not the dstops. The only reason hunterherne I'd be careful is let them tell you they're stopping other wise an encounter 'when you stop for gas' could look a little set up.

To use the drive from Philly to NY as the example, with vehicales limited to the post speed limit (65mph), if you just use the 6 hour rule-which we'll say for the sake of example doens't just apply to drones-both vehicles can go up and back, it's about 2 1/2 hour drive. With my VW i can drive up, visit my inlaws and drive back on one tank.
On the HD I can get up there and putter aronud but would need to refuel before heading home.
With the Honda I'd better refuel on the way up just in case and will need to refuel on the way home.
This is all stuff that should be taken into account for a run.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Yeah, SR vehicle ranges are kinda anemic.



-k

EDIT: Never mind, several people had the same data as I did.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

I thought those vehicle rules were meant to be fast and loose. There are modifications as well that don't always make sense because they do not cover every obstacle. That's fine by me, I like a system that is a little undefined around the edges much better than something that is fleshed out on every detail.
So, should it become an issue, make something up for yourselves. If a GM thinks that the PCs' travel habits overtax their gasoline meters, tell them beforehand and everybody should be fine.
See, I'd also rather envision large Trucks to operate for more than a mere six hours. But on the other hand, I didn't really miss specifics on passenger numbers when I didn't have them.

Extra Fuel Tanks and Hey Presto, an additional 6 hours per tank.

[CanRay]

Extra Fuel Tanks and Improved Economy.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Extra Fuel Tanks and Improved Economy.

Even Better... And if you Add Suncell in to the mix, you are golden...

[CanRay]

"So, how long can this blimp operate?" "I don't know, how long is Sol good for emitting heat?"

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

"So, how long can this blimp operate?" "I don't know, how long is Sol good for emitting heat?"

Indeed... Blimps are the ultimate in Fuel Conservation.

[Paul]

We haven't had a game or a campaign where resource management has been an issue for a little while. We've played a few-and they can be frustrating and fun all at once. On average though resource management isn't an issue.