Proposal to create a concensus for publication to be presented to ADB for the official consistent nomenclature of abbreviations for weapons or other systems installed in Option Mounts (Orion, WYN, HDWs).

By Gary Bear (Gunner) on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 05:10 pm: Edit

SFB Option Mount Abbreviation Nomenclature

Abbreviation	Option
1	Phaser-1
2	Phaser-2
3	Phaser-3
4	Phaser-4
5
6	Phaser-G
7	Ion Cannon
8	Ion Pulse Generator
9	Warp-Targeted Laser
A	ADD
B	Barracks
C	Particle Cannon
D	Disruptor
E	ESG
F	Plasma-F
G	Plasma-G
H	Atomic Missile
I	(Do not use. Confuse with One)
J	Fighter Ready Rack
K	Mech-Link Tractor
L	Plasma-L
M	Plasma-M
N	Nova Cannon
O	(Do not use. Confuse with Zero)
P	Photon Torpedo
Q	Quantum Cannon
R	Repair
S	Plasma-S
T	Tractor Beam
U	Probe
V	Prospecting Cannon
W	Web Caster
X	Battery
Y	APR
Z	AWR
a	Drone Rack-A
b	Drone Rack-B
c	Drone Rack-C
d	Plasma-D Rack
e	Drone Rack-E
f	Fusion Beam
g	Drone-G
h	Hellbore
i	(Do not use. Confuse with One)
j	Shuttle
k	Cargo
l	(Do not use. Confuse with One)
m	Mine Rack
n	Heel Nipper
o	(Do not use. Confuse with Zero)
p	PPD
q	Quantum Wave Torpedo
r	Death Bolt Rack
s	Special Sensor
t	Transporter
u	Lab
v	Shield Cracker
w	Web Breaker
x	Hull
y	AuxCon
z	Flag Bridge

Assumption: X-Ships will be carrying X-version of the Phaser and Drone type designated.

By Gary Bear (Gunner) on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 05:11 pm: Edit

I tried to make things hit on TORPEDO as Upper Case and things hit on DRONE as lower case letters.

Kept everything to 1 letter.

By Andy Vancil (Andy) on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 05:28 pm: Edit

A few comments:

- There is already a defacto standard for naming option mounts used in tournament battles. Your standard conflicts with it in several cases.

- Your list includes a number of items that are almost never seen in option mounts, as well as a few that are classified as "simulator only". However, your list does not include all the simulator options. Either the list should be limited to the non-simulator Alpha Quadrant options, or it should include all the simulator options.

- Your list does not include Omegan, Magellanic or simulator race options. I realize that this would add a large number of additional options. However, as a practical matter, it would be much more likely to see an Orion with, say, an Energy Howitzer than a hull or a transporter.

- Your list does not differentiate between disruptors of different ranges, ADDs of different sizes, or plasma torpedoes with or without swivels.

All in all, I doubt you could make a useful single-letter system that worked beyond the tournament option mount set.

By Gary Bear (Gunner) on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 05:48 pm: Edit

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There is already a defacto standard for naming option mounts used in tournament battles. Your standard conflicts with it in several cases.

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Quote:

Your list includes a number of items that are almost never seen in option mounts, as well as a few that are classified as "simulator only". However, your list does not include all the simulator options. Either the list should be limited to the non-simulator Alpha Quadrant options, or it should include all the simulator options.

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Quote:

Your list does not include Omegan, Magellanic or simulator race options. I realize that this would add a large number of additional options. However, as a practical matter, it would be much more likely to see an Orion with, say, an Energy Howitzer than a hull or a transporter.

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Quote:

Your list does not differentiate between disruptors of different ranges, ADDs of different sizes, or plasma torpedoes with or without swivels.

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All in all, I doubt you could make a useful single-letter system that worked beyond the tournament option mount set.

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By Ken Kazinski (Kjkazinski) on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 06:38 pm: Edit

Is this just for tournaments?

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 06:49 pm: Edit

Could you use symbols such as ~ @ # etc?

By Gary Bear (Gunner) on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 07:00 pm: Edit

I'd like to see it equally applied to tournament and non-tournament play.

Obviously, tournament play (with Orions and WYN) is more common but non-tournament play is where you get some of the odder choices, especially if you're playing a campaign.

I suppose you could use the symbols. What would you suggest them for?

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 09:06 pm: Edit

I'm sorry but I don't understand why two characters won't work. Is it because of SFBOL or something?

By Gary Bear (Gunner) on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 09:38 pm: Edit

Two characters is longer to write and then you need a seperator to know which characters go together. Or everything becomes 2 characters in which case it's much longer to write.

It's an option if it's needed. What do you see that warrants it?

By Andy Vancil (Andy) on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 10:35 pm: Edit

Gary,

The following items are included in your chart, but not available to the Orions, even in the simulator:
Phaser-4
Heel nipper
Death Bolt Rack
(although why these weapons would not be available in the simulator is beyond me)

The following item is listed in your chart, but is simulator only:
Web Caster

The following simulator items are not in the chart:
All weapons from C4
All Alpha Quadrant simulator-only weapons except web caster

The following items in the chart are X-ships only:
plasma-L
plasma-M

The following items X-ship items are not in the chart:
Drone Rack Gx
Drone Rack Cx

So there are some inconsistencies.

By Andy Vancil (Andy) on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 10:56 pm: Edit

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Agreed, but there isn't an agreed-upon and consistent standard. And it's not published anywhere for people to use to be consistent. So I see the same letter being used for different things.

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By Gary Bear (Gunner) on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 10:56 pm: Edit

I only put Ph-4 on the list to hold the "4" spot. I'll just block it out.

I missed that while HEEL NIPPER and DEATH BOLT are on the ANNEX #8B list, they are "N/A". I'll take them off.

Web Caster, Shield Breaker/Web Breaker and Particle Cannon are used if you're playing "Home Galaxy Pirates" (R15.Z2) per the "T" note.

What are the C4 weapons? I don't have that.

I mostly stayed away from simulator weapons. More because I knew there were only so many letters.

Plasma-L and -M could be used on X-Ships with Option Mounts. I don't see the problem with that.

The assumption, as stated at the bottom of the list, is that an X-Ship that took a DRONE-G or DRONE-C would have the X-version. (Same for Phasers.)

By Andy Vancil (Andy) on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 10:59 pm: Edit

Module G2 has all the simulator use option mounts listed under annex #8B.

By Gary Bear (Gunner) on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 11:01 pm: Edit

That's why I'm proposing this, because it isn't written down anywhere.

The short list you show works well for Tournament Play but doesn't work outside that.

Additionally, it's internally inconsistant. A Plasma-F is little "f" but a Plasma-G is an upper-case "G". The grouping isn't right.

By Gary Bear (Gunner) on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 11:06 pm: Edit

SFB Option Mount Naming Nomenclature

Abbreviation	Option
1	Phaser-1
2	Phaser-2
3	Phaser-3
4	(Do not use. Confuse with Phaser-4.)
5
6	Phaser-G
7	Ion Cannon
8	Ion Pulse Generator
9	Warp-Targeted Laser
A	ADD
B	Barracks
C	Particle Cannon
D	Disruptor
E	ESG
F	Plasma-F
G	Plasma-G
H	Atomic Missile
I	(Do not use. Confuse with One)
J	Fighter Ready Rack
K	Mech-Link Tractor
L	Plasma-L
M	Plasma-M
N	Nova Cannon
O	(Do not use. Confuse with Zero)
P	Photon Torpedo
Q	Quantum Cannon
R	Repair
S	Plasma-S
T	Tractor Beam
U	Probe
V	Web Generator
W	Web Caster
X	Battery
Y	APR
Z	AWR
a	Drone Rack-A
b	Drone Rack-B
c	Drone Rack-C
d	Plasma-D Rack
e	Drone Rack-E
f	Fusion Beam
g	Drone Rack-G
h	Hellbore
i	(Do not use. Confuse with One)
j	Shuttle
k	Cargo
l	(Do not use. Confuse with One)
m	Mine Rack
n
o	(Do not use. Confuse with Zero)
p	PPD
q	Quantum Wave Torpedo
r	Prospecting Cannon
s	Special Sensor
t	Transporter
u	Lab
v	Shield Cracker
w	Web Breaker
x	Hull
y	AuxCon
z	Flag Bridge

Assumption: X-Ships will be carrying X-version of the Phaser and Drone type designated.

By Brian Evans (Romwe) on Sunday, February 11, 2007 - 10:12 am: Edit

Andy, most people I've seen use a "F" for plasma F, and "f" for fusion. I believe that is the "standard" that the SFBOL client uses. I've also seen some people use the the opposite. Which is why I think it's a great idea to make an official nomenclature to avoid the confusion.

By Gary Bear (Gunner) on Sunday, February 11, 2007 - 10:25 am: Edit

The general rule I tried to follow with my list:

Weapons hit on TORPEDO are Upper Case (notable exception, ESG and ADD).

Weapons hit on DRONE are lower case (notable exception, Fusion Beam).

Other tricks:
Phasers are numbers, with the Gatling being the G-like "6".
Fighters are the big "J" and Admins are the little "j", just like the rule section.
Mech-Linked Tractors are "K", just like the rule section.
Special Sensor is "s" (because they're good against Drones, which is lower case). (OK, I'm reaching here on the association.)

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 09:11 am: Edit

I don't get it...Why do we need these abbreviations? I'm not trying to be a smart_ss. I just truely don't see a reason why.

By Gary Bear (Gunner) on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 10:25 am: Edit

If you are asking what the abbreviations are used for?

Option Mounts.

Like an Orion Battle Raider being written as BR(PP6bb) means it has 2 Photons, a Phaser-G, and 2 Drone-B racks.


If you are asking why we need to have a list of the abbreviations?

Because there has never been a published list for them. So, not having a reference, people use whatever letter makes sense to them, but may not be the same letter other people have chosen.

Additionally, new players keep asking me, "Where's the list of what all those letters mean so I can tell what weapons that Orion has?"

By Michael Powers (Mtpowers) on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 05:14 pm: Edit

Barton: It's a tournament thing. There's a lot of shorthand that's sprung up around tournament play.

By Gary Bear (Gunner) on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 05:18 pm: Edit

Not just tournament. Orions use it all the time.

By Gary Bear (Gunner) on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 09:38 pm: Edit

SFB Option Mount Naming Nomenclature

Abbreviation	Option
1	Phaser-1
2	Phaser-2
3	Phaser-3
4	(Do not use. Confuse with Phaser-4.)
5
6	Phaser-G
7	Ion Cannon
8	Ion Pulse Generator
9	Warp-Targeted Laser
A	ADD
B	Barracks
C	Particle Cannon
D	Disruptor
E	ESG
F	Plasma-F
G	Plasma-G
H
I	(Do not use. Confuse with One)
J	Fighter Ready Rack
K	Mech-Link Tractor
L	Plasma-L
M	Plasma-M
N	Nova Cannon
O	(Do not use. Confuse with Zero)
P	Photon Torpedo
Q	Quantum Cannon
R	Prospecting Cannon
S	Plasma-S
T	Tractor Beam
U	Probe
V	Web Generator
W	Web Caster
X	Battery
Y	APR
Z	AWR
a	Drone Rack-A
b	Drone Rack-B
c	Drone Rack-C
d	Plasma-D Rack
e	Drone Rack-E
f	Fusion Beam
g	Drone Rack-G
h	Hellbore
i	(Do not use. Confuse with One)
j	Shuttle
k	Cargo
l	(Do not use. Confuse with One)
m	Mine Rack
n	Atomic Missile
o	(Do not use. Confuse with Zero)
p	PPD
q	Quantum Wave Torpedo
r	Repair
s	Special Sensor
t	Transporter
u	Lab
v	Shield Cracker
w	Web Breaker
x	Hull
y	AuxCon
z	Flag Bridge

Assumption: X-Ships will be carrying X-version of the Phaser and Drone type designated.

Tricks to help remember these:
Weapons hit on TORPEDO are Upper Case (notable exception, ESG and ADD).
Weapons hit on DRONE are lower case (notable exception, Fusion Beam).
Phasers are numbers, with the Gatling Phaser being the G-like "6".
Fighters are the big "J" and Admins are the little "j", just like the rule section for shuttles.
Mech-Linked Tractors are "K", just like the rule section for PFs.
Special Sensors are "s" (because they're good against Drones, which is lower case). (OK, I'm reaching here on that association.)

By Gary Bear (Gunner) on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 09:39 pm: Edit

Tweaked it a bit. Moved some weapons hit on TORPEDO up to an Upper Case letter (Like switch the Rs).

By Barton Pyle (Bart) on Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 05:05 pm: Edit

Ok, I get it now. I've always just wrote out the whole name for what weapon I had in each option. I personally don't see a need. But I don't play tourneys either.