Feedback & forwards.

Well, I'll admit I'm a little surprised.


I've been working primarily on two things  since B5 - Data transfer and refining the circuits.

The good news, is that refining the circuits has enabled me to get rid of the external AND gate and be able to use the internal modulation module of the PIC chip that is the core of the Picaxe to modulate the Carrier, Hit and Data signal internally and output it on a single Pin.

That's lead to being able to get the circuit size down to about 60x30mm on veroboard(assuming no outside ampliphier which may be needed with the variant audio modules that I've got coming to try) which is a nice size. Similarly, the sensor circuit is about the same size - couple of mm larger overall.
Also with a rough 25% increase in output power... which is nice - Any more needs the emitter changing as it's at the limit of what it can handle now .

It also means the PPG's will be easier to make as it'll all fit in there...

Not quite as bad as this anymore

Data transfer wise - that is, adding in this case a portion of serial data after teh hit signal to enable information to be transmitted is working now.

It's kinda like this... But not quite

So a shot will be able to be a Stun or armour piercing or lingering effects, or used as a healing box and, well.. the sky's the limit (Well... Memory limitations of the current chip aside :) )

One of the contentious points has been the capability for multiple damage - where a single shot can cause say 2-3 points of damage.

It has both it's upsides and downsides and could be debated until the cows have not only come home, but had a kip and gone back out to work

Now personally, I know that Starlore is not planning on using any multiple damage in the games we run. But at the same time, as this is also intended to be a system anyone can use there was evidently a decision to be made.

So I setup a Poll online to get as many opinions as could be bothered to answer it :)

Interestingly, and rather to my surprise, the majority came out in favour of adding multiple damage effects. (Though the few that said add multiple damage but keep it all closed source.... Nah, not doing that.....)

At the same time, there was a lot of good opinions via PM against it.

Kinda inconclusive. so, I've made a Decision (tm)


There will be a multiple damage option, but as a branch from the baseline system which will stay at single point. That way it covers both camps for maximum appeal.

Arcturus Baseline - Will be the core system with no multiple damage

Arcturus Beta - Will be the first branch of the code and will include multiple damage

The good news that covers some worries that were highlighted is that" if a baseline sensor is shot by a "Beta" emitter then the sensor will ignore the multiple hit - Both will, in fact, ignore anything in the signal that is outside what they are coded to accept.

I'm also considering, as part of a Ref box of including the option to switch off the multiple damage part of a Beta sensor until reset by a Ref box - that way, if someone takes "Beta" kit to a game that uses "Baseline" kit, they can get the multiple damage part of the sensor turned off so that they don't run the risk of doing multiple damage to themseves if the IR reflects of someting as I don't see the emitter circuits being changeable, so a  multiple damage emitter circuit will always output the multiple damage. Whether it's acted on or ognored will be down to the sensor.

So, that way it should jeep it as straightforward as possible, but also (hopefully) ensuring the maximum appeal to as many as possible for different games.

TTFN
Ady.