Table of Contents * [1] Introduction * [2] Features and Benefits * [3] Resources * [4] General technical questions * [5] Technical questions with the initial release * [6] Technical questions with Update 1 * [7] Technical questions with Update 2 SECTION [1]: Basic Questions ============================== [1.1] What is GURPS Vehicle Builder (GVB)? GURPS Vehicle Builder is a program from Steve Jackson Games Incorporated written by Thomas L Bont that runs under Microsoft Windows and assists in creating vehicles under the GURPS Vehicles rules. The GVB homepage is at http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/vehiclebuilder/ ============================== [1.2] What are the System Requirements for Vehicle Builder? Vehicle Builder will run on any computer that runs any version of Microsoft Window 95 or later. ============================== [1.2] Who's responsible for this document? Steve Jackson Games has people assigned to keeping this FAQ up to date. See the Vehicle Builder page ( http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/vehiclebuilder/ ) for contacting SJGames or the authors about questions you may have. Much of the original version of this FAQ was written by Henry J. Cobb. The current version has been updated by Thomas Jones-Low, with questions posted to the Vehicle Builder newsgroup and via the feature request form. ============================== [1.3] Where do I send feature requests, bugs, or problems with Vehicle Builder? There is a bug reporting form at the GVB homepage http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/vehiclebuilder/ You will need to register your copy of GVB first. ============================== [1.4] What is the current version of Vehicle Builder? The original GVB 1.0 CD corresponds to version 2.00.00 in the Help | About menu option. GVB 1.0 Update 1 corresponds to version 2.01.00. GVB 1.0 Update 2 corresponds to version 2.02.00. ============================== [1.5] Where can I get Vehicle Builder 1.0 Update 1 or Update 2? You can download the patch from http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/vehiclebuilder/ but will need to register your copy of GVB first. ============================== [1.6] Is there an Demo version of Vehicle Builder I can try? No. If you would like to see GVB in action via a slideshow (no special software required beyond a browser), you can go here: http://www.together.net/~tjoneslo/GVB/slide0000.html ============================== SECTION 2: Features and Benefits. [2.1] Which GURPS books are supported by Vehicle Builder? Vehicles, Expansions 1 and Expansions 2 are the core book. GVB includes components and updated rules from Vehicles Lite, Robots, Ultra-Tech 1, Ultra-Tech 2, Ogre, Mecha, Psionics, Steam-tech, Steampunk, Magic Items 3, and Mars. GVB also supports the modular vehicle design systems from Space (for starships), GT Starships (for Starships), Ground Forces (for Grav Vehicles) and WWII (for all vehicles). The WWII support included the base rules from the core WWII book and adds components and rules from Iron Cross and Dogfaces. If your favorite book seems to be missing, or an item from your favorite book can't be found, please let us know via the bug reporting form above. ============================== [2.2] Can I add my own components? You can. GVB is entirely modular in design, and allows modifying or adding any components you would like. All of the components are kept in a set of repository files, which you can modify through GVB. ============================== [2.3] What kind of output does Vehicle Builder support? Are there Vehicle character sheets? Not quite. SJGames has an established format for display of vehicles, which GVB follows. In addition GVB can display your vehicle in a spreadsheet style for checking the construction details. GVB can output your designs to rich text, an HTML or a plain text. ============================== [2.4] Does Vehicle Builder support metric? Yes it does. You need to input all the component values in the english units, but GVB will convert all output to metric units. GVB includes a variety of different unit conversions to make your vehicle look proper. ============================== SECTION [3]: Resources [3.1] Is there someplace online where I can post my vehicle designs and chat about issues with the GURPS Vehicle Design system? The one official spot for discussing GVB issues is at the sjgames.gurps.vehiclebuilder newsgroup which is available to all Pyramid subscribers. http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/ However GVB related discussions have been spotted on the GURPSnet mailing list http://www.sjgames.com/mailman/listinfo/gurpsnet-l There is a Yahoo groups mailing list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gurps_vehicles/ The vehicle files created by GVB are binary files, so please review the rules for any group about posting binary files before doing so. ============================== [3.2]: I'm trying to design a vehicle that exists or is inspired by something that exists. Where can I find stats for things? Google is always nice. Usually you'll want to search for the vehicle name plus the stat you need such as pounds, gallons, kW, hp, wing area, etc. For modern military craft my favorite sites are http://globalsecurity.org/ Very good for putting current topics in focus. http://www.fas.org/ The original source for the globalsecurity database and with fewer dead links. http://www.aerospaceweb.org/ Decent stats for recent aircraft. http://www.army-technology.com/ , http://www.naval-technology.com/ and http://www.airforce-technology.com/ Related sites that are good at pointing out the companies behind different bits of gear. ============================== SECTION [4]: General Technical questions [4.1] I've just installed one of the updated, how does this affect my old vehicles? Each Update will read the older version of GVB's files. GVB will warn you when you open an older file that the vehicle is being updated. GVB does not automatically update the components in your vehicle. Once you install an update you should check through the list of repository templates fixes. If your vehicle uses one of the repository templates we fixed for the update, you will need to delete the component from your vehicle and replace it with the updated template. ============================== [4.2] I'm using GVB and have made several changes to my repositories. How do I install the updates without losing my changes? When you install the update, the install process copies your old repositories to a backup directory in the GVB installation directory. Once the installation is complete, you can import the old repositories into the new ones installed by the updates. This will copy the new components and (if you like) overwrite the changed components. ============================== [4.3] Sometimes the rate of fire for my weapons will be displayed as 1/1. Is this right? This is a known issue with GVB. The workaround is to edit the output of the program to be 1. ============================== [4.4] I selected a quantity of three for Pods attached to my aircraft's wing and I selected two for the quantity of wings on my aircraft, but the program displays 3xPod, instead of six and doesn't show where the pods are attached. You should add a note in the vehicle description giving the number and location of all subassemblies where this is not obvious. ============================== [4.5] Shouldn't recoilless and rocket assisted ammo take up extra volume for the rocket engines and such? GVB interprets ammo volume as being unchanged by any option. ============================== [4.6] How do I get the crushing and explosive damage for APEX rounds to show up on the same line? Rename the ammo to something like +6dx36[10d] exp with the values I get from toggling to the TL7 APEX(Exp) line in the Ammo Type field and then go back to using the TL7 APEX(Cr) line which has the right ammo weight. ============================== [4.7] I've added a new rocket engine but the ISP and DeltaV do not appear in the ship output window even though they are in the design. How do I get them to appear. To fix this use the following steps: In the program toolbar, make sure the Enable Edit Template button is enabled (clicked). In the vehicle designer tree, select the rocket engine in your vehicle and press F2 to display the Edit rocket template dialog. Press the Edit Template button to display the Edit Template dialog. Press the Options button to display the Options dialog. In the format strings text box (in the lower right corner), add "([CO])" (without the quotes) to the end of the text in the box. This will enable the ISP and DeltaV to be displayed in the text output format. Press OK to close the Options box, the Edit Template box, and the Edit Component box. If you have everything else set up correctly, this should output both to the display. ============================== [4.8] How does Vehicle Builder round weapon damages. I see both 4dxY and 6dxY types of values. GVB rounds all weapon damages above 24d to the nearest NdxM value. That is, GVB takes the full weapon damage (say 53d) and divides it by every value between 4 and 12 attempting to find the value with the smallest remainder. It then uses that value. ============================== [4.9] If I want to create a new crew station for creature about twice the size of humans what do I modify and how do I do so? Select the crew & Passengers > crew stations > TL0 crew station template in the repository window. Press Ctrl-D to create a duplicate of the crew station, which will display the Edit Template dialog. Change the name to something more recognizable (e.g. "alien creature 1 crew station"). In Update 1 you can simply change the Volume constant and the payload constant. Press OK to close the Edit Template dialog. Repeat the process for the passenger seats. Then press F10 to save the Repositories. Finally, add your new "alien" creature" seats to your vehicles. ============================== SECTION [5]: Technical questions with the initial release [5.1] After adding a link the application generates an error at different points, but most often on the selection of a package node. This is a know error with the initial release and has been fixed in Update 1. ============================== [5.2] The jet engines all return invalid values when I add them to the vehicle. This is a known issue with GVB 1.0 and has been fixed in Update 1. ============================== SECTION [6]: Technical Questions for Update 1 [6.1] My crew stations and passenger seats seem to have zero volume ever since I installed the patch? This is a known issue with GVB 1.0 Update 1. To fix this open GVB, go to the "Program" menu tab and select the fourth icon from the left to enable the template editing buttons. Then in the Repository Tree select Crew and Passengers and Crew Stations then TL0 Crew Station and Edit from the popup menu. Double click on the field under Volume Formula vTOTAL_VOLUME to expand the field into an edit box and search for the lines that look like this. IIF(RADIO(2), 1.5, 0) * IIF(RADIO(3), 2, 0) + Replace those zeros with ones and OK the changes then do the same thing to the TL0 split crew station and the TL0 Passenger Seat under Accommodations. Then press the F10 key to save your changes. ============================== [6.2] Why does the Traveller Starships (GTS) repository have two TL9 Jump Drive templates? The basic ship building sequence for T:S is to add a number of modules of each type to the hull. Later you calculate your performance based upon the number of modules selected. The first Jump Drive listing (without the dtons and jump listing) reflects this standard of design. The second jump drive template reflects designing by specifying the size of the ship (which may not match the size of the hull) and the jump requirements. GVB calculates the number of jump modules required. If you are using the first Jump Drive template, the only place GVB calculates the jump capability is in the performance statistics. If you are using the second Jump Drive template, it is listed in two places; with the template listing in the equipment and in the performance system. ============================== [6.3] TL8 expensive laminate and composite armor has the same weight as the TL8 advanced armors but cost less? This is a known issue with GVB 1.0 Update 1 and has been fixed in Update 2. Composite and laminate armor of the following types has been shifted over one column. Advanced TL7, Expensive TL8 and Standard TL9. The best workaround is to use the custom armor option and fill in the correct values by hand. Make sure that you set layer 1 of the armor to the type it is supposed to be with DR 0 and leave the custom armor name blank. ============================== [6.4] What is the Durable Ablative armor listed in the armor choice list? Ignore this option as durable ablative armor is already fireproof for no extra cost. ============================== [6.5] My APFS*(Rifled) ammo does not show the armor divisor. This is a known issue with GVB 1.0 Update 1 and has been fixed in Update 2. The workaround is to edit the output of the program. ============================== [6.6] My missiles have much longer endurance ratings than they should. This is a know issue with GVB 1.0 Update 1 and has been fixed in Update 2. Check the missile endurance values against the formula at VE119, build the missiles as vehicles or use the real world numbers. ============================== [6.7] I get an error when trying to use a super turbofan. Open the hyperfan template and copy the formula from the Aerostatic Lift Formula over to the super turbofan template. ============================== [6.8] How come a tiny computer takes more power than the much larger microframe? Open the Power In box for the Computer template and replace the contents with this. vQuantity * Decode(Range(vTL,5,10), 5, 20, 6, 10, 7, 1, 8, 1, 9, 1, 10, 1) * ( IIF (Radio(1) {Picoframe}, 0.000001, 1) * IIF (Radio(2) {Nanoframe}, 0.00001, 1) * IIF (Radio(3) {Tiny computer}, 0.0001, 1) * IIF (Radio(4) {Small computer}, 0.001, 1) * IIF (Radio(5) {Mini computer}, 0.01, 1) * IIF (Radio(6) {Microframe}, 0.1, 1) * IIF (Radio(7) {Mainframe}, 1, 1) * IIF (Radio(8) {Macroframe}, 10, 1) * IIF (Radio(9) {Megaframe}, 100, 1) * IIF (Radio(10) {Gigaframe}, 1000, 1) * IIF (Radio(11) {Teraframe}, 10000, 1) * IIF (Checkbox(11) & !Checkbox(1), 0.1, 1) * IIF (Checkbox(12) {Mechanical}, 2, 1) ) And to be consistent, replace the robot brain Power In formula with this. vQuantity * Decode(Range(vTL,5,10), 5, 20, 6, 10, 7, 1, 8, 1, 9, 1, 10, 1) * ( IIF (Radio(1) {Tiny}, 0.0001, 0) + IIF (Radio(2) {Small}, 0.001, 0) + IIF (Radio(3) {Standard}, 0.01, 0) + IIF (Radio(4) {Microframe}, 0.1, 0) + IIF (Radio(5) {Mainframe}, 1, 0) + IIF (Radio(6) {Macroframe}, 10, 0) ) ============================== [6.9] The volume of a vehicle with masts seems wrong, is it ? Probably. This is a know issue with GVB 1.0 Update 1 and has been fixed in Update 2. You must have the mast(s) set at the vehicle level in the Vehicle design tree, not within the body. If you have the quantity spinner on the Edit Mast dialog set to 2 or more, the volume calculates for the vehicle size are wrong. As a workaround set masts individually on the vehicle. ============================== [6.10] If I select the TL7 CLGP from the Edit Ammo Dialog, Ammo Type choice list GVB displays an error. Yes, the TL 7 CLGP should not be in the ammo list. It has been removed for Update 2. ============================== [6.11] I can't get the fuel based duration to generate sensible values when building vehicles with the modular starship design systems. This is a known issue with GVB Version 1.0 Update 1. The core of the problem is Vehicle Builder makes an assumption about the templates to be able to find the volume of fuel in the fuel tanks to calculate the duration properly. This assumption is wrong when using the Modular design system, and GVB returns incorrect results because of it. ============================== [6.12] I can't put bombs in my weapons bay and when I put them in the Vehicle Body the volume is counted twice? Weapon bays include the volume but not the weight of the bomb load. For unloaded weapon bays this is correct. In update 2, the weapon bay as an option to enter empty weapons bays, which removes the default weight of the weapons bay. You need to add bombs (or other weapons) to the total capacity of the weapons bay. ============================== SECTION [7]: Problems and workarounds for Update 2 [7.1] I opened a older vehicle in Update 2 and my performance profiles are gone, why? Update 2 changed the way performance profiles work. You will need to add the proper performance profiles from the Performance repository and select the performance profiles in the propulsion components and subassemblies. ============================== [7.2] Did Update 2 change anything else I need to fix? Yes. If your vehicle was sealed or waterproofed, you will need to add the proper templates from the generic surface features repository.