players making the tardis map

[zebaroth]

leting the plays make the tardis map whatare your tougths on this

[stahlman]

Well, the Tardis is architecturally reconfigurable so its internal topography ,dimensions and features are all adjustable.Its something to do with block transfer computations apparently.
So: let them make a map-it doesn't really tie you down as you can just tell them that that room was jettisoned the last time the timelord was fiddling about or as the case may be.

[Pertwee]

Well my first thought is: you don't.

What I mean here is the whole concept of mapping the interior space of a TARDIS in a literal top down manner is not only an endless project, but a fruitless one as well. The addition and deletion of rooms and the reassignment of doors in sometimes contradictory and confusing ways (the exit of a room leading in to its entrance, for instance) makes a mockery out of conventional linear representation.

If you need a map, your best bet is to follow the lead of the series and treat specific areas as 'sets' in a studio, represented by a square on a flowchart. In addition, larger areas, like the recreation deck' or 'storage holds' could be represented by large rectangles that encompass many rooms that are linked to each other in some form or fashion (typically through a series of linked doorways). Even 'windy bits,' where the halls intermix and shoot off in random directions could be designed as a 'set' and provided with special rules that could potentially confuse those using them and end up leading off in a random direction.

[Rel Fexive]

I ended up with this at one point, which is more of a "resource allocation diagram" than a map:



The control room is on the far right. The actual corridors and precise rooms would be for the GM to describe; the diagram just hows roughly where you have to go, and how deep, to reach any particular are.

And the black hexagons are damage; dimensional bleed, architectural collapse, environmental hazards and so on.

[Marnal]

I always thought that THIS (http://dwfiction.livejournal.com/2794749.html) was a beautiful take on the interior of a TARDIS. I've been using it for my games with great success. Some times the Players just spend a whole session exploring.

[Pertwee]

Sept 28, 2012 22:41:17 GMT Rel Fexive said:

I ended up with this at one point, which is more of a "resource allocation diagram" than a map:



The control room is on the far right. The actual corridors and precise rooms would be for the GM to describe; the diagram just hows roughly where you have to go, and how deep, to reach any particular are.

And the black hexagons are damage; dimensional bleed, architectural collapse, environmental hazards and so on.

This is a great way to look at it, as well. If you combine this with my suggestion above, you will get a very thematic, yet functional map of the complete TARDIS, on one sheet of paper without a lot of mucking about with linear mapping.

In fact, I'm so enamored with that idea I might use it to enhance the adventure flowcharting section in my adventure design chapter for the GM's Kit, if you're OK with that Rel.

[Rel Fexive]

Certainly, go for it!

[Curufea]

There's been a bit of an ongoing meme about the TARDIS threshold from various (albeit Faction influenced) texts I've read. Dimensionally transcendental is just a symptom of what can be accomplished inside a TARDIS - which is mostly a physical manifestation of a series of mathematical functions and equations.
The idea here is that the interior - rather than being "another pocket dimension" and being a kind of mini-universe outside of our own - is actually "conceptual space". Somewhat similar to what happens when you step into a Star Trek transporter - where you are disintegrated and stored as data, which is then used to create an exactly identical clone of you with artificial memories at the other end.
Except with the whole theory of "conceptual space" you are converted from matter&energy to pure mathematical concepts (so there is no actual disintegration, both matter and energy are converted) and this happens at the TARDIS threshold (hence giving a nice pseudo-science retcon as to why you never see anyone walk from the inside, through the door and out in a single take of the TV show).

Entering the TARDIS is like entering the Matrix, or the Grid in TRON - however it's just more elegantly managed, with no loss of matter or energy in any conversion process.
The interior of the TARDIS can be any size because it's just 'data' as such and you may as well think of it as vector data. Energy in consumed by maintaining rooms because it's similar to how you simulate areas in a computer game - it's just that a TARDIS uses formulae that include calculations for string theory as well as chaos theory.

It gets tricky when you realise that energy sources that are in the conceptual space of a TARDIS interior are entirely capably of powering the conceptual space, and it's interface to the "real" universe through the exterior of the TARDIS. The Chamelon Circuit is merely a series of mathematical equations that define how the exterior is to look.

I say "real" universe because when it comes right down to it, our universe pretty much is a series of rules, laws and formulae that explain how what we think of as matter interacts with what we think of as energy. It's all subjective - and it's in the subjective that Faction Paradox lives.

[Marnal]

It gets even weirder when you remember that those metaphorical rooms can be converted into real life thrust for pushing the TARDIS exo-shell around!

[Curufea]

I'm assuming that the maths required to define the physical parameters of the jettisoned rooms is re-used to strengthen the locational information used by the external TARDIS as it relates to the real universe.

Blame Logopolis and block transfer calculations

If it were a eurogame boardgame - it would just be done by re-allocating resources on the TARDIS management board

[Marnal]

At which point we are just using the word "Math" to describe some new exotic type of matter that can be broken down and used for other things. The Doctor could even ask the companion to get him three boxed of equations off the shelf.
[not that there's anything wrong with this per say its just that we've altered the meaning of the word to the point where its not related to the original definition any more]

[zepo]

In our campaign we simply allow linear mapping and allow connections (via the TARDIS's transcendentalism) in any way the characters wish. So one can walk though on door in a room, and reappear in the same room walking into it from another doorway (or even the same doorway in another direction). We standard mapped it, and then when we computerized our map in Visio, one can click from one room to another and that appear in different places. Tons of fun for characters to try to wander through the TARDIS and not know where they are (whereas the Time Lord is allowed to know the full map).

2-D mapping works just fine. We allow all "companion" characters to map out their own rooms and add it to the whole TARDIS map.

[Curufea]

Oct 13, 2012 15:21:39 GMT Marnal said:

At which point we are just using the word "Math" to describe some new exotic type of matter that can be broken down and used for other things. The Doctor could even ask the companion to get him three boxed of equations off the shelf.
[not that there's anything wrong with this per say its just that we've altered the meaning of the word to the point where its not related to the original definition any more]

My thinking on this is that as people inside the TARDIS are also maths - it's easy enough for things to be described physically and for all intents and purposes behave according to the laws of physics. They don't have to - but it's more convenient to those involved. The only exception the Time Lords make is an infinite amount of space in an area that should contain it. Just like a computer server that's 20cm x 1m x 1m can hold several thousand kilometers worth of Minecraft world. Probably a result of a xenophobic race that hates leaving their homeworld, nevertheless wanting some breathing room.