(06-09-2015, 02:06 PM)Echo 7-7 Wrote: The main hindrance to a purely mathematical approach are the ship sizes, shapes, hardpoint placement, and ease of hitting a given facing at a given angle. While the total target surface area at a given angle can be calculated (though I'm not sure precisely what tool would be used to get this data), the other factors are more challenging to express in numerical form.
I suggest use bounding box of a .sur file to get x,y and z scale. Then, on one could calculate volume and center of mass of a .cmp file and use this data to generate simple similiarity formula to produce a value which could be compared or calculated further.
About turret placements - for non-tz ships one can assume the firepower output is facing straight forward, while TZing ships could have simplificated formula to calculate mean firepower at each direction, like n/6 (n - number of turrets, 6 - six sides of a cube), etc. It is being rather simple when you attempt to estimate or make a simple model for calculations. The problem comes when one needs to settle assumptions or criteria to judge the numbers. But even here we can go this way: pick up a standard situation (like, three VHFs against a GB (just a random example) which is considered to be a balanced opposition), make a system of equations, devide it into parts which consider all needed variables, and solve it to find coefficients. Put those coefficients into ships mathematical model and you will get the virtual numbers which will describe it.
