A while ago, I made a bare-bones hyperspace travel times calculator with Google Sheets. It did the basics of what needed to be done, but it wasn’t all that impressive and could be difficult to use. As I’ve learned more how to use spreadsheets (specifically Excel), I’ve made a new and improved version here: Hyperspace Calculator (.xlsx)
Every number is completely malleable. There are NO numbers hard-coded into formulas, making personalization and modification much easier. NO Excel knowledge required! Just change the numbers in the tables, you won’t have to touch any formulas.
If you just want to use this tool at its most basic, read the quick start guides. If you want to know how to get the most out of this tool, read the advanced guides, although it may be worth skimming the quick start guides first.
How-to:
Setup quick start
In the “Ships (table)” sheet, enter the appropriate stats for the ship you want to use (Hyperdrive class, fuel consumption modifier [I use 1, +1 for each point of silhouette past 4], and campaign name) and delete the other rows (Ctrl&-).
In the “Games (table)” sheet, enter your campaign name, the desired number of inches per hour (default is one), and the desired number of fuel cells consumed per hour (default is 0.5).
Note: Hour:Inch is based on a 500 parsecs (1/3 grid square) per inch measurement. If you are working off a different measurement, see “Advanced setup>Games (table)>Hour:Inch.”
You’re good to go! Move on to “Calculation quick start” to see how to get your results.
Calculation quick start
Once you’ve entered the necessary data (see “Setup quick start”), you’re ready to get your results!
- Choose your ship.
- Add a new row (see “Expanding tables (tutorial)”).
- Name your route.
- Measure your route and enter the number (decimal please!) in the “Distance (Inches)” column.
- Select a class of hyperlane (not sure what class? Enter something not on the list and read the error message).
- Select region.
(Note. If a trip crosses regions or travels over different classes of hyperlane, you will need to list separate “legs” of the journey. Alternatively, choose “Minor” and “Outer Rim” to multiply by 1 and ignore the variance in modifiers.) - Enter any additional modifiers (such as from Advantage or Threat) in the “Additional Modifiers” cell. Positive numbers increase the time, negative numbers decrease the time.
- Filter out any unwanted entries and look at the “Total” row. Ta-da!
(If you don’t know how to filter, it’s the little drop-down arrow beside the column’s header.)
For more on fuel, see “Advanced calculation.”
Advanced setup
Before you can use the “Calculator” sheet, you need to input some basic data.
Games (table)
You need to do this first, as it is the source of another table’s Data Validation drop-down list.
Under “Campaign,” put the name of each campaign.
Under “Hour:Inch” put the base number of inches travelled in an hour. I’m basing my measurements off a galaxy grid of 3 inches per square, so 500 parsecs per inch. If you’re using a different measurement, you’ll need to adapt this number to fit your grid’s size. Here are some common alternatives to get you started:
- 500 parsecs on the galaxy map in any given CRB is 3/16s of an inch, so you’d need 5.33 to get the (approximately) same result as 1 if you were using that map.
- For my anywhere-else-in-the-world friends, you’ll be using centimeters. If 500 parsecs=1 inch, it equals 2.54 centimeters (so 2.54). If 500 parsecs=3/16 of an inch, it equals 0.476cm (so 13.54). I know it’s a bit complicated, but that’s what happens when you convert Imperial to Metric (hence a nice, neat number like “.50” becoming “12.7mm”).
From there, just adjust it however you want to get the number you’ll personally use. Heck, just round it off and make it easier on yourself. I’m just telling you how to match the default of 1 hour=1 inch.
Under “Hour:Fuel” put how much fuel is consumed in an hour of hyperspace travel. If you want a fuel-intensive, more expensive campaign, increase the number. If you want a less expensive campaign, tone it down. Default is 0.5, or one fuel cell every two hours.
(I run it that sil 3-4 ships have a capacity of 50, while sil 5 ships have a capacity of 100 and sil 6+ ships increase by additional 100 cells each.)
Ships (table)
Under “Ships” put the names of your ships. Under drive class, put the ships’ hyperdrive classes.
Under fuel cost (“consumption” was too long), put an appropriate number. This basically multiplies fuel consumption. I use 1, +1 for each point of silhouette past 4. If you don’t want to bother with fuel costs, set it to 0.
Under “Game,” put the name of your game or campaign. This is so you can easily use the sheet for multiple campaigns that may have different settings for some of the variables (such as how fast hyperspace travel is).
Region Modifier (table)
You shouldn’t have to do any adjustment here, but this shows the modifiers added to your time based on what region of space you are navigating. The Deep Core is very clustered and slow to navigate, while the Outer Rim is far less dense. Here, you can add regions (“Hapes Cluster”), manipulate the modifiers, or even flatten them out. To see how to add to tables, see “Expanding Tables (tutorial).”
Hyperlane Speed (table)
Like “Region Modifier,” you shouldn’t have to do any adjustment here. But this shows the modifiers added to your time based on the hyperlane you are navigating. The Corellian Run is much faster than the Bakura Trace (like an interstate highway compared to a back road). Here, you can add hyperlane types, add specific hyperlanes, manipulate the modifiers, or even flatten them out. To see how to add to tables, see “Expanding Tables (tutorial).”
Fuel Cost (table)
This shows the cost to purchase fuel at a given class of port. Higher-class ports have higher docking fees, but provide better service (including security, which may or may not be a good thing) at a better price. I only list the cost for fuel here, however. This is straightforward enough, manipulate it however you want.
Advanced calculation
Once you’ve entered the necessary data (see “Advanced setup”), you’re ready to get your results!
- From the drop-down menu, select the name of the ship you want to use. This will automatically fill the Hour:Inch and Hour:Fuel cells, besides telling the formulas what your hyperdrive class is.
- Add more rows. The “IFERROR” part of the formula keeps the new rows from giving you a bunch of annoying #N/A errors.
- Name your route. I recommend “Start-Destination.” If your trip will cross various regions and hyperlane speeds, you’ll need several entries, adding an entry in the “Leg” column to order and group each piece of the single route.
- Measure your route and list it under “Distance (Inches).” Remember region boundaries and hyperlane speeds! For more information on the Hour:Inch ratio, see “Advanced setup>Games (table)>Hour:Inch.”
- Select hyperlane from the drop-down menu. A major hyperroute would be like the Perlemian, while a minor route would be something like the Bakura Trace. Indeterminate just means it’s probably there, but not listed on your map, and uncharted means you aren’t following a mapped hyperlane.
- Select region from the drop-down menu.
- Enter any additional modifiers in the “Additional Modifiers” cell, such as effects from Advantage or Threat, or just variables you as the GM want to throw in there. My method for Advantage/Threat is 5% per, or 15% for a Triumph/Despair, to a max of 25% +/-.
Positive numbers increase the time by X%, negative numbers decrease the time by X%. - Filter your “Route” column so you only see the routes you’re actually taking and look at the “Total” row.
Fuel:
- Enter the class of starport you’ll patronize upon reaching your destination in the “Starport Class” cell.
- Look at your totals.
- “Fuel”: How many fuel cells you consumed on each leg, and across the whole trip.
- “Trip Cost”: The cost to replace the fuel cells expended on each individual leg. It rounds down to a whole fuel cell!! The “Trip Cost” “Total” row calculates NOT based on adding up the rows above it, but based on the TOTAL number of fuel cells consumed, again rounded down to a whole fuel cell. This is because you don’t buy partial fuel cells.
- “Real Cost”: The exact cost for the exact amount of fuel consumed. Straightforward, but not the most helpful when you’re at the pump and need to buy a whole number of fuel cells.
- “Proportional Cost”: The proportional cost of each leg of the trip based on the TOTAL COST TO REFUEL, rounded down to a whole fuel cell. This is not a particularly useful feature, but adding it provides a complete economic review of the refueling costs. If I only left the previous two columns, it would be somewhat incomplete.
Expanding tables (tutorial)
To expand a table, simply type on a subsequent row. Alternatively, click on the tiny gray triangle in the bottom right-hand corner and drag. Then enter your data in the new rows.
Don’t worry! This won’t mess up any of the formulas, and you won’t have to change any named ranges or Data Validation lists. Because of how I’ve set it up, they’ll expand automatically with your table.
I include examples of all of this in the calculator, hopefully that makes it easy to figure out how to use this. I know it may seem intimidating, but it’s a pretty easy learning curve. The basics are simple, and once you’re more acquainted with how it works modifying it should be a cakewalk. But if it isn’t, I’ll be happy to help you.
Warning: For whatever reason, VLOOKUPs don’t like words that start with “Alt” or entries that start with “Clone” or “Clown” (why clown, I have no earthly idea). Please do not attempt to use such words in the names of ships, campaigns, hyperlanes, or regions. You will get an error.