Weapons and Tech in the Verse

POSTED BY: caul
UPDATED: Wednesday, May 18, 2005 02:04
VIEWED: 16919
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CAUL

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 7:38 PM

Well, I've been working on a Firefly RPG, and had some questions about how things work in the Verse, thought I'd put them here.

Guns - appear to be advanced over our own (I would hope so after 400 years) and yet they still appear to be round or cartridge based. The weapons fired in the series seem to have an electronic hum to them at times. The question. Do you think that there is a new electric component to the standard firearm that we use today?

Ships - it appears that instead of some type of FTL or warp drive the ships in Firefly utilize simple physics to travel long distances, initiating a "hard burn" of a powerful engine to burst the ship to great speeds, which is then maintained through minor tweaks en route. The question. Are all ships in the Verse like this?

That's all for now. And if you are interested, I am using the Savage Worlds to run the game, looks to be a good fit.

SQUIGS

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 10:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by caul:
Well, I've been working on a Firefly RPG, and had some questions about how things work in the Verse, thought I'd put them here.

Guns - appear to be advanced over our own (I would hope so after 400 years) and yet they still appear to be round or cartridge based. The weapons fired in the series seem to have an electronic hum to them at times. The question. Do you think that there is a new electric component to the standard firearm that we use today?

Seems sensible. There are currently guns in development that are fired electronically. The charge is detonated by an electrical pulse, rather than hitting it with a hammer. This means the bullets can be lined up end to end in the barrel, allowing very rapid fire. Plus a few other advantages.

http://www.metalstorm.com/12_odwyervle/prototype.html

Although firearm technology hasn't really advanced at a very rapid rate. A lot of current designs date back well over 50 years. They're going to be more powerful, but I expect the basic principles to be the same. An explosion propels the projectile.

Quote:

Ships - it appears that instead of some type of FTL or warp drive the ships in Firefly utilize simple physics to travel long distances, initiating a "hard burn" of a powerful engine to burst the ship to great speeds, which is then maintained through minor tweaks en route. The question. Are all ships in the Verse like this?

Hard to say. I don't think we even came to a conclusion about whether Firefly was in a system, a galaxy, or a cluster. If it's anything much bigger than a solar system, we need some sort of FTL travel.

Fireflies do seem to have some sort of reactionless drive system. I don't think anyone's saying how it works, apart from "engine spins, ship goes forward". Out of Gas suggests that the ship needs the engine running to keep going. Unlike contemporary spacecraft, it isn't going to drift all the way to the destination with the engines off.

THEGREYJEDI

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 11:10 PM

Ah, but with OOG, there was the expulsion of the fire and oxygen opposite to the inertia, which could have easily cancelled out the forward motion. I think I've heard it called a fusion drive, which would mean that a fusion explosion propels the ship forward in the burst (which then fades in space, leaves a trail in atmo) and then the side sponsons allow for manuvering.

Though I'll agree, the guns sound electric.

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JCKNIFE

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 11:51 PM

Most of the guns that appear in the show are firearms in use today, or in the case of Zoe's carbine, decades ago.

I've been thinking about doing a fairly detailed analysis of the guns in Firefly--would anybody be interested? It would be a fun project for me to post but if it's going to fall right to the bottom I won't bother.

VIGGENBOY

Thursday, May 12, 2005 2:01 AM

I'd be very interested. I very much like that the firearms used in show are helping to tell the story; Instead of laser weapons or super hightech thingermabobs, our gang looks like they grabbed whatever they could out of the weapons cache in a stage coach. Helps put them in the fringes of the verse.

I don't remember ever seeing catriges eject, but its probably something I've missed versus them not being there. If in fact the weapons are not discharging shells, then there's an argument for the type of caseless rounds used in Aliens by the space marines. (I find myself passing yet another dork check.)

Yeah, do some work! I'd love to read it!

JCKNIFE

Thursday, May 12, 2005 2:16 AM

Wow, I already found a thread with more info that I would come up with...here of course!

http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=3&t=3815

ANTHONYT

Thursday, May 12, 2005 2:40 AM

Too many of the guns in the 'verse, even the ones that look like modern guns, have a 'charging capacitor sound.'

If you're old enough, you may remember it as the whining sound that you hear when you charge the flash for your camera.

I would add a vote to those that suspect that some of the verse's guns have some sort of electronic trigger, or perhaps even electronic propulsion system.

Certainly, given the way that many guns in the 'verse sound muted when they fire, the propellant for some of these guns has got to be different from normal gunpowder.

And that makes sense. Firearms have existed for hundreds of years. The firing mechanism, the slug, and the propellant are the things that have changed the most over time. (Matchlock, Flintlock, Percussion, Rimfire, Centerfire, Smoke, Smokeless, Ball, Bullet, Copper Jackets, etc.)

--Anthony

"Liberty must not be purchased at the cost of Humanity." --Captain Robert Henner

GUNRUNNER

Thursday, May 12, 2005 3:02 AM

I think the electrical hum in some weapons is a magnetic accelerator or some sort like a Rail Gun that could be used to enhance the velocity of a conventional bullet or project a caseless round. Some weapons in FF do use modern bullets- Jayne’s LeMat Revolver, Jayne’s Bolt Action Sniper Rifle in ‘Serenity’ (the casings could be ejected downwards for ease of use like a FN P-90).

EV Nova Firefly mod Message Board:
http://s4.invisionfree.com/GunRunner/index.php?act=idx
My Other Site:
http://www.utnhq.com/TLAM_Strike/index.htm

CYBERSNARK

Thursday, May 12, 2005 5:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by caul:
Are all ships in the Verse like this?

I'm gonna guess not. Assume that the FTL (or just "very fast") engine likely needs a fair bit of space (no pun intended). There'd likely be smaller ships that don't have that kinda capability/range.

Serenity's shuttles, for one. Otherwise, why have shuttles at all?

On OOG, they could've just put Wash & Kaylee into a shuttle, sent 'em on to wherever it was they were going, then have 'em come back post-haste with the new catalyzer while everyone waited impatiently. No need for the two shuttles, opposite directions, call-back button ordeal.

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

BYTETHEBULLET

Thursday, May 12, 2005 7:20 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by viggenboy:
I'd be very interested. I very much like that the firearms used in show are helping to tell the story; Instead of laser weapons or super hightech thingermabobs, our gang looks like they grabbed whatever they could out of the weapons cache in a stage coach. Helps put them in the fringes of the verse.

I don't remember ever seeing catriges eject, but its probably something I've missed versus them not being there. If in fact the weapons are not discharging shells, then there's an argument for the type of caseless rounds used in Aliens by the space marines. (I find myself passing yet another dork check.)

Yeah, do some work! I'd love to read it!

Regarding the weapons used, I like to think they have picked the weapon(s) that suits them best. I choose higher capacity newer caliber guns, but older guns still have a prominent place with shooters today, like wheel guns and even crappy 1911s.

We did see laser and wave-force weapons the series. They are/were available, just not everyone had one.

Btw, the 1911s(.45 autos) model number is referring to the date of the design. They have been around a long time. Also, .45 autos are NOT automatic(machine gun) they are autoloaders.

End of gun lessons.

ByteTheBullet (-:

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