Weapons and Tech in the Verse
POSTED BY: caul
UPDATED: Wednesday, May 18, 2005 02:04
VIEWED: 16919
PAGE 4 of 5
indeed. That was what we had been speaking about further above...but we were talking in spoiler text. I too was shocked to see it suddenly placed in the open like that.
Do not fear me. Ours is a peaceful race, and we must live in harmony.
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Select to view spoiler:
I'm sorry...how the HELL was that a spolier?
Mal says in a voice over of the original TV series that it all takes place within one solar system. "Earth got used up, so we found a new system with hundreds of new earths."
Select to view spoiler:
It was just, for some reason, always kept bizzarely ambigous by statements like "[The reavers] ...got out to the edge of the GALAXY to that place of nothing, and thats what they became." But the fact is, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN FTL in firefly.
But again, Watch the show. Serenity never makes an FTL jump. After the firefly drive kicks in she's always moving WAY too slow for that.
Select to view spoiler:
So I ask you, how the hell is that a spolier? Calm down and think about it for a freaking minute. Besides that, such a piece of information that is NOT a specific "revelation" in the film could hardly be called a spoiler even if it WAS something that had never even been hinted at in the series. The fact that the firefly verse takes place within a single system IS THE FIRST THING THE FILM TELLS US in a slightly rushed piece of exposition designed to catch up everyone who HASNT seen the series. The film assumes WE'RE ALREADY FAMILIER WITH THAT FACT.
Side note: Joss defines the size and nature of the firefly 'verse in one of his interviews prior to the movie. Considering the fact that Joss HATES spoliers and adamently does his damndest to keep them from reaching the web, I would consider such a statement from him to mean that information is fair game.
"Also? I can kill you with my brain."
-River
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Quote:
Originally posted by Deadman:
I'm sorry...how the HELL was that a spolier?
Deadman, if you've been on this site for any amount of time, you have to know what a controversial subject this is; and since the TV show gave contradictory information (which it did; check out the alternative versions of the opening narrative if you don't believe me), the shape and size of the 'Verse as defined,codified and clarified in the movie is indeed spoiler information. If nothing else, the fact that others had seen fit to discuss the matter only under the "Spoiler" shield should have given you a freaking clue! Nothing personal my friend, but you must face the fact that you have just farted in the airlock.
At this point I'm seriously considering not reading any more posts at all until the gorram film comes out!
Deadman (and others) -- I strongly suggest you go back and edit your posts to "Spoilerize" the information in question.
Additionally, I strongly recommend that no one pass this information on past this thread, if only out of respect for others.
It's too late to unspill the milk, but perhaps we can minimize the damage
"Do you know what the definition of a hero is? It's somebody who gets somebody else killed." -- Zoë Warren
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Hello,
I assume that spoiler script is unnecessary now, but just in case...
Select to view spoiler:
We know that artificial gravity is a reality in the Firefly universe. Gravity is the one real obstacle to turning a small moon into a liveable world.
We have over a hundred planetoids in our system, after all, but most of them don't have enough gravity to hold down an atmosphere.
If they were able to install some kind of gravity generator near the core of the smaller planetoids, they might be able to generate the gravity they need to keep the atmosphere in.
Geo-thermal energy might even power it.
--Anthony
"Liberty must not be purchased at the cost of Humanity." --Captain Robert Henner
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I've edited my former posts with the intention of keeping the crowd who seem to jump at nothing from thinking they've somehow been spoiled. The text present only argues points from the show.
Again, however, I restate that JOSS HIMSELF in an interview gave difinitive answers about the size of the firefly verse. An interview that contained no "spoilers." Also remember, Joss hates spoilers and loves surprises. Why would he ruin something himself then?
Select to view spoiler:
Yes, I agree. Its less cool to think of the firefly verse as a single system. Less scientifically accurate too...heck, even two or three star systems tied togeather would have been better. But I think the reason he chose to have such a small system was his justification for why ships keep bumping into each other out there. If you notice, they tend to do that a lot for an interstellar 'verse.
As for a gravity drive...why would Serenity have a gravity drive? It makes far more sense that she would use her two main engines for some kind of sustained burn. But thats hardly necessary in space travel. Get up to speed...and inertia will carry you the rest of the way.
"Also? I can kill you with my brain."
-River
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Anthony,
You post is correct:
Except you don't need a "gravity generator" in the planet. It's actually far simpler than that.
I had considered at length the fact that artifical gravity existed. We knew that fact straight away from the pilot episode once they got the goods inside the airlock. Just before Mal says "Wash we're on, go" the goods crash to the deck. Hence: gravity.
A new planet teraforming theory is that in order to achieve 1g on <1g planets, all one needs to do is somehow find a way to inject the heavest stable elements into the planets core. So...take venus for example. That planet is the closest to 1g in our own solar system at .83g. If one was to mine a large quantity of a heavy element offworld and transport it to venus and (don't ask me how) somehow injected this heavy element (lead, uranium, whatever) into the core of venus, it would slowly climb in gravitional field. You would do this until you tweak it to 1g.
Teraforming is, and will be for centuries, more Sci-fi than fact. But it excites me to think that one could encounter a .8g planet with a minor atmo and after increasing it to 1g and then breaking up compounds in the crust for O2, N2, CO2, and H2O, one could create an earth.
HOWEVER, there would never be a star system with hundreds of acceptable bodies for this process. And that's what now upsets me
Do not fear me. Ours is a peaceful race, and we must live in harmony.
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Quote:
Originally posted by Deadman:
As for a gravity drive...why would Serenity have a gravity drive? It makes far more sense that she would use her two main engines for some kind of sustained burn. But thats hardly necessary in space travel. Get up to speed...and inertia will carry you the rest of the way.]
My suggestion of Gravity Drive is only necessary if you assume a multiple system/FTL scenario -- which would be a 'Verse too big for a simple reaction drive to be practical in. In a single-system 'Verse things would work as you have described. Although that still doesn't explain how the "It spins and you move" nature of Serenity's engines work.
And Deadman, thank you for the show of class in editing your prior posts, even if -- no especially if -- you don't agree with the necessity. Now if those who quoted you would do the same with their own posts, we can get this thread clean for all those who prefer their surprises fresh in the theater.
"Do you know what the definition of a hero is? It's somebody who gets somebody else killed." -- Zoë Warren
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Hello,
I think it's interesting to note that in the pilot episode of Serenity, when Zoe mentions the terraforming properties, she mentions (correct me if I'm wrong) that atmosphere and gravity are brought as close to earth that was as they can make em.
Am I wrong?
If not, then from episode one terraforming has involved a 'gravity fix' on the pesky little worlds. Thus making any pipsqueak moon a candidate for colonization. Get yourself a binary system and a greenhouse effect, and a wide range of planets can have the needed surface temperature.
--Anthony
"Liberty must not be purchased at the cost of Humanity." --Captain Robert Henner
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Quote:
Originally posted by thiefjehat:
Anthony,
You post is correct:Select to view spoiler:
Except you don't need a "gravity generator" in the planet. It's actually far simpler than that.
I had considered at length the fact that artifical gravity existed. We knew that fact straight away from the pilot episode once they got the goods inside the airlock. Just before Mal says "Wash we're on, go" the goods crash to the deck. Hence: gravity.
A new planet teraforming theory is that in order to achieve 1g on <1g planets, all one needs to do is somehow find a way to inject the heavest stable elements into the planets core. So...take venus for example. That planet is the closest to 1g in our own solar system at .83g. If one was to mine a large quantity of a heavy element offworld and transport it to venus and (don't ask me how) somehow injected this heavy element (lead, uranium, whatever) into the core of venus, it would slowly climb in gravitional field. You would do this until you tweak it to 1g.
Teraforming is, and will be for centuries, more Sci-fi than fact. But it excites me to think that one could encounter a .8g planet with a minor atmo and after increasing it to 1g and then breaking up compounds in the crust for O2, N2, CO2, and H2O, one could create an earth.
HOWEVER, there would never be a star system with hundreds of acceptable bodies for this process. And that's what now upsets me
Hello Thief,
It's the sheer quantity of stable heavy elements needed that turns me away from such a prospect. There appears to be a lot of little moons in the Firefly 'verse, and even the big Alliance ships couldn't hope to carry enough heavy elements to fill a moon's core. I've never seen any evidence of alchemy or replicators either (thank heavens.)
I'm sticking with the technology solution for the small moons and whatnot. A technology solution that is largely a one-shot fix. Which means that, like your heavy element theory, it'd need to be self-sustaining.
I'm not a physicist though.
--Anthony
"Liberty must not be purchased at the cost of Humanity." --Captain Robert Henner
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Hello,
I think the 'Gravity Drive' mentioned on the show is a device that creates gravity on the ship. However, I think it also serves as an inertial dampner (creating gravitic compensation for centrifugal force generated during maneuvering and accelerating.)
I do not think it is a propulsion system (though, perhaps part of Serenity's own gravity can be counteracted as well, allowing that blocky bird to enter atmosphere slowly and land safely?)
--Anthony
"Liberty must not be purchased at the cost of Humanity." --Captain Robert Henner
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