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Ship idea....thoughts? - Feinan - 09-11-2007
OK - I'm posting this mostly in the hope that once it's out of my head, it will leave me alone. The idea got caught in my head from the TSAB gazeteer thread.
If I came up with the idea for this type of ship, I might toss the idea in Noah's direction. Rob, would Noah be interested in financing this type of construction, do you think? If so, the Jason would do the technomancy to see what might come of it. People, please kibitz. I'm interested in opinions.
Ship Name: Star Dreamer
Size - not sure of the exact dimensions. Enough for a couple of crew and some scientists/surveyors. Ideas?
Drive: Speed drive, Max 0.1c under normal operation.
Purpose: Exploration/Survey, Search-and-Rescue - depending on who you ask.
The rest of the specs can be fleshed out in a bit.
The idea behind the Star Dreamer was to try to put together a ship that embodied the history of space flight, to see what might happen. Theoretically, such a ship might be well-suited for exploration. If I pitched the idea to Noah, I'd probably include the idea of surveying star systems for substances that are rarer in our solar system, but that might be more abundant/lucrative to pursue elsewhere. Most of the ship would be new construction, but would incorporate as many bits and pieces of significant ships/locations/controls as possible. Bolts, screws, old shuttle tiles - whatever can be found. If Noah does buy out NASA, he might have quite a few things available. A painting in the main galley/crew section of the planets of the solar system, incorporating dust/items from those locations. Lunar rock from Tranquility Base. Iron ore smelted on Mars. Whatever can be found. Handwave the ship with a full pagan ritual, dedicating it to the spirits of the ones who died for the dream of spaceflight, as well as whatever gods seem appropriate. Hermes is almost a certainty. Then let the handwavium cure to a musical history of spaceflight - from Leslie Fish's Surprise! (Sputnik I), all the way up to the shuttles, and then songs set in the future.
Ok....now for the weirdness. You notice that I listed two purposes. Exploration is what it was built for, and it serves that admirably. However, the ship is convinced her primary function is search-and-rescue.
*siren* Hot Soup! Coming Through!: When a distress/Mayday signal is received that is within answerable range, the ship will automatically divert to anwer it. Speed boosts to 150-200% normal, up to 0.2c. Star Dreamer can ONLY hit this speed on a rescue run, and it does have consequences.
Exhausted...must rest. (ow....): After a rescue run is completed, up to and including evacuation of casualties to a place of treatment, engine performance immediately drops to 30% of normal speed, and continues to degrade over several days until the ship can barely limp along. After the first time a rescue run was performed, the engine was found to be coated with a grey-black dust - somehow, the handwavium actually burnt itself out to boost the speed that high. To fix it, the entire engine must be dismantled and cleaned of the dust, any worn/damaged parts must be replaced, and the engine reassembled and handwaved again. The longer the rescue run boost, the more work that will need to be done on the engine.
Ghost Riders in the Sky: Because of this quirk, the Jason has probably joked with Noah that they should've actually called the ship Space Ghost. The ship appears to have manifested a ghost crew for herself. Nobody has actually SEEN an actual ghost, but controls move by themselves - including the waldo gloves used to control several robotic arms/cranes that the ship has. 'Occupied' crew stations also run noticeable cooler than the regular air temperature of the ship, up to 5-10 degrees difference. Footsteps have been heard in compartments with nobody in them, as well as conversations between two or more apparent people. The conversations are never clear enough to make out more than a word or two, and are usually in English, though a few of the speakers are apparently Russian.
Carmen Miranda's Ghost...: Star Dreamer has a thing for rumba music, and sulks if she doesn't get to hear at least a little each day. Minor malfunctions will occur - nothing health-threatening, though an ice-cold shower rapidly gets the point across that somebody is not happy. Also - the recycler, an experiment in trying to recycle garbage/waste back into edible food products, can be found to contain an assortment of fresh fruit every couple of days. Nobody is complaining about this quirk, and quite frankly given the usual rations on a long survey, the rumba music is worth it. At least the fruit hasn't shown up in basket hats yet....
Ok - this is what's been going through my head up to this point. Ideas? Like it, love it, hate it? Let me know what you think. And Rob - if you want to pick this up, or if someone else would like to play with the ship, feel free. I donate the idea to the group.
Re: Ship idea....thoughts? - Kokuten - 09-11-2007
like burning motor - cannot brain due to extreme fatigue, so more later.Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979
Re: Ship idea....thoughts? - Kokuten - 09-11-2007
I can brain at the moment so, here we go.
The basic chassis, what is it? do you have picture, sketch, reference, vauge armwavy description?
The speed - .2 is way too fast unless you cram in some serious drawbacks - needing a new motor isn't gonna quite cut it, IMO.
however, .15 seems reasonable, and it's still fast-fast-FAST.Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979
Re: Ship idea....thoughts? - Feinan - 09-12-2007
*nods* I thought the 0.2c might be pushing it. On the other hand, I thought I'd at least throw it out as a beginning limit. On a rescue run, I wanted the Dreamer to be the fastest thing for her size around.
*chuckles* As for the basic chassis....at first, I was inclined to something shuttle or plane-like...but now that I think about it, I think we should go for something truly classic for the shape - a good, old-fashioned finned rocketship....probably the most enduring image of spaceflight in everybody's head since practically forever. Bonus points for use of chrome, too.
![[Image: smile.gif]](http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/smile.gif)
-Feinan
Re: Ship idea....thoughts? - Kokuten - 09-12-2007
oh yes, a chrome rocketship!
*cheers*Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979
Re: Ship idea....thoughts? - robkelk - 09-12-2007
Hmmmmm...
Kokuten's already brought up the "too damned fast" bit. (Some history on this one: We spent a few days a while back hammering out how fast a ship could go (thread), and 0.2c was the consensus on the absolute top speed for a Speed Drive inside the Limit. And that was a "ship" that was 1/5th spacesuit and 4/5ths engine.) I can't see any ship that's actually practical going faster than 0.1c as a matter of course, and maybe 0.125c in an emergency.
As to Noah building one (or more)... that depends on when in the setting you ask.
* Pre KandorCon, he's got most of his money tied up in building Stellvia into something approaching what he wants it to be, and wouldn't have any spare for shipbuilding.
* Between KandorCon and SOS-Con, he'd be happy to have some Fen pay attention to him, and he'd say "yes".
* Between SOS-Con and June 2013, he'd be busy with Operation Great Justice, would say "can I get back to you on that?", and probably forget about it after diverting to the next brushfire that needs to be pissed on... but if you pester him about it, he'd proabably end up saying "yes".
* After June 2013, Noah and most of his command staff retreat from public life for a while because of (spoiler) and Sora's transfer to the Soviet Air Force, and almost all of his spare cash goes into the Stellvia upgrade, the Star Patrol's backing agency, and the Artemis Corporation... but Yayoi's still approachable, so you might be able to talk with her and get the ship built that way.
And, yes, it has to be chrome.
-Rob Kelk
"Read Or Die: not so much a title as a way of life." - Justin Palmer, 6 June 2007
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."
- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012
Re: Ship idea....thoughts? - Kokuten - 09-12-2007
not just chrome.. SUPERCHROME.
spinning at a brisk 40,000 rpm, a 4 foot polishing disc of material nearly as hard as depleted uranium slowly crawled up the sensually curved flank of the incipient spaceship, polishing, polishing, polishing..
I like this idea.Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979
Re: Ship idea....thoughts? - Feinan - 09-12-2007
*laughs* I'm flexible about the speed. The reason I tossed it out was for people to help hammer out what was reasonable for the full emergency blast, and what the consequences should be. And I'm up for anything else people might want to suggest. I want this to be fun.
*grin* Superchrome, eh? Works for me. Though...after thinking about it, that's the main body. The fins...THEY should be bright, fire engine red. As shiny/glossy as the chrome, if possible. Lots of brass and big gauges in the interior, too?
*snicker* I'm tempted to see if Li Kohran would have the time/interest to play, too. But the engine would probably involve steam, then...
Not that there's anything wrong with steam, mind you.
Re: Ship idea....thoughts? - Kokuten - 09-12-2007
hrm.. technically, a superheated plasma is a steam.. Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979
Re: Ship idea....thoughts? - Feinan - 09-12-2007
*chuckles* OK, that's a scary notion. Maybe asking Li is a BAD idea.....even if I do like Mads.
Must admit, I'm having fun tossing ideas back and forth for this one. I don't think anyone's done a classic-style rocketship yet, at least not that I can remember. I seem to recall a flying saucer (?), I think, but not the 'cigar with fins' model.
Is there anything else people would like to see in the ship? I'd love to hear more ideas...
Re: Ship idea....thoughts? - Norgarth - 09-12-2007
wel,l as I mentioned way back when in a ship quirks thread, you could have the ship's exhaust look like a sparkler or some other b-movie special effect.
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Re: Ship idea....thoughts? - Kokuten - 09-12-2007
mmm, yes, the exhaust spews, in addition to fused hydrogen, chunks of very excited carbon.. it looks like a big friggin sparkler, and smears hulls like a sharpie marker in the hands of the 100 foot 2-year-old.Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979
Re: Ship idea....thoughts? - robkelk - 09-12-2007
Quote:Kohran's a very busy girl, what with the Kaboomite Project, then Operation Great Justice, then taking over as chief engineer when Sora transfers to Mal's group... but she might be able to squeeze in some time for this project. But have a backup engineer, just in case.
*snicker* I'm tempted to see if Li Kohran would have the time/interest to play, too.
Quote:As excited as a six-year-old at the circus?
the exhaust spews ... chunks of very excited carbon
-Rob Kelk
"Read Or Die: not so much a title as a way of life." - Justin Palmer, 6 June 2007
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."
- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012
Re: Ship idea....thoughts? - Feinan - 09-13-2007
Quote:*grin* That's pretty excited, but it works for me. *chuckles* I was looking around at a website last night - all sorts of pictures and such from old 50s SF shows. Captain Video, Tom Corbett Space Cadet, the old Flash Gordon serials...lots of fun stuff. The sparkler image is just right for the ship.
As excited as a six-year-old at the circus?
Though I did get an image in my head from it. On a rescue run - the exhaust tail grows to 2-3 times in length...and the ship itself is surrounded by an intense white aura/light. Between the speed and that...she'd look something like a cross between a comet and a shooting star. Which seems a very fitting image for her. Yes?
a momentary concern... - Sirrocco - 09-13-2007
I seem to recall that .1C was the default speed for "generic speed drive on small car". It sounds like this particular ship is rather larger than that. Not to say that you couldn't play with eyebrow-raising numbers on "burn out the engine, only on a rescue, oh, and you just lost control of the ship" drive, but you might want to shave a bit off of your "tooling around the Solar System, no particular quirks" speed.
Re: a momentary concern... - Feinan - 09-14-2007
Hmm. Admittedly, I was figuring something about the size of a shuttle or thereabouts - enough room for a crew of 1-2, and a surveyor/scientist crew of 2, maybe 3. Or possibly something the size of The Inelegant Truth. It would definitely be faster than the Fateful Lightning's 0.05c, but then, she's on the large end of SS-class ships. 0.7c or 0.8c maybe? Or do ships that are actually created as working spaceships first actually do better when handwaved? I mean, the stuff can turn a totally unspaceworthy vehicle such as a car into something that can get into space; would the fact that you've got something that can already function there let it concentrate more on other things? Any opinions or ideas? My personal leaning is that it might, but I'm not absolutely wedded to the idea. I'm really curious as to what the rest of you think.
And if the ship doesn't quite hit 0.1c, then having it hit...hmm...0.13c or so on a rescue run would still be damned impressive.
*snickers* And I just realized something last night. Among the things used to culture the handwavium for this project...the culture medium HAS to include Tang.
Re: a momentary concern... - robkelk - 09-14-2007
Oh, definitely. Just don't let the Evangelion Fen anywhere near the Tang; we don't want to send the 'wavium any mixed messages, do we?
-Rob Kelk
"Read Or Die: not so much a title as a way of life." - Justin Palmer, 6 June 2007
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."
- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012
Re: a momentary concern... - Feinan - 09-15-2007
*laughs* I can agree with that wholeheartedly. Evangelion fans would be bad.
*grin* I've been reading the Finances page on the wiki. I hadn't really considered the fact that biomass would be the biggest source of wealth in Fenspace. It sounds as though the Jason can contribute a bit more to the project than I thought, which is cool. Though he'll still need help. *chuckle* Wiregeek...you seem to have been having a lot of fun with the brainstorming for this; would you be interested in being involved with it as a participant in putting it together?
*snickers* Oh....and Rob? The Jason probably DOES issue wooden nickels. Or at least wooden credits. Stained, polished pieces of wood, each worth so much with him for work that people want done.
Re: a momentary concern... - Herr Bad Moon - 09-15-2007
Quote:Well, the general rule of thumb is the larger the craft the slower the speed in sublight. There are exceptions, the Truth for example, but these boosted stats come with a cost ie. she's fast in a straight line but can't maneuver worth a damn. Handwaviums a tricky thing, but I wouldn't think it out the relm of possibility that ships that "feel" like they should go faster might go a bit more than a hulk. But that's just me.---------------
Hmm. Admittedly, I was figuring something about the size of a shuttle or thereabouts - enough room for a crew of 1-2, and a surveyor/scientist crew of 2, maybe 3. Or possibly something the size of The Inelegant Truth. It would definitely be faster than the Fateful Lightning's 0.05c, but then, she's on the large end of SS-class ships. 0.7c or 0.8c maybe? Or do ships that are actually created as working spaceships first actually do better when handwaved? I mean, the stuff can turn a totally unspaceworthy vehicle such as a car into something that can get into space; would the fact that you've got something that can already function there let it concentrate more on other things? Any opinions or ideas? My personal leaning is that it might, but I'm not absolutely wedded to the idea. I'm really curious as to what the rest of you think.
-Jon
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
The population density of Wyoming is very low, but that doesn't mean the people there aren't also out to kill you.
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Jon
"And that must have caused my dad's brain to break in half, replaced by a purely mechanical engine of revenge!"
Re: a momentary concern... - Kokuten - 09-15-2007
I would not have a problem with that, save for scheduling.
Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979Wire Geek - Burning the weak and trampling the dead since 1979
Theme song... - Feinan - 09-16-2007
Scheduling is always a pain, yes...though this is actually the sort of thing that can be a long-term project. It's not as if it has to be done on any sort of deadline.
*grin* And I realized the perfect theme song for the ship, given what we decided it should look like. Tom Smith's Rocket Ride is spot on.
*snicker* I'm also trying to decide if the ship has a 'Best of Queen' effect. Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett wrote a book called Good Omens that is hilarious. One thing mentioned in the book is that any cassette tape left in a car for a week or two mutates into a 'Best of Queen' album. So...should Star Dreamer have a similar effect on space suits? Any spacesuit left aboard the ship for a couple of weeks turns into a 1940s/1950s-style bubble-helmeted spacesuit?
-Feinan