Hyperdrive Technology?

[Telan Desaria]

Do we allow non-hyperdrive technologies? If we do, would these exceptions be immune to Interdiction devices such as the Contrainer-class Picket, Interdictor Cruiser, and planetary mass shadows?

[Morgan Evanar]

There is no background in SW for anything other than hyperdrive based FTL. I think the Ai 'Ting (or whatever they are called) are the sole exception, AFAIK.

[Telan Desaria]

Just asking because I was told the Interdiction Field I set up along the Imperial-Federal border would useless against Federal hyperdrives.

*series of interdiction pickets at random and changing locations*

[Morgan Evanar]

Sounds like godmoding to me.

[Telan Desaria]

Thank you for your time in this matter.

[Figrin D'an]

Don't Interdictor-class ships and the like function by creating a massive artificial gravity well? If that's the case, I can't see how the type of lightspeed engine used would matter. The Aing-Ti might be able to get around it, because they essentially use the Force to fold space and teleport their ships from location to location, but that's dramatically different from any type of hyperdrive engine. If a ship runs into a gravity well that large, be it a black hole, cosmic string or an artificially created distortion, it's going to get pulled in unless it can exude enough thrust to break free. (Then, we're getting into Star Trek types of warp technology).

[Khendon Sevon]

Actually, if we look a little deeper here’s what we’ll see:

“Instead of pulling ships from hyperspace and trapping them like the Interdictor, the Abolisher produces tiny spheres of hyper-energy that are shot out into an area of space. When ships traveling through hyperspace cross the equivalent area of realspace, they come in contact with the hyper-energy spheres. These spheres overwhelm the blocking capacity of the ship's shields and shred the craft. These hyper-energy spheres do not affect ships in realspace, but if a ship enters a field of spheres and then jumps to lightspeed it comes in contact with the deadly pulses.”

That’s the technical explanation for an abolisher cruiser—what Telan’s mines are based off. However, he’s mentioned that they don’t have the same effect. Rather than destroy the vessel, they simply disable it—he hasn’t explained how, but I’m assuming it’s a reduction in energy.

Now, Federal hyperdrives use negative matter to line their slipstreams. One of the characteristics of negative matter is that it reduces energy—a by product of its negative gravity. With the slip stream lined, the powerful shielding technology of the Federacy, and the reduction of the hyper-energy, it becomes feasible to pass through the fields of abolishers—as long as there isn’t a large concentration of overlapping spheres.

[Telan Desaria]

In a minefield there is a large concentration. And if you read more thoroughly, you will see that I was referring to my Interdictor patrols. And, as Abolisher technology is as dangerous to the user as the target, only a fraction of the mine clusters are abolishers.

It seems that the tech you described, if I read the ruling right, is still brought out of hyperspace.

[Sanis Prent]

I'll go on the record as far as loathing Federacy technobabble as vehemently as possible.

Or in geekspeek, this is the black hole mass shadow, and it is sucking the fun out of hyperspace.

:mad You are not Werner Heisenberg, and this is not what we're here for.

[Telan Desaria]

*here here. Khendon, I have a deep respect for your dedication to your work, but on this matter I required a ruling. Your hyperdrive, though new, is a modification on a given technology. You are affected by the mine-field, Interdictor pickets, and the fortresses designated as such.

[Khendon Sevon]

If we're talking about interdiction pickets the Imperials have had anti-interdiction technology since before TGE, since GMA.

What's the difference now?

[Telan Desaria]

I never used or heard of such a technology. Please xplain.


And if we had it, I do not have it.

[Khendon Sevon]

It took me a while of searching to find the original post, but here it is:
http://www.swforums.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18399

Check out the HIM research. That post was made on 10-21-00.

I’ve been trying to find the oldest post in regards to our drives using negative matter but haven’t had much luck. I have to go so I’ll show you one that is somewhat old (though I know we definitely have older ones):

http://www.swforums.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20162

That’s marked as 6-24-02.

When I get back I’ll dig up some more threads.

[Figrin D'an]

Originally posted by Khendon Sevon
Actually, if we look a little deeper here’s what we’ll see:

“Instead of pulling ships from hyperspace and trapping them like the Interdictor, the Abolisher produces tiny spheres of hyper-energy that are shot out into an area of space. When ships traveling through hyperspace cross the equivalent area of realspace, they come in contact with the hyper-energy spheres. These spheres overwhelm the blocking capacity of the ship's shields and shred the craft. These hyper-energy spheres do not affect ships in realspace, but if a ship enters a field of spheres and then jumps to lightspeed it comes in contact with the deadly pulses.”

That’s the technical explanation for an abolisher cruiser—what Telan’s mines are based off. However, he’s mentioned that they don’t have the same effect. Rather than destroy the vessel, they simply disable it—he hasn’t explained how, but I’m assuming it’s a reduction in energy.

Now, Federal hyperdrives use negative matter to line their slipstreams. One of the characteristics of negative matter is that it reduces energy—a by product of its negative gravity. With the slip stream lined, the powerful shielding technology of the Federacy, and the reduction of the hyper-energy, it becomes feasible to pass through the fields of abolishers—as long as there isn’t a large concentration of overlapping spheres.


This is really, really pushing the feasibility of this part of quantum physics. Your talking about harnessing dark energy and using it to power the drive system of a ship. The fact that so little was known about dark matter and dark energy when most of tech in Star Wars was envisioned makes it kind of hard to incorporate this without completely rewritting the rules of FTL travel as they are used in the Star Wars realm.

There's theoretical basis for your ideas, but they're not exactly compatable with the SW status quo.

[Khendon Sevon]

Who's to say what the SW status quo is? Are we going by the books, movies, technical journals? Even then there's so much that isn't explained.

Most of the books seem to consider hyperspace travel a science that isn't very well understood, yet, it has been harnessed--proof being the interdictors and abolishers and increasing speeds of hyperdrives.

Of course, if you’re saying it doesn’t sit well with Star Wars, that’s true. I agree, when I think of SW I don’t think of wormhole-blah, electro-static-this, nano-that. Then again, I also don’t think of a turbolaser as using a complex mix of refined gasses that are ignited from a starting energy bean and then launched through the cold, harsh expanses of space for long distances with galvanized coils. (Source: Ess. Guide to Weapons and Tech.)

Then again, lasers are explained as high-energy blaster gas ignited with a powerful energy charge mixed with an additional charge and light. (Source: Ess. Guide to Weapons and Tech.)

If we’re going to moderate technology so strictly then I believe the Federacy, as well as several other fleet rping groups, will require someone to filter through the virtually endless research posts and declare what is valid and not.

In my opinion, as long as it’s logical, it should be allowed. I know this view isn’t shared. It boils down to the mods' decisions, I guess. So, what shall be done?

[Sanis Prent]

Originally posted by Khendon Sevon
Who's to say what the SW status quo is?

The consensus, plain and simple. The RPers at Fans have frequently picked and chosen the gold from the garbage in the EU material thus far presented. Thats what makes this place unique.

You can try and get the consensus to legitimize this kind of fleeting here, sure enough. Just the same as you can try to get Wahabbist Muslims in Mecca to pray to the Pope.

You're creating a needless barrier to entry as far as Fleeting is concerned with this techno-jargon. No other RP aspect here has had such a problem, so why here?

[Marcus Telcontar]

My head hurts reading this. WTF is all this techno gabble?

I thought it was simply Hyperdrive was the only option, Interdictors always bring Hyperdriven ships back to realspace. End of story.


Just asking because I was told the Interdiction Field I set up along the Imperial-Federal border would useless against Federal hyperdrives.

Okay. Might I point out space is staggeringly huge (Apologies to Douglas Adams) and the actual chances of even a big number of inderdictors stopping anything except at close planetary range is virtually zero? Really, think for a second. Just how big is the border?

[Morgan Evanar]

Hyperspace routes are very well known, which is why five or six interdictors can pull an amazing number of ships. There isn't a ton of room for error, either.

[Khendon Sevon]

You're creating a needless barrier to entry as far as Fleeting is concerned with this techno-jargon. No other RP aspect here has had such a problem, so why here?

Is developing new technology any different than creating new force moves or introducing new combat styles into the norm? Not to mention the introduction of vampires and werewolves into the galaxy?

I mean, there are things that stray far from the norm here that are fully allowed. Part of fleeting is technology. It’s not all about tactics. In reality, and in the books, the evolution of technology has played an important role in winning conflicts and losing them.

[Charley]

I'd argue its more about tactics and less about technology. FAR more so.

[Khendon Sevon]

But, just as there are multiple aspects to force users (sword play, mind powers, etc), there are multiple aspects to fleeting (tactics, technology, displacement, etc).

It all comes down to being an RP aid. Nothing more.

[Telan Desaria]

Just to clarify - I am not saying that entry into our space is blocked by my mega force of Interdictors. What I am saying is that the border has been mined randomly so as not to allow someone the ease of simply jumping in without rped preparation, which would give us time to react - if done properly. I do not want to god mode and fancy myself a sport.

That is why I created my fortress systems and the mine fields - to tactically filter hypertravel through areas I could control and monitor. A sound decision - yes. Stretched - yes. Rped as flawed and under construction and straining under the brudening massivity of a project so enormous? yes.

That is why I have said repeatedly that the field is incomplete. It is simply a deterrent.

For my two cents, I believe technology to be an aide to plot development and a fun rp, not technology the basis for an entire plot. If an engineer takes an invention to the bank to keep in a vault, the rp usually is not about the device, but the trip to get it where it needs to be and all that transpires in between.