BC Technical Manual - Project

[Guest]

[post EDITED TO ADD CONCEPTS DISCUSSED IN ENGINEERING 101]

Greetings all.

This is a project I wanted to work on before I left, about a year ago. Now that I'm kind of back on the scene, I'd really like to finish it. I've sent a copy of this emssage to the SC, but I'm posting to this forum to see what input all of you tech-heads can give.

Essentially, what I'm aiming to do is create a "technical manual" to the devices and technologies used in 3000AD. There are a lot of us writing about this universe and I for one think such a manual would be a valuable asset to such writing endeavours - not to mention the fact it prevents us from taking too many liberties with the SC's world!

Below I have posted a series of preliminary questions about technologies in the BC world. I've posted my "theory" or "proposal" about how I see them working. I'd be interested in anyone else's input.

PS: The last few are just some background questions I was curious about, which I've sent to the SC - not really tech questions.

COMMUNICATIONS

#1) How do short range (within the same system) communications work?

My Proposal:

Short range communications could occur via more conventional means - laser signals allow comms to be sent at the speed of light.

#2) How do long range (between systems) communications work? [EDITED AFTER DISCUSSION IN ENGINEERING 101]

My Proposal:

After some discussion, I think the concept of hyperspace fields has been dropped in favour of the use of tachyon communications. Tachyons move faster than light, and so would be useful for long range communications. This property - the ability to overcome the physics of light - is also what makes them so imporant to the cloaking field.

HYPERSPACE JUMPS

#3) How do hyperspace jumps work? What is your understanding of the technology behind them?

My Proposal:

Hyperspace jumps are used by creating a field that allows an object to pass into a different dimension. The craft's navigational computer selects a dimension where length and distance are different from our own dimension, and so a small amount of movement in this hyperspace dimension results in an extremely large amount of movement relative to real space. Then, the hyperspace field depsoits the ship back into our own universe, where our own laws of physics take place and the ship appears in it's desired location.

TRANSPORTER

#4) How does the personnel transporter work? Does it use matter dformation / reformation, like Star Trek? Or does it use hyperspace technology, like ships do?

My Proposal:

Exactly like a hyperspace jump, only with people. Perhaps using a Guardran field also to prevent exposing nushielded life-forms to hyperspace. ST transporters are so far from believable, they're laughable (my opinion only, of course).

CLOAKING FIELD

#5) How does the cloaking device work?

My Proposal:

We already know that the cloaking device gives off tachyons when damaged. Tachyons are particles (not yet reliably isolated in RL) that travel faster than light. So, theoretically, a controlled tachyon field could alter light waves, causing them to bend around the field, and thus making matter within the field invisible to normal light waves. Iridium crystals are used - high-intensity lasers are used to stimulate the Iridium, and this produces the tachyon field. Doing so gradually renders the Iridium inert.

CLONING MODULE

#6) How does the cloning module work?

My Proposal:

Cloning tanks are used. These are filled with a special fluid medium which is colonised by viral vectors which are able to penetrate cellular matter and influence DNA. Complex computer alogrithms can be used to construct multi-cellular structures, and providing brain damage is not too severe, or a reliable neural imprint of personnel has been saved, a body which is adult in structure and function, with a functional brain and mind set, can be reproduced if personnel are killed.

NUCLEAR REACTOR

#7) Okay. Nuclear reactors can be used to provide fission or fusion energy. I'd suggest Fusion.

My Proposal: [EDITED AFTER ENGINEERING 101 DISCUSSION]

Well, someone forgot to RTFM and realise that the "MassDrive" reactor system utilised Matter and Antimatter. So the general consensus for the reactor operation from Engineering 101 is as follows...

Radine (reactor fuel) is a substance that is easily converted into antimatter - ie. very little energy is required to convert it into antimatter. So, ins ome kind of antimatter containment field, a small amount of radine is converted into antimatter (antiradine) and is allowed to react with normal radine. Any reaction between matter and antimatter causes the two to annihalate each other and energy to be produced, in the form of gamma radiation.

The resulting gamma radiation is used to superheat plasma within the reactor core, and this causes a nuclear fusion, secondary to the matter-antimatter reaction. The end result is energy production in the form of gamma rays and heat (which can be used to drive nano turbines and produce electrical energy) and superheated, energised plasma, the by product of nuclear fusion (which can then be conduited to energy weapons and engines).

ION DISRUPTER ARRAY

#8) How does the Ion Disrupter work?

My Proposal:

The IOD relies on plasma energy to function. A chamber within the weapon is filled with plasma from the nuclear reactor. Within a magentic containment field, the subatomic particles are accelerated to super-high speeds and projected from the barrel of the gun. Voila! A working energy weapon. The damage inflicted by the projectile comes about from both the intense heat energy of the plasma and the fact that the subatomic particles would tend to degrade normal matter. Ion weapons found on smaller craft, like the "Lasers" on fighters, work by the same principle.

BEAM WEAPONS

#9) Do these function along current laser theories? Eg. intense beams of light causing heat energy? If so, I can just write them up along currently accepted guidelines, with a bit of technobabble thrown in.

TRACTOR BEAM

#10) The usual technobabble about some kind of field/beam that can move energy? Or do you have any special theory about how tractor beams work?

INTERCEPTORS

#11) How are interceptors powered?

My Proposal:

These use both batteries and a reactor (according to parts list / repair manifest in game). The batteries are plasma chambers that are recharged directly from plasma supplied by the BC's nuclear reactor. This plasma could then be comperssed in a fusion reactor to produce heat energy, which could generate electricity; the superheated fusion could then be skimmed off and used for weapons/engines.

FLIGHT DYNAMICS

#12) Okay. Here's one of the biggies. How do space craft manage to fly in an atmosphere? They are obviously not aerodynamic, and stand no chance of flying by conventional means. How do they stay airborne?

My Proposal:

I see two options. 1) They use some form of anti-gravity field / repulsorlift technology that neutralises their tendency to fall, and use their own engines to push themselves along. 2) They use down-thrusters to neutralise the effects of gravity. As far as I can see, 1 would be the best option, because it would allow fighters to be quite maneuverable within an atmosphere (which they are). I would tend to go with 2 for larger craft, such as cruisers and carriers, because their mass means that any kind of anti-gravity field would have to be extremely energy-INefficient.

ENGINES

#13) Do the engines simply take a direct feed of plasma from the nuclear reactor? Or is there some other mechanism at work for providing thrust?

My Proposal:

If the reactor is indeed a fusion reactor, then magnetically-sealed feed lines could run from reactor core to engines, where superheated plasma would provide the kind of explosive thrust, as it is released from engine ports, that engines require to propel the BC.

SHIELDS

#14) Okay. Here's another biggie. The shild generator uses plutonium. Why is that? Plutonium is commonly used to create nuclear fission reactions, but the BC already has a nuclear reactor that uses Radine as a fuel. So why is plutonium necessary for shields?

#15) Other questions regarding shields:

Are they solid all of the time?

If so, how is it possible to walk on the surface of a ship?

My Proposal: [EDITED TO INCLUDE DISCUSSION FROM ENGINEERING 101]

If we combine Sunata's point

with Rico's original theory regarding shields, we get something along these

lines...(the DeSylva Theory of Shield Operation *grin*)

Shields are formed of an ultra-thin sheet of ionized particles (plutonium plasma,

hereon referred to as p-plasma) that are projected between two containment

fields. These particles are not constantly being projected; the p-plasma, while

constantly being generated, is sent out to the shields only when required. If it is

not required, it is simply allowed to cool and ejected as waste (which is why you

use plutonium all of the time unless your shields are lowered). As a result, shields

are transparent until hit. When the containment fields are breached by any object,

the p-plasma is projected into that point to try and ward off the breaching object.

This plasma projection causes an output of light (thus we see shield flares), heat

and kinetic energy (which is what pushes IOD blasts/missile explosions away or

absorbs them).

When something breaches the shields there are two possiblities.

1) The object is warded off (which is the usual occurrence). When this happens,

energy is required to maintain the containment fields. This energy is drained from

some kind of private supply the shield uses. Thus, your "shields are reduced" (eg.

"shields are at 50% and falling"). This energy is slowly recharged from the reactor,

depending on how much of the NRE output is being directed to the shield system.

Thus, your shields "recharge" (eg. "shield strength 90% and rising"). In BC:M, the

shield flares change colour depending on how strong your shields are - this could

be because the intensity of the containment fields colours the light output. When

the shield containment system is low on power ("the shields are weak") it tints the

plutonium plasma's light output a different colour.

2) The object cannot be warded off. Either there is not enough plutonium to

generate p-plasma for long enough to ward off the force ("plutonium stores are

depleted"), or there is not enough energy in the shield's private supply to maintain

the containment fields ("shields are down"), and they shut off. The shield is

breached, compressed, voided, or whatever terminology you like to use. Some

force is likely to have been absorbed and deflected until the shields shut off; the

remaining force is applied to the hull/armour.

Extending this theory to take into account weapons operation, it could be

postulated that where an object permanently breaches the containment fields (for

example, someone raises a turret and pokes it through the shield from the inside, or

the IOD barrel pokes through the front of the shield) the field simply wraps around

it, like an island rising from the middle of a body of water. The island itself is

unprotected; everything else under the water is protected. As I said above, in

BC:M there will be CTAS (component targetting acqusition) which allows specific

components to be targetted and damaged independently - so the above would

make sense. (On a side note, there was also talk of putting turrets in a recessed

comnpartment in the hull so they only opened and raised up to firing position when

required - which would mean the rest of the time, they are shielded). Thus,

shields allow weapon function and missile launches (because the launchers are

attached to the PTA turrets, and therefore also above the shields). They also allow

communication to pass because plasma simply doesn't present any barrier to

tachyons.

"ANTIMATTER" NACELLES [EDITED AFTER ENGINEERING 101 DISCUSSION]

#16) Perhaps these are used to store antimatter converted from radine so that there is always a ready source? Or they are used to house the hyperdrive equipment?

HULL/ARMOUR

#17) What makes it so tough? Why are there different classes of titanium?

My Proposal:

I was thinking of titanium wafer production - the titanium is constructed of thousands of microscopic layers of titanium, heat bonded, super-compressed and dense, and laser-smoothed so that they provide no burrs or irregularities that could weaken the integrity of the surface. Armour upgrades could consist of more super-compressed alloys.

SUPPORT STAFF

#18) Why are there no catering/support staff on ships?

My Proposal:

These jobs are filled by androids/machines.

ID VERIFICATION

#19) How does ID verification work in 3000AD

My Proposal:

All citizens carry "datatabs" - small tabs or cylinders of metal, kind of like keyrings, which store their ID details - much like an ID card or drivers license. they also store the person's biological signature, DNA print, and retinal scans - so that they can't be forged or used by other people. So, encrypted messages would require the recipient to provide their datatab, then be scanned to make sure they are the right person.

[ 04-15-2001: Message edited by: DeSylva ]

[Epsilon 5]

Very good idea. Here are my comments and suggestions:

1) Laser links or radio wave comms are alright.

2) What about tachyon energy waves, used like a laser stream?

3) The dimension shift is the best possibility. It would also explai why ships are invisible in hyperspace (they're in another dimension, but why can we tractor a ship in hyperspace (I mean the tractored ship is not in hyperspace) ?

4) Good idea. Would explain why we can transport people while shields up;

5) Well... could be true, but then we should not see alright thru a cloaked ship, we should see some distorsion.

6) That's what I think. The only things that bothers me is the fact that you cannot tell your officers to give DNA again so they may be more intelligent after a cloning procedure.

7) I like nuclear fusion, but there could be anti-matter too. There is a big thread about this in the rp forum (Engineering 101)

8) Good idea, but then I don't have much idea of my own on this.

9) Why shouldn't it be a constant-fire IOD?

10) I never found a plausible way to explain how any tractor beam works. Dunno.

11) How about plasma drive? The battery could be a plasma reserve (fuel) and with contact with electricity, it would create energy for propulsion (It's a true possibility that Nasa is considering)

12) I would say it's a mix of the two.

13) When your reactor is off or if you're out of radine, the engine is off too, but when it's destroyed (but mecanically still online), the engines still work. There's a paradox here.

14) Maybe the plutonium is used to create ions (a contained ionised field), but then you couldn't touch the hull without hurting the shields.

15) Where is #15?

16) What ships?

17) Titanium armor could be all that you said + the fact that a better armor is a better alloy, which would explain why you need some materials else than titanium to repair it. (and the titanium could be found in the hull & armor repair units).

18) If that is true, they should be included in roleplay. When you read the treads, it always seems like there was nothing else than biological being to take care of the ship.

19) I prefer something you wear like a watch.

OTHER THINGS:

A1) The med-laser, by Cmdr Nova

quote:

---

Description of Med-Laser:

The Med-Laser was a device that would first scan your DNA and flash-create skin cells on demand for you, and close nearly all wounds on you, by streaming fresh skin cells and focusing a light-density laser onto the skin, speeding up the scab-to-skin process. Although it was a miraculous device, you would still have to use a higher density, and more complicated version for surgeries on viral organs, like the heart, lungs, or brain.

---

[ 04-14-2001: Message edited by: Epsilon 5 ]

[Guest]

[Ben Somerset]

You might like to refer to Engineering 101 for other forumgoers (myself included) concepts as to some of these technologies.

Personally for the NRE situation, I'd go with Schultz's Scenario 2 towards the bottom of the page. It seems the most plausible theory given our current knowledge on tech.

I've been thinking of a more detailed concept of just *how* the various components interact to create energy that can be used, and *where* it goes afterwards. I'll give some more concerted thought on it, and post again tomorrow.

One thing about #13. I'm personally more inclined to think that drive systems are gravity based. Why? Because the only visible exhaust ports on ships are at the aft end. With newtonian motion, how are ships supposed to decelerate without completely reversing direction, and applying *forward* thrust to stop?

Now you could use technobabble to explain that exhaust vents are variable, and are somehow able to apply deceleration, as well as acceleration, but I personally don't like it. The use of gravity, IMHO, makes for a simpler, and plausible (depending on who you ask) solution.

Good to see you back, DeSylva.

[ 04-14-2001: Message edited by: Ben Somerset ]

[Epsilon 5]

Comms:

quote:

---

tachyons can travel faster than light (or through hyperspace, depending on your definition).

---

I believe that light-speed can be exceeded. But I won't reject Einstein theory.

Tractor beams:

quote:

---

Isn't it? I always thought if a ship tractored another ship, and then went into hyperspace, the tractored ship went with it.

---

Yes, that is logical, but play the demo and tractor yourself with one of your shuttle and you'll see he's the only one in hyperspace.

Cloning:

quote:

---

"you cannot tell your officers to give DNA again"

---

When you clone an officer, it become exactly like the officer you had when you were commissionned. Play for weeks with the same game, and lose an officer. Clone him and he'll be just like at start: not more intelligent than a mushroom.

Reactor:

quote:

---

We are, of course, restricted to what the SC has given us.

---

That's something to consider. But, anyway, maybe WE could make the new manual...

Antimatter nacelles:

quote:

---

Those ships. *grin*.

---

Oh, those things... I though it would only be the hyperdrive itself, the engine, nothing really special. So if CTAS is included in BCM, destroying this part would take down the hyperdrive.

Engine:

quote:

---

I suppose that's just an inconsitency in the game. A game this complex, there's bound to be some. Maybe it'll be fixed in BCM.

---

I hope so.

Interceptors:

quote:

---

That's essentially what I had in mind - plasma-powered engines

---

But if we have to follow SC's directions, what do we do with the fact that there is a "nuclear reactor" in the fighter's parts?

(some things aren't in order)

[Baloogan]

About the cloning,, only phyiscule features would be notested if your crew were to give DNA again, if i gave DNA now and someone cloned me they would not have the memory of what game i played last night

also about the nacells,,,

The fuel tanks are not in the logixticx screan,,, where could they be...?

[ 04-14-2001: Message edited by: Baloogan ]

[Gallion]

quote:

---

...When you clone an officer, it become exactly like the officer you had when you were commissionned. Play for weeks with the same game, and lose an officer. Clone him and he'll be just like at start: not more intelligent than a mushroom. ...

---

Pure rubbish Epsilon 5. Clone any Officer or Pilot and they will have the same AI attributes that they had before dying. This is how cloning worked in BC3K and this is how cloning continues to work as of the BCM Demo.

quote:

---

...That's something to consider. But, anyway, maybe WE could make the new manual... ...

---

We cannot make a new manual. THere is only one person in this entire universe (as we currently know it) that can make a new BC Manual. Need I name that individual?

TTFN

[Sunanta]

Epsilon, you have a point. Ordinary matter cannot exceed the speed of light in normal space. Move into hyperspace and normal matter should be able to break this barrier, however. For a more detailed explaination, I refer you to my latest post in the Engineering 101 thread.

Oh, and tachyons do not travel through hyperspace. They travel faster than light in normal space- something normal matter (tardons) cannot do. I covered this more in depth in the same post in the Engineering 101 forum. Oh, and hyperspace is not another dimension. It is simply a fourth direction. When you go into hyperspace, you are moving in hyperspace directions- 'above' and 'below' normal space- again, see my latest post in the engineering 101 thread (perhaps I should just copy the whole dang post here).

I completely agree with Ben for #13. Drives would have to be gravity based. Besides, manipulation of spacetime to induce hyperspace travel would be closely related to gravity.

For cloning, I beg to differ, Gallion. When you lose an officer, any AI points they gained during their time onboard are lost, as though they are restored from some sort of initial mental template. If this has since been changed in BCM, well, then I stand corrected. But if memory serves, the AI attributes are reset upon death. Besides, DNA doesn't contain memory. That memory is probably recorded by some huge, expensive device that won't fit on your average (and even not-so-average) military starship. Therefore, such recording might only occur right before the officers first board your ship. You have the old recording, but not the ability to make new ones (If this has since changed, well, then I guess 10 years has certainly had its effect on the size of components).

Don't assume that a reactor employs nuclear fission or fusion just because it is called "nuclear." Not only does the manual say (more or less) that the reactor operates on the principle of matter/antimatter annihalation, "nuclear" could simply mean that the reactor reacts nucleons (protons and neutrons) with antinucleons (antiprotons and antineutrons).

[ 04-15-2001: Message edited by: Sunanta ]

[Guest]

First off, Gallion is absolutely correct, there is ONLY ONE person who can create a NEW manual, and again, we all know who that person is.

2nd, Suntana, are you a scientist? or a theoretical physicist, if so, I need to hook you up with a couple of friends of mine, we could learn a lot with the 3 of you discussing such things. It could get real interesting, and who knows, we could come up with a major breakthrough!! lol

Anyway, nice idea guys, but I feel that the original idea is pretty thoroughly covered in the original manual, and if you don't think that the SC will update the manual, well, you don't know the SC, he is VERY thorough!!!

[Guest]

Gee, I really should have read Engineering 101 before I posted this! Thanks to those who pointed me in the right direction. I'm currently over there stirring up a can of worms, so anyone who wishes to join us, feel free...*grin*.

[Guest]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jaguar:

Anyway, nice idea guys, but I feel that the original idea is pretty thoroughly covered in the original manual, and if you don't think that the SC will update the manual, well, you don't know the SC, he is VERY thorough!!!

---

The problem is, the manual only covers the basics. The premise behind this project is to ensure that BC's tehcnologies, and their basis, remains both original and realistic - or as realistic as possible. After all, it only takes one writer with no imagination, to use a Star Trek or Star Wars explanation for some technology in BC3K, and all of a sudden, it's just a copy-cat idea. I want to give both the fans, and Derek, a chance to make official decisions on how these technologies work so that when people start saying stuff like "oh, there's no way they can transport through shields because they don't know the shield harmonics to make their transporter in phase", we can say "nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah, there's no such thing as shield harmonics in this universe, and by the way, you should have kept the door to your bridge locked, say hello to my friend Mr. Space Force Boarding Marine and his special friend Mr. BMP-9".

Ahem.

The SC knows this is something I've wanted to do for a long time - with his permission and all copyrights and ownerships going to 3000AD and the Big Man himself, of course. This game has always been at the forefront of originality. We had 3D RTS in this game a good five or six years before Homeworld was released - and that's a lifetime in the gaming industry. We had 3D textured graphics running around when Wing Commander was in vogue. And we had a persistent, dynamic universe back when Terminus and it's clones were only a twinkle in some developers eye. I simply think that we need to take the time to ensure that the technologies used in this game are a) sound and original.

Besides, all copyrights aside, how cool would it be to have my name on the contributions list for a document that I think would be very, very popular once BC comes out? Look how popular commercial publications like the Star Trek Technology manuals are...and with the absorbing nature of this game, I really think tech-minded fans are going to look for more information than is in the manual.

I mean, the manual does it's job and it does it's job well - the SC is very thorough. But the player only needs to know how to raise their shields to play the game - they don't need to know exactly how those shields work. But it's after playing the game, after it's sparked their imagination, they start to wonder how those shields REALLY work. And that's where a tech guide would come in.

Just my two cents.

[Guest]

My apologies Desylva, good luck, and I look forward to seeing the finished product when it's finished.

[Guest]

Sorry if I sounded harsh - I didn't mean to be. Just wanted to make sure everyone knew I wasn't out to rewrite the manual or overstep "The Man".... If I was seriously contemplating that, I'd escort myself to the airlock.

Only 2.5 hours left on my night shift! Woohoo!

[Epsilon 5]

quote:

---

If I was seriously contemplating that, I'd escort myself to the airlock.

---

Need help

I'd like to help make that tech manual. not that I have extensive knowledge in the subject, but I often wonder about those details, and have a few ideas.

[Joel Schultz]

2) I would add something like jump gates also serving as relay stations and also involve directed comm signals sent towards wormholes linking regions. IMHO, it takes a ton more power to send any kind of omni-directional signal (like in a long-range broadcast) than a directed one to a relay station. You'd get a power savings and also longer transmission ranges between relay points.

3) Going to comment on this over in Engineering 101...

6) Sounds like a cross between Timothy Zahn's Star Wars stories & Sixth Day with Arnold Schwarzeneggar. Sounds good to me.

7) Am going to be revisiting Engineering 101 before commenting further.

8) Uh, Engineering 101 had a couple interesting posts as to why plasma transfer was difficult. But I'll drop that for now. My question is this: if we are shooting IONs (e.g. charged particles) -- are they all the same charge and if so, what do we do with the leftovers? Maybe we alternate positively/negatively charged shots to prevent excessive ion build-up.

10) Treknology claims tractor beams are localized distortions in space-time that "freeze" the object in place, and that by manipulating the distortions it can be moved. Star Wars technology has tractor beams being highly focused gravity generators that pull in an object using gravitational fields. Either way, it would explain why we have to lower shields since consensus seems to be that they involve some sort of "containment" field -- the two would have a disruptive effect on each other. I'd favor a combination of the two -- some sort of gravity projector combined with force-fields that help keep the target within the gravitational cone.

13) The reactor is smack dab next to the engines. Given that, the inefficiencies of using plasma directly would likely not come into play over such a short distance. I don't think the plasma alone could move the ship's mass. I think it'd either have to be run through an accelerator somehow. Since plasma is ionized gas, that shouldn't be too hard. But we still end up having to deal with the ship needing to get rid of the leftover charge not accelerated. Maybe portside/starboard vents accelerate atomic nuclei, and a central vent accelerates the electrons? Thus we get rid of all charged particles, and the heaviest particles are leaving on the outermost thrust "lanes" of the ship where they'd have the largest punch to get some maneuverability?

15) I don't like having p-plasma being directed to a breach -- it would have to occur very quickly. You have "breach detected, adjust p-plasma projectors to reinforce breach, project more p-plasma" which seems to be too slow, IMO. I'd say that the p-plasma is continually being added because the containment fields leak. The fields are fairly complex -- they follow the form of the hull. I'd not be surprised if the "seams" of joining shield planes weren't "air-tight" and leaked p-plasma over time. After a breach, neighboring p-plasma could spread out to fill it in -- diminishing overall shield strength (it's thinning out), and new p-plasma could then be brought in to bring it up to usual density.

17) I think armor is somehow atomically or quantumly reinforced (e.g. "Sun Crusher" from Star Wars" or the "spinnerets" that employed strong-nuclear force enhancement for densifying cables from the Timothy Zahn novel, "Spinneret"). Somehow, we've gotten the titanium packed in a tighter lattice than what is normally possible, thus increasing its density and resilience. Also, we do seem to have an SIF field for the ship. If it were projected through the armor too that would help it to survive a beating. Different grades of armor may respond more strongly to the SIF than others.

18) Maybe that's what marines do instead of playing cards Nah, I think we got replicator-like units for making food and little robots or nano-bots that clean the floor and other unpleasant places like the head (though I'm also sure the crew knows how to use a plunger even in 3000AD, too ). I'm sure the crew would be responsible for keeping their quarters clean or up to standards. As for the mess hall/galley, I suppose how this functions depends on what a Nutripak is. I view them as a general wad of nutritive stuff that can be synthesized by food processors into stuff that looks and tastes like normal food but isn't necessarily the real thing. I also think the galley would contain a small kitchenette for those crewers who would enjoy cooking as a form of relaxation, like my Tactical Officer. Once a week he likes to put together a gourmet meal for the officers of the Cavanagh.

19) I might be inclined to disagree on this point -- if your data tab stores all that info, why not just use the retinal scan, DNA print etc directly? I mean, for the data tab to work as you described you'd have to provide the data tab -- and then something like a retinal scan -- to verify the data tab was for you? The only thing the data tab would be good for would be like a "personal document" card, containing things like medical info and the like.

[Tyrn]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sunanta:

For cloning, I beg to differ, Gallion. When you lose an officer, any AI points they gained during their time onboard are lost, as though they are restored from some sort of initial mental template. If this has since been changed in BCM, well, then I stand corrected. But if memory serves, the AI attributes are reset upon death. Besides, DNA doesn't contain memory. That memory is probably recorded by some huge, expensive device that won't fit on your average (and even not-so-average) military starship. Therefore, such recording might only occur right before the officers first board your ship. You have the old recording, but not the ability to make new ones (If this has since changed, well, then I guess 10 years has certainly had its effect on the size of components).

---

Actually, as far as BC3K and Pilots go, Gallion is correct. There is no loss in status (AI, DF, etc). This was changed because of the numerous complaints regarding how hard it is to train pilots up to a decent AI level. As to officers, I am unsure as I have never had need to clone one although it has been very tempting to accidentally need to clone Resnig, but we shall not decend into that pit of insaity!

As to BCM, I haven't had the demo running long enough to guage the effects of cloning and the NDA blocks my posting any results of my beta testing work. In short, with BCM I really couldn't say.

[ 04-16-2001: Message edited by: Tyrn ]

[Supreme Cmdr]

As I mentioned via email, I neither have the time, nor the motivation to get involved in this, nor sanction its creation.

Giving anyone open season to come up with that they assumed I was thinking, wrt my in-game technologies and sci-fi premise, would be (a) foolhardy of me ( require that I take the time to point out the inaccuracies etc © undermine any efforts that I would like to put into this venture, on my own.

Further, I already hired someone to do the BCM manual with me. This same person (who has published several works in this vein) and I (Dennis Greene aka _shadow_) will be doing an official BCM strat guide which will be released sometime after the game is released - and in addition to all the internal workings which have no place in the printed manual, will have a lot more info about sci-fi technological premise of my creations.

The manual is already thorough. Dennis and I will be working to wrap up the BCM manual. Then we'll work on the strat guide, for which I would have time, since BCM would have shipped by then.

As such, this project is pointless and is not sanctioned by me.

I hope you all understand. This is NOT a debate. My first impulse was to close this thread to avoid further discussion - but I will trust that any further discussions do not undermine what I have outlined here - as I am not likely to change my mind.

That is all.

[ 04-16-2001: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

[Sunanta]

Joel, why don't you move that entire last post of yours over to the Engineering 101 thread- there's some great stuff there I'd like to discuss. In fact, why don't we move the technical aspects of this entire discussion down there- it would probably be more approrpriate in a thread dedicated to this stuff.

Tyrn: You're right, though I could've sworn... ROFL

Jaguar: Theoretical physicist??? LOL! I'm flattered! Actually, I'm just someone who's gotten a bit too interested in (read: become insanely obsessed with) the nature of space and other related phenomena. I've got a buch of books down here, admittedly, plus a heckuva lot of time to waste.

Heh, just noticed- this is my 50th post! I'm a commander!!! Boy, all that time down in the engineering 101 forum...

[ 04-16-2001: Message edited by: Sunanta ]

[Guest]

Thanks, SC. I received your email, and have replied. I accept your decision and downgrade the status of this "project" to mere fan speculation - which, of course, I'm sure you wouldn't deny us because that's what we've been doing for years...*GD&R*. You know my thoughts on what part this "mere fan speculation" could play in your future endeavours as far as BC tech is concerned, as I put them to you in my last email. Thanks for taking the time to read this thread - I hope I sound sincere because, far from being disapointed, I am flattered that my ideas were sufficiently interesting to warrant your attention, being as busy as you were. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Now, go! Work harder! We want BC:M!! *grin*.

If you wish to close this thread, you are welcome - it has served it's purpose, and the real discussion is going on down in the Engineering 101 thread in the RP forum. I don't suppose (considering that this thread alone has warranted 17 posts in the last 48 hours, and the Engineering 101 thread has received almost 60 posts, 40 of whch have been in the last 48 hours, you'ld consider opening a new Engineering 101 forum for us tech-heads?

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