General Category > Off Topic

Physics of Space Battles

<< < (3/3)

Echo35:

--- Quote from: eRe4s3r on December 18, 2009, 08:20:41 PM ---Realistic in the abstracted game world it models ;) I am not sure where the notion comes that its a problem to manage heat in space, if you switch of your heater you are going to freeze within seconds, worse - you are going to see the most awesome display of ice formation on your inside hull.

--- End quote ---

Its the fact that power generators making the energy to run weapons and the like, even though much more efficient than modern technology, still create a good amount of waste heat. And in space, you need radiators to bleed off that heat. In the game's lore, since you have to slow down to non-combat speeds to extend radiators, its the equivalent of "striking your colors" and surrendering, so heat management and combat endurance is a really huge factor of the battles.

If you're really interested, the rule book even has the thermodynamic equations in a sidebar so you can calculate it yourself, if you REALLY want to.

eRe4s3r:
But what would stop a ship designer from designing a ship in such a way that the hull surface becomes infinitely larger and thus external radiators become pointless ;)  http://ere4s3r.deviantart.com/art/Slim-Cruiser-Clay-and-Final-133979551

You just need 1 or 2 interior insertions or wings to double and triple the available space for always-on radiators. And damage can be avoided by simply rotating with a strong gyro (as i modeled ;p) to maintain smallest profile. In space all you need is a massive gyro to be able to maintain the orientation you want

Spikey00:
NOP!  There are always fires in space and light is always diffracted in vacuums!

Actually, ironically, Starships kind of are on fire when they're low on HP...

eRe4s3r:
Lasers emit light though, you just can't see it with human eyes unless its directly refracted at you ... So at least that could be "AI Enhanced Vision" to some extend. You know, heat-energy visualization or something.

To be honest, i am not even sure lasers would work in space - as weapon. Given how cold space is, wouldn't you loose a huge amount of energy when a laser traverses the non-vacuum (meaning theres particles there) ?

The only thing i can imagine working is rail guns and mass drivers and missiles.

Echo35:

--- Quote from: eRe4s3r on December 18, 2009, 10:21:51 PM ---But what would stop a ship designer from designing a ship in such a way that the hull surface becomes infinitely larger and thus external radiators become pointless ;)

--- End quote ---

The civilian ships do function like that, but with the military ships, the entire exterior is covered in armor and sensor arrays. Putting a radiator outside would make a nice soft spot to lob a shell through.


--- Quote ---To be honest, i am not even sure lasers would work in space - as weapon. Given how cold space is, wouldn't you loose a huge amount of energy when a laser traverses the non-vacuum (meaning theres particles there) ?
--- End quote ---

Nope, thats why they lose a massive amount of damage potential the farther they go. Missiles and coilguns are the primary weapons, lasers are just there for close in firing, or for downfiring at inbound missiles.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[*] Previous page