Re: (1782) Re: Black Globes

 In message 1782, [email removed] (Adrian Hurt) writes:
 >
 >"Brent L. Woods" [email removed] writes:
 >>      One small quibble.  "Prototype" isn't the best word to use.  I
 >> think that "copy" would be more accurate.  The device wasn't developed
 >> by Imperial (or any other contemporary) technology.  To quote from page
 >> 31 of _High Guard_:
 >>
 >>           "Black globe generators are not available commercially; they
 >>      are recovered artifacts installed on a makeshift basis or
 >>      experimental versions installed on tech level 15 Imperial
 >>      warships."
 >
 >" ... or experimental versions ..."
 >Sounds like prototypes to me.  Besides, in due time the Imperials should
 >learn how to copy the things.  And one or two places are now TL 16, and
 >should be capable of designing them.  The Darrians probably have a few
 >hidden away somewhere; and two Vargr worlds are TL 16, according to the
 >old Vargr Alien Module.

     Oh, certainly.  I just generally associate the word "prototype"
with "newly-developed experimental device."  If you are copying some
pre-existing thing, it'd call that an "experimental copy."

     If the device is something that *you* developed (including the
theory behind it), then I'd assume a better understanding of the
device on the part of the developers.

     Personally, I'd rather have one of the recovered Ancient artifacts
rather than a new-made copy (though I *think* that there were only
2,000 of those that were found).  I'd tend to distrust the understanding
of the copiers.

 >>      Also, the behavior of the field is fairly well known--it won't
 >> explode or "move to a different universe."
 >
 >This depends on how the PC's get hold of it.  (Assuming that they do, of
 >course - and assuming that they role-play properly, and don't make use of
 >what the players read in various manuals.)  If they got one by looting an
 >Imperial warship, they are probably more powerful than they have any right
 >to be, but can probably interrogate someone from the ship.  If they got one

     Unless it's a derelict.  As I recall, there is mention of several
black globe-equipped drelict ships here and there in the official
publications.  Like the _Kinunir_, for example.

 >the same way as the Navy did, by looting an Ancient base, and if the Navy
 >hasn't been publishing documents about black globes, then the PC's  will
 >not know what they have, or what it does.

     No, but if they feed the correct power into it, it'll turn on
(possibly damaging the surround).  If they don't, then it *should* do
nothing (I admit, *if* Grandfather used proper fail-safe design
philosophy).

 >>           "If a ship absorbs enough energy to make a jump, and is
 >>      supplied with sufficient fuel, it may jump at the end of the turn."
 >>
 >>      Of course, this can be dangerous.  If you overload your capacitors,
 >> your ship is destroyed (by violently exploding capacitors, I guess).  I
 >> imagine that it's not a very good idea if you only have your jump drive
 >> capacitors available.
 >
 >I don't see the danger.  If the ship has absorbed enough energy to make the
 >jump, it absorbed the energy into the jump capacitors.  If it still exists,
 >it hasn't overloaded the capacitors.  There should be no risk of overload
 >due to trying to jump - either the capacitors are sufficiently charged for
 >the jump, leave them alone; or they need a little more charge, give it to
 >them.

     Ah, but what if your jump capacitors are fully charged, you're
preparing to jump out of a *very* dangerous situation, *and your globe
gets hit again*?  More energy (possibly a great deal more, depending on
how many opponents you have to deal with) is channeled to your already
fully-charged jump drive capacitors.  Result?  Boom.

     What I was obviously insufficiently clear in saying was that it
was probably not a good idea to *plan* on using that particular method
of escape *unless* you have the added safety margin of a few extra
capacitors to deal with that pesky problem of last-microsecond hits to
the globe.  If jump capacitors were all I had, I would plan on using
different tactics (unless, of course I just happened to be in the
situation by chance--then I'd press the jump drive's "doit" button).

     I just like to have ample safety margins whenever possible--could
you tell?  ;-)


- - --
     Brent

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