Deep Space Jumps: Easier than you think
- Thread starter steelbrok
- Start date
DFW said:
I didn't think so somehow
.Anyway, it would be faster just to make a long range scout with a huge amount of it's mass filled with fuel.
I mean lets see, a stateroom, bridge, and engines take, maybe, 25 tons? add 60 tons of fuel and you can make 6 jumps, three out, three back. That would take a month and a half, and could easily cover 4-6 systems dependant on the jump pattern.
Would that no be a) quicker and b) easier?
As mentioned in a previous post, advanced infrared sensors should bebarnest2 said:
able to detect the heat generated by internal heating from radioactive
decay, which would give a rogue planet a higher temperature than the
surrounding space.
But even if the sensor technology would not be good enough to detect
this over a distance of some light years, a 100 dton sensor drone with
a jump drive would be a cheap way to explore "empty" hexes - no need
for room and life support for a human crew.
barnest2 said:DFW said:
I didn't think so somehow
Anyway, it would be faster just to make a long range scout with a huge amount of it's mass filled with fuel.
I mean lets see, a stateroom, bridge, and engines take, maybe, 25 tons? add 60 tons of fuel and you can make 6 jumps, three out, three back. That would take a month and a half, and could easily cover 4-6 systems dependant on the jump pattern.
Would that no be a) quicker and b) easier?
A linked array of IR telescopes could EASILY spot on of these at 2 parsecs. Take only a few days.
I have been using such sensor drones for my settings for quite a whilebarnest2 said:
now, the idea probably came from Niven's Ringworld novels, together
with the idea that the drones' data are not always easy to interpret -
the "habitable" planet a drone discovered can have strange quirks the
drone did not detect.
captainjack23
Cosmic Mongoose
barnest2 said:You know, it's nice to see everyone agreeing for once
Isn't it though ?
Long range STL drones would be one way, but I think the best way would be to use lots of the drones (with high tech sensor arrays) deployed way out in a nearby system to create a Very Large Array with a baseline across the entire system; we already do it here on earth for EM astronomy. Given a fairly simple target criteria (IR/RAD or possibly densinometerwhateverythingie*), as DFW points out, it should spot anything you want in the next parsec (and then some) pretty quickly and easily. Then you load em back in the Scout ship (possibly one described in Scouts), and jump to the next target.
* Vilani for what Densinometers detect.
Yep, plus one would get far more precise astrographical and planetologi-barnest2 said:
cal data. And remember, the sensor data from an object 1+ parsec away
describe the object as it was 3+ years ago, while the data brought back
by a sensor drone would be only a few weeks old - a good way to redu-
ce the chance of unwelcome surprises.
captainjack23
Cosmic Mongoose
rust said:
True, true. in any setting where unmanned FTL ships are possible, that's a better approach. I was thinking in terms of my traveller universe, which doesn't have Jump Torps/drones.
Its a problem that traveller has if its treated as cutting edge for science, I guess. All the info about the universe suggests that just about everywhere is J-1 or 2 given the sheer amount of dim/dark junk out there. even if you don't need a mass to jump to, any of them would have enough water ice to allow refueling; and after x thousands of years all convenient ones would probably mapped.
Me, I just ignore it except as needed for plot. I present the OTU to players as "a solid 1970's astro science campaign", in much the same way as I might say that my D&D campaign is 12 century europe, or perhaps high fantasy LOTR rather than the semi-late Middle ages/High rennaissance D&D default. It works.
captainjack23
Cosmic Mongoose
DFW said:
Yeah, thus my comment on MTU. Actually, I'm not sure if Classic Traveller has one explicitly - I think it may be finessed by the lower limit on ships allowed in hyperspace (100dt). (I'd be curious to hear otherwise, tho)
For me, drone jump capability changes much of the feel and flow of a third imperium based campaign, so I assume that the ability to calculate a jump is essentially a minor psionic power, but one that isn't classed as such, so its not persecuted. Or perhaps just one of those math abilities that are at the far end of the stat distribution - like people who can calculate cubic roots in their head, identify prime numbers, lightning calculators, eididic memory, that kind of stuff.
Regardless, if MGT hasn't weighed in on it, more power to them. It's one of the things that matters exactly as much as you think it should, so is great kindling for flame wars...
Sometimes I think there should be a suppleiment discussing things left intentionally vague so GM's can personalize their setting. Then again, I realize that I wouldnt need it, 'cause I'm always right about my TU........
