Environmental Dangers: Where's Vacuum?

[allanimal]

I would have expected to see in the Environmental dangers section a mention of what happens to a Traveller exposed to space - there's always things puncturing or tearing Vacc suits, making holes in the bulkheads, etc.

Even if it is instant death, it should be mentioned just how much your day will be ruined by walking out the airlock without a vacc suit while in orbit.

 

[-Daniel-]

Even if it is instant death, it should be mentioned just how much your day will be ruined by walking out the airlock without a vacc suit while in orbit.

Every time someone says "Walking out an airlock without a suit.." I think of the scene in Outland.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Or worse... Total Recall.

 

[SuperPheemy]

As much as popular fiction and Hollywood like to make dramatic rather messy, explode-within-seconds spectacles of decompression in a vacuum. The reality is a bit dare I say, worse?

The lack of external pressure on your body will cause most of the fluids contained therein to form a whole lot of bubbles. Bubbles in your blood is a really bad thing. They interfere with circulation, which is a Bad Thing (TM), and it's also excruciatingly painful.

If the victim held their breath as they vaulted out of their cozy spaceship, the pressure differential causes their lungs to explode. Painful and with the added effect, the lungs no longer function. Not instant death, but it's going to make the minute or two before death a bucketload of not fun. on the other hand, emptying the lungs of air before exposure to vacuum, means they won't explode (YAY!) but the body will burn through the oxygen in the bloodstream in about 15 seconds give or take (BOO!).

Skin is stretchy, so our unprotected spacewalker will bloat, maybe about twice their size or so.. but no baloon-style *POP* Eardrums rupture, eyeballs likely come out of the sockets (unless, the eyelids are kept tightly, desperately shut.. then the eyes simply expand within the eyesockets, but hey, they're still in the skull so that's a win right?

And if you're walking outside of the protective magnetic belt of a large body... you'll be catching Rads like the Allmighty is spraying them on you with a firehose. (Bonus! Some of that Radiation having it's wicked way with your DNA is from the Big Bang! Go you!)

The end result is that, an unprotected spacewalker (flailer?) has about 15-30 seconds to do something... anything (getting back inside is a capital idea, good luck with that!). All while enduring the worst pain imaginable. Then maybe a minute or five of blissful unconsciousness (I really hope one doesn't feel agony when unconscious) to be rescued by others. In that span of time, Really. Bad. Things. are happening to Really. Important. Parts. of the body, that would require immediate and darn-near magical (read: very very High Tech) Medical attention to stabilize the poor sentient. Personally, I don't think cryo in Low Berth is gonna cut it. Though Stasis would be a good idea. and probably a cloned body to transfer the mind into (if there's much left of that. I'm pretty sure everything mentioned thus far is bad for the Brain).

Fair Disclosure, I'm not an astronaut nor an astrophysicist. These crackpot theories are probably making Carl Sagan roll his eyes in the Great Beyond of consciousness, and Neal DeGrasse Tyson will have a thing or twelve to say about this brief off the top of my head essay. But it's dramatic and give a little-bitty window for players to come up with a brilliant plan to save their characters!

 

[-Daniel-]

I think you are mostly on track.

Couple of links on the subject:

http://www.geoffreylandis.com/vacuum.html

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index...for-about-90-seconds-with-no-longterm-damage/

 

[MongooseMatt]

Making all of that simple...

Either 1D automatic damage a round (average character expires in 6 rounds/36 seconds).

Or, to make it worse, cumulative 1D a round (so, 1D, 2D, 3D, etc...).

Was thinking about END tests, but that ain't really going to cut it, is it?

 

[-Daniel-]

Making all of that simple...

Either 1D automatic damage a round (average character expires in 6 rounds/36 seconds).

Or, to make it worse, cumulative 1D a round (so, 1D, 2D, 3D, etc...).

Was thinking about END tests, but that ain't really going to cut it, is it?

I like either Auto Damage method. It will keep it simple and clean. I vote we go with cumulative, but either will work. :mrgreen:

 

[SuperPheemy]

I agree, Cumulative Damage adds dramatic tension to the situation, and the feeling that things are getting worse every round. Just to be extra mean, I'd toss in 2Dx20 Rads per turn to leave a reminder of that unprotected spacewalk.

 

[MongooseMatt]

As much as popular fiction and Hollywood like to make dramatic rather messy, explode-within-seconds spectacles of decompression in a vacuum. The reality is a bit dare I say, worse?

Incidentally, great analysis - I used it as inspiration for the flavour text to these rules

 

[SuperPheemy]

Thank you. It was fun writing it up

 

[Infojunky]

I agree, Cumulative Damage adds dramatic tension to the situation, and the feeling that things are getting worse every round. Just to be extra mean, I'd toss in 2Dx20 Rads per turn to leave a reminder of that unprotected spacewalk.

That really depends on where you are at.... Orbit of Jupiter, outside with out sufficient sunblock, say 10d6x10^5 rads or so.... Behind a nice rock in the asteroid belt not so much of a significant exposure, there to get to experience the Bends without the frying sensation.... Mostly from my point of view rad are for when you want to add insult to injury.....