PT Republic / "good guy" tracers

[Vympel]

What's up with the PTs laser tracers for the Republic? They seem to be all over the place:

1. TPM:

- Naboo weapons fire green blasts, not only from starfighters, but also hand weapons
- Trade Federation: consistently red/orange.

2. AOTC:

- Republic gunships fire green blasts from all their weapons
- Clonetroopers fire blue blasts from their rifles
- SPHA-Ts/AT-TEs fire blue blasts from their weapons
- Separatists: consistently red/orange.

3. ROTS:

- Republic capital ships fire blue blasts from their turrets.

What the fuck is going on with these tracers? Where's the green, goddamit, and where did blue come from? Why change from blue to green (Venator Star Destroyer -> Imperator Star Destroyer) and in some cases blue to red (Clonetrooper ground weaponry -> Imperial ground weaponry)

And personally, I don't like blue at all.

As an aside, anyone notice that there's a "explosion before tracer hit" effect in the trailer (right after Psycho-Sidious swings his sabre, run it frame by frame on QT using the -> and -< keys.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

*shrug* Just because?

[Vympel]

Oh and fuck I just noticed green tracers at the very start of the first shot of the space battle in the trailer. My brain HURTS!

[VT-16]

Don´t forget the pink bolts from the Nantex (Geonosian) fighters, and the yellow/green beam of the Death Star II!

Seriously, diffrent folks, diffrent strokes!

[Gandalf]

Perhaps they're all using different weapons contractors?

Different manufacturers might mean different colours.

[Stofsk]

What the fuck is going on with these tracers? Where's the green, goddamit, and where did blue come from? Why change from blue to green (Venator Star Destroyer -> Imperator Star Destroyer) and in some cases blue to red (Clonetrooper ground weaponry -> Imperial ground weaponry)

Does it really matter? The proton torpedos in TPM were blue, yet in the OT they're red/orange. Jango Fett's concussion missiles are blue, yet the Millenium Falcon's are red. Variety is the spice of life Vympel. I guess they just wanted blue for that year?

As to the Clonetrooper rifles, I originally thought they were some Anti-Droid Ion blaster, but I somehow doubt that's supported in the ancilliary information.

Incidentally you missed the Delta 7 coloured bolts, which are blue. (CW comic books) and as someone already said, the purple coloured bolts from the Geonosian fighter.

And personally, I don't like blue at all.

You suck. Blue is the king of all colours.

[VT-16]

the Millenium Falcon's are red.

Actually they are yellow/green. [/nitpick]

[Vympel]

Does it really matter?

Yes.

The proton torpedos in TPM were blue, yet in the OT they're red/orange.

Easily explained: they're Rebel protorps.

Jango Fett's concussion missiles are blue, yet the Millenium Falcon's are red.

Jango Fett's missile doesn't look anything like the MFs.

Variety is the spice of life Vympel. I guess they just wanted blue for that year?

Variety is evil. I demand predictability and continuity.

As to the Clonetrooper rifles, I originally thought they were some Anti-Droid Ion blaster, but I somehow doubt that's supported in the ancilliary information.

Indeed.

Incidentally you missed the Delta 7 coloured bolts, which are blue. (CW comic books) and as someone already said, the purple coloured bolts from the Geonosian fighter.

You suck. Blue is the king of all colours.

No, blue is the street ho of all colours. Green rules. And red. and black. And grey. And ... pink.

[VT-16]

Anti-Droid Ion blaster

That would act like the Jawa blaster in ANH, wouldn´t it? In other words, not tear a droideka apart like we saw in AOTC.

Does it really matter?

Yes.

[Stofsk]

Does it really matter?

Yes.

OK.

Easily explained: they're Rebel protorps.

I know, which is what we can use to distinguish the Republic from the Empire. The former had blue coloured turbolasers, the Empire had green.

Jango Fett's missile doesn't look anything like the MFs.

No shit.

Variety is evil. I demand predictability and continuity.

That's crazy talk. You're crazy.

If that were true, why wouldn't you want there to be Z-95s in ROTS?

You suck. Blue is the king of all colours.

No, blue is the street ho of all colours. Green rules. And red. and black. And grey. And ... pink.

You seriously don't like blue?

[Stofsk]

Anti-Droid Ion blaster

That would act like the Jawa blaster in ANH, wouldn´t it? In other words, not tear a droideka apart like we saw in AOTC.

Hey, I never said my pet theory was right, or that I continued to believe it. It's just something that when I first saw AOTC I went "Hmm... ion cannons are blue in X-Wing, and fuck up electronics... they're using blue coloured bolts... and they're using them against robots!"

They're blasters of course. Probably use a different type of Tibanna, spun in a different fashion perhaps? Or however they make the tracer effect.

Does it really matter?

Yes.

Take care now. Vympel's a mod, and greek. He'd be capable of tearing you a new arsehole, while feeding you soulvlaki.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Glory to pink, the best God damn colour ever!!

[Vympel]

If that were true, why wouldn't you want there to be Z-95s in ROTS?

Bah. Puny EU continuity doesn't enter into it for the films. I like to see primarily new shit. The odd piece of EU is fine, but not in a prime "hey, look at me!" role. How is George supposed to have any fun if all he's got to work with is recylced concept art from ANH and TESB? Half the fun would be making up new shit.

As for not liking blue ... yeah, I like it, but it's not an appropriate colour for the weapons. It just doesn't feel ... right.

[Stofsk]

As for not liking blue ... yeah, I like it, but it's not an appropriate colour for the weapons. It just doesn't feel ... right.

On the contrary i think it looks perfect. Blue = hottest temperature. So obviously, those blue laser bolts are chock full of planet-scouring goodness! Yum yum.

[VT-16]

But red is a more aggressive color, so it matches the aggressive nature of the Empire. In other words, a nice transition from cool blue (yeah I know it ain´t exactly "cool" ) to fiery red (and sickly green ).

[Tychu]

im thinking this. Now in the time of the original trilogy i was 9 years from being born but i get the feeling that kids werent fed steriotypical color refrences that blue is good red is bad sort of thing. Thats why we have the rebels (good/red) empire (bad/blue)

Now the last insider i think said that the new packaging for the classic figures were going to switch to a blue rebel crest and red empire crest so kids nowadays dont get confused because they are fed this shit steriotypical color scheme of blue being the good side now. Now the same can no be implied to the PT. A young kid does not understand when he/she watches AOTC or ROTS that the Republic is turning bad and turning into the Empire. All they know is that the Sepreatists are hurting Luke and Leias parents and their friends. So hence. the Sepretists have red/orange blasts while the Republic has "good" blue and green

[Winston Blake]

Maybe the colours correspond to different levels of bolt quality. Like the Rebels didn't have much money, so they got the cheapo red bolts.

The TradeFed and Separatists are underdogs without the resources available to the Republic, so they go for the red bolts too. (Cheapness might also appeal to them as they are both commercially based).

Now the Empire and Republic have all the power in their respective time periods, so they go for the best stuff money can buy, which would be green and blue. Although of course there's the problem of why they'd use different colours.

Maybe green is only slightly weaker than blue, but somewhat cheaper, and the Empire favours a 'quantity over quality' approach (kindof like TIE fighters). The Naboo government probably went the cheap route for their pistols and fighters because of the cost issue.

Now maybe the Republic had some examples of old military hardware lying around (ie LAATs) that ran on green since the replacing them all with expensive blue cannons wasn't worth it when there's been no war for a thousand years.

The AT-TE is blue though. Maybe since it's main cannon is a replacable module as described in the AOTC:ICS, it was easy to upgrade for the possible war with the Separatists. SPHA-T cannon's are replaceable too IIRC. The clonetroopers were issued with the newest, best blaster available, blue. Top-of-the-line Republic warships might've simply always had the best of the best.

Now the Delta-7 shoots blue blasts, but since the Jedi are so closely tied to the government and are sortof elite special forces, they can get their hands on the highest-quality technology.

The Geonosians would have pink/purple just because their society is so isolated and they prefer to manufacture their own special ammo.

Hmmm, just occurred to me that stormtroopers use red. You'd expect that they'd be green at least. Why should Naboo get better quality small arms than the Empire?

Maybe without any tough opposition like droidekas and stuff, bureaucratic cost-cutting after the mind boggling expense of the Clone Wars led to the abandonment of costly extravagances (possibly requiring more maintainence?) like the clonetrooper blasters, and the adoption of cheaper, red ones for Imperial troops...

[Aquatain]

For all we know a weapon could change colour due to usage, a new weapon might have blue or green bolts, but after some time with heavy use (or lack of maitinece) they might turn red.

[Luzifer's right hand]

The Repulic used green bolts in and the Sith red bolts in Kotor IIRC.

[Mange]

Well, as for the blue tracers, in the 1976 Star Wars novelization, blue bolts are mentioned. I also agree that the colors so far has been rather inconsistent.

[Kurgan]

Don't forget Speeder bikes firing yellow bolts in ROTJ. ; )

Infantry level weaponry and vehicle level weaponry ("blasters") in the OT:
Red

Starship/capship level weaponry ("lasers/turbolasers") for the Alliance: Red

Starship/capship level weaponry ("lasers/turbolasers") for the Empire: Green
(+green superlaser except in that shot of blowing up the Rebel cruisers in ROTJ... yellow!)

And the "missile" and "torpedo" colors already mentioned...

This reminds me of the discussions on lightsaber colors... (made even more fun with the color changing sabers of the new dvd's!)

[Mad]

"While most pilots prefer visual sighting - which is why most energy beams are configured to the visible light spectrum..." - EGW&T, page 80

Seems to be more of a preference thing than anything else.

By the way, some novels (I've noticed it in NJO's Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse) mention blue bolts, as well.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

For all we know a weapon could change colour due to usage, a new weapon might have blue or green bolts, but after some time with heavy use (or lack of maitinece) they might turn red.

That's simply preposterous, and lacks any support whatsoever.

[Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi]

But red is a more aggressive color, so it matches the aggressive nature of the Empire. In other words, a nice transition from cool blue (yeah I know it ain´t exactly "cool" ) to fiery red (and sickly green ).

"This computer simulation will determine what the ship will look like firing different colors of laser."
-"What will the ship look like firing green lasers?"
-"Bah, that looks like crap! See if you can try a more reddish tone."
"Looks good to me."
-"Are you kidding? It makes the ship look fruity! You can't intimidate you opponents with that color!"
"Okay then, what should we try?"
-"Make it blue."
-"I think it could be better. What would a navy blue look like?"
-"That's worse. Perhaps a bird's egg blue would be better."
-"We're getting there. See if you can make the tone a little more neutral."
-"On second thought, can you make it more of an aquamarine hue?"
-"I take that back. Try a royal blue."
-"Still doesn't look right. Just scrap the blue bolt entirely and try goldenrod."
-"Perfect."

[Winston Blake]

For all we know a weapon could change colour due to usage, a new weapon might have blue or green bolts, but after some time with heavy use (or lack of maitinece) they might turn red.

Well, then you would expect to see turqoise or brownish bolts coming from weapons which are only under 'medium' use. Although, perhaps if it goes by colour addition not subtraction, Green Bolt + Red Bolt = Yellow Bolt. Green bolts with only a slight redness appear sickly green, red bolts with only a little greenness appear orange or orangey-yellow.