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Steam Power in Space!?!!?

Posted: 2002-10-10 01:04am
by Spartan
Here’s an oddities from Dark Empire for you:

1. In DE2 Han, discovers a lost race that has been cut off from the outside galaxy for millennia. After flying through an interstellar gas cloud he encounters a Ganathan Battleship. The Ganath are describe in the text as using 'Antique Era' low-tech, slow speed space travel. They even use what appear to be bolt action rifle, with an iron sight. Now the strange part is that the vessel look like and old pre-WWI pre-dreadnaught battleship. Not only that but the vessel is described as being steam-powered! It even has, smoke-stacks, a rudder, riveted armor, and propellers! :shock:

Sure we could chalk this alien technology merely looking like archaic earth technology. My answer is that, the Ganathan's manage to salvage what little was left of Brand's or some of the other vessel lost in the cloud. They then mounted repulsorlift systems on their surface naval vessels, which they modified to be space-worthy.

2. About that gas cloud. It must be inside the Nal Hutta system because the Falcon flees Nar Shadda with two fighters in tow straffing it; then moments latter there at the edge of the gas cloud. At which point the Falcon is said to have only 10 minutes of reserve power remaining. Now, we can see the cloud from the debris field in orbit around Nar Shadda, in fact if covers the entire horizon.

My solution is that Solo performed a micro-jump after breaking orbit, but was then forced back into real space near the cloud because of the damage to the Falcon. And the Edge of the cloud borders on the outskirts of the Hut System. As a side not the cloud can extend very far, because Solo say he has 10 minutes of power before entering it, by reaches the other side before running out of power.

3. Han states that interstellar gas clouds can contain high radiation or life forms that can eat through the hull of a starship in minutes.

Hmmm... what kind of live would that be? Perhaps similar to the 'Space Grazers' from Tales of the Jedi.


So what do you guys think?

Posted: 2002-10-10 02:09am
by Moonshadow
i think whose ever idea that ship was watched too much "Space Battleship Yamato"

Posted: 2002-10-16 09:47pm
by Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi
That's corny. A propeller is useless in space. A spaceship could be powered by steam, but burning something like coal wouldn't get enough power to reach escape velocity. It would need something more powerful to boil water with. As for the modified naval vessels, it could make sense. It could have advanced technology inside, such as the nuclear generators on modern naval ships.

Posted: 2002-10-16 10:40pm
by Ender
Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi wrote:That's corny. A propeller is useless in space. A spaceship could be powered by steam, but burning something like coal wouldn't get enough power to reach escape velocity. It would need something more powerful to boil water with. As for the modified naval vessels, it could make sense. It could have advanced technology inside, such as the nuclear generators on modern naval ships.
You do know that technically a using a fission reactor would make it a steam powered ship?

Posted: 2002-10-16 11:04pm
by Illuminatus Primus
Which is the best fix for it. (hell, modern ideas with fusion reactors could still be "steam powered")

Posted: 2002-10-17 03:27pm
by Spartan
Ender wrote:
You do know that technically a using a fission reactor would make it a steam powered ship?
Your correct, but how would that steam be used to propel the ship? They could use water as reaction mass, and even a gas-core fission reactor could heat it sufficeintly to allow a limited form or space propulsion. But no one would call it steam-powered. And there is of course the matter of the driveshafts and propellors.

Posted: 2002-10-17 03:28pm
by Illuminatus Primus
*sigh* I HATED Dark Empire II. Dark Empire I was ok.

Posted: 2002-10-17 04:19pm
by Admiral Drason
Does any one have pics of this ship? I have Dark Empire I but Not DE2

Posted: 2002-10-18 08:08am
by Peregrin Toker
Somebody must have gotten an over-dosis of Steampunk....

Posted: 2002-10-18 10:17am
by Spartan
Admiral Drason wrote:
Does any one have pics of this ship? I have Dark Empire I but Not DE2
Sure I just need to find someplace that will let me upload, the pics. Any ideas as to where?

Posted: 2002-10-18 11:09am
by Smiling Bandit
Oh c'mon, can't you see it now:

Executor versus the Bismark!

Posted: 2002-10-18 12:06pm
by Spartan
It would be glorious....for all of 2 seconds :twisted:

Seriouly wouldn't the crew sophicate befor they got off a shot. :D