Re: Speed of thought

Greets,

On Wed, 31 May 2000, Wolfwraith wrote:
>I see a lot of people discussing how sails work to spelljam a ship. I
>pose this question: How does the energy from the mage and helm propel
>the ship? Does it push or pull the ship? As a part or as a whole?

<Buzzword warning>

        IMC, the helm sets up an inertial frame around the ship.
Everything inside that frame moves as a whole -- air, ship, people,
etc..  (Though the boxed set doesn't use the words "inertial frame",
the other effects are clearly specified, IIRC.)  The helm "moves"
(not "pushes" or "pulls") the ship's control surfaces (sails, wings,
tail, etc.), which it "detects sympathetically", for propulsion.  A
ship's local inertial frame goes away when it enters a larger inertial
frame.  At SJ speeds, the helm generates a "reality wave" and rides it.
(The "wave" can be explained however your specific campaign needs, for
example "magic currents", "spelljamming field", "subspace", whatever.)
Sails and such still billow because an acitve helm "fills the sails".
This "wave" has only one speed -- 100mmpd -- and the ship accelerates to
catch it instantly.  The wave is easily "disrupted" by gravity wells.
Control surfaces must have a force applied to 'em (even if they don't
move very far) for fine maneuverability.

[snip]
>Which brings me to my next comment. Did we have these conversations
>already during the SJ Physics postings??

        Yes, and no consesus was reached.  Just like the other times
this topic came up. :)

-Static

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