RE: FTL Smorgasboard

I started to design such a system when I was in late High School/Early
College. From memory, it went something like this:

1) Hyperspace. Ships are able to transition into an alternate universe
and
travel through it. Hyperspace is parallel to Newtonian Space (NS, slower
than light space as we know it). Hyperspace has a kind of reverse
physics,
where nothing can travel _slower_ than the speed of light (i.e. it takes
energy to slow down). It is fairly easy to stay near c, but the farther
you
speed up, the harder it is to slow down toward c. Obviously no combat
can
take place between Hyperspace and NS. Combat between ships in Hyperspace
may
take place, but it takes different weapons than in normal space (physics
work differently). Not as fast as Jump Drive, but faster than most other
means.

2) Warp or Envelope Drive. This creates a pocket of space. The ship does
not
move, but the pocket of space slides through NS bypassing the limit of
c.
The faster the envelope goes, the more energy it requires (as the
envelope/warp tends to break down). Only FTL energy weapons (tachyon
lasers)
or weapons with their own envelope drive (very rare) can attack into/out
of
an envelope drive ship effectively (it is possible to place objects in
front
of such a ship and have them collide into the weapon, [provides some
protection]). Weapons designed to attack envelope drive craft do not
work
well against craft in NS.

3) Anderson Drive. Using this drive, the ship makes tiny leaps from one
location in NS to another without traveling the distance inbetween (like
electrons moving from one energy shell to another). This cycle repeats
millions/billions of times a second. While the ship does not actually
move,
the effective movement is FTL. The speed of the craft is limited by the
number of drives (set up sequentially), since a drive takes a tiny
fraction
of a second to recharge/reset. The speed of the computer controlling the
drives is also a factor (although the drives autocycle, unless the
computer
provides a new course, the engines jump on the previous course). The
drives
can be burnt out by continuous running. Slower than Warp Drive, but much
more maneuverable. To hit a AD craft, you must get a lucky shot (hit it
inbetween jumps) or match the jump cycle from another AD craft. 

4) Jump Gate. Ships transition from one jump gate to another instantly.
Jump
sickness causes some reduction in efficiency after emerging from jump.
No
jump engines are required, but you are limited to entry/exit where the
jump
gates are.

5) Jump Drive. Like Jump Gate, but not limited to entry/exit point. This
type of drive takes the greatest energy to accomplish (most mass for
engine/fuel).

6) Colony Ships (non-FTL). _H_U_G_E_ ships that travel using ramjets
(and
sub-warp tinkering) to travel at speeds upto .999c. Very powerful and
hard
to kill, but most expensive option (you only get 1 to start). Long time
to
transit between systems.

-----
Brian Bell
-----

-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Bilderback [mailto:bbilderback@hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, March 22, 2002 14:52
To: gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu
Subject: FT: FTL Smorgasboard

Recently several different concepts for means of FTL travel have been
batted

about, and I must admity I've enjoyed it.  At least 2 different methods 
struck me as at least plausible, whether or not they're actually
attainable.

  For that I thank the list's resident science whizzes.  Just a quick 
observation & question:

Most Science Fiction backgrounds takes one of these methods of FTL
travel 
and base an entire naval & commerce culture on it.  Has anyone ever 
cotemplated a fictional background where 2 or more of these different 
methods are ALL available?    [snip]

There's the ball.  Run, list, run!

3B^2

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