Re: hyperspace (was: cloaking device rules)

Excerpts from FT: 19-Aug-96 Re: hyperspace (was: cloaki.. by Joachim H.
- SunSoft@Eas 
> @:) Or, perhaps there is a minimum duration of the FTL effect, given
> @:) that it takes some time to fully form the warp bubble/convert all
> @:) the matter into a tachyon beam/break through reality. The effect
> @:) could be doubling each turn beginning immediately, but could not
> @:) be stopped for say, 4 turns (say two turns to power everything up,
> @:) and thus turns to shut it back down and return to normal
> @:) space-time).
>  
>   Hm.  I think the idea of not being able to do stuff while your ship
> is decellerating is good.  However, I can't think of any good
> justifications.  Warp bubbles, tachyon beams and breaking through
> reality are all well and good but to me, that's not what FTL means.
> To me, FTL means going really fast.  I don't know if it even means
> going faster than light - who cares?	All you have to do is get
> yourself going _really_fast_ and you'll get away from the people who
> are shooting at you.	That's what FTL means to me.  Getting away from
> the people who are shooting at me.  So while I like the idea of
> minimum times for the effect, or the idea that the effect continues
> not only during the acceleration phase but also during the
> decelleration phase, I can't justify it enough to actually use it.

Just hearkening back to one of Timothy Zahn's "Star Wars" novels, Luke
shorted out his hyperspace drive once... I think he was actually rushing
it, or something, but that's a possible effect of stopping your FTL
drive short: a very damaged, if not destroyed, FTL drive.  Not much
effect in a one-off, but much more in a campaign game, depending on how
long it might take to fix....

		    Aaron Teske
		    Mithramuse+@cmu.edu