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Re: FTL: ON TOPIC ADDED

From: Joachim Heck - SunSoft <jheck@E...>
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 16:00:09 -0400
Subject: Re: FTL: ON TOPIC ADDED

Brian Burger writes:

@:) The problem I have with the 'every race has a different FTL
@:) method' is simple: laws of physics are universal. Every races
@:) radios and nuclear devices are going to work the same, so it would
@:) follow that the methods of FTL travel would follow the same
@:) principles. The technology and details would differ a small
@:) amount, but the basic underlying physics would remain identical.

  I agree about the laws of physics.  If we assume multiple styles of
FTL travel then we also assume there are multiple INDEPENDENT means of
traveling faster than light.  That may be something of a stretch but
it should make things interesting.

@:) Unless you want to start arguing that, say, the Kra'vak radios
@:) work on different principles from, say, NAC radio tech?

  No but the Kra'vak might use AM and the NAC might use FM.  Or the
Kra'vak might use radio and the NAC might use point-to-point laser
communications.  Although they probably communicate with EM radiation
or whatever the "best" tech is, they may use it differently which
would create different game effects.  So if you prefer, assume there's
only one way to travel FTL but different entry/exit/transit methods.

  This is actually similar to B5, in which normal people used jump
gates but the Shadows and some other high-tech races could simply
vanish at will.  It appeared that everyone went into hyperspace,
though, however they got there.

  In fact, now that I think about it, I think a multi-FTL system has
already been used in Mark Kochte's B5 rules.

-joachim

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