Re: Vector Rules

Status: RO

> One last point just in case no one has made it yet (I'm fairly knew
> to the list). There is only one reason why the shuttle and other
> current technology spacecraft use vector movement instead of
> "cinematic movement," fuel.  Spacecraft CAN manuever just like you
> see in Star Wars (hyperspace jumps ommitted).  It just takes lots of
> fuel to do so and at $1,000's per pound to orbit, every pound of
> fuel, or anything else for that matter, counts.  

Not with only one big engine sticking out the back they can't.

A plane moves in direction x, banks and is moving in direction y with 
the same speed as before. The air has nicely converted velocity in 
one direction to velocity in other. Nice air.

A spacecraft moves in direction x, banks and is facing direction y 
with some speed in that direction. At no point has its engine pointed 
along its former course, its speed along x can't have been cancelled 
and so it still has speed in the dirextion x. It's velocity will be 
towards some direction between x and y.

An X-wing would need engines just as big as those pointing backwards 
to be pointing in all other directions if it wanted to fly like a 
plane. Same holds for the FT ships. The basic movement system 
requires engines pointing all round to cancel out the motion in 
direction x. This is possible to build but why bother?

With warp/gravity/inertialess drives with don't use thrust but 
instead manipulate the fabric of space-time to pruduce propulsion, 
then you can have whatever movement system you like.

Without pseudo-science engines, some form of fluid medium surrounding 
you, or big thrusters facing each direction you can not ly like a 
plane, no matter how much fuel you expend. The first probably doesn't 
exist, the second doesn't exist in space by definition, and the third 
is a very poor way of designing a spacecraft.

	Steve

--
"My theories appal you, my heresies outrage you, 
 I never answer letters and you don't like my tie."  - The Doctor

Stephen Richard Pugh	 http://ds.dial.pipex.com/town/estate/ax16