Re: [FT] Scales (was: RE: [FT] back to fighters)

On Tue, May 14, 2002 at 03:16:01PM +1000, Robertson, Brendan wrote:

>Not bothering to work out if the math is right:
>5 minute turn; 1 mu = 200 km; 1 thrust = 1g ?

Not the same thing as Oerjan's suggestion. The basic problem with any
scale system is this:

If I accelerate at 10 m/s for 10 seconds, I'll be going at 100 m/s.
However, I will have covered 500 m.

If an MU were 1000 m, a turn 10 seconds and a thrust point 10 m/s, then
I
ought to move half a MU on the turn I accelerate, then 1MU each turn
after that. If a thrust point is 20 m/s, then I move 1MU on the turn I
accelerate but should be going at speed 2 after that.

Therefore, whatever numbers are chosen, you won't get a physically
accurate result. It's probably a necessary compromise. (In essence, you
model the acceleration happening all at once at the start of the turn,
rather than spread throughout the turn.)

thrust = (MU size) / (turn length ^2), if you're using the velocity
measure

Double that if you're using the distance measure.