Remove ads

Starfleet Design Bureau

Linked contents
Starship Design Bureau Starfleet Design Bureau
Reader mode
It's been my understanding that the reason all the consoles and things explode in the ship is that, rather than using large groups of wires or even superconducting materials, ships use plasma to convey energy. Thus, Electro-Plasma Relays (EPS Relays). Which seems really odd to have pipes of liquid explodium running through a ship.
 
MysteryCPU said:
It's been my understanding that the reason all the consoles and things explode in the ship is that, rather than using large groups of wires or even superconducting materials, ships use plasma to convey energy. Thus, Electro-Plasma Relays (EPS Relays). Which seems really odd to have pipes of liquid explodium running through a ship.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
For one, you can't quench a plasma energy conduit (IE your superconductor stops superconducting and promptly changes its state of matter). But more importantly you can reconfigure your power grid on the fly to account for damage or changing circumstances ("all power to X", for example) and the energy densities, or types, might not be conducive to solid state circuits.
 
MysteryCPU said:
It's been my understanding that the reason all the consoles and things explode in the ship is that, rather than using large groups of wires or even superconducting materials, ships use plasma to convey energy. Thus, Electro-Plasma Relays (EPS Relays). Which seems really odd to have pipes of liquid explodium running through a ship.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
It's actually made to redirect impacts and energy weapons directly into less vital systems, such as Redshirts and officers no one likes. :V
 
Star Trek technology seems to use energy densities and quantities of power that really beggar belief compared to IRL technology. It's not surprising they need to use a much more energy-dense transmission system to power things like their shields, force fields, navigational deflectors, weapons, engines, and so on. What is a bit more perplexing and has been lampooned by fans online going back into the last century is why the EPS grid is hooked into consoles, rather than having two separate systems.

If I wanted to fanon this, I'd say this might come down to Starfleet having a tinkerer mentality. Having your consoles directly hooked into the beating heart of the ship might mean that you have more of a chance of McGuverying a solution via redirecting power even when you're only flying half a ship. But out-of-universe, it's because consoles blowing up is a great way to show the ship is in trouble and build tension without damaging an expensive physical/CG model.
 
Skippy said:
Star Trek technology seems to use energy densities and quantities of power that really beggar belief compared to IRL technology. It's not surprising they need to use a much more energy-dense transmission system to power things like their shields, force fields, navigational deflectors, weapons, engines, and so on. What is a bit more perplexing and has been lampooned by fans online going back into the last century is why the EPS grid is hooked into consoles, rather than having two separate systems.

If I wanted to fanon this, I'd say this might come down to Starfleet having a tinkerer mentality. Having your consoles directly hooked into the beating heart of the ship might mean that you have more of a chance of McGuverying a solution via redirecting power even when you're only flying half a ship. But out-of-universe, it's because consoles blowing up is a great way to show the ship is in trouble and build tension without damaging an expensive physical/CG model.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Yeah, but really you'd want some consoles to be behind fuses. I agree why it does it, though.
 
Talking about explodium, there's the Omega Particle from Voyager, as a thing.

memory-alpha.fandom.com

Omega molecule

An Omega molecule is a highly unstable molecule and the most powerful substance known to exist. The Borg knew it as Particle 010. The molecule could be synthesized with sufficient amounts of boronite ore. However, proper containment methods did not exist to prevent the violent destabilization of...
memory-alpha.fandom.com memory-alpha.fandom.com
 
Hmm what would something like a Galaxy or Sovereign look like cost wise in the current system given even for the enormous TNG Federation they literally couldn't afford to make many at once.
 
Remove ads
2152: Stingray Retrofit
  • Threadmarks
    • With the NX class done and the Warp 5 engine available, attention turns back to some of your prior projects. First among these is the Stingray, which could be easily transitioned to a Warp 5 engine with minimal work save the initial manufacturing. Equally the spatial torpedoes could be upgraded to atomics and the phase cannons given greater coverage. The most significant increases in capability are likely from propulsion, as the warp engine will give it greater range and response times while the thrusters should allow it to keep weapons on target much more easily.

    Industry: 36
    Stingray-class Light Cruiser: 20 Industry

    [ ] 0: Do not upgrade the Stingray-class engines.
    [ ] 0: Upgrade the Stingray-class engines. (Warp 5 Engine, Impulse Thrusters) (30 Industry) (+3 Industry Cost)
    [ ] 1: Do not upgrade the Stingray-class weapons.
    [ ] 1: Upgrade the Stingray-class weapons. (Atomic Torpedoes) (2 Industry) (+2 Industry Cost)
    [ ] 2: Do not upgun the Stingray-class.
    [ ] 2: Upgun the Stingray-class. (+3 Phase Cannons) (30 Industry) (+6 Industry Cost)
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Do it all, methinks. The Stingray chassis is great, and just needs a modernization to be excellent.

    What's with that "30 Industry/2 Industry" thing though? Why is there a difference in the costs?
     
    [x] 0: Upgrade the Stingray-class engines. (Warp 5 Engine, Impulse Thrusters) (30 Industry) (+3 Industry Cost)
    [x] 1: Upgrade the Stingray-class weapons. (Atomic Torpedoes) (2 Industry) (+2 Industry Cost)
    [X] 2: Do not upgun the Stingray-class.

    Keep it reasonable. All three options makes it cost 2/3s of an NX...
     
    Last edited:
    [X] 0: Upgrade the Stingray-class engines. (Warp 5 Engine, Impulse Thrusters) (30 Industry) (+3 Industry Cost)
    [X] 1: Upgrade the Stingray-class weapons. (Atomic Torpedoes) (2 Industry) (+2 Industry Cost)
    [X] 2: Do not upgun the Stingray-class.

    The additional cannons were more for providing additional arcs of fire rather than increasing the amount of damage the Stingray could put out. So I say keep the limited arc of fire but it's fine because the Stingray is really maneuverable and now has the Atomic Torpedoes for additional punch.
     
    [X] 0: Upgrade the Stingray-class engines. (Warp 5 Engine, Impulse Thrusters) (30 Industry) (+3 Industry Cost)
    [X] 1: Upgrade the Stingray-class weapons. (Atomic Torpedoes) (2 Industry) (+2 Industry Cost)
    [X] 2: Do not upgun the Stingray-class.

    Inclined to go for these - they're not super cheap as upgrades to the Stingray-class, but the flipside is that the upgrades to maneuverability should reduce the limitations from retaining the ventral only phase cannons, and the increased torpedo firepower should make it more than capable of being a substantial threat to lighter Romulan shipping (at least in theory). Not to mention, keeping costs relatively low should allow us to pump out more Stingrays/Stingray refits should the situation demand it in the near future.
     
    [X] 0: Upgrade the Stingray-class engines. (Warp 5 Engine, Impulse Thrusters) (30 Industry) (+3 Industry Cost)
    This is the most important one, given the Stingray's Role.
    [X] 1: Upgrade the Stingray-class weapons. (Atomic Torpedoes) (2 Industry) (+2 Industry Cost)
    This one is quite cheap for its cost.
    [X] 2: Do not upgun the Stingray-class.
    Difference between 3 and 6 Phase cannons is not worth the cost at this time... Maybe if we update the Stingrays again later it will be, but not now.
     
    [X] 0: Upgrade the Stingray-class engines. (Warp 5 Engine, Impulse Thrusters) (30 Industry) (+3 Industry Cost)
    [X] 1: Upgrade the Stingray-class weapons. (Atomic Torpedoes) (2 Industry) (+2 Industry Cost)
    [X] 2: Do not upgun the Stingray-class.

    I think for now, we spare upgunning it for later, especially if we can pump out a few more Stingrays with what we save.
     
    [X] 0: Upgrade the Stingray-class engines. (Warp 5 Engine, Impulse Thrusters) (30 Industry) (+3 Industry Cost)
    [X] 1: Upgrade the Stingray-class weapons. (Atomic Torpedoes) (2 Industry) (+2 Industry Cost)
    [X] 2: Do not upgun the Stingray-class.
     
    [X] 0: Upgrade the Stingray-class engines. (Warp 5 Engine, Impulse Thrusters) (30 Industry) (+3 Industry Cost)
    [X] 1: Upgrade the Stingray-class weapons. (Atomic Torpedoes) (2 Industry) (+2 Industry Cost)
    [X] 2: Do not upgun the Stingray-class.
     
    [X] 0: Upgrade the Stingray-class engines. (Warp 5 Engine, Impulse Thrusters) (30 Industry) (+3 Industry Cost)
    [X] 1: Upgrade the Stingray-class weapons. (Atomic Torpedoes) (2 Industry) (+2 Industry Cost)
    [X] 2: Do not upgun the Stingray-class.
     
    [X] 0: Upgrade the Stingray-class engines. (Warp 5 Engine, Impulse Thrusters) (30 Industry) (+3 Industry Cost)
    [X] 1: Upgrade the Stingray-class weapons. (Atomic Torpedoes) (2 Industry) (+2 Industry Cost)
    [X] 2: Upgun the Stingray-class. (+3 Phase Cannons) (30 Industry) (+6 Industry Cost)
     
    [X] 0: Upgrade the Stingray-class engines. (Warp 5 Engine, Impulse Thrusters) (30 Industry) (+3 Industry Cost)
    [X] 1: Upgrade the Stingray-class weapons. (Atomic Torpedoes) (2 Industry) (+2 Industry Cost)
    [X] 2: Do not upgun the Stingray-class.

    We have 56 Industry, picking all of them would be 62 industry so one of the 30s has to be dropped of the two warp 5 is bigger than more phase cannons
     
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Remove ads
    Back
    Top