Ships have blue phasers???

[Myasishchev]

Well, there is scientific justification for the idea of a sufficiently intense energy discharge being able to jump over any circuit breakers and blow out equipment. A strong enough lightning strike can do so. Circuit breakers aren't guaranteed protection against power surges, since they have limits. They interrupt the circuit with a gap and use the intervening air as an insulator, but a high enough voltage can jump the gap.

So while the explosions of consoles do tend to be exaggerated for effect, the basic idea of weapons fire overloading consoles isn't quite as implausible as people tend to assume. So this is a conceit that can be explained by using actual science, rather than denying it.

Hm. Well, maybe you're right. But a console burning out isn't the same as exploding like a hand grenade.

For some reason, I think was fearing that the explanation was that the EPS conduits are feeding the ravenous hunger of some fluorescent lights, a big TV, and a handful of LCD screens.

 

[captcalhoun]

i accept sound in space as a dramatic conceit because i know space is a vacuum.

i accept phasers being visible because i don't give a rat's ass about particle physics and goddamn it, it looks cool!.

OK?

i suppose next you'll start moaning that lightsabres are impossible.

who cares?! it's a freakin laser sword and it looks freaking badass!!!

 

[Christopher]

But those are mutually incompatible viewpoints. Space is a vacuum, therefore there's nothing to scatter light, fluoresce, or in any other way make the beam visible. A visible beam in atmosphere makes a fair amount of sense, but a visible beam in vacuum makes little or no sense -- exactly the same as with an audible beam. And why would you not care about one branch of science (particle physics) while accepting the reality of another branch of science (acoustics)? Why the double standard? That's what I find so bizarre.

 

[captcalhoun]

i. don't. care. it. looks. cool.

 

[Christopher]

Okay, then if you don't care, try not to be so hostile toward those of us who do think it's worth discussing. I don't think I've read a single post from you in days that hasn't been snide or insulting toward your fellow posters. You really need to lighten up.

 

[captcalhoun]

you need to stop taking things so damn seriously. i never got the hostility towards you before, now i do.

 

[DimesDan]

you need to stop taking things so damn seriously. i never got the hostility towards you before, now i do.

very true. (Quoted for truth)

 

[Christopher]

Hey, I was just trying to have a thoughtful conversation and share some ideas with other posters who might be interested. But other people reacted to my suggestions with ridicule and scorn. How am I the bad guy for complaining when someone responds to my casual conversation by shouting in my face?

 

[DimesDan]

Hey, I was just trying to have a thoughtful conversation and share some ideas with other posters who might be interested. But other people reacted to my suggestions with ridicule and scorn. How am I the bad guy for complaining when someone responds to my casual conversation by shouting in my face?

*Bangs head on wall*

Firstly, do not play that card Chris, it's unbecoming, you told me to justify my reasoning behind it being a tracer beam, I did, you glossed over it.

Secondly.

Star Trek is a fictional universe.

Phasers are a fictional weapon.

They both appear on Television, Books and other entertainment media.

I myself do know that in reality that if we had phased energy weapons in space, more than likely, we wouldn't see them.

BUT.

As Phasers are fictional and Star Trek is fictional, in an entertainment programme, you should chalk it up to that, no more, no less.

 

[Nardpuncher]

i. don't. care. it. looks. cool.

I also will not allow you to hold contradictory viewpoints on a sci-fi series' use of science fact without properly explaining yourself!!! You must accept all scientific truths and not just choose which ones may 'entertain' you

 

[Nardpuncher]

Well, there is scientific justification for the idea of a sufficiently intense energy discharge being able to jump over any circuit breakers and blow out equipment. A strong enough lightning strike can do so. Circuit breakers aren't guaranteed protection against power surges, since they have limits. They interrupt the circuit with a gap and use the intervening air as an insulator, but a high enough voltage can jump the gap.

So while the explosions of consoles do tend to be exaggerated for effect, the basic idea of weapons fire overloading consoles isn't quite as implausible as people tend to assume. So this is a conceit that can be explained by using actual science, rather than denying it.

It's this last sentence that irks me.
I respect science, reason and logic like you wouldn't believe and yet I still thin it's OK for the phaser beams to be visible to not only me, the viewer but to the actual characters also.
In no way can you tell me that I deny science.

I'd also like to ask you how different is your online persona and rapport with 'real' people?
I mean, I like to think I act the same and say the same things as I do in real life. I guess I may express my opinions a bit more on the internet as if I do that with co-workers and fiends they will of course start to see me as , well too opinionated and whiney.
So a word to the wise...you may be like this here on the internet, but for your own sake try not to correct or ammend what people say in real life so much.
And if you really are so befuddled by innocuous opinions like phasers should be visible and you really, really mean it when you say you can't understand why people would choose to be ignorant of logic and reason then there's a whole half of the human race that you may have already given yourself innumerable headaches over.

I'm so dead for that last part, I'm sorry, but I felt it had to be said!

 

[Broccoli]

"Red M&M. Blue M&M. They all come out looking the same color in the end."

 

[snakespeare]

Is it my imagination, or am I being ignored? It's patently obvious that Christopher is required BY US READERS to concoct explanations that seem plausible. It is also obvious IF YOU READ HIS BOOKS that he has a great sense of humor. He also invents really, really cool aliens. If his messageboard persona comes off a touch Bolian, then too freakin' bad! It takes all kinds, and what Christopher brings to Trek is wonderful.

So what if you can't convince him that it doesn't matter to you how things work. The fact is, it matters to the rest of us, not HOW things work, but how the writers SAY they work. I mean, what level of ego have we attained when we put ourselves up against the author, basically beg the question on a pointless topic, and then prop ourselves up with self-righteousness because of his manner of messageboard "speech"?

I've done it, too, I know, like in the discussion of T'Ryssa Chen, where I keep coming back asking the same dumb questions. We oughta be grateful that the writers are so willing to talk about things, not use this board as a place to give ourselves props at their expense.

So, he's a bit of a Bolian... here. So what? What does it cost us to grant him a degree of authority? Nothing. What do we gain? A LOT!

So before you judge him, ask yourself why you want to judge him. What's in it for you? I can't think of a good reason for it, myself. I'd rather work on my own personality, personally, which isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination!

 

[Broccoli]

Isn't it the internet fanboy right to bitch and moan about anyone who creates/contributes to their beloved franchise in any official sense?

 

[snakespeare]

^LOL! maybe...

I just think there's a world of difference between my opinions as some guy who watches a TV show and reads some books, versus the actual authors of those books. If I had, y'know, done the work ... i.e. planted my butt in that seat for all those months ... and had also done the rest of the work ... seeking out an agent, negotiating with the publisher, going through the editting process ... then maybe I'd expect my ideas to be treated the same. But to act like a Trek novel writer is supposed to kiss my ass during a discussion on a messageboard ... isn't that slightly egotistical?

I, for one, LOVE IT when one of these writers comes up with scientific-like explanations. While on the other hand, I am happy to suspend disbelief even to the point of allowing their explanation to conflict with my own explanation. After all, as I say, actually DOING THE WORK has to count for something.

I grow weary of people who believe they are entitled to equal weight for their explanations, or desire not to have an explanation, when they have done NOTHING to merit that standing.

 

[Nardpuncher]

^^ The thing is almost nobody that has complaints about how he sounds here are doing it about his being an author. I certainly don't, and I've never heard anyone say anything bad about his books.
I read Ex Machina and quite liked it.

 

[snakespeare]

I'm sure they are supplying the vocal tones from their own imaginations, which says more about them, IMO.

Besides, does it matter? So he seems like a Bolian, it's OK. Takes all kinds, as my Dad would say, or Suffer!, as my Mom would say. The content is certainly worth the price of admission.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

^LOL! maybe...

I just think there's a world of difference between my opinions as some guy who watches a TV show and reads some books, versus the actual authors of those books. If I had, y'know, done the work ... i.e. planted my butt in that seat for all those months ... and had also done the rest of the work ... seeking out an agent, negotiating with the publisher, going through the editting process ... then maybe I'd expect my ideas to be treated the same. But to act like a Trek novel writer is supposed to kiss my ass during a discussion on a messageboard ... isn't that slightly egotistical?

I, for one, LOVE IT when one of these writers comes up with scientific-like explanations. While on the other hand, I am happy to suspend disbelief even to the point of allowing their explanation to conflict with my own explanation. After all, as I say, actually DOING THE WORK has to count for something.

I grow weary of people who believe they are entitled to equal weight for their explanations, or desire not to have an explanation, when they have done NOTHING to merit that standing.

For what it's worth, I agree with you, snakespeare (good posts by the way) After all, this is the literature forum. If we can't make the writers feel welcome here, something's wrong.

This isn't me "taking sides" or anything of that nature; I pretty much like everyone here, writers, non-writers, whatever, and if some of us find other posters grating or exasperating, well, that can't be helped. Everyone will have that response to someone. But I for one like having writers like Christopher giving explanations for these things. If some people don't care beyond "it looks good to have phasers flashing colourfully, and its all make-believe anyway" then, and I'm being totally non-judgemental and genuine here (no sarcasm), good for you. That's entirely valid. But surely we're here to discuss Trek literature, not merely say "it's all make-believe so it doesn't matter". It does matter within the context of making this fictional world "real" to us, and for some people that means trying to explain things. For Christopher, it evidently means trying to fit details of the story into real science wherever possible. If someone doesn't share that desire, they don't need to pursue it any further, surely? That's my take on it at least. I know some people find other posters grating. There's surely nothing wrong with that personal reaction. But I don't feel comfortable when the discussion seems to try to shut itself down as it has here...

I do hope no-one feels slighted or attacked by this, and I apologise if they do.

 

[Defcon]

So he seems like a Bolian, it's OK.

O.K., why do you keep bringing up the Bolians as if they're unpleasant? Maybe I'm confusing them right now, but weren't the Bolians presented as friendly and good natured most of the time, like this little fellow here: ?

 

[snakespeare]

Isn't it the Bolians who make an art form out of insults? I could have my races confused. You have to have some zingers ready when negotiating with them, right? Or am I thinking of a different species?