Questions and Suggestions for my next campaign.

[Basil]

Ah - but this is for a Pulp game. Real science just shouldn't be contemplated.

If you put reality into a pulp game, you get a "dark champions" or "noir" game.

Give me sandbag counterweights and rolling stone deathtraps leading to nazi archeologists any day

There's something to what you say. OTOH, plausibility is important, and "a machine that produces helium" is so implausible it doesn't suspend disbelief, it hangs it by its neck until dead. At least, IMO.

Since hydrogen can be produced by known science and technology, why go to all the hoorah of producing helium from a rubber science machine? And potential problems with hydrogen are another plot hook for the GM.

And, if you put the helium in an inner envelope, with potential loss "buffered" by an outer envelope holding hot air, you can hand-wave away the problem of replacing the helium.

...until it's time to use "We need more helium!" as a plot-driver.

[The Monster]

If you're really concerned about helium-loss issues (I just ignored it in my campaign), another way to handwave it is to have a set of inner gasbags chiach are helium-filled and do not vent except in emergencies, and an outer ring of hydrogen bags for the extra lift and lift control. It might work, and if you really want to deal with hydrogen problems (fires and the like), you still have an excuse. It mostly depends on what you want to deal with in your campaign.

Another note of interest around Helium was that, in the 30's, the *only* country that could produce helium in quantity was the USA. It was considered a strategic resource, to the point that Germany was not allowed to buy helium for their planned ships, especially after Hitler came to power. In fact, the "strategic helium reserve" was still a federal budget item up to the last several years of the 20th century (I don't recall the year, but IIRC it was at least into the Reagan years).

[Captain Obvious]

National security demanded that American children have the best birthday parties in the world.

[Curufea]

Besides - explosions are pulp. So Hydrogen would be best.

Main reason all cars in movies and TV shows are jampacked with airfuel. Even though their body is made of bulletproof armour - especially the doors....

(talk about rubber science ;p )

Also - I think knockback for guns may be appropriate.

[Herolover]

First things first. Thanks for all the information. I appreciate all the suggestions.
I am currently recovering from Gen Con and trying to get my work back in order. I will be updating this soon, but have a lot to do right now.

[Basil]

Have the philanthropist say something like, "Thanks to a heretofore undiscovered source of helium, contacts around the world, and careful shipping that means I may securely cache said helium, you will always be able to replace expended lifting power. Furthermore..."

That will hand-wave away the problem.

Until the PCs have to confront the question of just what is the source, and just how secure are those caches.

[Herolover]

Okay, I am finally getting settled down and starting to get back into some work on this campaign.

First let me say again that I really appreciate all the help that you guys are giving me. You are making my campaign better before it even starts and I am really hopefull that someone, besides me, is getting some use out of this information.

As for the helium-hydrogen debate as I stated I had thought of using the rubber science device. However, I am now leaning towards the idea of inner helium bags and out hydrogen bags. The helium can vent gas on occasions which will require replenishment.

I really like this idea since it gives the best of all worlds. I get hydrogen explosions when I want, but it isn't so dangerous the players have to be fearful and a stray bullet won't end the campaign.

As for the needing of ballast and lifting gas I won't even consider them unless they are there to drive the plot. I love the idea of the players having to go secure a "secret" stash of helium only to find that someone-something has control of it.

I will out more information on this campaign and some ideas-plans I have at a later date (maybe today.)

Otherwise keep the ideas, plots, questions, and info coming.
Thanks Herolover

[Curufea]

That's something for the Mythbusters - can bullets ignite Hydrogen?

Personally, I'd make it very unlikely that a spark is created - they are lead, in general, after all. And the bullets don't get hot enough from friction.

[Basil]

That's something for the Mythbusters - can bullets ignite Hydrogen?

Personally, I'd make it very unlikely that a spark is created - they are lead, in general, after all. And the bullets don't get hot enough from friction.

Bullets come out of the gun more than hot enough to set off a well-mixed hydrogen-oxygen mixture. I'm not sure how far downrange they stay hot enough; it would depend on the firearm.

Incendiary bullets are known in the pulp period; that's how most WW I barrage balloons were destroyed.

[Curufea]

True - the tracer rounds were often used just to correct aiming of automatic rounds.

But airship were mainly going to be used for commercial, rather than military uses, weren't they?

[vitruvian23]

Ah - but this is for a Pulp game. Real science just shouldn't be contemplated.

If you put reality into a pulp game, you get a "dark champions" or "noir" game.

Give me sandbag counterweights and rolling stone deathtraps leading to nazi archeologists any day

Not at all. A lot of the stories of one of the paradigmatic pulp heroes, Doc Savage, hewed fairly closely to realism with respect to the majority of gadgets, technology, etc. used, although there were always exceptions and of course Doc's own omnicompetence was in no way realistic.

Real airships used hydrogen, fire was a real danger as seen with the Hindenburg, and the dramatic implications of this may actually be a plus rather than a minus. On the other hand, helium was also known, and it requires only a little handwaving to have the sponsoring organization have access to a remarkably rich supply of the stuff (perhaps a large pocket on an actively volcanic island, or deposits beneath deep sea sediments that nobody else has the technology to access). Of course, come WWII, any countries that realize this will look at it as a strategic resource that should be handed over to them...

Superscience is also a possibility of course. Without resorting to completely made-up names and properties, three thoughts come to mind:

1) Monatomic hydrogen (as opposed to H2), kept stable as a low-temperature plasma by an induced electric field which also reduces the chances of ignition.

2) A rigid pressure vessel using a ridiculously thin, strong shell to surround cells of pure vacuum.

3) It turns out that the phlogiston theory is correct. Since objects are heavier after combustion, it follows that phlogiston has negative mass and therefore free phlogiston has remarkable lifting properties. Of course, already being free, the phlogiston is completely immune to incendiary threats...

[Basil]

True - the tracer rounds were often used just to correct aiming of automatic rounds.

But airship were mainly going to be used for commercial, rather than military uses, weren't they?

Most of the work done with RL airships was by the military. Commercial use was secondary.

[Curufea]

Not at all. A lot of the stories of one of the paradigmatic pulp heroes, Doc Savage, hewed fairly closely to realism with respect to the majority of gadgets, technology, etc. used, although there were always exceptions and of course Doc's own omnicompetence was in no way realistic.

I think they had a tendency to just use the good aspects of a technology, and forget about all the other side effects and consequences (much like TV and movies today do).

ie Atomic power not requiring shielding, producing little radiation with easily disposable expended fuel.
High voltage electricity that did not cause radiation.
EMP that doesn't kill humans by frying their nervous systems.

[Egyptoid]

Hello all. I am looking for input on my next campaign.

I am starting to plan my campaign and since I will be picking up the new Pulp Hero book and have some players that have shown great my next campaign will be a Pulp adventures game My Basic Idea

What do you think? Do you have suggestions? Adventure ideas, problems you see, etc

GREAT BIG GIANT FUGLY GORILLAS.
hundreds, thousands of'em.

[John Desmarais]

GREAT BIG GIANT FUGLY GORILLAS.
hundreds, thousands of'em.

Too difficult to differentiate from the players...