Ulitmate Vehicle Challenge

**Tamashii2000** · Feb 28th, '03, 07:18 AM

Ok here is a small challenge.

At the very begining of the 1981 film Heavy Metal there is a short scene where a car is dropped out of the bottom of a space shuttle, drops down through the atmosphere and lands on a road. the driver shifts gears.. lets lose with a parachute out the back and then drives on his merry way.

How would you make that car?

**BobGreenwade** · Feb 28th, '03, 07:29 AM

Very carefullly.

Okay, for real. For game purposes, I don't think anything more than a parachute attached to the car (TUV page 71, sidebar) would be needed. A detail-minded GM might ask for an advanced suspension (extra DEF on the undercarriage, only for rough landings (-1), and/or some Flight or Gliding for the same purpose), but overall I think the parachute should be sufficient.

Well, that and maybe some Life Support for the high altitude...

**Tamashii2000** · Feb 28th, '03, 07:40 AM

Originally posted by BobGreenwade

Well, that and maybe some Life Support for the high altitude...

Heh actualy, the car was a convertable, and the driver was wearing a space suit..so Life support would not be nessassary for the car.

**Koshka** · Feb 28th, '03, 09:37 AM

Originally posted by Tamashii2000
Heh actualy, the car was a convertable, and the driver was wearing a space suit..so Life support would not be nessassary for the car.

Depends on whether the engine was running (never seen Heavy Metal). If the driver didn't start it up until after landing, then no need for LS.

**Old Man** · Feb 28th, '03, 09:48 AM

Originally posted by Koshka
Depends on whether the engine was running (never seen Heavy Metal). If the driver didn't start it up until after landing, then no need for LS.

OK, stop right there. Go watch the movie. It's a classic that every fan of sci-fi should see.

**BobGreenwade** · Feb 28th, '03, 10:01 AM

Originally posted by Koshka
Depends on whether the engine was running (never seen Heavy Metal). If the driver didn't start it up until after landing, then no need for LS.

Irrelavent. Starting the engine has nothing to do with whether the driver can breathe.

**Toadmaster** · Feb 28th, '03, 11:49 AM

well first of all you have to add some COM to the car, it was a 1953 Corvette after all, some extra PRE seems likely too.

Gliding is a given since the car clearly was under control during the decent and as I recall the parachute wasn't used to slow the decent, it was used once the car hit the ground to slow its forward velocty to a manageable level (and looked cool), ablative armor vs reentry seems likely since the driver used the windshild wipers to clear the windshield of ash. As mentioned the car is a convertible so the life support was probably provided by the space suit. Otherwise just a regular classic auto.

How about Harry Canyons taxi, that may be a bit more difficult. remote laser gun, armor, disintogrator ray, big ol glove box of weapons, jet drive etc.

If you have not seen Heavy Metal you must go, NOW, hurry up.

Anyone see the second one, I never heard anything about it until it came out on DVD and was wondering if its worth while.

**Rage** · Feb 28th, '03, 10:59 PM

Originally posted by Tamashii2000
Ok here is a small challenge.

At the very begining of the 1981 film Heavy Metal there is a short scene where a car is dropped out of the bottom of a space shuttle, drops down through the atmosphere and lands on a road. the driver shifts gears.. lets lose with a parachute out the back and then drives on his merry way.

How would you make that car?

speaking of that movie... never watch it with a bretherin youth pastor

**Mightybec** · Feb 28th, '03, 11:16 PM

Originally posted by Rage
speaking of that movie... never watch it with a bretherin youth pastor

At the time, I first watched it with my brother, who was 12 years old.

I had to give him a "don't tell mom..." speech.

Mightybec

**lemming** · Feb 28th, '03, 11:30 PM

Well, looks like I'll be watching a certain film again. Must dig the video out of the box.

STERN!!!

**Tamashii2000** · Mar 1st, '03, 03:10 AM

Originally posted by Shadowpup
OK, stop right there. Go watch the movie. It's a classic that every fan of sci-fi should see.

Definity a classic, and as far as I am concerned far better then Heavy Metal 2000. Althrough HM2000 was still a great film.

**Tamashii2000** · Mar 1st, '03, 03:12 AM

Originally posted by Toadmaster
well first of all you have to add some COM to the car, it was a 1953 Corvette after all, some extra PRE seems likely too.

Gliding is a given since the car clearly was under control during the decent and as I recall the parachute wasn't used to slow the decent, it was used once the car hit the ground to slow its forward velocty to a manageable level (and looked cool), ablative armor vs reentry seems likely since the driver used the windshild wipers to clear the windshield of ash. As mentioned the car is a convertible so the life support was probably provided by the space suit. Otherwise just a regular classic auto.

How about Harry Canyons taxi, that may be a bit more difficult. remote laser gun, armor, disintogrator ray, big ol glove box of weapons, jet drive etc.

If you have not seen Heavy Metal you must go, NOW, hurry up.

Anyone see the second one, I never heard anything about it until it came out on DVD and was wondering if its worth while.

I have it on DvD, definitly a worth while film but not quiet as good as the original.

**Tamashii2000** · Mar 1st, '03, 03:13 AM

Originally posted by lemming
Well, looks like I'll be watching a certain film again. Must dig the video out of the box.

STERN!!!

Heh, once I put togather the car and post its stats, I am going to do a thread on the HM characters and thier stats..

Stats for Taarna anyone?

**steriaca** · Mar 1st, '03, 09:08 AM

Originally posted by BobGreenwade
Irrelavent. Starting the engine has nothing to do with whether the driver can breathe.

Life Suport for a vehical is difrent than Life Suport for a human. The Life Suport repersents what enviroment a vehical can work in without major problems. Think about it this way...a can needs to eat (fule...gasolien), needs air (exhast), and needs water (radiator, to cool the engin). This, a car is like a person...well, almost like one.

**Stormraven** · Mar 1st, '03, 12:06 PM

Originally posted by Tamashii2000
Heh, once I put togather the car and post its stats, I am going to do a thread on the HM characters and thier stats..

Stats for Taarna anyone?

Taarna would be relatively easy, I would think. Base 75+75 hero, give her about 50 XP, and make her a well-travelled warrior. I don't recall her doing anything superhuman - just incredibly skilled human. Maybe go 100+100, but I don't see that you'd need to go any higher.