A question to the physics-minded...

[tinman]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

So while I've everyone's attention, here's another question:

 

One of the things that has always bothered me about supers settings is that they don't usually explain where the energy comes from. Sure they might go into how the effects are generated (i.e. the air molecules are heated telekinetically, so it looks like he's shooting fire), but not where all that energy comes from or how it's obtained.

 

So what's everyone's favourite pet explanation for the source of the energy superhumans use to power their abilities?

[tinman]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

I'll start off by posting a fake article teaser I cooked up for my Carpenter's Earth campaign when it first started. Feel free to tear it apart, I'd love to upgrade it with more realistic-sounding gobbledygook

 

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, JULY 2006

 

Next Month: Metahuman Utilization of Energy Translation – Dr. Susan Chang

 

Despite all conventional understandings of the relationship between known forms of energy and the traditional impediments associated with the translation of one form into another in most cases, the nature of metahuman enhancements and effects require a new understanding of energy transition.

 

The key mystery in the nature of many metahuman abilities has always been one of energy availability. The human body generates energy as heat, electrical impulses and momentum but never in sufficient quantities to even approach those used in even low level metahuman displays. Investigations undertaken to explore potential energy storage systems have yielded good results in some cases (particularly cellular e-rings) but the energy equation has still remained hopelessly unbalanced.

 

The answer appears to be in the nearly universal ability of metahumans to translate angular momentum on scales ranging from the quantum to the stellar into linear momentum, electricity, heat, light, magnetic fields, gravity and strong and weak nuclear forces. Although the precise mechanism used for the translation is unknown (and defies many currently accepted physical laws) the effect has been measured conclusively.

 

There are currently three identified modes in which metahuman energy translation functions:

 

- Generative Event - the metahuman translates a large amount of energy into biologically useful forms to fuel a (usually) unique bodily transformation which often accompanies or embodies the expression of the metahuman’s nature,

 

- Reservoir Maintenance - the metahuman channels a regulated flow of translated rotational energy into pseudo-biological storage systems for future burst use, and

 

- Direct Translation - the metahuman creates an effect by directly converting rotational energy and bypassing any storage systems or intermediate forms.

 

Note that these methods are by no means mutually exclusive and are often observed in combination.

 

Active metahuman energy translation is measured by careful observation of precisely controlled rotating masses in close proximity to the effect (usually within a few meters).

 

Although there is no direct role played by ambient magnetic resonance in metahuman energy translation, it does appear to be utilized during an initial detection or measurement phase which precedes the actual translation event. Although the detection/measurement is purely an unconscious step and seems to take an insignificant amount of time, interrupting or interfering with it will prevent the subsequent energy translation.

 

Two primary methods of detection/measurement interruption are:

 

- Null-Center Magnetic Fields - in which overlapping magnetic fields of sufficient strength are tuned to provide a central area of no magnetic polarity or activity of any kind, and

 

- Rapid Gross Magnetic Variations - where local magnetic fields of sufficient strength are rapidly (800-900 Hz cycles) varied by no less than 25% for both field strength and direction of polarity.

 

Both of these methods require equipment of a level of precision which precludes their widespread use and, though not particularly bulky, they are extremely fragile and require large scale uninterruptable power.

 

Of concern at this point in the research is the possible effects of long term or widespread degradation of angular momentum on every scale. Although currently observed effects have been absolutely insignificant on the scale universe as a whole, local effects may be more pronounced within the projected lifetime of our solar system. In addition, there are currently no pre-defined limits to the amount of angular momentum that may be translated by an individual metahuman or to the scale of effects generated, and though observed effects may be minor future events may be more pronounced.

[McCoy]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

So while I've everyone's attention, here's another question:

 

One of the things that has always bothered me about supers settings is that they don't usually explain where the energy comes from. Sure they might go into how the effects are generated (i.e. the air molecules are heated telekinetically, so it looks like he's shooting fire), but not where all that energy comes from or how it's obtained.

 

So what's everyone's favourite pet explanation for the source of the energy superhumans use to power their abilities?

Yes, I do have some suspension of disbelief problems with Iron Man's armor working off of batteries that seem to mass about the same as a pair of "D" cells, are at least six orders of magnitude more efficent than the real world and recharge from a household 110 volt socket.

 

Depending on my mood,

 

(1) Zero-point energy

 

(2) Extradimensional interface, energy from outside our universe

 

(3) A Tesla power transmitter, hooked to a generator powered by James Clerk Maxwell spinning in his grave

 

(4) It's just a funnybook, OK?

[Jaxom]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

This way lies madness.

 

First, if we try to do any form of energy tracking we're going to find that the 12d6 EB requires a dramitcally different amount of energy than your favorite 4d6 RKA (same CPs) resulting in some characters being more equal than others in some situations.

 

Then you're going to be wondering why all these heroes are running around with the ability to match roughly solar energy flux in small bursts.

 

Madness, I say.

 

 

I'd watch out for the description you've given as well. In a region absent of spinning objects you're going to have to resort either to quantum-level spin drain or you're going to attack planetary rotation. I'm not ready to start dealing with the effects of having every hero surrounded by a superfluid during periods of high exertion.

 

I know what kinds of energy my blasters burn through and the only thing I'd be willing to think about is the ability to tap whatever source of energy is needed from some extra-dimensional source. Anything less in a 300+ point campaign is going to result in some really scary side effects.

 

Consider some of the other physics that gets bent at will as well... Megascale teleportation violates c all the time (consider the look on a player's face when you tell him light-travel time for the port he wants is longer than a phase). How does danger sense work against a laser-tripped, laser-based trap? Light travel time is the best signal we know of and if the weapon and the trigger are laser as well you're talking about almost simultaneous notice and effect. Never mind the idea that the character's reaction times require thought patterns and neural impulses that can travel no faster than c (and probably much slower if your SPD is anything less than 12).

 

I'm perfectly happy to leave subjects like this one to Eastern Philosophy. They work and Western Science is just pissed off to no end because we have been unable to make heads or tails of why.

[Manic Typist]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

Ok, to simply address the original problem:

 

"Why would you bother with the projecticle when you have a laser that powerful?"

 

This, to me, is the only real flaw. Because, it is a flaw of logic and not reality. You can ignore and alter reality all you want, but if it has some sort of flaw in its underlying premise (such as in this case) the players will be saying, "Well that's just silly! They should just shoot us with the lasers and be done with it! Oh crap, did I just say that?!?! I mean........ NOOO!!!!! *zap*"

 

Here is my suggestion:

 

Tear a fricking rip in space time.

 

"What madness is this?" you might be asking. Please, just hear me out.

 

Have the weapon work on the premise that it emits a field of energy which basically displaces ALL matter within said field into another dimension, or at least somewhere else entirely. Now, assuming you have some sort of superaccelerator with a very advanced timing device, and your very deadly projecticle, you are ready to start reasoning out the method of destruction.

 

Now, however, we still have the original problem of "Why not use it directly on the heroes and skip the projectile?" Here is why: say that the field cannot interact with living matter. Anything completely inorganic and not alive, it can cut through no problem. However, once the field reaches something that is alive, it stops. Maybe it is because of the inherent electromagnetic field in all organisms of any significant size. In which case, this gun would also most likely not function in other areas with significant electromagnetic disruptions. That might be a fun secret for the heroes to figure out on their own. Maybe organic matter, with all of its shifting and complexity, just cannot be broken down by this field into a transportable packet ready for some alternate dimension.

 

There is more to this gun though. Based on this........ the only thing that stops this field is organic matter. So.......... this thing can cut through walls, of nearly any type, simply by moving a chunk of it elsewhere, leaving a nice hole for this to travel through.

 

This offers wicked possibilites.

 

Strap on a special thermal/x-ray scope-interface for the users, so that they can take advantage of their ability to shoot through virtually anything. Of course, to both make sense and help balance this out, let it take a second or 5 for the capicitator to charge up (or whatever) and let it emit a distinctive whine as it does so.

 

Now, of course, let's look at the project. Make it from whatever the hell you want really, all it really has to do is be able to be shaped so it will fly in a vacum straight. So really, its shape is irrelevant. Heck, it doesn't even need to be that big, considering the speeds it will be going at. The size of a marble would almost definately be overkill for most living things. Work out the specifics to your whim. Maybe you can only fire one the size of a grain of sand because of the energy needed to superaccelrate even something of even that LITTLE mass. This would help you keep the damage in check. Or you can just say it does less damage than physics might call for. Actually, my next point sort of addresses this.

 

Remember, the field is stoped by organic matter. So, your temporary vacum extends only up until near or right at the begining of the hero itself. That means, once it is done traveling through the vacum, the first thing it hits will not be the hero but the air itself. This will lead to a significant soundburst and most likely a shockwave as it slams into the air molecules, and THEN careens into the poor sap behind the air. You can use this as a plausible reason for "rapid deacceleartion of the projecticle" to what would be for the gun users less than ideal speeds. It would still be EXTREMELY nasty, but it would be a reason to say "Well, just be glad that it has to slow down at least SOME, at the VERY last second, before it hits you."

 

Also, this is an excuse for lots of glass to explode in the immediate vincity from overpressure. And then the glass might be sucked in somewhat as the empty funnel fills back in with air. Depends on how powerful of a suction you want there to be. This gun could really provide you with some COOL special effects going on in the background.

 

Let's recap with a cinematic, shall we?

 

Black clad storm troopers creep up the stairs, moving slowly so as to minimize noise. Their face-concealing visors glance back and forth, and each member covers a different sector. Finally, they reach and landing and assemble around a door.

 

Raoul jerks awake, sputtering and wiping the drool from his face and pulling the pencil stuck to his forehead off. He thought he heard something. Glancing around in confusion, he begins to hear an increasing whine as somethign gathers power. His faces goes white. He recognizes that sound.

 

"DSGs!!!" he screams, (Dimensional Shift Guns), and throws himself to the side. A black shaft appears instantaneously through the door and even his chair and past the desk beyond, until the range of the weapon is reached and the projecticle passes out of its silent tunnel and back into its old friend, the atmosphere. Upon which, a shockwave of force and noise ripples out, shattering all the windows in the small office in which the reaction was taking place. A nanosecond later, the atmosphere manages to catch up with everything going on, rushing into where the shaft used to be and causing glass and papers to be sucked in towards the main warehouse floor.

 

All of this happens faster than the eye or even the mind could hope to track, but Raoul isn't looking or even thinking about it. He knows that his only hope is to keep moving, because the only way for these guns to miss him is for him to not be where they are aimed when the trigger is actually pulled, since the slowest component of these deadly weapons is the highly elite soldiers who wield them.

 

Doding and jumping, constantly shifting his speed and stopping entirely, Raoul barely manages to throw off anyone drawing a bead on him as spears of unreality dart through the three foot concrete walls and go beyond him.

 

He pulls his pistol from his pocket, and aiming while running, fires off a succession of shots. He doesn't waste his time aiming at his would-be execution squad, becuse it is doubtful he would be able to squeeze a bullet through one of the perfect holes now smattering the wall and puncture their body armor. Instead, he aims at a control station with wires running from it to a grate running the length of the warehouse floor, between him and the door. Slugs rip through its thin metal frame, causing its inner circuitry to short out and deactivate the sealing mechanism.

 

The grates slam upward as the pressure needed to keep them down disappears, and a horde of bats comes screaming out of their pen.

 

Cursing, the commandos try to fire at Raoul through the bats, but the shots are always stopped by the press of bats, the field cut short by their furry bodies' living tissue.

 

Explosions of force and and vortexs rip through the horde of bats, making it looking less than a seething ocean of fur and wing swelling with tidal waves of force.

 

"By my mother's tits, can I get some backup in here people!" Raoul bellows as he goes in search for his assault rifle, which he can hopefully find before the soldiers finish off the bats.

 

Like? At all?

 

I thought it was pretty neat. Does this make any sense though?

 

Limit the range of the gun of course, give it a hell of a recoil (either directly from the shot or from the vacuum created, would might cause the gun to go DOWN when fired rather than up. Interesting...), work out weaknesses to the viewing system, and add in the delay between shots..........

 

And I think it might just be a reasonable creation.

[Pogo]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

So while I've everyone's attention, here's another question:

 

One of the things that has always bothered me about supers settings is that they don't usually explain where the energy comes from. Sure they might go into how the effects are generated (i.e. the air molecules are heated telekinetically, so it looks like he's shooting fire), but not where all that energy comes from or how it's obtained.

 

So what's everyone's favourite pet explanation for the source of the energy superhumans use to power their abilities?

 

[cue MST3k theme]

Repeat to yourself it's just a game you should really just relax

[end theme]

 

I don't want to provide one source for all supers. With that caveat, here are some energy sources with realism varying from zero to none

 

1) Opposites attact. Matter-antimatter reactions give lots of energy for small masses. The rate of particle-antiparticle creation and annhilation at the subatomic level is subconsciously altered by the super to produce cool SFX.

 

2) Stringing them along. Somehow the character has access to the additional dimensions wrapped up in the superstring (I ducked string theory, so this is probably even more bogus than #1).

 

3) Boltzmann Schmoltzman. All the hot molecules just happened to move away, freezing the villain in his tracks. What, that configuration happens one time in 10^90? Time to buy a lottery ticket.

[tinman]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

Ok, to simply address the original problem:

 

"Why would you bother with the projecticle when you have a laser that powerful?"

 

This, to me, is the only real flaw. Because, it is a flaw of logic and not reality. You can ignore and alter reality all you want, but if it has some sort of flaw in its underlying premise (such as in this case) the players will be saying, "Well that's just silly! They should just shoot us with the lasers and be done with it! Oh crap, did I just say that?!?! I mean........ NOOO!!!!! *zap*"

 

Here is my suggestion:

 

Tear a fricking rip in space time.

 

"What madness is this?" you might be asking. Please, just hear me out.

 

Have the weapon work on the premise that it emits a field of energy which basically displaces ALL matter within said field into another dimension, or at least somewhere else entirely. Now, assuming you have some sort of superaccelerator with a very advanced timing device, and your very deadly projecticle, you are ready to start reasoning out the method of destruction.

 

Now, however, we still have the original problem of "Why not use it directly on the heroes and skip the projectile?" Here is why: say that the field cannot interact with living matter. Anything completely inorganic and not alive, it can cut through no problem. However, once the field reaches something that is alive, it stops. Maybe it is because of the inherent electromagnetic field in all organisms of any significant size. In which case, this gun would also most likely not function in other areas with significant electromagnetic disruptions. That might be a fun secret for the heroes to figure out on their own. Maybe organic matter, with all of its shifting and complexity, just cannot be broken down by this field into a transportable packet ready for some alternate dimension.

 

There is more to this gun though. Based on this........ the only thing that stops this field is organic matter. So.......... this thing can cut through walls, of nearly any type, simply by moving a chunk of it elsewhere, leaving a nice hole for this to travel through.

 

This offers wicked possibilites.

 

Strap on a special thermal/x-ray scope-interface for the users, so that they can take advantage of their ability to shoot through virtually anything. Of course, to both make sense and help balance this out, let it take a second or 5 for the capicitator to charge up (or whatever) and let it emit a distinctive whine as it does so.

 

Now, of course, let's look at the project. Make it from whatever the hell you want really, all it really has to do is be able to be shaped so it will fly in a vacum straight. So really, its shape is irrelevant. Heck, it doesn't even need to be that big, considering the speeds it will be going at. The size of a marble would almost definately be overkill for most living things. Work out the specifics to your whim. Maybe you can only fire one the size of a grain of sand because of the energy needed to superaccelrate even something of even that LITTLE mass. This would help you keep the damage in check. Or you can just say it does less damage than physics might call for. Actually, my next point sort of addresses this.

 

Remember, the field is stoped by organic matter. So, your temporary vacum extends only up until near or right at the begining of the hero itself. That means, once it is done traveling through the vacum, the first thing it hits will not be the hero but the air itself. This will lead to a significant soundburst and most likely a shockwave as it slams into the air molecules, and THEN careens into the poor sap behind the air. You can use this as a plausible reason for "rapid deacceleartion of the projecticle" to what would be for the gun users less than ideal speeds. It would still be EXTREMELY nasty, but it would be a reason to say "Well, just be glad that it has to slow down at least SOME, at the VERY last second, before it hits you."

 

Also, this is an excuse for lots of glass to explode in the immediate vincity from overpressure. And then the glass might be sucked in somewhat as the empty funnel fills back in with air. Depends on how powerful of a suction you want there to be. This gun could really provide you with some COOL special effects going on in the background.

 

Let's recap with a cinematic, shall we?

 

Black clad storm troopers creep up the stairs, moving slowly so as to minimize noise. Their face-concealing visors glance back and forth, and each member covers a different sector. Finally, they reach and landing and assemble around a door.

 

Raoul jerks awake, sputtering and wiping the drool from his face and pulling the pencil stuck to his forehead off. He thought he heard something. Glancing around in confusion, he begins to hear an increasing whine as somethign gathers power. His faces goes white. He recognizes that sound.

 

"DSGs!!!" he screams, (Dimensional Shift Guns), and throws himself to the side. A black shaft appears instantaneously through the door and even his chair and past the desk beyond, until the range of the weapon is reached and the projecticle passes out of its silent tunnel and back into its old friend, the atmosphere. Upon which, a shockwave of force and noise ripples out, shattering all the windows in the small office in which the reaction was taking place. A nanosecond later, the atmosphere manages to catch up with everything going on, rushing into where the shaft used to be and causing glass and papers to be sucked in towards the main warehouse floor.

 

All of this happens faster than the eye or even the mind could hope to track, but Raoul isn't looking or even thinking about it. He knows that his only hope is to keep moving, because the only way for these guns to miss him is for him to not be where they are aimed when the trigger is actually pulled, since the slowest component of these deadly weapons is the highly elite soldiers who wield them.

 

Doding and jumping, constantly shifting his speed and stopping entirely, Raoul barely manages to throw off anyone drawing a bead on him as spears of unreality dart through the three foot concrete walls and go beyond him.

 

He pulls his pistol from his pocket, and aiming while running, fires off a succession of shots. He doesn't waste his time aiming at his would-be execution squad, becuse it is doubtful he would be able to squeeze a bullet through one of the perfect holes now smattering the wall and puncture their body armor. Instead, he aims at a control station with wires running from it to a grate running the length of the warehouse floor, between him and the door. Slugs rip through its thin metal frame, causing its inner circuitry to short out and deactivate the sealing mechanism.

 

The grates slam upward as the pressure needed to keep them down disappears, and a horde of bats comes screaming out of their pen.

 

Cursing, the commandos try to fire at Raoul through the bats, but the shots are always stopped by the press of bats, the field cut short by their furry bodies' living tissue.

 

Explosions of force and and vortexs rip through the horde of bats, making it looking less than a seething ocean of fur and wing swelling with tidal waves of force.

 

"By my mother's tits, can I get some backup in here people!" Raoul bellows as he goes in search for his assault rifle, which he can hopefully find before the soldiers finish off the bats.

 

Like? At all?

 

I thought it was pretty neat. Does this make any sense though?

 

Limit the range of the gun of course, give it a hell of a recoil (either directly from the shot or from the vacuum created, would might cause the gun to go DOWN when fired rather than up. Interesting...), work out weaknesses to the viewing system, and add in the delay between shots..........

 

And I think it might just be a reasonable creation.

 

I don't know if it all makes sense to me, but it was entertaining as heck! Rep on the way once my pool refreshes

[tinman]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

And everyone so far who's told me to take a deep breath and remember that it's just make-believe...

 

...yeah, I know. I just get carried away

[Jaxom]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

Ok, just because I am kinda geeky and wanted to demonstrate exactly why I don't look into these things too closely, let's take an example and do some real math for it...

 

I buy a 4d6 RKA and call it a laser. I won't even do the nasty things that I do in-game and we'll make it a simple, visible laser. Average damage for my new toy is 14 BODY.

 

Now, breaking things is anything *but* a science in HERO, but for simple purposes I can look things up and find that that is enough to "break" a "Spaceship interior wall" (when we include DEF and BODY) or to come to the total BODY for 25 centimeters of metal.

 

Here's our first major assumption... I'm going to assume that we're just going to punch a single hole through this wall in my one-second phase. If I were really going to destory it, I'd want a much bigger hole, but for my purpose, a 1 centimeter-wide hole is fun enough.

 

Now, a quick trip around the web finding some physical constants shows us:

specific heat ~.8 J/gK for integral to high temperatures

melting point is 2550 C or higher

density is ~7.75 g/cm^3

latent heat of fusion ~247 J/g (i.e. energy required to melt 1 gram)

 

 

I'm going to assume a 1 cm^2 beam size with a 1 second (1 phase) burst time. At speed 6 I can do this once every other phase or once every two seconds.

 

Sooooo... To melt 25 cm of carbon steel I am going to raise it's temperature from 30 C to over 2550 C and then give it more energy to go from solid to liquid.

 

25 cm of carbon steel weighs 193.75 grams.

 

193.75 * (.8 * (2550 - 30) + 247 ) gives us about 4.4 * 10^5 joules required.

Since I handily chose 1 second, that is also 4.4 * 10^5 watts.

 

Now, some more handwaving in our favor. Every last photon in the beam is absorbed, so no energy goes to waste there. And we'll assume a very efficient laser at 50% efficiency (there are some lasers coming in better these days, but normal is still considered 30% or lower as far as I am aware).

 

That means that our little hand-portable laser is consuming roughly a megawatt every time it fires. That is, depending on where you live, enough to power 500-1000 houses. And I can do this reliably once every other second for a mere 60 CPs.

 

Now, I've done a lot of handwaving here in our favor... Ignored dispersion and diffraction and ionization of the target and all sorts of things. I've assumed nice efficiencies and 100% absorption and conversion. I've ignored the state-changes in carbon steel that are simple molecular rearrangement at high energy which eat energy but don't result in melting or temperature changes... And still, I have a woman who is 5-foot nothing and weighs in at 107 lbs running around with *something* that generates a megawatt just to fire her gun. Never mind powering her power armor and her defenses and let's not begin to consider "teleportation".

 

The greatest sacrifice any hero makes is not just going home, hooking themselves to their house electric and selling their power back to the power companies and playing Enron, trading it for top dollar.

[Dr. Anomaly]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

Ok' date=' just because I am kinda geeky and wanted to demonstrate exactly why I don't look into these things too closely, let's take an example and do some real math for it...[/quote']

 

 

[EverKnight]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

So while I've everyone's attention, here's another question:

 

One of the things that has always bothered me about supers settings is that they don't usually explain where the energy comes from. Sure they might go into how the effects are generated (i.e. the air molecules are heated telekinetically, so it looks like he's shooting fire), but not where all that energy comes from or how it's obtained.

 

So what's everyone's favourite pet explanation for the source of the energy superhumans use to power their abilities?

 

er...magic

[tinman]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

I owe a lot of people a lot of rep in this thread...

 

[Manic Typist]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

I don't know if it all makes sense to me' date=' but it was entertaining as heck! Rep on the way once my pool refreshes [/quote']

 

Please, point out what is confusing and I will try to clarify. It was late when I wrote that post.

 

I seriously think it might be something similar to the effect you were trying to achieve, in terms of SFX.

 

And with neat little side perks........ muwahahaha.

 

Imagine the terror on your players' faces the SECOND time they go up against guys with DSGs...................

 

You should reserve these for hardcore fights.

[tinman]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

Please, point out what is confusing and I will try to clarify. It was late when I wrote that post.

 

I seriously think it might be something similar to the effect you were trying to achieve, in terms of SFX.

 

And with neat little side perks........ muwahahaha.

 

Imagine the terror on your players' faces the SECOND time they go up against guys with DSGs...................

 

You should reserve these for hardcore fights.

 

It was pretty late when I read it too

[Sean Waters]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

Where does the energy come from.

 

Ignore them, tinman, this is the sort of question that can lead interesting places

 

My cosmology has multiple universes and creation energy flows from one to the other, and around until it is eventually back where it started, in a mobius strip kinda way. In that it is liek money: when it is sitting there doing nothing it is useless, it only does any real work when it is moving from place to place.

 

Now, there exists, out int he far reaches of this universe, an insanely powerful Mad Emperor who jealously guards his power. His empire is made up of hundreds of thousands of segregated worlds, each of which has inhabitants whose powers are generically selected, by circumstance or design, and whilst each planet's powers are different, each species breeds true: with very minor variations all members of one species have identical powers.

 

The Emperor searches the Universe for The Light, that glow perceivable to those with eyes to see that show that a race is beginning to develop the ability to harness Creation Energy and direct it into the creation of superpowers. When enough beings on a planet start to convert Creation Energy it shines like a beacon...

 

If what he sees is a race that may become powerful enough to threaten him then they are terminated. He tends to take few chances.

 

Now, a long time ago a planet on the edge of known space started to show evidence of the beginnings of the transformation: the inhabitants were growing larger and stronger, their brains becoming complex and able to mould the energies of creation.

 

Superpowers have two components, both wired into the genetics and cell structure of those who can use them. The first is the ability to create cell organelles that can trap and convert Creation Energy, and the second is a genetic structure that can shape those energies into superpowers, from a cellular level to the whole being.

 

This race had enormous potential and would certainly have been eradicated by The Emperor before they could have evidenced their powers in full.

 

A rebellious faction found the planet before the Emperor did and...hid it.

 

This involved infecting the entire planet with a genetic disease that removed the ability of cells to produce energy conversion organelles, and replaced them with what was once an independed unicellular species that converted chemical energy instead: enough to keep the host alive but nowhere near enough to power any special abilities. The nascent superbeings died out, or at least died back, their bodies stunted, their brains only a shadow of what they could have been.

 

That would have been maybe 15000 years ago.

 

Now one of the things that normally informs the development of superpowers is their interaction with environment. Unfortunately this crippled race, despite their potential, manifested no superpowers (well there were a few indepenent developments of the energy conversion organelles over the years, resulting in god-like beings that the rebel faction, still watching the planet, had to hunt down and kill: even the very few who attained such godhood were enough to convert a terrifying amount of Creation Energy.

 

What the rebels saw was awe inspiring. With no manifestation of powers, the genetic strucure had no defining direction to evolve in, and so, uniquely in the Universe, every individual had a completely different set of powers, and some were of a level of magnitude that was unheard of.

 

Recently though a split has formed in the rebels ranks, with accelerationists eager to take the fight to the Empire. One of them stole the retrovirus that would undo the damage done tot he EC organelles. It has been released...

 

...right now, on Earth, for some reason no one can fathom, people have started developing superpowers. First one or two, then tens and hundreds. it is accelerating.

 

In the far reaches of the Universe a power swollen Empire is turning its eyes toward the new beacon appearing in the distance and mobilising to snuff the nascent flame...

 

Anyway, that's the background to one little game I'm hoping to get round to running one of these days...

[ghost-angel]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

All energy in all realities comes from a little green jelly bean floating in a large black empty space.

[McCoy]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Sean Waters again."

 

My cosmology has multiple universes and creation energy flows from one to the other' date=' and around until it is eventually back where it started, in a mobius strip kinda way. In that it is liek money: when it is sitting there doing nothing it is useless, it only does any real work when it is moving from place to place.[/quote']

That's how Magic works in my reality. The extra-dimensional beings that are invoked by the magician open a "pinhole" between the dimensions, allowing energy to flow from their high-magic universe to our low-magic one. The movement can be tapped for useful energy on both sides of the pinhole, thus benefiting both.

[tinman]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

Where does the energy come from.

 

Ignore them, tinman, this is the sort of question that can lead interesting places

 

My cosmology has multiple universes and creation energy flows from one to the other, and around until it is eventually back where it started, in a mobius strip kinda way. In that it is liek money: when it is sitting there doing nothing it is useless, it only does any real work when it is moving from place to place.

 

Now, there exists, out int he far reaches of this universe, an insanely powerful Mad Emperor who jealously guards his power. His empire is made up of hundreds of thousands of segregated worlds, each of which has inhabitants whose powers are generically selected, by circumstance or design, and whilst each planet's powers are different, each species breeds true: with very minor variations all members of one species have identical powers.

 

The Emperor searches the Universe for The Light, that glow perceivable to those with eyes to see that show that a race is beginning to develop the ability to harness Creation Energy and direct it into the creation of superpowers. When enough beings on a planet start to convert Creation Energy it shines like a beacon...

 

If what he sees is a race that may become powerful enough to threaten him then they are terminated. He tends to take few chances.

 

Now, a long time ago a planet on the edge of known space started to show evidence of the beginnings of the transformation: the inhabitants were growing larger and stronger, their brains becoming complex and able to mould the energies of creation.

 

Superpowers have two components, both wired into the genetics and cell structure of those who can use them. The first is the ability to create cell organelles that can trap and convert Creation Energy, and the second is a genetic structure that can shape those energies into superpowers, from a cellular level to the whole being.

 

This race had enormous potential and would certainly have been eradicated by The Emperor before they could have evidenced their powers in full.

 

A rebellious faction found the planet before the Emperor did and...hid it.

 

This involved infecting the entire planet with a genetic disease that removed the ability of cells to produce energy conversion organelles, and replaced them with what was once an independed unicellular species that converted chemical energy instead: enough to keep the host alive but nowhere near enough to power any special abilities. The nascent superbeings died out, or at least died back, their bodies stunted, their brains only a shadow of what they could have been.

 

That would have been maybe 15000 years ago.

 

Now one of the things that normally informs the development of superpowers is their interaction with environment. Unfortunately this crippled race, despite their potential, manifested no superpowers (well there were a few indepenent developments of the energy conversion organelles over the years, resulting in god-like beings that the rebel faction, still watching the planet, had to hunt down and kill: even the very few who attained such godhood were enough to convert a terrifying amount of Creation Energy.

 

What the rebels saw was awe inspiring. With no manifestation of powers, the genetic strucure had no defining direction to evolve in, and so, uniquely in the Universe, every individual had a completely different set of powers, and some were of a level of magnitude that was unheard of.

 

Recently though a split has formed in the rebels ranks, with accelerationists eager to take the fight to the Empire. One of them stole the retrovirus that would undo the damage done tot he EC organelles. It has been released...

 

...right now, on Earth, for some reason no one can fathom, people have started developing superpowers. First one or two, then tens and hundreds. it is accelerating.

 

In the far reaches of the Universe a power swollen Empire is turning its eyes toward the new beacon appearing in the distance and mobilising to snuff the nascent flame...

 

Anyway, that's the background to one little game I'm hoping to get round to running one of these days...

 

Very cool, I may steal bits of it for another game I'm thinking of running

[tinman]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

All energy in all realities comes from a little green jelly bean floating in a large black empty space.

 

The green ones taste like mint, right?

[ghost-angel]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

Not always... sometimes it's Lime. or Sour Apple. and then there are the really strange flavors. I don't know what kind of green jelly bean it is.

 

Only that it is a green jelly bean and the source of all energies.

[Gummibear]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

Where does the energy come from.

 

Ignore them, tinman, this is the sort of question that can lead interesting places

 

Love your description there. Sounds like a fun world and I'd love to hear about how it goes.

For me the powers are a mathematical inevitability when dealing with multiple dimensions. When you have a million people interacting with one dimension you have a fairly low chance that favorable mutations are going to spontaneously occur. However when you throw in the element of multiple dimensions, and a theoretically infinite multiverse, you come up with a much higher occurence of favorable mutations. These favorable mutations can then activate or be the catalyst for greater powers. As multiple beings with these mutations interbreed the genepool has even more material to draw from. Eventually these things will happen and the more you have the more you get. Really basic genetics, and almost definitely flawed, but hey thats my take on it.

[Manic Typist]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

Furthermore, on the DSG:

 

Two "shot" types: One is let's say a 6 to a 12d6 energy blast. This simulates that the projectile fired is made from a lighter, more fragile materiale (though in any other situation calling this material "fragile" would be ridiculous!) that completely disintegrates upon impact with the atmosphere, leading to just a pure shockwave of force and sound. Indeed, the projectile's destruction might help ensure that ALL of the force is shunted into generating this shockwave, rather than some of it being kept by the projecticle as it continues on.

 

This would be ideal for situations in which the weapon's operator wanted to capture individuals, disrupts mobs, and lower total collateral damage.

 

The other type would be "hard" vs. the previous "soft."

 

It would have Killing Damage, in whatever amount you found appropriate. There is only one real use for this. Killing.

 

Now, there is one thing you need to decide.

 

Should this hard shot "scatter" after it enters the atmosphere?

 

If it does, then this weapon might be a bit unbalancing since it would have extreme range. I think a range limitation such that rifles could be accurate at a longer distance would be critical to help ensure that players (who fought smart) could defeat the people carrying these.

 

Insted, I suggest that it the projecticle immediately be slammed into an alternate course once it enters the atmosphere. This would not hinder the gun's original purpose, since if the shooter was accurate, the shot would enter the atmosphere so close to the target that no matter how severe the deviation caused by the atmosphere, it would HAVE to pass through the target.

 

However, this leads to it careening unpredicatably into something as determined by a scatter die. Up down, left right, the whole works. This would be hilarious, since NO ONE would know where it was going, haha.

 

To justify this vs. any attempts to make the shot more accurate: the forces are so powerful that any attempts to add any stabilizing wings or reshape the projecticle so that this won't happen have met with failure, because the forces at play are so powerful that the shot is immediately condensed into a roughly (VERY roughly) sphere upon "re-entry."

 

Savvy?

[austenandrews]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

Pocket dimensions filled with high-tech weapons installations. The gun/ring/what-have-you is just the interface to our universe.

[Sean Waters]

Re: A question to the physics-minded...

 

Oh and there is the really weird one where the first beings to develop superpowers* were hamsters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*teleportation and/or desolid