Beanstalks can be built so they don't go straight up from the equator of the planet, but it makes them substantially harder to build at no real advantage (and the image is wrong anyway, since it would be visibly curved on this scale), so they should normally go straight up from the equator.
2320 progress report
- Thread starter Colin
- Start date
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Wouldn't the best place to build a beanstalk be at either pole, in line with the axis of rotation?
Erik Boielle
SOC-12
*****Wouldn't the best place to build a beanstalk be at either pole, in line with the axis of rotation?*****
Ooooh Ooooh!
I know that one.
Sorta.
The tension from the centrifugal whatnot is good as it helps keep the stalk in place. Balances the weight of the cable against the outward force from rotational effects what?
And then you need to bit in space to orbit to stay over the same place on the ground. Can you do that over the poles?
And anyway you can use it to whip stuff off in to outer space, which is handy.
Ooooh Ooooh!
I know that one.
Sorta.
The tension from the centrifugal whatnot is good as it helps keep the stalk in place. Balances the weight of the cable against the outward force from rotational effects what?
And then you need to bit in space to orbit to stay over the same place on the ground. Can you do that over the poles?
And anyway you can use it to whip stuff off in to outer space, which is handy.
Actually there are a number of ways to build a beanstalk, but to touch the ground (making it beanstalk as opposed to a skyhook, which can just float there or even rotate) they all need to be in equatorial geostationary orbits.
You can have the beanstalk stretch up from a planet and be tethered by an orbiting body of greater mass, keeping the cable under tension, or you can have an equal mass of cable (or anything really) above the orbital point, so the cable is equally balanced above and below. This allows the cable to oscilate if needs be (for instance, in Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson it oscilated to avoid the orbit of the inner martian moon).
G
You can have the beanstalk stretch up from a planet and be tethered by an orbiting body of greater mass, keeping the cable under tension, or you can have an equal mass of cable (or anything really) above the orbital point, so the cable is equally balanced above and below. This allows the cable to oscilate if needs be (for instance, in Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson it oscilated to avoid the orbit of the inner martian moon).
G
Secrect Cow Level
SOC-12
May I ask why? Like I said, this is not an official cover, but I am curious as to your reasons.
Colin
2320AD writer, and up far too late </font>[/QUOTE]The planet with the beanstalk is fine. It's the several little pictures of spaceships each in their own little box that looks bad. Rather than having a single image that tries to capture the spirit of the game it simply looks like the publisher just slapped together some random pictures and said, "Hey look! It's a sci-fi game!" If the cover looks like it was kitbashed in 15 minutes than potential customers begin to wonder if the content inside was as haphazardly put together. The grognards don't like to face this fact but a product published today needs to look slick if the publisher wants any hope of making money off of it. If it looks like a small time amature publication it will probably just sit on the shelves.
Your criticism is valid, and, incidentally, rather close to how I actually did that cover. In my mind, the several vignettes were meant to capture elements of the 2320 universe, while the big background picture would provide an overall theme.
As to the art style, I don't disagree with you, but economics are, of course, a factor. We'll see hwat happens.
Colin
2320AD "Dammit Jim, I'm a writer, not an artist!"
Or something like that.
As to the art style, I don't disagree with you, but economics are, of course, a factor. We'll see hwat happens.
Colin
2320AD "Dammit Jim, I'm a writer, not an artist!"
Or something like that.
M
Malenfant
Guest
This is a really weird comment, but...
I can't put my finger on why, but the beanstalk looks wrong to me... I think if it went past the camera to the left instead of the rightit might look better??
maybe it's just wacky perspective playing tricks on me, or something
I can't put my finger on why, but the beanstalk looks wrong to me... I think if it went past the camera to the left instead of the rightit might look better??
maybe it's just wacky perspective playing tricks on me, or something
Erik Boielle
SOC-12
I don't think this one
http://flightprojects.msfc.nasa.gov/fd02_elev.html
So I claim it to be the not going straight up thing.
http://flightprojects.msfc.nasa.gov/fd02_elev.html
So I claim it to be the not going straight up thing.
duran.goodyear
SOC-8
fix the bean stalk, and I think you will have gone a long way to making it clean looking.
anyone looking at that, even a complete non-techy will see that something is off kilter.
perspective, angles and the geometry of things goes a FAR way to making things look "right".
now, as far as my favorate artwork from the books, it had to be rob caswell.
http://www.geocities.com/pentapod2300/art/gallery.htm
though again, I am much more interested in a well developed system and universe the play in, then the pretty pictures.
my first experiance though with 2300ad when I was 12 was highly enhanced by the EXTREMELY well proportioned artwork, and technical detail that Rob was able to deliver on his artwork. I stared at the alien comparison chart for hours the first time I saw it.
anyone looking at that, even a complete non-techy will see that something is off kilter.
perspective, angles and the geometry of things goes a FAR way to making things look "right".
now, as far as my favorate artwork from the books, it had to be rob caswell.
http://www.geocities.com/pentapod2300/art/gallery.htm
though again, I am much more interested in a well developed system and universe the play in, then the pretty pictures.
my first experiance though with 2300ad when I was 12 was highly enhanced by the EXTREMELY well proportioned artwork, and technical detail that Rob was able to deliver on his artwork. I stared at the alien comparison chart for hours the first time I saw it.
Time for another update.
Introduction, character generation, background and timeline are in the hands of Hunter and Martin now.
Equipment, weapons, starship design and vehicle design are all in the final error-checking phase. I've got my spreadsheet for starships almost finished, and though it is quite clunky, it will do the trick. Should take only a couple of hours to design all the ships once its finished.
Error-checking and proofing are ongoing for the section on the Core.
Rewriting section on the Frontier in response to playtest comments.
Bunch of other stuff... Aliens mostly finished, outposts and enclaves in rewrite, but mostly finished. Director's section still needs a good rewrite. Organizations and Foundations finished.
Colin, 2320AD writer
Cutter of words...
Introduction, character generation, background and timeline are in the hands of Hunter and Martin now.
Equipment, weapons, starship design and vehicle design are all in the final error-checking phase. I've got my spreadsheet for starships almost finished, and though it is quite clunky, it will do the trick. Should take only a couple of hours to design all the ships once its finished.
Error-checking and proofing are ongoing for the section on the Core.
Rewriting section on the Frontier in response to playtest comments.
Bunch of other stuff... Aliens mostly finished, outposts and enclaves in rewrite, but mostly finished. Director's section still needs a good rewrite. Organizations and Foundations finished.
Colin, 2320AD writer
Cutter of words...
joi_sourcebook
SOC-7
Regarding the cover art - the roton pictures are by Jonathan Pearson and more pictures and write up can be found at
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~dheb/2300/Equipment/EG/Roton/milroton3.html
on the Etranger site
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~dheb/2300/index.htm
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~dheb/2300/Equipment/EG/Roton/milroton3.html
on the Etranger site
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~dheb/2300/index.htm
joi_sourcebook
SOC-7
Regarding Roton images Colin said
Its nice to know that people out there do actually read what you put on the web!
Are there any plans for releasing the design sequences in spreadsheet form?
No problem.
Its nice to know that people out there do actually read what you put on the web!
I'll look forward to firing up the spreadsheet to update the article.
Are there any plans for releasing the design sequences in spreadsheet form?
Just whenever you think you might have your problems licked, I give you one reference to think of:
Megatraveller Shattered Ships of the Fighting Imperium (aka Fighting Ships of the Shattered Imperium). I'm sure they used a somewhat dodgy spreadsheet, and the result was.... pretty much what you might expect.
So, as much as we all want to see the work done and available, just let me put in a vote or two for 'check, recheck, then re-recheck, then give it to someone else to check'. And don't trust the computer. It claims it is your friend, but you should still keep your laser handy!
Having to erratize (ew, I think I coined a horrid new word) a product is nigh inevitable, but the less of it the better. And having your example designs end up mucked up by a computer (they do what you tell them, not what you want them to do) can make that easier to accomplish. So perhaps (in case you haven't) try verifying your designs with pencil, paper and a mundane calculator.
Anyway, look forward to the result in any case. BTW, nice to see an Alberta boy done good!
Megatraveller Shattered Ships of the Fighting Imperium (aka Fighting Ships of the Shattered Imperium). I'm sure they used a somewhat dodgy spreadsheet, and the result was.... pretty much what you might expect.
So, as much as we all want to see the work done and available, just let me put in a vote or two for 'check, recheck, then re-recheck, then give it to someone else to check'. And don't trust the computer. It claims it is your friend, but you should still keep your laser handy!
Having to erratize (ew, I think I coined a horrid new word) a product is nigh inevitable, but the less of it the better. And having your example designs end up mucked up by a computer (they do what you tell them, not what you want them to do) can make that easier to accomplish. So perhaps (in case you haven't) try verifying your designs with pencil, paper and a mundane calculator.
Anyway, look forward to the result in any case. BTW, nice to see an Alberta boy done good!
Well, in this case, kludgy simply means ugly. It works well enough. And I've been doing some serious error-checking on it every time I look at it. It's a spreadsheet where you actaully have to know what you're doing (ship design) rather than letting it do it for you.
I've got my wife proof-reading, and she's picky. Really picky. I've also got a couple of people reviewing the design sequence.
Colin, 2320AD writer
"Look! A condor in a wetsuit!"
I've got my wife proof-reading, and she's picky. Really picky. I've also got a couple of people reviewing the design sequence.
Colin, 2320AD writer
"Look! A condor in a wetsuit!"
siefertma2
SOC-13
Colin:
Just curios on how the book is coming and how soon it will be before it's rolled out for playtest?
Just curios on how the book is coming and how soon it will be before it's rolled out for playtest?
I'm almost finished. Word count is something like 170,000+. I plan to have the bulk of it finished and away in a few days. Just some finicky bits left, like sample NPCs, UPPs for the colony worlds, that sort of thing.
As for playtest plans, I can't speak to that. Martin and Hunter need to take a look, and perhaps swing it past Marc for approval before it can go any further.
That's all I can say for now, too tired to write, but I still have to feed the dogs.
Colin, 2320AD writer
Sometimes I hate living on an acreage
As for playtest plans, I can't speak to that. Martin and Hunter need to take a look, and perhaps swing it past Marc for approval before it can go any further.
That's all I can say for now, too tired to write, but I still have to feed the dogs.
Colin, 2320AD writer
Sometimes I hate living on an acreage
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