Food aboard ship

[Lycanorukke]

Thinking over it, why bother with 'solid food in a box or can' for storage?

Prehaps have something like todays 3D printers - except instead of using resins they lay down layers of nutrient material (with a degradable binding compound). Add a bit of colouring and flavouring in the mix and you could literally 'print off' of a passable three course meal. Having hoppers of generic food powder cuts down on packing space, having to have 50 different food items, and is simple to refill, and would last longer as it wouldn't go bad quickly. Also if the ship runs recyc-systems, simply dump the reclaimed proteins and carbs straight into the specific print bin.

So your bog standard galley consists of a 'printer' and a few hoppers of nutrient powder of various types. Load up a few 'print jobs' into the memory (or download them from 'Galaxys greatest chef') and hit print. The El-Cheapo models would print things that tasted and looked the same as todays airline food. More expensive 'food printers' may be able to do better texturing and flavouring, have more 'print powders' hence a wider range of meals, print actual plates and cutlery, etc. Picky customers could also load their own favourite meals if they system could handle it - a big plus for snooty high passengers.

Of course mistakes could happen - like accidently loading the hoppers incorrectly, so the 'Worcestershire sauce' bin and 'fusion core strength curry powder' bin get swapped....

 

[whartung]

The food printer is a novel idea.

Today in some restaurants, there's this modern marvel of a Coke machine that can dispense literally hundreds of different flavors. It takes smaller syrup cartridges for the different sodas (coke, sprite, dr pepper, there are several) and then on top of those it has extra flavor cartridges (cherry, grape, vanilla, etc.). It all comes out of a single fountain. Remarkable machine with a lot of variety in a compact space. I think the overall size is as much form factor for the area its in than some minimum size that it can be. There's a 15" touch screen to tell it what you want.

Serving up second rate food as de rigeur on a starship is misplaced. I think people will make room for quality food. A busy starship crew will eat 1/2 of their meals on the ship using the one week in jump/one week out of jump schedule. That's a lot of crummy food, and folks are generally unhappy with crummy food. I'd like to think that the kitchens on a starship with unlimited fusion power along with other advancements will be able to make better meals than the "Lonesome Dove Diet" -- "Brown, hot, and plenty of it".

Again referencing something like "Deadliest Catch", they take the time to make decent meals for the crews, and those are some pretty darn busy boats with tired crews. Yet they're not living off of pop tarts and canned food. If they can make time and space for it, a starship full of automation and computers should be able to manage it. It's not as if the engineering crew is below deck shoveling coal 24/7.

 

[aramis]

having known plenty of guys working the boats, they don't get much variety at all. They're carb and fat loading. One friend describes crab boat food as "Grease and potatoes, cheap-ass meat, and enough ketchup to make it go down. But at least there's lots of [it *]." And most of the boats carry a dedicated steward.

*much more colorful language was actually used.

 

[rancke]

having known plenty of guys working the boats, they don't get much variety at all.

Yeah, but crew, even free trader crew, gets high passenger quality food. The rules say so (Life support cost is the same for everyone).


Hans

 

[aramis]

Yeah, but crew, even free trader crew, gets high passenger quality food. The rules say so (Life support cost is the same for everyone).


Hans

Mids get crew quality; in some editions, there's a HP rate for LS PAX.

 

[Mithras]

Shades of Star Trek's replicators??

Thinking over it, why bother with 'solid food in a box or can' for storage?

Prehaps have something like todays 3D printers - except instead of using resins they lay down layers of nutrient material (with a degradable binding compound). Add a bit of colouring and flavouring in the mix and you could literally 'print off' of a passable three course meal. Having hoppers of generic food powder cuts down on packing space, having to have 50 different food items, and is simple to refill, and would last longer as it wouldn't go bad quickly. Also if the ship runs recyc-systems, simply dump the reclaimed proteins and carbs straight into the specific print bin.

So your bog standard galley consists of a 'printer' and a few hoppers of nutrient powder of various types. Load up a few 'print jobs' into the memory (or download them from 'Galaxys greatest chef') and hit print. The El-Cheapo models would print things that tasted and looked the same as todays airline food. More expensive 'food printers' may be able to do better texturing and flavouring, have more 'print powders' hence a wider range of meals, print actual plates and cutlery, etc. Picky customers could also load their own favourite meals if they system could handle it - a big plus for snooty high passengers.

Of course mistakes could happen - like accidently loading the hoppers incorrectly, so the 'Worcestershire sauce' bin and 'fusion core strength curry powder' bin get swapped....

 

[rancke]

Mids get crew quality; in some editions, there's a HP rate for LS PAX.

Never noticed that. Which editions?


Hans

 

[CosmicGamer]

While the variety might not be extensive depending on the system, I would think the food is decent. If not, crew and passengers would go to the star port general store and stock up. They have enough space to carry their own supplies and could even have some futuristic portable cooler/microwave unit if these facilities are not provided in the lounge. The crew and passengers all fending for themselves would put the steward out of work.

 

[Spinward Scout]

If not, crew and passengers would go to the star port general store and stock up.

Something similar, would a ship with passengers normally have a supply locker of sorts so the passengers can go down and buy bubble gum and such?

 

[McPerth]

Something similar, would a ship with passengers normally have a supply locker of sorts so the passengers can go down and buy bubble gum and such?

I guess that would depend on the size of the ship (and the number of passengers on it).

Large liniers may have even a Duty Free equivalent on them.

 

[aramis]

Never noticed that. Which editions?


Hans

T20, p.348
Per High Passenger or Crew Officer _ Cr1000 per week
Per Middle Passenger or Crew _______ Cr750 per week
Per Low Passenger __________________ Cr50 per week

1 ton of Life Support supplies will last 20 passengers/crew 1 month. _______ Cr54,000 (10% discount included)
1 ton of Luxury Life Support supplies will last 20 passengers/crew 1 month _Cr72,000 (10% discount included)

2320, p.310
Life Support ___________ Core Cost __________ Frontier Cost
Basic Military _________ Lv20 per man/day ___ Lv30 per man/day
Long-duration Military _ Lv40 per man/day ___ Lv60 per man/day
Basic Civilian _________ Lv30 per man/day ___ Lv40 per man/day
Luxury Civilian ________ Lv60 per man/day ___ Lv80 per man/day

Note that Luxury civilian is equated to core HP in the next page.

T5 has an increased tonnage for high passengers, which should result in a maintenance cost surcharge; I can't find the actual T5 passage expenses.

 

[CosmicGamer]

Something similar, would a ship with passengers normally have a supply locker of sorts so the passengers can go down and buy bubble gum and such?

From MTU document. Note this description is for something my players can purchase and add to their ship and is not standard equipment.

I have a version of a vending machine where you can select several foods and the machine preps (heats, unpacks, puts it on plate) then dispenses it. 'Lets see, I'll take the dried ham, powdered potatoes, frozen veggies, a cup of coffee and an oatmeal cookie.' This supplements and does not replace the fresher, better prepared meals the steward creates at scheduled meal times.
Normally there is a machine in each common area. On a high class ship the machine has many more choices, is in a secluded area, and the steward receives orders and delivers the food.

- The machines can store cold items like ice cream.
- The machines can be hooked up to a water supply or even be supplied manually with replaceable water bottles (think water cooler bottle).
- The machines can dispense ice.
- The machines can create a wide variety or drinks. Juices, milk, coffee, tee, soda and more. The machines can mix powdered drink with water or syrups with soda water and so on. On higher end ships this can include mixed alcoholic drinks.
- The machines can display messages and / or use wireless communication to notify when supplies are getting low.

So bubble gum, candy and chips could be part of what is dispensed.

Another thought I just had and added to MTU.doc: If passengers book in advance, they could receive a questionnaire which helps the steward decide what items to stock.

 

[DaveChase]

...
Another thought I just had and added to MTU.doc: If passengers book in advance, they could receive a questionnaire which helps the steward decide what items to stock.

I like this idea. I would add that if they book 3 days in advance they can get 1 meal of their choice per day of travel (upto X limit of course) with menu list as a guide.

Dave Chase

 

[Spinward Scout]

I would add that if they book 3 days in advance they can get 1 meal of their choice per day of travel (upto X limit of course) with menu list as a guide.

Would that mean that food consumables are/could be/should be loaded last into the Cargo Hold? That would make sense to me. Might not be the best for the Steward, tho.

 

[aramis]

An interesting quote from MGT core

Life Support and Supplies: Each stateroom on a ship costs Cr. 2,000
per month, occupied or not. This cost covers supplies for the life
support system as well as food and water, although meals at this
level will be rather spartan. Each low passage berth costs Cr. 100
per month.

 

[PFVA63]

Hi

having known plenty of guys working the boats, they don't get much variety at all. They're carb and fat loading. One friend describes crab boat food as "Grease and potatoes, cheap-ass meat, and enough ketchup to make it go down. But at least there's lots of [it *]." And most of the boats carry a dedicated steward.

*much more colorful language was actually used.

Hi,

On the larger ships that I've been on (a Mobil Oil tanker, several Military Sealift Command vessels, and a Korean amphibious ship) the food has actually been pretty good (at least if you like Korean food for the latter ship).

Regards

Pat

 

[Enoki]

Hi,

On the larger ships that I've been on (a Mobil Oil tanker, several Military Sealift Command vessels, and a Korean amphibious ship) the food has actually been pretty good (at least if you like Korean food for the latter ship).

That does bring up another potential issue. The local supply of food for you to replinish from is way different than you are used to. They prefer something odd to your own tastes or use what you might find objectionable as ingredients.

Player (in character): Ugh! XYZ meat again?! that stuff tastes like @$$!

 

[Lycanorukke]

That does bring up another potential issue. The local supply of food for you to replinish from is way different than you are used to. They prefer something odd to your own tastes or use what you might find objectionable as ingredients.

It gets far worse if you have aliens around.

Alien 1: Has a Dextro amino acid structure.
Alien 2: Requies some cyano compounds for good nutrition.
Alien 3: Eats silica.

Add in culture mixes as well, and you have a real nightmare...

Passanger 1: I refuse to eat food which hasn't been blessed by dancing cabaret frogs!
Passanger 2: Dancing cabaret frogs?! Heathen! They are the work of evil!
Passenger 3: I like eating rocks with a touch of iron as flavouring. Does frog haemoglobulin on basalt biscuits taste nice?
Steward: *sigh* I should have studied to be a medic or gunner...

 

[aramis]

Hi,

On the larger ships that I've been on (a Mobil Oil tanker, several Military Sealift Command vessels, and a Korean amphibious ship) the food has actually been pretty good (at least if you like Korean food for the latter ship).

Regards

Pat

Best food I ever had was aboard a Samoan-run boat... primo food, and lots of it... I was mopping for passage, a buddy was temp cook. They wanted a break from Traditional, so hired a white guy to cook "Good 'merican Food, bra!"

That does bring up another potential issue. The local supply of food for you to replinish from is way different than you are used to. They prefer something odd to your own tastes or use what you might find objectionable as ingredients.

Player (in character): Ugh! XYZ meat again?! that stuff tastes like @$$!

Another bad case, they hire you specifically because you DON'T cook their way, and then blame you when they get sick because of toxin load buildup &/or trace mineral deficiency or amino acid deficiency.

 

[kilmore]

I was on a submarine with a little under a 150 crew. We actually ate real good: everyone knew who the cook was. Nothing was fresh, everything was canned or frozen.

Starships can stock up on highly dense blocks of nutrition that they can eat in emergencies, maybe dissolve it in a broth or something. But that won't be popular. I'd imagine that most captains try to keep at least a month of food on board at a time, enough for two jumps.

I'd think that a sapient traveller with a strict or uncommon dietary stricture knows that he or she should be responsible for their own care. Then again, my roomate who is allergic to mustard keeps getting mustard put on his food, and he keeps getting mad.

Here's an idea, the PC's ship hauls 70 tons of CalorieMate to a famished world, and when they get there they get offered MCr1 for the ships' stores and told to keep a ton of CalorieMate to get back on.