Artificial Gravity for Ships not Stations

[Chaparral]

There has been a great deal of consternation expressed at how spacelegs would be problematic because navigating about a microgravity environment within a space vessel would be very difficult to model realistically.

It is clear from the design of space stations that centripetal force is the gravitational analog, so we can't - because of immersion have gravity on ships.

My recommendation is that we allow FDEV to have the technology to establish artificial gravity on smaller structures (ships).

For immersive purposes FDEV could apply the woo woo limit, suggesting that the technology does not scale beyond smaller structures, since overlapping gravity fields would cause issues with structural integrity.

This would allow FDEV to consider moving about vessels in 1G - thus removing a barrier to legs.

 

[Kzak]

That'd require a lot of lore-rewriting. I vote 'no' to artificial gravity suddenly becoming a thing without a massive scientific effort over decades or centuries first.

 

[valbarr]

Check out the expanse, they use mag boots.

 

[Vardaugas]

Anti gravity technology is a huge can of worms. It don't recommend opening it. Especially not for the simple sake of convenience in design. Just stick with magnetic boots. There is no need for gravity.

 

[Der Zeitgeist]

 

[valbarr]

The main barrier to spacelegs is frontier themselves.

 

[pzykozomatik]

Space feet > Space legs

 

[Morbad]

navigating about a microgravity environment within a space vessel would be very difficult to model realistically.

No it wouldn't.

Gravity can, and should, be modelled exactly the same way irrespective of how much or how little there is. That's what physics is for and games have had physics engines capable of scaling convincingly across a broad spectrum of gravitational strength for 15-20 years at this point.

Gravity, or lack thereof, is no barrier at all to legs.

 

[Eldragon]

The ships are designed as if they had artificial-gravity. Short Version: They are build wide and long, not tall and narrow. e.g. They also have long decks for walking on.

Mag boots are a halfway decent substitute, except it actually needs to be boots that are integrated into the suit to give support at the hip and knee joints. Being held to the floor by your feet alone is a great way to break your ankles.

So therefore I see two possibilities:

A- The Mag-boot+Suit combination is so advanced it may as well be artificial gravity.

B- Ships have artificial gravity, stations spin because artificial gravity does not scale upwards with large objects (Totally handwave explanation).


*Station Spin - This is one thing that Elite actually gets right that most other sci-fi gets wrong. Spinning gravity requires a very wide radius of spin so the spin is relatively slow, otherwise the Coriolis effect on the human inner ear is such that you're too nauseated to walk around anyway.

No it wouldn't.

Gravity can, and should, be modelled exactly the same way irrespective of how much or how little there is. That's what physics is for and games have had physics engines capable of scaling convincingly across a broad spectrum of gravitational strength for 15-20 years at this point.

Gravity, or lack thereof, is no barrier at all to legs.

Ragdoll physics works for dead bodies in video games, its much harder ( and usually looks like crap) when you're trying to combine freefall behavior with a character that its moving by its own accord. At minimum FDev would need to cheat and have micro-thrusters on the space suits.

 

[Strangepork]

The main barrier to spacelegs is frontier themselves.

Apparently, they have 9.22g in the office building.

 

[shreddog]

Just make it simple: Normal walking not affected by gravity/non gravity. Like No Man's Sky.
And absolutely no need to explain it lore wise(else we end up with something awful like telepresence).

 

[Chaparral]

The ships are designed as if they had artificial-gravity. Short Version: They are build wide and long, not tall and narrow. They also have long decks for walking on.

Mag boots are a halfway decent substitute, except it actually needs to be boots that are integrated into the suit to give support at the hip and knee joints. Being held to the floor by your feet alone is a great way to break your ankles.

So therefore I see two possibilities:

A- The Mag-boot+Suit combination is so advanced it may as well be artificial gravity.

B- Ships have artificial gravity, stations spin because artificial gravity does not scale upwards.


*Station Spin - This is one thing that Elite actually gets right that most other sci-fi gets wrong. Spinning gravity requires a very wide radius of spin so the spin is relatively slow, otherwise the Coriolis effect on the human inner ear is such that you're too nauseated to walk around anyway.



Ragdoll physics works for dead bodies in video games, its much harder ( and usually looks like crap) when you're trying to combine freefall behavior with a character that its moving by its own accord. At minimum FDev would need to cheat and have micro-thrusters on the space suits.

I am mystified why the ship design includes wide walkways, stairs, coffemakers, etc. if ship artificial gravity was not a core component of the design.

 

[Morbad]

micro-thrusters on the space suits.

I'd think this would almost be a given, no matter how well gravity and movement are modelled.

I am mystified why the ship design includes wide walkways, stairs, coffemakers, etc. if ship artificial gravity was not a core component of the design.

Because they spend a large portion of their time in environments that have gravity, namely docked at a rotating starport or surface base, or in the gravity well of a planet and not in free fall. Indeed, most ships probably spend most of their time in such environments, not actively flying through space.

It's similar to why my RV has electrical, water, and sewage connections, even if they aren't in use on the road.

 

[Jukelo]

I am mystified why the ship design includes wide walkways, stairs, coffemakers, etc. if ship artificial gravity was not a core component of the design.

Because you can land on planets, and evidently people spend enough time in their ships, down on planets or docked at space stations where they'll experience gravity, that the ship designers thought it would be important to design the interiors this way.

 

[PhanttoM]

The ships are designed as if they had artificial-gravity. Short Version: They are build wide and long, not tall and narrow. e.g. They also have long decks for walking on.
<snip>

I am mystified why the ship design includes wide walkways, stairs, coffemakers, etc. if ship artificial gravity was not a core component of the design.

You have to take into consideration that ships can land on planet surfaces, atmospheric and or otherwise — if they were designed as ships for space ONLY, that would be true.

What do you think is gonna happen to a landed, tall and narrow ship at moderate wind levels?

Even landing on stations, tall narrow ships would be horribly unstable due to the coriolis effect.

 

[OHMSS]

There has been a great deal of consternation expressed at how spacelegs would be problematic because navigating about a microgravity environment within a space vessel would be very difficult to model realistically.

It is clear from the design of space stations that centripetal force is the gravitational analog, so we can't - because of immersion have gravity on ships.

My recommendation is that we allow FDEV to have the technology to establish artificial gravity on smaller structures (ships).

For immersive purposes FDEV could apply the woo woo limit, suggesting that the technology does not scale beyond smaller structures, since overlapping gravity fields would cause issues with structural integrity.

This would allow FDEV to consider moving about vessels in 1G - thus removing a barrier to legs.

I'd go with the magnetic boots or floating through the corridors when in space. There are a number of VR games that simulate this and they're playable (unfortunately it induces the urge to hurl as well).

Gravity when in stations and planets is fine, with movement tuned to the gravity rating.

 

[[VR] Deggial]

Apparently, they have 9.22g in the office building.

This explains why they seem to be a little bit lightheaded at times ...

 

[valbarr]

So we float while not in a gravity well. Imagine you floating you ship goes to neR a planet... splat. Faceplant tbe deck. Aounds cool

 

[Jukelo]

So we float while not in a gravity well. Imagine you floating you ship goes to neR a planet... splat. Faceplant tbe deck. Aounds cool

Both you and your ship would feel the same acceleration from gravity, so no.

 

[Valorin]

There has been a great deal of consternation expressed at how spacelegs would be problematic because navigating about a microgravity environment within a space vessel would be very difficult to model realistically.

It is clear from the design of space stations that centripetal force is the gravitational analog, so we can't - because of immersion have gravity on ships.

My recommendation is that we allow FDEV to have the technology to establish artificial gravity on smaller structures (ships).

For immersive purposes FDEV could apply the woo woo limit, suggesting that the technology does not scale beyond smaller structures, since overlapping gravity fields would cause issues with structural integrity.

This would allow FDEV to consider moving about vessels in 1G - thus removing a barrier to legs.

No artificial gravity for Elite please. Lore has been bent and broken enough already. Thanks.