Burn the Bubble: Supernova

[CMDR Sophie Joanne]

My take on the 'Burn the Bubble' idea - make a Star go Supernova! It could be a really good 1-off event and could happen at any time*!
*No need for much Galnet build-up.

Google (Wikipedia) tells me the most likely Star to go Supernova is IK Pegasi (B), or HR 8210 (B), a White-dwarf, which is in-game (Although it isn't a White Dwarf in-game)!


Making the Star go Supernova could result in alot of 'emergency' CG's happening at the same time.

• The system has a population of 2.4 million - that's 2.4 million passengers to save evacuate before Big Bada Boom!
• The corporations in the System could be paying to get ALL of their commodities out of the system - that is a lot of cargo hauling!
• With all the panic, the System would be rife with crime, with Pirates attempting to loot everything - there's the combat!

Bonus: Due to it being a natural event, the CG(s) could end unexpectedly early, with the Star going Supernova before expected, or could drag out for an extra few days - nobody knows!​

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The system could then be Permit Locked for a few days - due to 'Safety Concerns' (while it gets "sorted out" by Fdev) - and could then be re-opened with a Blackhole instead of any Stars and an extremely volatile Stellar storm-cloud - in the Bubble!!!

It wouldn't be as 'full on' as a full 'Burn the Bubble' catastrophe, but could be alot of fun and something new, exciting and different, while having the potential to start a chain of events due to the fallout!

 

[aRJay]

That is at least 11,321 passenger missions.

 

[JBR]

Sounds fun, I'm in. LOL

 

[varonica]

That would be interesting, the minimum safe distance from a supernova is between 50ly and 100ly, so at a minimum all systems in that distance would need to be evacuated. Depending on the size of the primary star that distance can extend out as far as 1000ly so half the bubble would need to be emptied!

 

[TheDragon2001]

the minimum safe distance from a supernova is between 50ly and 100ly,

Keep in mind that the radiation, shockwave, and whatever else there is would travel at the speed of light at a maximum. So yes that area would be in danger but not for many years. We would be having the above stated kinds of troubles/CGs off and on probably long past the time where Elite: Dangerous became obsolete.
Also, there might be interesting effects of hyperjumping through the expanding sphere of the supernova shockwave.
I do like the idea though.

 

[varonica]

Keep in mind that the radiation, shockwave, and whatever else there is would travel at the speed of light at a maximum. So yes that area would be in danger but not for many years. We would be having the above stated kinds of troubles/CGs off and on probably long past the time where Elite: Dangerous became obsolete.
Also, there might be interesting effects of hyperjumping through the expanding sphere of the supernova shockwave.
I do like the idea though.

There is no speed of light in the ED galaxy, if you actually examine it you will find the far distant nebula look the same up close as they do from thousands of light years away, the speed of light in the ED galaxy is effectively infinite otherwise we would find nebula looking different depending on how far away we are.

 

[SCiARA]

add to this
there is an approximate timeframe of when it blows up
multiple CG's for things like rescue, trade for the displaced, BH for looters (or whatever, combat CG), data gathering for this extremely rare event, literally every type of CG so all styles of play can get involved
when it comes to tier rewards they will give usual credits but also something specific to the style of CG, each tier reached rewards get better, the penultimate tier gives wonderfully ridiculous credits and reward but...
once its hit a random timer starts and supernova can go off at any moment, if it goes off and you are in the dead zone you are dead, hard reset, within a certain radius you loose your ship, contents & any credits/rewards earned and if you are safe you safe

 

[JTFireblaze]

Remember the Thargoid evacuation missions? They were so much fun!

Loads of passenger missions to evacuate the millions of people, megaships and Fleet carriers offering ferrying services.

Then after the event there are plenty of opportunities for further stories -

• dealing with the backlash of displacing the millions of evacuees
• distribution of materials to construct new starports and homes for them.
• Scavenging the remnants of the system for loot and materials

At least a few weeks of side story and CGs!

There is no speed of light in the ED galaxy

 

[varonica]

add to this
there is an approximate timeframe of when it blows up
multiple CG's for things like rescue, trade for the displaced, BH for looters (or whatever, combat CG), data gathering for this extremely rare event, literally every type of CG so all styles of play can get involved
when it comes to tier rewards they will give usual credits but also something specific to the style of CG, each tier reached rewards get better, the penultimate tier gives wonderfully ridiculous credits and reward but...
once its hit a random timer starts and supernova can go off at any moment, if it goes off and you are in the dead zone you are dead, hard reset, within a certain radius you loose your ship, contents & any credits/rewards earned and if you are safe you safe

I'll explain once again, the ED galaxy doesn't work like that. There is no time, if they make it a supernova everyone in the galaxy will see it is a supernova instantly, it can't be a star to people who are far away and a supernova to people who are close. Everyone in the galaxy will see the supernova at the same moment and anyone in the danger zone of maybe up to 1000ly will already be in the wave front of the supernova, if you can see it, it means it has already reached you.

You can't say, "the wave will spread out" because the ED galaxy doesn't work that way, time doesn't pass for stellar phenomena, it's either a supernova and it's already killed everything in it's danger radius, or it isn't and it will never be.

 

[SCiARA]

I'll explain once again, the ED galaxy doesn't work like that. There is no time, if they make it a supernova everyone in the galaxy will see it is a supernova instantly, it can't be a star to people who are far away and a supernova to people who are close. Everyone in the galaxy will see the supernova at the same moment and anyone in the danger zone of maybe up to 1000ly will already be in the wave front of the supernova, if you can see it, it means it has already reached you.

You can't say, "the wave will spread out" because the ED galaxy doesn't work that way, time doesn't pass for stellar phenomena, it's either a supernova and it's already killed everything in it's danger radius, or it isn't and it will never be.

which is what im saying, you don't know when its going to blow but when it does unless you are far enough away you will be hit
im not suggesting you try and outrun it.
if you are close to getting that ludicrous reward and want to take the risk of being in the dead zone then take the risk, you could hit the requirement for the top prize before she blows, you could die and face a hard reset.

 

[Northpin]

One slight problem with that.
A white dwarf can go supernova only if it able to steal matter from a nearby companion.

That system (HR 8210) is not featuring this setup.

Also a supernova will affect only closer systems, 50ly maybe 100 ly...
Which means that will give people enough time to assess the dangers and evacuate if needed.
It's not like anyone will be taken by surprise...

 

[Ameeleean]

1. A mission to observe supernova explosion from close distance.
2. A mission to survive shockwave (shield and hull tank build), do not forget ships in game are capable of surfing close enough to sun surface to scoop hydrogen from it.
3. A mission to evacuate colonists from colonies and outposts.
4. A mission to deliver XXXXXXXL sized one time jump drive to stations along with structural reinforcement needed to make them jump capable so they can leave in time.
5. A mission to deliver scientist right after explosion to gather data on what happened to planets etc.

It would be quite fun but... right now devs are preoccupied with Odyssey.

Edit:
I know that each star system is separate instance (just find two star systems close to each other, jump in one of them and then try to supercuise to other- there was a video of such attempt on yt). Distance between stars is measured in light years so there is no problem with how it would look from other star system, at last not until player spends several years in game. It is hard to imagine for me how complex and expensive game should be to reflect things like supernovas, black holes eating stars, differences in sky in each of the systems caused by light speed limit etc. Technically we should be able to "peek" into Earth past by traveling far enough with jump drive and having strong enough telescope.

 

[Greasetrap42]

The system could then be Permit Locked for a few days - due to 'Safety Concerns' (while it gets "sorted out" by Fdev) - and could then be re-opened with a Blackhole instead of any Stars and an extremely volatile Stellar storm-cloud - in the Bubble!!!

the minimum safe distance from a supernova is between 50ly and 100ly

If this happens inside the Bubble (as per thread title) do all the cmdrs that have stored ships, modules, and FCs in the effected area lose them? Cause they got... blasted?

Or do cmdrs get a list rebuys when they log on! Ha ha that would be hilarious! Imagine the massive quantity of bug/support tickets to FD! Does Pilots Federation go bankrupt?

 

[CMDR Sophie Joanne]

Thanks everyone for the on my idea, and your inputs - it was just an quick idea that I wanted to write down before I forgot, really.

the minimum safe distance from a supernova is between 50ly and 100ly

I didn't know that, thanks! I was originally thinking it should be confined to that one system, which it still could be, because game, right?

If this happens inside the Bubble (as per thread title) do all the cmdrs that have stored ships, modules, and FCs in the effected area lose them? Cause they got... blasted?

I was thinking anyone in the system when 'the event' happens, gets a cool little animation and a rebuy screen (adds risk to being in the system, and some urgency to the evacuation. FC's and any stored modules/ships would, I assume, be automatically moved out of the area.

which is what im saying, you don't know when its going to blow but when it does unless you are far enough away you will be hit
im not suggesting you try and outrun it.
if you are close to getting that ludicrous reward and want to take the risk of being in the dead zone then take the risk, you could hit the requirement for the top prize before she blows, you could die and face a hard reset.

Exactly this - it wouldn't be a slow process that you can watch happening, but a 'flash' event! You would either see the Star just dissapear,if you are far enough away, or die, if you are within the affected area (which is the risk that grows as the CG goes on)!

I'll explain once again, the ED galaxy doesn't work like that. There is no time, if they make it a supernova everyone in the galaxy will see it is a supernova instantly, it can't be a star to people who are far away and a supernova to people who are close. Everyone in the galaxy will see the supernova at the same moment and anyone in the danger zone of maybe up to 1000ly will already be in the wave front of the supernova, if you can see it, it means it has already reached you.

You can't say, "the wave will spread out" because the ED galaxy doesn't work that way, time doesn't pass for stellar phenomena, it's either a supernova and it's already killed everything in it's danger radius, or it isn't and it will never be.

That's it though, you wouldn't need to see it!
People would 'know it's coming' because of a pre-warning - a massive, continuous Solar flare or something, which is what the evacuation would be reacting to - scientists predicting it is "about to go Supernova", which could happen at any time during the CG and would just be a 'flash event' (see above).

 

[Northpin]

If this happens inside the Bubble (as per thread title) do all the cmdrs that have stored ships, modules, and FCs in the effected area lose them? Cause they got... blasted?

Or do cmdrs get a list rebuys when they log on! Ha ha that would be hilarious! Imagine the massive quantity of bug/support tickets to FD! Does Pilots Federation go bankrupt?

No, the blast of energy (x-ray, etc) will take years to reach the nearby systems since it will go at speed of light (those crap x-rays have no FSD ).
While our ships will take a minute

So the system that is hosting the supernova might get burned in minutes/hours - depending on size, but all other systems will be safe... as i said for years.

 

[CMDR Sophie Joanne]

No, the blast of energy (x-ray, etc) will take years to reach the nearby systems since it will go at speed of light (those crap x-rays have no FSD ).
While our ships will take a minute

So the system that is hosting the supernova might get burned in minutes/hours - depending on size, but all other systems will be safe... as i said for years.

Wouldn't everything in the system get sucked into the Black-hole that forms at the centre on the supernova, as opposed to blasted by radiation?

 

[Greasetrap42]

No, the blast of energy (x-ray, etc) will take years to reach the nearby systems since it will go at speed of light (those crap x-rays have no FSD ).
While our ships will take a minute

Depends on how it gets modeled in the game.

As Varonica says speed of light is instant in this game. Everything happens at the same synchronized moment regardless of your position.

Or... it could be modeled over time. The appearance of the event could spread outwards in real time. Cmdrs could observe the event multiple times by traveling further away from it. Cmdrs wanting to observe it for the first couple decades (in real time) might need a new paint job for their ship.

 

[Northpin]

As Varonica says speed of light is instant in this game. Everything happens at the same synchronized moment regardless of your position.

Because we have a static galaxy.

A galaxy model based on speed of light rules for natural phenomenon and almost instant travel for ships would be way much harder to model.
Which also means they will never add supernovae or other dynamic events in this static galaxy we play.

 

[Northpin]

Wouldn't everything in the system get sucked into the Black-hole that forms at the centre on the supernova, as opposed to blasted by radiation?

Nah, Black Holes are quite some scare crows... They look nasty but they dont get nasty unless you get really close to them
Reportedly the closest observable star to our real SAG A*, S0-102, gets as close a 246AU to the supermassive black hole that is at the center of the Milky Way.
And is doing just fine.

For comparison, that would by like 122000 ls in game.
Way farther than our Earth orbiting the Sun at 1 AU, but we're talking about a supermassive blackhole.
A normal one would not pose any suction danger to outer planets. Probably Earth would be safe as far as suction is concerned .
But during the explosion it would be burned really bad, probably well beyond the boiling point of the Earth's Crust.

Anyway, not a chance for the Sun to go Supernova, but if a star goes Supernova within a 30-50 ly radius, it will wipe out our Ozone layers and life on Earth will perish

 

[Greasetrap42]

It doesn't much matter. In real time for the first 100 years it wouldn't be very exciting to watch. There would be regular stars.... then suddenly a rebuy screen.

Which brings up an interesting point.... as we travel around the galaxy shouldn't there be areas of sudden unexpected death? Where the wavefront of a nova is expanding, but we have no way of knowing this because there is no way to detect this as we travel. Using the frozen Varonica model of the galaxy the wavefront would be static Just a huge invisible sphere of instant ship rebuy. Galactic zones of certain death.

Edit: I'm assuming the initial wavefront is a very high speed expanding sphere of certain death traveling for the first 50-100 years.