[OC] Lore for Flight Physics in Elite: Dangerous?

[Skyfyre]

Hey guys
I started playing Elite about 1-2 weeks ago and like it a lot so far... I also like the way how the flight physics are implemented - and from a game-mechanical point of view the following aspects all make a lot of sense to me:
- Velocity cap depends on ship mass and engine
- Booster increases maximal velocity for a short while
- Turn rate cap depends on ship engine and current speed

These all make dog fighting interesting and still manageable. However, from a physics point of view, the above points don't make sense: there should not be a velocity or turn rate cap, but rather a cap on acceleration (both ship acceleration and rotational acceleration for turns). Also physically speaking: if you boost your ship and turn off flight controls you should continue to travel at the maximal boost velocity - and not slow down to your normal speed cap (which would actually take counter thrust and thus energy/fuel).

So to my actual question:
Is there lore which explains the flight-mechanics behavior which we experience every day in Elite?

 

[Malak'kai]

Check any thread dealing with Flight Assis on / off.

 

[Keegan]

Flight assist still doesn't solve this. You should still be gaining speed at a fixed rate as long as your thrusters are on. I find it quite strange that when you boost you slow down after a few seconds, even with flight assist off. Like, what's slowing you down? I can't think of a way this could be explained through lore, it just seems like a game mechanic to make things more playable.

 

[Barf Clamhammer]

Flight assist still doesn't solve this. You should still be gaining speed at a fixed rate as long as your thrusters are on. I find it quite strange that when you boost you slow down after a few seconds, even with flight assist off. Like, what's slowing you down? I can't think of a way this could be explained through lore, it just seems like a game mechanic to make things more playable.

I had trouble with this too. So I kind of made up an answer that kind of helps as long as I don't dig too deep. First, assume that thrusting or boosting is not your typical mass reaction acceleration but instead momentum is the result of quantum warp field manipulation. Even though, the chemical exhausting from the thruster ports suggest a conventional mass reaction, it may not be responsible for momentum, rather a good place to dispense the fumes for various reasons. Also, the illusion of flying is intentional since Newtonian physics had to be engineered into the flight model due to human physiology and its need for a tactile graviocentric feedback mechanism in order to disambiguate navigation.

 

[Keegan]

I had trouble with this too. So I kind of made up an answer that kind of helps as long as I don't dig too deep. First, assume that thrusting or boosting is not your typical mass reaction acceleration but instead momentum is the result of quantum warp field manipulation. Even though, the chemical exhausting from the thruster ports suggest a conventional mass reaction, it may not be responsible for momentum, rather a good place to dispense the fumes for various reasons. Also, the illusion of flying is intentional since Newtonian physics had to be engineered into the flight model due to human physiology and its need for a tactile graviocentric feedback mechanism in order to disambiguate navigation.

Oh, I kind of like this. The emissions from the thrusters do seem to throw it off a bit, but it's a pretty decent explanation all else considered.