Impractical technology in science fiction

[KingOrfeo]

Darth Vader should remote-strangle the R&D team that came up with the Imperial Walkers seen in TESB. Their most obvious designed function is to be knocked down. A real-life tank has a low center of gravity for a reason.

https://www.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2013/05/screenshot_5_1_13_9_47_pm.jpg

And what exactly is the point of a Klingon Bat'lef? It can't do anything a sword can't, and it looks a lot more unwieldy to handle.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Klingon_trekkie_armed.jpg/170px-Klingon_trekkie_armed.jpg

In fact, all distinctively Klingon weapons look kinda dumb.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/4/5001816_257f3b4e0b.jpg

 

[Hard_Rom]

If you're a Klingon the bat'leth is much easier to wield. It has it's own fighting style similar to tai chi chuan. It can be used very effectively as a shield. The horns will also disarm an opponent. Very much a traditional weapon as disruptors will do a far better job. At almost 5' it is longer than most swords.

The folding quillions on the knife pictured make for a more concealable weapon. At 6" long it is quite the formidable stabbing weapon.

The Qis is a more practical weapon being able to cut and thrust. The nasty teeth on the back are obviously to inflict a disembowelling wound. Probably developed from a standard utility type tool blade.

https://www.yourprops.com/movieprops/original/yp52f0c6a05a5fd3.58647357/Star-Trek-Enterprise-Klingon-Knife-1.jpg

The Klingon sword is very much scimitar based.

Bear in mind the Klingons are all about tradition and customs.



I'm more of a fan of the Romulan quantum singularity that drives their warps engines than the anti-matter/matter mix of the Federation. Anti-matter is touchy stuff and you have to have the ability to collect it as you travel through the Bussard's ramscoop. Which doubles as a deflector screen dish. It would seem a quantum singularity would be much more stable and just as capable of generating the energy requirements of the particle annihilation achieved through matter/anti-matter mix.

Qapla'

 

[astuffedshirt_perv]

Darth Vader should remote-strangle the R&D team that came up with the Imperial Walkers seen in TESB. Their most obvious designed function is to be knocked down. A real-life tank has a low center of gravity for a reason.

Yes. Then again (kinda like Lord of the Rings) all technology development seems to have stopped if not regressed since Star Wars I Phantom Menace. Seriously, couldn't they just strap a bomb to R2 and tell him to jump into the hole?

 

[phrodeau]

In "Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise" the details are shown of landing gear on the saucer section, despite the fact that there was no downward-pointing engine.

 

[Hard_Rom]

Yes. Then again (kinda like Lord of the Rings) all technology development seems to have stopped if not regressed since Star Wars I Phantom Menace. Seriously, couldn't they just strap a bomb to R2 and tell him to jump into the hole?

Droids such as R2 are sentient beings. In the first book the bartender in Mos Eisley states he doesn't want their kind in his bar and Luke decides it is not the time and place to discuss droid rights.

 

[Hard_Rom]

In "Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise" the details are shown of landing gear on the saucer section, despite the fact that there was no downward-pointing engine.

Perhaps they were just meant as support legs during repairs to the saucer section in space dock. Technically it was not until the Intrepid class did starships gain the ability to land on planetary surfaces. Although that may have meant whole ships not just the saucer section. It would make sense as the saucer section separation allowed for escape of non-essential personnel. Perhaps it uses vectored thrust of the saucer section impulse engines.

 

[Ms_Ann]

http://img13.deviantart.net/942a/i/2014/015/8/2/behold_the_eye_of_sauron__by_rockydavies-d72b7my.jpg

 

[phrodeau]

Perhaps they were just meant as support legs during repairs to the saucer section in space dock. Technically it was not until the Intrepid class did starships gain the ability to land on planetary surfaces. Although that may have meant whole ships not just the saucer section. It would make sense as the saucer section separation allowed for escape of non-essential personnel. Perhaps it uses vectored thrust of the saucer section impulse engines.

That would only make the saucer spin.

In the book (which has been removed from canon) they are described as landing legs for planetfall when the saucer is separated.

 

[phrodeau]

I had a list once of all the Star Trek episodes where the writers completely ignored some bit of tech that would have saved the day. There's also a list of all the episodes where they failed to explore strange new worlds, seek out new life or new civilizations or to boldly go where noone had gone before.

 

[Hard_Rom]

That would only make the saucer spin.

In the book (which has been removed from canon) they are described as landing legs for planetfall when the saucer is separated.

Vectored thrust won't necessarily make it spin. Take some fine control but I'm sure Federation computer systems would be up to it. Perhaps tie in with the inertial dampening system.

 

[astuffedshirt_perv]

Droids such as R2 are sentient beings. In the first book the bartender in Mos Eisley states he doesn't want their kind in his bar and Luke decides it is not the time and place to discuss droid rights.

This does not rule out highly motivated droids willing to take on a suicide mission for the good of the universe. Or find a stupid droid. Or make a hole jumping droid.

 

[Hard_Rom]

This does not rule out highly motivated droids willing to take on a suicide mission for the good of the universe. Or find a stupid droid. Or make a hole jumping droid.

Maybe the particle shielding over the vent would fry a droid's 'brain'.

 

[BoyNextDoor]

"made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs" has always stuck in my craw.

 

[Jamiegeo]

Sometimes impractical is good:
http://www.thegeektwins.com/2014/11/5-horrifying-facts-about-seven-of-nines.html?m=1

 

[phrodeau]

"made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs" has always stuck in my craw.

It's a series of maneuvers to be completed with a minimum distance traveled, like doing three wheelies before the end of the driveway.

But yeah, Lucas didn't know what a parsec was.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

"And what exactly is the point of a Klingon Bat'lef? It can't do anything a sword can't, and it looks a lot more unwieldy to handle."


That's what you picked up on? Not, "Why would they use that when they have phasers?"

 

[cfuhrer]

"made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs" has always stuck in my craw.

That was the whole point, thanks for playing.

 

[BoyNextDoor]

That was the whole point, thanks for playing.

The whole point of what?

 

[Rightguide]

Obamacare and Global Warming was science fiction.

 

[KingOrfeo]

Obamacare and Global Warming was science fiction.

You really are an idiot, aren't you?

 

[Rightguide]

You really are an idiot, aren't you?

No, but you might try looking in the mirror to find one.

 

[phrodeau]

Obamacare and Global Warming was science fiction.

Mitt Romney disagrees on both counts, dumbass.

 

[KingOrfeo]

In STOS, the bridge officers fall out of their chairs whenever something shakes the ship. That makes no sense. The Enterprise must have not only an artificial gravity but an internal inertia-dampening field, otherwise the accelerations it routinely makes would squash the entire crew into stains on the bulkheads.

 

[Hard_Rom]

"And what exactly is the point of a Klingon Bat'lef? It can't do anything a sword can't, and it looks a lot more unwieldy to handle."


That's what you picked up on? Not, "Why would they use that when they have phasers?"

Klingons use disruptors not phasers. The Federation possess phased energy weapons discharging nadions. Disruptors break the molecular cohesion of the target. Different technology. Klingons are very much into tradition and culture. There is a time to shoot down your enemy and another to gut him with a Qis.

 

[KingOrfeo]

Klingons use disruptors not phasers. The Federation possess phased energy weapons discharging nadions. Disruptors break the molecular cohesion of the target. Different technology. Klingons are very much into tradition and culture. There is a time to shoot down your enemy and another to gut him with a Qis.

Phlebotinum is phlebotinum.