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Common Technologies
Topic Started: Apr 14 2015, 05:47 PM (154 Views)
Critical

In the world of Black Ocean, you can expect all kinds of futuristic technologies that make life among the stars both possible and enjoyable. In this thread, you'll find a listing of some of the more common technologies that just about every space-faring civilization is familiar with. Just because it's not here, doesn't it does not exist nor does it mean it's free reign. If you're wondering if Black Ocean has it, please PM the staff.

Warp Drives
If there is one technology that is central to Black Ocean, it is the engines that allow interstellar travel within a practical amount of time. The two biggest categories of space ships can be easily divided between "ships that have warp drives" and "ships that do not". The former are subject a de facto "minimum" size just to hold the drive and the necessary equipment. Ship that require a bare minimum of about ten crew is the commonly accepted rule of thumb, and the size only goes up from there. Ships with no warp drives are mostly civilian and low-tier commercial ships that stay within a single solar system.

Warp Drives may allow faster-than-light travel, but they are by no mean instantaneous and not exactly usable by regular joes. On the first issue, travel between adjacent stars can take at least a few minutes on designated FTL lanes, with time increasing in proportion to distance traveled obviously. Galaxy-spanning trips can take upward of a week, and multiple stops to refuel, recharge, and maintain the drives.

Fortunately, the vast majority of the calculations and maintenance needed to use a drive are automated to on board ship systems, relegating simpler tasks and maintenance to the crew. Operating a warp drive is similar to learning how to fly a plane. There's lots of stuff to know, but it's doable. The drives are also equipped, by standard and by need, with relativistic compensators that ensure travelers aren't affected by space-time warping.

Communications
The method by which people are able to contact and communicate with each other is determined by the distances between them. Communicating across the galaxy and between star systems utilizes a quasi-quantum entanglement technology that is nearly instantaneous. "Nearly" because the technology requires relativistic compensators similar to those found in warp drives, which causes small amounts of delays.

Intra-system communications are usually handled by a mix of free-space and planet-bound communication buoys that bounce laser communications between them. The small amount of delays experienced here are usually caused by the limited speed of light.

When concerned with same-planet/same-orbit communications, ultra-radio signals are used that are, for all intents and purposes, similar to current communication technologies.

The largest contributor of delays in communications is when signals need to transition between these three different categories of communication. Granted, "large delays" are a matter of seconds.

Translators
If humans thought talking to other humans from other countries was a hassle, interspecies relations would be downright impossible if not for the development of on-the-fly electronic translators. Ranging from on-the-ear devices to sub-dermal implants, translators convert every known spoken language in the galaxy into the wearer's native language. They are subject to frequent software updates as languages evolve and new civilizations are found.

Personal Electronics
As technologies became smaller, faster, and cheaper; most mobile personal devices converged into a single smart device that handles everything. While there is still a wide variety of personal electronics to be found, most consumers are fine with having a single device that handles calls, messages, Net access, translations, business transactions, photos, entertainment, etc.

The only real difference in these consumer electronics is their form factor. Personal electronics can come in many different forms, from standard touchscreen pocket tablets to hard-light hologram-projecting communicators to wrist-mounted consoles to over-the-eye lens.

The Net
It goes by many names, but the "Net" is a galaxy-spanning information exchange network functionally identical to the current Internet. Little has changed since its invention by multiple civilizations, and the joining of these Internets when the civilizations discovered each other. Accessing another civilization's Net requires specific protocols and permissions be installed, but it's a painless process that any user can accomplish.

Bio-weld
Originally designed to meld flesh to steel when bionic limbs became common place, bio-weld is a synthetic flesh compound that can be used to seal grievous wounds. It will not, however, repair a severely damaged organ as the synthetic tissue does not function as an organ would, simply as a means to prevent further tearing or hemorrhaging. Using for heavy arterial wounds is not advised without proper training as an improper seal on the artery can cause reinjury and internal bleeding.
Note: Each bio-weld is race specific for proper tissue compatibility. Human and Calathar physiology is similar but using the other's bio-weld will cause severe pain due to tissue rejection. Doable in emergencies, but not recommended.

Bionic limbs
With greater advances in technology comes easier lifestyles, improved agriculture and replacement limbs. While a century ago these were strictly for wounded soldiers to get them back in the fight advances in this technology have left them with widespread availability. While a civilian limb might not be as durable as a military limb (Each is typically designed for the user's lifestyle) it is still fully functional and typically lighter. Current designs lack any additional functions outside of what the original limb was supposed to do (primarily due to the fact the brain and nerves are not designed to send signals to fire their rocket arm or eject the arm blade) but it is rumored that the military are working to overcome this obstacle.

Distress beacons
Going out into space without a distress beacon is far more dangerous than going boating without a life jacket. When crashed on an uninhabited planet or out of fuel and drifting in space a beacon will alert anyone nearby that you need help. These range from general beacons which are cheap but only transmit a basic distress signal giving no information on your situation. Used mainly by civilian transports that don't want to spend a lot of money on their rescue.
The more advanced versions vary from programmable messages to even recorded voice messages to say exactly what the problem is.
Edited by Tyrade, Dec 1 2015, 12:27 AM.
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