Flare Sci-Fi Forums: Explorers

This is topic Explorers in forum Starships & Technology at Flare Sci-Fi Forums.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://flare.solareclipse.net/ultimatebb.php/topic/6/41.html

Posted by Baloo (Member # 5) on :

I have heard a number of times from many different sources that "Explorer" was a type of ship, just as "Battleship" or "Destroyer".

I wonder. Might it not be that "Explorer" could be a general type of vessel, rather like "Warship"? A warship can perform many other duties, but its primary reason for existence is to deliver mayhem.

Perpaps an explorer is any vessel with a primary mission in support of exploration, such as a pathfinder vessel (Stargazer: preliminary survey), exploration vessel (Galaxy: goes in behind the survey vessel and examines likely star systems in detail), or a science vessel (Oberth: detailed study of a specific planet or phenomenon).

Comments?

--Baloo

------------------
Don't call me a Yank.
I prefer to be referred to as a "Pull with a Sudden Movement".

Posted by The_Tom (Member # 38) on :

*unplugs Frank for the duration of this thread*

The TNG and DS9 TMs seem to indicate that in the 24th century, large, high-powered cushy starships that inhabit the outer regions of the Federation are called "Explorers" the same way the smaller more utilitarians vessels that cruise the inner Fed worlds are called "Cruisers". The Federation would never designate anything as a Warship. Even the Defiant is an escort.

My theory is that the smaller, single-purpose ships carry names based on their job (Surveyor, Tender, Tanker, Transport etc.) while the bigger multipurpose ships use names that include size and power as well as job description.

*digs up his classification chart*
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Zone/6151/classifications2.htm

It might take a bit of explanation, but have a peek first.

------------------
"......"
��-The Breen at Internment Camp 371

Posted by Bernd (Member # 6) on :

"Remember the days when we used to be explorers?"

------------------
Early bird catches the gagh. (The Doctor to B'Elanna at 06:00, "Drone")
www.uni-siegen.de/~ihe/bs/startrek/

Posted by Montgomery (Member # 23) on :

To which we didn't hear the reply:
"Ahhh shaddup with yer moaning! Be thankful they didn't send you to the frontline!"

And really an archaeological dig is exploration of a sort....
Certainly more fun than dodging Jem Hadar bugs!

And IMHO, Explorer is a category of ship that slots in above cruisers and frigates.

------------------
"Is there anyone there with a gun?"
- On the Hour

[This message was edited by Montgomery on April 14, 1999.]

Posted by Aethelwer (Member # 36) on :

*switches to battery backup*

*bludgeons Tom*

Baloo has described it perfectly. Listen to him, everyone!

------------------
http://frankg.dgne.com/
Megatron: "Waspinator, salvage Inferno."
Waspinator: "Inferno blow up, Waspinator must salvage. Waspinator blow up, nobody salvage. Why universe hate Waspinator?"

Posted by Enterprise (Member # 48) on :

Is it posible that "Explorer" is a peace-time designation?

------------------
Brandon "Enterprise" Grasmick
Commanding Officer, USS Sovereign (NX-74222)

"Captain, the Sona crew are willing to negotiate a cease fire. It may have something to do with the fact that we have 3 minutes of air left."
-- Worf

Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges
-- In time of war the law falls silent.

Posted by Identity Crisis (Member # 67) on :

No, beacuse there's no such thing as a 'peace time designation'. There are just designations and the designation for a very large, multi-purpose, starship just happens to be Explorer. I really don't see why people have so many problems with the concept.

------------------
-->Identity Crisis<--

Posted by Bernd (Member # 6) on :

"Remember the days when we used to be battleships?"

*Surrenders this thread to Frank due to a lack of new arguments*

Posted by Aethelwer (Member # 36) on :

We have a problem with it because you're taking an arbitrary word and assigning it to an arbitrary type without any justification.

------------------
http://frankg.dgne.com/
Ultra Magnus: "I've never seen anything this beautiful in the entire galaxy...okay, give me the bomb."

Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :

I only have a problem w/ everyone's thinking that Starfleet is required to use terms exactly as used on Earth in the late twentieth century. If that be the case, I guess most of the occurences of the word "energy" on the show need to be disregarded...

------------------
"I prefer much more diplomatic ways of pissing people off."
-a certain anonymous administrator

Posted by Aethelwer (Member # 36) on :

No, just considered an indication that the show's writers are morons who should take a physics course.

You know what? I don't care what Starfleet calls its ships. When I classify them, I'm only interested in their roles, not the name.

------------------
http://frankg.dgne.com/
Ultra Magnus: "I've never seen anything this beautiful in the entire galaxy...okay, give me the bomb."

Posted by Baloo (Member # 5) on :

And that's why I use 20^th century terms to describe the ships on my site.

My audience is not some hypothetical 23^d or 24^th century tourist. It's people from Earth (unless the internet is even stranger than it appears to be ). Since my audience is accustomed to 20^th terminology, I use recognizable terms. Where I want to use jargon, I try to put it in a context where the reader can determine the probable meaning even when he is not completely familiar with Star Trek.

That's why very few of the ships I make (none anymore) are "escorts". In current, easily understood usage, an escort escorts another vessel. That's not hard to understand, but the size and capability of vessels that escort varies immensely, from teeny little buggers the size of a PT boat to large destroyer-sized vessels just short of cruiser proportions.

Why invent a new terminology? If you want to give a futuristic "feel" to starship terminology, make it recognizable and use unfamiliar terms like spices. Everyone likes a little salt and pepper, but nobody longs to eat a bowl full of either.

--Baloo

------------------
Warning:
There has been an alarming increase in the
number of things you know nothing about.

Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :

Actually, there was the Salt Vampire from TOS... ;-)

------------------
"I prefer much more diplomatic ways of pissing people off."
-a certain anonymous administrator

Posted by Identity Crisis (Member # 67) on :

I would say that it's safe to assume that your audience is used to Trek terminology. After all you are writing for people with some interest in Trek, aren't you? But is it safe to assume that your audience has any familiarity at all with modern naval terminology?

------------------
-->Identity Crisis<--

Posted by Baloo (Member # 5) on :

Modern naval terminology is easily deciphered. Look it up.

Try looking up a made-up terminology some time.

--Baloo

------------------
How do I do it?
I have an advantage.
I remember how to open a dictionary.

Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :

Well, most people who watch TV don't want to have to open a book just to understand what's going on. TV writers know that, and write accordingly...

------------------
"I prefer much more diplomatic ways of pissing people off."
-a certain anonymous administrator