My daughter says to me last night, that the rebel wars must have really taken there toll on technology in the galaxy far far away. When you look at the displays in the ATOC and TPM ships then in Star Wars there is a great drop in technology. Any thoughts on what happened to them, all good engineers killed by some engineer killing virus? Darth Vader killed them all for easily destroyed Death Star versions 1,2,3,4?
[ May 23, 2002, 06:24: Message edited by: Grokca ]
Posted by Malnurtured Snay (Member # 411) on :
Well, it IS a good bet the Rebels don't have the resources to keep all their stuff in pristine shape -- what with being on the run and all.
But I don't think "newness" or "technologically superior" can be determined by how SMOOTH something is.
Besides, at the end of AoTC Anakin's arm is clearly cybernetic. By the end of ESB, Luke's hand looks very organic. That's one thing I noticed.
Posted by Matrix (Member # 376) on :
The same thing can be said with TOS and TNG. It's just the way they perfer the interface at the time.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
My guess is that Anakin will have a relatively organic looking replacment arm by Ep 3. That was probably just the "underwire" or something.
I would agree that the Rebels would have to cobble together technology for their ships and bases though. They are probably using decades old technology in some cases.
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
And I would argue that while the Imperial fighters weren't "smooth," they were still advanced-looking and appeared to be quite successful (for the most part, anyway ). The Empire was just going for a different look than the Royal Naboo escorts. The same goes for the Star Destroyers.
It's only the Rebel cruisers and fighters that look a lot older and beat-up. But THAT'S THE POINT! Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
I think it's great how the Republic ships bear a striking resemblance to the Imperial ships we see later on. Theres a clear similarity and design lineage going on.
I think the "different look" theory is right on. It's probably different technology and had to be incorprated in a different way.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
On the subject of Anakin's arm, I think it would be neater if he just had the mechanical arm, and he started wearing a Vader-esque black glove to cover it...
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
That's what I'm expecting to see in Episode III -- a black glove. (Which would be ironic considering Luke's black glove in RotJ...)
I had another thought regarding the Rebel ships. Weren't the big Star Cruisers supposed to be Mon Calamari designs?
Posted by Malnurtured Snay (Member # 411) on :
Yes. Passenger ships, converted to warships.
Posted by Chris StarShade (Member # 786) on :
The Imperial Starfighters, that is, TIE Fighters, are less technologically advanced than the Rebel versions, or even the Naboo ones methinks.
For the TIE Fighters, Bombers, and Interceptors are not equipped with shields or with a hyperdrive.
And yet, the N-1 class is equipped with at least shields...
Maybe the empire just wants more resources to mass produce.
Posted by CaptainMike (Member # 709) on :
I think the general appearance just changed based on the social upheavals..
In the 50s, many cars were big and curved and very deco, with fins. In the 70s and 80s cars were much more advanced internally, but became more boxy and mechanical looking.. (i remember thinking that the Naboo starcraft all reminded me of fin-laden 50s version of later Star Wars ships, basically kept shinier but containing the same degree of technology)... also mass production does tend to strip out such creative elements...
Posted by The Mighty Monkey of Mim (Member # 646) on :
The idea behind the TIE fighters not having sheilds was that the Empire had such little regard for human life that they didn't care whether their pilots got blown up or not. The TIEs were cheap, quick, mass-produced craft. You can always draft more pilots...
The Rebels were so disadvantaged because they had to use whatever ships they could get ahold of. That's why not much is new.
-MMoM Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Mighty Monkey of Mim: The idea behind the TIE fighters not having sheilds was that the Empire had such little regard for human life that they didn't care whether their pilots got blown up or not. The TIEs were cheap, quick, mass-produced craft. You can always draft more pilots...
The Rebels were so disadvantaged because they had to use whatever ships they could get ahold of. That's why not much is new.
-MMoM
There's also an interesting idea, I think I may have picked it up either from a book or a computer game in the EU. Basically, an Imperial view is that if a pilot knows he doesn't have shields, he'll be more motivated to not get hit Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Mighty Monkey of Mim: The idea behind the TIE fighters not having sheilds was that the Empire had such little regard for human life that they didn't care whether their pilots got blown up or not. The TIEs were cheap, quick, mass-produced craft. You can always draft more pilots...
[ June 13, 2002, 01:40: Message edited by: Cartman ]
Posted by Jernau Morat Gurgeh (Member # 318) on :
Yeah, I remember the ejection system in Tie Fighter alright.
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
Tell me about it.
Man, was I relieved when the T/A, T/D, and M/B became available.
Shields: Greatest. Invention. Ever.
Posted by Magna Ultrus (Member # 239) on :
Ooh. Shorthand.
Get yourself some ass!
Posted by Chris StarShade (Member # 786) on :
The link you provided voiced the theory and then also voiced how unlikely the theory was.
I have the technical manuals that are considered official.
You merely have another unofficial web-site run by a fan.
The solar panels ARE solar panels, not shield generators. Just another way the Empire tries to save money.
Funny that the rebels by the expensive ships and they don't have the creds, and the Empire buys the cheap ships despite their excess of creds...
Posted by Ultra Magnus (Member # 239) on :
Buh?
Posted by EdipisReks (Member # 510) on :
i imagine that shields and hyperdrives would increase the expense if a fighter. if you have few fighters in general, you want to maximise the effectiveness of what you have, so you include shields. also, the rebels have few large ships, so the fighters need to be able to get themselves to the battle. the imps want to be as cost effective as possible, since they produce so many fighters. maybe they did a cost/efficiency study, and shields weren't worth it in the long run. also, the imps have plenty of ships to ferry the fighters around in, so the fightes don't need a hyperdrive unit.
Posted by EdipisReks (Member # 510) on :
quote:I have the technical manuals that are considered official.
You merely have another unofficial web-site run by a fan.
well if that's the case then why don't you just go away? afterall, this is just another unofficial web site run by fans.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
quote: Funny that the rebels by the expensive ships and they don't have the creds, and the Empire buys the cheap ships despite their excess of creds...
Yes, but the Empire also has several billion more ships than the Rebels.
Look at the end of Return of the Jedi. There's a good bet that 99% of every rebel ship that existed at that time is fighting at Endor. And I'd bet good money that most of the Imperial Fleet isn't there, especially since all they (thought they) had to do was hold the Rebels while the Death Star picked them off.
Disregarding the question of whether Stormtroopers (and by implication, TIE Fighter pilots and others) are clones, the Empire clearly has very little regard for human life. It also has a large number of resources, and seems to adopt an "outnumber them" approach. The rebels meanwhile have to protect each and every pilot and ship, and it therefore makes sense for them to spend more on each one where possible.
Posted by Aethelwer (Member # 36) on :
Since the SWTC site was brought up, I feel compelled to point out that it was written by a very intelligent, well-educated person, Curtis Saxton (who has a doctorate in astrophysics). In addition, the latest cross-sections book was written by him.
In conclusion, SWTC is your god.
Posted by EdipisReks (Member # 510) on :
i have a gold idol of curtis saxton that i smoke large amounts of mary jane to as own personal sacrifice to the maker of a very entertaining website.
Posted by Da_bang80 (Member # 528) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Mighty Monkey of Mim: The idea behind the TIE fighters not having sheilds was that the Empire had such little regard for human life that they didn't care whether their pilots got blown up or not. The TIEs were cheap, quick, mass-produced craft. You can always draft more pilots...
-MMoM
Much like the Japanese "Zero" from WWII. it was a bare-bones aircraft, hardly any armour, or safety devices (like self sealing fuel tanks) they were fast and manueverable. and like the TIE Fighter, they were expendable.
Posted by Da_bang80 (Member # 528) on :
One more thing! http://www.theforce.net/swtc/tie.html#cockpits websites like this are a little too inacurate for anyone to get any useful info. i've known that the panels were solar collectors for a very long time. a bit longer than the moron running that site has been at it. the internet can be a very bad source of info.
Posted by NightWing (Member # 4) on :
TIE Fighters don't have shields, because there is not space to put in the generators...
And the 'the moron running that site is actually also the person resposible for the Episode II cross sections book...
[ June 27, 2002, 01:15: Message edited by: NightWing ]
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
quote:Originally posted by Da_bang80: ...i've known that the panels were solar collectors...
I suggest you read up on your physics books, as well as the section of the site I linked to that explains in great detail why those panels CAN'T be solar collectors.
quote:TIE Fighters don't have shields, because there is not space to put in the generators...
I distinctly remember flying T/F's and T/I's that were upgraded with shields in the Balance of Power addon. It isn't a matter of available space, but rather one of budget.
[ June 27, 2002, 02:33: Message edited by: Cartman ]
Posted by Da_bang80 (Member # 528) on :
quote:Originally posted by NightWing: TIE Fighters don't have shields, because there is not space to put in the generators...
And the 'the moron running that site is actually also the person resposible for the Episode II cross sections book...
I'm glad you didn't say: "the moron running the site was actually me"
Posted by Intruder1701 (Member # 880) on :
Well you also have to keep in mind that most of the stuff the Rebellion had was stuff stolen from the Empire such as the Nebulon-B escort/medical frigate or Imperial hand me downs like the Corellian Corvettes or stuff they just threw together like the Assault Frigate which was a Dreadnaught that was stripped down and some new weaponary was added
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
). The Empire was just going for a different look than the Royal Naboo escorts. The same goes for the Star Destroyers.![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)