posted
OK, I've been on my computer for about three solid days rewriting my site. In between moments of fury at HTML, I began thinking about the weapons in Trek.
Specifically, we have seen several weapons used that have basicly the same end result; vaporization of the target. Examples:
TOS: I remember the episode where Kirk Nukes Roc the android. ST2: Terrell vapes himself ST3: Kruge vapes Lieutenant "Lucky Shot" ST6: Valeris vapes a kitchen pot
And I know there are a lot more. What I am wondering is this, How does it know what to vaporize and when to stop? Does it envelop the target on contact and then dematerialize it? If so, then where does the effect stop? Why wouldn't it vaporize the ground or deck the target was standing on? If you are going to say that it chain reacts with what it hits and what that is touching, then there should still be the boots and jock strap etc. that wasn't hit by the beam.
I would think it more likely that these weapons would vaporize a hole straight through at the point of contact. Yes, I realize that it is cleaner and cheaper FX wise to just have it all go away, but if you are going to have that happen then you need a viable explanation for the effect.
I know this is nit-picky stupid but I was up REAL late and the mind does funny things after too much HTML. At least I haven't bolded, all caps, and italicized every other word in this post!
-------------------- I am the Anti-Abaddon. I build models at a scale of 2500/1
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posted
I have a horrible suspicion I'm supposed to know the answer to these questions. . . Although as far as I know the only in-depth writing on how phasers work comes from the TNGTM, which describes how the phaser beam vapourises things, but is reticent on how how much it does. Soemthing to do with the actual settings dictates how much matter is vapourised, perhaps Starfleet officers have to memorise log tables saying how much of any particular material will be vapourised by a specific setting. The only baseline given in the TNGTM is for volumes of solid rock.
posted
In one of the new DS9 anthologies (Phrophecy and Change) Dr Bashier mentions that Starfleet removed the "vaporization" setting on all it's phasers "years ago" because they found that the vaporize setting was being used all too often and they decided that it made killing too easy and antiseptic.
Explains why weapons like the one Kevis Faja (sp?)pointed at Data are illeagal by TNG's era.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
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posted
Yeah... the vaporize setting is still easily accessible... I think training and regulations have kinda worked it's regular use out.
-------------------- Later, J _ _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ The Last Person to post in the late Voyager Forum. Bashing both Voyager, Enterprise, and "The Bun" in one glorious post.
quote:Originally posted by Malnurtured Snay: Yeah but Riker was able to vaporize that genetically-engineered Travelers(?) assassin in that episode featuring the Acamarians ...
Ryker really jacked his phaser waaay past the normal settings though. Mabye something inside her just cumbusted? Too much hairspray would be my guess.
Even Picard and Ryker firing on poor ol' Remmick didint entirely vaporise him. It was messy though.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
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quote:Originally posted by Malnurtured Snay: Yeah but Riker was able to vaporize that genetically-engineered Travelers(?) assassin in that episode featuring the Acamarians ...
Ryker really jacked his phaser waaay past the normal settings though. Mabye something inside her just cumbusted? Too much hairspray would be my guess.
Even Picard and Ryker firing on poor ol' Remmick didint entirely vaporise him. It was messy though.
Ryker had Tim Allen's phaser. ar-arrr arrrrrrrr
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-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
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posted
Vaporize doesnt cause suffering? How could they know? Would it be better to die like Lt Munoz(?) with a non-coagulating belly wound over a few days (DS9-The Ship)or to be incinerated by Faja's little ray-gun?
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
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posted
Another vaping - Bev Crusher in that ep with the shields that allow you to fly inside the sun - zapped the guy once, he got a hole straight through his torso; upped the settings and zapped him again, he disintigrated. Unless that was something about his species' physical makeup. . .
posted
I hate you for making me recall that episode.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
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