quote:Originally posted by MarianLH: I recall when I first saw the movie Braveheart thinking how unrealistic it was that Wallace just happened upon one of the great tactical innovations of the Middle Ages--using a tight pike formation to break up a heavy cavalry charge. Then I went home and looked it up, lo, that part of the movie was accurate. Stirling Bridge was the third battle ever in which that tactic was used.
Macedonian Phalanx worked in much the same way: the technique was just lost (along with such innovations as the formula for concrete) during the Dark Ages.
As to what's plausable: It's obvious that we Flarites dont know exactly how FTL would work or anything about creating cybernetic organisms or the logistics of commanding a spaceborne aircraft carrier but some things seem to be lacking common sense and practicality: Cylon girl's spine gowing during sex for blatant example or their ability to emulate humans at all after living seperately for so long and us not seeing anything like an intermediary stage between these perfect Terminator units and the lunchbox models. ....and for me, the exact terms and methods used on 2003 era aircraft carriers being used by people with zero contact with us now or within at least three thousand years. The aircraft carrier terms would have really enhanced Space Above and Beyond or Starship Troopers but it detracts from the concept here.
I'm still not writing off this as "bad", just pointing out parts that made me either wince or change the channel the first time through.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
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I think I'm putting myself into the nicely-exampled Mucus camp of isolated networks. (it's all sticky)
Even if you did have one computer calculating the distance/speed of some reference point (presumably with a separate sensor apparatus to determine it's position) with the same computer then calculating/controlling the maneuvering thrusters, there are still numerous complications. Does this same computer register damage to the maneuvering system or even damage to itself? Wouldn't the complete lack of redundancy make such a system even more vulnerable to damage/problems/malfunctions (and significantly, wouldn't such susceptibility negate any advantage not networking might lend?)
When the young officer shows Baltar that they have his program, but just haven't installed it yet, where is it? Is he sitting in the Navigator's seat? Mustn't that be the sole navigator's station because if there's more than one terminal where you can work on things navigational, then you have a network.
Speaking to plausibility: Even if the colonies have developed entirely separate from earth we must imagine their technological progression would be similar to our own. At this point we will probably never make even a small probe without utilizing at least some network technology. This is to say nothing of a vessel of the magnitude and complexity of Galactica (let alone of a fleet of, *gulp* 120 of these bohemoths.) I find it hard to believe that a culture as advanced as the colonies obviously are (they did make the first Cylons) would be so paranoid and backward as to completely ignore the distinct advantages networking would allow them as far as efficiency and capability. I understand the writers' intent and attempt to incorporate some history, and I understand that we're supposed to see that Galactica is a rusty old bucket but still useful (which, like, totally resonates for me, btw). I just can't get past that one technical conceit. Because I'm an obsessive fanboy. Someone please deliver me from this fate.
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It's kinda funny that while Adama is obsessive about not "having networks" while he's in command, he overlooks a softball sized piece of Cylon technology on his own bridge for probably a whole week. No one on his bridge crew is even curious enough to say "Hey guys, what's this new gizmo?" Good thing the cylons arent smart enough to have an explosive in there isint it?
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
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I find it hard to believe that a culture as advanced as the colonies obviously are (they did make the first Cylons) would be so paranoid and backward as to completely ignore the distinct advantages networking would allow them as far as efficiency and capability.
The culture as a whole was only that paranoid for a little while after the war. The whole reason the Cylons wiped out the fleet is because the majority of the civilization DID recognize "the distinct advantages networking would allow them as far as efficiency and capability." Adama was the paranoid and backward one. And y'know what? He was right.
As for networked computers, computers can still get signals from each other without being networked in any usable (to the Cylons) sense. Something similar to morse code, just a simple electrical signal or the absence of it. If there's a signal, things are fine, if not, half the ship has been blown away.
-------------------- "This is why you people think I'm so unknowable. You don't listen!" - God, "God, the Devil and Bob"
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Cartman
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Y'know, actually, I'm with B "fanboy" X on this one. I don't know how much of a knack the bucketheads have for decoding (machines for brains and all), but cryptographic systems ought to have progressed far enough by Galactica's time to secure information streams against most, if not all, forms of remote attack. Of course, the Cylons had forty years to perfect their cryptanalysis methods, but still...
-------------------- ".mirrorS arE morE fuN thaN televisioN" - TEH PNIK FLAMIGNO
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Adama was the paranoid and backward one. And y'know what? He was right.
Sweet: when the machines rise up against us, the Amish will kick back and say "Ayuh. I toldya".
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
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quote:Originally posted by Balaam Xumucane: At this point we will probably never make even a small probe without utilizing at least some network technology. This is to say nothing of a vessel of the magnitude and complexity of Galactica (let alone of a fleet of, *gulp* 120 of these bohemoths.) I find it hard to believe that a culture as advanced as the colonies obviously are (they did make the first Cylons) would be so paranoid and backward as to completely ignore the distinct advantages networking would allow them as far as efficiency and capability.
Except it seems implied that there was a push to getting high-powered networks everywhere. Remember, Galactica was the only one of 120 battlestars that was not affected when the Cylons launched their attack. That means all the others had to have some form of an interconnected network in place in order for Baltar's communications program to disable the rest of the systems on those ships. Also, when Apollo first arrived on the Galactica, he made a big deal of the auto-landing system being down. So, the other ships must have them (and the implication that they also have interconnecting networks). Yet also some more, Baltar was working on a high-level super-security-granting project that involved networks. I'm with Omega, the only backwards one is really Commander Adama.
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon It's kinda funny that while Adama is obsessive about not "having networks" while he's in command, he overlooks a softball sized piece of Cylon technology on his own bridge for probably a whole week.
Tigh missed it completely as well, and Gaeta just assumed that it was for the decommissioning. Yeah, they all should of caught that. I bet Adama just trusted his subordinates to know that nothing networkish be installed on his ship, and his officers (most of them youngens who never fought in a war) were just complacent going into this decommissioning ceremony. Still, really sloppy on that, yes, I agree.
Back to the belaboured subject of networks, after rewatching the first part, the implication in the conversation between Roslin and Adama on the tour's network is that Galactica flat out has no networks of any kind whatsoever. Obviously a contradiction to how things were shown and what logic would dictate. Sloppy writing, again.
-------------------- The philosopher's stone. Those who possess it are no longer bound by the laws of equivalent exchange in alchemy. They gain without sacrifice and create without equal exchange. We searched for it, and we found it.
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Remember, Galactica was the only one of 120 battlestars that was not affected when the Cylons launched their attack.
Well, that we know of. I wouldn't be surprised to see Battlestar Pegasus mentioned should this become a series.
-------------------- "This is why you people think I'm so unknowable. You don't listen!" - God, "God, the Devil and Bob"
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quote:Originally posted by Reverend: Perhaps it's because of your flavour that he doesn't lik you very much.
I like the flavour of all things.
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
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Finally got the second part downloaded and watched, so at last I can read this thread!
Coupla things I noticed: setting up - for the future - the fact that there's a ship with a hold full of convicts. I think one ep of the original involved a similar plot. . .
My question though, is, is the SciFi Channel actually capable of producing a show on this scale that doesn't suck? The SciFi Channel we have in the UK has almost nothing to do with the one you have in the US, so I don't really know what things they show. But what I do know of their past 'triumphs' isn't encouraging. . .
I think the rot was already setting in on Sliders before they took it on, but I don't think the SFC helped matters there. Then there's their lack of financial flexibility to take on new stuff, like Crusade - I don't think any of the shows they'd committed to instead are still going, not even the good ones like Farscape - and it can't be any coincidence that they dumped that at the same time of their taking on of Stargate SG-1. . . Can we be confident that they can produce a show that lasts long enough to be worthwhile? And that even if miraculously they do maange to go as long as Farscape did, that eventually they won't get bored and ditch it in favour of some EVENT like a, I dunno, Space: Above and Beyond "reimagination" miniseries or something?
quote:Except it seems implied that there was a push to getting high-powered networks everywhere. Remember, Galactica was the only one of 120 battlestars that was not affected when the Cylons launched their attack. That means all the others had to have some form of an interconnected network in place in order for Baltar's communications program to disable the rest of the systems on those ships. .
Obviously the Cylons hooked up with the Aliens from ID4 then hired Jeff Goldblum to bring his MacLaptop and download the most insidious programming available at the time.... Windows XP.
-------------------- I am the Anti-Abaddon. I build models at a scale of 2500/1
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The prospect is terrifying to say the least.
I wasn't able to tape the pilot and I'm mad at myself for not having been more dilligent in trying. Like Lee, I am concerned about the Sci-Fi Channel's ability to consistently produce quality episodes. I do think the new BSG has the potential to be great, but then I feel like Farscape was going gangbusters, but kind of lost it there. And honestly I haven't seen enough SG-1 to know if I really like it (They did have a mini-marathon on one night and I thought I'd just catch a little and then watch a video, but wound up watching the whole thing, for what it's worth.)
My primary concern with BSG is that they don't seem to understand what they've got. The sci-fi aspect seems like it's good stuff to me. The drama could use some work, but there's some potential there with EJO and Mary President. The Bay-Watch Nights thing is problematic. It just doesn't seem to fit, and I'm not saying it couldn't, but those scenes didn't play erotic to me. (Ok, well looking at the naked back of a supermodel is certainly erotic in one sense, but I'm more refering to the characters and their performances and the way it made me feel) It seemed this entire production was rushed, and where that REALLY hurt the show was in seeing the character interactions. In a lot of situations, characters who were life-long friends seemed to have only just met. As I understand it, budgeting some rehersal time will help immensely with this. And maybe if they get a series, that will be better. Anyway I like it, I thought it was good. I think it can be better. I hope there will be more.
But then I really liked Firefly and look where that got me.
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