Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - How to Depict a Broken FTL Drive (and other Superscience)

Mark Skarr · 09-25-2019, 12:41 PM

Well, BattleTech has the mis-jump for their jumpships. Basically, the drive triggers then, for all intents and purposes, explodes. In-world lore, until recently, stated that it destroyed the ships, but as we all learned, a misjumped ship went somewhere. Usually their destination, but they may be days, weeks, month, or even years or centuries off course. Potentially in either direction.

Usually, the drive is destroyed (though military drives can be repaired), but the ship suffers immense, usually catastrophic damage (again, military ships fare better). Structural members warp from the energy and it threatens to vent entire sections of the ship to vacuum. Overloads from the batteries to the jump drive can burn out electrical systems throughout the ship threatening everything from the maneuvering jets to life support and everything else on the ship.

One of the books even talks about becoming stuck in hyperspace with all the problems that could entail.

09-25-2019, 12:41 PM	#2
Mark Skarr Forum Pervert (If you have to ask . . .) Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Somewhere high up.	Re: How to Depict a Broken FTL Drive (and other Superscience) Well, BattleTech has the mis-jump for their jumpships. Basically, the drive triggers then, for all intents and purposes, explodes. In-world lore, until recently, stated that it destroyed the ships, but as we all learned, a misjumped ship went somewhere. Usually their destination, but they may be days, weeks, month, or even years or centuries off course. Potentially in either direction. Usually, the drive is destroyed (though military drives can be repaired), but the ship suffers immense, usually catastrophic damage (again, military ships fare better). Structural members warp from the energy and it threatens to vent entire sections of the ship to vacuum. Overloads from the batteries to the jump drive can burn out electrical systems throughout the ship threatening everything from the maneuvering jets to life support and everything else on the ship. One of the books even talks about becoming stuck in hyperspace with all the problems that could entail.