Moving items between worlds with different natural laws

[Anthony]

Realistically, talking about moving an item between locations with actually different physical laws doesn't make sense, and results up to 'quantum vacuum collapse, universe destroyed' are reasonable. However, if you have a device that requires an X field to operate, it won't work in locations that don't have an X field. If the item is persistently active and requires an X field to maintain itself, it will presumably be destroyed, possibly with unfortunate consequences. If you're putting energy into the item with the expectation that it will be consumed by interaction with an X field, it won't be consumed, again with possibly unfortunate consequences.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Realistically, talking about moving an item between locations with actually different physical laws doesn't make sense, and results up to 'quantum vacuum collapse, universe destroyed' are reasonable. However, if you have a device that requires an X field to operate, it won't work in locations that don't have an X field. If the item is persistently active and requires an X field to maintain itself, it will presumably be destroyed, possibly with unfortunate consequences. If you're putting energy into the item with the expectation that it will be consumed by interaction with an X field, it won't be consumed, again with possibly unfortunate consequences.

If you play according the laws of physics. Which we have established we are not.

Its as reasonable to say that an energy device becomes inert as to say it explodes. It all depends on your fluff.

[Crystalline_Entity]

If I remember basic physics correctly, realistically if you brought an item from somewhere with radically different physical laws, the matter would transfer into the lowest-energy stable state over some timescale, which would probably ruin the item, and the release of energy in doing so would range between negligible heating and catastrophic explosion. Whether the item would return to normal if it was taken home depends on the local laws of nature and whether it's ruined state could exist in the original universe.

I think when we talk about this sort of thing, we have to suppose a subset of natural laws are always true for any worldline the characters are likely to visit, and then there are supplemental add-ons you can switch on and off as necessary. For example, we have to assume that basic biochemistry stays the same ("you die as you step through the portal as your body decays" is no fun), but you could switch things like magic and superscience (and potentially even things like gunpowder and semiconductors) on without breaking too much suspension of disbelief.

[Anders]

Wouldn't there be some problem for people moving between worlds with different natural laws?

[robkelk]

Originally Posted by Anders

Wouldn't there be some problem for people moving between worlds with different natural laws?

Definitely ... which is exactly why I suggested adding "it works - rejecting your reality and substituting its own" to the results list.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by Anders

Wouldn't there be some problem for people moving between worlds with different natural laws?

What do you think vanish worldlines are?

The observer effect is in play: if you can go there, its close enough to reality. The grand exception to that is if you're dealing with extra-dimensional entities. or perhaps spirit realms, but thats close to "reality" in a different way.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by robkelk

Definitely ... which is exactly why I suggested adding "it works - rejecting your reality and substituting its own" to the results list.

Actually the Infinite Worlds setting seems to go with it works - but by the rules of its new universe. Travelers stepping into a world where people are kept alive by elan vital and biochemistry doesn't work silently transform into the local (non-human but utterly human appearing) species.

No it doesn't make any sense for superscience gadgets to miraculously transform into identical appearing things with exactly the same function operating by different physical laws, but it doesn't make sense for people either.

[Flyndaran]

Though "translating" barriers between realities has been done in some fiction stories.
Your nice gun turns into whatever is the destination's most similar weapon even if it's "only" a nice sword.
Though it may become a hassle deciding whether it's based on limitations of physical laws or locals use of said laws and TL.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Though "translating" barriers between realities has been done in some fiction stories.
Your nice gun turns into whatever is the destination's most similar weapon even if it's "only" a nice sword.
Though it may become a hassle deciding whether it's based on limitations of physical laws or locals use of said laws and TL.

It's based on the whim of whatever god does the translating. This technique after all requires sapient intervention to decide your gun is a weapon that needs to be turned into a sword, and not a tool for punching holes in doors best turned into a drill, or a vessel for burning powder that should be turned into a bowl of incense.

[Johnny1A.2]

Originally Posted by Anders

Wouldn't there be some problem for people moving between worlds with different natural laws?

Yes. Change the laws of nature and biology is definitely affected. Actually, the more complicated the machine, the more likely even a subtle change in natural law will skew something, and living things are vastly more complex than most machines, at least at our and near-future TLs.

(That would also apply to machines. A very subtle change in natural law might let a TL5 mechanical clock still work dandy, but turn a TL8 computer chip into inert silicon.)

Realistically, the most likely result of a human moving to a universe with any significant different in natural law is death.