Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

I have a "hunt the escaped bioroid" adventure planned and would be really appreciative if anyone has any schematics for orbital habitats. The adventure will take place on the jumble of junk known as Sakharov Station, however, I want to know what a schematic of a tunnelled out asteroid would look like. Do they call those "beehives"? Anywhoo, thanks to all who respond.

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

You need a 3d map - there was a 3d "chase the bots round the interior of a gravityless tunnel environment" game back in the day whose name escapes me.

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

Descent -- the only real 3D shooter.

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

My internet search fu is weak. Found references to loads of maps for Descent, but no maps.

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

I don't think you necessarily need a full 3d view.

Unless they plan on blasting through the asteroid walls to create their own tunnels, the relative position of all the rooms wouldn't seem to materially matter.

Just a logical map of "This room connects to these rooms" would seem to suffice (and just roll randomly to see what the "orientation" of the entrances/exits are).

Humans aren't very good in thinking in 3d, and introducing that complexity can sometimes onfuse/frustrate players?

YMMV

In any case, I'd just take a peek at the back of the THS main book. They talk about what rooms are available there.

The only real change would be that living spaces can probably afford to be numerous/spacious, since you are provided with so much free rad shielding by the surrounding rock.

I'd put "air lock" like sections at certain points, to represent the fact the asteroid might have been organically expanded after people started living there.

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

I am curious about the beehive complexes dug into asteroids, but the adventure I have planned is in Sakharov Station, a haphazard collection of orbital habitats. Anybody map these out. This and spacecraft schematics might be a good supplement on e23.

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

Beehives are up to 10% dug out, so any mad collection of tunnels are possible (use your old D&D dungeon floorplans liberally). Random air-tight doors and damage sealant foam fixes are likely commonplace. Personal palaces and whatever personal indulgent spaces are possible, as are indications of disaster and decay.

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

One point to consider - is the rock being spun or are you in a microgravity enviroment? If it's being spun you'll need to arrange the 'deck plans' accordingly. Otherwise, go with the dungeon.

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

Any schematics for non-asteroid orbital habitats such as Sakharov Station?

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

I don't have any orbital layouts, but I'll give you some guidance on how they're likely to get laid out.

For a cylindrical habitat, spun along the long axis:

Living space will be on the outside, where the apparent gravity is highest. Farms will be here, too, as they can use the sunlight. Next in will be working space, for stuff that doesn't need to be done in microgravity, shops, offices, some manufacturing type stuff. engineering space -- reactors, life support, etc will be in the center. So will the storm shelter, which could double as a zero-g gym or auditorium. Docs will be on one or both ends, in the center.

For a sphere: Remember that there's only apparent gravity near the equator. The layout will be much the same, with farms moved out to areas along the skin, away from the equator. Depending on what's there, and how many people there may be lots of empty, open space. Building walls is expensive, and unnecessary if it's just empty.

A torus will have living space on the outer skin, with the farms on the sun side of the top. Engineering space will be in the central hub, mostly.

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

Sorry to hijack the thread, but wouldn't the plants be upside down doing this? With the roots getting the sunlight instead of the Leaves? It would be interesting to see how plants would grow in this situation.

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

I really think that an e23 product with deck plans of various orbital habitats and spaceships would be a good seller with the THS fans.

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

A fair number of plants grow pretty well upside down. With some bio-engineering, even more will. You can also use mirrors and other optics to direct sunlight around inside. For a cylinder, roughly half the surface is going to be in the shade at any given time, so you're likely to want to have some sort of mirror array on the outside to increase the light the farms get. the alternative is to point the axis of rotation at the sun, and run a light pipe up the center.

Outside the orbit distance of Earth or maybe Mars, the level of solar radiation isn't really worth the effort of using to grow plants directly, so you can ignore that, and just use grow lights, powered by your fission/fussion reactor.

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

Sounds better, I would think that method would be used just about everywhere too then, not just further out in the solar system - since it allows ships to not worry at all about getting/not getting sunlight. Although closer to the sun entire space stations are probably powered strictly by solar power.

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

There is a Meizi or Vulcan spin pod deck plan here www.transhuman.talktalk.net/ts/tsSpinPod.htm

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

Thanks, thtraveller. Anybody else have anything similiar?

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

sounds like you guys are describing the O'Neill Cylinders (like the ones in Mobile Suit Gundam).

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

Wait a miniute, I dont have the book around to look at and cant remember too well but doesnt Sakharov station have no gravity? Its like a big collection of junk as I remember it. Not at all the same as these big spinning habitats and everything like that.

I mean, those are useful as orbital habitat schematics for other things but I think the people who talk about dungeon style tunnels have it right when it comes to Sakharov Station.

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

Yeah, I remember those. L-5 habitats. I saw a book about them years ago. Many years ago.

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

This is not correct. The apparent gravity is proportional to the cosine of the latitude, the same as the distance from the axis of rotation.

Re: Orbital Habitat Schematics
 

Yeah, I think so.

*looks it up*

Hum, "Gravity is erratic...". o_O I don't even...

Well, anyway...

It looks like the station is mostly made up of "tin cans". For variety's sake I would say make them different sizes and mix in one or two small stations of different designs that have been integrated into the jumble. A few ships should also form parts of the permanent station structure.

I agree with laserdog, at least start with a flowchart style map before you try to map the station in 3D. On that note, I would make sure to include at least two or three loops in the layout. Otherwise you just have a tree and chase scenes are boring. Best would be if there are hidden shortcuts between parts of the station that are far apart in the layout but close in 3D space.