Darths & Droids IV: Not in Numerical Order

[DavidSh]

Does anybody recognize Phasma's poetry here? Google is not helping me.

[Squire Doodad]

Does anybody recognize Phasma's poetry here? Google is not helping me.

I was just thinking about this, it looks like it's original. It might be loosely mirroring a verse from one person or another. One of her earlier statements was reminiscent of the Ozymandias poem I think.

[memnarch]

I was just thinking about this, it looks like it's original. It might be loosely mirroring a verse from one person or another. One of her earlier statements was reminiscent of the Ozymandias poem I think.

Indeed it was!

[Kantaki]

New comic

Kylo's comment is more or less what everyone was thinking when watching this part of the movie.

[The Glyphstone]

Did we get any callouts to Blade Runner during Rogue One specifically the C-beam speech? This feels like the Irregulars setting up a massive brick joke otherwise...

[PhantomFox]

BTW - We're on page 50. Do we have a new thread title yet?

[Gez]

BTW - We're on page 50. Do we have a new thread title yet?

"Behold! The Cataclysm Thread!"

Or: "[Thread title will appear here when received.]"

[SirKazum]

"Behold! The Cataclysm Thread!"

Or: "[Thread title will appear here when received.]"

I like the second one. Miss you, Keybounce

[The Glyphstone]

Or: "[Thread title will appear here when received.]"

This is my pick too.

[memnarch]

....

Or: "[Thread title will appear here when received.]"

I'll vote for this one too!

[Xihirli]

Don't understand Pete's complaint here. We've been accepting FTL speed for a long time in Star Wars (and the game) to allow any kind of communication between these planets. Sure they call their "the ships goes really fast and we arrive at our destination" button "light speed" but it's fairly clear that if the empire and republic were really ruling over a whole galaxy they're going faster than light or light is faster in this universe.

[Keltest]

Don't understand Pete's complaint here. We've been accepting FTL speed for a long time in Star Wars (and the game) to allow any kind of communication between these planets. Sure they call their "the ships goes really fast and we arrive at our destination" button "light speed" but it's fairly clear that if the empire and republic were really ruling over a whole galaxy they're going faster than light or light is faster in this universe.

I think the idea is that if the beam were going FTL, they wouldnt be able to see it in real time because, you know, the beam is moving faster than the light. You would never be able to see anything like that from another star system because it would take years for the light from that effect to reach your planet.

[Anonymouswizard]

Don't understand Pete's complaint here. We've been accepting FTL speed for a long time in Star Wars (and the game) to allow any kind of communication between these planets. Sure they call their "the ships goes really fast and we arrive at our destination" button "light speed" but it's fairly clear that if the empire and republic were really ruling over a whole galaxy they're going faster than light or light is faster in this universe.

Assuming the beam is FTL and assuming it presses relatively close to the system what you'd see is the beam traveling from the point nearest to you to the destination and origin. Assuming it generates radiation while travelling through space.

If it doesn't pass near the system you'll see the same thing but with a significant delay.

Actually, that would be a really cool affect to see on screen.

Assuming FTL Comms, which we can because they've been shown, we can still see the destruction of the target system in practical real time. And you could use which systems observed this effect and from which direction to plot a rough area where the beam had to cover from, and use that to narrow down the origin system.

And if the radiation the beam is generating is FTL it probably can't be seen with the naked eye.

[Keltest]

Assuming the beam is FTL and assuming it presses relatively close to the system what you'd see is the beam traveling from the point nearest to you to the destination and origin. Assuming it generates radiation while travelling through space.

If it doesn't pass near the system you'll see the same thing but with a significant delay.

Actually, that would be a really cool affect to see on screen.

Assuming FTL Comms, which we can because they've been shown, we can still see the destruction of the target system in practical real time. And you could use which systems observed this effect and from which direction to plot a rough area where the beam had to cover from, and use that to narrow down the origin system.

And if the radiation the beam is generating is FTL it probably can't be seen with the naked eye.

Even if the beam itself is FTL (which it is) the light it emits is definitionally not. Its impossible to watch it in real time without some sort of recording equipment.

[Anonymouswizard]

Even if the beam itself is FTL (which it is) the light it emits is definitionally not. Its impossible to watch it in real time without some sort of recording equipment.

Which we almost certainly have in the destination system if it's inhabited, so we can transmit the destruction in real time. My entire post was assuming that the radiation traveled at c.

[Keltest]

Which we almost certainly have in the destination system if it's inhabited, so we can transmit the destruction in real time. My entire post was assuming that the radiation traveled at c.

I mean yes, but theyre looking up at the sky and watching it.

[Anonymouswizard]

I mean yes, but theyre looking up at the sky and watching it.

Sorry, I thought 'assuming FTL Comms' made it clear that I was talking about viewing it via said Comms.

[DavidSh]

I will try to figure this out from first principals.
Assuming anything remotely resembling real interstellar distances, the beams have to be FTL to be able to destroy planets of other systems so quickly.
The viewpoints of the planetary destruction have to be relatively close to each doomed planet -- the spectators aren't seeing this unless the image is relayed by an FTL camera, and projected (for propaganda purposes, I presume).
The spectators are seeing the beams, or at least think they are seeing the beams. They'd have to be passing very close to the spectators' planet to be visible in real time by actual light. Either this is a deliberate aiming strategy for propaganda purposes, or we only think this is real time (but actually took place six months ago), or it isn't being seen by light. Maybe the beams scatter tachyons that create photons when they hit the atmosphere. Or maybe the Force creates an illusion. Or maybe this is a projection created for propaganda.

Or maybe this is just a movie and a web comic, and I should relax.

[Metastachydium]

the spectators aren't seeing this unless the image is relayed by an FTL camera, and projected (for propaganda purposes, I presume).

Well, the guy who came up with the tech for the previous version of the thing was into Power Point.

[Rodin]

You know what will really bake your noodle?

The people on the affected planets stop and look up at the approaching beam in fear and confusion.

The beam which is traveling faster than light. Which shouldn't be visible because the beam has already arrived by the time light it generates has hit the light receptors of the people viewing it.

Maybe humans have evolved FTL eyeballs in the Star Wars universe? It would explain a lot, honestly.

[Xihirli]

Clearly the rays are programmed to slow down just before impact for more precise aim.

[Keltest]

This scene just becomes more infuriatingly wrong the more i think about it. I didnt even really consider it twice when i actually say the movie.

[Squire Doodad]

The best explanation I can think of is that the lasers are FTL, and also require a sustained firing to achieve their desired effect (instead of "just" decimating a landmass).

The beam fires, travels FTL, and then persists for several minutes as it maintains itself.


Still a terrible explanation regardless.

[Dire_Flumph]

This scene just becomes more infuriatingly wrong the more i think about it. I didnt even really consider it twice when i actually say the movie.

No, that was where the downhill slide started for me watching this in the theaters. Especially since JJ pulled this earlier with the 2009 Star Trek reboot as well.

I was kind of hoping D&D would have a funnier explanation for it, but I understand it's just a tough thing to make work.

[Keltest]

No, that was where the downhill slide started for me watching this in the theaters. Especially since JJ pulled this earlier with the 2009 Star Trek reboot as well.

I was kind of hoping D&D would have a funnier explanation for it, but I understand it's just a tough thing to make work.

Its been however many years of playing, and the DM has finally come up with a scene that Jim cant/wont justify for him. I find this amusing.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

My bet is that the beam is plasma, a la blaster bolts and laser swords (at least in Darths & Droids) and Covenant technology in Halo.

The plasma travels at hyperspeed through empty space, but since they're not using the experimental hyperdrive the heroes have, it has to drop out of hyperspeed if it's going to actually hit the target planets. At this point, it becomes just a visible beam of plasma moving at less than FTL, and can thus easily be seen by the heroes and other bystanders. Of course, there's absolutely no way a planet will be able to get out of the way in time (and heck, at the speed it moves, only a very lucky ship could leave the planet before the beam strikes), so the loss of efficacy caused by dropping out of FTL that early is negligible.

[DavidSh]

The plasma travels at hyperspeed through empty space, but since they're not using the experimental hyperdrive the heroes have, it has to drop out of hyperspeed if it's going to actually hit the target planets. At this point, it becomes just a visible beam of plasma moving at less than FTL, and can thus easily be seen by the heroes and other bystanders.

Except that the target planets are 43 light years away from the player characters. If the actual part of the beam of plasma moving at less than FTL is only a few dozen light-hours long, that isn't going to be visible without a very good telescope and a very long wait.

[Keltest]

Except that the target planets are 43 light years away from the player characters. If the actual part of the beam of plasma moving at less than FTL is only a few dozen light-hours long, that isn't going to be visible without a very good telescope and a very long wait.

"very long wait" in this case meaning 43 years.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Except that the target planets are 43 light years away from the player characters. If the actual part of the beam of plasma moving at less than FTL is only a few dozen light-hours long, that isn't going to be visible without a very good telescope and a very long wait.

Wait what?

Wow, I completely missed that it wasn't targeting planets in the same system. Somehow. Yeah that's that theory down the drain.

[Ibrinar]

As someone who only watched the third movie a question

Spoiler: second hand movie spoilers

Show

I heard something about the justification for everyone seeing it was just the force did it. Is that correct or is there more to it in the movie?