Keyguyperson

Void of the Stars II: Return to the Stars [Sci-Fi] [Always Accepting]

Monkeypants said
Status of my app?

I believe it was accepted already.

Void of the Stars II: Return to the Stars [Sci-Fi] [Always Accepting]

Writing shitty short stories, writing comic scripts that will never be used, looking at the genuine Apollo 16 Command Module, staring up at a replica of the Saturn V, being in Huntsville.

Void of the Stars II: Return to the Stars [Sci-Fi] [Always Accepting]

"Denial of our denial denied"
Where have I heard that before? Oh yes...
"The Antarctic Union has launched anti-anti-missile missiles at the Malkrantian anti-missile missiles."

Colonial Powers NRP (Reboot/New Thread)

I just lost a thousand word post. From now on, all posts I make will be made from the afterlife, as I hit my head against the desk so hard that I killed myself.

Colonial Powers NRP (Reboot/New Thread)

duck55223 said
The thing isYou refused to help meYou betrayed meI was planning on invading you, with the help of Corustia, and then dividing Lydiah up between us while leaving you the 7 rivers but turning that into a vassal state.

THE GLORIOUS AND PEACEFUL UNITED VANJANAN EMPIRE WOULD NEVER DO SUCH A THING! WE HAD NO IDEA THEY THOUGHT OF THIS AND MOST CERTAINLY DID NOT PARTAKE IN THE DISCUSSION!
*Ahem*

Void of the Stars II: Return to the Stars [Sci-Fi] [Always Accepting]

Contact
"Understood, transmitting coordinates. While sending down radioactive packages to major cities sounds suspicious, it would be such an obvious plan that there's no way you're trying to kill us or anything. This out furthest out colony, so there's really only one city here. Of course, it's our only colony outside out home system, luckily we have allies to defend us and Lakfakalle is impenetrable. You're the second species to offer us a gift for no actual reason, I guess the galaxy is actually a friendly place. Nice to know we won't have to use these warships on anything but a few pirates."

Colonial Powers NRP (Reboot/New Thread)

gowia said
I said flight and other inventions will come around with my say so. If I wasn't clear I apologise. This is what the great persons and the trait 'Natural Great Men' is for, for inventors to appear. I have no problems with you investigating that however all has got to come up fruitless for the time being.

Oh, I understand now. That's a really nice mechanic!

Colonial Powers NRP (Reboot/New Thread)

Toaw said
Well technically if you look at it the first hot air balloon was invited around this time period, so even in actually history around this time people were actively looking towards inviting flying machines, so the attempt isn't so unrealistic, but I understand that gowia is afraid everyone will start trying to make airplanes, and zeppelins realistically two hundred years early if we are comparing our current technology to that of the 1700s. Other than commercial use flight is kind of a lost hope.

Of course, airplanes are simply impossible with 1700's technology (Well, there were steam planes, and steam power was actually invented in the late 1700's, but those planes were absolutely worthless). Hot air blimps do exist, and their propulsion is actually possible using technology of the era (references at the end of post). However, they would likely be incredibly slow. Dirigibles are most likely too heavy to be carried by hot air, and Zeppelins refer exclusively to blimps and dirigibles produced by the German Zeppelin company. Aside from commercial use, intimidation is also valid. When Sputnik as launched, the American populace was afraid the Soviets would nuke them from space. Although nuking someone from space would have little effect on the actual outcome of the attack, and Sputnik was definitely too small to carry a nuke, people were still intimidated. And now, over fifty years later, we still haven't put anything beyond emergency pistols into space. Sure, it may have no practical use, but people will still be scared of it.

In fact, the first record of powered flight going any significant distance is in 1785, when Jean-Pierre Blanchard used a hot air balloon equipped with hand-powered wings (Think oars, but in the air) and birdlike tail to cross the English Channel. There's even a painting, well, drawing.

So with a hot air balloon flight is completely and totally possible.

References:
Plausibility:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirigible#Early_pioneers
Differences between the terms:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirigible#Dirigible
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirigible#Blimp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirigible#Zeppelin
(It says Dirigible in all of them because I was looking for a Dirigible example)
Hot-air balloon airships:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_airship

Colonial Powers NRP (Reboot/New Thread)

gowia said
I need to be clear on the tech level. It is 1700 level. FLying should be a pointless endeavour at the moment and steam power currently can only really move water around such as down mine shafts etc. Flying boats are a no go and basically impossible. This is not steampunk I will just make some inventions earlier when I decide to.

That's somewhat of a change from your earlier stance on it, but I never intended the whole flying boat thing to work. Even with the technology, it would bankrupt the entire world. Besides, if you actually look at the numbers, nothing could fly in any sort of efficient way using steam power. Funnily enough, you could propel a craft using man power if it was small enough. However, I remember you saying flight was okay, did you change your mind? Either way, I just realized that I forgot to change the name of the lifting system. While hydrogen was known at the time, I doubt anybody would come up with a way to capture it and then decide to shove it in a huge piece of cloth.

Of course, I am confused on flight, is it pointless as in there's no practical reason for it, or pointless because you won't allow it/will murder everyone involved?

Colonial Powers NRP (Reboot/New Thread)

Numburg
After being cut off by the other woman, Ukundiza Kjerstin politely waited for her to finish. She was quite good at waiting, having served in the Vanjanan military. Up until now, all they ever did was wait. Of course, the moment she decides to go and do something important, half the army is sent to put down rebels in various exciting and important manners. While the other woman was talking, she decided to make sure all of her papers were in the correct order and not crumpled. She was somewhat annoyed by the other woman's words, especially because they were connected with the (in her opinion) somewhat underwhelming throne. It didn't seem to carry any symbolism, no significance other than the fact that the money used to build it probably could have fed every starving person on the continent. To her, a good throne was comfortable, but also beautiful and symbolic. While being expensive was probably considered symbolic in other nations, she did feel like anything expensive should be constructed to look good, not just be expensive. The throne did look impressive, but the cultural gap made it seem much less so to Col. Kjerstin.

After the other woman had finished her speech, Col. Kjerstin gulped. She would probably seem incredibly underwhelming to Lord Finch, after all, she was a Siege Engineer for the 'Army That Doesn't Do Anything'. The other woman was an ambassador who just delivered a solid silver throne. With this in mind, she gave up on trying to sound at all official. The middle ground between 'I'm sorry for existing near you' and 'This other person is commoner scum' is never a good place to be. Although she had heard that outside of Vanjana being the latter was considered better for some reason. This was alien to her, as in Vanjana, the first was interpereted as showing extreme respect.

She bowed once more after the other woman had finished speaking, and held out her papers.

"Apologies for taking your time, I am Colonel Ukundiza Kjerstin, Siege Engineer for the Vanjanan Imperial Army. I have come here to assist with the flight project, I have letters of mark and recommendation from the Representative House and the Jade himself. While the VIA may not have, well, done anything up until now, I have a peer-reviewed design concept for a Heat-Assisted Lifting Mechanism, which people will no doubt refer to as the 'Burner Drive'. As such, I am applying for the Flight Project. I have all the requested papers."

Kwedolobhakalle, United Vanjanan Empire
"Mr. Gwandoya, I still don't see why we can't discuss this in the palace."

Sigfrid and his most trusted adviser, Patrik Gwandoya, had met in the garden once more to discuss the state of the empire, the colonies, what flavor the crushed ice at the next ball should be, the usual things like that. Sigfrid, however, still couldn't see why they had to meet in the garden to discuss such things. Especially the flavor of crushed ice, that had to be kept secret until the ball. Actually, that was really the only thing he wanted to keep secret.

"The Garden is a relaxing place. It takes the stress away." Replied Patrik. The statement surprised Sigfrid, Patrik was usually ice cold.

"Okay then... ah yes! I have an order that must be carried out immediately!" Said Sigfrid, Patrik couldn't tell if it was something important enough to warrant his excitement or if he had simply decided what flavor of crushed ice to use.

"What is it, Jade?"

"I want new ships built, five Barques and one Ship of Line. Our Navy could stand to be more powerful, besides, if Miss Kjerstin's design works, we will want to have something to attach the contraption to. I think a flying Ship of Line would be intimidating and useful. But mostly intimidating." After Sigfrid had finished his statement, Patrik was pleased to know that Sigfrid was actually exited about something important. As well as the fact that Vanjana could afford to build those ships.

"Speaking of Miss Kjerstin, I do find the idea of using steam power in an aerial warship frightening. Yes, it has proven to be useful in limited use within workshops and the like, but within a wooden vessel?"

"All of our scientists say her design is safe, so long as our alum-treated cloth fireproofing works. So farm, it had worked just fine on tapestries. We haven't lost a single one to a knocked over candle since we treated them. Helps with the dying process too. With any luck, humans will soon take to the skies!"

"Are these the same scientists that still say wood is made of fire?"

"No, they're the ones that said that we could fly above the air."

"Oh. Those ones. Well, maybe someone could crank the air... screw... thing."