Loren, where we have it, we have it. I cannot guarantee that we have it for each and every species. At this point if it isn't there, then trying to do the research to see when each stage occurred would be time-consuming and far too likely to contain errors and would delay PD Feds probably beyond Origins. I'm not willing to do that.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Friday, March 26, 2010 - 11:14 pm: Edit

No. No delay wished for here. Once PD Feds is out I give the matter some thought. Not that my thinking on it will matter.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, March 27, 2010 - 11:43 am: Edit

Most of the relevant planets were contacted before Y50, and the game is mainly set a century later, so the distinction between Y24 and Y47 is more or less irrelevant.

By Jean Sexton (Jsexton) on Saturday, March 27, 2010 - 12:17 pm: Edit

However, we do provide data for those people who want characters to go forth and explore in those earlier time periods. I would love to see a "discovery and political growth" timeline, but that isn't going to happen in this book. I've been the holdup on this book due to commitments and other projects; now it is time for me to be firm and get this book to press.

(evil grin) And then, I get to start holding Loren's feet to the fire ....

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Saturday, March 27, 2010 - 12:22 pm: Edit

Hmmm, toasty.

By Ryan Opel (Ryan) on Saturday, March 27, 2010 - 12:26 pm: Edit

If Loren's doing the Tholians, wouldn't it be more effective to hold his feet to the cold since Tholians thrive on low temps?

By Stacy Brian Bartley (Bartley) on Saturday, March 27, 2010 - 01:03 pm: Edit

Ryan
Excellent idea! One of the nation's largest producers of liquid hydrogen is not too far from here...
regards
Stacy

By Jason E. Schaff (Jschaff297061) on Saturday, March 27, 2010 - 01:30 pm: Edit

We want to threaten Loren into finishing PD Tholians, not KILL him. Burning hot Tholian + lots of hydrogen = BOOM!!!

By Stacy Brian Bartley (Bartley) on Saturday, March 27, 2010 - 02:18 pm: Edit

Aw...RATS! I was so looking forward to having a USE for a ready supply of liquid hydrogen!

regards
Stacy

By Terry "Full Stop" O'Carroll (Terryoc) on Sunday, March 28, 2010 - 12:36 am: Edit

Jason, only if there is oxygen present! We'll send him by transporter into a Hyran atmosphere!

By Stacy Brian Bartley (Bartley) on Sunday, March 28, 2010 - 01:48 am: Edit

This is a valid point...
regards
Stacy

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Sunday, March 28, 2010 - 01:58 am: Edit

The hydrogen wouldn't explode, if the hydrogen was liqued, i.e., super cold, it is the Tholian that would go boom.

Of course, it would be just as deadly to humanoids, only not as explosive.

What would happen if you let a cryogenic gas loose in a 400° inert gas environment.

By Terry "Full Stop" O'Carroll (Terryoc) on Sunday, March 28, 2010 - 02:03 am: Edit

I'd imagine that the gas would expand pretty quickly... might cause a pressure wave which would cause problems in a confined space.

Hey, let's put that one on the Mythbusters website and see if they do it ;)

By Stacy Brian Bartley (Bartley) on Sunday, March 28, 2010 - 02:34 am: Edit

The results would be indistinguishable from an explosion. Literally. That's what an explosion is (At least a non-atomic one)expanding gases.
regards
Stacy

By Michael C. Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Sunday, March 28, 2010 - 03:05 am: Edit

Stacy,

an explosion is a rapid exothermic reaction with a SUPERSONIC wave front.

under mach it is called a deflagration.

By Terry "Full Stop" O'Carroll (Terryoc) on Sunday, March 28, 2010 - 06:40 am: Edit

Stacy, you sure? I seem to recall that there is a physical (or maybe chemical, not sure) difference between, for example, the primer in a cartridge and the gunpowder. The primer actually explodes, but the powder just produces a lot of hot gas (which expands of course). From what I was told there is a subtle difference.

By Jason E. Schaff (Jschaff297061) on Sunday, March 28, 2010 - 08:22 am: Edit

Michael Grafton:

(Jason enters scholar's parrot mode)
Supersonic reaction/pressure fronts are a characteristic of _detonations_, (usually involving high explosives) not of all explosions. I was rather pointedly "set right" on that fact a number of years ago by a couple of experts on the subject. Also, IIRC, deflagration requires combustion, so the definitional scheme becomes even more complicated.
(Jason exits scholar's parrot mode)

By Michael C. Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Sunday, March 28, 2010 - 10:42 am: Edit

Jason's explanation is better than mine.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Sunday, March 28, 2010 - 12:39 pm: Edit

Well, "explode" has better metaphical utility. One doesn't "deflagrate upon the scene" without suggesting everyone hold their noses.

By Stacy Brian Bartley (Bartley) on Sunday, March 28, 2010 - 02:12 pm: Edit

It's my understanding the supersonic wavefront is expanding gas. I'm not sure that what I said was wrong as much as it was incomplete...

However, I don't care enough about the issue to press the debate.

regards
Stacy

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Sunday, March 28, 2010 - 08:44 pm: Edit

I should clarify that my request was more to do which member species had a relatively late contact (or membership) date - as in during the Middle Years or beyond.

Two examples I can think of from the member list in GPD4e are the Deians (contacted in Y150) and Mynieni (who only really got involved with the wider Federation on the eve of the General War).

Indeed, it would be interesting if any of the new members were contacted during the General War, or even the Andromedan War or post-Unity era for that matter.


But then, I guess any species so lately contacted would probably state as much in their profile anyway, as it was for the two examples mentioned above.


Speaking of the Mynieni, it would be neat to find out more on who the 'Burnishers' they so fear are. (The Andromedans? Xorkaelians? Souldra? Juggernaut empire? Or someone else entirely?)

Although, I suspect that may be left as one of the unknown (and mostly un-noticed, I guess) mysteries of the SFU Federation...

By Jean Sexton (Jsexton) on Sunday, March 28, 2010 - 08:48 pm: Edit

Deflagration, Explosion, Detonation, all go BOOM.

Going BOOM is not conducive to Loren EVER finishing PD Tholians.

No doing stuff to Loren that result in him being unable to keyboard or having to try to possess someone because of his non-corporeal state of being.

By Stacy Brian Bartley (Bartley) on Sunday, March 28, 2010 - 09:00 pm: Edit

Jean
We left torturing Loren behind long ago and were merely discussing the effects of the sudden release of liquid hydrogen into various environments.

Thanks for getting us back on topic of torturing Loren!

regards
Stacy

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Sunday, March 28, 2010 - 09:28 pm: Edit

Be caredful guys, least I fight back with one of my, "Well, not exactly, but I can't talk about it until PDT is published," replies.

And you DON'T want that, now, do you?

By Jean Sexton (Jsexton) on Sunday, March 28, 2010 - 09:29 pm: Edit

Gary, many times the year is mentioned under the planetary survey. I just do NOT have the time at this point in the editing to go back and re-check the work to satisfy your curiosity.

Let's put it this way -- do you want me to edit new stuff or go back and recheck my work? I can do one or the other, not both. If I recheck the work and the date isn't there, I don't have the time to do the research to put it in there AND get the book out before Origins.

Please stop pushing it (as I have asked you to do perhaps more indirectly, privately). Every time I take the time to explain this to you by IM, email, and on the BBS, it is time I am NOT working on PD Feds.