UFO Fanfiction Discussion

[Alitorious]

Well, you could always temporarily reassign Rick to whichever squad is going over there...

 

(And I'd better get started on my continuation before I forget all my ideas!)

[Dumb_Commander]

I wont be able to post for the next days or a week, so someone write for my charecters, Charile Urgon, and Jason Bass, they are curently in the UFO fic.

[Snikers]

As long as we're reassigniung ourselves, can Keller go on the Snakeman mission too? She really hasn't been in any sticky situations yet.

[The Veteran]

Everyone wants in on a bit of Chryssalid action That's the last time it'll ever be that way though... I guess I could always make the squad leader sick... Since Rick somehow became a squad sergeant maybe his new duties could see him as a backup leader for the other two squads. Kay sera sera hey! Let's deal with these freaks first yes?

[JellyfishGreen]

I kinda think this Floater/Terror mission is going to be Squad 1's responsibility. Sound good? Or should Squad 2 get another outing?

 

Sorry if the Urban setting is predictable... just like the game. But we can change the buildings around a bit. Financial district Skyscrapers and big glassed matrix-like lobbies?

[The Veteran]

Squad 1 is already geared up and ready to go I think... And yeah we could do with a different setting. Anything is good though.

[Snikers]

Well, let's see. What sort of tone do we want for the mission? Floaters are rarely more than a joke for me - do we want an easy mission? Or do we want a bit of tension? Lots of casualties? Few casulaties?

 

Skyscrapers and office buildings give floaters more room to use their flying abilities, but also means a flying alien will be spotted and perhaps sniped from further away. Such areas are often more open on the ground as well, and means reapers can be caught out in the open. Shrink it down a bit, and you may not notice a reaper until its right on to of you. This starts to put the squeeze on the floaters as well. Cramp it up too much, though, and you get the opposite effect - reapers are big, and if the area is an extremely urbanized ghetto it may have restricted mobility. Floaters have to get down on the ground to attack such cramped conditions as well. Of course, unless you're the home team, ultraurban combat isn't fun for anyone - Alpha team is going to be freaking out. Not to mention, you just can't throw around a flamethrower in such conditions. You could start a fire, and then the whole suburb is up in flames.

 

The type of area you're in could also affect the civilian count. Et cetera. Don't mind me.

[Zager]

Sorry if the Urban setting is predictable... just like the game. But we can change the buildings around a bit. Financial district Skyscrapers and big glassed matrix-like lobbies?

 

I'm just thinking that maybe it's time we shot down another UFO, or hit one while it was landed.

[storm turmoil]

Thats a fair point, but this makes sense because Terror missions do tend to come in clumps, particularly if you aren't shooting down the scouts. since we've been down on shootdowns...

 

but now we have another pilot on base, and possibly a repaired and upgraded or replaced aircracft, we may be able to get more shootdowns.

 

the trouble with Ufo ground missions is that we need reasons for them landing, and we aren't ready for them to be building bases yet.

 

so more shootdowns is a good idea, but maybe after this Terror raid. Maybe if X-com does well, it'll drive the aliens back a bit, and we'll get into a lull, and we'll get less aggression and more small ship activity.

[The Veteran]

Ok one more question for the scientists among us... How do plasma weapons and laser weapons actally work? No crazy photon stuff, just like what noise would these guns make, what colour are they and what damage do they do... It helps to know now so noone freezes midpost later on!

 

Now lets rock, rock on!

[Snikers]

Well, I'm no scientist, but let's see what I can do...

 

Lasers would be invisible. That's the entire point of a laser; all the light energy is extremely tightly focused. If you could see the laser mid-flight, that would mean the light is being dispersed. Just think of a laser pointer, which itself uses (surprise!) a laser.

Of course, we're not using real lasers, we're using antiphotons. As previously mentioned, photons are their own antiparticle (or so is theorized) so this is actually impossible; therefore, it can look like whatever the hell we want it to look like. Of course, if enough antiphotons are straying off in midflight to be seen, we run back into the whole "radioactive suicide gun" fiasco all over again...but we'll just ignore that.

As for sound, lasers are silent. The machinery might make a high whine like a camera flash; it might not. Of course, I don't know what noise an antiphoton generator makes.

 

Plasma? The game really doesn't go into how the plasma weapons work. I always imagined it as a bullet filled with plasma compressed into a solid state. Once the bullet enters the body, it breaks and the plasma expands, causing extreme damage. That's just me though.

In any case, plasma is extremely hot, and would glow white-hot in flight. You'd see streaks of white whizzing by. Of course, in the game they're green.

Since E-115 is evidently an integral part of the machinery, and E-115 is unpredictable based on the fact that it doesn't exist, I have no idea what a plasma weapon would sound like.

[Bomb Bloke]

I vote we stick with what the game suggests in terms of color and noise.

[Zager]

Ok one more question for the scientists among us... How do plasma weapons and laser weapons actally work? No crazy photon stuff, just like what noise would these guns make, what colour are they and what damage do they do... It helps to know now so noone freezes midpost later on!

 

Well, in real life, a laser weapon would be the size of a car, and require that you hold it on the target for five or so minutes to actually do any significant damage.

 

A plasma weapon would kill the user and everybody within a two hundred foot radius the instant you fired it, from extreme exposure to high temperatures and radiation.

[storm turmoil]

Zager's roughly right on the plasma and Lasers.

 

you can see very powerful lasers travelling in air becasue of scattering due to atmospheric molecules. What colour depends on what wavelength of light the laser uses, slightly altered by travelling through the atmosphere and being reflected by atmospheric molecules. you can even see 'invisible' Infrared or Ultraviolet lasers a little this way, and the more powerful the laser, the more it happens.

 

about the only issue with seeing the laser is that you wouldn't be seeing the beam, but rather, because of persistence of vision, you'd being seeing the scattering of where the beam had just been.

 

Current lasers are getting to the point where we can't really decry X-com's laser rifles as impractical anymore. while we aren't down to rifle sized, we are at the stage where a tank, plane or other vehicle mounted laser can put enough energy on a target in a millisecond pulse to vapourise titanium.

 

Plasma is a fourth stage of matter above Gas, in which the extreme temperature has caused the atoms to break up into subatomic particles ( the Nuclei of the gas form Ions, and the free the electrons). because it consists of charged particles, plasma can be contained and accelerated magnetically. (which may be how X-com duplicates the alien weapons; the aliens use Elerium powered Gravitic accelerators to fire a pulse of superheated plasma: Xcom could use a magnetic accelerator as a stand-in)

 

Plasma is coloured dependant on the constituent elements involved. (the aurora borealis or Northern lights is a plasma effect; the pink is from oxygen being inonised into plasma by cosmic rays, which gets trapped along the Earth's magnetic field, the green by ionised Nitrogen that similarly is trapped. Lightning is likewise a plasma effect. Pink lightning is caused when large amounts of Oxygen are ionised simultaneously and all release their light at once)

 

so green plasma bolts is entirely feasible.

 

Like Zager says, though, the radiation release on any plasma weapon would be pretty extreme, because as plasma consists of charged particles, which is what most radioactivity is a form of, anything hit with a plasma pulse would simultaneously suffer a powerful physical impact, searing heat, electrostatic shock, and charged particle radiation sent sleeting through their body. Note that the user mightn't get off so well either; the weapon might have a shielded barrel, but you still catch some rads from firing.

 

not to mention the recoil would be pretty hefty too.

 

now as for killing everyone in two hundred feet, no. give em a few rads towards cancer, certainly, but at the plasma volumes and energies a portable plasma accelerator would require (this is not a fusion cannon; fusion is a whole different kettle of fish), the radiation would be relatively low level (no gamma rays, just beta and alpha particle equivalents from charged particles leaking, and those two have relativley low penetrating power and lose energy quickly) and the temperature for a man portable unit would be way below what I suspect Zager is thinking of, the temperatures required for Fusion.

 

now, for how the bolt would look, we have a few options, based on how fast the accelerator fires it.

 

if it's faster than the threshold for persistence of vision, all you'd see is a glowing 'beam' link the gun and target for a fraction of a second when fired, then probably get horrible afterimages on your eyes of it afterwards. (in other words, horizontal synthetic lightning. try and imagine a lighting strike as a weapon effect.)

 

if the bolts are slower than persistence of vision threshold, then the effect would probably appear as a fast moving glowing coloured fireball.

 

colour of the bolts is dependant on the elements invoved, so we get to pick one part, cause nobody knows the spectra for Elerium 115. if it uses atmospheric gases for plasma, then the bolts would be mostly green (ionised Nitrogen, the most prevalent gas in the atmosphere at 70%) with possibly some pink striations (ionised oxygen, next most prevalent at 20%).

[Alitorious]

Uh... since when is superheated hydrogen radioactive? The only antimatter reaction is within the plasma gun itself, which we can assume contains the radiation with its alien technologyness.

 

Anyways, I figured that what we see as the beam was really dust particles being laser-ed. The whole radiation thing was caused by matter-antimatter reactions wherever the (anti)photons hit. However, considering the entire laser itself is handwavium we can go further and say that this specific reaction produces negligible amounts of radiation - at least the stuff we don't want. (Heat and light count as radiation, too)

 

I always figured that plasma guns were just small quantities of plasma

accelerated magnetogravitically (I believe it was Photon sent me a PM about it, waaaaay back when, about "magnetogravitic.").

The plasma would have to be released at very high velocities because it naturally wants to expand. Plasma is, by definition, positively charged. And, just as "opposites attract," like charges repel.

But I kinda figured that the elerium was used to superheat pellets of "any ol' matter™" which became the plasma. The majority of elerium is used to generate the gravitic and magnetic fields used to accelerate the plasma at ultra-high velocities.

But, really, it would glow white-hot. Or maybe pale-yellow if it's cooler. I don't know enough about blackbody radiation to know if they actually glow bluish-white if heated further, or if that's specific to stars.

The reason we don't see green stars, at least, is because green is in the middle of the spectrum. The percentage of frequencies looks somewhat like a bell curve, I assume, but when the peak is in the green part of the spectrum there are enough of other frequencies to make it appear white to human eyes.

 

Actually, I might be able to explain the green. Perhaps some elerium plasma is ejected, as well. Because of the craziness of elerium, it would generate a gravitic/magnetic field/bubble/effect/crazything that contains the plasma and allows it a greater range. However, superheated elerium reacts with oxygen in the air and the combustion burns green. (Just like green fireworks.) It doesn't have to be diatomic oxygen (what we breathe), either, because the intense heat might split apart carbon dioxide. (I don't remember from chem if it can actually work like that.)

 

 

Something else I wonder, though... in the tactical missions, every gun is drawn as a projectile, even lasers which we know must be beams. However, both laser and plasma cannons (and even the aliens' plasma weapons) are drawn as beams on the interception screen. (The same with the UFOPaedia art for the Lightning.) They must not be drawn as beams in battles because the game can't do it, but maybe plasma guns are supposed to be beams as well?

 

 

End opinion:

Lasers: look like golden beams, with intensity varying with particulate levels in the air.

Golden, because that's what's in the game, and because the odd piece of floating sand, dust, smoke, bacteria, whatever, being vapourized/turned into energy may, from a distance, look golden. (If you looked up close it'd be many pricks of white, though.)

 

Plasma: look like small, very bright, green projectiles moving really really fast. Several mach (or faster? 5%,10% lightspeed?) fast.

Bright, because plasma is PDH. (Pretty Damn Hot)

Green, because elerium-oxygen combustion is green. (Just like barium-chlorine combustion is green)

Fast, because plasma wants to expand (our force-field container disappears because we're making green)

 

 

 

As for sounds?

The electronic components could make whatever sound we want, because the components fabricated out of unobtanium might make just about any sound in their operation. These could even be the "tzeew" laser and "bhwooo" plasma gun sounds.

 

But the stuff itself -

 

lemme get Plasma out of the way first. As I already said, plasma is PDH.

So is lightning. Lightning makes thunder. So, I expect plasma travelling through the air would make a 'crack'-type sound, too, but lesser in scope because we're not superheating several kilometres of air here.

(Hey, regular bullet-guns make a sharp 'crack'-type sound, too. )

 

Similar thing with laser, only it would be quieter because lasers tend to waste less energy. (They weave around air itself - but any particulates the laser lazerizes release a lot of heat which will still do the rapidly-expanding air thing that lightning does.) We can handwave and artistic-license this sound away and go for the sci-fi sound we want.

 

So, really, sound boils down to if we want things to sound like "sci-fi" or gunshots.

 

 

(Edit: I just read storm's suggestion of emission spectra. That's a really good idea to explain colour, too.)

[Bomb Bloke]

We have to fire elerium out of our plasma guns, or else we come up with some other magic mineral to fire. In reality, you just can't fire a plasma - the best use would be a grenade (that is, a small plasma generator).

 

It only works if we can fire the containment field out. This means the plasma can remain intact, and even gives us a valid reason to not fry everything in the path of the blast - it's all held in check inside the projectile.

 

The plasma would have to die before the elerium slug, though. The remaining 'bullet' doesn't have to be usable for anything, we've just already been stated in the fic that plasma shots have a solid object in them that survives being fired.

 

It's also logical on the basis that if the slug died before the plasma, then there'd be no field to stop the stuff making a great big hole where it came to rest. We've already had people survive plasma shots (even if not for long), when reality suggests they should just whip right on through and leave a hint of a bloody mist behind.

 

It seems likely the aliens would limit the power of their weapons (to take captives etc) - the Heavy Plasma, while very powerful and impressive looking, really isn't that heavy, and could technically do a LOT more damage.

[JellyfishGreen]

Whatever explanation we make up for the weapons, assume today's quibbles are ironed out. Visible laser and plasma bolts may be afterimages or ionized air molecules (color depending on energy frequency) or backscatter ( a small percentage of energy beam converted to light through molecule interaction). And obviously a killing amount of energy is delivered to the target through design. Whether or not it actually kills the target is then dependent on armor and aim and vital organs. Don't know if that helps - I just wanted to say "don't worry about it". It's in the game and therefore in our story world somehow.

 

Reapers in the city - Good point on the wide open spaces. How about a parking garage? With one elevator, two ramps, and a reaper trying to flip up the car you're hiding under? And Ive always liked shopping malls, especially the kind with open multistory atriums so the floaters can get around more easily.

 

BombBloke: Splitting into chapters for printablility (locking previous chapter topics) sounds like a good idea. The first chapters would end up at the bottom of the forum topic list after a while, unless they're pinned as well.

[Bomb Bloke]

The initial split I've made means the fic can once again be displayed in print preview mode. I'm fairly certain the second chapter has ended, but I can't find where... If it hasn't, then it should end soon.

 

That and a few other changes clears the fanfiction section up quite nicely, I think.

[Dumb_Commander]

"I dont know what to post. So I'am asking what should Charlie Urgon or Jason Bass do? "

[Dumb_Commander]

"Well?"

[JellyfishGreen]

OK, some research to help the creative juices of y'all:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Buenos_...erto_Madero.jpg and the Wikipedia article

https://www.argentour.com/bsas56i.html

https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=bu...+aires&t=h&om=1

 

Also since we've got floaters and the rather PC-packed Squad 1, the weather forecast predicts a light body count, but have we got any characters willing to add their names to the monument? While I'm at it, any suggestions as to who gets injured/incapacitated and can't go into the next mission now, or should we go ahead and write and let the limbs fall where they may?

 

(To tell the truth, the ever-absent Warlord is looking more and more to me like he should be renewing his life insurance. Maybe not this mission, but soon, soon...)

[Dumb_Commander]

What about if one of my charecters would go on that mission, Charlie Urgon preferably.

I'am thinking that Charlie would be injured by a Reaper, the Reaper just runs into him at full speed, Charlie will get an concussion and will be in a coma for 3-4 days.

 

Okay, i've looked at the picture. Theres a parking spot in the right part of the picture, let the troops land there, but such way that the when they're out of the ship they will be pinned down by a floater sniper at the crane near the water.

Edited May 4, 2006 by Dumb_Commander

[Dumb_Commander]

I've decided to make some charecter development instead of going on a mission. I've also changed my Charecter a litle, mainly his callsign, his personal info and background info.

[The Veteran]

That is very possibly the longest fanfic post I've ever written! 1500+words, a bit excessive I know but if I don't do it then who will

 

Anyway we're en-route, nearly there in fact so we need people in here right now to take control of their characters!

 

Just for a quick refresher, I know I've done the proper quick ref now but this is an even quicker one here's people and guns...

 

Laser Rifle

Rick Osmond Chez "Ping"

This is my character, Squad leader and primarily rifleman. As squad leader is first to be equipped with experimental weapons

 

Auto cannon

Jack Thomas "Warlord"

Warlord's character, second in command and often Rick's target to trade experimental lasers for regular weaponry

 

Pistol

Tamara Hilliard "Tammy"

Tammy's Character, medic armed with pistol or other sidearm

 

Laser Pistol

Tim Day "Timmy"

Carlos's character, pistol scout

 

Rifle

Jack Donovan "Ripper"

Rasicar's character, a rifleman

 

Heavy Cannon

Jack Howitz "Bomber"

Bomb Bloke's character, a self styled sapper and medic

 

Laser pistol

Greg Conner "Ghost"

Filler by the looks of it, a rifleman

 

Rifle

Johann Ibsen

Spaceman 42's character, a rifleman

 

Flamethrower

Bob Jennings "Stump"

Snikers's character, a rifleman

 

Plasma pistol

Ki-tat Chung

Ki-tat's character, technologically minded so may specialise in laser/plasma weaponry

[FullAuto]

You need to edit your post, mate, you've posted a big section of it twice.

 

And I don't know it Howitz is up to lugging around the heavy cannon...or do I have him confused with someone else?