A Gaping Logic-Shaped Hole (aka: Lila is a Nerd):
I always wondered why, in space shows like Star Trek, when the crew sees a ship in the view-screens, it's always facing right-side-up. Space is three-dimensional, right? So if a ship launches from a planet, it's not going to shift its orientation to face a certain way. There is no up or down in space. If the x and y-axises are different when ships run into each other (and they are), so should be the Z. But no. All the ships are always 'upright'. You'd think sci-fi writers would take something like that into account when they go into so much detail otherwise.
...Of course, no one ever explains how all the aliens speak English, either.
posted by Lila @ 00:52
6 Comments
6 Comments:
Wow... I'd never thought about that, but you're right. I guess a Klingon bird of prey just wouldn't be as intimidating if it were sideways. And it would be confusing for viewers if you saw a ship from a different angle every episode.
-Chicago
I know in star trek they all carry universal translators with them at all time, in hitchhikers there is the babble fish... and in doctor who the tardis telepathically translates for you.... i like to think it translates for all scifi every wehre as well...
did you ever think that maybe the ships are upsidedown but the view master just rotatess the picture for you?
But what if there are multiple ships?
The aliens in Star Trek often look like humans and speak English because they were all seeded around or galaxy by a now-extinct race. The communicators are also linked to the ship's computer to translate if necessary.
The view-screen can zoom, pan, tilt, and rotate to make viewing easier for the captain and crew. A level view of the shit makes strategizing easier and also reduces the likelihood of disorientation. When multiple ships fly together, a formation is maintained to make maneuvering easier. It is well within the navigation computer's ability to keep a ship level with it's counterparts in a fleet.
you also have to consider weapon placement. the ships cannons cant point in every direction, even if they are on turrets. so if you have all your cannons mounted the same direction then that is the direction you are going to point your ship when to engage it. Same thing except opposite with engines/thrusters. this is touched upon in enders game in the battle room when ender would freeze his legs then shoot through them.
-Tommy M
Universal Translator FTW. I mean, hell. Have you ever watched Voyager? That shit can translate alien languages they've never encountered before they even start speaking!
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