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What type of shield should be used?
All of these 5 (50%)
Energy-based shield 1 (10%)
Heat-shield 1 (10%)
Repulse shield 0 (0%)
Energy-based and Heat-shield 0 (0%)
Heat-shield and Repulse shield 0 (0%)
Energy-based and Repulse shield 1 (10%)
None of these 2 (20%)
Other (Please Explain) 0 (0%)
Total Votes: 10
NotS: Shields poll; Polls are open.
Topic Started: Feb 8 2008, 11:31 PM (207 Views)
Eleytheria-Duo
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Resident Bystander
While those I've talked to about NotS agreed that there should be some form of protective shields for large space vessels, we're having a harder time coming to a common agreement on what KIND of shield, if any or perhaps all of them as types of shields to use.

If we decide to withdraw them altogether, there will need to be some radical changes made to the general story that has occurred so far, vote with both this and possible pros/cons in mind.

Energy-based shields is basically the kind you see in sci-fi goodie movies, they are basically a one-way shield that allows the ship to fire out of them while taking little, if any, damage in return until the shield is hit enough to "drain" to power down.

Fairness Pros:
- Allows for any weapon to drain the shield and deplete its energy reserves.
- Powerful weapons have an effect on the shield, as they detonate as if impacting solid matter.

Fairness Cons:
- Makes vessel impervious to all harm as so long as shield is functional.
- Extremely unfair to smaller nations who may not have many shield-capable vessels or means to combat them.
- Some players may try to make "Super shields" that can take a hell of a beating.


A Heat-shield is more realistic with RL research actually being done on this, utilizing a "hot zone" between an object (in our case a ship) and open space. Still highly theoretical. For our RP purposes, it would be an excellent defense against *solid* objects, such as shells, missiles etc.

It would not be as good defending against Laser weaponry and other high powered directed energy weapon, which would pass through the hot zone unaffected and strike the defending vessel.

Fairness Pros:
- Would prevent ships from being completely invulnerable, no matter how strong the shield.
- Just as the ship is shielded from enemy solid objects, it cannot retaliate with solid objects for the duration the shield is up.
- Explosions outside the shield, if large enough, can still damage the ship inside the shield, and vice versa.

Fairness Cons:
- May put overemphasis on use of Laser weaponry and Directed-Energy weapons.
- Shield does not "drain" in the process of destroying solid objects or when energy weapon fires through it, necessitating a waiting period for energy powering the shield to run out.

Repulse shields are something like heat shields in that it protects against solid materials, but instead of destroying a solid object, it "repulses" objects, such as missiles or shells, or even small space craft, away from the ship.

It does not stop energy weapons at all, and in general is not nearly as effective a shield as the other two.

Fairness Pros:
- Shield can be overwhelmed with solid objects if energy supplied isn't enough to repulse all of the objects.
- Doesn't allow ships to be impervious from any form of harm, solid or otherwise.

Fairness Cons:
- May try to be used to "push" even extremely large space vessels aside in warfare.
- May try to be used to push enemy ordnance back at hostile vessel equipped with same shield, resulting in the ping-pong effect.
.
.
.
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Overall evaluation:

Energy-based shield
Can be drained and allows any form of physical damaging weapon to ebb away at the vessels defenses, but makes damaging the ship next to impossible until the shield is fully down. Some players may have different opinions as to how strong their shields are, leaving inconsistencies.

Heat-shield
Destroys all physical objects that passes through the heat layer including defended vessels own physical weapons and Lasers can damage the vessel, however it does not loose energy if an object is destroyed in the heat field. Will provide general consensus to what can damage a vessel and what cannot without much argument.

Repulse shield
Does not provide total protection from any form of weapon, giving an all-round base for fairness, but may be used in unusual ways that could result in ping-ponging and vessel pushing. Can result in space wars turning into space games.
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This has to be the most unusual poll I have ever had to do ... Cast your ballots...

Edit-
FYI I null voted as I was the creator of the poll.
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Austro-Bayern
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Prime Minister Adolf Galland
 *  *  *  *  *
Hell, each nation should be able to use what they want IMHO.
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Quaon
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A Prince Amoung Men-Shoot First and Ask Questions Later
I'm personally of the mind that shields should be rare, and only found in the best navies of the galaxy.
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New Harumf
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Bloodthirsty Unicorn
Shields are theoretical, at best. Creating heat in a vacuum seems absurd. One way shields seem illogical. Magnetic repulse seems the most plausable. Cloaks of invisibility also seem somewhat plausable.

This is too early for a poll, and since there are other alternatives not mentioned (like gravatron shields, energy-absorbing outer skin, etc, etc, etc) this needs more discussion.
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Nag Ehgoeg
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The Devil's Advocate

New Harumf
Feb 9 2008, 09:41 AM
Shields are theoretical, at best. Creating heat in a vacuum seems absurd.

Right. Because there's no way heat can travel in a vacuum *cough*radiation*cough, cough*. But I see your point.

Quote:
 
One way shields seem illogical.

But the Vulcans use them! Good point though. Perhaps if energy shields weren't uni-directional it'd be more balanced - shield or shoot but not both.

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Magnetic repulse seems the most plausable.  Cloaks of invisibility also seem somewhat plausable.

Repulse shields. Yes. Magnetic repulse... my weapons are made of depleated uraninum. It's non-magnetic. Fail.

Quote:
 
This is too early for a poll, and since there are other alternatives not mentioned (like gravatron shields, energy-absorbing outer skin, etc, etc, etc) this needs more discussion.

Personally, I'm all for a (reimagined) BSG style navy - no shields. Big old armour plates.
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flumes
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CLEVELAND ROCKS!
I voted for all... With all, some would obviously cost more then others... This would be nice to allow all nations some equal-ness to each other, yet show the difference in military power at the same time...
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