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Perils of the world-Life of a Sky sailor
JaegerDelta:
--- Quote from: Lord Dick Tim on May 18, 2013, 12:57:09 am ---So when we are working in a creative writing space and we want to be descriptive, but not flood somebody with techno babble, what's a good way to describe how the wheel is adjusting the thrust of each engine without getting into the mechanical properties?
--- End quote ---
well the simplest system i can think of is a cog inside the steering column that the wheel is on that adjusts two rods on either side. when you turn left the left one goes down and the right one raises and and vice versa. These rods would have to be connected to a throttle on each engine so that when the rod is lowered the throttle is released and when it is raised the throttle is engaged.
but the first half of that (cog and rods) would be sufficient explanation to a layperson not crewing the ship on how the helm functions (all members of the crew should have a fairly good understanding of how everything on it works, with the captain being an expert on everything concerning his/her ship)
Gato Blanco:
Jaeger, we have to remember that the throttle goes both forward and reverse. For example, turning right while going full speed might simply reduce or kill the right engine, while turning right at full stop might put the right engine in reverse and the left ening at full forward. There might be another mechanisim between the sum of the throttle and turning input and the engine itself, something like a differential in a car, kindof.
Thinking more on this, I'd propose that the turning engines are influenced by both the throttle and the wheel. Both can alther the throttle of the turing engines, and only up to a certain extent, say 75% each, whereas the throttle has full control of the thrust engines.
For example, full speed, turning right; 100% left engine, 100% thrust engine, 25% right engine. (leads to a 75% engine throttle difference between turning engines)
3/4 speed forward, turning right; 100% left engine, 75% thrust engine, 0% right engine (100% engine throttle difference between engines)
100 50 -25 (125)
100 25 -50 (150)
Turn right from a standstill; 75% left engine, 0% thrust engine, -75% right engine (150% thrust difference)
Ok so that might not be perfect, but it helps to explain ships turning faster at a standstill.
And for the things that hold the baloons onto the ship, in gas baloons its called the netting line http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_balloon but I could see it being called the tarp, kite, boon, or any combination of those. I prefer the term boon, myself.
Boon boon boon.
Lord Dick Tim:
Wow jaeger, that's exactly what I was hoping for.
Just, wow. How often does that happen?
Another note, what about rope contact points? Anywhere a rope touches a surface, is a place where the rope can get frayed, or could create friction and wear through an object. Does anyone know if that already has a name?
Lord Dick Tim:
Would it be accurate to say, "Get up on the boon and check the netting line for frays" ?
Gato Blanco:
That sounds pretty good to my landlubber ears, Tim.
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