Light-Bridge Tech

[CRMcNeill]

Light Bridges were originally featured in one of the Clone Wars cartoon episodes. In effect, it was a solid-state energy bridge that could be walked on exactly as if it were a solid surface, so long as there was continuous power supply. There has been some speculation since that the missing bridge on the Death Star (the gap that Luke and Leia had to swing across) was also a light bridge, rather than a retractable physical bridge.

When we think energy in the SWU, we mostly think of it in destructive terms, like the energy fields found in lightsabers, or blaster bolts. The concept of an energy field which can resist physical pressure while not simultaneously inflicting damage on contact is something new and intriguing. Lots of possibilities come to mind:

Open-cockpit airspeeders could actually have light-canopies: energy shield barriers that create a virtual enclosed cockpit.

The workplace safety nightmare rail-less walkways on the Death Star and other Imperial installations could be bordered by light-barriers.

Light-barrier tech could incorporate a holographic component to vary the degree of light permeability, so that a wall composed on energy could appear transparent, opaque or of varying degrees of transparency at need. It could also be multi-colored, or even include imagery.

These are just some shots in the dark to get people thinking. I'd like to hear some more ideas on this, such as the technological limitations, damage/Strength rating, and other potential applications. Obviously, really complex structures would be beyond the reach of standard uses, but IIRC, there was a race somewhere in the Rifts RPG that flew ships whose outer hull was entirely energy, with only an internal frame for crew and pilots...

Thoughts?
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[garhkal]

IIRC in one of the Zahn novels, wasn't there a bridge made of energy over a gathering area??
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[CRMcNeill]

[Naaman]

What about a portable furniture generator that can be used to set up a work station in the field. Or something like temporary shelters that can be carried in a pocket or pouch.

In a similar theme to a bridge, what about a raft for crossing bodies of water?

[CRMcNeill]

[garhkal]

Good point. IIrc those energy beam shields in the Phantom menace did have a static charge to them, looking at how the LS of Maul sparked when it contacted it..
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Whill]

[CRMcNeill]

The films would suggest otherwise. In four of the six films, docking bays use energy shields to contain the air, and do not appear to need them closed even during the heat of battle (the Invisible Hand during the Battle of Coruscant). It'seven possible that the field strength can be varied as needed, being turned down to levels that keep atmosphere contained at normal pressure while allowing solid objects to pass through, or turned up to levels that rival the ship's Hull in durability (recall in ROTS that Obi-Wan was concerned about the Invisible Hand's bay shields still being up as his fighter was approaching it, and Anakin had to take out the shield generator so they could enter the bay).
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Naaman]

Well the ideas I presented were more for emergency/survival scenarios (like an easy up, or for a surface for gutting fish or layint a map, for example), not meant for long term/luxury use.

But, if we are looking for other uses than walls or bridge, I got nothing else for now.

[Jedi Skyler]

Plus, that submersible the Gungans gave to Obi Wan and Qui Gon had energy shields that kept the water out and the air in. That field there would need to be capable of resisting atmospheres of pressure...not just one atmosphere, mind you, but however many atmospheres are added on, the deeper you go, that shield STILL HOLDS. It is, therefore, capable of withstanding a great deal of pressure.

While it might not be pleasant to touch (or may give no adverse sensations at all), such a shield will handle vehicular traffic with no problems.

Provided, of course, there is no interruption in the power source. It would require many, MANY redundant backup power sources, as it would truly suck to have a company of soldiers, or a group of hovertanks, to fall through a failing lightbridge...

[CRMcNeill]

Great visual for a game, though...
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

[Jedi Skyler]

Personally, when I first saw this thread, I was thinking more along the lines of ray shielding being applicable here; without having studied ray shields, I'm simply spouting ideas. However, it seemed like that might be a way to do the visuals...perhaps even ray shielding mixed with repulsorlift technology...

[garhkal]

[CRMcNeill]