Hypermatter, hyperspace and special materials

[boccione2k]

This is my take on star wars proliferation of incredibily exotic materials and magic space cristals, and on hyperspace medium.

It is estabilished in canon that hyperspace contain hypermatter, and that realspace matter cast a mass shadow on hyperspace.

So in my SWU specific concentration of hypermatter of a peculiar composition cast a "hyper shadow" on realspace. The interaction between hyper shadow and a massive, energetic object (a star core, a planetary nucleus, etc) is responsible for the existance of those rare elements like coaxium, hyperbarides, kyber cristals and such. Naturally, one have to dig deep to reach them (like we see on Solo for the coaxium or in rogue one where Chirrut say that "the strongest stars have a kyber core").

Also, as the realspace is filled with various concentrations of radiation and diffuse hydrogen, so hyperspace is filled with various concentrations of hyperspace equivalents, that react violently with realspace matter.

This creates regions of hyperspace that cannot be traversed even in the absence of mass shadows, or that have to be navigated slowly, until a good understanding of that region dynamic is understood enough to develop a route quicker and safer.

In this way I can explain with enough plausibility how the super materials exist, and I have a framework explaining how the hyperspace "on the road and off road" concept works.


Fell free to shoot holes on this theory, the more tight I can make this the more my group (with two engineers and a nuclear physicist) will be happy!

[Dredwulf60]

I like it.

Some players always want that little extra layer of plausibility.

I personally think the universe is vast enough that strange materials might exist naturally in 'realspace'. Especially in another Galaxy. Some physicists say they can't rule out entire galaxies made of antimatter for instance.

But if you're going to have a thing called 'hyperspace' it will have its own physics to be explored sure enough.

[CRMcNeill]

I'm no fan of the proliferation of magic crystal tech, but a lot of your thoughts on the nature of hyperspace travel parallel my own. My thinking on coaxium is more that it's a naturally occuring, if rare, element that has been found to significantly boost the energy output of hypermatter in reaction chambers.

One theory I've come up with is that a ship's hyperdrive field acts as the equivalent of a navigation shield while in hyperspace, and that impacts with hypermatter particulate (effectively gaseous hypermatter) give off radiation that is detectable by the ship's sensors. Increased radiation levels equal increased particle density in hyperspace, which also creates something of a "drag" effect as a trade-off between drive power, shield strength, velocity, etc. This ties in with the radiation surge result on the Astrogation Mishap Chart; the navcomputer can adjust its speed to reduce impacts, thus reducing radiation levels, but this increases the length of the trip due to lower speed.

Here's a topic discussing the intricacies of Hypermatter in the SWU, which I think you'll find interesting.
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"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

[Whill]

[CRMcNeill]

[Whill]

[CRMcNeill]

[Scots Dragon]

Honestly, coaxium is a plot device best left ignored because it honestly raises more problems than anything else. If hyperfuel's so scarce and valuable, how come the Empire has enough to run not one, but two whole Death Stars, plus fleets of thousands of ships?

Also it's very clearly in Solo purely to bump the rating down to family film.

This is literally the first time we hear of Kessel as anything other than being home to the spice mines. And obviously they didn't want to deal with the obvious issue of the hero of their film being a drug runner and actually depicting that, even though it's been pretty clear that's what Han Solo's been smuggling for decades now.

Coaxium also naturally crystallises, so it's yet more magical space crystal technology.

[CRMcNeill]

[CRMcNeill]

[MrNexx]

[CRMcNeill]

[Whill]

They had droids and slaves of various species there. But that wasn't the point.

[Dredwulf60]

[Darklighter79]