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Thread: 22nd century lasers!?!

  1. #1
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    Question 22nd century lasers!?!

    The CODA narrators guide mentions "22nd century lasers"- is this in any way supported by canon? Or did they invent it?

    If so, why not go with plasma which is according to canon?

    //KJB

  2. #2
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    In "The Cage" and "Menagerie", Pike and his crew refered to their sidearms as "lasers". So I'd say lasers are canon-based.

    As for plasma weapon, they were introduced as part of Star Trek canon in "Enterprise", which the Core Books were honestly not written to include as they were being written before and just after the series premiered. You want plasma weapons? They'll be in the "Enterprise" Sourcebook (which comes with the LE).
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    ???

    So first there is plasma weapons, then phasers (ENT) and then lasers, and then phasers again (TNG)? Is there som logic here, or is it just *kof* "don't ask"?

    Or could it be that the episodes which had lasers where parts of the first pilot and that "lasers" where subsequently changed/retconned to "phasers"? And if so, why are they in the book?

    //KJB

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    You're trying to assign internal consistency to a franchise which didn't value it much in its early years, and which seldom considers it in its later years. You're trying too hard and taking it way too seriously. It's a game based on a TV show. Roll with it.
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  5. #5
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    Ah. thanks!

    This means it's a *kof* "don't ask". My players get a lot of those.

    "But why can't we arm a couple of holograms and..."
    "But if we've got nanites why..."
    "Can I get an SMG instead of a phaser? Since no one has armour anyway..."

    //KJB, satisfied

  6. #6
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    It's lasers, plasma, phase cannons, and then phasers. The phase cannon is the precursor to the eventual invention of the phaser.
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  7. #7
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    So they had lasers before plasma? How do you know?

    What is the difference between a phase cannon and a phaser?

    And where do you learn all this?

    //KJB

  8. #8
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    IIRC in Broken Bow they were using laser pistols. Either later in that episode or shortly after it (2nd or 3rd?) they finally recieved "phase pistols" which were supposed to be experimental or at least cutting edge of tech.

    You could do what I've been doing. Enterpirse isn't cannon yet. It's a divergent time-stream from the rest of the ST universe brought about my tampering from the future.
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  9. #9
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    Oh lord, now I'm confused...!

    Isn't it plasma pistols they use in Broken bow?

    Alternate timestream? Que pasa?

    //KJB

  10. #10
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    Lightbulb

    Originally posted by Profit
    So they had lasers before plasma? How do you know?
    Basic science. We have lasers now...in 2151 plasma weapons are prevailant. Thus (follow along with me) lasers then plasma...
    What is the difference between a phase cannon and a phaser?
    This is covered in the "Enterprise" sourcebook in a little detail. Mostly we focus on the difference between plasma-based weapons and the phase cannon as to illustrate why the NX-class now uses this awesome new weapon. (And by association, the nify new phase pistols that are being adopted as the sidearm in Starfleet.)
    And where do you learn all this?
    Two parts imagination, four parts research, and one part common sense. Actually, I took a distance learning class on "Star Trek and Canon: How to Live With it and Not be Anal."

    I can give you the number if you'd like.

    [Edit] Added smiley.
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  11. #11
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    Originally posted by Don Mappin
    Two parts imagination, four parts research, and one part common sense. Actually, I took a distance learning class on "Star Trek and Canon: How to Live With it and Not be Anal."

    I can give you the number if you'd like.
    I think you're going to have to give out that number...as I recall, Captain Pike (beeping wheelchair guy) may have had hand phasers...but the ship was still armed with lasers during the Talosian incident.

    Its also quite possible to say that Enterprise (NX-01) was completely experimental (hence the NX)...and I mean everything...warp drive, transporter, weapons...etc. Perhaps some of it worked great and was immeadiately incorporated into newer gear and some of it was full of bugs and they held off on its usage. Maybe the phase cannons on the ship didn't work out and they went back to lasers...this has happened in the real world...and until they worked out the bugs the original Constitution class was armed with lasers. If you think about it, when they first tested the phase cannons they a)almost blew up the ship and b)carved out the Grand Cannyon on some asteroid. Think about how long the weapons officer took to align the missiles.

    Just more to think about.
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  12. #12
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    LDL Classes

    "Two parts imagination, four parts research, and one part common sense. Actually, I took a distance learning class on "Star Trek and Canon: How to Live With it and Not be Anal."

    "I can give you the number if you'd like."

    Could we have that number?

    Ronin84
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  13. #13
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    Post Star Trek meets reality

    Originally posted by Shoshuro
    IIRC in Broken Bow they were using laser pistols. Either later in that episode or shortly after it (2nd or 3rd?) they finally recieved "phase pistols" which were supposed to be experimental or at least cutting edge of tech.
    Nope, phase pistols appeared in "Broken Bow." The farmer in the beginning shot Klang (?) with a "plasma rifle."

    Most 22nd century species use plasma-based weapons with lasers on the way out. The phase pistol/canon is the next evolutionary step and are better than these plasma-based weapons. Logic suggests that these weapons serve as the basis for sidearm and ship-mounted phasers at some later date (and are widely adopted by the 23rd century).

    As for the laser/plasma question, I don't see this as a problem. We have lasers right now, so clearly the next evolution is to plasma-based at some point. As for "The Cage" and such, we'd knock that off as a throwaway line from a pilot that's over 30 years old when no one was paying attention or worrying about science or consistency on a weekly television show at all.

    An important thing to remember is that the day plasma weapons are invented everyone doesn't just suddenly throw away their laser weapons. Even after new technology is invented it takes decades for it to be embraced mainstream. That's why you'll continue to see phase pistols, plasma weapons (the EM-33), and even slug throwers (the Mark 33/34) in use in the 22nd century.

    My last point is that if you do some scientific research, you will see there is a very thin line between laser and plasma. Meaning, you could quite easily interchange the nomenclature for one to describe the other. (Scientists are experimenting with plasma to help control laser light. Current laser-plasma simulators exist today.) http://www.llnl.gov/CASC/alps/alps.htm

    Think outside the box.
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