My SWBF2 PC Patch Wish List

[Redtech]

Prepare to be owned by a PHD in physics. (Not me!)

BTW, the comments are the Author's. For such plagarism, I insist you visit the guy's site occasionally. If you want to argue, take it with him. You'll lose.

 

Yes, that cargo capacity is a canonical figure, after correction for misprinted data that made the cargo capacity ten times less (and would have subsequently required Coruscant to use ten times as many ships to deliver food).

 

Do not think about what they do with all the sewage.

Yes, well. So many people wrote to me after #386 to tell me that disposing of sewage and providing food for all the people of Coruscant could be achieved without arable land by judicious use of underground recycling facilities, that I thought it was my duty to point out the other problem that raises...

 

I fully expect another round of arguments in support of the concept of a planet-wide city, so fire away. George, I'm doing this for your sake - I hope you appreciate it.

Wow. 386 and #393 have generated more emails than anything else I've done so far in this comic. It seems there are some people out there still clinging desperately to the shreds of anything in Star Wars being even vaguely plausible.

 

Well, go take it up with Messrs Kelvin and Boltzmann. You can make your social dynamics, city planning, and biology arguments all you like, this is thermodynamics baby. Don't mess with a cartoonist with a Ph.D. in physics. ;-)

 

(And thank you for everyone who actually did write to me. You gave me beautiful inspiration for this strip.)

The saga continues: #386,#393, #396, #399...

 

Admittedly if you haven't studied thermodynamics it's not obvious that Coruscant can't use the waste heat its civilisation generates to run cooling systems. So if you were wondering why I didn't mention this as a possibility, it's because it's not. (Wow, how many negatives can I squeeze into two sentences?)

 

Basically, yes, you can use heat energy to do work. The trouble is the efficiency is always less than 100%, because of Carnot's theorem of thermodynamics. What this means is you can't use heat energy to pump the heat around without also adding some external energy to the system. And this extra energy shows up eventually as waste heat. So not only do you fail to cool things down, you actually make it hotter.

 

Think about your fridge. It cools down the inside. But to do it, it pumps that heat out through the coils on the back. And to move that amount of heat, it consumes electricity, which also comes off the coils as heat.

 

So a civilisation the size of Coruscant generates so much heat simply from all the energy they're using that the planet will reach a temperature of about 500 K (227°C or 440°F) before it reaches equilibrium by radiating a black body spectrum to space (that's another physics lesson for another comic strip) and, because of the laws of thermodynamics, can't do anything to cool itself down*. And no, that doesn't count incoming heat from its sun - which will only make the situation worse. Even if it was in interstellar space with negligible sunlight, they'd still have this problem.

 

So now you know.

 

For those who wish to learn more, try reading about the Carnot heat engine.

 

For those who wish to come up with new excuses for how Coruscant could possibly be realistic, try reading about the Time Cube.

 

;-)

 

*: Okay, smartypants, yes, it could fire high thermal energy particles into space. Eroding the planet fast enough to need those 80,000 Super Star Destroyers bringing in shipments of dirt and rock every day. Not to mention creating a radiation hazard to any shipping in the system that would make ion cannons look like popguns.

I'm sorry. I know this joke has worn so thin it needs to run around in the shower to get wet. I've finished now.

 

Unless I get another funny idea based on this. ;-)

Yet another problem with Coruscant.

 

Star Wars Trivia Fact: Did you know the name of the guy who attempts to sell Obi-Wan the death sticks in Episode II - Attack of the Clones is Elan Sleazebaggano? I kid you not. Who said George Lucas was uncreative?

The saga continues: #386, #393, #396, #399, #417, #420...

 

Yeah yeah, I said in #420 that I was finished with this topic. But the emails keep rolling in, and the possibilities just keep getting bigger! I only have so much self-control...

 

I do want to make one thing absolutely clear though. I am intensely amused by the ongoing discussion over this particular topic, and not at all angry. It's just an act for the sake of the comic. ;-)

 

On the Laws of Thermodynamics:

 

These are physical laws that govern the transfer of energy. They can be explained in simple terms thus:

 

1. The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy is conserved. You can't create energy from nothing, nor can you destroy it. Since heat is a form of energy, you're stuck with it, unless you convert it into some other form of energy or move it away. Since you can't get something for nothing: You can't win.

2. The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that heat will only flow from a region of higher temperature to one of lower temperature. To move it the other way, you need to supply some extra external energy to do the work. So moving energy in any useful direction that doesn't happen naturally requires you to put in additional energy. You can't even use the First Law and say "the total heat content is equal, so just move the heat from the cold place to the hot place" - it won't happen: You can't break even. However, the efficiency with which you move energy around is related to the temperature. The colder the better. If you could get to absolute zero, you could break even, just. But:

3. The Third Law of Thermodynamics states that it's impossible to reach absolute zero. As you make a system approach absolute zero, the process that you are using to cool it down slows down. It sucks smaller and smaller amounts of heat away (and you're using tons of energy to power this über-refrigerator), and you can never suck away that last bit of heat to get it to absolute zero. Since you can't even get to the place where the Second Law lets you do things with 100% efficiency: You can't get out of the game.

 

Physics is a bastard sometimes.

 

Anyone who has studied physics at university, by the way, might recognise an early edition of the venerable Resnick and Halliday (or Halliday and Resnick as I believe they are these days) textbook. Yep, I studied this stuff that long ago.

 

And if you keep reading this comic long enough, you won't need to study physics. You'll learn it all right here. And have a heck of a lot more fun than I did studying thermodynamics, let me tell you.

The saga continues: #386, #393, #396, #399, #417, #420, #431...

 

Before he was so rudely interrupted, Anakin started explaining to Jar Jar why huge heat-radiating fins sticking out into the cold depths of space will not help Coruscant to cool down.

 

Those who remember the material on the Laws of Thermodynamics from #431 might be thinking:

 

But hang on. Space is cold. Pretty darn cold, if I remember rightly. Near absolute zero, in fact. (Though not at absolute zero because I understand the Third Law of Thermodynamics now; clever dick, aren't I?) And from the Second Law of Thermodynamics I know that heat will naturally flow from a hot place to a colder place. So if we build great big towers full of some heat-conducting material, from the surface of Coruscant so tall that they stick out into space, the heat will naturally flow up the towers away from the planet and into the cold of space! Brilliant!

 

Congratulations. You've just come up with an idea that Jar Jar came up with. ;-)

 

So what's wrong with it?

 

Yes, space is cold. But it's also empty. Heat mostly moves by conduction through matter. And there's bugger all matter in space to conduct that heat away. It will leak away, but very, very slowly. Not fast enough to cool Coruscant appreciably.

 

Energy can also be radiated away, as electromagnetic radiation. At the high temperature Coruscant will be, it will mostly be infra-red radiation. Now, I've already taken how much heat radiates from the planet itself into account in working out how hot the planet will be. That's the standard way to calculate the temperature of something in physics: Work out how much energy is being produced, and set it equal to the amount of energy radiated away (they must be equal because of the First Law of Thermodynamics). Solve the equation for the temperature, and there you go.

 

Now, the formula for working out how much energy is radiated from something depends on the temperature and the surface area of the object. So, to radiate an amount of heat sufficient to cool Coruscant appreciably, you need to have those towers have a surface area similar to the size of the planet itself. Which is a lot. And the other problem is all that area will start intercepting the radiation from the planet, making the cooling less and less efficient the more cooling radiators you build.

 

This material is examinable and will be on the test at the end of the semester.

 

Oh, and if you thought you'd never see a Star Wars/Pirates crossover strip, think again!

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[zerted]

*In SiFi, if something is not stated it isn't there, you can always just make it up.

Note, my explanations are how its existance can be explained within the movies, not the real world. You can make up all the tech needed to deal with the problems. There is nothing in the movies that says those technologies don't exist in the SW universe. I'm not saying its possible with today's technology, but that we don't know what we will have in the future and its Si-Fi so you can make anything up.

Anyway, I wish they would fix the respawning bug in the next patch.

[TK-8252]

Star Wars is nearly never realistic. This will come as a painful blow to many people, but Star Wars is science fiction. Fun, lighthearted fiction.

 

Exactly, so if we want tanks to float on water like Jesus, they should.

[Redtech]

So why the big call for everything to be 'realistic then'?

 

By the same argument, you can't prove that Star Wars is not just a Matrix simulation.

[TK-8252]

So why the big call for everything to be 'realistic then'?

 

By the same argument, you can't prove that Star Wars is not just a Matrix simulation.

 

My post was sarcastic.

 

But amphibious vehicles are realistic, so tank droids should be amphibious as they are in RotS.

[zerted]

So why the big call for everything to be 'realistic then'?

People like to have something to complain about.

[Redtech]

TK, you do realise that SWBF doesn't try to fit everything anal in. Otherwise Why do they still use the 'Clone Tank' even though it's never used in the films? Heck, the Empire use it more than the AT-ST! Blargh, arguing over Star Wars is like a man trying to get pregnant..pretty dumb.

 

I will say that irregular webcomic rules though, but I'll quit for now.

 

--------------

Zerted, you may notice I'm a gaming fanboy more than a Star Wars one. It's why I can't stand people who complain about stuff that will not be fixed, rather than suggesting stuff that'd actually be cool.

[Darth Alec]

Bah, what does all this have to do with the patch list anyway?

[MachineCult]

Please add a Space Battle Map before Yavin 4 where we fly to the Death Star and shoot the centre to blow it up.

 

Sounds like a pretty quick Battlefront map, how exactly would it work? Spawn points? Ship hangars?

[Commander Obi-Wan]

Well, for the Rebels, they'd probably make a capital ship near the death star, and the Empire's spawnpoint points would just be the Death Star. Eh, it may should unrealistic, but it's a game, barely anything goes form the main source. (eg. - Star Wars Movies.)

[TK-8252]

TK, you do realise that SWBF doesn't try to fit everything anal in. Otherwise Why do they still use the 'Clone Tank' even though it's never used in the films? Heck, the Empire use it more than the AT-ST!

 

Then apparently they don't even care about getting it right. So they should face critisism.

 

Blargh, arguing over Star Wars is like a man trying to get pregnant..pretty dumb.

 

Actually that'd be pretty awesome.

 

It's why I can't stand people who complain about stuff that will not be fixed, rather than suggesting stuff that'd actually be cool.

 

And why won't it be fixed? Because we didn't complain ENOUGH? Because the devs don't CARE? And we ARE suggesting stuff they'd be cool, such as actually FIXING the game rather than adding more crap.

[Darth Alec]

It's kinda odd that the Empire uses the rep tank more than the AT-ST.

[MachineCult]

Yeah they could have put the AT-ST in Kashyyyk at least.

[Redtech]

TK, I don't believe in futile arguments, it's why I don't vote. Let's just say that Pandemic are a console game company.

 

Also, someone's probably going to suggest something lame like "OMFG SHOTGUN TOO POWERFUL!" and then the 100MB 1.01 patch will nerf it to the weakness of a pistol, then there'd be a patch a year later to make it half as powerful...

 

Actually, I might be cussing EA, rather than Lucasarts.

[Darth Alec]

Nefing the shotgun is bad, very bad. Its the kind of the EA would do.

 

And they probably thought that the AT-ST would be to good on Kashyyk, denying the opponent there cover.

[alex533]

snowmobiles can cross water with ease.

[Darth Alec]

Can they cross deep water?

[Redtech]

Cars can cross water. As can planes, if you take the angle right. So can 18-wheelers. Depends on the depth of water. Even fleas can if it's "just" right.

 

Oh fung this water crap!

 

On topic. I want decent weapon models. I don't care if they're made up, but really. It helps to tell what weapon is being used.

 

Also, who designed the HUD? Goddamn those weapon icons are ugly. Photoshop people, photoshop. Lean and use. The BF1 had better icons and they were in BLUE!

[zerted]

...Also, who designed the HUD?...

Its works better when the water is frozen.

 

I like how they did the reloading and ammo. All the info is right in your crosshair (excpet the sniper which doesn't have one ).

[010_sWitch_010]

I just want random map-list order and optional Medals in Instant Action(War Hero and Elite Rifle make it just way too easy)

[CountDooku]

I like BF1 graphics alright. They were more cartoon stylish and BF2 are more realistic, both are fine with me. I have a problem with the light levels on BF2 though. I would like to see automatic light adaptation in the game so that when you go from a dark room to a bright environment with reflective snow the light settings don't need to be adjusted. I've found a solution which is to set the contrast to 20, but that makes the colors less brilliant and a cloudier picture.

 

Music and sound bugs aren't an issue for me because the award mode noises are so annoying that I turn the sound off.

 

I would like to open up Hoth like it is in story mode. Bring in the wampas and have them ripping arms off without discretion. Make it easier to land a snowspeeder on an ATAT. Allow the detpacks and mines to do critical damage to the neck. Expand the boundaries so you don't fly out so easily.

 

Fill Geonosis with water, put gungans their allowing them to swim undrwater and come up behind the droids pelting them with boombas, and have the vehicles float......just kidding.

 

Allow the frontend resolution to be adjustable.

 

Give the sniper rifle a longer range and either fix the award sniper rifle or allow me to disable it.

 

Bring back thermal det jumping. That was fun.

 

Improved ai. Bots may have been improved in some areas, like the way they snake at you when attacking or the balance they have on the small walkways. But they're very erratic. Sometimes they concentrate fire on me, missing, while I'm standing still and gunning them down like flies on the radiator, and still losing because my team bots can't seem to hold a command post. Sometimes they drop me before I even see them. I don't understand why they shoot at me screaming 'DIE!!!!!DIE!!!!!' when I'm already laying on the ground. Granted, I might use the ounce of life left in me to lift my rifle and blow out their kneecap, but they ignore completely healthy soldiers who are shooting at them.

 

Make the rebel tank rockets shoot straight.

[zerted]

Give the sniper rifle a longer range and either fix the award sniper rifle or allow me to disable it.

 

Bring back thermal det jumping. That was fun.

I don't go for headshots just becasue I don't want the award sniper rifle.

 

Heck ya, thermal det jumping was fun. Sometimes I blew myself up in the air just to attempt to land on the enemy. I died a lot doing this, but it was fun which is more important to me. I was even able to find a gernade jumping sequence to get to the following location: . Not many people looked up this far to find who was sniping them.

[PoiuyWired]

1) Give all vehicles and vehicle seats 1st person view. Its ok if there is no HUD, but at least give us the view!!!

 

2) Toggles to shut down some of the awards.

 

3) Hoth map in story mode made more reasonable.

 

4) A few old map resurrections would be nice... bespin...

 

5) Fix bugs on the award sniper rifle sometimes failing to damage/shoot.

 

6) Bigger damage range or faster explotion time for recon droid. Currently you can't hit jack with that huge warning time. I don't mean they should be like Orbital strike, but at least make them like regular `nades, if not detpacks.

 

7) At least put a simple crosshair for the unzoomed sniper. Its not like people won't put a dot sticker on their screen.

[Jennaida]

02. Music & Sound Bug issues.

(I hear a sound thats like an alarm and its very annoying, but the Music is fine)

 

The 'alarm' you hear /is/ annoying, but not a bug. get guardian or endurance you get one little noise, along with that 'glow' around the char, get war hero, you get another. I forget all ones there are. Get them enough times, and it's permanent. When it's permanent, however, they should NOT keep playing the alarm or showing the damned glow. That's just annoying.

 

5) Fix bugs on the award sniper rifle sometimes failing to damage/shoot.

 

The beam rifle needs a 'cool down' between shots, it should have indication rather than just clicking and it not working however. A lot of times though, headshots do NOT work. seemingly never in fact. That upsets me. You have to aim for center-body with it. I suppose there's no extra 'bonus' for headshots once you get the award rifle, but it makes it VERY hard to shoot people in turrets, a lot of the time.

[Redtech]

Its works better when the water is frozen.

*Bombs*

 

Yeah, the Reticle is very useful. I meant the weapon icons are very ugly.

 

As for the elite sniper. I wish it was more like a railgun and just penetrated thin armour. (Not through tanks, but through STAPS and the like). Perhaps like a anti-vehicle sniper rifle.