🚀 go-pugleaf

RetroBBS NetNews Server

Inspired by RockSolid Light RIP Retro Guy

Article View: alt.games.descent
Article #680

Descent Vacuum? NO! Gravity? YES and NO!

#680
From: bra... Brandon S. Dewberry
Date: Mon, 13 Feb 1995 23:18
29 lines
1867 bytes
Jeff Vanerwegen <van...@pr.erau.edu> writes:
>Who told us the mines were a vacuum? Who said they were low (or no) g?

I don't know why it matters to me whether you guys see it the right
way or not.  Basically, we are arguing the points:
1) a (non-vacuum) atmosphere is simulated in Descent, because
 a) sounds propagate,
 b) fans exist and seem to be swooshing something
 c) explosions flame
 d) air resistance decreases forward velocity

There's really no reason to suspect that an atmosphere does not
exist.  There's no indication that it doesn't.

2) Gravity has conflicting cues.  In some cases it exists,
others not.
It is _not_ simulated in Descent, because
 a) the vehicle does not require constant "upward" translation
 b) missles don't arc through space
 c) robots, powerups and ammo hang, spinning in mid air.
On the other hand, it must be there because
 d) lava stays on the "floor".
 e) hostages stand on the floor - they aren't floating around.
 f) all planets have gravity.  You can't turn it off.  Unless...

Not having gravity simulated enhances the game.
Having lava which isn't floating around in globs enhances the game.

Brandon
Technical Details
Message-ID: <3hopbe$8d2@hammer.msfc.nasa.gov>
Path: mbox-mo1.pugleaf.net!nntp.gmd.de!newsserver.jvnc.net!netnews.upenn.edu!dsinc!newsfeed.pitt.edu!godot.cc.duq.edu!news.duke.edu!news.mathworks.com!newshost.marcam.com!zip.eecs.umich.edu!caen!night.primate.wisc.edu!news.larc.nasa.gov!news.msfc.nasa.gov!caribou.msfc.nasa.gov!not-for-mail

Show Full Headers
Complete Article Headers
Path: mbox-mo1.pugleaf.net!nntp.gmd.de!newsserver.jvnc.net!netnews.upenn.edu!dsinc!newsfeed.pitt.edu!godot.cc.duq.edu!news.duke.edu!news.mathworks.com!newshost.marcam.com!zip.eecs.umich.edu!caen!night.primate.wisc.edu!news.larc.nasa.gov!news.msfc.nasa.gov!caribou.msfc.nasa.gov!not-for-mail
From: bra...@gaia.msfc.nasa.gov (Brandon S. Dewberry)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,alt.games.descent
Subject: Descent Vacuum? NO! Gravity? YES and NO!
Date: 13 Feb 1995 23:18:06 GMT
Organization: NASA/MSFC
Lines: 29
Message-ID: <3hopbe$8d2@hammer.msfc.nasa.gov>
NNTP-Posting-Host: caribou.msfc.nasa.gov
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit