The Space Opera Working Thread

Ou la la...Scurvy and Whisper it some hot kissing.

Hey Silo am I supposed to slap you on the back, hang you upside down?
Where are you under the bed? How am I going to think to look under the bed for you? You could die. Help!

reply to post by cindymars


I think Miss Cindymars that I may have to write you in as a voyeur here soon

I apologize for my absence as of late my friends. Life's been hectic and I've been struggling to keep up with the opera. I believe it should be a bit easier from here on out though.

Have to say: You guys on the Penny are freaking hilarious. So much insanity! I love it. Poor luder just can't seem to keep up with all of your issues. Excellent work gentlemen.

Ahoy Yydryl

We will take your boat. We will have our way with t' beauties and steal her gold and booty.

AYE


Good to see ya back. Cant wait until the ships hook up.




[edit on 7-5-2009 by SLAYER69]

reply to post by SLAYER69


Say what about our booty?

Scurvy! Glad to see you home, and really enjoyed your last post, you better get your buttsss to the bridge as you are going to FREAK when you look out the port bow... They should be well within sight now, just be sure that we keep the cloaking device activated...

Oh how cool - so we re going to meet the Penny!
This is gonna be great.

Oh and Slayer - put that thing away!



Cindywars - you have U2U

Welcome back Scurvy!

Well, I THINK I've done my last, FINAL final edit on my post... and I THINK I got everything covered.

reading behind yourself.... it's a curse!

The most recent post was the post I wanted to be still in the brig for. I can be broken out of jail now.

It's based after this scene



I couldn't resist adding that little link attached to Wacko!!!

He hasn't actually lost it but he's coming close. The top has a long list of words but one word is left out. The link adds that word with an "oh yes and one more thing...."


EDIT:

In a lighthearted way that post attempts to joke of the many things conspiracy theorists are called.

[edit on 8-5-2009 by Studious]

[edit on 8-5-2009 by Studious]

Originally posted by silo13
Oh and Slayer - put that thing away!

It's just a hand scanner I swear!



OK we are secured, Everything's a go lets hook up with the Yydryl

I'm dying to try some Uman Stew

ummm...
wait err.

OH Never mind.


[edit on 8-5-2009 by SLAYER69]

Originally posted by SLAYER69


OK we are secured, Everything's a go lets hook up with the Yydryl

I'm dying to try some Uman Stew

ummm...
wait err.

OH Never mind.


[edit on 8-5-2009 by SLAYER69]

Slayer, you scare me, you really do. I was just beginning to think there was at least one sane member of the Penelope crew. Shot THAT right down, didn't ya?

Silo: How am I to picture your physical form? I know you're a shape-shifter, but what's your usual form? I've gathered you have hands, feet, a chest, a head, and what I like to think of as eye-stalks, and that you prefer to run around nekkid

Cindymars I have as a combination of her "super hero" picture and her avatar.

For the life of me, Whisper and Scurvy are forever stuck in my head looking like the tentacled captain from "Tripping the Rift". Sorry 'bout that.

I've got Loam as a green humanoid, and Antar as a humanoid as well.

You all already have a pretty good view of the general construction plan of us U-mans. Since you've seen ours, we need to see yours!

That Is me a cross between that super hero picture and Zhan from "Farscape" my avatar pic.

I just wanted to say I can't get on the story thread again from my home computer.

Edited to add:

Studious .
That was funny.

[edit on 9-5-2009 by cindymars]

reply to post by nenothtu


Numerous edits later my last post is finished (for the moment).
Sorry about all the mistakes, I shouldn’t post before doing some better editing.

Studious - Thanks for my laugh of the day - I got a huge kick out of your last post!

Cindymars, again, sorry for the mistakes - I’ve edited (and edited and edited) the last post.

Nenothtu - Cindy the Leisure Officer is a blue bombshell. Me? I’m a little scrawny female type humanoid thing with big eyes, lavender spiky hair and two antenna on top. If it wasn’t for the antenna I’d look almost human.

Slayer - you’ve done it again.
FAB POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looking forward to seeing you all on the bridge.

peace

[edit on 9-5-2009 by silo13]

After a HORRIBLE morning watching Tornadoes cruz past my house for about an hour and a half... and the power going out until midnight tonight, hey btw, I was in the kitchen by candle light with my 10 year old son saying, "You know it's kind of nice with just the candle light..." And the lights finally came on!

I said TURN ON The COMPUTER!!! As I started the dish washer and started blowing out the ambience.

Yes I am rushing a bit here as I drank a TON of warm ice tea all day long, Lol!

Kids were in school and it really was a very scary experience, trashed out the neighborhood, ripped up trees the size of volkswagons tore up barns and leveled homes...

The grcery stores were in the dark with NOthing on the shelves. I need to make a thread... Wow.

Any way back on thread topic, I am very excited to meet the U-mans and am ready when you guys are, just hope the tornados keep away from my comp!

reply to post by silo13


I see... so what I mistook for eyestalks were antennae, and your eyes are in the regular human place. Little... scrawny... big eyes... Sounds like one of them there little gray fellers what keeps harassing my cattle, but with antennae!


Just kidding. I don't think local zoning ordinances allow for cattle. Just ANOTHER good reason to get out of here.

Gotta git, so I can re-program my mental images.

Edit: I just re-read your post edits. Evidently the antennae ARE eye stalks as well. Four eyes, hmm... That means instead of having stereo vision like humans, you have quadrio vision, or whatever you'd call it. That ought to be like 3d in 3d. Very interesting concept! My, little one, what big depth perception you have! I read too many fairy tales, don't I?





[edit on 2009/5/9 by nenothtu]

reply to post by nenothtu


Gads you're right! You brought out something I hadn't thought about.

They are eye stalks! Not Antenna... Or are they...

I thought those things on snails - the little wandy things with eyes on the top were antennae - when maybe they are eye stalks... Oh bother...

Well anyway, yeah, I’m a four eyes...
So I’m watching my back for big bad *Woofs*...

I should probably post a pic of what I really look like, but one person here on the Space Opera has seen me and well, the comment was *You’ve got a bad camera then huh*?
rotfl

See ya!

reply to post by silo13


Yup, that would make 'em eye stalks. Snailish things were what I had in my head. Of course, that DOESN'T mean they can't have additional functions as well. Lined with special sensory cells. Like moth antennae - they use 'em for smelling. Ever notice how a wolf throws it's head up in the air to catch a scent? The call that "winding", 'cause that's where the wind is that carries the scent.

Or like human babies, who are born with taste buds on their cheeks, and gradually lose the ones outside their mouth over time.

Maybe multi-purpose organs - already have sight, and presumably touch, might add scent, taste, or heck, even things humans can't imagine, like infrared (that would be handy to find warm things - snakes use it all the time) or magnetism (they say birds use that for navigation) or any one of dozens of things. Sky's the limit.

Maybe one set of eyes sees into a different, humanly invisible, part of the spectrum. The way bees can see ultraviolet.

The 4-way depth perception thing sort of blows my mind. It would probably make a human dizzy as could be. Think what the world looks like when you're standing up, and what it looks like when you're laying on your side. Now combine the two. See what I mean? I bet it would come in handy for things that have to move in 3 dimensions, and quickly get accurate handholds, though. Like something that lives and moves through treetops.

Another thing about depth perception. The separation distance of the eyes determines how far one can perceive depth. For example, the average human eye separation is 2 1/2 inches (around 6 1/4 cm), and with that, the average human can perceive depth to around 712 feet. Wider separation allows for further depth perception. Eyes at the ends of stalks that can be adjusted for height and separation would lend a whole new depth to things.

Scrawny is also just the thing for moving arboreally, or through hedgerows and such. There appears to be a lot more to the character than meets the... erm... eye.

I tend to break cameras, too. That's why there are so many pictures of me around with those silly black band across my eyes. Have to put 'em there to keep ME from stealing the CAMERA'S soul.

reply to post by nenothtu


Nenothtu - Thanks!

The 4-way depth perception thing sort of blows my mind. It would probably make a human dizzy as could be. Think what the world looks like when you're standing up, and what it looks like when you're laying on your side. Now combine the two. See what I mean? I bet it would come in handy for things that have to move in 3 dimensions, and quickly get accurate handholds, though. Like something that lives and moves through treetops.

That makes me dizzy just thinking about it! Thank goodness I was born with all four eyes so I’m used them, but, it’s still a pretty outlandish thought.
As for trees I can’t wait until I get a few on Ship. Will be a blast to start *swinging*... (No pun from the peanut gallery)...

Back to my *Stalks*... It’s going to have to be a mix antenna and eye stalkers. I’ll keep *winding* in mind for later when I’m outside and can catch a whiff of something or someone...

No way! Baby’s cheeks have taste buds??? Learn something new every day around here. (And who said having fun couldn’t be informative too)...

Eyes at the ends of stalks that can be adjusted for height and separation would lend a whole new depth to things.

I’ll have to keep that in mind - might come in really helpful in one way or another in the S.O. (That and as soon as I’m done here I’m going to go measure my eyes for real. I’ve always been a great long distance shot (.223 for example) - I wonder if It’s cause I’ve big wide set eyes? Seems it might be at that.

Scrawny is also just the thing for moving arboreally, or through hedgerows and such. There appears to be a lot more to the character than meets the... erm... eye.

Yes, I’ve go to get the knack of getting it through to the readers I’m able to morph but not shape shift. In other words I can’t just say *I wanna be a tree* and *poof* I’m a tree - I'd need the actual tree to *climb inside of* (so to speak).
And my morphing abilities are severely limited - lacking.
Oh well, it will be much easier when I’ve surroundings other than just Ship to work off of - but - I shouldn’t blame the instrument for my lack of playing well - If you get what I mean. (Which I’m sure you will)...

Steal the camera’s soul? Now that’s an interesting though. I wonder what kind of soul a camera would have?
One full of coveting I’d presume, no?

Thanks for the post and the help and the info and the smile.

peace

ok, another design coming up and perhaps it may be just in time.

What I've done is come up with a shuttle for the Yydryl. I initially was trying to go organic but I'll admit I ran into some problems. I figure that the Rigelians would go with a inorganic shuttle design instead of a organic. That would alleviate several problems with an organic design such as Heat/Cold, Avoiding burning up upon reentry, thruster systems, flight avionics, poisoning your own shuttle upon encountering a poisonous atmosphere etc. I figure in a concession to those who would like a organic design however the shuttle is rather beetle shaped. I figure that should work pretty decently.

ok, on to stats assuming that you go with the design. Like anything that I've created feel free to modify what it can and can't do to fit in with your story. In other words this is a guideline only.

Total crew capacity:
10 counting Pilot and co pilot.
(More can be fit in an emergency for short duration)

Both space and Multiple atmospheric capable. Does NOT contain a FTL drive. This is for planetary landings and ship to ship transport. Like say from the Yydryl to the Penelope for example.

I'll leave just how fast this shuttle can fly up to you people.

Access to the shuttle is through a lowering ramp located underneath the nose.

On the top you'll see two pods (The ones with the blue glass and lights). This contains the drive that is used for space based operations.

On the underside (The Scoop with the red doohickey in it) is a compressor drive (or that's what I call it). If the atmosphere contains sufficient oxygen then the atmosphere is scooped in, compressed, mixed with fuel, and then burned. If the atmosphere doesn't contain sufficient oxygen or something nonburnable then it simply scoops atmosphere in, it's compressed using the shuttle power plant and ejected out the back. Sort of how a squid travels in that respect.

The main body contains Grav compensation when landing or flying in higher grav planets. I'll let you people figure exactly how many gravs it can compensate for. When combined with the lifting body aspect of the shuttle this can serve as a emergency "Get us off the planet and into orbit" inc case of otherwise total drive failure. Note that without having anything to interact upon reaching orbit you would need to be picked up by a different shuttle and get towed back to the Yydryl. Due to energy consumption I would make it either a one shot deal or a get to orbit and then a semi controlled landing if not rescued. This can serve nicely for dramatic effect.

The shuttle is Aquatic capable using the underbelly scoop (Just like in a atmosphere without oxygen). Speed is severely curtailed in this mode.

The shuttle itself is normally unarmed itself. However I can see it carrying a weapons locker. I'll let you people figure out exactly what you want it to carry.

Weapon carrying versions of the shuttle can be made if need be but I would view them as inferior to a dedicated Fighter craft. This is primarily designed for ship to ship and ship to planet use.

ok, onto the artwork. One thing to note is that I used a basic starfield as a background to give a more accurate look to what you would see in space. oh, and I remember someone mentioning that they wanted lights, well there are several.

Front view:
Note that the distortion is due to how close the nose is to the viewer.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/6077b42c6139.jpg[/atsimg]

Link to full sized front view pic

Side View:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d1b0ba5d30cb.jpg[/atsimg]

Link to full sized side view pic

Top View:
You'll note the rather beetle shape.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/4dccd0ad06d6.jpg[/atsimg]

Link to full sized top view pic

Finally a angle view:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/6094de84abdc.jpg[/atsimg]

Link to full sized angle pic

Hope that you enjoy.



[edit on 10-5-2009 by Deson]

reply to post by Deson



Very good. I'm impressed. Nicely done. ARE you EVER going to join the fun on aboard? so we can give you some credit for all your hard work?

reply to post by Deson


Think I’m gonna cry.
I’ve been grounded to the Yydryl but I want to take a ride on your Shuttle!
It’s SWEET! (Teen gaming argon for it’s HOT!)!
I really like it -
I guess I’ll get stuck looking out a window hoping for a ride some day - I’ll try to do it justice in my description!

Your participation is not only greatly appreciated but very important to the *visuals* I need while writing.

Thanks again


EDIT: PS: Can I use one of the pics in my avatar? Do you mind? If you do I'll just go sob in a corner... Naw, really, no prob at all - I'd be jealous of those pics too, they're awesome.

peace

[edit on 10-5-2009 by silo13]