Hello Jay Ouzts,
Here are my thoughts to yoiur questions:
Originally posted by Jay Ouzts:
* On page 232 there is a Jump program. According to this you must have Jump program to use your jump drives. However, the PP for this prog run from 23-52. Since other computer porgs have a PP less than 5, I figure this is a typo.
There is a possibility that you are correct about the numbers being out to lunch. However, I have always felt that the numbers used in CT: Book 2 Starships were too low for the job of making calculation for the distance traveled. Think about the data you need to calculate a flight plan for a small airplane or a ship navigating on the open sea. Since the exact method of how a jump drive works is vague, here is how I think the jump cycle works.
1. At the jump point the computer charges the jump capacitors and dumps a calculated amont of jump fuel around the ship to open the jump portal.
2. The capacitors are discharged converting the hydrogen into a huge pulse energy that opens the portal.
3. While in jump space the computer feeds additional hydrogen around the hull to keep ship in jump space for the right amount of (ship's) time. If the jump is at the maximum designed jump distance nearly 100% of fuel is used.
In this case the computer has to ensure that the the right (1) amount of fuel is dumped, (2) the jump drive capacitors are charged to the right levels, (3) the jump capacitors are discharged at the right time, (4) Verify that the ship is at the 100D limit before starting jump sequence, (5) calculate the re-entry point for the vessel's destination, within the approved safety margin., etc.
I can see jump programs as being the biggest in processing power. Of course the above is only my opinion on the subject.
* I thought according to page 263-264 the ships main computer supports the jump, sensor, and communications systems anyway. Why do you need a jump program?
Again this is solely my opinion from my expeirience with the various versions of Traveller.
There are two main ways of programing a computer. They are: (1) writing the instructions on how to perform a task permanetly (hardwiring) into the central processing unit/core of a computer or (2) writing the instructions in a code on a media that is stored in memory and can be altered easily.
I am guessing that the Flight Avionics sub-section handles the jump calculations, with the mathematical calculation (program) residing in the core's memory storage area. Say that the captain has modified a Jump-1 capable ship to a Jump 2. If the program for jump calculations are hardwired the skipper either has to replace the core and the flight aionics section or has to stress the Jump drive twice for a Jump of 2 and be in jump space for 2 weeks. If the jump program stored in memory then the program can be upgraded by installing the correct software from the appropriate disk and upgrading the flight avionics.
* Why is there a ship computer table on 263 and another on 282? They are not the same. In fact, the errata says all of the ships computers on 282 are TL 13. Does anyone have a clue what the 282 table is for?
The Ship's Computer Table on p. 282 are examples of the various computer core models built at TL 13. This table does not include the flight avionics, sensor, or communications subsections.
Check out the thread titled "Ship's Computer and underpowered M-Drive Questions" located somewhere on this discussion board.
