TL, stats of clockwork?

[archhealer]

(T20 Disclaimer: This post is written in the context of T20, dis I claim)

Ok, so, first question is easy: What TL is clockwork?

Second one is a little more complicated, but more fun: How would you stat clockwork into the design system? I'm toying around with the idea of making it a battery. After all, it doesn't use fuel, per say. It just stores energy, and releases it at a controlled rate. Obviously, the rate of release for the energy would have to be set during the design phase.

I'm assuming that the electro-mechanical batteries listed in the THB are not clockwork, but in fact primitive chemical batteries? I could be wrong about this, in which case, my question becomes moot...

On planets with very few fuel options for energy, clockwork might actually be fairly prevelent up till, I dunno, TL 4 or even 5. Although, large clockworks tend to be very inefficient, the idea of massive wood & brass mech walkers marching around with big wind-up keys sticking out of their backs makes me giggle... unrealistic and silly though the idea may be.

 

[Klaus]

What about hi tech clockwork? High tensile memory coils and nano-cogs....

If Babbage had actually fully built his Difference Engine, and further R & D was done on it, what Model number would they achieve?

 

[archhealer]

Good point! High tech clockwork could kick ass. I'm going to go work up a TL17 society that still uses all clockwork and steam... I miss my old steampunk obsession all of a sudden.

 

[Maladominus]

Gnomish technology begins at TL4.

 

[parmasson]

GURPS Steampunk is quite good. For you gearheads it gives power storage per cubic widget type stuff. Can’t find my books!

 

[RandyT0001]

Easy answer to first question is: TL 1. Heron and others were making "clockwork" automatrons (sp?) that would propel themselves onto a theater stage and present the major portions of certain plays. They used wooden gears, rope threaded around pegs on a revolving drum for "programing" of events and (IIRC) beans flowing out of a hopper as a power source. They had doors that opened automatically triggered by pressure on the stones leading into the temple. Fairly accurate waterclocks were made during that time also.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

Somebody has been watching Dr Who...

 

[RandyT0001]

Not me, I've been watching the History Channel.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

One of the recent episodes features clockwork robots.

 

[Uncle Bob]

And don't forget Harrison's Chronometer from 1780. My friend was a Quartermaster in the US Navy in the early 1980s. Pre-GPS, he could always equal and someimes exceed LORAN radio navigation using sextant and clockwork chronometer.

 

[Klaus]

What about the recent giant Elephant and giant Little Girl show in London? Reckon alot of that could have been made at tl4. Just because it's a tl8 idea doesn't mean it couldn't have been built back in Victorian times - more labour intensive but that's hardly the point.

 

[Laryssa]

Originally posted by Archhealer:
Good point! High tech clockwork could kick ass. I'm going to go work up a TL17 society that still uses all clockwork and steam... I miss my old steampunk obsession all of a sudden.

Well actually a nuclear reactor uses steam, it is a form of steam electrical power generation. The USS Enterprise is powered by steam as well, the nuclear reactor boils the water and steam power turns the screws. The Entire US Nuclear Navy is powered by steam engines, heated by atomic piles yes, but steam driven just the same. No doubt some fusion reactors of the future might also be steam driven, some of the starships in traveller might have fusion reactions boiling water for steam-turned turbines. The age of steam is not as antiquated as you think.

 

[Chaos]

Well, there are some (very simple) steam powered and other mechanical devices built by the Ancient Greeks, i.e. TL 1.
For more complicated stuff, I´d say TL 3.

 

[archhealer]

Steam is in the THB, listed as either TL3, I'm pretty sure (I haven't got it handy). I'm thinking probably TL2 for clockwork, though maybe not perfected till TL3.

The question then becomes, like I said earlier though, whether clockworks would be a power plant or a battery... they're treated a little different in T20..

 

[far-trader]

Well, steamships are listed as TL4.

For power sources it lists the water wheel as TL3 and wind power as TL2 but I'm sure both existed before that.

I'd treat clockwork as a battery, I think that's a great idea.

I have no problem with clockworks at TL2, maybe even TL1, all you really need is to invent the wheel and you're off depending on what you use for the engergy storage. Spring steel would come later but simple weighted pully mechanics are dead easy.

 

[archhealer]

True, true... I imagine it would be pretty inefficient, though. I'm thinking something along the lines of 1 or 2vl = 1ep for 1 hour. Sounds pretty inefficient, but keep in mind, most of the stuff we've seen run from clockwork was tiny and used hardly any energy.

 

[far-trader]

Pretty basic physics problem to figure out the real world energy of such a device. The problem comes in translating to vl and ep

If you can come up with a translation to something real I'll not only give the problem a go (dusts off sliderule and tables ) but nominate you for an Imperial Ministry of Science Sunburst for finding the conversion

 

[parmasson]

GURPS Steampunk has clockwork at
GTL-5 ("realistic" clockwork)
.25 lbs per kW.
1 cubic foot per 50 lbs.
$1 per pound.

[edit]
“Cinematic” is .0025 lbs per kW 1 cubic foot per 50 lbs.

 

[parmasson]

Express Boat message to follow:

Honorable gentlemen and committee members,

If you can come up with a translation to something real I'll not only give the problem a go (dusts off sliderule and tables) but nominate you for an Imperial Ministry of Science Sunburst for finding the conversion.

Please send the invitation to my lodgings at #51 Fairfax Square, London W.
(circa 1889)

Do be advised that my para-planetary ethership the Zephyr can only manage Jump 1 so it may take time for me to attend the reception.

Sincerely
K.G.

 

[archhealer]

I just spent about two hours searching on Google for technical specs of RL clockwork items... I found lots of stuff about clockwork radios, lights, etc. but no details. Phooey.