[HoE] Re: The Timeline. (What did we do for 100 years?

[Ghoestrtr@aol.com]

<< Another is the fact that at some point technology can not really improve
 anymore.  Take a look at the differences between cars of the 1950s and 60s
 and today.  They are still fundamentally the same thing. Steering wheel,
 tires, engine, etc.  The details are different.  Power windows, radio,
 steering, etc, but the basics are the same, but the core is the same.
 The same thing with personal firearms.  Take a look at the post-Civil War
 (historical) firearms and those of today.  Better ammo, machining, safety,
 etc, but the details are the same - pin, chamber, handle, trigger. . .
 
 That might do it for ya.>>


Not exactly.  Technology is currently progressing at a phenomenal rate.  A 
friend of mine who happens to be a defense contractor as hinted at a few 
immergent battefield technologies:  Guass weapons (recoilless magnetic 
impulse arms that fire heavy metal slivers- which the oh so secret CIA's 
Nondiscernable Biological Injector is based upon), Beam weapons (ie lasers 
mostly) still suffer from a limited power supplies and low field ruggedness- 
but should be improved upon in 81 years, vibrablades (blades that vibrate 
thousands of times per second) are currently in developement, Optics (ie 
binoculars) and communications are vastly under rated even to current 
standards, explosives are greatly reduced in power (most likely a game 
mechanic- like rate of fire and range on weapons...not fair to shoot 2 miles 
or 40 rounds a second), computers in 81 years should almost be unrecognizable 
by today's standards (a watch or a calculator has more computing power than 
the first generation of "super computers" as a comparison), railguns are 
currently being developed (and are even on schedule) to replace the big ass 
cannons currently on the main battle tank- and even replace the common 
infantry weapon (currently the M16A2) in the next 20 years, even if these 
developements never come to fruition numerous "improvements" should have been 
made upon common chemical slug throwers- higher RoFs, massive recoil 
compensations, smart sights?, smart safeties, improved ammo? (Liquid or 
Electrothermal Propellants at least), the SAW should have been replaced by 
man portable Gatling carbines, sniper rifles should make diplomats and world 
leaders soil themselves regularly, "smart" munitions should be able to call 
their targets on the phone after being launched and taunt them until they 
hit...after sailing down an air conditioning vent and navigating three floors 
of office cubicles- then politely knocking on the door before detonating, EMP 
guns?, nanites (currently in developement)?, lord knows what else...

These are just a few things already here or in developement...in 81 years a 
few should be about...
 
 
 <<The focus of the game isn't on technology - but rather the lack of it.
 It's been 13 years.  The batteries have run out, the broadcast power
 stations are offline and the portable nuclear power plants have all melt
 down or run out of fuel. >>

So put in new batteries.  I know most of the good stuff should be fragged to 
hell, but some of it should still be around.  If only in the form of 
nonpolluting 120 MPG family stationwagons.

And as to "real" tech lagging behind it's mentioned that a lot of the mad 
science companies had a hard time after nuclear physics and quantum physics 
came about.  By the year 2000 our level of "real" tech and HoE level of 
"real" tech were about equal...plus they had a lot of mad science stuff too.  
One would presume a moderate progressive curve in 81 years.  Batteries shoud 
last longer, cars get better mpg, food doesn't spoil so fast, etc.

ok...I'm done with my anti-Luddite spiel.


Chris "Better Living Through Chemis...er...Technology" Gores