Poesta on 12/3/2009 at 18:00
Well, there isn't any sun at night, is there? D'oh.
Petike the Taffer on 12/3/2009 at 20:55
Quote Posted by Bikerdude
i dont think they are. The electricily used in thief is electrostic which is then transfered by wires to the street lamps...
Since you mention it... What powers the flashbombs ? Do they use some sort of primitive battery built solely for one use ? I always had the impression that the flashbombs work on the principle of unleashing some sort of highly accumulated electricity, which gets magnified through the optical lenses in the shell of the gadget and through them emitts a severely blinding flash accompanied by the deafening self-detonation of the bomb itself.
Notice the TMA intro cutscene. It shows the inner workings of an activated FB pretty elaborately. You can even see something like two small electrodes with a frenetic electric discharge taking place between them.
Solabusca on 12/3/2009 at 23:34
Quote Posted by jtr7
Mini-collectors, that seem to have no other purpose than making electricity. Serious attempts at new ideas about what collectors are collecting and why are always welcome.
I seem to recall doing a thread about this ages ago.
The collector towers have to be collecting something - I've suggested that they collect ambient aetherical (magical) energy, and convert it into motive power for the generators that are seen around the city.
Other options:
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_energy_transfer) Wireless energy transfer à la Telsa. Again, making use of the aether - aetherical transmission is a known concept in the Thief setting; just read the in-game description of Garrett's eye.
.j.
jtr7 on 12/3/2009 at 23:47
Yepper! I'm content with our opinion of it, but I still keep feelers out for other opinions, just in case it actually gives me reason to change my mind.:sly:
Stony on 15/3/2009 at 22:30
Quote Posted by Poesta
This leaves me wondering why Garrett is holding up his hand at eye level when using a scouting orb. It looks like he's looking into some kind of tube, but there's nothing in his hand.
I suspect that Garrett is holding his hand over his real eye, so he only sees through the mechanical one. To the best of my recollection, Garrett lost his left eye, but he's holding his hand over his right. I could be wrong, though; its been a while since I looked at Garrett through a scouting orb.
Stony
Herr_Garrett on 17/3/2009 at 06:51
Quote Posted by Petike the Taffer
Since you mention it... What powers the flashbombs ? Do they use some sort of primitive battery built solely for one use ? I always had the impression that the flashbombs work on the principle of unleashing some sort of highly accumulated electricity, which gets magnified through the optical lenses in the shell of the gadget and through them emitts a severely blinding flash accompanied by the deafening self-detonation of the bomb itself.
Mix a handful of magnesium with gunpowder, throw a match at it, and there you go. There's no need to be, as Beleg would say, artsy-fartsy :cheeky:
Even the sound they make is that of magnesium burning, a sort of "tfoomp".
jtr7 on 17/3/2009 at 07:32
The Intro close-up of some of the flashbomb's workings should be seen as extreme slow motion. If it's assumed to be real time, and if the artwork is not taken literally, it is easily mistaken for a scouting orb. Garrett pulls the flashbomb out in a hurry, holds it aloft (not the only time), activates it, and casts it downward near to himself (not into another space he can't see from where he stands), and the close-up shows a smoothly-rotating (not interleaving) mechanism around the inside of the iris, while an arc is dancing right behind (ignoring refraction) the lens, the substance ignites, and there's a flash and bang. Before ignition, the shell is seen to be riveted sheet metal, and beat up looking. The red button below and to the left of the lens is visible.
Inline Image:
http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/8219/flashbombtma03ht4.jpgMy
rough take on it:
The electricity is the piezoelectric spark that ignites the powder.
The red button sets the spring-wound generator spinning, and the mechanism that is jarred loose on impact, releasing the charge from the capacitor. It's like a flash for a camera, but igniting a powder.
The lenses to cast light around 360° or nearly so, may be for magnifying a very tiny burst of terribly bright light.
What is unaccounted for is the harmless annihilation of the metal and lenses, the lack of any remains or smoke...or since it really seems like a phosphoric combustion, the unnecessary lenses. If we simply assume the flashbomb disappears for the same reasons the arrows and arrow shafts do, then an acceptable in-universe explanation is still pending.:p
Beleg Cúthalion on 17/3/2009 at 08:32
Maybe it's made of steel and rivets because it looks more like Steampunk can be used several times.
After all, at night you don't need a big flash to blind someone. I would have built one myself by now if this wouldn't make me too omnious among the local chemists.
jtr7 on 17/3/2009 at 09:25
:thumb: Yeah. If the flashbombs were retrievable, but spent and useless, it would probably annoy players, too, but I actually like that better than something made like that that doesn't flinderize, at least.
