Man in space

Orionblamblam said:
Idea: Martians launched an *abortive* Earth attack in 1899, per Wells, but with only a few cylinders. One fell in UK, one in the US, one in Europe somewhere, maybe one in Russia... and they kinda went THUNK on landing, killing the occupants. So the various powers got to examine the hardware (*badly* mauled in the landings) and were able to boost tech development *a* *bit.* But the knowledge that there's Martians wholly changes the direction of history. Martians => no WWI => no WWII. But as they always do, Commies spoil everything, perhaps somehow still take over Russia. The lines between Commies and free folk could be anywhere... perhaps Russia, or Poland, or Germany, or France has been consumed by the 50's.

With crushed hardware (and likely melted/burned by the Heat Ray fuel), the nations of Earth probably wouldn't glean much of real use about Marstech. But the knowledge that such exists would spur tech development. So even if the early 20th century isn't filled with World Wars, we still develop tech as fast as if it was.

The Martians themselves would be shapeless charcoal briquettes, and humans would learn little of use. We wouldn't know of their lack of immune systems, for instance.
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The old thread on this subject is worth a look


Scarlet Traces mentioned above is especially worth a look
 
Perhaps, getting back on track, might any of you fine fellows have any suggestions as to what story beats from the original novel should be included in the game? I'm including the scene with the parson, as thats a great scene, and also the first encounter with the martians, akin to the 53 movie, except told via a tape recording of the event. Any other elements or scenes I should include? Bear in mind perhaps certain scenes could be adapted to the time of the MC arriving at the colony, as the martians invaded and communications were lost 2 weeks prior.

In addition, as a cool idea, perhaps when the martians zap you with the big heat ray (which will look like the 53 movie), could leave "shadows" of vaporised people, not unlike those left behind by the A-bomb droppings on Hiroshima and Japan? 1699707524636.png 1699707583374.png
 
I mean it less so that the martian is firing a concentrated stream of nuclear bomb at the poor sod in the crosshair, I mean more along the lines of the martians fire a beam that is so hot, that the person is vaporised instantly. I mean the '53 film did it
 

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In addition, perhaps I might have some help with the UK's Rocket Research Centre? I came across this lovely painting by RA Smith, and I should like a tad bit of help with the identification of the various buildings and their functions. Note, that the launch sites in the game will likely be much farther from the complex than in the picture, as the smaller, satellite launch pads are almost directly next to the very explosive fuel depot... IMG_5993 (1).jpeg
 
Gentleman’s Astronautics said:
should like a tad bit of help with the identification of the various buildings and their functions.
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in far back with tow chimney looks like coal power stations or fuel production site ?
follow fuel tanks ? next on right Airfield behind that launch craters ?
the rest look like typical 1950s production halls with office building at entrance
and home of engineer and workers in front
 
Michel Van said:
far back with tow chimney looks like coal power stations or fuel production site ?
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I believe, in true 50s fashion, that that’s a nuclear power plant.

Michel Van said:
follow fuel tanks ? next on right
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I think you’re right on that one, I think it just needs to be much further away and bigger.

You wouldn’t happen to have any pics of any of these, the astronaut offices and booster assembly/checkout buildings especially, would make for some cool areas.

In addition, how might a launch site here sound? It’s on the lower part of the Kenyan coast.
Michel Van said:
the rest look like typical 1950s production halls with office building at entrance
and home of engineer and workers in front
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Gentleman’s Astronautics said:
In addition, perhaps I might have some help with the UK's Rocket Research Centre? I came across this lovely painting by RA Smith, and I should like a tad bit of help with the identification of the various buildings and their functions.
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Well, there's the Wot's All This Department, several warehouses for Tea Storage, the office for the Ministry of Silly Walks...
 
Orionblamblam said:
Well, there's the Wot's All This Department, several warehouses for Tea Storage, the office for the Ministry of Silly Walks...
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Yes lol, the ministry of silly walks could perhaps be a small easter egg.. I also had an idea for in the alternate ending where the player must navigate a complex series of caves with some 1/6th G parkour, to locate the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, with accompanying inscription upon the wall.

But in all seriousness, what should the interior of the astronaut offices look like? I made this sketch for the debrief room, where the player will be informed of the goings-on on the moon, and I had an idea for a big wall of photographs, to show the history of the BIC, however after that I'm stumped. IMG_5384.jpg
 
perhaps, might you gents have any such pictures from nasa, that might parallel what has been so far discussed here, in addition, who in 1950s britain would be contracted to construct the rockets?
 
Gentleman’s Astronautics said:
who in 1950s britain would be contracted to construct the rockets?Ministry of Space ?
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Ministry Of Space...
a4MeP6.gif

Common reaction of Alternate History fans on this dead trope:

Is there alternative ?
Royal Military organisation responsible of British rockets
Royal Aircraft Establishment RAE
Commonwealth of Nation Organisation for Spaceflight

or one of Gerry Andersons cool abbreviation.
Royal Interplanetary Spacecraft Establishment = R.I.S.E
 
Michel Van said:
one of Gerry Andersons cool abbreviation.
Royal Interplanetary Spacecraft Establishment = R.I.S.E
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I didn’t say ministry of space, as I have permission from the BIS to use their technical projects in the game, so it would make sense for the in game agency to be a more official version of the British Interplanetary Society. I think British Interplanetary Commission (BIC) would be cool.

As for contractors, maybe Hawker Siddley, De Havilland, or Avro?

Also, might ye have any pictures for reference? Such as clean rooms or aircraft checkout or debrief rooms, etc etc. perhaps even a pdf of some technical manuals etc.?
 
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Also, I say fellas, how might the RRE be translated onto the eastern coast of Kenya, and what external facilities would it have?
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In addition, I had a few ideas for some parallels with nasa. So, much as NASA astronauts in the mercury program got a deal with corvette to be leased a muscle car for a dollar, perhaps the same might be said for the British equivalents, perhaps being sold a Jaguar XK120 for a pound or something. Further, like how nasa astronauts employed their own T38s as personal transports, perhaps British astronauts of the BIC might employ late mark Spitfires for personal transport and glider escort, or maybe even a Bristol Brabazon as a “vomit comet” or for going on tours?

Also, I don’t suppose you might have some nasa technical manuals or some good diagrams from the Gemini project would you? I’ve been banging out my own for the return glider but progress is slow. I’ve got this one though, a diagram of all the instruments in the crew areas:
 

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Gentleman’s Astronautics said:
RRE be translated onto the eastern coast of Kenya, and what external facilities would it have?
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first deep sea Harbor for goods over road connecting to RRE. (from UK, Canada Australia)
also large airport with several runways for Cargo & Personal and landing space craft.
Typical infrastructure water, gas, electricity, telephone, Teletext
means Power plants, water treatment plant, gas-storage.
Homes, shops and Entertainment area for RRE personal
Means more roads and need for Gas stations for personal there own cars
 
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Aha, I see. I’ll see if I can bang out a map, in the near future. Also I’ve got a feeling that the transportation of boosters for launch and checkout might be more rail-oriented, so perhaps some large LNER class U1 garratts are in order?

In addition, what are your thoughts on the Jag and spitfire ideas?
 
Gentleman’s Astronautics said:
Also I’ve got a feeling that the transportation of boosters for launch and checkout might be more rail-oriented, so perhaps some large LNER class U1 garratts are in order
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Depends how big the stuff is you move

NASA use waterways for Transport big Saturn V stages to launch sites, (except third stage by air transport)
Road transport to assembling Building and crawler transport the Rocket to Launch pad.

USSR use rail transport all the way to launch pad,
under Energia also Air transport of some parts.
The N1 was build near launch site, parts move by train.

Here Material comes by sea mostly over Suez Canal to Kenya
From harbour it has to be moved to RRE, if it large hardware take road, rest by train.
Still issue to bring it to launch pad, on Europa rocket it was done by truck for all 3 stages.
 
Michel Van said:
Depends how big the stuff is you move

NASA use waterways for Transport big Saturn V stages to launch sites, (except third stage by air transport)
Road transport to assembling Building and crawler transport the Rocket to Launch pad.

USSR use rail transport all the way to launch pad,
under Energia also Air transport of some parts.
The N1 was build near launch site, parts move by train.

Here Material comes by sea mostly over Suez Canal to Kenya
From harbour it has to be moved to RRE, if it large hardware take road, rest by train.
Still issue to bring it to launch pad, on Europa rocket it was done by truck for all 3 stages.
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I agree, and very much like, with the transport of stages and equipment through the Suez Canal, however I doubt that a rocket stage some 70ft long, and 17ft wide could feasibly be transported by contemporary trucks. However this only applies to the winged rocket booster, and the lunar nuclear booster. As for the MOUSE type satellites, I believe they could be quite easily transported by truck, owing to their small size, being roughly a couple meters taller than a V2. Maybe a modified Scammel tank transporter could be spared by the army?
Also, R.A Smith painted a lot of pictures of the Winged booster sitting on rail cars, so thats what I'm going by, and the Garratts to provide a lot of grunt to lug at least 1000 tonnes of rocket several miles. The mouse type rocket, is the last image Screenshot 2023-07-23 at 12.49.38.jpeg mounting-winged-rocket-on-booster-by-ra-smith-c1954_5_36807a.jpg Screenshot 2023-07-23 at 12.52.45.jpeg
 
Oh wow, that’s quite the trailer for the S-II, quite a feat to get such a large stage wheeled about. However I think that a railway network might be more suitable for the transportation of larger equipment or heavier tanker trains. This is especially applicable as at the time Britain was a predominantly train based country, so it would make sense for them to take the trains with them.

I think rule of cool shall govern this ever so slightly, as I‘d like a part where the player drives down to the launch site and passes a garratt slowly chugging along with several 02 tankers in tow
 
also, sorry to dredge this back up from the dead, but I had a story point brainwave. For the good ending I wished to have the player combat martians in the interior of the moon, with aid from the selenites. Then it occurred to me, "why tf would there be a substantial martian force inside the moon?". So perhaps, near to the colony there is a quarry, where they extracted the lunar granite and other volcanic rocks to make the colony domes and other things, and then the martians sauntered down, and drove or killed the miners. However, perhaps a group survived, and blew up the entrance to the quarry, sealing the martians in.

When the player journeys to the quarry, and finds it closed, perhaps he can get it open with a 50s surface experiment: a set of seismic rockets designed to cause moonquakes, to test the surface conditions of certain areas of the moon? You know, the sort of stuff in pics like this from colliers and the like?
 

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Going to revive the thread, just to ask, what might the cockpit of the Glider look like? I've made a couple of sketches, but I dont think they really fit the vibe perfectly.
 

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