[General Battuta]

[22:41] <Thaeris> And for the record, since you enjoy anal matters

 

Gay sex aside, here's a matter of interest. We know FreeSpace ships are pretty damn big - 17m for a Perseus, compared to 15m for an IRL F16, and 10m for a Viper Mk. 7. How large is the dude(tte) in a Perseus cockpit? A Herc, an Ursa?

Here's a makeshift lineup to show the remarkable phenotypic variation at work in Freed Space: A Zentraedi Simulator



Obviously these dudes were introduced by the MVPs, so there's nothing of, uh, canonical interest here. But it's fascinating to see what seems to be a caste system at work: Perseus pilots are selected for their diminutive size, whereas Ursa and Herc pilots are totally roided out.

I'm too lazy to find an absolute reference and judge their real size, so tell me this, HLP detectives: how big are these people in absolute terms? Precisely how much chance would we stand in a Harlem Globetrotters + Bill Murray vs. Epsilon Pegasi Pegasi space jam?

[Axem]

I suspect that GTVA pilots train in low gravity for years, making it APPEAR that they are taller. This is to intimidate the Vasudans, since going by the Silent Threat out-takes, the Vasudans have them beat in that area. However this has the bad side effect of weakening their bones to the structural integrity of wafer thins.

This may actually explain their poor combat performance. When they try to do any combat action, they break their arms within seconds.

[mjn.mixael]

Best. Topic. Evar.

[General Battuta]

Good point. I'll put $20 on the Globetrotters.

Here's a comparison of what I assume is a realistically scaled pilot in a Diaspora Viper vs. our lineup, with the camera positioned at the same height above the cockpit:





wait how did this get here i mean

[Bobboau]

I think it's more that the Perseus was designed to only be pilotable by pilots with Achondroplasia.

[jg18]

Obviously these dudes were introduced by the MVPs, so there's nothing of, uh, canonical interest here. But it's fascinating to see what seems to be a caste system at work: Perseus pilots are selected for their diminutive size, whereas Ursa and Herc pilots are totally roided out.

But then how is Alpha 1 able to fly such a wide variety of ships during the FS2 main campaign?

[redsniper]

He must be one of the smaller ones and then just used prosthetics for the larger fighters. Yub yub commander.

[Cyborg17]

Simple, the size difference is an illusion caused by the warping effect of the cockpit glass. 

[el_magnifico]

****! I'll never be able to use the MediaVPs again.
Just great.

[General Battuta]

Hang on a sec. What if the Perseus pilots are child soldiers?

[Droid803]

no, its THE FUTURE.
they have size-alteration tech. you mentioned zentradi, think that, but any size any time.

[Commander Zane]

Micloning!

[jg18]

no, its THE FUTURE.
they have size-alteration tech. you mentioned zentradi, think that, but any size any time.

Like a more sophisticated (and better controlled) version of this?

[Droid803]

Yes but its built into the cockpit. Blows you up/shrinks you down so you fit perfectly!

[yuezhi]

wait how did this get here i mean

what is i don't even

[jg18]

Yes but its built into the cockpit. Blows you up/shrinks you down so you fit perfectly!

That sounds rather jarring, if not outright unpleasant. The sacrifices that GTVA pilots make to keep their worlds safe are greater than I could have ever imagined.

[Kolgena]

you most make update

[yuezhi]

they've already known the ancient art of vacuum sealing food so i don't find this surprising.

on the bright side, the **** spacemen are eating nowadays could taste better since they've been brought down to size. guys in perseus must think liver flavoured toothpaste is a delicacy.

[Hades]

Good point Battuta. This has been something I've complained about in the past, and the reason why I've suggested that all fighters receive two pilots - for scaling reasons. Plus the only canonical cockpit seen in great detail has two pilots in it, not that that really means too much, but still.

[yuezhi]

you mean the apollo from the first intro that was supposed to be a bomber?