Ask Lemmy

I love the Farcaster network of the World Web from Dan Simmons' Hyperion Cantos (for anyone who hasnt read the books, they're essentially frameless stargates that are always on). Such a cool concept of being able to build a series of them linking the main commercial streets of the biggest cities on different planets together; thus making one gigantic and near endless market across hundreds of worlds... and anyone can just walk from one planet to another across hundreds or thousands of light years.

What I really like about that book series though is that the Farcasters are not the only means of FTL... and that there are sound reasons to use another method over them OR even to oppose your planet getting connected to the Farcaster network. Just seriously good world building.

Hyperdrives, sg1,sga,sgu. wormholes, and interdimensional teleportation, bsg is one such one. Warp is basically just "manipulating the space around it, using subspace(an alternate dimension for both sg1 and star trek). apparently its the slowest form of ftl. compartively to the likes of borg. even caretaker has a very advanced intergalactic ftl( interdimensional rift) later in sg1,sga, they have access to intergalatic hyperdrives which are superior to interstellar ones. with hyperdrives they arnt restricted to the limit of travelling faster than light speed in the normal universe. they explained hyperspace does not have such a limit, and isnt subjected to time dilation effects of approaching close or faster than light speed.

it seems ftl that requires traveling through a medium like warp hyperspace have limitation of power requirements and engine designs. Teleportation seems dont have that limit, aside from power requirements.

trek also have other form of quirky ftl, like the vortex drive of the xindi, coaxial and the rift generation. most other shows use teleportation, or interdimensional portals.

Recently read Hayden’s World and there’s some FTL in there that (mostly) obeys relativity and the associated time dilation issues, so that was fun to see. Also, a generally unpleasant experience for the humans on the craft. Otherwise I liked KSR’s Red/Blue/Green Mars, how the story developed travel technology organically on a timeline.

The exact mechanics are never explained, but I’ve always loved “fenestering” in David Zindell’s Neverwhere and Requiem For Homo Sapiens trilogy.

A pilot, in a one-person “lightship”, interfaces with their computer, merging their minds into one. They then solve maths equations which have never been solved before and prove new mathematical theories. This opens up a window underneath the ship, which it falls in to, into hyperspace. They then need to do more novel maths to open up the window to where they’re going and fall through that.

It’s weird and it’s nerdy and it’s poetic and it’s mystical, like everything in the books, and it’s just so incredibly cool.

Does L space in the Discworld novels count?

The Mirrors in Book of the New Sun. Basic idea is to surround yourselves with mirrors until you create an infinity room and then, through 'exactly aligned' lights, the light waves don't cancel out but instead 'push' objects out of the universe, returning at the destination when the light slows down to universal speeds.

In the Commonwealth Saga it's trains! It's portals with hugely demanding power consumption. They mostly have to stay fixed to one place and open. So they run choo choos. Their world is commerce and economics. And trains are a lovely symbol of that.

In The Final Architecture it's jaunty. Unspace helps you go fast but you are always alone. Crewmates gone. When you come out they reappear. When you inside there is something coming to get you. Something that lives in unspace and doesn't like that we use it for travel. The terror of its hunting you drives everyone to suicide. So instead they sleep. Magic "you sleep now" pods for everyone.

Except. You can only sleep if you are on a known route. Some rare people can feel out new routes. And they have to say awake. Most shows just follow normal routes. But the special ships with these other folks can go all over the place! At the cost of route terror.

The books are about coming together in the face of adversity cosmic horror. And unspace is a foil to that. You are alone. But we do what we can anyway. Your alone now, but not forever. Unless the monster gets you.

Event Horizon… it just had a few downsides.

the farcaster network built by a machine super intelligence in Hyperion. unbelievable

Slipspace from Halo.

You can weaponize that shit in a pinch if you wish. It seems to be the appropriate FTL method for humanity to use.