Cargo bay shielding what's it made of?

[pelador]

I have previously asked what this is made from. I was trying to source any official X-Verse Lore about it or if not wether ES could creatively decide what is used as resources to make it.

I havent had a responce to this either way, but would like to do a scripting development in the near future with a consensual approval.

The above poll therefore reflects how best to define this that would be fitting to the community interests.

The choices I have placed are limited to In Game objects (for obvious reasons) and have included some materials that have unusual properties that might effect scanning operations namely Teladianium and Crystals, the idea being that the resources would be combined to make a special alloy. And ideally they are raw materials that are fairly diverse hence I haven't included Terran Hull plating, which would be too limiting a feature considering the history of the X-Verse and who supplies Cargo Bay shielding currently (Split Strong arms and Dukes).

Of course if anyone knows of an official reference that allready exists that can clarify this point all the better. (I have checked the Argonopedia and it didnt have these specifics).

The Poll is set to run for 20 days, but if an official answer is given then I will of course use that.

[fOSSil]

I think of Teladianium as the stuff to make ship and station hulls, so that would be the main part. It is then modified with a specially aligned crystalline layer that masks illegal cargo. It needs to be hooked up to computer components tho, because it is an active system, not something you can just make from some minerals.

=> Teladianium, Crystals, Computer Components.

[pelador]

=> Teladianium, Crystals, Computer Components.

Yes I can see the logic behind that and do like it. Shame I cant add it to the poll.

[Kapakio]

I would probably add nividium. It's the less known material in the universe and it would give it a good use. Besides, the fact that only Paranid-Split seem to have it add some more to the lure.

[GCU Grey Area]

It's made from the crushed, roasted & lightly killed remains of people who asked what it was made from...

Alternatively...

=> Teladianium, Crystals, Computer Components.

Think this sounds like a sensible composition & would have voted for it if it was an option.

[softweir]

I assume that cargo bay shielding is an active anti-scanning device, in other words an electronic item, not a material. Given that, it would be made of something like silicon and quantum tubes.

EDIT: As mentioned above, computer components or microchips would also be reasonable.

[brucewarren]

I'm assuming you want to generate a false image to a scan, not a suspiciously blank hold, so a *purely* stealth device would be useless

Since copper and lead are not available as such in-game, if we assume
that nvidium and ore both contain enough metallic elements to confuse
an electromagnetic scan -

nvidium, ore, and microchips.

If teladium is a type of mud, it would be the X version of fibreglass.

[kreep69]

You're all wrong, its duct tape man!

[Carlo the Curious]

You're all wrong, its duct tape man!

Given how well it works (not at all, last time I checked), that seems quite possible!

[Gazz]

Now my first thought was tinfoil.
It works for alien mind control rays which sounds like a good start.

In X3 terms you could add a shield.
(Shield - Cargo bay shielding! OMG so clever!)

[kreep69]

Hehehe you guys are right tin foil is what I was thinking along with duct tape.

Tin Foil shielding.

Duct Tape shielding.

Hehehehe.

[NeverSnake]

I assume that cargo bay shielding is an active anti-scanning device, in other words an electronic item, not a material. Given that, it would be made of something like silicon and quantum tubes.

Yes, my thoughts is that it's either something like this or a faraday cage-type device made of wires. Armour plate style cargo shielding seems slightly absurd.

[kreep69]

Yes, my thoughts is that it's either something like this or a faraday cage-type device made of wires. Armour plate style cargo shielding seems slightly absurd.

Well if we're roll-playing here .. I would prefer passive as the way to go. Consider how advanced scanning is, being able to pick up passengers, marines, ship equipment and cargo; it stands to reason that if you actively tried messing with the scan there is a good chance you would be detected.

Also the cargo bay 'shielding' would have to be quite advanced if it tried to spoof illegal goods and pass them off as some other ware or even empty space.

CBS (cargo bay shielding) makes me think of the millennium falcon and that shielded floor space that han solo had set up for smuggling. They could bypass both active scans and a visual inspection.

So some kind of material would make sense but as someone else asked, what is the equivalent of lead in the x-universe? It wouldn't make sense that its Teladianium b/c thats used in the construction of ships. Silicon and Ore can likewise be scanned.
Hmmm this would make the point that maybe in the X-Universe it has to be an electronic shielding solution hahaha - now im confused DOH!

[donotdespisethesnake]

It's made from Unobtanium and a really strong cup of tea.

[brucewarren]

Given that this device is suposed to be rare, almost unique, I would go for the active scrambler.
It would be a sophisticated combination of hardware and software using subtle but active trickery.
The device would intercept the scan result and slightly alter it.
If you were boarded you could pretend the data corruption was a fault on their end.

Any illegal ware would should up as a very similar but legal equivalent.

e.g Spacefuel would scan as water (pretend your ice has melted)
spaceweed might show up a legal foodstuff like bofu
illegal s/w would show up as regulalr s/w
slaves would scan as passengers
disintegraitor rifles would scan as IREs etc.

[NeverSnake]

Consider how advanced scanning is, being able to pick up passengers, marines, ship equipment and cargo;

It is so advanced in fact, that it can tell you the names of the people on board...

There's clearly some element of stored information reporting involved in scanning, it may be that the scanner does nothing more than interogating the ship's computer.

[nitromethane]

perhaps its just a lead cut out of a gigantic oversized ppc type weapon that on scanners always looks like it pointed directly at the person scanning with the words keep your big mouth shut printed above the barrel

[argon_emperor]

I like the idea of Nividium, that certainly gives it a good use. As it needs some sort of electrical interface in order to determine what goods need to be disguised, or merely what sections of the cargo hold need to be disguised, then computer components/microchips also seem a good idea. And of course, in order to ensure maximum operational ability, it would need it's own small power supply, so E-Cells make the cut too. And just for good measure, throw in some crystals to augment the natural resonating frequency of the Nividium (which is how the goods get masked in the first place).

So resources I think should be used are:

Nividium, Microchips, E-Cells, and Crystals.

[pelador]

It would be nice to include Nividium as a mineral resource for CBS but considering that its costs less than 3,000 credits it doesnt make it commercial viable to make it in singular units. Of course Nividium could be fractionally distributed as a component of CBS but for easy mechanics I'd prefer at least whole units of resources for allocation purposes. Similarly this makes Microchips impractical for use really.

Computer components fortunately can be accomodated to apply some active nature within the above assumed contraints.

[Kapakio]

You can always fabricate minumum batches of say 20, making the unit price commercially viable.