19 May 2015

Computators

The standard Traveller shipboard computer is positively ancient in design.  Like a couple of hundred years old by Imperial 1110.

Where computers ship-board are actually state of the art are in places that don't deal with space traffic control and routine operations; like gunnery.  Targeting will be state of the art because there's an edge there.

A huge plus to the age of the hardware is that every line of code has been tested in every combination.  You don't get a blue screen of death from a software glitch, if something is wrong it's physical.  A failed component.

As an aside... while the components are very solid and reliable, space is such that you need to carry spares (Paging Malcolm Reynolds... pick up the white courtesy phone) or be able to make your own replacement parts.

An item I include in every ship design I've made with GURPS: Traveller's modular ship design system is a complete shop.  At GURPS TL10 it's an amazing piece of kit, and it only sucks up a whopping dTon of space.  Small enough to fit even a Type-S.  If something breaks in hyperspace, where are you going to go for parts?  Wouldn't it have been nice to have been able to make a replacement catalyzer rather than get gut-shot?

A additive manufacturing process will definitely include the means to make replacement, standard computer components.

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