WINDOWS IN SPESS

[Ory'Hara]

OF COURSE... it could also just be an observation deck. something for the crew to loosen up when they're off-duty.

[DarkMirror]

OF COURSE... it could also just be an observation deck. something for the crew to loosen up when they're off-duty.

That's still not a great idea. Any sort of window is going to be a weak point in the hull, and while I suppose you could armour the thing and basically build it so that theres triple-redundancy seals on the blast doors and stuff... why bother? Depending on what your ship is doing, there's not going to be much to see. Space is mostly empty and unless you're above a planet there's not much to see. And even then, it requires your ship to have that recreation deck facing the planet.

I'll agree that ships should have some sort of emergency deck to let them plot out the stars and such, but windows don't have much purpose in combat or recreation.

[Ory'Hara]

in recreation, they do. like i said, just staring at the stars is a good thing, personally, i like just lying back and staring at the dark, star-riddled heaven above me... <.<

[DarkMirror]

in recreation, they do. like i said, just staring at the stars is a good thing, personally, i like just lying back and staring at the dark, star-riddled heaven above me... <.<

You, uh, do realize that for most people that's more of a "go completely nuts" type situation, right?

Being on a spaceship would be inherently terrifying. Looking out at the stars would only reinforce that you are on a tiny, fragile bubble in the middle of a lot of nothing and nobody will be able to rescue you if something bad happens.

[Ory'Hara]

some people might find it soothing. that's the idea behind an observation deck, DM...

[sorbitol overlord]

Whatever happened to holographic displays on flat surfaces that perform the same task as windows (Even though you can have transparent materials just as strong as the hull), but aren't as vulnerable as the concept?

[DarkMirror]

some people might find it soothing. that's the idea behind an observation deck, DM...

Then watch the stars on a screen. Don't put a glaring weak point in the hull and risk half your crew going stir-crazy.

[Ory'Hara]

some people might find it soothing. that's the idea behind an observation deck, DM...

Then watch the stars on a screen. Don't put a glaring weak point in the hull and risk half your crew going stir-crazy.

because... it's extremely hard to put blast doors and armor to compensate for those small spots on a ship, yes? <.<

[DarkMirror]

Then you run right back into the fact that for most people, the void is not "soothing". People HATE empty spaces.

[Ory'Hara]

Then you run right back into the fact that for most people, the void is not "soothing". People HATE empty spaces.

butbutbutbut.... the stars... they shine... ;_;

[DarkMirror]

Then you run right back into the fact that for most people, the void is not "soothing". People HATE empty spaces.

butbutbutbut.... the stars... they shine... ;_;

From down here? Great. Up there it means something a little different.

[Guilty Spark]

Then you run right back into the fact that for most people, the void is not "soothing". People HATE empty spaces.

butbutbutbut.... the stars... they shine... ;_;

From down here? Great. Up there it means something a little different.

Some people would go nuts because of the claustrophobic spaces that you'd probably find in a spaceship too. A simple psych evaluation would weed out anyone fragile enough to break down just by looking into space.

[DarkMirror]

Some people would go nuts because of the claustrophobic spaces that you'd probably find in a spaceship too. A simple psych evaluation would weed out anyone fragile enough to break down just by looking into space.

I'll admit I'm going out on a limb here, but AFAIK theres not a lot of good sitting and looking out at a vast, hostile nothing will do for you. If you're on a military ship, theres no reason to be stargazing. Having a rec-room with windows is as pointless as having a bridge with windows. If they really want to stargaze, thats what television screens are for.

Windows are a liability. Sacecraft will be utilitarian, theres no point wasting cash making sure your observation deck isn't going to kill your ship when it's cheaper just not to build one.

[Awa]

Military space ships will not have windows for the same reason military submarines don't have windows:
1. They are a weak spot in the hull.
2. The military personnel are not there to operate the ship, not to enjoy the view.
3. You can't see far with your naked eye anyway. (In a submarine because underwater you can see only a couple dozen meters in front of you tops, in a spaceship because even in middle of combat ships probably wouldn't approach closer than a couple thousand kilometers from one another. Think you can see another ship 3000 km away with your naked eye?).

[CrazynTough Kiwi]

I believe ships could get within a dozen kilometers of each other but I think they would usually be about 300km away.