26 October 2008

360 degrees of up

something has always bothered me about space battles. i understand that the vacuum of space is not conducive to the theatrical intergalactic dogfights: no sounds, so the lasering and wooOOooo's are out; you can't maneuver like fighter jets without earth's atmosphere or an incredibly complex, ridiculously inefficient system of thrusters to operate star wars style; and no explosions--no oxygen means fiery balls of destruction are out. no, what really bothers me is that everyone is always facing each other on the same plane--as if they were adhering to the laws of some gravitational force below them. who says which way is up in space? there are potentially infinite choices of up and down, and everyone in the universe picks the exact same plane with which to stage their attacks and defenses (unless they are being chased, but then return to 'normal' up, but that's no different than barrel rolls and yawing in earth's atmosphere).
...really? i don't like it.

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