Or "How did we ever manage before the internet?"
I'm starting to get into the real adventurey bits of the story here, and I'm realizing that I need to figure out just how on earth my characters are contacting one another. The way I break it down, there are three types of communication I need to address:
1) Land-to-land
2) Land-to-(air)ship
3) Airship-to-airship
Land to land, that's easy. They've got telegrams. It's the other two that have me a bit vexed. Now, I'm already embracing anachronism and saying they have radios, which so far I've only used in a very short-term sense - like from one airship to the one floating alongside it. So they may have a very limited range. But what if you wanted to contact a ship from a greater distance? Maybe something like a CB radio setup?
How are your characters getting their messages from point A to point B? Any suggestions? Don't make me resort to carrier pigeons here.
----------
"When the hero develops this sort of arrogance, it always ends dreadfully. Look at Icarus. Fellow with the wings, have you read that one?"
"I think so."
"That is precisely where we find ourselves now."
41,740 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 05 08
You could have several ships relaying the information to each other, radio to radio until it reaches the recipient of the message. You could have floating relay stations even. Maybe bigger radios have longer range too. There would be a time delay between answers but that would only make it more believable.
Also, the relays could be ship-ship-ship or ship-ground-ship or even ship-ship-ground...
----------My technique? When all else fails, toss in some gorillas.
Novel:
The Quicksilver Queen, Fantasy. One year in the plotting, one month in the making?
41,740 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 05 09
Also, the relays could be ship-ship-ship or ship-ground-ship or even ship-ship-ground...
Oh and, this is more sci-fi than fantasy btw :)
----------My technique? When all else fails, toss in some gorillas.
Novel:
The Quicksilver Queen, Fantasy. One year in the plotting, one month in the making?
42,972 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 05 15
Also, the relays could be ship-ship-ship or ship-ground-ship or even ship-ship-ground...
Oh and, this is more sci-fi than fantasy btw :)
I can dig it. My story's got no real "fantasy" trappings about it, but this seems to be the designated steampunk hangout. =)
----------I really love the idea of floating relay stations! Maybe at the harbors as well...you've given me something neat to think about.
"When the hero develops this sort of arrogance, it always ends dreadfully. Look at Icarus. Fellow with the wings, have you read that one?"
"I think so."
"That is precisely where we find ourselves now."
32,422 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 12 23
There's plenty of steampunk without fantasy, but the community is here, so yes this is the place :)
Most communication in my world is through ring-guides, a sort of combination of mail-service/courier/travel guide/messengers/errand runners. There are technological methods, but they are rare and I haven't fleshed them out yet.
----------The Steampunk FAQ and Resources thread.
40,301 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 12 59
Well, if this is a steampunkish novel, what about some sort of ether-based technology?
42,972 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 09 43
Ah, the ubiquitous aether! For whatever reason I've been resisting that (what does tv-tropes call it? Applied Phlebotinum, I think?), but now I'm thinking it might add a little bit of fun pseudo-magical-science to the whole thing.
I just wikipedia'd aether. And I have to say, it does make me look at the ethernet port on my computer in a whole new light...
----------"When the hero develops this sort of arrogance, it always ends dreadfully. Look at Icarus. Fellow with the wings, have you read that one?"
"I think so."
"That is precisely where we find ourselves now."