Author Topic: Portable Terminal - idea  (Read 5056 times)

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Marco2001

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Portable Terminal - idea
« on: September 20, 2010, 08:37:58 AM »

Portable Terminal
(Equipement capable of connecting to colony's computer net)



Portable Terminal is an equipement which player uses (mainly) to acces HUB's computer.
Player can carry it in his hand, set it on the ground and use it just as it was HUB's computer with the difference that he can be miles away from the base.

http://www.hyperkat.com/Colony/Images/comp.png

http://www.hyperkat.com/Colony/Images/cscreen.png

In order for the Portable Terminal to work it has to have a transmision-link with colony's net.
Player in order to connect the portable terminal with colony's computer need's to have nearby a Communication Tower.


Portable terminal is equiped with very small antena capable of sending/receiving huge amounts of data, but only as far as 5 m away.
Becouse of that - player needs to have a communication tower inside that 5 m radius.
It works this way: comm.tower is capable of sending small amounts of data over large distances (like: audio comunication, GPS, Map, etc.). The portable terminal that has only minimal range, sends the comm.tower the necesary data, which are piggybacked to the main computer (and vice versa). Of course - if the port.terminal or comm.tower is out of range of the net, no data will be send = no acces to the main computer.

Becouse the Portable Terminal needs Communication Tower nearby, players will most likely carry them together, and set them both on the ground where they are needed.
This limits the use of Portable Terminal, but gives players greate chalange on planing.

For instance: players are sampling a crater with GPR and Drills. Using Rover's they set-up a primitive outpost that have: Portable light (to work at night), Porta-LIBS (to check the samples on-site), Communication Tower (to have acces to colony's net), Portable Terminal (to upload sample's test resoults). If that outpost had a Portable Video-Camera (for commander to heck on them), Inflantable shelter (used when temperatures are low/radiation-storm/dust-storm, enables eating and drinking), PLSS (to generate some power and oxygen) that outpost would be able to work continously for a few martian days, until the sampling is complete. Then the players would pack everything-up to Rovers and move-on.
Morover - players would need to set the Comm.Tower and Portable Terminal close enough to link with other Comm.Towers which usualy means high enough over ground, but close enough to the center of the crater for better usage, which make's players to think how to do it.

Portable terminal gives players the possibility to:
1) Check base status (O2, H2O, Methane, Power reserves) from distance
2) Check automated equipement status from distance (Augar ore extraction, water pump status, rover status etc.)
3) Set some automated or base equipement status (turn on/off, set drill speed for augar, redistribute power etc.)
4) Acces base terminal wiresly - use the "Locator" function for players and equipement.
5) If Porta-LIBS is used, it can download data from it, and upload them to main comp..
6) Check radiation, weather forecast.
7) If Portable Video-Camera is used you could operate them from Portable Terminal.



Poland here. My time: GMT + 1h
Writing a book about Mars. Any ideas? Type to me.
I'am an Astrobiology/Biology student.

Mecanico

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Re: Portable Terminal - idea
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2010, 10:01:09 AM »
Marco, with all do respect, 5 meters? My Nokia E51 built-in WiFi antenna can send/receive data stream on my observation site, about 1 km away from WiFi base, and I still may listen on-line radio, download sky maps, etc. Cheap, commercial WiFi;]
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Ivanpet

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Re: Portable Terminal - idea
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2010, 02:37:31 PM »
ineresting ideeas here...nice but not quite easy to program all  ;D  this is true Hyper ?

thedubman

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Re: Portable Terminal - idea
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2010, 03:01:17 PM »
Marco, with all do respect, 5 meters? My Nokia E51 built-in WiFi antenna can send/receive data stream on my observation site, about 1 km away from WiFi base, and I still may listen on-line radio, download sky maps, etc. Cheap, commercial WiFi;]

I would have to agree, but I can see why you choose to have limited range etc. So it would give you something to do etc... but of course especially with future tech it would have an much futher range and effectiveness..

Interestingly, if the link using the comm tower boost enabled you to use a HAB pc and remote control fuctions to alter such things as power and o2 production in the HABS, that would be interesting... or remote control a Rover to your postion maybe....

Hyper

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Re: Portable Terminal - idea
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2010, 07:43:28 PM »
Or an IPad built into the hud....
Hard to research radio signals on mars, so far I havent come up with anything. Is it line of sight or is it like a CB can get over some hills but not all. How would a low power radio work on Mars?

Marco2001

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Re: Portable Terminal - idea
« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2010, 11:02:00 PM »


Quote
How would a low power radio work on Mars?
No info I could find yet, but....
a) High radiation interference
b) No Ionosphere - no long-range communications without a satelite net or MB
c) Electrostatic air particles blocking signals
d) Dust grains always in the air

I read an article about Mars MB (Meteorite Bursts) connection. Maybe this will make things easier:
Overview: http://www.niac.usra.edu/files/studies/abstracts/815Charania.pdf
Final report: http://www.niac.usra.edu/files/studies/final_report/815Charania.pdf

Quote
I would have to agree, but I can see why you choose to have limited range etc. So it would give you something to do etc...
Yes - thats exactly what I had in mind. There is a moment where you need to be super realistic, and a moment where you need to change things a little in order for game to work. Making a portable terminal to work only in that short range is acceptable in my opinion. At first i though "Connect it with cable", but then I realized that not only cables would be more
dificoult to programe, but also it is more likely to use wireless connection.

On Mars it is propably more likely to use wireless connection up to few meters instead of few kilometers...if not for the reasons above, than becouse of the wrinkled topography. Besides...computer terminals that can remotely control an entire base has to have high data transmision. In order to carry large amounts of data (and for lower energy usage) you will have to use high-frequency bandwith. High frequency transmits more data, but it has shorter range.
« Last Edit: September 22, 2010, 11:06:42 PM by Marco2001 »

Poland here. My time: GMT + 1h
Writing a book about Mars. Any ideas? Type to me.
I'am an Astrobiology/Biology student.

thedubman

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Re: Portable Terminal - idea
« Reply #6 on: September 23, 2010, 12:46:44 PM »
I see it gets more complex...

But a good idea for emergency, climb to high peak and set up..  How about this off the top of My head, the comm bost unit carries a small inflatable balloon and cable, the ballon is filled with a (gas) and carries a small transmitter/receiver up couple hundred M or whatever.. so the transmitted signal (what ever can be used on mars) is able to 'see' and find the colony..

I have allways like the idea of having a 'comm unit' or laptop or built in pc on your arm etc.. and using it on equipment (connecting too) to get a diagnostic and/or repair/replace part diag for the item in question..

As marco says you should be allowed to 'bend the rules' with a sim.. it cannot be expected to simulate every electronic and mech system with equipment... if you got a box that has a button on it which you press and 'water' comes out is just as acceptable and realistic to incorporate than simulalting working pipes and pumps..
« Last Edit: September 23, 2010, 12:52:47 PM by thedubman »