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dcutter2 Since: Sep, 2013
2022-12-26 11:28:24

It definitely needs shrinking or indeed removing entirely because it really it just feels more like dissing/complaining about Saxton. (Even on your revised version I'm not sure The Vs Debate needs mention? I'm not sure Saxton was even much of a participant though he does thank people that were)

There's certainly room to mention the controversy around ICS but I'm not sure it's even this trope.

StarSword Since: Sep, 2011
2022-12-26 11:53:30

All right, here's a second draft.

  • The Incredible Cross-Sections reference books for the Star Wars prequel trilogy, written by physicist Dr. Curtis Saxton, became quite controversial for giving energy numbers that to some readers appeared to significantly inflated compared to the film special effects: for example, maximum yields of 200 gigatons on the turbolasers of Acclamator-class troop transports (Attack of the Clones) and 10 teratons for Venator-class star destroyers (Revenge of the Sith); the latter number is about 10% of the estimated yield of the Chicxulub meteorite impact. Saxton has shown where his calculations came from: primarily the Death Star's destruction of Alderaan, the concept of Base Delta Zero from West End Games' Imperial Sourcebook, and shots from The Empire Strikes Back of star destroyers blowing up asteroids said to be nickel-iron in Alan Dean Foster's novelization; however, other debaters such as Gary Sarli have questioned some of his underlying assumptions. The whole thing was ultimately rendered moot after Legends was decanonized, with the efficacy of Orbital Bombardment in particular dramatically scaled down in Disney canon reference books.

Edited by StarSword Trust me, I'm an engineer!
StarSword Since: Sep, 2011
2022-12-26 12:26:25

^Cool. I'll leave this up for a few hours before implementing to give other people time to contribute.

Trust me, I'm an engineer!
nrjxll Since: Nov, 2010
2022-12-26 15:06:35

I honestly do think the connection to the Trek vs Wars debates needs mention - from what I've read Saxton's involvement with it is very unclear in a way that's seriously poisoned the well surrounding his contributions to Star Wars (old) canon. I know this isn't an Overshadowed by Controversy example or anything, but I definitely think it's an aspect that people bring into his numbers.

Edited by nrjxll
dcutter2 Since: Sep, 2013
2022-12-26 15:33:31

But then it's not that "Writers have no sense of scale", it's that he's deliberately misrepresenting something and that's a different issue entirely, surely.

StarSword Since: Sep, 2011
2022-12-26 18:31:36

^I wouldn't go that far. Sci-Fi Writers Have No Sense of Scale is considered a trope and therefore can be Played With, and we do have the concept of Enforced Trope for situations where external factors led to the inclusion of a trope.

Third draft taking that into account:

Edited by StarSword Trust me, I'm an engineer!
StarSword Since: Sep, 2011
2022-12-28 09:16:31

Since it's been a couple days without further input, I've uploaded draft #3 to the page. Thanks, y'all.

Trust me, I'm an engineer!
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