How do the Polar Star/Machine Gun/Spur work?

Oct 17, 2014 at 12:21 AM
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It seems like a lot of people would wonder about this, but I haven't seen anyone (except half-life213) try and figure out how they actually work. Here's what I think:

The Polar Star, Machine Gun, and Spur all use the same technology, they just differ in how they use it. As stated by hl213 on the "When?" discussion ([http://www.cavestory.org/forums/threads/5023/] Go read his post and then go to page 3 to see my theory as to when Cave Story takes place.) the properties of the shots fired by these guns can't be light because if they were, the shots would continue in a straight line until it hits something, while these gun's shots will eventually stop.

He also said (Side Note: You're welcome for the free promoting I'm giving you) that he thinks that they are rail guns, which use magnets to shoot metal projectiles at high speeds. I like the idea, but for the simple fact that if it worked like that it would run out of ammo, I'll have to disagree. The most logical way it would work and not run out of ammo is with electricity (Lasers?!?!). Maybe to them being lasers, but that still wouldn't explain how the lasers are being generated. And this is where my theory kicks in. I think they might be using cathodes.

Does that sound familiar? Cathodes as in cathode ray tubes (CRTs)? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathode_ray_tube ? Old televisions. The CRTs were originally released sometime in the 1930's and were only black-and-white for a few decades. This technology was discontinued in the 2000's when LCD and Plasma technology hit the scene. Suprisingly enough, the CRT is still superior to its successors in a few ways. But how are these relevant to how my Polar-Machine-Spur works?

For the few of you who actually went to the Wikipedia page, gave it at least a 1 out of 100 on your trust scale, and made it down to the part about health concerns, you might know where this is going. But I'll assume most of you didn't so I'll explain. The CRTs were heavy for a reason: the cathode (cathodes if it's a color CRT) was extremely dangerous and reqired thick, lead plating to protect people from it's harmful effects. Two are notable, one of which contains a route to progress.

1. The cathode emitted small amounts of X-ray. While not lethal in small doses (as proven in the medical field), over time the radiation can have harmful effects. But it's the next effect that gets us somewhere. It wasn't even listed on the Wiki page.
2. CRTs require immense amounts of electricity to function, and electrical charge can be built up in the CRT.

Don't belive me? Find a CRT and touch the glass after it's been running for a few minutes. You may be able to feel the electricity lurking behind the glass. If that doesn't work, if you have any arm hair (or any kind of hair really), bringing it close enough to the television should result in the hair pointing toward the TV.

So with that in mind, it would seem likely that reverse-engineering a CRT into a gun would be possible (especially if you could get it to use EVEN MORE electricity), but where does that infinite ammo come from? Easy to say, but difficult to actually make happen: an infinite supply of electricity. So we simply use process of elimination to figure out what it could be. Starting with whether or not the source is infinite.

Gasoline or other type of fossil fuel: Not Infinite
Wind: Infinite-ish
Solar: Infinite-ish
Nuclear: Infinite-ish
Heat (Yes, it's a thing): Infinite-ish

So we have five options and we just took it down to four. Let's do that again. This time with whether it's portable or not.

Wind: Not portable
Solar: Portable
Nuclear: Portable(?)
Heat: Portable

Down to three. But let's think of it this way: if it was designed for use in a cave, where would you get solar energy? You wouldn't. And then there were two. Thermoelectricity (That's what it's called) could generate electricity off human body heat. Heat would seem like it would work... for humans. If Quote and Curly can use them, they probably don't use heat. Therefore, the only real solution we're left with is Nuclear power.

So the Polar Star, Machine Gun, and Spur are all (theoretically) Nuclear powered cathodes put into the form of a gun. That's going to leave marks. Lots and lots of marks. So here's how they (theoretically) work:

The Polar Star would generate a decent sized shot in less than a second and then fire it on a trigger pull.

The Machine Gun would be like the Polar Star on steroids, but would eventually deplete the available electricity stored within an integrated battery.

And the Spur, well, did you ignore the second reason why cathodes are lethal? "... and ELECTRICAL CHARGE can be built up in the CRT? Emphesis on the word "charge."


Well, let me know what you think and ask me questions if you need/want to.
 
Oct 17, 2014 at 1:30 AM
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I really like this theory
it makes sense in every way.

But would you apply this to other guns, such as the Snake? And if so, how?
 
Oct 17, 2014 at 1:39 AM
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Understanding futuristic weaponry using modern day technology seems like a foolish exercise.

Not to mention the risks of using nuclear energy as a portable power source, or the need to dispose of nuclear waste, or the sheer enormity of trying to condense nuclear power generation from massive plants into something that you can fit in your fist. As far as power sources go, I would suggest "none of the above". The gun could use Hydrogen as fuel. So long as Hydrogen and Oxygen can be separated (a way to emulate a plant's ability to do this is being worked on to this day) then all you need is water.

Alternatively, a room-temperature superconductor would blow that completely out of the water.
 
Oct 17, 2014 at 7:33 AM
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Pretty good theory, I like it.
Although as said, trying to understand technology of who knows how far into the future with what we know is fruitless.

And it is actually possible Quote and Curly generate heat, since whatever powers them might release excess heat energy. Since they've been on for so long they're probably quite hot now. Think when an iPod begins heating up, it gets hotter and hotter, but not so hot that it burns you.
 
Oct 25, 2014 at 12:01 PM
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You're right. We can't determine how future technology works. But we can try to figure out what technology could be made in the present that would eventually lead to the technology being made in the future.

A heat-powered cathode gun (don't even remember what I was thinking with the portable nuclear energy thing) with energy being stored in a rechargeable battery could evolve over time and become the Polar Star.

The battery could be replaced with a superconductor that works at room temperature, like Andwhy mentioned.

The small thermoelectric generator could be replaced with smaller, more efficient versions of the same thing. And as Redd mentioned, Quote/Curly could generate heat if their power source (whatever that is) generates excess heat.

As for the cathode, I can't think of anything off the top of my head as to how that would evolve. Any ideas?

And going only slightly off topic: if you managed to keep an input source on the reverse engineered CRT (and make sure that the cathode can still generate an image [somehow]) with the right software, you could theoretically make dubsteb guns (or any other genre of music.)
Think about it...
 
Oct 26, 2014 at 11:51 AM
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Well ...I think that they may be semi/ full auto guns with bullets heated until they glow. But for the bubble? No idea how bubbles can kill things unless they were poison. Now I'm starting to think that Quote may have an evil side though. Killing cute animals with poison bubbles.
 
Oct 27, 2014 at 4:46 AM
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funwillfunwill said:
No idea how bubbles can kill things unless they were poison.
anyone notice how most of the enemies in the game shoot you with bubbles, and at times they are considerably harmful.
 
Oct 27, 2014 at 11:00 AM
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It's nanomachines
 
Oct 27, 2014 at 1:08 PM
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It combines the polar star and the fireball by having them both shoot at the same time and the polar star bullet shoots the fireball bullet and kills it and then its ghost comes out of the gun
 
Oct 31, 2014 at 2:03 AM
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Noxid said:
It combines the polar star and the fireball by having them both shoot at the same time and the polar star bullet shoots the fireball bullet and kills it and then its ghost comes out of the gun
Or MAYBE the fireball heats up the bullets of the Polar Star, which gives it more damage and penetration. Or the shopkeeper killed the fireball, upgraded the Polar Star, and stuffed the soul of the fireball into the gun, so now it's shooting ghost bullets that can only hurt organic beings.
 
Nov 3, 2014 at 3:27 PM
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I think...
Polar Star : Charges up bullets and fires them up halfway at high speeds, giving a laser effect.
Fireball : Inside there is a teeny tiny flamethrower. Light a flame, add some gasoline and HUGE FIREBALL!
Snake : Charges up the flamethrower and shoots a bullet through it, giving it a "snake"y effect.
Spur : Charges up bullets but fires them fully charged at really high speeds, giving a streak effect.
Machine Gun : Charges the bullets but rapidly shoots them at minimal charge at high speeds, allowing you to fly.
Blade : Yeah, I got nothing for this one.
Nemisis : Charges up electricity and lets it go all at once. Or rubby duckies. What evs.
Bubbler : Believe it or not, this actually exists. Shoots bubbles at SUCH a high speed that it could easily
pierce through skin.
 
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