Perhaps Ive given too much thought to this..but I get bored easily.
Mechs can be useful if actually realised but the restrictions are too many for them to be really practical in what we
see in animes. A specialised AI bot is more cost efficient and better killing other things in the environments they are
built for, than a human piloted four-limbed monkey, irregardless of technology.
-The problem is it will be quite difficult for a LONG time to create an artificially intelligent computer at all, let
alone one that`ll run on a machine capable of being fitted into any reasonably sized weapon. Until that time, it is more
effective to put a thinking human being in there, as much as the whole concept of a person going out and possibly dying
sucks.
As far as design goes, its not that a humanoid design is neccesarily better in any particular environment. Its that the
basic design(torso, two arms, two legs, perhaps a tail or other device for added balance) is capable of functioning in
practically ANY environment. Generalization is a key trait.
What our main advantages that gave us the ability to dominate the Earth is our brain and ability to put our ideas in
motion in our hands, opposable thumbs with the brains to use them is our advantage. That is badly translated to mechs,
since mechs don't have brains and why do they need a 20 foot spanner for?
-The pilot is the brains, and they`d need that spanner to build something on a scale humans cant achieve on their
own.
For war, like the specialised animals, spheroids are the best shape for space combat, tanks are one of the most
cost-efficient platforms for land combat, fixed-winged crafts (aero-space capable spheroids) will rule the air. They
will all do so in greater quantities and efficient costs than what a complicated piece of machine to carry a
slow-thinking human who takes forever and costs to train, into combat.
-A human being is capable of thinking better and faster than you may believe. As far as cost goes..human beings are born
all the time, they`re infinitely replaceable. an AI, on the other hand, unless you want to begin producing them like
cars, will not be so replaceable, and for a long time undoubtedly more expensive. And if your AI can truly think as a
human, just faster due to its substrate, can you control it?
The mechs presented in anime now are all unfeasible in that they are all based on some mythical technology and
unexplained details.
-As much as *I* would like it, a series simply wouldnt sell if they explained every bit of tech on the show. A manual
would be nice though, sold alongside the series..
How do the joints work, why are they working in space with armor blown off, exposed to the vacuum, absolute zero
temperature, radiation and such
-Alot of series refer to magnetic bearings, or liquid-filled, or some other such. As far as working in space with armor
blown off...its armor. Surely *any* designer would bet on armor plating being damaged or destroyed in some manner, and
would harden his equipment accordingly. Radiation can be either ignored or shielded against dependent on the specific
application(who cares of the hydraulics and fuel gets a fee 100 rems, while we would care if the computers did). And
computing need not neccesarily be uber-advanced in all respects. processors less powerful than a pentium 1 fly alot of
things orbiting above us right now, including the space shuttle.
Space, btw, is not the uber-cold place it is made out to be. Yes, it is cold. But it also absolutely sucks as a
heat-conductor. The only method left to heat is by radiation, really, conduction is quite limited and convection is
impossible.
how efficient are the energies transfered, all unexplained, blinding you with talk of Minovsky particles for engines.
-Well, how else would they explain the small size of the fusion reactors? And, again, technical details do not an
interesting series make to most people. Id love it, Id love to have fat books on each of the gundams detailing all this.
But all we can do is make logical assumptions, and have a little bit of faith ;)
They fed you one supposed explanation while missing out tonnes of details. Last I saw, only the Mechs in Battletech came
close to feasibility with their motion being through artificial musculature.
-Ive seen battletech mecha. You might as well go with a tank. those things are indeed a waste of time to bother
with.
When watching mech anime, I'm enjoying the fantasy. It's all fake as far as I'm concerned.
-But that which is fake today becomes real tomarrow. Its one of the things that gives me hope.