JediDefender.com Forums
Multimedia => The Sequel Trilogy => Topic started by: Matt_Fury on September 24, 2015, 01:45 PM
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Ok, so this one has been bothering me for a while, because I really am not sure what to make of it.
The original TIE fighters were white/grey with black "solar" panels. The new ones are black with light colored panels. Now solar panels are black because they absorb all colors across the visual spectrum (plants absorb every color of the spectrum except green so they don't overheat). Now a light colored solar panel would be completely inneficient, so why have a light colored solar panel on the new TIE fighter?
Are they not solar panels like we've thought for the past 38 years?
Is this just another JJ Abrams "Look I reversed it so it's new!" tactic like he and that moron Lindeloff did to Star Trek?
Does the technology work different in the SW universe?
Am I overthinking this? (Quite possible!)
What do y'all think?
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I'm pretty sure in all tech junk on TIes they're not solar panels... Iirc they're more like radiators. I don't have any books handy to look tho.
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I'm pretty sure in all tech junk on TIes they're not solar panels... Iirc they're more like radiators. I don't have any books handy to look tho.
They are described as solar panels in pretty much all the detailed TIE Fighter descriptions and overviews, like this one on wookiepedia.
All TIE series starfighters had two or more ion engine outlets, linked to a solar ionization reactor and solar array wings. (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/TIE_Series)
It's a good question. Would be cool if they came up with some rationale, but I think it was an aesthetic change without realizing or thinking about their functionality.
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Just from pictures/toys, it seems there are two types of TIE Fighters: regular ones similar to the OT, and the Special Forces TIES that have rear/mounted cannons and hold two pilots. So I'm assuming there have been SOME sort of modifications made to the technology.
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Just from pictures/toys, it seems there are two types of TIE Fighters: regular ones similar to the OT, and the Special Forces TIES that have rear/mounted cannons and hold two pilots. So I'm assuming there have been SOME sort of modifications made to the technology.
That doesn't seem a lot different to me than TIE Interceptors, TIE Bombers, etc. The wings are a pretty big part of the ship design, which makes sense if they are solar collectors of some kind. If they redesigned the ship to no longer need solar collectors, then why keep all that mass from the wings? The whole point of the TIEs is that they are very economical and can overwhelm with numbers, so if they don't use the wings anymore, why keep then in a revised design?
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if they don't use the wings anymore, why keep then in a revised design?
Because then they wouldn't be TIE Fighters, duh. They'd be First Order Ball Fighters.
I'm in the camp that says they did it because a) it looks cool and b) they can sell us a TIE Fighter color we don't have yet. I'm not sure JJ and the rest put much more thought into it then that. They leave all that to the LFL grunts who have to think up the no-prize answers to explain stuff like this. I'm guessing the "The Force Awakens Vehicle Cross Sections" book coming in December will have some great excuse for it. ;)
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I'll wait for the Art of..., Visual Dictionary and Incredible Cross-Sections books to reveal some of that. Those reference books are always good for shedding some light on the functionality of the starships of the SW universe. The new cannons and antenna look like interesting, functional additions. As for everything else? We'll see.
As for the reference books? One of those TFA books has a cover that's been revealed on Amazon:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51UaLhTkQ7L.jpg)
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I wasn't questioning what they're called, so much as what they do... Which in the Incredible Cross Sections (most current tech material on Star Wars stuff), they (as they often do) do some squishing together of what the purpose of the solar panels are. They don't just collect energy though... They're also listed as having a (in the diagram) heat exchange matrix (IE: a radiator) which makes up most of the panel's bulk, etc.
They also list it having a fueling line and things, which contradicts it flying on solar power completely... or perhaps the solar power feeds something else? Weapons or the argued particle shields people have brought up (due to space debris being an issue for an unshielded ship, blah blah blah).
Like Jeff said, JJ Abrams probably thought it looked neat to photo negative the TIE Fighter, add some greeblies, beef it up some here and there... voila, "advancement of technology in a fairly static technological advancement universe!", and you're done. It could be as simple as the First Order wanting to distinguish itself to the Empire in some weird way?
I'd say the simple answer right now is a "solar panel" on a TIE Fighter is not a solar panel on your neighbor's pool heater though, and thus doesn't work the same way, whatever its purpose may be. And so a white one maybe works as well as a black one, or better even. *shrugs*
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I'd say the simple answer right now is a "solar panel" on a TIE Fighter is not a solar panel on your neighbor's pool heater though, and thus doesn't work the same way, whatever its purpose may be. And so a white one maybe works as well as a black one, or better even. *shrugs*
yes, but then we know that light colors tends to reflect sunlight where as dark colors absorb it, but I can suspend my disbelief at the door.
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That's what I'm saying... It could work/function completely different so colors and stuff may not be applicable. They may be painted white with special sensor dampening paint or some goofy thing. That's how some have theorized the hue of TIEs changed from ANH to esb. That the paint had some practical impact. There's a billion ways to bull**** the SW universe lol.
I noticed in the trailers that the basic (as opposed to the elite) TIE is physically virtually identical to the original fighters in the OT besides colors. I found that interesting.
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That's how some have theorized the hue of TIEs changed from ANH to esb. That the paint had some practical impact.
I always thought the color difference was due to camouflage. Death Star gray vs space dark blue.
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It's fine if I've been wrong in thinking they are solar panels...that's just what me and my friends always thought they were. Coming from that perspective with was hard to turn off the engineer in me.
Radiators would make a lot more sense to be honest.
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Ever notice there are two different types of TIE Fighters? The toy version (elite) that we got with the copilot seat and window in the back. There is also the traditional TIE with no copilot window, no extra guns but still has the white wings.
Watch the video
http://www.endorexpress.net/2015/11/the-force-awakens-in-star-tours/#more-18265 (http://www.endorexpress.net/2015/11/the-force-awakens-in-star-tours/#more-18265)
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I noticed in the trailers that the basic (as opposed to the elite) TIE is physically virtually identical to the original fighters in the OT besides colors. I found that interesting.
Yes. :)
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I've not gotten the new Star Wars TFA Incredible Cross Sections book in hand yet, but looking at some previews on amazon.com, you can "read" the section regarding the new TIE Fighters. It appears the FO uses something more like the classic standard TIE (called the TIE/fo) as well as the Special Forces TIE Fighter (called the TIE/sf). The TIE SF is what all the toys represent from the Revell model kits to the 3.75" toy to the giant 6" scale version. It is also the type of TIE that Finn and Poe make their escape from the Star Destroyer in during the first act of the movie. In short, its a beefed up version of the standard TIE/fo, with increased armaments, the two crew, a hyperdrive, and shields.
See all the details on the Special Forces TIE Fighter here:
http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Awakens-Incredible-Cross-Sections/dp/1465438157/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450831880&sr=1-4&keywords=star+wars+the+force+awakens
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I found it really kind of weird the new TIE Fighters required 2 people.