How do you think the Grapple Beam works?

[Cosmonautical]

This is something I have no clue about. It seems ingenious in concept - an beam-device capable of supporting weight. Kind of based off the concept of a tractor-beam, only minus the pulling effect, which makes it much more complicated.

[Robotazy]

It's a Rope full of energy.

[Valigarmander]

It could just be a beam that works on gravity-like impulses. Perhaps the tether works by "pulling" Samus towards the target, while maintaining a constant length?

I never got to take physics in high school, so I can't come up with some awesome theory. D:

[heh]

its just a grappling hook with shiny lights

[Luigiman7]

Her arm cannon is the barrel, the beam is a bunch of energy monkeys.

[Demonicus Prime]

A steadily declining mag-rail?

[Cosmonautical]

haha shiny rope

[Metal Man]

It's the magnet beam in disguise!

[Speed]

It works like Magnets and static elctricity...and ****....



Alternate Theory: She Stole Link's Hookshot and hooked a bunch of christmas lights on it.

[X-3]

It's a giant hand. With small fingers that are powerful?

[1-up Salesman]

It's like the futuristic version of a Hookshot, with lasers, beams, and futuristic technology replacing the metal and chains of the Hookshot.

[Ace Mercury]

The grappling hook is comprised of several key components: the plasma window, the projector, and the superfluid.

The exterior body of the grappling beam is comprised of a plasma window, which is a static sheet of ionic plasma contained by controlled electromagnetic fields created by the projector. Tweaking of the quantum chromodymanic aspects of the ionic material allows for an operational temperature within reasonable human levels.

The grappling beam projector is a spherical device which is shot from the cannon towards the target. The grappling beam projector keeps the plasma column is roughly confined in a cylindrical shape, although the surface is usually extremely turbulent (without breaking the surface of the window). A retracting cable is attached to the projector so that it can be recovered after use back into the grappling hook base.

Once the projector is shot outwards, a super-dense artificial synovial fluid is pumped into the plasma window cylinder, and the fluid quickly fills the vacuum created by the column. The synovial fluid is an engineered superfluid within the pressure and temperature within the plasma column. Its superfluid properties allow it to seep into the contact point and effectively welds the fluid together with the projection column. The high intermolecular forces inside of the fluid provides high tensional strength in order to support the weight of the user.

To retract the grappling hook, the plasma window is removed, which causes the superfluid to return to it's natural state of non-superfluidity, causing the site weld to disconnect. The majority of the fluid can be recovered through the grappling hook base, although if operational in a vacuum, it's not unusual for the fluid to completely evaporate.

[Valigarmander]

...Where'd you pull that from?

[Kargath]

I say it's powered by gamer astonishment.
Every time someone finishes the original Metroid, it recharges.

[Ace Mercury]

Originally Posted by Valigarmander

...Where'd you pull that from?

I spent some time a few years ago working on background for a potential game I would want to develop. So, I spent some time researching and typing up descriptions of technologies like this:

=== Phase Shield ===
The phase shield was developed from promising plasma window technology, which isolates an ionic plasma field within carefully controlled EM fields, creating a barrier which stops (and then incinerates) macroscopic objects. However, traditional plasma windows require high temperatures and extraordinary power requirements, yet also freely allows subatomic radiation to pass through its barrier. New discoveries in quantum particle and flavourdynamics fields, however, not only allow for lower power consumption and bearable temperatures, but the ability to tweak exactly the scope of radiation that can pass through the shield. Varieties exist which block all radiation (EM, visible light, particle) as well as macroscopic objects. There is an amusing anecdote of putting such a generator inside its own field, thereby cutting itself off from the universe for the duration of its energy supply, the ultimate 'time out'.

Improvements to the proof-of-concept design have been made since. Low temperature phase shields cannot rely on incineration to remove macroscopic objects; a matter rejection field was developed to push matter away from the shield. In typical shields, most of the energy to sustain a phase shield is spent enforcing the EM containment field and is also contingent on the amount of matter rejection required. 'Frameless' shields have been developed, which allow the projection of a phase shield wall instead of a complete sphere or enclosed space, thereby allowing any personnel inside the ability to breathe. Limitations of the phase shield that remain are its short projection range and its high energy upkeep cost.

The phase shield revolutionized modern combat. When first introduced into modern armed forces, there was lack of effective weapons against this new technology. As such, an easy victory with minimal losses (of the users) was practically assured. Many ultimately blame the introduction of the phase shield to monumental shifts in power over the past decades towards large governmental and globally corporate entities, although most regard this as paranoic nonsense. Since then, several tactics have been developed to compromise the phase shield, such as 'sticky' weapons which drain power from matter rejection, close-range plasma weapons, destabilizing EMPs, and simple overwhelming brute-force.

Modern phase shield designs are available to work well with any major energy source: regional grid fusion, H-cell, and ZPE. While in operation, EM emitters will require regular maintenance, as regular contact with a non-vacuum environment will incur misalignment, spent charges, etc, which are normally performed when the phase shield is inactive. Self-repairing shields exist, but the shield also must be inactive; self-repairing shields cannot outpace any significant source of external damage.

Phase shield manufacture is done by most of the Top Six, each specifically tailored for industry, military, or commecial use. The major bottleneck to manufacturing is manufacturing sufficently pure amounts of material for the EM generator. Incresing amounts of purity increase EM strength and overall shield quality.

[Cosmonautical]

Originally Posted by Ace Mercury

The grappling hook is comprised of several key components: the plasma window, the projector, and the superfluid.

The exterior body of the grappling beam is comprised of a plasma window, which is a static sheet of ionic plasma contained by controlled electromagnetic fields created by the projector. Tweaking of the quantum chromodymanic aspects of the ionic material allows for an operational temperature within reasonable human levels.

The grappling beam projector is a spherical device which is shot from the cannon towards the target. The grappling beam projector keeps the plasma column is roughly confined in a cylindrical shape, although the surface is usually extremely turbulent (without breaking the surface of the window). A retracting cable is attached to the projector so that it can be recovered after use back into the grappling hook base.

Once the projector is shot outwards, a super-dense artificial synovial fluid is pumped into the plasma window cylinder, and the fluid quickly fills the vacuum created by the column. The synovial fluid is an engineered superfluid within the pressure and temperature within the plasma column. Its superfluid properties allow it to seep into the contact point and effectively welds the fluid together with the projection column. The high intermolecular forces inside of the fluid provides high tensional strength in order to support the weight of the user.

To retract the grappling hook, the plasma window is removed, which causes the superfluid to return to it's natural state of non-superfluidity, causing the site weld to disconnect. The majority of the fluid can be recovered through the grappling hook base, although if operational in a vacuum, it's not unusual for the fluid to completely evaporate.

Sooooo.... it's a shiny rope.

[Ace Mercury]

Not exactly.

If you have trouble visualizing it, imagine a long hard rod which shoots out sticky fluid from inside.

[Valigarmander]

Originally Posted by Ace Mercury

If you have trouble visualizing it, imagine a long hard rod which shoots out sticky fluid from inside.

[Rainbow Dash]

i'd imagine it's much like a tractor beam, except you don't have enough mass to pull things toward you so things pull you towards it, or it supports your weight

[Cosmonautical]