Warp factors/scales old and new

[andrewlee]

I am wondering about exactly why they changed the TOS warp factors that were calculated on multiplying the warp factor by itself by 3 times or cubed of the # to another warp scale calculated on a complex mathematical formula?? I read that they were concerned about warp factors becoming too fast, but I think this is lame!!
All the new scale does has caused confusion. I had to explain in detail to some one on another Star Trek forum the difference because they did not know. This can be found in memory alpha and other Trek sites. I read that the TOS warp factors were calculated on the speed of the ship and the new scale on the power used. This doesn't make sense since from the beginning of warp travel they would have known about the layers of subspace that had to be overcome to increase their speed. What do think?

[Mr. Atoz]

I have to confess that I don't know what you mean either. I do remember some unofficial source saying that the light speed was equal to the cube of the warp factor. Warp one is 1c, Warp two is 8 times, warp three is 27 times, etc., but I don't recall anyone in the series ever talking about exactly how to calculate this.

[andrewlee]

Warp one in both warp scales is 1C or the speed of light. warp 2 in the old scale is 8C because it is 2 X 2 X 2 = 8. Warp 2 on the new scale is 10C due to some complex mathematical equation and so in. All old scale warp factors are cubes of the number they are a warp factor of. This would probably be in Memory Alpha.

[Mr. Atoz]

I agree with you that it doesn't make sense to change the scale. After all, even if warp ten were 1000 times the speed of light, it would still take eight hours to travel one light-year!

[andrewlee]

I have looked for the formula for the new warp scale and have not found it. I just found out that it isn't simple like the one for the old warp scale. I have looked at the warp scale charts speed vs energy consumption and found they are not linear like the old warp scale system. Check it out on Memory Alpha when you get a chance and you will see what I mean.

[Mr. Atoz]

I've been to Memory Alpha and checked their entry on "Warp Factors". The formula they give is pretty simple. It's WF to the power of (10/3), which is 3.3333.

I just don't understand why they arbitrarily set warp ten equal to infinity. There seems to be no reason for that.

[andrewlee]

In the new warp scale, it also bugs me that they set warp 10 as infinite speed. I just think the whole new scale should never have been done. It complicates things and in my opinion was unnecessary!!

[Mr. Atoz]

I'm not sure why the scale was changed anyway, unless someone actually calculated some of the speeds and destinations in the first few episodes of TNG and realized that they were arriving faster than they should have. At any rate, none of this comes from the series itself, but from a couple of "Tech Manuals" published by Paramount's publishing arm. We don't really know how "official" either of them were, in the sense that the writers actually used them.

[andrewlee]

I have seen what you are talking about in the tech manuals. I was under the impression that the newer warp scale was the more valid one, but I could be wrong.

[Niemz]

I wish they would make this simpler...

[andrewlee]

Jan 20, 2010 17:15:03 GMT -6 Niemz said:

I wish they would make this simpler...

You and me both!!! I see no need to make things confusing which is not the same thing as something being complex, but understandable, logical!

[Thallassa]

I have always regarded warp factors with the cheerful vagueness of someone who doesn't have to pilot a starship anyway.