Jumpgate
Encyclopedia
In science fiction
, a jump gate (or 'jumpgate') is a fictional device able to create a wormhole
or portal, allowing fast travel between two points in space. Several works use this term extensively.
television series, a jumpgate is an apparatus with the power to open a vortex that connects normal space with hyperspace
, making interstellar travel take a matter of days. Jumpgates also provide beacon
s that allow navigation within hyperspace. The origin of the technology is unknown; all races learned to make jumpgates by examining already-existing ones. For example, humans acquired jumpgate technology by purchasing it from the Centauri
.
Some ships are large enough to house jumpgate devices within them, enabling them to enter and exit hyperspace at will. Minbari
warships have been known to exit hyperspace right next to enemy ships, destroying them in the backlash.
television series a network of stargates has been set up for interstellar travel. In this context, stargates are the same concept as jumpgates. These stargates were shown as a diamond-shaped quartet of stars that shimmered when a vessel was making transit.
and New Genesis
to travel great or interplanetary distances. In order to open one, a device known as a Mother Box
is required, though some characters (notably Darkseid
) are capable of opening them naturally.
has their own jumpgates, called Anomalies, placed on the two moons of Mars
, Phobos
and Deimos
. In the Doom 3
games a true version of a stargate appears. In Doom 3, it offers a direct link to hell, whence two Hell Knights emerge and attempt to kill the protagonist. In Doom 3 - Resurrection of Evil, another stargate is opened when the player faces the first Hunter. All the Anomalies in both classic and new Doom are used to travel in space at an instant speed by using an alternate dimension as a shortcut, where the hellish and demonic race dwells.
, Eve Online
, jump gates allow travel between star systems. Due to the complex nature of their construction and the physics that they are based upon, in the official lore of the game, a jump gate must be placed between two stars of a star system with at least two stars - this makes "approximately one in every three" star systems unsuitable.
The largest capital ships (Titans) have been given the ability to forge a similar gate towards a cynosural field, allowing them to temporarily connect one system to another and jump support fleets through before jumping itself. In Revelations II, a player owned structure called the jump bridge was added that allowed a more permanent jump bridge to be made. With the Trinity expansion pack another ship type (black ops) appeared which could generate 'silent' jump portals not visible on the system scanner (although the ships still appear, as cloaks cannot be used along with generators).
universe jumpgates are the only means to travel between the stars. They are huge structures left behind by some almost unknown alien civilization called the Annunaki. The jumpgates are long ring-like structures that have a diameter of several kilometers across, they are opened by a device called jump engine, and the route is controlled by another device called the jump key. The civilization of the known worlds has very little understanding of the principles at work behind the gates.
In the Freelancer
game by Digital Anvil, the jumpgate is an apparatus which provides travel from system to system. After the Liberty landed on Planet Manhattan and began exploring the New York System they came across the natural phenomenon known as the Jumphole. Ageira Technologies researched it and developed the Jumpgate, and in conjunction with Deep Space Engineering, provided the rest of the Houses with the technology- for a hefty fee.
Jumpgates form choke points through which traffic entering a star system must pass, making them favored ambush points for criminal groups such as the Outcasts and Corsairs. To guard against this, naval or military checkpoints are commonly situated near Jumpgates, who also take advantage of the opportunity to scan for contraband being smuggled into the system (although smart smugglers and criminals tend to make use of jump holes, naturally occurring versions of jump gates, rather than risk detection and capture.) Jumpgates are also outfitted with defensive turrets in order to cover the immediate vicinity.
MMORPG
s Jumpgate: The Reconstruction Initiative
and Jumpgate Evolution
, the titular jumpgates are used to travel from sector to sector of space. In the games' lore, jumpgate technology replaced an unknown faster-than-light travel method used by human civilizations before the so-called "Great Collapse". Jumpgates link the ~173 sectors of space which form the game map in Jumpgate: The Reconstruction Initiative
, but there is no apparent connection in the game between sectors and individual star systems.
, Jump Gates are used by the United States Government to connect each state superhero team of the Fifty State Initiative
with the Negative Zone
's Prison 42 and in turn the other states Jump Gates. However, State jumps wear down the point between positive and negative space so the jumps are used sparingly.
An alien race called the Shi'ar
use Stargates which can transport matter across intergalactic distances. There is a large Shi'ar stargate on the edge of our Solar System, but it requires a massive amount of energy to activate, and is hazardous to use since it has the potential to destabilize a star.
Unfortunately, without a hypergate to warp to, the ship and its crew end up in a random (and apparently uncharted) part of the galaxy. They then go through a "hole in space" and presumably go to the future. The Space Family Robinson
thus become lost in space, as they did in the TV series and various comic projects.
'. The first gate found on Earth was discovered on an archaeological dig at near the great pyramid of Giza and acquired by the U.S. Military. Upon finally learning how to activate the Stargate, the gate is regularly used to explore the galaxy, extend diplomatic relations as appropriate and recover technology to protect Earth and it burgeoning allies against a variety of foe.
The titular device was conceived by Dean Devlin
and Roland Emmerich
. Devlin and Emmerich's concept was developed for the Stargate
motion picture and subsequently adapted by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner for the MGM franchises- Stargate SG-1
, Stargate: Atlantis, Stargate Universe
and the feature films Stargate Continuum and Stargate:The Ark of Truth
With a diametre of 6.7 m (22 ft) wide and weighing 29,000 kg (64,000 lb), a stargate comprises a metal ring with 38 symbols representing constellations that rotates within an outer track upon which are 9 chevrons. A stargate is typically operated by its Dial-home Device or 'DHD' that controls power, address input and gate diagnostics. These devices take wide and varied forms across the three franchises. When an active 'gate-address' is entered by a dialing sequence, into the DHD a wormhole is established, culminating in the iconic 'kawoosh' as the wormhole's forming event horizon sheds its velocity and settles inside the stargate.
humanity has constructed jumpgates called Quantum Gates, which allows instant travel between planets. A vehicle (in almost all cases an ACU, Armoured Command Unit) can enter a Quantum Gate and appear at a different gate or at a position on a planet. This is the way humans wage war in this future.
, famous dimensional portals appear. These machines can within some seconds transport people from one place to another. Krang
has one, and Donatello
develops one later (during season three), however, Donatello's seldom work. Typically, Krang opens the dimensional portal in the Technodrome
for transportation between Earth
and Dimension X
.
cartoon featured the Space Bridge, which created a subspace tunnel from one point to another — typically, from an Earth station to Cybertron
. The Earth station resembled a giant ring lying down, with an opening gate. When activated, the gate would close and sections of the ring would light up, the light spinning until a subspace tunnel was opened and whatever was in the ring was pulled in. The Cybertron receiving station was built into a large tower. Only one Space Bridge was ever shown, and it was under Decepticon
control; but one station existing on Cybertron may be a hint that there were other Space Bridge stations on Cybertron. It was a key plot device in the first two seasons, phased out afterwards in favor of more standard space travel.
Unlike some examples (see Stargate above), matter is not broken down when sent through the Space Bridge — the objects stay intact inside the subspace tunnel.
In the live-action movie series, specifically in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the Space Bridge is portrayed differently. The idea and function is basically the same: it is a subspace tunnel system used by the Decepticons to transport matter, intact, across distances instantly. The difference here is that instead of a facility which cannot move, it appears to be an ability possessed by the Decepticons in general, or some device they carry with them, not unlike the Boom Tubes created by Motherboxes. Indeed the idea is quite similar. In this incarnation when the Space Bridge is activated there is a huge "bang" or explosion, probably air being drawn in and displaced when the transition occurs, and with a flash of light objects are transported elsewhere. The range of this version of the Space Bridge is unknown, but it allows several people, including a robot the size of an SR-71 spy plane, to teleport across the globe instantly.
Also like the previous incarnation, this portable Space Bridge allows objects to remain intact and indeed interact with one another—such as when Sam was injured during transit.
A third version is seen in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, as a creation of the former Autobot ruler and "Einstein" of Cybertron, Sentinel Prime. This version was much different than the Decepticon version but, ironically, almost the same as the original cartoon incarnation: using immobile devices called "Pillars" situated in a ring shape, it would establish a subspace tunnel between two points in space time, described by Sentinel Prime as using some kind of new physics principal that defy what humanity understands (or more approriately, think we understand) about the universe, to bend space-time so that two points contact. In effect, it is the same principal as a wormhole, only it can be artificially activated and used repeatedly.
Hundreds of Pillars were created by Sentinel Prime and transported to Earth on his space battleship, the Ark, which was damaged in transit to FTL speed and crashed on the moon in the 1960's. The Decepticons attempted to gain control of this model of Space Bridge technology to teleport Cybertron (depicted here as a huge Jupiter Brain-like construct vastly larger than Earth) into our star system and cause it to collide with Earth. Interestingly it operates the same as both previous kinds of space-time bridge system--namely, matter remains intact and functional during the transmission, implying it is the same technology as the previous movie's incarnation only more advanced.
In the comics this is explained in detail: the Sentinel Prime's subspace bridge was a more sophisticated and powerful version of the Decepticon one, which was discontinued after some time because it was too inefficient, compared to the third-model Space Bridge which can transport anything from starships to armies and even whole worlds instead of "just" a few dozen tons of matter across space-time.
The jumpgate in the X computer game series by Egosoft
is a large device which uses a wormhole
to connect itself to another jumpgate. These devices have changed in appearance through the series although this is accepted as a graphical enhancement, not actual gate altering.
The jumpgates create a web of connections to 163 known sectors within the X Universe. Within the sector the jumpgates are roughly located in the north, south, east and west. Not all sectors have 4 discovered jumpgates, some have slightly more, many have less.
The jumpgates and their current configuration are believed to be designed by ancient beings who are currently nowhere within the X Universe gate system. They are believed to be observing the sectors but direct contact has not occurred in generations. They are also blamed for the re-routing of some jumpgates every now and again, cutting off some sectors or connecting undiscovered ones.
The current intelligent biological residents of the X Universe, the Argon, Boron, Paranid, Split and Teladi do not understand the technology behind the jumpgates but the Humans of the Sol system successfully created their own jumpgates in the mid 21st century. The Earth jumpgate connected to the alien jumpgate system. The humans began colonising using the prearranged alien jumpgates although every sector they visited was strangely devoid of intelligent life. The Earth jumpgate was destroyed to trap the destructive terraformer fleet in the X Universe, away from Earth.
The only race in the X Universe to possibly understand the jumpgates are the Xenon, which are the “descendants” of the robotic terraformer fleet from Earth. They created a jumpdrive to get back to Earth to destroy it. The first jump-ship managed to jump close to the Earth system but it was badly damaged. The Kha'ak race also appear to have an understanding of jump systems, although they never use gate, preferring to use a jump system of their own design, which creates a momentary wormhole by joining several ships together and drawing power from all of them.
, early extrasolar colonization was achieved using the Hypergate system invented by Omata Kane. They created artificial wormholes that would transport a ship to another system, where a new Hypergate could be constructed. Several centuries later, the Colonial Council grew corrupt. In rebellion, terrorists destroyed selective portions of the Hypergate System, plunging the Galaxy into a Dark Age that would last until the Hyperspace
drive was created. This technology allowed ships to travel between stars independently.
Unknown to the general public, some of the Hypergate system is still functional in "modern" times. This is a closely guarded secret of the company Sigma Shipyards.
, Pirate Galaxy
, stargates allow travel between star systems. Each stargate must be unlocked by the player upon completing every storyline mission in a star system and stealing an astrogation
chip from an enemy mantis, usually after some sort of boss battle involving a large mantis ship.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, a jump gate (or 'jumpgate') is a fictional device able to create a wormhole
Wormhole
In physics, a wormhole is a hypothetical topological feature of spacetime that would be, fundamentally, a "shortcut" through spacetime. For a simple visual explanation of a wormhole, consider spacetime visualized as a two-dimensional surface. If this surface is folded along a third dimension, it...
or portal, allowing fast travel between two points in space. Several works use this term extensively.
Babylon 5
In the Babylon 5Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
television series, a jumpgate is an apparatus with the power to open a vortex that connects normal space with hyperspace
Hyperspace (science fiction)
Hyperspace is a plot device sometimes used in science fiction. It is typically described as an alternative region of space co-existing with our own universe which may be entered using an energy field or other device...
, making interstellar travel take a matter of days. Jumpgates also provide beacon
Beacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location.Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of...
s that allow navigation within hyperspace. The origin of the technology is unknown; all races learned to make jumpgates by examining already-existing ones. For example, humans acquired jumpgate technology by purchasing it from the Centauri
Centauri (Babylon 5)
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
.
Some ships are large enough to house jumpgate devices within them, enabling them to enter and exit hyperspace at will. Minbari
Minbari
The Minbari are a fictional alien race featured in the television show Babylon 5. The Minbari characters of Delenn and Lennier figure prominently throughout the series; Neroon, Draal, and Dukhat are less prominent Minbari characters....
warships have been known to exit hyperspace right next to enemy ships, destroying them in the backlash.
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
In the Buck Rogers in the 25th CenturyBuck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV series)
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century is an American science fiction adventure television series produced by Universal Studios. The series ran for two seasons between 1979–1981, and the feature-length pilot episode for the series was released as a theatrical film several months before the series aired....
television series a network of stargates has been set up for interstellar travel. In this context, stargates are the same concept as jumpgates. These stargates were shown as a diamond-shaped quartet of stars that shimmered when a vessel was making transit.
DC Comics
Boom tubes are used by residents of ApokolipsApokolips
In the DC Comics fictional shared Universe, Apokolips is the planet ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. It is also integral to many DC Comics stories. The planet is considered the opposite of New Genesis....
and New Genesis
New Genesis
New Genesis is a fictional planet in the . This planet, along with Apokolips, is speculated to be near the constellation Orion...
to travel great or interplanetary distances. In order to open one, a device known as a Mother Box
Mother Box
Mother Boxes are fictional devices in Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting in the DC Universe.-History:Created by Apokoliptian scientist Himon using the mysterious Element X, they are generally thought to be sentient, miniaturized, portable supercomputers, although their true nature and origins are...
is required, though some characters (notably Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
) are capable of opening them naturally.
Doom
The Doom seriesDoom (series)
Doom is a series of first-person shooter video games developed by id Software. The series focuses on the exploits of an unnamed space marine operating under the UAC , who fights hordes of undead and demons in order to survive...
has their own jumpgates, called Anomalies, placed on the two moons of Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
, Phobos
Phobos (moon)
Phobos is the larger and closer of the two natural satellites of Mars. Both moons were discovered in 1877. With a mean radius of , Phobos is 7.24 times as massive as Deimos...
and Deimos
Deimos (moon)
Deimos is the smaller and outer of Mars's two moons . It is named after Deimos, a figure representing dread in Greek Mythology. Its systematic designation is '.-Discovery:Deimos was discovered by Asaph Hall, Sr...
. In the Doom 3
Doom 3
Doom 3 is a science fiction horror video game developed by id Software and published by Activision. An example of the first-person shooter genre, Doom 3 was first released for Microsoft Windows on August 3, 2004. The game was later adapted for Linux, as well as being ported by Aspyr Media for Mac...
games a true version of a stargate appears. In Doom 3, it offers a direct link to hell, whence two Hell Knights emerge and attempt to kill the protagonist. In Doom 3 - Resurrection of Evil, another stargate is opened when the player faces the first Hunter. All the Anomalies in both classic and new Doom are used to travel in space at an instant speed by using an alternate dimension as a shortcut, where the hellish and demonic race dwells.
Eve Online
In the MMORPGMMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
, Eve Online
EVE Online
Eve Online is a video game by CCP Games. It is a player-driven, persistent-world MMORPG set in a science fiction space setting. Characters pilot customizable ships through a galaxy of over 7,500 star systems. Most star systems are connected to one or more other star systems by means of stargates...
, jump gates allow travel between star systems. Due to the complex nature of their construction and the physics that they are based upon, in the official lore of the game, a jump gate must be placed between two stars of a star system with at least two stars - this makes "approximately one in every three" star systems unsuitable.
The largest capital ships (Titans) have been given the ability to forge a similar gate towards a cynosural field, allowing them to temporarily connect one system to another and jump support fleets through before jumping itself. In Revelations II, a player owned structure called the jump bridge was added that allowed a more permanent jump bridge to be made. With the Trinity expansion pack another ship type (black ops) appeared which could generate 'silent' jump portals not visible on the system scanner (although the ships still appear, as cloaks cannot be used along with generators).
Fading Suns
In the fictional Fading SunsFading Suns
Fading Suns is a science fiction space opera role-playing game published by Holistic Design. The setting was also used for a PC game , a live action role-playing game , and for a space combat miniature game .- Game setting :The action is set in a future medieval-analogue empire built on the remains...
universe jumpgates are the only means to travel between the stars. They are huge structures left behind by some almost unknown alien civilization called the Annunaki. The jumpgates are long ring-like structures that have a diameter of several kilometers across, they are opened by a device called jump engine, and the route is controlled by another device called the jump key. The civilization of the known worlds has very little understanding of the principles at work behind the gates.
Freelancer
Freelancer (computer game)
Freelancer is a space trading and combat simulation video game developed by Digital Anvil and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The game was initially announced by Chris Roberts in 1999, and following many production schedule mishaps and a buyout of Digital Anvil by Microsoft, it was eventually...
game by Digital Anvil, the jumpgate is an apparatus which provides travel from system to system. After the Liberty landed on Planet Manhattan and began exploring the New York System they came across the natural phenomenon known as the Jumphole. Ageira Technologies researched it and developed the Jumpgate, and in conjunction with Deep Space Engineering, provided the rest of the Houses with the technology- for a hefty fee.
Jumpgates form choke points through which traffic entering a star system must pass, making them favored ambush points for criminal groups such as the Outcasts and Corsairs. To guard against this, naval or military checkpoints are commonly situated near Jumpgates, who also take advantage of the opportunity to scan for contraband being smuggled into the system (although smart smugglers and criminals tend to make use of jump holes, naturally occurring versions of jump gates, rather than risk detection and capture.) Jumpgates are also outfitted with defensive turrets in order to cover the immediate vicinity.
Jumpgate series
In the NetDevilNetDevil
NetDevil, owned by Gazillion Entertainment, was an American developer of massively multiplayer online role-playing games in Louisville, Colorado.- Beginnings :...
MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
s Jumpgate: The Reconstruction Initiative
Jumpgate: The Reconstruction Initiative
Jumpgate: The Reconstruction Initiative is an MMORPG in a science fiction setting for the PC, released in North America on September 25, 2001 by NetDevil and 3DO...
and Jumpgate Evolution
Jumpgate Evolution
Jumpgate Evolution, commonly abbreviated as JGE, is an unreleased massively multiplayer online game having been in development by NetDevil intended to be published by Codemasters...
, the titular jumpgates are used to travel from sector to sector of space. In the games' lore, jumpgate technology replaced an unknown faster-than-light travel method used by human civilizations before the so-called "Great Collapse". Jumpgates link the ~173 sectors of space which form the game map in Jumpgate: The Reconstruction Initiative
Jumpgate: The Reconstruction Initiative
Jumpgate: The Reconstruction Initiative is an MMORPG in a science fiction setting for the PC, released in North America on September 25, 2001 by NetDevil and 3DO...
, but there is no apparent connection in the game between sectors and individual star systems.
Marvel Comics
In the Marvel UniverseMarvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
, Jump Gates are used by the United States Government to connect each state superhero team of the Fifty State Initiative
Fifty State Initiative
The Fifty State Initiative, often referred to as simply The Initiative, is a fictional governmental plan that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics, in particular those related to The Avengers...
with the Negative Zone
Negative Zone
The Negative Zone is a fictional setting, an antimatter universe depicted in publications from Marvel Comics, most frequently in Fantastic Four and Captain Marvel. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, it first appeared in Fantastic Four #51 .-Fictional description:The Negative Zone in the Marvel...
's Prison 42 and in turn the other states Jump Gates. However, State jumps wear down the point between positive and negative space so the jumps are used sparingly.
An alien race called the Shi'ar
Shi'ar
The Shi'ar are a fictional species of aliens in the Marvel Comics universe. The Shi'ar Empire also called the Aerie, is a vast collection of alien species, cultures and worlds situated close to the Skrull and Kree Empires, and alongside them, is one of the three main alien empires...
use Stargates which can transport matter across intergalactic distances. There is a large Shi'ar stargate on the edge of our Solar System, but it requires a massive amount of energy to activate, and is hazardous to use since it has the potential to destabilize a star.
Mass Effect (game series)
In Mass Effect, a system of mass relays that link planetary systems were created by a civilization that vanished thousands of years ago. The relays use the mass effect of element zero (related to dark energy) to alter space-time, allowing virtually instantaneous travel between any two points. they come in two versions, one version links to all nearby relays while the other links to only one relay but has greater range. Ships also have FTL-cores that use the same principle, but don't have the energy capacity of a relay. the bigger the ship, the more mass must be neutralized and the slower it can travel per unit of element zero.Lost in Space (film)
In the year 2058, Earth will soon be uninhabitable after the irreversible effects of pollution. The United Global Space Force serves as the planetary government. Professor John Robinson, lead scientist of the Jupiter Mission, will lead his family to the habitable planet Alpha Prime to prepare it for colonization by building a hypergate in orbit. The Jupiter 2 is equipped with a hyperdrive that allows faster-than-light travel, which will eventually be employed to evacuate the citizens of Earth. However hypergates must be constructed on Earth and Alpha Prime to provide stable points of departure and arrival. The project is accelerated after Global Sedition terrorist forces send two armed fighters to destroy the hypergate under construction. Major Don West, a fighter pilot from the hypergate defense force, manages to destroy the enemy fighters and is unwillingly drafted as the new pilot of the Jupiter Mission, as the previous pilot has been assassinated.Unfortunately, without a hypergate to warp to, the ship and its crew end up in a random (and apparently uncharted) part of the galaxy. They then go through a "hole in space" and presumably go to the future. The Space Family Robinson
Space Family Robinson
Space Family Robinson was an original science-fiction comic book series published by Gold Key Comics. It predates the Lost in Space TV series....
thus become lost in space, as they did in the TV series and various comic projects.
Stargate
The MGM franchise is a military science fiction, set in the present day. According to in-universe lore, the Stargate and its network were conceived, built and seeded by an advanced race of humans called 'AncientsAncient (Stargate)
The Ancients are a humanoid race in the fictional Stargate universe. They are called "Ancients" in the Milky Way, but are also known as Lanteans or Ancestors in the Pegasus galaxy and as the Alterans in their home galaxy, and they sometimes call themselves Anquietas in their language...
'. The first gate found on Earth was discovered on an archaeological dig at near the great pyramid of Giza and acquired by the U.S. Military. Upon finally learning how to activate the Stargate, the gate is regularly used to explore the galaxy, extend diplomatic relations as appropriate and recover technology to protect Earth and it burgeoning allies against a variety of foe.
The titular device was conceived by Dean Devlin
Dean Devlin
Dean Devlin is an American screenwriter, producer, television director and former actor. He is the founder of the production company Electric Entertainment.-Personal life:...
and Roland Emmerich
Roland Emmerich
Roland Emmerich is a German film director, screenwriter, and producer.His films, most of which are Hollywood productions filmed in English, have grossed more than $3 billion worldwide, more than those of any other European director...
. Devlin and Emmerich's concept was developed for the Stargate
Stargate (film)
Stargate is a 1994 American adventure-military science fiction film released through Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Carolco Pictures. Created by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, the film is the first release in the Stargate franchise...
motion picture and subsequently adapted by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner for the MGM franchises- Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich...
, Stargate: Atlantis, Stargate Universe
Stargate Universe
Stargate Universe is a Canadian-American military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. It follows the adventures of a present-day, multinational exploration team traveling on the Ancient spaceship Destiny many billions of light years distant from the Milky Way...
and the feature films Stargate Continuum and Stargate:The Ark of Truth
With a diametre of 6.7 m (22 ft) wide and weighing 29,000 kg (64,000 lb), a stargate comprises a metal ring with 38 symbols representing constellations that rotates within an outer track upon which are 9 chevrons. A stargate is typically operated by its Dial-home Device or 'DHD' that controls power, address input and gate diagnostics. These devices take wide and varied forms across the three franchises. When an active 'gate-address' is entered by a dialing sequence, into the DHD a wormhole is established, culminating in the iconic 'kawoosh' as the wormhole's forming event horizon sheds its velocity and settles inside the stargate.
Supreme Commander
In the video game series Supreme CommanderSupreme Commander
Supreme Commander may refer to:* Commander-in-chief, a military rank**Supreme Allied Commander, title held by the most senior commander within certain multinational military alliances...
humanity has constructed jumpgates called Quantum Gates, which allows instant travel between planets. A vehicle (in almost all cases an ACU, Armoured Command Unit) can enter a Quantum Gate and appear at a different gate or at a position on a planet. This is the way humans wage war in this future.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
In the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon seriesTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated television series produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson. The pilot was shown during the week of December 28, 1987 in syndication as a five part miniseries and began its official run on October 1, 1988...
, famous dimensional portals appear. These machines can within some seconds transport people from one place to another. Krang
Krang
Krang is a fictional supervillain who appears in the Sonic The Hedgehog TV shows and most frequently in the 1987 STH cartoon and its associated media, such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures comic book and most of the classic TMNT video games....
has one, and Donatello
Donatello (TMNT)
Donatello is a fictional character and one of the four main characters in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and all related media. He is co-creator Peter Laird's favorite Turtle....
develops one later (during season three), however, Donatello's seldom work. Typically, Krang opens the dimensional portal in the Technodrome
Technodrome
The Technodrome is the semi-spherical tank-like metallic mobile subterranean fortress of Krang and Shredder, the main villains in the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, the Archie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures comics and most TMNT video game adaptations. The Technodrome was also...
for transportation between Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
and Dimension X
Dimension X (TMNT)
Dimension X is a fictional alternate dimension in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1987 cartoon series and the TMNT Adventures comics. Dimension X is the home of several characters on the show, most notably one of the main antagonists Krang...
.
Transformers
The original TransformersThe Transformers (TV series)
The Transformers is an animated television series depicting a war among giant robots who could transform into vehicles, other objects and animal-like forms. Written and recorded in America, the series was animated in Japan and South Korea...
cartoon featured the Space Bridge, which created a subspace tunnel from one point to another — typically, from an Earth station to Cybertron
Cybertron
Cybertron is a fictional planet, the homeworld of the Transformers in the various fictional incarnations of the metaseries and toyline by Hasbro. In the Japanese series, the planet is referred to as "Cybertron" pronounced as セイバートロン Seibātoron...
. The Earth station resembled a giant ring lying down, with an opening gate. When activated, the gate would close and sections of the ring would light up, the light spinning until a subspace tunnel was opened and whatever was in the ring was pulled in. The Cybertron receiving station was built into a large tower. Only one Space Bridge was ever shown, and it was under Decepticon
Decepticon
The Decepticons are usually depicted as the antagonists in the fictional universes of the Transformers stoyline and related comics and cartoons, and the enemies of the Autobots and the University of California Davis Aggies...
control; but one station existing on Cybertron may be a hint that there were other Space Bridge stations on Cybertron. It was a key plot device in the first two seasons, phased out afterwards in favor of more standard space travel.
Unlike some examples (see Stargate above), matter is not broken down when sent through the Space Bridge — the objects stay intact inside the subspace tunnel.
In the live-action movie series, specifically in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the Space Bridge is portrayed differently. The idea and function is basically the same: it is a subspace tunnel system used by the Decepticons to transport matter, intact, across distances instantly. The difference here is that instead of a facility which cannot move, it appears to be an ability possessed by the Decepticons in general, or some device they carry with them, not unlike the Boom Tubes created by Motherboxes. Indeed the idea is quite similar. In this incarnation when the Space Bridge is activated there is a huge "bang" or explosion, probably air being drawn in and displaced when the transition occurs, and with a flash of light objects are transported elsewhere. The range of this version of the Space Bridge is unknown, but it allows several people, including a robot the size of an SR-71 spy plane, to teleport across the globe instantly.
Also like the previous incarnation, this portable Space Bridge allows objects to remain intact and indeed interact with one another—such as when Sam was injured during transit.
A third version is seen in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, as a creation of the former Autobot ruler and "Einstein" of Cybertron, Sentinel Prime. This version was much different than the Decepticon version but, ironically, almost the same as the original cartoon incarnation: using immobile devices called "Pillars" situated in a ring shape, it would establish a subspace tunnel between two points in space time, described by Sentinel Prime as using some kind of new physics principal that defy what humanity understands (or more approriately, think we understand) about the universe, to bend space-time so that two points contact. In effect, it is the same principal as a wormhole, only it can be artificially activated and used repeatedly.
Hundreds of Pillars were created by Sentinel Prime and transported to Earth on his space battleship, the Ark, which was damaged in transit to FTL speed and crashed on the moon in the 1960's. The Decepticons attempted to gain control of this model of Space Bridge technology to teleport Cybertron (depicted here as a huge Jupiter Brain-like construct vastly larger than Earth) into our star system and cause it to collide with Earth. Interestingly it operates the same as both previous kinds of space-time bridge system--namely, matter remains intact and functional during the transmission, implying it is the same technology as the previous movie's incarnation only more advanced.
In the comics this is explained in detail: the Sentinel Prime's subspace bridge was a more sophisticated and powerful version of the Decepticon one, which was discontinued after some time because it was too inefficient, compared to the third-model Space Bridge which can transport anything from starships to armies and even whole worlds instead of "just" a few dozen tons of matter across space-time.
The X Computer Game Series
Egosoft
Egosoft is a computer game developer founded in 1988 and based in Würselen, Germany. It became a commercial company in 1990. Its first products were for the Amiga, but it later became a PC game developer....
is a large device which uses a wormhole
Wormhole
In physics, a wormhole is a hypothetical topological feature of spacetime that would be, fundamentally, a "shortcut" through spacetime. For a simple visual explanation of a wormhole, consider spacetime visualized as a two-dimensional surface. If this surface is folded along a third dimension, it...
to connect itself to another jumpgate. These devices have changed in appearance through the series although this is accepted as a graphical enhancement, not actual gate altering.
The jumpgates create a web of connections to 163 known sectors within the X Universe. Within the sector the jumpgates are roughly located in the north, south, east and west. Not all sectors have 4 discovered jumpgates, some have slightly more, many have less.
The jumpgates and their current configuration are believed to be designed by ancient beings who are currently nowhere within the X Universe gate system. They are believed to be observing the sectors but direct contact has not occurred in generations. They are also blamed for the re-routing of some jumpgates every now and again, cutting off some sectors or connecting undiscovered ones.
The current intelligent biological residents of the X Universe, the Argon, Boron, Paranid, Split and Teladi do not understand the technology behind the jumpgates but the Humans of the Sol system successfully created their own jumpgates in the mid 21st century. The Earth jumpgate connected to the alien jumpgate system. The humans began colonising using the prearranged alien jumpgates although every sector they visited was strangely devoid of intelligent life. The Earth jumpgate was destroyed to trap the destructive terraformer fleet in the X Universe, away from Earth.
The only race in the X Universe to possibly understand the jumpgates are the Xenon, which are the “descendants” of the robotic terraformer fleet from Earth. They created a jumpdrive to get back to Earth to destroy it. The first jump-ship managed to jump close to the Earth system but it was badly damaged. The Kha'ak race also appear to have an understanding of jump systems, although they never use gate, preferring to use a jump system of their own design, which creates a momentary wormhole by joining several ships together and drawing power from all of them.
Escape Velocity Nova
In Escape Velocity NovaEscape Velocity Nova
Escape Velocity Nova is a computer game by Ambrosia Software, in collaboration with ATMOS. It is the third game in the Escape Velocity series of space trading & combat games.-History and development:...
, early extrasolar colonization was achieved using the Hypergate system invented by Omata Kane. They created artificial wormholes that would transport a ship to another system, where a new Hypergate could be constructed. Several centuries later, the Colonial Council grew corrupt. In rebellion, terrorists destroyed selective portions of the Hypergate System, plunging the Galaxy into a Dark Age that would last until the Hyperspace
Hyperspace (science fiction)
Hyperspace is a plot device sometimes used in science fiction. It is typically described as an alternative region of space co-existing with our own universe which may be entered using an energy field or other device...
drive was created. This technology allowed ships to travel between stars independently.
Unknown to the general public, some of the Hypergate system is still functional in "modern" times. This is a closely guarded secret of the company Sigma Shipyards.
Pirate Galaxy
In the MMORPGMMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
, Pirate Galaxy
Pirate Galaxy
Pirate Galaxy is a Free-to-play, massively multiplayer online game written in Java in which players operate spaceships, explore various planets, mine minerals from orbit, fight other players and computer enemies in planetary combat...
, stargates allow travel between star systems. Each stargate must be unlocked by the player upon completing every storyline mission in a star system and stealing an astrogation
Astrogation
Astrogation is the planning of a route through space and the actual navigation of spacecraft, either in interplanetary travel or in interstellar travel...
chip from an enemy mantis, usually after some sort of boss battle involving a large mantis ship.
See also
- Faster-than-lightFaster-than-lightFaster-than-light communications and travel refer to the propagation of information or matter faster than the speed of light....
- Jump driveJump driveA jump drive is one of the speculative inventions in science fiction, a method of traveling faster than light .Related concepts are hyperdrive, warp drive and interstellar teleporter. The key characteristic of a jump drive is that it allows a starship to be instantaneously teleported between two...
- Warp driveWarp drive (Star Trek)Warp drive is a faster-than-light propulsion system in the setting of many science fiction works, most notably Star Trek. A spacecraft equipped with a warp drive may travel at velocities greater than that of light by many orders of magnitude, while circumventing the relativistic problem of time...
- Interstellar teleporterInterstellar teleporterAn interstellar teleporter is a hypothetical technology appearing in science fiction, typically in hard sci-fi, which teleports people and/or other objects over interstellar distances instantaneously...
- WormholeWormholeIn physics, a wormhole is a hypothetical topological feature of spacetime that would be, fundamentally, a "shortcut" through spacetime. For a simple visual explanation of a wormhole, consider spacetime visualized as a two-dimensional surface. If this surface is folded along a third dimension, it...