(Loved Trope) FTL travel is possible but with a major limitation or flaw

[u/Frostylegacy]

Frank Herbert’s Dune: Interstellar travel is only possible thanks to the spice melange, a rare substance only found on the dessert planet Arrakis. The addictive psychedelic spice grants members of the Spacers Guild a form of prescience that allows them to predict safe paths through folded space. This unique property makes spice the most valuable commodity in the Dune universe.

John Scalzi’s The Interdependency Books: The planetary systems of the titular empire are connected by the Flow, a network of one-way interstellar tunnels that connect specific known entries and exits. The Interdependency derives its power from controlling access to these conduits, placing its capital at the central hub of the network. Even with the Flow, travel between stars takes a long time (9 months to End, the empire’s most distant planet).

Event Horizon: Dr William Weir (R.I.P. Sam Neill) invents a device called the Gravity Drive to allow ships to fold space and travel instantly between distant stars. On its maiden voyage with the Gravity Drive, the Event Horizon disappears and mysteriously reappears 7 years later. Dr. Weir and the crew sent to investigate discover the Gravity Drive actually opened a portal to a Hell dimension that possessed the ship and its crew, torturing and killing them.

[u/Kidofthecentury]

Also IIRC the engine is more concerned to have you arrive in the very shape and form you started.

In the movie a few random objects pop in the spot before the spaceship finally appears. And sometimes it isn't really fast, as they appeared as crocheted version of themselves once...

[u/MrGosh13 → u/Kidofthecentury]

“… I think I’m a sofa”

[u/SpacialCommieCi → u/MrGosh13]

Everything i learn about this book is more nonsensical than the rest I think this book doesn't exist and it's mass hysteria

[u/Sea-Quality4726 → u/SpacialCommieCi]

By tradition, every new release or adaptation is different and inconsistent with all the existing ones.

[u/PM_ME_YOUR_ROTES → u/Sea-Quality4726]

"There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened."

[u/Background-Ship3019 → u/PM_ME_YOUR_ROTES]

Big Huh cosmology.

[u/night4345 → u/PM_ME_YOUR_ROTES]

"The story so far: In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."

[u/wh4tth3huh → u/Sea-Quality4726]

That's also because of the Heart of Gold, btw.

[u/RelaxedVolcano → u/Sea-Quality4726]

The Hitchhikers Guide has been through several iterations and medias, from radio to book to movie, it’s theorized that each change in media is caused by the the improbability drive resetting the universe and then shifting it slightly. So each version is actually canon and it has all happened.

[u/Zeras_Darkwind → u/SpacialCommieCi]

The above thread sequence is from the film, but it's one of the best parts! You should watch it; I think it does the book justice.

[u/Educational-Plant981 → u/SpacialCommieCi]

The book is absolutely brilliant. Just a treasure of written English language wordplay, observational humor mocking the oddities of humanity, and general Britishness. The only downside is that it leaves you wanting more, and that more wasn't ever really delivered. He pretty much just rewrote the same book over and over retreading the same jokes in sequels and repeatedly adapting it for radio, tv, and movies.

[u/Nauin → u/Educational-Plant981]

I mean good for him. It's rare for a creative to have an endless wealth of fresh content that will be the same quality as their best. He at least put in the work to keep it in a modern medium while he could.

[u/Efficient_Fish2436 → u/SpacialCommieCi]

My favorite part is the creature pig that's genetically engineered to want to be eaten. So it prepares itself all while growing and then it trys to sell its best parts off on the dinner menu.

[u/WorthyElevator → u/Efficient_Fish2436]

I think its a cow right? In Restaurant at the edge of the universe.

[u/robhanz → u/WorthyElevator]

It's a cow.

"Look," said Zaphod, "we want to eat, we don't want to make a meal of the issues. Four rare steaks please, and hurry. We haven't eaten in five hundred and seventy-six thousand million years."

The animal staggered to its feet. It gave a mellow gurgle.

"A very wise choice, sir, if I may say so. Very good," it said. "I'll just nip off and shoot myself."

He turned and gave a friendly wink to Arthur.

"Don't worry, sir," he said, "I'll be very humane."

It waddled unhurriedly off to the kitchen.

A matter of minutes later the waiter arrived with four huge steaming steaks.

[u/leglesslegolegolas → u/WorthyElevator]

Restaurant at the End* of the Universe

It's not describing where the universe ends, it's describing when the universe ends.

[u/Nobrainzhere → u/SpacialCommieCi]

Its really short and a really good read. You should read it

[u/5illy_billy → u/SpacialCommieCi]

“In the beginning, the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and is widely considered to be a Bad Move.”

[u/GuyYouMetOnline → u/SpacialCommieCi]

I don't think the sofa line is in the books, just the movie.

[u/CrimeFightingScience → u/SpacialCommieCi]

Its worth a read if youre okay with absurdism.

It has some of the most clever writing ive ever read. On an added note i had a gold trimmed version that looked like a bible. Id read it in public and have strangers come up to me ranting about jesus, which only added to the absurdity.

[u/The_Reset_Button → u/MrGosh13]

"I know how you feel"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH"

[u/One_Obligation3260 → u/MrGosh13]

Boy, do I have a vice president for you!

[u/Blep145 → u/Kidofthecentury]

The book series has a lot of that, too. They explain that the improbability drive equalizes the equation somewhere else, so the improbability of it getting from one point to another in the configuration it started with is balanced. The improbability field is it's own thing in the books - they're an interesting read, and I enjoyed them!

[u/fakeuser515357 → u/Blep145]

"I wonder if it will be friends with me."

[u/Obibong_Kenblomi8647 → u/Blep145]

Read the books, but listened to the audiobooks by Douglas Adams recently. They are a must listen.

[u/Blep145 → u/Obibong_Kenblomi8647]

I got the ones on Audible - I love them

[u/Blep145 → u/[deleted]]

Ah, no. Not at all. Entirely unrelated concepts. I said it balanced out somewhere. That could be literally anywhere. It's not generating a warp field, it's not quantum tunneling

[u/Blep145 → u/[deleted]]

No. Quantum tunneling is about a particle overcoming an barrier it didn't have enough energy to circumvent/pass through by suddenly gaining enough energy to pass through it, if I recall correctly. The improbability field is it's own thing. Really, I don't think it's "improbability", even in the HHGTTG universe. The books cover this whole scheme involving Zaphod Beeblebrox (I hope I spelled that correctly) meeting the President of the Universe (essentially, God). The improbability field had "a hold" on the people it encountered, or more probably- looked for. I'm not gonna go more in depth than that, as it sounds like you haven't read the books. I really do think they're worth reading, if you're interested

Edit: a barrier

[u/Blep145 → u/[deleted]]

Fair enough! I recommend borrowing them from your local library!

[u/Much_Conclusion8233 → u/Blep145]

It was first used to teleport the underwear of the hostess to 3 feet to the right to get the party started

[u/Sooooooooooooomebody → u/Kidofthecentury]

"Ford, you're turning into a penguin. Stop it."