CCP's Temperature - Objection!

Summary: Space as it is represented in EVE Online is too cold - this needs to be corrected.
Link: EVE Forums Link

I've been playing EVE for a moderate amount of time now, and I must say that it its quite endearing, if not a little dense. The gameplay is excellent and supported by some great fiction, especially the EVE Chronicles (my hat is off to CCP Abraxas). But there is a minor detail that I've seen cropped up in several places that I must object to - the temperature of space (and the transmission of said temperature) is not realistically portrayed.

1. Density of Space
Space, despite what we normally perceive, is not what we would calle a “perfect vacuum” – devoid of any and all matter. In fact, space is teeming with both atmospheric particles (within the vicinity of any planets with an atmosphere) and solar radiation that creates friction, drag, and density of it’s own(1). Granted, none of these factors are large enough to affect the orbits of celestial objects (in fact, it seems celestial objects in EVE are immune to any outside influence!) or especially large ships but they are a force that should be considered regardless, especially in fiction where gameplay and technical issues are not a significant consideration.

2. Cosmic Background Radiation
In addition, all space has some inherent background radiation. I understand that the area of space occupied by New Eden is both different in location than the Milky Way galaxy and several thousand years in the future, but as far as we know Background Radiation is present everywhere in the universe (with the exception of a startling “hole” approximately 20 billion lightyears from our present location – but that is a different story(2)).

I believe that for the sake of realism these two factors should be taken into account in the Prime Fiction of the EVE universe, as it creates a more realistic and interesting grounding (and perhaps in the future it can offer new gameplay elements – who knows?). This leads me to the primary topic of this post – the temperature of space is not accurately portrayed in EVE.

1. Temperature
There is a common misconception among the general public that space is…well…cold. Extremely cold, in fact, certainly cold enough to kill any human exposed to it. But this is, in fact, not at all the case within the confines of any solar system(3)! Solar radiation and particles in and around planetary atmospheres affect the temperature of space, on average space within the boundaries of a solar system like ours is approximately 8 degrees Celcius, not comfortable but certainly not lethal by any means! I imagine that farther away from the center of a solar system the temperature would decrease, but to find a lethally-cold temperature one would have to be several hundred AU’s away from the system center, and I have not seen a solar system so large in EVE (though I have not yet left empire space). It is safe to say that this is an inaccuracy that should be connected.

2. Transfer of Heat
Another common misconception is that transmission of temperature and heat in space works on the same scale that it does here on planet Earth (Or Amarr, or New Caldari, what have you). Here on earth, at a pressure of 14 PSI (sea level) we feel the effects of heat and cold quite quickly, from a breeze, campfire, or furnace. However, this is largly a factor of density, and how quickly we “feel” a temperature change is dependant onf the density of our environment(4). In space, since there is so little density of particles, being shoved out of an airlock would not create the gruesome and dramatic death as portrayed in EVE’s Prime fiction(5). In fact, unless one sweats profusely (the sweat would very quickly evaporate, creating an impressive chill) the most likely cause of death for someone exposed to the vacuum of space would most likely die of suffocation or radiation poisoning. Unfortunately in several instances it is implied or explicitly stated(5) that those exposed to the vacuum of space die in all kinds of exotic ways, including having their skin boil, freezing, or having their heads explode. This is in no way accurate!

I hope that ths matter is corrected or at least acknowledged in the near future. Thankyou for your time, CCP!


My References:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum#Outer_space
2. Unfortunately I was unable to find a source for this but an article exists on Slashdot.org
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperature#Temperature_of_the_vacuum
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperature#Second-law_definition_of_temperature
5. http://www.eve-online.com/background/potw/jul01-02.asp