this post was submitted on 24 Oct 2023
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[–] Letstakealook@lemm.ee 94 points 1 year ago (3 children)

It has been a while, but I'm pretty sure the bladed weapons are needed because the shields specifically block objects with high kinetic energy. I also recall one of the houses on arakis getting bombed, but only after they were able to turn off the protective barrier. I might be mixing up Sci fi books, though.

[–] balthazarsnakewizard@lemmy.world 115 points 1 year ago (2 children)

You’re not - it’s pretty explicitly the point. The technological arms race has gotten so advanced that everyone has devolved into fighting with knives.

[–] filcuk@lemmy.zip 35 points 1 year ago

And even then, the training focuses on slow, deliberate moves, as even a fast knife can be deflected.

[–] 100_percent_a_bot@lemmy.world 31 points 1 year ago (4 children)

The shields don't just protect against kinetic weapons, they also tend to cause energy weapons to blow up in a thermonuclear explosions iirc

[–] Heavybell@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago

Specifically it causes the explosion at both ends, so firing a laser at something you aren't 100% absolutely positively sure is unshielded is suicidal.

[–] Waltzy@feddit.uk 10 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Sounds like a drone dropping an energy weapon on a shield users head would do the trick then.

[–] TheDarkKnight@lemmy.world 15 points 1 year ago (2 children)

iirc computing is pretty gimped in Dune as well because of previous issues with AI, humanity limited development on that front and focused on developing human capabilities instead, which is where spice came into play…it like super charged your cognition in order to navigating ships through space or something like that. Someone familiar with books please correct that I’m sure it’s not perfect.

[–] Heavybell@lemmy.world 17 points 1 year ago

That's right. There was a war called the Butlerian Jihad in which humanity wiped out anything close to AI. Since then it has been high-treason-level illegal to "make a machine in the image of the human mind".

[–] CADmonkey@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

That's why they have "Mentats".

Also, the book was written in the 1960's. At the time, you still communicated with a computer using a teletype because nobody had thought to put words on a screen yet. You can also see this in the original Star Trek - they never show a screen with text on it.

[–] UnculturedSwine@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago

There are cultural implications. For the same reason that thermonuclear warheads are stockpiled but not used these days, they avoid using lazguns because you simultaneously blow up more than you would need and turn everyone against you. There are laws in the empire that prevent a military power from intentionally triggering one of these reactions for obvious reasons.

[–] DScratch@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 year ago

Anyone who does that is getting immediately dog piled by the rest of the houses.

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[–] Hillock@feddit.de 48 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You are correct. But the movies did indeed make a poor introduction to the shield technology. I think it was just a short mention when Gurney is training Paul and is easily missed. They even have to train for a specific fencing style that involves slow movements as a fast swung blade can still be stopped by the shield. And I don't remember them talking about the interaction between lasers and shields at all, which creates a huge explosion.

My bigger issue with the movies was the typical hollywood charge. No tactics or strategy involved at all. Just screaming and running.

[–] Cethin@lemmy.zip 6 points 1 year ago

My biggest gripe with the movie currently is that when a Crysknife is drawn it must draw blood before being sheathed again. If you don't use it on someone you must cut yourself. This is explained to the reader in the book, but in the movie it includes the scene where it would be explained but isn't mentioned. It's not a huge deal. They can just ignore it. However, at the end of the movie the Fremen have their knives drawn and it focuses on them cutting their hands to sheath them. I'm sure people who didn't read the books before seeing the movie would think it's really weird, especially for a culture so obsessed with water (although I don't recall if they've discussed recovering water from blood yet).

[–] Zirconium@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes it is because of shields. Laser fire on shields makes a nuclear explosion and I think most fast projectiles are reflected.

[–] YoFrodo@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Also don't personal shields attract the worm?

[–] undeffeined@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago

Yes, correct

[–] WetBeardHairs@lemmy.ml 67 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (5 children)

Sucks for him - I literally can't stop jerking myself over the movie. It was soo gooood. Oh. Time to clean up again.

[–] starchylemming@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

easily the best movie in recent years by far

imma go now. searching sardaukar chant techno remixes as romantic background music

[–] TIN@feddit.uk 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Do those actually exist? Please tell me those exist.

[–] ChicoSuave@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago

Making sardukar groans the whole time

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[–] Pons_Aelius@kbin.social 59 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Now ask why fighters in Star Wars bank and turn like WW2 fighter planes flying in atmosphere...

Hint: Narrative ~~convenance~~ convenience .

[–] Cantankerousnuts@sh.itjust.works 16 points 1 year ago (5 children)
[–] mindbleach@sh.itjust.works 17 points 1 year ago

It's where narrators convene to discuss the dumb shit their protagonists did instead of heed the call.

[–] randomsnark@lemmy.ml 11 points 1 year ago

Narrative convents. The explanation is nun of your business.

[–] Shard@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago

Narrative Covenant, when you decide to do a dune/halo crossover.

[–] mnoram@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

Narrative conveyance. It's the movie's means of transportation.

[–] Pons_Aelius@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago

I should really pay closer attention to auto correct.

[–] Aqarius@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Hint: Narrative ~~convenance~~ convenience .

Keep going, you'll get it eventually.

[–] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 44 points 1 year ago (7 children)
[–] Early_To_Risa@sh.itjust.works 27 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] sbv@sh.itjust.works 14 points 1 year ago

They probably meant 720.

[–] Pregnenolone@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Doing a 360 has been a meme on 4chan for years

[–] Rolive@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 1 year ago

The Xbox 360 was so bad I turned around 360 degrees and walked away.

[–] GlitterInfection@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The movie theater I go to has the exit at the front of the seats, so this makes sense. He twirled around until his Wonder Woman costume appeared and stormed out.

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[–] FierroGamer@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 year ago

Need to look behind before walking backwards, just to make sure you're not going to bump into someone else.

[–] morphballganon@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

OP is the bad guy's stooge from Last Action Hero

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[–] outer_spec@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 1 year ago

He walked backwards out of the movie theater

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 42 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

The movie had its problems and I've never read the books but even I know the answer is because the shields don't stop slow moving objects otherwise you wouldn't be able to pick up a cup. It's even explained in the film, admittedly very briefly.

But then again that's also how personal shields work in Stargate

[–] Cethin@lemmy.zip 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Also a laser hitting a shield causes a massive explosion, which could be at the shield or laser gun. Bullets get stopped and a laser would likely kill either user if many kilometers away, or both of closer.

[–] psmgx@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

No could be, it's at the shield and source.

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[–] DragonTypeWyvern 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Have they considered that poison gas also moves slowly?

And napalm?

They sure as hell don't mind war crimes.

[–] overjustic@lemm.ee 33 points 1 year ago

That's a plot point in the series, yes

[–] CADmonkey@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

They even had a little rhyme/phrase to help them remember to stab their opponents slowly.

[–] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 26 points 1 year ago

Laze guns interact with the sheilds causing basically the destructive power of Tsar Bomba+, but knives/swords (when used properly, as Gurney Halleck taught Paul to do) pierce the sheilds. Read the book nerd.

[–] psmgx@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

ITT someone didn't read the books

[–] dingleberry@discuss.tchncs.de 7 points 1 year ago

Rule of the cool bud.

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