ZLevee wrote: ↑November 16th, 2021, 12:27 amOne time wrote: ↑November 15th, 2021, 9:56 pm
...... I agree with everything you said. Even though something is not explicit, it’s implicit.
None of the movies show the wand power adjust dial actually changing the bar graph size. But its operation is implicit from the decals (numbers and pie circles) on the ‘84 screen used prop. And it’s how both the Matty and Hasbro wands work.
I always thought the powercell blue light was there to show OTHER ghostbusters what power settings you were on by only scrolling up to that level. It makes sense. Why put a light somewhere the user can’t see it? Why have a light feature indicate a continuous progression of 15 lights over and over again and never do anything else?
It’s simply an enlarged duplicate of the wand bar graph but intended for the rest of your teammates.
I'm glad my thoughts on this resonate, as I did ruminate on this a bit, and thank you for helping elucidate my points - (A) with the power cell and cyclotron LEDs, why have ANY indicators on your pack if they don't vary, to thereby, you know, INDICATE anything? (B) There are effects one would implicitly expect from the pack and thrower, based on what we know the parts to be and based on life experience with technology, though much of this has not been explicitly portrayed onscreen. These aren't negated onscreen, but simply not shown either way, often due to camera angles when the throwers are in use.
Yes, regarding the intensity dial, aside from the decals, we can see the eye and hand movements made for adjustments when Egon says "we're gonna go full power" while fighting Gozer, or "Venkman shorten your stream" in the ballroom. That video you provided for the power cell LEDs associating with the intensity dial is along the right thought process, though I might vary it a bit differently like I mentioned above (i.e. perhaps while the thrower is in use, the blue line tops at at a lower level to indicate drain, and perhaps where it tops out is affected by the intensity dial setting, and perhaps from there the top level slowly drops lower the longer the particle stream is active)
I wonder if there's a way, while the Hasbro team is developing this thing, to submit suggestions for LED, Audio, and rumble effect associations and behaviors?
Yep you caught that! Whoever made that chip to get the Matty wand to run the pack lights didn't set up the power cell lights with a
completely new set of (plausible) functionality. They did make it very interesting and plausible though.
Listen, precise functionality of GB equipment can be a touchy subject. Prop builders spend years trying to get everything to look exactly like the scenes. They are incredibly proud of their work (as they should be). Opinions on how it "works" that isn't demonstrated explicitly on screen can be a very hard sell to them.
I see
3 levels of interpretation:
1. What we see in the movies and nothing else This hardcore view obviously has its merits as everything will be precisely as the scenes. It doesn't leave room for increasing the universe plausibility. It also doesn't take into account sloppy workmanship or other shooting problems.
It would mean the PP would have to feature two additional lights where the black paint rubbed off on the prop left of the power cell (Ray hotel scene).
Or a prop guy complaining that a small light failed in a scene or didn't turn on and Reitman saying: "forget it we got the shot, this movie is incredibly late as it is. We are not doing a retake just for a little light."
It could also be that some scenes were shot with less attention to detail. Reitman has often said that most scenes were "1st take" on GB. There was no time for reshoots or correcting mistakes. Lights on the props would be last on the list of things that warranted wasting more time.
2. What isn't shown on screen, but can plausibly be inferred from buttons and decals on the props Case in point, the power adjustment dial on the wand. In none of the movies does it adjust the power. Every scene that involves a power adjustment moment (Venkman Slimer bust and GB1 rooftop scene) cuts away a frame or two before they put their left hand on it. Although it looks like their left hand is going exactly to the dial when they let go of the front grip.
The decals however finish the story. The +1, +2, +3 on the power adjust dial on the screen used prop and the 5 circular pie decals next to the bar graph. Going from empty (no power) in quarters to a full circle (full power). These 4 modes of power (quarter, half, three quarter, full stream) line up perfectly with the 4 power modes written on the dial. It's not explicit but it's implicit.
To have the bargraph just go up and down continuously makes no sense at all. Why have any markings next to it at all then?
Matty and Hasbro built their wand this way. Although Matty said: "wait a minute, this bargraph IS shown to scroll now and then in some scenes, we can't ignore that". So they made it scroll up and down when you turn on the upper metal switch, adjust the power and turn on the cyclotron. No one has said it but that makes sense in that it is "calibrating", or "finding" the selected power output. Or whatever you think it's doing.
3. Own research, however plausible it may be This would be completely own research. Without any scenes implying it or prop decals or functionality to back it up.
Although it doesn't mean that it would be guaranteed nonsense. Like in Afterlife Trailer 1; the PKE graph scrolling the other way on the middle (red led) setting.
Or the powercell lights being some form of equivalent of the wand bargraph for your teammates who can see the back of your pack. I'd go with that as it makes sense.
But if someone would say; "the cyclotron lights normally go clockwise but turn purple and go counter clockwise if broken.”
That just doesn't make any logical sense. It's not plausible.
Also people old enough would know to take into account 1980's tech. Red lights didn't
suddenly change color. On 80's tech a single light indicator would usually be on and if there was a problem just start flashing. Or if normally it was flashing if something was wrong it would just light up solid. People not around in the 80's really wouldn't know that as it's not something that's described anywhere. (unless they had used heaps of early 80's power tools or crude electronics.)
You could say the cyclotron lights light up to indicate the 4 quadrants of the cyclotron (the electromagnets) are operating normally, and if suddenly one red light stays lit it means there is a problem with that electromagnet. But thinking like that is really a rabbit hole. You could make up a million things that sound "logical" that way.
Well maybe not a million, but at least like 5.