1. They warp space-time to make space travel shorter. Gates are the reliable versions of holes, while tradelanes are the smaller-scale stuff and allows users to "stop" in mid-warp for destinations in-between the lanes
   
2. I think I read somewhere that FTL-communication is also handled by these 3 things. Gates/lanes manipulate space-time to not only accommodate ships, but also signals and data, allowing for rapid communication and the existence of the Neural Net. Holes, I'm guessing, are used by setting up comm buoys and satellites near strategic areas where holes are patterned to open up (assuming that, IRP, holes close, then open at different areas, explaining why they're hard to find), and the buoys "shove" the signals and data through them, hoping the other side receives them. This allows the edgeworlds access to the Neural Net, but it's often unreliable and laggy.
   

(12-01-2012, 07:43 AM)Hone Wrote: Echos the resident agiera nut, so youd be best asking him about lanes/gates, that said, Im pretty sure trying to apply actual physics to any of this stuff is fruitless, and no-one will agree anyway.

(12-01-2012, 07:43 AM)Hone Wrote: Echos the resident agiera nut, so youd be best asking him about lanes/gates, that said, Im pretty sure trying to apply actual physics to any of this stuff is fruitless, and no-one will agree anyway.

(12-01-2012, 08:07 AM)leonardo_tigre Wrote:

(12-01-2012, 07:43 AM)Hone Wrote: Echos the resident agiera nut, so youd be best asking him about lanes/gates, that said, Im pretty sure trying to apply actual physics to any of this stuff is fruitless, and no-one will agree anyway.

Uh.... which Echo(s)? Echo 7-7, who's also the President of Ageira and has 2.8K post counts to date? :/

k, guess I'll PM him den, thanks. But if the community feels like posting anymore (relevant and serious) additions/feedbacks, feel free.

(12-01-2012, 04:03 PM)Alley Wrote:

(12-01-2012, 08:07 AM)leonardo_tigre Wrote:

(12-01-2012, 07:43 AM)Hone Wrote: Echos the resident agiera nut, so youd be best asking him about lanes/gates, that said, Im pretty sure trying to apply actual physics to any of this stuff is fruitless, and no-one will agree anyway.

Uh.... which Echo(s)? Echo 7-7, who's also the President of Ageira and has 2.8K post counts to date? :/

k, guess I'll PM him den, thanks. But if the community feels like posting anymore (relevant and serious) additions/feedbacks, feel free.

I think you failed to understand that Valhalla-1 is the only actual, given fact about the whole ageira technology. There is barely anything that was done beyond that, and even less considered canon/official by dev team. the Ageira official faction may have put together a little bit of justifications regarding it, but don't expect a full explanation as there isn't.