My best guess would be a refraction of light due to Space Dust and Ice particles. As a body moves through space it would still displace mass as ship in water does. Even though there is as you say no water vapor to form the contrails there are frozen particles of different elements, (A Comets Tail being a perfect example) that would seem to me could create the contrail you see.
Just some observations from the edge of space.

all the news that no one reads

If you want to get that technical, then ask why you hear the other ships exploding.

If I had a nickel for every time someone told me that my idea of building a giant robotic parrot out of melted down coins was a bad idea, I would have one kick a$$ giant robotic parrot.

Look at video of real spacecraft. There is all kinds of stuff floating by. Really though I think it's just to give you the appearance of speed. If you didn't hear the enemies screaming or explosions in the game it would be kinda of boring playing the game in total silence. Just pretend you are hearing it with your Jedi mindpowers! ;=D

As to the sounds in space perhaps you should ask the SETI people about that as that is more up their alley.
I suspect your ship is equipped with a system (albeit smaller) that would allow you to "hear" the sounds you would expect. I agree it would be an awfully boring place if silence was all you were allowed to hear.
Sensory deprivation is a terrible thing to have happen when you are on a long journey. As they said in the movie Alien" In space no one can hear you scream". Unless of course you are blasting them with level 10 cannons! "I've got a fire!" "AAAAHHHHHhhhhhhaaaaa......." BOOOM, LOL.
Just some observations from the edge of space.

all the news that no one reads

I guess there is stuff in space, but would there really be enough to always produce a stream of matter from your wingtips? I'm thinking probably not, but I don't have any basis for that thought. Maybe I'll look for some pics of shuttles in flight and such...

And as far as the SETI people hearing stuff in space, they are picking up EMR, not actually hearing things.

Hearing other ships explode: if you were close enough, wouldn't the energy created in the explosion turn (at least partially) into sound energy when it contacted your ship, and then that sound would travel through your ship for you to hear? The same w/your guns & engines?

Edited by - bbrock81 on 12-04-2003 07:52:56

Well, It could be some sort of exaust from what ever is that causes the thrust, Just looks like a conventional contrail, Mabey the leftover energy from a fission reactor or somthing like that... Man, I need a life.

If I had a nickel for every time someone told me that my idea of building a giant robotic parrot out of melted down coins was a bad idea, I would have one kick a$$ giant robotic parrot.

LOL. Why have a life if it prevents you from staying up until early morning reading forums about games?

If it's exhaust, why is it there when you've killed the engine and are "sliding" at high speed, but is not there when you're idling or traveling at low speed?

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I'm sick of seeing all your signatures and not having one of my own

because of the extra energy from the wepons obviously... lol

If I had a nickel for every time someone told me that my idea of building a giant robotic parrot out of melted down coins was a bad idea, I would have one kick a$$ giant robotic parrot.

It's obvious, when you are going at the fantastic speeds available to these spacecraft, it's your paint peeling off....

Thats probably why you cant paint your ships in the game...

If I had a nickel for every time someone told me that my idea of building a giant robotic parrot out of melted down coins was a bad idea, I would have one kick a$$ giant robotic parrot.

LOL, now it all makes sense

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I'm sick of seeing all your signatures and not having one of my own

It's all simulated... The sound are produced by the ship's on-board AWAC system linked to the radar. It basically emulates the sounds to give the pilot an idea of what's going on.

It is similar (albeit much more advanced) to the warning system on today's airplanes where events are accompanied by a synthesized sound. (Or as the jet pilots call it, "bitchin' betty" )

So what your saying is there is an AWAC flying around hacking into all pilots' comm and sending it to everyone in the area... makes sence to me.

If I had a nickel for every time someone told me that my idea of building a giant robotic parrot out of melted down coins was a bad idea, I would have one kick a$$ giant robotic parrot.

The contrail aren't contrails they are space dust. The sound is the sound of the enemy debris and electromagnetic particle impacts reverberating as they hit your ships hull. The screams from pilots is heard over their personal emergency comm link that's built into their space suits. This comm link broadcasts on an open general channel. My theory becomes even more believable if vast amounts of alcohol are also consumed.