Quote:
Originally Posted by jason taylor
It is not necessary to make the third star impossible to reach, only to make it to big an investment for the return. Suppose recent engine upgrades can leave more holdspace.
Perhaps scouts had been there before but no attempt has been made to exploit it.
Another possibility. The fuel you use is only sufficient for a one way voyage at that range. The only reason you were able to settle the second star's worlds was that ore deposits were discovered making it possible to refine fuel for the return voyage on site. Once that was done colonies were gradually built. Now unmanned probes have discovered similar ore deposits on the third star's planets.
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The trouble with it being scouted but unexploited is that it's harder to justify people just not knowing about many of the things I'd like to put there. Alien ruins, alien primitives, would be simple to spot. So either I decide ahead of time on what's there (somewhat defeating the purpose), or it must be something non-obvious to scouts (limiting my options).
As for distance, that just increases the time required. Sure, it might be far enough that to get there takes more than half the fuel, but then all the ship needs to do is not use as much fuel on the way there. Burn at the start to get up to speed, burn while there to slow down, coasting in the middle.
For distance to work the star needs to be REALLY far away. Ideally I want the star to be close enough to get to within at most a year of travel time once whatever limitation on travel there has been lifted.