Shared space setting

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Frost

New questions and its time to build up the details on the tech:

10) the setting assumes fairly widespread augmentation how does this manifest?

a) relatively conservatively, typically 'eugenic' germline modification and biological or cybernetic modification of adults

b) relatively aggressively, 'species' level modification is not uncommon and other procedures such as animal uplifts are not unknown

10B, as much transhumanist fun and goodness as a timeline without strong AIs allows. Perhaps transhumanistic templates will in some ways replace AIs. E.g. VIIs replaced by multi-core brains where one part is more simple but better at AI-like actions.

Originally Posted by Frost

11) is this a 'high biotech' setting?

11-Yes, preferably TL12ish.

Originally Posted by Frost

12) is dry nanotech part of the setting?

12. No to Grey Goo and similar highly TL^ forms of dry nano. Undecided about the non-^ ones. Will need more details and considerations.

Originally Posted by Frost

13) what does our FTL system look like? how is it limited?

a) fixed gates providing permanent connections to settled systems?

b) fixed gates capable of connecting to multiple systems, but only for short windows?

c) costly ship mounted systems, encouraging small fleets of large ships?

13A, but I would prefer the 'gates' to actually be naturally-occuring areas of space several dozens of a.u. across that allow initiation of FTL (jump, hyperspace entry, acceleration to FTL etc. - whichever will be decided). I don't want blockades to be trivially feasible, and I don't want to fuss with voting for justification why artificial gates aren't destroyed in case of war as a desperate measure.

[TGLS]

10A) Personally, I'd prefer if different star systems/planets pursued modification more or less aggressively than each other, but failing that, I'd prefer that the norm be slow.

11) OK on High Biotech, but only very slightly (i.e. if this is early TL10, then Biotech is Late TL10, and if this is Late TL10, then Biotech is Early TL11)

12) No to dry nanotech. Wet-Dry nano helps fill the gaps.

13C) Big starships and interstellar war that fits the carrier-fighter model because of no reactionless engines.

[Flaco76]

Originally Posted by Frost

New questions and its time to build up the details on the tech:

10) the setting assumes fairly widespread augmentation how does this manifest?

a) relatively conservatively, typically 'eugenic' germline modification and biological or cybernetic modification of adults

b) relatively aggressively, 'species' level modification is not uncommon and other procedures such as animal uplifts are not unknown

Vote: not sure yet, think I am going to reserve my vote on this one. Both have potential.

11) is this a 'high biotech' setting?
Vote: no, I think that I am happy exploring what we have already got.

12) is dry nanotech part of the setting?
Vote: no, for the same reasons.

13) what does our FTL system look like? how is it limited?

a) fixed gates providing permanent connections to settled systems?

b) fixed gates capable of connecting to multiple systems, but only for short windows?

c) costly ship mounted systems, encouraging small fleets of large ships?

Vote: c, although b is actually more to my taste if we only have one form of FTL it pretty much has to be this.

Voting will close at 8:00 am tomorrow.

10) I vote B. Most of Humaniti has cybernetic or biological augments (up to TL10) running from conservative to radical. I am thinking most of the ideas from Bio-Tech would work with radical splinter or isolation groups pushing the boundaries. Bioroid Classes have been developed for space development.

11) I vote Yes (up to TL10). Some societies may use Bio-tech to colonize or develop hostile environment areas that are deadly to regular or cybernetic enhancements.

12) I vote No. Nanotech is wet and requires energy and feedstock to produce goods.

13) I vote B and C. Vessels can mount FTL systems but are expensive to own/operate so most new vessels are corporate/government owned for military/police/exploration work. Surplus or older vessels are available however if you know how to look.

Sol and the colonies, which I call the Hexagon are linked by Jump Gates which can only link to two other gates at most due to security and design. Vessels with FTL can travel through the Gates but have to pay fees (thinking Cowboy Bebop here) and the Gate Corporation is a Private/Public Company.

[ericthered]

10B: this setting has always been intended to be high biotech: lets do it right

11 yes: as above

12 no: dry nano tech has a tendency to overflow its banks and run everything. Figuratively and literally. Not to mention its super-science. I'd certainly love wet nano though.

13A: I'd prefer to actually make them artificial and relatively common: a backup gate just makes a lot of sense to have. Or three.

[Daigoro]

Originally Posted by Frost

10) the setting assumes fairly widespread augmentation how does this manifest?

a) relatively conservatively, typically 'eugenic' germline modification and biological or cybernetic modification of adults

b) relatively aggressively, 'species' level modification is not uncommon and other procedures such as animal uplifts are not unknown

10B This will emphasise the 'strains of humanity' tension. I think I'd prefer to avoid uplifts though- that's leaning into furry territory. Tacking animal traits and geneplexes onto a human scaffold though- open slather.

11) is this a 'high biotech' setting?

11- Yes, and I might push for TL 12 against a background of TL10, to see if we can get some interesting concepts coming out.

12) is dry nanotech part of the setting?

12- Nahhh

13) what does our FTL system look like? how is it limited?

a) fixed gates providing permanent connections to settled systems?

b) fixed gates capable of connecting to multiple systems, but only for short windows?

c) costly ship mounted systems, encouraging small fleets of large ships?

13A- but maybe with multiple links between any two systems, owned and operated by different "carriers" at different price points and capacities.

[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by Frost

New questions and its time to build up the details on the tech:

10) the setting assumes fairly widespread augmentation how does this manifest?

I'll go with 10b, for this one. Since we don't have aliens, let's go with full-on Ghost in the Shell, with K-10 uplifts and even rebellious apes (or their equivalents)!

Originally Posted by Frost

11) is this a 'high biotech' setting?

Yes, to the extent that TL10 biotech counts as such. Again, no cellular regeneration immortality, but yes to uplifts, bioshells and full-on cybershells.

Originally Posted by Frost

12) is dry nanotech part of the setting?

No. It's too much, and the ability to transform anything into anything else, ruins the need for interstellar trade.

Originally Posted by Frost

13) what does our FTL system look like? how is it limited?

I'll go with 13c, here, for the reasons I articulated, before. If FTL engines are expensive to build, but cheap to operate, then the setting has older, used starships available for the PCs to own and use (or mis-use) as they see fit.

That means (as long as no FTL communications exist), tramp merchants with adventure cargoes can make a decent, if somewhat irregular, living, by running between colony planets and the more remote habitat systems the big merchant operations don't bother to serve.

[Frost]

OK, today's tally:

10) six votes, one abstention. a) 1, b) 5

So the radical option.

11) seven votes. a) 3, b) 4 (provisionally, may change)

Looks like we are sticking with TL 10 for biotech although we are potentially using everything in the toybox.

12) seven votes. All against.

No dry nano, thankfully. But virtually everybody except me did mention wet nano so I think we will be revisiting that to see what it can do.

13) seven votes, one ambiguous. a) 3, b) 0, c) 3

I have not counted Flaco76's vote because it contradicted question 4. However with the tie the logical compromise would be to do exactly this, so unless anybody objects violently I am going to let both results stand. Interstellar flight uses a combination of single destination gates and ship mounted engines.

[Daigoro]

Originally Posted by Frost

11) seven votes. a) 3, b) 4 (provisionally, may change)

Looks like we are sticking with TL 10 for biotech although we are potentially using everything in the toybox.

I count more like 1 "no" and 6 "yes" there, although 2 yeses were more provisional or slightly higher.

[Frost]

Originally Posted by Daigoro

I count more like 1 "no" and 6 "yes" there, although 2 yeses were more provisional or slightly higher.

Interpreting this one was a pain in the arse, we did get six yes votes but two of these were flat out contradicted in the commentaries (Flaco76, tshiggins) which clearly specified TL 10 and one more (TGLS) was highly conditional.

Provisionally counting them as no, pending clarification seemed like the best fix available. I have already approached TGLS for clarification by PM and if anybody else thinks I have misinterpreted their vote I will happyly amend the result to reflect that.

[Daigoro]

Originally Posted by Frost

Interpreting this one was a pain in the arse, we did get six yes votes but two of these were flat out contradicted in the commentaries (Flaco76, tshiggins) which clearly specified TL 10 and one more (TGLS) was highly conditional.

Provisionally counting them as no, pending clarification seemed like the best fix available. I have already approached TGLS for clarification by PM and if anybody else thinks I have misinterpreted their vote I will happyly amend the result to reflect that.

You could recast the vote as a quantity- TL 10; 10.5; 11 or 12? (where 10 counts as a no vote in your original question). Or it might be more productive to do it by technology type- cloning, genegineering, braintaping, etc.

Or, wait until some of the system/nation-state/corporate details have been thought about, and varying biotech levels might shake out of that.