|
11-17-2017, 02:41 PM | #1 | |
Join Date: Jul 2013
|
[Blog] n-Body Politics
https://nbodypolitics.gitlab.io/
Finally starting a blog on the setting I had in mind for some time. I will also include corresponding rules, examples, and thoughts on GURPS rules related to sci-fi. Starting with the first post: Quote:
|
|
11-18-2017, 06:54 AM | #3 | |
Join Date: Jul 2013
|
Re: [Blog] n-Body Politics
Quote:
No, wait, hear me out! Spoilers follow, but I'm trying to mark at least those for the later books. I'd argue that much of the Expanse's less optimistic parts stem from the two factors of essentially only having a bipolar world and weapon yields. Note that I'm only looking at the Protomolecule as a generic catalyst of tension; the same might have been achieved by new technology. Now, much of the tension comes from the fact that there are essentially only two main factions (Earth and Mars) plus the Third-World-equivalent (the Belt). This means that your conflicts are immediately much bigger, and escalation (coupled with the high weapon yields) much more dangerous. However, I'd argue that THS, were it a bipolar world, could easily see something like that. The Pacific War can be compared to any of the Earth/Mars conflicts in the Expanse, except it actually went hot even on Earth. It just wasn't as destructive because the two factions didn't cover half a globe. Or look at the Andes War. We also, in THS, tend to concentrate on the fifth-wave nations and on space (which has to have a high TL). The Expanse, on the other hand, looks at the proverbial underbelly of the system. What do you know about Earth? That there are 30 billion people who, according to Martian propaganda, consume free drugs and get a basic income. That suggests an acceptably high planetary income, but we almost never visit those places. Spoiler for Nemesis Games
Spoiler:
In summary, I'd actually say that the differences come more from a concentration on the poorer areas, only two main powers, and a higher "vulnerability" of the whole setting and situation - a necessity if you want to have those high-stakes stories. THS is still more optimistic, though. But don't worry, I plan to be inspired much more by THS. |
|
11-18-2017, 11:40 AM | #4 |
Banned
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: 100 hurricane swamp
|
Re: [Blog] n-Body Politics
|
11-22-2017, 11:47 AM | #5 | |
Join Date: Jul 2013
|
Re: [Blog] n-Body Politics
Quote:
|
|
11-22-2017, 04:44 PM | #6 |
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cincinnati, OH, USA
|
Re: [Blog] n-Body Politics
--Thoughts on FTL system--
Overall, your hyperdrive looks good. I'm confused, though. What is the range on your FTL drive? Or have you not come up with a specific number yet? Note that your FTL design hasn't eliminated the potential for c-fractional (i.e. relativistic) projectiles. If you can drop out of hyperspace around asteroids, what is stopping you from dropping out at an asteroid in interstellar space? That would give you enough range to reach c-fractional velocity if you have a reactionless drive. If you're going to include reactionless STL drives, preventing this kind of abuse requires the FTL drive to be limited to the main part of a system or have sensors capable of detecting ships traveling at FTL at interstellar ranges. Having the exclusion zone scale with mass seems more plausible than it scaling with diameter. That is a little more cumbersome than just using the diameter of the object. But on par with the math you would need to use the reaction drives from Spaceships. However, I find it hard to believe that the arrival zone has a hard boundary. I'd allow daring captains to jump in closer. But I can't figure out an astrogation penalty scheme that is light enough to make this plausible without making it so easy that everyone would risk it to cut right to the recharge zone. So never mind. Speaking of which, what is being recharged at these pit stops? --Other Thoughts-- Does FTL communication exist in this setting? Or is communication limited to ship speeds? |
11-23-2017, 10:29 AM | #7 | |||||
Join Date: Jul 2013
|
Re: [Blog] n-Body Politics
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Also, thank you for the interest! |
|||||
Tags |
blog, blogs |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|