Vote up a Space Opera

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Holding of a Typical Major Race
Please note these numbers are both AVERAGE and refer to MAJOR species.
one vote each.

Overall holdings

10-25 planets (3 weeks across)
Tending toward the lower end for Major races and the upper end (perhaps even going into the 26+ range) for the five or so Dominant races.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Percent of territory overlapping with neighbors:

20%
If you draw a convex, non-uniform polyhedron through each race's stars, you are likely to find that that on average, a race has about 20% (or perhaps slightly lower) fall within another race's polyhedron.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Space Dwelling Populace

People travel through space and live on different planets, but how many actually live on space stations and planets where to step outdoors unprotected in to loose your oxygen?

1 vote. Please be aware this varies greatly by species. we are talking feel of the setting, not iron clad rules.

Cities orbit habitable planets, and very rich mines are inhabited where ever they are.

An orbital station is used as a transit point for people coming from non-landing-capable ships. They also perform other functions. In short, all inhabited planets have at least one, and some non-habitable planets have them as outposts. The ones around inhabited ones tend towards city-sized, and commonly take the role of a Star Town.

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Space Dwelling Populace

People travel through space and live on different planets, but how many actually live on space stations and planets where to step outdoors unprotected in to loose your oxygen?

1 vote. Please be aware this varies greatly by species. we are talking feel of the setting, not iron clad rules.

Very Rare
Most Planets have a station
Stations used as harbours,
Cities orbit habitable planets, and very rich mines are inhabited where ever they are.
10% pop in space
25% pop in space
50% pop in space
75% pop in space.

I can't really vote on these questions till I know more about gravitics, biotech, terraforming, etc. in the setting.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

I can't really vote on these questions till I know more about gravitics, biotech, terraforming, etc. in the setting.

we'll have full blown gravitic manipulation (weapons grade no, but as far as living conditions go it shouldn't be an issue), artificial lifeforms are minimized, though medicine is excellent, I'm not quite seeing where terraforming comes into this. I'm assuming for now its kept to a minimum except for some very long term projects on near earth worlds, but we could change that if we wanted.

I'd like to repeat my comment about horses and carts. In hard sci-fi, the above issues determine the space population. In space opera, we reverse the situation.

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by ericthered

we'll have full blown gravitic manipulation (weapons grade no, but as far as living conditions go it shouldn't be an issue), artificial lifeforms are minimized, though medicine is excellent, I'm not quite seeing where terraforming comes into this. I'm assuming for now its kept to a minimum except for some very long term projects on near earth worlds, but we could change that if we wanted.

I'd like to repeat my comment about horses and carts. In hard sci-fi, the above issues determine the space population. In space opera, we reverse the situation.

I think large populations in space should be rare. That will make cultures like Vicky's spacer dudes really stick out in a fun way.


Smaller stations might be fairly common. Maybe defense and scientific stations? But why not use big starships? They can fly about space or swing along in orbit.

Dirtside starports are probably more fun than 'high ports' all over the place. If we've got reactionless drives and antigrav, is there a good reason not to land starships on planets? Space elevators seem kind of pointless given the super science in the setting.

[ericthered]

Hyperspace Layers results

you guys were ... less than enthusiastic with your negatives. I may make some judgement calls here

Subspace (17) =+++++++++++++++++
This is deffinately included.

Energy-rich layer (-1)= ---++---+++

Drop-out space (1)= ---+++---++++
I'm going to use three of my negative votes to shoot this one down.

Blind layer (6)= +++++++-
Kept, probably in conjuction with another layer

Blindness increases (10)=++++++++++
this will be true

currents (3)=+++--++
I'm going to use three votes to take this one out.

Natural Beacons (7)=+++++++
this is in.

Hyperspace Gates (5)=++++++--++--++
this is in, but they aren't exclusive (I'm adding a vote).

Large bodies Detectable(8)=++++++++
this will be true

Large bodies Obstacles(5)=----+++++++++
this will be true, I'm adding a vote to it.

"boost" layer(3)=---+--++-
I'm taking this down to 0 with three negative votes

Wild layer (6)=++++++---+++
The Gm's get their playground.

Empty layer (2)++
I'm taking this one down to 0 with my own votes.


number of major layers 6 4 5 3 7 2 6 4
average = 4.625=5

We will have five major layers: this does not include real-space, sub-space, or wild space.

[Dammann]

Space Dwelling Populace

Stations used as harbours

Most people don't live in space. Highports are used for bulk cargo, military, and science. There is no "Wesley Crusher, boy astronaut." If you aren't a soldier, a trader or stevedore, or a research scientist with a gift for getting the big grants, you can safely open your suit visor at any time.

[Frost]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Holding of a Typical Major Race
Please note these numbers are both AVERAGE and refer to MAJOR species.

Overall holdings

20-50 planets (5 weeks across)

Originally Posted by ericthered

Percent of territory overlapping with neighbors:

20%

Maybe 20% of population living away from 'habitable' planets. The setting leaves too much territory for it not to be happening on a large scale even if it isn't a particularly attractive option.

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

And you did so very well. I've had a similar time travel idea for years, but you applied it to this issue beautifully.

I've added the Oom to the aliens thread.
The stats aren't exciting-- but they aren't supposed to be too wild. These guys provide the baseline for humanity, after all. The Terro-Humans are perhaps not even one of the galaxy's dominant species, as I understand it. I do have a distinct image in mind. It's based on a good dose of the Childe series, a bit of Jack Vance or maybe even ERB, and a vague memory I have of a book discussing ideas about Atlantis.*

*I cannot recall the title. It read like non-fiction, even though Atlantis is not real. The author mentioned somebody's conception of the olive-skinned people of an ancient, lost epoch in which the world-ice was piled high and the oceans were low. The Med was a great valley, I think.

EDIT--


De Camp?

This looks awfully familiar:http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Continent.../dp/0486226689

I must have been ten years old when I read it.

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Have worlds in your game like the planet in The Warlock in Spite of Himself were fanatics from the SCA go and found a kingdom. Or steal from The Androids of Tarra and have the serfs and commoners be robots and all the humans noblity.

Hmmmm


Why not?
:)


I enjoyed the Warlock in Spite of Himself, despite a brief and mild lapse into what I read as author preachiness (democracy is good, yaddda yadda- but he kept it to a minimum). I'm thinking of the scene with the old belter/ prospector, if I am remembering correctly...


I've never read Androids of Tarra, but robo-serfs is too awesome and metal not to use.