Re: [Space] FTL Ideas/Thoughts
 

My primaly planning puts the most well traveled parts of human space a bubble 15 light years radius, this is pretty much the extent of the portal network. That works out to 0.12 ly or 7,600 AU once you treat the velocity multiplier as a distance contractor, so things aren't TOO dire. Now, there's colonies out for something like another 5 ly which are only serviced by FTL-2 equipped ships, now that's .2 ly or something like 13,000 AU to the nearest portal

Re: [Space] FTL Ideas/Thoughts
 

I knew there was something I was forgetting, the costs to re-fit in-system ships for FTL via portal. Tentative price list is: 10% for FTL-1/5 times speed multiplier, 20% for FTL-2/25 times speed multiplier, 30% for FTL-3/100 times speed multiplier and 40% for FTL-3/125 times speed multiplier. There may be FTL-4 developed during the campaign, in which case that will be 80% for FTL-4/625 times speed multiplier.

New thought, interstellar trade.

Due to a desire not to introduce invasive species if possible there's a limit on what plants and animals can be imported, so staple crops (Grains and cotton top the list) along with similar animals (Probably dairy cows, possibly pigs and chickens) and things like dogs and cats are pretty much all that can be brought with colonists. This leads to an interesting situation where a lot of interstellar freight is actually foodstuffs, admittedly foodstuffs that are classified as luxury. So if you want a steak dinner chances are that it came from Earth, or in more established systems, a space colony built just to raise them.

Interestingly growing something like cannabis in your house doesn't fall under this rule, it's kinda hard for people to buy that it might cause environmental damage

Re: [Space] FTL Ideas/Thoughts
 

It's often hard to know ahead of time what invasive species spell disaster. For alien planets, I would put money on microorganisms like yeasts, bacteria and of course archea.
But who wants to play Andromeda Strain every time they dock in Low Orbit?

Re: [Space] FTL Ideas/Thoughts
 

Which is why it's white-listed to species that are needed (Pretty much all food ones) or that the government isn't going to be able to get away with banning (Comfort animals)

Re: [Space] FTL Ideas/Thoughts
 

Is FTL communication possible? What options would a ship that drops out of hyperspace without a hyperdrive have (other than setting a course the nearest system so the crew's remains can be buried in a few centuries)?

And what about ships that have shields but lack hyperdrives? Or ships with shields for a higher rating than their hyperdrives? Your other responses imply these shields might be Force Screens - if so, what dictates how fast your shields allow you to go?

Re: [Space] FTL Ideas/Thoughts
 

Sounds like a cozy little corner of space. I'd expect that most settlements are in habitats in oort clouds and asteroid rings, not on planets (or at least not anything more hospitable than Titan). How many native ecosystems do you really have in a 15ly radius?

Re: [Space] FTL Ideas/Thoughts
 

Assuming one habitable world in each K-, G-, or F-class star* that is far enough away from a companion to have planets in the habitable zone?

Alpha Centauri A (4.39 ly)
Alpha Centauri B (4.39 ly)
Epsilon Eridani (10.5 ly)
Procyon (11.4 ly)
61 Cygni A (11.4 ly)
61 Cygni B (11.4 ly)
Epsilon Indi (11.8 ly)
Tau Ceti (11.9 ly)**
Groombridge 1618 (15.9 ly)

That's 9 possibles on a very optimistic scale; reality is probably limited to about half those.


* I don't consider M-class red dwarfs suitable due to the high probabilities of tide-locking and flares frying most planets that would be in the life zone.

K-class = orange dwarf
G-class = yellow dwarf
F-class = yellow-white

** It is possible that Tau Ceti has two planets in its habitable zone, but I only counted it once above.

Re: [Space] FTL Ideas/Thoughts
 

No FTL comms, at least not yet. And given travel times suspended animation is pretty much a must and the ship is already on course for it's original destination, they just arrive REALLY late.

You pay extra, as a percentage of the ship, for the extra shields. And how fast the shields allow you to go is determined by how much you paid for them and what's aviable

Re: [Space] FTL Ideas/Thoughts
 

Is there any way to communicate with ships in hyperspace from real space? Some sort of distress beacon would be useful for contacting ships going through hyperspace near your position (those with hyperdrives can jump out and render assistance, those without can report your position to relevant authorities who can come help you; if someone is expecting you at the destination, they could also arrange for search and rescue with at least some chance of success). Failing that, unless the shields are extremely reliable, I'd expect nearly every ship to have at least an FTL-1 hyperdrive.

Ah, design feature, then.

Re: [Space] FTL Ideas/Thoughts
 

Alternatively, merchant lanes are patrolled by rescue ships that pop out of hyperspace and back every so often to listen for stranded merchants. Going off the patrolled lanes with a portal incapable ship is pure stupidity though.