Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding
 

OK, one clear vote for just three, one clear vote for a version of five, and two votes for basically three or five with a variant of seven.

So, if there are no objections and no more votes until I post the next question (probably tomorrow or Tuesday), the answer is that psychotronic telepathy is the primary means of FTL communication, but that a range of other (presumably less efficient in various ways) methods are also used.

Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding
 

FTL Communications question II

How quickly do FTL communications travel? This includes two related questions; for clarity, each question requires a different type of response.

1. Only about as fast as existing vessels' maximum speed. Real-time conversations are only possible within the same star system, and not even all of it. Vehicle or task force commanders have a great deal of lee-way to interpret orders and make decisions, as any new orders will most likely arrive long after a crisis has been resolved.

2. TOS speeds. Real-time conversations are possible within several parsecs, but vessels far from their home base might take hours, days, or even weeks to get a response from higher authority. Vehicle or task force commanders will still have a fair bit of lee-way, though less than above. (For gaming reasons, this is my preferred option.)

3. TNG+ speeds. Real-time conversations are possible at very long ranges, and even beyond those, new orders can arrive in minutes or hours. Commanders have rather less lee-way in most cases.

4. Basically instant at all known ranges. Commanders have very little lee-way to interpret orders or improvise plans.

5. Something else (please specify).


Please include the number of your preferred option when you vote.


The speed of FTL communication varies by era, YES or NO.
(I'd prefer NO, but it did change between Star Trek TOS and Star Trek TNG.)


The speed of FTL communication varies by type, TRUE or FALSE.
(For what it's worth, TRUE allows for more reasons for some methods to be used more than others, with Telepathy probably being the fastest type, unless it has some other advantages over faster methods, like range, generator size, or energy cost.)

Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding
 

NO, FTL doesn't vary by era.
TRUE, FTL has a variable speed depending on type.
5) Psychotronic telepathy is speed 1 or 2. Range-extender telepathy with a live telepath is speed 3 or 4 but can't be done "just cause" (at the very least, because the emergency telepaths at HQ don't have the time to answer random calls).

Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding
 

I'm partial to 2 to give crews enough time to get stuff done and circumvent orders that "came in too late".

No opinion on the TRUE/FALSE questions.

Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding
 

I vote 2.

FTL communication speed varies by era: Yes. However, this is due to the FTL relay network being more distributed rather than advances in the communications technology. The main obstacle to extending the network is convincing foreign powers that the relays won't be used as a platform for espionage.

The speed of FTL communications varies by type: Yes, but no more than +/- 50%.

Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding
 

This depends to some degree on service culture. A recent example: when the 2004 Indian Ocean happened on December 26th 2004, HMS Chatham was in port in Bahrain. The captain realised what was needed, recalled the crew from shore leave immediately, and set off down the Persian Gulf towards the Indian Ocean. The British Prime Minister announced two days later that he was sending a warship to assist, but it had sent itself.

Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding
 

2. TOS speeds. Real-time conversations are possible within several parsecs, but vessels far from their home base might take hours, days, or even weeks to get a response from higher authority. Vehicle or task force commanders will still have a fair bit of lee-way, though less than above. (For gaming reasons, this is my preferred option.)

FTL communication speed varies by era: Yes. However, this is due to the FTL relay network being more distributed rather than advances in the communications technology.

Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding
 

2: TOS speeds, which are really good for gaming.

Yes, speed should vary by type, and Yes, speed should vary by era.... but not too much, unless we're dealing with extreme situations.

Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding
 

Just so you know, question III is going to contain a timeline of FTL communications development, and the question will be whether it should be changed (and if so, what changes should be made) or accepted as is. I'll be using the answer to this question to help me write it, so it may be closer to New Years than to Christmas when it arrives.

Vote remains open.

Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding
 

I vote for this. It would also allow for eerie fluke things to happen with telepaths in your own ranks, like that time Mr Spock "heard" the USS Intrepid go down from light-years away. That's kind of how psychic phenomena are in Star Trek - there's a certain level of fairly well-understood phenomena that people pretend follow predictable scientific rules, and then every once in a while they defy the rules. No opinion about the era thing, that sounds like it'd come down to how it worked out in practice in the game.