Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - From TL9^ interplanetary to TL10^ interstellar space opera in 200 years or less?

ericthered · 02-06-2017, 07:31 AM

If you want rapid colonization you need both a reason for people to want to get off of the homeworld and fairly cheap means to do so. This probably means dropping the cost of your ships. Or greatly increasing the wealth available. Or both.

If I read your post right, you start with "earth" at half its current population, and twice to ten times that number in orbit. At this point, why are they still using planets when they colonize the system? You don't have the population pressure you need for rapid colonization, and it looks like you have enough space infrastructure that planets aren't a big deal.

In most science fiction, you have a number of planets being colonized, and a steady stream of immigrants. you don't suddenly go from being a single system civilization to a 50 system civilization: it happens slowly, with worlds building up populations. At first, its unlikely more than six worlds can gain substantial populations compared to earth.

Think in terms of total population: what is the final number you need?

02-06-2017, 07:31 AM	#3
ericthered Hero of Democracy Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: far from the ocean	Re: From TL9^ interplanetary to TL10^ interstellar space opera in 200 years or less? If you want rapid colonization you need both a reason for people to want to get off of the homeworld and fairly cheap means to do so. This probably means dropping the cost of your ships. Or greatly increasing the wealth available. Or both. If I read your post right, you start with "earth" at half its current population, and twice to ten times that number in orbit. At this point, why are they still using planets when they colonize the system? You don't have the population pressure you need for rapid colonization, and it looks like you have enough space infrastructure that planets aren't a big deal. In most science fiction, you have a number of planets being colonized, and a steady stream of immigrants. you don't suddenly go from being a single system civilization to a 50 system civilization: it happens slowly, with worlds building up populations. At first, its unlikely more than six worlds can gain substantial populations compared to earth. Think in terms of total population: what is the final number you need? __________________ Be helpful, not pedantic Worlds Beyond Earth -- my blog Check out the PbP forum! If you don't see a game you'd like, ask me about making one!