Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - Scope and format of world data sheets in SF

Anthony · 09-26-2013, 06:33 PM

Are you using something standard for generating this information? Anyway, a few thoughts by information category:
Astronomy
It's fairly significant how axial tilt interacts with orbital eccentricity, and that information is missing.
Climate
Visible Illumination is a fairly useless level of detail, given that human vision is not appreciably affected by brightness until around 5% of normal sunlight (which will produce gradual loss of color distinction), and even 0.5% is plenty to have no effects that are particularly relevant in an RPG. Color balance would be somewhat more interesting, though given that human vision can decide that a tungsten bulb with a color temperature of 3,000K is white light, still not that big a deal unless the atmosphere is strongly colored by chemicals.
Oceans
Might be nice to know percentage of area that's relatively shallow (continental shelf, etc).
Atmosphere
Percentages of top gases?
Economy
I assume you're using 'Real GDP' instead of PPP for some reason?
Government
It's nice to have enough information to run a political plot, which means you need to know some details about lawmaking and succession. Also, corruption index?
Law and Enforcement
People tend to be quite interested in what is illegal.

09-26-2013, 06:33 PM	#11
Anthony Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Berkeley, CA	Re: Scope and format of world data sheets in SF Are you using something standard for generating this information? Anyway, a few thoughts by information category: Astronomy It's fairly significant how axial tilt interacts with orbital eccentricity, and that information is missing. Climate Visible Illumination is a fairly useless level of detail, given that human vision is not appreciably affected by brightness until around 5% of normal sunlight (which will produce gradual loss of color distinction), and even 0.5% is plenty to have no effects that are particularly relevant in an RPG. Color balance would be somewhat more interesting, though given that human vision can decide that a tungsten bulb with a color temperature of 3,000K is white light, still not that big a deal unless the atmosphere is strongly colored by chemicals. Oceans Might be nice to know percentage of area that's relatively shallow (continental shelf, etc). Atmosphere Percentages of top gases? Economy I assume you're using 'Real GDP' instead of PPP for some reason? Government It's nice to have enough information to run a political plot, which means you need to know some details about lawmaking and succession. Also, corruption index? Law and Enforcement People tend to be quite interested in what is illegal. __________________ My GURPS site and Blog.