SF Planetary Science Mystery Adventures

[Joseph Paul]

Fuller explanation - Physical science mysteries break down to three causes - 22nd century Old Man Macgruder (Ala Scooby-Doo and gang), Aliens, and unknown/unexplained physical phenomenon. Looking for things that fit that last category for exploration teams to pursue both in Sol system and eventually with extra-solar planets/stars.

Anybody tried this? How did it go?

Any one got any recommendations on search terms to find articles about what we don't know or what is now disputed that could be helped with a visit from a space faring civilisation?

[Joseph Paul]

Hmm. People are looking but no one has anything to say. Is my question unclear?

Here is an example of the kind of physical phenomenon I am seeking - The Space Roar - an actual radio signal that is reported to be six times louder than just about anything else and that matches the frequencies that are used to examine first generation stars and effectively masking many of them from radio astronomy observation.

It is either local or not (and the paper that announced this may have proof that it is one or the other) and natural or not.

If local/foreign and natural it is a physical science mystery. If not natural then human or alien agency is responsible for it.

I am hoping to have something for exploration vessels to do and supply tension in game with scientists competing to be the first to do X or crack mystery Y. Along the way throw in some nefarious human agency and possibly some alien influence as well which would be a first all on its own.

So any ideas?

[johndallman]

The degree of hardness of the SF you're running was quite unclear. Your example indicates "not very hard" but is not yet fully descriptive. Some examples of SF at the hardness level you're trying for might help.

[Anaraxes]

Also tech level, timeframe, style. My set of mental associations for SF has "planetary adventures" being quite different from current "planetary science".

While there may be any number of currently-unexplained phenomena or oddities, that doesn't mean you can send a crew of intrepid explorers to go investigate -- especially if they're limited to realistic in-system spacecraft. For the Space Roar, for instance, what are the PCs going to do that an unmanned probe, or multiple much larger teams on the ground for the same budget, won't do better?

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Joseph Paul

Anybody tried this?

Nope, never done that. That's why I didn't answer the first time I saw this message.

[Drifter]

After a few fruitless attempts I deem it impossible to find useful information on the internet about space, planetary or astronomy mysteries. Impossible I say!

Either you get the stories aimed at muggles like What is Dark Matter? How did the Moon come to be? Not mysteries less than questions that we either have good theories for (Moon origin) or have no hope to answer with current science (dark matter).

Or you get the nutter butter stuff like the Face on Mars or ruins on the moon or other pareidolia. Not to mention the fake moon landing crowd, flying saucer stuff. Or even the Daily Mail.

You might want to go to the local library and look at back issues of Astronomy magazine or the like. You'll probably get more stories like the Space Roar in there.

[Joseph Paul]

Originally Posted by johndallman

The degree of hardness of the SF you're running was quite unclear. Your example indicates "not very hard" but is not yet fully descriptive. Some examples of SF at the hardness level you're trying for might help.

Do you mean the Space Roar example described here? > http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/...e_balloon.html - which is an actual mystery to us? That's 'not very hard'?

Or did my glib reference to Scooby-Doo indicate that to you? If so my apologies. I was really just being tongue in cheek about human agents
faking paranormal/supernatural/weird science for their own, usually nefarious, ends.

As for examples from SF of 'hardness', try 'Into the Miranda Rift' by G. David Nordley. Miranda actually has a density much less than its sister moons and Nordley makes that due to the moon having not yet re-compacted enough after a collision to eliminate large caverns or rifts. The heroes are looking for a way to transit Miranda via those caverns. Sweet premise that rests on solid info and serious speculation about what that info means.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Joseph Paul

Do you mean the Space Roar example described here? > http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/...e_balloon.html - which is an actual mystery to us?

The way you described it didn't make sense to me; seeing the Goddard article, I have a lot of sympathy for you, because that description is trying hard to make the situation seem more complicated. Also, I'd got the impression from somewhere that you wanted puzzles that could be resolved by going to the source, which is somewhat impractical in this case.

Or did my glib reference to Scooby-Doo indicate that to you? If so my apologies. I was really just being tongue in cheek about human agents faking paranormal/supernatural/weird science for their own, usually nefarious, ends.

That didn't help. Scooby-Doo is to me a prime example of how not to construct stories, in just about every respect.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by johndallman

....
That didn't help. Scooby-Doo is to me a prime example of how not to construct stories, in just about every respect.

It works for gaming better than story telling. Because gamers will always look for the ghosts, monsters, or cryptids rather than consider more mundane reasons.
The problem is getting them to eventually clue in to those mundane reasons rather than assuming them mere red herrings.

[Prince Charon]

Would the Bloop count? I've occasionally considered using it in SF or Horror-related games.