[Space] Terraformed Venus as a setting

[Agemegos]

Originally Posted by acrosome

So, yes, you're talking about before the planet's surface conforms to its new geoid.

Correct. That's what I meant to indicate by "initially", before talking about displacement of the viscoelastic mantle material.

Crap. Why can't this be easy?

Because then it would be simple.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by acrosome

So, yes, you're talking about before the planet's surface conforms to its new geoid.

Crap. Why can't this be easy?

Because you are trying too hard to make the planet the characters on an impenetrable mystery. Really if you didn't insist on changing it into unrecognizability it would be easier.

[acrosome]

Originally Posted by Agemegos

Because then it would be simple.

So how many miles of rift width do I have to add at the equator?

This does make me feel a bit less guilty about not getting things perfectly right on my maps, at least...

[Agemegos]

Originally Posted by acrosome

So how many miles of rift width do I have to add at the equator?

About 65 km: forty miles. 0.165%. 8.6 feet per mile.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by acrosome

Not so with Venus. But I'd like to think that orbital mirrors would make me suspicious, no matter how they are described.

"You see Angronus, the angle of the dawn rising. His mighty wings glow with majestic beauty. He rises toward Varyx, angel of the midday, for their eternal dance. Today is auspicious for planting new crops, starting new business ventures and for romance. Travel and gambling are bad luck."

Most players are going to think literal gods, and some might think moons. I don't think any are going to think "orbital mirrors" if you don't mention orbits or mirrors.

[dataweaver]

The main trouble you’re having comes from trying to preserve Venus’ existing map. The other part of your problem comes from insisting that Earth is left untouched by Venus’ relocation. Abandon these two factors, and you have a lot of options to work with. For instance, the whole thing could be the result of a natural occurrence — albeit a freak occurrence.

A rogue planet wanders into the solar system, drops down the gravity well, slingshots around the Sun, and slams into Venus on its way out. The resulting impact knocks Venus into a higher orbit and possibly gives it a moon. This destabilizes Earth’s orbit, which doesn’t please any of Earth’s inhabitants. That also gives you a catastrophe that removes Terrans from the picture, as they’re forced to flee their homeworld or perish.

Two questions: how long would it take for Venus to become habitable, and how long would it take for Earth to be rendered uninhabitable? If Earth is rendered uninhabitable long before Venus becomes habitable, you’ll need to explain what humans did to survive in the interim. Then you’ll need to explain why they decided to settle Venus instead of continuing what they did after Earth’s demise.

If there’s any overlap between the two, matters are much easier: the Terran refugees can flee directly to Venus. Ideally, the overlap window would be small: if Terrans are fleeing from a marginally habitable Earth to a marginally habitable Venus, there are plenty of opportunities for things to get lost and technology to regress. Of course, there’s also a strong tendency for the survivors to be those who managed to hang on to their technology.

I don’t forsee Earth’s orbit destabilizing so quickly that we won’t have at least a century to react; and once it becomes apparent that Earth is in trouble, there will be a strong impetus to develop the technology needed to evacuate the planet. Consider what the world’s technology would look like after a century of advancements motivated by the looming disaster if the posited Cosmic Billiards were to happen today. I can easily see Macrolife emerging as a result; but once humans have adapted to life in space, why would they choose to return to the bottom of a gravity well, such as the surface of Venus?

[Bengt]

You keep worrying that you players will recognize the map. But aren't TL3 maps pretty crap?

Also, is the real risk that they would recognize the map (if it was complete and accurate enough) or that they know you and would suspect you of creating a setting like this?

[Nereidalbel]

Originally Posted by Bengt

You keep worrying that you players will recognize the map. But aren't TL3 maps pretty crap?

Also, is the real risk that they would recognize the map (if it was complete and accurate enough) or that they know you and would suspect you of creating a setting like this?

It would appear that the plan is for the players themselves to be in the dark about being on Venus.

[Bengt]

Originally Posted by Nereidalbel

It would appear that the plan is for the players themselves to be in the dark about being on Venus.

Yeah I get that. But if you only show them TL3 appropriate maps, which are incomplete and inaccurate, I don't see how they could figure it out unless they have a meta reason to suspect they are on Venus or you give them lots and lots of other hints.

The characters themselves obviously wont know they are on Venus. Once it is revealed it will just be an old name that someone else had for their planet and shouldn't even be emotionally meaningful to the characters.

Edit: Have a look at these maps to see what I mean.

[acrosome]

Originally Posted by Agemegos

About 65 km: forty miles. 0.165%. 8.6 feet per mile.

Really? *scribble, scribble, scribble* Because I get increasing the planetary radius by 21 miles (which you quoted earlier) as an increase in circumference of 131 miles.

Damn, I'm bad at this.

But anyway, having slept on it I've decided that I find this rifting interesting. If I also assume that the planetary engineers tried to arrange it in a controlled fashion it might even solve some of my basin drainage problems. If all I have to do is add a 1+-mile rift every 10 degrees of longitude or so that's pretty doable. Clearly there will be second- and third-order effects, but that along with that the other terraformation processes will explain why my map is only accurate on small scales.

Logically, I would assume that these rifts peter out about halfway to the poles, but somehow I suspect that it isn't that simple…

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

re: mirrors as gods

I get the point- really I do- I just don't like it. What can I say, I'm obsessive. I'd also then have to dream up such explanations for every religion on the planet, and just making the religions is tiresome enough. And as I just mentioned, I find the rifting interesting, so maybe spinning up the planet isn't so onerous after all.

I'm keeping everything in mind, though, until I make final decisions. You people always come up with good stuff.

Originally Posted by Bengt

You keep worrying that you players will recognize the map. But aren't TL3 maps pretty crap?

True, but see above about my obsessiveness. Heck, if I'm worrying about the side-effects of spinning up the planets and moons et al instead of just handwaving it for a crappy fantasy campaign doesn't that tell you something about me? :) But mostly the map problem was one of Mars, not so much Venus. But I decided against Mars for other reasons, primarily the gravity, which I couldn't muster the courage to handwave even at TL12.