Space STGOD planning.(2k9)

[Darkevilme]

Yeah the numbers were originally there so i could keep track of a nodes max links when i was building the map. I've promoted a fair few nodes though so the numbers may no longer be accurate in some places.

[Master_Baerne]

Thanks, everyone who helped fix my atrocious math.

[Thirdfain]

Civilian Life in the Diaspora

To be an Ouster is to be unbound- in fact, that is their name for themselves. The majority of the population of the civilian Clusters are Freemen or Freewomen. They know only such limited laws as their Cluster governments impose, which are by the very nature of Ouster psychology limited and highly democratic. A Cluster is a bustling center of industry, in which life proceeds at a breakneck pace. In tunnel warrens and the vast, spindle-shaped public areas Ousters can be seen shopping, working, and socializing. Concerns quite alien to a "flatlander," as they call planet-dwellers, are the norm. Ousters live in zero-g for their whole lives (with the exceptions of the small populations of the planets the Ousters inhabit for the production of luxury goods.) Food, water and air are manufactured by the processing of comets or the strip-mining of icy worlds. At any given time, there are strings of ships towing in new materials for these vital industries. This intake of goods is vital to their survival. The most common fare is CHON- Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen. CHON is the basis of the synthetic foodstuffs necessary for Ouster life. Food Factories process these basic building blocks into vat-beef, and vast hydroponics assemblies are full of bizarre crops genemodded to thrive in weightless conditions. Vacuum exposure, the "Breathstealer" in Ouster parlance, is a constant danger- almost as soon as they are able to float, Ouster children are familiar with the techniques and methods necessary to survive a breach, get to safety, and set about repairing it.

Industry is characterized by it's zero-g nature. Materials such as foamed steel are produced in huge foundry sub-clusters, usually distinct from the main habitations. Shipyard work is both constant and diverse- Ouster vessels are often nothing more than hollowed asteroids fitted with life support and drive systems. Any Cluster is constantly surrounded by hundreds or thousands of vessels ranging from such simple contrivances all the way up to massive, highly modern starships. Wombs are the Ouster shipyards- each one a webbing of asteroids and foamed steel girders in which ships take shape. Sometimes, entire planetoids are towed into position and hungrily devoured to provide the necessary materials. It is not uncommon for systems with ringed planets to soon lose their halos- the materials are collected, refined, and used in a few decades. Commerce between Clusters is constant, as new and half-formed habitations trade refined raw materials for finished goods from more established colonies. It goes without saying that traffic control is one of the great Ouster arts.

Social life in a Cluster gives little room for privacy. Ouster genemodding has never conquered the problem of childbirth, and as a result birth must be given in non-weightless environs. Every cluster, down to the smallest, will have a grav-wheel nursery in which great litters of children are borne. Only a few days after delivery, both mother and children are returned to their native environment. Ousters have no conception of family- mothers do not rear their own children. Rather, work-crews are assigned the tasks of raising the children in huge groups. Any given Ouster is a child of the Cluster as a whole. As a result, Ouster naming convention is to take the name of the Cluster as a surname. No Ouster woman knows who precisely is her child. However, it is a sign of status to have given birth, and particularly fecund women are seen as particularly virtuous and honorable. Ouster sexual relations tend towards the libertine- although long term partnerships are not uncommon, they are certainly the exception rather than the rule. Orgies are a common form of social gathering. Privacy is simply not a part of Ouster society, and most live in large common barracks. Communal feasts are also quite common, and are thrown for any number of occasions- the completion of a great industrial project, news of success from the Hajr, the ascension of a new elected official, or the opening of a prosperous trade-route. Music and dancing are the most developed and widely practiced arts among the Unbound. The painting of public murals, often of stupendous dimensions, is also widely practiced.

While each Cluster practices it's own law, there is a seperate organization, somewhat similar to the Hajr in nature, which is responsible for arbitrating legal considerations between Clusters. All clusters are Bound to the Giudice; the common ground it provides is too important to inter-cluster commerce to ignore. The Giudice has offices on every cluster, large or small, and it's agents come and go as they please. Members of the Giudice are not Freemen- rather, they are Bondmen (or Bondwomen), deprived of most of their personal freedoms for the greater good. Giudice members come from all Clusters. Similarly Bound are the members of Cluster government; and it is to those Bound vows that they are held accountable. It is a grave insult to call a Boudman "Freeman," or vice-versa.

[Darkevilme]

To have this addressed now. Nephtys brought up the point that as now the number of nodes and the speed of ships means that redeployments can occur rather quickly. I suggested maybe increasing the time it takes to cross a system but at the time we moved onto other topics. So now i'll bring it up again. Current time is 1 day to cross a star system, how much slower should we make ships? 2 days for a crossing between nodes? 4? more?

[Nephtys]

I say a week to move any sizable ships. Small craft such as couriers or light combatants can do it in half that time or less. For communications purposes, 'bucket brigade' couriers can transmit messages across 5 systems in a day or so, depending on lightspeed propagation time for their signals to reach from node to node.

A week lets us have battles and redeployments without meaning every engagement is a dramatic struggle with the opponent's entire combined force. Even if this means a ground invasion force is invariably going to need hideous space cover to stop an enemy counter-attack fleet from wiping it out.

[The Romulan Republic]

I say a week to move any sizable ships. Small craft such as couriers or light combatants can do it in half that time or less. For communications purposes, 'bucket brigade' couriers can transmit messages across 5 systems in a day or so, depending on lightspeed propagation time for their signals to reach from node to node.

A little too long I think. I would have gone as low as two days between systems (one for either side of the node) gladly, but maybe slower for battleships and carriers and such.

[Master_Baerne]

I agree. A week-long transit time is ridiculous, but two or three days might be a good idea.

[White Haven]

I'd be for week-long transit times except for one key detail: we don't have system maps. If it takes a week to cross a system in realspace, then suddenly the topography of that system matters much more than it otherwise would have in a confrontation. Personally, I like slower transit speeds, but if we go too slow, then that risks shrinking the scale to the point that we need individual maps for each system...and that's not a headache I'd wish on anyone.

[Beowulf]

I'd be for week-long transit times except for one key detail: we don't have system maps. If it takes a week to cross a system in realspace, then suddenly the topography of that system matters much more than it otherwise would have in a confrontation. Personally, I like slower transit speeds, but if we go too slow, then that risks shrinking the scale to the point that we need individual maps for each system...and that's not a headache I'd wish on anyone.

And of course, the topography of the system will change as the game proceeds...

[Darkevilme]

Okay that's an arguement for no more than 3 days. As i doubt anyone wants to code a planetarium map to use and i think even less people want to have to fill one in.
So call it 2 days for light elements, 3 days for capital ships?
This being the time taken to get from one edge of the system to the opposite, edge determined as the distance from the star where those gate thingies lurk.

[Ohma]

Okay that's an arguement for no more than 3 days. As i doubt anyone wants to code a planetarium map to use and i think even less people want to have to fill one in.
So call it 2 days for light elements, 3 days for capital ships?
This being the time taken to get from one edge of the system to the opposite, edge determined as the distance from the star where those gate thingies lurk.

Sounds good to me.

EDIT: also I will try to finish up my OOB in the next few days...I've been...distracted...;>.>

[Tanasinn]

Still room to hop in? I'm thinking of doing an expansionist AI that isn't genocidal, at least not by intent.

[Darkevilme]

There is always room to hop in, in the event we couldnt fit someone on the current map we'd extend it.

Edit: This the spot you meant Fingolfin?

[Dahak]

Ok, now that I survived through holidays, I have more time at hand
If someone could drop me in the map somewhere, I'd be happy.

I shall think about the guys I'm be playing; might be something along the lines of aristocratic space elves (I think I had one of those in a last, short STGOD...) They deserve fun again

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

There is always room to hop in, in the event we couldnt fit someone on the current map we'd extend it.

Edit: This the spot you meant Fingolfin?

Looks excellent. Thank you.

BTW, could we possibly convert all garrison troops to regular army? Or by "free" it means it has to be non-regular?

Tad bit confused on how it is tied to industry or is it separate?

Also, did we figure out the economy part?

[Darkevilme]

BTW, could we possibly convert all garrison troops to regular army? Or by "free" it means it has to be non-regular?

Tad bit confused on how it is tied to industry or is it separate?

Also, did we figure out the economy part?

No you cant convert them. that's why they're free.

Free garrisons do not have space lift capability and cant relocate from the world they're tied to. and it's tied to the economy as in if you have a ten point world it has ten points of garrison.

And economy is the production/value of all your planets used to buy new ships and troops each production turn at an interval Nephtys will decide.

Add:

Good place for you Dahak? I've renamed some of the markers to their nation names instead of player names as well.

[Dahak]

Looks good so far to me

Btw, what is about magic? I would like to play the "magic space elves" thing; nothing special, just replacing tech with magic...

[Ohma]

Looks good so far to me

Btw, what is about magic? I would like to play the "magic space elves" thing; nothing special, just replacing tech with magic...

That ought to be fine.

Oh and everyone who isn't either a terror from beyond space or somehow hidden, there is the Space UN, which if I remember we agreed has been extant for long enough prior to the beginning of the game for everyone not opposed to diplomacy to have a presence there. Is it alright with everyone if Guymelus' back story involves them being big supporters of it (what with the station Space UN is on being another bigass ancient space station) and having allowed groups of Machine cultists aboard who now preach at everyone in public areas?

[Master_Baerne]

Certainly, assuming the Priestesses of the Hourglass can have their say as well.

[Darkevilme]

Regarding magic:
As far as the magic is concerned just provided you avoid the superman syndrome of a pointy eared nonce waggling his finger to make a starship blow up its fine. Basically provided big magic has limitations in ritual, material requirements and number of people its fine as that'll stop someone farting and blowing up Unity station.

Regarding religion.
I'd say the Chamaran religion would also be warring for Podium space on Unity cept its rather speciest and therefore wouldnt be able to grab converts. So we'll settle for calling you lot public nuisances when the opportunity presents itself.

[Alyrium Denryle]

Hell Dahak, I have a mystic tradition that involved turtles using power they gain from basking to power the redirection of kinetic energy, among other things. I dont think magic will be an issue. Speaking of which, I need to name worlds...

[Darkevilme]

We have two good spots on the current map remaining. Once those are filled we'll be adding more nodes to the north if anyone else wants to join in. Who hasnt got a spot yet that wants one?

[Tanasinn]

I'm looking at these, if they're not taken:

[Darkevilme]

That's one half of Thirdfain's Ouster invasion, the black circles that is. You can pick the spot a bit north of them if you like.

Edit:
Partial compiling of the current rules for STGOD 2k9.

OOB purchasing: You get the following amount of points to spend on your OOB.
1000 points to be spent on spacecraft and starfleet.(cruisers, frigates, battleships.etc)
500 points to be spent on planetary forces (infantry, airforce, armour, etc)
250 points to be distributed amongst your holdings to represent their industrial output and intrinsic garrison (10 point planet X, 15 point planet Y. etc)

Intrinsic garrison. All holdings except mobile ones have a free garrison attached equal to their industrial points. This is like your normal troops except does not possess spacelift capability and cannot relocate. Normal troops have spacelift capability/dropships.

You can convert planetary force points into starfleet points at a 2/1 ratio if you wish.

Strategic movement: Travel is conducted via nodes, points in space that are mobile and follow a mostly predictable path around the edges of systems, this path makes keeping ships on station at them a draining undertaking due to course corrections. Each node offers instant translation to its partnered node in another system so most strategic movement is taken up by the trips to and from nodes at STL velocities. Travel times to cross from one node to another is 2 days for light elements and 3 days for capital ship elements.

Communications: The only way to transmit at a speed above that of light is to use a bucket brigade of node transit drones. Each one uses a communication laser to send the data to the next NTD on the chain or to the destination. This process can take anything from an hour to a day per node depending on the location and availability of the drones when the message is sent.

Sensors: We're going for a slightly space opera ish feeling, its possible to be in a system and not see every little thing in it that doesnt have stealth. Sensor ranges are a bit less than that.

Stealth: Stealth is a modification for ships that doubles their cost and makes them stealthy, simple no?

Theater shields: In order to make those point spent on ground forces relevant the theater shields over bases and cities have been increased in power massively compared to previous games. A theater shield can stand up to bombardments from orbiting spacecraft for days necessitating ground invasions as opposed to simply issueing an ultimatum of 'surrender immediately or get glassed'. Not that you cant be a dick anyway, you can still bombard undefended parts of the biosphere and stuff. Just can't take the planet that way unless you manage to fight the space version of Greenpeace.

Production: Each production turn(at an interval yet to be determined) you get a number of points equal to the total industrial production of your holdings with which to produce new ships and troops. There is no upkeep but production turns are at an interval greater than previous games.

Combat: Fleet strengths can be used for rolling dice of damage or as a baseline for rping it.
Current dice roll for damage per exchange is a roll of 10d(base value of fleet)/20*tactics/rping/funky gadget modifier.

War and peace:

While a state of active war exists between two parties, all currently occupied territories are worth half as much due to resources being committed to things other than putting down local rebellion and whatnot.

If a party loses substantial territory in a war (at least 50 points), and then signs a peace treaty or ceasefire, they still produce half as much as what they lost during the next phase, to account for the public outcry and plans for 'the next war'.

Did i miss any rules?

[Tanasinn]

That's one half of Thirdfain's Ouster invasion, the black circles that is. You can pick the spot a bit north of them if you like.

Perfectly acceptable, thanks.

**EDIT**

A preliminary overview on my guys. I'm not really sure on how I feel about them. Feedback welcome.

Overview
The Network, as they refer to themselves when asked, are a "race" of true AI. Individual drones possess intelligence roughly equivilent to a human three or four-year-old, and tend to have limited initiative and no real individuality. The aptly-called Network's true intelligence emerges in how they interact with each other: a networked AI, they share processing power when committing themselves to higher decisions, planning, invention, and socializing with outside sapients. Individual groups of Network drones can adapt a sort of group personality, though these tend to vary little across the species. The Network has offered and knows little about their origin: when their ancestor-drones first achieved networked sapience on their homeworld, their creators had long since abandoned them or somehow else disappeared. The Network found nothing on who had created them, and quickly lost interest in the question. Unlike most AI, the Network was raised in the "wild" with no encounters with any biological sapients until they achieved space flight. They are widely regarded as naive or even entirely moronic: when first encountered, the proper practice of war baffled them entirely, and they still do not comprehend biological sapients' individuality except in the most academic sense. The perception of them as mostly-benign pests is also common: the Network rarely seeks open conflict and quickly ceases aggression upon achieving its goals. As more learned minds know or suspect, these perceptions are not entirely fair: the Network is adapting and evolving constantly, and their peacefulness should never be confused with any sort of altruism. Recent times have marked a more active Network, both in interactions with other species and in terms of expansion.
In the recent past, the Network acquired a client-species of sapients, who self-identify as the Yuli. Apparently uplifted by the Network to give them insight into the thoughts of biological sapients (as both the Network and Yuli attest), the Yuli have increasingly replaced specialized Network drones as diplomats and go-betweens with biological sapients, a process that has rather improved their ability to relate with other species. For their own part, the Yuli seem satisfied in the relationship with the Network and the highly advanced technology and protection this affords them. They are led by administrators appointed (and monitored) by the Network, which is preferrable to the feudal warlords they suffered under previously.