Supercities

[Surlethe]

We all know and love Coruscant, the most prominent example of the sheer size of the Star Wars universe. As a planetary city, it must consist of residential and urban sections, as well as (per AOTC and ROTS) industrial centers. If we consider Coruscant as analogous to a modern city, given the speed and widespread distribution of hyperdrive, is it possible that there are system- or even sector-wide metropolises? That is, planets devoted entirely to residential districts, with some local commercial centers, whose residents commute to commercial and industrial planets for work?

Given that hyperdrive is able to cover distances from the rim to the core in a matter of hours, it stands to reason that ships should be able to cover well-charted hyperspace routes between core systems in much less than a few hours. Add to that the possibility of public transportation (is the public transportation of the refugees in AOTC anomalous?), and there seem to be the makings of the metropolization of the core.

Is this idea not feasible because hyperdrive is too expensive, or because it's cheaper to simply build up commercial centers on the same planet?

[PainRack]

We all know and love Coruscant, the most prominent example of the sheer size of the Star Wars universe. As a planetary city, it must consist of residential and urban sections, as well as (per AOTC and ROTS) industrial centers. If we consider Coruscant as analogous to a modern city, given the speed and widespread distribution of hyperdrive, is it possible that there are system- or even sector-wide metropolises? That is, planets devoted entirely to residential districts, with some local commercial centers, whose residents commute to commercial and industrial planets for work?

Given that hyperdrive is able to cover distances from the rim to the core in a matter of hours, it stands to reason that ships should be able to cover well-charted hyperspace routes between core systems in much less than a few hours. Add to that the possibility of public transportation (is the public transportation of the refugees in AOTC anomalous?), and there seem to be the makings of the metropolization of the core.

Is this idea not feasible because hyperdrive is too expensive, or because it's cheaper to simply build up commercial centers on the same planet?

Why would anyone want to?

Now, Industrial planets with offplanet residents is another thing altogether.

[Illuminatus Primus]

Commercial planets? Like what? Mall planets? The whole point of much of service-based economies is to provide services and goods directly to the individual consumer, which means placement proximal to residential zones. Business selling goods and services to other businesses is obviously prevelent in hyperdrive trade.

But yeah, with Duro, Fondor, and Kuat we know that at least intrasystem commuting for work is common.

[PainRack]

Commercial planets? Like what? Mall planets? The whole point of much of service-based economies is to provide services and goods directly to the individual consumer, which means placement proximal to residential zones. Business selling goods and services to other businesses is obviously prevelent in hyperdrive trade.

But yeah, with Duro, Fondor, and Kuat we know that at least intrasystem commuting for work is common.

Fondor and Kuat are a bit odd though. In the NJO at least, Fondor does hire contracted workers to work at the yards, providing them temporary housing. Kuat also provide workers housing onsite so as to speak.

Yet, the mechanics of SW space travel, droids and possibility of outsourcing all asks the question why. Why would any workers need to stay on site at all? Supervisors, perhaps.. Perhaps menial workers do so in order to save costs (company housing vs private)..... it would be the engineers and others like security staff who live elsewhere.

For commericial industries like finance, insurance and the like, the ability to create "home offices" should easily remove any incentive for creating such commercial planets. Teleconferencing, handheld communicators that can communicate on a galactic scale via the Holonet, droids which can carry terrabyte computer capacity at the min, advanced computers which can search the combined political, social and historical archives to search for a name and recover such data in minutes..........................

Why would anyone need to go to an office anymore? I mean, other than to gossip and drink coffee?:D

[Noble Ire]

For commericial industries like finance, insurance and the like, the ability to create "home offices" should easily remove any incentive for creating such commercial planets. Teleconferencing, handheld communicators that can communicate on a galactic scale via the Holonet, droids which can carry terrabyte computer capacity at the min, advanced computers which can search the combined political, social and historical archives to search for a name and recover such data in minutes..........................

Why would anyone need to go to an office anymore? I mean, other than to gossip and drink coffee?

There is evidence throughout the EU, especially during the Imperial Period, when the Holonet was nationalized and redirected primarily for military usage, that interstellar communication is both very expensive and occasionally spotty. I'm willing to bet that, even during the height of the Old Republic, the only entities that had unfettered access to easy galactic communication were the incredibly rich, governmental organizations like the Jedi Order and starfleet, major news media, and super corporations. Everybody else would have to rely on courier ships, etc.; having entire planet-loads of white collar workers telecommunicating would be insanely expensive and tedious.

[Teleros]

Why would any workers need to stay on site at all?

What about some sort of contract specifying 24/7 availability - most investment banks do this (in practice). Plus the level of accomodation may be good enough to encourage people to move there and work for KDY etc.

Teleconferencing, handheld communicators that can communicate on a galactic scale via the Holonet

We're not quite there yet, but many people still prefer to physically meet business partners, clients and the like, and I doubt that will change much, human nature being what it is.

[Surlethe]

Commercial planets? Like what? Mall planets? The whole point of much of service-based economies is to provide services and goods directly to the individual consumer, which means placement proximal to residential zones. Business selling goods and services to other businesses is obviously prevelent in hyperdrive trade.

But yeah, with Duro, Fondor, and Kuat we know that at least intrasystem commuting for work is common.

I was thinking possibly simplistically: in a city where people commute, there's a downtown and surrounding residential areas. We see planet-cities, but my question is, couldn't we conceivably see cities spread out over several planets, with a "downtown" planet and several nearby residential planets?

[Surlethe]

There is evidence throughout the EU, especially during the Imperial Period, when the Holonet was nationalized and redirected primarily for military usage, that interstellar communication is both very expensive and occasionally spotty. I'm willing to bet that, even during the height of the Old Republic, the only entities that had unfettered access to easy galactic communication were the incredibly rich, governmental organizations like the Jedi Order and starfleet, major news media, and super corporations. Everybody else would have to rely on courier ships, etc.; having entire planet-loads of white collar workers telecommunicating would be insanely expensive and tedious.

Isn't there some mention in the RotS novelization of Anakin and Obi-Wan's exploits being widely followed, and the Battle of Coruscant broadcast live, over the HoloNet?

[Darth Fanboy]

Yes, not to mention references to the Holonet in Dark Rendezvous, JEdi Trial, and also IIRC in Labyrinth of Evil and the Medstar Duology.

[PainRack]

There is evidence throughout the EU, especially during the Imperial Period, when the Holonet was nationalized and redirected primarily for military usage, that interstellar communication is both very expensive and occasionally spotty.

Except that the Imperial period is too short a time for a commercial planet to emerge, furthermore, such restrictions on interstellar communications will actually hinder the formation of such metropolises.

I'm willing to bet that, even during the height of the Old Republic, the only entities that had unfettered access to easy galactic communication were the incredibly rich, governmental organizations like the Jedi Order and starfleet, major news media, and super corporations. Everybody else would have to rely on courier ships, etc.; having entire planet-loads of white collar workers telecommunicating would be insanely expensive and tedious.

Any organisation that can engage in galactic commerce must have the ability to engage in interstellar communications.

There will be offices, but there really isn't a need for a nine-five day job clocking hours there.

[Tychu]

Commercial planets? Like what? Mall planets? The whole point of much of service-based economies is to provide services and goods directly to the individual consumer, which means placement proximal to residential zones. Business selling goods and services to other businesses is obviously prevelent in hyperdrive trade.

But yeah, with Duro, Fondor, and Kuat we know that at least intrasystem commuting for work is common.

I was thinking possibly simplistically: in a city where people commute, there's a downtown and surrounding residential areas. We see planet-cities, but my question is, couldn't we conceivably see cities spread out over several planets, with a "downtown" planet and several nearby residential planets?

there is no real evidence from the EU or movies that the rest of the Coruscant system is used like that but we do have a similar thing for Naboo. Naboo's moon (forgot the name) the one that was later attacked with Biowepons from Ventress and Durge was used as the new residential home for the Gungans while the Humans were able to build thier civilization on Naboo. Albeit that Naboo is not a city-wide planet, it is the closest thing that i can think of to answer your question

[Noble Ire]

There is evidence throughout the EU, especially during the Imperial Period, when the Holonet was nationalized and redirected primarily for military usage, that interstellar communication is both very expensive and occasionally spotty. I'm willing to bet that, even during the height of the Old Republic, the only entities that had unfettered access to easy galactic communication were the incredibly rich, governmental organizations like the Jedi Order and starfleet, major news media, and super corporations. Everybody else would have to rely on courier ships, etc.; having entire planet-loads of white collar workers telecommunicating would be insanely expensive and tedious.

Isn't there some mention in the RotS novelization of Anakin and Obi-Wan's exploits being widely followed, and the Battle of Coruscant broadcast live, over the HoloNet?

It would be fairly easy for a major news corporation to transmit Holonet feeds to local (planetary or intra-system) news networks for distribution to the masses. Think NPR, but on a galactic scale.

Except that the Imperial period is too short a time for a commercial planet to emerge, furthermore, such restrictions on interstellar communications will actually hinder the formation of such metropolises.

Nevertheless, it is probable that unfettered Holonet access was prohibitively expensive well before the Imperial period (the older Essential Guide to Technology notes that Holonet feeds were rented on the order of a thousand credits per second or more, IIRC), especially as far back as most of the major planet-cities would have taken root.

[Lord Relvenous]

Also, the assumption that every civilian has a space-worthy vessel is a wrong one. When the Vong conquer Coruscant in the NJO, they bombard the planet with its own satelites and Golan Defense Stations. The book describes the possible death of hundred(s) of millions with each impact. Would all those civilians had died on the surface when they had the choice of spaceflight?

[PainRack]

Also, the assumption that every civilian has a space-worthy vessel is a wrong one. When the Vong conquer Coruscant in the NJO, they bombard the planet with its own satelites and Golan Defense Stations. The book describes the possible death of hundred(s) of millions with each impact. Would all those civilians had died on the surface when they had the choice of spaceflight?

Their equivalent of a bus or mass transit.