SDN Worlds 4 Commentary Thread III

[Mayabird]

More adventures of the motley crew. What can I say? I love these guys.

More soon. Poor Kees...

[Simon_Jester]

In an AIM chat we've been discussing new build times. I like this scheme:

10-29: 2 months
30-54: 3 months
55-99: 4 or 5 months
100-150 point: 6 months
150-200 point: 9 months
200-300: 12 months
300-450: 18 months
450-600: 24 months
600-800: 30 months
800-plus: 36 months, possibly with special mod-modifications for cases of REALLY FREAKING RIDICULOUS ships

Any opposition? I want to adopt it.

I know it was my idea in the first place, but I propose very slight modification, to:

<10 points: 1 month (yacht-class freighters are so ubiquitous they're probably made using assembly line techniques)
10-29: 2 months
30-54: 3 months
55-99: 4 months
100-149 point: 6 months
150-199 point: 9 months
200-299: 12 months
300-449: 18 months
450-599: 24 months
600-799: 30 months
800-plus: 36 months, possibly with special mod-modifications for cases of REALLY FREAKING RIDICULOUS ships

And, of course, for the record, the usual "50% of build time for commissioning."

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

If we are going to impose restrictions on large ships, we should impose restrictions on too many small ships.

And if you are going to ask me, that's way too many subdivisions for the <100 points.

[Simon_Jester]

The below-100 classifications cover the large range formerly occupied by "1 month per 10 points of hull cost," including most of the ships in the game.

[Agent Sorchus]

Also it is a realm that for most players their ships occupy for most their navies. Yes the K-zone is different, but I don't think many of the players want super ship syndrome. If there is a slight preference to producing small ships we don't get dick waving super Ultra Battleships popping up every where. Besides there is the Mod decision that someone is building too much based on their income, despite no-one yet coming into conflict with it.

[Simon_Jester]

Personally I think battleships should be long-lead items. Historical precedents favor that, and it forces a degree of long-term planning: it avoids escalating "Well I build a ship that weighs THIS many tons!" foolishness.

[Steve]

Two updates in a day. Whew.

[Shroom Man 777]

Oh god, Shroomka. Yes!

Nice updates guise. Hey Steve, I only now just figured that the whole storyline with Stephen and the SEB thing and Sidney Hank was set in the future, because I didn't really notice the dates given, so I was all confuzzled when I read Stephen and Co. still in Tattooweenie when pages ago they were hanging out at Hank's crib, until I realized it was GODDAMN UNREAL TIME and they were happening in different places and different times! Then I was like "oh!" and stuff.

Awwww! Yamia and Syrandi! That's nices!


^____________________________^


Alsoes, man, welcome again Alyriums. You so should've used that scheming frog picture with the caption 'EXCELLENT', you know the one Ace Pace used as an avatar.

God, those frog pictures are hilarious. Man. Frogs!

[Shinn Langley Soryu]

I actually misread "Ranoidea" as "Randroidea" the first few times I encountered it. That makes me wonder what the Ranoideans' stance on libertarian philosophy is, though.

[Simon_Jester]

Since their name for their own form of government translates as "technosocialist," the answer is "probably rather poorly."

Also, Shinn, from the wiki (I'm starting a dramatis personae page):

One odd note about Yang is his appearance: due to cosmetic tinkering by a Haruhiist ancestor some generations back, his family tree contains a super-dominant gene for dark blue hair that has resisted attempts at gene-therapeutic removal for three generations...

Now look what you've done!

[Alyrium Denryle]

I actually misread "Ranoidea" as "Randroidea" the first few times I encountered it. That makes me wonder what the Ranoideans' stance on libertarian philosophy is, though.

Well, from the wiki page:

The TSR is a federated Social Technocratic state, ruled by committees of technical experts with an agenda similar to a modern day Socially Democratic state like Sweden--only run by technocrats. Each world has a number of professional organizations to which economists, scientists, lawyers, philosphers, even civil servants such as law enforcement officers belong and who select from their members individuals to represent them in government. The government has numerous committees which make up its legislature, and handle matters pertaining to its charter within their level of government. So, the Sustainable Development Committee on Macrops (in the Breviceps Colonial Sector) will deal with developing the planet in such a way so as to not overly damage the ecology of the planet, and in many cases make it function better, and will be comprised of individuals who professionally specialize in these areas. Budgetary issues are hashed out by sending the chair of each committee to the meeting of the Finance committee, which makes sure everything can be paid for, or prioritized within the fiscal year's budget, which is drawn up by the committee on Taxation and Budgeting. Each committee is organized into committee clusters which each deal with similar issues. Proposals are then sent to the popularly elected House of Commons for a simple up or down vote. The House Of Commons elects a member from each Committee Cluster to serve on the executive committee, which directs large-scale goals of committees within Clusters.

This same organization structure is maintained for each level of organization. Planet, Sector, and Federal--which handles all external affairs. An independent judiciary also exists


...


Additionally, evidence from psionic probes is fully admissable in court, provided that cooberating evidence is obtained from the use of said probes.

The only areas where this is not the case, is when the needs of national security--like ensuring classified information stays that way--outweigh the autonomy of individuals.

You tell me.

A species as closely linked to its environment as an amphibian is CANNOT do the Randroid thing and survive. Can you imagine what climate change would do to their breeding? What heavy use of pesticides would do to their sex ratios? Oh no... no no no NO!

[Simon_Jester]

So basically, what they think about libertarianism is:

*ribbit* Another one of those wacky alienoid philosophies for crazy alienoids. *ribbit.*

?

[Shinn Langley Soryu]

So basically, what they think about libertarianism is:

*ribbit* Another one of those wacky alienoid philosophies for crazy alienoids. *ribbit.*

?

*ribbit* A harmful alienoid philosophy for particularly selfish and uncaring alienoids. *ribbit*

[Shroom Man 777]

Shroom: SDNW4 LARP!

Langley: Where are we gonna get actual bears for a LARP, though?


Shroom: bear suits! or, in the zoo! Yes, the Braglans win all the time *other LARPers get mauled* haha!

Langley: Ha.

Shroom: Hell, fighting against Zigonians or those Nenaltkik is a guaranteed win! You go to a museum and hit the fossils with a foam sword! Win

[Tanasinn]

It occurs to me that some governments may try to use the ESPer Olympics to scout and possibly recruit talent to their own government, though I doubt that'd be easy.

[Force Lord]

Dang, now I have a third socialist-like state near me?

Now I have a real reason why my nation has never been so aggresive.

[Shroom Man 777]

Shepistan should fund and aid the Centrality in its stand against COMMUNISM!

[Ilya Muromets]

Gah. I'm getting less free time to do anything other than drop by for a look from time to time. As such, I really can't seriously join this game until my studying for my comprehensive exams are over three months from now.

Is it possible to temporarily hand over control of my nation to someone or give people the go-ahead to use the R'nish as they see fit? I don't want them to sit there and do nothing because my time-management is shit.

[Steve]

Gah. I'm getting less free time to do anything other than drop by for a look from time to time. As such, I really can't seriously join this game until my studying for my comprehensive exams are over three months from now.

Is it possible to temporarily hand over control of my nation to someone or give people the go-ahead to use the R'nish as they see fit? I don't want them to sit there and do nothing because my time-management is shit.

Well, you can specify someone to further plots connected to the R'nish if you want. But given our slow time progression in three months we'll just be getting out of 3400 as a year, if even that advanced. So you won't miss much in terms of events, I'm sure.

[PeZook]

Hmm...it might be interesting to ponder the legal implications of Heraclius IV getting caught sneaking into the palace. What's his legal standing? If it hasn't been cleared up, it's possible he might just outright demand access to the vault and get it

It's funny how much disruption mind uploading/downloading might cause with our comfortable legal framework. For example, let's say an upload goes missing for a couple decades, and as per his instructions, a Solarian company restores him from backup. He goes back to his life, and then BAM the original returns having escaped from a Bragulan gulag.

Who gets the guy's stuff?

Material for a Solarian reality-holo show!

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Hmm...it might be interesting to ponder the legal implications of Heraclius IV getting caught sneaking into the palace. What's his legal standing? If it hasn't been cleared up, it's possible he might just outright demand access to the vault and get it

It's funny how much disruption mind uploading/downloading might cause with our comfortable legal framework. For example, let's say an upload goes missing for a couple decades, and as per his instructions, a Solarian company restores him from backup. He goes back to his life, and then BAM the original returns having escaped from a Bragulan gulag.

Who gets the guy's stuff?

Material for a Solarian reality-holo show!

Heraclius didn't infiltrate. It was the inquisitor.

[PeZook]

So what happens to him? He was told to go into the palace by Heraclius IV who might as well still be the rightful ruler of Byzantium! Can the UN punish the Imperium for that?

MINDFUCK!

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

So what happens to him? He was told to go into the palace by Heraclius IV who might as well still be the rightful ruler of Byzantium! Can the UN punish the Imperium for that?

MINDFUCK!

Well, I would imagine the Byzantine Empire's legal specialists will have a field day....

And yes, I wonder... but I think I don't know enough of legal speak to do a decent post..

[Siege]

For example, let's say an upload goes missing for a couple decades, and as per his instructions, a Solarian company restores him from backup. He goes back to his life, and then BAM the original returns having escaped from a Bragulan gulag.

Who gets the guy's stuff?

This isn't unprecedented, and the usual solution is conjoining of both personalities followed by putting one of the bodies on ice as a spare, though the specifics vary depending on the terms written into the backup contract. I'd also point out that talk of an 'original' with respect to mindstates is, at least in the Sovereignty, a sure sign of a hilariously archaic and outdated view of things.

[Simon_Jester]

Well, in this context "original" is quite meaningful, in the sense that Geppetto keeps referring to "my senior self." If we have Bob von Schrom, born in 3329 and just escaped from a Bragulan gulag, and we have Bob von Schrom, restored from backup and decanted in 3398, then just by looking at a calendar you can definitely say that 3329!Bob is the "original."

That doesn't mean that 3329!Bob is in any sense more 'real' or has some kind of rights over 3398!Bob, but 3329!Bob is definitely the original in a historical sense.