SDNW5 Preliminary Discussion Thread

[Crossroads Inc.]

When it comes to starships, it's all about STYLE baby.
You are basically Greeks In Spaaaaace and I totally support spaceships that look like greek longboats or something

[Esquire]

I was considering that for a while (before you joined up, I think), but what I'm going for is more of a 'what science would look like without the scientific method' kind of feel. So purely experimental stuff is still more-or-less as it should be; my ships run on reactors and fire particle cannon at each other, but those reactors are explained as using the essential nature of Fire to give a fleeting spark of life to the ship, rather than as using atomic fusion. My philosophers, if asked about it, would say that obviously there has to be something in the nature of Fire that lets this happen; this talk of protons and electrons is just silly. You can't divide an atom; that's what 'atom' means.

Put another way - Aristocratistotle's Metaphysics is usually translated into English as something along the lines of 'The Stuff That Comes After Physics,' allegedly because that's where it was placed on library shelves (after Aristocratistotle's Physics). It's about, more or less, the reasons why things are the way they are - not the mechanisms for gravity and suchlike, but the reasons why they exist in the first place. In the Confederacy, it means something closer to the other sense of the prefix 'meta' - 'The Stuff That Goes Together With Physics,' because its on the same level. For the Hellenes, there was never a shift from philosophy's concern with the why to science's concern with the what and the how.

[Darkevilme]

Just cause a ship doesn't contravene physics ferociously doesn't mean it can't look like an ancient greek warship. I assume you must of missed that earlier.

or put another way. This looks greek.
http://i440.photobucket.com/albums/qq12 ... llenic.png
This does not look greek. (It's also a commish so no stealing)
http://i440.photobucket.com/albums/qq12 ... me/463.jpg

[Esquire]

That's certainly true. I read 'spaceships that look like Greek longboats' as 'Greek longboats in space,' for whatever reason, for which I apologize.

[Skywalker_T-65]

Hey, I'm going to make VIKING longboats flying around in the atmosphere of the SPACE VIKING planets, so I don't see a problem with spaceships that look like Greek Longboats. Though it would be ironic if you actually went with NBSG ships considering one of my designs is based off of Pegasus...and you buy Furling Arcadian ship-parts.

[Simon_Jester]

When it comes to starships, it's all about STYLE baby.
You are basically Greeks In Spaaaaace and I totally support spaceships that look like greek longboats or something

I asked him, personally as a player, as a favor to go with ships that avoid the "spectacular defiance of reality" angle. I've got my reasons as a player, which I think you'll be glad of if it works out.

If my stuff doesn't work out, I'll rethink my asking this of Esquire. Either way, we're cool.

[Skywalker_T-65]

All my ships don't defy physics, unless you count the SPACE VIKING longboat airships. Which use anti-gravity (repulsors if you will) to let them fly around. Which isn't any more physics defying than having FTL ships/communications. Though my destroyers are interesting in being B2's in SPAACE, but that's besides the point.

[Crossroads Inc.]

Speaking of "Space Vikings"
I wonder if oyu have seen perhaps one of the most Awesome videos on youtube... A video that involves, Vikings, Pirates, Lasers, Giant Robots, and Rock Music. I recommend it to anyone doing Vikings in Spaaaace

And Simon, I deeply agree with you. But I think that goes back to "Longboats in Space" which IS silly, as opposed to "Spaceships which LOOK like Longboats" Which as Darkevil showed in her sketch, would be feasible.

[Simon_Jester]

How little you know, Crossroads...

Antigravity is practically traditional at this level of soft-SFness.

[Imperial528]

Once you get artificial gravity in a sci-fi setting, it's not too hard to get to more precise control of gravity, such as using the gravity systems at an airlock to catapult boarders outside the ship.

[Feralgnoll]

I don't know if anyone played, but Eve Online has a massive amount of ships to look through. A good springboard for design.

http://www.eve-wiki.net/index.php?title=Category:Ships

[White Haven]

I poached most of the decent-looking Amarr and Caldari ships last game.

[Skywalker_T-65]

I already poached a good chunk of the better looking Stargate ships myself.

Though if someone wants the toilet bowl (Ori), pyramid (Goa'uld), or organic (Wraith) ships, feel free to take them. Though I would wonder why you want them.

[KhorneFlakes]

Simon, I've been revising my nation's sectors, but I've noticed I have still have plenty of NCP to spend. Is it okay if I use about 6 NCP for six GDP boosts for two boosts each on three different sectors?

I'm not sure if it'll cause problems. I have two Core sectors and four midrange sectors now, by the way.

[Simon_Jester]

I don't actually mind. Note that a double-boosted core sector is equivalent to a home sector...

[KhorneFlakes]

Well, I decided for eight GDP boosts, since I want decent GDP. I put two GDP boosts each in my midranges. That okay? Trying to avoid putting too many into one sector...

[Skywalker_T-65]

You know, a trade route gives you the same as a GDP boost right? And it solves any problems with having too many of the boosts.

[KhorneFlakes]

Except Skywalker, the aliens I'm playing as are very xenophobic. Not "RAR LET'S ANNIHILATE PLANETS AND DEVOUR THE FUCKSPAWN OF OUR ENEMIES!11" xenophobic, but more along the lines of "There is a button there, and if you touch it we'll fire a hell of a lot of warning shots at you. Touch it twice and we'll start killing you."

Needless to say, trade routes are also susceptible to wartime "measures". I might also mention that I decided that the SPAAACE North Korea guys with a obese leader worked better as a micronation, since it added more irony to their situation.

I'm actually building up some Ur-Quan style guys, who might be a *little* (read: MASSIVELY) paranoid of the Greys and other people who mention "uplifting". Suffice to say, they're determined to never let it happen again, or to anyone who was as vulnerable when the *Bad Thing Involving Uplifting* happened. They're polite about it though. They won't blow you up preemptively like Shepistan, but by god don't give them the wrong idea. They're sensitive about that.

[Skywalker_T-65]

*Shrugs* That makes more sense then. Wasn't sure exactly what you were doing with your nation. I mean, my SPACE VIKINGS are similar in that regard, just not big enough to justify a GDP boost.

At least Space North Korea wouldn't hate Arcadia considering that we are firmly against uplifting by virtue of having the Furlings in our nation (and they got in the middle of that Gray/Bastian/Krypton Cold War over it). Of course, that's only a good thing since it means I won't have to worry about Space North Korea nuking me. (in theory)

[OmegaChief]

If you've got -that- many points left over Khorne, the obvious question becomes "Why not just pick up some more sectors"

Unless you're very wedded conceptually to having an empire of a very specific size it's usually the best way to go, and avoids the trouble of to many GDP boosts without going for trade routes if they're not for you.

[Scottish Ninja]

Besides which, two GDP boosts in a given sector is the same as bumping it up to the next level of sector - a 3 NCP midrange sector with two GDP boosts costs the same and is functionally equivalent to a core sector - so why not just define it as a core sector to begin with?

[Skywalker_T-65]

You know...this is a little random but I've been thinking...who would be the most ticked off if the SPACE VIKINGS decided to raid them? It would be a good idea to figure that out early so I can work with that come game start. (Just got to make sure that people realize it is the VIKINGS and not Space Sweden...wouldn't end well if they attacked me instead of them...)

[Panzersharkcat]

Maybe the Bastians. They have very little tolerance of pirates because of how heavily reliant on trade they are. Suppression of pirates along their trade routes is a major role of the Bastian fleet.

[Shinn Langley Soryu]

You know...this is a little random but I've been thinking...who would be the most ticked off if the SPACE VIKINGS decided to raid them? It would be a good idea to figure that out early so I can work with that come game start. (Just got to make sure that people realize it is the VIKINGS and not Space Sweden...wouldn't end well if they attacked me instead of them...)

Considering their reliance on trade and their proximity to SPACE VIKING territory, the Bastians would probably be the most likely candidate. I'd also volunteer the Holy Empire and Neo Zeon, but as it is, they're too far for the SPACE VIKINGS to bother with.

Zekes versus Vikings would definitely be quite the spectacle, though, seeing as it'd be Space Norwegians versus Space Germans. Maybe we'd get a repeat of what happened to Blücher, only IN SPACE.

[Skywalker_T-65]

You know...this is a little random but I've been thinking...who would be the most ticked off if the SPACE VIKINGS decided to raid them? It would be a good idea to figure that out early so I can work with that come game start. (Just got to make sure that people realize it is the VIKINGS and not Space Sweden...wouldn't end well if they attacked me instead of them...)

Considering their reliance on trade and their proximity to SPACE VIKING territory, the Bastians would probably be the most likely candidate. I'd also volunteer the Holy Empire and Neo Zeon, but as it is, they're too far for the SPACE VIKINGS to bother with.

Zekes versus Vikings would definitely be quite the spectacle, though, seeing as it'd be Space Norwegians versus Space Germans. Maybe we'd get a repeat of what happened to Blücher, only IN SPACE.

And Bastian is already a target of Arcadia First who practically run the SPACE VIKINGS...yeah, they would probably be the first target. And Space Norwegians versus Space Germans? Are we going to do SPACE WW2 now? And it'd be funny because Space Sweden would get caught in the middle...just like in RL.

(Though Arcadia would have a much more active role in all likelihood...Space Sweden or not)