Fovean, I'm wondering if I am understanding my initial question at this point as well, it is certainly evolving. Which is not a bad thing.
Initially, and still for the most part, am trying to create a set of rules where if the players are exploring unexplored systems, make first contact with an alien race. Who are they, where are they from, how large is there area of controlled space, what are their goals... They have no place in the OTU, and the campaign is non OTU.
I have always felt that the OTU has restrictions to a certain extent. Timelines for events for instance. I'd like something that breathes on it's own so to speak. Things happen in the background for their own reasons, hence my working on the PE generation that my last several posts have been focused on.
I'm thinking of the backdrop of the campaign unfolding like a multi-player 4x game, except that the extermination part may only apply to one or two races. As that "game" progresses it determines what is happening where the players are in that part of space. The possibilities for adventure are endless, and have a reason for being. The adventures may have no impact at all in that "game", but then again, the chances that they are there at the moment that changes the direction of the "game" they can play a part. The beauty of it is that the players may not realize at the time that they changed the course of history. I also see no reasons why players cannot pursue controlling the entire area of known space. It would be difficult no doubt, but the mechanism to do it would be there if it came to that.
Say the players are on a TL7 world and are offered TL11 goods while looking for cargo. If the world is not on the trade route, why are they available? Using PE yearly turns, it turns out that world "A" controls world "B" where the cargo is up for sale. Turns out that world "A" is trying to upgrade the starport of world "B" the cargo could have been stolen from the construction site in order for the local syndicate to make some cash. There's a lot of possibilities for encounters and adventure right there. The players are now caught in the middle. The stolen cargo has no impact on the building of the starport as that is already taken into account by the cost of building the starport. Just a quick example.
Another example could be that the players have a passenger going from point a to point b. A fleet of jump capable warships are detected. The passenger realizes that there should not be any warships there, and now offers the players whatever they want to take him to world c that that is way out of there way. By the players taking him there, world c gets enough warning of an invasion to defend against a sneak attack, that starts an all out subsector wide war. That is where just being at the right place at the right time comes into play. A month or two earlier, there is no advanced warning. There is no predetermined canon that needs to be followed.
My brain continues to ponder these things as I make these replies, hence my posts may ramble on and confuse the reader as to what the original idea was about. However, the comments made by everyone, have helped push this project forward in some fashion or another. They have also provided inspiration for developing the background in ways that may prove useful even though they are not part of my "vision" at the moment. Am always looking for alternatives.
Initially, and still for the most part, am trying to create a set of rules where if the players are exploring unexplored systems, make first contact with an alien race. Who are they, where are they from, how large is there area of controlled space, what are their goals... They have no place in the OTU, and the campaign is non OTU.
I have always felt that the OTU has restrictions to a certain extent. Timelines for events for instance. I'd like something that breathes on it's own so to speak. Things happen in the background for their own reasons, hence my working on the PE generation that my last several posts have been focused on.
I'm thinking of the backdrop of the campaign unfolding like a multi-player 4x game, except that the extermination part may only apply to one or two races. As that "game" progresses it determines what is happening where the players are in that part of space. The possibilities for adventure are endless, and have a reason for being. The adventures may have no impact at all in that "game", but then again, the chances that they are there at the moment that changes the direction of the "game" they can play a part. The beauty of it is that the players may not realize at the time that they changed the course of history. I also see no reasons why players cannot pursue controlling the entire area of known space. It would be difficult no doubt, but the mechanism to do it would be there if it came to that.
Say the players are on a TL7 world and are offered TL11 goods while looking for cargo. If the world is not on the trade route, why are they available? Using PE yearly turns, it turns out that world "A" controls world "B" where the cargo is up for sale. Turns out that world "A" is trying to upgrade the starport of world "B" the cargo could have been stolen from the construction site in order for the local syndicate to make some cash. There's a lot of possibilities for encounters and adventure right there. The players are now caught in the middle. The stolen cargo has no impact on the building of the starport as that is already taken into account by the cost of building the starport. Just a quick example.
Another example could be that the players have a passenger going from point a to point b. A fleet of jump capable warships are detected. The passenger realizes that there should not be any warships there, and now offers the players whatever they want to take him to world c that that is way out of there way. By the players taking him there, world c gets enough warning of an invasion to defend against a sneak attack, that starts an all out subsector wide war. That is where just being at the right place at the right time comes into play. A month or two earlier, there is no advanced warning. There is no predetermined canon that needs to be followed.
My brain continues to ponder these things as I make these replies, hence my posts may ramble on and confuse the reader as to what the original idea was about. However, the comments made by everyone, have helped push this project forward in some fashion or another. They have also provided inspiration for developing the background in ways that may prove useful even though they are not part of my "vision" at the moment. Am always looking for alternatives.
