Hard Space Redux

[epicenter00]

Epicenter raised an interesting question - is WWIII necessary for Hard Space? I am still undecided on this. Will climate instability, pollution, and government insolvency achieve the three goals I've outlined above?

My apologies if coming in here is like beating my own dead horse, but I suggested climate instability, particularly climate change and pollution (a related factor, really) because nuclear wars are pretty destructive, yes but the damage is almost superficial in some ways.
Find some of these maps with estimated coastline changes circa 2100 under different estimations of climate impact - there's visible changes to Earth and will give players that feeling of "wow, this Earth is different, the coasts are gone, London is flooded, Russia is the breadbasket of the world?"

When you consider the majority of the population of this planet lives near the coasts and many of these populations will be displaced by rising sea levels but also squeezed by desertification as the arid "sub-tropical" climate bands on the Earth get wider and creep north (and south) making farming nearly impossible in many of these areas, you have a population shift that will affect many of the most populated countries in the world directly and almost all countries indirectly. I think you'd have events that will impoverish countries, redraw national boundaries, and generally cause the global instability you seek far more effectively than a nuclear war. The lack of farmland and so on might even spur the exploration of space.

 

[epicenter00]

Epicenter raised an interesting question - is WWIII necessary for Hard Space? I am still undecided on this. Will climate instability, pollution, and government insolvency achieve the three goals I've outlined above?

My apologies if coming in here is like beating my own dead horse, but I suggested climate instability, particularly climate change and pollution (a related factor, really) because nuclear wars are pretty destructive, yes but the damage is almost superficial in some ways.
Find some of these maps with estimated coastline changes circa 2100 under different estimations of climate impact - there's visible changes to Earth and will give players that feeling of "wow, this Earth is different, the coasts are gone, London is flooded, Russia is the breadbasket of the world?"

When you consider the majority of the population of this planet lives near the coasts and many of these populations would be displaced by rising sea levels but also squeezed by desertification as the arid "sub-tropical" climate bands on the Earth get wider and creep north (and south) making farming nearly impossible in many of these areas, you have a population shift that will affect many of the most populated countries in the world directly and almost all countries indirectly. I think you'd have events that will impoverish countries, redraw national boundaries, and generally cause the global instability you seek far more effectively than a nuclear war.

 

[wellis]

Except Golan wants the traditional cyberpunk schtick of corporations being ascendant in power & capability while nation-states are descending in power and capability.

One of the best ways to do that is wreck infrastructure in wars, especially ones that have worn down everyone.

 

[Whipsnade]

Golan can have both; climate change causes the infrastructure wrecking wars.

Also, I don't believe he's mentioned a general nuclear exchange. Just a few nukes used here and there.

 

[Golan2072]

Golan, I'm curious - are you planning on using only the book careers for character creation, or are you planning on coming up with some of your own?

In case this becomes a commercial product (which is likely), it will get a number of careers for the Cepheus Engine, plus setting-specific MGT1-style Events.

For example, there will be a "Suit" or "Salaryman" career, accessible with mid-high SOC (say, a SOC 8+ throw to qualify) for those arcology corporate drones who live easy, but highly regimented, lives. Easy survival, zero combat skills. Lots of Computer and Admin.

 

[Golan2072]

My apologies if coming in here is like beating my own dead horse, but I suggested climate instability, particularly climate change and pollution (a related factor, really) because nuclear wars are pretty destructive, yes but the damage is almost superficial in some ways.
Find some of these maps with estimated coastline changes circa 2100 under different estimations of climate impact - there's visible changes to Earth and will give players that feeling of "wow, this Earth is different, the coasts are gone, London is flooded, Russia is the breadbasket of the world?"

When you consider the majority of the population of this planet lives near the coasts and many of these populations will be displaced by rising sea levels but also squeezed by desertification as the arid "sub-tropical" climate bands on the Earth get wider and creep north (and south) making farming nearly impossible in many of these areas, you have a population shift that will affect many of the most populated countries in the world directly and almost all countries indirectly. I think you'd have events that will impoverish countries, redraw national boundaries, and generally cause the global instability you seek far more effectively than a nuclear war. The lack of farmland and so on might even spur the exploration of space.

Interesting ideas! Add dwindling natural resources, especially petroleum, and you might even get a "Mad Max" situation in certain areas. This also moved humanity to fission as the main energy source; you can mine uranium (?) and thorium on other planets (?) but no petroleum on other planets in the Sol system (except for complex carbohydrates on Titan?).

Also, petroleum depletion will re-write the world political map, as this will greatly impoverish various oil-exporting economies.

Also add a proliferation of regional wars, some blowing up to nuclear and/or biochemical exchanges.

I'll probably avoid getting into too many details about the eco-collapse and peak-oil, especially to avoid diving into the bottomless pit of 2018 politics. I think it's better to sum it up in a paragraph or two and then detail then setting history from 2060 or so, post-collapse.

 

[Golan2072]

Except Golan wants the traditional cyberpunk schtick of corporations being ascendant in power & capability while nation-states are descending in power and capability.

One of the best ways to do that is wreck infrastructure in wars, especially ones that have worn down everyone.

Eco-collapse and peak-oil would also work, especially when sparking a cascade of local wars.

And yes, my setting requires nation-states declining in power and capability, letting the private sector take precedence. Especially off-world. Cyberpunk tradition indeed!

 

[Golan2072]

Golan can have both; climate change causes the infrastructure wrecking wars.

Also, I don't believe he's mentioned a general nuclear exchange. Just a few nukes used here and there.

Partial nuclear/biochemical exchange. Twilight 2K, potentially Mad Max; not Wasteland/Fallout/Metro 2033.

 

[kilemall]

Epicenter raised an interesting question - is WWIII necessary for Hard Space? I am still undecided on this. Will climate instability, pollution, and government insolvency achieve the three goals I've outlined above?

Well I started my ATU with the premise of what could get humans off the planet before it was ruined?


Hence the plague, creating the unusual environment of TL3 Earth Preserve, the Orbital Cities, and insolvency paying for the space habitation and drugs to survive said plague, making a WWIII unnecessary re: messed up changes while treating Earth's life as an unending source of biotech templating.


The latter theme probably doesn't work for you but plague Earth in general could.

 

[kilemall]

In case this becomes a commercial product (which is likely), it will get a number of careers for the Cepheus Engine, plus setting-specific MGT1-style Events.

For example, there will be a "Suit" or "Salaryman" career, accessible with mid-high SOC (say, a SOC 8+ throw to qualify) for those arcology corporate drones who live easy, but highly regimented, lives. Easy survival, zero combat skills. Lots of Computer and Admin.

So kind of a cross between S4 Nobles and Bureaucracy.

 

[Ulsyus]

I think you'd have events that will impoverish countries, redraw national boundaries, and generally cause the global instability you seek far more effectively than a nuclear war. The lack of farmland and so on might even spur the exploration of space.

There’s no shortage of potential troubles that could cause issues of food insecurity and population migration, far greater than what we see today, which could drive Golan’s narrative.

I reckon one of the things to avoid is to have fiction too soon in the future, it dates too quickly. I mean, has anyone run into a young Roy Batty (serial no. N6MAA10816) lately?

 

[Golan2072]

There’s no shortage of potential troubles that could cause issues of food insecurity and population migration, far greater than what we see today, which could drive Golan’s narrative.

I reckon one of the things to avoid is to have fiction too soon in the future, it dates too quickly. I mean, has anyone run into a young Roy Batty (serial no. N6MAA10816) lately?

Hard Space takes place 150 years into the future, in 2170. I'll probably start the clearly-defined "future history" events around 2060-2070, especially to avoid the quagmire of real-world 2018 politics. The events of eco-collapse would be briefly mentioned, and not be too detailed. What's important is what takes place when things "stabilize" in the 2060's and "recovery" (and the interplanetary economic boom) kicks in by the 2070's.

 

[wellis]

Hard Space takes place 150 years into the future, in 2170. I'll probably start the clearly-defined "future history" events around 2060-2070, especially to avoid the quagmire of real-world 2018 politics. The events of eco-collapse would be briefly mentioned, and not be too detailed. What's important is what takes place when things "stabilize" in the 2060's and "recovery" (and the interplanetary economic boom) kicks in by the 2070's.

By the time of Hard Space, how would Earth be classified under the UWP?

Like what is the climate or weather or atmosphere like by the 2170s?

 

[Golan2072]

By the time of Hard Space, how would Earth be classified under the UWP?

Like what is the climate or weather or atmosphere like by the 2170s?

Earth - A877973-A Hi In

Sea level did not rise enough to justify Hydrographics 8, but the atmosphere is polluted enough from centuries of industry and from eco-collapse and limited nuclear wars to be rated at 7. Three Trading Blocs; lawless Wasteland or urban Blight outside the regimented Arcoblocs. Billions of inhabitants despite eco-collapse mass deaths. Has a beanstalk.

Luna - A200877-A Na Va

Over a hundred million people living on the Moon! Multiple colonies by various corps and Trading Blocs. Lunar orbit and Lagrange points hold humanity's largest shipyards. Has a beanstalk.

Mars - B432776-A Po Amber

Ninety million inhabitants. A century of terraformation led to a thicker atmosphere and some surface water. Has a beanstalk. Amber Zone according to the Infinite Stars magazine due to unstable climate (result of yet-to-be-completed terraformation) and popular insurgency.

Sol Belt - B000772-A As Na Va

Highly industrialized but still very lawless. Somewhat depleted by a century of heavy mining.

Titan - C4A5774-A Fl Na

Heavy carbohydrate harvesting industry. Approximately twelve million inhabitants (and is it truly "Size 4"? Or is it 3)

 

[wellis]

If you're among the rich, where would you as one of the wealthy live in Hard Space?

Are there colonies or places that have a "you must have this much cash to qualify" style of barrier blocking out the morass and dregs of humanity?

 

[Golan2072]

If you're among the rich, where would you as one of the wealthy live in Hard Space?

Are there colonies or places that have a "you must have this much cash to qualify" style of barrier blocking out the morass and dregs of humanity?

Colonies are, for the most part, a place of hard work. Arcologies have far better amenities, and there the corporate elite dwells. Mostly Earthside arcologies, sealed from the ruined environment which surrounds them. Arcadia (Proxima Centauri) is also a Rich world, where some of the wealthy live, but the seat of power are the Earthside arcology cores.

 

[wellis]

Colonies are, for the most part, a place of hard work. Arcologies have far better amenities, and there the corporate elite dwells. Mostly Earthside arcologies, sealed from the ruined environment which surrounds them. Arcadia (Proxima Centauri) is also a Rich world, where some of the wealthy live, but the seat of power are the Earthside arcology cores.

What is Arcadia like?

As for the arcologies, what are the arcology cores like? Like what is considered luxurious and expensive on Earth?

 

[Golan2072]

What is Arcadia like?

Proxima Centauri c, B667784-A Ag Ri Temperate

The most pleasant and most populous extrasolar world colonized so far. Perfectly breathable atmosphere, temperate climate in several key regions, enough water, enough people for a comfortable infrastructure but not too many to cause overcrowding or environmental damage, compatible biosphere, efficient UN administration. Exports luxury xenoflora agricultural products. Holds several resorts for the upper crust. Has approx. 90 million inhabitants.

As for the arcologies, what are the arcology cores like? Like what is considered luxurious and expensive on Earth?[/QUOTE]
A nice multi-room condo or suite at the top floors of the arcology. Filtered air and carefully-controlled climate. "Natural" food (i.e. meat from actual animals rather than cultured meat or hypersoy products). TL-A healthcare leading to a 120+ years life expectancy. Household robots and automation. Travel by turbolift or magrail inside the massive arcology, travel by vector-thrust air-taxi between arcologies. Carefully-controlled indoor vegetation. Any form of entertainment imaginable on the upper floor "common areas". Virtual homeschooling or high-end, high-tech schools for the kids.

 

[Golan2072]

Another concern about fission reactors in starships: fuel costs. Per MGT1/CE, fission fuel costs Cr1,000,000 per ton of fuel, per year, compared to Cr500 of refined hydrogen for fusion, for 2 weeks. So the cost per ton of fission fuel per 2 weeks is approx. Cr38,000 compared to Cr500 for fusion fuel...

That would skew starship economics significantly.

One possibility is to decrease fission plant fuel use thanks to fusion torches, once ignited, generating their own electricity (by MHD). So Cr1,000,000 per ton of required fuel per decade, Cr3,800 per two weeks, which is more reasonable...

Your Fusion drive wouldn't be a power plant as such, it would use magnetic fields etc, to compress a stream of hydrogen (tritium?) to make it fuse and create the exhaust velocity you need for acceleration.

HOWEVER, once the plasma is flowing, it will create a magnetic field of its own. That magnetic field can be tapped to generate electricity (just wrap the exhaust tube with conductive wire like copper). It slightly reduces the velocity of your exhaust, but probably not significantly. This type of power plant, which can only work when the plasma drive is operating, is called a Magneto-Hydrodynamic Drive (MHD) and is explained in 2300.

So, I would expect that ships with plasma drives, have an MHD built into them, so that when the torch drive is operating, the fission reactor can be placed in standby - thus extending its life quite a bit. The fission plant is then powered up when the torch drive is shut down. So your Maneuver Drive provides power when it is being used, and your Power Plant produces energy when the M-Drive is idle.

 

[wellis]

Would an MHD require some space or tonnage or would it be included as part of the space/tonnage spent on the reaction drive, in your mind?