The Peacemakers - Alternity, Star*Drive (OOC Discusssion)

[Ozmar]

Ah. Hadn't realized. Of course, the way I'm playing Van at the moment, he might not know that, either.

In any case, I wasn't going to be instigating a big overhaul or anything, just thought it made for a good crossing point where Lucas and Van could interact while we were in the meeting phase of things.

jason

Agreed. I thought as much. But I also thought it would be "good to know".

Ozmar the AI

 

[jkason]

Also, a general note, I think, on my thoughts for space travel. In short order, your captain will be receiving the mission orders for your maiden voyage. Then you'll need to jump to your destination. Whenever you are in drivespace, its a 5-day layover. I think what I'll do is have an option for you to pursue one "vignette" for each day of the voyage - a conversation with an NPC or PC, work on a project, practice your skills, whatever... And then (assuming no "adventure" occurs) you'll come out of drivespace. Of course, you can do more if you like, but I thought it best to generally move the plot along while keeping open the option to "do things" while traveling.

How does that sound?

Ozmar the Travel Agent

Sounds fine by me. The "working on skills" thing makes it Look like it'd be a good spot in the story for levelling. Or whatever constitutes same in Alternity (I spent most of my time trying to get the creation rules down enough to make Van, and haven't really looked at advancement).

jason

 

[Ozmar]

Sounds fine by me. The "working on skills" thing makes it Look like it'd be a good spot in the story for levelling. Or whatever constitutes same in Alternity (I spent most of my time trying to get the creation rules down enough to make Van, and haven't really looked at advancement).

jason

Yep. You have a level-based and skill-based system in Alternity. Every once in a while, you'll earn "Achievement Points" and when you get enough Achievement Points, you turn them in for Skill Points and go up a level. Going up a level actually means nothing, except for determining when you can turn in your APs for SPs, and for determining when you can purchase certain advancement benefits.

I think there's a chapter on the subject in the PHB. (Well, I suppose there would be, wouldn't there? )

Ozmar the Obvious

 

[Samnell]

Oh, and uh... I think an AI, once "born" is required by Concord law to be treated as a sentient. Once they are 12 years old, then they are emancipated and don't even have to work for their owner any longer. So some of the things Lucas has suggested would not be feasable/legal/ethical in the Star*Drive setting. Just FYI...

You know, I thought about that. Not enough to look up the actual situation in the books, but enough to decide Lucas's position. Lucas considers AIs no more than complicated programs (blame it on his rearing) and thus didn't give the ethics or law of it any thought. This is also his first experience with one.

Also, Van asked if Lucas could do it. Of course Lucas can do it! Lucas can do anything with technology! Give him a mass reactor, a piece of string, and one of Professor Farnsworth's deep sea pressure "pills" and he could build a fortress ship. He's a mulletless super-MacGuyver!

 

[Samnell]

I don't know if I missed it, but did we ever find out what the current date is? Our location in the Stellar Ring? Presumably we're in Concordan space, but which neutrality? Whereabouts within it?

 

[Prof Yeti]

Uh... sorry? I guess its possible to get confused about the flow of the various narratives in this format. Let's resolve any discontinuities by following Occam's Path: use the easiest explanantion to resolve the conflict and move on. (So, don't think there are three clones of you running around just because we make mistakes from time to time. ) So I guess you hadn't quite left the bridge yet, and can assume that you get around to reviewing the files off camera. (And yes, the files are on a 3DO.) Go ahead and make your intros and then head back if you wish.

Groovy.

Also, a general note, I think, on my thoughts for space travel. In short order, your captain will be receiving the mission orders for your maiden voyage. Then you'll need to jump to your destination. Whenever you are in drivespace, its a 5-day layover. I think what I'll do is have an option for you to pursue one "vignette" for each day of the voyage - a conversation with an NPC or PC, work on a project, practice your skills, whatever... And then (assuming no "adventure" occurs) you'll come out of drivespace. Of course, you can do more if you like, but I thought it best to generally move the plot along while keeping open the option to "do things" while traveling.

No problem...sounds good.

 

[Ozmar]

I'm back

Hey guys, sorry I've been out for a couple days. I'm juggling offers of a new job, so things have been a bit hectic. I'm back today and will try to catch up on the IC posts.

I also saw Serenity last night. If you haven't seen it yet, GO SEE IT! It was pretty awesome. Very intense. Extremely well-written, tightly plotted and funny. I loved it.

Later!
Ozmar the Brown Coat

 

[Ozmar]

I don't know if I missed it, but did we ever find out what the current date is? Our location in the Stellar Ring? Presumably we're in Concordan space, but which neutrality? Whereabouts within it?

I'm going to be somewhat vague on your exact position, primarily so you can be "close" to whatever mission seems fun for each "episode", and secondarily because there is not a precise or detailed map of the galaxy (and what is there is 2-D, to the 3rd-D borders might vary a bit. I like having the flexibility to put you near where you need to be.)

That having been said, you are in a region of space that is near the borders of the Galactic Concord, Insight and VoidCorp, and pretty close to the edge of known space, far from the core worlds. On the map on Star*Drive p.40, I put you somewhere above the upper-right corner of black space near Insight, VoidCorp and Rigunmor. By a very rough approx, you're about 325 light years from Sol. (And in your ship, it would take about 1 to 1.5 years to travel to Earth.) You are, perhaps, 150 LY from Sheya, 250 LY from Aleer (the Mechalus homeworld), and about 1600 LY from the Verge. In the fastest ship, it would take about 200 days to travel to the Verge. News transmissions from the Verge are at least 15 days old, and probably older.

Current date: Month 10, Day 4, 2501 (For simplicity, I am assuming that the galactic calendar is standardized to 12-months, 365 days, and measured in time units that conveniently match our own. They're probably measured off the wavelengths of some sub-atomic particle in atomic clocks at all major research and government centers.)

Ozmar the Stellar Cartographer

 

[Ozmar]

All,

The next IC post is up, and you have your first mission. I took the liberty (Well, I guess its my job, after all) of "moving things along". So unless there are any complaints, I'll assume that you are about to plot a course and jump into drivespace in the next RL day or so.

Incidentally, the Bandar system is a mere 4.5 LY away from your present position, so it will only take 121 hours to get there.

And of course, in drivespace, you are cut off from the rest of the universe (quite literally), so if you want to get anything off the Grid or talk to anyone off the ship before you go, now is the time. (A gridpilot might consider sending a shadow to do some research, with the plan of picking up the shadow in the Bandar grid. hint hint)

Ozmar the Time-Keeper

 

[Prof Yeti]

Hey guys, sorry I've been out for a couple days. I'm juggling offers of a new job, so things have been a bit hectic. I'm back today and will try to catch up on the IC posts.

I also saw Serenity last night. If you haven't seen it yet, GO SEE IT! It was pretty awesome. Very intense. Extremely well-written, tightly plotted and funny. I loved it.

Later!
Ozmar the Brown Coat

Wow! Sounds good but not to worry we will be here.

I concur! Though I did lose 2 of my favorite characters. But overall I give it two thumbs up.