|
 Stars in Shadow is a 2017 space 4X (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate) released by Ashdar Games, a two-person independent development house- programmed by Sven Olsen, art created by Jim Francis, and with design and writing by both developers. In it, as the warp lanes that permit faster-than-light travel in the local region once again become accessible, a series of civilisations begin to reach to the stars- some ancient remnants of the time before the collapse of the warp lanes, and others making their first attempt at interstellar expansion. The Phidi Combine looks to the opportunity presented by the star drive, little imagining the challenges that will await them... Spoiler Policy Please do not discuss things yet to be revealed in the Let's Play. Stars in Shadow is a remarkably lore-rich 4X, and there is a great deal to discover amongst the stars. Voting Policy Please limit yourself to one vote per vote I request, and please bold your votes. Updates 1100- Clear Currents to Us All 1100-1125- Perils in the Void 1125-1150- And They Call it a Mine 1150-1175- Shortage 1175-1200- New Friendships, Ancient Wars 1200-1225- Remnant of Empire 1225-1250- The Coming of an Uneasy Peace (first post) 1225-1250- The Coming of an Uneasy Peace (second post) 1250-1275- A Seed in the Deepest Dark (first post) 1250-1275- A Seed in the Deepest Dark (second post) Lore and Supplementary Material 1100- A Review of Important Technologies to Phidi Interstellar Expansion 1100- The Phidi 1100- A Guide To Building Phidi Names (courtesy of General Revil) 1100- Food Amongst the Phidi ca. 1175- Nobua Metals (courtesy of General Revil) 1186- Battling Entropy- A Lecture on Nanocomputing (courtesy of General Revil) 1200-The Orthin and the Orthin Conference 1200- The Commonwealth of Splendor 1200- The Gremak and the Stone Hammers 1220- Acceptance 1225- The Ashdar Haduir and the Imperial Republic of Sebarsk 1225- State of the Phidi Combine Shipboard Security Teams and Doctrine (courtesy of wedgekree) 1250- The Human High Command and the Fargone Humans 1250- The Yoral and the Yoral Khaganate 1250- Scarlet Gremak, the Enfi, and the Gremak Empire 1250- The Tinkers 1275- The Ashdar Teros and the Republican Union of Eshar 1300- The Modern Ashdar Empire nweismuller fucked around with this message at 11:17 on Jul 29, 2019 |
#
?
Mar 19, 2019 02:27
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 3, 2024 21:59 |
|
|
Clear Currents To Us All  Nearly two thousand, five hundred of Tendao's years (rather less than five hundred years by Human reckoning) had passed since the foundation of the Phidi Combine when that nation began its ascent to the stars. The theoretical groundwork for a true star drive allowing entry to a parallel 'hyperspace' dimension without the same limits on light speed had been laid some years before by the noted Examiner Anysus, but this had remained essentially an academic curiousity- acceleration within hyperspace to reach light speed was essentially impossible. The mysterious appearance of the warp lanes- 'currents' imparting momentum to ships within hyperspace, rapidly accelerating them to speeds significantly greater than light speed- suddenly changed the star drive from a curiousity to the potential key to all the vast wealth of the stars beyond the Seralta system.    Tendao- the homeworld of the Phidi, and of the Phidi Combine- was a warm and pleasant planet covered by a planet-spanning ocean, broken by scattered islands that were the last remnant of an equatorial supercontinent that once dominated the planet. The oceanic plateau where the supercontinent once was supports a lush oceanic ecosystem which was the cradle of the Phidi species- an intelligent, gregarious species not dissimilar in appearance to oversized seahorses. The natural Phidi temperament was curious, optimistic, and highly social, and Phidi history had been relatively unmarred by large-scale violent conflict, instead building a cosmopolitan society and culture based on trade, culture, and hedonistic enjoyment. The Phidi Combine, the government that loosely united the Phidi species, was organised as a confederation of merchant princes holding specific governmental responsibilities in franchise from the Combine, guided by the principles of the Combine Charter and free to buy or sell their franchise rights. The current chief executive of the Combine was Magnate Arabo, who united his position in the Combine with his leadership of the single largest aerospace company of Tendao. The planet supported seven billion Phidi in cities across the equatorial plateau. Vast tracts of aquacultural territory support the population with fish and vegetables, but it was already straining against the limits of the current territory under cultivation, spurring new aquacultural investment. The Phidi species had been relatively slow to develop high technology, held back by Tendao's limited supply of industrially-valuable metals, but by the time land exploration in the centuries before the formation of the Combine allowed a sudden burst of development in metallurgy and technology, the Phidi had many millenia of aquaculture, commerce, philosophy, literature, and mathematics behind them, giving them a strong basis for development to modern technology. Heavy industrial complexes on the islands and a vast array of consumer light industries- many working with opil, a crystal created by volcanic vents with immense value both as a gemstone and as a component in modern electronics, due to its unmatched quality in semiconductive applications- helped support modern Phidi development and standards of living, while mining operations working at the limited reserves of Tendao helped supply its newly burgeoning aerospace industry. I am treating each unit of population as a billion instead of a million, basically for my sanity's sake. Although six billion are shown on Tendao, the seventh billion is in the colony ship we start with- and, if the colony ship is not immediately dispatched, can be unloaded back onto Tendao to contribute there. Productivity on a planet is determined by its population and by its improvements, with the number of improvements able to be built on a planet determined by its theoretical maximum population size. Each billion population we have contributes two coins, two labor, half a unit of science, and, on high-fertility worlds like Tendao, half a unit of food, while consuming one unit of food, with fractions of a billion contributing fractional portions of this output- this representing basic industries, commerce, and small-scale, local aquaculture. Low fertility planets do not produce the half unit of food, effectively doubling the amount of farms needed to support them. Tendao currently supports a factory, a farm, a market, and a mine, with room for two more improvements. Each improvement takes a certain minimum population for staffing per improvement of that type, producing less efficiently if it is 'unstaffed'. Improvements of different types, however, do not rival each other for staffing- the staff for, say, laboratories or markets can be presumed to draw from different demographics and skillsets than that for farms and mines. Factories- requiring four billion population per factory for full staffing- produce between 9-12 labor, depending on staffing. Markets, which likewise require four billion per market for staffing, produce 2 'trade routes' and 13 morale for the local population regardless of staffing, and from 2-5 coins depending on staffing. Markets on Tendao gain a bonus output of ten coins and one influence due to the presence of opil crystal, making it an excellent place for markets. Farms require two billion for staffing, and produce four food while fully staffed. Mines require only one billion for staffing, and produce 2, 6, or 12 metal while staffed, depending on the mineral rating of the planet, this value halved if unstaffed. Labs can also be built, requiring three billion for staffing, and producing from 4-6 science based on staffing. All types of improvement cost one coin per turn to maintain. Tendao's poor mineral rating makes mines here nearly useless- the mines on Tendao should be decommissioned as soon as we get any alternate source for metal, and rededicated.     Seralta, the K-class orange star Tendao orbits, supported an extensive planetary system, although the bulk of its planets are tiny, inhospitable rocks. The most notable bodies orbiting Seralta were Tendao itself, the great gas giant Ampi, and the outer system rocky planet Eluz. Although the economic value of Ampi was essentially nil, Eluz exhibited significant promise. The planet possessed a thin inert atmosphere, helping protect and insulate it, and was covered by thick sheets of water ice that could be melted and oxygenated to provide habitable space for Phidi. Better yet, Eluz was incredibly rich in industrial metals, which could make it a vital supplier for Tendao's aerospace industries.   The exploration ship Curiousity and a new colony ship were commissioned in readiness for Phidi expansion beyond Tendao, while a civilian freighter stood ready to support the first interplanetary trade of Phidi society. Nine stars were within the Curiousity's range of Seralta, with the G- and K-class stars anticipated to be more likely to support habitable planets that could be exploited. Once we establish our first colony beyond our homeworld, we will gain access to 'trade routes', which produce income if supported by cargo capacity in the 'trade pool'. Each new colony or outpost and each new market increases the trade routes available. Ships in the trade pool cost no upkeep, and are needed to work trade routes, transport food between colonies, and transport population between colonies.  An array of different possibilities presented themselves to the scientific minds of the Phidi Combine, but the most immediately interesting lay in the fields of genetic engineering, field manipulation physics, and the development of new instrumentation and methodologies to study phenomena beyond the Seralta system. Industrial-scale genetic engineering to modify aquacultural crops could, potentially, nearly double the output of Tendao's aquaculture, while the use of electromagnetic fields to contain and manipulate plasma could, potentially, allow for early fusion power and heavier cargo loads on Phidi freighters. A new, formal science of xenology could end up contributing to many other fields of science with the observations thereby collected, at least once the Curiousity was modified with new equipment to support its work. We generate a base income of 5 science before any planetary production, and reduce the cost of Sociology research items to 70% of their base cost. Xenology costs 70 (base 100) science, and unlocks science stations we can install on our scouts that produce 2 science each. Containment Fields costs 250 science, both increasing the cargo capacity per cargo hold module from 5 to 8 and unlocking a heavier freighter design, more cost-efficient per cargo hold than our current designs. Artificial Organisms costs 480 science- a hefty sum- but increases farm output to 7 on high fertility worlds and 6 on low fertility worlds. Given that we'd need half our improvement slots on Tendao dedicated to farms to feed it at maximum population and that our population is rapidly growing, the improved efficiency in farming almost needs to be one of our first priorities. It is worth noting we have no space-based weapons technologies at the moment- the Combine has felt no real need to develop such things.  The volume of space believed to be under the influence of the warp lanes was a relatively small cluster of stars within the galaxy. Why only this region should be touched by the warp lanes was entirely unknown. The Phidi economy was productive and healthy, if about to put immense strain on its mining infrastructure. Everything stood in place for the Phidi Combine to take advantage of the promise and opportunity of the stars. May there be clear currents to us all. Across the top of the screen, you can see, in order, treasury and coin production, total labor produced across your planets, food surplus or deficit, metal reserve, along with surplus or deficit, science production and progress on the current technology, cargo capacity in your trade pool and the total number of trade routes to work- currently none, since we only have one planet-,influence reserve and production, and the number of active ships you have outside your trade pool. Matters for Vote 1- Eluz Eluz, although it could only support a small population, could well make an effective first colony for the Phidi Combine, building up mining operations that would far, far more effectively supply shipbuilding on Tendao. That said, it may well be that other planets with larger overall economic potential could be discovered by the Curiousity, and the construction of a second colony ship will be a lengthy process, even after Tendao's industrial base is built up further. Please vote yea or nay on immediate colonisation of Eluz. After Eluz is colonised, efforts will be made to develop mining operations there, but secondary investment could develop other aspects of its planetary economy- either extending its mining even further, with reduced efficiency, or establishing local agriculture or extensive light industries. Light industries and shipping facilities would improve the quality of life for Eluz's colonists and bolster the profits possibile by interplanetary trade, while local agriculture would help ensure that Eluz remained self-sufficient, and even allow re-exportation to Tendao, helping ease the pressures on the homeworld's food supply. Vote also for an additional mine, a market, or a farm over and above the two mines we'll build there that the local population can eventually fully staff. 2- Research Please vote between Artificial Organisms or Containment Fields for our first technology objective after Xenology (getting Xenology should effectively pay itself back in accelerated research for one of the other two). 3- Tendao Tendao will build up additional aquacultural and industrial capacity early on, but once its mining sector is dismantled and its food situation is secure, either through technological progress or food imports from other planets, it may be able to further develop its infrastructure. State-of-the-art research facilities for this new modern era could massively accelerate technological development, while expanded heavy industry could accelerate future shipbuilding. Somewhat less ambitious in cost and scope would be even more extensive aquaculture, or expanded light industries, spaceport facilities, and distribution networks to serve as a hub of interplanetary trade Please vote between a third factory, a third farm, a second market, or a lab to be built after we build a second farm and factory on Tendao. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 13:19 on Mar 26, 2019 |
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2019 02:27
|
|
|
Welcome to My Little Seahorse: Friendship is Profit. I await the drubbing I have earned for that dumb pun. I can give us a first lorepost reviewing the techbase we start with at the very beginning of the game, if there's any interest in that. And, wonderful, I forgot to choose a thread icon, so we seem to be stuck with it being a poo poo Post. Good job, nweismuller!
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2019 04:24
|
|
|
Awesome! Have this game, never figured out how to play it. Looking into getting into the lore as well as how to play from this. And another nweis 4x! Uhm.. 1) Yay. Definite early game boost to economy. And additional Mines. This planet can't support a big population for now, so might as well go all out with as much as we can get from it. 2 Artificial Organisms and Lab We'll get the basics of economic infrastructure up. It won't specialize, but we'll hit about every early game field.
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2019 05:05
|
|
|
Haha! So now we finally get to see the race in your avatar! 1: Nay, at least for now. Best save our resources for a proper world we can colonize. 2: Artificial Organisms 3: Lab. Since we're already building a factory, might as well jump start our research. Also, assuming you finish with the Phidi, could you give the Humans a go next? Their start looks awfully intriguing.
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2019 08:32
|
|
|
Yea Mine Art Org Lab
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2019 09:59
|
|
|
A Review of Important Technologies to Phidi Interstellar Expansion Physics    The Anysus star drive, of course, is vital to any effort towards interstellar exploration and expansion, allowing ships to punch through into hyperspace and take advantage of the momentum imparted by the 'warp lanes' to navigate at FTL speeds to new stars. Even more fundamental, however, is a reliable and cost-effective source of power both for shipboard operations and planetbound industry. Nuclear fission plants remain key to power generation in the Phidi Combine. Planetology     Extended missions beyond the Seralta system demand robust, high-capacity life support systems to maintain crew and passengers over an extended term and the logistical foresight to properly supply ships, while proper sensors for planetary survey could help uncover a wealth of information to guide exploitation of new worlds. The use of modular construction to set up logistical bases where full-scale colonisation is either not practical or not yet cost-effective could help ease the logistical issues for long-distance expeditions and extend trade networks through new stopover points. Construction     The use of titanium alloys in aerospace designs is almost mandatory, given its high strength to mass ratio, and allows for an effective armor layer on the Curiousity and future scouts. Careful control of metallurgical alloys can bolster the strength of hulls even further, which suggests that- in the unlikely event that it is necessary- the basic scout spaceframe could be reworked into a dedicated combat vessel. Military  Although violent conflict has been rare in Phidi history, it has not been entirely unknown- and both the predators of the deep ocean in the unsettled wilds and the regrettable need of defense against what crime exists has ensured a continued demand for personal weapons. An array of personal weaponry and surface-based combat vehicles, along with the basic doctrine for conflict, are the legacy of the darker episodes of Phidi history, even if the stability of the Combine has much reduced the need for any large military formations. Sociology    The application of basic container shipping and liner design to space-based craft has allowed for the design of freighters that could allow high-volume interplanetary trade, with the concomitant specialisation of planetary economies this allows. The vigorous commerce of Tendao itself can be extended to the stars, and the combination of extensive light industries for consumer products, shipping facilities, and consumer service businesses can ensure better access of planetary populations to opportunity and consumer goods, as well as export products that increase the potential volume of interplanetary trade. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 14:48 on Aug 9, 2019 |
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2019 12:24
|
|
|
CommissarMega posted:Also, assuming you finish with the Phidi, could you give the Humans a go next? Their start looks awfully intriguing. I can do that. Let's all look forward to the fun and games of military dictatorship.
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2019 12:28
|
|
|
1: Nay, because I am in favor of aggressively expanding our Star Nation borders instead of hunkering down 2: Artificial Organisms for Food you always need Food 3: Lab because research is good
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2019 15:18
|
|
|
Oh yeah, time to submerge once more into Nweis' love world where late stage capitalism is ACTUALLY good for everyone instead of the hellscape we live through on our every day lives 
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2019 15:33
|
|
|
1. Nay 2. Artificial Organisms 3. LabLabLabs. Wait, not labrador? Labs though.
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2019 15:54
|
|
|
1: Nay 2: Artificial Organisms Can't even trade with ourselves yet. 3: Factory Makes everything else that much faster.
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2019 21:09
|
|
|
Lynneth posted:1. Nay What he said, there will be better planets out there, we need less population on food, and our research is expensive.
|
|
#
?
Mar 19, 2019 21:25
|
|
|
1. Yea Labs 2. Artificial Organisms 3. Labs We can get more markets when we start decommissioning the mines. Simil, Anysus, Tendao, Ampi, Eluz, Seralta. Is there any rhyme or reason to the naming scheme? Any sorts of phonemes to emphasize or avoid if I want to create an OC in this LP? CommissarMega posted:Haha! So now we finally get to see the race in your avatar! General Revil fucked around with this message at 23:53 on Mar 20, 2019 |
|
#
?
Mar 20, 2019 23:04
|
|
|
General Revil posted:Simil, Anysus, Tendao, Ampi, Eluz, Seralta. Is there any rhyme or reason to the naming scheme? Any sorts of phonemes to emphasize or avoid if I want to create an OC in this LP? There does seem to be some rhyme or reason, in that Phidi names do sound distinctly different to names of other alien species. Being able to specify what that is, exactly, is more difficult. Some other alternate names for the Phidi leader if you're silly enough to force-spawn in multiple Phidi factions are 'Hanno', 'Sirom', and 'Tanith'. Contrast Phidi names with a) 'Akarn Gaum', 'Heili Gron', and 'Vig Framar', b) 'Iskoro', 'Vesna', and 'Zoleth', and c) 'Ekei', 'Lufi', and 'Alfin', which are alternate leader name pools for three of the other alien species out there. I'd go with your gut. I'd also not regard 'Seralta' with as much trust as some others, in that some other home star names I distinctly recognise as actual star names. And 'Arabo' really is the canonical leader name for the head of the Phidi Combine. And it's 'Simli', not 'Simil'. E: Oh, huh, it is Simil. I've misread that for a long time. XD nweismuller fucked around with this message at 12:42 on Mar 21, 2019 |
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2019 02:08
|
|
|
nweismuller posted:I can do that. Let's all look forward to the fun and games of military dictatorship. I wouldn't call it a dictatorship; while it's certainly authoritarian, considering the circumstances I think a strong central authority was needed. I do think the game could do with a governmental system to reflect any potential future changes though.
|
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2019 02:49
|
|
|
The Phidi  The Phidi are water-breathing, omnivorous fish analogues with a K-type viviparous reproductive strategy. Phidi have two sexes, with the male sex distinguished by vivid yellow markings on their blue or greenish body; females lack such markings and are entirely blue or greenish. Average adult length from head to tailtip is approximately 2.1 meters in both sexes. Phidi sex can change in adulthood according to hormonal shifts partially under the control of an individual, while juvenile Phidi lack any sex until reaching sexual maturity. The Phidi temperament is marked by optimism, openness, curiousity, and a distinct current of hedonism. Although capable of deferring satisfaction according to long-range plans (and, in fact, being highly prone to entrepreneurship), Phidi nonetheless tend to be highly focused on pleasure and self-indulgence as that which makes life worth living, and have very little sense of taboo about public display of their indulgence. Although Phidi do not, under normal circumstances, wear clothing, jewelry and belts to anchor carrying pouches for possessions are essentially universal. Phidi evolved dextrous manipulative limbs which encouraged a long history of tool use, but the relative poverty of heavy metals on Tendao and the difficulty of working with thermal vents retarded their technological development for the bulk of their history. Although they developed sophisticated traditions of craftsmanship, philosophy, mathematics, literature, and art, supported by highly-organised aquaculture, the lack of metallurgy and relatively limited access to ceramics placed a hard limit on their technical development before the invention of simple water pumps for breathing apparatus allowed for limited land exploration, which rapidly led to use of fire in industrial processes. The basis provided by philosophic observation and mathematics already in place- the Phidi had already developed the calculus- allowed for what was technically a 'Stone Age' civilisation to begin a rapid surge of technological progress, eventually leading to the modern starfaring era. The Phidi Combine was established as a diplomatic framework for global confederation, supported by Phidi philosophical ideals of universal freedom and peaceful coexistence. Existing Phidi princedoms or republics were codified as franchised properties under the Combine, with expectations for methods of peaceful competition and standards of service to governmental clients established by the Combine Charter. Franchise positions under the Combine may be freely bought and sold, subject to franchise owner compliance with the terms of the Combine Charter; many of the franchises descended from Phidi republics remain joint-stock companies with traded shares with voting rights in hiring an executive manager for the franchise, while others are sole proprietorships. All compete on tax rates and legal services to clients. Many early Phidi settlements were centered around the hydrothermal calderas of the equatorial plateau of Tendao, taking advantage of access to the opil crystals which formed there and access to vents for the manufacture of ceramics. Opil, in addition to its vivid luster and color- which made it a highly desired commodity for artistic purposes and for personal adornment- proved to have unparalleled qualities as a semiconductor, making it invaluable in the manufacture of high-quality electronics. Although many attempts have been made to synthetically reproduce opil, which is naturally produced by the unique chemical interactions between Tendao's seawater and the magma of its geothermal calderas, the sucess of any such efforts has been limited. Many Phidi have a small quantity of opil in their jewelry, but the use of large quantities of opil is an unmistakable mark of wealth. Phidi generate two coins, two labor, and half a point of science per billion population, as well as half a point of food on high-fertility planets. They possess the Friendly trait, negating the usual morale penalties for alien rulers. They also gain a bonus +5 morale per market built, increasing the market morale bonus from +8 to +13. Under the Phidi Combine, Phidi enjoy the 'Phidi Loyalty' morale bonus- +10 morale for living under rulers of their own species and a system optimised for their nature- a bonus likewise enjoyed by every species for living under its own faction. This means our total morale on Tendao to start is +23- the happiest homeworld as of game start. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 06:37 on Apr 14, 2019 |
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2019 10:37
|
|
|
Dang, the Phidi are cute critters. I do so like fully aquatic species in Sci-fi, too. Gonna enjoy this LP, I think.
|
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2019 13:29
|
|
|
Question. Mpreg?
|
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2019 14:58
|
|
|
Such an appropriate username.
|
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2019 17:15
|
|
|
Freudian posted:Question. Fpreg. But I know why you asked.
|
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2019 17:37
|
|
|
nweismuller posted:There does seem to be some rhyme or reason, in that Phidi names do sound distinctly different to names of other alien species. Being able to specify what that is, exactly, is more difficult. Some other alternate names for the Phidi leader if you're silly enough to force-spawn in multiple Phidi factions are 'Hanno', 'Sirom', and 'Tanith'. Contrast Phidi names with a) 'Akarn Gaum', 'Heili Gron', and 'Vig Framar', b) 'Iskoro', 'Vesna', and 'Zoleth', and c) 'Ekei', 'Lufi', and 'Alfin', which are alternate leader name pools for three of the other alien species out there. I'd go with your gut. I'd also not regard 'Seralta' with as much trust as some others, in that some other home star names I distinctly recognise as actual star names. And 'Arabo' really is the canonical leader name for the head of the Phidi Combine. OK, ignoring the star names, Phidi sounds somewhat neutral. a) is clearly a more hard language, imagine German, but lacking post-alveolar consonants (sh, zh (like the g in genre) and ch). b) and c) are less distinct, but b) has a preference for short vowels, and c) a preference for long vowels. (and yes, I did just mix IPA terminology and English grammar terminology in the same paragraph. Yes, I feel ashamed. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa). The Phidi language appears to lack the velar consonants (k, g, and ng (but n is fine)), as well as dental and post-alveolar fricatives (th, sh, zh, ch). Phidi does have labiodental consonants (f, v) so I assume they are physically capable of pronouncing them, but like various languages on Earth, they simply didn't develop that sound. Dealing with a bunch of non-native English speakers, ch and sh are easy to teach, but th is a bitch to teach anyone to pronounce properly. Revil's quick reference to the Phidi language: Words can start with either vowels or consonants. Words can end with either vowels or consonants. Your choice of vowels appears to be unrestricted. The following consonants should only be used for loanwords from regional languages (if any such exist) or alien languages: th, sh, zh (like the g in genre, or j in Beijing), ch. The following consonants are impossible for Phidi to pronounce: k, g, ng, x (this is the throaty h sound like in Achmed, Chanuka, or Bach). If they encounter these sounds from other species, they might be able to replace k and g with the uvular plosives If nweis approves of the Phidi having uvulas (try pronouncing k, but move it to the back of your mouth until you feel the sound in your uvula, do the same thing with g, it'll sound a little like your choking), ng is replaced with n (going is replaced with goin'), and x (throaty h) is pronounced as a regular h. You can have neighboring vowels. You can have neighboring consonants in the following pattern: m followed by a voiceless consonant, or n followed by a voiced consonant. Not enough information to definitively rule out neighboring consonants in other patterns. Totally unsneaky much later edit: I completely missed Hanno and Tanith. Hanno shows that you can double up consonants, but it does follow the rule of n followed by a voiced consonant because n is a voiced consonant. Tanith shows that th is a valid sound. Unless there's a lot more official th names, I'm going to stick with my theory that that th is only used in one/some of the regional languages and Tanith is a possible leader from one of those regions. Edit: vowels. Based off of the shape of the Phidi mouths, they can only pronounce rounded vowels. For example. uhh can't be pronounced, instead it sounds like ooh. You can see where English vowels show up on the vowel chart. On the vowel chart, open vowels are on the left, rounded vowels are on the right. Whenever an English vowel shows up as the left part of a vowel pair, Phidi will pronounce it light the right side of a vowel pair. This doesn't actually affect the way we write the names, because I'm not crazy enough to come up with a complete language and script for the Phidi, but it's something else you can imagine when reading their names. nweismuller posted:And it's 'Simli', not 'Simil'. Simli would be a dwarf, not a Phidi General Revil fucked around with this message at 05:15 on Mar 25, 2019 |
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2019 20:17
|
|
|
General Revil's guide to constructing Phidi names is now linked in the OP. A valuable resource for people! E: I have also played through the update, bringing us up to stardate 1125 (so, more than 125 Tendao years, because Tendao years are short). The Phidi Combine has a developing colony at another star bringing the benefits of interplanetary trade, along with other developments that we shall see... expect the writeup on Sunday or Monday. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 21:28 on Mar 21, 2019 |
|
#
?
Mar 21, 2019 20:31
|
|
|
Perils in the Void The Curiousity departed from the Seralta system in Combine Standard Year 2492, slowly charting the warp lanes around Seralta to determine paths to nearby stars. In CSY 2502, the Curiousity arrived at the Gebal system, making a discovery of staggering scope. Each Tendao year is close enough to one-sixth of an Earth year that you can safely assume six years CSY are equivalent to one Earth year and one turn in-game.   Gebal, a K-class orange dwarf, hosted a planetary system of its own. None of the planets hosted any environment survivable by Phidi- but the largest planet in the system, a massive rocky planet massing far more than Tendao, hosted a bizarre silicon-based ecosystem beneath its choking, acidic cloud cover, adapted to its crushing pressures and horrific heat. The ecosystem had developed native sapient life, compact radially-symmetric creatures in scattered nations across the planet, supporting what appeared to be a fairly sophisticated preindustrial society. Without radio signals to study or any opportunity to directly interact with the natives, analysis of their society and details of their biology remained limited to the fairly limited data from long-range observation from the Curiousity's sensor suite. Still, contact with alien life of such an exotic nature, and so close to Seralta itself, was a scientific event that revolutionised Phidi understanding of what could be expected. It seemed highly likely that life would be relatively densely seeded within the region accessible by the warp lanes. An airless rocky planet and a planet with a thick ice layer over a planet-wide sea, far more hostile than Eluz, were of relatively limited interest, by comparison. Many hostile planet types cannot be colonised with starting technology- including all the planets in Gebal. The planet pictured farthest out in Gebal is a 'tiny' planet; these are uncolonisable at any technology level, but can be used as a place to set up an outpost.   The survey of the red dwarf Canopus in CSY 2519, although less revolutionary in implication, was of much greater immediate value to Phidi civilisation- a planet of similar size to Tendao, covered with an immensely deep planetary ocean. Although the waters of this planet were lifeless and oxygen-poor, and would require oxygenation in habitats for Phidi survival, it could be easily colonised, thereafter supporting enough industrial base and aquaculture to be a viable home for Phidi beyond their homeworld, and a new opportunity for Phidi seeking a new life. The potential population supported on each planet depends on the number of units of different types of biome on the planet, with the mix determine by planet type. We can support reasonable populations in the Ocean biome that dominates our new discovery, but Ocean planets lack the very valuable Reef biome found on Island planets like Tendao- working out to us supporting a maximum population of 11 billion rather than 17 billion. A medium Ocean is definitely sufficient to establishing a serviceable industrial planet for the Phidi, and I slate the world for this purpose.  The discovery of this planet encouraged colonists and investors to dispatch a mission to Canopus, and, by 2530, the world of Nuo became home to the first permanent Phidi population beyond Tendao itself. Although maintaining life support for Nuo was a continual and expensive challenge, commerce with Tendao nonetheless helped allow it to pay its own way. Although basic industries using the equipment packed in the colony ship began operation immediately, the establishment of a true heavy industrial base on Nuo was a daunting challenge that drew the talents and investment of its new colonists. Worlds with particularly hostile environments impose a 'hostile environment' cost representing the infrastructure of mere survival on a planet that cannot support a native biosphere. 'Marginal' worlds, that can be colonised by most races without additional technology, cost 3 coins per turn- Ocean planets are among these.    The early voyages of the Curiousity helped drive the development of a new science of xenology in the Phidi Combine, dedicated to the intensive study of physical phenomena and new life in the stars beyond Seralta. Arabo Advanced Aerospace completed a major redesign of the Curiousity in CSY 2538, sacrificing some of the redundant bulkheads reinforcing the ship to free up volume for an extensive suite of laboratory equipment and specialised sensors, while an expedited refit program ensured that the Curiousity was once again ready for service by the beginning of CSY 2539. An additional 2 research points a turn is non-trivial at this stage of the game. Ships may be custom refitted as a build order on a planet, or may be instantly refitted to the saved design for their class by spending money (and, usually, metal). Ships under refit remain stationary or inoperative until the refit completes; 'instant' refits keep the ship from being dispatched until the following turn.  The Curiousity's exploration of the local region soon made further discoveries, confirming once and for all that the Phidi were not the first species to achieve spaceflight in the local region. The nearby system of Nunki- although entirely unremarkable from an economic standpoint, with its most 'promising' body being a harsh lifeless world with an inert atmosphere and small icecaps, entirely beyond the ability of Phidi to successfully colonise- had, in its outer system, the hulk of an ancient, advanced vessel of unknown design, uncovered during the Curiousity's systematic survey of the system in CSY 2558. Although what was estimated to be nearly twenty thousand Tendao years had passed since the ship was left adrift, and the bulk of its systems were utterly irrecoverable, nonetheless mere study of the non-functional wreckage provided a wealth of tantalising hints that Phidi scientists could follow up on. The hulk appeared to have once been an armed vessel that suffered catastrophic damage from causes unknown. Certain special bonuses in a system- primarily ancient debris of this sort- may only be detected by a ship with Deep Space Scanners, which scout hulls mount by default.   As the Curiousity reached the yellow dwarf Gemma in CSY 2566, it made perhaps the most startling discovery yet. Browsing amongst the debris belts of the system was a cluster of six bizarre organisms- a mixture of organic tissue and highly radiative 'reactor' sources. The organisms- which almost resembled some of the 'ray' predators of Tendao's deep oceans- appeared to be engaged in a process of breaking apart and scooping up debris using short-ranged blasts of globes of plasma, but swiftly redirected to attempt to intercept the Curiousity. As the Curiousity was notably outmassed and lacked any defensive weaponry, it had little choice but to break off and flee, charting an emergency course back to Seralta, being news of the utterly bizarre spectacle of these 'space ray' organisms. The phrasing on Star Harpies seems to assume you're an 'elder' race, with some dim cultural memory of Star Harpy encounters, which is a (minor) complaint I have with the game.   Although the Curiousity lacked time for an extensive survey of the system, what it did detect was incredibly promising. A roughly Tendao-sized planet near the system primary showed evidence of, if anything, having an even more extensive biosphere than Tendao, with its entire surface covered by shallow, fertile seas comparable to the Great Equatorial Plateau of Tendao, while a significantly larger ice-covered planet with an inert atmosphere promised easy colonisation. Out in the outer system, an inhospitable iceball maintained tantalising hints of what must have once been an extensive research outpost established in the far distant past. If, by some means, the space rays could be cleared from the system, it would prove an incredibly valuable system to the Phidi species as a whole.  The population and development of Nuo had slowly been growing over the decades since its colonisation, and, by CSY 2585, the colony planet saw a massive surge of investment from the homeworld, entire prefabricated factories being reassembled on the planet to begin forging a formidable heavy industrial base. This ensured a sudden acceleration in future economic growth on Nuo, which rapidly began establishing a firmer and more prosperous foothold on the planet. The labor cost to get initial improvements up is STEEP for a population of 1 unit, especially for factories and labs, which have a higher base labor cost than markets, farms, and mines. The labor cost for each subsequent improvement of the same kind on the same planet increases, as you exhaust the low-hanging fruit of economic development. Cash investment can buy out improvements, for a hefty cost, which is essentially needed to develop new planets in a reasonable timeframe.   The Phidi species' first contact with another sapient, spacefaring species came in CSY 2613. A pair of badly decaying, ancient ships showing evidence of repeated refits were present in the Alphard system- a fairly heavily-armed combat vessel, and a colony ship that seemed likely to have been reworked for extremely long-term autonomous operation and life support. They immediately began broadcasting a whole series of messages to the Curiousity, which were never successfully translated before the scout had to flee. What was clear was that the combat vessel had its weapons primed for action and was accelerating for a combat intercept, which prompted the Curiousity mission commander to abort and jump back into hyperspace. The system itself was a red dwarf orbited by a particularly desolate collection of airless rocks and a major gas giant. The aliens on the ships must have been subsisting on deep space mining and shipboard life support and manufacturing for a very, very long time- the Curiousity's scientific staff believed that the ships may well have been the same approximate age as the advanced hulk discovered in the Nunki system. The Curiousity's explorations resumed once it returned to Seralta, heading out to survey more of the stars in the region. The hostile reaction of the spacefaring aliens thus far discovered has been disappointing, but it seems likely that any society subsisting on the poor resources available to the ships in the Alphard system must have been suffering under unimaginable social stress for very long periods of time. It seemed premature to assume that all alien life discovered would be so hostile. The Phidi Combine and Known Space as of CSY 2642  The past 150 years have been years of notable economic growth for Tendao. Heavier industrialisation has increased economic output, extensive research complexes and campuses attached to the sponsorship of one merchant prince or another have brought an immense surge in the volume and quality of innovation and invention on the planet, and more extensive aquaculture has helped ensure that the food supply has helped track the population growth from seven billion to nearly eleven billion the planet has enjoyed. Local mining operations have largely been abandoned as the economy of the planet has shifted. Although metal reserves as they stand would be hopelessly inadequate to future needs as the Phidi begin to construct more ships for colonisation, shipping, and- as now seems likely- defense, the ongoing project to establish a major mining colony on Eluz is hoped to remedy this.  Nearly 1.4 billion Phidi now call Nuo home. Although the natural ocean environment here is not conducive to open aquaculture, the establishment of sealed aquacultural installations on an industrial scale ensure the planet is self-sufficient on food, for the moment. Extensive heavy and light industries ensure the economic strength of the planet, and regular merchant shipping between Tendao and Nuo makes for profitable and beneficial trade for merchants and consumers. The demands of its existing industries and commercial institutions place immense demands on Nuo's existing population, but the very limited shipping capacity currently available to the Phidi has made large-scale migration between Tendao and Nuo essentially impossible. With free transports, we could ship one unit of population between planets with one full cargo hold module, the transport tied up until it has time to make the trip. That will have to wait until we get more transports built. All our improvements on Nuo are operating at only partial efficiency due to understaffing, and bolstering its population would help improve local efficiency.  Steady work into advanced genetic engineering techniques to be applied to the plant and animal crops of the Phidi continues, expected to lead to a major surge in crop outputs and thus to overall economic efficiency. Study into early fusion, superconductive material, the scientific study of alien psychology, or- as unthinkable as the need may have been before the Phidi exploration of space- space-based weapons all could offer future promise.  A number of stars, largely clustered towards the edge of the portion of space navigable via the warp lanes, remain unexplored within the Curiousity's range. Innovation and the growth of investment capital have sharply accelerated with the economic growth of the Phidi Combine. The existing Phidi deep space freighter could easily be joined by two others with no diminution of profits to the existing ship, as potential trade between Tendao and Nuo is, frankly, underserved. The battered ships of an alien race with an ancient history in the stars and the mysterious space rays are ominous, but show little evidence of being able to make use of the warp lanes. The silicon-based life of Gebal may be a fascinating opportunity for friendship with an entirely alien culture, although the technical hurdles to contact with the inhabitants of Gebal are daunting. We have 14 potential trade routes, which our cargo space can handle 5 of. We could get up to 9 extra coins a turn pretty easily just by churning out transports. Despite the challenges the Phidi have faced- challenges that suggest that not all spacefaring races may be as peace-loving as may have been expected of an advanced culture- nonetheless the first 150 years of Phidi expansion to the stars have been years of progress and profit, providing hope for a brighter future for the Phidi species, and- in the long term- possible trade and friendly contact with other species in a section of space that must be dense with life. Hopes are high for the future of the Phidi and of the Combine. Matters for Vote 1- Primary Research Priorities Advances in genetic engineering are soon to benefit the Combine's food supply, which will provide new avenues for new research spending. A focus on the study of alien linguistics and psychology may be vital to establishing profitable trade with alien species, should the opportunity ever present itself, as well as easing the Combine's ability to integrate aliens who may choose to join the confederation. It may, perhaps, also allow collection of enough data for a preliminary translation of the language of the aliens in the Alphard system, granting more insight into these unpleasant neighbors. Research into space-based weapons technologies would be vital to the development of effective security vessels to address the threats or barriers to expansion by space rays or such immediately hostile aliens as those found in Alphard, although there is still some time before the Combine can effectively raise any deep space security force. Research into electromagnetic containment fields would allow early fusion plants, helping improve the efficiency of shipping for interstellar trade, as well as laying the groundwork for full-scale fusion, which will be of some immediate industrial value. Finally, research into superconductive material, although having little immediate application, could potentially lay the foundation for greatly improved computing and automation in the future, helping fuel major scientific and industrial advances- as well as, potentially, having secondary military applications with any weapons technologies to work with. 2- Weapons Research Priorities There are three major avenues for major space-based weapons systems now available, with either a focused or hybrid approach possible. Both full-scale turrets and lighter secondary weapons will be necessary for dedicated combat vessels designed off of a massively redesigned scout 'destroyer' hull. Research into lasers is expected to be cheap and simple (60 RP), providing effective weapons both for primary turrets and secondaries, at the cost of relatively limited firepower in the immediate future that suffers focus degradation at range. Space-based mass drivers are likely to be somewhat more expensive to research (80 RP), providing both better overall firepower that does not lose damage potential at range, although accuracy loss and an effective maximum engagement range are both factors. Providing the needed rate of fire for effective mass driver secondaries is likely to be a more significant challenge (120 RP, after completion of mass drivers). Effective guidance and propulsion systems for nuclear warheads could provide very destructive firepower at nearly unlimited range (80 RP), although with no immediately practical way to apply it to secondary weapons, a distinct vulnerability to secondary weapon fire, and more limited ammunition stowage than direct-fire weapons. A laser-based weapons loadout would be by far the cheapest project to immediately put into place (60 RP), leaving more resources for other projects. A pure mass-driver loadout would be significantly more expensive (200 RP), but should have better overall performance in the immediately predictable future. A hybrid directfire approach would compromise, using mass drivers for primary turrets and lasers for secondaries (140 RP). A missiles and lasers approach could deal significant damage under good conditions, with the risk of being more easily defended against (140 RP). A missiles and mass drivers approach would be significantly more expensive than missiles and lasers for a fairly limited improvement in secondary performance (280 RP). Space rays appear to rely on relatively large, relatively slow-moving plasma projectiles which could likely be disrupted by secondary weapons fire, while the Alphard aliens rely on two primary mass driver turrets (dorsal and ventral), four paired secondary mass driver turrets (two dorsal, two ventral) and four single secondary mass driver mounts (two dorsal, two ventral). 3- Eluz The primary economic purpose of the Eluz colony will be mining of the abundant minerals and metals there, but, almost inevitably, there will be secondary sectors. Light industry and trade will bolster trade revenues and serve local consumer demands, ensuring high quality of life on the colony, while aquaculture will ensure the planet is more than self-sufficient in food, relieving pressure on other worlds, helping free more of Tendao's economy for more productive purposes. Even more extensive mining than currently planned is possible, but will be significantly less efficient at the margin- it is likely that mines on a world less rich but with the population and local economy to properly support such operations would be fully as productive. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 15:58 on Aug 12, 2019 |
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2019 12:57
|
|
|
I had the wrong image up for Nuo in 1125/CSY 2542. That has just been fixed.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2019 13:28
|
|
|
1 - Containment Fields 2 - Hybrid Direct-fire 3 - Aquaculture
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2019 14:37
|
|
|
Oh excellent to see an LP of this! You might wanna PM a mod and ask for a tag change though.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2019 18:09
|
|
|
1 - Containment Fields 2 - Hybrid Direct-fire 3 - Aquaculture
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2019 18:21
|
|
|
StrixNebulosa posted:Oh excellent to see an LP of this! You might wanna PM a mod and ask for a tag change though. Oh, cool, thanks for the suggestion. Done.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2019 21:42
|
|
|
Discussion point: what's the reaction of some ordinary Phidi to the different examples of life out there we have discovered? The silicon-based society on Gebal, the bizarre space rays, the impressively fertile 'coral world' of Gemma, and the battered ships in Alphard provide some very different examples of life beyond Tendao itself.
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2019 21:51
|
|
|
The Urchin: Phidi Voices The Phidi Combine has initiated its first interstellar colony, spreading its eggs to a new pouch as ships touch down on the planet Nuo. What do you think?  Great, somewhere else to check when I lose my keys. - Barani Seppo, bathroom psychiatrist  Do you think the colony has good cell coverage? I am not satisfied with my current provider. - Arnato Junna, dust collector  The answer to the endless problems facing our society and way of life might not be to copy them all over again on a new planet, but it's got to be worth a shot! - Jiveta Sarran, lamp recalibrator
|
|
#
?
Mar 24, 2019 23:02
|
|
|
When you make a colony ship, does it pull a population unit from the planet that it was made on, or are a billion colonists just created from scratch when the colony ship lands on a planet?
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2019 06:12
|
|
|
General Revil posted:When you make a colony ship, does it pull a population unit from the planet that it was made on, or are a billion colonists just created from scratch when the colony ship lands on a planet? It pulls a population unit from its home planet, which, in fact, you can unload and leave the ship empty temporarily. Good for loading a different population type on, for instance, if you have a multiracial empire. E: I used this trick to keep the population on our first colony ship more productive until I discovered Nuo, rather than sitting around uselessly until dispatched. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 07:12 on Mar 25, 2019 |
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2019 06:55
|
|
|
Decided to buy this with it being on a 70% off sale on steam right now (same with DLC). I think I'll wait for the LP to get a bit further to start off on my own though.
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2019 19:34
|
|
|
Lynneth posted:Decided to buy this with it being on a 70% off sale on steam right now (same with DLC). I think I'll wait for the LP to get a bit further to start off on my own though. Well, I'm glad I've inspired somebody to try this. I hope you enjoy the game!
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2019 19:44
|
|
|
1 - Containment Fields 2 - Hybrid Direct-fire 3 - Aquaculture
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2019 21:46
|
|
|
1 - Space Weapons 2 - Missiles and lasers 3 - Aquaculture
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2019 21:47
|
|
|
I've played through the update and should have a writeup within a couple of days. E: I've noticed I misreported the opil bonus on Tendao as five coins and one influence in the first update, when it should have been ten coins and one influence. The error has been fixed. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 13:21 on Mar 26, 2019 |
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2019 22:31
|
|
|
And They Call it a Mine In CSY 2652, the Curiousity arrived at the red dwarf Pollux. Although none of the planets in the system were habitable to Phidi, the crew of the vessel took note of the abundant reserves of gold and platinum on one of the system's planets. This mineral wealth, although tempting, was fated to remain beyond Phidi reach for the foreseeable future. Precious metals add a five coin income to mines in addition to the base mineral income, more than making up for the one coin per turn needed to upkeep the improvement.  2661 saw the colonisation of the Phidi Combine's third world- the small, frozen world of Eluz at the fringes of the Seralta system. Heavy investment was immediately sunk into developing mining and refining complexes on the planet, while over the next few years a steady stream of emigrants from Tendao bolstered the planetary population to over two billion. The mining operations on Eluz fed the industrial development of the whole of the Combine, helping ensure continued Phidi expansion. The need to ship food to Eluz dipped our available cargo space below five, but using a transport for population transfer within a single system resolves immediately, allowing use of the cargo space for food transport and trade. Tying up five space for population transfer that actually took time would leave us suffering famine on the planet denied food shipments. We thus manage to get Eluz up to two population units immediately- population growth rate is based on current and maximum populations, and the growth from one billion to two billion on a planet with a maximum population of two billion is painfully slow.   The G-class yellow dwarf Philosir was surveyed in CSY 2670, leading to another startling discovery for the Phidi. A massive airless planet on the fringes of the inner system was home to a single sapient species, seemingly subsisting without any underlying ecology of life. These approximately 1.6 to 1.7 meter-long worm-like creatures 'grazed' on mineral food sources and absorbed ambient radiation, which their rough hide was hardened against. Although sluggish in action, their construction of cities and kingdoms making use of metal tools and basic architectural principles attested to their intelligence. Phidi researchers were at a loss at how a species could possibly naturally evolve with no underlying ecosystem, which raised questions as to whether this was a deliberately engineered species. The presence of a small ocean-covered planet with no native biosphere, much like a smaller version of Nuo, was of less interest but of greater immediate importance- the planet could fairly easily host a new Phidi colony, and was, for the moment, the next logical target for Phidi expansion.  CSY 2682 brought another system survey, this one of the K-class orange dwarf Sirius. Although this planet hosted a cold, rocky planet with an inert atmosphere and sizeable ice caps and an airless, irradiated world with rich deposits of heavy metals, none of the worlds in the system could even potentially support Phidi life, leaving it of limited interest for Phidi expansion. The system contained another ancient derelict dating from approximately the same era as the Nunki derelict, which likewise was taken in for study to see what insights could be wrung from its badly-degraded systems.  In CSY 2687, continued work by Phidi geneticists and agronomists finally bore fruit. Extensive genetic modification of nearly every plant and animal species in Phidi aquaculture for better yields, greater disease resistance, and augmented nutritional value led to an explosion in crop yields across the Combine. Cheap and abundant food made life somewhat better for many Phidi everywhere. Artificial Organisms is the first technology we gain to upgrade a class of improvement from level 1 to level 2. Level 1 farms, at full staffing, produce 4 food. Level 2 farms produce 7 food on high fertility worlds and 6 food on low fertility worlds. With this boost in output, we currently have a fairly significant food surplus. Every four full units of unused food in a turn is converted into one coin- which means that, at any tech level, fully-staffed farms at least pay for their upkeep costs, if not, necessarily, their opportunity costs.   The next star system surveyed by the Curiousity- the G-class yellow dwarf Rasalgethi, at the very rim of the volume linked by the warp lanes out from Canopus- proved to be home to another group of armed vessels of similar design to those used by the Alphard aliens, along with a single battered freighter long since converted into a hydroponics and light industrial facility. Like the Alphard aliens, the Rasalgethi aliens reacted with immediate hostility, broadcasting incomprehensible messages while accelerating to intercept with their weapons charged. The Curiousity succeeded in dropping back into hyperspace before a successful intercept was made, retreating to the Canopus system. The survey results collected by the Curiousity's brief time in the system, however, were highly promising. A Tendao-like planet of significantly greater size was present in the system, one hosting its own biosphere and vast areas of ocean. A colony established on this world could easily support immense populations and intensive development over vast areas, if only the hostile aliens present in system could be somehow dealt with. The freighter is not represented in-game, but I choose to assume that Death's Hand groups encountered have some means to support their population over a very extended timeframe, even if, with groups of this size, they must be appallingly inbred by this point.  By the time the last star system in operational range of Phidi space was surveyed in CSY 2734, the Curiousity had been joined by the scout ship Discovery. Although the Discovery had no immediate scouting missions, it worked to collect data on outlying systems already surveyed, helping ensure observations of the Gebal and Philosir aliens, stellar phenomena, and planetary conditions on the ocean world in the Philosir system, already dubbed 'Onni' by colonial promoters. The just-surveyed Mandir system, for its part, was entirely useless for Phidi colonisation, with its most 'hospitable' planet being a dusty, arid planet with limited ice caps. Shipbuilding on Tendao had commissioned two massive space-based freighters to join the first in service, allowing for significantly increased trade volumes between the three worlds of the Phidi Combine. A healthy commerce helped ensure the prosperity of Phidi as a whole, and expanded shipping capacity had allowed for a major wave of emigration from Tendao to Nuo, seeking new jobs and new opportunities on that planet.   The development of electromagnetic containment fields to bottle and manipulate plasma in CSY 2743 allowed for the first early fusion plants. Although the output of these fusion plants was little better than existing fission plants, they nonetheless represented a sufficient increase in efficiency that a series of refits to the freighters in service allowed them to cover routes more quickly, increasing the effective shipping capacity available to serve Phidi trade. It was not long afterward, in CSY 2745, that Eluz was essentially fully-developed, with future investment focusing on extensive trade with Tendao for luxuries not easily available on Eluz. Each transport now contributes 8 cargo capacity rather than 5. Shipping population between worlds ties up the entire transport used, thus costing 8 cargo capacity instead of 5 until the population is delivered to its destination.    The discovery of space rays and of the Alphard and Rasalgethi aliens spurred research into new space-based weapons systems. By CSY 2759, designs for repeating coilguns capable of effective engagement of targets at the ranges and velocities of space-based combat were ready for deployment, although refit of the Curiousity and Discovery with dorsal and ventral coilgun turrets did not occur until CSY 2780. Although these coilgun projectiles did not lose kinetic energy over distance travelled, their minimal guidance set a relatively hard limit on the range at which they could effectively engage targets.   Even as the refits of serving scouts were underway, the first designs for dedicated combat vessels for a Combine space security force were unveiled, taking advantage of recent breakthroughs in laser design that allowed for effective combat lasers. A modified scout hull sacrificed the survey sensors and extended range of existing scouts for additional armor and four secondary light weapons mounts. Coilguns in the primary turrets would provide effective striking power at range, while light lasers in the secondary turrets could defend against space ray plasma or hypothetical guided missile weapons used by technological enemies, or provide supplemental offensive firepower at very close range. Production did not immediately start on the new destroyer designs, although production lines for destroyer components were prepared on Nuo for future deployment on contract to the Combine government. Security forces capable of addressing the obstacles presented by hostile aliens were planned, although such a buildup would be an immense stress on Phidi metal reserves. The Phidi Combine and Known Space as of CSY 2792  Emigration from Tendao to Nuo and Eluz has left the population almost entirely unchanged from its level 150 years ago. Local development is similar to its state of 150 years ago, save for a much more efficient and productive aquacultural sector and increased volumes of interplanetary trade. Tendao remains the home of the majority of the Phidi species and the largest portion of the Phidi economy, but, as the Phidi continue to settle new planets and offworld populations continue to grow, it is unclear for how much longer that shall be the case. Construction of a new colony ship and the equipment needed to establish a fresh colony on Onni is nearly completed here, promising a fourth Phidi planet within the next 25 Combine standard years.  Nuo's population has exploded to just short of six billion over the past 150 years, with a massively expanded industrial plant and investment growing into top-tier R&D facilities and laboratories attached to local industries. The planet continues to be ravenously hungry for labor, although its factories still manage to operate at reasonable efficiency despite labor shortages. A series of contracts are in place for shipbuilding on Nuo once a proper orbital station to serve final ship assembly is in place, making it the future birthplace of the Combine Interstellar Security Fleet. Local aquaculture still feeds the whole of Nuo's population, although it is anticipated that the planet will begin to rely on food imports in the near future. The three factories on Nuo produce 31 labor at current staffing levels, which could be increased as far as 36 with a (not currently achievable) planetary population of 12 billion. Three completely understaffed factories would produce only 27 labor.  Eluz is the third and least-populated of the Phidi worlds, with a total population of approximately 2.1 billion. Quality of life here is generally lower than on Tendao or Nuo, although employment is plentiful and the mines and refineries of the planet are vital suppliers to the industries of Tendao and Nuo. Local aquaculture feeds the population with a healthy surplus for export, while export of food and metals helps fund a lively import of finished consumer goods, mining equipment, and aquacultural machinery. The morale on Eluz is only +10, compared to +23 on Tendao and Nuo, which have their own markets. The maximum population of two billion shown in the planet view is rounded from the true maximum, which is 2.4 billion. The Phidi here will continue to slowly grow in population until they reach that maximum.  The early prototypes of fusion plants have provided promising ground for work into developing second-generation fusion plants that could entirely supplant fission power as the primary energy source for Phidi society. Development of room-temperature superconductors could be applied to improving the performance of coilguns while laying the groundwork for important advances in computing, while study of the different sapient alien species thus far encountered by the Phidi could make for breakthroughs in alien linguistics and psychology, which would be a vital step forward for prospective trade with other alien civilisations.  The past 150 years have seen all accessible star systems surveyed, with three promising worlds for Phidi expansion identified. Onni, in the Philosir system, is perhaps the least exciting of these worlds, but the one most easily accessible, given the obstacles presented by space rays and the ramshackle technological species encountered in Alphard and Rasalgethi. The presence of different groups of ships in systems that would have been separated by unfathomable distances with the warp lanes non-functional raises distinct questions about the history of that species. The Phidi economy has shown excellent growth overall over the past years, with shipping capacity now fully serving the demand for interplanetary trade, major growth in investment capital, a more extensive research establishment, and healthy surpluses in aquacultural products. Although the Phidi Combine faces new challenges in its expansion to the stars, there is every reason to believe that the Phidi have the resources, ingenuity, and will to overcome them. We can hope and expect that the next 150 years show a similar growth in prosperity. Matters for Vote 1- Onni The new colony planet of Onni will easily support enough population and development to justify a fairly extensive light industrial and commercial establishment to meet local consumer demands and provide export products. Other investment, however, is likely to be split between research, mining, and metal refining industries. A relatively balanced development on Onni would effectively supplement both metals output and technological progress, whereas a science-biased development plan would bolster scientific research at the cost of only limited contribution to mining supply. A mining and metallurgy focus would bring Onni's output of metals, in the long term, to over half that produced by Eluz, at the cost of only the scientific progress to be expected from basic economic infrastructure from the planet. 2- Future Expansion- Priorities The Gemma system, once the space rays are cleared from it, offers two potential planets for colonisation, the highly-fertile 'coral' world of the system estimated to potentially support a population greater than Tendao itself, in the long term- potentially up to twenty billion. The massive Tendao-like world in the Rasalgethi system, although the only viable target for colonisation in that system, could support even higher populations. Whether Gemma or Rasalgethi is prioritised first, however, is an open question. 3- Future Expansion- Economic Focus The aquacultural development across the three existing planets of the Phidi Combine, although necessary at this point, draws resources from uses that could be more highly valued. Likewise, development of a new world with a high population as a major heavy industrial center could allow for conversion of Tendao's existing heavy industries to assorted light industries, shipping facilities, and commercial headquarters to take advantage of Tendao's natural position as the Combine's trade hub and center of electronics and luxury manufacturing. As such, it seems likely that investment into one of the highly valuable worlds of these systems as an aquacultural center and one as a heavy industrial center will be the natural course of action. Which shall focus on industry, and which on aquaculture? 4- Research Priorities Second-generation fusion plants are expected to provide cheaper, safer energy than existing fission infrastructure, both for industry and other uses on ships and planets. Room-temperature superconductors, by allowing more power to coilguns for faster projectiles, should extend their effective engagement range, while laying the groundwork for breakthroughs in computing and industry likely to revolutionise the Phidi economy in the long term. The study of alien psychology and linguistics both should allow for expanded trade- establishment of a basic trade post over the airless world discovered in Philosir should be more than possible once Onni is colonised- and for easier integration of non-Phidi into Phidi society, if alien populations willing to sign onto the Combine Charter are discovered. Deciphering the language of the Alphard and Rasalgethi aliens may, perhaps, provide more insight into the reasons for their hostility. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 16:18 on Mar 26, 2019 |
|
#
?
Mar 26, 2019 14:47
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 3, 2024 21:59 |
|
|
I have slightly updated the new update, since I neglected to address the wreck in Sirius we found.
|
|
#
?
Mar 26, 2019 16:19
|
|