If you were the Governor ...
- Thread starter rust
- Start date
I very much hope so, because this could force the characters to take sidesAndrewW said:
or to try to organize their own faction, gaining allies and enemies among
their fellow colonists. This would not only offer a nice opportunity for role-
playing, it could also support the players' involvement in the setting - if
it causes them to develop their own plans for the future of the colony and
strategies to realize these plans, the campaign is really taking off.
justacaveman
Mongoose
How about a Biotech project?
Genetically modified mollusks that concentrate precious metals in their shells. After a few years a homing instinct activates, and the mollusks return to their spawning grounds. After the mollusks breed and spawn, they die, leaving their mineral rich shells behind to be harvested.
Genetically modified mollusks that concentrate precious metals in their shells. After a few years a homing instinct activates, and the mollusks return to their spawning grounds. After the mollusks breed and spawn, they die, leaving their mineral rich shells behind to be harvested.
You can probably assume most colonist have broadly similar backgrounds, as they were screened/picked. There's unlikely to be too much real socio-economic tension for example, and not yet enough time for entrenched feuds (you'll probably be establishing the seeds of these for future generations).
So I reckon it will feel best if the divisions are split mainly along personality lines - people who just don't like each other or who have established rivalry. Sex is likely to be fuelling a lot of this initially - no matter how much work there is to do, people are going to be hooking up, dumping each other and acting like fools over it all.
So I reckon it will feel best if the divisions are split mainly along personality lines - people who just don't like each other or who have established rivalry. Sex is likely to be fuelling a lot of this initially - no matter how much work there is to do, people are going to be hooking up, dumping each other and acting like fools over it all.
Thank you, a good idea.justacaveman said:
However, I think that geneering animals would be a bit too difficult for the
colony's scientists, and it would also take a bit too long before the project
would produce results. Therefore I will probably use phytomining as the
colony's first biotech project, with algae accumulating the resources from
the seawater - they are less complex creatures, they have short "gene-
rations", and they are easy to harvest.
I agree, although I would expect at least some of the rivals to take oppo-rinku said:
site "political" positions and to design "programs" to win allies and to form
factions, which would be more difficult with personal dislike as the only
motivation.
For example, if Scientist A dislikes Scientist B, considers his work hare
brained and is convinced that he should get his otherwise wasted budget,
he will probably try to convince other scientists and the administrators of
his view.
He will write a seemingly neutral paper about the advantages of his pro-
ject and / or the disadvantages of his rival's project, and Scientist B will
probably react with his own paper and his own attempt to convince others
of his cause.
With a little bad luck the personal rivalry will so become a political ques-
tion to be discussed and decided by the governor or the assembly, and
can even lead to more permanent factions among the colony's science
community.
justacaveman
Mongoose
Since the colonists are prepared for a specific world, they could have some pre-engineered species available from the start. Just release them at the appropriate times and places. They wouldn't be of any immediate benefit, but the various projects would require regular monitoring and testing to be sure that they remain on track. This of course would require that teams be sent out to explore the extent of the dispersal etc..
Establish a government supported center for higher education and research - providing perks to entice leaders in their fields and renown professors.
This could include subsidizing recruiting trips to other systems and government incentives and rewards for merchants to provide for same.
Sets a stage for introduction of interesting and unusual NPCs as well as exploration of other systems in order to locate or acquire talent...
This could include subsidizing recruiting trips to other systems and government incentives and rewards for merchants to provide for same.
Sets a stage for introduction of interesting and unusual NPCs as well as exploration of other systems in order to locate or acquire talent...
Yes, the preparation team for the colony will do this with the aquafarmingjustacaveman said:
species, algae and fish, so these will reproduce and be available in suffi-
cient quantity to feed the main group of colonists when they arrive a year
later.
However, these are stationary species which do not wander from the aqua-
farms. To introduce any species into the "wilds" before the ecology of the
planet is fully understood would seem rather risky, and a full ecological
survey with the limited means of the colony will probably take a couple
of years (and provide a lot of adventures for the characters).
As for the dangers of introducing any species without a good understan-
ding of how it will fit into the existing ecosystem, just think of Australia's
problems with introduced species.
justacaveman
Mongoose
I didn't know that a full ecological survey hadn't been done. I would have thought that would be done before introducing colonists (Of course that wouldn't be very adventurous either.).
Yep, the opportunity to let the characters have some interesting first en-justacaveman said:
counters with the native wildlife was the reason why I decided that the co-
lonists could not afford a full survey of the planet prior to their arrival.
Besides, if the colonists have to do the survey themselves, the scientists
among the characters have a good and frequent use for their relevant
science skills (oceanography, marine biology, etc.) and can use them to
"discover" new informations instead of looking them up in a database.
Lord High Munchkin
Mongoose
Bet the students and faculty "drink like fishes".rust said:
Hello Everyone:
I just read the series of post about the planet. A few suggestions.
A) What do the players want to do? Do they want it to grow or be the Wild West underwater? Where do you see it going? Do you want it to grow or be a small community?
1) The colonist need to do a complete survey of the planet. (at least from a satellite like EROS). If they do not have the capacity to do this there needs to be some incentive to arrange for this to be done. [Plot hook, who has the skills to make/manage/interpret the data or who can negotiate for someone to survey the planet and how do you know you get all the data (oh, I will just leave that data about the platinum deposit off the report)]
2) The colonist need to start prospecting around where they now live. You could have missions to survey certain areas (above and below) the surface of the water. This also will allow you to include non-members who are working to get membership (see #4) [Plot hook, you are members of the team surveying, do you report everything(instruments say GOLD!), or maybe WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT READING?!?!?!]
3) Once they have found a mineral deposit they need to determine if it is worth mining. Do they have the skills or do they need to determine if they want to have a mining company come in and mine it and the colonist get a percentage. [Plot hook, can you say negotiation, Can you say, check the books or make sure they live up to there non-pollution clause. What if they do not]
4) There needs to be an established immigration policy. Do new people have to pay to get in? Do they have to pay some and work some? Do they have to have certain skills. What do you do about the tourist that went missing. Was he really a tourist. [Plot hook, a ship with new settlers arrives, can you prevent them (convince) from just landing. What about that guy who started to work his time off and you find out his is not wanted? Can you kick him off the planet?]
5) A difference of opinion develops with the colonist on what to do. Can you members make peace. Or are they part of the difference. [Plot hook, Maybe one of the leaders is getting paid under the table to open up the world. Can the players find the information before harm comes to the planet.]
6) Water world, lots of fish, export. How much do you want to export? Do you want to export?
7) You can not manufacture everything. How much do you want to import? How much do you want to grow you own industry (remember this can get expensive? [Plot hook, Your team has to decide, buy or develop or maybe steal from someone else?]
8) You decide to do manufacturing, do you have the skill, material, time and money to do this [Plot hook, When did Mr Murphy become a member of this crew? Anything that can go wrong]
9) What are the natural predators in this neck of the woods. [Plot hook, can you say animal survey. What is that one, I do not recognize it. Why have two people gone missing from the survey team?]
9) Does your colony need defense? What level of defense? How many spaceships or subs or what ever? [Plot hook, you have to decide, how much to buy/build. A threat appears, do you have enough or must you improvise]
10) How much (if any) tourism do you want. Suppose you let tourist in. What will they be allowed to do. Deep sea fishing, spearfishing, water skiing (what did I just hit?) [Plot hook, The rich high ranking noble wants to vacation, he is a big game hunter and wants to shoot everything that moves, send it to a taxidermist, Yeah a BIG SHARK! How far do you let him]
11) Are there any dangers that might be lurking? Have the survey teams found the earthquake fault, undersea volcano, bad current, etc? [Plot hook, You did not know about that fault line until it moved. Your base is damaged and what are the chances of Tsunami?]
12) What are the policies of the systems near you? Friendly, unfriendly, rich, poor, what?
13) Are the colonist prepared for medical emergencies. Normal stuff yeah? What about not normal. [Plot hook, Joe is not responding to the antibiotics. He is getting worse. Nurse is coming down with cold. Problem?]
These are just some of the ideas for the GM and players to hash out. They also will give you a good idea to look at things or areas the players can have an impact on.
I hope that helps.
John W. Fox
I just read the series of post about the planet. A few suggestions.
A) What do the players want to do? Do they want it to grow or be the Wild West underwater? Where do you see it going? Do you want it to grow or be a small community?
1) The colonist need to do a complete survey of the planet. (at least from a satellite like EROS). If they do not have the capacity to do this there needs to be some incentive to arrange for this to be done. [Plot hook, who has the skills to make/manage/interpret the data or who can negotiate for someone to survey the planet and how do you know you get all the data (oh, I will just leave that data about the platinum deposit off the report)]
2) The colonist need to start prospecting around where they now live. You could have missions to survey certain areas (above and below) the surface of the water. This also will allow you to include non-members who are working to get membership (see #4) [Plot hook, you are members of the team surveying, do you report everything(instruments say GOLD!), or maybe WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT READING?!?!?!]
3) Once they have found a mineral deposit they need to determine if it is worth mining. Do they have the skills or do they need to determine if they want to have a mining company come in and mine it and the colonist get a percentage. [Plot hook, can you say negotiation, Can you say, check the books or make sure they live up to there non-pollution clause. What if they do not]
4) There needs to be an established immigration policy. Do new people have to pay to get in? Do they have to pay some and work some? Do they have to have certain skills. What do you do about the tourist that went missing. Was he really a tourist. [Plot hook, a ship with new settlers arrives, can you prevent them (convince) from just landing. What about that guy who started to work his time off and you find out his is not wanted? Can you kick him off the planet?]
5) A difference of opinion develops with the colonist on what to do. Can you members make peace. Or are they part of the difference. [Plot hook, Maybe one of the leaders is getting paid under the table to open up the world. Can the players find the information before harm comes to the planet.]
6) Water world, lots of fish, export. How much do you want to export? Do you want to export?
7) You can not manufacture everything. How much do you want to import? How much do you want to grow you own industry (remember this can get expensive? [Plot hook, Your team has to decide, buy or develop or maybe steal from someone else?]
8) You decide to do manufacturing, do you have the skill, material, time and money to do this [Plot hook, When did Mr Murphy become a member of this crew? Anything that can go wrong]
9) What are the natural predators in this neck of the woods. [Plot hook, can you say animal survey. What is that one, I do not recognize it. Why have two people gone missing from the survey team?]
9) Does your colony need defense? What level of defense? How many spaceships or subs or what ever? [Plot hook, you have to decide, how much to buy/build. A threat appears, do you have enough or must you improvise]
10) How much (if any) tourism do you want. Suppose you let tourist in. What will they be allowed to do. Deep sea fishing, spearfishing, water skiing (what did I just hit?) [Plot hook, The rich high ranking noble wants to vacation, he is a big game hunter and wants to shoot everything that moves, send it to a taxidermist, Yeah a BIG SHARK! How far do you let him]
11) Are there any dangers that might be lurking? Have the survey teams found the earthquake fault, undersea volcano, bad current, etc? [Plot hook, You did not know about that fault line until it moved. Your base is damaged and what are the chances of Tsunami?]
12) What are the policies of the systems near you? Friendly, unfriendly, rich, poor, what?
13) Are the colonist prepared for medical emergencies. Normal stuff yeah? What about not normal. [Plot hook, Joe is not responding to the antibiotics. He is getting worse. Nurse is coming down with cold. Problem?]
These are just some of the ideas for the GM and players to hash out. They also will give you a good idea to look at things or areas the players can have an impact on.
I hope that helps.
John W. Fox
Just an observation...
From the setting, getting to Pandora is no walk in the park - the nearest majorly populated systems are 25 parsecs away - 50 days travel in the setting...
So tourism (100 day round trip) and perhaps immigration are probably gonna be hard to establish, unless the world offers something fairly unique or something is influencing a push to immigrate from interior systems.
Likewise, trade of natural resources is possibly economically prohibitive, unless something special is on offer.
Not to say that research into local resources for local consumption would go amiss - especially if something is lacking or necessary to meet future goals (like establishing a ship factory or automated agriculture or aquaculture).
So this leads to the question - what was the original motivations and/or imperatives that led to colonization in the first place?
From the setting, getting to Pandora is no walk in the park - the nearest majorly populated systems are 25 parsecs away - 50 days travel in the setting...
So tourism (100 day round trip) and perhaps immigration are probably gonna be hard to establish, unless the world offers something fairly unique or something is influencing a push to immigrate from interior systems.
Likewise, trade of natural resources is possibly economically prohibitive, unless something special is on offer.
Not to say that research into local resources for local consumption would go amiss - especially if something is lacking or necessary to meet future goals (like establishing a ship factory or automated agriculture or aquaculture).
So this leads to the question - what was the original motivations and/or imperatives that led to colonization in the first place?
rust said:
Too right.
However, a lot depends on how hard SF you're running things. Chances are that the biology of Pandora and the biology of Terra are different enough that cross predation is impossible (from a nutrition point of view - something with too many teeth may still eat you). The main problems will arise from plants or plant-equivalents that compete directly for non-biological resources (sunlight, water, oxygen, carbon, trace elements etc.) Whether the local life dominates or is overrun will hinge on the battle between the respective green stuff.
That's in a hard SF game. If you're running it with cross compatible biologies (i.e. how standard Traveller usually does) then you'll have a whole different bag of worms in both directions. Introduced species are by no means guaranteed to dominate. many colonies have failed because their crops became subject to local pressures; here in Australia the poor soils around the settlement area kept the colony in dire straits until exploration found grazing land in the interior. Pandora may find some equivalent lack of expected resources (trace minerals might be a good one. Might be a local lack of something important like Potassium).
Of course, a technic colony isn't going to fall for the same traps as an 18thC one did - they know what minerals are important and will test for them. But finding that out and searching for a solution can be a good plot point.
One thing I just thought of, rust - is Pandora the first water world colonised in the setting? If so, there are likely to be a bunch of untested theories about how it is going to go that may not be right.
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