RE: Technobabblers...

reetings,

	I must confess, my original post to the mailing list probably
sounded a bit more official than it should have.  Just business habits,
I
guess.	Anyway, here's the scoop on what I'm doing:

I'm creating a science fiction setting.

	You're probably asking, "A setting for what?  A game?  A book? A
movie?"  Well, none of the above, and yet, any of the above.  :o)  I
enjoy
setting creation.  I feel a good setting can be licensed into about any
medium one wants.  (Think Star Wars)  for the moment, I have no idea
what I
want to do with this setting.  I am currently using it with the
StarGrunt II
rules, and will probably write short stories for it also.  I'd love it
if it
became a role-playing game and/or miniatures game, but for now, I'm
concentrating on the actual setting, and we'll see what comes of it.

	That having been said, let me give you some details on my
universe...

It is in the far future, in the same galaxy as Earth.  How far in the
future
is unknown.  In fact, the people of my universe know nothing about
Earth,
even though they came from there long, long ago.  At the moment, I have
only
humans, though I'm not closed to the idea of aliens out there.	My main
idea
is that as soon as FTL travel became available, humans expanded, setting
up
star nations and/or a large star empire (at the point in the story where
I
am, it would make no difference).  Then something happened, and they
lost
FTL.  I know, it sounds crazy, but that's what I need to happen for my
setting to work.  I need an explanation of how the original FTL travel
was
lost/destroyed/whatever.  The part I have begun detailing is twelve
stars at
the very center of the galaxy.	A new form of FTL was invented which
travels
along jump-lines that connect the stars (or other spots in space, though
almost always it's a star system).  These twelve stars are set in a
circle
(both according to the jump-lines and real-space), and in the center, at
the
very center of the galaxy, is a dead planet.  A ball of condensed metal
and
minerals.  As all twelve stars discovered their new FTL at around the
same
time, and the first jump-line to be opened was that to the Center, war
broke
out over ownership of this sphere.  Eventually peace came, and the
twelve
"Orbs" formed the Inner Ring Imperialist Commonwealth, with the center
planet as the capital (cities have been built both above and below
ground,
even though there is no atmosphere), calling it Pax Imperium, or "Peace
of
the Empire".  Now the Commonwealth expands outwards, though the twelve
Orbs
(sort of like both noble houses and ruling states) fight, both openly
and
covertly.  In addition to the politics of the Commonwealth, there is the
discovery of new worlds and perhaps even other human groups, which may
still
be confined to their planets, or might be mighty star nations.

Ok, now you probably think I'm a nut, and I'm aware that there are
probably
a ton of errors in my thinking, both scientifically and sociologically,
but
tell me what you think anyway.	Are you interested in technobabbling for
some of my technologies?  (magnetic acceleration guns, plasma weapons,
FTL,
maybe grav technology, etc.)  Let me know what you think.

God bless,
- Buddy

-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Rutherford [mailto:rick@esr.com]
Sent: Monday, May 17, 1999 8:54 AM
To: gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu
Cc: 'buddy@drfloppy.com'
Subject: RE: Technobabblers...

Hi there,

So... what's up?

-- Rick

-----Original Message-----
From: Buddy Chamberlain
To: gzg-l@CSUA.Berkeley.EDU
Sent: 5/13/99 4:03 PM
Subject: Technobabblers...

Hey all,

    I couldn't help but notice the several "technobabblers" that came
out of hiding on the "Name the Doodad..." thread.  (Notably Mr.
Rutherford
and Mr. Anderson)  Well, if you really enjoy coming up with
official-sounding fictitious items, I might need your help.  Drop me an
email at buddy@drfloppy.com (my non-list account) and I'll tell you
more.

God bless,
- Buddy