Random SF Links

[BigJackBrass]

4 hours ago, tkdguy said:

The store of the future?

What a grim vision of the future that is 🙁

[Asperion]

3 hours ago, BigJackBrass said:

What a grim vision of the future that is 🙁

 

It depends upon the POV you are using. From the business,  it's great since it reduces expenses and increases income.  However,  from the POV of the employee and consumer,  it is a complete loss since it remove the entry position that people need to start their careers,  makes it harder for micro corporations to hold even with the megas (so the only company that has ANY potential to challenge the mega is another mega).There will be no ability for people to get their initial experience in any field (management,  accounting, travel, trade, what ever field). I am afraid of several decades away as those in the field now are either dying or retiring with no people to take over. 

[tkdguy]

It has been implemented in one university. I first heard about this concept the other day in this report.

 

I have wondered about hackers getting into the system.

[tkdguy]

Will these robots see everyday use in the near future?

 

 

 

Spoiler

Am I wrong in thinking the Capricorn robot can be used for lightsaber jousting if they can increase the speed?  

 

[tkdguy]

Alongside robots will be AI. Here are some possible advantages and disadvantages.

 

 

[tkdguy]

My reactions ranged from "let's do it" to "oh hell, no!"

 

 

[tkdguy]

 

[tkdguy]

Is establishing a colony on Mars a bad idea? This video gives a few reasons why.

 

Warning: not linked directly because of the occasional swear word.

[tkdguy]

 

[tkdguy]

 

[tkdguy]

The "guns in space" trope is divisive. Some folks hate it; others (like me) like it. But here's more info on the pros and cons of using kinetic energy weapons in space combat.

 

 

[tkdguy]

From railguns to space elevators. I wish this channel had been around when I was developing my hard SF campaign.

 

 

[tkdguy]

Why are retreating and surrendering rarely used in space battles?

 

 

I find this a bit strange. In my starship combat games, retreating and surrendering were definitely options. Kamikaze attacks by ramming the enemy ship and self destructing the ship to avoid capture were not. Part of my main character's backstory was that he spent time as a POW after surrendering during a battle.

[Scott Ruggels]

Sounds like they never played Traveller. Having a ship was like having a leased Mercedes. You calculated very carefully if you would run, fight, or surrender. I remember a Vargr pirate captain who after emptying out the cargo hold of the player’s ship. He complimented the Good manners of the player Captain and told the player crew that if he killed the crew, it would cause a disruption in traffic, and if he killed too many, or wrecked too many ships, the authorities would come for them, and he knew what happened to the Red Vargr. (Almost extinct at this point). The players haaaaated this guy because he would zero their potential profits, and it caused them to move to a different sector, but they still had their ship and lives.  They never did figure out that the port fuel handlers were the pirate spies. 

[tkdguy]

In all fairness, this is mainly based on television and cinema, and maybe in novels. This is mainly intended for science fiction writers, not gamers. But I have seen a few players acting as if their ships were crewed by Romulans and choose to blow up their ships to avoid surrender or capture.

[Scott Ruggels]

1 hour ago, tkdguy said:

In all fairness, this is mainly based on television and cinema, and maybe in novels. This is mainly intended for science fiction writers, not gamers. But I have seen a few players acting as if their ships were crewed by Romulans and choose to blow up their ships to avoid surrender or capture.

Well every player I’ve known haaaates having their characters confined or captured. Champions GM always lament this, but the players don’t change.  Mature plays s will acquiesce, but then will bitch. Less mature players will cause problems. So they would prefer to g out like Kamikazes. This brings the biggest difference between literature and games.  

[Cancer]

Especially in a sci-fi setting, capture --> earworm (or other form of de facto Borgdom/zombiedom/mind control/interruption of control, be it detectable or not) seems inevitable. 

 

On a big ship I won't insist on a kamikaze run, but disintegrating everything north of the character's vocal cords is absolutely going to happen.  I recognize the reaction is not rational, but it's there.

[Cancer]

Ships connected by string relativity paradox worked out, perhaps comprehensibly

[tkdguy]

 

[tkdguy]

Here's some classic science fiction:

 

 

[tkdguy]

 

[tkdguy]

If Classic Doctor Who hadn't been cancelled in 1989, this is what we might have seen:

 

 

[tkdguy]

Another what if scenario for Doctor Who:

 

 

[tkdguy]

 

[tkdguy]

This space battle looks like something that would appear in my hard sf campaign. It's definitely influenced by The Expanse.