• The word of the world boss is final.

• If you want to do something that is not covered in the world description - ask. Propose your idea and wait for a decision. If you assume something and later someone else proposes an alternative idea you may loose.

• If there is an area in which you want to contribute just do it. If there are ideas or proposals already posted add your idea. If there are none then you get to go first. Keep ypur additions close to the discussion. Don't put it all at the bottom of the page.

• Sign your contirbutions. Cut and paste the signature at the bottom - DaveK - 19 Jun 2004

How does the communication between the ship(s), earth, and other ships work? Is there communication? This relates to the discussion on [Faster Than Light Travel (FTL)?]

• I remember some interview with an old SF writer about the time of the first Apollo landing. He was commenting that all the SF stories of a first lunar landing assumed that the people on earth would not know if it was a success until the ship returned. There he was watching a TV picture of the first step. So I assume that the ship will be in communication with earth for the entire trip. We have already decide that there would be no FTL communication. -- Main.DaveK - 25 Jun 2004

What is the size and number of ships on the mission?

• I would think at least two ships would be sent. Unless this is some secret mission that would be stopped by the government. I would think the ships would be sent only a few days apart. Bit if the ships are extremely expensive than only one would be sent. We only sent one to the moon but Columbus took three. I supose it depends on how reliable the ship is expected to be. Maybe two to different destinations but they fly together for the first few years. --EmptyKube - 24 Jun 2004 ---

• How many ships depends on what sort of mission this is suppossed to be. If we have trip duartions in the thousands or millions of years I can easily envision multiple ships losing not only contact with, but knowledge of each other. --EmptyKube - 24 Jun 2004 ---

What diseases if any are found on these ships? Epidemics would be worrisome.

Do the genetic changes involved in the evolution cause new medical problems?

• I would argue that these two issues could be dealt with in stories and that we do not yet need to make an executive decision. Within a story, if a disease/evolutional genetic problem affects the "crew" than we can discuss those issues based on the story idea itself, and if the idea fits into the Universe or needs to be altered. Why close this off now? These points, IMO, are not as essential to the Universe as say, type of ship(s), FTL, and first departure date. -- CmAmidon - 22 Jun 2004

• I agree. These are listed for completeness. At some time someone will write a story and need some of this information. Maybe the character enters a room and sneezes. The author should put an entry under the "Have all diseases been cured?" topic that at least the common cold has not been cured or maybe it is allergies. But as you think of something (question or answer) put it down. -- DaveK - 23 Jun 2004

Similar to AI, but with animals.

• I think this should fall under the same catefory as [AI?]. As there are no sentient animals (that we know) on the planet today, I don't think we should extrapolate them into the future, at least, not at launch. Once an author's ship leavs the Sol System, feel free to develop this as you see fit. Other thoughts? --Camidon 4/30/06

How far should we extrapolate this current technology?

• This also depends on how soon the ship leaves. My estimate is that we will have the rudimentary stages, maybe early research, say second generation (assuming that today is first generation)? -- EmptyKube - 31 Jul 2004

• But what are the capabilities. See the note at the begining under Background as to why I think these need to be discussed and decided on. -- DaveK - 01 Aug 2004

Mined in space or created by unlimited power?

• I think we've decided on using an asteroid as the source for the material for the ship. WHat I was asking here was does the ship carry all the material it needs or can it synthesise what it needs by the use of power? -- DaveK - 19 Jun 2004

Is it allowed? How much can it accelerate the evolution on the ship?

• If the trip is to take only ten generations or so then gene engineering will be needed. -- DaveK - 22 Jul 2004 03:50:59

• This depends on how soon the trip starts, and the overall technology level of the surruonding society the story takes place in. I would say we need some, but for the extended centuries (or milenia) long trip we will need less direct engineering. -- EmptyKube - 31 Jul 2004 15:15:02

• I would say that the trip starts when genetic engineering has reached the stage that we need it to be in for the story. It can also develop during the trip. -- DaveK - 01 Aug 2004 03:11:56

• I will donate my power source to the project. It is a micro black hole surronded by a spherical reflector. Micro black holes evaporate at a rate inversly proportional to their size. The energy comes out as photons with a thermal distribution corresponding to the temperature of the hole. It is esentially total conversion of matter to energy. To slow it down you add more mass. The nearly perfect mirror is needed to redirect the energy back into the hole so it doesn't explode. It could be used as the reaction engine by gathering the interstellar gases and expelling them at a high temperature. Sort of like a Bussard ram jet but with a different heat source. The draw back is that it is heavy, the mass does not provide and shielding, and it is unstable. Ignore it, it shrinks, more energy comes out and then it explodes. All in all a great power source for a SF story. I haven't done the math on this yet. --DaveK