Star System Design

Core Attributes

These are attributes that no world can do without. The goal is to have as few as possible core attributes. We can then have suggested additional attributes. What are the fundamental attributes? I define fundamental as those needed to provide macro-interactivity. They could be sub-divided, but don’t have to be.

The four attributes below fall into two general categories: Survival and Material. Gravity and Habitat both discuss the survivability of a planet. Resources and Colony both discuss material availability. Habitat and Resources when certain resources make a planet habitable. However, the two categories (Survival and Material) may be a little too generic for regular game play.

These are the fundamental attributes that are essential for game play. The goal is to be minimalist: give just enough to spark a GM. Allow individual `GMs to flesh out their own attribute list if they chose to. They can be called “meta-attributes,” and closely relate to the meta-attributes in Vanilla Fudge (i.e., Body, Mind, Soul).

There are other planetary attributes that do not factor into game play. Two come readily to mind: Size and Density.

Gravity

Gravity is a fairly self-descriptive attribute, and affects game play in three ways: hyperspace travel, near-surface travel, and survivability.

Hyperspace travel requires that a ship be more than a minimum safe distance away from a gravity body. A planet with higher gravity has a further minimum safe distance. Initiating too close incurs penalties. When the gravity is higher and the distance is closer, then naturally the penalty is higher.

Non-Hypespace Travel is affected as well. When attempting to enter/leave a planet, gravity affects the efficiency and success. When travelling on the surface, the efficiency is influenced: if you are acclimated on a Fair Gravity planet, you won’t be able to walk as far, or carry as much, on a Good Gravity planet.

Survivability relates to other situations where gravity affects game play. When you fall off a cliff, how much damage you sustains is tightly coupled with gravity. If you are acclimated on a Good Gravity planet, and fall off a cliff on a Mediocre Gravity planet, you will probably not suffer as much damage (stronger bones, maximum velocity, etc.) Also, being acclimated on a higher gravity planet than the races home planet (e.g. Terrans and Earth’s Fair Gravity) suggests you are more densely built (tougher bones) and shorter. Also, living on a higher Gravity planet affects your ability to deliver melee damage.

Limits to Gravity

Additionally, races may have limits to the range of Gravity they are able to live on for protracted periods. Perhaps not more than one level above or below their native gravity. So, a human acclimated on Earth would have issues on more than a Good Gravity planet (or less than Mediocre). A human acclimated to living on the Moon (Poor Gravity), would probably not do well on Earth (Fair Gravity). Perhaps the best soldiers come from Great Gravity planets?

Habitat

Habitat describes survivability in the natural environment. It broadly covers factors contributing to survivability such as breathable atmosphere, presence and abundance of water, natural foodstuff, protection from radiation, as well as crazy weather, suitable climate, and other natural factors. When considering Habitat, as yourself how well could a Terran, for example, survive on the surface of the planet without extensive surivival gear? This doesn’t necessarily apply to the whole planet, as even on Earth we have our more difficult areas.

This attribute interrelates more closely with other attributes. Abundant Resources, for example, suggests higher plate techtonics which reduces survivability. A Good Habitat will encourage a larger Colony. Also, when certain resources make a planet more habitable, the Habitat trait level is use to determine availability.

These factors are not all inclusive, but representative. Regions on any given planet are commonly as much as two levels above or below the planet’s general level.

Colony

Colony generally describes the size of a sentient population on the planet, as well as the availability of fabricated goods and specialty professions. Do you need a preplacement hyperdrive or a computer psychiatrist? You’re more likely to find either or both on a planet with a higher Colony. When multiple sentient aliens co-habitate, then there may be multiple Colony attributes, one for each species.

Below is a sample of how Colony generally speaks to population size. Older settlements are more likely to have higher Colony scores; although it is possible to have a smaller population but still have a higher availability of goods or specialists.

Resources

Resources affects the ability to acquire natural, raw material. It suggests a higher level of geological turn over, which may reduce survivability (see Habitat). So, for example, if you need a certain quantity of bauxite, and the planet has Good Resources, then there’s a Good chance you’ll find it in a timely fashion. Resource affects the presence, quantity, and availability of a material.

With Earth as a baseline, for each level above Fair, it sould reasonably be said that a material is either more likely to be present, more of it, or easier to reach. Superb Resources may mean that there’s a lot of what you’re looking for everywhere you look. Great may mean there is an exotic element, and a lot of it, but you’ll have to work to harvest it, or that there is an exotic element that is easy to reach, but not much of it.

Sample Planet Squibs

Example(s):

Attributes and Other Sentient Life

Of course, this all seems a little too Terran specific. It is not, but Terrans are what we are, so it is easiest to use our common frame of reference. What if you have another sentient species? How do they fit into it?

Well, there is a bit of a kink, but not much. I will start with a sample planet

This is how we describe a planet that is not so habitable to humans, but is habitable to another sentient species. Factors that make a planet habitable for one species may not make it habitable for another. When it is relevant to discuss a planet in light of more than one Habitat or Colony, then list the differences in attributes. Of course, before a planet’s habitat can be determined, the species’ needs must be developed.

Or, one where two species are likely to conflict.

Initially written.

– ~BenWilson - 07 Dec 2004

Cleaned up, clarified, and reorganized.

– ~BenWilson - 09 Dec 2004

Tweaked

– ~JohnUghrin - 10 Dec 2004

System Name: Gravity: Level
Resources: Level Habitat: Level Colony: Level Squib: