Custom systems

[Spiffor]

Thanks guys for the comments!
I'll keep in mind the mod.zip, will be easier to publish and show off :p

Right now, I'll try that Github thing. Have my computer all set-up for githubbery, so I might as well try this new toy ;)

Next system might add up to the lore :
The way I see the solar federation is similar to imperial, early 20th century Britain (without monarchy or nobility) :

• democratic but not too much

• quite conservative

• and very keen to have its colonies and free systems contribute to the greatness of Sol

For example, SolFed's politicians, their titles, their way to talk, could very well be inspired by the Houses of Parliament.
I'll paint my next description - an existing SolFed industrial system - with this in mind.

Any comments welcome!

[Spiffor]

Update : I've packaged my systems into a mod file : spiffor_systems.zip. I've also edited the first post, so that it keeps up to date.

Here's my third custom system. All comments are welcome!

61 Cygni / Cennet

Short description : Failed terraformed world

Long description:
"Terraforming gone wrong": these words describe well planet Eden, its runaway greenhouse gases, its scorching heat, its unbreathable atmosphere. But these words don’t begin to capture the spirit of its people.
Back in 2317, as they disembarked from colony ship « Enlightenment » after nearly 30 years of a slower-than-light journey, the first settlers knew there would be no such thing as outside help. They had to turn their icy planet into an habitable one, and were confident it would become the lush paradise Earth ceased to be.
As things went wrong, Eden’s citizens witnessed their world turning slowly into the scorching hell it is today. In order to survive their new environment, they radically embraced genetic engineering. Besides creating plant species, they also massively engineered the human body, thus breaking an almost universal taboo.
When hyperdrive technology reached 61 Cygni in the 27th century, Eden’s people stopped being desperate for survival, and the system resumed an ordinary development. However, three centuries of isolation have shaped society until today : mankind is quite different here than anywhere else in the galaxy. And only here does the Solar Federation tolerate an exception to its ban on human genetic engineering.
Nowadays, the system is a hotspot for gene-fashionistas (green skin and horns are all the rage right now), and hosts many private or government-run research facilities. Tourists are commonplace too, enjoying the sights of this world, so exotic yet so close.

[WKFO]

That's pretty nice IMO.

[Spiffor]

New system done :)

As usual, any comments are welcome! The system has been fully tested and should work without problems by downloading the spiffor_systems.zip modfile to your \pioneer\mods folder.

Delta Eridani / Stenheim

Faction : CIW.
Short description : Social democratic mining colony

Names are based on Norse mythology (bodies) and various utopias (starports)

Long description:
"How will I pay my oxygen bill ?" This question is as old as the colonization of the Moon a thousand years ago. On most airless planets across the Galaxy, people are individually responsaible for their air, and usually live and work in small cubicles as to avoid waste. Only monuments and luxury buildings offer vast, breathable areas.
Air poverty has been an important problem for ages, and civilizations have come up with many answers : some left their poor die of air deprivation, others encouraged charity, gave ration coupons, or opened public bunkhouses.
But the Commonwealth of Independent Worlds took a radical approach : in most CIW systems, air is a free commodity for everyone. This policy may sound obvious to anyone living on an outdoor world, but it does make a world of difference for airless planets like the ones around Delta Eridani.
The cities here are built according to the "Sub-Terran" architecture : vast underground volumes, usually former quarries and mines, provide a public space surrounded by subterranean buildings. People only have to open their windows to renew their air, enjoy the artificial sunlight or the collectively-set temperature. These public areas also sport colourful parks, fountains, swimming pools etc.
As a result, cities around Delta Eridani often rank among the most pleasant places to live in the Galaxy. However, to enjoy life here, one also has to "enjoy" sharing space with the crowd, abiding to strict anti-pollution regulation, and paying especially high taxes.

Edit : renamed the alt-name to "Stenheim", to make it sound less Fantasy than the first idea (used to be "Svartalfheim")

[impaktor]

"some left their poor die" -> "let" or "poor to die"

My main input is that I don't like the name "Svartalfheim", too much fantasy with the "svartalf"-part.

The cities here are built according to the "Sub-Terran" architecture : vast underground volumes, usually former quarries and mines, provide a public space surrounded by subterranean buildings.

This makes me think of Asimov, who referred to this sort of habitat as "steel caves" or "caves of steel", in the novel with that title. Maybe something you want to throw in? "... quarries and mines forming steel caves of human haibtats"? You decide if you like it, I'm just throwing ideas, feel free to ignore.

Hmm, OK having read your full description to end, I guess "steel cave" gives a more claustrophobic impression, where as this world is large and high on volume, so my suggestion might be something for another future system.

Speaking of future system, I thought "Nimis" might be a name one could use for some future system, it's a large structure built of drift wood in Sweden, making up the fake nation of "Ladonia" [1].

I have a list of names to use for systems from mythology, or sci-fi, literature, that I've collected over the years, but I've never had the motivation to hand craft systems, plus I don't write as good back stories as you.

More name-inspiration from my reading today: "The Panic of 1825 was a stock market crash that started in the Bank of England, arising in part out of speculative investments in Latin America, including the imaginary country of Poyais." [2]

[1]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladonia_(micronation)

[2]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panic_of_1825

[Spiffor]

Thank you for your comment :)

I'll edit the pull request about the mistake "left their poor to die".

As to the name Svartalfheim, I have mixed feelings.

On the one hand, it is completely consistent with the other names : all bodies are named after actual Norse mythology : the gas giants are minor deities, and the terrestrial planets are dwarves. In Norse mythology, Svartalfheim is the underground city of the dwarves, which is really fitting with the system's concept.

On the other hand, Svartalfheim does sound like fantasy, much more than other mythologic places like Olympus, Hades, or even Asgard. Before coining the system, I've never heard about it, and I understand it kinda sticks as a sore thumb in Pioneer's setting.Espacially as my system's description doesn't explain where the names come from.

What would you think of the alt name Stenheim? "Sten" means "rock" in Norwegian. Sounds scandinavian enough without being too much fantasy.

Thanks for the links, read with interest. If you wish, please share your list of names, they'll be of great interest for my future systems !

[Spiffor]

New system done :)

As usual, any comments are welcome! The system has been fully tested and should work without problems by downloading the spiffor_systems.zip modfile to your \pioneer\mods folder.

Lacaille 8760 / Ayizan

Faction : SolFed.
Short description : Impoverished outdoor world
Names are based on Haitian lore (Bodies are Haitian vodou spirits, and starports are named after real Haitian personalities or locations)

Long description:
Founded in 2312 by colony ship "Sunflower", Ayizan hosts one of the oldest human settlements of the space age. Gifted with planet Damballa’s lush vegetation, plentiful air and generous oceans, colonists thrived and established a successful civilization.
Following the teachings of philosopher Zephirin "Peace with our world, peace with ourselves", the citizens of Ayizan avoided strife and environmental damage often seen in other pre-hyperdrive colonies. They even kept all the planets in their system united behind their unique consitution.
When Sol used the new hyperspace technology to claim control over its former colonies in the 27th century, the Ayizans resisted bitterly what they saw as a leap back to the Dark Ages. Vastly overpowered, its government surrendered. However the armed forces turned into a guerilla, which succesfully struck even on Earth.
Ever since, the Solar Federation aimed to undermine economic and popular support for the Ayizan "terrorists". To that effect, the Federation enforced a brutal colonial rule and deterred economic development.
This strict policy did result in turning Ayizan into the impoverished system it is now, providing the Federation with cheap food, consumer goods and workforce.
While Sol loosened its rule a few decades ago as a side effect of the detente between the Federation and the Commonwealth, the secessionist mood among the population and the diaspora remains especially high, the guerilla is active to this day.

[WKFO]

I guess this summarises the fight between Feds and CIW.

[impaktor]

Names are based on Haitian lore (Bodies are Haitian vodou spirits, and starports are named after real Haitian personalities or locations)

Could you please add this as a comment in the lua-file? It could be good, if we one day have people in that system have Haitian(?) names.

If you wish, please share your list of names, they'll be of great interest for my future systems !

I've been thinking of just as a goof, to have a system in honor of Doom / John Romero and John Carmack. I.e. just that two of the ports have their names, and maybe a planet named "Hell". Or maybe they should be on Phobos in Sol system? :D "training ground of the Sol Fed space marines"? Maybe a station named after "William Blazkowicz", the protagonist of Wolfenstein 3D, as well, in the same system, so it's also Id Software.

Below is a selection of some of the names I've written down for future use. Feel free to use them. (although I suspect "Solaris" might be trade mark or something).

Here are some names from Stanislaw Lem's universe:

Code: Select all

Altair
Astral federation
Fomalhaut
Tarantoga
Solaris
Thuban
Folda, Follux, Folchos
Areklandria (planet)
Lumeon
Enteroptos (planet)
Stroglon

Misc.

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Turoldus
Azote         (Greek for lifeless, used to be the name for nitrogen)
Serenia       (from Sierra's first IBM game "Adventures in Serenia")
Ambrose       (a saint)
Aurora / Auroris
New Tellus
Caspia        (like the sea)
Xelaphais     (respelling, from Lovecraft's Celaphais)
Keprica       (respelling,from BSG Caprica)
Luxia / Luxor (from latin)
Sunnan        (Old Norse for "south")
Ebal          (a mountain)
Igdrus        (anglification of yggdrasil of mythology)
Idun          (norse mythology)

EDIT: Also, the famous astronomer Tycho Brahe called his home/castle "Uranienborg", and I think the park next to it "Stjerneborg" ("star castle"), and the (then danish) island called "Hven". Would be nice to take inspiration from him for a space game. "Tycho Brahe city"?

[FluffyFreak]

I've merged the existing PR, decided not to bump the savegame for now and just kinda hope that we get away with it... *finger-crossed*

I like the direction that all of this is going in too.