News Feature Requests Update #3- We’re not Alone
- Thread starter Ashley Barley
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Yeah, yeah... it's been said before.
Of course using the relgious references. The Braben has spoken and large chunks of the darkwheel including the section mentioned have been declared false. Even oolite (and most fanfiction) has gone for a more frontier like version of FTL travel.
Thanks for the update
Do the Math's
I think it’s a little single minded to only have two intelligent civilizations in elite.
if you do the maths with the current knowledge of terrestrial planets (those that have a solid surface) that have been discovered since 2000 and only using the human race as a variable the odds add up to possibly 12,000 sentient civilizations in our own galaxy, if you then do the math’s buy adding thargoids and humans then you can be talking millions of sentient civilizations.
I think it’s a little single minded to only have two intelligent civilizations in elite.
if you do the maths with the current knowledge of terrestrial planets (those that have a solid surface) that have been discovered since 2000 and only using the human race as a variable the odds add up to possibly 12,000 sentient civilizations in our own galaxy, if you then do the math’s buy adding thargoids and humans then you can be talking millions of sentient civilizations.
Ian Phillips
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But does your maths include the time window? ie: 2 - 3 thousand years. What is the probability of one or more sentient civilizations existing at the same time?
It must have been calculated by someone ?
Why would sentient life only exist for that length of time? our civilisations have lasted FAR longer than that, and I would suggest mankind has been sentient since long before the invention of writing..
Well the fact that we have thargoid and human means that the odds of life at all levels are multiplied by thousands. Sure life would have come and gone in the existence of the galaxy but that doesn’t mean that only 2 civilizations exist during the elite timeline. Math's say that life is abundant in the Galaxy.
You could use the same logic to argue that there must be dozens of sentient species on Earth 
Besides, only a tiny portion of the galaxy has been explored in the game.
Besides, only a tiny portion of the galaxy has been explored in the game.
It has been calculated, but even with the data we have now the results are pretty meaningless. I think it is called the Drake equation or formula? :S
Anyways depending on what variables you feed in, the result could range from us being completely alone to there being 100's of millions of populated planets.
TBH, I have always been happy with the relatively sparsely populated galaxy of Elite. It always felt a little more eerie.
Anyways depending on what variables you feed in, the result could range from us being completely alone to there being 100's of millions of populated planets.
TBH, I have always been happy with the relatively sparsely populated galaxy of Elite. It always felt a little more eerie.
You could use the same logic to argue that there must be dozens of sentient species on Earth
Some days I'm still not entirely convinced there are dozens of sentient people right here on earth.
im with you on being sparsely populated what with 300 billion stars in the milkyway i would think that at least 200 billion stars have solar systems and possibly 100 billion of them with terrestrial planets that would still mean that even if only 0.5% of them had life of some description on them you still would be looking at 500 million planets with life. not counting the humans and thargoids
I think the concept of seeding a different mix of alien threats is fantastic idea.
100 billion stars -the fact of the matter is - the ALLURE of danger of exploring a galaxy COUPLED with rewards makes any game (or real world for that matter) instantly become electrifying.
I can imagine a scenario of "rumours" of a system infected with a "beast like" lifeform (Homeworld: Cataclysm). The parasitic Viral nature of this entity is so omniscient - that only the bravest (or craziest) pilot or miner would dare to attempt exploring or mining this system. The reward of such a venture itself would be discovery of modules or minerals unique to this system - something that attracted the lifeform in the first place perhaps?
The trick would be once you got something - the lifeform would do anything in its power to prevent you from taking what is basically - its!!
Permutation of such threats (i dont like calling it easter eggs - this is more like a terrifying lore of Elite) across the galaxy would add a huge refresher from the more "familiar" political-banditry of the universe that we're familiar with.
100 billion stars -the fact of the matter is - the ALLURE of danger of exploring a galaxy COUPLED with rewards makes any game (or real world for that matter) instantly become electrifying.
I can imagine a scenario of "rumours" of a system infected with a "beast like" lifeform (Homeworld: Cataclysm). The parasitic Viral nature of this entity is so omniscient - that only the bravest (or craziest) pilot or miner would dare to attempt exploring or mining this system. The reward of such a venture itself would be discovery of modules or minerals unique to this system - something that attracted the lifeform in the first place perhaps?
The trick would be once you got something - the lifeform would do anything in its power to prevent you from taking what is basically - its!!
Permutation of such threats (i dont like calling it easter eggs - this is more like a terrifying lore of Elite) across the galaxy would add a huge refresher from the more "familiar" political-banditry of the universe that we're familiar with.
It's possible that a lot of civilisations stalled or burned out. For example they might have had lots of religious leaders telling them that looking at the stars was heresy or senators saying funding space research is a waste of money and people were stupid enough to not protest (probably because the Cup/Bowl final was on and they had more important things to do)
The universe might be littered with Easter Islands - sad, lifeless remnants of civilations that were so insular, unimaginative and slavishly dogmatic that they let their own growth and demand for resources outpace their capacity to innovate. For a potential example see 3rd planet, Sol, on the edge of what the locals refer to as the Milky Way galaxy.
The universe might be littered with Easter Islands - sad, lifeless remnants of civilations that were so insular, unimaginative and slavishly dogmatic that they let their own growth and demand for resources outpace their capacity to innovate. For a potential example see 3rd planet, Sol, on the edge of what the locals refer to as the Milky Way galaxy.
What??
Witch Space is really, really simple to understand. I understood it when I was 8 yrs old playing on a rubber-keyed Spectrum!
This is how I understand/understood it:
Witch Space is the area of space somewhere between "normal" space and Hyperspace and is entered for the very briefest of moments when entering and exiting Hyperspace. It is a very disorientating "place" since there are no Stars - only an inky black void of nothingness...
It is unavoidable and is an integral part of travelling to other Star Systems, of Hyperspace.
The Thargoids, however, having technology so far advanced as to appear magical, are able suspend themselves actually "in" Witch Space - thus affording them the opportunity to ensnare (with more exotic technology) unsuspecting Hyperspace travellers...
Once trapped in Witch Space by Thargoids the only way to escape would be to destroy them and the alien technology that was "locking" one's Ship in Witch Space with them.
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Witch Space
Well, when it comes up I will argue vehemently for the inclusion of witch space in ED.
It adds so much to the gameplay, atmosphere, backstory, immersion, tension... and takes away what?
It was the main feature that I missed in Frontier and FFE. I can live with it not being in ED but the forums will have to come up with something completely unexpected to convince me it isn't a bad idea to leave it out of ED.
Well, when it comes up I will argue vehemently for the inclusion of witch space in ED.
It adds so much to the gameplay, atmosphere, backstory, immersion, tension... and takes away what?
It was the main feature that I missed in Frontier and FFE. I can live with it not being in ED but the forums will have to come up with something completely unexpected to convince me it isn't a bad idea to leave it out of ED.
Plus 1000!!
I'd like to land on Venus like planets with sulfuric acid atmospheres, and only have a certain amount of time to conduct my 'business'!!
Brian
No Witchspace in an Elite game? Blasphemers! That was a big part of the original Elite; you never knew when making a jump if you wouldn't be ambushed by the Thargoids.
Witchspace would have made a great game mechanic: after ambush by the Thargoids (and assuming you survived it), you'd find yourself somewhere far from your intended jump destination. Ok, I'm now officially bummed out..
Witchspace would have made a great game mechanic: after ambush by the Thargoids (and assuming you survived it), you'd find yourself somewhere far from your intended jump destination. Ok, I'm now officially bummed out..
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