OOC: Casting call; Nebula One

[Quiet_Cool]

If you're interested in the Nebula idea from the New threads sign up list thread, sign your name here...we'll put on the finishing touches and get the thread underway...

 

[PmTick]

I'm interested but I'm going away in a couple days so I'm going to wait until I get back next week to post a character.

 

[Guest]

I'm In

'nuff said.

 

[poohlive]

Do you want people to take on roles in the other races?
NPC evil villans would be nice, but there's also that chance of people taking things out of control. That, and it's more fun to role play against someone.
I have a question about plot, will we be then sort of cast down on the planet, and have to fight for it against the other creatures? Survival type thing?

 

[Quiet_Cool]

yes and no

(to poohlive, yes and no, that is)
Basically, if you want to be another race, we can probably find a way to set it up. Bieng as the other two races would probably be bad guys each in their own way, we can always add more races, possibly some that we've found on other planets in our solar system. Say, beings that live on Pluto, or Saturn, or even Martians, who will face the same fate as the sun dies, and wish to expand into space to the Orion Nebula as well. That leaves openings for many types of characters, so long as we donb't overkill with it. I almost hate to do that, given the commodities of overkill often displayed here, but it does leave some good options for more effective players, and options of who we can and cannot be. We might want to consider making the tall and lanky from one planet and the short and fat from another, and possibly making plain old everyday humans still in mass of Earth itself. Just a thought, and perhaps a bad one, but I figured you guys could be the judge of that. Ideas on this?
As far as what will happen on the surface, I was thinking (just thinking) that we might want to start off by introducing the characters at take-off, giving us the chance to do some space travelling and exploring en route. That would mean that planning so far as to the landing and colonization might be something that should wait for its turn. If we have nothing much going on in space, we can rush them to the planet's surface and start with the creatures you mentioned then. If what happens in space carries on well for a while, we might want to put off the surface creatures until they're needed. Basically, I mean we can make that call when, or if, we need to.
Anyway, I thought I'd post the run-down I had on the "new thread" thread, so if anyone new looks this over, they'll know what's going on. If you already know, you may as well stop here.
Let's run it down real quick...two different types of characters, the thin tall and lanky, and the short and fat. They are headed to another planet in the Orion Nebula, a budding star system, where they are to colonize another planet to support human life to be transplanted from Earth. Their technology cannot move them through space unless they have botha reciever and a transmitter stationed at either end, meaning they cannot "beam" without having colonized first, then they can use technology to transfer life from Earth to the new planet. We can have characters on either Earth, or in space.
The competition in this one is either the Insect, or the reptile men...how about, we make them both the bad guys, wanting to destroy humankind for reasons unknown. I have an idea of what we can do with this after we get started, if you don't mind me surprising everyone.

 

[poohlive]

IF we are having the tall/short creatures somewhat evil, then why are they searching for another planet in the Nebula that can support life on Earth? Wouldn't they want to find a planet that would support their own life?
Or, do you want to do something different. Do we need two planets to colonize here, one for the humans, and another for something else. If they are bad guys, or at least evil in their own way, then why would they want to help us?
I understand the evil insect things, but not quite sure how the other aliens fit into the picture.

 

[Guest]

Okay, let's see how well I can say what I want to say. I apologize if I start to ramble. I do tend to do that sometimes.


1) I agree that we should start just before launch or just AT launch. Possibly launch the ship from a space station in orbit of Earth. Launching from Earth is a waste of fuel and space.

2) IF we're going to have Multiple races from various planets on the ship, they can be different, but I wouldn't make any of them EVIL. Maybe have EVIL characters, but not an evil race.

This does not exclude the idea that one or more of these races is USING this Escape project for their own means.
IE: Work with the other races, get to the new planet. Set up the transmitter/reciever and then, and only then, turn on the other races and try to dominate the NEW planet while stranding the other races back on their own homeworlds to die. Space politics... It's a killer!!

3) I wouldn't have NORMAL humans still running around. If the sun is about to destroy the planet, the surface of the planet would be largly scorched and unsurvivable. Therefore, most inhabitants would have moved underground or into space. Possibly those who are short and fat would be the Earthers. Time and evolution have made them smaller(Dwarf like) from living underground for many generations. And then make those who are tall and skinny those who chose to live in space or possibly on the dark side of the moon. Over the years these people evolved to better live in their enviroment.

The two races(?) would still have contact and be friendly, but would have different methods and ideas about how things should be done. When this escape mission was planned, both people, (Dwarf and spacer) worked to accomplish it and both sent people figuring they could make up for each others weaknesses. The spacers know about space, the dwarves know about soil, plants, minerals, mining and such. The spacers would, for the most part, be the crew of this ship. If wanted, people could play a character on the ship and another back on or above the Earth.

4) If people want to play other races, from other planets. First, as I said above, make them all reasonably friendly. Second, the spacers could have made contact with these aliens and facing the same problem, they formed an alliance and ALL worked on this escape project together.

If we do this, I would limit the number of space races. And be very specific about what they are capable of. Someone from Jupiter would be large and bulky, due to the excess gravity on that planet and could lift four or five times what a human of today could do. Otherwise, we'll end up with Supermen in space.

Just a few ideas. Let me know what you think.

 

[chewbacca71]

If you all want me to, I will take control of the evil race of insects, the Thranx. I am pretty familiar with AD Fosters work, so it will be no problem. I hate to see them evil, but if that is what you want than that is fine.

Chewey

 

[poohlive]

Well, they don't have to be EVIL evil. It could be a misunderstanding of some sorts. The humans are invading your space, and you try to reason with them, but when they try to shake hands you take it as an act of hatred, and now are protecting yourself from the evil humans.
Or... even better, a group of radical humans a couple hundred years ago, spotted a few of your space ships, and decided to blow them up, before they tried to enslave the human race, so the insects have been seeking revenge for their fallen comrades all this time.
Misunderstood circumstances are so much better than simply evil. Put a story behind the hatred, that's what I say.


How true to science are we going to be? I saw earlier that someone said there would be a group of aliens from Jupiter? Jupiter is nothing but a ball of gas, there's absolutely no ground on it. That goes for most of the outter planets: Neptune, Uranus.
Of course, we don't have to be so techincal about it, we could just say that it's really a planet, and then put things out there. I was wondering, we will be dealing with a lot of science things, how truthful are we going to be?

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Okay, clarification (thus far) and about these ideas.

Good thoughts, and I apparently misspoke, or wasn't too clear.
First off, as far as the two races, thin and fat, being evil, my thoughts were basically just that they might not both be from Earth, not that both, or either, would be evil. So long as they live in this Solar System, they'd be in the same danger as humans, given that the sun's intense heat would make life unlivable on those planets that wouldn't be destroyed by the red giant phase of its life.
As far as what Doffy suggested:
1) take off it is, we'll start at or just before launch, whatever tickles our fancy at the moment, unless anyone else objects.
2) AS far as an evil race, poohlive said it best (he usually does say it best, or at least very well). They shouldn't be justblatantly evil who want war for the hell of it. We need motives to figure out their actions. We can use the old Wasteland motive, that humans are felt to be too destructive to be allowed into space, that these other races wish to contain us to keepus from spreading our influence on other worlds. Also, like the handshake example, we might want to remember the rumors(?) about things like Area 51, and whatnot, experiments on other races, holding aliens captive. These things can be considered an act of war by alien races, among whom might be the Thranx and the reptilian race. Also, consider this idea (and I know this from the movie Contact, excellent film). The first signal we sent into space was during or soon after WWII. It was a video of Hitler. That might be considered a threat by itself.
THe only reason we want bad races, is to add a little more spice, in case we need the violence and conflict to continue the thread. The "bad guys" might only make one brief appearance if needs be.3) As far as whether or not we could have humans be what we call normal, we could come up with something. The Earth's surface may not be that damaged just yet, and we might say that an underground structure was built complete with "sun lamps" and whatnot to maintain iur present condition of health, something only available to the rich. Therefore, the other conditions of the Earth might lead to the existance of three separate types of humans. Just an idea. We can do whatever. Pointing out a possibility.
4) We can have whatever races we can think of, just so long as whoever wants to play a new race runs it past us here first, and we all approve before they jump in. I can put that guideline in the first post of the actual thread.
As far as the "science of things" we can go whatever way. The concept here is an accurate one...when our system is dying (not that humans'll be here, but...) Orion will still be young. Right now, its just forming, complete with too much dust to see through and for the planets to support any kind of life. But again, we won't be here, so we've already broken the rules as far as that goes. The planets made entirely of gas, like poohlive mentioned, have moons orbitting them that might be able to sustain life of some sort. It's a possibility. We might want to look into that when we consider the characters involved.
Let's just set the old, not too powerful rules in effect here, then go with the approval first system. SOund good?

 

[Quiet_Cool]

okay...since no ones' replied, I'll take it as an overall agreeance.

Okay...time for characters...This'll define most of what we need done before we start.

The ship will need a crew, plus whoever wants to be on the Earth's surface.

I'll start with:

Merrick (of the tall and skinny variety)
Age: 37
Height: 7'0
Weight: 170
Hair and eyes: Long white hair, pale blue eyes.

Merrick has made himself a name in the science field of botony, making him an easy pick for the trip on Nebula: One. His job is to go to Orion, and help choose a planet that can sustain the type of life needed.Not an elder, but respected due to his intelligence and hard work, Merrick was given little real competition for a place on board Nebula: One.

Frock (of the short and fat variety)
Age: 46
Height: 4'11
Weight: 210
Hair and eyes: No hair, and his eyes are dark brown.

Frock, known more for his clumsiness than his abilities as an engineer, has gotten this job mostly for his abilities with water filtration and plumbing. Though clumsy, he knows his trade well.
Mostly looked upon as a fool, Frock has learned to ignore the opinions of others and do his own thing his own way. He's independant, but an alienist when he can get away with it.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Just thought I'd bump this once before throwing in the towel.