Make a Space Opera setting

File: star-wars-napoleon-painting-56627.jpg (313KB, 1008x1222px) Image search: [Google]

313KB, 1008x1222px

Napoleonic Wars in space

>>53498362
>The Galaxy is about 100,000 lighyears wide but on average only 1,000 lightyears thick, but the overwhelming majority has not been explored. Known space comprises a rough cylinder shape 8,000 light years wide and 1,000 ly thick, for a total volume of 50,300,000,000 cubic light years. With an average solar density of .004 stars per cubic light year, this means that known space has 201,200,000 stars in it.

>Almost all stars (99.99...%) have a planetary system with at least one planet, but only about .0015% have a planet that has Earth-like conditions amenable to complex (multicellular) carbon-based life (i.e., planets that have some variety of plants, animals, and possibly intelligent life at some stage of technological development). Therefore there are roughly 3,000 Earth-like planets inside of Known Space, and many times that number that could be adapted to have Earth-like conditions.

>>53498362
The oligarchs of the corrupt Republic of Verrun are plotting an invasion of the noble Empire of Padash.

File: fleet_movements_by_ere4s3r.jpg (1MB, 1920x1200px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 1920x1200px

>Unified only a hundred years ago The Greater Galactic Commonwealth started life as four different human civilizations that had risen from colony ships that Earth had sent out. After spending a long time fighting wars against one another, through treaties and marriage between the royal families, the kingdoms became a single Commonwealth and the small empire began colonizing across space. The Commonwealth has some of the most advanced warships and because of its resources, despite its small size, it is an industrial powerhouse and it can field massive fleets.
Basically Great Britain in space since this is space Napoleonic Wars.

>New hyperlanes can be created, but it is a expensive and long process, requiring a ship approaching the target system at sub-light speeds and in precise timing, using ancient and rare technology to weaken the quantum foam and create a slipstream.

Nobody knows if the hyperlane network was originally created by some precursor race, but there is a theory that if by some fluke, cosmic rays and a solar emission strike the right place, in two solar systems simultaneously it can create natural hyperlanes.

>>53499273
Why does it have to be ancient and rare? Why can't it just be expensive, dangerous, and rare, the whole "ancient tech is better" space setting is too tropey

>>53499389
Well, theres perfectly good ones laying around orbiting nuclear hellscapes.

File: 1477612229981.jpg (311KB, 1600x1044px) Image search: [Google]

311KB, 1600x1044px

>>53498485
You rang?

>Because of genetic similarities between some of the races it is theorized that there was more than one progenitor race and these multiple races eventually got into a war that annihilated them all except for the distant colonies that would give birth to the modern civilizations.

>>53499675
That's Prussian wars isn't it though?

>many races disagree on a universal currency, some suggested the citizen's personal and genetic data, as used by the xelgans
>citizens wager their personal information for goods and services, and as it's something that constantly grows throughout the user's life, it always increases and retains value
>currently it is being discussed, as it has mixed feelings amongst the populations of various races.

Space elves desu

File: 1406714577438.jpg (383KB, 848x1250px) Image search: [Google]

383KB, 848x1250px

>>53499776
It's really just a vague Napoleon/Alexander/Great Man story with napoleonic-style battles and Space Prussians.

>>53500941
Looks like the wars of German unification to me though. At least that's what I gathered when I watched it.

>The reactors used to power ships emit particles that jam communications. Hardware is hardened against this in normal situations and communications can be used as usual, but in combat, warships have the option to emit more particles than usual. This combat density renders communications outside of semaphore, morse code using light and messengers in their own ships going between warships useless. It also means that weapons that are usually automated or computer guided and use things like radar or heat or what not must be manually controlled. This includes the big guns on the warships.

>>53498362
The setting is this setting >>53485453 in space

Horrific body horror and existential dread intensifies

All soldiers have standard issue shield generators that make physical means of attacking such as bullets useless. Therefore energy weapons are being researched by all races. At the moment, energy sabres are a thing and energy based guns can fire a single shot and are rather inaccurate, but one shot rips through the shields like they are nothing and usually kills with one hit.

>>53500246
Space elves used to be a big powerful empire but have degenerated into a shadow of themselves. Basically Spain.

>>53505777
>Jesuschristhowhorrifying.webm

Also, checkd

>>53505777
So how would this work in space Napoleonic Wars

>>53506738
That setting is already Edwardian Horror. It would translate fairly well.

Honestly by greatest fear of this implication is Werewolf colonies that just generate heat and become plague vector suns

File: Croatoan.jpg (268KB, 1920x864px) Image search: [Google]

268KB, 1920x864px

Bump

>>53507382
But the Edwardian era takes place 100 years after the Napoleonic Wars.

the last one of these failed. ;-;

we never even got a 1d4 page up

Those who spend too long in hyperspace report of hearing strange whispers in their minds.

>>53508424
Should we open a new Galactic Federation thread with the goal to make a map and a 1d4chan page of all the major races/members and events, etc?

>>53498362
>rips off mass effect

Why not use actual good space operas for inspiration? Star Wars, Elite, Star Control, Blade Runner, etc.? Why does every space opera turn into Mass Effect?

>>53508587
Read the rest of the thread. Nothing like Mass Effect.

>>53508587
Blade Runner is cyberpunk you dillweed

The French Empire counterpart in this setting is literal frogmen aliens.

>>53508606
But OP's idea sure came from it. It isn't even like Mass Effect was a good game to make copying it worthwhile. It's shit. The Last Federation is even a better example than Mass Effect.

>It is so far into the future. That the big crunch and the universe ending effects of entropy were real threats that were dealt with several times. Now time has literally melded into an eternal now. All moments of past present and future now seem to get smashed together in a moment that bleeds out into the rest of eternity.
Most travel is done with robots now and that people, who are more or less bodies in a vat,depend on to see and comprehend correctly becuase of the immense distortion in physical reality.

>>53508643
Pretty sure the whole hyperlane thing is to make grand strategy possible instead of "lol just hyperspaced into your capital with my fleet".

>>53508651
Did you read the rest of the thread before making your post? Pretty sure this contradicts a bunch of stuff posted beforehand.

>>53508664
Other space operas avoid it just fine. But the "mysyerious and ancient space highways between worlds, but not everywhere" thing is so overused now because of ME. And there are so many other great space operas out there that yet another ME clone is doing a disservice to the genre.

>>53508703
In OP's defense, it was someone else who said that the hyperlanes were created by an ancient progenitor civilization.

>>53508676
Fine. Over use of "hyperspace" has caused massive temporal distruptions that cause the past present and future to all converge into one instance.
Entropy and universe ending effects have been dealt with in the past through the use of creating a "hyperspace" lattice to support the universe.
This time with humanity seemingly unable to physically progress any further physically due to temporal convergence, and they also realize that this temporal effect is signalling a different type of entropic destruction of the universe.
Humaniy or the inhabitants of the universe have the means but now there is serious consideration into weather or not we should just let the end come about or not. Many factions rise up citing different belief in the "after" as well as the people who feel they need to perpetuate the universe.

>>53508796
You really want to turn space Napoleon Wars into space Dark Souls, don't you?

>>53508820
I basically want it at the end of the universe and make "space" travel as indistinguishable as "time" travel.

File: IMG_0182.jpg (129KB, 895x400px) Image search: [Google]

129KB, 895x400px

>>53499753
oh thank god, they can fuck. (totally serious, sexless scifi has no drama) at least we know there's fun on the fringes of civilization, no matter how much xenocide occurs.
>>53499858
This is one of the only interesting ideas for universal currency I've ever heard. Even in the Banksian Culture universe, where there is a post-scarcity anarchist society with computer gods - the universal credit system is still pretty mundane. A "banker species" maintains it and ensures its conversion rate with land acreage on habitatable orbitals, ships, fuel, weapons. For some reason it can't be replicated. A mix of these two ideas is in my opinion perfect for a space opera.
I like your idea especially because everybody has genetic information worth millions of years of blood and toil - but it is already commodified. What if you tried to wipe out a species in order to raise the value of the information of your slaves - whose genetic info was sold to you already. Mmm, slaves... (sorry) That is grimdark enough to spark interstellar war, if you ask me.
Makes me think of the Talking Pets from Ur-Quan masters.

>be Commonwealth line infantryman
>the froggies are up to no good and are messing with the politics of our mutual neighbors, the space elves
>ship off over there because my King commanded it
>kill some Frogs
>get a qt elf wife
Already like the sound of this

>>53508869
Not too sure how that'd fit in with the rest of the setting though.

>>53508820
Well a temporal clusterfuck of Time Spiral + Lordran magnitude extending over the whole universe could explain why people still care about an Emperor in an interstellar age. Just some shade throwing. Napoleon in space sounds fun, but why is that mutually exclusive to Dark Souls? Combine Gwyn trying to ignite the first flame with Napoleon returning from exile and there is potent drama already. Maybe our Napoleon is from a mediocre-tech race that uplifted themselves by deciphering the hyperspatial higheay in their star system. They feel trodden-upon by higher beings talking down to them and making idle threats. So they call back the philosopher king who proposed a little bit of hyperspatial terrorism - something more established races would fear to do (painstakingly curating the lanes, cozying up to the precursors, telling "lesser races" to wait for hyperspace privileges like good little meatbags... smug bastards) and he gives them one helluva plan for gaining primacy - at FIRST, by retaking what is rightfully theirs, inside their star system...

Having an extraspatial grid to explain hyperspace and make the "timeline" work on a cosmic scale ain't a bad idea either. "Time is broadly fractured" is okay as long as it doesn't mess up the narrative. It can just explain why FTL works.

>>53508165
I'm talking more about the horror elements.

The races in that setting could be neat when applied to a space one

>>53498362
>The daring men and women of the Stellar Pioneers undertake the deadly task of opening new lanes. They brave the terrors of Lane Inversion, Paradox Kills, Void Horrors and worse besides. Great riches come to the successful as they have strong claims to any new colonies established as well as the right to tax new trade routes.

> Mankind is known among the galaxy for its extremely simple genetic code, where most species of the galaxy have dozens of chromosomes and an obscene amount of interdependent genetic material, humans can endure and quickly adapt to massive changes to their anatomy, given time and ideal conditions. Because of this, humanity is one of the only species were widespread genetic manipulation is common.

>>53505805

I really like this idea, and I'm going to steal it. Thank you anon.

We should brainstorm some more races, besides France, the U.K, Russia, and Spain, what nations were involved in the Napoleonic War?

File: siftingthepast_view-from-the-mussel-pier-in-amsterdam_ludolf-backhuysen_1673_Dutch.jpg (1MB, 1800x2158px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 1800x2158px

>>53513898
The Dutch, Austria though that's hardly original in space opera, the Italian minors, HRE minors, the Ottomans, the Portuguese...

>>53514552

Hmm, if the Spanish are Space Elvyes, maybe the Austrians could be Space !Not!Orcs, recently united into one state after centuries of intense warfare.

>>53498362
>>53498485
>>53505752

I like the concept, but how do we make broadsides viable?

>>53515487
It takes power to change the direction of the massive guns so might as well keep them stationary and pump that extra bit of power into the lasers.

>>53515532

What about RAMMING SPEED?

>>53516249
I'd think that firing pods filled with marines at other ships in order to drill through the hull and board them would be more effective.

>>53505805

> To provide an easily transported power source for energy rifles, energy packs were developed. To load an energy rifle, or any other energy-based11 firearm for that matter, the rifleman must first pour a small quantity of synthetic blasting-powder down the barrel, using a digital measuring cup to ensure a precise amount. Second, the rifleman must stuff the energy pack into the barrel, until it is firmly lodged in the synthetic blasting-powder. Thirdly, the rifleman must pour a finer variant of synthetic blasting-powder into the pan of the energy rifle, pull back the hammer, and close the frizzen. Finally, the energy rifle is ready to be fired.

>>53516249
Contrary to the ideas of many, most battles take place near outposts and colonies, places neither side wants to destroy. Prevailing doctrine is so come in fast and close so you can actually hit your target without nuking the prize near them.

>>53516512
If I could change this, I would like to make it that in order to load an energy rifle, one must ram down an energy pack down the barrel and then wind up a dynamo with handle on the side. How fast you can fire depends on how fast you can wind up the dynamo. You can fire without properly winding up all the way but the shot will be weaker, less accurate and fizzle out sooner.

I just don't think powder and stuff would really fit in well with sci-fi, sorry aobut that.

>>53516695

This >>53516512 anon here, on principle I agree with you, but I feel that the powder aesthetic is necessary for a Napoleonic War in Space, and that with enough technobabble and futuristic material, it could fit. What if there were two variations of energy rifle, powdered rifles and dynamo rifles, with powder rifles being cheaper and more damaging, but less accurate and take longer to reload, whereas dynamo rifles are more accurate and reliable, but less damaging and more expensive? It would be a neat way to differentiate between factions, and add a bit of depth to the setting.

>>53516917
Actually that could work. Powder rifles would be like the regular musket using soldiers and dynamo rifles would be like the elite rifle soldiers. Also maybe the materials used to make the energy packs and powders must be harvested from special planets like spice is in Dune.

File: 1485630939159.jpg (2MB, 1920x4086px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 1920x4086px

https://youtu.be/NXv3m8FWqZo

>>53516979

I was thinking that maybe different factions prefer to use different rifles, for example, the Commonwealth might prefer powdered rifles, while the Frogs might prefer dynamo rifles, or vice versa, though the idea of segregating ranks based on equipment is an interesting one. I agree with unique planets being required to harvest power, and the differing preferences might stem from it. Some species might forgo rifles entirely in favor of energy bows and blades.

>>53517079

Rolling.

>>53517360
Maybe powdered rifles are the standard and dynamo rifles are new. Because they are new, relatively untested and expensive, the frogs stick with powder while the Commonwealth makes an experimental regiment with the dynamo rifles (this can be the player party).

>>53517079
Roll I guess

Fighters can transform into humanoid forms Macross style.

>>53518809
Fighters are pretty much cavalry in space aren't they?

>>53499094
>many of the royal families within the Galactic Commonwealth have established themselves as "great houses," which have laid claim to vast chunks of the known regions. While they still operate within the rules if the established commonwealth, inter-system feuds and trade disputes are overwhelmingly common, often leading to discrete wars between families.

File: __original_drawn_by_igunuk__sample-e8d3e4126150438b61c85dc5deee326a.jpg (201KB, 850x850px) Image search: [Google]

201KB, 850x850px

The Portuguese are dark elves. Having left in their own colonies thousands of years ago, the ancestors of the dark elves were fairly indistinguishable from the regular space elves. Because of their new home, they used genetic engineering to survive better. They are even weaker than the space elves but are very good allies with the Commonwealth.

File: __original_drawn_by_coh__dc7f4438d1d6c3ca7e5672b04cc6d6cf.jpg (213KB, 532x748px) Image search: [Google]

213KB, 532x748px

I just want to post this picture of Space Battleship Nelson desu. Don't mind me.

What's your favourite Space Opera? On film, literature?
Do you like space magic, or do you like tech only?
How do you like FTL travel best?