Point to point FTL stations?

[OsakanOne]

Has there been an attempt to produce a stationary paired-gate system, like a massive semi-permanent portal?

I'm pondering a series of massive artificial structures that link together in such a way, each about the size of a small starbase.

They'd double as a trading post. I can see them being large, rife with international culture and nice hububs of activity.

 

[Gamerofthegame]

What would need it, though? Both Yamatai and Neplesia have fold drives already and while I didn't look up the other civlizations they are largely to small to really need it. (Hell, Yamatai is to small to really need it. The trip between the core and Jiyuu is two days with the usual sublight ship speeds. That's pretty short.)

For craft that don't have fold and could use it, I imagine ferry-ships could be created. Simple fold-equip vessels that can produce a bubble big enough to take a bundle of other ships for a ride. Could even be used for cargo purposes; toss a bunch of boxes at it, send it where it needs to go and the vessels there can finish moving them.

Other then that, I am quite sure the Freespacers have the wormhole gates, but otherwise I do not believe there is any sort of manner of FTL that doesn't send the FTL-equiped thing away to instead send something else.

 

[Fred]

The answer is yes. NovaCorp wormhole gates were used to assist in the evacuation of the Lorath homeworld.

Those gates became a pivotal plot point for the Miharu plot, as a couple of stolen ones were salvaged to construct "Amaya's Gate", the man-made portal that gave access to where the Second Draconian Fleet was trapped in space-time.

 

[Nashoba]

While much of the NovaCorp gate network was destroyed in the war, it is in my plan for NovaCorp to rebuild their network.

But that does not preclude someone else also developing a gate network as well.

 

[OsakanOne]

Or each of us who want to could build a terminal in a network that all link to eachother.

I think if we decide to expand rapidly into a new frontier, the idea of this sort of thing gradually happening could be helpful -- or just having them near major trading centers.

A nation being able to share goods in near realtime is better than two or three days.

In fact, its a magnitude of order better.

 

[Fred]

Maybe, but there are also compelling reasons why widespread wormhole gates have not been in favorable light for years.

 

[Abwehran Commander]

One thing that would benefit from wormhole gates would be trade. Volume is critical for transporters and Fold Drives are pretty damn big. If a transport has the ability to remove that component, it could allow for more cargo space and thus more things to sell at the transports destination.

 

[Fred]

Okay, but then, how can piracy and/or striking at supply lines be feasible?

I can get the desire to go and design some hot new model for traveling, but it just cuts some of the options GM could have to build stories in a space roleplay, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Nashoba]

Actually those would still exist Fred. Gates represent a significant investment. So most likely only major planets would have the volume to warrant them. Traffic to smaller worlds and colonies would still go the old fashioned way. And yes a new class of freighters would emerge for the gate networks. I was already thinking along the lines about gates ships with no ftl.

 

[Abwehran Commander]

That's true. In fact, I'd go on to say that gates would only be used for capital worlds and planets of high economic importance. Worlds with relatively little importance (such as colonies) would need standard Fold transports to deliver goods.

 

[Kyle]

The Neshaten posses an In-System gate network due to their home system being an FTL deadzone. It's not really an FTL 'gate', but something that allows them to get from point A to point B in a reasonable amount of time.

I do plan on expanding on that in the future though to be an actual FTL gate network.

 

[Aendri]

Gate transports would probably be the space equivalent of barges. Just enough power to go in the right direction, and get a general push, not enough to really go anywhere else, and definitely not on their own. For the EVE guys, think Freighters. Slow as all hell, bulky, and very squishy to anyone who would be worth noting.