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Star System Template

CadetNewb

Well-Known Member
Looking at the Star System Template, I realize that some of the information there is really unnecessary for roleplay, and just makes the process of creating a new star system article much more difficult for those of us that aren't into astronomy. Could we just remove the parts about a star's mass, semi-major axis, orbital period and rotation @Wes ?

It would simplify things without impacting RP.
 
Ehh, mass might be useful, but that's only if the type of star isn't included, since they're tied together, iirc. I agree with everything else, especially since the few examples that I've seen that include an orbital period or semi-major axis have numbers that seem to make no sense.
 
Mass isn't terrible, but semi-major axis, orbital rotation, and rotation are kind of pointless for most plots. If we have to be 100% accurate then making a system requires a degree in Astrophysics, and if we don't have to I'm not sure why any of that matters. If someone wants to donate their time or brain to figure out plausible numbers for those, that is their prerogative and they can correct my numbers that I am using for Gashmere.
 
I was able to create all of this relatively quickly without a degree in astrophysics, fam - and I had to fudge maybe one or two numbers at most. I'm also fairly certain you don't have to include everything listed in the template if you don't want to. :/
 
I'm glad you're able to do so, but, I brought this up to address the majority of people on the site. Ultimately, these extra numbers are simply irrelevant to RP, and getting them right can be a challenge. Rather than giving multiple resources to get these numbers right, we're honestly just better without them at all.
 
Oh, no. Rotation is definitely useful. Not for plots per se, but for things like climate in general.

It’s kind of sad stuff like this doesn’t get screen time (maybe because I’ve suckled the tit of tabletop RPGs with DMs and myself giving massive amounts of flavor text in items and cities and scenery) but sometimes I just want in the middle of a lull in action for the scenery to change.

Nice way to get players to cock their head and look at the world instead of STAB STAB MURDER DEATH STAB.
 
The problem is that this shouldn't even be the requisite effort Frost. Wiki work is already difficult for new players, and having them figure out some astronomy that won't even impact RP is just going to make it more difficult for them to ever touch it.

EDIT: I'm referring to the star's rotation specifically Meta, not planetary rotation.
 
A star’s rotation will actually affect the gravity well generated by the star. This in turn may lead to crazy gravity well tactics. Again, pretty niche stuff...but it’s useful.

For instance, Madi does all this crazy stuff with gravity flings and whatnot and we all let her pass. It’s overly complicated and my brain hurt for a few minutes while I tried to remember that one book I dabbled in on astronomy but after a bit I figured it out and I couldn’t just say no to it because it was creative.

Then again I’m the guy who jerks all over well written flavor text. I always go for too much rather than too little because sometimes you can reach to that text and go like “AHA! BUT THIS THING EXISTS AND YOU’VE ACTIVATED MY TRAP CARD!”
 
I'm not against a person going into that much detail if they want, but what I am against is having that degree of information mandatory for Every. Single. Submission. Not only would it be a pain for the person that has to make the article, but also for the person who has to review the article, since they are the ones that have to double check and verify it all works out.

Again, it should not be mandatory.
 
Yes, but it’s also contributing to the detail, of say, a pulsar’s output.

Besides, going for the meat/throat/Sharie in the room, in SARP where every single solar system owned literally gives you more ships, don’t you think we should have these as “natural deterrents” of sorts?

You call it a hassle, I call it clever design.
 
Yes, I can understand that regarding a pulsar, but what you're referring to is something more than the standard star system that people RP in. I think there's only three pulsars on the wiki? Maybe? They are the outliers, the uncommon. Also, I really hope you're not suggesting that barring people from creating a star system by making the process so bureaucratic that they can't is 'clever'. That sounds nightmarish.
 
The template is good because it includes information that is necessary for writing certain kinds of science fiction. We've always had those numbers on star systems and it's never been a problem.
 
I mean, probably not to someone who only cares about RP, maybe. But those people should be playing player characters. Stuff like this is for neurotics like me.

You know, the people who like to throw down stuff and then shut themselves in a room for three days developing the ultimate faction logistical plan.

Besides we have a Discord, it's not like they don't have around five people ready at the drop of a hat to help them build their article.
 
My god.

You do realize that the current star system template is that template with embellishments stripped? Like that you can use the template to recreate the Yamatai Star System as it currently stands and it'd get approved because it hits all of the checklist points?

Hopefully you can see it now.
 
If you take a look Raz, the current star system template asks for a star's semi-major axis, orbital period and rotation, all of which are absent on Yamatai Star System. If anything, the current star system template was made more complex and demanding than in the past.
 
Buddy, the Creating a Star System page has existed since before 2010 and even the oldest revision says this:
Star systems have list of properties of about planets in the system in table format. Typically the planet's the planet's name; type, semi-Major axis (orbital radius); orbital period, and rotation (length of the day) are considered mandatory information. Including the planet's mass, radius, circumference, gravitational acceleration, temperature, and escape velocity is consider optional information. For each planet one should also list any major cities, orbiting stations, or nearby orbiting fleets found on the planet.
So basically the template just makes it easier for you to do what we're supposed to do when creating a new star system.
 
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