So, over the month of January I've been putting my 2010 resolutions into practice, specifically taking notes, resolving the input problem and sprinkling the MBA dedication around a bit. As mentioned in the resolutions, individually these aren't that great, but they do have a high amount of synergy. A lack of inputs results in a lack of outputs. I tend to have a thought or two and not note it down and it goes. Then, if I have remembered sparks of imagination, I need to apply a bit of dedication to do stuff with them.

I've been applying this three pronged strategy to all things Space Fantasy (or Opera, but I'm going with the fantasy tag for now) and building upon my first and second pondering of Space Opera scale.

Basically, playing Mass Effect 2 has injected some fuel into the process by acting as a primary input, and it's serving the purpose I hoped it would and delivering on MGS being more than just about playing games. It's got me thinking about how a space fantasy could be framed and the types of things I would want to have in such a set-up. Basically, I've got a number of influences going around in my head: Fading Suns, Dune, Mass Effect, Warhammer 40K and, to a lesser degree, Babylon 5. Now, these are quite different, but Fading Suns, Dune and Warhammer 40K are similar enough to have some broad common principles. Then I'm looking at those through the lens of Mass Effect. Steal liberally seems to be the order of the day.

What's the result? Well, a scrambled primer 'document', more a set of notes, on a space fantasy milieu that is hopefully strong on generating conflict, story and good space fantasy action while having enough colour to give a sense of richness. It's hoped the current inputs generate the primer notes which then, in a glorious feedback loop, generates another input and so on. The aim being to vanquish the lack of inputs which has dogged me for sometime.

Progress so far?

First, I'm keeping a lot of the Fading Suns signature riffs. It's probably the core. The reason for this is I want space to remain big and mysterious. I also want to keep a lot of the structure and have religion. I also wanted mystery and mythology. In short, space fantasy. While the presence of interstellar travel will mean star systems will be trivialised to some degree, I do want to keep the feel of star systems being very big and empty. I am merging this with a bit of Warhammer 40K and the odd space opera book and Mass Effect (which works this way but without the dangerous warp and uses Mass Relays rather than Fading Suns-style moon size gates). So, interstellar travel is currently facilitated by Warp Gates and Warp Drives. The Warp Gates connect clusters / sectors of star systems which can be traversed by Warp Drives. You can't use the Warp Drive technology within the heliopause of a star system so that means travelling outward which takes days of time (the Warp Gates are all positioned at least 80 AU out). I'm keeping the fact the suns are fading. I'm also keeping warp technology mysterious, it's known that without the correct shielding individuals come out mad, theology holds dark creatures exist within the warp field and can break through in the darkness between the stars.

I've also kept a lot of the structure of Fading Suns in terms of political structure and religion. Humanity is ruled by a Imperium, which is dominated by the Great Dynastic Families, The Church and The Guilds. I've changed things a bit, in the sense that things aren't so literally medieval, but the weight of these powers keeps the Imperium in check ('terrorist' groups like Second Republic Reformists aside). The change of Noble Families to Great Dynastic Familities is one example of an alteration, it might be largely cosmetic, but in my eyes the Great Dynastic Families are like the the Kennedy's extrapolated to the max, being a combination of interstellar corporation, royal and political generational families of old, galactic celebrities and government bodies. The Guilds are largely the same, though I've dropped the Charioteers and the restrictions on travel, most Warp Gates go to any other. Obviously, I'm paraphrasing, this presents lots of potential conflict based around politics, terrorism, power and responsibility, religion, etc. A bit of this stuff intersects, the religion in Fading Suns is based around the light of stars holding back the darkness beyond the stars, well that links in 'scientifically' and 'spiritually' as to why the technology won't work in the heliopause, etc. Warp Gate imagery also features a lot.

I'm using Fading Suns and Dune as inspiration for a brief history, what paraphrased version of it there will be in my head (I'm not writing a source book or anything). Humanity found a Warp Gate, extended out throughout the stars, had an interstellar war with an alien race, formed a grand Second Republic which saw the peak of human 'achievement' and it all went to shit in The Machine Crusade in which humanity fought a devastating war with AI they created. Now we are in a darker age of concentrated power, slightly feudal with less understanding. This also links into other things, The Earth That Was is mythical and was lost millennia ago, the ancient War in the Heavens between the Warp Gate makers, and supposedly the darkness beyond the stars, is mirrored in humanities war with the machines due to humanities hubris, etc. Technology is best described as 'used' and 'diverse'. The Imperium has its rare, new, shiny and fantastic technology, but this is not the norm, the majority has a used, utilitarian look and feel. Some of it even has a history, like an ancient relic or a vast starship maintained over the years. There is little blasters for instance, in colour terms I'm sticking with weapons of the bolt throwing variety (similar to Mass Effect, basically).

Aliens? Yes, I'm going with aliens, three major interstellar ones as well as the human Imperium, and probably some minor ones in single systems and sectors which I'll not overly define. Not sure how many 'minor races' I'll go with, might be strict and stick with the three interstellar ones. I'm focusing on settings things up as human centric anyway. The alien races have connections and conflicts and a history with humanity in a couple of paragraphs of notes fashion. Let's admit it, we steal completely for these things, so my races are orientated around certain types. I'm thinking of 100% stealing The Citadel from Mass Effect and having that as my Babylon 5 with the human Imperium, the three alien races and any league of minor races I may have consolidating there in an 'interstellar UN'. The Citadel is too big, awesome and a grand piece of 'ancient alien technology' not to use.

The dramatic crucible of the idea? Well, at the minute I'm thinking of lifting things straight from Mass Effect and going with a Spectre concept. The players are basically individuals of some skill or consequence (whatever that may be) who are assigned by The Citadel Council to solve problems and investigate mysteries, whether that means blowing shit up or negotiation or a bit of both. It provides a level of freedom, always has a backup reason driving conflict and a level of legitimacy, it's another version of being Jedi, sanctioned privateers, a Ranger, or whatever. Needless to say these 'Spectres' (if I keep the name) will find themselves in all sorts of dangerous situation dealing with innumerable threats and the powers within the milieu. Queue lots of starships, actions, religious theology, politics, mystery and dangers from beyond the stars.

I've also started to glance through the Starblazer Adventures book and see what some of my basic milieu choices mean for some of the rules. As an example, the Star Drive skill on starships needs altering slightly, etc. This is going better than usual as well.

We shall see if the process holds up. In truth, I've already got further than I usually get.