 April 17, 2013 - 3:34pm | There are a lot of details that we know about Prengular from cannon material. I'm looking for input on how these known facts will impact the cultural perspective of the citizens of Prengular. Its the Hub of the Frontier geographically, economically, perhaps socially (though that could be debated in favor of the headquarters of Star Play I suppose), militarily, and governmentaly. 2 mega corps headquartered here: PGC and Galactic Task Force Council of Worlds Star Law headquaters is here (training acad is one planet away) Space Fleet headquaters is here (training academy is one planet away) We might presume that Ground Fleet is headquatered here and that there is a significant base either on Prengular or Morgaines world. Also there is a curious entry in the Alpha Dawn rules concerning High population worlds: The planet has many large cities that are very crowded, and hundreds of smaller cities. Individual cities may cover hundreds of square kilometers. and Zebs expounds on that further: Individual cities may be considered "maxi-cities" that cover thoughsands of square kilometers. I believe this entry is to make room for the possibility of some Sci fi speculations of a cities that become the size of a take like PA or the whole Eastern seaboard of the US or like the capitol planet in the star wars univers. The fact that provision is made for it in the rules suggest to me that at least 1 max city ought to exist in the frontier and Port Lorn is the obvious candidate. Culturally speaking I think that a large city like NY or perhaps something in Asia should be a model for the cultural attitudes of the citizens of port Loren. Also a curious fact is that there is no militia for the planet listed in the campaign game for KHs, yet there is a massive Space Fleet presence in the system so its almost like space fleet is their militia that they dont pay for directly. Ie their cashing in on the presence of Space Fleet here. I'm almost certain that a planet such as this does have a militia force of some sort even if they dont pay for space faring hulls. Perhaps its just a Customs service at the port. and the rest of the planet is policed by local police forces. Security for the Council of Worlds? a special detail of Star Law or a "secret service" branch of the Council of Worlds? In my fan cannon and in the materials that I write Triad, Cassidine was the first multirace colony established by vrusk, dralasites and humans upon their discovery of each other and it was for the purpose of expanding cultural and scientific exchange between the species. When yazirians were encountered the same thing was done a Prengular which was closer to the yazirian colonies. In a way Prengular supplants Triad in importance. This should have some impact on the attitudes of Prengularins. With Port Loren being the "maxi-city" of the Frontier and we can say that means its the size of the state of RI? and that there are numerous other cities surrounding it as well as far flung across the planet combine this with a mono rail in downtown Port Loren makes me think that the whole of Port Loren is connected with a high speed mag lev mono rail and that the outer cities (bedroom communities and corporate towns) are also connected by a mag lev mono rail. Two pieces of material culure comes to us from the artwork in the basic game book- the picture of the sathar agent being shot off the mono rail platform shows a poster plastered over another poster- one is for Sutherland's used shuttles and the other is for Soller's Chili parlor located at 723 Milky Way, Armadillo this suggests a suburb called Armadillo and a street called Milky Way. If we latch onto the cusine mentioned we might read that cuisine into the culture of Port Loren. Have I missed any details connected to Port Loren and Prengular? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
April 17, 2013 - 3:56pm | I'm thinking that the citizens of Port Loren are more than a little bit liberal and cosmopolitan. They are perhaps a little bit stuck on themselves and the importance of their planet to the Frontier. They are not as patriotic as citizens of Morgaine's world and probably are percieved as snooty by other colonies. Corporate culture must have a major impact. its certianly a place for cultural exchange and probably has a version of Broadway on steroids, where you can take in a human dinner show one night, yazirian opera another, then a dralasite debate the next or if slumming in a dive bar a dralasite comedian, then on another night a gallery openning for a vrusk sculpter. corporate arcologies are probably built much like company towns for coal miners as a means of control- even for upper level execs. corporate espionage is a major fear whether the security involved is founded or not PGC certainly promotes the propaganda of fear. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
April 17, 2013 - 4:08pm | Having lived in a city with a subway system you sometimes (when you dont have a car) think of the city in terms of the subway map and to a lesser degree the radiating bus routes. I just had an idea, partly because mapping software has not been my friend of late, to simply produce a mono rail map of Port Loren with radiating mag lev connections to the outlying bedroom communities. Need to compile a list of Port Loren neighborhoods like Southie, the North End, Dorchester, West Roxbury and etc for Boston. Armadillo is one, and Rook Hill from a piece of fan cannon. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 April 17, 2013 - 4:23pm | Just as a suggestion on thing to consider is that even though these cities are large they are colony cities and not that old. The original city would have been a well laid out grid work to allow for quick set up. Then the city would take on an organic growth with areas prospering or failing due to societal conditions. Say the city was going just like the planners had it planned to go. Than the Sathar arrived. Suddenly there is an influx of refugees who need immediate housing (cheap) and the war support industries began to need more industrial space than the other industries and expand. After the hostilities ended and some normalcy returned these areas would contract some but those who could not move on would be stuck with possibly limited prospects and growing poverty and poor conditions as the initial good will turns to "when are they gonna go home". Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
April 17, 2013 - 4:42pm | @ rattraveller: great observation. i like that. Rook Hill is a lower/working class slum I invented for a PBP game post. I can now tell you that it is such a cheap refugee housing development. Corporate arcologies are in effect gated communities that somewhat controll corporate personnel and keep undesirables out. The arcology meets all the needs of the community living there and they simply take the mono rail to their place of employment. Rook Hill is just a run down slum by the time of SW2 and beyond. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
April 17, 2013 - 4:54pm | Well if you haven't heard of this yet then checkout Elysium http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1535108/ Sort of like the Classic Star Trek episode about the Clouddwellers and the Troglodites. Sorta Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
April 17, 2013 - 7:11pm | Well if you haven't heard of this yet then checkout Elysium http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1535108/ Sort of like the Classic Star Trek episode about the Clouddwellers and the Troglodites. Sorta which is sort of like Wells' Eloi and Morlocks but then I like Matt Damon and Jodie Foster so I'll have to check that out. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 April 19, 2013 - 11:48pm | Jedion, Have you seen thespiritcoyote's map of Greater Port Loren? http://www.starfrontiers.us/node/5244 It is a cool map. It may give you a place to start with if your going to map out the city. I also have a picture somewhere of a futuristic city that I was thinking about for a cover. The thing about it was that there were four distinct archetectures in the city. So maybe each of the core four have their own districts as well as the megacorps and other interests. It was also located on a coastline. If I find it I will send it to you, for some inspiration. |
April 20, 2013 - 6:03am | Jedion, Have you seen thespiritcoyote's map of Greater Port Loren? http://www.starfrontiers.us/node/5244 It is a cool map. It may give you a place to start with if your going to map out the city. I also have a picture somewhere of a futuristic city that I was thinking about for a cover. The thing about it was that there were four distinct archetectures in the city. So maybe each of the core four have their own districts as well as the megacorps and other interests. It was also located on a coastline. If I find it I will send it to you, for some inspiration. I pay more attention to the conversations going on but I vaguely remember that. Wonder where the Spirticoyote has been lately. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
