Non-modern tech nations regularly compete in NS Sport events: I have seen FT, steampunk, medieval, and of course even pre-historic nations competing. However, with exception of Quidditch (though even Harry Potter is, I think, chronologically modern), most of the actual sports are modern tech in orientation. Therefore, the Noble House of Soiscear, in Galaxy 1, has decided to host a Royal Tournament of future tech sports and games, and invite all to sample the hospitality of Soiscear in appreciation.
What is this thread?
This thread is mooting an idea for a multi-sport tournament. It is not a signup thread. It is not a host bid. Mainly, I am interested in seeing whether there would be the roleplaying interest to support a tournament of this nature.
This thread is also an amalgmation of IC and OOC, which I recognise is brutalising on the senses. Apologies.
Where will it be held?
The Noble House of Soiscear, in Galaxy 1, will host the Tournament should it come to fruition. Events will take place on Soiscear's orbital station, moons, orbitally tethered asteroid, and a space lane marked out for the occasion. Entrants will be quartered on Soiscear Prime. Those travelling to view the events will be allowed access to two specially commissioned bulk passenger carriers that will fly out each day; additionally, footage of the various activities will be holo-recorded and a highlights program, presented by Crown Princess Reina Thorsdottir and Terroriser Overslug General Slllitlezaat Sllllaat transmitted throughout the galaxy.
When will it be held?
Not right now. If there is interest, within a month or so. I would want to type up more IC introductory notes, prepare scorination files, etc. However, I can anticipate various issues and questions arising, so thought I would start discussion now. Be sure to register your interest if you like (I'll start a signup thread once the format is worked out) but for now the priorities are deciding RPing conventions, establishing any necessary RP backstory, and picking events.
What sports will be offered?
Sports will be subdivided into three different fields:
1. Individual events
In these events a single competitor takes on a field of others. There are likely to be limits per Submitting Authority per event. There may be two sets of events for men or women, or we may decided to divide the fields in other ways e.g. humanoids and non-humanoids, biologicals and non-biologicals, etc.
- Asteroid skeet - This event takes place in space. Competitors will be placed in a hollowed out asteroid, formally used as a base of operations for a pirate gang but reclaimed by a joint galactic military operation, and donated to the people of Soiscear in recognition of their contribution; it has now been magnetically tethered in orbit. Wearing appropriate breathing and life support apparatus, and secured magnetically to the face of the asteroid, competitors view a field in which numerous synthetic asteroids are fired from a ship. Using a standard issue firing weapon, competitors shoot the asteroid "pigeons".
- Lunar golf - Taking place on the sixth moon of Soiscear, Reriti, the golf tournament allows even the feeblest drivers great range - but makes the short game extremely taxing. The moondust of Reriti has been carefully tended to by generations of Coursekeepers to the Noble House of Soiscear, and the course is one of the best in the galaxy - although few people ever get to play on it as access is tightly controlled. Reriti's low gravity and lack of atmosphere mean space equipment will be needed.
- Zero gravity judo - Born of a combination of the Old Earth art of judo and the tussling of "space wrestling", zero gravity judo does not actually take place in outer space, but in a simulated zero gravity containment field inside Collective Zero Gravity Factory of The Communist Republic of Anxedi, with whom The Noble House of Soiscear have negotiated a temporary treaty for the joint hosting of the games. Naturally, throwing one's opponent becomes considerably easier, but securing a pin can be extremely difficult.
2. Team events
These involve teams of competitors. Each Submitting Authority will likely be limited to one or two teams, but in this event the number of entrants is important for tournament structure, so final decisions will have to be made on getting a better idea of the field.
- Lunar baseball - Taking place on the fourth moon of Soiscear, Orbeer, lunar baseball is a popular alternative to golf. Orbeer has an atmosphere and a higher gravity than Reriti, meaning breathing apparatus is needed only for non-humans or those with respiratory ailments (such, unfortunately, as the millions of Soiscearian citizens who toiled in the planet's quirium mines, unaware of the dangers they were being exposed to). Still, a good hit will travel a very long way, meaning that teams consist of only six players - no outfielders are used, and instead each team is allowed to deploy a set of remote droids in the outfield, which will track down and return long flyballs. Hitting the ball into the ground can also be a very useful tactic, as the bounce can be so high an infield double is possible. All this means lunar baseball is much higher scoring than its terrestrial version.
- Space polo - Cue lots of "that's a bit cruel on the horses" jokes? No, not that sort of polo. Rather, this is a spaceborne equivalent of water polo - though for safety's sake, it does not take place in outer space, but in a zero gravity containment well at the Anxedi CGZF. Two teams of seven - six outfield players, one goalkeeper - try to propel a ball into the other's goal. Checking, similar to in ice hockey, is allowed, while teammates frequently have to intentionally collide with their own teammates to get them moving again if they get stuck in the middle with no momentum. The small playing field - to prevent such strandings - combined with the physical play makes this an extremely rough sport - but one that is tremendously popular in Galaxy 1.
3. Ship events
Entry into these requires owning or having access to a spacefaring vessel. To promote IC fairness (and prevent OOC debates about competing technologies) ships will have to conform to certain standards of size (so they can fit through the rings) and speed (to prevent some sort of FTL "oh look we've already completed it before the starter's gun finished firing" wankery). The main tag tournament will run across the length of the Festival, with the other events taking place on set days.
- Asteroid slalom - A designated course is mapped out in a safe area of space that has been specially cleared of debris and asteroids - and then resalted with a pattern of synthetic asteroids that compel course changes in steering from the start buoy to the finish buoy. The course is enclosed by sensors - attempting to leave the course results in automatic disqualification - and firing weapons on or attempting to ram asteroids results in a time penalty, much as clipping a gate would in slalom skiing.
- Ring race - A speed event in which a course of large metal rings are positioned in a safe area of space, cleared of debris and asteroids. (Shifting of the rings race to race owing to gravitational pull and other effects is likely unavoidable, however.) Ships must fly through the rings in a designated order, then return to the start buoy.
- Space biathlon - This demanding event takes place on the race course, with the addition of a network of electronically controlled holographic targets. Ships are then fitted with a standard issue firing weapon with a set number of rounds and a very limited range (to reduce the danger from missed shots); the use of any other form of weaponry is prohibited. They must complete the course, and hit the required number of targets. For each shot fired that is not recorded as a hit, a time penalty will be added.
- Synchronised flying - Two ships complete a set of maneouvres simultaneously. The judging system common to other aesthetic sports is used: points are awarded both for difficulty, and success. The more tight and winding the course flown, and the more intricate moves such as barrel rolls and sudden climbs, the better the potential score; however, falling out of synchronisation or failing to complete set elements incurs penalties. There will be probably be minimum and maximum limits on certain elements, and competitors may request the use of synthetic asteroids, rings, and other physical elements.
- Tag - Despite the innocuous name, this event is considered to be the most important and the winner will be crowned Victor/Victrix Ludorum. Staying within the bounds of four dispersed beacons, two ships duel. Ships are fitted with two weapons: a low powered firing weapon that will leave marks on the opponent's hull without risking breaching it, and a single, non-lethal missile. The contest can be over quickly if one makes a successful hit with the missile, which gives them the round automatically, but can be a tense, drawn out affair if both miss, leaving up to one to wear down the other's patience with shots. Leaving the course, ejecting in an escape pod, or firing a white buoy marker that each ship is given all indicate submission. The knockout rounds will progress to the grand final. Owing to the extremely dangerous nature of any space combat, all entrants must state that they understand the possibility of serious damage to or even destruction of their ships.
I am open to including additional events, as per demand, or excluding some of the above events if there is no interest. However, I have mainly chosen events that can be scorinated by adapting existing scorinators. Unless an alternate means of scorination is provided, then, I will only consider adding events where this is also true. Suggestions for new events should have a future tech feel to them. I also want to try to limit sports to one per "kind": there are plenty that could be fun in a zero-G environment, but I suspect a law of diminishing returns in RP terms.
My Star Trek ship would beat his Star Wars ship!! She used the Electronic Thumb, which is cheating!! My Gethenian judoka was paired against a Clanger!!
As far as possible, all events will be scorinated as per normal NS Sports events. Therefore, it will be necessary to suspend all such techie arguments and accept the result of the scorinator. ICly, there will be rules and restrictions on ships' speeds and sizes, and as mentioned the use of weaponry is prohibited. The aim of this is not to have yet another FT thread dissolve into an OOC discussion of physics and engineering and Ewoks, but to have a fun sports tournament. Species issues can probably be best resolved by assuming Soiscear would only invite species not likely to lay egg sacs in the face of its Crown Prince.
What are Clangers?
You sicken me.
Who can enter?
I imagine entrants fitting into two categories:
1. Future Tech nations (or non-national entities, such as corporations, militaries, or alliances).
2. Non-Future Tech nations that acknowledge the existence of Future Tech nations (and can borrow a spaceship from them).
It would also be possible for nations that don't acknowledge the existence of Future Tech nations to take part e.g. "I was abducted but, instead of probing me, they asked me to play second base. And then they probed me." However, I think this should only be done sparingly, if at all, and only by those guaranteeing roleplay; otherwise, it just creates a headache for other participants.
Each player will be allowed two "Submitting Authorities". These could be nations - i.e. two puppets - or they could be competing clans, corporations, whatever. Entries to the Tag Tournament have to represent a particular "House", though this can simply be "the House of @@NATION@@" if you're not a monarchy.
Final notes
- The main scorinators I plan on using are xkoranate (skeet, judo, polo, slalom, biathlon, synchronised flying) and Miscellanator (baseball, Golfinator for golf). I will modify the datapoints for the ship events.
- Soiscear is a puppet of Golgothastan, whose other puppets include Gruenberg, Quintessence of Dust, and Buffalostan.
