If Countries were Sci Fi Empires....
Discussion
If countries from our earth were actually Sci Fi Empires in space that made star ships/space ships/star crafts I think the following would be believeble:
The English Kingdom would make Luxorious and fast ships- fully loaded. The would look something like the Liberator from Blakes7 (after all that was a classic British design)so quite tasteful and stylish- they would be fast in a straight line and agile at high speed ( long distance faster than light) but perhaps slightly more ponderous at sub light speeds.
The English Kingdom would have conceived some excellent innovations, such as cloaking device, and perhaps even faster than light speed travel itself, however due to the shortsightedness of the empire officials and bureacrats, and because engineers and people in technology are so lowly regarded the ideas are never fully developed and still born- only to let another empire take em. The ship designs would be focused on freedom and exclusivity with good hull strength. Longevity and reliability quite reasonable.
The French Federation would make Space ships would pride themselves in being fashion leaders, despite "fashion" having little relevance in the voids space. Styling would change according to the whim of the designers, and whatever fad was in vogue at the time. They would be prentious and gimmicky, with weak superstructures with many system failures -regularly leaving travellers marooned in the void between stars, adrift with total power failure.
The ship designs would be focused around the family unit. Supply of French ships would often be interupted because the ultra powerful unions regularly strike and interupt production.
The Swedish Commune would make unimaginative utilitarian family-focused ships. However all ships can be contructed from IKEA type flat packs and enviromentalist eco warriors have decreed that every panel of the ship is recyclable. This has meant some compromises in the areas of styling ( all the craft look like Tissue boxes, albeit streamlined ones) and agility- ponderous at low speed and not really capable of high sustainable faster than light speeds.
The Italian Empire make stylish, fast star ships, that can achieve good sustainable faster than light speeds, with excellent agility at low speed, quite comfortable, breath taking voluptuous timeless styling, excellent innovative engineering, adequate comfort. Unfortunately superstructure is weak, longevity is poor, ships system failures all too common. Many craft, lost and adrift in space -never to be heard from again.
The German confederacy would make solid, well built "panzer-wagen-crafts" that focus on excellent basic scientific fundamentals. Technically clever. Longevity excellent, very robust, capable of taking legendary punishment. Very luxorious. Styling is basic and uninspiring perhaps a bit boring, "clunky", interiors are spartan and quite basic. The ships would look like a cross between Federation star ships from Star Trek and the Millenium Falcon. Strong superstructures.
Japanese Alliance would make super robust, well designed craft. In the past alot of their innovation was stolen from the English Kingdoms and others and well developed. This is due to their long term vision of continual development, with good investment and good reward for decent engineers. Have become more innovative of late. The ships would err on the side of over complexity but always be clever and well thought thorugh. Capable of high super-light speed cruise and agile at low speeds. longevity good, with reasonable strong super structures and legendary reliability, however with EXTREME age the complexity of various systems lets things down. Would also be hard to repair when crash landed in remote planets. Styling a bit cliched- looking like fighters out of anime!
Feel free to add, but rememeber no Science FACT about space shuttles or rockets, I never let the facts get in the way of a good Sci Fi fantasy story!
The English Kingdom would make Luxorious and fast ships- fully loaded. The would look something like the Liberator from Blakes7 (after all that was a classic British design)so quite tasteful and stylish- they would be fast in a straight line and agile at high speed ( long distance faster than light) but perhaps slightly more ponderous at sub light speeds.
The English Kingdom would have conceived some excellent innovations, such as cloaking device, and perhaps even faster than light speed travel itself, however due to the shortsightedness of the empire officials and bureacrats, and because engineers and people in technology are so lowly regarded the ideas are never fully developed and still born- only to let another empire take em. The ship designs would be focused on freedom and exclusivity with good hull strength. Longevity and reliability quite reasonable.
The French Federation would make Space ships would pride themselves in being fashion leaders, despite "fashion" having little relevance in the voids space. Styling would change according to the whim of the designers, and whatever fad was in vogue at the time. They would be prentious and gimmicky, with weak superstructures with many system failures -regularly leaving travellers marooned in the void between stars, adrift with total power failure.
The ship designs would be focused around the family unit. Supply of French ships would often be interupted because the ultra powerful unions regularly strike and interupt production.
The Swedish Commune would make unimaginative utilitarian family-focused ships. However all ships can be contructed from IKEA type flat packs and enviromentalist eco warriors have decreed that every panel of the ship is recyclable. This has meant some compromises in the areas of styling ( all the craft look like Tissue boxes, albeit streamlined ones) and agility- ponderous at low speed and not really capable of high sustainable faster than light speeds.
The Italian Empire make stylish, fast star ships, that can achieve good sustainable faster than light speeds, with excellent agility at low speed, quite comfortable, breath taking voluptuous timeless styling, excellent innovative engineering, adequate comfort. Unfortunately superstructure is weak, longevity is poor, ships system failures all too common. Many craft, lost and adrift in space -never to be heard from again.
The German confederacy would make solid, well built "panzer-wagen-crafts" that focus on excellent basic scientific fundamentals. Technically clever. Longevity excellent, very robust, capable of taking legendary punishment. Very luxorious. Styling is basic and uninspiring perhaps a bit boring, "clunky", interiors are spartan and quite basic. The ships would look like a cross between Federation star ships from Star Trek and the Millenium Falcon. Strong superstructures.
Japanese Alliance would make super robust, well designed craft. In the past alot of their innovation was stolen from the English Kingdoms and others and well developed. This is due to their long term vision of continual development, with good investment and good reward for decent engineers. Have become more innovative of late. The ships would err on the side of over complexity but always be clever and well thought thorugh. Capable of high super-light speed cruise and agile at low speeds. longevity good, with reasonable strong super structures and legendary reliability, however with EXTREME age the complexity of various systems lets things down. Would also be hard to repair when crash landed in remote planets. Styling a bit cliched- looking like fighters out of anime!
Feel free to add, but rememeber no Science FACT about space shuttles or rockets, I never let the facts get in the way of a good Sci Fi fantasy story!
Marquis_Rex said:
Ok, it's a good way at making cheap shots at car manufacturers without mentioning any names!
There's no need to be coy about it on here.
Renault build cars that look weird, Audi build quality cars that are dull, the Japanese build very reliable but ultimately souless cars, the Swedes build conservative but ergonomically sound vehicles, and the Irish once built DeLoreans.
All IMHO of course. (Apart from the last one.)
andy mac said:
By that token Eastern block countries ships would be made from old tin cans, and paper mache?
...that would run OK on really bad quality dilithium crystals, and if they broke down you just landed on the nearest asteroid and repaired them using odd bits of space debris that came past.
What about us Finns then 
? I believe we would create something that would last in every conditions (eg. meteor showers) and most likely it would be very practical and well functioned. But I doubt it would be luxurious. The styling would probably be very pragmatic that wouldn´t dazzle with glamour 
? I believe we would create something that would last in every conditions (eg. meteor showers) and most likely it would be very practical and well functioned. But I doubt it would be luxurious. The styling would probably be very pragmatic that wouldn´t dazzle with glamour Jonna_Rex said:
What about us Finns then
Yours would be shaped like a mobile phone. :-)
>> Edited by alexkp on Saturday 8th October 21:57
Pigeon said:
By that token Eastern block countries ships would be made from old tin cans, and paper mache?
...that would run OK on really bad quality dilithium crystals, and if they broke down you just landed on the nearest asteroid and repaired them using odd bits of space debris that came past.
I was going to say......
I actually reckon the Russian spaceship would be OK. It would obviously look awful, and be hideously inefficient. It would be basic to the point of incredulity.
Critically, it would just go and go and go. You'd hate the journey immensely, but you'd always get there in one piece.
The Indian Federation Turbo Mega Cruisers would have the following attributes:
Their 'Motherships' would be very vast in size and expensive looking, but resembling a giant plastic Elephant. Typically they move in large Colonies with many 'Brotherships' They would all made of space age plastics which are cheap to produce and very reliable. The ships would be Gold in colour and all self financed, thus alleviating the need for expensive repayment options. Using the latest 'Basmati Drive System' their ship would be able to visit many thousands of colonies in no time at all, whereby it deposits 'Life Pods' which start new settlements and help to build up the empire. The Basmati Drive System is ultimately eco-friendly, being powered by Pilau rice, and giving the universe that unique curried smell when you cross its wake.
The Navigation system would speak in an illegible voice and would constantly say, 'Pardon please?' for no apparent reason.
The largest of ships is typically captained by the smallest of pilots. Typically it is normal for the ship to commanded by a 4' nothing female, who is sat on an array of silk cushions. Top speed of these crafts is only around 25mph in open universe but can attain random bursts for no known reason.
You can recognise these vessels immediately by the chromed arches and anti-static straps which hang from the underside. These ships typically bounce from galaxy to galaxy, veering all over the place as the on board 486 computer system tries desperately to plot the navigation from star gate to star gate.
Ship and colony security is afforded by a 968 module that defends the colony autonomously by use of a flame-retardant thick skin.
Their 'Motherships' would be very vast in size and expensive looking, but resembling a giant plastic Elephant. Typically they move in large Colonies with many 'Brotherships' They would all made of space age plastics which are cheap to produce and very reliable. The ships would be Gold in colour and all self financed, thus alleviating the need for expensive repayment options. Using the latest 'Basmati Drive System' their ship would be able to visit many thousands of colonies in no time at all, whereby it deposits 'Life Pods' which start new settlements and help to build up the empire. The Basmati Drive System is ultimately eco-friendly, being powered by Pilau rice, and giving the universe that unique curried smell when you cross its wake.
The Navigation system would speak in an illegible voice and would constantly say, 'Pardon please?' for no apparent reason.
The largest of ships is typically captained by the smallest of pilots. Typically it is normal for the ship to commanded by a 4' nothing female, who is sat on an array of silk cushions. Top speed of these crafts is only around 25mph in open universe but can attain random bursts for no known reason.
You can recognise these vessels immediately by the chromed arches and anti-static straps which hang from the underside. These ships typically bounce from galaxy to galaxy, veering all over the place as the on board 486 computer system tries desperately to plot the navigation from star gate to star gate.
Ship and colony security is afforded by a 968 module that defends the colony autonomously by use of a flame-retardant thick skin.
ultimasimon said:
Ship and colony security is afforded by a 968 module that defends the colony autonomously by use of a flame-retardant thick skin.
The 968 module would more likely be fitted to Islamabad cruisers in league with Peterpeter circuitry. They would consist of a computer program that is a Goto loop very much like tape recordings of the same messages and propaganda over and over again until people commited suicide
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff