Re: (TFT) Calendar system for Cidri?

[Stan <srydzews@ix.netcom.com>]

David Michael Grouchy II wrote:

This is interesting stuff.  A couple of minor points:

>      UNIVERSE: Apparently where-ever Cidri is the pattern of the stars
> indicates that it is in a different universe.  This seems to go against the
> earlier implication of the other worlds just being alternate time lines.  I
> say this because the only way I can see to tell that Cidri is in another
> universe is by looking at the stars.

There might be others.  There are certain universal constants like the
permittivity of free space that might be different.  (I mean, it's not
like the inhabitants of Cidri have to be able to tell the difference
for there to be a difference.)
 
>      PROBABILITY: Other worlds of probability.  This one is very
> interesting.  Could it be that the paths of alternate time lines go back so
> far, maybe billions of years, that the probabilities of evolution were set
> on completely different paths?  Speaking of probability, of the 371 worlds
> there is only a 0.8% chance of space travel and a 2.9% chance of magic.  A
> full 89% of them have neither, but they must medical techniques. 

I would propose that likely there are some worlds that have both space
travel *and* magic.  It's certainly possible, at least, which would alter
the potential distribution somewhat.
 
> Section Three
>       Conclusions.  If have concluded that the key to Cidri is in the
> calendar.  More properly stated; the best way to keep track of which
> alternate Earth one is on is to learn the science behind calender systems.
> For instance: the solar year is actually getting shorter.  It is estimated
> that in 2,500 years the Earth year will be a single day shorter.  Stated
> another way: 15,000 years ago the earth year may have been 371 days long.

Really?  Wow, I never knew that.

Of course, the nature of Cidri is made very odd by the fact that it's supposed
to be so huge.  If it's just a spherical planet with a surface area 1000 times
that of earth (as ITL implies) then it must be hollow or have some sort of 
major super-science or magic adjusting its gravity and weather (for starters).  
The fact that the horizon should be much farther away to someone standing on 
such a huge planet is never discussed.  We talked about the whole 'super-planet' 
thing on the list a while back, it's a thorny topic.  

It's never mattered in my campaigns, but I'm tempted to say the thing is a 
ringworld and leave it at that.  The rules don't support this view, but at 
least it makes sense for something with that much surface area.
=====
Post to the entire list by writing to tft@brainiac.com.
Unsubscribe by mailing to majordomo@brainiac.com with the message body
"unsubscribe tft"