Beneath Alien Waves

[rust]

Originally Posted by Dredj

And you can use all these devices as props and places to go for the colonists

Exactly. And there is still this megacorporation that wants to destroy the
colony because it welcomes the escaped genetic slaves. Just think of all
the possible ways to sabotage the construction of the various projects, or
to send a few "terrorists" to destroy the expensive new equipment -and
of all the additional "job opportunities" (adventures) this can provide for
the colony's security officers ...

[Dredj]

Originally Posted by rust

Yep, another very good idea (the algae stuff) !

While my colonists have not much use for biodiesel as a fuel, I am sure that
the stuff can also be used as the raw material for the production of some
sort of "bioplastics", which could replace the expensive carbon fibre materials
used now in many of the simpler applications ... there seems to be a kind of
"green" chemical industry on the colony's horizon ...

http://science.slashdot.org/article..../10/15/2040213
Something the colonists can export.

[rust]

Yep, and one step further, and the biomembrane can be used to filter oxy-
gen out of the seawater, which could lead to the production of a new type
of artificial gills. And other membranes could be used to filter valuable re-
sources from the water.

[Dredj]

This is just plain interesting:Scientists Discover How to Make Robots Bounce on Water : Environmental News Blog | Environmental Graffiti

[rust]

Originally Posted by Dredj

This is just plain interesting ...

True, but unfortunately it will work only for very small and very light robots
on a very calm sea. So, it would not be of much use in my setting, where
the average weather conditions would sink such robots almost immediately
- at least those that are not eaten by something.

[Dredj]

Also, I was thinking that maybe the colonists would use some of the salt left over from desalination to create works of art like in this Polish salt mine:Wieliczka Salt Mine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

They would compress the salt and maybe use other processes to create halite:Halite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I don't know if it's possible to do in a machine, but it is a sci-fi setting

[rust]

Salt Art and Halite ... I will think about it, perhaps there is some good way
to introduce it.

Tomorrow I will "work" through the many fascinating links you provided me
with and make a couple of notes for my setting - thank you again !

And if you have any more interesting ideas, please keep them coming, I
will be back in just a few hours.

[Dredj]

I will try to come up with some more ideas during the week. I think I will be leaving for the night pretty soon.

[Dredj]

However, the Starcluster rpg (a percentile game system much like BRP as it was heavily influenced by BRP) has some source books that might help in giving ideas for creating the civilization on Pharos IV. They even have a free download of a water world name Faren (I thought it was an interesting coincidence in how close the names are). Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Flying Mice LLC StarCluster RPG Page

Maybe even look at this:Chine Games Aquavita RPG Page

And this is basically links to the full product line:Better Mousetrap Games Main Page

[rust]

Originally Posted by Dredj

They even have a free download of a water world name Faren (I thought it was an interesting coincidence in how close the names are).

Strange indeed. I took the name Pharos from the famous lighthouse of Ale-
xandria, one of the Seven Wonders, perhaps they started with a similar idea.
The download has an interesting description of a seamount, perhaps I will
"borrow" a few ideas there.

I took a look at the other links again, and among the things I will introduce
to Pharos IV in the near future are:
- sea wave power and desalination plants,
- solar energy to power small watercraft (or at least to reload their energy
cells),
- bioplast and biomembranes produced from algae.

Some of the other ideas I will discuss with the players (or offer them to their
characters in the game).

Again, thank you very much for your help !