Planet Moratorium - 2020

[stevebowers]

I'm guessing that easily terraformable planets occur in approximately one in a hundred systems. That might seem pessimistic, but in fact it is optimistic; it means there could be ten million terraformable worlds in the Terragen Sphere.

[AstroChara]

I think a looser version of this should be extended indefinitely. Actively encouraging members to steer away from terraformed planets and maybe a quota, though not an outright prohibition I guess.

I've been putting off doing an article on the Restored Ambi Limis in the hopes of having some settled planets in the polity. Having to wait a full year for the moratorium to expire was bad enough, so I'd really rather not see the door shut on inhabited worlds completely.

W...why? Why would the Restored Ambi require an Earth clone?

[Drashner1]

I don't think we're going to shut the door on inhabited planets completely. More likely raise the bar and formalize things a bit.

Todd

[Everything4404]

Yeah.

[AstroChara]

Yup, that's pretty much what I intend it to be like.

[Drashner1]

Hello all,

The moratorium on new terraformed, Earth-like worlds being added to the EG for the duration of 2020 has now expired.

However, after considering member comments and discussing the matter among ourselves, the management of the OAUP has decided to modify our approach to the addition of such worlds to the setting.

Specifically, new terraformed, Earth-like worlds added to the EG will be held to a higher standard than that used for other new EG entries. Similar to our approach to new xenosophont races added to the setting, the amount of information included, quality, and level of detail of the article will all be expected to be of such a level as to 'Wow' us.

Among other things that any such article will need to include:

a) A reason given for the planet being terraformed.

b) A reasonable/logical/Canon compliant timeframe for the terraforming to have taken place (the colonists can't just be said to show up and terraform the planet first thing and then go on about their business).

c) A description of the technologies used to terraform the planet.

d) The inclusion of a representative sampling of any problems or challenges (technological, logistical, social, or political) that may have arisen during the terraforming process.

e) A significant history of the system/world in question - although a complete history for the entire time between the terraforming of the planet and the OA 'present day' is not necessary (or even really desirable).

f) At least three paragraphs discussing space habitats operating in orbit or in the vicinity (e.g., a Lagrange point, a nearby orbit, whatever). It is preferred, but not required, that the majority of the population should live in the space habs rather than on the planet.

Beyond the area of terraformed, Earth-like worlds, the following (modified) elements introduced during the launch of the planet moratorium continue in effect moving forward:

• The OAUP will both accept and give preferred editorial attention to EG entries focused on space habitats and space-based megastructures. The exact type of habitat or megastructure is up to the author. Whether the habitats are orbiting the local star or orbiting a local world or doing something else is up to the author. But we really prefer to see habitat-only, or habitat majority systems.
  

• The OAUP will continue to accept submissions depicting non-Earth-like worlds, whether natural or engineered, inhabited or not. ‘Non-Earth-like’ in this context means that a RL baseline human would not be able to survive more than 5 minutes (more or less) if exposed to the planetary environment.
  

• Inhabited non-Earthlike world entries must include at least three paragraphs discussing space habitats operating in orbit or in the vicinity (e.g., a Lagrange point, a nearby orbit, whatever). It is preferred, but not required, that the majority of the population should live in the space habs rather than on the planet.
  

• Non-Earthlike worlds depicting bubblehabs, supraplanetary shells/bands/plates, etc. are acceptable. World-housed worlds and moons containing non-Earthlike environments are acceptable. Space habitats depicting Earthlike or non-Earthlike environments are acceptable.
  

• Updating EG articles on existing worlds/systems (Earth-like or not) to add in various sorts of space habitats is acceptable. Expanding existing stub articles while doing so doubly so. Updating older articles that depict early colony missions terraforming a world practically on arrival to add in a major habitat component and depict terraforming as taking longer and being more realistic triply so and will get the same level of editorial priority as new articles depicting nothing but space habs or megastructures.
  

Articles that meet the criteria above will be judged against our 'regular' standards, rather than the enhanced standards being applied to newly added Earth-like terraformed planets.

We will be updating the How to Contribute pages for 2021 and will be including these guidelines for future reference.

If you have any questions or concerns about any of the above, please don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks!

Todd