On Mon, Aug 25, 2014 at 2:06 PM, Phil Pugliese (via tml list) <xxxxxx@simplelists.com> wrote: > Underlying it all is my belief that the super-hi (compared to us) tech a universe like the TU would possess would work to diminish trade volume, not increase it. On that point, we are in strong agreement. Reasonable extrapolation tells us that soon (in historical terms, and *well* before the 57th century) we will be able to "magically" turn raw materials into any desired goods on demand. At that point, the only things worth moving around physically are sentient organic beings (assuming those still matter), items of unique value like original artworks, and (most especially) information. In such a universe, there would be essentially no cargo shipping as we think of it. Sentients would congregate near sources of raw materials, and trade blueprints with other similar settlements. That makes for some fine transhuman storytelling. But it looks nothing like Traveller, and the reason is that Traveller is not (and has never been) super high tech. There are elements of technology that we can't produce, mostly involving propulsion and weaponry. But there is no pervasive change in the fundamentals, such as an economy of scarcity. Traveller is fundamentally about a late 20th century society that happens to have gravitics, jump drives, and meson guns. Thus, the trick to making Traveller work has always been keeping the cables which support suspension of disbelief both sufficiently strong and reasonably well hidden. This will necessarily involve some handwaving. Where those handwaves work best is a matter of taste, bolstered (or otherwise) by canon. In this case, since we know the 3I has a great deal of trade from a number of canon-based arguments, it seems to me easiest to assume that this trade will follow the usual rules of business and economics. Giant container ships serving major worlds follows as a natural consequence. You can choose other handwaves to get one Far Trader a week visiting Mora, but in that universe you are left with the questions Bruce asked -- where does the 3I get its tax revenue, and what exactly does it protect? If worlds are that self-sufficient, why does anyone ever invade anyone else's territory? For that matter, why does anyone travel(tm) at all? > > So what it really comes down to is a matter of personal preference, no? > > What do you like better, the MT 'universe' or the CT one? > > p.s. From what I've read it appears that T5 favors the 'less is better' school of thought. > ----- > The Traveller Mailing List > Archives at http://archives.simplelists.com/tml > Report problems to xxxxxx@travellercentral.com > To unsubscribe from this list please goto > http://www.simplelists.com/confirm.php?u=PltOdItWBSgOP4y0Q6abkGbDI1eus0lz -- Craig Berry (http://google.com/+CraigBerry) "Eternity is in love with the productions of time." - William Blake
