New Engineering skill

[RealPity]

pretty much straight out of wikipedia as far as the wording goes ... got to looking it up while pondering terraforming in the Star Trek setting ...

Engineering, Planetary
The application of technology for the purpose of influencing the global properties of a planet.

Geoengineering: It includes only those macroengineering concepts that deal with the alteration of some global parameter, such as the greenhouse effect, atmospheric composition, insulation or impact flux.
Terraforming: a process of planetary engineering, specifically directed at enhancing the capacity of an extra-terrestrial planetary environment to support life as we know it. The ultimate in terraforming would be to create an open planetary biosphere emulating all the functions of the biosphere of the Earth, one that would be fully habitable for human beings.
Astrophysical Engineering: taken to represent proposed activities, relating to future habitation, that are envisaged to occur on a scale greater than that of "conventional" planetary engineering.
Paraterraforming: Also known as the "worldhouse" concept, or domes in smaller versions, paraterraforming involves the construction of a habitable enclosure on a planet which eventually grows to encompass most of the planet's usable area. The enclosure would consist of a transparent roof held one or more kilometers above the surface, pressurized with a breathable atmosphere, and anchored with tension towers and cables at regular intervals.

Opinions and/or critiques ? With any luck the most negative/argumentative one on the boards these days will miss this invite to criticism ...

[Evan van Eyk]

I totally like it, very good idea! However I do not understand what you mean with "Astrophysical Engineering".
Additionally I think "paraterraforming" is superfluous, because the terraforming itself works pretty much the same even when in a smaller volume. the only difference you need is a structure that supports it, but that is covered by Material Engineering, I think.

[RealPity]

The way it's written up is basically as a hypothetical science that we, obviously, don't possess yet.
I can see for the Star Trek setting where it's a fully realized capability that you wouldn't need the whole "para" specialty ... and as you say, engineering could cover the construction of such things.
Yeah, the astrophysical one is beyond me, perhaps just the astrophysics specialty of space sciences along with a terraforming specialty of planetary engineering accomplishes the same.
So basically you get geoengineering & terraforming as specialties. Sounds reasonable to me.

With all the talk of improving CODA or new systems lately, I'm thinking lots on how to improve ICON for my own tastes, I actually like some other skills offered in CODA like construct & repair, to cover things less complex than out and out engineering.
Thinking of lots to add and lots to change. The whole Starfleet character creation for me is going to take a huge change ... no command branch, that'll be an option for further along in a career to attend a command school or such ... obviously going to take the good (as I see it) from CODA & FASA ...
Lots of skills included like this ... i.e. carousing, damage control etc from FASA.

[redwood973]

Geoengineering and Terraforming seem very similar to me.

Perhaps going the route of Engineering, Geo with specializaitons in stuff like Atmosphere, Flora, and Hydrosphere?

Hrm, but then these would already be covered by specializations in Life and Planetary Sciences Skills wouldn't they?

I like the idea, just not sure on it should be applied.

Hrm, on the other hand the Life and Planetary Science Skills relate to the knowledge of those things whereas Engineering, Geo would relate to the aplication of that knowledge.

[RealPity]

Yep, more or less Planetary Engineering (Terraforming) would be to impliment things after all the scientific work (a definite must) has been done.

[The Tatterdemalion King]

What would an example of a test using Terraforming be?

[RealPity]

Well, as it says:

"The ultimate in terraforming would be to create an open planetary biosphere emulating all the functions of the biosphere of the Earth, one that would be fully habitable for human beings."

Goals could vary in degrees up to this ultimate level of development, and tests would reflect the difficulty of doing things on these varying scales. The result of the test would indicate the success, be it total partial or a failure. Not unlike say Engineering (Starship Design), perhaps the test is a bit lacking and the design could have a few flaws to be discovered and ironed out. Same idea, something wasn't perfect and needs to be dealt with as discovered ... maybe it even has insideous side effects until discovered and dealt with.

Rather than terraforming a whole planet, perhaps some sections could be done. Something like the Genesis cave in Wrath of Kahn. Whatever the reason may be. Perhaps some organization (Tal Shiar and other Intel agencies, pirates, Orion Syndicate, Military advanced obsevation base) wants some livable area deep inside a planetoid without giving away the fact that the object is anything but a lifeless chunk.

I must say I know nothing of the theories or science behind this, I just know that since getting the ST:TNG RPG and seeing terraforming as a tour of duty, I always thought it was lacking as a science or engineering specialty, and as I looked it up the fact they listed it as engineering rather than science appealed more to me as a skill that would implement things and "get it done" following the massive science work, the planetary science skill pretty much seemed to me to cover what would be needed in that regard.

[redwood973]

I just thought of something. . .taking a hundred years to terraform a planet. . .that's going to be one hell of an extended test!

[RealPity]

Here's hoping the 24th century technology has sped the process up !

I suppose I see the test as a roll as you implement things, then the process takes however long, but the roll will indicate the success of it or not, dramatic success perhaps means things were better than planned (more minerals or foodstuffs or such).

Needless to say, I hardly see this as something to centre an episode or gaming group around, but for those who have worked in terraforming their roll may indicate how successful their contribution to things is. Same as I wouldn't play a PC Vulcan seeking out and attaining Kolinahr ... a fine Vulcan thing, but not the most exciting for an RPG group !

Just a knitpick of mine more than anything. Always thought it should be in there somewhere.

Maybe if people got stranded somewhere and were able to improve things by some terraforming on a small scale it might have a usable purpose in a game ... who knows !

[The Tatterdemalion King]

It probably depends on the starting state of the planet.