Population 0 Worlds and Economics

[agorski]

I'm looking at the Economic Extension and Resource Units for worlds.

In a recent discussion with Joshua, it was confirmed that travellermap and Marc agree that dieback worlds have usable infrastructure.

But in the case of Pop 0 worlds in general, it seems like Efficiency and Resource Units should be 0 because they're based on production which doesn't exist.

Should I submit errata on this?

 

[tjoneslo]

The problem is efficiency 0 is not no efficiency, it's average efficiency.

IIRC the default for the efficiency on barren / dieback worlds as set in the T5SS is -5. Simply to indicate that if you want access to any of the resources in the system, you will need to do a lot of work to get access to them.

The efficiency -5 means the system always has a negative RU rating. So Resources (7) * Labor ( 0-> 1) * Infrastructure (0 -> 1) * efficiency (-5) = RU -35. The negative RU value means this system is a net consumer of resources.

But I agree, we might want to force set the RU to 0 for these unpopulated worlds.

 

[jcrocker]

If you wanted to handwave a special case here and there, while the population might be in the single digits, they could be the supervisors and repair crew overseeing the Ling Standard Products DigsALot Twelve Thousand robotic mining and processing facility.

 

[Timerover51]

If the world's have usable infrastructure with a population "0", then while Efficiency will be "0". Resources should not be. You have a situation similar to H. Beam Piper's book Cosmic Computer/Junkyard Planet, where the local population makes much of its living off of salvaging abandoned military equipment. Depending on the Tech Level of the world prior to the die-back, there could be a very wide range of material that could be recovered for sale on another world. You might also be able to get some production going, again depending on the Tech Level and what resources are there.

 

[agorski]

The problem is efficiency 0 is not no efficiency, it's average efficiency.

IIRC the default for the efficiency on barren / dieback worlds as set in the T5SS is -5. Simply to indicate that if you want access to any of the resources in the system, you will need to do a lot of work to get access to them.

Good catch on the T5 Second Survey standard. I guess I'll use -5 for Efficiency.

 

[agorski]

If the world's have usable infrastructure with a population "0", then while Efficiency will be "0". Resources should not be.

Agreed, Resources are calculated normally. Since T5 Second Survey Format doesn't use or specify Resource Units (RU), that's still an open question and I'm leaning towards 0.

The zero point of the scale represents a self sufficient economy, negative values represent a dependent or contracting economy, and positive values show an economy with growth or export capability.

 

[inexorabletash]

Agreed, Resources are calculated normally. Since T5 Second Survey Format doesn't use or specify Resource Units (RU), that's still an open question and I'm leaning towards 0.

FWIW, the file formats I suggest are extensible. I can make the map site spit out RU if that's useful, and can validate it if present on input. There just hasn't been demand.

I can also add it to the world detail pop ups if that is helpful to anyone.