Starrunners Content Development Roadmap

This document outlines specific in-universe content areas, technological deep-dives, socio-political explorations, and xeno-studies planned for development within the Starrunners setting. It serves as a living master list to guide collaborative efforts and ensure a cohesive expansion of the lore.

(Regularly updated by the Starrunners’ Council. Items may be reprioritized based on project needs and contributor availability.)

Legend:

• 🔥 Top Priority / Next Release (v0.8 Target): Items critical for the next major lore update or release.
• ▲ Research Spike Needed: Requires foundational research, brainstorming, or development of underlying principles before full content creation.
• ◆ Backlog / Nice-to-Have: Important for long-term richness but not immediately critical.
• 💡 New Idea/Expansion Point: Suggestion for further development or a related concept.
• ⚙️ Tool/Utility Tie-in: Potential for integration with the starrunners-utils tool.

A. TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING EXPANSIONS

Deepening the technological framework of the Starrunners universe.

• 🔥 A1. Asteroid & Resource Extraction Infrastructure Stack
  • Detailed design of asteroid capture mechanisms (e.g., kinetic impactors for trajectory alteration, net capture systems, automated tugs).
  • Spin-gravity processing drums/facilities: Onboard asteroid processors for initial sorting and refinement.
  • Volatilization furnaces & ISRU techniques: Methods for extracting water ice, methane, silicates, metals; resulting feedstock grades and typical yields.
  • Standardized ore-pod/container interface specifications for transport.
  • Dedicated tug classes (e.g., sub-800 tonne “Rock Shepherds”) for maneuvering asteroids or processed material.
  • Risk Assessment: Potential for encountering dormant [Wildcode Pockets] in derelict pre-Crash mining outposts or ancient micro-datacenters within asteroids.
  • 💡 Automated mining drone swarms and their control/coordination systems (Wildcode-safe).
• 🔥 A2. Space & Extraterrestrial Warfare Doctrine & Materiel
  • Weapon System Taxonomy:
    • Kinetics: Coil-guns (various calibers/payloads), railguns, mass-driver derived projectiles.
    • Directed Energy: Plasma lances/cannons, high-powered lasers (UV, X-ray), particle beams.
    • Ordnance: Missiles (conventional, nuclear, EMP), torpedoes (including illicit [Bubble Torpedoes]).
    • Electronic Warfare: Jammers, spoofers, network intrusion tools (against hardened systems).
  • Defensive Systems & Doctrine: Point-defense systems, layered armor (e.g., reactive, ablative over [Aramid-CNT Hull]), electronic countermeasures, fleet formations, stealth considerations vs. [CID FTL Drive] energy signatures.
  • FTL Combat: Techniques for [CID FTL Drive] intercept, interdiction fields (if plausible within lore), tactical FTL jumps, and limitations imposed by Rapidity-Gate.
  • Orbital Fortification Archetype: Design principles, energy/mass budgets for hardened orbital defense platforms and weaponized stations.
  • Rules of Engagement (ROE): Interstellar conventions regarding warfare, particularly concerning civilian targets, WMDs, and actions that might risk Rapidity-Gate paradox avoidance failure or large-scale causality disruption.
  • 💡 Doctrine for combat in/around [Skyhook Systems] or [FTL Interface Ports].
• ▲ A3. Biotechnology, Medtech & Human Augmentation
  • Gravitational Adaptation: Low-g muscle lattice grafts, bone density therapies, artificial womb technology for off-world births.
  • Radiation Mitigation & Repair:
    • Biologically-Based Nano-Repair Systems: Explore concepts for “bio-nanotech” – e.g., engineered microorganisms or cellular constructs triggered by specific chemical markers of radiation damage (like free radicals or DNA breaks). These could initiate localized repair processes drawing on principles of morphogenesis or embryogenesis, operating without centralized high-compute coordination. This avoids traditional nanotech swarms but allows for sophisticated biological repair.
    • Advanced Gene Therapies: Focus on robust gene therapies for enhancing DNA repair mechanisms, radiation resistance (e.g., boosting production of radioprotective proteins like Dsup), and mitigating long-term GCR damage.
    • Personalized radio-protective microbiome modifications.
  • Emergency Medical Tech: Field-deployable bio-sutures/regenerators (evaluating safety under compute moratorium constraints – perhaps purely chemical/mechanical triggers?). Trauma stasis pods.
  • Cybernetics & Prosthetics: Advanced prosthetics (functional, not typically transhumanist enhancement).
  • Neural Interfaces (NI):
    • Explore types of NIs permissible under Wildcode constraints (e.g., read-only for diagnostics, limited output for assistive tech like controlling prosthetics, high-bandwidth but physically isolated interfaces for specialized piloting rigs like the [Flex-Rig Exosuit]).
    • Cultural acceptance/taboos around different NI types.
  • Nootropics & Cognitive Enhancers:
    • Pharmacological agents for enhancing focus, memory, stress resilience (non-AI dependent skill boost).
    • Potential for personalized nootropics based on genetic markers.
    • Societal impact: availability, regulation, black market for enhanced compounds.
  • Cloning & Genetic Engineering (Expanded):
    • Timeline of cloning laws (therapeutic vs. reproductive). Ethical debates, religious objections, and factions involved.
    • “Baseline Human” movements vs. those advocating for genetic adaptation to specific exoplanet environments (e.g., higher radiation tolerance, different atmospheric pressures).
    • Regulation of germline vs. somatic gene editing.
  • Life Extension: Plausible methods and societal impact (e.g., telomere therapies, advanced organ regeneration).
  • 💡 “Flash-cloning” of organs for transplant using accelerated growth techniques (still complex, but potentially less compute-intensive than de novo generation).
• ▲ A4. Computing, Software Ecology & AI
  • The Nature & Development of “Blue Fire”:
    • Explore a hybrid origin: S. Esteban’s foundational type-λ calculus provides the theoretical framework for provably terminating code.
    • This framework is then used to guide the selective breeding and “domestication” of specific Wildcode strains within highly secure “digital vivariums” or “code-farms.” These “tamed” strains, when compiled under Blue-Fire dialects and run on photonic hardware, become the basis for safe, powerful processing, as well as emergent cybersecurity measures.
    • This approach introduces the “playing with fire” and “powers not fully understood” vibe. What if a “domesticated” strain “goes feral” or hybridizes?
  • Safe AI Capability Tiers (Blue-Fire Based): Define tiers for AIs built with these “domesticated wildcode” components running in Blue-Fire/HSA environments. (e.g., complex diagnostics, logistical optimization, limited scientific modeling).
  • Wildcode-Adjacent Threats & “Grey Line” Interactions: * Explore how Wildcode might subtly influence or manipulate systems operating below the 20MW/20Gbps Grey Line without being able to directly replicate or “feed” on them (e.g., introducing noise into sensor data, subtly altering algorithmic outputs in unhardened low-power systems, psychological operations via sub-Grey-Line media). * This incentivizes development of hardened low-power systems, robust cybersecurity even for “safe” devices, and reliance on analogue backups. * Soft thresholds, new mutation vectors for dormant Wildcode.
  • Low-Bandwidth Network Protocols: Detail mesh-network protocols optimized for reliability and data integrity under the <10 Gbps cap (e.g., delay-tolerant networking, steganographic data compression).
  • Human-Machine Interface (HMI/UX) Patterns: Design philosophy for cockpits, engineering stations, personal devices (e.g., tactile controls, photonic HUDs, voice commands with limited NLP, haptic feedback). Emphasize information clarity and direct control over “smart” GUIs.
  • Sub-Grey-Line AI Applications (Post Grey Crash Recovery):
    • Language Models (Offline/Local): Development and use of smaller, specialized language models running on local, sub-Grey-Line hardware for tasks like:
      • Data analysis & summarization (scientific, intelligence).
      • Translation (first-pass for xeno-languages).
      • Creative assistance: language-based simulations, aiding in artistic endeavors (e.g., generating variations for Dust Poets, composing musical motifs).
      • Educational tools & interactive fiction for entertainment.
    • Constraint: These LMs would be self-contained, no direct internet access for training or operation.
  • ⚙️ Develop a “safe compute” checklist for new tech proposals based on these tiers.
  • 💡 The “art” of writing highly optimized code for sub-Grey-Line systems. “Code Wizards” who can achieve surprising performance from limited hardware.
• ◆ A5. Strategic Fuel Production & Acquisition
  • Helium-3: Detailed design of gas-giant “skimmer” rigs (atmospheric processors), transport logistics, and refining processes.
  • Antimatter (Condensed Nuggets): Design of outer-system “nugget dredger” ships, initial processing/stabilization techniques, and transport to core system depots.
  • Cost Curves & Economics: Analysis of energy cost (Joules per kg) for He-3 and antimatter nugget production vs. fusion/antimatter pellet demand and market prices.
  • Deuterium & Lithium-6: Sources and extraction methods (e.g., oceanic extraction on habitable worlds, asteroidal/lunar mining).
  • 💡 Impact of fuel availability on ship design choices (e.g., Brightwing vs. Nugget Torch).
• 🔥 A6. Detailed Technological Timeline (Pre-Crash, Crisis, Quarantine, Recovery, Starrunners Era)
  • Chart key inventions, breakthroughs, and adoption rates for major technologies.
  • Quarantine Century Tech: Focus on technologies that flourished due to compute constraints:
    • Propulsion: Rise of robust chemical rockets, advanced Nuclear Salt Water Rockets (NSWR), early fusion pulse (Orion-style, pre-Brightwing).
    • Navigation: Increased reliance on optical astrogation (sextants, star charts), analogue nav computers, early forms of the [Quantum-Optical Nav Array].
    • Interfaces: Predominance of analogue dials, physical switches, direct mechanical linkages where possible.
  • Illustrate how the compute bottleneck slowed or re-routed development in fields requiring heavy simulation (e.g., advanced aerodynamics, complex FTL theory, certain biotech research).
  • Show the gradual re-emergence of advanced compute post-Blue-Fire and how it led to the Starrunners-era tech stack.
  • 💡 “Lost technologies” from the pre-Crash era that were too compute-dependent to maintain or recover quickly.

B. LOGISTICS, ECONOMY & INTERSTELLAR COMMERCE

Exploring the flow of resources, wealth, and influence across the stars.

• 🔥 B1. Interstellar Supply Web & Production Chains
  • Dependency Graphs: Map resource → raw material → refined material → component → subsystem → final product (e.g., trace elements → borophene → NECL waveguides → NECL panel → FTL drive). Identify critical dependencies for key technologies like NECL, Brightwing drives, advanced sensors.
  • Time/Distance Shipping Matrix: Typical transit times and costs for bulk vs. priority cargo between key systems/regions, considering sublight legs, FTL jump sequences (including recharge/cooldown), and [FTL Interface Port] throughput.
  • Strategic Chokepoints & Hubs: Detailed profiles of critical nodes like the L4 Foundry Belt (NECL production), Triton Ice Yards (water/propellant), major [Mass-Driver Rail] heads, key [Skyhook Systems].
  • ⚙️ Utility tool module for simulating basic supply chain disruptions or calculating optimal routes.
• ▲ B2. Trade, Piracy & Mercantilism
  • Major Trade Routes & Commodities: Define primary interstellar trade lanes and the goods that flow along them (e.g., raw materials, manufactured goods, luxury items, intellectual property/data crystals).
  • Convoy Economics: Practices for organizing and protecting merchant convoys, role of escort services (e.g., Atlas-class escorts).
  • Privateering & Letters of Marque: Are they sanctioned by any factions? Legal frameworks.
  • Black Markets: Detailing illicit trade in compute-ton licences, antimatter nuggets, [Bubble Torpedoes], restricted biotech, stolen data.
  • Mercenary Outfit Typology: Different classes of mercenary groups (e.g., ship-based security, ground assault specialists, “deniable asset” operators), typical contract terms, and reputation systems.
  • Interstellar Contract Law Snippets: Examples of legal clauses related to shipping, salvage, resource claims.
  • 💡 “Free Trader” archetypes and common vessel classes they use.
• ◆ B3. Terraforming & Megastructure Engineering Projects
  • Planetary Engineering Case Studies:
    • Mars “Atmospheric Scoop Enclave” phased development schedule and long-term goals.
    • Venusian atmosphere processing & sunshade mirror deployment strategies.
    • Ceres (or similar large asteroid) aquifer melt and paraterraforming efforts.
  • Megastructure Concepts (Beyond Standard Habitats):
    • True Orbital Rings (if plausible within extended lore).
    • Dyson swarm segments or Statites for energy collection.
  • Scientific Foundations & Funding: The organizations (e.g., Earth Commonwealth Astro-Engineering Corps, private megacorporations) undertaking these projects, their motivations, and funding mechanisms. Ethical considerations and opposition groups.
  • 💡 “Failed terraforming projects” as locations for adventure or salvage.
• ◆ B4. Socio-Economic Metrics & Systems
  • Regional Quality of Life (QoL) Indices: Develop metrics to compare living standards across different regions (Earth Core, Cis-Lunar, Belt Colonies, Jovian Habitats, Outer Rim Frontier Worlds, new Extrasolar Colonies). Factors might include access to resources, healthcare, education, gravity levels, radiation exposure.
  • Income & Wealth Distribution: Typical median income/wealth levels in different regions and professions.
  • Units of Exchange:
    • Joule-credits (JCs): Primary energy-backed currency.
    • Compute-tons: Tradable licenses for HPC capacity.
    • Water-kiloton futures: Commodity trading for bulk water ice.
    • Other potential currencies: data-scrip (for information), material-specific credits.
  • Taxation & Tariffs: How interstellar trade and colonial resources are taxed.
  • 💡 Major corporations and their economic influence.

C. POLITICS, HISTORY & CULTURE

Weaving the human tapestry of the Starrunners universe.

• 🔥 C1. Major Faction Dossiers (Tier-2 Sourcebook Material)
  • For each major faction (e.g., Earth Commonwealth, Jovian Directorate, Outer Rim Confederacy, Grey Syndics, plus 1-2 new distinct factions):
    • Ideology & Governance: Core political philosophy, government structure, legal system, citizen rights and responsibilities.
    • History & Origins: Key founding events, historical grievances, major leaders.
    • Territory & Demographics: Star systems controlled/influenced, population centers, ethnic/cultural makeup.
    • Economic Base: Primary industries, resources controlled, trade partners/rivals.
    • Military/Security Forces: Typical force structure, ship classes emphasized, military doctrine, intelligence agencies.
    • Culture & Society: Common social norms, values, arts, education system, views on AI/technology/FTL.
    • Symbols & Aesthetics: Flags, emblems, typical architectural styles, color palettes.
    • Relations with Other Factions: Alliances, rivalries, treaties, ongoing disputes.
  • 💡 Minor factions, criminal organizations, influential cults/philosophies.
• 🔥 C2. Historical Timeline Expansion & Key Events
  • Post-Quarantine Conflicts: Detail specific skirmishes or proxy wars fought over resources or ideology in the wake of the [Quarantine Century]’s end (e.g., “Compute-Tonnage Riots,” “L-Point Foundry Skirmishes”).
  • The Antimatter Blockade War: A major conflict involving the control of antimatter nugget supply lines or production.
  • Key Treaties & Accords: E.g., Helium-3 Accord (regulating He-3 extraction/trade), Treaty of Epsilon Eridani (first major interstellar colony charter), Interstellar Navigation Conventions. Provide context, cause/effect blurbs.
  • Technological “Cold Wars”: Periods of intense, non-military competition between factions to achieve breakthroughs in specific tech areas (e.g., FTL efficiency, new weapon systems).
  • 💡 Discovery logs/first-hand accounts from major historical events.
• ▲ C3. Religious, Philosophical & Artistic Movements
  • Dominant & Emerging Belief Systems:
    • Neo-Solarism: Nature/Earth-centric reverence, perhaps skeptical of unchecked tech.
    • Algorithmic Atonists: A philosophical/religious response to the Wildcode Crisis, focusing on “pure” computation, perhaps seeing Blue-Fire as a form of redemption.
    • Void Kith: Groups adapted to or preferring deep space/low-g life, with unique customs.
  • Artistic Expressions:
    • Dust Poets / Low-Bandwidth Art: Art forms thriving under bandwidth constraints (e.g., concise poetry, oral epics, minimalist visual art, handcrafted physical art).
    • Zero-G Dance/Sculpture: Art forms unique to space habitats.
    • Holographic Art (limited, secure displays): Use of controlled, non-networked holo-art.
  • Cultural Taboos & Rituals: Beyond general AI distrust, explore specific taboos (e.g., related to radiation exposure, specific genetic modifications, FTL jump procedures). Detail rituals or oaths of significant guilds (e.g., Astrogators’ Guild using sextants, Engineers’ maintenance rites).
  • Fashion & Personal Adornment: Styles reflecting different environments, factions, and resource availability (e.g., radiation tattoos as status symbols or warnings, practical workwear vs. high-fashion in core worlds).
  • 💡 Music of the Starrunners Era – what would it sound like?
• ◆ C4. Cultural Memory & Legacy of the Grey Crash
  • Oral Histories & Testimonies: Fictional first-hand accounts or curated “interviews” from survivors or those who lived through the early Quarantine Century.
  • “Grey Day” Memorials: How different cultures/factions commemorate the datacentre burnouts or the imposition of the Moratorium. Rituals, holidays, public monuments.
  • Propaganda & Public Information Artifacts: Examples of public safety posters from the Grey Crash warning about compute use, government PSAs about the Mandel Accords, children’s educational materials about “safe code.”
  • Museum Exhibits: What would a 24th-century museum exhibit on the Wildcode Crisis look like? What artifacts would it display?
  • 💡 Conspiracy theories about the “true” origin or nature of the Wildcode.

D. XENOSCIENCE: BIOLOGY, ECOLOGY & FIRST CONTACT

Introducing non-human life and intelligence into the Starrunners universe.

• ▲ D1. Alien Life Survey Catalogue & First Contact Protocols
  • Exoplanetary System Sheets: Standardized template for detailing newly discovered star systems: star class (G, K, M, etc.), planetary bodies, location of habitable zones, basic atmospheric composition of key worlds, overall “Habitability Index.”
  • Biosphere Notes: For worlds with life – general type (microbial, complex flora/fauna, potential for sentience), unique biochemistry (if not carbon-based), major ecological features.
  • First Sapient Contact Case Study (Hypothetical or Actual):
    • Physiology: Basic biology, senses, environmental requirements.
    • Communication: Attempts to understand/decode language. Limitations imposed by human tech (e.g., low-bandwidth comms, Wildcode paranoia preventing direct interface with alien tech).
    • Initial cultural observations & misunderstandings.
    • Terran Sphere First Contact Protocols: Rules of engagement, non-interference guidelines (or lack thereof), scientific priorities, quarantine procedures.
  • ⚙️ Utility tool module for generating plausible star system parameters.
• ▲ D2. Evolutionary Constraints Engine & Xeno-Design Tool
  • Conceptual Tool Outline: A framework (potentially a simple spreadsheet, document, or future starrunners-utils module) to guide creation of believable alien life.
  • Input Parameters: Planetary gravity, atmospheric pressure/composition, dominant radiation type/intensity, liquid solvent (water, methane, etc.), average temperature, axial tilt/seasons.
  • Output Suggestions: Likely body plans (e.g., radial vs. bilateral symmetry, endo/exoskeletons), sensory organ adaptations, locomotion methods, metabolic pathways, basic ecological niches.
  • Purpose: To provide writers and artists with plausible starting points for designing alien flora and fauna, avoiding common sci-fi tropes unless intentionally subverted.
  • 💡 Examples of “convergent evolution” analogs for Earth life under different conditions.
• ◆ D3. Xeno-Pathogen & Contamination Protocols
  • Planetary Quarantine Levels: Standardized procedures for approaching, landing on, and returning from worlds with known or suspected biological activity.
  • First Contact Medical Kits & Diagnostics: Equipment carried by survey teams for rapid detection and initial analysis of potential xeno-pathogens.
  • Decontamination Procedures: For personnel, equipment, and samples.
  • Legal & Ethical Ramifications: Laws governing accidental contamination of pristine biospheres or Earth/colonies by alien microbes. Responsibilities of corporations vs. governments.
  • 💡 A past incident involving a xeno-pathogen that shaped current protocols.
• 💡 D4. Non-Sapient Alien Ecology Spotlights
  • Detailed descriptions of 2-3 unique and compelling alien ecosystems on different exoplanets, including key flora, fauna, and their interrelationships.
  • Potential resources or hazards these ecologies present to human explorers/colonists.

E. META, PIPELINE & COMMUNITY TOOLS

Improving the worldbuilding process and resources.

• 🔥 E1. Source-Control & Wiki Automation
  • Develop and implement a pre-commit script (e.g., Git hook) to automatically lint new/modified wiki pages for:
    • Adherence to basic Markdown formatting.
    • Correct SI unit usage and formatting.
    • Presence of Canon Tier references where appropriate.
    • Valid internal Jekyll link syntax.
  • Automate Table of Contents generation for longer wiki pages.
  • Investigate automated dead-link checking for the entire wiki.
• ▲ E2. Economic & Astrogation Simulation Tools (Simple)
  • Conceptual Prototypes: Develop simple Python notebooks, spreadsheets with macros, or potentially NetLogo models to:
    • Sanity-check trade lane capacities (e.g., simulate flow of goods given ship speeds, port throughput, number of vessels).
    • Model basic resource depletion/accumulation scenarios in a colony.
    • Plot simple orbital trajectories or FTL jump sequences for narrative visualization.
  • Purpose: To provide quick checks for plausibility rather than highly detailed simulations.
  • ⚙️ These could be early modules for the starrunners-utils project.
• ◆ E3. Art Direction & Visual Style Guide Expansion
  • Develop a supplementary guide to the main Lore-Builders’ Guide focusing on visual aesthetics:
    • Color Palettes: Suggested palettes for major factions, Terran Sphere technology, different environments.
    • UI/UX Motifs for In-Universe Tech: Common design language for displays, control panels (emphasizing tactile, Lo-BW HUDs).
    • Signage & Glyphs: Develop a basic set of in-universe warning signs, corporate logos, faction symbols, or even a “Lo-BW standard glyph set” for public information displays.
    • Architectural Styles: Visual cues for different settlement typologies or factional architecture.
    • Fashion & Equipment Design: General guidelines for clothing, personal gear, weapon aesthetics.
  • 💡 Curated mood board or image gallery for visual inspiration.
• 💡 E4. Interactive Wiki Features
  • Explore plugins or custom JavaScript for:
    • Interactive maps (star charts, system maps).
    • Timeline visualizations.
    • Tooltips for in-universe terms or acronyms.

Proposed Focus for Next Sprint (Following v0.8 Release):

• A1. Asteroid & Resource Extraction Infrastructure Stack (Detailed designs & economics)
• B1. Interstellar Supply Web (Focus on dependency graph for 2-3 key technologies)
• C1. Faction Dossiers (Complete dossiers for Earth Commonwealth & Jovian Directorate)
• D1. Alien Life Survey Catalogue (Develop template & first 1-2 system/biosphere entries)