Game in the Brain

• Design and Propulsion: The ships Nicco and I created for the TL9 era (2100-2199) are designed with a realistic Delta-V range of 2-3 km/s. These ships use propulsion systems like Methlox (methane and liquid oxygen) and AmmLox (ammonia and liquid oxygen)—volatile fuels that need constant cooling by a micro nuclear reactor.
• Thermal Management: To handle the intense heat, I envision the hull using advanced graphene-based heat sinks, sectioned for maximum efficiency.
• Fuel Cells and Energy Density: Another crucial area for study is the energy density of fuel cells, which will be key in powering various ship systems.
• Interplanetary Travel: These ships would take weeks to travel around Jupiter, requiring frequent booster or stage purchases to extend their Delta-V. This setup adds logistical complexity, particularly within the Jupiter system, where resources are abundant yet spread across vast distances.

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The Jovian Economy in the 2300s: A New Frontier

• Population and Scale: By the 2300s, the Jovian system has become an economic powerhouse, with billions of inhabitants spread across thousands of habitats. A continuous exodus from Earth fuels an economy larger than anything imaginable today.
• Resource Remittance: The resources processed in the Jovian system are immense—trillions of USD sent back to Earth regularly. These are the wealth reserves of even poorer states within the Jupiter system.
• Federated States and High Wealth per Capita: Habitats in the Jovian system operate as a multicultural federation of states, each functioning like a nation. However, these “nations” are far wealthier, with a per capita income equivalent to billions of USD in 21st-century terms.
• Jupiter as the New World: Jupiter represents a New World, much like America once did. It is the superpower, 100 times stronger than its nearest rival—the Earth-Luna and Mars-Belt systems. However, new frontiers, like Saturn, pose a threat. While smaller than the Jovian system, their ease of resource access allows them to accumulate capital at rates that rival Jovian elites, threatening the status quo.
• Resource Ownership: Individuals in the Jovian system can accumulate vast wealth, potentially owning resources on par with the GDP of entire countries in just a decade of extended lifespan.
• Self-Sufficient Habitats and Trade: Massive tera-ton habitats, each supporting tens of thousands, orbit Jupiter and trade millions of tons of goods across thousands of kilometers. In this future, society thrives in the vastness of space, leveraging Jupiter’s resources, which dwarf Earth’s by 300 times.

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Beyond the Jovian System: TL10 and FTL Technologies

• Advancements in Ship Technology: By TL10, spaceships feature revolutionary technology, including space-folding drives for faster-than-light (FTL) travel. The new “Jump Tenders” are optimized for deep space exploration, equipped with large radiators and habitat rings for long-term voyages.
• Nuclear Thermal Rockets: Alongside FTL drives, TL10 ships use advanced nuclear thermal rockets, once exclusive to nation-states but now accessible to citizens due to the system’s immense wealth. Radiators and other design elements manage heat and protect passengers, adding a layer of realism.
• Exploring Nearby Star Systems: Ships travel to Alpha Centauri and Barnard’s Star, only to uncover an unexpected mystery: humans arrived there centuries earlier, suggesting an unknown chapter of humanity’s past.

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Hidden History and the Dark Forest Theory

• Discovery of Secret Colonies: The Mneme universe introduces a compelling twist—interstellar colonization began as early as the 2100s, but this knowledge was deliberately concealed. Nearly 200 “secret” colonies exist across the stars, hinting at centuries of hidden exploration.
• Information Inequality: In a galaxy of 40 billion humans, information spreads unevenly. Only a select few know certain truths, creating suspense and mystery within interstellar society.
• Encountering the Dark Forest: As humanity pushes beyond Sol, it encounters a “Dark Forest”—a foreboding unknown that makes the frontier both dangerous and alluring. This element forces players to confront the vastness of space and the hidden perils it holds.