The Mod Journal (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
spaceshipit) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
driftfleet_ooc2016-12-07 12:39 am
spaceshipit) wrote in driftfleet_ooc2016-12-07 12:39 am
Entry tags:
December Star System
After the mystery and isolation of their last destination, the Marsiva seems determined to head to brighter, busier territory. After a long journey through remote, nebula-painted space, speeding along at a brisk pace for the Host ship, the Marsiva brings her Fleet to a sudden and prominent point of traffic.
It seems that the Fleet has happened upon some sort of vacation destination! Maybe Atroma thinks that the passengers deserve some rest and relaxation... or just wants to distract them with something huge and shiny.
CALENDAR:
→ The fleet will be in this star system from now until approximately the first week of January.
→ We will put up a setting mingle within the first few days, but feel free to make your own after that.
→ There will also be a more plot-oriented post sometime later in the month!
WELCOME TO HOTEL CORONA.
Common knowledge seems to be that the hotel was established years ago, when enterprising people from a nearby planet realised that they could make easy money from tourists who would come to watch the nebula lights from their ships. It has since grown into a behemoth of a structure, brimming with thousands of rooms arranged across multiple themed spokes, which all connect to the bustling hub in the center. Visitors are often there simply to vacation, witnessing the beauty of the nebula--which can be viewed from numerous platforms, restaurants, and tour shuttles--and experiencing the fantastic features of the hotel itself.
HOTEL DIRECTORY.
(Click image for larger size)
Hotel Corona is shaped like an enormous wheel turning slowly in space, with a full rotation occurring every thirteen hours, so everyone gets fantastic views of the nearest nebulas. This, without a doubt, is the main attraction for the many tourists who come here.
The layout of the station is straightforward: the outer ring is comprised of hotel rooms, the five spokes are devoted to different types of entertainment, and the center hub is where most of the shopping and dining is found (though there are small stores and restaurants scattered throughout each of the five spokes as well).
Each area is color-coordinated to match their designated zone for easier navigation. For the color-blind (and those who don't see all the colors in the human visible spectrum) there's additional signage posted amidst all of the other numerous wall advertisements. In the spokes and shopping hub, there are regular loudspeaker announcements about hotel deals and ads. When they aren't advertising, they play “music”. Sometimes, the tunes sound like the typical forgettable music one would expect to find in a shopping center. But at other times, the music sounds completely off to folks with human hearing (or equivalent). In these cases, notes are missing or seem entirely out of place. Meanwhile, anyone with enhanced hearing abilities will find these compositions completely pleasant.
Overall, the size of the entire facility is ... immense. Just taking a lap around the walkway ring could take the better part of a day. Luckily, there are free shuttles and teleporters all over the place to help get people where they need to be, and fast.
CORONA CHIPS.
Upon arrival, passengers quickly learn that the main currency of the hotel isn’t credits, but rather a hotel-issued monetary system called corona chips (or CC’s for short!). To buy anything, or to use any of the hotel's many wonderful facilities, passengers will have to exchange their money at the front desk for corona chips. It's a hassle, but you know you want that shooting star figurine... so, why wouldn’t you?
If you want to exchange your corona chips back into credits, however, some may find the process a bit troublesome. The currency-convertor machines are frequently out of order, and the staff may often seem a bit too “busy” to help you. It’s not impossible to get your hotel-brand money changed into universal credits, but some may have to be pretty persistent to get it done. It’s almost as though the hotel wants to keep your money! Imagine that.
HOTEL ROOMS.
Besides the neighborhood nebulas, the Corona is famous for it's staggering array of hotel rooms. Not only are there options for every taste, but every budget as well!
Themed Suites: The suites are the most expensive option, but are considered the hallmark of Hotel Corona for a reason. These suites are modeled after many worlds and concepts. For the visitor that likes fuzzy animals? There is a whole Plush room for them to enjoy - the bed is shaped like a cuddly Plasma Whale (with surprising realism) and is absolutely covered in plushie animals. Does someone yearn to be on a frozen planet without the actual cold? There is a Snow room of course, with fake snowflakes drifting around everywhere. The themes range from the mundane to the downright bizarre, any of which your character is free to choose from, so long as they shell out the chips. Maybe they will even spot a concept very reminiscent of one of the Fleet's previous stopping points. The Corona gathers its ideas from far and wide!
Standard Rooms: These rooms are much less expensive than a themed suite, but more so than the budget option. The rooms themselves are nothing terribly remarkable--just a standard single or double hotel room with a mini-fridge and a shower. Even these rooms reflect the allure of the Corona, however, as they all come with a fantastic view of the nebulas (and room service, for an extra fee)!
Budget Option: For the visitor looking for a bargain, passengers can enter their names into a "room roulette". From there, they will be assigned one of the theme suites that are not already occupied by another visitor (as there's no profits to be had from an unoccupied room!). ICly, passengers get no say in what kind of theme suite they end up in, but OOCly, their players sure do. You can put them in a suite that speaks to their hidden desires, or one that is hilariously misfitting. They say that the rooms put into the bargain pool naturally tend to be the least-popular ones, but Corona staff insist that every one of their rooms is as appealing and high-quality as the next.
Passengers can rent a room anywhere from a night to their entire stay, provided they have the money for it (or are willing to do jobs for the hotel to make up the cost). You can also have them stay in many different theme suites, if you so desire.
Creating a Theme Suite
Players can design any sort of theme room they want for their characters’ stay! There are thousands of rooms to choose from, which can be used to fulfill any sort of niche you want!
Some guidelines to follow:
THE SPOKES.
No self-respecting hotel would be without entertainment and services for its guests. The five spokes are devoted to providing guests with endless possibilities to entertain themselves between nebula-viewings, with each one being enormous in size and overflowing with options as the hotel has been built up over the years.
Corona Hall: Considered the entryway and main spoke of the hotel, this is where guests can check in, deal with any administration needs, exchange currency, find a job, visit the infirmary, and report any problems to security. This spoke also contains two large, lavish areas where children and pets can play and are watched over. Young characters and their guardians, and pet-owners, may utilize these areas themselves, or passengers looking for work can take shifts in assisting the licensed professionals working there.
Apogee Getaway: The resort has a huge swimming pool that takes up a good portion of the spoke, while the rest is dedicated to the likeness of some apparently-famous alien beach. The sand is a neon orange and the water is an algaeous purple-green, while the (fake) flora looks like something straight out of a Dr. Seuss book. Some parts are clearly made for wave-riding and windsurfing, but other bits of the shore have challenging rock formations made for climbing. There are adobe-looking buildings that provide spa services, drinks, catering, and party hosting. Feeling tense? Check out the spa to get a massage, an exotic glowing algae facial, a mud bath, an ice dive, or your tentacle hair groomed.
Redshift District: This is where most of the "adult" entertainment can be found. Unlike the other spokes where anyone (paying) can go, only passengers of adult maturity (18 and older for humans) are allowed in. Once inside, there's a plethora of activities aimed towards an adult crowd: bars, dance clubs, tattoo parlors, smoke shops, adult stores, a strip club, escort service, high class dining places, etc. For those interested in earning CC through gambling, there's also a casino and a few betting lounges where visitors can watch broadcasts of sporting events, races, and fights from other worlds to bet on - though none of the sports will be any that passengers are likely to recognize. Don’t know the rules of Nunnilis Polo? Oh well, good luck.
Blue Nebula Museum: Named after the first feature formally studied when scholars finally began to visit the Hotel, this spoke is geared toward those looking for a more laid-back and intellectual time. The mainstay of the museum is the grand array of viewing decks and telescope/scanning technologies geared toward curious tourists, and elaborate displays detailing the surrounding nebulas and (a conveniently favorable view of) the history of the Corona Hotel. The Blue Nebula also hosts numerous other exhibits and treasures on display that one might expect to find in an interstellar museum, but they are very randomly collected from other worlds via travelers, with very little organization... and some of the descriptions seem a little dubious in their accuracy. Passengers may even recognize a few things from previously-visited worlds... but, good luck convincing anyone that the saltstone statue they're calling a rare religious relic is really just a souvenir. And for when guests tire of learning, there are several quiet cafes and secluded lounges, perfect to chat with friends or curl up with a favorite book. And don't forget the museum gift shop!
Adventure Avenue: Do you like nature? Exploring? Hiking? Then we have the place for you! Spanning the entire length one of the spokes is Adventure Avenue, a place specially tailored for nature-lovers! ... At least, that's what the signs all claim. In reality, it's about as fake as you can get: from plastic trees and robotic animals, right down to the foam rocks and astroturf. All of those lovely bird songs and the sounds of wind blowing through the fabric leaves come from speakers "camouflaged" into fake boulders covered with netting and fuzzy not-really-moss. (You wouldn't want to miss hotel flash-sales and announcements while you're walking in the woods! Right?) The trails are open for all to enjoy a nice (faux-)nature walk at their leisure. If patrons are more of the hunting variety of outdoorsy, there's a Hunting Event nightly! Pick up a hotel-issued laser rifle (for a small rental fee - and not for keeps!) and shoot yourself some robotic wildlife. Maybe you'll win a prize!! Of course, those prizes will be in the form of hotel restaurant gift cards, generic midway/arcade prizes (Finger puppets! Pinwheels! Wooden coin sets!), or CASH!! ...Well, okay, Corona Chips, not credits. But you were going to spend all your prize money here anyway, right?
OTHER ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS.
Nebula Viewing: Tourists can rent cute single, double, or four-seater shuttles to coast around in a designated area out in space to see the nebulas, kind of like the space version of paddleboats. Unlike your regular Fleet shuttles, these shuttles have extremely strong shielding, so you can get closer to the nebula without worrying about frying the systems. But, if you try to go too far away from the designated flying area, the shuttle will go into autopilot-lockdown and bring you back--all while charging your account an extra fee.
Mini-Golf(??): Attached along one of the walkways what seems to be a mini-golf course! From the outside, it looks like any standard course, albeit the tacky decorations look a bit more alien than usual. But when you start playing, it becomes increasingly clearer that the rules are very different from the Earth variety of the game, almost nonsensically so. Sometimes, it’s good to get a hole in one, and sometimes it seems best to be the player to miss the most times! And sometimes, just about when new players might feel that they are getting the hang of things, the ball morphs into a cube or a pyramid! And the number of times that it bounces along the course is very important. If by some miracle, you win (because it seems that this game often has rounds where no player is named the victor) there are prizes to be won!
Phaser Tag: If anyone's looking for a more combat-oriented pastime, they are welcome to sign up for a war game in which two teams are set loose in a pitch-black maze. The objective: score the most hits against other team's players within the time limit. You'll be given a cheap, beat-up laser pistol to shoot with. These pistols have a tendency to be unpredictable--sometimes they jam, sometimes the sight is just too far to the right, and sometimes the laser just bends for no reason at all. It does not hurt to get "shot" by the pistol, but a fluorescent splotch will appear on the victim for the rest of the game. Extra points are given to shots that "hit" vital spots, but these don’t always match up with human physiology. The players who come out on top will be awarded a paltry sum of CCs and a leaky toy water gun.
Zero-G Karts: They hover, they bump into each other, they're fun for the whole family! It may take passengers a little time to get the hang of them, given that you have to shove your hand (or other alien appendage) into a hole in the dashboard just to make them go forward or backwards. The steering wheel looks more like a gyrosphere, and most of you only have one other hand to steer with, so... good luck! There are no prizes to be won here, just the satisfaction of hitting your fellow fleetmates with a kart.
The Sound of Music: Those who would like to make their own entertainment can rent an instrument for a few hours, and it even comes with a complementary soundproofed room. While some things seem familiar (drums, flutes) there are stringed instruments in fantastic shapes, actual glass harps, breath-activated pianos, vibraphones that are meant to be played with claws, and more. You can also record songs in the studio and have them downloaded onto your communicator--for an extra fee, to no one's surprise.
SHOPPING AND DINING.
The center hub of the hotel features a range of bars and restaurants, from the cheap food court offerings to the fancier five-star restaurant that costs an arm and a leg. Additionally, merchandise shops abound, with plenty of nebula-patterned shirts, toys and postcards to choose from. If you can think of a novelty item, this place has it.
HOTEL JOBS.
Staying at the hotel isn’t always cheap, so those who are thrifty are welcome to take up temporary jobs around the hotel. Become a bellboy, a chef, a pool towel collector - the options are plenty! Those wanting more of a challenge can take up a security role. Some less savoury travelling stores occasionally hover around the hotel, enticing tourists to buy knock-off wares and some slightly more illegal goods. A character could either join the efforts to push these freeloaders away, or join them in fleecing vacationers for money.
IKKE, PLANET OF ICE.
If the Space Hotel isn't to your tastes (or you're too poor), spend some time planetside!
The planet of Ikke is a small world on the scenic outskirts of the largest nebula in the system. Its surface is mostly covered in water, but there are small islands, landmasses, and even pack ice thick enough to easily support the weight of a ship. But before you step outside, you better bring a heavy coat! This planet managed to be settled without the aid of terraforming, but the average temperature is still challenging for human life.
Almost all the land is covered in ice and snow for the majority of the year. The only greenery outside of the ocean comes from plants that have managed to adapt to this cold climate. Land animals are sparse due to the harsh conditions, and almost every species here seems to have at least some aquatic adaptation. Even so, you still might see the occasional herd of Pangnik roaming across the fields, or a few Oggani near the shores. The predatory land shark population in particular is doing very well for itself! Perhaps a little ... too well. Might want to look out if you go for a nature hike.
The population of Ikke can be found in small settlements, the largest being no bigger than a few thousand. There's a few permanent settlements along the coasts in warm spots (well, warmer. It's still cold) that can be used as space ports and trading hubs.
Most of the people, however, can be found in smaller "roaming villages" across the land and glaciers. These villages travel around until they find a good spot for hunting, fishing, and other resources before they set up camp for awhile. It’s by no means an easy life, but the locals have long since embraced this lifestyle as part of their culture. If one was to venture inside one of their home vehicles, they would find the accommodations to be a little nicer than one would find in their own ship, and surprisingly cozy.
The story goes that the original population to settle on the planet were settlers who searched far and wide to find a habitable planet that didn’t need terraforming, and didn't already have a sentient population. They found their own ways to adapt to the harsh climate, and have since lived there for many generations. And then, many years ago, a band of entrepreneurial locals noticed that people traveling through the system wouldn’t stop at their planet for more than a day or two at a time, and would spend more time in orbit just to gaze at the nebula. Apparently skilled in engineering, the group started Hotel Corona as a means to capitalize on the nebula's beauty, and make up for the limited means of their homeworld. Since then, the hotel has grown and flourished, and to this day the majority of the staff are locals from Ikke.
SHOPPING AND DINING.
Compared to the hotel, there isn't much on Ikke to buy. Merchants in the permanent settlements will sell you mostly practical goods: winter gear, hunting and fishing supplies, food, and products made from the non-edible parts of local plants and animals. They are willing to trade in either credits or Corona Chips.
Due to the limits on agriculture, the main food staples are seafood and meat. If you're looking for produce, it comes in the form of berries, roots, and sea vegetation. Protein machines are around if you're looking for something familiar, but these are considered as a back-up resource only.
PLANETSIDE JOBS.
If you're looking for work outside the hotel, there is some to be found here. Ice fishing and hunting are popular trades. Those skilled and/or looking for a challenge can try their hand thinning the land shark population or taking a boat out to fish for bigger game. An Engineer or Maintenance personnel could easily earn money repairing equipment around settlements. And anyone with a shuttle or ship to fly can fill their days with supply deliveries between the different settlements or to and from the hotel - those fresh seafood dishes have to come from somewhere!
Final Note
As a last note, we want to extend a shout-out and a huge thanks to Vappa for submitting the plot idea for space hotel! This is the first player plot to be implemented, and we had a lot of fun working on it! So thank you, Vappa!
If you have any questions or want clarification on anything we've mentioned in this post, feel free to leave us a comment in the QUESTIONS thread below!
It seems that the Fleet has happened upon some sort of vacation destination! Maybe Atroma thinks that the passengers deserve some rest and relaxation... or just wants to distract them with something huge and shiny.
CALENDAR:
→ The fleet will be in this star system from now until approximately the first week of January.
→ We will put up a setting mingle within the first few days, but feel free to make your own after that.
→ There will also be a more plot-oriented post sometime later in the month!
WELCOME TO HOTEL CORONA.
Common knowledge seems to be that the hotel was established years ago, when enterprising people from a nearby planet realised that they could make easy money from tourists who would come to watch the nebula lights from their ships. It has since grown into a behemoth of a structure, brimming with thousands of rooms arranged across multiple themed spokes, which all connect to the bustling hub in the center. Visitors are often there simply to vacation, witnessing the beauty of the nebula--which can be viewed from numerous platforms, restaurants, and tour shuttles--and experiencing the fantastic features of the hotel itself.
HOTEL DIRECTORY.
(Click image for larger size)
Hotel Corona is shaped like an enormous wheel turning slowly in space, with a full rotation occurring every thirteen hours, so everyone gets fantastic views of the nearest nebulas. This, without a doubt, is the main attraction for the many tourists who come here.
The layout of the station is straightforward: the outer ring is comprised of hotel rooms, the five spokes are devoted to different types of entertainment, and the center hub is where most of the shopping and dining is found (though there are small stores and restaurants scattered throughout each of the five spokes as well).
Each area is color-coordinated to match their designated zone for easier navigation. For the color-blind (and those who don't see all the colors in the human visible spectrum) there's additional signage posted amidst all of the other numerous wall advertisements. In the spokes and shopping hub, there are regular loudspeaker announcements about hotel deals and ads. When they aren't advertising, they play “music”. Sometimes, the tunes sound like the typical forgettable music one would expect to find in a shopping center. But at other times, the music sounds completely off to folks with human hearing (or equivalent). In these cases, notes are missing or seem entirely out of place. Meanwhile, anyone with enhanced hearing abilities will find these compositions completely pleasant.
Overall, the size of the entire facility is ... immense. Just taking a lap around the walkway ring could take the better part of a day. Luckily, there are free shuttles and teleporters all over the place to help get people where they need to be, and fast.
CORONA CHIPS.
Upon arrival, passengers quickly learn that the main currency of the hotel isn’t credits, but rather a hotel-issued monetary system called corona chips (or CC’s for short!). To buy anything, or to use any of the hotel's many wonderful facilities, passengers will have to exchange their money at the front desk for corona chips. It's a hassle, but you know you want that shooting star figurine... so, why wouldn’t you?
If you want to exchange your corona chips back into credits, however, some may find the process a bit troublesome. The currency-convertor machines are frequently out of order, and the staff may often seem a bit too “busy” to help you. It’s not impossible to get your hotel-brand money changed into universal credits, but some may have to be pretty persistent to get it done. It’s almost as though the hotel wants to keep your money! Imagine that.
HOTEL ROOMS.
Besides the neighborhood nebulas, the Corona is famous for it's staggering array of hotel rooms. Not only are there options for every taste, but every budget as well!
Themed Suites: The suites are the most expensive option, but are considered the hallmark of Hotel Corona for a reason. These suites are modeled after many worlds and concepts. For the visitor that likes fuzzy animals? There is a whole Plush room for them to enjoy - the bed is shaped like a cuddly Plasma Whale (with surprising realism) and is absolutely covered in plushie animals. Does someone yearn to be on a frozen planet without the actual cold? There is a Snow room of course, with fake snowflakes drifting around everywhere. The themes range from the mundane to the downright bizarre, any of which your character is free to choose from, so long as they shell out the chips. Maybe they will even spot a concept very reminiscent of one of the Fleet's previous stopping points. The Corona gathers its ideas from far and wide!
Standard Rooms: These rooms are much less expensive than a themed suite, but more so than the budget option. The rooms themselves are nothing terribly remarkable--just a standard single or double hotel room with a mini-fridge and a shower. Even these rooms reflect the allure of the Corona, however, as they all come with a fantastic view of the nebulas (and room service, for an extra fee)!
Budget Option: For the visitor looking for a bargain, passengers can enter their names into a "room roulette". From there, they will be assigned one of the theme suites that are not already occupied by another visitor (as there's no profits to be had from an unoccupied room!). ICly, passengers get no say in what kind of theme suite they end up in, but OOCly, their players sure do. You can put them in a suite that speaks to their hidden desires, or one that is hilariously misfitting. They say that the rooms put into the bargain pool naturally tend to be the least-popular ones, but Corona staff insist that every one of their rooms is as appealing and high-quality as the next.
Passengers can rent a room anywhere from a night to their entire stay, provided they have the money for it (or are willing to do jobs for the hotel to make up the cost). You can also have them stay in many different theme suites, if you so desire.
Creating a Theme Suite
Players can design any sort of theme room they want for their characters’ stay! There are thousands of rooms to choose from, which can be used to fulfill any sort of niche you want!
Some guidelines to follow:
- Room size can range from capsule hotel size to a sizable penthouse. However, the room does have to be contained within a room/multi-room suite (no sleeping outdoors or in space), and the larger rooms are understandably more expensive.
- Themes can be anywhere from extremely general and basic (example: A blue room that’s just blue, or a romance-themed room) to extremely specific and detailed (example: The Room Full of Pictures of Teacup Pigs Sitting in Teacups). The only rule is that the theme can't be a direct Earth reference (example: There's no NYC theme room, but there are rooms about non-Earth metropolises), and can't be from a character's specific canon.
- Besides fish tanks, there are no actual living creatures in the rooms. Stuffed animals and animatronics can be used as substitutes.
- Every element of the room theme must be something that could be created through non-magical means (using sci-fi tech to achieve what you want is okay, though).
- The rooms can come with fake or toy weapons, but no actual weapons. Any torture devices or other dangerous/harmful elements will be decorative-only or have lots of safety mechanisms on them to keep them from doing actual harm.
- Not at all rooms are made for humans or humanoid species, so feel free to play around with some weird room set ups (the bucket? That’s where you sleep of course!).
THE SPOKES.
No self-respecting hotel would be without entertainment and services for its guests. The five spokes are devoted to providing guests with endless possibilities to entertain themselves between nebula-viewings, with each one being enormous in size and overflowing with options as the hotel has been built up over the years.
Corona Hall: Considered the entryway and main spoke of the hotel, this is where guests can check in, deal with any administration needs, exchange currency, find a job, visit the infirmary, and report any problems to security. This spoke also contains two large, lavish areas where children and pets can play and are watched over. Young characters and their guardians, and pet-owners, may utilize these areas themselves, or passengers looking for work can take shifts in assisting the licensed professionals working there.
Apogee Getaway: The resort has a huge swimming pool that takes up a good portion of the spoke, while the rest is dedicated to the likeness of some apparently-famous alien beach. The sand is a neon orange and the water is an algaeous purple-green, while the (fake) flora looks like something straight out of a Dr. Seuss book. Some parts are clearly made for wave-riding and windsurfing, but other bits of the shore have challenging rock formations made for climbing. There are adobe-looking buildings that provide spa services, drinks, catering, and party hosting. Feeling tense? Check out the spa to get a massage, an exotic glowing algae facial, a mud bath, an ice dive, or your tentacle hair groomed.
Redshift District: This is where most of the "adult" entertainment can be found. Unlike the other spokes where anyone (paying) can go, only passengers of adult maturity (18 and older for humans) are allowed in. Once inside, there's a plethora of activities aimed towards an adult crowd: bars, dance clubs, tattoo parlors, smoke shops, adult stores, a strip club, escort service, high class dining places, etc. For those interested in earning CC through gambling, there's also a casino and a few betting lounges where visitors can watch broadcasts of sporting events, races, and fights from other worlds to bet on - though none of the sports will be any that passengers are likely to recognize. Don’t know the rules of Nunnilis Polo? Oh well, good luck.
Blue Nebula Museum: Named after the first feature formally studied when scholars finally began to visit the Hotel, this spoke is geared toward those looking for a more laid-back and intellectual time. The mainstay of the museum is the grand array of viewing decks and telescope/scanning technologies geared toward curious tourists, and elaborate displays detailing the surrounding nebulas and (a conveniently favorable view of) the history of the Corona Hotel. The Blue Nebula also hosts numerous other exhibits and treasures on display that one might expect to find in an interstellar museum, but they are very randomly collected from other worlds via travelers, with very little organization... and some of the descriptions seem a little dubious in their accuracy. Passengers may even recognize a few things from previously-visited worlds... but, good luck convincing anyone that the saltstone statue they're calling a rare religious relic is really just a souvenir. And for when guests tire of learning, there are several quiet cafes and secluded lounges, perfect to chat with friends or curl up with a favorite book. And don't forget the museum gift shop!
Adventure Avenue: Do you like nature? Exploring? Hiking? Then we have the place for you! Spanning the entire length one of the spokes is Adventure Avenue, a place specially tailored for nature-lovers! ... At least, that's what the signs all claim. In reality, it's about as fake as you can get: from plastic trees and robotic animals, right down to the foam rocks and astroturf. All of those lovely bird songs and the sounds of wind blowing through the fabric leaves come from speakers "camouflaged" into fake boulders covered with netting and fuzzy not-really-moss. (You wouldn't want to miss hotel flash-sales and announcements while you're walking in the woods! Right?) The trails are open for all to enjoy a nice (faux-)nature walk at their leisure. If patrons are more of the hunting variety of outdoorsy, there's a Hunting Event nightly! Pick up a hotel-issued laser rifle (for a small rental fee - and not for keeps!) and shoot yourself some robotic wildlife. Maybe you'll win a prize!! Of course, those prizes will be in the form of hotel restaurant gift cards, generic midway/arcade prizes (Finger puppets! Pinwheels! Wooden coin sets!), or CASH!! ...Well, okay, Corona Chips, not credits. But you were going to spend all your prize money here anyway, right?
OTHER ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS.
Nebula Viewing: Tourists can rent cute single, double, or four-seater shuttles to coast around in a designated area out in space to see the nebulas, kind of like the space version of paddleboats. Unlike your regular Fleet shuttles, these shuttles have extremely strong shielding, so you can get closer to the nebula without worrying about frying the systems. But, if you try to go too far away from the designated flying area, the shuttle will go into autopilot-lockdown and bring you back--all while charging your account an extra fee.
Mini-Golf(??): Attached along one of the walkways what seems to be a mini-golf course! From the outside, it looks like any standard course, albeit the tacky decorations look a bit more alien than usual. But when you start playing, it becomes increasingly clearer that the rules are very different from the Earth variety of the game, almost nonsensically so. Sometimes, it’s good to get a hole in one, and sometimes it seems best to be the player to miss the most times! And sometimes, just about when new players might feel that they are getting the hang of things, the ball morphs into a cube or a pyramid! And the number of times that it bounces along the course is very important. If by some miracle, you win (because it seems that this game often has rounds where no player is named the victor) there are prizes to be won!
Phaser Tag: If anyone's looking for a more combat-oriented pastime, they are welcome to sign up for a war game in which two teams are set loose in a pitch-black maze. The objective: score the most hits against other team's players within the time limit. You'll be given a cheap, beat-up laser pistol to shoot with. These pistols have a tendency to be unpredictable--sometimes they jam, sometimes the sight is just too far to the right, and sometimes the laser just bends for no reason at all. It does not hurt to get "shot" by the pistol, but a fluorescent splotch will appear on the victim for the rest of the game. Extra points are given to shots that "hit" vital spots, but these don’t always match up with human physiology. The players who come out on top will be awarded a paltry sum of CCs and a leaky toy water gun.
Zero-G Karts: They hover, they bump into each other, they're fun for the whole family! It may take passengers a little time to get the hang of them, given that you have to shove your hand (or other alien appendage) into a hole in the dashboard just to make them go forward or backwards. The steering wheel looks more like a gyrosphere, and most of you only have one other hand to steer with, so... good luck! There are no prizes to be won here, just the satisfaction of hitting your fellow fleetmates with a kart.
The Sound of Music: Those who would like to make their own entertainment can rent an instrument for a few hours, and it even comes with a complementary soundproofed room. While some things seem familiar (drums, flutes) there are stringed instruments in fantastic shapes, actual glass harps, breath-activated pianos, vibraphones that are meant to be played with claws, and more. You can also record songs in the studio and have them downloaded onto your communicator--for an extra fee, to no one's surprise.
SHOPPING AND DINING.
The center hub of the hotel features a range of bars and restaurants, from the cheap food court offerings to the fancier five-star restaurant that costs an arm and a leg. Additionally, merchandise shops abound, with plenty of nebula-patterned shirts, toys and postcards to choose from. If you can think of a novelty item, this place has it.
HOTEL JOBS.
Staying at the hotel isn’t always cheap, so those who are thrifty are welcome to take up temporary jobs around the hotel. Become a bellboy, a chef, a pool towel collector - the options are plenty! Those wanting more of a challenge can take up a security role. Some less savoury travelling stores occasionally hover around the hotel, enticing tourists to buy knock-off wares and some slightly more illegal goods. A character could either join the efforts to push these freeloaders away, or join them in fleecing vacationers for money.
IKKE, PLANET OF ICE.
If the Space Hotel isn't to your tastes (or you're too poor), spend some time planetside!
The planet of Ikke is a small world on the scenic outskirts of the largest nebula in the system. Its surface is mostly covered in water, but there are small islands, landmasses, and even pack ice thick enough to easily support the weight of a ship. But before you step outside, you better bring a heavy coat! This planet managed to be settled without the aid of terraforming, but the average temperature is still challenging for human life.
Almost all the land is covered in ice and snow for the majority of the year. The only greenery outside of the ocean comes from plants that have managed to adapt to this cold climate. Land animals are sparse due to the harsh conditions, and almost every species here seems to have at least some aquatic adaptation. Even so, you still might see the occasional herd of Pangnik roaming across the fields, or a few Oggani near the shores. The predatory land shark population in particular is doing very well for itself! Perhaps a little ... too well. Might want to look out if you go for a nature hike.
The population of Ikke can be found in small settlements, the largest being no bigger than a few thousand. There's a few permanent settlements along the coasts in warm spots (well, warmer. It's still cold) that can be used as space ports and trading hubs.
Most of the people, however, can be found in smaller "roaming villages" across the land and glaciers. These villages travel around until they find a good spot for hunting, fishing, and other resources before they set up camp for awhile. It’s by no means an easy life, but the locals have long since embraced this lifestyle as part of their culture. If one was to venture inside one of their home vehicles, they would find the accommodations to be a little nicer than one would find in their own ship, and surprisingly cozy.
The story goes that the original population to settle on the planet were settlers who searched far and wide to find a habitable planet that didn’t need terraforming, and didn't already have a sentient population. They found their own ways to adapt to the harsh climate, and have since lived there for many generations. And then, many years ago, a band of entrepreneurial locals noticed that people traveling through the system wouldn’t stop at their planet for more than a day or two at a time, and would spend more time in orbit just to gaze at the nebula. Apparently skilled in engineering, the group started Hotel Corona as a means to capitalize on the nebula's beauty, and make up for the limited means of their homeworld. Since then, the hotel has grown and flourished, and to this day the majority of the staff are locals from Ikke.
SHOPPING AND DINING.
Compared to the hotel, there isn't much on Ikke to buy. Merchants in the permanent settlements will sell you mostly practical goods: winter gear, hunting and fishing supplies, food, and products made from the non-edible parts of local plants and animals. They are willing to trade in either credits or Corona Chips.
Due to the limits on agriculture, the main food staples are seafood and meat. If you're looking for produce, it comes in the form of berries, roots, and sea vegetation. Protein machines are around if you're looking for something familiar, but these are considered as a back-up resource only.
PLANETSIDE JOBS.
If you're looking for work outside the hotel, there is some to be found here. Ice fishing and hunting are popular trades. Those skilled and/or looking for a challenge can try their hand thinning the land shark population or taking a boat out to fish for bigger game. An Engineer or Maintenance personnel could easily earn money repairing equipment around settlements. And anyone with a shuttle or ship to fly can fill their days with supply deliveries between the different settlements or to and from the hotel - those fresh seafood dishes have to come from somewhere!
Final Note
As a last note, we want to extend a shout-out and a huge thanks to Vappa for submitting the plot idea for space hotel! This is the first player plot to be implemented, and we had a lot of fun working on it! So thank you, Vappa!
If you have any questions or want clarification on anything we've mentioned in this post, feel free to leave us a comment in the QUESTIONS thread below!
no subject