Oolite Bulletins

Having been inspired by a number of the Oolite stories that people have released, I've been toying around with writing some Oolite fiction of my own. My main idea at this stage is something along the lines of "Operation Pedestal IN SPAAAACE!", with that well-known Chart 8 holiday destination of Oresrati substituting for Malta. The premise for a resupply convoy going there is still being worked out but all of them assume that Oresrati is inhabited (by colonists, involuntary exiles, and self-exiled criminals)...

... unfortunately which contradicts Drew's story "Mutabilis" that has the Oresrati system as basically barren uninhabited rocks: "...and there was no good reason to go; no stations, no trading posts, not even rock hermits."

I guess my question comes down to: Is it an issue for the Ooniverse if my version of Oresrati contradicts what has been defined so far as 'canon'?

Ranthe wrote:

I guess my question comes down to: Is it an issue for the Ooniverse if my version of Oresrati contradicts what has been defined so far as 'canon'?

Well, if you go there in game you'll see a station, a planet, probably some ships (in 1.79 you'll see considerably fewer ships because there are no neighbouring systems for them to come from, but you'll still see a few once you get up close).

Whether oofic or the game is more canonical is obviously a matter for some debate. Obviously it would also be possible for someone to make a Mutabilis-Oresati OXP that made the system more like the fiction - in the spirit of the Tionisla Graveyard OXP - but no-one has yet, so far as I know.

Ranthe wrote:

I guess my question comes down to: Is it an issue for the Ooniverse if my version of Oresrati contradicts what has been defined so far as 'canon'?

I think the concept of canon when it comes to Oolite is a bit of an oxymoron.

Everybody's Oolite is unique to themselves, so I suggest you go ahead and don't feel constrained by anything that's gone before. Mutabilis was written in 2008, so maybe it's time for a reboot/reimaginging anyway!

You've certainly got my blessing.

All the best,

Drew.

Write your tale, Ranthe - stuff supposed canon!

Yours could be a Parallel Ooniverse.

cim wrote:

Well, if you go there in game you'll see a station, a planet, probably some ships (in 1.79 you'll see considerably fewer ships because there are no neighbouring systems for them to come from, but you'll still see a few once you get up close).

drew wrote:

Everybody's Oolite is unique to themselves, so I suggest you go ahead and don't feel constrained by anything that's gone before.

Good points - thanks! I shall continue plotting a plot for the story, as well as sending out "Commander Pathfinder" on a cross-galaxy research run to Chart 7 and beyond...

The existence of Raxxla invalidates canon. Even the destruction of Raxxla invalidates the canon where Raxxla is destroyed.

The existence of that planet in any universe at any time has happily loaded cause and effect, into a WWI artillery piece and defenestrated it with a merry "boom".

Raxxla is not a writing get out of jail free card, it's a writing get out of universe free card. Turn Oresrati into a my little pony and fairy princess happy clappy candy world where everyone farts rainbows and gumdrops if you like. Thanks to Raxxla, your bullet proof......

Thinking about Raxxla, we/I dont know why the late Robert Holdstock chose the name, but based on the other details in the Dark Wheel he must have had access to valid planet names, maybe he was told the algorithm because Raxxla cannot be generated as a name. The xx would have to replaced by a choice described at http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Oolite_planet_list
The valid choices for xx would give

• Rala
  Raala
  Raalla
  Ralela
  Raxela
  Ragela
  Razala
  Racela
  Rabila
  Rasola
  Rausla
  Raesla
  Raarla
  Ramala
  Rainla
  Radila
  Rarela
  Raerla
  Raatla
  Raenla
  Rabela
  Rarala
  Ralala
  Ravela
  Ratila
  Raedla
  Raorla
  Raqula
  Raanla
  Ratela
  Raisla
  Rarila
  Raonla

and only one of these actually exists,
Rainla in Galaxy 4 : a well-sited Poor Industrial Anarchy near the Foundry's Reach. It doesn't look like a promising place anyone would want to visit from afar, perhaps making it ideal for a plot point.

Nice bit of detective work.. well done.

Diziet Sma wrote:

Nice bit of detective work.. well done.

Agreed!