This week there has been a lot of buzz in the news about the newly theorized “Alcubierre Drive” that utilizes only ultra-dense matter. If you haven’t seen anything about it, I would highly recommend looking into it. The basic idea is an “engine” that would be able to warp space-time to allow for superluminal (faster-than-light) travel.
The Alcubierre Drive was originally conceived by Miguel Alcubierre back in 1994, who theorized that this method of transportation would be viable with “negative energy”. The problem with the idea: negative energy doesn’t exist in any large scale sense. However, the idea has recently resurfaced in the news as researchers have found that the same method of travel would be possible with ultra-dense matter. While still very difficult to create, this moves the Alcubierre Drive from the “Impossible” category to the “Very Unlikely” category.
My Experience with Physics and Board Games
I love physics almost as much as I love board games. When I’m not designing, playing, or thinking about board games, I’m usually doing physics homework for my physics major.
One of my favorite things about designing Factions of Sol over this past year has been including elements of real science in the game. Sci-Fi is exactly that: science meeting fiction. With that in mind, here are some of my favorite aspects of Factions of Sol that are at least close to scientifically accurate.
Our Exoplanet Names are Real!
When we decided to include exoplanets in Factions of Sol, I knew it came with a host of exciting opportunities. Exoplanets are planets that orbit stars besides our sun (Sol). To date, over 4,000 exoplanets have been discovered orbiting over 3,000 stars. For a live update on exoplanets visit this link here.
We quickly decided that the exoplanets in our game would be named after real exoplanets. These names are decided by the International Astronomical Union and they’re absolutely incredible.
Realistic Orbital Movement
In space, specific trajectories of movement are vital to successfully traveling between celestial bodies. The game board in Factions of Sol is specifically designed to mimic this type of movement. While the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, it is often not the most efficient path to travel, an idea that is both true in real space travel as well as in Factions of Sol.
Another important aspect of interplanetary travel is using different planet’s gravity to assist your movement. Opportunities for a gravitational slingshot are crucial to planning your movement in Factions of Sol and in space travel.
Fascinating Near Future Technology: The Alcubierre Drive
Guess what? You can construct an Alcubierre Drive in Factions of Sol too! All of the machines and technology you can build and use in the game are theorized as being important to humanity’s next steps towards the stars. Everything from solar sails (which have already been used in a number NASA missions) to a Dyson sphere (a theorized shell around the sun that could harness most of its energy output) are usable in Factions of Sol. While each of these technologies are utilized in a way that falls within the games mechanics, our attempt is to use them in a semi-realistic way.
Overall, science fiction is ultimately a work of fiction. But the reason that I gravitate towards sci-fi is because of my love for the sci, which I hope comes out in the games I design.
CLICK HERE if you want to learn more about the development history of Factions of Sol.