Below is my first attempt to put together the theme for my first board game. Please let me know what you think!
-Vassoul
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NEW EARTH, INC.
Introduction
The news was received in different ways by different sectors of society. Governments could not decide whether to cover up, ignore, or explain away the information. Academics threw up their hands and wondered whether humanity would ever listen. Some shouted from street corners about the coming of the apocalypse. The most intriguing response, however, came from boardrooms across the globe – a chance at the ultimate profit and unbounded public adoration?
At the close of the third quarter of 2189, a coalition of scientists in countless fields released the results of an internationally funded study on the sustainability of the planet Earth. The outlook was grim. Earth was perched upon a precipice and soon was going to start the treacherous plunge to inhabitability. Preliminary estimates predicted that in five years, pollution levels, lack of natural resources, rampant uncontrollable disease, and cosmic radiation would begin to decimate human population levels (7 to 15% annual atrophy of global populace). Clearly something had to be done.
While the public sector sat stagnant pointing fingers and trying to contemplate the destruction of the human race, industry responded rapidly to the changes in the marketplace, adapting product lines and lightening the tones of marketing campaigns. At the same time, astronomers provided hope by revealing the existence of a relatively reachable solar system with a planet that could serve as a potential refuge for the human race. The available data showed that the climate and resources were roughly equivalent to Earth. The existence of life was unknown. The media dubbed this planet New Earth in the nomenclature of the colonial age of mankind.
It isn’t clear who can take credit for the proposal, but the response was overwhelming and supportive from both the public and private sectors. There would be a contest for the charter to build the infrastructure to support the human race on New Earth. An international agreement was executed in remarkable time and the necessary funds were contributed from governments large and small. The rules for the contest were minimal. The entrants could only be international corporations with sizable annual earnings and net worth. In an effort to roughly equalize the field of competition, the corporations were restricted in the amount of people and resources they could send to New Earth. Each entrant would be provided with interstellar transport and a starport on New Earth. Their task was to outperform the competition in production of resources, elimination of hostile threats, and construction of required infrastructure. The entrants had twelve quarters to show Earth that they had what it took to save the human race. This winner-take-all competition came to be known as the contest for New Earth, Inc.
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(FYI- New Earth, Inc. is a game of territory exploration, resource gathering, trading, and conflict.)
Thanks all around for the suggestions! I had some thoughts on the time frame for uninhabitability as well as the prospect of an intracompany competition issues:
One thing I was hoping for was to provide an array of companies the players could represent. They would have experience in different industries and management styles that would translate to corresponding bonuses and drawbacks in gameplay. The single company approach may not be able to accomodate this concept... Or could it?
As for the time frame, I don't have any issue with bumping the window out to 10 -20 years. That could explain the lack of immediate action by public officials (who would be term limited out or voted out or whatever), as well as the lack of participation by companies that couldn't float such a long term project.
It is great having input from you all -- thanks again!