Forums » Suggestions

Food is cheap in space?

Sep 30, 2008 stackman122 link
Why is food so cheap in space? As a commodity that so many people depend on for survival would it not be more valued? I know the devs are in the process of reworking the trade items, but I wish to draw special attention to food items. Examples being that fresh food (as opposed to protein bars) would sell for far more, and as previously proposed (read here: http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/19699 ) would spoil over long trips.

Thoughts?
Sep 30, 2008 toshiro link
Replicator technology should be able to produce food from dirt... so no, ordinary food should not be overly expensive.

Fresh produce would make sense, though, especially coupled with the perishable goods idea.
Sep 30, 2008 zamzx zik link
I don't recall any type of 'replicator technology' in the backstory. It's obviously possible to some degree with their level of technology, but they don't mention how plausible/practical it would be. The only cannon-based artificial-produced food I could think of would be of nanite-construct.
Sep 30, 2008 Phaserlight link
It's nanites! Nanites are magical! They can create anything we want out of anything!
Sep 30, 2008 KennRNK link
Better fix that link. That extra parenthasis is messing things up...

I'm sure the Serco are eating synthesized food. It makes sense given their warrior culture. The Itani, on the other hand, have most of the fresh food because they terraform their planets. The UIT uses some fresh Itani food, I suspect. And they cater to those Serco who crave fresh food despite being raised on nurishment bars.
Sep 30, 2008 Daare link
The Soylent Corporation solved the food problem long ago. I especially like the green ones.
Oct 01, 2008 stackman122 link
TY KennRNK, I changed it.

and Daare, "IT'S PEOPLE!!!" :)...
Oct 01, 2008 toshiro link
KennRNK, that is pretty shortsighted a statement you make there, assuming the Itani to be the only ones being able of terraforming.

The Serco would have to be much, much more apt at terraforming, recycling and generally being nice to the environment because they have not as much space as the Itani. All they had for quite some time was Terra II/Serco Prime, and they had to work with a war-ravaged landscape to begin with. Also, the backstory suggests that they built farm workers and farms in the hostile environment.

From a realistic point of view, the UIT are the most likely to thrive mostly on synthesized food, since they are almost exclusively space-based.

And as for technology, if it is obviously possible to 'store' people's personalities, creating self-terminating nanites that can transform certain raw materials to an edible goo (no-one said it would taste good) is not too far-fetched, perhaps there would even be a certain refinement.