FAQ?

> From: Ken Burnside
> Well, for one, it's based off of US Census patterns correlated to
> population density.

How well does the model compare with european history? What exceptions to
the rule have you found?

> Space habitats exist, they
> have a lifespan of 40 to 150 years once granted autonomy, and tend
> to be seen as Antarctic Outposts(tm) or trading ports for
> interstellar trade routes.

Habitat lifespan might not be that simple. Consider a solar power satellite.
(A solar aray the size of new york that beams power down in the form of
microwaves.) At the end of its lifespan it would arguably be cheeper to
reforge the metal in solar furnaces rather than start from scratch. Your
habitats may have a similar pheonix style life cycle.

Even without that, some of the early habitats in your game might last
longer, even without fundimental changes in human behaviour, because they
become important cultural centers, and are therefore worth maintaining even
at a net cost. To borrow one of your points, how much does the Whitehouse
generate in tax revenue? Yet it is mainttained to a very high standard.

John