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I concur - great work on this writeup!
From what little I've read so far, nothing. The second set of arms are described as used for mating, and use of them for other tasks is considered offensive. Sort of like unzipping your pants and using yer wiener to wield a rapier. On the other hand, from a role-playing perspective, the idea of performing such an obscene act could yield some interesting interactions...
Not sure if others have addressed this request, but - I'd like one-shot single-session modules. My group and I don't have the time to invest in frequent sessions to explore long-running campaigns. I don't have the time to sit and develop my own standalones. I'd like something that runs in a long afternoon. Doesn't necessarily have to be tied directly in to the Starfinder Universe either.
To address bugleyman's point of suspension of disbelief: In his Revelation Space books, Alastair Reynolds writes of "lighthuggers", massive starships approaching high percentages of C, and crewed by less than a dozen individuals. Reynolds makes it work with a strong degree of automation and crews of cyborgs, plus he uses the speed of light as an absolute. IMHO, his world building works because he blends his fantastic and familiar in a particular way. An example IMHO where the familiar begins to not work is in Star Trek. Enterprise-D is crewed by a thousand people, which would make sense for a big ship. But what do they all do all day? It's always the same twelve people actually doing stuff. Chief O'Brien hangs out in the transporter room waiting for someone to beam out? That guy in the brig just stands behind a panel and likes it? The bottom line is this: if the story (or adventure path or campaign) is engaging and entertaining, the storyteller will find a way to make these details work to strengthen her story, or decide these details really don't matter and find a way to work without.
Great list - happy to see "The Black Hole" get a nodAgreed. The Black Hole is still my go-to movie for moody gothic sci-fi. And Maximillian, one of the scariest robots to ever come out of film. I picked up the DVD recently. The cheesy stuff is still cheesy, but the good stuff is still really good. Part of why it appeals to me, is it gets the world-building portion of my brain in motion. Plus, the production design is amazing.
Great list - happy to see "The Black Hole" get a nod, as well as my all-time favorite, Doc Smith. I recommend checking out Alastair Reynolds' Revelation Space novels, as I think those capture a certain flavor that Starfinder looks to capture. |