Re: [Fallout Equestria] Setting discussions

[Harmony Ltd.]

Oh, and because this is going to get asked at one moment or another:

The city and its surroundings have been thoroughly cleaned up of all traces of Bloodwing presence for at least fifteen years, now. The same is true for all kind of hostile fauna: it's one of the missions of the local garrison than to ensure there isn't any resurgence of nasty critters in of the NCR's most populated area.

And since around the same time period, a conscious effort has been made by the authorities to not kill the feral ghouls that may still be found in the ruins of Old Manehatten and its numerous underground spaces (and by extension the same also apply to the rest of the NCR), but to put them in cages and send them to the state of Glyphmark, in the Feral Ghoul Reservation.

Officially, the idea is that maybe in the future there'll be a mean to restore feral ghoul to a state of not being batshit crazy killing machine; maybe even to bring back their memories of their past lives. In the meantime, they're kept in relatively comfortable conditions.

Spoiler:

[O. Hinds]

Oh, and because this is going to get asked at one moment or another:

The city and its surroundings have been thoroughly cleaned up of all traces of Bloodwing presence for at least fifteen years, now. The same is true for all kind of hostile fauna: it's one of the missions of the local garrison than to ensure there isn't any resurgence of nasty critters in of the NCR's most populated area.

And since around the same time period, a conscious effort has been made by the authorities to not kill the feral ghouls that may still be found in the ruins of Old Manehatten and its numerous underground spaces (and by extension the same also apply to the rest of the NCR), but to put them in cages and send them to the state of Glyphmark, in the Feral Ghoul Reservation.

Officially, the idea is that maybe in the future there'll be a mean to restore feral ghoul to a state of not being batshit crazy killing machine; maybe even to bring back their memories of their past lives. In the meantime, they're kept in relatively comfortable conditions.

Spoiler:

Oh, I'd completely forgotten about the bloodwings; I'm glad that you hadn't. I also like the idea of the feral ghoul reservation.

Spoiler:

[Harmony Ltd.]

Oh, I'd completely forgotten about the bloodwings; I'm glad that you hadn't.  I also like the idea of the feral ghoul reservation.

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

[O. Hinds]

Oh, I'd completely forgotten about the bloodwings; I'm glad that you hadn't.  I also like the idea of the feral ghoul reservation.

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Ah, good points.

[Harmony Ltd.]

Note that this wouldn't stop people from severely frowning at the idea if they ever found out, but that's just the difference between seeing your scores dropping in the polls, and seeing open riots in the streets.

Irony:
Due to environmental constraints, the guardians of the Feral Ghoul Reservation are non-feral ghouls. So these people are more or less constantly faced with the reality of what would become of them if they ever snapped and went feral. Let's just say there's a permanent psychological counseling unit at their disposal.
As a result of this, by the way, the question has been studied to use alicorns for that job instead, but it's been thus far deemed that it would be a waste of resource to use them as "prison guardians". There's also the fact that the feral ghouls would become far more aggressive around them, which would run the risk of provoking containment breaches.
People are now talking of using robots as guardians, as the reservation keep expanding every year as more and more feral ghouls are salvaged, but the idea isn't popular. It's said that the reservation would become just too un-equine for comfort if such a solution were to be adopted.

[Harmony Ltd.]

By the way, the reservation itself would probably be a neo-stable (built with the same methods but not with same goals) built under the mountains in the eastern part of the state of Glyphmark, built and continually expanded by an NCR-subsidiary of the Geneighva descendants of Stable-Tec's engineering division.

Why build underground and not just put them in a big open-aired area? Pretty simple:

- To secure the radiation they need to survive inside. The Gardens of Equestria cleaned the environment of the ambient radiations, it's not to yet again contaminate everything.
- To contain its inhabitants inside. You wouldn't want to see thousands and thousands of feral ghouls released into the wild and roaming the countryside if something were to go wrong.
- To protect it from external attacks, due to [-spoiler-]

[Harmony Ltd.]

I'll just note that if feral Bloodwings have been pretty much exterminated in the wild in Manehatten's area (there may remain some nests upstate that haven't been found yet), a few of them are being kept alive in captivity in the Manehatten Garden's zoo, for the tourists to see. Next to manticores and other wasteland fauna.

Seriously, you know they make plushies of them, now? They even named the local hoofball team "The Bloodwings".

[Harmony Ltd.]

Duty-free shops in A-Town filled with Alliance goods?

Thoughts?

I think that would help boost the tourism in Manehatten, to some extent.

[Harmony Ltd.]

I was wondering: how many people from the Alliance would come to the NCR as tourists? Do you have an idea?

I'm imagining some rich fucks from Elusive visiting the ruins of the old cities and going "oooooh!" and "aaaaah!" at the various realizations of the local people; Or ponies from the Alliance simply visiting the old Motherland. I imagine the Canterlot Ruins would be a popular spot, maybe with some kind of museum close to it containing what may have been salvaged from the rubbles.

Also, I can imagine some tour-operators doing "Littlepip Tours", carrying people all around the NCR to visit places of special importance to the Book of Littlepip.

Cue the previously mentioned tourists in Maripony discovering the nascent Alicorn culture through singing & dancing representations, which recount their side of the story.

[O. Hinds]

Note that this wouldn't stop people from severely frowning at the idea if they ever found out, but that's just the difference between seeing your scores dropping in the polls, and seeing open riots in the streets.

Irony:
Due to environmental constraints, the guardians of the Feral Ghoul Reservation are non-feral ghouls. So these people are more or less constantly faced with the reality of what would become of them if they ever snapped and went feral. Let's just say there's a permanent psychological counseling unit at their disposal.
As a result of this, by the way, the question has been studied to use alicorns for that job instead, but it's been thus far deemed that it would be a waste of resource to use them as "prison guardians". There's also the fact that the feral ghouls would become far more aggressive around them, which would run the risk of provoking containment breaches.
People are now talking of using robots as guardians, as the reservation keep expanding every year as more and more feral ghouls are salvaged, but the idea isn't popular. It's said that the reservation would become just too un-equine for comfort if such a solution were to be adopted.

By the way, the reservation itself would probably be a neo-stable (built with the same methods but not with same goals) built under the mountains in the eastern part of the state of Glyphmark, built and continually expanded by an NCR-subsidiary of the Geneighva descendants of Stable-Tec's engineering division.

Why build underground and not just put them in a big open-aired area? Pretty simple:

- To secure the radiation they need to survive inside. The Gardens of Equestria cleaned the environment of the ambient radiations, it's not to yet again contaminate everything.
- To contain its inhabitants inside. You wouldn't want to see thousands and thousands of feral ghouls released into the wild and roaming the countryside if something were to go wrong.
- To protect it from external attacks, due to [-spoiler-]

This is still sounding good. And due to [-spoiler-]? Interesting.

I'll just note that if feral Bloodwings have been pretty much exterminated in the wild in Manehatten's area (there may remain some nests upstate that haven't been found yet), a few of them are being kept alive in captivity in the Manehatten Garden's zoo, for the tourists to see. Next to manticores and other wasteland fauna.

Seriously, you know they make plushies of them, now? They even named the local hoofball team "The Bloodwings".

:D

Duty-free shops in A-Town filled with Alliance goods?

Thoughts?

I think that would help boost the tourism in Manehatten, to some extent.

Elusive would be up for it, so it's just a matter of the NCR allowing it. Nice idea. :)

I'm imagining some rich fucks from Elusive visiting the ruins of the old cities and going "oooooh!" and "aaaaah!" at the various realizations of the local people; Or ponies from the Alliance simply visiting the old Motherland. I imagine the Canterlot Ruins would be a popular spot, maybe with some kind of museum close to it containing what may have been salvaged from the rubbles.

Also, I can imagine some tour-operators doing "Littlepip Tours", carrying people all around the NCR to visit places of special importance to the Book of Littlepip.

Cue the previously mentioned tourists in Maripony discovering the nascent Alicorn culture through singing & dancing representations, which recount their side of the story.

This is kind of awesome. :D
I imagine that there'd also be at least one wave of ghoul tourists from Profectum wanting to see what they can of their old enemy. Miliozi could take tours too, though less because of an old enemy and more to learn about a current potential one (and for fun). I also have any idea that some of the tourists are in fact Company-sponsored, given a nice vacation in exchange for being very polite and generous and spreading the news of how great the Alliance in general and the Company in particular are.
The tourists attractions would also be good for the younger generations of the NCR.

I was wondering: how many people from the Alliance would come to the NCR as tourists? Do you have an idea?

Hm… I'm not sure of numbers, I'm afraid.

[Harmony Ltd.]

- To protect it from external attacks, due to [-spoiler-]

This is still sounding good.  And due to [-spoiler-]?  Interesting.

Well, the things we said under spoilers earlier. But yeah, if you want you could also imagine/pretend there'd be some vague, undefined external menace to the Reservation's inhabitants.

If anything, it'd be another justification to keep the place isolated and cut from external, unauthorized visits.

I was wondering: how many people from the Alliance would come to the NCR as tourists? Do you have an idea?

Hm…  I'm not sure of numbers, I'm afraid.

Basically, I'm trying to work out how much of an income the NCR might derive from touristic activities, and more precisely the amount of foreign currencies this could help inject into their economy.

[Harmony Ltd.]

Comedy option:

Someone sending Rose Eye tickets to go on a Littlepip Tour in the NCR.

[O. Hinds]

- To protect it from external attacks, due to [-spoiler-]

This is still sounding good.  And due to [-spoiler-]?  Interesting.

Well, the things we said under spoilers earlier. But yeah, if you want you could also imagine/pretend there'd be some vague, undefined external menace to the Reservation's inhabitants.

If anything, it'd be another justification to keep the place isolated and cut from external, unauthorized visits.

Ah, I see.

Comedy option:

Someone sending Rose Eye tickets to go on a Littlepip Tour in the NCR.

:D

[Harmony Ltd.]

Comedy option:

Someone sending Rose Eye tickets to go on a Littlepip Tour in the NCR.

:D

Further comedy option:

Rose Eye actually accepting the proposal and accepting to follow the tour as a simple tourist.

Bonus points when the tour reaches Fillydelphia.

[O. Hinds]

Sorry about that; I was hit by a lagstorm and clicked the wrong button.

Comedy option:

Someone sending Rose Eye tickets to go on a Littlepip Tour in the NCR.

:D

Further comedy option:

Rose Eye actually accepting the proposal and accepting to follow the tour as a simple tourist.

Bonus points when the tour reaches Fillydelphia.

That would be funny, but it isn't very likely. Rose Eye is wanted by the NCR, and the fact that they can't go after her doesn't mean they'd hesitate to arrest her if she walked right up to them.

[Harmony Ltd.]

Of course. It was more of a, how to call it... these moments in a series where a non-canon joke-episode happen.

It was on the same level as "Littlepip comes out of the SPP to go grocery-shopping in order to make cyber!Celestia a cake."

[O. Hinds]

:D
Oh, well, in that case, yes. Rose Eye would be on the tour wearing glasses and a fake mustache, making no attempt to hide her cutie mark, calling herself "Tulip Nose", and asking obviously biased questions... and nopony would notice. :)

[Harmony Ltd.]

Given the level of urban development I seem to be hinting at in Manehatten, and considering it's only the second biggest city in the NCR (in the third most populated state),

and considering the situation the NCR is in, regarding the difficulties it has to procure the resources necessary to sustain its own industry (there's only so much stuff laying around you can recycle, and this require time and efforts),

I guess it's a pretty fair bet to assume that there would be a market for Alliance-made construction materials, and other "raw materials" the NCR could use to build cities that don't look like shanty-towns?


Still, we're getting in the really important part:

With what money are these things paid?

How does the NCR manage to get foreign currencies, apart from tourism?

[Harmony Ltd.]

If Stable 2 got evacuated to Junction R-7 and Shattered Hoof... This would basically mean that New Canterlot got founded by 1st-generation Stable-Dwellers.

I wonder how this impacted the place's culture?


Well, not long after they would have quickly been outnumbered by masses of refugees fleeing the Bitters' assaults, but still. They were there first and were instrumental in building the place.



Reminder: New Canterlot is built over Shattered Hoof, Junction City over Junction R-7. The two are so close as to almost touch, and Junction City, through trade and industry, has grown far bigger than New Canterlot, administrative capital of the NCR. Thus most people refer to both cities as only one, Junction City. This doesn't stop the fact that they are separate and distinct.
Yeah, I know, that can be a bit confusing.

[O. Hinds]

Given the level of urban development I seem to be hinting at in Manehatten, and considering it's only the second biggest city in the NCR (in the third most populated state),

and considering the situation the NCR is in, regarding the difficulties it has to procure the resources necessary to sustain its own industry (there's only so much stuff laying around you can recycle, and this require time and efforts),

I guess it's a pretty fair bet to assume that there would be a market for Alliance-made construction materials, and other "raw materials" the NCR could use to build cities that don't look like shanty-towns?


Still, we're getting in the really important part:

With what money are these things paid?

How does the NCR manage to get foreign currencies, apart from tourism?

1: Well, there are resource exports, most notably of gems (yeah, I know; the NCR trading gems for energy and raw materials is reminiscent of absolutely nothing), which the Alliance wants to work with but has very limited supplies of (synthetic gem manufacturing R&D has been slow, and the peninsular hellhound communities are less willing and able to trade gems to the Alliance these days).
2: While it is of course unthinkable that a foreign power could buy influence in the NCR's government, there's nothing wrong with friends giving each other discounts, and, as they're such good friends, I'm sure that the NCR wouldn't mind a slightly lopsided trade deal here or a tiny territorial concession there, perhaps giving a bit more breathing space to a mutual good friend…
3: NCR citizens working for Alliance-owned (which pretty much, though not necessarily always, translates as "Company-owned") businesses operating in the NCR may take their payment in kae (Alliance currency, singular ka, which can be digital or in the form of triangular plastic coins of various values) which they then inject into the local economy.

The NCR is attempting to issue dollars, right? I can't quite remember.

If Stable 2 got evacuated to Junction R-7 and Shattered Hoof... This would basically mean that New Canterlot got founded by 1st-generation Stable-Dwellers.

I wonder how this impacted the place's culture?


Well, not long after they would have quickly been outnumbered by masses of refugees fleeing the Bitters' assaults, but still. They were there first and were instrumental in building the place.

Good point. I'm not sure what the implications would be, though… Hm… How would it affect the formation of a class system? After all, the stable dwellers have been members of a small, closed community for many generations, they have a different culture, and they'll tend to have different skillsets. Add in the stable dwellers being there first...

Reminder: New Canterlot is built over Shattered Hoof, Junction City over Junction R-7. The two are so close as to almost touch, and Junction City, through trade and industry, has grown far bigger than New Canterlot, administrative capital of the NCR. Thus most people refer to both cities as only one, Junction City. This doesn't stop the fact that they are separate and distinct.
Yeah, I know, that can be a bit confusing.

Ah, thanks; I wasn't entirely clear on that. I assume that they'll eventually merge, though, unless actively prevented from doing so.

[Harmony Ltd.]

The NCR is attempting to issue dollars, right?  I can't quite remember.

NCR Bits. Coins enchanted through a process kept secret that allow the NCR to remotely keep track of them, and which serves as a mean of authenticating coins, preventing (almost) all attempts at making fake money. The coins are made of inox steel, removing all innate value they may have which may tempt people to melt them.

Coins:

100 bits (these ones tend to stay in the coffers of banks, used only when the time comes to move large amount of money around; the NCR tend to keep an eye open of the movements of those)
50 bits
20 bits
10 bits
5 bits
2 bits
1 bits
50 cents
20 cents
10 cents
5 cents


By the way, the fact the Alliance money is -not- enchanted to allow the NCR to keep track of it may make it the currency of choice when it comes to underground and criminal activities. Which would make the NCR's Fiscal Service just that much more vigilant about people who perceive their salaries in Alliance money.

If Stable 2 got evacuated to Junction R-7 and Shattered Hoof... This would basically mean that New Canterlot got founded by 1st-generation Stable-Dwellers.

I wonder how this impacted the place's culture?


Well, not long after they would have quickly been outnumbered by masses of refugees fleeing the Bitters' assaults, but still. They were there first and were instrumental in building the place.

Good point.  I'm not sure what the implications would be, though…  Hm…  How would it affect the formation of a class system?  After all, the stable dwellers have been members of a small, closed community for many generations, they have a different culture, and they'll tend to have different skillsets.  Add in the stable dwellers being there first...

The "Old Families" of Junction City, who among each other control a large part of the economy and political power of both cities, and by extension of the State (and also probably to some extent the NCR itself).

Makes you wonder what Littlepip might think about that. Especially considering she has her own private army (remember, the people tasked to keep an eye on the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, and to keep their eyes open for any possible replacement).

Then you add to that the fact Velvet Remedy's Followers of the Apocalypse are extremely influent in Junction City (as it's their historical center of operation and their headquarter), and the relations that she entertain with Littlepip, and you can understand the criticisms of some that the state of Junction is basically Littlepip's playground.

Reminder: New Canterlot is built over Shattered Hoof, Junction City over Junction R-7. The two are so close as to almost touch, and Junction City, through trade and industry, has grown far bigger than New Canterlot, administrative capital of the NCR. Thus most people refer to both cities as only one, Junction City. This doesn't stop the fact that they are separate and distinct.
Yeah, I know, that can be a bit confusing.

Ah, thanks; I wasn't entirely clear on that.  I assume that they'll eventually merge, though, unless actively prevented from doing so.

New Canterlot sits in its own District, which removes it from the state of Junction as far as administrative matters are concerned, so even if in fact the urban unit of New Canterlot might get absorbed in the urban sprawl of Junction City, it'll remain a separate entity.

[Harmony Ltd.]

Regarding the value of the NCR Bit (values given for the Fiscal Year 30):

- Average monthly income of a working person in the NCR: 1,100 bits
- NCR-wide monthly minimum wages for a full-time job: 750 bits
- Average monthly rent of a single-person subsidized housing in Downtown Manehatten (single-room apartment): 350 bits


Income tax rates:

People touching less than 1.1 times minimum wages do not pay income tax. People over this threshold pay taxes according to a linear formula:

[tax amount] = [income] x ( ([income]/[minimum wage]) / [income tax rate = 4] )

The tax ceiling is 49% of the person's incomes.

Example:

Minimum wage = 750 bits

Income = 1200 bits
Tax amount = 1200 x ((1200/750) / 4) = 480 bits (40% tax rate)

Income = 2000 bits
Tax amount = 2000 x ((2000/750) / 4) = 1333 bits (66% tax rate) => actual Tax amount is 980 bits.


Yes, that's actually quite a high rate of taxation overall, all things considered. But food is subsidized, as well as housing. There's some kind of re-distributive spirit going on there.

Needless to say, there's always quite a bit of debate during the electoral periods about the income tax rate, many people asking to increase it (mathematically, that would mean lowering the amount of income tax paid by everyone).

[O. Hinds]

NCR Bits. Coins enchanted through a process kept secret that allow the NCR to remotely keep track of them, and which serves as a mean of authenticating coins, preventing (almost) all attempts at making fake money. The coins are made of inox steel, removing all innate value they may have which may tempt people to melt them.

Coins:

100 bits (these ones tend to stay in the coffers of banks, used only when the time comes to move large amount of money around; the NCR tend to keep an eye open of the movements of those)
50 bits
20 bits
10 bits
5 bits
2 bits
1 bits
50 cents
20 cents
10 cents
5 cents

Ah, of course! I'm sorry; I don't know how I forgot that.

By the way, the fact the Alliance money is -not- enchanted to allow the NCR to keep track of it may make it the currency of choice when it comes to underground and criminal activities. Which would make the NCR's Fiscal Service just that much more vigilant about people who perceive their salaries in Alliance money.

Good point. I'm sure that the Alliance will in no way attempt to take advantage of this. :D

The "Old Families" of Junction City, who among each other control a large part of the economy and political power of both cities, and by extension of the State (and also probably to some extent the NCR itself).

Makes you wonder what Littlepip might think about that. Especially considering she has her own private army (remember, the people tasked to keep an eye on the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, and to keep their eyes open for any possible replacement).

Then you add to that the fact Velvet Remedy's Followers of the Apocalypse are extremely influent in Junction City (as it's their historical center of operation and their headquarter), and the relations that she entertain with Littlepip, and you can understand the criticisms of some that the state of Junction is basically Littlepip's playground.

Interesting.

New Canterlot sits in its own District, which removes it from the state of Junction as far as administrative matters are concerned, so even if in fact the urban unit of New Canterlot might get absorbed in the urban sprawl of Junction City, it'll remain a separate entity.

Ah, kind of like Vatican City? That's the only city-in-a-city example I can think of.

Regarding the value of the NCR Bit (values given for the Fiscal Year 30):

- Average monthly income of a working person in the NCR: 1,100 bits
- NCR-wide monthly minimum wages for a full-time job: 750 bits
- Average monthly rent of a single-person subsidized housing in Downtown Manehatten (single-room apartment): 350 bits


Income tax rates:

People touching less than 1.1 times minimum wages do not pay income tax. People over this threshold pay taxes according to a linear formula:

[tax amount] = [income] x ( ([income]/[minimum wage]) / [income tax rate = 4] )

The tax ceiling is 49% of the person's incomes.

Example:

Minimum wage = 750 bits

Income = 1200 bits
Tax amount = 1200 x ((1200/750) / 4) = 480 bits (40% tax rate)

Income = 2000 bits
Tax amount = 2000 x ((2000/750) / 4) = 1333 bits (66% tax rate) => actual Tax amount is 980 bits.


Yes, that's actually quite a high rate of taxation overall, all things considered. But food is subsidized, as well as housing. There's some kind of re-distributive spirit going on there.

Needless to say, there's always quite a bit of debate during the electoral periods about the income tax rate, many people asking to increase it (mathematically, that would mean lowering the amount of income tax paid by everyone).

Nice numbers! I think that you may want to use a different name than "income tax rate", though; while I can see that the math works out, "raising the tax rate lowers the tax amount" connotes a paradox to me. Tax divisor?

Taxes in the Alliance are a somewhat complex matter due to the various powers doing things in different ways. Given that an Alliance citizen may be a member of one power (Las Pegasus, say), working for another (the Company), and living in a third (Gibhalter), all of which handle taxes in different ways, calculating just how much one has to pay and to whom one has to pay it can be extremely difficult; Elusive calculates most taxes in the Alliance, even those not paid to him (the more cynical observers might remark that the goodwill and influence this gives him and the inability of pretty much anyone else to do it might perhaps be contributing to the lack of reform to the byzantine system). The exceptions to the complexity are the Miliozi: Miliozi only pay Miliozi taxes (also known as 0%, since, all Miliozi employment being to the Miliozi state, it's easier just to adjust pay), wherever they go (and the Miliozi only work for the Milizoi, unlike the other powers, even the Company, where one can work for the power without being a member or vice versa).

[Harmony Ltd.]

Can you remind me what happened to the Crusader Maneframe that was in Stable 29? Was it the Applejack Rangers who took control of it?

I'd be really interested to know what happened to it. As far as I know, there are only three of these maneframes that weren't in the hooves of the OIA (and who the fuck knows where those are - well, apart from one *cough*Cognitum*cough*):

- 1 for the Gardens of Equestria
- 1 for the SPP Hub
- 1 for Stable 29

Needless to say, the NCR would jump on the occasion to get one of those for its own purposes.

Then you factor in that the Applejack Rangers got more or less absorbed into the NCR armed forces...



This makes me thinks:

What are the odds that the Engineering Division of Stable-Tec in Geneighva would have had the blueprints for Crusader Maneframes? I'd say it's a pretty fair bet they have the plans for at least for a large proportion of their spare parts, don't you think?

[O. Hinds]

Can you remind me what happened to the Crusader Maneframe that was in Stable 29? Was it the Applejack Rangers who took control of it?

I'd be really interested to know what happened to it. As far as I know, there are only three of these maneframes that weren't in the hooves of the OIA (and who the fuck knows where those are - well, apart from one *cough*Cognitum*cough*):

- 1 for the Gardens of Equestria
- 1 for the SPP Hub
- 1 for Stable 29

Needless to say, the NCR would jump on the occasion to get one of those for its own purposes.

Then you factor in that the Applejack Rangers got more or less absorbed into the NCR armed forces...

Well, the AR took control of the Stable, so I assume that they took the Crusader as well.

This makes me thinks:

What are the odds that the Engineering Division of Stable-Tec in Geneighva would have had the blueprints for Crusader Maneframes? I'd say it's a pretty fair bet they have the plans for at least for a large proportion of their spare parts, don't you think?

Aye, at least that much.

[Harmony Ltd.]

Well, the AR took control of the Stable, so I assume that they took the Crusader as well.

Spoiler:

[Harmony Ltd.]

Thinking of it, for the NCR trying to replicate Crusader Maneframe-like systems would be a pretty high priority project, as it would allow them quite a number of very interesting things. Like for example, and this is only the obvious military applications, without even talking about the possible peaceful applications of the technology:

- Automated megaspell casting facilities (no need for unicorns, spark generators would provide the raw power, and the Maneframe itself would manipulate the spark-flux itself to cast the spell)
- Command & Control applications during a conflict (logistics, battle simulations to aid leaders take a decision, etc...)
- Cyber-warfare (fighting a possible attack from Elusive on NCR systems)
- Etc...


And there's of course all that talk about uploading minds, which could have quite a number of varied applications *cough*enhanced interrogations*cough*

[Harmony Ltd.]

Wait, unless....

*dig from his archives*

Ha! There was that NCR research project on spell matrices, and working on spark-flux manipulation in order to create a contraption that would allow non-unicorns to cast spells (dynamic re-configuration of a spell matrix to cast totally different spells, or even modify them on the fly). Though funding is currently low as the project has run into quite a number of problems, mostly the current low quality of the spell matrices produced in the NCR.

[O. Hinds]

Well, the AR took control of the Stable, so I assume that they took the Crusader as well.

Spoiler:

Why are we talking in spoilers?

Spoiler:

Thinking of it, for the NCR trying to replicate Crusader Maneframe-like systems would be a pretty high priority project, as it would allow them quite a number of very interesting things. Like for example, and this is only the obvious military applications, without even talking about the possible peaceful applications of the technology:

- Automated megaspell casting facilities (no need for unicorns, spark generators would provide the raw power, and the Maneframe itself would manipulate the spark-flux itself to cast the spell)
- Command & Control applications during a conflict (logistics, battle simulations to aid leaders take a decision, etc...)
- Cyber-warfare (fighting a possible attack from Elusive on NCR systems)
- Etc...

And given that those are just the sorts of things that Elusive does or is working on, the NCR has ready examples (though not the raw code, obviously).  Of course, the Miliozi keep themselves to strict limitations on how much they let themselves use AIs, and the NCR might take that example, too…
Oh, and the details are spoilers, but Peter Watts's books point out that even a nonsentient and organic AI can cause problems.

And there's of course all that talk about uploading minds, which could have quite a number of varied applications *cough*enhanced interrogations*cough*

Yes, because there's no way that that could go horribly wrong.  :D

Wait, unless....

*dig from his archives*

Ha! There was that NCR research project on spell matrices, and working on spark-flux manipulation in order to create a contraption that would allow non-unicorns to cast spells (dynamic re-configuration of a spell matrix to cast totally different spells, or even modify them on the fly). Though funding is currently low as the project has run into quite a number of problems, mostly the current low quality of the spell matrices produced in the NCR.

Oh, I'd forgotten about that too.

[Icy Shake]

New Canterlot sits in its own District, which removes it from the state of Junction as far as administrative matters are concerned, so even if in fact the urban unit of New Canterlot might get absorbed in the urban sprawl of Junction City, it'll remain a separate entity.

Ah, kind of like Vatican City?  That's the only city-in-a-city example I can think of.

You could make an argument for Manhattan within the city of New York, or perhaps some palace complexes within cities, say, the Forbidden City or Versailles if there had been more sprawl in Paris at the time.

Regarding the value of the NCR Bit (values given for the Fiscal Year 30):

- Average monthly income of a working person in the NCR: 1,100 bits
- NCR-wide monthly minimum wages for a full-time job: 750 bits
- Average monthly rent of a single-person subsidized housing in Downtown Manehatten (single-room apartment): 350 bits


Income tax rates:

People touching less than 1.1 times minimum wages do not pay income tax. People over this threshold pay taxes according to a linear formula:

[tax amount] = [income] x ( ([income]/[minimum wage]) / [income tax rate = 4] )

The tax ceiling is 49% of the person's incomes.

Example:

Minimum wage = 750 bits

Income = 1200 bits
Tax amount = 1200 x ((1200/750) / 4) = 480 bits (40% tax rate)

Income = 2000 bits
Tax amount = 2000 x ((2000/750) / 4) = 1333 bits (66% tax rate) => actual Tax amount is 980 bits.


Yes, that's actually quite a high rate of taxation overall, all things considered. But food is subsidized, as well as housing. There's some kind of re-distributive spirit going on there.

Needless to say, there's always quite a bit of debate during the electoral periods about the income tax rate, many people asking to increase it (mathematically, that would mean lowering the amount of income tax paid by everyone).

Nice numbers!  I think that you may want to use a different name than "income tax rate", though; while I can see that the math works out, "raising the tax rate lowers the tax amount" connotes a paradox to me.  Tax divisor?

Eh, not sure I'm a huge fan of that tax structure. I assume it's meant to be something along the lines of
[tax amount] = max(0, [income] x ( ([income]/[minimum wage] – 1.1) / [income tax rate = 4] )), for nonnegative income,
so that there isn't a tax cliff such that someone with pretax of 825 (the ceiling for no income tax) has a take-home of 825 but someone with pretax of 826 has to pay ~273, leaving a take-home of only ~553?

Even accounting for that, it causes one hell of a tax rate bubble, with rates over 80% from the 0 intercept (825 +) 1125 until the max is reached at (825 +) 1225 (at which point the marginal rate is 98%), after which the marginal rate plummets to 49%. So it's highly progressive . . . until you get to the very high income.

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