Ballisticor Racing

[myrthman]

I have this subplot in my space opera setting that involves a race known for its illegal, entertainment-related activities. Kind of like how gambling is illegal *ALMOST* everywhere in America. They have gladiator-style arena fights, high-stakes games, etc. A new entertainment that the MC is investigating (he's sort of a detective/spy) is ballisticor racing.

Think a planetwide death race on machines that are essentially large, solid steel spheres (3-4 feet in diameter) harnessed to a jet or rocket engine with a saddle. Gravity and other laws of physics factor heavily into a racer's ability to drive, survive, and win, but competitors are also allowed to strategize with weapons, traps, alliances, etc.

My question to you is this: is a ballisticor too similar to a Star Wars pod or a Tron lightcycle to be new and exciting? I have a sketch of a ballisticor somewhere. I'll link to it when I can find it.

[tjcliff]

Hi Myrth,

I'll admit, as I was reading your description of a planetwide death race, pod racing was the very first image that I thought of. I think the concept of a death race in any type of space opera setting will more than likely conjur that image - which isn't to say that your idea doesn't have its own aspect of originality - but it may serve as a pretty difficult obstacle to overcome...

Maybe I'm just not able to get a good grasp on what makes a ballisticor much different from a pod racer or lightcycle. I think the concept of a race is pretty straightforward, and unless there is something about it that makes the audience go, "Woah - I've never even imagined something like THAT!" you'll have an audience that doesn't give it a chance to excite them.

Then again, maybe the race isn't the focus of the work, and is just a means of ratcheting up some tension between rival characters, or serves as an opportunity for new allies to learn to work together. I don't see why a race wouldn't be good for that, though it sounds to me more like your main character is involved as a spectator/investigator rather than a contestant.

In all, I would take a good look at what it is that sets this style of racing apart from what has already been seen on a worldwide scale. If at the end of the day, you could easily change the mechanics and have the contestants riding a pod or lightcycle, then your readers probably will have done that in their heads already.

(Still would like to see that sketch though, might be illuminating)

TJCliff

[birdnerd]

So... How about if you make it more of a triathlon kind of thing? That might give you a significant difference from the others.

[Kessie]

The image I'm getting in my head is very podracer or lightcycle. But any kind of chariot-race will be derivative of something, even if it's a chariot race (I'm looking at you, Ben Hur). Like TJ said, if you use it as a framing device for the plot, it'd be fantastic. Any kind of illegal extreme sport makes for a fun read. :-)

[Kessie]

Now, if they were INSIDE the sphere ... sort of like jet-powered hamster ball racing ... that might be fun.

[myrthman]

Good thoughts all around. I love the image of jet-powered hamster balls, Kessie, but that's not exactly what I had in mind ;-)

Part of the detective's investigation forces him to become a participant in the race itself. While on the race, he discovers that some of the contestants who "die" while in the wilderness and ruined cities are actually captured and forced into slavery by once-defeated and exiled enemies of the galactic "federation."

I think the race will really only be part of the story, framing conflicts and pushing my detective toward the discovery of actions more sinister than illegal gambling and death-tainment. I don't really know at this point. I'm still working on another story in this setting and only toying around with ideas for the ballisticor stuff. Your feedback does help, so thanks!

[birdnerd]

"Jet-powered hamster ball." ROFL

[newburydave]

Sounds like too much of a clone of the Pod Racers from the first Star Wars book to me.

Not knowing the overarching plot line and conflict driver of your novel I feel that I don't have enough information to assess if this racing vehicle's form is at all important to the plot itself; but my experience with editors is that they are can be very sensitive to anything that looks like copy-cat-isms taken from established story worlds.

I'd advise avoiding anything that looks like a borrow from Star Wars. A lot of new authors want to write Star Wars stuff.

A few questions to consider:

1. Is the design of the racing technologies really important? Usually the thing that sells novels is the interpersonal and character development component, technology in Space opera may be whiz bang stuff but it is all wallpaper for the setting of the real action which is the actors, thier thoughts, feelings, loves, hates, etc.

2. What difference does it make if the race is in Pod-Racers or Anti-Gravity Bobsleds going down Mt. Everest, do you develop what's going on in the racers heads?

3. Why is the death of competitors important enough to investigate; what value scheme is driving this? I

n most pagan / atheist world views the death of individuals are of no importance, only the Judeo-Christian world view gives intrinsic value to each individual life, and that value is based in God's interaction with individuals.

A collision between the Pagan/Athiest mindset and a Christian mindset could be a good plot driver.

Just a few stray thoughts

SGD
dave