Scott Bieser

Future Timeframes in QV

Added 2019-08-19 14:08:40 +0000 UTC

I've spent some time thinking about how a civilization spread across hundreds of worlds would keep time. Obviously, denizens of a given world would measure their days and years (and sub-intervals of same) by the rotational and orbital periods of where they live. This is how it was on Zytemonde (story arc "Venus 23").

But what about Bubbleopolis? And how are dates between various trading worlds rationalized? So I came up with a new, mostly-decimalized system of time- and date-keeping that made sense to me. The only interval that remains the same as ours is the ISO Standard Second. But in Bubbleopolis instead of weeks there are "fivedays," instead of months there are "cycles," and the year is a bit shorter. I put together an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of things, including some idea of how my fictional characters would say what year it is, compared to how we would reckon it.

Anyway, the spreadsheet is attached. This should clarify a few minor points in the story, and some of you might have fun playing with it.

Enjoy!