[NGTM-1R]

Before the node is reopened, both governments have full controll. If they unite, they can't both have full controll, so someone has to relinquish a bit of controll. Unless the GTVA has no say in Sol and the ex-GTA no say beyond Sol, but then it wouldn't be a unification in the first place.

I recommend headdie's post a lot. Internal autonomy more or less already exists in the GTVA more or less, and if you send your military beyond Sol or into Sol you're either going to have a unified command structure or problems.

[-Norbert-]

And in how far did headdie say something different than I did?
He said they would keep their souvereignity at first.
I said they will only form military and trade alliances at first.
Both of us said unification will only happen further down the road.

Basically we said pretty much the same: Full instant unification is far less likely than a step-by-step approach.

[BengalTiger]

FS 3 speculation:

So what if the Ancients rebuilt their civilization a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.
Then they got found by the Shivans, and now they're on the run. Their escape route heads through GTVA space, and that's how we meet, a few months before joining up with them in a space-nomad lifestyle, constantly struggling to remain a step ahead of the Shivans...

[Lucika]

I don't think that the pivotal plot point of the Shivans being mysterious uber enemies would ever be botched.

[Spoon]

I don't think that the pivotal plot point of the Shivans being mysterious uber enemies would ever be botched.

They'd be cutting themselves in their own fingers if they made them into anything but the mysterious uber enemy.

[Lucika]

I don't think that the pivotal plot point of the Shivans being mysterious uber enemies would ever be botched.

They'd be cutting themselves in their own fingers if they made them into anything but the mysterious uber enemy.

So, you agree?

[Delta_V]

Personally, I wouldn't want the Shivans to remain a mystery forever.  I get the whole mysterious uber enemy thing and all, but by the end, I want the questions about the Shivans answered.  Otherwise, it's basically like asking somebody a question and then telling them that you will never let them know the answer.  If you're going to ask me a question and I can never know the answer, I don't want to know the question in the first place.

Yes, I know the mystery behind the Shivans was one of the driving forces behind the story, but when the story ends (i.e. FS3), I feel that mystery should be resolved.

[BengalTiger]

With as many Shivan theories as people here, only a few would be satisfied if gave a definite answer to each question about the Shivans.

[Spoon]

I don't think that the pivotal plot point of the Shivans being mysterious uber enemies would ever be botched.

They'd be cutting themselves in their own fingers if they made them into anything but the mysterious uber enemy.

So, you agree?

That I do sir.

[Delta_V]

With as many Shivan theories as people here, only a few would be satisfied if gave a definite answer to each question about the Shivans.

That's why I don't really want there to be an FS3.  I would rather enjoy all the stuff that people around here come up with.  I'm just saying that if there was an FS3, I would be disappointed if they left all of those questions unanswered.

[CommanderDJ]

I don't think an FS3 would stop people from making mods and spin-offs. But they would be less believable because we know what canonically happened. Like, take BP for example. It's a possible version of events that might happen after FS2. It's awesome and it's believable. But if FS3 came out and contradicted it, it would automatically make BP less immersive (at least for me) because I know that it wasn't in accordance with canon and thus "didn't really happen". Without an FS3 I can go ahead and hold it in my mind that BP really happened in the FS universe. Same goes for any other mod that deals with a canonically untouched area of the FS universe.

[TrashMan]

Before the node is reopened, both governments have full controll. If they unite, they can't both have full controll, so someone has to relinquish a bit of controll. Unless the GTVA has no say in Sol and the ex-GTA no say beyond Sol, but then it wouldn't be a unification in the first place.

Let's not forget - terrans and vasudans did work together before the node collapsed. So Sol is no stranger to working with Vasudans and sharing some command power & structure.

As as I inderstand the GTVA structure, systems/planets govern themselves for the most part.

I just don't see Sol going to war against the GTVA - it would have no hope of victory.
And I don't see the GTVA going to war against Sol. It would have little reason to, and such a major event would not go well with the populace. Also, complete media control? Nah.

[SypheDMar]

I see it as Sol eventually giving up some of its authority to the GTVA but remaining mostly autonomous in the realms of law, just like how Vasudans have a different system. Sol can reason that it's because they're not the same as the rest of the GTVA, and GTVA would have little reason to deny their birthplace a different form of governing. Much like China's relationship with Hong Kong.

[BengalTiger]

I just don't see Sol going to war against the GTVA - it would have no hope of victory.

With possibly 15 billion people and the best developed infrastructure in the former GTA (and with Vasuda blown up possibly better developed than multiple GTVA systems combined), I'll bet Sol would really want to become the most powerful system in known space.
I'll also bet they have the firepower to back up their ambitions.

On the other hand, however, there might be a few civilized asteroids in Sol, and the rest fell apart...

[headdie]

I just don't see Sol going to war against the GTVA - it would have no hope of victory.

With possibly 15 billion people and the best developed infrastructure in the former GTA (and with Vasuda blown up possibly better developed than multiple GTVA systems combined), I'll bet Sol would really want to become the most powerful system in known space.
I'll also bet they have the firepower to back up their ambitions.

On the other hand, however, there might be a few civilized asteroids in Sol, and the rest fell apart...

At the end of the day Sol has only access to the resources of 1 system, the GTVA has many

[BengalTiger]

The oldest colonies in Sol date back to before subspace. I wouldn't be surprised if the Moon had more inhabitants than Capella just prior to FS 2. Add to that colonies on most/all planets/moons, a shipload of mines in the asteroid belt, shipyards (definitely the oldest, possibly the largest known to man), the technology to produce the Prometheus (and the rare resources it requires), etc. and we get something much more powerful than a regular GTVA system.

That's assuming Sol didn't get a huge economical collapse after it lost all it's export markets.

[General Battuta]

I just don't see Sol going to war against the GTVA - it would have no hope of victory.

With possibly 15 billion people and the best developed infrastructure in the former GTA (and with Vasuda blown up possibly better developed than multiple GTVA systems combined), I'll bet Sol would really want to become the most powerful system in known space.
I'll also bet they have the firepower to back up their ambitions.

On the other hand, however, there might be a few civilized asteroids in Sol, and the rest fell apart...

At the end of the day Sol has only access to the resources of 1 system, the GTVA has many

Completely irrelevant. One system has the resources to run the entire GTVA. Star systems are huge. What's important is how thoroughly you can exploit the system - how well industrialized is it?

[BengalTiger]

Completely irrelevant. One system has the resources to run the entire GTVA. Star systems are huge. What's important is how thoroughly you can exploit the system - how well industrialized is it?

Bingo. Now if anyone could make a rough estimate of how many humans/Vasudans are in the GTVA vs humans/Vasudans in Sol, we could get an idea of how big of a chance Earth would have in a war with the GTVA.

Are there any canon sources giving populations of planets/systems?

[General Battuta]

Yes. Capella was a densely populated system with, I believe, 300 million. Take it as a near to upper bound, multiply across the worlds in the GTVA.

[headdie]

Yes. Capella was a densely populated system with, I believe, 300 million. Take it as a near to upper bound, multiply across the worlds in the GTVA.

Polaris is supposed to have a shipyard so that probably has a large population in the region of Capella (ok before NTF rebellion)