Dan
25-11-08, 07:46
A couple of you guys have been asking me about the dating system i've been using on my posts in the RP thread, and I've refered you to the rulebook. I realised though that a lot of you have the black reach version that doesn't include the information needed to write imperial dates so thought I'd post it here for anyone who is interested. I realise this is actually a breach of copyright, something I moaned to you about on the scratch builders corner...but I'm the chairman of STAGs so if anyone is allowed to break my rules it's me :P
Lets pretend the date is: 1234567.M89
The number in red (1 in this case) is a check digit used to verify the accuracy of the date, varying from 1 to 9. The universe is vast and accurately commuicating dates from planet to planet is hard; 1 is as accurate as can be, while 9 means it could be completely wrong by the time the message has reached it's destination. A 0 in this position means the date following it is using a different system to the imperial calendar such as a planets local dating system (I.E. todays date communicated in imperial format would be 025/11/08). Things that can affect date accuracy can include warp storms between the 2 planets, planets changing their orbital alignment, general annomalies like black holes and can (and more than likely will) change every time you make a post though it's completely up to you. Perhaps you'll decide you always get perfect reception wherever you go in the universe :P
The second section in blue is the imperial equivelant of days and months in our calendar. The imperial calendar however only uses one form of devision and splits a year into 1000 segments. Our year is 365 days long so dividing those 2 figures means that everyday that passes in our year is 3 segments of theirs (or 2.7 if you want to be perdantic about it). In this post this section of the date is 234, tomorow it would be 237, the day after 240, etc.
The section in green refers to the actual year, while the section in orange is the current millenium. My example designates the 567th year of the 89th millenium or in other words the year 89,567. 2008 in this format would read 008.M02.
For anyone that wants to use the imperial dating system on the RP threads, today the 25th of november 2008 is 484999.M41 in the imperial calendar (with an appropriate check digit at the start to indicate date accuracy). for everyday after the 25th just add 3 to the 3rd digit across (4th with the check number).
I know it's a bit complicated but I've tried to be as clear as I can and hope it's helped anyone that was wondering how the dates worked.
Lets pretend the date is: 1234567.M89
The number in red (1 in this case) is a check digit used to verify the accuracy of the date, varying from 1 to 9. The universe is vast and accurately commuicating dates from planet to planet is hard; 1 is as accurate as can be, while 9 means it could be completely wrong by the time the message has reached it's destination. A 0 in this position means the date following it is using a different system to the imperial calendar such as a planets local dating system (I.E. todays date communicated in imperial format would be 025/11/08). Things that can affect date accuracy can include warp storms between the 2 planets, planets changing their orbital alignment, general annomalies like black holes and can (and more than likely will) change every time you make a post though it's completely up to you. Perhaps you'll decide you always get perfect reception wherever you go in the universe :P
The second section in blue is the imperial equivelant of days and months in our calendar. The imperial calendar however only uses one form of devision and splits a year into 1000 segments. Our year is 365 days long so dividing those 2 figures means that everyday that passes in our year is 3 segments of theirs (or 2.7 if you want to be perdantic about it). In this post this section of the date is 234, tomorow it would be 237, the day after 240, etc.
The section in green refers to the actual year, while the section in orange is the current millenium. My example designates the 567th year of the 89th millenium or in other words the year 89,567. 2008 in this format would read 008.M02.
For anyone that wants to use the imperial dating system on the RP threads, today the 25th of november 2008 is 484999.M41 in the imperial calendar (with an appropriate check digit at the start to indicate date accuracy). for everyday after the 25th just add 3 to the 3rd digit across (4th with the check number).
I know it's a bit complicated but I've tried to be as clear as I can and hope it's helped anyone that was wondering how the dates worked.