1. On what do you base the assumption that FTL-travel is impossible? We know certain ways in which FTL doesn't work, but we can't rule it out. It's perfectly valid to assume a transportation-method that allows you to arrive at a destination quicker than light could possibly. Einstein's theory as well as any other known law allow that.
And that's the basic point.
I think you are confusing Einstein's theory of Special Relativity with Vain's theory of Special Relativity. Because according to Einstein’s theory, it clearly states:
“it is impossible for any material object to accelerate to light speed.”
The semi-plausible theories which allow FTL or just Light Speed either violate Einstein’s theories or at least circumvent them in some way.
Where as Vain’s theory of Special Relativity states:
“FTL travel is possible and my neighbor Ted Einstein agrees with me”.
So were back where we started, the concept of weakened space allowing for “space-lines” between planets works just as well.
A game mechanism has to at least be possible.
Yah, I loved all those Lord of The Rings games because some day it could really happen.
And I loved GalCiv2 because they have weapons pulled from alternate dimensions as well as weapons that utilized the power of black holes, it was the fact that in we would wield those weapons in the future that held me spellbound.
And Duke Nukem 3D because… well, I think you get the point.
Let me change your quote so that it’s accurate.
“A game mechanism has to at least be fun” Ta Dah!
2. We're talking about realistic mechanics, not real mechanics. There's a difference
No, we’re talking about game play mechanics which are required to be entertaining, neither real nor realistic. Go play Flight Simulator X or another game which is based in… waait for it… reality”
3. I don't think space lanes are the main point of criticism in this discussion. People wonder why it is impossible to travel from one planet to another by other means than a space lane. Just look at the sky, at night there are a few very bright spots and man-made satellites went there *without* a space-lane. Why can't a ship in SoaSE do that when it is possible even today? That doesn't add up. It may not be practical, but it should be possible.
The point is: Players don't stop thinking just because the game carries 'fiction' in it's genre-name.
I agree, I think ships should be able to move from the gravity area, without FTL and it should take so long to get there that this travel method is rarely used if ever, though I think it should be possible. So the question here is, if it will be a form of travel that is never used, should the devs take the time to implement it just to make it feel more "realistic"?
Adding some astronomic term to a game's title isn't a free ticket to disregard logics.
Not sure what you mean here, do you mean the term Solar in the title? If so, then I still don’t know what you mean. If you meant that they add a term to the story that allows them to make use of something unrealistic than I would have to say, your wrong. Movie makers and game developers have been making up terms that allow for unrealistic occurrences that defy "logics" for years, and it works.
