Feel like DMing a bit? I’m in a similar boat, but not as far along. I’ve got what I believe is a viable idea with a niche but common market, I’m largely familiar with the tech involved (having built something similar before), and even the costs. Currently working on a POC before trying to conduct actual market research interviews (I realize most folks consider that backwards and are probably right).

I mean, say what ya want (and what we deserve in most cases), but the US has a ton of diverse wildlife. A crazy amount. And even more fun, it’s super regional, including lots of pockets supporting healthy amounts of big and diverse fauna, including large predators. Many species of deer, elk, goat, we have moose, multiple kinds of bears, canines, and small numbers of various (badass and distinct) wildcats. Enough to reliably run into many of these in places, and run the risk in many more.

And that’s to say nothing of the variety of smaller life, which is again regional and diverse. Just utterly bewildering. Uhh…guess I got carried away there lol

Some areas get little quail families, running along single-file. Dangly bits on their heads and all, it’s the best!

You say complacent, I say complicit.

Awesome!! And I don’t think it was a series when I read it, so been a while for me too lol. And yeah, Revelation Space books are just so, so good. Can’t say enough good things about the worlds this guy builds. Artifact in the meme would fit right in, lol

This post really doesn’t call for this comment but here we go -

One of my favorite authors wrote at least one book in a setting where many galactic civilizations have come and largely gone, and treasure hunters try to “crack baubles” - break into old vaults and such left behind. Think Space Indiana Jones! But what’s really compelling and brain melty to me is that these civilizations used entirely unknown tech and physics in some cases. So they’re trying to break into and steal things they cannot possibly even comprehend, which is SO foolish and so fucking cool, and if that were available to me, my curiosity would utterly demand I keep at it until dead or worse.

Book is Revenger by Alastair Reynolds. Plus it’s got one of the scariest fuckin pirates ever, so I mean, Space Indiana Jones with horrifying unknown tech treasure and implacable, immortal(?) pirate villains…that’s gonna be a strong recommendation for the right flavor of reader lmao.

Lol who is downvoting, it’s not THAT hot of a take!