[quote=@Hael] I'm keeping the tech level a little lower than replicators. Please read the OP. You should not be attempting to join this RP when you haven't bothered reading the rules. Replicators are allowed, but not at the start. You will have to develop them in time and they will have to be very limited. I did this intentionally to keep things more difficult, more reliant on mining and harvesting and extraction, rather than just gathering enough energy to replicate something. It's too easy and it limits the competition for resources that I partially want in this RP. [/quote]I can't see any difficulty for an industry that can break down entire planets, though. Anyways, the point of replicators is small-scale use. If you have enough energy to rely on replicators alone then we long have problems. Oh well, if you don't like that word, how about Q-Fabs? They are basically nano-assemblers using modern sintering technology turned up to eleven. You make a blueprint out of forcefields and then "print" the matter on it. Might not be the most economical solution for large yet simple construction but it has the advantage of versatility which means once you have a decent Q-Fab it can build anything from mobile phones to sports cars after just adjusting the program and the required preparation/materials. This and my idea of replicators are similar. The point is that while making stuff out of energy is nice, it's expensive. E=mc^2 is no joke and that's not even talking about other issues. Rather you use raw materials whenever you can because energy is not for free. In general: Traditional construction > Q-Fabs (so long you don't account for versatility thus the latter still dominates in many fields) Raw materials > Transforming one material to another > creating metamaterials > creating matter out of energy Replicators using up metastable matter are a kind of compromise. It works for a simple and not too energy consuming versatile creation kit but metastable matter is not cheap. Its benefits are in the simplification of logistics. Just like how practically every vehicle from ships to airplanes or even tanks within the modern US military uses the same type of fuel. Might not be the most economical but it's an amazing accomplishment regardless.