Stargate
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(Stargate can also refer to the television series Stargate SG1 and/or the feature film from which the series depended)

Basic Information

A stargate is a (so far) theoretical structure used to facilitate faster than light travel. These can consist of interstellar terrain for use by space-ships or planet bound structures for pedestrian use and can provide anything from instant transfer to access to some alternate dimension through which the traveller can short-cut. Regardless, a key feature will usually be that an equivalent gate is required at the other end to exit - also, ranges for this sort of thing tend to be interplanetary and up.

Depending on the setting, the gates may operate by magic, psychotronics or mundane technology (even if sufficiently advanced) and can be anything from core infrastructure to precursor artifacts.

Sources

Some random examples:

  • The Stargate from the eponymous series - planet bound, pedestrian operated, instant transfer. Advanced xenotech.
  • The Ring gates from The Expanse - interstellar, ship gates leading to a transitional space. Precursor technology.
  • Eldar web-doors from the Warhammer 40K universe - pedestrian, found on planets and ships alike, leading to extradimensional pathways. Psionic pseudo-technology.
  • Jump gates from Babylon 5 - a slight outlier as there are other ways of entering and exiting hyperspace, but only if you have the equivalent technology installed on your ship.
Bibliography
1. full source reference

Game and Story Use

  • Useful in creating a setting where FTL exists, but is constrained to specific routes.
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