LoveThesePics.com posted a photo gallery about a Tour of the abandoned Fix Flags amusement park in New Orleans. Very creepy photos, and very post-apocalyptic. Absolutely reminds me of Wasteland or Fallout. The park could easily be the HQ of the Killer Clowns, which is probably a staple of Postapocalyptica.
The site seems to have some pretty cool photo galleries in general… awesome for inspiration.
By random chance I came across Life after People on local TV tonight – the 2h original version, not the series. While it is hardly perfect – Wikipedia lists some criticisms or omissions, and I can come up with several more – it is still an inspirational film and a good idea to watch if you’re into post-apocalyptic fiction / gaming.
Here’s an assortment of links you might find useful.
How-To’s
* Map-making tutorial using The Gimp.
Inspiration, Locations
* Photos from Paris Exhibition, 1900. In color.
* Abandoned subway stations in New York City
* The Uros people of the Titicaca lake live on floating islands, which is a cool style of living for a conpeople.
Science Fiction Stuff
* Tests have shown that it is possible to protect long-duration missions from solar wind using a magnetic shield.
* Scientists figured out that Mars’ loss of atmosphere to the pressure from solar wind isn’t a slow, gentle process; instead it is quite violent: Solar Wind Rips Up Martian Atmosphere.
NaNoWriMo 2008 Research
* Wikipedia on radioactive fallout
* Wikipedia on fallout shelters and blast shelters
* Mount Weather government bunker
* Gas masks vs bad smells: Gas masks do not filter out odors, unless they are designed for the job, but vick vapor rub is a work-around used by law enforcement and emergency workers.
* Geiger counters
* Compound bows – bow hunting is done in the US