In this post, questions about project setup are rised, sustaining that seasteading requires “large true seasteads”… http://www.seasteading.org/forum-list/topic/the-question-of-authority/page/3/#post-24910
I incline to a different way of view - i expect that seasteading will come rather by the evolutionary principle than by the singularity principle… I see Evolution and Singularity as project ingredients that need to be part of a project in a fine equilibrium to optimize the project success… To much Singularity makes the project conflicting with estabished rule sets, not enough singularity means little investor interest…
Singularity principle - do it fast create a project that splits history in two.
It is like the “big bang of seasteading” everybody will talk about it, it will be a “historic reference” it will kick off a new way to do and see things. Intents to create this singularity where “Freedom Ship”, Blue Seed, etc…
As those examples (and their failure) show - it is not easy to create that Singularity a lot of upfront money is needed. The singularity principle is best described as kick off Seasteading
Octavian trying to get a permit for a “oceanic production facility” probably made a setup mistake. He would have been better off to design this project (which is a low budget project) on the Evolutionary principle…asking for a permit for project step 20 before being able and prepared to go step 1 of the project is not a good way to bring the project to success. Low budget projects are better suited for the Evolutionary setup. Only big budget projects can create a Singularity.
The request for a “oceanic production facility” obviously pushed the limits of the permits they normally issue…pushing somebody out of comfort zone is always a way to “ask for trouble”.
In this context also read about Randy Hencken and his request to FDA for a permit for a medical seastead that lead him down a road of Kafka like surrealistic processes of “eternal pain waiting for attention and guidance from the Castle”
De jure and de facto:
A singularity event would force a temporary legal solution to be accepted.
Temporary arrangements sometimes become permanent (Irish Republic and Ulster)
The starting point is possibly quite unspectacular just a natural extension of what is here today already. Marinas, Cruise ships, floating work and tourism platforms…
An exponential “unspectacular” approach might be, after incorporation and communication hiccups are resolved, to start building a very simple floating “embryo of mother cells” (physical foundation of the lens) to set up a canvas airconditioned showroom on top where we can talk to reasonably skeptical investors.
The same floating building could act as the centerpiece of a small complex of floating bars and cafes, boat rentals, and eventually guest rooms (a boutique 8-12 room hotel) where investors could consult with the pillow while sleeping upon floating proof of the feasibility of the grander scheme being proposed.
From then on we can photograph that existing water neighborhood for the website instead of rendering it like a video game.
With some seed capital the first stage of this unambitious endeavor would be operational within a few months.
It depends on the video. A flyover of an architectural mass model (as in black and white) costs two days and no budget. A video sufficiently sparkling to use for marketing costs 1000 USD to a couple.
The ones who did this video probably were paid a bit more but it doesn’t take that much more and is deemed by a most successful Manhattan developer as enough to sell million+ USD apartments (coupled with a high rise already being built):
Considering sci fi movies cost 100+ million USD,I’d say your suspicions might be easily proven true if what we’re trying to make is a simulation of a city instead of a city.