What you are suggesting, Hallow, is that your version of Earth will not have a human fossil record showing gradual mutation/evolution from one species to the next, correct?
Technically, that will be a plot point in my story. Seeing that I haven't filled it in yet, I'll say that, the main setting is basically the future, albeit with a certain number of the characters still practicing pseudo-magic powers. Said powers are why the First Empire were highly advanced prior to the extinction of the dinosaurs. Also, said powers may have had a hand with that evolution process.
And our IRL modern English word for the dominant species on this planet, will greatly predates any of the languages that evolved up to it (the word is English by way of French by way of Latin, I think) in your fictional world?
There is a good reason for that. If your familiar with the Tower of Babel story from The Bible, let's just say that, all our languages and the languages they sprung from came from the First Empire's language, and that, much like how the technology that came from the First Empire had to be hidden away to make the surviving humans re-start civilization without repeating the mistakes of the past, Earth having multiple languages is a similar effect. In short, that story from the Bible is true in-universe, except replace Gods punishing humanity for its arrogance by way of having humanity shooting itself in the foot due to the sentient weapons they developed.
That being the case, here is my million-dollar answer: set the formation of the First Empire "2000 years ago" or so, and have the human society be the immediate survivors of the Ice Age that, I assume, followed the extinction of the dinosaurs. Since the Humans of this world are so advanced as to be star travelers, there's no need to set the story 60-something million years afterwards.
To clarify, I mean to place the First Empire's formation centuries before the extinction of the dinosaurs, because the story will have some survivors from that era still alive; their longevity being a plot point.
Like being part of the Chixiculub impact event as it was centered on them
Thank you for telling me what the name of the event is, because of that, I've just come up with this: Chixiculub Impact was truthfully in-universe, not a meteorite, but the second First Empire colony ship destroyed by the sentient weapons.
Tech you can wear on your person only last so long before it breaks and wears down. Sooner or later it is going to get ditched or lost.
Technically, when it came to rediscovering the lost technology from the First Empire, it meant that, the technology was to be rebuilt from scratch to combat the sentient weapons.
So... let us know when you have refined your story idea/outline more?
Old Hickory
Do it the way Ray Bradbury did it in Fahrenheit 451. It doesn't matter what medium the information is stored on if nobody bothers to access it.
Apathetic Citizens FTW!
I'm a lawyer in real life. Yes, I do own a pair of bunny ears.
A sword that cuts people out of a timeline
In love with an Uptown Girl
The system of government from 1984.
Please allow me to introduce myself, I am a man of wealth and taste. Nice to meet you, hope you can guess my name.
Someones feeling cheeky.
Hallow: I like it in general. Wouldn't be the first or last Sci-fi to take that approach in a general sense. You can use all sorts of fun things to explain why remnants that are older were never found. Like being part of the Chixiculub impact event as it was centered on them, lost in a catastrophic seismic event, or even play with the lost ancient civilization theories. Tech you can wear on your person only last so long before it breaks and wears down. Sooner or later it is going to get ditched or lost.
edited 25th Mar '16 1:14:32 PM by TuefelHundenIV
Who watches the watchmen?