How did the steel get in the ground?

[Monkfish]

Heh.

Still, from a "that's complete bullshit" perspective it's all a bit... well, bullshitty. How did the materials come to being on the planet in order for them to be built into ancient structures that have long since fallen and compacted?

I'd prefer it if "steel" was changed to "iron" (as has already been suggested) as this is both more accurate and also allows some branches to be added to the tech tree flat bush.

[NoImageAvailable]

How did the materials come to being on the planet in order for them to be built into ancient structures that have long since fallen and compacted?

People colonized the planet, civilization collapsed for unknown reasons and now all that's left of it are ruins. They mined/imported iron and made it into steel and plasteel to build their cities. Where else did you think all the tribals, ancient structures, cryptosleep caskets, etc. came from?

[Cazakatari]

How did the materials come to being on the planet in order for them to be built into ancient structures that have long since fallen and compacted?

People colonized the planet, civilization collapsed for unknown reasons and now all that's left of it are ruins. They mined/imported iron and made it into steel and plasteel to build their cities. Where else did you think all the tribals, ancient structures, cryptosleep caskets, etc. came from?

Thinking about it that way makes it quite plausible.  In the lore humans have been traveling and colonizing space for millennia, so any Earth-like planet has probably had at least one ''glitterworld'' civilization on it at some point.

[Mathenaut]

Doesn't even need to be that. Everything from buildings, shipwrecks, or errant debris from old battles impacting the surface would provide for plenty.

I'm surprised this isn't hand in hand with wondering why there are walls and incomplete structures littering the landscape when you crash with the same questions and incredulity.

[OmG_PotatoeZ]

Plasteel may refer to:

    Plasteel, composite of fiberglass and steel patented by automobile manufacturer Gurgel and first used in 1973
    Plasteel (Dune), a durable tough form of steel mentioned by Frank Herbert in his 1965 science fiction novel Dune and its sequels
    Plasteel (Star Wars), steel-reinforced plastic substance referenced in many works of the Star Wars media franchise which began with the 1977 film of the same name
    Plasteel (Warhammer 40,000), a substance similar to the above.

Wikipedia definitions at least.

[Silvador]

composite of fiberglass and steel patented by automobile manufacturer Gurgel and first used in 1973

Wait, there's actually a real plasteel?! O.O

huh. go figure.