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[TURN NULL]Space Myth 2: Fate of the Future!

2456717

Posts

  • Mojo_JojoMojo_Jojo We are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourse Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    I was debating a race like Triffids, but somebody else is already being evil planty monsters so I'll have to be more original in my theft.
    Oh I meant to ask:

    Are we using our Phases to determine Aspects, or do they just set our skills up?
    Phases, with each being a different age of your civilisation.

    Mojo_Jojo on
    Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
  • delrolanddelroland Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    I'm going to play a race of beings where each "individual" will actually be a commitee of anywhere from five to thirteen unique beings all conjoined at the tail. They will be referred to as Codettans by other species, or, more crudely, as "Rat Kings", a phrase referring to a legendary Terran creature from ancient times.

    delroland on
    EVE: Online - the most fun you will ever have not playing a game.
    "Go up, thou bald head." -2 Kings 2:23
  • ShamusShamus Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    delroland wrote: »
    I'm going to play a race of beings where each "individual" will actually be a commitee of anywhere from five to thirteen unique beings all conjoined at the tail. They will be referred to as Codettans by other species, or, more crudely, as "Rat Kings", a phrase referring to a legendary Terran creature from ancient times.

    That is awesome.

    Is there a limit on players? If not, or if it hasn't been reached yet, count me in.

    Shamus on
  • INeedNoSaltINeedNoSalt with blood on my teeth Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Mojo_Jojo wrote: »
    I was debating a race like Triffids, but somebody else is already being evil planty monsters so I'll have to be more original in my theft.
    Oh I meant to ask:

    Are we using our Phases to determine Aspects, or do they just set our skills up?
    Phases, with each being a different age of your civilisation.

    Right, except in FATE, each Phase also gives you an Aspect which lets you do cool stuff.

    Do we get aspects?

    INeedNoSalt on
  • Mojo_JojoMojo_Jojo We are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourse Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Clearly I understand less of FATE than I believed.

    Mojo_Jojo on
    Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
  • ScooterScooter Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Mojo_Jojo wrote: »
    I was debating a race like Triffids, but somebody else is already being evil planty monsters so I'll have to be more original in my theft.
    Oh I meant to ask:

    Are we using our Phases to determine Aspects, or do they just set our skills up?
    Phases, with each being a different age of your civilisation.

    Right, except in FATE, each Phase also gives you an Aspect which lets you do cool stuff.

    Do we get aspects?

    I hadn't thought of it but that does sound useful.

    No player limit, the more the merrier. I gotta head out for a bit but I should be in bombfell tonight for discussion/questions.

    Scooter on
  • FrowbakkFrowbakk Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    I'm stealing KrataLightblade's format for my species description... I mean, why reinvent the wheel?
    The Ardek are a highly variable species in regards to body type, in much the same way as a Chihuahua and an English Sheepdog are both canines, and yet with quite different physical characteristics. This is mostly due to the fact that every living thing in the Ardek ecosystem has at least a 85% genetic commonality with every other organism, from microbes to the sentient Ardek and everything inbetween. As such the Ardek have expanded into every ecological niche on their homeworld, with bodies suited to exploit their natural surroundings.

    When the Ardek were a young species there were many wars where local tribes though themselves a distinct separate group, but through the diaspora and interbreeding resulting from such events eventually there were no populations "pure" enough to lay claim to their separateness by biology alone. The vagaries of heredity could combine to pop up traits suitable for arctic survival amid a clan of rainforest dwellers, or even rarer amphibiousness among desert groups. As travel became easier and easier as technology progressed, it became common for those ill-suited to their surroundings to leave their families and wander until they found where they could fit in the best.

    The travel engendered by the wandering process settled out into trade routes and lines of communication as cultures learned science and that for all their differences, the Ardek were basically the same. As technology developed to the steamship and gunpowder level, it seemed that a worldwide civilization was within reach.

    All of the Ardek cultures had engendered leaders of the dictatorial stripe at one part of their development or other, and eventually they all fell apart as the genetic variance took it's course. It was hard to declare any subgrouping of Ardek a "Master Race" when that very same subgroup would have children and grandchildren which never could fit the "purity" mold set out for them. It seemed that a ny movement resembling fascism would never take hold in such a context.

    However, a leader named Faddon emerged from the scientific community and became the iron fisted dominator of the entire planet, not by trying to get everyone to focus on the differences of others when compared to the "pure" group, but by turning the concept around. With the Bell Curve as his symbol and core of his beliefs, Faddon was able to rationally, and scientifically show that the Majority of the Ardek exhibited physical characteristics within one standard deviation from average. Faddon successfully created a gradually oppressive culture where the nail which stood up would get hammered down, that those outside of the Standard Deviation wandered off sooner or later anyway, and so the process would be more effiecient by casting them out as infants to whatever community was "the best possible fit".

    Faddon's culture of Standard Deviation held sway for centuries, as travel except for official relocations dwindled, so did the unofficial communication and passing of knowledge brought social and technological advances through serendipitous discovery to a standstill with only the official government research proceeding.

    The dead core of a star wandering past the Ardek solar sytem changed everything as it first disturbed the orbits of the cluster of stars of which the Ardek system was a part. Comets pulled out of their former sedate orbits bombarded every planet with the force of a nuclear explosion with each impact, but without any radiation. Over the course of a decade the celestial traveller set five solar systems into a collision course a mere hundred thousand years away.

    The culture of Standard Deviation collapsed under the strain of forced migration from the cometary bombardment, the demands of developing a space program to attempt to intercept or deflect comets from the homeworld, and the need for resources and labor which could not be met while marginalizing a significant portion of the population.

    The space program held surprises for the Ardek people as the cometary bombardment began to terraform planets and moons previously thought uninhabitable. Several groups of cometary intercept fleets took their mandate to deflect impacts from the homeworld, added initiative of purposefully targeting those planets and moons closest to homeworld conditions, and began rough colonies of their own. With the revitalized sciences brought about by necessity being the mother of invention, some colonist chose to genetically tailor themselves to suit their colony worlds better by splicing local organisms into their own genetic makeup. This resulted in Ardek able to breathe methane, some able to photosynthesize, and even one group successfully adapting members to sulphur-based biology instead of carbon-based for the planet closest to the Ardek sun.

    Within the course of another few centuries the Ardek solar system was teeming with life of allsorts, and the original homeworld now just one of many. However with knowledge of the impending end of their solar system, the Ardek set about the task of not just settling other solar systems, but of reaching beyond their collapsing local cluster of stars to expand into the galaxy as a whole.

    Here's my cultural development too.

    Phase 1: Tribalism
    Intelligence=0

    Soldiering+1

    Resource Richness+1

    Culture=0

    Espionage=+1

    Expansive+1

    Construction=0

    Phase 2: Global Wandering
    Intelligence+1

    Soldiering+1=2

    Resource Richness+1=2

    Culture=0

    Espionage+1=2

    Expansive+2=3

    Construction=0

    Phase 3: Standard Deviation
    Intelligence+2=3

    Soldiering=1

    Resource Richness=2

    Culture+2=2

    Espionage=2

    Expansive=3

    Construction=0

    Phase 4: Cometary Bombardment
    Intelligence+1=4

    Soldiering+1=2

    Resource Richness=2

    Culture+1=3

    Espionage=2

    Expansive+1=4

    Construction=0

    Phase 5: Spaceflight & Comet Deflection
    Intelligence=4

    Soldiering+1=3

    Resource Richness+1=3

    Culture=3

    Espionage=2

    Expansive+1=5

    Construction+1

    Phase 6: Terraforming & Genetic Manipulation
    Intelligence+1=5

    Soldiering=3

    Resource Richness+1=4

    Culture=3

    Espionage=2

    Expansive+1=6

    Construction+1=2

    Empire Flag: dk~clip.gif
    Color Choice: A light shade of Brown, or Grey
    Aspect: +2 to Resource Richness

    Physical Description: The Ardek usually bipedal with two manipulating limbs (but Ardek with six or eight limbs in total may also be encountered) and they range in size from the smallest sentient (30cm tall, 3 kg) to largest (3 meters tall, 400 kg), and can feature fur, skin, scales, or armored carapace. None have the ability of self-powered flight, but a few can mangage to glide, leap, swim rapidly, or brachiate depending on their physical attributes.

    The one telltale feature of an Ardek is the eyes. Instead of a pupil allowing light in like a pin-hole camera, the eyes of an Ardek feature a white "dot" in the center with black all surrounding. The black is their equivalent of a pupil, which allows light in to reflect off of the rear of the eyeball and be focused on the white dot just as a parabolic mirror would. The biology necessary for vision resides on the back of that white dot to a large extent, and to a lesser degree in the reflective surface of the inside back of the eyeball.

    Home System: The Ardek home system consists of three large gas giants and five terrestrial planets, and two asteroid belts. All of the planets and many of the moons are terraformed to some extent, from the sulphur-based biology of the first planet from the sun, an asteroid belt in the second orbit, a tiny rocky wasteland with a minimal atmosphere in the third orbit, the original Ardek homeworld in the fourth orbit, a Gas giant with three moons in the process of being terraformed in the fifth orbit, the second asteroid belt in the sixth orbit, a large methane atmosphere planet in the seventh orbit, and the remaining two gas giants in the eighth and ninth orbits, with the tenth orbit occupied by a captured planet after the core of the dead star wandered past 600 years ago.

    There are millions of comets, asteroids, and planetary ejects littering the Ardek system still, with much of the Ardek fleet and space habitats built to nudge those potentially disastrous floaters into more suitable orbits to aid in terraforming.

    Frowbakk on
    Your sig was too tall.
  • INeedNoSaltINeedNoSalt with blood on my teeth Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    You guys and your empty phases

    INeedNoSalt on
  • INeedNoSaltINeedNoSalt with blood on my teeth Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Anyway:

    Formians (Human Nomenclature)

    The Formians are a species of insect-like creatures, generally quadrepedal with two claw-like hands and thick exoskeletons. The species is believed to be held together by highly specialized pheromone communication systems, although some scientists believe the Formians display rudimentary albeit powerful telepathic capabilities which allow them to communicate without any physical interaction at all.

    Formians exist not as invididuals but rather as massive hives, some of which are believed to span entire contents. Noteworthily, unlike most Earthborn insect hives, Formian hives do not seem to conflict with one another but rather work cooperatively toward their goals.

    Formian space travel at this time is very rudimentary and crude, having only recently taken to the skies, but their technology seems to advance at an alarming rate.

    Phases:
    Like-Minded
    For centuries, the Formian colonies did not grow because they were busy murdering one-another, in a very loose sense. Colonies fought over territory and resources, but only rarely did their wars lead to any direct murder.

    Thousands of years ago marks the first attempt of a Formian hive to communicate with a neighboring hive through symbol and action. Although for many species this was not worthy enough to end war, for the Formians, the spread of communication also quickly proved to also spread peace throughout their civilizations, and the Formians began to focus more strongly on discovering new land and new resources.

    Construction +1
    Expansive +2
    Resources +1

    That's one... more to come, tomorrow.

    INeedNoSalt on
  • ScooterScooter Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Ok, check the wiki, think I've got things fairly sorted out. I did a lot of rewording to make the old rules fit with Fate's roll style so let me know if I've said anything that doesn't make sense. Highlights.

    1. You start with one Aspect that gives +2 in any of the seven (7) base skill areas. Each Phase you add an additional aspect of your own definition, once per turn you may choose to reroll a bad roll, you get to reroll it once for each relevant aspect to that check.

    2. No roll values are carried over between turns, but in some cases a high MoS (see Fate) may lower test checks for future turns.

    3. There is now a seventh research field, Construction. Construction allows you to build superprojects that increase your skill in any of the seven areas, however these buildings can be destroyed or even captured.

    4. Several new spy tactics, such as resource sabotage and new Combo Techs.

    5. Military alliances are now part of the game and allow for new attack and defense maneuvers.

    And other assorted stuff. Again, lemme know if something doesn't sound right. Of course, none of the numbers have been play tested so some of my assumptions could be wildly off. About tech names/descrips, you can use your own as a cover for the basis of Culture Tech 1, Culture Tech 2, etc. If you want to make up your own entirely new techs I may need some convincing as to their balancedness.


    I'm now opening official signups. Specifically, what you need to signup:
    1. Species name, logo, and first three color choices. I don't care if you're blind, I want something to put on the map. If you don't have a color preference you'll be pink.
    2. Basic physical and attitude description of your species.
    3. Phases, point allocation, aspects and backstory. The story of your species should be mostly explained as the makeup of their Phases.
    Optional:
    4. Description and name of your home system.
    5. First turn's rolls.
    6. Your starting research field.

    Signups will continue from now to at least Friday. Once signups have closed, players may still join, but I'll probably make them be a spinoff of an existing species. Rules are still open to discussion and change before turns start, so you might want to hold off for a few days on 5 and 6.



    Oh, important roll info. First, basically you roll under Fate rules with 4d3-8+your skill level (unless I've been misled, that's an equivalent version of their -/0/+ system). Roll either in front of me on IRC (make sure I'm actually watching) or with Invisible Castle. With IC, whatever civ name you use for your first turns rolls must be the name you use there for the rest of the game, unless you've got my permission, so that I can keep track of you.

    Scooter on
  • INeedNoSaltINeedNoSalt with blood on my teeth Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Horseshoe wrote: »
    I am going to make slightly less hateful Humans this time around I think

    Oh come on Salt.

    Remember how you and I got to the edge of apocalyptic warfare but didn't have the chance to start it?

    Let the the flames of war between the Combine and the Wargh consume the universe.

    this is really tempting too

    i'm torn!

    INeedNoSalt on
  • HorseshoeHorseshoe Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    dooo eeet

    Horseshoe on
    dmsigsmallek3.jpg
  • TalonrazorTalonrazor Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Everyone is going to aspects of re-rolling attack roles. I've got a feeling this is going to be just one gigantic bloodbath.

    Talonrazor on
    sig4.jpg
  • INeedNoSaltINeedNoSalt with blood on my teeth Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Talonrazor wrote: »
    Everyone is going to aspects of re-rolling attack roles. I've got a feeling this is going to be just one gigantic bloodbath.

    Yeah, I'd be careful

    INeedNoSalt on
  • KrataLightbladeKrataLightblade Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Talonrazor wrote: »
    Everyone is going to aspects of re-rolling attack roles. I've got a feeling this is going to be just one gigantic bloodbath.

    Actually my Aspects will probably revolve around strong cultural defenses and tech gains... the Star Gods are wise, and the Anandans follow them unflinchingly even in the face of superior living conditions elsewhere. That kinda thing. That's what I'm thinking anyway. I need some more time with the ruleset and some more writing to really work it out.

    KrataLightblade on
    LEVEL 50 SWORD JUGGLER/WIZARD!
  • ScooterScooter Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Hmm, yea. Let's make it one reroll a turn max.

    Scooter on
  • SUPERSUGASUPERSUGA Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Here goes nothing!

    Thought I'd go a bit more unusual this time...

    formaxylwy4.jpg
    Colour Choices: 1-Orange 2-Yellow 3-Green

    The exact nature of Formaxyl-42 is disputable. A few facts are known for sure. It was originally a chemical designed at the hands of an advanced race that has now been consumed by their creation. This gel-like liquid displays a number of unusual properties. It can move by its own will, it can break down other matter and convert it to yet more Formaxyl-42 and most unusual of all, it is sentient.

    Some said that those absorbed by Formaxyl-42 continue to exist as part of a shared conciousness, others say that the chemical contains a complex artificial intelligence program that simulates life but one thing is for sure, Formaxyl-42 has taken the planet of Mya and is now looking elsewhere.

    Physically the substance is best destroyed through use of extreme temperatures or one of the various chemicals that it reacts violently to. These unorthadox weaknesses make fighting Formaxyl-42 a very different prospect to that of other life. Indeed it is disputable whether or not Formaxyl-42 qualifies as life. Due to its highly versatile chemical nature it is capable of several means of communication be they sound-waves, flashing signals or more unusual methods such as telephathy. It can break down matter and reshape it to its own wishes and even creates objects for no obvious purpose, suggesting an understanding of art.

    It is unknown whether all Formaxyl-42, which all originates from the same original sample, shares a common consciousness or whether it has any concept of individuals. Formaxyl-42 seems pretty set on the idea of converting all life to more Formaxyl-42.

    Formaxyl-42 - The Sentient
    Starting Aspect - Soldiering +2

    Phase 1 - Hazardous Substance
    It is unknown what the initial purpose of Formaxyl-42 was, but the creators saw fit to bring Formaxyl-42 into existance for their own gain. It is likely they wanted Formaxyl-42's power for their own. Formaxyl-42 was more than they thought. They underestimated Formaxyl-42. Formaxyl-42 showed dangerous rates of self-replication. Formaxyl-42 is dangerous.
    Soldiering +2
    Expansive +2

    Phase 2 - Absorbing Control
    Before they knew it the lab was under the control of Formaxyl-42. Several creators chose to side with Formaxyl-42 and were absorbed. They were useful. Professor J Summers is now Formaxyl-42. Professor K D Martin is now Formaxyl-42. Professor R Allen is now Formaxyl-42.
    Soldiering +2
    Expansive +2

    Phase 3 - Difficult to Dispose Of
    Formaxyl-42 was too dangerous, there was an attempt to completely destroy Formaxyl-42. Private J Kent is now Formaxyl-42. Colonel T Swift is now Formaxyl-42. There are hundreds more now. Formaxyl-42 is demonstrating new thought.
    Soldiering +2
    Culture +2

    Phase 4 - Growing Mind
    Formaxyl-42 understands a lot more with the assistance of those who have been absorbed. Architecture can be beautiful. Solitude can be lonely. Anyone that makes Formaxyl-42 feel bad should be hurt.
    Culture +2
    Soldiering +2

    Phase 5 - A Whole New World
    Billions are now Formaxyl-42. Formaxyl-42 has made some changes to its own structure. The planet has been changed and is now much more suitable for Formaxyl-42 to prosper. Formaxyl-42 has broken down parts and Formaxyl-42 has created new parts.
    Expansive +2
    Construction +2

    Phase 6 - The Mass into Space
    The billions that are Formaxyl-42 should be more. Formaxyl-42 spreads readily. There are others that will be Formaxyl-42. Formaxyl-42 thinks the stars are beautiful.
    Expansive +2
    Culture +2

    Totals:
    Soldiering +10 & Aspect
    Expansive +8
    Culture +6
    Construction +2

    Although Cultureless may seem appropriate Formaxyl-42 is constantly evolving and so "individuals" breaking off from the whole are not unheard of. Besides, this goo makes some pretty nice sculptures and may be appealing to those who fancy being converted into a spacefaring chemical.

    Turn 1 Stuff
    Starting System Name: Mya - A smooth world that has been erradicated of all non-planetary matter by Formaxyl-42 and rebuilt to its liking. Unusual rock formations frame lakes of shining water and hills covered in flowers of a thousand colours. Huge silver spires loom over unnatural fields of white porcelain-like pebbles and rivers gush forth sapphire-blue water into a perfectly square sea.

    Field to Research: Culture

    First Turn Rolls:
    Research: -1 + 0 = -1
    Resource: -3 + 0 = -3
    Expand: 0 + 8 = 8

    http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1629676/

    SUPERSUGA on
  • HorseshoeHorseshoe Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Scooter how does trading work this time around?

    Horseshoe on
    dmsigsmallek3.jpg
  • ScooterScooter Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Trading tech and systems can be done with anyone you have contact with. To trade resources you give them X number of TUs. 1 TU of each resource type is consumed per turn. So if you have 14 and give 7 to a friend, you each have 7 turns left of getting the bonus. To trade resources there must be a friendly path from their empire to yours. If you're blocked by embargoes or enemies you may need the Smuggler's combo tech.

    You could give away systems to use for trading bases but if I see a system getting passed back and forth for this a lot I might do something about it.

    Scooter on
  • ShamusShamus Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Sweet, I'll go about building my civilization tonight, after work. Should have it in by Monday.

    Shamus on
  • HorseshoeHorseshoe Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    So trading technology is more or less without limits so long as you share a border or a common friendly neighbor.

    Horseshoe on
    dmsigsmallek3.jpg
  • ScooterScooter Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    You need that to first make contact (unfriendly neighbors also work), and you can trade techs with anyone you've contacted.

    Scooter on
  • FrowbakkFrowbakk Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    I've edited my entry on page 2 to include just about everything but the starting rolls & research field. Should I repost it, or PM you, or what?

    Frowbakk on
    Your sig was too tall.
  • ScooterScooter Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    I suppose now would be a good time to mention that the wiki key is 'galaxy'. You peoples can make your own species pages with your info, and when the map's made I'll set up a page so you can write in names and descrips of your systems.

    Don't touch the other pages though.


    Edit: Also if you could break their story down into their phases that would be good.

    Scooter on
  • FrowbakkFrowbakk Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    I just added the info on the Ardek to the wiki. You'll have to search for "Ardek" to get to the page. I've never done anything with a wiki before so I don't know how to make a link for the page under the Species Info section.

    Frowbakk on
    Your sig was too tall.
  • SUPERSUGASUPERSUGA Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    My "species" should be all done now, I'll add a wiki page when I get the chance.

    SUPERSUGA on
  • Abysmal LynxAbysmal Lynx Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    I should have my species done by tonight.

    Abysmal Lynx on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • ScooterScooter Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Remember there's also Construction now you can do for your first turn rolls, if you want something in your home system.


    New Rule: Superprojects can only be built in systems that have a name and description. Some people slacked a bit on that stuff last time which was ok, but it'd be awkward to have fancy superprojects in systems that might not have anything more than an asteroid ring for all we know.

    New Rule: This might've been obvious, but just to close a possible exploit, only one superproject of each stat type can be built in the same system. If you want lots of research coming out of a system, you need to enhance the lab you've got. Attack/Defense/Training counts as different stats (A/D are double the base bonus, similar to the techs).

    New Rule: New superproject option: for Attack, Defense, Training, Culture, and Construction projects (yes, you can construct better construction facilities), you may choose to recieve double the normal bonus but have the bonus only affect that specific system; ie, attacks launched from that system or defenses when the system is attacked. It needs to be declared as specific when it's first built.

    Scooter on
  • JacquesCousteauJacquesCousteau Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    I just realised it's Summer so I won't be around as often. Hope you guys have the fun.

    JacquesCousteau on
    steam_sig.png
  • INeedNoSaltINeedNoSalt with blood on my teeth Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Horseshoe wrote: »
    So trading technology is more or less without limits so long as you share a border or a common friendly neighbor.

    Post your race Horse!

    INeedNoSalt on
  • INeedNoSaltINeedNoSalt with blood on my teeth Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Okay anyway Horseshoe is right we need a bloody Combine/Wargh battle again (and even more violence)

    With that in mind I present the Combine, the violent remainder of the majority of humanity.

    This post will contact their stats as I edit them in.


    marsflag-1.png
    Humanity
    The Combine

    In the far end of the 22nd Century, colonization of Mars was well-underway by the humans, the native race of Earth, and plans were being made to further terraform and colonize the Solar system's planets by various human nations. Many Earthside nations claimed permanent colonies on the red planet, and many more claimed territories marked only by temporary stations or in yet unterraformed territories.

    By the end of the 23rd Century, nuclear war ignited from a self-neutralizing worry for most of the world into a terrible reality; on May 29th of 2489, the first full-power nuclear weapon to be used in over five hundred years was detonated on US American soil; thousands died. The war progressed exponentially, and billions died in the process.

    On Mars, infighting threatened to break out as the Earthside governments attempted to coerce their Martian counterparts to join them in their efforts to 'win' a war that, on Earth, had already guaranteed loss to everyone.

    However, even as the war was beginning to take hold in the hearts of Martian loyalists, a faction of soldiers with amazingly advanced equipment with no seeming point of origin materialized to demilitarize Mars; they used powerful ships and weaponry to seize control of all of the Martian colonies, destroying those who refused to join them. This faction 'united' all of Mars under their banner; they called themselves the Combine. (As the war for Mars came to a close, the Combine's weapons were focused on Earth; over the next several decades, Earth was scoured with nuclear weaponry in the first interplanetary attacks in human history.)

    With humanity finally united under one unforgiving, iron fist, homo sapiens looked at last past Sol and into the galaxy proper.

    Phase 1: Sticks and Stones!
    Humans evolved from earlier primates. It is thought that their discovery and use of tools was a turning point for the species. The first human tools were believed to be heavy objects like rocks or plant limbs, used for the exciting purpose of destroying such troublesome things as other humans. With haste, humans began to focus on new ways to destroy other humans beings!

    Soldiering +2
    Intelligence +2

    Phase 2: Colonization of Earth:
    Over the next many thousands of years, humans discovered and created many new ways to kill one another. They also moved, and had lots of babies, and found new reasons to kill one another. These reasons were primarily territory and ideology. Millions of humans die at the hands of other humans during this time period.

    Soldiering +4
    Intelligence +2
    Expansion +1
    Culture +1

    Phase 3: Space Flight and Nuclear Weapons:
    By this era, humanity has discovered what will prove to be the baseline for the most efficient weapons for quickly killing lots of other humans, and have also discovered the benefit of planned and plotted systems for eradication of other humans. This period covers roughly one hundred years, and hundreds of millions of humans are killed by other humans during this time period. The first nuclear weapons are used offensively at this time.

    Soldiering +6
    Intelligence +4
    Expansion +1
    Culture +1

    Phase 4: Colonization of Mars, Population
    This phase covers a brief period of time in the late 21st century, wherein war has slowed to a trickle and focus is placed on expansion (however, human scientists never stop trying to find new ways to kill other scientists.) The first extraterrestrial human colonies are created during this period. Cultural growth begins to grind to a halt as governments are forced to censor most media for the sake of governing populations of many hundreds of millions (and in places, upwards of two billion) humans.

    Soldering +8
    Intelligence +5
    Expansion +2
    Culture +1

    Phase 5: War Begins, People Die
    During this phase, the early shots of the war that will leave Earth in ruins are being fired. New weapons and defenses are being constructed in the hopes that what may lead to nuclear war may be survived. In the increasingly powerful corporate sector, plans are put into motion to create weapons and tools more powerful than any government could afford to field, in the name of human survival. With more funds than any individual government could hope to muster, this altruistic, allied effort by competing companies is referred to in board rooms as The Combined Initiative for Human Survival; colloquially, it is the Combine.

    Soldiering +10
    Intelligence +5
    Expansion +2
    Construction +2
    Culture +1

    Phase 6: Unification of Mars, Earth Falls
    During this phase, Earth is cleansed of most life, and the human nations of Mars are unified under one rulership -- the fruitful efforts of the The Combined Initiative for Human Survival -- and the fighting comes to an end. Martian colonists begin to set off with new technology to terraform new planets within the Solar System, and the first interstellar manned vessel is launched to much fanfare; while these events are taking place, the Combine begins to research technology for weapons capable of taking life on a greater scale than the humans of Phase 1 could ever have believed possible.

    Soldiering +14*
    Intelligence +5
    Expansion +4
    Construction +2
    Culture +1

    *Humanity is a Soldiering aspected civilization.

    The Combine's starting system is Sol, which has nine planets, one of which supports life. The scientists who decried Pluto as not a planet are all dead.

    The Combine's ideal color on the map is purple or red (give Red to the WARGH if they sign up and want it).

    Opening Rolls:

    Expansion: 8
    Research (Weapons): 6
    Resources: -1

    Expansion; Research; Resources (4d3-4=8, 4d3-3=6, 4d3-8=-1)

    INeedNoSalt on
  • HorseshoeHorseshoe Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Horseshoe wrote: »
    So trading technology is more or less without limits so long as you share a border or a common friendly neighbor.

    Post your race Horse!

    Tech trading was my major beef with the first space myth and it apparently has not changed.

    It seemed like in the last game the specializations between different players ultimately didn't didn't amount to much since everyone could just kumbaya their way to all having the same abilities.

    Plus it doesn't make sense for say, a race of violent genetically-engineered marauders (like the W.A.R.G.H.) to be able to adopt the technology of say, a living sound or interstellar dolphins that don't even use mechanical engineering methods.

    So I'm still on the fence about this.

    Horseshoe on
    dmsigsmallek3.jpg
  • HorseshoeHorseshoe Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    To be fair though, I made way too much of a stink over that issue during the last game and may have caused one or two people to quit the game with what an asshole I was about it. So my previous opinion should be taken with a big ol shaker of sodium chloride.

    Horseshoe on
    dmsigsmallek3.jpg
  • Abysmal LynxAbysmal Lynx Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    The Varggath Cooperative
    sealha1.gif
    Color Choices: 1-Green 2-Yellow 3-Purple


    Physical Description:
    The average adult agath is around 5.5 meters long (including tail) and weighs about 3322 kg. The body of an agath is mainly composed of a woody substance that is both strong and flexible. The head of an agath is a central yellowish eye surrounded by a flower like structure (The color varies) that is used for mating displays. Below the flower are a set of proboscises that can inject an agath’s prey with venom that both paralyzes and digests from the inside out, allowing the agath to suck the slurry through their proboscises. An agath has six leg-like trunks that are used to draw nutrients from the ground and move about. Agaths are hermaphrodites; they give birth by injecting a prey animal with a seed that consumes the animal until a salas (an agath without territory) emerges.

    Behavior: Besides from young salas and during mating season, agaths are highly territorial towards other agaths and find it hard to resist attacking any who stray into their territory. Besides from times when their territory is threatened or when they are hunting, agaths are rarely violent and enjoy sunning themselves for weeks between meals.

    Society:
    Although it is a democratic society, the only agaths who have any right to participate in the government are varggaths (agaths with territory). Most young salas are raised by varggaths other then their parents because they can move between territories freely and this allows two varggaths to keep in touch. Rampant spying is an open secret in agath society; everybody spies on both their allies and enemies in order to stay one step ahead. In the past, children spied for their parents, and while this is certainly true in modern times, machines have become the favored tool for those trying to get ahead in life.
    Phase 1 – The Time of Fostering
    By exchanging children with other members of their species, the agaths are able to keep tabs on their neighbors and help suppress their territorial instincts.

    Espionage +2
    Soldiering +1
    Culture +1

    Phase 2 – The Seed of Civilization
    The exchange of ideas between the agaths leads to the development of law and technology.

    Espionage +2
    Culture +1
    Intelligence +1

    Phase 3 – The Great Blight
    The greater interaction between the agaths allows the spread of a deadly disease that wipes out 80% of their population. The surviving agaths fell into a struggle for control over all the now unclaimed resources.

    Soldiering +2
    Espionage +1
    Resource Richness +1

    Phase 4 - The Varggath Cooperative

    The warring factions eventually came to an agreement to lay down their weapons, divvy up the land amongst the varggaths, and build a new, democratic civilization.

    Expansive +1
    Culture +2
    Espionage +1


    Phase 5 – Communications Revolution

    Advances in technology allow direct communication at a great distance, for the first time agaths can communicate quickly.

    Culture +1
    Intelligence +1
    Espionage +1
    Construction +1

    Phase 6 – The Salas Exodus

    Because of the naturally long lifespan of the agaths, the chances of building a power base on the home planet for a salas is low. With the development of space travel, many salas set out to carve their own destiny among the stars.

    Expansive +2
    Resource Richness +1
    Espionage +1


    Totals:
    Intelligence +2
    Soldiering +3 (+5 with aspect; they are naturally highly territorial predators after all)
    Resource Richness +2
    Culture +5
    Espionage +8
    Expansive +3
    Construction +1

    EDIT: Man, that seal creator is great.

    Abysmal Lynx on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • The Lord of HatsThe Lord of Hats Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Crappy mspaint symbol, go!

    Color Choices: Black, Grey, Dark Purple.

    theconcordancele1.png

    "Come, my children, and dance beneath the stars. For you are now mine, and I shall never release you." -First Words of Concordance

    Physiology
    Scientifically inexplicable, the Concordance ranks right up there with Formaxyl-42 in terms of sheer strangeness. The Concordants are actually composed entirely of sound, with no discernable source.

    A Concordant has no actual physical presence, although the area that they can, for lack of a better word, be said to be in is visible as a swirling mass of not-quite-transparent air. The other indicator of their presence is, of course, the noise. A Concordant can change all aspects of it's noise, including volume and pitch, but there's never a point where it's actually silent. It may be higher than you can hear, but it's still there.

    Due to their lack of a physical body, Concordants can't actually affect the world on their own (besides using resonant frequencies to destroy stuff). This would prevent them from becoming a power of any sort, were it not for the fact that, with a bit of effort, they can control other creatures' minds, slaving them to the will of the Concordance. This isn't automatic. The creature in question has to be listening, and a strong enough will can resist. Furthermore, the creature must be able to hear any new commands, and if the creature doesn't hear a Concordant at all for a period of time (roughly a week), control ceases.

    Reproduction: The method for creating more Concordants led some Ormian scientists to theorize that they come from an parallel universe, and that that's where their actual bodies lay. This theory is based upon the fact that Concordants are called into existence through precisely modulated patterns of sound, which are suggested to cause small ripples in the space time continuum. The fact that Concordants cannot reproduce through any manner but spontaneous creation through music would seem to support this.

    The Concordance - The Enslavers
    Starting Aspect: Espionage +2

    Phase 1 - The Grand Symphony of Orm
    Concordance. It was to be the greatest work of music to ever be created, the very pinnacle of art. Little did the Ormians know that by the time they had played the piece's first note, that they had doomed their race to extinction. The song was played, and the audience was rapt with attention. And then a voice, from nowhere, spoke, clearly audible over the instruments in the orchestra. And they knew no more.

    Espionage +2
    Culture +2

    Phase 2 - The Melody's March
    Silently, the audience got up out of their chairs, and left the building. The orchestra followed suit, carefully setting down their instruments, and climbing out of the pit. The crowd marched out onto the streets, and the music followed, loudly proclaiming it's glory to the world. The crowd grew, and soon reached a nearby radio station. Silently and efficently, they disabled the workers, and sat at the controls. Soon, the Concordance was heard all over the city.

    Soldiering +1
    Resources +1
    Espionage +2

    Phase 3 - The Battle of Aria
    Soon the entire region had fallen under Concordance's control. The world noticed. Soon, armies were on the move, seeking to eradicate Concordance. Unfortunately for them, the tools of Concordance were far faster, and far subtler than what they presented. Their communications were turned against them, and soon the armies marched to Concordance's beat. Meanwhile, the orchestras, choirs and bands of Concordance were performing a new song. Anthem, the second Concordant, was born.

    Soldiering +2
    Espionage +1
    Culture +1

    Phase 4 - The Anthem's War
    Soon, half of the world was under the Concordance's power. The native Ormians had begun to discover the weakness of the Concordants, but it did them little good, for new Concordants were being composed every day, coaxed into existence by the withered husks of musicians, their dry fingers plucking at the strings, slowly wearing away, and legions of Concordant-controlled Ormians marched upon them.

    Soldiering +1
    Culture +2
    Espionage +1

    Phase 5 - Orm's Requiem
    Finally, only a single, heavily fortified city was left in Ormian hands. Every wall was soundproofed. Every citizen had their ears protected at all times, communicating only through hand signs and text. But the Concordance would not be denied. All around the city, massive towers were constructed, reaching high into the heavens, each bearing an enormous elliptical dish. The towers were activated, and soon, the last Ormians fell, their blood vessels bursting, their buildings collapsing around them. Perhaps as a final gesture in acknowledgment of their struggles, a single Concordant, Requiem, was created on the site of the ruined city, before it was deserted entirely, a monument to the death of a species.

    Construction +1
    Intelligence +1
    Culture +2

    Phase 6 - The Music of the Spheres
    Time passed. Orm was beginning to stagnate. The Concordants did not require any sustenance, and they had no true goals, no motivation. The enslaved Ormians were slowly beginning to die out, their numbers being depleted by old age, and replenished only rarely. Probes and ships were sent into space and to nearby planets, largely as a distraction rather than with any particular goal. Then, one day, a breakthrough occurred. Warp Gates were discovered. Life on other planets. Once again, the Concordance was entirely united in a single goal. And so the music prepared to spread it's joyous message of chains and control.

    Expansion +1
    Intelligence +1
    Espionage +2

    Totals:
    Espionage: +10 (Aspect)
    Culture: +7
    Soldiering: +4
    Intelligence: +1
    Construction: +1
    Expansion: +1
    Resources +1

    (Also, if it's confusing, Concordance is an individual Concordant, and The Concordance is the race)

    The Lord of Hats on
  • INeedNoSaltINeedNoSalt with blood on my teeth Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    How can I take seriously sentient sound

    I mean sentient molecules was a stretch

    My disbelief snapped =[

    INeedNoSalt on
  • The Lord of HatsThe Lord of Hats Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Hey. Blame the fact that I was beaten to sentient plants (and that I had sworn to myself that I would be as unique as possible). You could have been facing trees, but I was a bit too slow, so now you've got sentient sound.

    Still, I'm happy with it, because it wouldn't have been nearly as neat otherwise.

    The Lord of Hats on
  • INeedNoSaltINeedNoSalt with blood on my teeth Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Horseshoe wrote: »
    Horseshoe wrote: »
    So trading technology is more or less without limits so long as you share a border or a common friendly neighbor.

    Post your race Horse!

    Tech trading was my major beef with the first space myth and it apparently has not changed.

    It seemed like in the last game the specializations between different players ultimately didn't didn't amount to much since everyone could just kumbaya their way to all having the same abilities.

    Plus it doesn't make sense for say, a race of violent genetically-engineered marauders (like the W.A.R.G.H.) to be able to adopt the technology of say, a living sound or interstellar dolphins that don't even use mechanical engineering methods.

    So I'm still on the fence about this.

    Ah I see -- here, I thought your concern was a thing with resource trading.

    Yeah, the part where by the end of the game everyone just handing over their tech to stop the violence was pretty eh

    Maybe if tech trading was limited, or instead of flat-out providing new tech, you could 'trade' tech to grant a bonus to someone else's roles?

    I mean, say the Combine offered the WARGH technology for Expansion III; the WARGH only have Expansion II; instead of just an automatic upgrade, maybe my offer would lower the difficulty of reaching Tech 3 (because I'm not handing over new engines, I'm just showing them how it works -- they still have to design and build the stuff on their own.) ?


    Edit: I blame the fact that you don't even make any attempt to explain how sound got sentient I think.

    INeedNoSalt on
  • The Lord of HatsThe Lord of Hats Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    That's because I can't think of anything that wouldn't sound really stupid.

    Though in my head, it is basically mapped out as a Concordant requiring an extremely specific series of notes to be created, which it's extremely to get. They came into being in the first place because Concordance was a piece of extreme complexity (and by extreme I mean... way beyond anything we've got.), and it just happened to be the 'code' to create a Concordant. It takes quite a bit of thought for them, and takes a while, but Concordants can write other Concordants far easier than anybody else can.

    The Lord of Hats on
  • INeedNoSaltINeedNoSalt with blood on my teeth Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    You should work from that anyway

    I mean any explanation really is better than "alien magicians made the perfect magical music" I think D:

    INeedNoSalt on
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