Create my 14th faction

[MysticWind]

I'm having a project to build 14 custom factions, called the Second Ship, the first 12 factions can be found in this thread. I'm trying to base the factions on either universal facets of humanity as represented in the first SMAC game, or versions of groups in the novel Earth by David Brin.

The faction I didn't make yet is a science-based one that is incredibly strong in Planet-related issues. I'm not sure what to make the 14th about. I was thinking about neo-feminism, but decided against it, since as a male I don't understand it, and in the book neo-feminism was an idea that permeated across different groups, and didn't have a centralized movement.

Any ideas?

[Lord Nword]

Hmmm.... neo-Hermaphroditism?

J/k of course

[cal_01]

You could make a faction that leans heavily towards mysticism. I'm not sure how that would actually work in-game though.

[Commy]

The Scientology Cult...if you need some info, just ask Tom Cruise, or the off-topics forum...

Seriously, though, Scientology has a very distinct idealogy, very distict beliefs, and in the near future it is very possible that many will embrace its ideals...

It would make a lot more sense than just a few wizards who want to do little cult like beliefs...

[Chaos Theory]

Originally posted by Commy
[Scientology] would make a lot more sense than just a few wizards who want to do little cult like beliefs...

No it wouldn't. Scientology doesn't make any sense.

[MysticWind]

Ah, Chaos Theory. If I recall correctly, you were always a good advisor to my plans.

Anyhow, Scientology seems interesting... but I'm leery of any religious-based factions, except the Catholic one, since I consider it interesting that the Vatican is the only truly true theocracy in the world. Yes, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, paganism, robotism, shizz-izzism, and Pauly Shorism have all had great amounts of influence in the past, but c'mon- even Iran has presidents, and the Saudis have princes. And Tibet... well, it's not going to have a bright future in the SMAC world.

Actually, I was going to do an Eastern-flavored religious faction, but I changed my mind when I realized that it would be very similar to already existing pacifistic factions.

And having read some of the more far-fetched and totally random and unexplained factions in NetworkNode.org, I'm not keen on mystics.

Anything else? Think of important parts of human culture and needs.

[Commy]

One idea (although very weak) would be a Utopian faction...not like the Hive, but one that is very intent on keeping rural communities...your libertarian socialists, if you will...

They would be a lot like the gaians in the fact they are very freedom loving and would agree to preserving the planet...however, their main goals would be to have a socialist society where no individual has any power over others, popular vote rules everything, no central government exists...planet would just be a byproduct of their beliefs...

This faction would be hard to implement though, and would only represent a small amount of human society...

[livid imp]

Originally posted by Chaos Theory
No it wouldn't. Scientology doesn't make any sense.

Yea, I gotta say, be weary of ANY religion/belief that:

A. Requires you to keep lots of secrets.

B. Requires you to spend money to advance in the orangization.

**cough** cult **cough** **cough**

[PJayTycy]

(sorry for OT)

Scientology does have some of the best management schools. If you could take those lessons without their religious indoctrination, I'd surely do it. Everything considered, they are still cheaper than an average MBA in Singapore for example.

[Senethro]

I've spent some time recently trying to make a more peaceful aquatic faction that had a less clumsy start.

+1 energy
+2 planet
-2 industry
Aquatic Trait.
Free Isle of the Deep
Cent eco, Doc Flex.
May not choose Free Market.

This faction seems to do very well in the early game through pod popping. It has some conquering abilities through masses of Isles dropping pod-popped battle ogres on your shores.

The -2 industry and lack of free market was an attempt to make the faction less useful on land than in water. Prototype versions of the faction did better hitting land and ICSing. As it is, the faction relies heavily on a high energy income from tidal harnesses to hurry improvements.
This faction is also the first to pop-boom as it only needs ethical calculus to get demo/creche to begin booming.

Comments?

[MysticWind]

I'm interested. Originally, for my timeline of pre-SMAC earth I had some neo-pagan religions sprouting out worshipping aspects of nature: a Gaian church, the Ra sun-worshippers, the Children of Oceanus, and a non-demonic-but-still-demonized death worshipping sect.

However, I had wanted the Children of Oceanus to be somewhat hostile, at least stand-offish enough to not join the Gaians. Nevertheless, your ideas are quite intriguing. It certainly seems suitable if I wanted to create an aquatic-religious faction.

To quote Stephen Hawking, "I may have to steal it."

[sentry33]

feminist faction - maybe with serious modifiers to efficiency (not sure whether positive or negative though)

more seriously though..

organization like Al-Quaeda

[Commy]

Yeah, advantages of Al Quaeda....

-2 morale--suicidal bombers don't live very long, so no point in training them...

-2 planet--lighting things on fire and bombing buildings is fun, what can I say...

+3 probe--because no white boy from the west side of the world is going to tell Mr. Turban head what to do...

+2 economy--much cheaper to hand out explosives and teach 'em how to push the red button than how to fire an automatic rifle...

Free fanatic bonus

Free prototypes--like there's that many different bombs out there to build...

Does double damage when self-destructed...

Free Techs: Social Pysch, High Energy Chemistry

[MysticWind]

Please at least skim my other factions before replying. I'm trying to create a serious faction.

[Senethro]

Originally posted by Commy
Yeah, advantages of Al Quaeda....

-2 morale--suicidal bombers don't live very long, so no point in training them...

-2 planet--lighting things on fire and bombing buildings is fun, what can I say...

+3 probe--because no white boy from the west side of the world is going to tell Mr. Turban head what to do...

+2 economy--much cheaper to hand out explosives and teach 'em how to push the red button than how to fire an automatic rifle...

Free fanatic bonus

Free prototypes--like there's that many different bombs out there to build...

Does double damage when self-destructed...

Free Techs: Social Pysch, High Energy Chemistry

Poor taste that man.