Brainstorming Story Ideas:::

[Rand Al'Tor]

Edit: Removed my 'history' as it causes confusion


Ack, didn't see your thing Hydro. Should have refreshed. Yours is good as well, and with thought control and an island to yourself, it's possible to make your citizens forget all about the fact that other factions ever existed. And the Nameless could just be 'the other factions'

Problem: It does mean we have to retcon the two earlier posts. Your Gaean post seems to refer to the ruins if I'm not mistaken, placing her on the western continent instead of the eastern, and my post places the Believers on the Eastern continent, as well as suggesting the Protectorate rules there.

However, your story IS sublemely dark, and way more detailed than mine. We can go with it and just adapt the stories, or we can adapt your background for our stories.

As to the Tech level... we ARE pretty much near the highest stages right? Quantum power and such? Oooh, perhaps we've lost a lot of technology, are reduced to being able to create Fusion power, but all quantum engines and other top-level tech buildings and weapons are 'artifacts' that cannot be recreated if they're destroyed?

As for the 'SMAX' factions... I like the idea of the Data Angels not being a faction, but rather a group of rogue net-wanderers. In a way, all Crossfire groups could work like that. However, since we seem to have an Evil EMpire with Thought Control, having them fail completely against the ANgels is a bit too odd. However, it could be a persistant 'annoyance' to the main group. They're often able to find junior data-angels and 'get them back in line' and now and then one of the 'heroes' is caught by the ever vigilant Hunter Seeker Algorythym. Most people don't even know the Data Angels exist... but among Talents and some WOrkers that are on the net alot... Now and than, they spoof the Thought Control Center to 'invite' a promising new Data Angel in, teach him how to 'shield himself unnoticed' etc. Sinder Roze? She's a legend. They say she's from the Unity. That she's still alive. That she started the Data Angels a few decades ago. But of course... she might just be a rumour.

Same works for the others. Some drones use cheap and dangerous drugs fabricated from industrial products to get some thoughts to themselves (and who monitors THEIR thought waves too hard anyways?) In cramped rooms, they talk about how they're going tomake more stuff for their companions and start a bloody revolution... but keep it quiet... ANd of course, the one who discovered this drug is a guy called Foreman Domai. No of course noone has seen him.

And those that are attacked by mindworms? Sometimes they're not dead. Sometimes they're changed. Mind control doens't work because their mind is influenced by mindworms they carry on themselves. In feverish whispers they pray forgiveness for Planet, and praise their Prophet. Cha Dawn. He has never been seen.

People that rarely stay at bases, but sail the seas, far away from the central computer, but forced to come back every so many years for 'mental inspection'? They sometimes tell tales of a harbour that doesn't follow the Protectorate. Of people that live for the sea. And someone says "If we encounter one of them, let's kill the captain and join them!" And everyone laughs and thinks that it's probably just a myth. Someone like Ulrik Svensgard doesn't exist in real life, right?

And there are those that say that there is an ancient 'virus' on CP-net. A virus that seeps in with the mind control, but sets minds free... free from the control of the Protectorate, and free from the demands of their body. Apparently they listen to a program, no it's actually a blonde woman from the Unity... ah well, who knows... anyway, they call her Aki Zeta Five.


None of these 'factions' would actually have any chance of overthrowing the Protectorate anytime soon. But, in a way, they're small, isolated dots of light and fre ethought in the big dark of Total Thought COntrol.

[Hydro]

WotanAnubis,

As to SMAX factions, they is no reason they can’t make an appearance. After all, the Angels originated from the Morganites, who are in a bad way in my history. There are all sorts of Data Angel-ish events happening all over the place, too. Rose would loathe Yang and his society perhaps more than any other since his vision for humanity is the antithesis of the Angels.

And who says it has to have a dark ending? The main advantage of a dark background is that it gives good and dark factions something to strive for since the alternative is, well, bleak. Conflict goes flabby when everything is goodness and light. I have to admit I have my biases here. I play Gaian the most, but I’ve always admired teh cold logic of The Hive. The voice I give Yang is not one of a bloodthirsty megalomaniac but of a person that puts everything on the scales of structure, order, and the survival of humanity; human niceties such as rights and personal improvement that do not serve the greater good count for very little.

My only gripe about the SMAX factions is that some of them are, well, rather stupid. I never liked the Pirates – “Ahoy, matey!”…please. The Data Angels, Drones, and Cyborgs are interesting and have at least some philosophical underpinnings. Cult? Blah. Or maybe I just don’t like Cha Dawn and his simpering Datalinks quotes? The aliens are OK. I’ve written for them extensively in the Spartan Chronicles back ~2000 and they are fun. The Progenitors do massively change the tone of the plot, as we found in the Chronicles.

Rand Al'Tor,

The main reason I had the PBs, nerve gas, razed cities, rising sea levels, and fungal blooms is to give a pretext for why information was lost. These cities were eradicated, and with them much of the history and institutional and physical knowledge. Backups do not help if they are vaporized. It also gives a reason why there is chaos and a fragmented Chiron, and a reason for a rising power to form a Protectorate against such chaos.

As to dates, they are arbitrary. I’ve found that in most of my games I’ve well into high tech by 2300, and even the AI is making progress. I’ve very, very rarely seen a game last until 2400, but in the event of a catastrophe societies may have to rebuild from a lower base. In SMAC/X there isn’t really much tech that is lost, but that never made sense to me. High energy physics and fighting with sticks don’t seem to go well together.

I also set the stage just before one power was all powerful so that it fit within the scope of SMAC/X and was before Supreme Leader/Ascendance/Conqueror. In other words, the game is still in play – even if just barely. If one power were really all powerful in terms of resources or technology then there really is no chance of resistance – the minor powers are doomed, the walking dead.

Likewise it is arbitrary what factions are where. I selected MOP since it is well known and sprinkled factions based on my initial thoughts on who was in the Alliance and the Axis. I also had to have the Gaians be near ‘good’ lands and by a huge fungus area, and the only place I remember was in the NE are of the eastern continent.

*~*~*~*

The present is the key to the past – James Hutton (Scottish founder of modern geology, d1797)

I do think we need at least a general outline of the past to define the present. The question is, to what level of detail? Perhaps I’ve given too much? Too much will throw a straightjacket and will invite a lot of disagreement. Too little and (as has been described) chaos is inevitable.

Other thoughts?

Hydro

[Sprayber]

Holy brainstorming Batman


This is why I love collaborative efforts.



I was going in a slightly different direction with this but I love all of your ideas better. As far as those living under the protectorate is concerned, they are the sole representatives of humanity left on Chiron. The existence of the few others are kept from them and in fact they beleive that they are fighting a war against the aliens. Being that Chiron has regressed in most ways including terrorforming it could be assumed that no one goes outside the bases without protective equipment and as far as Protectorate the enemies that are occasionaly engaged are alien in origin and everyone but the very top echelon of Protectorate command structure knows any different. those that are unfortuante enough to find out otherwise are quickly reprogramed or eliminated. The remaining factions are attempting to create chaos in the Protectorate by trying ways to inform the Protorate citizens that there are in fact humans out there that have not become part of the Protectorate. The only way to do this is to affect them on a massive scale since any attempt to reach out to a few at a time is quickly counteracted by the brutally efficent Protectorate security services. The Nameless ones are aliens in official Protectorate propaganda but in reality they are the remnants of the other factions. (not to say the real aliens cant appear ) Uttering the words Spartan, Peacekeeper, Gian university, believer and so on inside the protectorate would immediately bring down the full might of the Prime Investigator Office.

The Spartans of course would prefer outright war but they are no where close to being able to do it by force alone so they are forced to take a different approach. The submissive PK's, former Morgan elements inside the Protectorate (data angels?) and the independent University faction are needed in this approach. The Universty may have an agenda of it's own in this but it is too soon to tell.

Where we come in about writing is the struggle between the Protectorate to keep it's citizens in the dark about who they are really fighting. The histories they present along with current news need not always be outright lies but carefully presented words to convince the audience that they are in a life and death struggle for the sake of humanity. Those on the outside are trying to present what they see is the real history of Chiron with proof to the citizens of the Protectorate "we are here and we are not who your masters say we are" this is all taking place inside the bases of the protectorate.

Of course from time to time we can step out of writing mere history and insert updates on what is actually occuring in real time. It all sounds overwhelming but we need only take it a little at a time and people can write what they can. and be included into the overall story.

I will draw up a timeline and present it to everyone for review. then we can get to work and have fun with it. if anyone sees something that jumps out at them then please say so in the disscussion thread and have at it. These events can be done from different prespectives but the core conclusions remain. But remember that with later events the Protectorate will by neccesity have to blank out areas and totally rewrite others. I think that after a few of these traitorous histories come out the Protectorate will be forced to step up it's own historical presentations especially after they start realizing that they can't simply wipe all their citizens minds and start over. Perhaps they will have to invent new threats to keep their citizens on guard.

[Rand Al'Tor]

Righto, sound slike a plan. I'll scrap my historian talent then, or perhaps alter it to fit in the new world.

I presume lots of people writing would be 'outsiders' trying to spread 'the word' among the Protectorate citizens. (Although, considering the rather sorry state of society, it's likely even the 'Total Thought Control' thing is showing a hole here and there) Not so much that society is in danger, but enough that here and there people can have some 'unsupervised thought' if they're careful.

Also, regarding lost history... have the OTHER factions lost most info as well?

[Hydro]

Sprayber,

Thought and information control? A war with a (false?) nameless entity? Weak resistance struggling against very steep odds? Do I detect a bit of 1984, where the state controlled all information (with the objective of stamping out independent thought) and had perpetual wars with a faceless “Oceana”? The antagonist told Smith, as I recall, that the State would ‘Stamp on the face of humanity forever.’ Very visual. My, but Orwell could turn a phrase.

I’ll stay tuned on the outline!

Hydro

[WotanAnubis]

Actually, Oceania is the state Winston lives in. However, the other two states, Eastasia and Eurasia, are just as bad as Oceania and are in on the whole "eternal war, eternal power" idea.

So if this is 1984 on Planet, the Hive is not the most powerful state, but unfortunately the only real powers left are all big on the Thought Control.

[Rand Al'Tor]

On that thought, we can keep in mind that the non-Hive factions might not be exactly truthful and objective either. If they actually remember what started the wars.

[WotanAnubis]

Originally posted by Rand Al'Tor
On that thought, we can keep in mind that the non-Hive factions might not be exactly truthful and objective either. If they actually remember what started the wars.

Well, of course they're not objective and truthful. The factions can't be objective almost by definition (except maybe the Consciousness, but I don't think so).

A great, shining scientific breakthrough for the University could be considered the result of a hideous violation of human rights by the Peacekeepers, for example.

Or a glorious victory by the Believers could be seen as primitive and wasteful 'human wave' tactics by the Spartans.

[Rand Al'Tor]

*nods* And not all the 'histories' have to be Protectorate/Hive centric of course. (As in, told by the Protectorate or illegally told to Protectorate citizens) The Peacekeepers might have an illegal 'history' that differs from the one the Spartans feel they should tell them. Not just in interpretation but even in facts, since so much info was lost, and the leaders' intentions weren't always truthful, that things like who fired the first Planetbuster and such would change depending on who you asked it to.

Sounds like loads of fun. Perhaps we could already divide a bit? I'd probably take Believers again. Thouh probably from the perspective of one of them, rather than someone finding their stuff.

[Rand Al'Tor]

Working on something. Question though. Who was in the Alliance and who in the Axis? From what I've read it sounds like the Federal Alliance was 'Spartans, Morganites, Hive' while the Aliiance was Peacekeepers, Gaians, Believers' with the University neutral or Alliance?

(The Peacekeepers PB-ing broke the Axis, the Believers lost the bases, the Gaians got razed. When the Federal Alliance fell out, it was Hive, SPartan and Morganite Cities getting problems)

[korn469]

Rand Al'tor

I didn't even see this thread until I jumped into your other thread. I can always delete that post if you don't like it. I felt a bit inspired, but if it detracts from where you want to go send me a pm.

[Rand Al'Tor]

No problem. No reason why there wouldn't be TWO Believers, and if necessary, they can be in different bases. One thing we might settle is whether the two preachers know of eachother. Father Maverlon was sent out by a University initiative (as I don't imagine the Believers have much resources left to get someone in Hive territory unnoticed) Of course, yours might be in one of the bases the Believers have lost to the Hive, and might be on the western continent. It depends, I can always adapt my post to refer to you being in the same load. Or you could have arrived there some time before Maverlon, or be in a different city. Since we'll probably be working a lot through the datalinks, our characters could even interact if they were on different continents.

So, to give it a name, say my character has infiltrated Yang Mines at Day 0 in a University mission. Depending on how your character got into The Hive and where, we can decide if and when they have met or will meet, and even know of eachothers' existance.

[korn469]

Rand Al'Tor,

Ok sounds good. I'll start trying to keep up in this thread as work allows.

Here's my take on things.

The PK's and the Gaians started near the Spartans, who posed a mutual threat to both of them. They formed an alliance, prospering as Pact brothers. The UoP started close to the Believers. A war broke out fairly early on which the Believers lost forcing them to become submissive Pact brothers of the UoP. The Hive had a fairly central location, with the Morganites, the drones, and the collective all close by. The Hive swallowed all three factions. Much to the Hive's chagrin some of the Morganite intelligence officers managed to escape into the general population, morphing into the Data Angels. The DA have been a thorn in the Hive's side, but not a legitimate threat. The Hive has takes both UoP and believer bases in a series of skirmishes.

The Spartans finally attacked the PK/Gaian alliance breaking through their defenses. The Spartans were on the verge of overrunning both factions when the Gaians, who had already started realizing that the Planet was alive, decided to attempt to invoke Planet against the Spartans. This resulted in the Spasm. Think stacks of 40~50 mindworms attacking every city on the map. Some survived, but it devistated all of humanity, though the Spartans did experience the worst mindworm attacks. The Spasm may have destroyed the Spartans. Around this time is Cha Dawn and his weird changed (exactly like you described) mindworm attack survivors appeared. Yang votes himself into the planetary ruler position, and The Alliance votes for him.

[Rand Al'Tor]

Ooooh, now I get it! That's what you meant with my post! Nah, we're not using THAT one. We use Hydro's description, better than mine, second to last post on page one. (note, the next post is written BEFORE I understood where you were coming from, but they do help how I see things)

Hmm, a few things I feel might be a bit different. One, the Believers and the University would indeed go to war pretty quickly, but I imagine them being submissive pact brothers is from pretty recently, and the Believers have actually given the University a war that lasted countless years I would also imagine Miriam was PART of the PK/Gaian axis, since their destruction seemed to have brought on their downfall.

The other factions. As far as the free drones and consciousness goes. I'd leave it in the middle whether those were actual factions or just movements, and whether they may still survive underground, but going with Hydro's description, the main players were the original 7. Note that the Morganites are still around though, just submissive to the Hive.

The cause of the Spasm? What you say would be a nice rumour, and it's definately something that might go around, but I wouldn't 'fix' that. Might be the Spasm was a reaction to the huge amount of Planet Busters being tossed around.

The Federal Alliance, as Hydro said, broke up and started nuking the hell out of eachother. There is no 'alliance' anymore, just The Hive (with the Morganites) that survived best, and the University (with the Believers) and the Spartans (with the Peacekeepers) that are worried.

[Hydro]

Hi Korn!! Nice to see you back in action after a hiatus after the venerable Spartan Chronicles!

So, are we concentrating on my history? Or Sprayber's?

I see 2 major PB exchanges. The first one was by the Spartans to break the back of the ascendant Gaian-PK alliance. Wiping out the huge PK bases allowed the Spartans to overrun the Gaians, and then fully turn their loving aim on the PKs. During this time I see the Spartans as in a tense alliance with the Hive and co-belligerents with the UoP. The poor Believers were nominal friends (out of desperation) with the Gaian-PK alliance during their long, horrible, and ultimately losing war with the UoP (I see massive atrocities on each side). The Spartan PBing of the PKs caused the first wave fungal blooms – a minor Spasm - that impacted the Spartans, perhaps wrecking part of the Jungle. Further attacks from the remnant vengeful Gaian worms in the Great Fungal Fields that existed north of their occupied cities keep the Spartans on guard. The remnant and militarized Gaians mutated into the Cult.

A few other PBs were lobbed (perhaps by Morgan to fend off the Hive), but the second massive wave of PBs were exchanged when the Spartan-Hive-UoP alliance collapsed. The dozen or more of PBs caused massive ecodamage, resulting in huge fungal blooms that devastated all the factions (I like Korn’s description – stacks of 50 locusts! ACK!). Splinter factions proliferate during this time of chaos.

After the Spasm the Hive, although devastated and plagued with ‘incidents’, recovers first and tries to strong-arm the remaining factions into submission…

Thoughts?

Hydro