STGOD 2k8 Planning thread

[rhoenix]

A concern of mine - given how the company I applied and interviewed for a job in the Bay area is still stringing me along, if I do get this job, things for me within the next few weeks to months could become rather hectic.

In fact, I might not have enough time to dedicate playing this game, as to do so I'd like to focus my whole attention on doing so.

With that in mind, I'd like to tentatively ask what everyone thinks about me becoming a mod of this game instead, along with Hotfoot (if he'd still down), and possibly one other person. This would allow me to spend more time thinking and planning when I'm without internet service, and still talk things out with the other mods.

Now mind you, things for me in reality might unfold differently; I simply don't know at this point. However, I did want to present the possibility to everyone.

[Covenant]

Necrons? My first reaction were those robotty dudes who sat around and kill off any species that develop FTL, crossed with Necron vaults. Inhibitors? Interdictors? I don't remember.

And I would say, go more coventional. Let me promise you right now--you won't be cleansing my worlds! So if you attacked a world, and failed, you're down a lot of units and the only way to get more money is to cleanse a planet. If you aren't massively more powerful than the rest of us to make it feasible for you to erase a few planets now and then, you'll quickly become a sleeping species once again, and I'm uncomfortable with giving thumbs up to a power increase for a species whose overt objective would be to erase all life on my worlds ASAP just to keep their fleet maintenance costs paid in full.

It turns you from an aggressor nation to a berserker one, and while I have no issue with that, it's that you'll want some kind of compensation for your lack of industry. Since everyone's objectives, so far, are to kill everyone else, you're hardly the only warlike species but you would be the only one bestowed a unique advantage and ease to DBZing worlds.

[Starglider]

I'm going to have to sit this one out. It's just gotten insanely busy at work and I don't/won't have the time or energy to do it properly. Though it's possible that things will quieten down in the spring, and if it's still going I might look at joining then.

[Hotfoot]

Relocated to the STGOD Subforum!

Ugh, now I have to check two forums to waste time on SDN. Did we really need a subforum for 3-4 active threads? To archive dead/finished STGODs and RPs or locked OOC threads, this makes sense, but for active games, was this really needed? I wasn't aware that a handful of threads that get generated by the STGOD was such a detriment to the G&C forum.

[Adrian Laguna]

Nobody has addressed my post.

[Hotfoot]

Nobody has addressed my post.

Because your post tries to re-implement a mechanic that detracts from the game on the whole and has been discussed earlier. Range has one single useful mechanic, and that is how long combat takes to resolve. Longer range, less decisive combat. That's all that's needed.

Trying to introduce a weapon range mechanic invariably ends in lopsided combat where a specific weapon becomes the only worthwhile type to ever load out. In other words, we go back to the model where only massive missile boats with laser point defense are ever used.

[Rogue 9]

I, for one, will be playing a former Imperial human power, so it isn't all aliens. Though I don't think I'll be able to resist having an alien race in the mix; the internal tension could be fun.

[Crossroads Inc.]

Im going to be playing fiercly Patriotic Humans!
...
They just tend to all be forced to be in Machine bodies.

[Nephtys]

Hrm. We've got a bit of a proliferation of mechanical-americans it seems. Robot people and all. Makes me wonder if I'm the only one going to be playing something mostly resembling baseline humans...

[Covenant]

Im going to be playing fiercly Patriotic Humans!
...
They just tend to all be forced to be in Machine bodies.

Well I hope someone takes me up on an offer of common ancestry. That or I'm going to have to scrap my own idea because I find something uniquely perverse about the fact that in a game where we've finally established a vast HUMAN empire, almost nobody wants to be humans, and that after I announce that I'd be being either human AI's or cyborgs in machine form, that there's like a zillion other AI/Cyborg nations that pop up. It just seems a bit bizzare, considering how many carbon-copy humans we had last game--there needs to be some theory of convergent OOB evolution.

Hrm. We've got a bit of a proliferation of mechanical-americans it seems. Robot people and all. Makes me wonder if I'm the only one going to be playing something mostly resembling baseline humans...

If it gets that bad, I'll just scrap my faction and play an honest-to-god Imperial Remnant type faction, and carry the Banner of Fortress Terra out amongst the other colonies, reasserting the Holy Sol's dominion again.

I thought we'd be able to avoid this kind of duplication by airing out our ideas early... I never expected that it'd end up being a cyborg convention. I'm not annoyed at anyone in particular, but I just find it a bit frustrating. It's like saying "I'm playing Asgard from SG1" and someone goes "I'm playing Greys from Close Encounters" and someone else goes "I'm playing the sectoids from X-Com."

[Dahak]

Well, my to-be-nation has been through two STGODs now, so I am above any "idea duplication" claims
You just have to live with it, I guess, Covenant.

[Covenant]

Actually, I moved my big post to the background thread. This is for planning. ;P

[Crossroads Inc.]

Im going to be playing fiercly Patriotic Humans!
...
They just tend to all be forced to be in Machine bodies.

Well I hope someone takes me up on an offer of common ancestry. That or I'm going to have to scrap my own idea because I find something uniquely perverse about the fact that in a game where we've finally established a vast HUMAN empire, almost nobody wants to be humans, and that after I announce that I'd be being either human AI's or cyborgs in machine form, that there's like a zillion other AI/Cyborg nations that pop up. It just seems a bit bizzare, considering how many carbon-copy humans we had last game--there needs to be some theory of convergent OOB evolution.

You know you are right, I don't Need to be Robots, I just wanted some "Bentusi" in my ships, and of course I watched Transformers last night and had one of thos "Wouldn't it be cool" moments and went from there.

Again, I think best as aliens, but for those, I can be humans. Some of my largest and more important ships can be Bentuis like Machine interface things, but I don't need to make everyone a robot...

[Covenant]

You know you are right, I don't Need to be Robots, I just wanted some "Bentusi" in my ships, and of course I watched Transformers last night and had one of thos "Wouldn't it be cool" moments and went from there.

Again, I think best as aliens, but for those, I can be humans. Some of my largest and more important ships can be Bentuis like Machine interface things, but I don't need to make everyone a robot...

Wouldn't it be possible to be more like the Kushan? Some of them were Unbound like the Bentusi, but some of them were normal people, or slightly less modified. However, the best option just seems to state "Humans have really good cyborging and like to do bodymods," and make it clear that it's okay, and quite common, to have things like Mind-Machine interfaces.

Really, I'm just fighting to get as many people as possible to realize that the definition of 'human' is rather flexible at our tech-level, and that you could be a human in a computer box, or a human mind in a genemodded Whale body, or a special adapted human subspecies, and so on.

We're just going to lose the whole "Fight for the Imperial Remnants" motif if there's only two successor states. It makes me very uncomfortable to keep complaining about other people's ideas, but we can't support a "Fractured Empire" setting without most people being from it and currently in posession of worlds that had, previously, Imperial Garrisons.

[Crossroads Inc.]

Actually you know what? Why not do that, Being "Kushan" would be a great middle ground. It would let me keep a "goodie" just for fun, and shoot, I can even use the ship deisgns from the Homeworld game. I've always loved those!

Plus, we could still work in a back story between us, Original, I was going to have a flesh eating plague force all of my guy become robots. Maybe your race could come by at thier hour of need, help them cure it, and some such thing, cemeting a bond that "Being Human, and a Machine is ok"

[Covenant]

I'm waffling at the moment. I love that picture of the Gravital (google All Tomorrows) and think a machine empire like that would be cool, but if there's going to be a ton of them, I'll go for something more Human-y. A true successor state of the old Empire--not at all trying to do their own thing. Trying to the Old thing, and get everyone else to do it too. The way I wrote the backstory, it would leave it quite open for some Imperial Remnant forces to want to establish themselves as the heirs to the Throne--and you have to assume some people would almost welcome their tyrannical overlords returning, so long as it keeps the evil away. The current idea for that would end up being like Dali's Discovery of the New World:



But with some robots and spaceships 'n stuff. I may use the the Gravital Spheres anyway. I suppose of I made an Imperial Remnant group with a Crazy Crusader sort of feel, I might as well make some 40k Dreadnaughts as well--but mine will be spheres, psionic, and only appear where you least expect them.

Or something--like I said, I'm not sure anymore. I want to bring something unique to the table. Anyway, if I do that idea, and you do the Kushan idea, it still works out just fine--as two majorly cyberized but not uniformly metal-encased factions seem to represent the current trend of the Empire just fine. I'd rather adapt the idea of an Empire of men to an Empire Cyborg Men than whine about everyone being Cyborg Men.

[consequences]

I'm planning on running an Imperium fragment. An evil bastard Imperium fragment. Apparently, I was insufficiently evil in the last game, which i intend to rectify this time around. Take a position near my power at your own peril.

[Hotfoot]

A couple of things:

First: I'm going to randomize positions on the map this time. In previous STGODs (yes, including the last one), it was too easy to create a super alliance of awesome that was virtually impossible to invade. As such, you do not get to start out next door next to a potential ally. Unless you're very, very lucky.

Second: There will be no "Beyond the rim" powers. What I mean is that everyone is in the "circle" of the map. No, you don't get to be a month out, away from all the mess. If you're going to play this game, you should grow a pair. Expect to be surrounded on all sides by evil things that want you dead or enslaved. It may not be the case, but expect it. No, I'm not going to take requests, so don't ask. The second I've given an inch on this before, half the people raise their damn hands.

Third: We need people to accept the fact that they could be wiped out. You might lose, I want everyone to practice accepting the fact that their nation could get destroyed. Your homework: write a scenario where you just get overpowered and demolished.

Fourth: I know that people want to make unique races, but please remember that there are plenty of ways to be unique even within the limits we've set in the game. Aliens, transhumans, humans, and even mechanical life are all still fair game, and it's easy to be different but still be a known factor.

[Crossroads Inc.]

A couple of things:

First: I'm going to randomize positions on the map this time. In previous STGODs (yes, including the last one), it was too easy to create a super alliance of awesome that was virtually impossible to invade. As such, you do not get to start out next door next to a potential ally. Unless you're very, very lucky..

Perhaps the Worse thing to happen to the Last STGOD was letting everyone pick thier spots which indeed result in Mega alliances and a very boring "Cold War" as it where.

Mixing everyone up and knowing that making one move will NOT bring down the cmbined forces of 5 others Nation will make things much more interesting.

[consequences]

Regarding Hotfoot's third point:

Deep Space
Last remnant of the Fifth Battle Fleet.


Admiral Tarnok watched through the sensors of every remaining ship as the wolves closed in, even as ship after ship was obliterated by the overwhelming forces. By now, all of the attackers knew enough to jam the desperate communications deliberately allowed from the hostages held on his ships, although it was still amusing to see the occasional ship flinch as one of the struggling projectiles was launched to splatter ineffectually against their shields. Soon enough, only his embattled flagship remained, dwarfing any of the opposing insects, but still drastically outgunned by them in their entirety.

Humming off-key to himself, he decided that the time was as close to right as it was likely to get, and engaged the last Imperial Communications Override he'd been saving. The face of the opposing fleet commander appeared, briefly startled on the screen.

"Now now, Admiral, if I could have taken control of more than your comms, I would have done it already. Didn't you learn that back at Sagitarius?"

The Admiral's eyes flared with rage, as he recalled the infamous incident, where the monster before him had somehow seized control of the world's defenders and ordered them to destroy themselves against the planet before they could regain control. It was pure luck that had left him as one of the few survivors. "Gloat of your past atrocities all you want, filth. Your time is ended, and you will claim no more victims."

"Oh, I think I can manage one more if I try hard enough." He widened the viewer's pickup, allowing the admiral to see his children, thought long-dead, working with sadistic glee at the tactical plot. "Children, I think it's time to show your father how you've been occupying yourselves".

At that, the three men and one woman detached themselves form the computer, and began commiting acts of unspeakable debauchery on the tactical console. The admiral watched , ashen faced as they continued even while explosions tore along the length of the ship, and Tarnok gave him a jaunty wave just before the image dissolved into flame and static.

It took three marines to disarm the admial and wrestle him down before he could pull the trigger.

I think, somehow, I'll manage to cope.

[Crossroads Inc.]

Outer Rim
Starship Planet Teknotron

Through a million different eyes, the Ancient CityMind of the vast ShipPlanet watched as the combined forces of the now Infamous "Alliance" closed like a pack of wolves around the once shinning planet.

All around the Buster Machines fought a useless battle against forces they already knew they had lost to. There would be no reinforcements this time, as nothing else remained of the once expansive Starnation.

Across the surface of the ShipPlanet, the hundreds of proud cities that encrusted its surface we're slowly reduced to Slag befor suddenly the guns fell quiet.

A message went at on all bands to the vast Intelligance of the CityMind.

Your fleets are gone, your worlds lost, your people all but dead. Surrender yourself to us and we shall let your survivors live in peace!

The message repeated itself as deep inside the CityMind lept to action. It, he, the Shipworld.. it was his peoples birthright, thier legacy, a remaining treasure from the ancient and now Collapsed Imperium. To let any other force lay claim to it would be unthinkable.

At last a message responded.
I yield my world to you, bring your fleets to me that I may evaculate my people It responded, broken, without a hint of emotion in it's stoic voice...

Gleefull, and eager for thier prize the fleets closed the gap to the great world. It wans't till they where within 10,000 meters that they realized something was wrong. By then it was too late. The Great Annilation Engines deep inside the planet had finihsed imploding. The immense Matter that had always been kept at a deadly balanced fell past its Radius as the entierty of the planet began to collapse.

By the time the other ships had tried to power up thier warp engines, they we're already caught in the Event Horizon of they newly formed Blackhole.

Always go out with a BANG

[Hotfoot]

I meant more as a conceptual exercise, guys, not that you needed to hand it in.

I like the effort though

[Rogue 9]

I don't need to do that; all I have to do is read the end of STGOD 4. I still say I wasn't completely done at that particular moment, but it was only a matter of time.

[A-Wing_Slash]

I have enough homework as is that I'm not going to bother to write my demise yet, but let it be known that I'm going to play a good ol' flesh and blood human faction. With cool stuff and bells and whistles though. The idea seems to have been lost in the shuffle, but I'm also up for being a "first strike" nation, although I hesitate to warn my potential neighbors beforehand.

Anyhow, I think in addition to the randomized map, we should try to work in elements of stellar geography, i.e. a Badlands analogue, those dead zones someone talked about, warp storms, nebulas, clusters, etc, etc, to give the space itself some more flavor.

[Hawkwings]

I'll be playing rather baseline humans with mind/machine interfaces, like a Bolo tank and commander. I'm thinking an Imperial remnant group that's been pretty beaten up already by barbarians and rivals and whatnot.