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mj12games.com/forum → Game Design → New universe?
And you thought that armored suit the Orkin Man wore in those commercials was fake....
Mindless hordes directed by "Brain Bugs"?
An organized civilization organized into Castes?
A Meritocracy more like the Droyne or Kafers?
I like the idea of something like Kafers, but more beetle-like, and incorporating cybernetics.
That's funny...the Haecorr are actually similar to chitin in shape, bug mentality/hive mind utilizing cybernetic enhancments to augment their physical abilities. The underside is where their mouth is and hundreds of fine cilia feet which they use for micro-manipulation of tools and nanites etc. They're the critters flyin these type ships...
And the first faction symbol... this one's for the Emperor in Exile...
That's cool looking. 
And the first faction symbol... this one's for the Emperor in Exile...
The lighter area in the middle looks like butt cheeks. 
cricket wrote:And the first faction symbol... this one's for the Emperor in Exile...
The lighter area in the middle looks like butt cheeks.
Heh..yeah....butt cheeks....heh,heh...
I like the thing otherwise, perhaps a more obvious "bird shape"?
Non-butt-cheek version...
Even better! 
I liked the idea of the bugs in Silent Death. They 'feed' on aggressive feelings so any large battles near a bug-infested world makes the bug swarm and attack nearby colonies...
-Bren
I liked the idea of the bugs in Silent Death. They 'feed' on aggressive feelings so any large battles near a bug-infested world makes the bug swarm and attack nearby colonies...
The problem I have with "Feeding off emotions" is too close to various forms of telepathy, which is too close to magic for me if we're talking a 'Science Fiction' setting...If you wanna have Mentalists and GW-like spells, that's a whole 'nother bag of worms. If there are any 'Hive minds' extant, they'd have some sort of technological or pheremone-based linkage - the supposed fields that our minds throw off are so weak, that a toaster would disrupt any transmissions.
If you're going to have magic, may as well have Gods and Goddesses - I'll pick Thor for $20, Alex....
Yeah, I'm likely going to get some flac for it, so let 'er rip....
Even better!
Yeah, that's not nearly so suggestive...
Well...you know we've been talking about the Haecorr a small bit sideline Dugan. Their hivemind only works in close proximity to each other...nearly physical contact per se and improves their analytical ability. That sort of fits with what you were just saying, no?
Well...you know we've been talking about the Haecorr a small bit sideline Dugan.
Hmmm....More or less. Perhaps they've got more metal in their nervous system, a more stable genome (their 'brain wiring' is more consistent from individual to individual), and it only works in close range. I can live with that - it's not technological or pheremone-based, but it's range isn't so great as to range across a planet. It also only works between members of it's own species - I'm assuming some sort of co-operation between individuals is required, also.
"aggressive feelings so any large battles near a bug-infested world" implies a HUGE jump in the range of 'mental fields' and assumes that they can sense the minds of another species. That - to me - is basically a magical ability. It outranges sensors and weapons in the game....
As Peanut would say, "Holy Crap!"....
I'd also put a limit on range or number of individuals in the 'link', just to prevent abuse.
"aggressive feelings so any large battles near a bug-infested world" implies a HUGE jump in the range of 'mental fields' and assumes that they can sense the minds of another species. That - to me - is basically a magical ability. It outranges sensors and weapons in the game....
Well, to be honest -- Bren was describing the (very unique) effects of "bugs" in Silent Death. We certainly wouldn't be copying that in particular.
On the other hand, there's nothing inherently magical about the "hive mind" concept -- science still doesn't fully understand insect group behavior.
I agree, nothing is infinite. And I'm still thinking that the Haecorr depend on their machinery almost as much as they do each other. They have all those cilia which could be like a natural antenna array for bio-organic electrical fields. Only with other Haecorr...agreed. And they are all remarkably similar genetically and physically. Maybe cap the collective analysis mode at 10-20 individuals before its a matter of diminishing returns vs energy expended. *shrug* lots of time to go through nuts and bolts. Just hyperbole at this point until more is decided higher up.
The problem I have with "Feeding off emotions" is too close to various forms of telepathy, which is too close to magic for me if we're talking a 'Science Fiction' setting...
I guess that qualifies the Force as magic and makes the Star Wars movies a Sci-fi farce (you like the force - farce there). 'Old Ben' feels the effects of the Death Star destroying the planet lightyears away! Perhaps Yoda really was a god...
Well, to be honest -- Bren was describing the (very unique) effects of "bugs" in Silent Death. We certainly wouldn't be copying that in particular.
Nor should we. Anytime bugs are talked about in Sci Fi settings, I think of the way they introduced the bugs in the Silent Death game. It was an interesting story line that worked for the nature of Silent Death. Still there is something to be said for the hive mind bugs (and there use everywhere). I guess the idea of the centralizd mind is so strange for us humans, it automatically puts humans is a eerie mindset. Just look at the number of hive mind bugs there are in sci fi!
-Bren
thedugan wrote:"aggressive feelings so any large battles near a bug-infested world" implies a HUGE jump in the range of 'mental fields' and assumes that they can sense the minds of another species. That - to me - is basically a magical ability. It outranges sensors and weapons in the game....
Well, to be honest -- Bren was describing the (very unique) effects of "bugs" in Silent Death. We certainly wouldn't be copying that in particular.
On the other hand, there's nothing inherently magical about the "hive mind" concept -- science still doesn't fully understand insect group behavior.
Most of what I've read/heard about on nature programs is that it's instinctive, and based on pheremones. It's also real easy to screw them up, and has a range of a few miles on the best days.
<shrug>
The problem I have with "Feeding off emotions" is too close to various forms of telepathy, which is too close to magic for me if we're talking a 'Science Fiction' setting...
I guess that qualifies the Force as magic and makes the Star Wars movies a Sci-fi farce (you like the force - farce there). 'Old Ben' feels the effects of the Death Star destroying the planet lightyears away! Perhaps Yoda really was a god...
Is Star Wars what I'd call 'science fantasy'? Yes.... but then so is a lot of what's out there. My taste in SciFi is more along the lines of Heinlein, and less Farscape. That line is blurred, a LOT....
Do I like Star Wars? eh, not so much, really. The whole 'Force' thing seems to me to be a way to 'technologify' religion, and then 'extend it' as we would any other technology.
..and yeah, I had a problem with Annakin's 'Virgin Birth'....I guess that Lucas didn't want Camp Followers in his movie, but that's likely closer to the truth. It would also explain Annakin's problems with anger management.
cricket wrote:Well, to be honest -- Bren was describing the (very unique) effects of "bugs" in Silent Death. We certainly wouldn't be copying that in particular.
Nor should we. Anytime bugs are talked about in Sci Fi settings, I think of the way they introduced the bugs in the Silent Death game. It was an interesting story line that worked for the nature of Silent Death. Still there is something to be said for the hive mind bugs (and there use everywhere). I guess the idea of the centralizd mind is so strange for us humans, it automatically puts humans is a eerie mindset. Just look at the number of hive mind bugs there are in sci fi!
Never played Silent Death.
"Hive Mind" is weird, but no more so than any other alternative rubber suit. The problem with most writers is that they can't think far enough ahead to sort out all the implications of a particular species' mechanics and societal norms.
Add in that they usually have a timeline within which to write the novel/novella/short story/script, that truly weird races tend to put off most readers, and our honest lack of data on the potential types of life forms that CAN exist, and it only exacerbates the problem.
Hive minds would work for some alien races, but extending it's effects to the point of making it a game breaker is further than I'd like to see things go. It's rather like the 'Wording Modules" in the movie version of Dune - yeah, words have power to move Empires, but it don't break open tanks....
So, did I just drive a stake in this one?
:shock:
Yes, yes you did. You really should be more careful...:)
<Peanut>
SORRY!
..damn...
</Peanut>
I am sorry I'm late in this topic. I read it all and here's what I think.
1) The destruction of the Empire:
Aliens? - Big acid bugs.
Silent death? - Violence sensitive bugs.
Starship Trooper? - Bugs.
Genestealers? - Bugs imitating Aliens.
Independence Day - Stupid Bugs with overwhelming tech.
There is a lot of bug threat in Sci-Fi fiction and Sci-fi games.
Why not something more intense?
The Dukes of the Marshes infiltrate during hundreds of years the Secret Imperial Police. Take down the Emperor and take over the Empire for themselves. What they don't know is that they are being used by powerful creatures from the unknowed space. The Shadow Leeches. Terrible creatures that enslave all the sencient creatures they encounter. But the empire was too powerful for a direct attack. For centuries they conspired, used, killed, to destroy the Empire. Attacking key Intelligence positions fragilized the Empire and it crumbled. Now it is ripe for attack.
2) The Name of the Empire
I think that the Empire, before becoming "The Empire", had a name. Probably the name of the species or the planet from which emerged. It can be called simply the Empire or it can have a proud name like "The Kashari", "The Garini Archipelago", "The Summit", "The Arm", "Shamar United", "Barnar Unification".
3) Religions and Belief
There is no dark between the stars that doesn't appeal to the gods. What makes the original trilogy of Starwars great is the force and the archetypes. The diferent belief systems in Star Trek. And so on.
And some tech will be "like" divine to some species and it is not necessary to explain it. Maybe telepathy is used to interstellar communication. Everybody uses the skill from the Garazenii, a species that can use telepathy to enable comms to work in instant time from star system to near star system, but nobody knows how they do it and it is revered as blessed.
4) The contenders
a) The Emperor in Exile (I liked Dan's idea)
b) The Dukes of the Marshes (As I stated above. Not many, but with a strong and elite military)
c) The Mechanical Regiments (A well guarded secret of the Empire. All the elite troops of the empire that died or were wounded beyond slavation were introduced in a mechanoid body. Along the years, the mechanoid become aware. When the Empire colapsed, the Regiments moved to restore it. And at the head of the regiments is a man that claims working for the emperor.
d) The United Systems (as the Dan's idea)
e) The Pirate Kingdoms (ragtag of former imperial systems that united in a low tech low law brotherood. The leeches control them.
f) The Leeches (Cold, powerful and deadly. They are coming)
5) The Stage
a) The Empire falls.
b) The Emperor clashes against the Dukes of the Marshes.
c) The United Systems and the Mechanical Regiments fight over territory.
d) The borders start to clear in a new galactic map.
e) The Leeches launch their first attack.
Your Leech idea sounds very much like Heinlein's "Puppet Masters".
The idea was used elsewhere - notably in "Next Generation" Trek episode.
Nothing wrong with it, just noting parallels. Not real crazy about the name, but a useable concept. Similiar in concept to SFO's 'Kalmari'.
Your Leech idea sounds very much like Heinlein's "Puppet Masters".
The idea was used elsewhere - notably in "Next Generation" Trek episode.
Nothing wrong with it, just noting parallels. Not real crazy about the name, but a useable concept. Similiar in concept to SFO's 'Kalmari'.
I had forgot Heinlein's Puppet Masters. So let's change things a little. This hidden enemy is a very powerful species. They need gargantuan amounts of energy to nurture them. So, in a matter or years they harvest the energy of stars, leaving only white stars and dust on their trail. Although the species of this galaxy don't know, the nearest galaxy is almost consumed (as light travels very slowly, the game galaxy has information millions of years old). This hidden enemy (The Devourers(?)) has one weakness, they are few and as soon as the other species understand what they are doing will turn against them, so they are masters on manipulation.
How about now?
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