Pre-KalNes: A SysNes Successor

[Kal'thzar]

The Backstory

Spoiler:

Pre UC: Bizarre barbarian states like 'Chin', 'Amerika' and the 'Euu', form and develop space technologies, local planets of Old Sol explored via Rocket-canoe. Equivalent: Development of farming in Egypt and the Middle East, Shang China.

First Age
UC 0: Founding of the Solar Federation and the Universal Clock (~2230 AD). Solar Federation amalgamates all Earth states into overstructure to deal with climate concerns and space threats. Equivalent: Babylonia/Assyrian Empires
Early First Age (UC 0-300): Development of space transcending technologies, terraforming of Mars, Solar Federations creation of, war with, and evetual conquest conquest of the Jovian League. Equivalent: Trojan War, heroic age of Greek myth, Zhou/Warring States China.
Middle First Age (UC 300-600): Exploration of nearby systems with transcend drives, scattering of the peoples, Solar Feds ossification and secret societies, heroic campaigns by Sol Fed to control local colonies after several anarchist actions using antimatter threaten inhabited worlds. Equivalent: Alexander's conquests and Diodachi squabbles, Han Empire.
The War in Heaven/The Ravening/Close of the First Age (UC 600-800): Mass release of kinetic weapon factories, deconstructor swarms, antimatter weaponry, autowars. Destruction of life in Sol system, local colonies. Hider worlds cease electromagnetic transmissions, Line Worldships flee into deep space. Equivalent: biblical flood, Barbarian invasions of China, post-Rome dark ages.

Second Age
The New Dawn (UC 800-1700): Demons succumb to entropy. Line Worldships develop countermeasures to the demons, return to human space, cleanse worst infections, establish commercial and social protocols known as the Commonality. Equivalent: Migration Age, ancient myth, Hebrews being lead out of Egypt.
The Early Commonality Age (UC 1700-2100): Worldship Lines use unparalleled position to establish Root English, anti-super weapon phobia deep in all human cultures, find most Hider worlds and bring them into the main discourse. Line government model of very strong Technocratic executive with democratic trappings seen as optimal human government for survival. Equivalent: Greek/Roman republics.
The High Commonality Age (UC 2100-2400): Expansion further into unexplored space, first discovery of non-human artifacts, human space tied into tight economic web. Pretty nice time to be alive. Equivalent: Mythic medieval golden era of many cultures, chivalry, honour etc.
The New Empires Age (UC 2400-2673): Increasing power of planetary populations reduces then replaces Line influence, main players become multi-system polities bound by some ideology (religious, transhumanist, ecotopian, eudaimonic etc) and powerful fleets. Large scale wars over rare atom deposits, biospheres, or exotic alien finds occur, but still bound by Commonality codes to avoid excessive destruction. Equivalent: Carolingian Empire, Islamic Caliphates, Tang China
UC 2673+ : Exotic gravity pulse from smaller black hole merging with supermassive galactic centre black hole crosses human space, all technological artifacts based on metric transformation undergo complete mass to energy conversion. 99% of humanity expires, only some ships in deep space and backwards worlds survive.

Third Age
The Dark Age/Feudal Age (UC ~3000-4500): Backwards and raw worlds redevelop civilisation, often based on Commonality radio transmissions who originators had died centuries before in the Tumult. Starships stranded by the Tumult find worlds using sublight engines, either uplift the populace or establish themselves as a ruling caste. The edicts of the Commonality and some of the ideology of the New Empires take on a semi-religious aspect. The isolation and extreme environments cause several new human subspecies to emerge/create themselves. Equivalent: Faltering of the HRE in twelfth century, warring kingdoms period in china, barbarian migrations, Columbian exchange from the Amerindian point of view.
The Renaissance (UC 4500-4900): Redevelopment of interstellar signalling and ships kicks off a new wave of development as the scattered worlds of man find each other, and begin expanding into space once more. Equivalent: Duh.
The Age of Revelations (UC 4900-5100). The discovery of the ruins of the god-like Priors gives humanity something of an inferiority complex, even as the looting of Ansibyl Pearls causes an explosion in societal capabilities. Equivalent: Opium wars for china. Black ships for Japan.
The High Third Age/Kingdom Age (UC 5100-5931): Faster than light communication allows a human interstellar culture not seen before, trade flourishes, but the new capabilities allow petty realms to extend themselves to the stars on quite low technological and social platforms compared to the Solar Federation or the Second Age Empires. This leads to orgies of petty wars over the loot of alien tombs. Many turn to Hiding from the main thrust of interstellar politics, or seek solace in the ancient religions of the Second or Earlier ages. In some worlds a zenith of excellence or nadir of barbarism is reach beyond anything from the earlier ages. With the new subspecies making waves, and weaker morality, many kingdoms engineer specialised forms of humanity. Equivalent: European opening of the world, Imperialism, new world slavery, your societies admit a direct link to this period but are slightly embarrassed by some actions done by their forefathers.
UC 5931+: A second gravity wave sweeps the human pollution from the sky, Due to a generally lower development level and density (though some regions have surpassed the Second Age), rather less proportional death results, only about 92%.

Note – due to hibernation and time dilation due to starship travel your society may not have lived through every year of this timeline, but instead skipping 10-100 year chunks. The Universal Clock is calibrated via a bunch of distant pulsars, so you all have a rough idea what the year is (UC 5955, or 8185±50 AD).

Right, since Disenfrancised has ended SysNes, and because I loved the game I'm planning on running a game. Disenfrancised has offered to hang around as an assistant/techie, not to mention the massive amount of work he's done on the game system. So say thank you!

So we've got a cluster of about 30 systems, and I want you to craft a civilisation from the traits below that will allow you to spread among the stars. Again, at least 8 players are desired, although if more people apply more people apply.

Lastly, rules are similar to SysNes, but have been tweaked and there are some significant differences. New rules will be published with a new thread the old rules are here.



Here is a basic background:

You are in a region of space that was formed out of "The Ilk Cloud". This cluster of stars is formed from one of the arms spiralling out of the centre of this cloud. Travel is restricted to this arm because of two factors, travelling through the centre is...dangerous, and travel around the edges take more time than is conceivable.

The arm of the Ilk Cloud that you inhabit is actually composed of a few smaller parallel arms of individual systems spiralling out from the centre. Your societies are on the one the furthest out from the centre. The history of this region of space prior to the Tumult was... imperfect...like so many places are. Furthermore, you have an imperfect knowledge of some of the local stars that you COULD reach.

What your societies do remember of the pre-Tumult time, or at least what they all agree on, is that the inner core worlds were ruled by a 'Tyranny' of Technocrats, and the outer worlds were left to rot. Controlling the worlds with a great array of technologies and a council of technocrats (world or system rulers); ruled over the petty masses in an almost benevolant manner. When the Tumult hit the dependence on all things technological caused the core worlds populations to rapidly die off. Little is known or remembered beyond this, although there is a plethora of ruins left over, perhaps these would hold some clues...

The outer worlds were a lawless area, Patrols of the Technocrats would foray into the outer worlds, enforcing a sort of justice on the drug runners, smugglers and other degenerates. Further Technocrat bases were established on some of the lost worlds, with word of genetical and cyborg experimentation on local trapped populations. Societies of a kind developed on these worlds, but these systems were never developed, a blessing and a curse. A curse as the outer worlds remained lawless with people turning on each other at a moments notice, and a blessing because the reliance on technologies was severely reduced, socities actually survived out here, or a large enough population base survived so that a falling cargo ship could land and stamp their ideology and traits onto the surviving population.

Now, onto crafting a society;

You can craft, basically, anything you like. EXCEPT: NO societies from SysNes, and NO societies from EARTH, you will be punched. I've tried to present some ideas in the little history blurb but really the space is the limit

Below is a list of traits with an attached point value, I want you to pick up to 10 points worth, note that these are all bonus's are positive, additionally try to work it into your societies narrative.

As a beginning point, values and economic systems work quiet similarly to SMAC, except they affect almost everything, lots of small tweaks.

EDIT: Hmmm, I'll get the rules together, I think that could help people

Spoiler for traits:

3 - Start with a more sopthesticated economic organisation (Choice of Free Market or Planned)

3 - Start with a more developed political organisation (Choice of Republic, Theocratic, Authoritarian, or Hierarchic)

1 - Extra level 1 starting tech, can be taken multiple times (PM me)

3 - Extra level 2 starting tech, can be taken multiple times, need the level 1 first (PM me)

1 - Start with a component refined (Must have the tech for it first though), can be taken multiple times (PM me)

1 - Natural Fighters: +1 to ground and space boarding rolls

1 - Zero-g agility: +1 to space boarding rolls and -1 social stress in space habitats

3 - Warlike: +2 to ground and other modifiers

2 - Natural Pilots: +1 initative

3 - Resistant to a lesser trait (Hot, Cold, High Radiation, Toxic, Thin Atmosphere, Thick Atmosphere), can only take 1

2 - Placid: -1 to ground, -2 to social stress

3 - Rugged Designers: +1 Ship armour, bombing resistant

3 - Space Construction experts: -20% to space born habitats cost, can build ships two construction size larger than normal

2 - Vat Greens: +1f to Hydroponics

2 - Skilled farmers: +3f to farms

5 - Cyberorganised: Higher food and resource consumption, +1 Int, better economic
bonuses from buildings, network bonus +5% to computation research

5 - Advancer/Pantropic: Greatly reduced cost of adaption, Higher food and resource consumption, decreased negative growth from poor conditions +5% to biotech research (renamed extremophiliac)

X - Provolved - Your society for the most part is based around a population of individuals descended from stock uplifted from a non-sentient species by humans in a prior age. The more fragile provolves and those with very inhuman outlooks did not survive the changing of the ages, so your society will still act broadly human. I'll put something based on the description.

3 - Industrious: Extra e bonus from factories

3 - Studious: Extra s from research centres

4 - Spaceborn: -2 Social Stress in space habitats, +2 in Planetside, -25% Space habitat cost

2 - Superior Genetics: improved e and s combination effect, increased food and resource consumption (can be taken multiple times) +5% to social research

3 - Efficent: decreased upkeep and consumption, building construction costs -5%

3 - Ascetic: -1 Social stress, decreased food consumption

2 - Ecopoetic: +1f farms and hydroponics, -1 environmental stress, +1 Social stress, factory and other pollutors +5% to biotech research

2 - Gregarious: people will move to large cities, -2 Social stress from cities

2 - Individualistic: people will move to low population areas and are more mobile, -2 social stress from environment

2 - Conservative: people are less mobile, increased growth from pleasent conditions

2 - Flexible: people are more mobile, +1 social stress

3 - Data traders: increased bonus from networks, finance centre +5% to computation research

3 - Financially savvy: increased bonus from finance centre, earns 0.1e profit per unit trade, +5% to maths research

3 - Market skilled: increased bonus from finance centre, network, +5% to maths research

3 - Mining Engineers: +1 m from Mines and Boreholes that are already producing +5% to materials research

3 - Fluid Mechanics: +1 v from Pumping stations and Aerostats that are already producing +5% to propulsion research

4 - Affinity for a component class, all items in that class get -80% to their refinement costs (5 costing classes are: Reaction Drives, Utility-Construction, Control Systems, Buster Missiles, Matter Railguns, Lasers, Armour)

3 - Affinity for a component class, all items in that class get -80% to their refinement costs (3 costing classes are: Sail Drives, Utility-Supply, Boarding, Lances&Interceptors, Physical Bombs)

2 - Affinity for a component class, all items in that class get -80% to their refinement costs (2 costing classes are: Jets, Catapults, Beamers, Bio bombs, Sappers, Nets, Shields)

[Disenfrancised]

I'm Disenfrancised, and I approve this product and/or service!

[Seon]

Sure... But shouldn't there be some stats with negative bonuses?

[Disenfrancised]

You might as well reveal the stuff available at tech tiers 1 and 2, as well as the tier 0 stuff, since savvy players will just query and find out that way - don't make too much work for yourself kal!

FYI - "Hierarchic" government means fuedal/aristocratic/caste system/monarchy etc, and Republic means representative of the demos since you could call your state a Republic even if it isn't ).

@kal, you forgot the list of values! .

Spoiler for Values that can be picked at the start:

Values Freedom
Values Society
Values Wealth
Values Knowledge
Values Power
Values Faith
Values Survival

Societies start with Survival and one other 'Values' of your choice, but you can change them later at the cost of s. Values Survival isn't very good once your population gets big enough!

@Seon - that just ends up with people trying to Min/Max and getting frustrated when they realise the disadvantages don't fit the systems chance has wrought for them!

[Kal'thzar]

Originally Posted by Seon

Sure... But shouldn't there be some stats with negative bonuses?

Why? Its not necessary. Also its harder to Roleplay them, or rather, Dis' previous experience points towards them not being roleplayed properly until it becomes convenient to do so.

I'll get the techs up later tonight, I'm meant to go xmas shopping for a bit and I'm rapidly running out of time...

[Abaddon]

Really like the backstory and the OTL equivalent.

[Kozmos]

Can I has carriers?

[Seon]

Ah, that makes sense.

Edit: @Kozmos: I believe all the ships here, even if it has minimum size, is bigger than a space shuttle. So no X-wing fighters. Now what you must wonder is whether or not macross missile slaughter is allowed.

[Kozmos]

Micro PD. Pew pew.

[Shadowbound]

I've had this ready to go for a week.

Spoiler:

The Duro are an early attempt to engineer humans for increased health and longevity, and they can trace their descent all the way back to the Biotech havens of Glorious Uruguay. That they've survived in some form is a testament to what you can do with basic genetics when you have a lot of time and no compunctions about making your homo superior look like a hairless, double-jointed gorilla. The Duro's biochemistry is very similar to baseline humans, but their physiology has been heavily modified, making them short and stocky. They have heavy layers of natural fat and muscle padding their torso against injury, an improved bone structure, a curved spine that gives them a lower center of gravity and a forward leaning gait, and double-jointed elbows and knees. Their airways have been modified, allowing them to breathe and eat at the same time, with two seperate and multipurpose tracheas (which somehow gives them wonderful singing voices).

All of this means that the Duro are incredibly tough and durable. They're resistant to disease and injury, small arms fire has had problems penetrating their skeleton, and they're less affected to the progress of time. They don't have a longer lifespan than baseline, but remain physically fit for almost a century with minimal medical intervention. These tendencies have given them the interesting designation as a go-to frontier colonist clade, used by more numerous yet more fragile groups to tame a rugged world for settlement. Over the millenia this particular lineage has introduced other useful traits whenever they've had the technology, such as a precise sense of direction and timing, the replacement of the myelin sheath around the brain with a new biochemical compound through which neurons travel more efficiently, acute audiovisual senses, modifications to the brain's sleep centers to allow for a more efficient schedule of 45-minute naps scattered throughout the day, voluntary control over conception, and specialized senses of taste and smell that can detect poisons and other harmful toxins. None of this does anything to make them look less freaky to baselines.

Spoiler:

2 - Superior Genetics: improved e and s combination effect, increased food and resource consumption (can be taken multiple times) +5% to social research

3 - Efficent: decreased upkeep and consumption, building construction costs -5%

5 - Pantropic: Greatly reduced cost of adaption, Higher food and resource consumption, decreased negative growth from poor conditions +5% to biotech research (renamed extremophiliac)

Values Survival and Knowledge

[Matt0088]

Definitely in. Give me a day or so, and I'll have something up.

[Kentharu]

I'm in and here. Will come up with something.

[Kraznaya]

In of course.

[Abaddon]

Just to make sure. The play "sort-of" humans far far into the future?

[Milarqui]

I am in, too.

[Kraznaya]

Originally Posted by Abaddon

Just to make sure. The play "sort-of" humans far far into the future?

Just read the old SysNES dude

[Abaddon]

A simple yes or no would do.

[Matt0088]

Originally Posted by Abaddon

A simple yes or no would do.

Kraz is right, read the old SysNES if you really want to a get full understanding of the setting.

[Kentharu]

Can we see the first 3 tier techs?

[Kal'thzar]

Originally Posted by Abaddon

A simple yes or no would do.

Yes, although if you take the proevolved trait you can be aliens that ACT like humans with some idiosyncratic traits.

And Eleven questions from Shadowbound

Originally Posted by Shadowbound

[*]What is the difference between hydroponics and farms?

Let me try and answer that by writing description of all the components/facilities and values that you have available.

[*]What's Int?

In ship combat its used to define which ships actions succeeds. I.e. running away, closing to ship to ship range or retreating to missile range. It also governs a few other abilities, but its mostly ship battle related (dis? anything major?)

[*]What's a refined component?

Another place to stick s.... Essentially it creates components that are lighter and cheaper.

[*]Can we choose resistance to heavy gravity?

Uhmmm....no, its not a lesser trait.

[*]Do the Individualistic, Conservative, and Flexible traits mean we no longer have control over our population's movements?

Essentially yes. Population move around due to migratory factors that you can influence this is tied in with population growth. You CAN still move pop around by transport ship, but there will be a social stress cost associated with doing this (in rules)

[*]How do Free Market and Planned Economy affect us?
[*]How do the governmental systems affect us?

Everything, they have a small bonus to factors such as migration to different planets, some increase or decrease civilian or military upkeeps. Some will affect mine/borehole production etc

Unless Dis thinks its a good idea to release, I think you'll have to go by description and general idea (i.e. a command economy will decrease food consumption (less to go around) whilst a market economy will increase food consumption etc.

[*]What's a network?

as below

[*]What do the cultural values do?

As above for governments etc.

[*]What are all the level one and two techs?

as below...

[*]Does a single point of population consume more than a single point of food? If I chose something that caused increased food consumption, would that mean I'd be consuming 1.2 units of food?

Yup, penalties such as they are, are completely internalised.

Technology

Black are facilities built on planets
Red are values and abilities
Green are bonus's
Blue are ship components

Spoiler:

Ok, so in brief before I set things up in full prose for the rules.
Farm produce f based on habitat
Hydroponics produces 10 f
Mining Station produces 1 m + habitat bonus
Pumping Station produces 1 v + habitat bonus

Factory +50e in base
Solar Power Plants, requires Factory and a hot planet or placed in space (or both?, +25% e in base
Tidal Power Plant, requires Factory, Oceans +25% e in base
Fission Plant, requires Factory, +50% e in base
Geothermal Plant, requires Factory, large rocks +25% e in base (requires unknown Construction tech level)

University, +50% research
Network, +0.1s per friendly pop in system, +2s per friendly university

I think that was everything on the facilities side, I'll get the components done later; some of those things might require further techs (Dis will shout at me I'm sure).