stDarNES1: Stars!

nice. hmm I'm one of the two Super-powers, with almost twice the points of any of the lesser nation. and with my project.. ^_^

hmm time to muster up an invasion force... and no, I'm not after any PC's.
 
@Dis: Yeah, I think so. I'm at home today, and all the update 8 stuff is at work. I'll fix it tomorrow.

@Iggy: You develop a planet by investing EP equal to the next level. For example, to develop a level 1 planet to level 2 costs 2 EP, a level 3 to level 4 costs 4EP, and so on. Your EP count is calculated by the development level of all your systems put together. The MDP is the highest level a system can reach, modified only by terraforming technologies.

--

Glad everyone liked the update. I think I'm finally getting the hang of this. Despite the complexity of some of the orders, it only took me about 3 hours in total to get the update done.

--
 
Oh, awesome update! Sorry I didn't get that story in. I will get one in tomorrow evening, after I get back from rehearsal for my school musical.
 
Update is here! Yay!
Time to begin commenting on all the stuff that's happened.

Darwin said:
On a more positive note, the long anticipate "Fruits of Science" project has finally been completed on Oncol. This project is expected to create an economic upswing with each technological discovery by capitalizing on patents gained through research.
Good, good. :) I assume I get the bonus the turn after the discovery.
For my next project, I'd like to be able to apply propulsion technology to green and yellow starlanes as well. So the one that lets me spend 2 turns on red starlanes and 1 turn on yellow starlanes will also let my ships pass through two green starlanes in one turn. Name: Gravitic Slingshot.
If that's not allowed, then I want to be able to research 2 techs into a field in one turn if I spend an extra spending point. Name: Sustained Research.

Darwin said:
Sojourner scientists have announced exciting new discoveries relating to wave-form energy, the principles of which have allowed a new field of Terraforming to open up!

(modnote: Only 1 EP was banked. You had 17EP to spend, +1 banked. You spent 17EP in your orders)
Whatever. There was some mess with my economy last turn, so I can't really confirm this. Good to know that I didn't overspend, though. Are stats updated? It looks like I still have 17 EP to spend and I know I terraformed several planets.

Story and announcement on the way. Fear the wrath of hackers!
 
STORY POST:

REPORTER: "This is Channel Hack, live to you from the Ruins of Amroth! We've just completed our report on the graft craze that's sweeping the city, and now for a report on the election."
"As we know, a record 472 candidates mustered the thousand votes required to enter the primaries, including three right here on Nox. After the first runoff, we now have three candidates seeking a plurality for the next round: Thomas Mal and Tess Fifrega from Oncol, and Blajat Ravinam from Nox, who has managed to garner a surprising amount of support. You've all seen his campaigns, now let's ask his local agent: How did Ravinam gain the support of virtually every colonist and such a substantial part of the homeworld?"
BLAJAT RAVINAM'S AGENT: "Mal and Fifrega are too conservative. They haven't seen our frontiers. They've been in power for a while and they're far too content with the status quo. Blajat Ravinam is a visionary who intends to restore the glory of the Old Dominion, and he dares to promote war as a way to that glory. Every child knows our history: we kept the Dominion running. If we don't take up that legacy, the galaxy will be a fractured region fighting with both itself and the Scourge. It's simple practicality and a great goal at the same time."
REPORTER: "Thank you!
 
Disenfrancised said:
I wouldn't bother with this as a project as you get it with level 7 energy tech anyway...
Read closer, my friend. The project effects come after the words "will also".
I want the double-speed tech (Energy 7) to apply to green starlanes (i.e. half a turn) and the triple-speed tech (Energy 15) to apply to green (1/3 turn) and yellow (2/3 turn) starlanes. If that bends the rules too much, I want faster research. If I can't get that either, I'll have to think of something else.


From Astral Sojourners
To Dysonians, Haven

We wish to purchase Construction 4 for 2EP. Are either of you amenable to this?

("Factions may sell their technology for half the cost (rounded UP) of researching it." -Rules, post 3)
 
STORY POST:

REPORTER: "This is Channel Hack, live to you from Randomwalk, Oncol's largest Turing Center! Continuing our coverage of the dictatorial election scheduled to draw to a close six days from now, we have a short commentary on Thomas Mal. As the current leader of the FTT[1] Ideoleague[2], Mal's words carry a lot of clout whenever he speaks his mind on legal issues, but it remains to be seen whether he can turn the general agreement into the support required to make him Supreme Dictator."
*cue a short briefing on Randomwalk*
REPORTER: "So Randomwalk is responsible for making the neural interfaces being delivered to those pilots who have chosen to get rapid response implants. Impressive, but what of the consequences? A few words from Mal himself."
THOMAS MAL: "Of course, as leader of FTTI, I fully support every man's right to tinker with himself, and that includes soldiers, seeing as they aren't government property. The implant rate is under six percent, and it'll be a year before the fleet leaves for Sabro, so field testing will essentially carry itself out. The reports I've received are basic, but the pilots are able to respond far more rapidly to maneuvering orders."
REPORTER: "Thank you very much! And would you care to give your view of the election prospects?"
THOMAS MAL: "Well, I feel Ravinam is too radical to gain acceptance right now. He's something of a populist and sees far too much of the Sojournership as a means to an end. While his ends are certainly good, reducing everything else to means is a bad idea."
"And Tess Fifrega - well, she's unreadable. She has charisma, intelligence and a touch of insanity, but I don't know what the latter would do for her rule."
REPORTER: "Thank you very much!"



Edit: Seems like nobody's posting, so I'll add the next story right into this post. Still trying to keep story posts separate from other stuff in the thread, though.


STORY:

REPORTER: "With five days until the election, preliminary voting is due to open in nine hours for those citiziens who will be undevoidably attained."
STUDIO: "Did the computer catch that?"
"I think it did. Yes, the transcript reads 'unavoidably detained'. Looks like the new system paid off."
REPORTER: "I'm standing outside the Planar Academy right now, base of Tess Fifrega's campaign for the Astral Dictatorship. All official records list the place as a teaching center focusing on the semi-mythical 'planeshift' personal transport methods, but Fifrega runs a tight operation, making it hard to tell how much is a joke, how much is a cover, and how much is the truth. But here at Channel Hack, we've managed to get a temporary access permit in view of the elections. Going in..."
DOORMAN: "Channel Hack? You're expected. Proceed down the corridor, take the stairs to the third floor, and enter door 308."
REPORTER: (panning the camera) "We can see the unique architecture here now. Like everything Fifrega puts her mark on, it suggests that the maker was highly nonconformist."
(going up the stairs) "She claims to be insane, as we all know, but that obviously hasn't hindered her in any way."
(enters door 308) "Well, this was highly unusual. We have an Old Dominion funeral scene here, with an unusual amount of detail. And the history experts[3] say that the scene is only missing the mourners. There's even someone in the coffin."
FUNEREE: (sitting up) "Here's what you need to know: Fifrega is only the channel, the symbol for the millions on the fringes of our society. For those of us who stand on the borders of reality, she is willing to support us and our search for knowledge of the things you would call ineffable. Take Amroth, for instance. It was both an opportunity to further the Sojournership and the freedom for its inhabitants to change themselves. But it was closed down by Blajat Ravinam, who now seeks the Astral Dictatorship. I implore you to stop him, or he will force us into hiding and use you for his own ends."

STUDIO: "What the vulk? We've lost the connection! Quickly, cut to one of the dossier experts for the Planar Academy."
"I suppose there was something installed in that building that did it, but I'll be closed if I can figure out what they have that can break our reporting."


Footnotes:
[1] Freedom To Tinker, a RL organization.
[2] Ideoleague = Idea + Ideologue + League.
[3] Sitting in the studio and talking to the reporter in real-time.
Cookies and bonus points to whoever can spot all the other geeky references in these three reports. :D

[OOC]I'm going to pick a leader tomorrow and change my faction's course somewhat based on that.[/OOC]
 
Hey, guys, I've been pretty sick the last few days. I'll make all the update changes tomorrow.
 
I'm going to be gone for a week to the Arctic Winter Games, and may not have internet access. Please temporarily NPC me. If I have an internet connection tomorrow, I'll post say so and you can forget the NPCing. If it turns out that I don't have an internet connection, temporarily NPC me.

Darwin, continue crazy scientific research, planetary improvement, defend all of my borders, and deal with the virus in a logical way.
 
Hmpf, neither of you bothered to answer the stuff I addressed to you.

Project proposals, attempt to buy Construction 4.
 
Its been a long 7 years.
Too bloody long, thought Horace.

It was in the 3rd year of the 13th emperors’ rule that Horace was found guilty of conspiring to overthrow the regime and sentenced to 15 years in a labour camp.
Haile Sellassie was not a popular figure in those days.
The separatists and unionists were tearing to republic apart with strife, terror and corruption. Unemployment was everywhere and nobody knew where their next meal would come from.

Spending those last 5 years was a struggle. A contest between the living and the dead, the faithful and the independent, the expansionists and the isolationists.

Horace tried to keep his head low, scarping a living in the camp, and eventually managed to befriend Leona.
Leona was a guard at camp, in charge of the workgangs.
He was also quite happy to be in charge of a hundred strapping young lads.
Being in charge of their life (and possible death) gave the young man immense power, along with some “friendly” pass times with the convicts.

Horace was not a member of the “unnatural conviction” but like his pa used to tell him, “you do what you have to do. You wait till you get a chance to better your circumstances and then you strike”.
And indeed, strike he would, and as soon as humanely possible.
This was NOT the life for him.
And he would sure wreak havoc on Leona when he had the chance.

One day, a few months ago, the commandant of the camp addressed the prisoners:
“alright, you dogs.
You have a visitor.
You DON’T deserve any, but someone high up thinks that you do.
You will remain SILENT throughout the interview, answering only Yes, Sir or No, Sir.
Top brass has deemed you suitable for a special project, so you can HOPE to get out of here before your unnatural and timely demise.

78-32zxs-112, you’re first.

And remember, all of you, just a drop of insubordination will make you which you were colonists in the great asteroid belts of Babylon!

Horace grew timid.
Why did he have to be first? Pa always told him to stick to the middle, it was much safer there. Things did not happen to you there.
But pa was not here, and if I got the chance to get out of this hell hole, I would kill all in my path, and rightly so.

“come on in, Horace. Are you hungry? Please, help yourself to these fruit.” Said a petit woman in a navy uniform.
The smell sure was nice, thought Horace, and I haven’t eaten in 2 days already (darn guards taking our food #$@#$@$), and grabbed at the food.

Just before eating the cake though, Horace noticed a crafty gleam in the woman’s eye, and slowed down.
Taking a closer look at the cake revealed a thin shiny coat to it that looked out of place.
Remembering the rules, he looked at the officer, who looked right back at him, silent and smiling.
That stand-off lasted for a few moments, when then officer said:
“so. You were a member of the Sellassie Guards, were you?
“Yes, Maam.
“and why, pray, did you end up in this place?
“misfortune, maam. Like the rest of us.
He knew it was contrary to the rules, but he thought he could atleast make a point to this outsider, maybe even make known the hardships that are their lot each and every day.
“and would you like to leave this place? I could arrange for that to happen, you know.
“YES MAAM, please. Life here is hell. Fit for the bowls of Babylon itself.
“well, you’re in luck. Have you heard of the NAVY? Ofcourse you did. You did serve 3 years in the SoundSystem development team did you not, ANDY.

Silence for a few seconds

“I did maam. Didn’t think that I was known here. Can I know how you found me here? I thought that I hid deep enough for you spooks.

Laughing, the woman said, “you know the NAVY has no retirees. You cant quit. You can just be on an extended “vacation”
Ready to come back, Sargent? Your duty to the republic awaits you, it has been a turbulent few years, but finally things have settled down, and the republic is safe once more.
The former Haile Sellassie (the 13th if you forgot) died 3 months ago. It took us these months to settle back and restore order.
It cost the lives of many thousands, but the people are now united in the wish to spread the true faith to the rest of humanity.
You are needed back.

You shall have youre own command, a small corvette, equipped with the latest in SoundSystem technology, and your mission – go out and make contact with the rest of humanity’s survivors.
It will take you the better part of 10 years (which is exactly what you have left to serve in your sentence. What a coinicidence, don’t you think?) but upon your return, you shall receive a large pension and a nice tract of land on a colony of your choice.

“but I was arrested for insurrection and reblellion. I tried to overthrow the republic!
How can I be trusted to complete, or even try to do, my mission?

“don’t worry, when you get out of this and see what the republic has turned into, you will understand.
What will it be then? Yea or Nay?

“anything to get out of here. Where do I sign?

No need, just pack your stuff and wait outside.
And feel free to eat from what’s on the buffet out there. You’ve lost weight, and we need you healthy out there.

Going out side, Horace saw a table with a big pot of stew simmering.
Grabbing a bowl and wolfing down a portion or 4, he thought, what the hell. Life could be worse.
At which time the dizziness and euphoria sank in.

DARN, they got me again.
Drifting into unconciouness , he cursed.
“fell for the same trick twice. Darn. I’ll get them bas……


im back everyone.
please have mercy on my soul ;) :sniper:
 
soul_warrior said:
ohh, and a very nice story Eric.
IS THERE A CURSE ON ME, THAT I MUST SEE MY NAME MANGLED SO FREQUENTLY? :p
(Six different people spelled it wrong in the last month)
soul_warrior said:
especially liked:
Continuing our coverage of the dictatorial election
Hey, dictatorial elections work. :smug:
Total Democracy (Lord_Iggy), for example, will just deadlock over every issue because nobody ever holds themselves responsible.

Here's the full system, presented for your edification:
Every year that a dictator is in office, there's a vote of whether he should stay in office. To avoid down-the-middle splits, 55% disapproval is required to oust someone.
Every month, there's a review of specific grievances by an independent board that considers whether to hold an office poll that month. 440 000 signatures on a petition will come up for review at the end of the month; 4 400 000 is grounds for an immediate poll. (Numbers are 1 perkilo and 1 percent of the population, respectively, rounded down to two sig digs.)
When a dictator is de-elected, he is banned from running in the following election.
To become an official candidate, a person requires 10 000 supporters. Voting is held in three runoff rounds with second-preference voting. Each of the first two rounds removes the lowest N% of candidates, where N is based on an advanced factoring system that nobody will be interested in hearing, but it's always over 75.

Usually dictators are removed through disapproval ratings in yearly votes rather than the monthly grievance votes.
 
To: Astral Sojourners
From: Dysonians

We agree to your trade proposal.

----

modnotes:

DIS: you have 10 EP for this round. I'll update the map come Update 9.

ERIK: Sustained Research is the better of the two. It becomes a little unbalancing if you can move through multiple starlanes at once.
 
Erik Mesoy said:
Here's the full system, presented for your edification:
Every year that a dictator is in office, there's a vote of whether he should stay in office. To avoid down-the-middle splits, 55% disapproval is required
Voting is held in three runoff rounds with second-preference voting. Each of the first two rounds removes the lowest N% of candidates,
:confused:
Erik Mesoy said:
Usually dictators are removed through disapproval ratings in yearly votes rather than the monthly grievance votes.
whats wrong with the time honoured system of :ninja:, :sniper:, :spear: or any of the above?
it sure will make the current dictator more amiable and friendly to the people, wont it?
 
soul_warrior said:
You snipped together the "approval rating" vote and the "new election" vote, removing the middle bit that separated them.

soul_warrior said:
whats wrong with the time honoured system of :ninja:, :sniper:, :spear: or any of the above?
it sure will make the current dictator more amiable and friendly to the people, wont it?
The single thing most wrong with that system is that it kills people. :p
 
Back
Top Bottom