Ideas for Factions
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 11:57 pm
The current factions for Terra Invicta are great and comprehensive, but here are some ideas for more potential factions, at least as fan mod concepts.
HYBRIDIZE -- like a mix of SUBMIT and RESIST, think of the Harmony affinity from Civilization: Beyond Earth, EXALT from XCOM, or UFO Cults like the Raelians. This faction believes that while the aliens are superior, humanity has inherent value as well and the future for both species is to combine as one, either through super-advanced biotechnology as well as some kinkier hippie-sex cultist types who want to do it the old-fashioned way. They believe that humans must evolve into transhumanity, and the aliens are key. However they don't necessarily worship them like SUBMIT does, and may even see hybridization as a means to RESIST the aliens in the future. In the short-term, they seek to APPEASE or COOPERATE with the aliens, but intend on eventually merging with them or create a new human-alien hybrid species with them, to supplant them if necessary.
HIBERNATE -- like ESCAPE on acid and A.I., think of all the "become a robot" choices in games- the Supremacy affinity from Beyond Earth, the Helios ending in Deus Ex, the Control path in Mass Effect 3, etc. What do A.I. have to do with aliens? Consider one of the solutions to the famous Fermi Paradox which asks why we haven't heard from aliens yet- the simulation/planetarium theories suggest that we are in a giant virtual reality simulation created by hyperintelligent aliens for some unknown purpose. This was popularized by Elon Musk a few years ago.
So what would believers in this theory do if they think aliens are real? My take is that they would believe the aliens that show up aren't the truly omnipotent ones running the simulation, but try to EXPLOIT the situation in any case. Their ultimate goal is to either "hack" the simulation through advanced physics beyond human reckoning, or to ESCAPE into a deeper level by creating advanced digital simulations. If the aliens destroy humanity, then this faction believes the only way the species to survive is to upload ourselves into a digital form and escape our fragile mortal bodies trapped on our physical planet. In other words, to HIBERNATE in a protective virtual reality, as in shows like Upload or Black Mirror's San Junipero. How do they achieve that? Besides trying to study the aliens, they also invest heavily in computing technologies almost to the exclusion of everything else, believing that humanity must not only create A.I., but become A.I. in order to escape the alien threat.
This path is sort of contrived, I guess I'm trying a little too hard to shoehorn a cybernetic faction. Though they could provide some meta fun as they believe they live in a simulation- which is true.
SELF-DESTRUCT -- could also call it SUICIDE, but that might be too dark. Based on fictional doomsday cults like the villains of Rainbow Six, they believe that humanity is inherently evil for wrecking the planet (or whatever other reason) and see that the aliens are our just punishment to ensure our own destruction. Basically they are SUBMIT to aid the aliens if they are hostile, but they also want to EXPLOIT the unstable international situation to cause war and more destruction, or to weaken the response to the aliens. A less cartoonishly evil version of this faction might be REVOLT - instead of terrorists who want to kill everyone, they are anarchists who want to use the alien situation to weaken the existing world institutions so that their preferred class/religion/nation/group comes out on top. So basically EXPLOIT if it was controlled by people who aren't already in power. Maybe too similar.
Those are some ideas. Beyond HYBRIDIZE, the others might be a little too out there, and aren't as straightforward understandable motivations as the actual 7 factions that Pavonis has come up with. So does anyone else have suggestions?
HYBRIDIZE -- like a mix of SUBMIT and RESIST, think of the Harmony affinity from Civilization: Beyond Earth, EXALT from XCOM, or UFO Cults like the Raelians. This faction believes that while the aliens are superior, humanity has inherent value as well and the future for both species is to combine as one, either through super-advanced biotechnology as well as some kinkier hippie-sex cultist types who want to do it the old-fashioned way. They believe that humans must evolve into transhumanity, and the aliens are key. However they don't necessarily worship them like SUBMIT does, and may even see hybridization as a means to RESIST the aliens in the future. In the short-term, they seek to APPEASE or COOPERATE with the aliens, but intend on eventually merging with them or create a new human-alien hybrid species with them, to supplant them if necessary.
HIBERNATE -- like ESCAPE on acid and A.I., think of all the "become a robot" choices in games- the Supremacy affinity from Beyond Earth, the Helios ending in Deus Ex, the Control path in Mass Effect 3, etc. What do A.I. have to do with aliens? Consider one of the solutions to the famous Fermi Paradox which asks why we haven't heard from aliens yet- the simulation/planetarium theories suggest that we are in a giant virtual reality simulation created by hyperintelligent aliens for some unknown purpose. This was popularized by Elon Musk a few years ago.
So what would believers in this theory do if they think aliens are real? My take is that they would believe the aliens that show up aren't the truly omnipotent ones running the simulation, but try to EXPLOIT the situation in any case. Their ultimate goal is to either "hack" the simulation through advanced physics beyond human reckoning, or to ESCAPE into a deeper level by creating advanced digital simulations. If the aliens destroy humanity, then this faction believes the only way the species to survive is to upload ourselves into a digital form and escape our fragile mortal bodies trapped on our physical planet. In other words, to HIBERNATE in a protective virtual reality, as in shows like Upload or Black Mirror's San Junipero. How do they achieve that? Besides trying to study the aliens, they also invest heavily in computing technologies almost to the exclusion of everything else, believing that humanity must not only create A.I., but become A.I. in order to escape the alien threat.
This path is sort of contrived, I guess I'm trying a little too hard to shoehorn a cybernetic faction. Though they could provide some meta fun as they believe they live in a simulation- which is true.
SELF-DESTRUCT -- could also call it SUICIDE, but that might be too dark. Based on fictional doomsday cults like the villains of Rainbow Six, they believe that humanity is inherently evil for wrecking the planet (or whatever other reason) and see that the aliens are our just punishment to ensure our own destruction. Basically they are SUBMIT to aid the aliens if they are hostile, but they also want to EXPLOIT the unstable international situation to cause war and more destruction, or to weaken the response to the aliens. A less cartoonishly evil version of this faction might be REVOLT - instead of terrorists who want to kill everyone, they are anarchists who want to use the alien situation to weaken the existing world institutions so that their preferred class/religion/nation/group comes out on top. So basically EXPLOIT if it was controlled by people who aren't already in power. Maybe too similar.
Those are some ideas. Beyond HYBRIDIZE, the others might be a little too out there, and aren't as straightforward understandable motivations as the actual 7 factions that Pavonis has come up with. So does anyone else have suggestions?