|
Well... I suppose that depends on what you mean by an 'honor system'. The key fact about Mrrshan land ownership is that it is in allodium, which is to say that every Mrrshan landowner is considered to own their land outright, independent of any higher authority, and is perfectly free to dispose of their land as they see fit. The feudal contract in Mrrshan society thus has nothing to do with 'land grants', and there is no such thing as a 'fief' in Mrrshan society. The feudal contract in Mrrshan society is conceptualised as an exchange where the weaker party seeks military protection and the protection of justice from the stronger party, and in return pledges to support the justice of their overlord and pay for the service of protection granted. The rights of a landowner over their own land are considered, essentially, sacred, and so interference by the overlord in use of land or the seizure of land is considered beyond the bounds of civilised behavior. Despite Mrrshan refusing interference with what one does on one's own land, a condition of the 'pledge of support for justice' is that a landowner agrees to reasonable searches and investigation in the event of crimes and to surrender fugitives attempting to hide from justice. A 'noble', by Mrrshan standards, is somebody who holds at least one oath of fealty recognising them as overlord; there are many commoner landowners, either small landowners who own their own homes (and, in rural areas, farms) and larger 'gentry' who rent to landless Mrrshan. Landless Mrrshan have no tax or tribute burden, per se, not being part of the chain of feudal obligations, but functionally end up paying their share of their landlord's feudal tribute burden as a component of their rent. Mrrshan business organisation, although not 'feudal' per se, tends more strongly towards personal ownership than corporate forms, as Mrrshan culture is much more comfortable with clear personal loyalties to recognisable individuals than with impersonal institutions. The members of a Mrrshan business enterprise tend to view the terms of the relationship as an exchange of their labor in support of the owner's goals in exchange for reward. Both sides of employment relationships tend to be reluctant to dissolve the relationship without dire need or assurance that dissolving the contract will not place a burden on the other side of the contract, which renders Mrrshan labor markets somewhat inflexible and somewhat increases rates of unemployment. This reluctance to place loyalty in impersonal institutions is also why democracy, as an ideology, is nearly non-existent in Mrrshan society, despite Mrrshan support of democratic goals of personal and cultural freedoms. A democratic state of necessity is to some extent an impersonal machine that is not fully identified with a single master; the Mrrshan do not trust this as a form of organisation, believing that those who happen to have influence over the machine at any given moment do not necessarily have loyalty to those they govern. The Mrrshan are realistic enough to recognise that the Solar Republic appears to work well for Humanity and admire Human personal freedoms, but nonetheless on an emotional level they find it difficult to accept the system behind it.
|
#
?
Mar 26, 2017 19:33
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 14, 2024 00:06 |
|
|
I wonder what space bear food is like. "General Tsoroshenkov's Chicken."
|
|
#
?
Mar 27, 2017 02:21
|
|
|
To give people a heads-up- the plan is to upload images and write tomorrow; I should be good for it. To make it a little more clear why productivity may have suffered in recent months, over and above schedule weirdness at times which has not helped- I suspect the fundamental issue is that in November my fiancee, my girlfriend of many years, dumped me. I'm feeling considerably better now than I was, but nonetheless I've been somewhat less energetic and focused over the past several months. My procrastination in most cases was not consciously related to this, but I suspect it is an underlying factor in the overall pattern. I apologise if this is excessively personal, and I don't intend to burden anybody with my troubles, but I suppose people might like to know some of why I've been so slow lately. I'd also like to offer personal thanks (once again) to Crazycryodude, who did a great deal to help distract me with short-form self-contained writing immediately after I got dumped, without knowing precisely what it was he did for me. Thank you. I very much appreciated your help.
|
|
#
?
Mar 27, 2017 07:49
|
|
|
nweismuller posted:To give people a heads-up- the plan is to upload images and write tomorrow; I should be good for it. To make it a little more clear why productivity may have suffered in recent months, over and above schedule weirdness at times which has not helped- I suspect the fundamental issue is that in November my fiancee, my girlfriend of many years, dumped me. I'm feeling considerably better now than I was, but nonetheless I've been somewhat less energetic and focused over the past several months. My procrastination in most cases was not consciously related to this, but I suspect it is an underlying factor in the overall pattern. Yeesh, that sucks man, I'm sure everyone (or at least most people) here offers their sympathies. Glad to hear you're feeling better than you were. I can have moments of... eccentricity and sometimes be quite curious about things. Please forgive me if I do something foolish or rude.
|
|
#
?
Mar 27, 2017 07:58
|
|
|
Life comes first and am sorry you had things.
|
|
#
?
Mar 27, 2017 08:59
|
|
|
Jesus. I wouldn't have blamed you for dropping this and focusing on feeling better man. Some people use writing to power through the pain, others reading. I hope whatever you did to find solace did you good. Happy to see you feel better!
|
|
#
?
Mar 27, 2017 16:20
|
|
|
nweismuller posted:To give people a heads-up- the plan is to upload images and write tomorrow; I should be good for it. To make it a little more clear why productivity may have suffered in recent months, over and above schedule weirdness at times which has not helped- I suspect the fundamental issue is that in November my fiancee, my girlfriend of many years, dumped me. I'm feeling considerably better now than I was, but nonetheless I've been somewhat less energetic and focused over the past several months. My procrastination in most cases was not consciously related to this, but I suspect it is an underlying factor in the overall pattern. Holy poo poo, dude, I'm so sorry to hear that.  I enjoy every update to this LP but never expect them. What I mean it, there's no obligation. Take care of yourself.
|
|
#
?
Mar 27, 2017 16:40
|
|
|
Update delayed a day by virtue of passing out from sheer exhaustion this afternoon. I appear to have needed the sleep.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2017 04:44
|
|
|
I don't think that demands an apology. Hell, I wouldn't need an explanation, just show up a day late with a simple "woops, fell asleep yesterday". Seriously tho, health first, entertaining random strangers on the web fifth.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2017 05:47
|
|
|
Hey Nweis, I just caught up on this thread over the last weekend. it has been fantastic! Keep up the good work and make sure to stay healthy.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2017 06:07
|
|
|
Webguy20 posted:Hey Nweis, I just caught up on this thread over the last weekend. it has been fantastic! Keep up the good work and make sure to stay healthy. Thanks, nice to see a new reader. I appreciate you joining us, and hope I'll be able to deliver more content for you very soon. 
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2017 06:08
|
|
|
Always great to see LP stuff from you nweis, you're an amazing writer and I do love your Master of Orion stories.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2017 06:11
|
|
|
I'm thinking of submitting archive blurbs for my first four Let's Plays so they can end up as featured LPs on the Archive. Sorry for continued delays, got hit with recruitment for a pencil and paper RPG, next week I'll have something honest. Anyhow, as I'm not overly sure on what sort of promotional copy to write for my first four LPs, I'll take suggestions from people for what I should do for the little blurbs. To remind people, my first four LPs were: 1) Master of Orion 2 (The United Republic, playing as Humanity) 2) Master of Magic (Queen Dagmaer of the dwarves) 3) Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (The Republic of Pholus, as Nwabudike Morgan) 4) Master of Orion 2 again (Narestan civilisation, getting filthy rich)
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2017 23:40
|
|
|
Okay I reread that a few times and I'm still not sure what it is that you want
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2017 19:23
|
|
|
Siegkrow posted:Okay I reread that a few times and I'm still not sure what it is that you want Ideas for a little back-cover style blurb/summary to hook new readers for each of the Nweiss legacy LP's
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2017 19:35
|
|
|
If you go to the front page of lparchive.org, you can see two featured LPs at the top of the page, with little screenshots and a blurb of text. I'm taking ideas for what to do for that blurb. E: People may also be interested to see that my SMAC LP is now up on lparchive.org at https://lparchive.org/Sid-Meiers-Alpha-Centauri-(by-nweismuller)/ I'm glad to see it finally get posted up there after my submission! nweismuller fucked around with this message at 22:38 on Apr 2, 2017 |
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2017 22:17
|
|
|
Well I think the blurb of your first MoO2 lp should be a brief summary of the horrible thing you did to the poor poor bugs.
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2017 23:53
|
|
|
... hah.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2017 00:27
|
|
|
I'm not just snarking here, it would exact good way to trick expectations, as such a blurb would paint you as using the typical goon strategy of going maximum Hitler, instead of the truth of it being the only choice that didn't involve wiping out a whole sentient species.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2017 00:54
|
|
|
The lack of Hug-a-Bug Day is an atrocity in and of itself.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2017 01:13
|
|
|
I succeeded in losing my half-complete draft of the upcoming update due to a browser freeze just now. I may or may not end up completing the update this week due to this. Argh!
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2017 09:44
|
|
|
Gah sorry Nweis. That's no f un.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2017 10:06
|
|
|
nweismuller posted:I succeeded in losing my half-complete draft of the upcoming update due to a browser freeze just now. I may or may not end up completing the update this week due to this. Argh! This happened to me a couple times ages ago with my first Let's Play. (Called "After Action Report", because back then I didn't know what a "Let's Play" was. And strangely enough, of Master of Orion III.) After the second time it happened I gave up on my AAR but when I started doing real LPs years later, I remembered this and since then, I only use actual word processors for my drafts. Nowadays I just put everything (including tags) into Word and only copy+paste into the browser, then add my screenshots. I can only suggest to everyone doing screenshot LPs to do the same. It prevents a lot of headaches.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2017 11:31
|
|
|
nweismuller posted:I succeeded in losing my half-complete draft of the upcoming update due to a browser freeze just now. I may or may not end up completing the update this week due to this. Argh! My favorite is when you're typing, hit backspace, and for whatever reason it forgets that you're in a typing field and goes back a page. Those make for the best rage-filled rants. So, you have my sympathies!
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2017 16:01
|
|
|
OAquinas posted:My favorite is when you're typing, hit backspace, and for whatever reason it forgets that you're in a typing field and goes back a page. Those make for the best rage-filled rants. Chrome killed that shortcut, thankfully. I write my updates in a text editor and then run a script to replace numbers with [img] crap.
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2017 16:32
|
|
|
Yeah. I type all updates in notepad or the like after losing more than a few updates to misclicks.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2017 09:35
|
|
|
nweismuller posted:To give people a heads-up- the plan is to upload images and write tomorrow; I should be good for it. To make it a little more clear why productivity may have suffered in recent months, over and above schedule weirdness at times which has not helped- I suspect the fundamental issue is that in November my fiancee, my girlfriend of many years, dumped me. I'm feeling considerably better now than I was, but nonetheless I've been somewhat less energetic and focused over the past several months. My procrastination in most cases was not consciously related to this, but I suspect it is an underlying factor in the overall pattern. That's pretty lovely, sorry to hear. You definitely needed your space but keeping up on hobbies can help when you're coping with difficulties like that. Glad to hear you have people to help you through it all. You should know that this thread inspired me to buy the game as a Christmas present back when it was on sale. Keep up the good work.
|
|
#
?
Apr 9, 2017 17:47
|
|
|
Been distracted by Stellaris update, but enough procrastinating. I'll get this out either sometime Tuesday-Thursday, or sometime Saturday-Monday, barring ridiculous misfortune. Sorry for all the delays.
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2017 08:24
|
|
|
The Stellaris update is pretty good and I've been distracted by it a lot myself. So I'm not going to fault you for that.
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2017 12:48
|
|
|
I was under the impression that Stellaris itself was a bit disappointing?
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2017 14:43
|
|
|
The past few updates, especially the most recent one and its accompanying expansion ("Utopia") have drastically changed it for the better.
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2017 14:50
|
|
|
nweismuller posted:Been Cool!
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2017 15:12
|
|
|
Siegkrow posted:I was under the impression that Stellaris itself was a bit disappointing? I would say that it is a Paradox game. When people say Crusader Kings 2 is so amazing, what they really mean is that Crusader Kings 2 is so amazing with 2+ years of updates and content expansions like The Republic, Horse Lords, Sons of Abraham, The Old Gods, Conclave, Way of Life... Stellaris was sort of okay initially. I had plenty of fun but the flaws showed after a while. Disappointment mostly came from a few features being rushed and my hype being astronomical. Leviathans added some neat stuff, and Utopia added a ton of awesome things, but the best improvements have been the incremental updates in the 1.1 Clarke, 1.2 Asimov, 1.3 Heinlein, 1.4 Kennedy, and 1.5 Banks major content patches. I'd say I've logged a good 40 hours since Utopia dropped, at least. Been pretty sleepless. Anyway, looking forward to more of this from Nweiss, and your inevitable Stellaris Let's Play.
|
|
#
?
Apr 11, 2017 18:45
|
|
|
Nekomimi-Maiden posted:your inevitable Stellaris Let's Play. INEVITABLE LETS PLAY Seriously though, so am I.
|
|
#
?
Apr 12, 2017 05:04
|
|
|
Photobucket is being fairly slow to load pages right now, which is getting me frequently distracted during writing because I check images to remind me what happened and slow loads end up with my attention wandering, but I'm making progress on the update again. Should be up by tomorrow evening at least. Not helped by having reinstalled Starcraft after approximately forever and playing through the saga of space rednecks fighting evil hiveminds and self-righteous repressive caste aliens.
|
|
#
?
Apr 22, 2017 03:25
|
|
|
Don't force yourself, as far as I know, people tend to write better while relaxed.
|
|
#
?
Apr 22, 2017 03:41
|
|
|
Note to self: FREQUENTLY SAVE YOUR WORK. Starting over...
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2017 20:09
|
|
|
Eek. Well, poo poo happens, eh? Man if it was me I woulda rage quitted over losing my work. But that is just me being a quitter.
|
|
#
?
Apr 23, 2017 20:38
|
|
|
An Empire in Ashes  By early 2621, Uzor, a prominent lord on the world of Porov, had proclaimed himself the new Emperor of the Bulrathi Empire. Although not all of what remained of the Empire accepted his authority, nonetheless a new Emperor served as a rallying point for the flagging resistance of the Empire against the Human Republic. Knowing that the military situation was nearly hopeless, Uzor sent a desperate plea for a truce to the Republic, offering rich gifts from the tax revenue of the remnants of the Empire if only peace could be secured. The Senate and the Popular Assembly both rejected this proposal out of hand, for, at this point, both popular opinion and formal policy in the Republic were firmly set on the complete destruction of the Empire, the abolition of the Bulrathi institution of serfdom, and the apprehension of every member of the Bulrathi government complicit in acts of war against the Republic.    Even while couriers were dispatching Emperor Uzor's proposals to the Republic's government on Earth, fourty million Republican troops, a mixture of Humans and Bulrathi recruits, primarily from Korga, were landing on the planet of Chalov in the Kaff system. After only scattered fighting against isolated and uncoordinated local defenders, primarily hastily-organised local militias led by some of the local nobility, the invasion force was in firm control of the population centers on Chalov. The occupying forces began the work of maintaining control and hunting down the remaining resistance that had scattered into hiding.    The year also saw a series of strikes by the frigate John Paul Jones against renegade warlord military and industrial assets in the Warikomi asteroid belt, helping defuse another wave of piracy in the region. As yet another pirate warlord fell, another wave of emigration from the renegade populations that had been living in fear of warlords into the Republic ensued. Although control of piracy required continued vigilance, nonetheless it seemed likely that the final collapse of renegade populations in Warikomi and Kif was nearly at hand.    By the close of 2621, negotiations between the Human Republic and the High Queendom of the Mrrshan had borne fruit, with formal pledges of permanent friendship and recognition of territorial claims and an exchange of astrographic data which essentially completed Humanity's basic astrographic charts of the Spinward Quadrant. The Human Republic also agreed to permit the export of Human educational and scientific techniques at the High Queendom's request, after which several charitable foundations and consultation firms sponsored experts travelling to the High Queendom to train educators and scientists there.    Tsovana was assaulted by fourty million more troops in 2622, a year after the fall of Chalov. Although Tsovana had five billion inhabitants to Chalov's two billion, it presented little more in the way of organised resistance, and the occupation force settled in for the long and bloody work of rooting out scattered insurgents still resisting Republican occupation. With Tsovana in the Human Republic's hands, only Porov itself remained as any significant industrial center for the Bulrathi Empire, and it was entirely insufficient to challenging the might of Space Fleet.    From 2622 to 2624, a series of Imperial Intelligence field teams were apprehended on Earth, Paradise, and Sunrise, attempting to falsify outbound diplomatic traffic and penetrate corporate laboratories and production facilities to steal Human technology in a desperate attempt to narrow the gap in power between the Republic and the Empire. The Republic's Interplanetary Intelligence Agency offered its opinion that, with the execution of these spies, the last effective field teams that Imperial Intelligence could rely upon had been neutralised, although it was impossible to confirm this with certainty.      Profitable trade continued between the Human Republic and the High Queendom of the Mrrshan, with several important deals by Human corporations providing financing for Mrrshan firms or acquiring property in Mrrshan space being concluded in 2625, helping ensure the capitalisation needed by Mrrshan firms to support continued trade. Continued commerce helped support continued friendship between the two star nations and their people, with popular opinion of Humanity in the High Queendom reaching record levels in the wake of these deals. The Klackon, however, protested these developments, viewing any support of the Mrrshan as a direct obstruction to the goals of the hive.   Continued refinement of neural network design using current optronic processing technology continued to show fruit in powerful and flexible computers and programs capable of achieving some amount of learning from experience. Although not true artificial intelligences on the level of the Meklar, nonetheless cutting-edge optronic neural networks allowed for more flexible and versatile industrial robotics and military applications. Perhaps most notable was the development by Objective Infosystems of fire control suites linked with high-powered tactical sensor arrays that could effectively coordinate the focus of volley fire for ship weapons at a single point on a target, more easily breaching armor under a concentrated assault. Although a fairly bulky and expensive system, this could potentially allow significant improvements in firepower for future generations of Space Fleet battleships.    A newly-assembled Bulrathi Imperial cruiser lifted off from Porov in 2628, attempting to break the blockade that, at this point, now employed nearly the full strength of Space Fleet. The ensuing battle in Porov's orbit was brief and predictable in outcome, with the Bulrathi cruiser swiftly destroyed and its long-range missile fire rendered entirely ineffective by Space Fleet point defense. The blockade was re-established as it awaited the arrival of more troops to spearhead the assault on Porov.    The assault was ready by mid-2630, with eighty million Republican troops touching down on the planet, fighting until early 2631 for control of the population centers there against fifty million Bulrathi defenders. Bloody fighting through and around the sealed habitats of Porov devastated much of the civilian infrastructure of the planet, with tens of millions of casualties on both sides. A military detachment sent to capture Emperor Uzor reported that his resistance left them with no choice but to kill him in combat, but subsequent investigation strongly suggested that he may have been killed out of hand by the troops sent to capture him, and disciplinary hearings for the soldiers involved were inconclusive. With Porov under the Republic's control, only the fringe world of Gelkiy remained under control of Imperial remnants, and it lacked the resources to prosecute any sort of effective war.    The following year, the Cabal leading the Darlok Administration had apparently decided that strategic disclosure of more of the truth of Darlok society and history to the Republic's authorities was in order, in the hopes of gaining improved orbital attack weaponry. Details on Darlok counterinsurgency tactics, propaganda techniques, and intelligence analysis methods for dealing with subjugated populations were authorised for release to the Republic, with some information on the historical context from which they arose. Given the ongoing challenges of dealing with occupation and insurgency in Bulrathi territory, Republican negotiators swiftly agreed. The Darlok Administration began as a military alliance between certain Darlok republics and principalities as a pragmatic measure against common enemies, which saw power consolidated into the hands of a cabal of a few of the most powerful alliance leaders, at the cost of the sovereignty of their erstwhile allies. It proved that the Darlok Administration, although basically authoritarian, was nonetheless not the totalitarian nightmare it had initially appeared to be- its extreme secrecy was driven by intense and widespread xenophobia, which led to very little desire by most Darloks to interact with aliens except through the protective mediation of the Administration. The Meklar Combine protested any arrangement that provided weapons technology to the Darlok Administration, which they stated was untrustworthy and an active threat to Meklar populations and activities.   2631 also saw negotiators from the Federation of Psilon Quanta agreeing to exchange astrographic data with the Human Republic, which helped provide nearly-full charts of the basic astrography of the Far Quadrant and the Core, even if the specifics of Alkari settlement remained unclear to Humanity. It proved that the FPQ controlled less than half of the Far Quadrant, although it had colonies in the far driftward portions of the Driftward Quadrant and a colony in the Core.   Continued refinement of industrial robotics and automation using new neural networks allowed for major military breakthroughs in 2632. The development of semi-autonomous combat vehicles capable of making effective tactical decisions and discriminating intelligently between friendly, neutral, and hostile targets while under the oversight of Human officers could potentially revolutionise ground combat, while minimising the risk of loss of friendly soldiers in combat. Likewise, advanced automation controlling the necessary infrastructure for massive orbital installations could potentially help with the expansion of current orbital fortifications and command posts at strategic locations, although Space Fleet fully recognised that the expense of such fortifications made them only a very long-term priority. Armor barracks can only be built defensively- this doesn't influence our offensive forces in-game. Nonetheless, I am going to be assuming future assault forces are incorporating semi-autonomous combat vehicles and drone soldiers.   In 2633, the Meklar Combine exchanged its own astrographic survey data with the Human Republic. Between Humanity's own efforts and those of Mrrshan, Psilon, and Meklar explorers, Human astrographic charts now accurately represented the whole of the galaxy, save for a small portion of the Far Quadrant's driftward end, near the border of the Spinward Quadrant, deep in Alkari space.   Almost simultaneously, the Thunderbolt engaged a pair of pirate vessels in the Rosemund system which had recently left from a pirate stronghold on the far side of Bulrathi space. Despite the Thunderbolt's poor suitability for ship to ship combat, nonetheless the extreme technological advantage possessed by the Thunderbolt rendered its swift victory entirely predictable.  By 2634, Interplanetary Intelligence Agency efforts in Darlok space had begun to collect intelligence confirming the initial information provided by the Darlok Administration some years earlier, while helping expose the disturbing extent of Darlok police information networks intended to find and neutralise any real threats to the ruling Cabal. It became clear that Darloks had evolved from ambush predators with formidable camouflage abilities and many natural predators of their own, which perhaps helped explain the deep streak of paranoia in Darlok psychology. The environment suits which Humans had seen on Administration officials and staff of facilities they had been shown proved to be standard government measures against biowarfare attacks and a means of disguise of Darlok appearance against outsiders- civilian Darloks in habitable environments did not generally wear such environment suits, and in fact frequently used their natural camouflage abilities as a form of cosmetic display, sculpting the shape, color, and pattern of their own skin in accordance with their own fashions.      While the IIA submitted the reports of what they had learned about the Darloks, ongoing commercial negotiations between Human and Psilon firms concluded with loans and purchases of assets by Human firms helping finance continued Psilon trade with the Human Republic, strengthening the warm relations between Humanity and the Psilons. Trade between the two star nations was a major boost to both economies, providing profits to firms involved in trade and improved prices and varieties in goods available to Human and Psilon consumers.     A Republican invasion force had landed on Gelkiy early in the year, and, before its close, the planet was under firm Human Republic control. With the loss of Gelkiy, the Bulrathi Empire as an independent political entity was no more. Desperate nobles and their supporters continued guerrilla campaigns on many former Imperial worlds, but the occupation forces were slowly but systematically hunting down rebel militias while the Republic continued to gather popular support amongst the general population. It seemed inevitable that the Bulrathi species as a whole would eventually become firm supporters of the Republic.     The following year saw the Thunderbolt arrive at a pirate stronghold in Zhardan, systematically devastating the installations there. It proved that a significant population of Human exiles had found their way through the Bulrathi Empire to Zhardan, and a number of those began to filter in to settle on Porov. Their firm support helped cement the Republic's control over Porov, despite some tensions between them and the native Bulrathi population. I think I would have preferred that the free population you get from pirate events be keyed to the majority population of the world they settle, rather than always being of your own species. Ah well.   The year also brought a proposal by the High Queendom of the Mrrshan to arrange approval for technology sales by firms on either side of the Human/Mrrshan border. Human firms sold designs for self-propelled infantry armor to Mrrshan manufacturers, while Mrrshan engineering techniques for the establishment of major research facilities supported by large-scale artificial gravity generation on resource-rich moons were sold to Human buyers. The establishment of major research campuses, far larger than established asteroid facilities while still being well clear of planetary population centers, would no doubt prove a boon to cutting-edge work requiring hazardous experiments.   A year after those negotiations, in 2636, the Klackons attempted to offer a relatively modest sum of 50 trillion credits' worth of resources and materials to the Republic in exchange for the Republic's full astrographic charts. Republican negotiators refused these overtures, only further deepening the mistrust the Klackons had for the unruly, individualistic species that was Humanity.     The continuing trade relations between Humanity and the Meklars went on without interruption over all this time, helping cement international trust and friendship and providing great benefits to capitalists and consumers in both star nations. The Meklar Combine, High Queendom of the Mrrshan, and Federation of Psilon Quanta had, by the end of the decade, all demonstrated a proven track record of peaceful cooperation and trade with Humanity. The Human Republic and the Galaxy as of 2640     The entire Local Quadrant, save for scattered and dwindling pockets of pirates and exiles, now lies under the control of the Human Republic. Border fortifications are being established to protect the conduits into occupied Bulrathi space, while a network of artificial conduit generators has begun to be established in system after system. Although expensive to operate, these facilities can create artificial warp conduits between any two systems where they are present, allowing swifter, safer, and more direct travel for military and commercial vessels in the Republic. So far, they have only been put into operation in the Sol, Mihr, Tarazad, and Ursa systems, although there are new Gate Consortiums being founded on almost every planet of the Republic attempting to finance 'gate facilities' in their own systems. The bulk of Space Fleet has been stationed to guard the driftward conduit into the Rosemund system until a border fort can be established there, while the Revenant has been returned to the Segel system and subjected to an intensive upgrade process just this year. Study of the strange derelict and its databanks has led Space Fleet engineers to conclude that it was initially produced by an unusually well-financed and well-organised pirate group that had hoped to establish a pocket empire in the Core. Lack of active emissions from any industrial facilities where the Revenant was discovered and its abandoned state lead analysts to believe that this effort must have ended in failure, although its precise fate remains a mystery.   Survey data acquired from the FPQ has helped colonial investors identify a pair of systems in the Core that both possess valuable planets with hospitable environments and control the major points of access along one side of the Core. Colonies in the Arlyehm and Steinbok systems would have vital positions along the trade lanes to the FPQ, securing their own prosperity and serving as strategic claims for the greater Republic.    Improved astrographic data and solidified information on other star nations has begun to provide a clearer picture of the galaxy as a whole. The Human Republic, Federation of Psilon Quanta, Meklar Combine, and Sacred Kingdom of the Alkari represent the 'great powers' of the galaxy, all of which appear to be at least somewhat friendly with each other, while the High Queendom of the Mrrshan, the Darlok Administration, and the Klackons are weaker star nations with significantly smaller populations and economies and less advanced science and technology. The Human Republic has contact with every other star nation save the Sacred Kingdom of the Alkari, leaving it more diplomatically connected than any other star nation. The overall size of the Republic's economy has grown over the past two decades, with a commensurate increase in the rate of invention and innovation, but growing infrastructural upkeep costs and the loss of effective trade relations with the Darlok Administration have led to a shrinking pool of capital available for new investment. Overall economic health is still good, but the ability of the Republic to support further development may well have to be supported by radical improvements in business organisation and commercial efficiency. The Human Republic is particularly notable for having both the largest overall population and the largest economy in the galaxy. Technological progress is harder to measure, with Humanity possessing breakthroughs unknown to other star nations and vice versa, but the Human Republic is likewise believed to be the most technologically-advanced star nation extant overall. Per-capita disposable income is highest in the Human Republic, but GDP per capita is somewhat higher in the Meklar Combine, with its very productive heavy industrial sector. All the 'Paths to Victory' are linked to a possible victory condition, although the score victory has been disabled in this game- winning by score after a time limit is anticlimactic and dumb, and the default time limit is 300 years- we already would have run out the clock 40 years ago. The 'Power' rating for Conquest is based on a combination of fleet strength (calculated by whatever obscure formula the game uses) and 100 points for every colonised planet you own; it is unclear whether it ranks star nations by fleet strength or number of planets in the rankings, since it clearly doesn't do so by total 'power' rating. Technological victory and economic victories are beyond our grasp just yet, but we can see total research and overall share of gross galactic product. Diplomatic victory requires either one star nation or all star nations have contact with all other star nations- I'm not sure which. Either way, we need to meet the Alkari for that. Each vote represents one population unit, which lets us get a very clear picture of overall populations.   Earth has become the first planet in Human space to implement the Mrrshan techniques of large-scale computer engineering using natural bodies of water as a cooling system for massively parallel arrays of computers. The additional processing power has proved extremely valuable in many entertainment and research applications. A major orbital warehousing facility aids with materials imports for future major projects. Earth's ability to finance the infrastructural and governmental development of the planet on its own is beginning to become strained, although its importance in interplanetary trade networks cannot be underestimated. Still, this has only intensified fierce competition in Earth's capital markets and drawn investment from afar, which may well lead to radical changes in the future.   Paradise has had its own orbital warehousing station established, which is collecting materials for assembly of a major colony mission pre-loaded with an advanced suite of robotics intended to rapidly establish a functional infrastructural base on a new world. This mission will likely be launched within the next decade, helping stake out Human presence in the Core. Soil and water contamination levels here have very slowly been improving, leading to slightly better environmental quality than two decades ago.   Sunrise has developed major port facilities and specialty industries supporting active interplanetary commerce, its own massive water-cooled computing array, and a series of DNA sniffers supporting counterintelligence work over the past two decades. Environmental quality, although still fairly degraded, has improved rapidly, and is likely to be quite acceptable within the next two decades. A second colony mission is being organised here, although it is less well-financed and -equipped than the mission being organised at Paradise.   New Babylon has grown from over twelve billion persons to over fifteen billion persons in population over the past decades, helped partially by immigration from the scattered renegades from beyond the Republic. Major port facilities and specialty industries supporting export trade have been established here, and the local research and engineering community has grown massively in size. Local heavy industries are undergoing a major process of modernisation to current automation standards, which is anticipated to sharply reduce needed employment in heavy industry on the planet when it is completed.   Niflheim has suffered a major degradation in environmental quality over the past two decades, although the establishment of major atmospheric reprocessing facilities has managed to at least stop any further deterioration. The basic communications and data processing infrastructure of the planet has been modernised, allowing for more efficient business and research operations. The growth in infrastructure supported by a population of only seven billion has rendered Niflheim once again heavily dependent on off-planet imports to maintain its current level of development, and port facilities to support expansion in trade have begun to be constructed, along with specialty industries taking advantage of the very low metals prices on the planet.   Gobi now exceeds a population of three billion, with a Space Fleet command station and local organised surface forces in place. The planet remains extremely dependent on outside investment, although local economic growth has been bolstered by a healthy agricultural sector.   Erebus has grown to a population of over two billion, whose primary nutritional needs are entirely filled by sealed-environmental hydroponics and fungal cultivation. Business methods have grown increasingly sophisticated here, the local planetary government is now well-organised, and sophisticated modern medical facilities have been established to deal with the formidable health challenges of a population entirely housed in subterranean warrens on a radiated world. Establishment of shield facilities to protect the planet from radiation and allow the colonisation of the planetary surface have begun to be constructed here, which may well improve local quality of life significantly. Even with growing populations, the world is no less dependent on outside investment- the colony would doubtless go extinct without continual outside support.   Rebuilding of damaged infrastructure on Bulra is largely complete, although the planet remains highly resistant to occupation by the Republic. A Space Fleet command station has been assembled here, along with a central coordination center for counter-insurgency and post-war reconciliation efforts using techniques acquired from the Darloks. The Peacemaker-class battleship George Washington is under construction here, hopefully to help provide a credible deterrent to any potential aggression from other star nations.   Korga has undergone significant modernisation of its industrial base, which initially led to a notable reduction in environmental quality as output increased. This was arrested by the construction of major atmospheric processing stations, which have begun to reverse the trend in contamination levels here. The planet has been effectively entirely assimilated by now, with its citizens loyal citizens of the Republic, save for a few powerless extremists at the very fringes of society.   The local resistance on Kalov has essentially died out, although a small and shrinking portion of the population still retains pro-Imperial sentiments that has led to occasional work stoppages in the local university system. Space Fleet has established a local command station here, and coordinated outreach efforts are underway to win over the last pro-Imperial diehards amongst the intelligentsia of the planet.   There are still major problems with armed resistance to the Republic and unrepaired infrastructural damage on the lifeless world Porov, which has a reasonably advanced industrial base in place from the Imperial era. A command center for counterinsurgency efforts has been established here, and a major Human community has developed on the planet after settlement by Human exiles from beyond the Republic. The planet requires extensive outside support, as the current population struggles to maintain the advanced industrial base.   Tsovana, the more populous of the two Bulrathi worlds in the Kaff system, has a basic but functional industrial and economic base, mostly rebuilt from war damage. The environment, although generally arid, is quite hospitable to life, and local industrial metals deposits are extensive, helping local industry. Continued resistance to the Republic is common, but local counterinsurgency and reconciliation efforts have done well in hunting rebels and winning the trust of the people, and complete assimilation is expected to come relatively swiftly here.   Damage from the war and the resistance to Human government have both passed on Chalov, which has been fully admitted into the Republic. The local economy is fairly basic, but bolstered by profitable mining of extensive precious metals deposits on the planet. Development of industries to support chemical balance correction in the soil here is in progress, and expected to show major improvements in harvest yields once their products are widely commercially available.   Gelkiy is a poorly-developed world on a planet choked with extensive swamps and jungles over a wide equatorial band, with large but shallow seas with a poor chemical balance for supporting an extensive oceanic ecosystem. A vicious resistance movement remains highly active here, although military leaders believe that it is small enough in absolute terms that it can relatively easily be wrapped up once its strongholds have been identified. Still, on balance, Gelkiy is clearly the most primitive world of the Republic as things stand, and one dependent on outside imports to support even what infrastructure it has. Proposals for the People of the Republic Research Priorities  The pioneering theoretical work initially published by Gunther Bauer focusing on the has laid the groundwork for work by other defense theorists, which are anticipated to soon begin influencing actual doctrinal realities in Space Fleet, while economic research and re-organisation of major corporations is slowly bringing major changes to the Republic at large. That said, other research continues more quietly in the background. Study into hyperspace physics could still help improve the currently-theoretical hyperspace phase cannon sufficiently to make it a viable ship weapon and possibly allow for new communications breakthroughs in the future, while study of gravitational physics could help allow for effective confinement of antimatter in torpedoes and lay the foundation for future weapons breakthroughs. Computer science could provide major breakthroughs in research methods, along with military applications, while advanced engineering techniques could allow for the feat of the creation of new habitable planets from asteroid belts or gas giants, improve materials science, and lay the foundation for future industrial breakthroughs. Please vote for hyperspace physics, gravitational physics, computing, or engineering research after we complete our current research priorities. Foreign Policy The Human Republic is currently on fairly friendly terms with the Mrrshan, Psilon, and Meklar governments, while relations are more strained with the Darloks and Klackons. Perhaps, with contact with the Alkari government, productive discussions involving every galactic government could be started, but this would require access to Alkari space through either Psilon or Klackon space. There is some potential for a formal alliance to help protect the High Queendom of the Mrrshan, although that would require commitment against the Klackons. Intelligence operations beyond the Republic's borders could help provide more accurate information on other star nations, although with a risk of diplomatic incidents, or the Republic's intelligence assets could be focused entirely on counterintelligence work. Please indicate desired priorities for the Republic's foreign policy. Military Disposition Space Fleet, once relieved of its current duties of holding the Rosemund conduit, could have its force redeployed in several ways. The fleet could be ordered to hold in a defensive posture near the Driftward Quadrant, in the event of a breakdown of relations with the Darlok Administration, or be posted near the Spinward Quadrant, in readiness for operations against the Klackons. Alternately, the fleet could be posted to hold strategic points in the Core, effectively claiming a partition across the Core, or be posted centrally in the Republic for flexible deployment driftward, spinward, or coreward. Space Fleet requests clarification of legislatural priorities so it can determine how best to deploy its ships. Please give military deployment priorities for Space Fleet to work with. Colonisation Priorities Colonisation into the Core and to the Zhardan system at the driftward edge of the Local Quadrant could establish stable frontiers for the Republic with many opportunities for colonisation for many years to come. That said, which planets are prioritised first remains to be seen, and what new colony planets will be named also remains to be seen. Please vote on how to prioritise colonies in Saltator, Tantalus, Arylehm, and Steinbok. Saltator Prime is small, desert, mineral-abundant, and has dark quartz for +2 production. Saltator II is medium, toxic, mineral-poor, and also has dark quartz.Saltator IV is large, radiated, and mineral-rich. Any of these give us access to a gas giant for gas mining. Tantalus Prime is huge, toxic, high-gravity, mineral-rich, and has gold. Steinbok Prime is small, ultra-poor, terran, has low gravity and gold, and gives access to a gas giant. Arlyehm V is somewhat less strategically-positioned than the other systems in the core, but is probably the best planet just for inherent planetary value overall- it is a large, abundant ocean planet. Zhardan is a medium, abundant desert planet, and secures the last driftward scrap of the Local Sector for us. With the final defeat of the Bulrathi Empire, the Human Republic is once again blessed with peace, with hopes that its prosperity can increase in the future. The war has left deep scars on Human and Bulrathi alike, but perhaps now there will be time to heal. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 02:39 on Jun 20, 2017 |
|
#
?
Apr 24, 2017 04:24
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 14, 2024 00:06 |
|
|
Freaking finally. That was just inexcusably long and I will try not to subject everybody to a wait like that again. Hopefully I haven't lost too many people due to the hiatus. Although I submitted my second MoO2 LP for archival, there's some ambiguity by baldurk on how exactly to handle this, because this is the first time the Archive has had two LPs by the same author for the same game, which requires figuring out how to distinguish between them on the index. I'll keep people posted as to when he figures out how he wants to handle this.
|
|
#
?
Apr 24, 2017 04:28
|
|