About a year or so ago, I went full bore and built a new campaign. The Crusade campaign.
Here's how it goes. You might not like it one bit. But if you have the guts, you might find it more compelling.
See, everything you've been told about the bioconservatives, about the Jovian Republic, is absolutely wrong.
We are very pro-technology. We are very pro-Humanity. We are not about Transhumanity.
Just because something is new, doesn't make it good, or right.
This is a very different campaign than what you have done before with Firewall or whatever. This is about the survival of the HUMAN RACE!
The Jovian Republic overthrows it's Junta style government, and imposes a very American-style Conservative government. Except, the following.
All Jovian citizens do not have a Cortical Stack. It is illegal even to possess one. All Jovian characters can either be a Flat, a Splicer, or an Exalt. Genetic Engineering isn't beyond the beliefs of the Jovians. Anyone who decides to join with the Jovian Concord shall have their Cortical Stack Removed, and destroyed.
Jovians shall become more or less like Swiss. Except, it shall be illegal for any ego to transmit itself to any Jovian habitat without permission. The Jovian Concord (not the Republic) is now a closed society, dedicated to the preservation of the Human Race. It will no longer use the "reputation" economy (which is nonsense anyway). You shall be paid in Concord Pounds, represented by real silver found throughout the Jovian system.
We use a very different Mesh than the rest of "Transhumanity." The nature of which is highly classified, but is completely impenetrable to cyber-infiltration or attack, principally because transhumans (monsters) do not know where to look, or how. There are actually multiple such Meshes. All inaccessible to the inhuman form of life.
Crusade has a few missions: One, the preservation of Humanity, represented at the Jovian Concord. Two, finding a new planet for the Human Race. Earth is gone, lost to the TITANs. Use the Pandora Gates, however possible, to find a new site for mankind. Principally, they will undermine the "reputation" based economies of Titan and other worlds, subvert transhuman societies to see the Truth of their condition, and pave the way for humanity's rebirth against the machines that have since taken over. Opposition to Firewall will be among many that Crusade agents will undertake, but with discipline and high amount of skill necessary to defeat and destroy such agents.
The Bank of Jovia will also serve as an Ego-Bank, perhaps the most secure bank in the universe. Why rely on unreliable servers when the Bank of Jovia will preserve your "consciousness" in ways far better than any "open" society? Why would they want to? Because you did them a favor?
Humans seeking real Freedom join the Jovian Concord. For a better tomorrow!
Welcome! These forums will be deactivated by the end of this year. The conversation continues in a new morph over on Discord! Please join us there for a more active conversation and the occasional opportunity to ask developers questions directly! Go to the PS+ Discord Server.
New Campaign: CRUSADE
Thu, 2011-11-17 20:13
#1
Wayfinder
New Campaign: CRUSADE
Thu, 2011-11-17 22:09
#2
Yerameyahu
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
I'm not sure I understand how (that is, 'why?', not the technical details) you can have an ego-bank without stacks.
I'm not sure I understand how (technically) you can have a magically secure mesh.
Are the Exalts a new addition (for the Jovians)? I forget now.
I like the silver coinage, it's a nice touch to paint them as truly insane. :D
Thu, 2011-11-17 21:26
#3
CodeBreaker
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
So... turning the Jovians into a Mary-Sue?
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Thu, 2011-11-17 22:34
#4
puke
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
Well thats what ego bridges are for, right? Maybe I misread that part.
More significantly though, why would you want an ego-bank or allow ego-casting at all, if you are going to completely vilifiy and dehumanize resleeving or mind-machine transfers? Unless the ego bank is for R&D or torture or intelegence gathering. Like how the Ultimates sleeve their undesireables in redarded gimp morphs and turn them into servants.
Just being the devil's advocate here, but it isnt any worse than the thinly constructed strawman they are in canon.
Fri, 2011-11-18 13:43
#5
puke
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
double postage :(
Thu, 2011-11-17 22:44
#6
Yerameyahu
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
That's exactly what I meant when I said 'why, not the technical details'. :)
Fri, 2011-11-18 16:25
#7
CodeBreaker
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
That is because it [i]is[/i] the Jovian Republic, just with all the bits that make the Republic interesting torn out, and filled with what is basically propaganda from the other side. The society sounds just as authoritarian as the Republic is. But with a super secret Mesh that is uncrackable (Good luck with that. Hackers always find a way). Its sounds like a straight transplantation of stereotypical 21st century neo-conservatism, but in SPAAACE. Lets just ignore the ~150 or so years of social development in-between now and then.
And now I feel like a bit of a dick. It seems I should avoid the forums when drinking.
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Fri, 2011-11-18 16:55
#8
puke
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
Yeah, but look at the consensus based direct democracy in Stars Our Destination and tell me with a straight face that it isn't OWS in spaaace. Or that the autonomists aren't Burning Man with their favor (gift) economy.
I'm not disagreeing with you, but rather pointing out that this game is full of Mary-sue factions. You can hardly get upset about this one if you're not going to call out the others.
Ever play Jovian Chronicles from DP9? The jovians there were basically a Gundam-inspired
Mary-sue super Canada. In spaaace.
I think its an unbreakable cycle.
I'm really interested in that ego bank though. What's going on there? I'm keen on this idea of mind-machine transfers being anathema (makes a clearly understandable viewpoint to split humanity on), and would like to hear more.
Fri, 2011-11-18 17:18
#9
Yerameyahu
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
Given that OWS didn't exist yet… ;) But sure, many things are related (by long-standing philosophies) to current-day manifestations of those philosophies. I think CodeBreaker meant, and I agree, that these changes might appear to be of the Mary-Sue nature (that is, arbitrarily powerful). Mary-Sue (AFAIK) doesn't just mean 'something I identify with'; it means an illogically powerful, plot-bending version of that.
If anything, the strange power of the *vanilla* Jovians is some kind of example of that (I never understood how they can compete, like Total Annihilation's ARM, without embracing the huge advantages of the transhumans); a magic super-mesh certainly would be.
Fri, 2011-11-18 19:21
#10
Xagroth
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
I see flagrant contradictions with the base data provided in the game. Exalts are not avaiable to characters from the Jovian background (it can be avaiable to the "higher ups", however). The removal of the cortical stack is... frankly, ridiculous. It's like telling you to leave all printed copies of your blog when entering the Republic, because there would still be the backups (and if you take too much time to tell them you are alive... well, welcome to "two alphas roaming").
The secure Mesh can, theoretically, be made. Make it work with 28kbps modems and you have it, no transhuman will even think about getting near that ("man, my morph would die of old age..." "But your morph is a Steel morph, dude!" "Exactly...").
Frankly, the only reason behind the Jovian Republic existing is because some factions find it useful to them to have it there, while others have more pressing matters... and if hostilities begin, it would turn into a Battle Royale veeeeery quickly between most factions.
I will wait for Rimward, but for now I see the Jovians as relics who don't want to embrace the changes around them for whatever reason... or a corrupt republic with an impoverished populace and healthy rulers.
Fri, 2011-11-18 20:26
#11
Yerameyahu
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
So. I think people are generally in favor the Jovians having 'their side of the story', but is it necessary to alter the setting to do so? If yes, can you explain the specific alterations (the reasoning behind them)?
Fri, 2011-11-18 21:06
#12
CodeBreaker
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
No, it is not. While I agree that there are a few things that might have been bad ideas (*cough* Pinochet), I have no problem with the Jovian Republic as written. I do not believe that the Republic as written is at all unbelievable. In fact I think that a lot of the time, calls made that they are straw men or silly are based on conjecture and biased thinking.
For example, on the Jovian Republic still existing in the face of Transhumanity. OK, so they don't use uploading/resleeving (or are reluctant to). Fine, that is a disadvantage. But lets look at what they still have access to, shall we? List time!
1. The strongest military in the solar system. They took a majority of any pre-Fall military assets (personnel, warships, weapon blueprints) when they defected and committed their coup. While the PC does have its own military force, they are restricted to hypercorps such as Gorgon and D.A for their needs. The Titanians have their conscripted army, but it is comparatively small. The Jovians also have the massive advantage of having a centralised logistical network. Their entire force is under the control of the Republic, not split across numerous smaller forces that might not be able to easily integrate together (As with the PC).
2. Access to many of the same tools as any other faction. Nano-fabrication, AGIs, synthmorphs (through puppetry), sophisticated implant technology. Sure, the general population don't get access to any of that, but the military complex don't care about little things like the law.
3. Control over one of the strongest energy sources in the Solar system. Jupiter is a giant dynamo, and the Republic is in a prime position to abuse it to their own whims.
So yeah, I have no problem seeing the Republic being capable of keeping up with its neighbours, at least in the short term. In the long term I see major issues, but its only been 10 years since the Fall. There just hasn't been enough time for the other factions to abuse their inherent advantage to propel themselves that far ahead.
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Fri, 2011-11-18 22:58
#13
puke
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
pray tell me more about my biases. I'm a little unclear on how being well endowed with natural advantages makes their culture, philosophy, and quality of life any less of a cheap strawman to contrast against the techno-utopian-socialism in the rest of the fiction.
here, i'll tell you where my biases are, and its got nothing to do with the Jovians. I think its the lamest thing in the world that the authors are pretending to make an inteligent go at describing socio-political and economic systems, and they throw this in there:
seriously? how lame is that?
Anyway, I think the Jovian topic is really interesting. I think theres some great potential there in having a bioconservative foil to the status quo. I think theres some wonderful potential pathos that any ego which has been processed by a computer at any point in time, could be a potential carrier of a TITAN infection. Wayfinder may be going a little mary-sue there, but I still maintain that it isnt any worse than anything else in there -- and good for him if he's having fun. It's a bit disapointing to see any attempt to humanize this faction shot down out of hand.
as a quick edit, let me quantify my objections to the jovians as written: why are Regan habs basically Cole Bubbles but shittier? Why is a nationalistic culture with a rich military tradition whos population is mostly employed in the R&D sector having all of their habs infected with sepsis? But somehow all of the decentralized governments with no consolidated authority or building planners manage to be magical fairy lands of happy ecosystem design?
Fri, 2011-11-18 23:22
#14
CodeBreaker
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
I didn't actually mean you, promise. I don't remember ever talking with you about your issues with the Jovians as written, so I wouldn't presume to put words in your mouth : )
I agree with that. In fact I agree whole heartedly with that.
This bit, not so much. I am not shooting down the humanization of the bioconservative movement. I am all for more development on the motivations of the bioconservatives. I am criticising the removal of all the things that make the Jovians the faction that they are, in favour of America in Space. Making them fluffy does not humanise them. Humans are complete dicks, why would it?
Because the PC is more than willing to make use of advanced nanotechnology that allows such things to be possible? Because, as mentioned in Panopticon, the Republic has chosen not to invest heavily into environmental system research to solve the issue? Because, as mentioned in multiple places, they are currently lacking enough personnel well training in bio-enviromental design, and, due to their closed society, it is difficult to import such specialists to train their own staff?
P.S, it is extremely late, and I may have been drinking. Bias might not have been the best word. Shall see when I wake up tommorow morning?
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Sat, 2011-11-19 00:09
#15
Yerameyahu
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
I don't even know what you guys are going on about. :) Here's what I'm on about: AFAIK, the Jovians are basically fine the way they are (for the purposes of telling the kind of story OP wants), and the OP's changes don't seem to address the aspects of the Jovians that aren't fine, … and the changes proposed don't make sense (to me) in terms of the setting and science. It's nothing to do with straw men, humanizing, or anything like that. It's about making inexplicable (again, to me) changes.
Sat, 2011-11-19 00:20
#16
CodeBreaker
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
Ah, thought you meant criticisms of the Jovians that pop up in these threads in general. Answer is still no, I agree with you. The only real big change seems to be the addition of a super Mesh. The rest could easily just be someone from the canon Republic explaining why they act as they do. In fact I was considering calling Poe, but thought that would be dickish.
Edit: I may have been using your question to vent some of my frustration at the "Jovian Republic is stupid and silly and unrealistic" crowd. Sorry bout that :)
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Sat, 2011-11-19 01:01
#17
puke
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
I still want to hear details on that ego bank.
Mon, 2011-11-21 16:57
#18
tasuret
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
Here's how I see it: this post is propaganda by the Jovian government. It's obvious, isn't it? Between the "crusade" imagery and the "unbreakable" Mesh, and the "Ego-bank" hypocrisy...
It is the United States, taken to its logical extreme. It's pure propaganda. Beautifully constructed, by the way.
Wed, 2011-11-23 02:57
#19
rfmcdonald
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
I didn't find the adoption of names of right-wing dictators for Jovian habitats to be a problem, actually. A particular breed of American conservatives defends the right-wing dictatorships of Latin America in the 1970s and 1980s--even the gruesome Argentine, of "dirty war" vintage--as having been necessary to prevent Communist takeovers. Some even look to the Pinochet regime as providing useful economic models, Chile's pension scheme coming up most often in this connection.
"The Jovian Republic overthrows it's Junta style government, and imposes a very American-style Conservative government."
Since the Jovian Republic seems to be as much Latin America as United States-American, that would be interesting. Ethnic conflict?
Wed, 2011-11-23 11:51
#20
Herbo
Re: New Campaign: CRUSADE
Perhaps a situation similar to Fallout 3 has occured? Where an AGI (perhaps even a TITAN that was left behind due to its inability to evolve fully beyond its initial programming) has assumed control of the Jovian government as president John Henry Eden did with the Enclave in Fallout 3. But instead of just being an open and honest man-puter he/it uses a number of teleoperated and jammed sleeves to make everyone think he's a living breathing extension of some perverted dream that was once American Imperialism (and probably controls a number of other "support" staff and "congressmen" just to make people think that there are more egos at work here).
Unfortunately he doesn't recognize any other leaders apart from his own executive superiority (being the last "living" member of the US government) so...in-fighting. Then he can turn his sights on conquering the rest of the system via an ideological crusade. Also, because he/it is a TITAN (even a retarded TITAN as far as they are concerned) it can come up with "space magic" necessary to support ego banks, super secure meshes, etc.