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That is an excellent question! Saral Technical Institute (author's note: 'Sparkytech') has had a close relationship with major shipbuilders on Nares for a century, and is noted for producing some of the best design engineers in the industry, for those who choose to major in their excellent Voidcraft Architecture program. If you aren't majoring in Voidcraft Architecture, they also have quite respectable programs in engineering that should allow for hands-on work with technology in industrial shops or freighter crews, or doing process or product design engineering in various surface industrial concerns. You have heard correctly; some of Saral Technical Institute's programs have come to specialise in medical prosthetic engineering based on information acquired from Meklar space. Whatever career you take after a stint in Saral, it is certain you'll have a chance to work closely with technology and understand its inner workings. The Acon Academy (author's note: 'Aquasarrious') offers a highly specialised curriculum focused on training future navigational and command officers for voidcraft. It has arrangements with other general education institutions to offer instruction in general academic topics, but its in-house instructors are focused exclusively on what will be needed for voidship command, with a heavy emphasis on mathematics and hyperspace navigational techniques. Other courses cover alien linguistics, logistics and supply management, piloting, sensors operation, and other topics. If you are accepted into Acon, you are likely to be on the short list for recruitment into the command crew for one of the new freighters being commissioned, although the piloting skills you can pick up could serve you in a simpler career as a lighter pilot. No matter what, however, your skills will point you to the void. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 06:02 on Nov 19, 2016 |
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Nov 17, 2016 23:16
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What can you tell us of the arts in Narestan culture? Writing, music, theatre, art, sculpture, etc... Their place in history, and/or their place in contemporary society would be insteresting. What kind of impact has meeting the Meklar and the Mrrshan had?
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Nov 18, 2016 04:46
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The desire for beauty, comfort, and entertainment to make life more pleasant is a deep-rooted one amongst the Narestans, with evidences of arts and jewellry that date back to their Stone Age, and with a long tradition of art, literature, music, and games in their civilisations. As for the place of the arts in contemporary Narestan culture- as a rule, the visual arts tend to be regarded as explicitly decorative, with the heaviest emphasis on visual artistry in architecture and industrial design in order to make everyday items as beautiful as possible. Sculpture, painting, and so forth tends to be regarded as a way to make a decorative item specifically in the context of a larger piece of architecture. Fashion and jewellry providing adornment for the person of Narestans is likewise considered highly desirable, as an extension of the 'design of everyday things'. Literature and music, on the other hand, rather than being regarded as 'decoration', tend to be regarded more in the category of 'entertainment'- and Narestan literary traditions eventually led to traditions of theater and film as well. Amongst the most popular heroes in Narestan literary works and in film are individuals who exhibit uncommon resourcefulness and cleverness in pursuit of whatever goals define the work. Narestan neophilia has led to them having a long tradition of speculative fiction imagining a world more advanced and full of more wonders than whatever world they currently inhabit with wide popularity, and speculative fiction continues to be the single largest genre in Narestan literature and film to the current day. Meeting with Mrrshan and Meklars has led to an interest in alien traditions of art and a demand for imports of cultural products from both alien species, with some dedicated audiences for imported works. Mrrshan and Meklar cultural assumptions tend to be alien to Narestans, but nonetheless they are frequently interesting, if only for a change. Likewise, Narestan literature, music, film, and consumer goods exhibiting beauty due to Narestan standards of industrial design as an art are valuable exports to Mrrshan and Meklar markets.
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Nov 19, 2016 00:45
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Did this LP die? I was enjoying the story behind the game breaking..
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Nov 30, 2016 04:42
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I actually have another tab open right now with the majority of the update written. I've just been spreading the writing across several days; I have a bit less emotional endurance than usual since recent personal issues cropped up, and I was distracted by the nuMoO LP. I should have the update up this evening or tomorrow. E: Probably tomorrow. I'm staring at the post and can't bring myself to type another word- I've about spent my creativity for the day. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 06:44 on Nov 30, 2016 |
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Nov 30, 2016 05:33
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The Birds and the Bears Early in 541, the fertile Nares-like planet of Tenesal in the Perseo system was colonised. Although somewhat smaller than Nares itself, the lush biosphere would be capable of supporting a large population and a highly productive agricultural sector, and hopes were high that the new colony would become a highly prosperous contributor to the larger economy and a suitable home for its colonists.    Later in the same year, metallurgical corporations in Narestan space developed a series of advanced titanium alloys with excellent strength-to-weight ratios. These new alloys seemed likely to revolutionise construction and shipbuilding, and to increase safety in vehicles and machines dependent on high-performance metals. Several years later, in 544, the red star Min was explored and surveyed, revealing the distinctly unwelcoming system around it. Deuterium Fuel Cells we have already traded for, but we see their splash screen when we research the technology tier they are part of.  It was four years later, in 548 YE, that new genetically-engineered microbes designed to attack tumors, synthesise drugs, and otherwise help apply medical aid in a less invasive and more specifically-targeted manner were first placed on the markets. This breakthrough promised to revolutionise medicine, allowing for longer, healthier lives for the vast bulk of the Narestan population. The discovery was almost swamped in the news, however, by a new alien contact.   Probes launched by the Alkari species under their governing New Orion Empire had made contact with the Narestan colony at Renar, as new developments in power storage technology in the New Orion Empire had led to improved operational range for their ships and probes. After the work to establish mutual communications was complete, a message from Peerik Kree, current Emperor of the New Orion Empire, was conveyed to the Consortium for Xenogovernmental Negotiations, expressing his delight in contact with another species and expressing hope for a future of peace and unity. The negotiations that followed swiftly led to the Imperial government approving trade contacts and scientific cooperation between the Alkari people and the Narestans, with Alkari trade vessels putting in at Renar to haul cargos between the two civilisations.  The Alkari species are a warm-blooded species capable of gliding flight native to the garden planet of Alkar, with an unusually long history of cultural and political unity. According to Alkari legend, Alkar was once a colony world of a starfaring empire established by a wise and benevolent species known as the 'Orions', who taught the primitive forebears of the Alkari people the arts of civilisation and welcomed them into their society as beloved children. One day, legend says, a great war against the Orion Empire was launched by the darkest of enemies, and Alkar was devastated by terrible bombardment from the heavens. Following this, the Orions never returned to Alkar, and Alkari society relapsed to tiny bands of survivors unable to understand or maintain what technological infrastructure remained on the planet. Eventually a planetary government was re-established, the New Orion Empire, claiming to be the legitimate inheritor and successor of that ancient culture. Alkar today still bears heavy cratering softened by thousands of years of erosion, and ruins of ancient Orion cities are carefully excavated for more clues to their ancient knowledge and culture. The New Orion Empire itself is a hereditary monarchy based on an ideology of a duty of service by the throne to the people. The power of the Emperor is at least theoretically unlimited, but ancient tradition and a sense of duty has thus far reined in the worst tyrannical excesses of an absolute monarch, at least to some degree. The Alkari people themselves tend to be fiercely proud and unified, although the throne still must enforce its authority by force. Alkari also prove to be excellent void pilots, their inherent instincts of flight helping them easily visualise complex three-dimensional maneuvers. Ancient grants of privilege and land or Imperial town charters make for a staggeringly complex legal landscape in which to conduct trade.  Six years later, in 554, the planet of Talabar in the Tur system was colonised by Narestan settlers. Talabar had small oceans and relatively sparse rainfall, but nonetheless the fertile valleys formed by its rain were fairly hospitable to life. A stable global biosphere stretched across the planet, producing a breathable atmosphere and landscapes of a spare and austere beauty.   This new colony proved to be within range of probes of the United Empire of Bulra, a single-system empire inhabited by the Bulrathi species. Early discussions with the Bulrathi by the Consortium for Xenogovernmental Negotiations led the United Empire's government to agree to permit commercial traffic over the borders, although closer scientific cooperation between researchers remained out of reach at that point.  The Bulrathi were a massive, physically-powerful race native to the high-gravity world of Bulra. Powerful muscles, bones reinforced with a high metal content, and heavy bony plates armoring their vitals render them extremely resistant to injury, while their aggressive temperment has led to a tumultuous, wartorn history. Bulra remained politically disunified until only six years before the Bulrathi invention of hyperspace drives, when the United Empire finally crushed the last opposition on Bulra. Bulrathi society continued on as a fractious group of differing cultures held in line by the Imperial authority, which rules by aid of an extensive administrative bureaucracy under the Emperor. By this point, many Narestans had begun to consider the generally oppressive nature of alien governments they had thus far encountered deeply disturbing, although maintaining the peace and reaping the benefits of trade still were favored by Narestan people.   Over the course of the same year, the Consortium for Xenogovernmental Negotiations served as an intermediary for technology transfers between Mrrshan interests and interests within Narestan space. The Mrrshan had developed methods to generate and read focused tachyon pulses. Although no faster in travelling between star systems than the earlier communications probes, tachyon-based communications were considerably less expensive to operate once the initial equipment was set up, and allowed for a continuous stream of transmissions between systems where communications were previously limited to the most important messages bundled in mail packages via communications probes. The Mrrshan had also developed a means to induce the development of telepathic talents in selected individuals, which proved to be an extremely secure and private method to arrange short-range conversations, despite being unable to take information from an unaware or unwilling mind. The Mrrshan, for their part, gained access to some of the fruits of Narestan materials science and economics, helping to improve the profitability of many of their business enterprises and prosperity of their civilisation. Given that the research cost of these exchanges wasn't very lopsided, I just did the transfers without consultation. They're worth it, especially given our poor spying abilities- Telepathic Training gives us a modest spy bonus.    Over the remainder of the 550s, Narestan exploration efforts continued, charting the contents of two new systems, while research and economic development continued at an accelerating pace. By 558, a series of techniques to gradually rework weather patterns, adjust the abundance of water, introduce an atmosphere or alter atmospheric composition, and introduce series of new organisms to gradually improve the state of a planetary biosphere from nonexistent to Nares-like had been perfected by major engineering firms. Although worlds with very hostile surface conditions due to irradiation or toxic environments were beyond the scope of these techniques, nonetheless they promised to radically alter the appearance of Narestan worlds over time.  The end of the decade in 560 proved to be a highly significant year. Security services on Nares had been steadily improving services over the past century of Narestan civilisation, while industrial firms continued to strengthen their position. 560 saw a notable economic boom on Nares and Sedal, with investment and industrial output surging. In the background, security services quietly began assembling covert investigation teams to track down fugitives and bring them to justice. The assassin ability for leaders gives a chance each turn to eliminate a spy being used against you, or a defending spy in an empire you are spying on. This gives us a modest defensive layer, on top of the economic bonuses.    Meanwhile, a series of innovations in personal and vehicle weaponry saw rail rifles and particle rifles hit the market, along with light support weapons based on the same technology. These proved to provide greater firepower than older technologies, and swiftly grew to dominate the market. Continued negotiations, for their part, had begun to ensure closer relations with both the New Orion Empire and the United Empire of Bulra, which promised to help ensure the growing prosperity of Narestan civilisation and its continuing peace. Narestan Civilisation as of 560   Nares and Sedal in the Tel system have seen dropping birth rates as improved medicine has reduced the death rate, and what excess births there are are largely absorbed by recruits for a new colonisation mission. Both have seen gradual process improvements in industry boost productivity and have benefited from expanded trade as the Narestan civilisation has contacted new alien civilisations. Nares is the site of construction for a new colonisation mission, and where its recruits are gathering, while Sedal continues to be noted for its training of security consultants across the span of Narestan civilisation. Nares remains, by far, the single most productive world in Narestan civilisation, as well as its primary source of agricultural exports for those worlds that cannot support their own population with industrial hydroponics.  Sadesal's population has stabilised at approximately five billion, and has become a growing contributor to Narestan research and trade. The shipyard over Sadesal has been dedicated to manufacturing commercial freighters, expanding the shipping capacity of Narestan civilisation. It and Tanan are also the primary gateway ports for Mrrshan and Meklar trade, although improvements in Mrrshan fuel bunkerage have meant that many Mrrshan freighters have begun plying a route directly between Tel and Yoth to serve the markets of Nares and Sedal.  Tanan's growth to approximately three billion inhabitants has seen it progress from a fairly marginal contributor to interplanetary trade to an undeniably profitable part of Narestan civilisation. Growth of employment from its previously tiny research community has greatly increased its contributions to the advance of the frontiers of knowledge.  Talesen now exceeds four billion persons in population, and is another site of major commercial shipbuilding. It is a mature colony that is a major contributor to the wider civilisation.  Renar is a highly productive industrial center whose shipyards have been dedicated to the construction of a formidable new drone carrier, the Sentinel, but one dependent on outside imports to upkeep its high level of development. The world is the primary port of call for Alkari freighters entering Narestan space, and so trade easily covers any shortcomings of the local economy.  Tenesal has already developed respectable local industry and infrastructure. Modest agricultural surpluses and a minor local technology industry help cover needed imports that support the economy while the population grows, the economy diversifies, and local business practices are improved. The world is anticipated to eventually be a major agricultural exporter, although as of yet the agricultural sector is limited primarily to industrial hydroponics.  Talabar is the youngest colony world of the Narestan civilisation, and still in the process of fully building up robotic industry on the planet. The world serves as the primary port of entry for Bulrathi traders into Narestan space.  Alien trade volumes have more than doubled over the past two decades, while corporate investment into security against industrial espionage has dramatically increased. The New Orion Empire, unknown to the Narestans a mere 20 years ago, is now the single largest alien trade partner of Narestan civilisation. Scientific cooperation with Bulrathi researchers is still being established, at fairly significant expense, but should show its benefits sometime in the future.  Overall investment and innovation have shown healthy growth over the past two decades, while Narestan shipping capacity to serve its needs for trade has more than doubled. A colonisation mission to the Xendalla system is only two years out- Narestan civilisation has spread over six systems and shows no signs yet of stopping its growth. Contact with new alien civilisations has helped accelerate the growth of the Narestan economy and boost living standards for all its people, and many hope that further exploration will lead to even more new alien contacts. A peaceful system of trade extends across all of known space. Investment Proposals Technology Acquisition The Meklars have access to advanced magnetic acceleration technology that could be built into modern security drones; they ask for information on Narestan consumer positronics in exchange. With access to Meklar weapons technology, it seems likely Narestan researchers may be able to pursue other avenues of investigation rather than reinventing void-ready mass drivers. Please vote yea or nay on trading the Meklars Holo Simulators for Mass Drivers; this will ensure we can get shields for our ships in a reasonable timeframe. Research Priorities The experience of Narestan colonies on irradiated planets has led to continued efforts to develop more effective ways of protecting settlements against radiation than the simple expedient of nearly burying settlements currently most used. Some researchers believe they may have promising leads on ways to negate incoming radiation through destructive interference, but a great deal more research is necessary. Other projects under way include a series of studies funded by different industrial interests into a wide array of incremental improvements in technologies for every field of the economy, likely to lead to improved productivity for a workforce educated and trained enough to take advantage of them, major advances in controlled industrial agriculture that could be deployed on every world in Narestan space, or a series of minor research programs funded by different elements of shipbuilding industries. Please vote between Planetary Radiation Shields, Astro Universities, Subterranean Farms, or Tachyon Scanners/Merculite Missiles as research priorities. Continued innovation continues to promise continued improvement in Narestan prosperity into the future- one can only hope this promise is fulfilled.
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Nov 30, 2016 23:24
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Yea and Astro Universities. Science!
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Nov 30, 2016 23:37
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Nay on the tech-trade. Honestly, I'm still not sure if tier one shields are really worth the space they take up on the ship. Planetary radiation shields - their ability to deradiate planets combos well with terraforming, and they provide a fairly powerful layer of defense early in the game. Does any faction have biospheres up for trade? e: ^^^^ They actually add less science than research labs for a much higher cost. We're better off working on ways of maximizing population right now.
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Nov 30, 2016 23:39
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As a knowlessman, what is the actual impact of being stupendously, ridiculously wealthy? What do the Narestan people do that other empires don't? And when is someone going to try to stab us in the back? 
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Nov 30, 2016 23:43
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:As a knowlessman, what is the actual impact of being stupendously, ridiculously wealthy? What do the Narestan people do that other empires don't? As one who is knowledgeable- the Narestans are designed in such a way that they will rapidly advance in technology and have the economic strength to implement new advances rapidly and seamlessly. By rapidly building up their economic infrastructure, they can then start a rapid program of colonisation while they continue to race ahead in the technology tree so they have the power to tackle endgame challenges relatively early. Their rapid colonisation combined with a playstyle that emphasises taking advantage of all the trade and friendship they can get also means they're well-situated for getting early Galactic Council wins. my dad posted:e: ^^^^ They actually add less science than research labs for a much higher cost. We're better off working on ways of maximizing population right now. This is true, but science isn't their only benefit. Not to weigh in one way or another, but what they do is modestly increase the productivity of all three of agriculture, industry, and science. (I actually have a pet theory that the visual design of the Astro University as a structure is meant to suggest this, although I'm unsure if anybody wants to hear it.) nweismuller fucked around with this message at 00:38 on Dec 1, 2016 |
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Dec 1, 2016 00:29
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my dad posted:Nay on the tech-trade. Honestly, I'm still not sure if tier one shields are really worth the space they take up on the ship. This.
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Dec 1, 2016 00:38
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nweismuller posted:(I actually have a pet theory that the visual design of the Astro University as a structure is meant to suggest this, although I'm unsure if anybody wants to hear it.) 3 smaller structures around a tower, each showing similarity to a different structure associated with the production of the appropriate resource?
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Dec 1, 2016 00:42
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my dad posted:3 smaller structures around a tower, each showing similarity to a different structure associated with the production of the appropriate resource? Well, almost- the tower actually is the bit that's most reminiscient of the 'research' structures to me.  On the left, there's a brown, blocky structure- the brown being reminiscent of the color used for industrial structures, and the blockiness suggesting being 'solidly built'. On the right, the striations on the dome of the building are very reminiscent of the crop rows seen in both hydroponic farms and subterranean farms. And the large bright windows of the central tower along with the specific color used to frame them looks a lot like the research lab to me. The low gray structure in the center-front has no direct analogue, but as both the smallest structure and the one that looks most to me like the sort of stuff you might find in a central plaza... E: I am of course open to counterarguments that tell me I'm misinterpreting things, but that's what I see, at least. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 01:04 on Dec 1, 2016 |
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Dec 1, 2016 00:51
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Yea on the trade, go for radiation shields. Also, if there's one thing we've learned across the years and universes, it's to never trust a space bear  
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Dec 1, 2016 04:25
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Crazycryodude posted:Also, if there's one thing we've learned across the years and universes, it's to never trust a space bear Within the hearts of space bears lurks only darkness, clearly. But yes, by this point it's actually distinctly striking to Narestans how widespread actual dictatorships are amongst 'not-them'. One thing I'm curious about- does anybody have ideas what some of the perceptions of Narestans (or, for that matter, any other species) might be amongst some of these other species we've met? I wonder, for instance, what people imagine the Mrrshan-on-the-street perception might be.
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Dec 1, 2016 04:39
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Great, now I'm going to have "Music From the Hearts of Space Bears" as a phrase stuck in my head for weeks. As for the Mrrshan on the street's opinion of Narestans, hrm. The primary interaction for an average citizen would be via imported manufactured goods, which I'm given to understand is manufactured both to great precision and with a goodly amount of ornamentation and aesthetic design. Meanwhile, Narestan culture is a lot more free-wheeling and individualistic than the other star nations seem to be, and this probably impacts the Research Agreements. So my guess is that the general impression of Narestans is some kind of mix between Santa's Elves and Mad Scientists. The first human fictional analog that came to mind for me was actually Dr. Scratchundsniff from Animaniacs
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Dec 1, 2016 06:27
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That's actually a really interesting thought for me. Thank you very much!
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Dec 1, 2016 06:50
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I've now flipped through the LP again quickly to see what tech trades we did explicitly. There's some food for thought there, too. Meklar civilization advanced as its technology did, and the way this was done was by amplifying the power of organic beings by merging them into machines. The Meklar concept of "cyborg" is like everyone else's concept of "tool use", and in Meklar thought, their current state is just the natural progression of mechanical augmentation that started back when they first started carving blades and shields out of stone and wood to give themselves the claws and armor that their flesh lacked. The Narestans challenge a huge number of these assumptions. At first glance, the Narestans are strictly more primitive - they're using the old medieval notion of wielding one's mechanical enhancements rather than making them part of you. But as contact deepened, it became clear that traditional Meklar notions of civilizational progress were direly insufficient. Prior to alien contact, the Meklar lacked a notion of autonomous machines, which could act and react in sophisticated ways without being directed by an organic will. The first tech trade was Automated Repair Systems, not because they actually accomplished anything for the Meklar, but because they needed to see for themselves that this model of civilizational development could produce equivalent results. So to the Meklar, the Narestans were deeply, deeply discomfiting, but with the more recent trade of Robo-Miner technology they may be starting to accept the notion of autonomous machines as a useful technique in their own right. An average citizen is starting to shift their view from "terrifyingly alien" to "fascinatingly alien". The Mrrshan, meanwhile, don't have such a cultural gulf in their technological worlds, which may explain why the trades they've done have been both more eclectic and more common. That said, the most recent set of trades are a bit interesting. The Narestans shared ways to do common things (build armor, organize corporations) better and at larger scales. To get these practical and down-to-Fieras things, the Mrrshan brought mind-reading and hyperwave to the table. I suspect in the popular fiction of both cultures, it's the Mrrshan that get to be the Jedi.
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Dec 1, 2016 07:55
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ManxomeBromide posted:I suspect in the popular fiction of both cultures, it's the Mrrshan that get to be the Jedi. This is probably only compounded by the fact that Mrrshan marksmanship and reflexes are uncanny, which gives a way for Mrrshan to pull off certain martial feats with simple skill that would be impossible to Narestans.
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Dec 1, 2016 08:07
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Actually, this gels something in my mind. The Mrrshan in particular actually find it hilarious- from a mix of mindset and history- that the great historical war that's still discussed centuries later as having 'ravaged society' in Narestan society was a glorified extended pirate-hunting expedition. Other alien species are aware of this and find it odd, but the Mrrshan find it deeply funny that you could possibly have society that could even grace that with the name of 'war'. The Bulrathi have major wars quite recently in their history, as well, but find the difference more 'bizarre' than 'funny'. The Alkari find in the generally peaceful character of Narestan history a strange juxtaposition of nobility and raw selfishness that is simultaneously admirable and somewhat unsettling, while the Meklars noted that Narestans were more peaceful than them in history, but, well, it addressed the issues the Narestans faced, I guess- and so they actually make little judgement one way or the other on that fact beyond acknowledging it as a fact. I can easily see a comedic work of Mrrshan fiction about the great trials of some fictional Narestan 'war hero' in which the challenge of the 'war' is comically non-threatening and unchallenging. E: Actually, that reminds me- Crazycryodude, did you still intend to mess around with ship designs from that war, or no? Please don't feel obligated, I'm just curious if it slipped your mind. E again: as a matter of trivia, given current fuel cell technology, the Mrrshan and Meklar should have direct contact, as should the Alkari and Bulrathi, but neither of those pairs should have contact with the other one barring specifically-placed wormholes I don't know about. E yet again: if people are interested, I can cheat briefly in order to drop hints and rumors about what other alien species other species we know have contact with, but I won't do it if people prefer to preserve the suspense. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 09:06 on Dec 1, 2016 |
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Dec 1, 2016 08:25
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Oh, sorry, completely slipped my mind. I'm still very much interested, but just haven't found the time (currently neck deep in finals, but in a little over a week I will be freed from my chains).
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Dec 1, 2016 16:50
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One cultural detail that the Narestans never developed- they do not do 'uniforms' in the same sense Humans do. They have situations where there is 'standard issue equipment' as required by the practical demands of a job, and in situations where clear identification of affiliation is critical (like with security field officers) they will have badges and brassards to mark people out, but the idea of 'dictating what clothes somebody has to wear to do a job' strikes them as incredibly overbearing and nonsensical. (For jobs like firefighting where the practical demands of protection actually end up dictating full protective outfits, this may be very close to a full uniform in practise, but in those cases personalisation of your own personal issue equipment tends to become almost universal.)
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Dec 2, 2016 00:25
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How are you using all of that extra cash? Are you just buying buildings and ships as soon as they become available?
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Dec 2, 2016 01:33
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McGavin posted:How are you using all of that extra cash? Are you just buying buildings and ships as soon as they become available? The price per unit of production depends on how much production already went into building things. It's 4BC/hammer at 0%, and 2BC/hammer at 50+%. This gets ludicrously expensive when trying to outright buy ships. Obviously, nweis knows what he's doing better than I can try to guess, but he's most likely only outright buying automated factories, while everything else gets built halfway before being purchased.
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Dec 2, 2016 01:38
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my dad posted:The price per unit of production depends on how much production already went into building things. It's 4BC/hammer at 0%, and 2BC/hammer at 50+%. This gets ludicrously expensive when trying to outright buy ships. In general, setting up a new planet I purchase automated factories, hydroponics farms, and research labs outright in the first three years of a colony once I get my economy rolling. After that, it's a mix of accelerating development on new planets after they have some time to have industry work through things, and buying out partially-finished colony ships to spread more quickly. Given the large cash surpluses I run, things get very accelerated.
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Dec 2, 2016 01:45
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Personally, I consider the best way to evaluate what to invest in is to think how much time is saved per credit spent. This is why production structures are prime targets for buying, and why I often spend more money directly on large but poor planets than I do on the rich ones, unless I'm specifically turning a planet into a shipbuilding (or with artifacts, research) center. The colony overview is pretty good for this.
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Dec 2, 2016 01:57
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As a negative stereotype, given the military traditions of other races, Narestans are seen as faithless mercenaries. They seem to identify with their employer more then race or nation, and require high pay to be convinced into combat roles. I imagine Narestans tend to fill the 'Evil Vizier' role in multi-ethnic stories.
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Dec 2, 2016 04:57
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Thanksgiving The Throne Hall of the Imperial Palace on Alkar was an ancient structure, dating to the years when Alkari fought Alkari with sword, spear, and bow over the hills and fields of their world. Tall vaults of gray granite were broken by long windows that ran from floor to ceiling, letting in sunlight and wind, with shutters of beaten gold able to be closed against the rain. In alcoves along the walls, stretching up along their whole height, statues of past Emperors brooded, interspersed with religious art on the walls depicting the holy Orions who were the great benefactors of the Alkari people. The glasswork lamp clusters that hung from the ceiling had once held oil lanterns, but modernity had long since replaced the archaic lights amongst the intricate glasswork with diodes. The Orions, after all, no doubt did not rely on mere burning oil to light their own halls in their day. In the center of the hall, where any attendant or petitioner could focus their attention, a tall spire of sculpted stone ended in support for a horizontal golden bar, etched over its entire surface with designs and formulas of rulership- the Imperial Throne. Later modifications had added display screens hanging down from the ceilings to either side of the Throne, where the Emperor might turn his head and take reports from his servants in his governorship. The windows were open and the sun bright that summer on Alkar, and the Emperor Tauvua Preet clutched with both feet upon the Throne as he heard from those petitioning him. He grasped the Sword of State in one hand, the emblem of his office, while he held the other against his chest in proper ritual stillness. The Lord Governor Pooreeth of Velaree- a pleasant stretch of hill land in the temperate latitudes of Alkar's southern hemisphere and one important to the mining of titanium- was giving what was, to the Emperor's mind, an interminable report on anticipated titanium output and deliveries to the Imperial shipyards over the following five years when the Emperor's attention was suddenly struck by a musical tone from one of the viewscreens. "Critical Alert." The Emperor raised his hand clutched against his chest to call a halt to Lord Governor Pooreeth's report. "A moment, my loyal servant." Words hung glowing on the screen. "Probe dispatch from Hase system has discovered a previously unknown alien species." As the Emperor read this, he burst out, delighted. "The Orions have blessed us, my loyal subjects! We have met yet another species travelling the stars!" And the Throne Hall of the Imperial Palace was filled, spontaneously, with songs of praise and thaksgiving to the holy Orions that their beloved children the Alkari should meet yet others to whom the stars were granted, for though this was not the first time they had contacted aliens since they took to the stars, still each time was a blessing. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 16:52 on Dec 3, 2016 |
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Dec 3, 2016 07:47
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I just tried something a little different, and I hope it worked well for people. Do let me know if it was enjoyed.
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Dec 3, 2016 07:56
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Wow! I think this is my favorite lore post you've done so far! Amazing writing.
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Dec 3, 2016 08:55
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I dig. Always nice to meet xenophile races.
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Dec 3, 2016 13:30
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I am so glad this LP is back. This was one of my all-time fave 4x games, and putting new lore to the races is really fun to read.
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Dec 3, 2016 13:59
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Nice work, nweis!
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Dec 3, 2016 19:09
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I basically subsist on fluff, so yes, I liked it
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Dec 3, 2016 19:09
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I'm going to ask for a tiebreaker on whether to do the proposed tech trade or not; I also think my asking whether I should check to see if I could get advanced hints of who the aliens we've met have contact with might have been missed, as I didn't get any approval or disapproval of the idea. (It's technically cheating, but it's entirely in interests of me dropping narrative hints rather than grabbing advantage.)
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Dec 4, 2016 09:39
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Go for it! Also, nice birdlore post.
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Dec 4, 2016 11:31
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nweismuller posted:I'm going to ask for a tiebreaker on whether to do the proposed tech trade or not; I also think my asking whether I should check to see if I could get advanced hints of who the aliens we've met have contact with might have been missed, as I didn't get any approval or disapproval of the idea. (It's technically cheating, but it's entirely in interests of me dropping narrative hints rather than grabbing advantage.) I think a few narrative hints would be fun, your lore posts are always good so it'd be interesting to build on those. Remind me, if an alien has a treaty or war with a species you haven't met yet, do you get to see this in their status screen?
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Dec 4, 2016 11:50
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inflatablefish posted:I think a few narrative hints would be fun, your lore posts are always good so it'd be interesting to build on those. Remind me, if an alien has a treaty or war with a species you haven't met yet, do you get to see this in their status screen? You can see alliances and wars, but not other diplomatic relations. I think it's logical that at least vague information might percolate through secondhand, honestly.
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Dec 4, 2016 12:01
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I think it's completely reasonable that we'd have heard of other races second-hand, especially if they're allies or there are active hostilities. If they're allies, the Narestans might even have met a few of them at summits or high society events. I also think that absent that level of tie, we wouldn't have heard about it. If you only know about it through GNN, that's still cheating. Mixed vote on distant races, as outlined above. The Mrrshan idea of a Narestan "war hero" has been bouncing around in my brain for awhile but it turns out I'm really bad at patter songs.
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Dec 5, 2016 00:35
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| # ? Apr 16, 2024 10:14 |
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The Feast a sequel to 'Thanksgiving' The conference room was not atypical for many on Nares. One side was an uninterrupted sweep of glass on the side of an office tower in the city of Jenal, looking out over the glittering lights of Jenal at night and at the elegant rise of the Aspirant Financial Services tower directly across the street, many of whose windows shone out with the people still working there. The other walls were polished dark stone, gleaming with the reflections of the crystalline blisters of light fixtures along the wall and traced by hairline-thin lines of gold inlay set about bands of geometric relief sculpture on the walls rising from floor to ceiling, while the floor was a soft black nap of carpeting. The table that dominated the center of room was a polished glass-topped circle, with full-sized keyboards built into the top where the chairs surrounding it sat. The Narestans that filtered into the room were dressed formally- most with jackets and trousers in black or gray, although here and there a brilliant blue, or purple, or green marked somebody with more colorful tastes. Metal and brilliant stones flashed on intricate brooches, on rings, on earrings, or on bracelets, bright contrasts to the sober coloration about them. As they took their seats, each pulled out their own tablet computer, using lengths of optical cable to attach their own computer to the keyboard at the table, providing a more comfortable input method. Finally, as the last chair filled, one of the Narestans about the table raised her voice and spoke. "Respected individuals of the Board of Directors of the Xenogovernmental Negotiations Consortium- this meeting is now in session to discuss the alien contacts that have been ongoing in the Yhe system. Continued work by consortium xenologists has allowed us to build up a vocabulary and begin more fruitful conversations with the aliens- who call themselves Alkari. Their government, the so-called 'New Orion Empire', has requested formal discussion with the Narestan government." A ripple of laughter spread through the conference room. "The good news is that they have made a statement that they welcome contact with our species and look forward to the opportunity for trade and friendly relations. Respected individuals, I believe it is safe to say that we should have few difficulties negotiating rights of passage back and forth between Narestan space and the New Orion Empire, and we should have no difficulty marketing our xenologic expertise and computer translation packages to interested firms." The Directors of the Board began to review the briefings assembled by the xenologists, determining the promise and profit of a new alien civilisation. nweismuller fucked around with this message at 23:03 on Mar 27, 2017 |
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Dec 5, 2016 00:54
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