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Initially, this concept was introduced as a placeholder, with the general idea of introducing overarching stories generated by the game. The assumption was that it would be relatively simple to extract these narratives from the special action database. However, that turned out not to be the case. Player feedback has made it evident that a mere explanation of what officers are doing might suffice to fill this space. Still, considering the high volume of turns most players engage in, it's uncertain whether this would significantly impact the gaming experience.
This has led us to explore two distinct approaches:
Character Stories:
As each character in the game is now a unique entity, we can start documenting their major actions, such as space battles, new assignments, or mundane cargo runs, in a separate database. Over time, we can piece together a character's story based on their actions. Additionally, as officers take on more responsibilities, we can incorporate these actions into the database as well. This approach enables us to create personal biographies for officers based on their in-game experiences. GPT, with its capacity to add depth and detail to raw data, could assist in making these narratives seem less mechanistic. The effectiveness of this approach will depend on the advancement of AI technology, but leveraging open-source models may soon yield promising results for more natural inferences.
Factions:
We propose expanding the factions within the game, some of which may not be directly playable, to represent various major interest groups. These factions could include system governments, royal houses, or even a bunch of pirates. A faction's role can be categorized as one of the following:
- Government: Those in control of populations.
- Civilians: Inhabitants of specific regions.
- Insurgency: Small groups with goals opposed to established governments.
- Criminal: Operating within a government's framework but disregarding its laws.
- Religion: Groups with objectives unrelated to governance.
- Guilds: Collectives with simple goals [Explorers/Researchers/Mercenaries]
- Species: Where there are different species on a world, there is scope for civil disruption/cultural differences.
Factions could possess profiles similar to player affiliations, specifying how and where they interact. This approach allows for the creation of a set of desires and actions for each faction.
With factions having their own objectives, we can design interactions that directly involve players. These interactions could range from players arriving on a planet and being approached by a faction operating there, with a request that aligns with the faction's current goals.
This concept is more substantial than it might appear at first glance. By introducing antagonists with defined desires, it naturally leads to the development of engaging storylines. Endowing factions with fears and desires enables the creation of meaningful, context-driven actions. This will necessitate some enhancements to the mission system, but these changes will only manifest to players as actionable notifications, ensuring that the game remains engaging even with a high number of turns.
Character Story Pathways:
The possibility of having a few generic pathways that can generate criteria/missions for characters. These pathways will have Benefits and Obligations:
Examples
- Mentor/Family - Benefit - a free heir (with similar skill set) if character dies; Obligation - select homeworld/sector that character has to return to when called.
- Ambassador/Bounty Hunter/Privateer/Smuggler - Benefit - access to skills; Obligation - visit various different worlds with populations/species.
- Prodigy - Benefit - faster rate of xp; Obligation - need to take risks, enter battle etc to activate time limited benefit
- Loner - Benefit - offered small trade deals with NPCs; Obligation - limits on crew size xp
- Hunted - Benefit - Hears about system pirate activity when docked; Obligation - occasionally shot at when docked
- Protagonist - Benefit - good things happen; Obligation - bad things happen
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*** Inter Galactic News ***
Pirates strike palace fo the Emperor
A fleet of twenty PIR flagged warships have attacked the palace of the Emperor in the human Inner Empire. Armed with heavy weaponry the PIR ships penetrated the shields and caused significant damage. Reports indicate that a third of the palace has been left a smoking ruin. The human affiliations loyal to the Emperor scrambled their fleets to catch the pirates, but when the warships arrived the PIR ships had vanished without a trace.
The GTT has already moved to close the borders of the Inner Empire periphery, an act which seems to have already led to a few AFT trade ships getting blown up by the defensive platforms. The message is simple with the GTT PD stating to us "If you are not running any fixed assets in the Inner Empire then you are not welcome".
So far nobody has been accused of running the pirates by either the CIA or the GTT. But this represents perhaps the most serious attack on the Emperor in modern history. Our reporters have noted serious concerns from the human planets in the Inner Empire periphery about this attack. It's not understood how a previously safe area of space that was hard for PIR shps to access has been penetrated by a fleet of twenty warships without them being spotted.
Corewards Corridor sees renewed pirate activity.
After the FET destroyed a number of PIR boarding ships, it went rather quiet with pirate activity almost halting. However, reports have started to come in over the last week that the Scavenger pirates are back in action.
The AFT have reported attacks in Kaygen and Discordia. The GTT have also reported a failed attack in Kaygen.
Be aware, the pirate threat has not been eliminated and all ship captains should be prepared when undertaking long distance trips where they might be exposed to attack.
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*** Inter Galactic News ***
FET strike back at pirates
Several FET fleets including patrols and specialist operations teams have come together and landed a telling blow against the Scavenger pirate band. The FET received intelligence about the location of a PIR Javelin-R Class boarder in Daggern and immediately responded.
Forces deployed consisted of the 8th Pursuit and 35th Battle clusters, supported by the 12th and 18th Striker Trinaries, as well as the 22nd, 23rd, and 36th Battle Trinaries. This culminated in a huge FET force coming across four PIR ships. The pirates attempted to board four of the first warships to arrive and were then overwhelmed by the supporting fleet. PIR Scavenger (7818), PIR Scavenger (4582), PIR Scavenger (4956), and PIR Scavenger (82576) were all destroyed by the combined fire of the warships deployed.
GTT claim key CIV system in the Orion Spur
The GTT have undertaken a large scale operation into Monument in the Orion Spur, claiming the main CIV system in the area away from local control. When asked the GTT replied that the operation started as part of their hunting down IND positions, due to IND attacks they had been the target of. Locals have claimed that it was clearly a power grab.
GTT transports delivered over a million troops and hundred of thousands of tanks to the CIV system of Monument and both IND bases fell quickly. A small number of IND ships fled the orbit, some were destroyed and some escaped. The local population have maintained their strong local claim but so far GTT forces have deployed enough manpower to maintain control of the system.
The system of Monument coming under GTT control sees an increasing push by GTT forces into Orion Spur.
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*** Inter Galactic News ***
Pirates strike in Solo!
After a brief period of calm, with little pirate activity reported, a significant attack has been launched in the Solo system. Piecing together information from several sources we believe that ten pirate ships simultaneously entered orbit of the Solo Stargate and attacked multiple ships from the FEL, FLZ, CIA and KRT. Seven ships were stolen in one day. This may represent the largest organized pirate attack to steal ships we have seen to date.
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Greetings one and all,
The Sub Space Static is undergoing a number of changes including more user friendly ways to submit articles to the Editor. If you have any newsworthy articles or pieces of random gossip the office of the Associate Editors is open and eager to report.
Confidentiality is assured in all submissions.
The Associate Editor |
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*** Inter Galactic News ***
--- Flagritz Special ---
In what can be viewed as another significant long-term cultural shift the promotion and teaching of the more extreme Cliriq and Xenos philosophies has allegedly been banned in all Government, Public and Academic institutions across Flagtitz Territory. Rumors of the execution of dissenting hard-liners abound.
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*** Inter Galactic News ***
Falconians and Felini step up pressure on the AFT.
FCN positions have been seen striking at the AFT in Halo, backed by the FEL who have been observed helping the Falconians. Our reporters have managed to find out that this is the result of long standng issues between the AFT and FCN regarding property ownership. The FCN has been bringing forces into Halo to strike at the AFT, with many of us at the SSS expecting the conflict to end quickly. However, despite the FCN's backing, the AFT has proven itself to be resourceful and challenging opponent. Strikes by the AFT have destroyed and boarded multiple FCN ships in the Halo periphery proving that the AFT is not going to be backing down easily.
GTT claim Solo
Following unheaval in the Empire the NHS collapsed, leaving Solo once again free to become a flashpoint. The GTT moved swiftly to claim the system, promising to bring peace to a system that not only claims to be the centre of the galaxy, but also the centre of political pressure and conflict. Despite initial reservations from many affiliations the privatised Empire security company shipped in a million troops to quell any discontent. At the point of writing this report all the affiliations in the system have backed the GTT's claim with the exception of the DTR, who are continuing to show the Empire that they don't like the expansionist humans reaching out to take such an important central system with key transport links.
IND warships spotted in Yank and Halo
With small time operators that want to stay out of the way of the bigger affiliations, IND flagged positions are rarely seen other than the occasional outpost or freighter. Recently a squad of IND flagged Broadsword warships was seen moving between Yank and the Halo periphery. Nobody seems to know what this fleet of warships is doing or what these ships have been built for, but maybe we are about to see the birth of a new conflict or affiliation.
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*** Inter Galactic News ***
Empire pushes out Free Traders
With ongoing claims of AFT activities moving from it's traditional neutral trade welcome everywhere to more nefarious deeds, the Empire in general and the GTT in particular has taken action to send the AFT a message that their new actions won't be tolerated. Over a couple of weeks the AFT saw all it's registered fixed assets seized within GTT systems. So far there has been no attempt to extend actions and hunt down AFT ships or other positions in any systems outside the Empire, so we are assuming the GTT considers it's actions sufficient to send the once peaceful traders a message. We believe the FEL have also joined in due to exasperation with AFT actions. We contacted the GTT for a comment to be told that the actions had been profitable, the kind of remark you should probably expect from a mega-corp.
Solo becomes pirate hotspot
Our reporters have received numerous messages regarding pirates lately, especially in the Solo system. Since the NHS took the system over from the DTR pirate attacks seem to have escalated. Over the last two months we have been made aware of over a dozen ships being lost to pirates with no doubt more falling victim to the vicious pirates as owners do not want to admit they have taken losses. The DTR have offered to assist the NHS with policing the system, but so far the NHS has not asked for assistance. Large fleets of FET warships have been seem patrolling the system and CIA warships have also been seen accompanying freighters, but so far we have not received any reports that the pirates have lost ships in retaliation. Although the CIA have damaged two vessels enough for them to require serious repairs.
Zaxividani Naru's peacful Deweik
Imagine our surprise when our office learned of the new group of Deweik lead by Zaxividani Naru. What makes this group noteworthy is it's peaceful intentions. For many years the canine based species has been well known for it's love of drinking, fighting and finding itself at odds with the Empire, leading to some massive battles. Even recent history has mention of fleets with over 700 capital ships fighting for the DEN keeping the Empire honest and even pushing them back. So to find that a Deweik group has joined with the Mohache, probably the most peace loving beings in the peripheries, came as quite a shock. We at the SSS wish them well in their future among the stars.
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*** Inter Galactic News ***
Claims settle in Solo and Faery
With the NHS bringing in almost a million troops into Solo and the GTT choosing it's moment to contest Faery at the same time, it seems the DTR and it's alllies either found it hard to find enough troops to respond or quite simply decided it wasn't worth the hassle as there were far more important matters to deal with in the Senate. Who knows what other life threatening topics they have to discuss, such as the correct biscuit to have with afternoon tea. The end result is that Solo and Faery, both systems with significant incomes, are now under control of Empire based affiliations.
GTT move to clear out the Dewiek Pocket Pheriphery
Having resorted to bribery to get other affiliations to move out of the DHP, with rumoured multi-million stellar amounts being offered, the GTT now appear to have cranked the pressure up. An AFT base has been attacked and a few of the nearby ships have been blown up and damaged by GTT warship class ships patrolling the area. As we write this report, information we have seen shows that the GTT have already taken 20% of the AFT base and fighting continues. We approached the GTT to ask why they are resorting to force and were told that they have had to move significant military power into the DHP to deal with ANT forces, so now they are mopping up all the resistance of other affilaitions that were asked to leave and decided not to.
BHD relics and trophies
Pope Akhenaten of the Brotherhood has been touting more and more wares that are unique to the BHD. If you are missing a holy relic and have no idea how to fill that little space in your living quarters then you know where to go. From robes to candles, literature to wine and novelty ornaments, it's never been easier to bring a little bit of the Brotherhood home and exchange your stellars for spiritual well being.
*** Affiliations ***
AFT Association of Free Traders (54) - Marion Tweedy
BHD - Brotherhood (63) - Akhenaten
CIA Combined Intelligence Agency (64) - Laton CIA
DNA Displaced Natives Asylum (66) - DNA people
DTR Detinus Republic (58) - Morley Decker
DWK Dewiek Packs (19) - <Unknown>
FCN Falconian Republic (70) – Graspien
FEL Felini Tyranny (49) - Kr'Shan
FLZ Flagritz Republic (47) - Kayxaer
FET Frontier Exploration & Trade (56) - Cu Chulainn
GTT Galactic Trade & Transport (52) - Xavier Fox
HEX Hexamon (23) - Hexamon
KRL Krell (30) - Namica
KRT Krell of the Reverence Temple (37) - Cyn
KST Kastor Kastorians (12) - Kastor
MOH Mohache (73) – Listens
NHS Noble Houses (41) – Roy Roberts
NLF Naplian Liberation Front (38) - NLFHQ
SMS Stellar Mining and Smelting (53) - MikhailM
WMB Wimble Nations (25) - zz
* Leader MAY be inactive, affiliation may be active
** Only known contact, please update us if this is incorrect.
NPC / FoC: ARC, CIV, CGT, FRE, HBO, HEF, IND, ISP, JCN, MEK, MRC, PIR, PRV, TCA, TRN, KAS
Inactive: ANT, COD, BHD, DEN, DOM, GCE, HVE, IDC, IMP, RIP, RCF, SKW, TAG,
*** Submissions ***
By private message to The Editor or via Mica if you prefer to remain anonymous. |
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*** Inter Galactic News ***
Solo claim swings back and forth
The situation in Solo appears to be getting even more heated. First the NHS dropped 600,000 troops to contest the system and then the DTR answered with enough troops of their own to trump the NHS claim. The NHS found yet more troops, taking the contesting claim up to 750,000 and once again the DTR answered, bringing Solo back under DTR control. Now the NHS have had a look down the back of the sofa and found yet more troops, taking the contesting claim to a massive 900,000 trained troops. We wait to see if the DTR have an answer to this. We can only guess where all these troops are coming from, but what is clear is that the established affiliations clearly have far larger armies than many thought.
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