Ideas for Factions

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Strategos' Risk
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 11:10 pm

Ideas for Factions

Post by Strategos' Risk »

The current factions for Terra Invicta are great and comprehensive, but here are some ideas for more potential factions, at least as fan mod concepts.

HYBRIDIZE -- like a mix of SUBMIT and RESIST, think of the Harmony affinity from Civilization: Beyond Earth, EXALT from XCOM, or UFO Cults like the Raelians. This faction believes that while the aliens are superior, humanity has inherent value as well and the future for both species is to combine as one, either through super-advanced biotechnology as well as some kinkier hippie-sex cultist types who want to do it the old-fashioned way. They believe that humans must evolve into transhumanity, and the aliens are key. However they don't necessarily worship them like SUBMIT does, and may even see hybridization as a means to RESIST the aliens in the future. In the short-term, they seek to APPEASE or COOPERATE with the aliens, but intend on eventually merging with them or create a new human-alien hybrid species with them, to supplant them if necessary.

HIBERNATE -- like ESCAPE on acid and A.I., think of all the "become a robot" choices in games- the Supremacy affinity from Beyond Earth, the Helios ending in Deus Ex, the Control path in Mass Effect 3, etc. What do A.I. have to do with aliens? Consider one of the solutions to the famous Fermi Paradox which asks why we haven't heard from aliens yet- the simulation/planetarium theories suggest that we are in a giant virtual reality simulation created by hyperintelligent aliens for some unknown purpose. This was popularized by Elon Musk a few years ago.

So what would believers in this theory do if they think aliens are real? My take is that they would believe the aliens that show up aren't the truly omnipotent ones running the simulation, but try to EXPLOIT the situation in any case. Their ultimate goal is to either "hack" the simulation through advanced physics beyond human reckoning, or to ESCAPE into a deeper level by creating advanced digital simulations. If the aliens destroy humanity, then this faction believes the only way the species to survive is to upload ourselves into a digital form and escape our fragile mortal bodies trapped on our physical planet. In other words, to HIBERNATE in a protective virtual reality, as in shows like Upload or Black Mirror's San Junipero. How do they achieve that? Besides trying to study the aliens, they also invest heavily in computing technologies almost to the exclusion of everything else, believing that humanity must not only create A.I., but become A.I. in order to escape the alien threat.

This path is sort of contrived, I guess I'm trying a little too hard to shoehorn a cybernetic faction. Though they could provide some meta fun as they believe they live in a simulation- which is true.

SELF-DESTRUCT -- could also call it SUICIDE, but that might be too dark. Based on fictional doomsday cults like the villains of Rainbow Six, they believe that humanity is inherently evil for wrecking the planet (or whatever other reason) and see that the aliens are our just punishment to ensure our own destruction. Basically they are SUBMIT to aid the aliens if they are hostile, but they also want to EXPLOIT the unstable international situation to cause war and more destruction, or to weaken the response to the aliens. A less cartoonishly evil version of this faction might be REVOLT - instead of terrorists who want to kill everyone, they are anarchists who want to use the alien situation to weaken the existing world institutions so that their preferred class/religion/nation/group comes out on top. So basically EXPLOIT if it was controlled by people who aren't already in power. Maybe too similar.

Those are some ideas. Beyond HYBRIDIZE, the others might be a little too out there, and aren't as straightforward understandable motivations as the actual 7 factions that Pavonis has come up with. So does anyone else have suggestions?
Strategos' Risk
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 11:10 pm

Re: Ideas for Factions

Post by Strategos' Risk »

Okay, maybe someone else has less esoteric ideas for good faction agendas?
Strategos' Risk
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 11:10 pm

Re: Ideas for Factions

Post by Strategos' Risk »

HYBRIDIZE / COMBINE / EVOLVE
Leader:
a wealthy male German cult leader similar to Raël
Agenda: Enhance humanity by biologically mixing with the aliens one way or another
Humanity stance: Idealist
Aliens stance: Somewhat supportive
Quote: “Our brothers from the stars come at last! Through their flesh and blood we will advance the human condition by a thousandfold.”
Influences: Raëlians + EXALT (XCOM: Enemy Within) + alien-human hybrid UFO lore + “merge with aliens endings” (Harmony affinity from C:BE, Transcendence victory from SMAC, Synthesis from Mass Effect 3, James Cameron’s Avatar)
Premise: The aliens do not have to teach us for us to learn from them. Their very biology holds untold secrets for evolving ourselves towards our next stage in evolution. We seek to study and gain mutual understanding with the aliens so we may learn to love one another. But if they reject their advances, our covert paramilitary network of fanatical transhumanists will steal their tech and genes to augment humanity into homo superior.
Details: A UFO cult meets EXALT. They see the aliens as a means to further humanity’s advancement. By blending in the respective biologies of the species, not just their technologies (as the other factions focus on), they see the way to create an advanced, enlightened hybrid species. Their leader, a charismatic free love type, would prefer to embrace the aliens, but is also not-naive enough to have his own private military infiltrators to further his goals.

DIGITIZE / TRANSCEND
Leader:
a female New Zealand programmer
Agenda: Escape the aliens by freeing human intelligence from physical constraints
Humanity stance: Somewhat cynical
Aliens stance: Neutral
Quote: “The aliens and their impossible machines are an outside context problem with incredibly disturbing ramifications. Like a drunk emerging from a stupor, our species is forced to grapple with the possibility that our very understanding of reality is incorrect.”
Influences: The Matrix + “become a robot endings” (Supremacy from C:BE, Control from Mass Effect 3, Helios from Deus Ex) + the simulation theory + the planetarium/zoo hypothesis + big brain tech billionaire doomers
Premise: The existence of a higher power changes everything. Our worldviews are woefully incomplete. Trying to fight the aliens in the physical realm is impossible because we are not even sure if they are actually our ultimate threat, or if they are just another layer of control. Let us dispense of this futile struggle altogether. We must retreat into the only place we are sure is real - our very thoughts. We must build hardened hardware devices that can exist indefinitely in the cold reaches of space, sophisticated software that can simulate reality of our own, and the necessary cybernetic systems for us to make our frail human bodies obsolete. The aliens cannot kill beings that are composed of pure thought and exist as nanobot clouds dispersed across the entire galaxy. And as we retreat into our digital shells, we may then work on discovering the true nature of reality.
Details: So, this faction concept, inspired by Elon Musk mumbo jumbo and Peter Thiel (and other tech types) fleeing to NZ, seeks to digitize humanity to escape the aliens- Project Exodus into the Matrix. The immediate idea is that by shedding our vulnerable physical forms and embracing digital mind uploads, we can truly escape the aliens- and perhaps gain immortality as a side effect. The long-term goal is more philosophical, and 420 - they interpret the aliens as evidence that we might be living in a simulation, because if such advanced beings exist, all bets are off. So they also believe in building a computer sophisticated enough to “hack” the simulation. This is a red herring path that 7/10 times leads to nothing, 1/10 times unlocks cheats, and 2/10 times glitches the game in some way. Breaking the fourth wall because this faction really does exist inside the simulation.

REVOLT / OVERTHROW
Leader:
a young female Russian political activist
Agenda: Exploit the alien arrival to destroy power
Humanity stance: Idealist
Aliens stance: Somewhat hostile
Quote: “Our oppressors are distracted by another group of imperialists. This is our chance to free the world.”
Influences: Occupy movement, anarchists
Premise: The corrupt decadent powers are finally quaking in their fancy boots. We can strike at the 1% even while they’re fighting each other. The aliens can be dealt with in due time- for now we must free humanity from the rot at the top.
Details: Basically an inverted version of the Initiative. They want to use the chaos to overthrow oppressive governments and bring about a worldwide revolution. Not necessarily communists or anarchists or even leftists. The idea is that they represent the opposite stratum that is represented by the Initiative, so they would have very different stats and gameplay strategies from them.

EXTINCT / SUICIDE / SELF-DESTRUCT
Leader:
a shadowy hooded masked figure(?)
Agenda: Further the extinction of humanity by aiding the aliens (so long as they don’t disrupt the ecological balance?)
Humanity stance: Cynical
Aliens stance: Somewhat supportive
Quote: “Humanity is a tragic mistake. Our very nature is to consume and destroy nature itself. We are creatures that should not exist. These aliens are the cure.”
Influences: Deep Green radical ecologists, the Phoenix Group from Rainbow Six, the Joker, Nihilists, 4chan as understood by 2000s-2010s media
Premise: see quote above
Details: Represents doomsday cults everywhere, and perhaps motivated by an anti-human environmentalism. (Really any sort of misanthropic philosophy would work, but I’m not able to think of any besides ones that advocate nature against humans. Otherwise is just pure chaos, which is a little too simplistic.) Basically they use the cover of alien activity to do acts of terrorism against the powers that be, similar to REVOLT, but in a more deadly and nihilistic way. They would seek to aid the aliens when it comes to attacking/killing humans. But when it comes to xenoforming, they would turn against the aliens when it affects the biosphere. (I added that twist to make them more than just the Servants, but maybe that reduces the nihilism/edgy factor of them a bit.)

IGNORE / MAINTAIN
Leader:
an Indonesian media magnate turned populist conspiracy theorist with links to military intelligence
Agenda: Cover up alien presence to preserve the existing system as much as possible
Humanity stance: Cynical
Aliens stance: Somewhat hostile
Quote: “Don’t panic! Those ‘aliens’ are just a plot by the elites to distract you from them! Read all about it in my newsletter, or download the official podcast app today!”
Influences: /u/igncom1 here- thanks! + the Men in Black + government denies knowledge
Premise: see above
Details: One part Don’t Look Up, one part the military-industrial complex, one part the media - all of it. From mainstream cable news outlets all the way to social media conspiracy theory peddlers. The idea is that the powers-that-be want to 1) prevent further panic by clamping down on reports of alien activity and 2) maintain their current power. They do so by spreading massive misinformation campaigns everywhere, both with official news, but also through marginal fringe wacko types with distorted messages. In terms of playstyle, they would probably get some sort of bonus because they somewhat represent the governments of the world, or at least the establishment figures that wants to keep things as is.
neilwilkes
Posts: 184
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2022 10:44 am

Re: Ideas for Factions

Post by neilwilkes »

I like these ideas a lot, and a future expansion pack could add some extremely interesting factions.
I particularly like the hybridize idea and this could be mixed with a cyborg type concept as well.
Some very good ideas here, and I can already tell that Mod designers are going to have a lot of fun.
The only worry is that some will be way, WAY too OP.
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