Loremakers: Community Questions
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06/18/2024 - 5:00 AMWelcome to Loremakers: Community Questions, a series focused on answering your lore quandaries and conundrums. We’ve done a deep dive through the lore Ask A Dev section and selected ten questions to answer about the Star Citizen universe. All questions were edited for context and clarity but you can click on the topic to go directly to the original post and join the conversation. Also, the Narrative team plans to do one installment of Loremakers: Community Questions every quarter with the next entry scheduled for Tuesday, September 17th, so please join the discussion and drop any other questions you might have about the universe in our Ask A Dev forum.
NPC Mission Givers
Question: Why haven’t there been any new ‘hero’ NPCs added in a while? Receiving missions through the mobiGlas feels impersonal and doesn't encourage exploration.
Answer: There have been a lot of discussions about NPCs lately as the team works with Design to craft the ultimate 1.0 experience while also looking beyond to future updates. We can't really get into specifics now, but yes, the general goal is to promote more interactions in order to help make the universe (and the mission providers) feel more alive. That being said, it's not a trivial thing to add characters to the game, so we've been trying to figure out how to approach this in a scalable way that we will be able to support beyond 1.0. Less on the mission front, but the Narrative team has also been taking a larger role in developing the Social AI behaviors in the PU. While the stories and characters slated for 1.0 are still being kept under wraps, we are aiming to start bringing improvements and personality to the various landing zones into patches sooner.
Navy Exploration
Question: Does the exploratory division of the Navy compete with the private sector? Are they just looking for strategic advantages & jump points or does it include general exploration? Are they looking for the Krell system? Have they given up on looking for the jump point to Oretani system? Why don't the Navy just pay contractors to do the work? If something is found, does High Command plan to keep it a secret? How many secret jump points are the Navy actively using? Is the UEEN Pathfinders Division the new name for the Navy Exploratory Division or are they the same thing?
Answer: Exploration is an interesting facet of the ‘verse. There are a lot of great observations here across all those questions, so we’ll try to tackle it piece by piece.
First, we’re not 100% sure where the terms “Navy Exploratory Division” or UEEN Pathfinders Division came from. If you have a link to a source, please send it our way. We’ve mentioned Exploratory Squadrons in the Whitley’s Guide for the Terrapin, as well as the UEE Exploratory Services in the introduction of the Idris Corvette. There have also been broad mentions of military pathfinders throughout the years, but we also generically refer to explorers of all stripes as “pathfinders.”
The UEE Exploratory Services are not a branch of the military. The department is tasked with both discovering new systems and surveying those discovered by private pathfinders to evaluate whether it is viable for colonization or another purpose. In their primary function of general exploration, the UEE pathfinders do compete with private sector pathfinders, but exploration is a tricky business and it’s a big universe – so there’s plenty of room for everyone. Some of the pathfinders working for both the UEE and private companies might be freelance, but most organizations would also employ their own staff.
The military in general also operate pathfinding patrols, and are usually involved in exploring systems that have intrinsic military value, such as ones that lead into known Vanduul systems. Any such jump points would absolutely be kept secret, so there’s no telling how many are in use.
As far as the Krell system is concerned, we can neither confirm nor deny. If the UEE were to be looking for it, they wouldn’t be doing it publicly, as it would likely antagonize our Xi’an friends. Lastly, regarding the Oretani system, enough time has passed that there’s not as much enthusiasm around the search for it, so it’s likely that most efforts have died down, but there’s always hope.
Vanduul Aftermath
Question: In what state do Vanduul leave the planets they've harvested? Will the environment ever recover?
Answer: When the Vanduul Harvesters are finished with a planet, all that’s left is a scarred, barren world. It is highly likely these planets will never recover their vibrancy. It’s a core part of the tragedy of a Vanduul attack – that these targeted worlds are doomed to exist only as reminders of the Vanduul’s cruelty and voraciousness. To make matters worse, the Vanduul Clans use the resources they gather to fuel their continued advance and produce more weapons of war. Some terraforming scientists have been studying the possibility of revitalizing these worlds should the UEE retake them, but to date it remains beyond the current capabilities. That said, planets that have only partially harvested do have some hope of recovery which helps to drive some of the urgency of the war effort to push back the Vanduul.
Signage in the 'verse
Question: Is there a universal language for traffic signs across the UEE?
Answer: We’re not the best team to tackle this, so we reached out to Art Director of Visual Identity, Nicolas Fortin. Here’s what he had to say in answer:
"We have started on a convention for safety signage in general, but there is still quite a lot of work to do on this front.
At the moment we are designing these signs with a local flavor approach while doing our best to maintain a certain level of consistency throughout Stanton... Pyro will have a different feel of course, as would other star systems.
There is a lot of legacy material in the game that we have to compose with too but the plan and intention is to bring more structure and consistency to these types of assets in game."
So, there you have it. Narrative works closely with branding to help review these signs and make sure they’re recognizable, while still feeling distinct, to our far-future setting.
Where is the Imperator?
Question: Where is the Imperator? Four years into her term and there's been little word of what she's doing. Is she aware of what's happening in Stanton / Pyro? XenoThreat? Did she get her AI legislation through the Senate?
Answer: While Imperator Addison has been busy, the administration has been met with frustration as many of their initiatives have encountered roadblocks. Probably the most noticeable change in the Empire so far has been the continued improvement of xeno-diplomatic relations, which are viewed as stronger than ever before. On the technology front, the ”Better Today Act'' to allow additional AI research did pass but in a heavily modified form that deeply weakened the proposed initiative. One major change was that a senate committee has to approve all AI research and so for they have only approved one project relating to improving intersystem communication.
The growing crime issue has drawn much of the Imperator’s attention away from other campaign goals, and she is stuck in a difficult place of maintaining the war against the Vanduul while trying to protect the people of the Empire. Her desired expansion of the Education budget was put on hold in favor of allocating additional resources to security spending. Additionally, recent reports have begun to indicate that there may be some unforeseen issues with the regen technology that would not only be a significant blow to her administration but Humanity itself. We will have to keep an eye out to see how that story develops…
Unions During the Messer Regime
Question: What was the relationship between the Messer Regime and the various unions/guilds? Many authoritarian governments, in their pursuit of keeping the working class oppressed, have chosen to significantly weaken or dissolve any existing guilds and unions. In Star Citizen organizations such as the United Resource Workers fought for workers' rights for centuries before Ivar Messer installed himself as the first Imperator. How did he and his successors deal with them and vice versa?
Answer: The Messer regime definitely used their power and authority to control and influence unions and guilds across the UEE. One example established in lore involves the Interstellar Transport Guild (ITG). Founded in 2391, the ITG fought and defended hauler’s rights for over a century before Ivar Messer came to power. Yet, the guild came under fire in the early 2690s when haulers in Terra filed a series of lawsuits that exposed a massive corruption scandal where ITG officials secretly funneled member dues to pro-Messer political candidates and organizations.
This subversive influence of the ITG illustrates how the Messer regime probably dealt with most of the major, established unions. Allowing entrenched pro-worker organizations to exist and operate provided their members the illusion of power. In reality, Messer sycophants and spies would infiltrate or be installed into these groups to monitor and control their actions. Then, during some particularly dark periods, guild members classified by the regime as ‘agitators’ would be offered special jobs, or simply easily tracked, only to ‘disappear’ or fall victim to some unfortunate fate.
While it was advantageous for the Messer regime to keep legacy unions around, they also used their influence to crush groups trying to establish themselves. Many of these new labor organizations had their origins in or around Terra. To keep them from spreading, the Messer regime went on the offensive in both overt and covert ways. They banned certain organizations by labeling them as fronts for gangs or the Xi’an. On the secretive side of things, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of 2806 exposed that the regime threatened to reduce the government contracts awarded to major companies, like Aegis and CDS, if any of their operations worked with these newer labor groups.
Lost Colony Ships
Question: The Whitley's Guide on the Vulture mentions that:
“In 2932, an Aegis Dynamics Reclaimer, the General Dogsbody, made history with the single most profitable salvage mission in human history when it discovered and recovered a failed 22nd-century colony ship adrift in deep space.”
22nd Century implies a date looking like 21XX; however, Artemis -- the most famous of the interstellar colony ships -- launched in 2232. Was it intended for the discovery to have been a failed 23rd-century colony ship? Or were there other colony ships (interstellar OR only interplanetary in nature) launched before Artemis?
I'm assuming that you did not intend to solve the mystery of the Artemis as a side note in Whitley's Guide... so perhaps we could know more about the other colony ships that were sent, and especially the one that was found here?
Answer: Your instincts are right. Artemis is not the colony ship found and salvaged by General Dogsbody. Artemis was but one of several colony ships Humanity sent into deep space in the late 22nd and early 23rd centuries. Prior to Nick Croshaw becoming the first person to successfully survive a roundtrip through a jump point in 2271, these ventures were seen as Humanity’s best chance at expanding our footprint in the universe. While the Artemis remains the most famous due to the ship being monitored and piloted by Janus, which at the time was the most complex AI system ever created by Humans. The ship’s sudden disappearance fourteen years prior to the expected date led to widespread speculation that the AI was at fault which galvanized anti-AI attitudes and legislation that persists to this day in the UEE. For this reason, Artemis is still remembered in the current UEE and spotlighted by the lore.
The lore hasn’t focused much on the other colony ships, but it’s a potentially rich area for us to dig into. The exact number launched remains a mystery due to several factors, including lost records due to data corruption. Also confusing the matter is that these colony ships were sent by a variety of corporate interests and individual nations in an era before the creation of the United Nations of Earth. Details about most of these ships, including their intended destinations, reasons for going, crew manifests, and supplies onboard, have been lost to time and would hamper the chances of their eventual discovery.
People's Alliance Locations
Question: Is there a space station the People's Alliance lives in? Do they have any sort of militia or navy? Have they built anything beyond Levski?
Answer: The People's Alliance notably inhabit the asteroid base of Levski, which was the site of their proposed 'new society' established to escape from the authoritarianism of the Messers.
They would have a security force to help protect Levski, but in keeping with their general ethos, it would be a purely defensive force and probably use lethal force as a last resort. As we start diving into the Nyx as a system, fictionally it would make sense that they would have settlements outside of Levski in the system to help sustain themselves whether its mining outposts or the like, but we'll have to keep you posted.
The Moraine
Question: Is it intended for this faction to have any representation outside of Nyx, and can we expect to see any info on them prior to or upon release of Nyx?
Answer: Our current intention is for the Moraine to remain specific to Nyx. They serve as a solid counterpoint to the People’s Alliance and occupy an interesting part of the “system geography” through their headquarters on the Glaciem Ring in Nyx. In addition, with their intense family focus, it’s unlikely the Moraine would grow so large as to expand beyond Nyx. Expect to see more of them as we work towards the system’s release in game.
What Hunts the Stormwals
Question: What hunts the Stormwal?
Answer: For the most part, stormwals don't have predators. Like the blue whale on Earth, they are so enormous that it takes a huge amount of effort to kill them. Predators don't really like putting more work into killing than they put into eating. Humans, who have the benefit of ships and weapons to do the job for them, are about the only things out there that prey on stormwals. Let's hope that they don't end up hunting them to extinction.
There ARE creatures out there that eat stormwals, if you'd like a little more insight into Crusader's food chain. When a stormwal dies of old age or injury, the internal mechanisms that keep it afloat slowly break down, and it begins a gradual descent into the crushing depths of Crusader. Scavengers, zooplankton, kiami, and other organisms begin to feed off the dead stormwal as it falls. This in turn causes a spike in reproductive activity. It's a real boon to the ecosystem.
NPC Mission Givers
Question: Why haven’t there been any new ‘hero’ NPCs added in a while? Receiving missions through the mobiGlas feels impersonal and doesn't encourage exploration.
Answer: There have been a lot of discussions about NPCs lately as the team works with Design to craft the ultimate 1.0 experience while also looking beyond to future updates. We can't really get into specifics now, but yes, the general goal is to promote more interactions in order to help make the universe (and the mission providers) feel more alive. That being said, it's not a trivial thing to add characters to the game, so we've been trying to figure out how to approach this in a scalable way that we will be able to support beyond 1.0. Less on the mission front, but the Narrative team has also been taking a larger role in developing the Social AI behaviors in the PU. While the stories and characters slated for 1.0 are still being kept under wraps, we are aiming to start bringing improvements and personality to the various landing zones into patches sooner.
Navy Exploration
Question: Does the exploratory division of the Navy compete with the private sector? Are they just looking for strategic advantages & jump points or does it include general exploration? Are they looking for the Krell system? Have they given up on looking for the jump point to Oretani system? Why don't the Navy just pay contractors to do the work? If something is found, does High Command plan to keep it a secret? How many secret jump points are the Navy actively using? Is the UEEN Pathfinders Division the new name for the Navy Exploratory Division or are they the same thing?
Answer: Exploration is an interesting facet of the ‘verse. There are a lot of great observations here across all those questions, so we’ll try to tackle it piece by piece.
First, we’re not 100% sure where the terms “Navy Exploratory Division” or UEEN Pathfinders Division came from. If you have a link to a source, please send it our way. We’ve mentioned Exploratory Squadrons in the Whitley’s Guide for the Terrapin, as well as the UEE Exploratory Services in the introduction of the Idris Corvette. There have also been broad mentions of military pathfinders throughout the years, but we also generically refer to explorers of all stripes as “pathfinders.”
The UEE Exploratory Services are not a branch of the military. The department is tasked with both discovering new systems and surveying those discovered by private pathfinders to evaluate whether it is viable for colonization or another purpose. In their primary function of general exploration, the UEE pathfinders do compete with private sector pathfinders, but exploration is a tricky business and it’s a big universe – so there’s plenty of room for everyone. Some of the pathfinders working for both the UEE and private companies might be freelance, but most organizations would also employ their own staff.
The military in general also operate pathfinding patrols, and are usually involved in exploring systems that have intrinsic military value, such as ones that lead into known Vanduul systems. Any such jump points would absolutely be kept secret, so there’s no telling how many are in use.
As far as the Krell system is concerned, we can neither confirm nor deny. If the UEE were to be looking for it, they wouldn’t be doing it publicly, as it would likely antagonize our Xi’an friends. Lastly, regarding the Oretani system, enough time has passed that there’s not as much enthusiasm around the search for it, so it’s likely that most efforts have died down, but there’s always hope.
Vanduul Aftermath
Question: In what state do Vanduul leave the planets they've harvested? Will the environment ever recover?
Answer: When the Vanduul Harvesters are finished with a planet, all that’s left is a scarred, barren world. It is highly likely these planets will never recover their vibrancy. It’s a core part of the tragedy of a Vanduul attack – that these targeted worlds are doomed to exist only as reminders of the Vanduul’s cruelty and voraciousness. To make matters worse, the Vanduul Clans use the resources they gather to fuel their continued advance and produce more weapons of war. Some terraforming scientists have been studying the possibility of revitalizing these worlds should the UEE retake them, but to date it remains beyond the current capabilities. That said, planets that have only partially harvested do have some hope of recovery which helps to drive some of the urgency of the war effort to push back the Vanduul.
Signage in the 'verse
Question: Is there a universal language for traffic signs across the UEE?
Answer: We’re not the best team to tackle this, so we reached out to Art Director of Visual Identity, Nicolas Fortin. Here’s what he had to say in answer:
"We have started on a convention for safety signage in general, but there is still quite a lot of work to do on this front.
At the moment we are designing these signs with a local flavor approach while doing our best to maintain a certain level of consistency throughout Stanton... Pyro will have a different feel of course, as would other star systems.
There is a lot of legacy material in the game that we have to compose with too but the plan and intention is to bring more structure and consistency to these types of assets in game."
So, there you have it. Narrative works closely with branding to help review these signs and make sure they’re recognizable, while still feeling distinct, to our far-future setting.
Where is the Imperator?
Question: Where is the Imperator? Four years into her term and there's been little word of what she's doing. Is she aware of what's happening in Stanton / Pyro? XenoThreat? Did she get her AI legislation through the Senate?
Answer: While Imperator Addison has been busy, the administration has been met with frustration as many of their initiatives have encountered roadblocks. Probably the most noticeable change in the Empire so far has been the continued improvement of xeno-diplomatic relations, which are viewed as stronger than ever before. On the technology front, the ”Better Today Act'' to allow additional AI research did pass but in a heavily modified form that deeply weakened the proposed initiative. One major change was that a senate committee has to approve all AI research and so for they have only approved one project relating to improving intersystem communication.
The growing crime issue has drawn much of the Imperator’s attention away from other campaign goals, and she is stuck in a difficult place of maintaining the war against the Vanduul while trying to protect the people of the Empire. Her desired expansion of the Education budget was put on hold in favor of allocating additional resources to security spending. Additionally, recent reports have begun to indicate that there may be some unforeseen issues with the regen technology that would not only be a significant blow to her administration but Humanity itself. We will have to keep an eye out to see how that story develops…
Unions During the Messer Regime
Question: What was the relationship between the Messer Regime and the various unions/guilds? Many authoritarian governments, in their pursuit of keeping the working class oppressed, have chosen to significantly weaken or dissolve any existing guilds and unions. In Star Citizen organizations such as the United Resource Workers fought for workers' rights for centuries before Ivar Messer installed himself as the first Imperator. How did he and his successors deal with them and vice versa?
Answer: The Messer regime definitely used their power and authority to control and influence unions and guilds across the UEE. One example established in lore involves the Interstellar Transport Guild (ITG). Founded in 2391, the ITG fought and defended hauler’s rights for over a century before Ivar Messer came to power. Yet, the guild came under fire in the early 2690s when haulers in Terra filed a series of lawsuits that exposed a massive corruption scandal where ITG officials secretly funneled member dues to pro-Messer political candidates and organizations.
This subversive influence of the ITG illustrates how the Messer regime probably dealt with most of the major, established unions. Allowing entrenched pro-worker organizations to exist and operate provided their members the illusion of power. In reality, Messer sycophants and spies would infiltrate or be installed into these groups to monitor and control their actions. Then, during some particularly dark periods, guild members classified by the regime as ‘agitators’ would be offered special jobs, or simply easily tracked, only to ‘disappear’ or fall victim to some unfortunate fate.
While it was advantageous for the Messer regime to keep legacy unions around, they also used their influence to crush groups trying to establish themselves. Many of these new labor organizations had their origins in or around Terra. To keep them from spreading, the Messer regime went on the offensive in both overt and covert ways. They banned certain organizations by labeling them as fronts for gangs or the Xi’an. On the secretive side of things, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of 2806 exposed that the regime threatened to reduce the government contracts awarded to major companies, like Aegis and CDS, if any of their operations worked with these newer labor groups.
Lost Colony Ships
Question: The Whitley's Guide on the Vulture mentions that:
“In 2932, an Aegis Dynamics Reclaimer, the General Dogsbody, made history with the single most profitable salvage mission in human history when it discovered and recovered a failed 22nd-century colony ship adrift in deep space.”
22nd Century implies a date looking like 21XX; however, Artemis -- the most famous of the interstellar colony ships -- launched in 2232. Was it intended for the discovery to have been a failed 23rd-century colony ship? Or were there other colony ships (interstellar OR only interplanetary in nature) launched before Artemis?
I'm assuming that you did not intend to solve the mystery of the Artemis as a side note in Whitley's Guide... so perhaps we could know more about the other colony ships that were sent, and especially the one that was found here?
Answer: Your instincts are right. Artemis is not the colony ship found and salvaged by General Dogsbody. Artemis was but one of several colony ships Humanity sent into deep space in the late 22nd and early 23rd centuries. Prior to Nick Croshaw becoming the first person to successfully survive a roundtrip through a jump point in 2271, these ventures were seen as Humanity’s best chance at expanding our footprint in the universe. While the Artemis remains the most famous due to the ship being monitored and piloted by Janus, which at the time was the most complex AI system ever created by Humans. The ship’s sudden disappearance fourteen years prior to the expected date led to widespread speculation that the AI was at fault which galvanized anti-AI attitudes and legislation that persists to this day in the UEE. For this reason, Artemis is still remembered in the current UEE and spotlighted by the lore.
The lore hasn’t focused much on the other colony ships, but it’s a potentially rich area for us to dig into. The exact number launched remains a mystery due to several factors, including lost records due to data corruption. Also confusing the matter is that these colony ships were sent by a variety of corporate interests and individual nations in an era before the creation of the United Nations of Earth. Details about most of these ships, including their intended destinations, reasons for going, crew manifests, and supplies onboard, have been lost to time and would hamper the chances of their eventual discovery.
People's Alliance Locations
Question: Is there a space station the People's Alliance lives in? Do they have any sort of militia or navy? Have they built anything beyond Levski?
Answer: The People's Alliance notably inhabit the asteroid base of Levski, which was the site of their proposed 'new society' established to escape from the authoritarianism of the Messers.
They would have a security force to help protect Levski, but in keeping with their general ethos, it would be a purely defensive force and probably use lethal force as a last resort. As we start diving into the Nyx as a system, fictionally it would make sense that they would have settlements outside of Levski in the system to help sustain themselves whether its mining outposts or the like, but we'll have to keep you posted.
The Moraine
Question: Is it intended for this faction to have any representation outside of Nyx, and can we expect to see any info on them prior to or upon release of Nyx?
Answer: Our current intention is for the Moraine to remain specific to Nyx. They serve as a solid counterpoint to the People’s Alliance and occupy an interesting part of the “system geography” through their headquarters on the Glaciem Ring in Nyx. In addition, with their intense family focus, it’s unlikely the Moraine would grow so large as to expand beyond Nyx. Expect to see more of them as we work towards the system’s release in game.
What Hunts the Stormwals
Question: What hunts the Stormwal?
Answer: For the most part, stormwals don't have predators. Like the blue whale on Earth, they are so enormous that it takes a huge amount of effort to kill them. Predators don't really like putting more work into killing than they put into eating. Humans, who have the benefit of ships and weapons to do the job for them, are about the only things out there that prey on stormwals. Let's hope that they don't end up hunting them to extinction.
There ARE creatures out there that eat stormwals, if you'd like a little more insight into Crusader's food chain. When a stormwal dies of old age or injury, the internal mechanisms that keep it afloat slowly break down, and it begins a gradual descent into the crushing depths of Crusader. Scavengers, zooplankton, kiami, and other organisms begin to feed off the dead stormwal as it falls. This in turn causes a spike in reproductive activity. It's a real boon to the ecosystem.
06/18/2024 - 5:00 AMWillkommen bei Loremakers: Community Questions, einer Serie, die sich darauf konzentriert, eure Fragen und Rätsel zur Geschichte zu beantworten. Wir haben den Bereich "Fragen an einen Entwickler" durchforstet und zehn Fragen zum Star Citizen-Universum ausgewählt, die wir beantworten. Alle Fragen wurden bearbeitet, um den Kontext und die Klarheit zu verbessern, aber du kannst auf das Thema klicken, um direkt zum Originalbeitrag zu gelangen und dich an der Diskussion zu beteiligen. Das Narrative Team plant außerdem, jedes Quartal eine Folge von Loremakers zu veröffentlichen: Der nächste Beitrag ist für Dienstag, den 17. September, geplant. Bitte beteilige dich an der Diskussion und stelle alle anderen Fragen, die du zum Universum hast, in unserem Ask A Dev Forum.
NPC-Missionsgeber
Frage: Warum gibt es seit einiger Zeit keine neuen "Helden"-NSCs mehr? Missionen über das mobiGlas zu erhalten, fühlt sich unpersönlich an und ermutigt nicht zum Erkunden.
Antwort: In letzter Zeit gab es viele Diskussionen über NSCs, da das Team zusammen mit dem Designteam daran arbeitet, das ultimative 1.0-Erlebnis zu schaffen und gleichzeitig einen Blick auf zukünftige Updates zu werfen. Wir können jetzt nicht ins Detail gehen, aber ja, das allgemeine Ziel ist es, mehr Interaktionen zu fördern, damit sich das Universum (und die Missionsanbieter) lebendiger anfühlen. Allerdings ist es nicht trivial, dem Spiel Charaktere hinzuzufügen, also haben wir versucht herauszufinden, wie wir das auf eine skalierbare Weise angehen können, die wir auch nach 1.0 unterstützen können. Weniger an der Missionsfront, aber das Narrative Team hat auch eine größere Rolle bei der Entwicklung des sozialen KI-Verhaltens in der PU übernommen. Die Geschichten und Charaktere, die für 1.0 geplant sind, werden noch unter Verschluss gehalten, aber wir wollen die verschiedenen Landezonen schon bald in Patches verbessern und ihnen mehr Persönlichkeit verleihen.
Erkundung der Marine
Frage: Steht die Erkundungsabteilung der Marine im Wettbewerb mit dem Privatsektor? Sind sie nur auf der Suche nach strategischen Vorteilen und Sprungpunkten oder gehören auch allgemeine Erkundungen dazu? Sind sie auf der Suche nach dem Krell-System? Haben sie es aufgegeben, nach dem Sprungpunkt zum Oretani-System zu suchen? Warum bezahlt die Marine nicht einfach Auftragnehmer, um die Arbeit zu erledigen? Wenn etwas gefunden wird, plant das Oberkommando, es geheim zu halten? Wie viele geheime Sprungpunkte werden von der Marine aktiv genutzt? Ist die UEEN Pathfinders Division der neue Name für die Navy Exploratory Division oder ist es dasselbe?
Antwort: Die Erkundung ist eine interessante Facette des Verses. Zu all diesen Fragen gibt es eine Menge guter Beobachtungen, also werden wir versuchen, sie Stück für Stück zu beantworten.
Zunächst einmal sind wir uns nicht 100%ig sicher, woher die Begriffe "Navy Exploratory Division" oder UEEN Pathfinders Division stammen. Wenn du einen Link zu einer Quelle hast, schick ihn uns bitte zu. Wir haben Erkundungsstaffeln im Whitley's Guide für den Terrapin erwähnt, ebenso wie die UEE-Erkundungsdienste in der Einführung der Idris-Korvette. Auch militärische Pfadfinder wurden im Laufe der Jahre immer wieder erwähnt, aber wir bezeichnen auch Forscher aller Art allgemein als "Pfadfinder".
Der Erkundungsdienst der UEE ist keine Abteilung des Militärs. Die Abteilung hat die Aufgabe, neue Systeme zu entdecken und die von privaten Pfadfindern entdeckten Systeme zu untersuchen, um festzustellen, ob sie für eine Kolonisierung oder einen anderen Zweck geeignet sind. In ihrer Hauptaufgabe, der allgemeinen Erkundung, konkurrieren die Pfadfinder der UEE mit den Pfadfindern des privaten Sektors, aber Erkundung ist ein schwieriges Geschäft und das Universum ist groß - es gibt also viel Platz für alle. Einige der Pfadfinderinnen und Pfadfinder, die sowohl für die UEE als auch für private Unternehmen arbeiten, könnten freiberuflich tätig sein, aber die meisten Organisationen beschäftigen auch ihr eigenes Personal.
Auch das Militär unterhält Pfadfinderpatrouillen und ist in der Regel an der Erkundung von Systemen beteiligt, die einen hohen militärischen Wert haben, z. B. solche, die in bekannte Vanduul-Systeme führen. Solche Sprungpunkte werden auf jeden Fall geheim gehalten, so dass man nicht weiß, wie viele davon in Betrieb sind.
Was das Krell-System angeht, können wir das weder bestätigen noch dementieren. Wenn die UEE danach suchen würde, würde sie es nicht öffentlich machen, da es unsere Freunde in Xi'an wahrscheinlich verärgern würde. Was das Oretani-System angeht, so ist inzwischen so viel Zeit vergangen, dass die Suche danach nicht mehr so enthusiastisch betrieben wird, also ist es wahrscheinlich, dass die meisten Bemühungen nachgelassen haben.
Die Folgen von Vanduul
Frage: In welchem Zustand verlassen die Vanduul die Planeten, die sie geplündert haben? Wird sich die Umwelt jemals erholen?
Antwort: Wenn die Vanduul mit der Ernte eines Planeten fertig sind, bleibt nur eine vernarbte, karge Welt zurück. Es ist sehr wahrscheinlich, dass diese Planeten ihre Lebendigkeit nie wieder erlangen werden. Das ist ein wesentlicher Teil der Tragödie eines Vanduul-Angriffs - dass diese angegriffenen Welten dazu verdammt sind, nur noch als Erinnerung an die Grausamkeit und Gefräßigkeit der Vanduul zu existieren. Erschwerend kommt hinzu, dass die Vanduul-Clans die erbeuteten Ressourcen nutzen, um ihren Vormarsch weiter voranzutreiben und noch mehr Kriegswaffen zu produzieren. Einige Terraforming-Wissenschaftlerinnen und -Wissenschaftler haben die Möglichkeit untersucht, diese Welten wiederzubeleben, falls die UEE sie zurückerobern sollte, aber bis heute übersteigt dies die derzeitigen Möglichkeiten. Allerdings besteht für Planeten, die nur teilweise abgeerntet wurden, eine gewisse Hoffnung auf Erholung, was die Dringlichkeit der Kriegsanstrengungen zur Zurückdrängung der Vanduul unterstreicht.
Beschilderung im Verse
Frage: Gibt es eine universelle Sprache für Verkehrsschilder in der UEE?
Antwort: Da wir nicht das beste Team sind, um diese Frage zu beantworten, haben wir uns an den Art Director of Visual Identity, Nicolas Fortin, gewandt. Hier ist seine Antwort:
"Wir haben mit einer Konvention für die Sicherheitsbeschilderung im Allgemeinen begonnen, aber es gibt noch eine Menge zu tun.
Im Moment entwerfen wir die Schilder mit lokalem Bezug, wobei wir unser Bestes tun, um in ganz Stanton ein gewisses Maß an Konsistenz zu wahren... Pyro wird sich natürlich anders anfühlen, ebenso wie andere Sternensysteme.
Es gibt viel altes Material im Spiel, mit dem wir uns auseinandersetzen müssen, aber der Plan und die Absicht ist, mehr Struktur und Konsistenz in diese Art von Assets im Spiel zu bringen."
Da hast du es also. Narrative arbeitet eng mit dem Branding zusammen, um diese Zeichen zu überprüfen und sicherzustellen, dass sie wiedererkennbar sind, sich aber dennoch von unserem weit in der Zukunft liegenden Setting abheben.
Wo ist der Imperator?
Frage: Wo ist die Imperatorin? Seit vier Jahren ist sie im Amt und es gibt kaum Informationen über ihre Aktivitäten. Weiß sie, was in Stanton / Pyro passiert? XenoThreat? Hat sie ihr KI-Gesetz im Senat durchgebracht?
Antwort: Während Imperator Addison viel zu tun hatte, wurde die Regierung mit Frustration konfrontiert, da viele ihrer Initiativen auf Hindernisse gestoßen sind. Die wohl auffälligste Veränderung im Imperium war bisher die kontinuierliche Verbesserung der xeno-diplomatischen Beziehungen, die als stärker als je zuvor angesehen werden. An der Technologiefront wurde der "Better Today Act", der zusätzliche KI-Forschung ermöglichen soll, zwar verabschiedet, aber in einer stark veränderten Form, die die vorgeschlagene Initiative stark abschwächt. Eine der wichtigsten Änderungen war, dass ein Senatsausschuss alle KI-Forschungen genehmigen muss und bisher nur ein Projekt zur Verbesserung der Kommunikation zwischen den Systemen genehmigt hat.
Das wachsende Problem der Kriminalität hat die Aufmerksamkeit der Imperatorin von anderen Kampagnenzielen abgezogen und sie steckt in der schwierigen Lage, den Krieg gegen die Vanduul aufrechtzuerhalten und gleichzeitig die Bevölkerung des Imperiums zu schützen. Die von ihr gewünschte Ausweitung des Bildungsbudgets wurde zugunsten zusätzlicher Mittel für die Sicherheit auf Eis gelegt. Jüngste Berichte deuten zudem darauf hin, dass es unvorhergesehene Probleme mit der Regenerationstechnologie geben könnte, die nicht nur für ihre Regierung, sondern auch für die Menschheit selbst einen schweren Schlag bedeuten würden. Wir werden ein Auge darauf haben müssen, wie sich diese Geschichte entwickelt...
Gewerkschaften während des Messer-Regimes
Frage: Wie war die Beziehung zwischen dem Messer-Regime und den verschiedenen Gewerkschaften/Gilden? Viele autoritäre Regierungen haben sich in ihrem Bestreben, die Arbeiterklasse unterdrückt zu halten, dafür entschieden, bestehende Zünfte und Gewerkschaften deutlich zu schwächen oder aufzulösen. In Star Citizen haben Organisationen wie die United Resource Workers jahrhundertelang für die Rechte der Arbeiter gekämpft, bevor sich Ivar Messer zum ersten Imperator ernannte. Wie sind er und seine Nachfolger mit ihnen umgegangen und andersherum?
Antwort: Das Messer-Regime nutzte seine Macht und Autorität, um Gewerkschaften und Zünfte in der gesamten UEE zu kontrollieren und zu beeinflussen. Ein Beispiel aus der Geschichte ist die Interstellare Transportgilde (ITG). Die ITG wurde 2391 gegründet und kämpfte über ein Jahrhundert lang für die Rechte der Spediteure, bevor Ivar Messar an die Macht kam. Anfang der 2690er Jahre geriet die Gilde jedoch unter Beschuss, als Spediteure auf Terra eine Reihe von Klagen einreichten, die einen massiven Korruptionsskandal aufdeckten, bei dem ITG-Funktionäre die Mitgliedsbeiträge heimlich an Messar-freundliche politische Kandidaten und Organisationen weiterleiteten.
Dieser subversive Einfluss der ITG zeigt, wie das Messer-Regime wahrscheinlich mit den meisten großen, etablierten Gewerkschaften umging. Indem sie den etablierten Arbeitnehmerorganisationen erlaubten, zu existieren und zu arbeiten, gaben sie ihren Mitgliedern die Illusion von Macht. In Wirklichkeit infiltrierten Messer-Sympathisanten und Spione diese Gruppen oder wurden in sie eingeschleust, um ihre Aktivitäten zu überwachen und zu kontrollieren. In besonders dunklen Zeiten wurden Gildenmitgliedern, die vom Regime als "Aufwiegler" eingestuft wurden, spezielle Jobs angeboten oder sie wurden einfach aufgespürt, nur um dann zu "verschwinden" oder einem unglücklichen Schicksal zum Opfer zu fallen.
Während es für das Messer-Regime von Vorteil war, die alten Gewerkschaften zu erhalten, nutzte es seinen Einfluss auch, um Gruppen zu zerschlagen, die versuchten, sich zu etablieren. Viele dieser neuen Gewerkschaften hatten ihren Ursprung auf oder um Terra. Um sie an der Ausbreitung zu hindern, ging das Messer-Regime sowohl offen als auch verdeckt in die Offensive. Es verbot bestimmte Organisationen, indem es sie als Fassade für Gangs oder die Xi'an bezeichnete. Im Geheimen deckte die Wahrheits- und Versöhnungskommission von 2806 auf, dass das Regime großen Unternehmen wie Aegis und CDS damit drohte, die Regierungsaufträge zu kürzen, wenn einer ihrer Betriebe mit diesen neueren Arbeitsgruppen zusammenarbeitete.
Verlorene Kolonieschiffe
Frage: Im Whitley's Guide über die Vulture wird erwähnt, dass:
"Im Jahr 2932 ging ein Aegis Dynamics-Rettungsschiff, die General Dogsbody, mit der profitabelsten Bergungsmission in der Geschichte der Menschheit in die Geschichte ein, als es ein gescheitertes Kolonieschiff aus dem 22. Jahrhundert entdeckte und aus den Tiefen des Weltraums barg."
Das 22. Jahrhundert impliziert ein Datum, das wie 21XX aussieht; die Artemis - das berühmteste der interstellaren Kolonieschiffe - startete jedoch im Jahr 2232. Sollte es sich bei der Entdeckung um ein gescheitertes Kolonieschiff aus dem 23. Jahrhundert gehandelt haben? Oder gab es andere Kolonieschiffe (interstellar ODER nur interplanetarisch), die vor der Artemis gestartet sind?
Ich gehe davon aus, dass du nicht vorhattest, das Geheimnis der Artemis als Randnotiz in Whitley's Guide zu lösen... vielleicht könnten wir dann mehr über die anderen Kolonieschiffe erfahren, die ausgesandt wurden, und vor allem über das, das hier gefunden wurde?
Antwort: Dein Instinkt ist richtig. Die Artemis ist nicht das von General Dogsbody gefundene und geborgene Kolonieschiff. Die Artemis war nur eines von mehreren Kolonieschiffen, die die Menschheit im späten 22. und frühen 23. Jahrhundert in den Weltraum geschickt hat. Bevor Nick Croshaw im Jahr 2271 der erste Mensch war, der eine Reise durch einen Sprungpunkt überlebte, galten diese Unternehmungen als die beste Chance für die Menschheit, ihren Fußabdruck im Universum zu vergrößern. Die Artemis bleibt das berühmteste Schiff, weil es von Janus, dem damals komplexesten KI-System, das die Menschen je entwickelt hatten, überwacht und gesteuert wurde. Das plötzliche Verschwinden des Schiffes vierzehn Jahre vor dem erwarteten Zeitpunkt führte zu weit verbreiteten Spekulationen, dass die KI daran schuld sei, was zu einer Anti-AI-Haltung und einer Gesetzgebung führte, die bis heute in der UEE fortbesteht. Aus diesem Grund wird die Artemis auch heute noch in der UEE verehrt und steht im Mittelpunkt der Überlieferungen.
Die anderen Kolonieschiffe wurden in den Überlieferungen nicht so sehr beachtet, aber das ist ein Bereich, den wir erforschen könnten. Die genaue Anzahl der vom Stapel gelaufenen Schiffe bleibt aus verschiedenen Gründen ein Rätsel, unter anderem wegen verloren gegangener Aufzeichnungen aufgrund von Datenfehlern. Verwirrend ist auch, dass diese Kolonieschiffe von verschiedenen Unternehmen und einzelnen Nationen in einer Zeit vor der Gründung der Vereinten Nationen der Erde entsandt wurden. Details über die meisten dieser Schiffe, einschließlich der beabsichtigten Ziele, der Gründe für die Reise, der Besatzungslisten und der Vorräte an Bord, sind im Laufe der Zeit verloren gegangen und würden die Chancen auf ihre Entdeckung erschweren.
Standorte der Volksallianz
Frage: Gibt es eine Raumstation, in der die Volksallianz lebt? Haben sie eine Art Miliz oder Marine? Haben sie etwas außerhalb von Levski gebaut?
Antwort: Die Volksallianz bewohnt vor allem die Asteroidenbasis Levski, auf der sie eine "neue Gesellschaft" gründen wollen, um dem Autoritarismus der Messers zu entkommen.
Sie verfügen über eine Sicherheitstruppe, die Levski schützen soll, aber entsprechend ihrem allgemeinen Ethos ist sie rein defensiv ausgerichtet und setzt tödliche Gewalt wahrscheinlich nur als letztes Mittel ein. Wenn wir in das Nyx-System eintauchen, würde es fiktiv Sinn machen, dass sie Siedlungen außerhalb von Levski haben, um sich selbst zu versorgen, z. B. Bergbau-Außenposten oder ähnliches.
Die Moräne
Frage: Ist es geplant, dass diese Fraktion auch außerhalb von Nyx vertreten ist, und können wir erwarten, dass wir vor oder nach der Veröffentlichung von Nyx etwas über sie erfahren?
Antwort: Wir haben derzeit die Absicht, dass die Moränen nur in Nyx vertreten sein werden. Sie bilden einen soliden Gegenpol zur Volksallianz und nehmen durch ihr Hauptquartier auf dem Gletscherring in Nyx einen interessanten Teil der "Systemgeografie" ein. Außerdem ist es unwahrscheinlich, dass die Moräne aufgrund ihres starken Familienfokus so groß wird, dass sie sich über Nyx hinaus ausbreitet. Wir werden mehr von ihnen sehen, wenn wir auf die Veröffentlichung des Systems im Spiel hinarbeiten.
Was jagt die Sturmwale
Frage: Was jagt den Sturmwal?
Antwort: In den meisten Fällen haben Sturmwale keine Raubtiere. Wie die Blauwale auf der Erde sind sie so riesig, dass es einen enormen Aufwand bedeutet, sie zu töten. Raubtiere mögen es nicht, mehr Arbeit in das Töten zu stecken, als sie in das Fressen stecken. Der Mensch, der über Schiffe und Waffen verfügt, die ihm die Arbeit abnehmen, ist so ziemlich das Einzige, was Sturmwale jagen kann. Hoffen wir, dass sie sie am Ende nicht bis zur Ausrottung jagen.
Es gibt Kreaturen, die Stormwals fressen, falls du einen Einblick in die Nahrungskette von Crusader haben möchtest. Wenn ein Sturmwal an Altersschwäche oder Verletzungen stirbt, brechen die inneren Mechanismen, die ihn über Wasser halten, langsam zusammen, und er beginnt einen allmählichen Abstieg in die Tiefen von Crusader. Aasfresser, Zooplankton, Kiami und andere Organismen beginnen, sich von dem toten Sturmwal zu ernähren, während er fällt. Das wiederum führt zu einem Anstieg der Fortpflanzungsaktivität. Das ist ein echter Segen für das Ökosystem.
NPC-Missionsgeber
Frage: Warum gibt es seit einiger Zeit keine neuen "Helden"-NSCs mehr? Missionen über das mobiGlas zu erhalten, fühlt sich unpersönlich an und ermutigt nicht zum Erkunden.
Antwort: In letzter Zeit gab es viele Diskussionen über NSCs, da das Team zusammen mit dem Designteam daran arbeitet, das ultimative 1.0-Erlebnis zu schaffen und gleichzeitig einen Blick auf zukünftige Updates zu werfen. Wir können jetzt nicht ins Detail gehen, aber ja, das allgemeine Ziel ist es, mehr Interaktionen zu fördern, damit sich das Universum (und die Missionsanbieter) lebendiger anfühlen. Allerdings ist es nicht trivial, dem Spiel Charaktere hinzuzufügen, also haben wir versucht herauszufinden, wie wir das auf eine skalierbare Weise angehen können, die wir auch nach 1.0 unterstützen können. Weniger an der Missionsfront, aber das Narrative Team hat auch eine größere Rolle bei der Entwicklung des sozialen KI-Verhaltens in der PU übernommen. Die Geschichten und Charaktere, die für 1.0 geplant sind, werden noch unter Verschluss gehalten, aber wir wollen die verschiedenen Landezonen schon bald in Patches verbessern und ihnen mehr Persönlichkeit verleihen.
Erkundung der Marine
Frage: Steht die Erkundungsabteilung der Marine im Wettbewerb mit dem Privatsektor? Sind sie nur auf der Suche nach strategischen Vorteilen und Sprungpunkten oder gehören auch allgemeine Erkundungen dazu? Sind sie auf der Suche nach dem Krell-System? Haben sie es aufgegeben, nach dem Sprungpunkt zum Oretani-System zu suchen? Warum bezahlt die Marine nicht einfach Auftragnehmer, um die Arbeit zu erledigen? Wenn etwas gefunden wird, plant das Oberkommando, es geheim zu halten? Wie viele geheime Sprungpunkte werden von der Marine aktiv genutzt? Ist die UEEN Pathfinders Division der neue Name für die Navy Exploratory Division oder ist es dasselbe?
Antwort: Die Erkundung ist eine interessante Facette des Verses. Zu all diesen Fragen gibt es eine Menge guter Beobachtungen, also werden wir versuchen, sie Stück für Stück zu beantworten.
Zunächst einmal sind wir uns nicht 100%ig sicher, woher die Begriffe "Navy Exploratory Division" oder UEEN Pathfinders Division stammen. Wenn du einen Link zu einer Quelle hast, schick ihn uns bitte zu. Wir haben Erkundungsstaffeln im Whitley's Guide für den Terrapin erwähnt, ebenso wie die UEE-Erkundungsdienste in der Einführung der Idris-Korvette. Auch militärische Pfadfinder wurden im Laufe der Jahre immer wieder erwähnt, aber wir bezeichnen auch Forscher aller Art allgemein als "Pfadfinder".
Der Erkundungsdienst der UEE ist keine Abteilung des Militärs. Die Abteilung hat die Aufgabe, neue Systeme zu entdecken und die von privaten Pfadfindern entdeckten Systeme zu untersuchen, um festzustellen, ob sie für eine Kolonisierung oder einen anderen Zweck geeignet sind. In ihrer Hauptaufgabe, der allgemeinen Erkundung, konkurrieren die Pfadfinder der UEE mit den Pfadfindern des privaten Sektors, aber Erkundung ist ein schwieriges Geschäft und das Universum ist groß - es gibt also viel Platz für alle. Einige der Pfadfinderinnen und Pfadfinder, die sowohl für die UEE als auch für private Unternehmen arbeiten, könnten freiberuflich tätig sein, aber die meisten Organisationen beschäftigen auch ihr eigenes Personal.
Auch das Militär unterhält Pfadfinderpatrouillen und ist in der Regel an der Erkundung von Systemen beteiligt, die einen hohen militärischen Wert haben, z. B. solche, die in bekannte Vanduul-Systeme führen. Solche Sprungpunkte werden auf jeden Fall geheim gehalten, so dass man nicht weiß, wie viele davon in Betrieb sind.
Was das Krell-System angeht, können wir das weder bestätigen noch dementieren. Wenn die UEE danach suchen würde, würde sie es nicht öffentlich machen, da es unsere Freunde in Xi'an wahrscheinlich verärgern würde. Was das Oretani-System angeht, so ist inzwischen so viel Zeit vergangen, dass die Suche danach nicht mehr so enthusiastisch betrieben wird, also ist es wahrscheinlich, dass die meisten Bemühungen nachgelassen haben.
Die Folgen von Vanduul
Frage: In welchem Zustand verlassen die Vanduul die Planeten, die sie geplündert haben? Wird sich die Umwelt jemals erholen?
Antwort: Wenn die Vanduul mit der Ernte eines Planeten fertig sind, bleibt nur eine vernarbte, karge Welt zurück. Es ist sehr wahrscheinlich, dass diese Planeten ihre Lebendigkeit nie wieder erlangen werden. Das ist ein wesentlicher Teil der Tragödie eines Vanduul-Angriffs - dass diese angegriffenen Welten dazu verdammt sind, nur noch als Erinnerung an die Grausamkeit und Gefräßigkeit der Vanduul zu existieren. Erschwerend kommt hinzu, dass die Vanduul-Clans die erbeuteten Ressourcen nutzen, um ihren Vormarsch weiter voranzutreiben und noch mehr Kriegswaffen zu produzieren. Einige Terraforming-Wissenschaftlerinnen und -Wissenschaftler haben die Möglichkeit untersucht, diese Welten wiederzubeleben, falls die UEE sie zurückerobern sollte, aber bis heute übersteigt dies die derzeitigen Möglichkeiten. Allerdings besteht für Planeten, die nur teilweise abgeerntet wurden, eine gewisse Hoffnung auf Erholung, was die Dringlichkeit der Kriegsanstrengungen zur Zurückdrängung der Vanduul unterstreicht.
Beschilderung im Verse
Frage: Gibt es eine universelle Sprache für Verkehrsschilder in der UEE?
Antwort: Da wir nicht das beste Team sind, um diese Frage zu beantworten, haben wir uns an den Art Director of Visual Identity, Nicolas Fortin, gewandt. Hier ist seine Antwort:
"Wir haben mit einer Konvention für die Sicherheitsbeschilderung im Allgemeinen begonnen, aber es gibt noch eine Menge zu tun.
Im Moment entwerfen wir die Schilder mit lokalem Bezug, wobei wir unser Bestes tun, um in ganz Stanton ein gewisses Maß an Konsistenz zu wahren... Pyro wird sich natürlich anders anfühlen, ebenso wie andere Sternensysteme.
Es gibt viel altes Material im Spiel, mit dem wir uns auseinandersetzen müssen, aber der Plan und die Absicht ist, mehr Struktur und Konsistenz in diese Art von Assets im Spiel zu bringen."
Da hast du es also. Narrative arbeitet eng mit dem Branding zusammen, um diese Zeichen zu überprüfen und sicherzustellen, dass sie wiedererkennbar sind, sich aber dennoch von unserem weit in der Zukunft liegenden Setting abheben.
Wo ist der Imperator?
Frage: Wo ist die Imperatorin? Seit vier Jahren ist sie im Amt und es gibt kaum Informationen über ihre Aktivitäten. Weiß sie, was in Stanton / Pyro passiert? XenoThreat? Hat sie ihr KI-Gesetz im Senat durchgebracht?
Antwort: Während Imperator Addison viel zu tun hatte, wurde die Regierung mit Frustration konfrontiert, da viele ihrer Initiativen auf Hindernisse gestoßen sind. Die wohl auffälligste Veränderung im Imperium war bisher die kontinuierliche Verbesserung der xeno-diplomatischen Beziehungen, die als stärker als je zuvor angesehen werden. An der Technologiefront wurde der "Better Today Act", der zusätzliche KI-Forschung ermöglichen soll, zwar verabschiedet, aber in einer stark veränderten Form, die die vorgeschlagene Initiative stark abschwächt. Eine der wichtigsten Änderungen war, dass ein Senatsausschuss alle KI-Forschungen genehmigen muss und bisher nur ein Projekt zur Verbesserung der Kommunikation zwischen den Systemen genehmigt hat.
Das wachsende Problem der Kriminalität hat die Aufmerksamkeit der Imperatorin von anderen Kampagnenzielen abgezogen und sie steckt in der schwierigen Lage, den Krieg gegen die Vanduul aufrechtzuerhalten und gleichzeitig die Bevölkerung des Imperiums zu schützen. Die von ihr gewünschte Ausweitung des Bildungsbudgets wurde zugunsten zusätzlicher Mittel für die Sicherheit auf Eis gelegt. Jüngste Berichte deuten zudem darauf hin, dass es unvorhergesehene Probleme mit der Regenerationstechnologie geben könnte, die nicht nur für ihre Regierung, sondern auch für die Menschheit selbst einen schweren Schlag bedeuten würden. Wir werden ein Auge darauf haben müssen, wie sich diese Geschichte entwickelt...
Gewerkschaften während des Messer-Regimes
Frage: Wie war die Beziehung zwischen dem Messer-Regime und den verschiedenen Gewerkschaften/Gilden? Viele autoritäre Regierungen haben sich in ihrem Bestreben, die Arbeiterklasse unterdrückt zu halten, dafür entschieden, bestehende Zünfte und Gewerkschaften deutlich zu schwächen oder aufzulösen. In Star Citizen haben Organisationen wie die United Resource Workers jahrhundertelang für die Rechte der Arbeiter gekämpft, bevor sich Ivar Messer zum ersten Imperator ernannte. Wie sind er und seine Nachfolger mit ihnen umgegangen und andersherum?
Antwort: Das Messer-Regime nutzte seine Macht und Autorität, um Gewerkschaften und Zünfte in der gesamten UEE zu kontrollieren und zu beeinflussen. Ein Beispiel aus der Geschichte ist die Interstellare Transportgilde (ITG). Die ITG wurde 2391 gegründet und kämpfte über ein Jahrhundert lang für die Rechte der Spediteure, bevor Ivar Messar an die Macht kam. Anfang der 2690er Jahre geriet die Gilde jedoch unter Beschuss, als Spediteure auf Terra eine Reihe von Klagen einreichten, die einen massiven Korruptionsskandal aufdeckten, bei dem ITG-Funktionäre die Mitgliedsbeiträge heimlich an Messar-freundliche politische Kandidaten und Organisationen weiterleiteten.
Dieser subversive Einfluss der ITG zeigt, wie das Messer-Regime wahrscheinlich mit den meisten großen, etablierten Gewerkschaften umging. Indem sie den etablierten Arbeitnehmerorganisationen erlaubten, zu existieren und zu arbeiten, gaben sie ihren Mitgliedern die Illusion von Macht. In Wirklichkeit infiltrierten Messer-Sympathisanten und Spione diese Gruppen oder wurden in sie eingeschleust, um ihre Aktivitäten zu überwachen und zu kontrollieren. In besonders dunklen Zeiten wurden Gildenmitgliedern, die vom Regime als "Aufwiegler" eingestuft wurden, spezielle Jobs angeboten oder sie wurden einfach aufgespürt, nur um dann zu "verschwinden" oder einem unglücklichen Schicksal zum Opfer zu fallen.
Während es für das Messer-Regime von Vorteil war, die alten Gewerkschaften zu erhalten, nutzte es seinen Einfluss auch, um Gruppen zu zerschlagen, die versuchten, sich zu etablieren. Viele dieser neuen Gewerkschaften hatten ihren Ursprung auf oder um Terra. Um sie an der Ausbreitung zu hindern, ging das Messer-Regime sowohl offen als auch verdeckt in die Offensive. Es verbot bestimmte Organisationen, indem es sie als Fassade für Gangs oder die Xi'an bezeichnete. Im Geheimen deckte die Wahrheits- und Versöhnungskommission von 2806 auf, dass das Regime großen Unternehmen wie Aegis und CDS damit drohte, die Regierungsaufträge zu kürzen, wenn einer ihrer Betriebe mit diesen neueren Arbeitsgruppen zusammenarbeitete.
Verlorene Kolonieschiffe
Frage: Im Whitley's Guide über die Vulture wird erwähnt, dass:
"Im Jahr 2932 ging ein Aegis Dynamics-Rettungsschiff, die General Dogsbody, mit der profitabelsten Bergungsmission in der Geschichte der Menschheit in die Geschichte ein, als es ein gescheitertes Kolonieschiff aus dem 22. Jahrhundert entdeckte und aus den Tiefen des Weltraums barg."
Das 22. Jahrhundert impliziert ein Datum, das wie 21XX aussieht; die Artemis - das berühmteste der interstellaren Kolonieschiffe - startete jedoch im Jahr 2232. Sollte es sich bei der Entdeckung um ein gescheitertes Kolonieschiff aus dem 23. Jahrhundert gehandelt haben? Oder gab es andere Kolonieschiffe (interstellar ODER nur interplanetarisch), die vor der Artemis gestartet sind?
Ich gehe davon aus, dass du nicht vorhattest, das Geheimnis der Artemis als Randnotiz in Whitley's Guide zu lösen... vielleicht könnten wir dann mehr über die anderen Kolonieschiffe erfahren, die ausgesandt wurden, und vor allem über das, das hier gefunden wurde?
Antwort: Dein Instinkt ist richtig. Die Artemis ist nicht das von General Dogsbody gefundene und geborgene Kolonieschiff. Die Artemis war nur eines von mehreren Kolonieschiffen, die die Menschheit im späten 22. und frühen 23. Jahrhundert in den Weltraum geschickt hat. Bevor Nick Croshaw im Jahr 2271 der erste Mensch war, der eine Reise durch einen Sprungpunkt überlebte, galten diese Unternehmungen als die beste Chance für die Menschheit, ihren Fußabdruck im Universum zu vergrößern. Die Artemis bleibt das berühmteste Schiff, weil es von Janus, dem damals komplexesten KI-System, das die Menschen je entwickelt hatten, überwacht und gesteuert wurde. Das plötzliche Verschwinden des Schiffes vierzehn Jahre vor dem erwarteten Zeitpunkt führte zu weit verbreiteten Spekulationen, dass die KI daran schuld sei, was zu einer Anti-AI-Haltung und einer Gesetzgebung führte, die bis heute in der UEE fortbesteht. Aus diesem Grund wird die Artemis auch heute noch in der UEE verehrt und steht im Mittelpunkt der Überlieferungen.
Die anderen Kolonieschiffe wurden in den Überlieferungen nicht so sehr beachtet, aber das ist ein Bereich, den wir erforschen könnten. Die genaue Anzahl der vom Stapel gelaufenen Schiffe bleibt aus verschiedenen Gründen ein Rätsel, unter anderem wegen verloren gegangener Aufzeichnungen aufgrund von Datenfehlern. Verwirrend ist auch, dass diese Kolonieschiffe von verschiedenen Unternehmen und einzelnen Nationen in einer Zeit vor der Gründung der Vereinten Nationen der Erde entsandt wurden. Details über die meisten dieser Schiffe, einschließlich der beabsichtigten Ziele, der Gründe für die Reise, der Besatzungslisten und der Vorräte an Bord, sind im Laufe der Zeit verloren gegangen und würden die Chancen auf ihre Entdeckung erschweren.
Standorte der Volksallianz
Frage: Gibt es eine Raumstation, in der die Volksallianz lebt? Haben sie eine Art Miliz oder Marine? Haben sie etwas außerhalb von Levski gebaut?
Antwort: Die Volksallianz bewohnt vor allem die Asteroidenbasis Levski, auf der sie eine "neue Gesellschaft" gründen wollen, um dem Autoritarismus der Messers zu entkommen.
Sie verfügen über eine Sicherheitstruppe, die Levski schützen soll, aber entsprechend ihrem allgemeinen Ethos ist sie rein defensiv ausgerichtet und setzt tödliche Gewalt wahrscheinlich nur als letztes Mittel ein. Wenn wir in das Nyx-System eintauchen, würde es fiktiv Sinn machen, dass sie Siedlungen außerhalb von Levski haben, um sich selbst zu versorgen, z. B. Bergbau-Außenposten oder ähnliches.
Die Moräne
Frage: Ist es geplant, dass diese Fraktion auch außerhalb von Nyx vertreten ist, und können wir erwarten, dass wir vor oder nach der Veröffentlichung von Nyx etwas über sie erfahren?
Antwort: Wir haben derzeit die Absicht, dass die Moränen nur in Nyx vertreten sein werden. Sie bilden einen soliden Gegenpol zur Volksallianz und nehmen durch ihr Hauptquartier auf dem Gletscherring in Nyx einen interessanten Teil der "Systemgeografie" ein. Außerdem ist es unwahrscheinlich, dass die Moräne aufgrund ihres starken Familienfokus so groß wird, dass sie sich über Nyx hinaus ausbreitet. Wir werden mehr von ihnen sehen, wenn wir auf die Veröffentlichung des Systems im Spiel hinarbeiten.
Was jagt die Sturmwale
Frage: Was jagt den Sturmwal?
Antwort: In den meisten Fällen haben Sturmwale keine Raubtiere. Wie die Blauwale auf der Erde sind sie so riesig, dass es einen enormen Aufwand bedeutet, sie zu töten. Raubtiere mögen es nicht, mehr Arbeit in das Töten zu stecken, als sie in das Fressen stecken. Der Mensch, der über Schiffe und Waffen verfügt, die ihm die Arbeit abnehmen, ist so ziemlich das Einzige, was Sturmwale jagen kann. Hoffen wir, dass sie sie am Ende nicht bis zur Ausrottung jagen.
Es gibt Kreaturen, die Stormwals fressen, falls du einen Einblick in die Nahrungskette von Crusader haben möchtest. Wenn ein Sturmwal an Altersschwäche oder Verletzungen stirbt, brechen die inneren Mechanismen, die ihn über Wasser halten, langsam zusammen, und er beginnt einen allmählichen Abstieg in die Tiefen von Crusader. Aasfresser, Zooplankton, Kiami und andere Organismen beginnen, sich von dem toten Sturmwal zu ernähren, während er fällt. Das wiederum führt zu einem Anstieg der Fortpflanzungsaktivität. Das ist ein echter Segen für das Ökosystem.
06/18/2024 - 5:00 AMWelcome to Loremakers: Community Questions, a series focused on answering your lore quandaries and conundrums. We’ve done a deep dive through the lore Ask A Dev section and selected ten questions to answer about the Star Citizen universe. All questions were edited for context and clarity but you can click on the topic to go directly to the original post and join the conversation. Also, the Narrative team plans to do one installment of Loremakers: Community Questions every quarter with the next entry scheduled for Tuesday, September 17th, so please join the discussion and drop any other questions you might have about the universe in our Ask A Dev forum.
NPC Mission Givers
Question: Why haven’t there been any new ‘hero’ NPCs added in a while? Receiving missions through the mobiGlas feels impersonal and doesn't encourage exploration.
Answer: There have been a lot of discussions about NPCs lately as the team works with Design to craft the ultimate 1.0 experience while also looking beyond to future updates. We can't really get into specifics now, but yes, the general goal is to promote more interactions in order to help make the universe (and the mission providers) feel more alive. That being said, it's not a trivial thing to add characters to the game, so we've been trying to figure out how to approach this in a scalable way that we will be able to support beyond 1.0. Less on the mission front, but the Narrative team has also been taking a larger role in developing the Social AI behaviors in the PU. While the stories and characters slated for 1.0 are still being kept under wraps, we are aiming to start bringing improvements and personality to the various landing zones into patches sooner.
Navy Exploration
Question: Does the exploratory division of the Navy compete with the private sector? Are they just looking for strategic advantages & jump points or does it include general exploration? Are they looking for the Krell system? Have they given up on looking for the jump point to Oretani system? Why don't the Navy just pay contractors to do the work? If something is found, does High Command plan to keep it a secret? How many secret jump points are the Navy actively using? Is the UEEN Pathfinders Division the new name for the Navy Exploratory Division or are they the same thing?
Answer: Exploration is an interesting facet of the ‘verse. There are a lot of great observations here across all those questions, so we’ll try to tackle it piece by piece.
First, we’re not 100% sure where the terms “Navy Exploratory Division” or UEEN Pathfinders Division came from. If you have a link to a source, please send it our way. We’ve mentioned Exploratory Squadrons in the Whitley’s Guide for the Terrapin, as well as the UEE Exploratory Services in the introduction of the Idris Corvette. There have also been broad mentions of military pathfinders throughout the years, but we also generically refer to explorers of all stripes as “pathfinders.”
The UEE Exploratory Services are not a branch of the military. The department is tasked with both discovering new systems and surveying those discovered by private pathfinders to evaluate whether it is viable for colonization or another purpose. In their primary function of general exploration, the UEE pathfinders do compete with private sector pathfinders, but exploration is a tricky business and it’s a big universe – so there’s plenty of room for everyone. Some of the pathfinders working for both the UEE and private companies might be freelance, but most organizations would also employ their own staff.
The military in general also operate pathfinding patrols, and are usually involved in exploring systems that have intrinsic military value, such as ones that lead into known Vanduul systems. Any such jump points would absolutely be kept secret, so there’s no telling how many are in use.
As far as the Krell system is concerned, we can neither confirm nor deny. If the UEE were to be looking for it, they wouldn’t be doing it publicly, as it would likely antagonize our Xi’an friends. Lastly, regarding the Oretani system, enough time has passed that there’s not as much enthusiasm around the search for it, so it’s likely that most efforts have died down, but there’s always hope.
Vanduul Aftermath
Question: In what state do Vanduul leave the planets they've harvested? Will the environment ever recover?
Answer: When the Vanduul Harvesters are finished with a planet, all that’s left is a scarred, barren world. It is highly likely these planets will never recover their vibrancy. It’s a core part of the tragedy of a Vanduul attack – that these targeted worlds are doomed to exist only as reminders of the Vanduul’s cruelty and voraciousness. To make matters worse, the Vanduul Clans use the resources they gather to fuel their continued advance and produce more weapons of war. Some terraforming scientists have been studying the possibility of revitalizing these worlds should the UEE retake them, but to date it remains beyond the current capabilities. That said, planets that have only partially harvested do have some hope of recovery which helps to drive some of the urgency of the war effort to push back the Vanduul.
Signage in the 'verse
Question: Is there a universal language for traffic signs across the UEE?
Answer: We’re not the best team to tackle this, so we reached out to Art Director of Visual Identity, Nicolas Fortin. Here’s what he had to say in answer:
"We have started on a convention for safety signage in general, but there is still quite a lot of work to do on this front.
At the moment we are designing these signs with a local flavor approach while doing our best to maintain a certain level of consistency throughout Stanton... Pyro will have a different feel of course, as would other star systems.
There is a lot of legacy material in the game that we have to compose with too but the plan and intention is to bring more structure and consistency to these types of assets in game."
So, there you have it. Narrative works closely with branding to help review these signs and make sure they’re recognizable, while still feeling distinct, to our far-future setting.
Where is the Imperator?
Question: Where is the Imperator? Four years into her term and there's been little word of what she's doing. Is she aware of what's happening in Stanton / Pyro? XenoThreat? Did she get her AI legislation through the Senate?
Answer: While Imperator Addison has been busy, the administration has been met with frustration as many of their initiatives have encountered roadblocks. Probably the most noticeable change in the Empire so far has been the continued improvement of xeno-diplomatic relations, which are viewed as stronger than ever before. On the technology front, the ”Better Today Act'' to allow additional AI research did pass but in a heavily modified form that deeply weakened the proposed initiative. One major change was that a senate committee has to approve all AI research and so for they have only approved one project relating to improving intersystem communication.
The growing crime issue has drawn much of the Imperator’s attention away from other campaign goals, and she is stuck in a difficult place of maintaining the war against the Vanduul while trying to protect the people of the Empire. Her desired expansion of the Education budget was put on hold in favor of allocating additional resources to security spending. Additionally, recent reports have begun to indicate that there may be some unforeseen issues with the regen technology that would not only be a significant blow to her administration but Humanity itself. We will have to keep an eye out to see how that story develops…
Unions During the Messer Regime
Question: What was the relationship between the Messer Regime and the various unions/guilds? Many authoritarian governments, in their pursuit of keeping the working class oppressed, have chosen to significantly weaken or dissolve any existing guilds and unions. In Star Citizen organizations such as the United Resource Workers fought for workers' rights for centuries before Ivar Messer installed himself as the first Imperator. How did he and his successors deal with them and vice versa?
Answer: The Messer regime definitely used their power and authority to control and influence unions and guilds across the UEE. One example established in lore involves the Interstellar Transport Guild (ITG). Founded in 2391, the ITG fought and defended hauler’s rights for over a century before Ivar Messer came to power. Yet, the guild came under fire in the early 2690s when haulers in Terra filed a series of lawsuits that exposed a massive corruption scandal where ITG officials secretly funneled member dues to pro-Messer political candidates and organizations.
This subversive influence of the ITG illustrates how the Messer regime probably dealt with most of the major, established unions. Allowing entrenched pro-worker organizations to exist and operate provided their members the illusion of power. In reality, Messer sycophants and spies would infiltrate or be installed into these groups to monitor and control their actions. Then, during some particularly dark periods, guild members classified by the regime as ‘agitators’ would be offered special jobs, or simply easily tracked, only to ‘disappear’ or fall victim to some unfortunate fate.
While it was advantageous for the Messer regime to keep legacy unions around, they also used their influence to crush groups trying to establish themselves. Many of these new labor organizations had their origins in or around Terra. To keep them from spreading, the Messer regime went on the offensive in both overt and covert ways. They banned certain organizations by labeling them as fronts for gangs or the Xi’an. On the secretive side of things, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of 2806 exposed that the regime threatened to reduce the government contracts awarded to major companies, like Aegis and CDS, if any of their operations worked with these newer labor groups.
Lost Colony Ships
Question: The Whitley's Guide on the Vulture mentions that:
“In 2932, an Aegis Dynamics Reclaimer, the General Dogsbody, made history with the single most profitable salvage mission in human history when it discovered and recovered a failed 22nd-century colony ship adrift in deep space.”
22nd Century implies a date looking like 21XX; however, Artemis -- the most famous of the interstellar colony ships -- launched in 2232. Was it intended for the discovery to have been a failed 23rd-century colony ship? Or were there other colony ships (interstellar OR only interplanetary in nature) launched before Artemis?
I'm assuming that you did not intend to solve the mystery of the Artemis as a side note in Whitley's Guide... so perhaps we could know more about the other colony ships that were sent, and especially the one that was found here?
Answer: Your instincts are right. Artemis is not the colony ship found and salvaged by General Dogsbody. Artemis was but one of several colony ships Humanity sent into deep space in the late 22nd and early 23rd centuries. Prior to Nick Croshaw becoming the first person to successfully survive a roundtrip through a jump point in 2271, these ventures were seen as Humanity’s best chance at expanding our footprint in the universe. While the Artemis remains the most famous due to the ship being monitored and piloted by Janus, which at the time was the most complex AI system ever created by Humans. The ship’s sudden disappearance fourteen years prior to the expected date led to widespread speculation that the AI was at fault which galvanized anti-AI attitudes and legislation that persists to this day in the UEE. For this reason, Artemis is still remembered in the current UEE and spotlighted by the lore.
The lore hasn’t focused much on the other colony ships, but it’s a potentially rich area for us to dig into. The exact number launched remains a mystery due to several factors, including lost records due to data corruption. Also confusing the matter is that these colony ships were sent by a variety of corporate interests and individual nations in an era before the creation of the United Nations of Earth. Details about most of these ships, including their intended destinations, reasons for going, crew manifests, and supplies onboard, have been lost to time and would hamper the chances of their eventual discovery.
People's Alliance Locations
Question: Is there a space station the People's Alliance lives in? Do they have any sort of militia or navy? Have they built anything beyond Levski?
Answer: The People's Alliance notably inhabit the asteroid base of Levski, which was the site of their proposed 'new society' established to escape from the authoritarianism of the Messers.
They would have a security force to help protect Levski, but in keeping with their general ethos, it would be a purely defensive force and probably use lethal force as a last resort. As we start diving into the Nyx as a system, fictionally it would make sense that they would have settlements outside of Levski in the system to help sustain themselves whether its mining outposts or the like, but we'll have to keep you posted.
The Moraine
Question: Is it intended for this faction to have any representation outside of Nyx, and can we expect to see any info on them prior to or upon release of Nyx?
Answer: Our current intention is for the Moraine to remain specific to Nyx. They serve as a solid counterpoint to the People’s Alliance and occupy an interesting part of the “system geography” through their headquarters on the Glaciem Ring in Nyx. In addition, with their intense family focus, it’s unlikely the Moraine would grow so large as to expand beyond Nyx. Expect to see more of them as we work towards the system’s release in game.
What Hunts the Stormwals
Question: What hunts the Stormwal?
Answer: For the most part, stormwals don't have predators. Like the blue whale on Earth, they are so enormous that it takes a huge amount of effort to kill them. Predators don't really like putting more work into killing than they put into eating. Humans, who have the benefit of ships and weapons to do the job for them, are about the only things out there that prey on stormwals. Let's hope that they don't end up hunting them to extinction.
There ARE creatures out there that eat stormwals, if you'd like a little more insight into Crusader's food chain. When a stormwal dies of old age or injury, the internal mechanisms that keep it afloat slowly break down, and it begins a gradual descent into the crushing depths of Crusader. Scavengers, zooplankton, kiami, and other organisms begin to feed off the dead stormwal as it falls. This in turn causes a spike in reproductive activity. It's a real boon to the ecosystem.
NPC Mission Givers
Question: Why haven’t there been any new ‘hero’ NPCs added in a while? Receiving missions through the mobiGlas feels impersonal and doesn't encourage exploration.
Answer: There have been a lot of discussions about NPCs lately as the team works with Design to craft the ultimate 1.0 experience while also looking beyond to future updates. We can't really get into specifics now, but yes, the general goal is to promote more interactions in order to help make the universe (and the mission providers) feel more alive. That being said, it's not a trivial thing to add characters to the game, so we've been trying to figure out how to approach this in a scalable way that we will be able to support beyond 1.0. Less on the mission front, but the Narrative team has also been taking a larger role in developing the Social AI behaviors in the PU. While the stories and characters slated for 1.0 are still being kept under wraps, we are aiming to start bringing improvements and personality to the various landing zones into patches sooner.
Navy Exploration
Question: Does the exploratory division of the Navy compete with the private sector? Are they just looking for strategic advantages & jump points or does it include general exploration? Are they looking for the Krell system? Have they given up on looking for the jump point to Oretani system? Why don't the Navy just pay contractors to do the work? If something is found, does High Command plan to keep it a secret? How many secret jump points are the Navy actively using? Is the UEEN Pathfinders Division the new name for the Navy Exploratory Division or are they the same thing?
Answer: Exploration is an interesting facet of the ‘verse. There are a lot of great observations here across all those questions, so we’ll try to tackle it piece by piece.
First, we’re not 100% sure where the terms “Navy Exploratory Division” or UEEN Pathfinders Division came from. If you have a link to a source, please send it our way. We’ve mentioned Exploratory Squadrons in the Whitley’s Guide for the Terrapin, as well as the UEE Exploratory Services in the introduction of the Idris Corvette. There have also been broad mentions of military pathfinders throughout the years, but we also generically refer to explorers of all stripes as “pathfinders.”
The UEE Exploratory Services are not a branch of the military. The department is tasked with both discovering new systems and surveying those discovered by private pathfinders to evaluate whether it is viable for colonization or another purpose. In their primary function of general exploration, the UEE pathfinders do compete with private sector pathfinders, but exploration is a tricky business and it’s a big universe – so there’s plenty of room for everyone. Some of the pathfinders working for both the UEE and private companies might be freelance, but most organizations would also employ their own staff.
The military in general also operate pathfinding patrols, and are usually involved in exploring systems that have intrinsic military value, such as ones that lead into known Vanduul systems. Any such jump points would absolutely be kept secret, so there’s no telling how many are in use.
As far as the Krell system is concerned, we can neither confirm nor deny. If the UEE were to be looking for it, they wouldn’t be doing it publicly, as it would likely antagonize our Xi’an friends. Lastly, regarding the Oretani system, enough time has passed that there’s not as much enthusiasm around the search for it, so it’s likely that most efforts have died down, but there’s always hope.
Vanduul Aftermath
Question: In what state do Vanduul leave the planets they've harvested? Will the environment ever recover?
Answer: When the Vanduul Harvesters are finished with a planet, all that’s left is a scarred, barren world. It is highly likely these planets will never recover their vibrancy. It’s a core part of the tragedy of a Vanduul attack – that these targeted worlds are doomed to exist only as reminders of the Vanduul’s cruelty and voraciousness. To make matters worse, the Vanduul Clans use the resources they gather to fuel their continued advance and produce more weapons of war. Some terraforming scientists have been studying the possibility of revitalizing these worlds should the UEE retake them, but to date it remains beyond the current capabilities. That said, planets that have only partially harvested do have some hope of recovery which helps to drive some of the urgency of the war effort to push back the Vanduul.
Signage in the 'verse
Question: Is there a universal language for traffic signs across the UEE?
Answer: We’re not the best team to tackle this, so we reached out to Art Director of Visual Identity, Nicolas Fortin. Here’s what he had to say in answer:
"We have started on a convention for safety signage in general, but there is still quite a lot of work to do on this front.
At the moment we are designing these signs with a local flavor approach while doing our best to maintain a certain level of consistency throughout Stanton... Pyro will have a different feel of course, as would other star systems.
There is a lot of legacy material in the game that we have to compose with too but the plan and intention is to bring more structure and consistency to these types of assets in game."
So, there you have it. Narrative works closely with branding to help review these signs and make sure they’re recognizable, while still feeling distinct, to our far-future setting.
Where is the Imperator?
Question: Where is the Imperator? Four years into her term and there's been little word of what she's doing. Is she aware of what's happening in Stanton / Pyro? XenoThreat? Did she get her AI legislation through the Senate?
Answer: While Imperator Addison has been busy, the administration has been met with frustration as many of their initiatives have encountered roadblocks. Probably the most noticeable change in the Empire so far has been the continued improvement of xeno-diplomatic relations, which are viewed as stronger than ever before. On the technology front, the ”Better Today Act'' to allow additional AI research did pass but in a heavily modified form that deeply weakened the proposed initiative. One major change was that a senate committee has to approve all AI research and so for they have only approved one project relating to improving intersystem communication.
The growing crime issue has drawn much of the Imperator’s attention away from other campaign goals, and she is stuck in a difficult place of maintaining the war against the Vanduul while trying to protect the people of the Empire. Her desired expansion of the Education budget was put on hold in favor of allocating additional resources to security spending. Additionally, recent reports have begun to indicate that there may be some unforeseen issues with the regen technology that would not only be a significant blow to her administration but Humanity itself. We will have to keep an eye out to see how that story develops…
Unions During the Messer Regime
Question: What was the relationship between the Messer Regime and the various unions/guilds? Many authoritarian governments, in their pursuit of keeping the working class oppressed, have chosen to significantly weaken or dissolve any existing guilds and unions. In Star Citizen organizations such as the United Resource Workers fought for workers' rights for centuries before Ivar Messer installed himself as the first Imperator. How did he and his successors deal with them and vice versa?
Answer: The Messer regime definitely used their power and authority to control and influence unions and guilds across the UEE. One example established in lore involves the Interstellar Transport Guild (ITG). Founded in 2391, the ITG fought and defended hauler’s rights for over a century before Ivar Messer came to power. Yet, the guild came under fire in the early 2690s when haulers in Terra filed a series of lawsuits that exposed a massive corruption scandal where ITG officials secretly funneled member dues to pro-Messer political candidates and organizations.
This subversive influence of the ITG illustrates how the Messer regime probably dealt with most of the major, established unions. Allowing entrenched pro-worker organizations to exist and operate provided their members the illusion of power. In reality, Messer sycophants and spies would infiltrate or be installed into these groups to monitor and control their actions. Then, during some particularly dark periods, guild members classified by the regime as ‘agitators’ would be offered special jobs, or simply easily tracked, only to ‘disappear’ or fall victim to some unfortunate fate.
While it was advantageous for the Messer regime to keep legacy unions around, they also used their influence to crush groups trying to establish themselves. Many of these new labor organizations had their origins in or around Terra. To keep them from spreading, the Messer regime went on the offensive in both overt and covert ways. They banned certain organizations by labeling them as fronts for gangs or the Xi’an. On the secretive side of things, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of 2806 exposed that the regime threatened to reduce the government contracts awarded to major companies, like Aegis and CDS, if any of their operations worked with these newer labor groups.
Lost Colony Ships
Question: The Whitley's Guide on the Vulture mentions that:
“In 2932, an Aegis Dynamics Reclaimer, the General Dogsbody, made history with the single most profitable salvage mission in human history when it discovered and recovered a failed 22nd-century colony ship adrift in deep space.”
22nd Century implies a date looking like 21XX; however, Artemis -- the most famous of the interstellar colony ships -- launched in 2232. Was it intended for the discovery to have been a failed 23rd-century colony ship? Or were there other colony ships (interstellar OR only interplanetary in nature) launched before Artemis?
I'm assuming that you did not intend to solve the mystery of the Artemis as a side note in Whitley's Guide... so perhaps we could know more about the other colony ships that were sent, and especially the one that was found here?
Answer: Your instincts are right. Artemis is not the colony ship found and salvaged by General Dogsbody. Artemis was but one of several colony ships Humanity sent into deep space in the late 22nd and early 23rd centuries. Prior to Nick Croshaw becoming the first person to successfully survive a roundtrip through a jump point in 2271, these ventures were seen as Humanity’s best chance at expanding our footprint in the universe. While the Artemis remains the most famous due to the ship being monitored and piloted by Janus, which at the time was the most complex AI system ever created by Humans. The ship’s sudden disappearance fourteen years prior to the expected date led to widespread speculation that the AI was at fault which galvanized anti-AI attitudes and legislation that persists to this day in the UEE. For this reason, Artemis is still remembered in the current UEE and spotlighted by the lore.
The lore hasn’t focused much on the other colony ships, but it’s a potentially rich area for us to dig into. The exact number launched remains a mystery due to several factors, including lost records due to data corruption. Also confusing the matter is that these colony ships were sent by a variety of corporate interests and individual nations in an era before the creation of the United Nations of Earth. Details about most of these ships, including their intended destinations, reasons for going, crew manifests, and supplies onboard, have been lost to time and would hamper the chances of their eventual discovery.
People's Alliance Locations
Question: Is there a space station the People's Alliance lives in? Do they have any sort of militia or navy? Have they built anything beyond Levski?
Answer: The People's Alliance notably inhabit the asteroid base of Levski, which was the site of their proposed 'new society' established to escape from the authoritarianism of the Messers.
They would have a security force to help protect Levski, but in keeping with their general ethos, it would be a purely defensive force and probably use lethal force as a last resort. As we start diving into the Nyx as a system, fictionally it would make sense that they would have settlements outside of Levski in the system to help sustain themselves whether its mining outposts or the like, but we'll have to keep you posted.
The Moraine
Question: Is it intended for this faction to have any representation outside of Nyx, and can we expect to see any info on them prior to or upon release of Nyx?
Answer: Our current intention is for the Moraine to remain specific to Nyx. They serve as a solid counterpoint to the People’s Alliance and occupy an interesting part of the “system geography” through their headquarters on the Glaciem Ring in Nyx. In addition, with their intense family focus, it’s unlikely the Moraine would grow so large as to expand beyond Nyx. Expect to see more of them as we work towards the system’s release in game.
What Hunts the Stormwals
Question: What hunts the Stormwal?
Answer: For the most part, stormwals don't have predators. Like the blue whale on Earth, they are so enormous that it takes a huge amount of effort to kill them. Predators don't really like putting more work into killing than they put into eating. Humans, who have the benefit of ships and weapons to do the job for them, are about the only things out there that prey on stormwals. Let's hope that they don't end up hunting them to extinction.
There ARE creatures out there that eat stormwals, if you'd like a little more insight into Crusader's food chain. When a stormwal dies of old age or injury, the internal mechanisms that keep it afloat slowly break down, and it begins a gradual descent into the crushing depths of Crusader. Scavengers, zooplankton, kiami, and other organisms begin to feed off the dead stormwal as it falls. This in turn causes a spike in reproductive activity. It's a real boon to the ecosystem.
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