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Order development

In it's current state, do you think the Order is a viable faction?


  • Total voters
    7

Air Admiral

Active Member
As some of you may know, I've started developing an idea for a new NPC faction: the Order. This thread is basically where I'll pitch ideas, take second opinions, and do some general fleshing out. Feel free to ask questions and be critical - if there's anything you think I can improve upon, say it!
 
*becomes excited teacher*

Excellent question!

The Order is a nomadic, technologically advanced population based mostly on an enormous starship. Their government consists of several ministries (so far military, economic, technological), each headed by a minister with a seat on the high council (there is no single head of state). The population would likely be in the tens of millions, the ship obviously being insanely huge (think 50×15×15 km), and be able to fully support their small but well-trained and equipped navy and marines. Food, water, and other supplies would be produced on board by synthesizers (think star trek). Any raw materials needed in large quantities would be extracted in temporary planetary installations deployed on visited planets as necessary.

Bear in mind, this is all subject to change.
 
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This is very similar to an idea I've been wanting to pursue...

The major change that I'd make is that they don't have in essence replicators and do a lot of asteroid mining. I'd probably also have it be a large network of smaller ships rather then one big ship. (More Quarian-ish then Kushan-ish)
 
How would they be differently themed from factions SARP already has?
 
Well, firstly, they would have dynamic diplomatic relations with other factions (based on need to access various resources in sovereign territory).

Secondly (and obviously), they're nomadic - with no set territory. Along the same tangent, they could be moved around as necessary OOC to fill gaps in planned plots.

Thirdly, and finally, they could serve as a sort of 'hired gun', using their small, stealthy forces to execute operations for parties that don't want to be connected to an operation.

So, does that sound viable or am I dreaming?
 
I don't think they need to be all that differently themed from existing factions for them to be interesting. Just having another group to do diplomacy with or include in RP is enough for me to be interested.
 
Perhaps not, though if I'm gonna do this, I want to make it the best it can be. If that means changing it from my original idea, so what - I'm making this as a contribution to the community, not just as a brain dump.
 
Well, firstly, they would have dynamic diplomatic relations with other factions (based on need to access various resources in sovereign territory).

Secondly (and obviously), they're nomadic - with no set territory. Along the same tangent, they could be moved around as necessary OOC to fill gaps in planned plots.

Thirdly, and finally, they could serve as a sort of 'hired gun', using their small, stealthy forces to execute operations for parties that don't want to be connected to an operation.

So, does that sound viable or am I dreaming?
Freespacers are largely nomadic, which I think is the major conflicting thing (especially considering both augment their bodies and live on ships in the 99%). Overlapping isn't bad as long as there's enough beneath the surface to diversify them. That's been my only hang-up is that I worry that there might not be enough fleshed out to make them different than the high-tech Spacers running around.

Diplomacy also seems like a silly draw/point for a focus. Everyone interacts, just some factions as-of-late insist on interacting rapidly with one or two others (see USO and the Garts) while some are focusing on their own development or have no reason for outside contact (see the Iroma and Nepleslia). The third thing also seems like these guys will be used as a PvP tool, rather than a setting element. And that has me concerned, given that I'd rather factions not exist with one of their key focuses being "we'll go to war with other factions that you can't interact with!". Great in idea, but seems like it would be a very bad egg potentially that will no doubt lead to issues if it were ever used. Even if you meant well.
 
Fortunately, Legix, I have prepared for exactly this situation. Here goes...

1. Political ideology - As opposed to the libertarian ideology of the freespacers, the Order would be deeply authoritarian - albeit with great care in selecting the leaders.

2. Presence - The freespacers are spread out across the sector, whereas the Order would be concentrated on a single ship.

3. Civil liberties - Freespacers are basically free from government intervention (since there is no government), whereas citizens of the Order are always working for their respective ministry.

Also, just to clear this up, this idea is not at all based on the freespacers. It was an entirely original idea which I have been mulling over pretty much since I joined SARP.
 
The Order is viable if it's done right, and Air Admiral seems willing to make the effort to do it right. I don't think his intention is to play the Order as a PVP faction, but rather to give GMs a new possible antagonist or ally for their plots. It seems like an interesting idea that could be used in some of the smaller scale plots or independent plots. These guys would be a trivial threat to Yamatai, Nepleslia, Spacers, Iroma, or Abwehrans - basically any nation with more than one system. I think they would be best used out in the West near USO and the frontiers, where they could either be a threat or a major asset.

Also, I applaud you for inviting criticism from the community @Air Admiral. That was brave.
 
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Aight, brain dump time.

So, I've been thinking a lot about culture lately, and I'm thinking of maybe having implants be a sort of status symbol. Basically, implants would only be given to military members and high-ranking members of the other ministries. By virtue of their distribution, this would infer a certain respect to these people, since acquiring one would be reasonably difficult.

Once again, please be critical of this idea, I don't want to end up with any useless stuff in this thing.
 
I absolutely love this idea. I loved the Migrant Fleet in Mass Effect....I kind of get that idea from it. It is of course different. My one suggestion would be making it a small fleet perhaps, because that would have to be a humongous ship, although either way is fine to me(I just love the idea of having some quarian-like species! xD). I hope to see them in RP soon enough......but maybe I missed this. What race would they be?
 
Perhaps if implants are a status symbol, then you have to show them? This could be a carry over from when implants were new and had to show, now they technically don't have to but do anyway to provide the status symbols.
 
If they're a status symbol make them really gaudy and ornate. Some families may pass their implants down to their children when they die.
 
Sorry for taking so long, precal is being a bitch at the moment.

@Zekec
The idea is to have the ship basically be a city - with military and supply fleets built and partially supplied by it. I feel like splitting it up among a fleet would lose an aspect of closeness that I feel might define them. Of course, on the other hand, there is a part of me that wonders if that might add something to the faction. Fire away with ideas for that, I'd love to see em!

@Soban @ArsenicJohn
For implants, I'm thinking of having something like the spine from the Mk V Iron man suit, but spindlier and with colours/decorations denoting rank, position, honours, etc. That being said, I would expect them to be more a part of the user both physically and personally, as it would reflect their life as much as or more than their functionality.

As always, continue with the suggestions and criticism - I will read and consider all posts in this thread.
 
Hello all. Sorry for the long absence, and I assure you I haven't abandoned this project, I've just been tied up with other things lately.

Here is an organizational chart I made detailing what the government would look like. Apologies for the basic appearance, I literally threw this together in a few minutes from paper notes I had on hand. Bear in mind that this is by no means a final copy, just a rough draft of what it might look like, and I plan on making a final copy later on.

As always, please comment with any suggestions or concerns you might have.
 

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