Story concept brainstorms

[Shoe]

In the weapon concepts thread, some members were wanting there to be a solid backstory to the game to give it a more straightforward direction. So I figured we could use this thread to brainstorm some ideas. Whether or not these become canon is up to the dev team, but regardless it could be fun

I had an idea a long time ago to tie things together, though I don't remember the details as well anymore... but I think I remember the jist of it.

In the galaxy, there's three major players: The galactic police/enforcers/government agents, the big greedy corporation, and the space pirates. (I don't have actual names for any of them) The government tries to keep things in line, but have a bad history with non-human species. This has caused them to form clans outside of the government's space and become pirates, basically trying to live outside of their sphere of influence. The big corporation is just trying to control everything with money... they own their own planets, have big miltary contracts, and overall are probably the biggest evil in the universe.

One day, an excavation crew is on a planet and uncovers an ancient cache of weapons from an extinct civilization. They're massively powerful, and with the technology, any one person could rule over the galaxy with an iron fist. But a hologram activated during the excavation tells the crew that only those who display themselves as having the supreme fighting ability can cause the technology to come to life, which is where the fighting starts up.

So, for the government, we've got all of the police-like/human characters. For the space pirates, it's all of the aliens. And for the corporation, robots manufactured for "guaranteed" victory. All of them fighting for control over the technology that would ensure they come out on top.

What are some other's ideas/what do you think of mine?

[Ivan]

I like the three groups. I would rate the government as the most evil instead and the company as more indifferent. It would make more sense because governments are about power and power corrupts. The apathy fits better to a high-tech company.The pirates can be the excess of society, the unwanted. I like the setup but I am not sure about the plot. It doesn't seem like anyone has anything to lose. I would like it better if all of the parties were in some sort of risk. It would make everything more critical. I think I good idea is hinting to a past that was more Utopian but eventually fell apart because of an event. Then we can have some history to draw from. Maybe we should look more towards what is happening currently in the world. Israel and Palestine would be a good example. Maybe we can make up a couple of religions to create some more tension.

[Shoe]

Religions are a good idea.

As far as the company/government evilness, my thoughts are that the company have solely money in mind for anything they do, so basically they're willing to do anything in order to further extend their influence on the world and, in turn, make more money.

So it'd be kinda like... from the space pirate point of view, their struggle is righteous and necessary for the poor stranded aliens of the galaxy and the government is evil as they see it, and from the government's point of view they are trying to protect the civilians from the plundering that the space pirates perform (so their struggle is righteous to them), but the corporation is just trying to make a buck. There's no positive spin on why they're out to do anything, it's just greed. Which is why all the robots are theirs, they lack any human element to them other than just fighting as a means to an end. That's how I see it, anyway

And as for things to lose... if the government got the technology, the space pirates would be eradicated. If the space pirates got it, common law and order would be destroyed and the galaxy would revert to a kill-or-be-killed battlegrounds. The corporation has nothing to lose, but everyone else loses if they win - they would control everything, and all of the laws of the land would change to ensure maximum profit.

Religions are a good idea. That could definitely provide how the space pirates separated themselves from the government. As could a broken utopia. Maybe the "ancient technology" could have been built to end a past conflict similar to this one?

Also I was thinking that the weapons could've been based on weapons from the different groups. Things like MG and SG from the government, crylink from the pirates, etc. I think I originally had an idea that the Nex gun was part of the unearthed technology and was reproduced for the tournament but I don't remember entirely.

[The mysterious Mr. 4m]

sounds interesting so far. we already have a hint for the Corporation: the "AT Corp" brand on the electro. so the plasma guns would be manufactured by them, as they are advanced technology. and the more simple guns (laser, hagar, mortar) by the pirates/outlaws/rebels.
i think it will be a bit easier by writing the story around the maps first. things will run much smoother when we have some locations.

how about incorporating some clans? every clan could write about their relation and role in the story. then it would become a developing community project.

[Shoe]

sounds interesting so far. we already have a hint for the Corporation: the "AT Corp" brand on the electro. so the plasma guns would be manufactured by them, as they are advanced technology. and the more simple guns (laser, hagar, mortar) by the pirates/outlaws/rebels.
i think it will be a bit easier by writing the story around the maps first. things will run much smoother when we have some locations.

how about incorporating some clans? every clan could write about their relation and role in the story. then it would become a developing community project.

Very interesting...

Maybe they could choose what group they affiliate with, and why? Of course this wouldn't force them to use the group's modelset in-game, but would give them some stuff to work off of as to why they're in it.

Would a wiki be useful for developing ideas? I know that Penny-Arcade has (or at least had) a wiki setup to create a universe based on a thread-bare story they mentioned twice in the comics... so maybe we could get more to go off of

I have some more ideas as to how the game could be tied tighter to all of this, but I'll wait for some more community approval before posting them...

[TVR]

I've based the background of Assault City on 2 factions, the Nexx Corporation [reference to the texture], and... Alientrap Resistance.

On one side, the Nexx Corporation is omnipotent, in the sense that it has effectively, replaced the government in most solar systems, sharing the same relationship with the Resistance, as in HL2.

While on the other side, the Alientrap Resistance is a conglomeration of paranoid tinfoil-hatters, who've actually uncovered evidence that the Nexx Corporation is secretly controlled by aliens, which conduct experimentations on humans [thus the mutated, necro, and cyborg player models].

It conforms to existing theme of levels & models quite well, considering that all player models are ubiquitously evil in a manner, while factoring in my desire to parody /. and include a meta-reference to Alientrap at the same time...

[Ivan]

I've based the background of Assault City on 2 factions, the Nexx Corporation [reference to the texture], and... Alientrap Resistance.

On one side, the Nexx Corporation is omnipotent, in the sense that it has effectively, replaced the government in most solar systems, sharing the same relationship with the Resistance, as in HL2.

While on the other side, the Alientrap Resistance is a conglomeration of paranoid tinfoil-hatters, who've actually uncovered evidence that the Nexx Corporation is secretly controlled by aliens, which conduct experimentations on humans [thus the mutated, necro, and cyborg player models].

It conforms to existing theme of levels & models quite well, considering that all player models are ubiquitously evil in a manner, while factoring in my desire to parody /. and include a meta-reference to Alientrap at the same time...

I like the idea that every faction has a little evil in them. We can base each faction on a mode of thought, the government can be based on a imperialist mindset, the corporation can be based on a capitalist mindset, and the pirates can be some sort of anarchy.

Anyways, I still think the government should be the most evil instead of the corporation. I believe most pain and suffering in this world is largely caused by governments, but that is for another discussion.

I have one question, which group would my Nexus model belong to?

[Shoe]

Since he's an alien, probably with the space pirates. I don't think that this necessarily has to hold true for all models though (maybe a particular alien is trying to work with the government in order to restore peace between them and the aliens)

[Purple Carrot]

This is certainly not the "Official" PeaceBrothers story, but, just for the sake of brainstorming...

"The Peace Brothers, retired from their former glorious lives of knightly battles, saving damsels in distress, jousting, and similar knightly pursuits, now pass their time in their home castle "Spamalot" collecting stamps, drinking beer out of viking horns, and taunting passing citizens from the castle windows, happy that they no longer need to make the daily commute to their jobs in the local Hormel SPAM factory. When they tire of this, they descend to the castle dungeon, where they follow the progress of the mad scientist in his attempts to clone the Saturday Night Fever virus. No one realizes that they are all infected already."

[PURE INSANITY]

i like it
i like it alot
can the corperation be named UAC?
pple who understand don't explain to others
you will kill the joke
also reread the topic if you get the joke, it seems quite funny
nevertheless a good addition
woudl this be a forced explanation or optional?
i b elieve it should be optional
...
UAC i crack myself up...