Which sovereign to continue into late-game

[george moromisato]

Which of the following sovereigns would you MOST like to see expanded into the late-game? Please pick only one and explain what kinds of things you'd like to see for that sovereign:

1. Black Market
2. Sisters of Domina
3. Corporate Hierarchy
4. Other (specify some existing sovereign)

[Revolver]

I would choose the Black Market or Corporate Hierarchy, but for the same reason: they are both driven by profit and would flourish without Commonwealth control. While the Black Market deals in illegal goods, outside of Commonwealth space they would have the same non-illegal trading post status status as the Corporate Stations. Corporations as we know, aren't always the friends of government either, and it's easy to believe that outside of Commonwealth space they might expand their line of wares to include things that might otherwise be deemed illegal/controversial, which was already hinted at:

The Rasiermesser corporation introduced the SmartCannon into the low-end weapons market despite the opposition of the Commonwealth.

Given the choice of only one, I would go with the Corporate expansion, maybe creating some sort of subsidary that sells Corporate high-end goods away from the watch of the Commonwealth Government.

[Yugi]

I would select 4. Other.
The race I would choose would be the Iocrym, and what their lifestyle, ships, stations and devices are like. Will they try to kill you for destroying their command ship, or welcome you into their society with open arms. Are they entering a civil war where one side likes you and the side doesn't?

The Iocrym is definetely a race I want to see more of.

[Eli]

Definitely another trading source, either Black Market or a juiced up Corporate.
Probably more of the mystical exploration with Domina besides giving us powers.
I was wondering, too, why the first Iocrym ship you see is the Mother of all mothers and not some exploration ships or small colonies.

[dvlenk6]

2. Sisters of Domina.
I picked that one because Domina is a transcendent (no pun intended) being, and as such should be represented in all phases of the game in one form or another.

would like to see:
1) Some more Powers of Domina enabled. Possibly only enabled via completion of some non-militaristic missions. Missions could also just give attitude of sisters or relationship with Domina bonus.
2) Some new items of very low credit value, but important to the Sisters, so high attitude and/or relationship value. The item descriptions could help to describe Domina better. sacred writings, icons, etc.
3) A Loss of favor for player causing general chaos by destroying friendly ships and/or bases. No idea if this is hard to do or not.
4) A unique station graphic.

I wouldn't want a player to be forced to take a 'Domina aligned' course throughout the game. At the same time, if a player decides to be piratical or destructive, then they shouldn't be able to draw upon Domina's power to aid them.

[Lathana]

Sorry I'm late getting here...

I'd have to say the Sisters of Domina for no less than SIX, count 'em, SIX reasons.

1. The fight of Domina and Oracus : I think that since the very game is about transcendent entities, and since the Transcendi (as I think of those two) are penultimate in that regard, we need to continue them out to enhance the storyline.

2. Powers more valuable than loot: at the end game, you already have the best guns, and if not you can find more by looting than trading. But recharging your domina given powers can be a pain in this regard.

3. Money sink: donating goods and cash for refuels and system maps can eliminate too much late game cash, which is sorely needed

4. System Maps and fuel : same things, when I run out of rins and need some fuel, what do I do when the local CSC is ashes and the Ranx are pissing on it?

5. Sphere of Influence: the Sisters seem, hrm, very outpost like in the Commonwealth. Maybe we should see them dominating (ha! Bad pun!) a system as their 'home'.

6. Logic : Neither the commonwealth or the corporations spawned by it would be tolerated by Ares or the Ranx, much less evil beings like the Luminous AI or the Gaians. And the Black markets have no one to BUY their goods way out there. But the Sisters wouldn't be hassled -- they have weird god powers. And I do believe Ares claimed to be working for Domina, so they wouldn't harm her acolytes, now would they?

So, there. Plus, Carl works for the Sisters, and I can't very well continue the Fan Fic without them.

[Betelgeuse]

I would have to say other.
I would like to see more independent merchants like the weapon and armor dealers out further. Maybe even able to deal with both rins and credits. You can make tons of money buying things from the locals and shipping them back (think spice road very high risk to peoples lives but it still had lots of people traveling it)

The reason I didn't vote for Domina is because of the donating system. Fuel is not really a problem so why donate all my money (plus it can be exploited easily) to find out something that would take 15 min to find out on my own. Plus maybe if other things used there powers it would be more interesting. I don't like the idea I can do things no one else in the universe can.

[Fossaman]

I would agree with betelgeuse on this one. It's a frontier, which is classically a haven for entrepeneurs. Lots of tiny, self sufficient settlements, a few government military presences, and the natives (ares, ringers, luminous, ferians...they aren't really native, but it seems like they got there first).

My second choice would be a sort of amalgamation of the corporates and the black market...they're both profit driven, and don't seem to have many qualms about legality.

[Guest]

Well maybe out that far from Commonwealth space, the black market would have a more dominant presense in the corporate bases since there is little or no government "interference." Military and illegals are traded as normal without any ID checks.

[OddBob]

Well maybe out that far from Commonwealth space, the black market would have a more dominant presense in the corporate bases since there is little or no government "interference." Military and illegals are traded as normal without any ID checks.

I've never seen anyone but actual Commonwealth stations care if you have illegals. Corporate stations can already care less. Corporations don't need to be outside governmentt influence to be corrupt. Governments can be corrupt as well, or simply be powerless if the corps are powerful enough. The Commonwealth is apparently powerless to stop the Black Market, probably because they've got a lot of guns. Well, corporatins have a lot of money, and poeple like money. They like in enough that sometimes, if they get it, they'll change their mind.
I've always got the feeling that the corporations (In Transcendence) have their fingers in everything anyway. Those Enclaves seem shifty to me .

Nonetheless, I'd like to see more corporate presence lategame. As for them not being able to hack it out there with the big bad Ares, a few Corp Cruisers never hurt.

[hookoa]

I'd like to see 4.) Ares past the core. I have many reasons for this.

1.) Since I started playing (circa .9 and .9a) I've always felt that the Ares were my main adversaries. Their weapons have always been fearsome, their defenses near impenetrable, their attacks devastating. The Ranx are there, sure, but they seem to be uninterested in you unless you get in their way. Xenophobes don't have any particular interest in you, they hate everyone equally.

The point here is that I believe the Ares are already, and will make a good main 'antagonist' character for us.


2.) Ares have the capacity and the need to make it into Iocrym space.
-They have the technology to produce advanced weaponry (Ares Archcannons).

-Their communes and outposts are decently strong and heavily guarded. Enough so that I think they can maintain a foothold close to the core.

-The Ares are losing against the commonwealth fleet. The battle may be close, but the Ares were defeated before and with CSC's scattered throughout their space, their only choices are surrender, hold their ground (which isn't going to work forever), or push for the core.

-The Ares know they can't beat the Commonwealth on their own. Maybe it'd be in their best interest to seek an alliance with advanced aliens such as the Iocrym.

"Hey Iocrym... Ever notice all those giant white ships getting closer and closer to that gate you're guarding? They look like a fleet... an attack fleet. We, the Ares, would like to help you defend your gate in exchange for your friendship."



This could even lead you to Domina where she can explain to you how to stop the (soon to be) devastating war between core entities and human variety. (although this is just me shooting off on some random thoughts)

I honestly think many things from the first half of the game should make it past heretic, but in small groups. Rouge groups of Sisters who make it past the gate, Commonwealth military ships equipped with stealth plate, Oracus followers who managed to slip past the iocrym (maybe with GoCs), etc.
Having only one sovereign to vouch for, it'd have to be Ares.

EDIT: Sorry if some of my Transcendence story is mixed up. I can't always remember the details of the Transcendence galaxy.

[F50]

I would like to see more of the Sung, Ringers, and Ares(in that order). It was the Sung after all who created the means to destroy the Iocrym command ship. The Ringers seem to be the next most technologically advanced("Immanence to Transcendence" even postulated that they could revive the dead). I agree that the Ares are the main badguy and think they should continue as well.

[hookoa]

The sung do have the only weapon (in game) capable of defeating the Iocrym, but I think that they don't have the motivation to move. They're operating very well in human space with their main opposition being the commonwealth militia (ooh, big threat there). Capturing Iocrym aliens will be insanely hard, and transporting them back to human space would be near impossible, I think.

[the_holy_thom]

there should definately be some groups post heretic - after all, youve just knocked out the guard. this means 2 things:

1) someone could have done it before, and the current ship is a replacement
2) more ships can slip through before the iocrym send another cruiser

plus maybe there are some people there from before we were cut off?

[hookoa]

Ooh... Ares communes trapped on the other side might not know that there's a war going on in human space.