Tir Accord clarifications

[Nyadach]

Originally posted by Brad, STL/MO
The Tir Accord specifically limits the neutrals to Newland City (no smaller and less convenient box being available at the time). Legally, they have no business occupying abandoned mining towns (Borealis, Last Ditch), let alone building new ones (Hope, Home).

Firstly I would like to point out that Home, is a Clan town...nothing to do with us (note the Clan guards). Harry/s is allowed space on planet as he runs the second largest company on this planet, and any military action against a legaly competing company I feel would result in the ICC clobbering Omni-Tek, so if he's legal, they leave him alone (he used to operate out of Athen but the Clans during the last war decided to burn his company to the ground as a thankyou for all the work he did supporting them in thier conflict with OT).

The Independent Republic of Free Peoples of Rubika (the neutrals) will no longer just be bullied into a corner...yes before you all ask we do not believe in military action as certain others do, and yes we would prefer this to be done via a political means. We just hope that the other parties involved in this will agree to meet our representatives (the Council) and come to an agreement over these matters...and hope they sign the Pact

Originally posted by Brad, STL/MO
On the other hand, Omni-Pol guards aren't supposed to open fire on law-abiding neutrals or Clanners, either. Under the Tir Accord, if I'm walking around in Omni-Trade in civilian clothes and unarmed, the guards are supposed to say, "Have a nice day!" or at most, "Stay out of trouble, rebel scum." If they suspect me of a crime, they're supposed to arrest me - not send me to Reclaim. Tir Accord? What Tir Accord?

Omni-Tek guards don't attack Neutrals (I can't say the same for Slayer Droids though). And they never used to open fire on to Clan members either until the Amnesty was broken. When that was broken the Clans were put back into there own little box up North...but the same goes for Omni personal being under fire from Clan guards.

Both sides ratified the Tir Accord, and in it it stated they both recognised Newlands as Neutral territory, which is why OT has MMD and both of them spend 90% of the day slaughtering our guards by Newlands Lake. It's got us annoyed....very annoyed. The Clans have the CoT, the Intersteller Corporations has the ICC, the neutrals have...well up to now...nothing. But things are a changing. We're uniting behind a Council which will be able to give a single voice to OT and the Clans, and we'll also be asking for OT and the Clans to Ratify the Borealis Pact (which I think you'll be seeing in the next few days), but in brief it means you can both keep off the grass.

Originally posted by Brad, STL/MO
Similarly, the neutrals aren't supposed to be mining notum. The Clans are allowed to mine notum, but they're only allowed to sell it to Omni-Tek, at Omni-Tek wholesale prices. Now, I'm not saying I've got proof that they're doing otherwise. But I've sure seen plenty of mining tunnels in odd places, some of them thoroughly camouflaged against anyone farther than a dozen meters away. And gosh, the Clanners and the neuters sure seem to have more military hardware, and bigger construction budgets, than you'd expect under those circumstances, and gosh, there's a lot of talk about off-world smugglers, and gosh, there's a lot of illegal off-world hardware rattling around.

This is the whole thing, we don't mine notum...but we would like to, or not depending on how it best suits our interests. We would also like access to Miir clothing. We would like access to Superior Nanoformulas, we would like not to be chased down by Slayer Droids, and many would like peace and quiet to get on running the trade route from Borealis to 20k (as pointed out by OT some months ago for being very profitable for them).

Oh the neuts have military hardware? urmm where are you coming from? we have nothing! see above, no superior nanoformulas, we arn't some bunch of wusses who need to run around collecting bounties for there leadership so we earn a poxy token board. No tokens, nothing but disadvantages....what we have is hard working citizens working for a better Rubi-ka and in a way which doesnt mean blowing up Omni-1 or Athen.

Are there smugglers amongst the neutral population? yes there is. But there is also numerous smugglers in the Clans and OT. Some of it comes through the neuts yes, but we get most of our stuff smuggled in from OT or the Clans....I can openly admit I once smuggled Nanoformulas and Clothing from Omni-Trade to Borealis...wow major crime commited, go lock me up for smuggling out that Miir suit (which I have to add was paid for fully to the Miir store).

[______________Luxxan]

Just out of curiousity, how would you describe yourself and your goals as different from those of the Clans?

This is one thing I have never understood about a unified "neutral" force on Rubi-Ka. It seems that neutrals want independence and the right to live their lives as they sit fit. Well that is exactly the same thing that the Clans want. Where is the difference?

[lilnymph]

The Neutrals on Rubi-ka are just there for PR Omni-Tek. Remember Omni-Tek is a hypercorporation owning hundreds of star systems. The only think on Rubi-Ka that makes it any money worth being there is Notum. The Money made of the Clans or neutrals probably doesnt even show up on their balance sheets. There are two reasons the clans still exist on Rubi-Ka. The FIrst is the same as for Neutrals, PR for Omni-Tek, so it can point to its enlightened view of colonial administration. The Second is the Omni-Tek is still rebuilding its armed forces after the corporation war, and wont send reinforcements to Rubi-Ka. If they ever do, the Clans had better look out, as Omni-Tek as a whole probably has more people in its Armed forces than the total population of Rubi-ka.

hugs

lilnymph

[Bionitrous]

Per a question in the starting post, Perpetual Wastelands is terraformed. You can't get to any of the non-terraformed regions via the game right now. You wouldn't be able to breathe there anyway. There's an additional buffer between the terraformed region and the non-terraformed regions called 'the outzone' that you can't get to either. This is where the Dust Brigade supposedly hides out.

[______________Ragnar]

Originally posted by Bionitrous
There's an additional buffer between the terraformed region and the non-terraformed regions called 'the outzone' that you can't get to either. This is where the Dust Brigade supposedly hides out.

Actually, the Outzone is the non-terraformed regions! Or, more correctly, it's where Omni-Tek is currently conducting atmospheric experiments, maintains research outposts, and where it's begun third- or fourth-stage terraforming, using gigantic terraforming machinery.

The plan was (is) to implement the Outzone at a (much) later stage. Most of Rubi-Ka remains non-terraformed...for now.

(A lot of the backstory - and future story - revolves around aspects of - or elements contained within - the Outzone. Cryptic enough for ya? Read the timeline! )

-Ragnar

[lilnymph]

*hugs Ragnar, for posting so much stuff at the moment, and for building such a nice backstory*

hugs

lilnymph

[Jynne]

Speaking of the Outzone and the outlaying areas of the planet, although this isn't really related to the Tir Accords, I was wondering what the story was on some of the monsters and mutants that are most common in those areas. Specifically, I want to know what's up with the Eremite-type monsters, the Medusas, the Demon-types, the Sandworm-types, the various Enigma creatures, Fossegrims, and the Bileswarms. Oh, and Primal Chirops...

Most of the other monsters/mutants in the game are explained in the manual or are reasonably explicable as being of human origin even if they weren't intentionally created by people - in most but not all cases, by Omni-Med.

Edit: Isn't Omni-Tek responsible for policing and safeguarding all territory - Clan territory included - from mutants, cyborgs, and other 'monsters' under the aegis of "planetary security" as outlined in the Accords?

[______________Ragnar]

Originally posted by Jynne
Speaking of the Outzone and the outlaying areas of the planet, although this isn't really related to the Tir Accords, I was wondering what the story was on some of the monsters and mutants that are most common in those areas. Specifically, I want to know what's up with the Eremite-type monsters, the Medusas, the Demon-types, the Sandworm-types, the various Enigma creatures, Fossegrims, and the Bileswarms. Oh, and Primal Chirops...

Good question, although I'm not sure what you mean by "those areas", seeing as - aside from OT scientists - no one has access to the Outzone (i.e. no players out there). The Outzone and the outlying areas inside the terraformed regions are as different as night and day.

(As for what kind of beasties and meanies you might encounter in the Outzone...no comment! )

Inside the terraformed regions - the atmosphere is contained, I believe, by energy shields - the "wildlife" is defined by region. Typically, the less-travelled, and regulated, areas will contain the largest number of extra-mean meanies. There's absolutely no way for any kind of living creature to pass from inside the terraformed regions to the Outzone. Absolutely no way. At all.

Umm. Yes.

Most of the other monsters/mutants in the game are explained in the manual or are reasonably explicable as being of human origin even if they weren't intentionally created by people - in most but not all cases, by Omni-Med.

Keep in mind that there *are*no*aliens*! I've said it before, and I'll be more than happy to run that by y'all one more time:

There are no aliens!

Every single monster on Rubi-Ka - yes, even the excessively silly ones that make absolutely no sense at all - are either mutated humans, mutated animals, fishes, or birds, or weird laboratory creations, manufactured by nutty scientists with waaay too much free time and resources on their hands.

And that goes for all the monsters listed above, including (ack!) Medusas. We're looking into (yay, everyone's favourite: "looking into"!) creating a database with information - and background - on all the monsters, but it'll take a while to cover everything. Writing takes time. And it's hard.

Edit: Isn't Omni-Tek responsible for policing and safeguarding all territory - Clan territory included - from mutants, cyborgs, and other 'monsters' under the aegis of "planetary security" as outlined in the Accords?

Heh. Yeah. What, you expected OT to uphold all the tenets of the Tir Accord? Get real! The mutant problem is a big problem, but getting rid of the gene-engineered wildlife won't make OT a single buck (or credit), which is why the problem is getting gradually bigger (with more tentacles and goo). Besides, mutant meat feeds the hungry masses, and leets make for great target-practice. Yes, it's OT's doing, and they've been told, repeatedly, by the ICC to eliminate dangerous mutant wildlife, but no, they have no plans to do so.

Now who's not evil? (Not that I'm claiming OT is evil, mind you. After all, actions speak louder than words...except really, really loud words, which, to be fair, speak louder than actions.)

-Ragnar

[______________Ragnar]

Originally posted by lilnymph
*hugs Ragnar, for posting so much stuff at the moment, and for building such a nice backstory*

Hey! Free hugs! Thanks a bunch!

I'm just happy to see people posting questions like these, 'cause that's what I'm here for. Setting. Story. Role-playing. You know - the important stuff!



-Ragnar

[Jynne]

I should have said the areas and regions that more or less seem to be at the edges of the terraformed region - Broken Shores, South Foul Hills, East Foul Plains, Perpetual Wastelands, Mort, Avalon, the east half of Deep Artery Valley and Tir/Greater Tir County, the west half of the Longest Road, and so forth. It seems like the majority of these big meanies (and other meanies like cyborgs) only hang around in numbers in those places... I thought it might have something to do with the nearby unterraformed land or still-incomplete terraforming around there, that made them huge-sized, over-powered, foul-tempered, or some combination of the three.

It makes just as much sense, though, that they'd be hunted down by OT (or various Clans, in Council territory) and killed near population centers and then left alone elsewhere - like around the 'edge of the terraformed world' where nobody wants to live.

I just wondered if there were specific storylines for the various monstrous species that weren't already public knowledge, not expecting aliens, but more answers to things like, "Where did the desert demons come from? MP creations gone hog wild?" and practical questions like what they eat and how they reproduce. I mean... most of these creatures don't really seem to have much in the way of an ecological niche or method of perpetuating the species. Plus, given the mean tempers of many of them, why haven't they been killing each other off? Wouldn't an eremite look at an anun tearer and think to itself, "Mmm nummy snack!" So it'd seem to me the mutant problem would kinda keep itself under control, to that extent.

[Brad, STL/MO]

Originally posted by Ragnar
... There are no aliens!

Every single monster on Rubi-Ka - yes, even the excessively silly ones that make absolutely no sense at all - are either mutated humans, mutated animals, fishes, or birds, or weird laboratory creations, manufactured by nutty scientists with waaay too much free time and resources on their hands. ...

You know, I was willing to believe that of everything in the game ... except the Enigmas. I suspect Omni-Med and Omni-Sci of some pretty weird stuff, but I was 100% convinced that this "absolutely no aliens" thing was character knowledge, and that at some point in the game you were going to admit that the Enigmas really were alien. (Which would mean that we're bungling first contact, big time.)

Intelligent trees that lose their anti-grav with age and become sessile? Omni scientists came up with that?

[Gridfan]

So one can say when you hit a "hard" zone. That it's the outzone shield etc. While a "soft" zone you can pass thru is a internal (to the finished terraformed areas) shieldwalls to prevent wildlife from spreading outside their designated areas. That works, sorta logical explanation on zoning lol. (dna/id scan/check while passing thru wall, i.e humans and pets etc is allowed thru. wildlife is not.)

makes sense?


And to get back on topic again.
I love the Tir Accords. Tehey are spesific enough that you can slap it in black and white in someones face.
But still vague (general?) enough to leave it very open to interpretation.

I'm lazy. So I'll just slap it in as I end this post.
What about spawing items outdoor etc?
Or inside missions and so on.
Let's say you do a mission. (like usual) etc.
You find a book or similar laying around.
The book has some interesting notes/info about something on Rubi-Ka. the book is nodrop and unique.
THis would be a cool way to get static backstorystuff into Rubi-ka.
(and let word of mouth spread the info around)
Now how many will get this unique/nodrop/special item. and how often it pops up I have no suggestion on.

Imagine if someone walks along a path outside a major city
and suddenly finde a note or book, or item. with some interesting info about maybe Omni-Tek or the Clans etc.

(Hey, maybe some lawyer is sloppy and keep loosing stuff lol)

[Gridfan]

Originally posted by Brad, STL/MO
Intelligent trees that lose their anti-grav with age and become sessile? Omni scientists came up with that?

lol!
Why not?

Imagine a dna modified tree/plant that will move by itself
if there is a lack of water etc. Or if the plant population where it is becomes to high. (great idea imo)
And seeing as sloppy omni tek's scienticts are it's no wonder the thing got loose.
multiplied and maybe mutated under the influence of the notum filled air and radiation in some areas.


*Cracks up as he has a vision of an entire forrest that suddenly stand up, walk 1km to the west since the soil is better there*
(Imagine seeing that when traveling around lol)

[Dabblez]

I thought the mantese were genuine aliens. I seem to recall reading the backstory of Smugglers Den is a mantese spaceship crash landed on Rubi-Ka. Am I barking up the wrong tree?

[______________Ragnar]

Originally posted by Brad, STL/MO
Intelligent trees that lose their anti-grav with age and become sessile? Omni scientists came up with that?

The aforementioned nutty scientists with waaay too much free time and resources on their hands!

Yeah, I know; some of it appears a little far-fetched, especially for a "sci-fi" game. Blame it on notum and rapid advances in nano-technology. It's getting to a stage where those nutty scientists can do pretty much anything they put their crazy minds to. Like Frankenstein, and that whole Modern Prometheus-thing. Except multiplied by a billion. And with gene-engineering instead of stolen brains.

-Ragnar

[______________Ragnar]

Originally posted by Savoy
I thought the mantese were genuine aliens. I seem to recall reading the backstory of Smugglers Den is a mantese spaceship crash landed on Rubi-Ka. Am I barking up the wrong tree?

Not only are you barking up the wrong tree - you're in the wrong damn forest!

There are rumours - rumours! - of aliens crash-landing on Rubi-Ka, just like there were rumours like that back on Earth, a long, looong time ago. But the plain and simple fact is that, during the enormous span of time mankind has explored the galaxy, we've never, ever found evidence of life, intelligent or otherwise, or of civilisations - living or dead - on any planet, in any solar system.

There have been traces of bacteria and single-cell organisms, long turned to stone and dust, but beyond that...nuthin'. It's really quite depressing.

While there are still a multitude of solar systems left to explore in our galaxy, scientists doubt that we will find any sign of intelligent life. Not in this galaxy. But maybe in another one? After all, the chances of us being alone in the galaxy are...not very good.

The truth is out there. Somewhere. But not in the Smugglers' Den. Sorry.

-Ragnar

[Shora]

The other day I was exploring the northern regions of BS - good lord how I love those deserted landscapes Then I noticed a Ragerider, I cautiously approached it and it wouldn't attack me so I followed it about. I was enchanted by the combination of grace and mayhem this mob embraced! I was in total awe! This has got to be the coolest mob I ever saw! Where can I learn more about them? What are they? Surely they fall into the manteze/enigma category, because obviously it's not mecha nor mutant. TELL TELL!!

Any info apprectiated!


PS
For those who haven't seen one yet, they're "ghost" like creatures in black robes - bodyless, faceless.

[Myers]

The most conclusive evidence of aliens since the mass UFO sighting in the Vega System (asteroid indeed! Vegan authorities must take us for fools)
The Grid a couple of months ago, a cloaked figure (not a triangle!) wanted access to Omni HQ and commented how primative the grid technology is. Many people saw this mysterious figure, and pictures were taken.

[Brad, STL/MO]

From the description of the Amytlo Executioner:

Amytlo Neelno II ruled a disreputable band of pirates from an asteriod base in the Revonar ring. He happened to be one of the first people in modern time to get as far as the Marker system, where he landed on Turtle, the moon of LU-109-Borne. Here he found a hybrid race, seemingly a mix of human and some unknown alien race. (The people of Turtle is still proud of the alien blood in their veins, but no modern Turtelion are of less than 99,98 percent human pool).

Continuity error?

(It wouldn't be the only one. Back before the last board wipe, you said that it was illegal for gene-modded humans to travel between worlds, and I think I remembery it saying somewhere that nanomages can't survive anywhere but on Rubi-Ka. Either way, see the description for the Soft Pepper Pistol.

[Bionitrous]

Regarding the Pepper Pistol, I didn't see anywhere in the description where Marvin Dzinar was listed as being of the NanoMage breed. Don't see any discontinuity there.

Edit: I won't even bother. Seems we got some people who think everysingle person who lives or works in Jobe is of the same breed. I think I saw that homophobic (or should I say 'homogenetic') argument elsewhere and stayed out as well.

*sigh*