planning Fractured Futures: World Building OOC

[GoldieS 679]

hawt dawg, I leave to make some lunch for a few minutes and there's like a dozen responses XD he he lol

@Techno Universal @Denim&Venom @Lektra Bolt

Okay, to the resources collection with Techno's machines: You could think of it like this; they aren't merely scavenging resources, that could only yield so much. Think mining and cultivating, that sort of thing. Even with hundreds of workers working a particular strip mine the impact on the world at large would be negligible. So, consider the resource collection more like modern mining efforts. It takes a lot of work for just a little bit (comparatively speaking that is). Plus, the world has already been taken through the wringer, so resource collection is even more difficult and time consuming now. In fact, a few hundred workers probably wouldn't be all that helpful, but too many would draw too much attention from the changelings and the infected hordes (like Lektra mentioned).

@Denim&Venom @Lektra Bolt

So, Denim, you're interested in taking up a sort of counter faction against New Ponyville (Lektra's lads)? One that's strictly machine to their magitek, if I understand correctly. 

Hmm... I'd be okay with that if Lektra and Techno are okay with another faction. Though, I think I'll change up my changelings to accommodate. They are essentially of the same mindset, where they are attempting to conquer the world in order to 'protect' all the other species. Perhaps you might be interested in joining one of those factions? Scorpio being Tech/Industrial heavy, and Pices being Bio Mechanical/Heavy Genetic Engineering. They're a work in progress.

You also have to remember there are more city states out there as well, not just ponyville. (New Hayseed, Shadow Glade, Lost Pegasus) all that already might not like the more Tech oriented factions due to the plague and all that. 

BUT placing our characters within each faction, doesn't necessarily we HAVE to play them or have them in any RP we do. Just that they are cannon to our universe in their respective positions. Does that make sense?

[Denim&Venöm 18,701]

4 minutes ago, Lektra Bolt said:

You know Lektra would never actually do that without consent, and since she's effectively in charge of the city, if you were to go this route Luster would be treated as a first class citizen and loved, being held in high regard as an example of a successful Magitek construct. One of many.

You'd probably be the first and also most important and developed construct, getting exercise often fighting for the city's safety with the enlisted citizens.

The beloved Guard Captain in charge of the military. She doesn't need to be mad, as I was thinking we could explore a version where Twilight was supportive of the project. You know, given the circumstances of the alternative and the outside world being so harsh.

That's just my idea though

Question is, how far would Lektra allow Luster to act independently before her efforts threatened to jeopardize her little slice of magitek utopia? 

Luster could still be on good terms with her mom, yet feel not enough is being done and opt for a more aggressive stance. She might not stay a guard captain if she felt that the good she was doing was minimal in the long run. 

So even though Luster is acting with the best of intentions, there maybe some things Lektra cannot permit, and does have to take matters into her own hooves, seeing Luster as malfunctioning, rather than the truth: her getting a few steps closer towards true sapience, and all the flaws that come with it. 

And it is out of such events that Luster V2 is made, altered to grow and develop a certain way, while V1 finds a way to continue on and strike out on her own, doing what Lektra wouldn't, for her own good. 

[Denim&Venöm 18,701]

8 minutes ago, Lektra Bolt said:

You'd have as much freedom and actual sapience as you need to really. Aggression is all for the good of the city. Expand our influence, work to destroy the infected, possibly the black changelings too. I don't intend to have anyone sit on their ass.

I'm not seeing a problem, and it just depends on how much you want to be an antagonist rather than not

Going ruthless war machine to protect Lektra's city might actually be the most concrete motivation Luster needs to go to war w/ the rest of pony kind. Perhaps it's Lektra who see's ponies being irresponsible and in need of oversight, and she's giving blessing to every militant action Luster takes.  

[GoldieS 679]

@Denim&Venom @Lektra Bolt

Lektra's right, you could always take command of the cities military to fight off the many dangers of the wastes. I mean, they don't exactly need to know your methods either... perhaps that could end up being a point of contention when the leadership does find out how exactly you handle the 'threats' against them. Keep in mind you would also be deciding what constitutes a threat. It's not like anyone else would know the truth... the only ones that get outside are traders anyway. 

Just a thought. 

[Denim&Venöm 18,701]

7 minutes ago, Lektra Bolt said:

Yes and no. Kinda? The rest of pony kind who haven't taken haven in the city and help to expand the borders of the shield, but otherwise I feel this would be a fun thing to explore. A join or die philosophy? 

If they're taking to living int he city, then they've taken to adopting Lektra's ideology and her way of life, whatever she feels best for pony kind. If all of Equestria were under her rule, Equines would prosper once again. And any who don't are part of the problem. Heck, perhaps enough time has passed that the inhabitants see Lektra as a god, and her followers would spread her decrees across the land by force. Repent by embracing Lektra's grace, as any who oppose were the one's who brought this ruin upon the world in the first place, and need to suffer penance. And of course, Luster would be her most fanatical devotee, the devil summoned to bring wrath to almighty Lektra's enemies. 

[Denim&Venöm 18,701]

4 minutes ago, Lektra Bolt said:

I'm actually ok with this, believe it or not. We're going to be a militant high magic society working on expanding our prosperous and efficient way of life.

Lektra wouldn't let it all get to her head though 

I don't think she'd notice honestly. Lektra strikes me as the type to be aloof to her own status. If it's not a problem, she's not gonna bother. Just focus on running her city without distractions. 

[Denim&Venöm 18,701]

1 minute ago, Lektra Bolt said:

Yea while not out helping lead a crusade she would be jetting around helping to build, kinda like an it's a bird it's a plane, no it's the city matriarch 

Almost like a cross between Lex Luthor and Injustice Superman. An industrialist with an overwhelmingly positive public image, but has their own vision for the world and see's the elimination of threats to that vision as a means to an end. 

[GoldieS 679]

@Lektra Bolt @Denim&Venom

Most definitely. I'd love to see a sprawling RP using this particular future, not sure how or when we'll begin things. Just take this time to hash out more and more details, and enjoy the process while we're at it. Think I'm gonna draw up some of my changelings, see if I still got what it takes XP

At any rate, we haven't really talked about the environment outside the cities all that much, have we? We say wasteland, but I'm not so sure I want a fallout style wasteland that's pretty much all desert and murky water. I'm thinking more along the lines of just nature reclaiming the crumbling old world, mixed with the cataclysmic destruction of the past. 

Edited November 27, 2017 by GoldieS

[Denim&Venöm 18,701]

2 minutes ago, GoldieS said:

@Lektra Bolt @Denim&Venom

Most definitely. I'd love to see a sprawling RP using this particular future, not sure how or when we'll begin things. Just take this time to hash out more and more details, and enjoy the process while we're at it. Think I'm gonna draw up some of my changelings, see if I still got what it takes XP

At any rate, we haven't really talked about the environment outside the cities all that much, have we? We say wasteland, but I'm not so sure I want a fallout style wasteland that's pretty much all desert and murky water. I'm thinking more along the lines of just nature reclaiming the crumbling old world, mixed with the cataclysmic destruction of the past. 

Or we can do a twisted take on that. Nature adapting to an unnatural threat. Like the EverFree spreading across Equestria. The chaos of nature being hostile to those that disturbed the balance. Or perhaps this nano-virus has mutated the environment, making it inhospitable, creating unforeseen environmental hazards like what happened w the Gears Of War universe. 

We haven't discussed what happened to the princesses. Perhaps the world is frozen in either perpetual day or night. Or stuck in between both like in S4? 

[GoldieS 679]

@Lektra Bolt @Denim&Venom

I'd rather prefer the Ever Free expansion/adaptation idea. Want at least a little bit of variety in our environmental hazards. Don't get me wrong, i like the infected idea, but you know, variety. Plus, I like a little bit of greenery too. Can't have everything be all drab and depressing. 

As for the princesses, they are still around. At least three of them are, the sisters and Twilight. Both are in New Ponyville and Old Canterlot, but they aren't involved in the direct planning and more logistical things. They're more interested in their own projects at any given moment. 

[GoldieS 679]

@Lektra Bolt

Certainly, though you might have to give me a little bit. I'll try to capture what we've all discussed, and I'll double check with you guys to make sure I haven't forgotten anything, though I might leave a few minor details out. 

[Denim&Venöm 18,701]

@GoldieS @Lektra Bolt

Another idea I had could be that perhaps the surface of Equestria is uninhabitable, and the nation is divided between those who went underground and into the mountains for shelter, those who traveled to make life on or under the high seas, and those who built sprawling cities in the clouds above the wastes and chaotic surface. 

[GoldieS 679]

I'd prefer to keep most things where they are. Don't forget, we still have refugees and other assorted settlements spread across the countryside. That's basically an important resource for the different factions. If we make the surface completely hostile, and have all the cities hidden away, the conflict would drop quite a bit. Plus, we also want our characters and other players to be able to travel to unknown places and have experiences along the way other than pirate airship attacks and what not. 

[GoldieS 679]

@Techno Universal @Lektra Bolt @Denim&Venom

Did part of the update! Refer to the first post if you want to see what I got so far and make sure it's up to snuff. 

PS: don't worry, I'll have a character list there too. 

Edited November 28, 2017 by GoldieS

[GoldieS 679]

He he, I'll adjust techno's city as we discuss it more. I think we really only mentioned it once or twice, but I'll update that as needed. Just thought that description sounded cool for the time being XP

For Bolt Solutions, did they leave before or after the plague? I can add that in, as well as what the Alicorn's are doing. I'll place them in the character section when I get that up and specify. 

[Denim&Venöm 18,701]

@GoldieS @Lektra Bolt

What is the name for Lektra's grand order? The New Ponyville Consortium? The Ponies Republic of Equestria? The Magitechnocracy? The Imperium Of Mare? Or is it still the Kingdom Of Equestria? 

And are we still gonna call it New Poniville? Doesn't have that grand a ring to it. How about New Everfree City, after the settlement that predated poniville that would become the name sake forest?

[GoldieS 679]

@Lektra Bolt

Well, I can see moving RND and HQ to Ponyville after the initial outbreak for a few possible reasons. Ponyville and Canterlot are centrally located. If lines of communication and shipping broke down, logistics falls apart to a certain region, it'd be pretty good place to head out from. Seeing disaster starting to engulf Mainhatten, maybe they just got the message and didn't decide to wait and seethe results? Seeing things only get worse with no sign of help might give them a hint its time to move somewhere that looks a little safer. Since they already had a branch there, it wouldn't be too difficult to move in. 

Also, goanna separate factions and cities into two categories shortly. 

And, if you guys are looking for some names, might I suggest the order name of Grand Equestrian Republic (GER for short)?

[Denim&Venöm 18,701]

5 minutes ago, Lektra Bolt said:

New Ponyville just seems like the most recognizable, as it's an expansion of the original city, but we could also name it New EF as it also includes Canter as a district.

Grand order though? I dunno. Do we need one? Equestria as a kingdom is broken, at least for now, but we could actually still use that as we're supposed to be reuniting it in peace by power. Do we need a grand order name?

I think it'd be more symbolic if it was the city of Canterlot and town of poniville represented as one city, the two seats of power untied as one. A sea of sky scrapers connecting the hamlet and the crystal castle w/ the spires of the mountain palace. Calling it new poniville indicates it as just one of the two, and describes it as just that, a village, not a sprawling megacity. Can't really think of any city's that end in -ville. 

Having a grand order name will actually be for opponents to Lektra and her regime. They need to be called something? We can't have them going "Oh no! it's the Kingdom Of Equestria!" 

[GoldieS 679]

@Denim&Venom

Well, I always like the derogatory term 'pelts'... my changelings will just call them that XP

[Denim&Venöm 18,701]

5 minutes ago, Lektra Bolt said:

Good idea for the reason Gold, let's go with that

I rather like New Everfree City, and I figure we can just continue to use the company name as a grand order. Bolt Solutions employing a join or likely die mentality. No one necessarily has to die, but there will be some stubborn that would rather be as such and not give up their ways. We're not above such things anymore, given the state of the world otherwise

Bolt Solutions Incorporated. Governing the city state of New Everfree. Reminds me of the anime Big O, where domed cities were ruled by the Paradigm Firm, which as the lead hero coins it "Is considered both god and state." 

With that settled, I'd still like to find a reason why the princesses aren't doing their job. Perhaps Luna & Celestia fell victim to the nano-virus? Their balance in power was passed on to Twi and Cadence. Cadence could have just locked the Crystal Empire away under quarantine. But that still doesn't explain whats going on with Twi. 

 

[GoldieS 679]

@Denim&Venom

Celestia and Luna are still in Canterlot, though they're busying themselves with other work. Along with raising and lowering the sun and moon, they're still doing their usual jobs. Even in Equestria as a kingdom they mostly left governing to local governors, mayors, and city counsels. They just settled disputes. Giving Bolt Solutions more authority gives them more time for other pursuits, like attempting to reunite the other city states through negotiation (I've added several in the initial post) while discussing mundane things with Bolt's board of directors. 

-- what you said XD @Lektra Bolt, updated while I was writing this out. 

Twilight is working alongside RND in the corporation I imagine. Flurryheart (older at this point) and Cadence are absent, werebouts unknown at the moment. Does all this sound okay? I'd agree with Lektra's assessment thus far. 

[Denim&Venöm 18,701]

@Lektra Bolt @GoldieS

I dunno. It doesn't sit well with me. Equestria has collapsed and millions have died, yet it's business as usual for the diarchs? I'd expect them to be struggling for years on end, working around the clock to save as many as they could, or they throw themselves into research while maintaining the delicate balance.

I don't think we can have the sisters in a post apocalypse, as they would be a force to unify Equestria, a lasting symbol of the way things were. They would be the strands keeping Equestria from having fallen apart completely. They just offer too much hope, and it's out of character for them to do nothing. 

As for Twi, I don't think she'd be so calm about this either. She's a ruler and her subjects are dying out there. This woudl devastate her. A problem that can't be solved through the magic of friendship. There's no way she'd have a cozy relationship with Lektra or anypony for that matter. She'd be obsessed with taking things back to the way they were. Think how she was during the movie, but 1000 times worse. Her country is in ruins, the families of her friends are dead, and the very race she's sworn to protect are now fighting each other for scraps. 

New Everfree maybe a haven, but I don't think any of the princesses will find peace, even within it's walls. 

 

[GoldieS 679]

@Denim&Venom

You're certainly not wrong, but it's not quite business as usual. After many years passing with little success doing things themselves, options are really limited. I would say they had a hand in the cities policy of accepting any refugees coming to their doorstep. Additionally, now the to sisters busy themselves trying to unite what's left, after having failed actually protecting everyone. Twilight on the other hand, might be constantly working on a cure, but unable to find one increasingly becomes disillusioned with the prospect and tries to distract herself by working on projects to improve the lives of those that already live in the city. Perhaps she even gets out from time to time to try and bring in refugees?

[Denim&Venöm 18,701]

1 minute ago, GoldieS said:

@Denim&Venom

You're certainly not wrong, but it's not quite business as usual. After many years passing with little success doing things themselves, options are really limited. I would say they had a hand in the cities policy of accepting any refugees coming to their doorstep. Additionally, now the to sisters busy themselves trying to unite what's left, after having failed actually protecting everyone. Twilight on the other hand, might be constantly working on a cure, but unable to find one increasingly becomes disillusioned with the prospect and tries to distract herself by working on projects to improve the lives of those that already live in the city. Perhaps she even gets out from time to time to try and bring in refugees?

I guess I can see them working in a sorta missionary sense. Trying to bring peace between town to town, unifying little by little in a grass roots movement akin to the olden days, instead of ruling a nation. Perhaps they don't work as princesses anymore. Just charitable souls and peace makers in a world gone mad. 

And yeah, I can see Twilight trying to distract herself by working over board on inventions, constantly studying the nanite plague, pooling over every book left in existence. Every delve into research, every invention, she convinces herself that it's one step closer. She's so obsessed and distracted, she's blind to the world Leks is cultivating. 

Speaking of a world gone mad, where's discord in all this? 

[Techno Universal 2,575]

8 hours ago, GoldieS said:

hawt dawg, I leave to make some lunch for a few minutes and there's like a dozen responses XD he he lol

@Techno Universal @Denim&Venom @Lektra Bolt

Okay, to the resources collection with Techno's machines: You could think of it like this; they aren't merely scavenging resources, that could only yield so much. Think mining and cultivating, that sort of thing. Even with hundreds of workers working a particular strip mine the impact on the world at large would be negligible. So, consider the resource collection more like modern mining efforts. It takes a lot of work for just a little bit (comparatively speaking that is). Plus, the world has already been taken through the wringer, so resource collection is even more difficult and time consuming now. In fact, a few hundred workers probably wouldn't be all that helpful, but too many would draw too much attention from the changelings and the infected hordes (like Lektra mentioned).

@Denim&Venom @Lektra Bolt

So, Denim, you're interested in taking up a sort of counter faction against New Ponyville (Lektra's lads)? One that's strictly machine to their magitek, if I understand correctly. 

Hmm... I'd be okay with that if Lektra and Techno are okay with another faction. Though, I think I'll change up my changelings to accommodate. They are essentially of the same mindset, where they are attempting to conquer the world in order to 'protect' all the other species. Perhaps you might be interested in joining one of those factions? Scorpio being Tech/Industrial heavy, and Pices being Bio Mechanical/Heavy Genetic Engineering. They're a work in progress.

You also have to remember there are more city states out there as well, not just ponyville. (New Hayseed, Shadow Glade, Lost Pegasus) all that already might not like the more Tech oriented factions due to the plague and all that. 

BUT placing our characters within each faction, doesn't necessarily we HAVE to play them or have them in any RP we do. Just that they are cannon to our universe in their respective positions. Does that make sense?

Yeah like I was thinking that the resource gathering would primarily be mining for metals as really the metals they find are used for the manufacturing of more bots and infrastructure in the city. So there would be a few tank sized drilling machines that would go out every day to strip mine quite quickly and efficiently to then return to the city to drop off their resources and to prepare for the next trip. But still because of the size of the machines they leave behind tunnels that are around three meters in diameter plus they drill so quickly that they always leve a ton of lose stones of resources behind so the survivors would often search the tunnels after the machines have been through them. Though the drilling machines would be very noisy so they would always attract attention from the infected and the changelings. The machines are heavily armoured to deal with them but occasionally a large enough horde of infected or changelings would attack and destroy the massive robotic mining machines.