[Fangame] [In Progress] Xeno: The Beyond

[jy3ext]

So. Space aliens.

Around the dawn of Man, Earth was visited by refugees from an interstellar and interdimensional Empire. Some of them engineered human beings, translating the traits that defined their species into genetic code or uploading themselves into cloned bodies. Some of them arranged for humans to be born with alien souls. Some wrapped themselves in technological illusions. A rare few remained in their true shapes, using human proxies to interact with the world.

Today, their descendants (and more recent arrivals) walk among humankind. Driven by urges that run counter to both human instinct and human society, they struggle to fit in. Pretending at something they are not, their souls rebel at trying to operate the scientific miracles they barely understand. They must do both, though. Their Tech is the greatest among the few tools they have, and they must prepare humanity...

...for it will not be long before Earth becomes technologically advanced enough to draw the Empire's notice.

Xeno: The Beyond

[Leliel]

Interesting...

I like the premises, and the execution has potential. Since I'm the antagonist specialist, feel free to hit me up if you want any suggestions on Imperial (lack of) culture or any space pirates who use Earth as a base (I figure that since the protagonist Plans are all based around ways for Earth or at least humanity to survive so that Xenos can flit among them. the primary Antagonist Plan should be based around Xenos who are quite willing to sacrifice the planet and humanity for continued survival and freedom-ie, the worst kind of pirate. A few may even be Imperial-employed slavers, which leads to a crossover with Changeling right then and there).

[Almarck]

Well, this has promise. It reminds me of a project I attempted to do a long while ago but never published.

I do admittedly like the solution for how to "Store" Tech since I could never figure that out, though I'm in a bit of a love hate relationship involving the Archive>Install>Ready rules?

I mean, the way it looks to me right now, it would make more sense for it go straight to Archive>Fabrication since I don't see a point of installation.

[jy3ext]

Week 1 changes:

• Wrote Introduction Fiction
• Began writing Antagonists
• Created list of changes to make

Leliel and anyone else who wants to contribute: feel free! I made this thread so that the community could discuss this project, and the "How to Contribute" section of the main page exists for a reason.

[Leliel]

Hm. If that's the case, here's some fluff for Red Species:

At their core, Red Xenos are based around a fundamental paradox; despite rejecting disguise Tech, there isn't actually any species in the universe humanlike enough to live in Earth's environment as easily as homo sapiens do without significant modification to their bodies and biochemistry-and more importantly, cannot actually go out in public, having to use mindless clone bodies to puppeteer from their homes, at least. Wiser Naturals are aware of the hypocrisy; for all their chest beating about independence from needing Tech and being degraded by it, they're ultimately as dependent on it as anyone else-if not more so, because unlike their fellows, they can't slip up and cover it up later. Anyone who sees a Red in her true body instantly knows she is at least something unknown to the Earth, if not extraterrestrial altogether. Combine that with the fact that Reds are actually the best there is at understanding humans as a whole (they have to be, if they plan on being the manipulators and quiet chessmasters they are), and one has the ironic fact that the most true Xenos are the most prone to deception by necessity Still, they're right about less mental degradation and more self-knowledge; Naturals remember the most about the Empire if they are of Celestial origin, and in the case of the rare Terrestrial enclave of Red, know enough of their own species biology and the culture they grew up in, has enough to make accurate educated guesses.


As one might expect, I'm also advocating Xenos Species to have a set of advantages and disadvantages, as well as a Starting Tech based around how they blend in. Reds have their Proxies, and along with their Alternate Life merit have the easiest time ferreting out Xenos and Imperial activity, but must always suffer from Mutations (which are actually parts of their normal body that don't fit in with Earth, and could not be modified without not being Red anymore), and are the most vulnerable to exposure.

Also, the Empire! I feel that while actual Imperials should not show up until the higher tiers, Imperial probes and human cultists they make should be the Outsider antagonist-while probes are actually frequently ignored by the Empire due to the sheer volume of information they have to shift through plus their own problems, Probes are built with that in mind and are meant to actually prepare the way for invasion if that ever becomes viable or necessary. Kind of like a more personal God-Machine Infrastructure, in a sense, but rather than specific occult matrixes in mind, each Probe has a general Purpose like terraforming, research, or weakening potential opposition. Like certain playable expatriates, for example.

[jy3ext]

Sorry about missing a week here.
Updates:
*Mutations are now an optional rule.
*All Species now have Frailties.
*Added Leliel's Red text, and something similar to Grey
*Added HACK.