As requested in the gameplay feedback thread, here is my take on the lore and what it says, contra what is in the game. I bring it in a separate post because it would clutter up the gameplay feedback thread with something that isn't really that much gameplay feedback, now that Yarlen has confirmed that there will not be any major changes there. I might have to edit for format as the forum refuses previews for some reason.
10000 years ago
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The Vasari Empire ruled over countless worlds. Relentless and unstoppable, the Dark Fleet sought to eclipse ever more until a cataclysmic error brought it all to an abrupt end. With their worlds destroyed and their species all but wiped out, the survivors began a desperate race to outrun their past.
Okay, this tells me that Vasari are nomad aliens, few in number. The few in number fits well enough with their increased support point costs, good. But there are only a few weak traces of nomadism.
They have a ship called Evacuator, okay. But it doesn't really evacuate anything, it functions as its TEC equivalent ship, so the only nomadism involved is the name.
The special capital ship weapon sucking planetary resources shows that they do not care particularly about the worlds they come to, good. However, that special weapon does not actually affect the planetary resources as far as I can see, it merely reduces the health of the current colony. It should probably reduce the capabilities of the planet permanently.
In general, a further focus on mobility would be good. The phase gates could be a step in the right direction, but convey an idea of the hive (fair enough, being insects), and defending their holdings. As nomads, they should be more concerned with getting to
new places quickly, not where they have been before. In fact, the space gates are completely at odds with the lore, because it would enable their nemesis to gain whatever head start they had, even quicker getting to all the worlds they now stay at. However, for the sake of keeping something that makes the Vasari unique, let's say that the nemesis has no way of detecting where the phase gates commune with and the Vasari can shut them down remotely at a moment's notice.
1000 years ago
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During the formation of the Trade Order, emissaries found a single world orbiting a giant red star on the periphery of what was to become Trader Space. The people of that desert planet were eventually found to be practicing the utmost in scientific and social deviancy; ancient taboos long since assumed to be law. Shocked and disgusted, the Trader Worlds conspired to have their forgotten brethren exiled far outside the territory they were claiming as their own.
This is obviously only my take on what the lore says, since we haven't seen them yet. The Advent break with/exile from the rest of humanity. They are 1000 years distant from TEC in evolution, meaning very similar appearance. They are also 1000 years distant in scientific progress, which could make it way different, but similar brain function would make it likely they have many similarities, so I wouldn't
necessarily expect a completely different technology. Their social views are highly at odds with those of the TEC. The lore does not say what exactly these different social views may be, but they would have to be completely different in order to provoke a permanent exile. I would expect the technology and special abilities of the Advent to be in tune with this.
10 years ago
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The Trader Worlds prospered in an era of lucrative trade and relative peace. Stories of their ancestor's wars had long since passed into the depths of the oldest archives; the methods and machines by which they conducted those affairs long since buried. Consequently, when the Vasari Exodus Fleet arrived, the outlying Trader Worlds paid dearly.
In a battle for survival, the Traders find a new impetus to rediscover the ways of their savage past.
The TEC have focused on peaceful economy for nearly 1000 years, and need to scramble to transform their society and technology focus to gain back the huge advantage of the Vasari that is implied. They manage to do this. In fact, they manage to do so in a mere 10 years, as can clearly be seen by the performance of the early ships available to each race: they deal almost the same damage. The Vasari is merely a bit sturdier built. This rate of change is... quite unrealistic... and is one of my major disappointments of beta4.
Incidentally, the Vasari have got an entirely equal footing in economy matters during the 10 years. They accumulate wealth and resources at exactly the same rates as TEC, even though they have an entirely different social structure based on unwilling slave labour. Perhaps you can get away with saying that their superior technology in general offsets the unwillingness of their subjects, but then again TEC is the faction who has focused on economy matters lately, the nomad Vasari with their abundant slaves would hardly be as interested in this technology or have the mindset needed for efficient use of the resources.
The TEC have never met the Vasari before, or they would have known there was a terrible exodus coming. Therefore the two races should not be alike, at all. It is mind-boggling that after 10 years of contact, both races only have access to the scout and generic frigate at the start of the game (in addition to the capital ships), and THEN only start to develop differing technology.
Now
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The Exiled have returned; a transformed people calling themselves "The Advent". With a vast fleet of advanced warships and mysterious weapons, they bring a growing number of worlds under their control. The already struggling Trader Emergency Coalition finds itself caught in a two-front war that appears utterly hopeless.
The fate of the galaxy is at hand and one must rise to face the Sins of a Solar Empire.
Oh, the Advent are transformed? It doesn't say how, so that leaves it suitably open for anything. Anything except something very similar to the TEC, that is. Which is what I expect, given the Vasari in Beta4.
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The ancient Vasari Empire once ruled over countless worlds. Beginning at the galactic core, the empire expanded uniformly, brought hundreds of alien races under its control, and showed no signs of slowing down.
Okay.
Most species encountered were young enough to be subjugated peacefully, although, some resisted and were harshly enslaved. Those who had expanded into space were quickly exterminated. Once conquered, most species were integrated into the Vasari social structure as "valued citizens". The Vasari locked each planet down and ruled from vast orbital structures, finding a minimal surface presence more effective for both production and the minimization of rebellion.
Vast orbital structures to control the planets? Moving from world to world during this exodus, I'd presume (like Perimeter's megacities)? Cool! But where are these in the game? The Vasari function exactly like the TEC, colonizing planets that they have bombed into radioactive hulks. There is no mobility of their populace.
When the first of the inner planets fell, analysts initially assumed that the local species had somehow managed to rebel. They immediately requested a wing of the Dark Fleet to restore order but no status reports were ever received. Instead, three more planets dropped from the communications grid. The probability of multiple, simultaneous, and successful rebellions was exceptionally remote. Internal Intelligence concluded that a renegade force from within the Vasari engineered a revolt. As deliberations proceeded on how best to deal with the traitorous acts, another series of planets were lost, including their world of origin. The unknown enemy’s rate of expansion far exceeded even that of the entire Dark Fleet. As a last resort, the Dark Fleet Veerr brought the bulk of their forces back from the expansionary frontier and massed for a blind assault on whatever was eating its way out from the central worlds.
Okay, nemesis is currently invincible.
The inhabitants of a perimeter planet were surprised when a single warship of the Dark Fleet appeared out of Phase Space bearing signs of heavy damage. Their curiosity and confusion quickly gave way to fear when they boarded the ship and found the crew apparently mad with terror.
In a rare act of autonomy, the colony decided it would be best to take precautions and temporarily evacuate to a system far from the Empire.
The refugees waited for signs of a safe return but instead, the signal from their warning beacons ceased. The lifetimes of the warning beacons were used to estimate the speed of the threat. It would not be long before their current position would be compromised. Additional beacons were placed at their current location and the group moved on to a considerably further destination.
Okay.
Settling for a time, the refugees started to build colonies, construct new ships, and extract resources. Ultimately, their goal was to uncover the nature of the threat, to research technologies that might aid in its destruction, and to restore the rule of the Empire.
Maybe this is where they discarded their huge orbital structures for control.
For the next ten thousand years this pattern would repeat - the growing Vasari Exodus Fleet only ever a generation ahead of the relentless, unknown enemy.
No wait, they've got this huge fleet that departs from its current world with their people, growing over 10000 years. Scratch that idea.
When the Vasari arrived in Trader Space ten years ago, they were confident in their ability to quickly deal with the locals. Initially, the victories were painless – the scouts alone procured the initial settlements – but as time went on it became clear that the local space-faring species would not be so easy to eliminate.
Now, the Vasari are caught in a stalemate, and in some positions, on the verge of being pushed back. A state of panic ensues. Already too entrenched in this disastrous war, the Vasari are simply unable to withdraw without catastrophic losses. Even worse, the conflict is consuming resources faster than can be put into the reserve. They will not be able to fuel the next phase of their exodus and time is running out.
To repeat. In... ten years... the TEC have turned complete lack of military fleet and technology (Vasari scouts dominated it) into something rivalling the fleet and technology of the mighty exodus that has grown over 10000 years, constantly battling and requiring to perfect their military technology. Did I mention the Vasari fleet was huge?
The TEC lore (which I don't care to take to details) even says they didn't function for years, with disastrous lack of cohesion, and
slowly learned to apply their perfection of the economic engine into the war machine. A couple of years is not a slow transformation. It's a miraculous transformation.
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So, how to fix this? Make it plausible that the TEC and Vasari have similar advancement at this point. Prolonged peace and trade could do that of course, but that would clash with the nomadism and urgency the Vasari now have due to the nemesis at their heels. Make up another story that does not involve the Vasari popping up in TEC space, from nowhere, only 10 years ago. Perhaps a secretive intermediary race, that have refused to divulge where it gets its technology from when passing it along so that TEC didn't know about the Vasari, or some such nonsense.
Well, I'm done. I see I write less and less on each point as I grow tired of it. Go ahead and rip it to pieces.
