As you journey, In Search Of A Home, we wanted to keep the overall focus of the game on your fleet.
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Full In Search of a Home update
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changedWe wanted to give you guys a bit of a preview of the Faction Update that will be coming in November and is the first of several big feature updates we have planned for early access. This preview introduces the initial factions you'll have to build relationships with and tells you a bit more about them. We'll do another preview before launch jumping into more of the ways you'll interact with them.
changedFactions inside In Search Of A Home represent groups that have formed within the population that have a fair amount of influence. People are inherently tribal and even in catastrophe -- perhaps especially in catastrophe -- its hard to let go of old habits. Factions are a mix of groups that operated before the sojourn, their members still going through the motions for a sense of security, or groups that have come together as folks have sought familiarity and solace on this lonesome journey.
changedTheia Corporation was a cross between a savvy media conglomerate and a covert intelligence agency. They traded in information, for information is power, and prior to the Fleet’s exodus from the homeworld, Theia Corp made significant investments to pursue both. Consequently, there are two sides to Theia Corp: One being the remnants of their public face as an unrivaled media empire, and the other being their other more secret face as the foremost trafficker of classified information. Their small, but highly effective, network of operatives comb every source of information that they can find, to always have the inside track on anything that happens within the Fleet. Ideologically, there is a significant bent towards fostering the progressive ideal of freedom of information, especially given the dire situation that the Fleet’s survivors find themselves in, but in support of their desire to know everything that is happening that could impact the Fleet, they are willing to do whatever it takes at times, to ensure that freedom...and in particular, that THEY are the only ones with the ability to provide it.
changedApex Division is the aggregation of what remained of the Homeworld’s armed forces, law enforcement and private military corporations. Initially independent entities that each played a role in the exodus from Homeworld, as the Fleet left for their long journey and it became clear that the number of ships and people were a critical point of survival, Apex Division consolidated its power among all those disparate groups and became the sole and premier independent peacekeeping force for the Fleet. Well funded and extremely well armed, the Apex Division maintains a reasonable force of ground and space forces, as well as an unspecified number of military grade weapons aboard their main warship. The Apex Division has, since the departure away from their home planet, begun to secure a more solid position for themselves beyond merely being a military organization. In addition to fielding all of the Fleet’s law enforcement and security personnel, they have begun making alliances in the political and economic spheres as well, taking tactical roles throughout the Fleet as a way of securing both their position and their funding. The Apex Division has not yet allied themselves with any one faction, but due to their might as a fighting force, other factions are willing to ingratiate themselves to the Division to ensure their own security.
changedSodality represents the bulk of the “common people” throughout the Fleet, acting as a communal ruling body for the miners, agri workers, wasters and other labor-based occupations. As wonderful as the technology of the Fleet is, it still requires human muscle to operate and propel it forward in key areas, and Sodality is the shield that protects those people who keep the Fleet flying, and its people fed and comfortable. Given the state of the Fleet’s survivors this group is more important, and powerful, than ever. Not unlike a large-scale labor union, Sodality began life advocating for worker’s rights as people faced oppressive work practices, dangerous environments and exploitation in the harsh, cold vacuum of space. Sodality is overseen by a committee that is selected from among its own members to rule it and negotiate on all their behalfs. Anyone that belongs to Sodality can run for a seat on the committee, and if chosen, will attend briefings and meetings with the other members of Fleet command. Because of the progressive and collective nature of their organizing structure however, coupled with the number of individuals they represent, many decisions are subject to long highly protracted debates, and so are typically drawn out far longer than most other factions.
addedArguably one of the more prominent factions of the Fleet’s survivors, the Espial Society represents the foremost minds in the Fleet, the leaders in technological and scientific progress. They are the ones who discovered the Jump Drive, and they are primarily interested in how this technology can be utilized for the successful completion of their mission as well as any incidental progression that can be obtained from its application. Given the importance of the Jump Drive to the continued survival and primary mission of the Fleet, keeping the Espial Society (no matter how small they may be) happy and funded is one of the chief struggles for you. The Espial Society is well aware of their importance to the Fleet and they aren’t afraid to take full advantage of that fact, pressing for greater influence, resources, funding and power, despite the needs of other factions or the Fleet’s survivors. If they have a weakness, it’s that they are more interested in continuing their own research than they are any other concern, which can make them seem myopic and stubborn. They also tend to look down on all other factions, particularly those who subscribe to religious and spiritual beliefs, which they have no use for and view as backwards thinking.
In Search of a Home changes
changedWe wanted to give you guys a bit of a preview of the Faction Update that will be coming in November and is the first of several big feature updates we have planned for early access. This preview introduces the initial factions you'll have to build relationships with and tells you a bit more about them. We'll do another preview before launch jumping into more of the ways you'll interact with them.
changedFactions inside In Search Of A Home represent groups that have formed within the population that have a fair amount of influence. People are inherently tribal and even in catastrophe -- perhaps especially in catastrophe -- its hard to let go of old habits. Factions are a mix of groups that operated before the sojourn, their members still going through the motions for a sense of security, or groups that have come together as folks have sought familiarity and solace on this lonesome journey.
changedTheia Corporation was a cross between a savvy media conglomerate and a covert intelligence agency. They traded in information, for information is power, and prior to the Fleet’s exodus from the homeworld, Theia Corp made significant investments to pursue both. Consequently, there are two sides to Theia Corp: One being the remnants of their public face as an unrivaled media empire, and the other being their other more secret face as the foremost trafficker of classified information. Their small, but highly effective, network of operatives comb every source of information that they can find, to always have the inside track on anything that happens within the Fleet. Ideologically, there is a significant bent towards fostering the progressive ideal of freedom of information, especially given the dire situation that the Fleet’s survivors find themselves in, but in support of their desire to know everything that is happening that could impact the Fleet, they are willing to do whatever it takes at times, to ensure that freedom...and in particular, that THEY are the only ones with the ability to provide it.
changedApex Division is the aggregation of what remained of the Homeworld’s armed forces, law enforcement and private military corporations. Initially independent entities that each played a role in the exodus from Homeworld, as the Fleet left for their long journey and it became clear that the number of ships and people were a critical point of survival, Apex Division consolidated its power among all those disparate groups and became the sole and premier independent peacekeeping force for the Fleet. Well funded and extremely well armed, the Apex Division maintains a reasonable force of ground and space forces, as well as an unspecified number of military grade weapons aboard their main warship. The Apex Division has, since the departure away from their home planet, begun to secure a more solid position for themselves beyond merely being a military organization. In addition to fielding all of the Fleet’s law enforcement and security personnel, they have begun making alliances in the political and economic spheres as well, taking tactical roles throughout the Fleet as a way of securing both their position and their funding. The Apex Division has not yet allied themselves with any one faction, but due to their might as a fighting force, other factions are willing to ingratiate themselves to the Division to ensure their own security.
changedSodality represents the bulk of the “common people” throughout the Fleet, acting as a communal ruling body for the miners, agri workers, wasters and other labor-based occupations. As wonderful as the technology of the Fleet is, it still requires human muscle to operate and propel it forward in key areas, and Sodality is the shield that protects those people who keep the Fleet flying, and its people fed and comfortable. Given the state of the Fleet’s survivors this group is more important, and powerful, than ever. Not unlike a large-scale labor union, Sodality began life advocating for worker’s rights as people faced oppressive work practices, dangerous environments and exploitation in the harsh, cold vacuum of space. Sodality is overseen by a committee that is selected from among its own members to rule it and negotiate on all their behalfs. Anyone that belongs to Sodality can run for a seat on the committee, and if chosen, will attend briefings and meetings with the other members of Fleet command. Because of the progressive and collective nature of their organizing structure however, coupled with the number of individuals they represent, many decisions are subject to long highly protracted debates, and so are typically drawn out far longer than most other factions.
As you journey, In Search Of A Home, we wanted to keep the overall focus of the game on your fleet. The journey is as much about your ability to keep a huddled mass of refugees together and united in purpose as much as it what planets you encounter along the way. Giving that view into the population of your fleet is one of the biggest sets of features we have lined up to deliver during early access.
We wanted to give you guys a bit of a preview of the Faction Update that will be coming in November and is the first of several big feature updates we have planned for early access. This preview introduces the initial factions you'll have to build relationships with and tells you a bit more about them. We'll do another preview before launch jumping into more of the ways you'll interact with them.
Factions inside In Search Of A Home represent groups that have formed within the population that have a fair amount of influence. People are inherently tribal and even in catastrophe -- perhaps especially in catastrophe -- its hard to let go of old habits. Factions are a mix of groups that operated before the sojourn, their members still going through the motions for a sense of security, or groups that have come together as folks have sought familiarity and solace on this lonesome journey.
Theia Corporation was a cross between a savvy media conglomerate and a covert intelligence agency. They traded in information, for information is power, and prior to the Fleet’s exodus from the homeworld, Theia Corp made significant investments to pursue both. Consequently, there are two sides to Theia Corp: One being the remnants of their public face as an unrivaled media empire, and the other being their other more secret face as the foremost trafficker of classified information. Their small, but highly effective, network of operatives comb every source of information that they can find, to always have the inside track on anything that happens within the Fleet. Ideologically, there is a significant bent towards fostering the progressive ideal of freedom of information, especially given the dire situation that the Fleet’s survivors find themselves in, but in support of their desire to know everything that is happening that could impact the Fleet, they are willing to do whatever it takes at times, to ensure that freedom...and in particular, that THEY are the only ones with the ability to provide it.
Apex Division is the aggregation of what remained of the Homeworld’s armed forces, law enforcement and private military corporations. Initially independent entities that each played a role in the exodus from Homeworld, as the Fleet left for their long journey and it became clear that the number of ships and people were a critical point of survival, Apex Division consolidated its power among all those disparate groups and became the sole and premier independent peacekeeping force for the Fleet. Well funded and extremely well armed, the Apex Division maintains a reasonable force of ground and space forces, as well as an unspecified number of military grade weapons aboard their main warship. The Apex Division has, since the departure away from their home planet, begun to secure a more solid position for themselves beyond merely being a military organization. In addition to fielding all of the Fleet’s law enforcement and security personnel, they have begun making alliances in the political and economic spheres as well, taking tactical roles throughout the Fleet as a way of securing both their position and their funding. The Apex Division has not yet allied themselves with any one faction, but due to their might as a fighting force, other factions are willing to ingratiate themselves to the Division to ensure their own security.
Sodality represents the bulk of the “common people” throughout the Fleet, acting as a communal ruling body for the miners, agri workers, wasters and other labor-based occupations. As wonderful as the technology of the Fleet is, it still requires human muscle to operate and propel it forward in key areas, and Sodality is the shield that protects those people who keep the Fleet flying, and its people fed and comfortable. Given the state of the Fleet’s survivors this group is more important, and powerful, than ever. Not unlike a large-scale labor union, Sodality began life advocating for worker’s rights as people faced oppressive work practices, dangerous environments and exploitation in the harsh, cold vacuum of space. Sodality is overseen by a committee that is selected from among its own members to rule it and negotiate on all their behalfs. Anyone that belongs to Sodality can run for a seat on the committee, and if chosen, will attend briefings and meetings with the other members of Fleet command. Because of the progressive and collective nature of their organizing structure however, coupled with the number of individuals they represent, many decisions are subject to long highly protracted debates, and so are typically drawn out far longer than most other factions.
Arguably one of the more prominent factions of the Fleet’s survivors, the Espial Society represents the foremost minds in the Fleet, the leaders in technological and scientific progress. They are the ones who discovered the Jump Drive, and they are primarily interested in how this technology can be utilized for the successful completion of their mission as well as any incidental progression that can be obtained from its application. Given the importance of the Jump Drive to the continued survival and primary mission of the Fleet, keeping the Espial Society (no matter how small they may be) happy and funded is one of the chief struggles for you. The Espial Society is well aware of their importance to the Fleet and they aren’t afraid to take full advantage of that fact, pressing for greater influence, resources, funding and power, despite the needs of other factions or the Fleet’s survivors. If they have a weakness, it’s that they are more interested in continuing their own research than they are any other concern, which can make them seem myopic and stubborn. They also tend to look down on all other factions, particularly those who subscribe to religious and spiritual beliefs, which they have no use for and view as backwards thinking.
The Synod is a highly organized and dogmatic religious group, that demands loyalty and strict adherence to their tenets of faith. That faith is grounded in a naturalistic worship of the Cosmos, which they have come to believe is Perfect. In their worldview, everything happens for a reason, according to the Divine Plan as laid down in the quantum state of every atom in existence. They do not believe in free will, and see the journey they are on as an Exodus, not unlike those in other religious texts. They favor taking a long view of things, since Free Will is an illusion they are convinced that they can take no action and things will play out exactly as the Universe has decreed it should. This general philosophy can make them intractable and extremely challenging to negotiate with. Even in a reduced population such as the survivors of the Fleet, this deep-seated devotion to the ideas in their doctrine make them an extremely powerful bloc, attracting a fair number of the more spiritually and religiously minded survivors of the Fleet’s population, whose collective voices would be a force for the Fleet Commander to contend with, or risk being ousted by their numbers.
So for now, those are the groups you'll be having to contend with. These faction will be replacing the current "House, Legion, Swarm.." factions inside the build and start to have a lot more personality around their interactions with you. In addition, we'll be introducing new systems around your interactions with their agendas, requests, and perhaps even cashing in a few favors with each Faction. We'll dive into these systems in the next preview!
