Open Letter to the Prime Minister: Please clarify today's revelations

[SubitusNex]

So you're saying that you made a mistake in supporting the Alliance?

(OOC: Remember that non-player factions in the game can never represent the players; we are but facilitators for and, in many cases, hangers-on to*, factions that are at least simulated as having their own internal processes.)

Much like a romantic partner, if a faction is later shown to be unpleasant and unlikeable, the best thing to do is to cease all association with them. It is, for all intents and purposes, impossible to change someone's basic character.
It's quite possible to be that while rejecting treason against sentient life. The facts will lead us forward.


*I have a Sirius permit, for example, even though I hope Lucifer swallows the entire corporation.

I have but to disagree with you on this to some extent. Again OOC all the way much like my previous post.
While the non-player factions may not represent the players, the players do, however, represent the faction. (if not intentionally, much because of the vacuum of actual content about that faction)

Much like the will of the players was felt in early CGs that helped shape Imperial and Federation Politics the players should have the ability to influence the outcome of a faction. There are lot of Alliance pilots who have grabbed the early idea that the Alliance was an anti-federation organization, united against the way massive coorporations were taking over. And the lack of official narrative does not help, in not shaping the alliance to be SOMETHING, Frontier allowed it to be Anything. And so we try to mold it to our intentions, by action.

If this game is supposed to reflect its players that should somehow impact the narrative, instead of the narrative overriding anything we do in game. Its not about jumping the boat, but changing the way the boat goes. OFC FDev may do whatever they want, but they must understand they will alienate people with something so out of line with anything relating to alliance "lore".

With this I'm not saying we're good or bad.. I don't believe that things fall that neatly into boxes. I say, we're different, like the original alliance lore said we were, and we follow those ideals. Should the narrative do the same?
Honestly I hope this thing about the PM will lead to at least some interesting narrative where he will have some conflict to resolve with the rest of the Alliance, allowing other characters to surface. It would be nice to see something about the Alliance being discussed.

 

[Thetele]

I have a further request for consideration, this time by the Frontier team. I will keep it short and to the point. It is a bit out of topic, but since we're talking about the alliance and federation I thought I'd post.
This is entirely OOC.

As an Alliance pilot I feel marginalized, not by narrative, not by the actions of any one faction but exactly by the lack of that narrative and interaction.
I love this game but I feel railroaded. I feel you have a narrative you want to tell, but in the universe of E players often play it out another way, and I feel those actions go ignored, squandered and sometimes even squashed.
The Alliance has grown immensely. The Alliance has dominated Power Play. The Alliance has shown immense involvement in the background simulation and almost all other aspects of the game.
Yet it is ignored. Almost no narrative. Conflicting information on how its power structures work (in Galnet often). No ships, no ranks, no structure.
I feel we've been alienated from the storiline of the galaxy. Why? I don't know. But if this is supposed to be player centric, this is not how it should go. It feels railroaded.
If this is because Frontier wants to pass a story that the Alliance didn't flourish really until the Thargoids started doing things with them: I'm sorry, we're already doing things, very successfully. If it doesn't fit your intended narrative, adapt it and make around your players. Please do not shove us into tiny boxes that we do not fit into.

I leave you with a video by Matt Colville, a very nice perspective on sandbox vs railroading which I think translates the problem very well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkXMxiAGUWg

But not only are we railroaded, we are ignored.

In elite dangerous lore Alliance never had any more friendly contact with Thargoids than feds or empire and they didn't get Thargoid ship. That was just one of the ending possibilities and isn't part of official timeline.

 

[SubitusNex]

In elite dangerous lore Alliance never had any more friendly contact with Thargoids than feds or empire and they didn't get Thargoid ship. That was just one of the ending possibilities and isn't part of official timeline.

Neither was I claiming it to be. I hope that regardless of where FDev decided to take that story they listen to the remaining concerns of the faction. I mentioned it only as a possibility (in hoping they weren't ignoring us all so they can pull that kind of narrative twist out of nowhere).

 

[CMDR Zadian Lichtfrost]

This is about the Salome thing that got revealed now. Not the Thargoid thing.

Most people are ok with the Alliance stance on Thargoid events so far.

In fact, I doubt anyone cares whether someone in the Alliance wanted Salome dead as well. It's the accusation of "collaboration with the Federation" that the uproar is around.

Get over it, FD doesn't envision the Alliance the way a lot of player envision the Alliance.

Alliance is just the same as the Empire and the Federation.
They all have been working together (in some form) in preparation of the Thargoid invasion.

And the Alliance stance on Tharogid events as mentioned on GalNet is just a decoy and distraction. Nothing more.

BTW: read the book Premonition - a good read and for all I know canon

 

[CMDR Corlas]

Dear Prime Minister Mahon,

I write you today from the Alliance Southern border lands, where daily we hold back the corruption and oppression of the Federation. While I am an Alliance diplomat from the AEDC, I write you on personal title, as a CMDR daily supporting the largest factions in the Alliance by whatever means possible.

I am deeply disturbed by the new revelations found containing Salome's last messages. This includes:

"The Alliance and Federation were collaborating behind the scenes. Tsu exposed it, and they ostracised her and left her at the mercy of bounty hunters. The Alliance is no innocent bystander. They know what happened."

I demand you answer these allegations to the satisfaction of Alliance citizens. Please clarify:

- What level of collaboration exists between the Alliance and Federation?
- What end serves this collaboration?
- Why did any collaboration take place in secret, without debate, or consultation with Alliance constituents?
- Will you release any recordings or transcripts of Tsu Singh's debriefing?
- What is the role of Federation President Halsey in this, and in your administration?
- Is the Council of Admirals aware of this collaboration?
- Is the Alliance Assembly?

Please answer carefully and truthfully. Many Alliance citizens already have long suspected you of caring more about your own power than the Alliance itself, and your love for Federation and Independent corporates over Alliance factions of the "wrong government" have long been a concern, and your credibility is on the line.

Should your answers not be satisfactory, I will petition the Council of Admirals for your impeachment and removal. This is a very serious matter.

CMDR Mangal Oemie
Alliance Diplomat

If you've not yet, write up something like this and submit it to Galnet. That's how to talk to in-game major characters.

 

[4gui4]

Everyone began to wake up to the fact that the Alliance be implicated in something wicked.

Well I guess that's just the tip of iceberg.

[alien]

 

[Schlack]

If you've not yet, write up something like this and submit it to Galnet. That's how to talk to in-game major characters.

The only player generated alliance stories FD publish are watch related. I wish I was joking.

 

[Kingston@#]

@ alliance Cmdr's. DANG no wonder I couldn't get anywhere. I spent a yr murdering alliance ships. I couldn't do the amount of damage needed to usurp the alliance.
by the sounds of it. I was doing it on my own, while you alliance crew must have had a good crowd.

 

[AskedQuestion]

while you alliance crew must have had a good crowd.

OCC: Just replace "do you know how much I make a year" by : "Do you know how many systems we flip every year ?"

Spoiler

[video=youtube;qgWHsit77E4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgWHsit77E4[/video]

The Alliance ...

(•_•)

( •_•)>⌐■-■

(⌐■_■)

is the one who knocks !

 

[Goose4291]

In fact, I doubt anyone cares whether someone in the Alliance wanted Salome dead as well. It's the accusation of "collaboration with the Federation" that the uproar is around.

I thinl you underestimate the fanboy love for her on this one bud

 

[[Diplomacy] Carnegie]

I thinl you underestimate the fanboy love for her on this one bud

The Salome koolaid is potent stuff.

 

[Goose4291]

The Salome koolaid is potent stuff.

It is. I loved watching all the chest beating "We're Pro-Patreus/Arissa/Aisling, death to the unbelievers!" groups change to more moderate and in some cases simpering stances overnight.

 

[Jason Lightning]

It is. I loved watching all the chest beating "We're Pro-Patreus/Arissa/Aisling, death to the unbelievers!" groups change to more moderate and in some cases simpering stances overnight.

Not just Empire, it's a great slice of humble pie to the Federation and especially the Alliance, who those not aware of the lore mistakenly assume to be a 'just organization'. Fact is all the Superpowers have much innocent blood on their hands, if there is one consistent theme with Elite lore books it's that the galaxy is dystopian and bad endings are extremely common.

 

[[Diplomacy] Carnegie]

It is. I loved watching all the chest beating "We're Pro-Patreus/Arissa/Aisling, death to the unbelievers!" groups change to more moderate and in some cases simpering stances overnight.

The power of a pretty face.
I mean, that's the only reason anyone chooses Aisling after all - but apparently brunettes were in this year.

 

[smiths121]

I for one, support any behind the scenes deals between the Feds and the Alliance. Anything to annoy those Imps.

Sorry had to add my 2 cents.

Disclaimer: I do not like the Imps. <Todo: Insert rational reason when I thin of one>

Cheers
Simon

 

[Ouberos]

From a political position the "Alliance" is a conglomerate entity of different stripes. Alliances such as that need some careful and complicated politicking to hold together (See the European union for details!) It wouldn't surprise me if one section deals with the Feds while another simultaneously supports pro Imperial groups. While at the same time providing funds for insurgents in both camps.

That's why I'm an independent.

Unless the money is right obviously!

 

[Infidel Deity]

Go ask Andy Gill about the ethics of your Alliance. Probably get more out of his widow, though. You think your admirals arent involvec too?

Singularity fights for everyone, even the unknown and forgotten victims of human experimentation.

https://twitter.com/jrrevelator/status/880486766641385473

Who would stand to gain from the release of such "news"?

 

[Limoncello Lizard]

It's easy to tell when a politician is lying to you. His lips are moving.

 

[Infidel Deity]

"Traitors to humanity."

Comrade! The Alliance aren't the good guys. There is no hero narrative in this universe, deliberately so. Dialectical materialism has rendered it thus. We're all participants in an interstellar neocorporate/neofeudal dystopia, although some choose to fight. The Alliance is the greasy teat for those who like neither but lack the commitment to reject such ideologies in their entirety and accept that no good can come of such societal structures.

The extent of Alliance treachery, alongside that of the Feds under the dog Hudson and the Imps under the equally contemptible Duval, will become clear soon enough.

Of course we, The Alliance, are the good guys!
And that to such extent that it triggers an inferiority complex in the rest of the human galaxy. [yesnod]

Who stands to gain from tarnishing The Alliance?
Adolf Hudson and his harlot.
The filthy harlot they call emperor.

Have a nice day.

 

[SubitusNex]

Not just Empire, it's a great slice of humble pie to the Federation and especially the Alliance, who those not aware of the lore mistakenly assume to be a 'just organization'. Fact is all the Superpowers have much innocent blood on their hands, if there is one consistent theme with Elite lore books it's that the galaxy is dystopian and bad endings are extremely common.

Out of Character I understand that, and I don't even oppose that, my problem is more when a complete lack of content and disregard for our faction (including not mentioning storywise - and content wise, and ship wise and so on and so forth - the great lengths the Alliance has changed the galaxy so far) is followed only by a tidbit of content that's completely out of line with the Alliance's purpose/ideals. I understand this can happen, but I wouldn't expect it to be "the only thing that happens".

Of course in character I'll always complain about the misdeeds of my faction, and fight the corruption of our ideals. It's what my character does, although it turns out he's also a twisted little who kills people for money.

But I still expect player actions to have an impact in the story, I want it and I want it now. Not just through events or CGs (we all know how that went), but look at the BGS, visualize how the galaxy is changing over time and write for that. Not just for your own narrative. Books are great and I love those, but if what we do in game is to have any meaning then our impact on the galaxy must be a reality and not just a tidbit you throw at people in advertisements. If this is "a sandbox game and you will be able to free roam in our own Milky Way Galaxy", then do a little sandboxing and let our actions (which are not tiny and irrelevant btw, look at the galaxy now vs 2 years ago) impact the narrative.

My problem is not that there is a Canon, my problem is that that Canon doesn't seem to exist in the game itself. Also, you can have a Canon and still have players impact your narrative. That's the good thing about good storytelling with players. Any good DM will tell you that. And, sure, players will throw your cannon for a loop, but that's the nature of the beast, it's the storyteller's responsibility to make it work and fit. Just because you have Canon, doesn't mean you have to be Railroading everything.