THE OUTER LIMITS - A Slave Girl

[Jenner]

For me the only really interesting faction is the Empire, and slavery is a part of that.

My personal breakdown:

1) Alliance. Ok, a loose association of independent worlds. Yawn. Reminds me of the Neutrals from Futurama!

2) Fed. Rampant capitalism. So like USA on steroids I guess. Kind of interesting in that it raises questions about social safety nets and collective responsibility for societal well-being, but really....meh. No real interesting backstory or reason for being. It just *is*.

3) Empire. Now here is an interesting back story! Duval takes a bunch of disillusioned colonists to the far flung star Achernar to get away from the Feds. She's murdered by her own family and a patriarchal dynasty is formed. Wars are fought with the Feds to bring them back into the fold but they hold their own. They have a anarchic caste system, condone slavery (in a fashion), are flamboyant and hold art in high regard.

To me there's no contest. The Empire is just way more interesting.

 

[jedt]

I had always got the impression that most people would go Federation. But since it seems to be 20% Empire to 14% Federation I guess most of us are off an age to see through all the that goes with ‘democracy’ and fancied roleplaying something else. Besides there for me were 4 main reasons to go Empire.

1) Slave girls
2) No one on Achenor ever voted for Barry’O or Gormless Clown or iDave.
3) Imperial ranks are eleventy times cooler than Federal ones:
Federation / Empire
None / Outsider
Private / Serf
Corporal / Master
Sergeant / Sir
Sgt-Major / Squire
Major / Lord
Colonel / Baron
Lieutenant / Viscount
Lt. Commander / Count
Captain / Earl
Commodore / Marquis
Rear Admiral / Duke
Admiral / Prince
4) Slave girls

basically what you are saying is you can't get **** ***


i put the asterisks in....

 

[Viking]

According to this, the Empire has structural weaknesses in its economy. It's totally dependent on expansion (as the Roman Empire), using slaves as free labor, and extortion of colonies to fuel its central population's wealth and welfare. So it gets weaker as it expands. It'll be interesting to see how its story will unfold in ED. I think we may see one or two interesting things develop.

 

[jedt]

According to this, the Empire has structural weaknesses in its economy. It's totally dependent on expansion (as the Roman Empire), using slaves as free labor, and extortion of colonies to fuel its central population's wealth and welfare. So it gets weaker as it expands. It'll be interesting to see how its story will unfold in ED. I think we may see one or two interesting things develop.

not just the roman empire... the british empire was the same.

 

[Yaffle]

not just the roman empire... the british empire was the same.

Yeah, but we had more square footage. Which proves something, I'm sure.

 

[jedt]

Yeah, but we had more square footage. Which proves something, I'm sure.

and cricket.....

 

[psyron]

Intercultural competition is an incredible motivator and generates technological advances like nothing else - especially the warfare aspect.
...
Any peaceful, resource rich none violent culture is at risk of attack from greedy, jealous rivals and would need protecting.

Oh yes, those cultures would have to protect them self against others, that's absolutely correct. Therefore they wouldn't be completely none violent when it comes to defense them self - but only then.

I am ready to do so ...

 

[psyron]

According to this, the Empire has structural weaknesses in its economy. It's totally dependent on expansion (as the Roman Empire), using slaves as free labor, and extortion of colonies to fuel its central population's wealth and welfare. So it gets weaker as it expands. It'll be interesting to see how its story will unfold in ED. I think we may see one or two interesting things develop.

not just the roman empire... the british empire was the same.

It's funny how people obviously aren't aware of the biggest empire of all human history:
The american empire.
They have military bases around the world and start more wars than all other nations combined.
And i guess i don't need to tell you about the FED, BlackRock and the NSA.

But officially, it's of course the others who started the wars, right?

 

[Viking]

I LOLed!

 

[Andrew Sayers]

According to this, the Empire has structural weaknesses in its economy. It's totally dependent on expansion (as the Roman Empire), using slaves as free labor, and extortion of colonies to fuel its central population's wealth and welfare.

Although that looks like fan fiction, it makes a lot of sense to me. Frontier don't seem to be taking the really tough approach necessary to balance the in-game economy (making sure there's a money sink for every money source etc.), so they'll have to expand inhabited space in order to spread the wealth around. That means the major powers will have to expand aggressively or be dwarfed by the independent zone around them.

 

[Minti2]

not just the roman empire... the british empire was the same.

and what great Empires! Explorers, visionary's, risk takers, and a good few pirate ships! those that burn bright are always remembered, who wants to be mediocre!

 

[Jenner]

It's all for your own protection. Now SHUT UP, slaves!

 

[Perseus]

. . . the Empire has structural weaknesses in its economy. It's totally dependent on expansion (as the Roman Empire), using slaves as free labor, and extortion of colonies to fuel its central population's wealth and welfare. . .

Sounds like an excellent plan, Viking!
I really hope we are on the verge of an Imperial expansion in the game, maybe a year after release, after plenty of folks have got to grips with it.
I reckon the rising star (power wise) in ED will be the Alliance though. We all know the Federation and Empire are competitors with an history and exist in 'peace' now. It would be much more exciting if the Alliance started to annex systems in the name of cultural self governance and the respect of the same.

All social systems have weaknesses and are open to interpretation. Whenever I see the pictures of the pyramids in Egypt, I always think how these early technological marvels epitomise what any human culture is. A pyramid of positions with most of the mass supporting the top 10% in varying degrees.

Nothing lasts forever, except maybe Federal taxes.

 

[Viking]

Although that looks like fan fiction, it makes a lot of sense to me. Frontier don't seem to be taking the really tough approach necessary to balance the in-game economy (making sure there's a money sink for every money source etc.), so they'll have to expand inhabited space in order to spread the wealth around. That means the major powers will have to expand aggressively or be dwarfed by the independent zone around them.

The Empire need expanding more than the other factions. Spreading its protective resources thinner and thinner in the process. I can see many reasons for collapse in the future. For instance, sooner or later expansion must be replaced by increased taxes - at least to a certain degree. I also think imperial colonies must get more self control to be able to defend the Empire's outer borders. Then political turmoil may arise in the core of the Empire ... It'll be interesting to watch.

Sounds like an excellent plan, Viking!
I really hope we are on the verge of an Imperial expansion in the game, maybe a year after release, after plenty have folks have got to grips with it.

I'm sure they will try. And with their current structure it will be risky business.

 

[Mars]

basically what you are saying is you can't get **** ***

Really? Is that the level of school ground jibe your going for. Don't worry, I won't judge, take your time and come up with something better and PM me whenever your ready. Good luck!

 

[jedt]

It's funny how people obviously aren't aware of the biggest empire of all human history:
The american empire.
They have military bases around the world and start more wars than all other nations combined.
And i guess i don't need to tell you about the FED, BlackRock and the NSA.

But officially, it's of course the others who started the wars, right?

thats all very well.... but they don't play cricket. can't call it an empire, they are not civilized.

 

[jedt]

Really? Is that the level of school ground jibe your going for. Don't worry, I won't judge, take your time and come up with something better and PM me whenever your ready. Good luck!

is this the famous imperial lack of a sense of humour?

 

[Perseus]

Oh yes, those cultures would have to protect them self against others, that's absolutely correct. Therefore they wouldn't be completely none violent when it comes to defense them self - but only then.

I am ready to do so ...

I think being a warrior is not just about getting some weapons and 'defending' yourself. A culture needs a warrior ethos of some sort ingrained in the conditioning of it's population if it has plans to use violence for any reason.
The idea of a perfect, pacifist planet defending itself brings two words to mind.

TURKEY SHOOT!

 

[jedt]

and what great Empires! Explorers, visionary's, risk takers, and a good few pirate ships! those that burn bright are always remembered, who wants to be mediocre!

um... not really. mostly venial little twerps with superior weapons.

 

[Mars]

According to this, the Empire has structural weaknesses in its economy. It's totally dependent on expansion (as the Roman Empire), using slaves as free labor, and extortion of colonies to fuel its central population's wealth and welfare. So it gets weaker as it expands.

Historians have even more bias than journalists. If you read that the something happens due to X its easy enough to find some who says it happened due to Y. Only at school you only ever get told X, and teachers are on average fairly left wing so X tends to be a left wing anti-american, anti British empire etc, or whatever leftie narrative the topic calls for.

While I'm no historian, I do read a lot on economic history, and this happens to be my preferred take on Roman decline: http://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/serials/files/cato-journal/1994/11/cj14n2-7.pdf

The link you provided may well form part of the lore, but it does not ring true to me, so I suggest it was probably written by a Federalist!

um... not really. mostly venial little twerps with superior weapons.

Dude, you really are going to need to work on your insults.


A primer perhaps: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ey0wvGiAH9g