The Quest To Find Raxxla

[PeteACarter]

Are you saying it's coded into all the .exe files?

Quite an interesting idea. Use the GUID of our hardware (or commander might make more sense, in case we change machines) as a seed for their famous procedural generation technique, so it appears in a different system for everybody.
The we know where it is statement would still technically be true as it would be deterministic for every cmdr.

 

[alexzk]

Just tested FSS sensevity on https://canonn.science/codex/34-virginis-abandoned-srv/
Well, it detects "1 human signal" from huge dist. Planet scan gives targetable visually point but NOT in left list until you get close to it (appears during glide started).
So what do you think....this SRV does more emitions then whole DW station? >:

 

[PeteACarter]

I thought the 2nd II’s story was good.

To explain why, a basic principle first - the II isn’t telling a story. We’re not outside of things seeing/being told what’s happening, we’re inside.

So what the 2nd II has had has been:

- a major galactic power starting to act outside of their remit

- short term commercial pressures becoming their major driver instead of good long term strategy

- propaganda and the misleading of the public

- people generally following the propaganda without question

- personal commercial gain trumping considerations of consequences of actions

- player lead opposition to AEGIS in an attempt to manipulate the markets

- player lead attempts to highlight the real nature of what’s going on

- a power misleading people with a fake reward/outcome

- an unpredicted event of real consequence for players (if only temporary)

- some interesting behaviour from the Thargoids

- lots of action

- extension of activities into the interior of a permit locked region and an increase of the human presence therein

Plus consequences which will only emerge over time. (The new Thargoid ship which has just been discovered operating in the vicinity of Palin’s base is the start. Other things will come with time.)

The story will continue as consequences emerge, but the connection is swept under the carpet by the powers that be, and they instead become used as part of the propaganda machine.

Plus ongoing through all of that will be a party the nature of which is completely alien and which will be read into in human ways, with things boxed into human concepts which don’t necessarily apply, with all the misunderstanding, confusion and further consequences that will entail.

Yeah, it’s been good IMHO. I think what I’d re-emphasise is not just to look at it in terms of what happened within the official duration of the II, but what it it all means and will mean in the future.


Just on the pacifist faction thing - I know where you’re coming from and had thought about it way back at the start of the II. The issues with it is:

- it would massively (and artificially) diminish how much power the powers that be actually have

- it would remove the need for people to look at the situation for themselves and prevent any player lead opposition

In other words it’s a can’t have the cake and eat it situation. If we want things to be player influenced in terms of players actually leading and driving (in terms of opposition to the powers that be), then that means not having that lead and driven by FD (by them setting up their own official opposition). Personally I’d rather we have the opportunity to actually be that oppositon, rather than it just being a choice of which FD created party we choose to throw our support behind.

Arguably there’s not much in the way of mechanisms to actually create that opposition in game, but equally that’s arguably just actually an accurate reflection of the nature of the game universe.

Well, maybe I'm doing it a disservice, but I honestly feel it was a lot more 1 dimensional than that. I suspect player opposition was a surprise, but even if it was considered, then as you rightly say, there was no way to express that opposition in game, meaning that the outcome was still deterministic, and I simply dont see how we could have ever influenced the galaxy/game. Influencing meta, to me, is an entirely different thing, which does not fall under the remit of influencing the game/galaxy.

Of course giving us an opposition option would have been artificial, but it is a game, and how could FD code the ability for us to influence the galaxy, without giving us options? Without options, it is a traditional, linear narrative, even if it is a lot more protracted than most games.

To be fair, I did enjoy being given the ammunition to rant on the forums, in a pseudo role playing capacity about the evil of Aegis, but did that really have any impact on anybody/anything? I dont think so.

As @Jorki Rasalas pointed out before me, this story will inevitably lead to the bugs going home to get reinforcements and launching a full scale attack on humanity. It hasn't happened in the time frame I originally expected, but that's probably because they are building up hostilities slowly, ready for the 2020 FPS release. Again, the anticipation of that release, to me, means that the story is pre-determined and we cannot influence it.

So another take on your point about cake vs eating cake would be.....I personally feel that either a) players should be genuinely able to influence the narrative or b) the narrative is linear, in which case it should be stronger than what we saw with Enclave. Just my honest opinion.

Having said this, I have been pleasantly surprised that Galnet fluff going away has already lead to slightly more in game narrative/interaction in the form of a return to weekly community goals, in addition to the IIs. This gives me some hope for the "major upcoming narrative " that we were promised. I guess I just hope that this major narrative is not JUST pew pew and has some intrigue/mystery included.

 

[Tharrn]

Well, maybe I'm doing it a disservice, but I honestly feel it was a lot more 1 dimensional than that. I suspect player opposition was a surprise, but even if it was considered, then as you rightly say, there was no way to express that opposition in game, meaning that the outcome was still deterministic, and I simply dont see how we could have ever influenced the galaxy/game. Influencing meta, to me, is an entirely different thing, which does not fall under the remit of influencing the game/galaxy.

Of course giving us an opposition option would have been artificial, but it is a game, and how could FD code the ability for us to influence the galaxy, without giving us options? Without options, it is a traditional, linear narrative, even if it is a lot more protracted than most games.

To be fair, I did enjoy being given the ammunition to rant on the forums, in a pseudo role playing capacity about the evil of Aegis, but did that really have any impact on anybody/anything? I dont think so.

As @Jorki Rasalas pointed out before me, this story will inevitably lead to the bugs going home to get reinforcements and launching a full scale attack on humanity. It hasn't happened in the time frame I originally expected, but that's probably because they are building up hostilities slowly, ready for the 2020 FPS release. Again, the anticipation of that release, to me, means that the story is pre-determined and we cannot influence it.

So another take on your point about cake vs eating cake would be.....I personally feel that either a) players should be genuinely able to influence the narrative or b) the narrative is linear, in which case it should be stronger than what we saw with Enclave. Just my honest opinion.

Having said this, I have been pleasantly surprised that Galnet fluff going away has already lead to slightly more in game narrative/interaction in the form of a return to weekly community goals, in addition to the IIs. This gives me some hope for the "major upcoming narrative " that we were promised. I guess I just hope that this major narrative is not JUST pew pew and has some intrigue/mystery included.

Haven't both CGs been player submissions? I'll believe they put in more effort again when quality FD content surfaces.

 

[Jorki Rasalas]

Further than I got with this so nice one I did wonder the same, I'm British and have never heard of the John fella so was wondering if that was a clue, the other 2 are very well known as are others that could be used instead but then I read too much into anything sometimes...3 systems by definition would form a triangle with a mid-point (or maybe 4 if you read above, its over my head)

Well I’m British and read the book at school (but that was a long time ago!)
Wikipedia: Prester John is a 1910 adventure novel by the Scottish author John Buchan. It tells the story of a young Scotsman named David Crawfurd and his adventures in South Africa, where a Zulu uprising is tied to the medieval legend of Prester John.

 

[EdzUp]

One thing about all of this is simply it could be in the bubble BUT like Voyager could be really far out in a system where honking won't show it. We will have to FSS every system and map everything and then some to make sure.

Does Voyager show on the FSS? If not everyone is searching for a needle in a galaxy wide haystack.

 

[Jorki Rasalas]

I thought the 2nd II’s story was good.

To explain why, a basic principle first - the II isn’t telling a story. We’re not outside of things seeing/being told what’s happening, we’re inside.

So what the 2nd II has had has been:

- a major galactic power starting to act outside of their remit

- short term commercial pressures becoming their major driver instead of good long term strategy

- propaganda and the misleading of the public

- people generally following the propaganda without question

- personal commercial gain trumping considerations of consequences of actions

- player lead opposition to AEGIS in an attempt to manipulate the markets

- player lead attempts to highlight the real nature of what’s going on

- a power misleading people with a fake reward/outcome

- an unpredicted event of real consequence for players (if only temporary)

- some interesting behaviour from the Thargoids

- lots of action

- extension of activities into the interior of a permit locked region and an increase of the human presence therein

Plus consequences which will only emerge over time. (The new Thargoid ship which has just been discovered operating in the vicinity of Palin’s base is the start. Other things will come with time.)

The story will continue as consequences emerge, but the connection is swept under the carpet by the powers that be, and they instead become used as part of the propaganda machine.

Plus ongoing through all of that will be a party the nature of which is completely alien and which will be read into in human ways, with things boxed into human concepts which don’t necessarily apply, with all the misunderstanding, confusion and further consequences that will entail.

Yeah, it’s been good IMHO. I think what I’d re-emphasise is not just to look at it in terms of what happened within the official duration of the II, but what it it all means and will mean in the future.


Just on the pacifist faction thing - I know where you’re coming from and had thought about it way back at the start of the II. The issues with it is:

- it would massively (and artificially) diminish how much power the powers that be actually have

- it would remove the need for people to look at the situation for themselves and prevent any player lead opposition

In other words it’s a can’t have the cake and eat it situation. If we want things to be player influenced in terms of players actually leading and driving (in terms of opposition to the powers that be), then that means not having that lead and driven by FD (by them setting up their own official opposition). Personally I’d rather we have the opportunity to actually be that oppositon, rather than it just being a choice of which FD created party we choose to throw our support behind.

Arguably there’s not much in the way of mechanisms to actually create that opposition in game, but equally that’s arguably just actually an accurate reflection of the nature of the game universe.

I did wonder if the whole point of the Salomé storyline was to expose the Club (which was a DB invention). FD wanted it to be exposed to point out to the population (us) that we are being misled and manipulated. It is then up to us to choose what we support in-game.

 

[Jorki Rasalas]

One thing about all of this is simply it could be in the bubble BUT like Voyager could be really far out in a system where honking won't show it. We will have to FSS every system and map everything and then some to make sure.

Does Voyager show on the FSS? If not everyone is searching for a needle in a galaxy wide haystack.

Yes, the Voyagers (and the other probe, New Horizons?) show up on the FSS if you scan in Sol. I did it and visited them.

BUT they weren’t shielded for stealth. We don’t know the characteristics of the DW station. The codex entry on this is not clear. It may be detectable by FSS on system entry (I suspect unlikely), or perhaps only at close range, or perhaps it has to be eyeballed

 

[PeteACarter]

I did wonder if the whole point of the Salomé storyline was to expose the Club (which was a DB invention). FD wanted it to be exposed to point out to the population (us) that we are being misled and manipulated. It is then up to us to choose what we support in-game.

Which would make it plausible that the entire Raxxla Codex is fake, planted by the club to throw us of the sent - especially if they are the tyrants who are already there. It would also probably make TDW codex entirely true, because I'm sure the club wou5love to flush them out an eliminate the threat?

 

[PeteACarter]

Haven't both CGs been player submissions? I'll believe they put in more effort again when quality FD content surfaces.

I wasnt aware player submitted CGs were a thing. Perhaps we should submit one to find a certain celestrial body!

 

[Six6VI]

One thing about all of this is simply it could be in the bubble BUT like Voyager could be really far out in a system where honking won't show it. We will have to FSS every system and map everything and then some to make sure.

Does Voyager show on the FSS? If not everyone is searching for a needle in a galaxy wide haystack.

Voyager 1 and 2 show up as "Ancient Probe" in the FSS. You might also see a third contact very close to one of them (I forget what it's labeled as) but if you fly all the way out there it's a duplicated contact.

 

[Six6VI]

I did wonder if the whole point of the Salomé storyline was to expose the Club (which was a DB invention). FD wanted it to be exposed to point out to the population (us) that we are being misled and manipulated. It is then up to us to choose what we support in-game.

Well gee, that sounds highly analogous to real life...

 

[alexzk]

Found in dixon dock extra cargo not documented, just followed text & scanner.
So it proves texts (some at least) contain clues.
https://canonn.science/codex/dixon-dock/

Text seems like some mafia so i drive around and found gold & narcotics

 

[[PS4] Filthymick420]

Well I’m British and read the book at school (but that was a long time ago!)
Wikipedia: Prester John is a 1910 adventure novel by the Scottish author John Buchan. It tells the story of a young Scotsman named David Crawfurd and his adventures in South Africa, where a Zulu uprising is tied to the medieval legend of Prester John.

Tinfoil
So maybe that 'not clue' leads to New Africa. Trojan could be the reference to Troy. And whatever was the decided destination for Atlantis. Adds up if you use enough tinfoil. Well, what are you waiting for lol

 

[[PS4] Filthymick420]

PeteACarter said:
Which would make it plausible that the entire Raxxla Codex is fake, planted by the club to throw us of the sent - especially if they are the tyrants who are already there. It would also probably make TDW codex entirely true, because I'm sure the club wou5love to flush them out an eliminate the threat?
---------
That kinda sounds comparative to the 'circle of Independent elite pilots' and the 'Garry pirates' from and here the wheel, so far. Haven't finished it yet only bout halfway.

Edit: forgot quote

 

[yelboc]

One thing about all of this is simply it could be in the bubble BUT like Voyager could be really far out in a system where honking won't show it. We will have to FSS every system and map everything and then some to make sure.

Does Voyager show on the FSS? If not everyone is searching for a needle in a galaxy wide haystack.

Yes FSS can find the voyager probes - it can detect a tin can 2.3M ls away...

 

[[PS4] Filthymick420]

So perhaps they expected us to have found it already and we didn't so we got the fss to assist, but without the right nudge

 

[alexzk]

Possibly we need rescan all & count carefully.
For example this: https://canonn.science/codex/gregorys-rest/
FSS shows 4 human signals, on map u can see 1 port and 1 installation on orbit. So if you pay attention u see 2 missing.
Close full scan reveals +1 settlement. And when u land close enough appears 4th - ship.
So we could pass station everyday and just don't notice it as it is paired with some other orbital working.

 

[Jorki Rasalas]

Which would make it plausible that the entire Raxxla Codex is fake, planted by the club to throw us of the sent - especially if they are the tyrants who are already there. It would also probably make TDW codex entirely true, because I'm sure the club wou5love to flush them out an eliminate the threat?

It was only in Holdstock’s TDW novella where Raxxla is already inhabited by corrupt twisted men. It’s possible that is carried through, but I suspect more likely that was also retconned with the rest of the book.
Has anyone got a list of lore & links to the source FD statements about what was retconned?

 

[Jorki Rasalas]

Possibly we need rescan all & count carefully.
For example this: https://canonn.science/codex/gregorys-rest/
FSS shows 4 human signals, on map u can see 1 port and 1 installation on orbit. So if you pay attention u see 2 missing.
Close full scan reveals +1 settlement. And when u land close enough appears 4th - ship.
So we could pass station everyday and just don't notice it as it is paired with some other orbital working.

I would say any human signal detected is cause for close investigation. I well remember the feeling when I got to NGC 7822 to find one, when I’d detected nothing on my prior journey through when FRifting;
lol, it was the Cupid’s Arrow tourist beacon!