10-30-2017, 12:49 AM | #1 |
Join Date: Feb 2011
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Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.
I occasionally find myself wondering how the IU setting would look if Centrum was the player's sponsor, perhaps even ethically reformed. It's also not unusual for posters to be of the opinion that ISWAT or Homeline as a whole is ruthless -- by necessity, you understand.
If one were to make a Good Centrum, Evil Homeline campaign, what changes would you make? My own suggestions: Centrum becomes less arrogant. There is a general understanding that good as their system may be, it's not perfect. Centrum gains some level of freedom of expression. People are not replaceable, and the long emergency is over. In general, expand the civil rights of Centrumites... although this doesn't need to imply democracy. One or two crosstime colonies have been integrated, demonstrating that the society can and will allow others to achieve their level of comfort and success. Homeline is more exploitative. They mine worlds with dirty tech, exploit natives, and steal advanced stuff where they can. It's more decadent and more divided, with an impossibly wealthy upper class and a poor that can only hope to become a cross-time soldier or technician if they want to get access to the "infinite wealth." Homeline becomes expansionist. Maybe the demand for bread and circuses for the poor and extravagant aircraft-carrier-sized yachts for the megawealthy class is driving Homeline farther out. And, depending on one's interpretation, maybe Centrum has a single, closely-regulated intelligence agency that has a universal code of sentient's rights, mandating that whatever they do, they will not harm third-party civilians in pursuit of political goals. Homeline, in contrast, has an anarchic intelligence apparatus that doesn't have any notable compunctions at all. Last edited by PTTG; 10-30-2017 at 12:50 AM. Reason: IW, Centrum, Homeline, campaign design |
10-30-2017, 04:34 AM | #2 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: U.K.
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Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.
I believe that one previous response to the question of what a nice Centrum would look like is "The Federation from Star Trek". Which leaves on the table the question of how nice the Federation really is, if you look at the internal logic of various ST stories too closely, but never mind. You'd probably want less of a Prime Directive, though.
By which logic, Homeline would probably have to be played as a cross between the Romulans and the Ferengi.
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10-30-2017, 01:19 PM | #3 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.
It is not a bad idea, though I have always thought that Homeline is more exploitative than it is commonly portrayed.
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10-30-2017, 01:25 PM | #4 | |
Wielder of Smart Pants
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
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Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.
Quote:
- Michael Eddington, in "For the Cause", Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Ep. 4×22 |
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10-30-2017, 05:39 PM | #5 |
Join Date: Feb 2011
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Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.
I almost went with the Starfleet metaphor in the OP, but I wanted to keep it clear that Centrum is still Centrum, just not Overtly Evil Centrum.
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10-30-2017, 05:54 PM | #6 |
Wielder of Smart Pants
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
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Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.
Well I think that metaphor is probably worth considering. Define Centrum not by Homeline's values, but rather define Homeline by Centrum's values. Centrum promises peace, stability, and equitability versus the anarchic, exploitive, and destabilizing Homeline.
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10-30-2017, 06:16 PM | #7 | |
Join Date: Sep 2004
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Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.
Quote:
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10-30-2017, 08:31 PM | #8 |
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.
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10-30-2017, 09:35 PM | #9 |
Untagged
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Forest Grove, Beaverton, Oregon
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Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.
I think that says more about your idea of utopia than you think. At best, I see it as a suffocating bureaucratic monoculture.
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10-30-2017, 10:09 PM | #10 |
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.
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