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Old 10-31-2017, 12:03 AM   #11
Flyndaran
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Default Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.

I don't see how making it slightly less than horribly evil automatically makes it a utopia. (Not that I see R.A.W. Homeline as anything but inhumanely murderous. But R.A.W. Centrum isn't any better.)
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Old 10-31-2017, 08:27 AM   #12
martinl
 
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Default Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.

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Originally Posted by PTTG View Post
If one were to make a Good Centrum, Evil Homeline campaign, what changes would you make?
I'm not sure I'd go the way you suggest - an important theme of Centrum is that they view a lot of the things we consider "Freedom" as "Dangerous Anarchy."

I'd suggest instead just moving them a little closer to their own propaganda - they are really making hard decisions to bring the most "good" (which to them is mostly about stability, material comfort and safety, not freedom) to the most people, with people under Centrum's authority being a bit higher in priority.

Similarly, I'd just let Homeline be a little closer to Centrum's propaganda - dangerously anarchic and nakedly exploitative of other timelines. Note that almost every nuclear power on Homeline probably has nuclear-paratime capabilities, and the mere knowledge of that fact must drive centrans a bit crazy.

Now there is a little of a suspension of disbelief problem with a "Honest, well meaning, competent bureaucracy." I'd salt some pre-emptive sci-fi gobbledy**** in there so when the PCs ask you have an aswer ready.
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Old 10-31-2017, 08:40 AM   #13
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Default Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.

Your choice of characters to interact with also makes a difference. Systems can empower or diminish the effects of individuals, but you can always heroes and villains on both sides.
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Old 10-31-2017, 10:45 AM   #14
David Johnston2
 
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Default Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
I don't see how making it slightly less than horribly evil automatically makes it a utopia.
It's not horribly evil. In fact it's described as being way better than any real life dictatorship that comes to mind.
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Old 10-31-2017, 03:22 PM   #15
Flyndaran
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Default Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.

Are you trolling me? "Better than any real world dictatorship" is your defense of a government not being very evil?
I'm saying there is a massive amount of leeway between Centrum as written and a good government let alone utopia.
Maybe we aren't being clear to each other.
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Old 10-31-2017, 04:26 PM   #16
adm
 
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Default Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
I don't see how making it slightly less than horribly evil automatically makes it a utopia. (Not that I see R.A.W. Homeline as anything but inhumanely murderous. But R.A.W. Centrum isn't any better.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Johnston2 View Post
It's not horribly evil. In fact it's described as being way better than any real life dictatorship that comes to mind.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
Are you trolling me? "Better than any real world dictatorship" is your defense of a government not being very evil?
I'm saying there is a massive amount of leeway between Centrum as written and a good government let alone utopia.
Maybe we aren't being clear to each other.
As a neutral observer, I suspect that David Johnston2's tolerance level for a centralized government in a fiction setting is higher than yours.
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Old 10-31-2017, 04:36 PM   #17
David Johnston2
 
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Default Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.

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Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
Are you trolling me? "Better than any real world dictatorship" is your defense of a government not being very evil?
I'm saying there is a massive amount of leeway between Centrum as written and a good government let alone utopia..
What's a good government?
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Old 10-31-2017, 04:40 PM   #18
Anthony
 
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Default Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.

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Originally Posted by martinl View Post
Now there is a little of a suspension of disbelief problem with a "Honest, well meaning, competent bureaucracy."
Depends on the degree of each of those you're expecting. You're not going to get a perfect bureaucracy any more than you're going to get a perfect any other government, but a bureaucracy that's on average honest, well meaning, and competent enough is believable (and provides more room for PC activity than one that's really good at its job).
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Old 10-31-2017, 07:23 PM   #19
Flyndaran
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Default Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.

Quote:
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What's a good government?
I doubt any of us would agree much on what makes a good one. But I thought we could all at least get vague agreement on what's in between horrible and utopia.
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Old 10-31-2017, 07:24 PM   #20
Flyndaran
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Default Re: Centrum Light, Homeline Dark.

Quote:
Originally Posted by adm View Post
As a neutral observer, I suspect that David Johnston2's tolerance level for a centralized government in a fiction setting is higher than yours.
I have a reasonably high tolerance for centralized governments. But as Centrum is worse than Homeline, and I consider Homeline pretty horrible for anyone not a recognized citizen... thinking that even a slight improvement makes Centrum a utopia seems baffling to me.

Edit: I am still recovering from a nasty cold/flu, so I could just be failing worse than usual at my Reading comprehension rolls.
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