In my current game I have a very god fearing marine in my crew (named Roland, I swear that's the name he came with). Knight Roland loves to fight, pray, and visit the graves of his fallen brothers and sisters. It made me recall reading something about belief systems and temples to void gods a long time ago, when I first got wind of Rimworld.
So today I looked over the ol' Kickstarter page, and there it is in the list of proposed modules. Insane void gods sound pretty cool to me, are they still planned and part of the setting, or was that idea discarded somewhere along the way?
Taken a back seat to the mechanics for now. I wanted to delve into them as part of my Rimworld TV writing but nobody seems to be reading it. Since we now have parties and weddings though I can see Tynan doing a place of worship at some point but thats personal speculation.
So, maybe one day but not until much more vital components are completed.
I would not want to see 'magic' make an appearance... the game is very good right now thematically, and I see no benefit in making it into a genre stew.
That being said, however, who's to say the 'Void Gods' can't simply be remnants of a hyperadvanced civilization with capabilities bordering on the supernatural ?
That would not break Rimworld's sci-fi essence; in fact, the idea of vastly differing technology levels is built right into the lore.
Quote from: ChimpX on April 12, 2016, 09:49:42 AM
That being said, however, who's to say the 'Void Gods' can't simply be remnants of a hyperadvanced civilization with capabilities bordering on the supernatural ?
Yeah, that's how I would imagine it. Even the mechanoids (and their hivemind) sound like something powerful and alien enough to be perceived as divinity by some.
Psionic powers would be more likely than magic. Though being able to raise zombies and shoot lightning would be a lot of fun.
advanced enough technology is indecipherable from magic, or something along those lines.
Lighters to Cavemen, Assault rifles to musketeers, etc.
Quote from: JimmyAgnt007 on April 12, 2016, 10:04:56 AM
Psionic powers would be more likely than magic. Though being able to raise zombies and shoot lightning would be a lot of fun.
I'm still hoping for something to make long unburned/unburied corpses more dangerous than just a mood debuff. If a disease like fibrous mechanites is possible, why not have it carry an additional risk of techno-zombification upon an unlikely death? :D
Colonist souls for the void gods!!!
"Make an offer to the gods, a blood offer."
If you kill 3 prisioners in front of the altar, your colonists will be rewarded with 20 gold.
OK Tynan, there is a new 'Stuff' now. Souls. Want to make a fancy wall with the screams of the tormented? Souls. Walking on the floor with the tiles are screaming faces? Souls. What is the bed made out of? The planter pot? That Longsword? Powered armor? ALL SOULS!
Harvesting soul crystals and using them to trap the recently dead souls. Like an operation you can preform on corpses before they start to rot.
Each Void God will have a 'tech tree' that you unlock with worship and sacrifice.
Evil gods reward you with wealth and soul constructions. The more devotion you show them the more soul related things you can make.
Of course they might not be evil, good ones might prefer offerings of food and wealth instead of souls. In turn they reward the player with boons like healing of chronic conditions or blessings of tranquility when they go berserk.
In general they may transform artworks, weapons, clothing, or furniture into a 'blessed' grade item. Making them holy artifacts. Along side wealth and beauty there is a 'Holy' rating to rooms and the colony.
Hmm... I think Im really on to something.
If this is implemented I'm making a colony based on Imperium of Mankind, with full on Emperor worship.
Quote from: CrazyChris on April 12, 2016, 01:19:50 PM
If this is implemented I'm making a colony based on Imperium of Mankind, with full on Emperor worship.
"The Emperor Protects..."
— The Lectitio Divinitatus
I'm not sure to understand completely what you're talking about, but that don't fit with Rimworld's universe for me. Technology, yes, we need more stuff which make us feel we are in 5500, but magic/psionic/divine intervention ? No, thanks ???
(What are the void gods ? Something from an other game ?)
Void Gods are whats already in the Rimworld Lore. Its who they pray too when you see them praying.
Psionics are also already in the lore, psychic beacons, devices, are already things in the game.
That certainly is a fair point about psi powers already being in the game. TBH, I've never been fully satisfied with psionics in science fiction. I like my SF on the harder side.
Not that it can't work here - Tynan has things balanced nicely I think. My preference would be for RW to stay closer to Firefly than Warhammer 40K.
It would be brilliant to see artifacts of these Void Gods show up now and then though.
Quote from: ChimpX on April 12, 2016, 02:56:02 PM
That certainly is a fair point about psi powers already being in the game. TBH, I've never been fully satisfied with psionics in science fiction. I like my SF on the harder side.
Not that it can't work here - Tynan has things balanced nicely I think. My preference would be for RW to stay closer to Firefly than Warhammer 40K.
It would be brilliant to see artifacts of these Void Gods show up now and then though.
Psionics in Rimworld don't have a concrete explanation in either the supernatural of technological side, afaik. The flavor text mentions "some distant
engine of hatred is stirring" which could imply a technological origin. As Coenmcj said,
Quote from: Coenmcj on April 12, 2016, 10:31:25 AM
advanced enough technology is indecipherable from magic, or something along those lines.
Lighters to Cavemen, Assault rifles to musketeers, etc.
I'd really like to see some Void Gods or highly advanced mechanically sentient beings. I mean, psychic waves being blasted through the galaxy is not uncommon and some would believe it is controlled from some higher being. The option of turning a colony into a bunch of cultists seems fun.
I, for one, hope these highly advanced beings can be pissed off, and have powerful agents for those (most special of) occasions. Something on a power level similar to the titans and dragons of Dwarf Fortress. "Put your best pants on bois, it's time to die."
Well, those void gods are sort of hinted at already. They're in the backstory. And where do you think those psychic drones come from?
I always assumed they came from a combination of too much caffeine and too many straight hours of programming.
Emperor confirmed! Time to dispatch heretics in a fiery fashion
Lore-wise, I'm not sure what sense it makes for hyperadvanced beings to exist in the Rimworld universe. I thought Transcendent civilizations were the apex of possible technological progress, and they had no interest in things beyond their planet.
Yeah that's one of the things that sold me on the kickstarter and I'm still hopeful for further implementation.
Isn't it obvious? The Transcendent Beings are the Muffalos, carrying out research for some incomprehensible purpose by studying us humans, often from the inside.
can we offer some stuff to the void gods to lower RNGesus trolling us? like : lower the chance of negative psychic drones if void gods are happy with offerings while psychic smooth have more chances of happening.
Quote from: keylocke on April 13, 2016, 04:07:19 AM
can we offer some stuff to the void gods to lower RNGesus trolling us? like : lower the chance of negative psychic drones if void gods are happy with offerings while psychic smooth have more chances of happening.
The gods work in "Mysterious ways"
Quote from: keylocke on April 13, 2016, 04:07:19 AM
can we offer some stuff to the void gods to lower RNGesus trolling us? like : lower the chance of negative psychic drones if void gods are happy with offerings while psychic smooth have more chances of happening.
Something that would be nice is that if you have a Totem, or something similar to the spot, You can send some characters with a trait "Belief in the old gods" usually, former tribals, and make a rain dance or rituals.
Characters with Other beliefs (something like no gods and/or the new gods), will get a mood loss and also could get into social fights. That would be a good flavor adition.
Pair the Old Void Gods vs. the New Void Gods and Atheism with Jimmies set up and I think we have something. The Old Gods would be all about Blood and sacrifice, while the New Gods prefer peaceful interaction and tithes, or you just stay Atheistic. I suggest a new 'Missionaries' event to trigger the Gods progression trees to be unlocked.
Atheist play=Normal
Old Gods=Human Sacrifice, cannibalism and ripping out the entrails of livestock for removal of blights, gifts of rain and help in battle. Also 'Immoral' colonists have a higher chance of fatal accident. Progress by getting Blood for the Blood gods!! No blood and Blood Gods come for yours.
New Gods=Tithe of all produce, profits from trades and seasonal worship services gets you mood boosts, general harmony and the occasional miraculous healing. Larger gifts get you a greater and greater chance for these events.
I think we should stay away from any void god being a direct rip off of other fictional gods or ones based on real religions.
If this was my game id be elbow deep in writing out the fiction behind them and their effect on the game world.
If you dont want to play with the gods at all you can just never build temples and destroy artifacts. That keeps them limited to the occasional psy beacon that we already play with.
I think one of the gods should be male, the other female, since the psy effects a single gender so there might be some reasoning behind that. Id have fun with the fluff on that.
Totems and ritual gatherings would be neat, dancing around a fire instead of a typical party. Causing friction with the unbelievers lol
The Muffalo is a holy animal now. lol
It would be interesting to have titan level monsters as avatars of a single void god.
I don't want to see void gods as ANYTHING other than reasoning behind why things happen...
I don't want to deal with any human sacrifice or offerings or any of that stuff...when random events cease being random, the game becomes less fun.
Well without Tynan commenting on his plans its all speculation anyways. Though like i said for my idea, as long as your colony doesnt make an effort to support the Void Gods then they wouldnt have any impact on things beyond what they already do.
So this thread has got me interested in reading more the backstory & lore of Tynan's Rimworld universe.
I've been through the links on the main Ludeon.com page and the wiki, but don't see much in the way of that kind of content. That fiction primer was interesting, but only an overview.
Is it all just scattered around the forums in various places?
I personally wouldn't mind some cult/religion building options. A pew and alter would be cool. Maybe candle lights or other symbols you could build. The option to have organized worship in a temple you build.
As far as I know, there isn't too much content on the lore in Rimworld.
There is:
- Colonization on worlds on the rim of the universe, hence Rimworld.
- Animal sent out to inhabit the worlds before hand as well.
- Thousands of years of this happening, explaining the natives. Townpeoples are probably already native or also shipwrecked colonies. Pirates, same too.
- Hints of Void Gods, but no true evidence.
- Mechanoids were originally manufacturing and farming equipment until weaponized and went rogue with a hivemind.
- Glitterworlds exist, worlds where the people have become so transcendent that they could resemble gods. Highly advance technology and most likely are responsible for the space traders.
That's about all I found on the lore, but focusing on the core game mechanics are a first priority is a good thing. Don't want to throw in hundreds of ideas before you stabilize the base game first. Lore can come afterwards.
Quote from: Keychan on April 13, 2016, 02:11:21 PM
- Mechanoids were originally manufacturing and farming equipment until weaponized and went rogue with a hivemind.
Scythers for cutting hay, rice and corn, centipades for planting and preparing the soil... ah these were the good day.
Lore is always good, but right now, rimworld shows an amazing story though it's mechanics alone.