Factions - Galileo's take

[Trensicourt]

There is a difference between rebels and pirates and it is shown in multiple games.

For example: Raynor's Raiders in Starcraft 2(They are rebels, not raiders!)

Pirates on the other hand are organized assholes.

[palandus]

Define what a raider is though?

Someone with a cause, that involves acquiring something. That something can be booty (pirates), slaves (slavers), freedom/peace through bloodshed (rebels), or anything useful (scavengers).

These distinctions are pointless without explaining how one's groups motivations are different than eachother. So for all intents and purposes a pirate = a rebel, UNLESS you point out exactly how they are different, both organizationally, and what motivates them. A pirate usually rebels against an established order just like a rebel does. Its what motivates them that is different.

[Galileus]

Ok, maybe a correction - we tried to drop it >.<

Seriously guys - dev himself asked to drop this. Drop this.

[Tynan]

We probably won't have any hardcoded factions; I'm planning on doing factions which are generated from some list of "types". So they'd generate a name, a hometown, a slogan, a basic history, a style, stuff like that. It remains to be seen how much room there will be for actual authored content in this. However much room there is, though, you'll be able to mod stuff in to fill it.

[Galileus]

Well, that's not exactly what I imagined when I've heard "randomized factions"

Anyhow, once you get to the part when you will actually be building factions, remember about poor modders. Some simple solutions, even if not used in game itself, can work wonders later. Being from modding community yourself, I'm sure you're well aware of that

[BattleFate]

We probably won't have any hardcoded factions; I'm planning on doing factions which are generated from some list of "types". So they'd generate a name, a hometown, a slogan, a basic history, a style, stuff like that. It remains to be seen how much room there will be for actual authored content in this. However much room there is, though, you'll be able to mod stuff in to fill it.

In that case, how will factions differ from one another, other than the story based items you already listed? Will there be different strategies? Will one be more diplomatic whereas another will attack without question?

Do you have any specific factions planned yet?

[Tynan]

Nothing specific planned. They'll vary in their hairstyles and ethnicity, the kinds of equipment they bring, the numbers they show up with, the backstories (and thus skills and work disables and such) they have, and the goals they pursue.

[Trensicourt]

Can you make them have custom generated flags. :3

[Tynan]

Can you make them have custom generated flags. :3

Feasible, but not high priority.

[bigwolf2101]

I like this idea and wood love to see it in the game arrrrrg

[Galileus]

I like this idea and wood love to see it in the game arrrrrg

It's my priority #1 for modding right now To be completely sincere the "completely random, generic faction" sounds one hellov'a boring to me.

With modding being in only basic support in next update, it may need to wait till later - but I'm definitely going to give it a shot with each of my ideas as mods.

[Trensicourt]

What I would like to see is a story line with each faction you move towards to.

[Untrustedlife]

I like this idea and wood love to see it in the game arrrrrg

It's my priority #1 for modding right now To be completely sincere the "completely random, generic faction" sounds one hellov'a boring to me.

With modding being in only basic support in next update, it may need to wait till later - but I'm definitely going to give it a shot with each of my ideas as mods.

If they re randomly generated it COULD be interesting if it is done well.

Dwarf fortress has preset races that form various civilizations with different goals/history and such.

It could be done randomly though, for example, if you are sharing you planet with a bunch of tribal trans-pigs (yes those will exist) and a group that has a reputation for raiding/capturing people/capturing trans-pigs for food. They could have differing goals. The trans-pigs would presumably be your traders and the group that loves how they taste would be the bad guys that you defend them from/fight with the pigs to keep em away.
I could see stories forming. off of this.

[Trensicourt]

Why don't we have an A.I. trader ship that is manned by 1 trans race.

[Workload]

If the factions are the same every time you'll know what they have for weapons/goals/tactics/etc.
Random ones could be neat, not knowing what they got for the first few battles with them.