Author Topic: Starborn FAQ  (Read 86033 times)

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Offline karajorma

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The Starborn are an enemy in the same way that forces of nature are an enemy.

Once you see the game running you'll see why we couldn't just make them another enemy who you can jump into your fighter and blow up.

The starborn have basically set the destruction of mankind in Sol as their goal for this round of the Great Game. Prevent that and you've beaten them. Of course if you want the Starborn to really lose you could try rolling over and letting the Shivans have a go at them as they're the only race who've ever managed to fight with the Starborn. Hell, they're the only race even aware of the Starborns existance :D

One other thing. The Starborn aren't really a plot device. MindGames is designed that the entire campaign would work if we never mentioned the Starborn. A lot of things would be mysteries in the same way as Bosch's actions in the main campaign were though. The whole Starborn thing functions as another level that explains a lot of the bigger picture.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2004, 04:11:52 am by 340 »
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Offline NGTM-1R

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*pokes* So, you still didn't tell me about the Starborn being the only "hot" race or not.
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Offline karajorma

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I'm leaving that one up to Geezer to explain as he tned to do that sort of stuff better than I do :D
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Offline TopAce

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How do you mean 'hot' race?
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Offline karajorma

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As in full of sexy ladies ;)

Seriously though, the Starborn refer to Humans, Shivans and Vasudans as coldlife because they lived on cold balls of rock rather than nice warm stars :D
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Offline Geezer

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There's at least one other Hotlife species, but they're not intelligent - or not by the Starborn's definitions, anyway.  A small lifeform evolved in a 'cool' red giant star, comparable in some ways to a Terran virus.  Like the SB, the 'Hotbugs' can be described as having both crystalline and holographic qualities.  But the Hotbug's timescale is very different.  A Hotbug will go from 'seed' to dissolution in a few years.  While in its growth phase, the Hotbug expands very rapidly, incorporating any passing atomic particle that fits its matrix.  When a SB comes in contact a growing Hotbug, the 'Bug starts to capture parts of the SB.  Initially, the captured parts are such a small part of the SB that the theft isn't noticed.  By the time a Hotbug is at the end of its lifecycle, the SB can have a small but noticeable chunk removed.  The net effect on the SB (due to their holographic nature) is a general but slight lessening of its memory and powers of mind.   Fortunately for the SB, the 'Bugs are most comfortable in 'cool' red stars and the SB themselves prefer hotter stars – like Sol or Capella – so there's not much contact between the two species.  Unfortunately for the SB, their initial unknowing contact allowed the 'Bugs to hitch rides to many other stars before the SB realized what they were and their danger.  Even now, a 'Bug seed can ride unnoticed with a SB, waiting for the proper conditions to grow.

And, no, you're not going to see a Hotbug piloting a fighter in MG.  :D
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Offline Zarax

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So, will we see a shivan/hotbug alliance? (j/k lol)
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Offline karajorma

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I don't think the Shivans know about the hotbugs yet. If they do find out about they they will almost certainly try to use them against the Starborn.
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Offline Kie99

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How are we going to attack the Starborn?
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Offline mr.WHO

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Wait, does it mean that when we'll meet Shivans next time they won't try to exterminate us or they are still an agressive species  ( something like: if you've created to kill'n destroy, you simply don't stop killing after you leave your creator)  ??

 

Offline Geezer

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@kietotheworld:  The simple answer is that we're not.  Humanity doesn't know that the SB exist, much less that they're behind a lot of human history or the Shivan threat.

@mr.WHO: The Shivan Groupmind (there's only one intelligence with a lot of bodies) was designed by the SB to eliminate anyone it finds in subspace - it never occurred to the SB that the Groupmind would be able to sense the SB themselves.  The Groupmind did discover that the SB exist but it has no idea that the SB were responsible for its own creation.  As far as the Groupmind is concerned, the SB are just another species to be eliminated from subspace.  As for a GTVA/Shivan alliance against the SB, the Groupmind doesn't think like that.  There is no 'we', only 'I'.  The Groupmind is perfectly willing to pretend to ally in order to gain military intelligence but in the end, there is only 'I'.  Every intruder in subspace will be eliminated, sooner or later.
« Last Edit: January 29, 2005, 05:18:08 pm by 62 »
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Offline Miburo

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So in other words Shivan are (or should I say is?) perfect guardian to SB, master piece from what they forgot one thing out and its not milk ;)
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Offline TopAce

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Say Shivans are the perfect guardians of the Starborn...
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Offline Miburo

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Well like Geezer said Shivan is Groupmind, so I think that entitles call as Shivan not Shivans, they share one mind and ideal, that I think makes them not inviduals, but a invidual, very terrifying one. One thing I say, something that shares one conciousness even if all of them are different can be quite strong. Just think it, all of groupmind shares all what they see, hear and feel, thats perfect symphony for war, no communications that can be interupted, they can strike anywhere and anywhen they want, becuse even if their scouts gets killed they know exactly whats happening where and when. Amazing that Terran and Vasudans were able to stop them from doing their purpose of universum, especially since StarBorns who are vastly more evolved and got caught pants down in Capella :p
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Offline Black Wolf

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"Shiva" perhaps?
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Offline Kie99

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Will the GTVA/player even know about the StarBorn?
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Offline Geezer

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Quote
Originally posted by kietotheworld
Will the GTVA/player even know about the StarBorn?


If he's paying attention :cool:

The SB take an active role in MG thru their "game pieces" or avatars.  The player should - with very little effort - know what part of the story has come from the SB's interference.  Alpha 1 won't have a clue.
« Last Edit: February 28, 2005, 05:08:56 pm by 62 »
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Offline Culando

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*blows the dust off this topic* I know it's been a while since this topic was posted in, but who knows. Maybe you guys will like the extra activity here. If not, I apologize.

I was reading through the Starborn FAQ on your site again, and I had a thought. If Bosch was a Sensitive, manipulated by the Starborn to give information to the Shivans, then that might explain why GTVA Command let him escape in the early missions of the main FS2 campaign. One of the higher ups, also a Sensitive, must have given the order to let him escape. Would that be true?
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Offline karajorma

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The argument I tend to go with is that Bosch was allowed to escape because GTVI were interested in capturing ETAK for themselves.

 Now whether this is the real explaination or just one of the justifications given by whoever ordered removing the blockade is another question :D

It is quite possible that the idea of letting Bosch escape in order to secure ETAK was a notion put in the head of a GTVA commander by one of the Starborn. It's the sort of thing they would come up with.
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Offline Geezer

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*coughs in the cloud of dust*

A Sensitive without a leadership position is far less useful to the Starborn than a Sensitive with many followers.  So, part of the the genetic makeup of an upper-level Sensitive is the combination of traits that we call 'charisma'.    Even the totally mind deaf will be attracted to a charismatic leader.  For lesser Sensitives, with the SB whispering in the backs of their minds,  the attraction can reach fanatism.  It wouldn't surprise me at all if the commander who allowed the escape was influenced by a gene-deep conviction that Bosch was correct in his actions.
« Last Edit: September 25, 2005, 09:01:19 pm by 62 »
If a man walks in the desert and speaks where no woman can hear, is he still wrong?