Post by Geddon on May 14, 2013 10:40:50 GMT -5
Space, the final frontier
In the late 21st century, governments abandoned the idea of long range space travel in lieu of more pressing local concerns. Instead, it was the corporations who were given the go-ahead to research and develop means to travel to other planets. Conventional space travel was slow and expensive, but slowly, man began to reach out into its own solar system. First Mars, then the asteroid belt. The development of hypersleep allowed man to "rest" his way into the black without the need for long term food stores.
Synthetic humanoids were developed. These androids looked and behaved human, but did not hunger or thirst, and they could be left awake for the long journeys into space to tend the ship.
Eventually, conventional space travel yielded a great benefit to mankind. A conventional asteroid mine discovered a substance now known as Fauxite. Fauxite, named for the man responsible for analyzing and discovering its hidden properties, was found to have more potential energy per atom than any other known substance. Unfortunately, Fauxite, which resembles coal, does not burn like coal. In fact, scientists could find no practical way to harness its energies.
Discovery of a new heavy metal element would change everything. IMᶾ, a substance similar to murcury, was discovered in small pockets beneath the surface of a desolate, uninhabitable planet in the star system closest to Earth. It had taken years to get to under even the fastest conventional star drives. This was the payoff.
When IMᶾ is combined with Fauxite, it can be distilled into a semi liquid fuel that is so powerful, it can power engines to faster than light speeds. This new technology, called "displacement drives," suddenly allowed man to cross vast distances in space. What used to decades, suddenly only took months, and what took years would only take weeks. Trips around the solar system itself could be completed in mere days.
Man had finally discovered the stars.
Rise of the Corporations
Discovery of these technologies gave rise to corporate interests in space. Earth, being overpopulated and in severe economic success, made finding people willing to leave Earth and start fresh under company direction quite easy. As planets were colonized and precious materials mined from the depths of space, the corporations involved began to become wealthy and powerful.
The nation governments of Earth began to be out-competed by companies like Weyland-Yutani and Hyperdyne Systems who offered a "better life" to their employees. It soon became more beneficial to be an employee than a citizen of any nation state back on Earth.
Eventually, small revolts and other unrest prompted the companies to began using their own military. Corporate military soldiers with the best tech that money could buy soon began waging war with each other over territory and resources.
It soon became evident that an oversight committee would be needed to quell the violence in space. a 5-year war ensued between the various colonies, corporations, and the nation states of earth until finally the Interstellar Commerce Commission, or ICC, was developed.
The ICC would regulate the commerce between nations and corporations, and enforce territory boundaries with its new powerful military of Colonial Marines. Formed of people from various colonies as well as earth, it was supposed to be a completely neutral means of keeping the peace.
Money, however, corrupts all things and the most powerful corporations had a habit of being able to sway the ICC in various matters when necessary.
The ICC is well known for being Weyland-Yutani's "goon squad" in several sectors of space.
Usually, politics pull the ICC Marines into various conflicts with companies and colonies, often resulting in many casualties.
Hilo System
The Hilo system is a system widely controlled by Hyperdyne Systems. Recently, a gas giant planet known as "Hydra" was located in the Bunda Survey cluster. Hydra, though useless to humans, has several moons orbiting it. Some of these moons pass into the "Goldilocks Zone" with their sun, making them habitable for humans.
Hydra 3
Hydra 3 is a paradise. It has abundant natural resources, clean water, edible plant and animal life, and no obvious harmful species. It is the perfect location for a base colony in the cluster. Claimed by Weyland-Yutani, Hyperdyne Systems has declared war on Hydra 3 and is currently embattled with ICC Marines as a result.
This peaceful moon, is currently a warzone.
Hydra 5
Though disputes exist over who owns the rights, Hyperdyne Systems has gone ahead and set up a mining colony on Hydra 5. Early reports indicate an amazing discovery. Hydra 5 contains rich deposits of both IMᶾ as well as Fauxite. Surveys also located several ancient ruins that show evidence of previous intelligent life on Hydra 5.
Back to Core Game Information
In the late 21st century, governments abandoned the idea of long range space travel in lieu of more pressing local concerns. Instead, it was the corporations who were given the go-ahead to research and develop means to travel to other planets. Conventional space travel was slow and expensive, but slowly, man began to reach out into its own solar system. First Mars, then the asteroid belt. The development of hypersleep allowed man to "rest" his way into the black without the need for long term food stores.
Synthetic humanoids were developed. These androids looked and behaved human, but did not hunger or thirst, and they could be left awake for the long journeys into space to tend the ship.
Eventually, conventional space travel yielded a great benefit to mankind. A conventional asteroid mine discovered a substance now known as Fauxite. Fauxite, named for the man responsible for analyzing and discovering its hidden properties, was found to have more potential energy per atom than any other known substance. Unfortunately, Fauxite, which resembles coal, does not burn like coal. In fact, scientists could find no practical way to harness its energies.
Discovery of a new heavy metal element would change everything. IMᶾ, a substance similar to murcury, was discovered in small pockets beneath the surface of a desolate, uninhabitable planet in the star system closest to Earth. It had taken years to get to under even the fastest conventional star drives. This was the payoff.
When IMᶾ is combined with Fauxite, it can be distilled into a semi liquid fuel that is so powerful, it can power engines to faster than light speeds. This new technology, called "displacement drives," suddenly allowed man to cross vast distances in space. What used to decades, suddenly only took months, and what took years would only take weeks. Trips around the solar system itself could be completed in mere days.
Man had finally discovered the stars.
Rise of the Corporations
Discovery of these technologies gave rise to corporate interests in space. Earth, being overpopulated and in severe economic success, made finding people willing to leave Earth and start fresh under company direction quite easy. As planets were colonized and precious materials mined from the depths of space, the corporations involved began to become wealthy and powerful.
The nation governments of Earth began to be out-competed by companies like Weyland-Yutani and Hyperdyne Systems who offered a "better life" to their employees. It soon became more beneficial to be an employee than a citizen of any nation state back on Earth.
Eventually, small revolts and other unrest prompted the companies to began using their own military. Corporate military soldiers with the best tech that money could buy soon began waging war with each other over territory and resources.
It soon became evident that an oversight committee would be needed to quell the violence in space. a 5-year war ensued between the various colonies, corporations, and the nation states of earth until finally the Interstellar Commerce Commission, or ICC, was developed.
The ICC would regulate the commerce between nations and corporations, and enforce territory boundaries with its new powerful military of Colonial Marines. Formed of people from various colonies as well as earth, it was supposed to be a completely neutral means of keeping the peace.
Money, however, corrupts all things and the most powerful corporations had a habit of being able to sway the ICC in various matters when necessary.
The ICC is well known for being Weyland-Yutani's "goon squad" in several sectors of space.
Usually, politics pull the ICC Marines into various conflicts with companies and colonies, often resulting in many casualties.
Hilo System
The Hilo system is a system widely controlled by Hyperdyne Systems. Recently, a gas giant planet known as "Hydra" was located in the Bunda Survey cluster. Hydra, though useless to humans, has several moons orbiting it. Some of these moons pass into the "Goldilocks Zone" with their sun, making them habitable for humans.
Hydra 3
Hydra 3 is a paradise. It has abundant natural resources, clean water, edible plant and animal life, and no obvious harmful species. It is the perfect location for a base colony in the cluster. Claimed by Weyland-Yutani, Hyperdyne Systems has declared war on Hydra 3 and is currently embattled with ICC Marines as a result.
This peaceful moon, is currently a warzone.
Hydra 5
Though disputes exist over who owns the rights, Hyperdyne Systems has gone ahead and set up a mining colony on Hydra 5. Early reports indicate an amazing discovery. Hydra 5 contains rich deposits of both IMᶾ as well as Fauxite. Surveys also located several ancient ruins that show evidence of previous intelligent life on Hydra 5.
Back to Core Game Information