PlanetSide 2 Backstory Part 2, Sandy Jones

[Hamma]

http://www.planetside-universe.com/news-planetside-2-backstory-part-2-sandy-jones-2572.htm

[Zulthus]

Nothing particularly interesting, but it's nice that they're fleshing out lore this time around.

[Marth Koopa]

Underground Cities

[Raymac]

Underground Cities

Yeah, that stopped me dead in my tracks too. Also uncovering Vanu ruins. Very cool. Can't wait to see them.

[SgtMAD]

Underground Cities

yea, that sounds quite a bit like caves LOL

[MgFalcon]

It's time to do some science!

[Raymac]

Would have been nice to get a screenshot of an '80s Kelly LeBrock, but oh well.

[BorisBlade]

yea, that sounds quite a bit like caves LOL

Good, some underground areas could be very cool if done right. PS1 just did them about as badly as you could ever do. Underground areas themselves can be very cool. Ive played may shooters that were in a crappy open world, doesnt mean all open world zones suck.

On another note, who the eff picks these character names? Dear god they are awful. Bobby Jones, Sally Smith, Johnny Roberts...i mean they dont even try. So generic and boring...i dont want to see Gruff McBulletslinger, but atleast come up with somethin that doesnt sound like it came from "Leave it to Beaver".

[CrystalViolet]

Wait, we're Scientologists now? :doh:

[FIREk]

Umm, this may have been obvious to all of you, but I thought the Vanu were a race, not a god. Mind = blown. :o

I don't get this part at all...
Harris’ face filled the screen again. “We left because your people ordered your mercenaries to attack T.R. settlements in the Kaorr desert region. You marched in and slaughtered dozens of innocent settlers.” Draper responded.

“Innocent? They were building weapons of war. You terrorists were intending to use them against the citizens of the Terran Republic.”


I think it should have been:
Harris’ face filled the screen again. “We left because your people ordered your mercenaries to attack T.R. settlements in the Kaorr desert region. You marched in and slaughtered dozens of innocent settlers.”

Draper responded. “Innocent? They were building weapons of war. You terrorists (?) were intending to use them against the citizens (?) of the New Conglomerate.”

Can the TR be called terrorists, and do the NC have citizens, though..? :)

[Dorest0rm]

Whole race is now a god.
Underground cities.
Searhus is no longer spoken of as a continent but an island.
VS discovered rebirth(nananana-hahahaha):vsrocks:

Edit: Would the God Vanu be the voice heard during the bending?

[Baron]

An item in the cash shop for Vanu: Lab Coat


DO WANT !

[SKYeXile]

they said"vanu and his people were real" thats new info as the gods name is accutaly vanu, not the race?

i find it funny that we have joked in the past about the NC living in the caves while the TR and VS control the surface.

Im getting a whole star wars TR republic/empire spliced america vibe and vs NC rebels/iraq...meanwhile the VS are probably japan....BRING ON THE TENTICLES I SAY!

[Crator]

I liked this one better then the first. Had a bit more content in it.

[Crazyduckling]

Parts that I find interesting:

…while the N.C. went off and built their damn underground cities

We’ve excavated [VS] cities.

Vanu and his people were real.

They also mention Kane Prison again. I guessing it is a TR stronghold that is uncapturable on Searhus.

There will probably be a lot of urban combat. Underground NC cities and excavated VS cities.

Vanu is now a single person/thing. Hmm...

[NapalmEnima]

Yep. Underground cities, WMDs, both TR and NC calling each other terrorists, and swearing to fight until everyone on the other side is dead... which hardly sounds like a civil war kind of thing. Families split in half and all that... like the Jones'.

Intermittent telepathic contact with "Vanu", spoken of as an individual rather than a long-dead species. Contact only started after Something Happened to Briggs. Briggs isn't the one calling the shots for the VS, Chairman Willis Scott is.

The "Rebirthing process" exists at this time, and I suspect it'll be used to save Genny, which is how the word'll get out. Sandy won't be willing to lock up his sister, and she'll tell her superiors why she's alive. NC spies within TR will slide the information to them, and we're off to the races.

So we've got the beginnings of an eternal war right here. TR & NC have sworn to wipe each other out (though their reasons seem a bit flimsy), and the VS are following Vanu's Word to kill them all.

Sounds like there's some brainwashing going on within the VS. "When you're shown the truth of Vanu, I know you'll want to join us, right after you enjoy some nice Koolaid. Drink up, sis."

The first batch of VS soldiers (they're all scientists, remember?) just might be all the grunts who die in this initial battle and are Rebirthificationatized with a belly full of Koolaid at the VS camp.

Or the VS technology might be epic enough to turn pasty scientist types into Fearsome Warriors. We'll see tomorrow at some point. Maybe. Hopefully with enough lead time to come up with some relevant questions by Twitter Chat Time.

EDIT: Vanu could be both a race and a single entity: Hive Mind. Or at least the version stored deep within the Auraxis Core SuperduperComputer. All the VS stored away for some point in the future. In the meanwhile, their collective consciousness communicates with the VS telepathically. All praise to Vanu. Vanu is the way and the light. There is no path to the Core save through him.

Loaves and Fishes? Ha! Watch Vanu do "Pulsars and Magriders".

[Captain B]

Better than the first one.

[SKYeXile]

Sounds like there's some brainwashing going on within the VS. "When you're shown the truth of Vanu, I know you'll want to join us, right after you enjoy some nice Koolaid. Drink up, sis."

The first batch of VS soldiers (they're all scientists, remember?) just might be all the grunts who die in this initial battle and are Rebirthificationatized with a belly full of Koolaid at the VS camp.

Or the VS technology might be epic enough to turn pasty scientist types into Fearsome Warriors. We'll see tomorrow at some point. Maybe. Hopefully with enough lead time to come up with some relevant questions by Twitter Chat Time.

in the past the rebirthing chambers required you to alreay be linked with it. so rebirthing those who die in the initial fight and converting these solidiers to fight for the vanu seems unlikly based off past lore. but i guess that would be the most probably way for them to gain an army, collet the bodies, rebirth them all, crap on about how the mightly vanu technology has brought them back from the dead, fighting against the vanu would be unwise....blah blah blah...they all fight for the vanu now...or those that dont are killed, permanatly.

[Captain B]

The past lore had it to where if you used a warpgate you'd die and then be reborn almost instantly somewhere else, out in the open, in the middle of nowhere, fully aware of what happened. Didn't make much sense.

[SgtMAD]

The past lore had it to where if you used a warpgate you'd die and then be reborn almost instantly somewhere else, out in the open, in the middle of nowhere, fully aware of what happened. Didn't make much sense.

go back and read it again, that's not what it says

[Captain B]

Close enough. There was no "binding"; warpgates stored your information, and if you died it not only saved who and what you were, but somehow maintained that data after you were scanned up to and including the moment of death - even though you wouldn't be in the warpgate the entire time.

All quite silly.

[Brusi]

On another note, who the eff picks these character names? Dear god they are awful. Bobby Jones, Sally Smith, Johnny Roberts...i mean they dont even try. So generic and boring...i dont want to see Gruff McBulletslinger, but atleast come up with somethin that doesnt sound like it came from "Leave it to Beaver".

I was thinking the same thing...

Even Marvel has been able to come up with some cooler names than the likes of "Peter Parker" since the 60's ;p

[Captain B]

I thought the politicians' names were all right.

[Higby]

I don't get this part at all...


yah, it was a revision history merge fail... it should be fixed soon.

[Vash02]

Close enough. There was no "binding"; warpgates stored your information, and if you died it not only saved who and what you were, but somehow maintained that data after you were scanned up to and including the moment of death - even though you wouldn't be in the warpgate the entire time.

All quite silly.
My guess is that when you first step into a warp gate the original you is obliterated and a nanite copy steps out the other end. When you die the nanite corpse then deconstructs into the ground (the ground being made of nanites aswell) and the data is transmitted to the nearest spawn where you are rebuilt.

[Talek Krell]

Sounds like the VS have got themselves a captive survivor from the planet's original owners. I'm thinking their chairman is making shit up though.

[SKYeXile]

Sounds like the VS have got themselves a captive survivor from the planet's original owners. I'm thinking their chairman is making shit up though.

Yea, well we're relegious nut nubs and a dead Vanu talking to the chairman telling them to destory all infidels is alittle crazy.

[Xyntech]

Shit's about to get real. So you can't do a simple thing like keep the peace, eh TR and NC? Time to wipe the floor with the lot of you.

ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNO TOAD

http://hollywoodhatesme.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/hypnotoad.jpg

Um, I mean, ALL GLORY TO VANU.

[Vash02]

Yea, well we're relegious nut nubs and a dead Vanu talking to the chairman telling them to destory all infidels is alittle crazy.
Yeah they are going to have to make that a lot more plausible. Rational people dont just take the voice talking inside someones head on its word.

[Brusi]

Unless it's coming from the warp.

[Lonehunter]

Much better then the first one, I like the direction they're going with "Vanu" being the name of a single entity, something akin to a god.

Someone else mentioned their use of names, I also think they're being too generic. I want names like Ajax, Jusko, Zyde, Jova, just something different. If I see a single "Johnson" I don't think I'll want to read any more.

[HELLFISH88]

What if the use of Ancient Vanu technology slowly effected the user? Perhaps mentally, physically or both. Imagine if the technology resonated with it's user like a drug. When you have your "fix" you feel empowered but if you go without it, or are not within it's sphere of influence you suffer because of it. Think Caffeine addiction. I think we can all relate to that. This would account for the zealous nature of the Sovereignty and even how a group of meek scientists became aggressive soldiers. Just a thought

[Xyntech]

What if the use of Ancient Vanu technology slowly effected the user? Perhaps mentally, physically or both. Imagine if the technology resonated with it's user like a drug. When you have your "fix" you feel empowered but if you go without it, or are not within it's sphere of influence you suffer because of it. Think Caffeine addiction. I think we can all relate to that. This would account for the zealous nature of the Sovereignty and even how a group of meek scientists became aggressive soldiers. Just a thought

I'm worthless without my cup of Vanu in the morning.

[Graywolves]

I'm just not going to read these anymore until they're done.....

[Haurus]

EDIT: Vanu could be both a race and a single entity: Hive Mind. Or at least the version stored deep within the Auraxis Core SuperduperComputer. All the VS stored away for some point in the future. In the meanwhile, their collective consciousness communicates with the VS telepathically.

I like that A LOT!

[HELLFISH88]

I like that A LOT!


Yeah I like that too, it ties in well with the fact that everyone can respawn and apparently retain their "soul" "consciousness" whatever. It's only natural the Vanu have a more advanced grasp of the concept.

[Haurus]

Yeah I like that too, it ties in well with the fact that everyone can respawn and apparently retain their "soul" "consciousness" whatever. It's only natural the Vanu have a more advanced grasp of the concept.

Yeah. The wiping out of the Vanu could of been all of them dying in a planet wide super attack loosing their current bodies and all respawn locations. The "minds" all remain in a computer core underground and go by the name Vanu as one hive mind entity, but still remain as separate minds too. The VS found the entity and they learned how to rebuild the spawn points. Perhaps there is something else that prevents the Vanu people from respawing once they are built. Until....

[Captain B]

THE VANU ARE THE TREES!

[Hamma]

I thought this one was very good - it is setting the stage very well for the overall conflict.

[BorisBlade]

I'm thinking their chairman is making shit up though.

Works well enough for all the crazy religions on Earth, as well as some certain political movements. So sounds like he's using proven techniques to me!

I never "drink the cool-aid" in real life, so might as well get a little stupid in PS and have some fun! *spikes the cool-aid then takes a drink* All hail Vanu!

[HELLFISH88]

I like that A LOT!



I never "drink the cool-aid" in real life, so might as well get a little stupid in PS and have some fun! *spikes the cool-aid then takes a drink* All hail Vanu!


This man has it

[Talek Krell]

I never "drink the cool-aid" in real life, so might as well get a little stupid in PS and have some fun! *spikes the cool-aid then takes a drink* All hail Vanu!Meh, I already have 40k for that. =\

[Captain1nsaneo]

I feel the Vanu overtaking me... it is a good pain!

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/4569/koolaidlarge.jpg

[basti]

Maybe the vanu just dont want to spawn yet, and just watch us to see how we do. To them, we are an alien race, means a unknown potential for everything. They may just wait and see for now.
I like the idea alot that the vanu are indeed auraxis.
Lots of potential there.

[Captain1nsaneo]

Maybe the vanu just dont want to spawn yet, and just watch us to see how we do. To them, we are an alien race, means a unknown potential for everything. They may just wait and see for now.
I like the idea alot that the vanu are indeed auraxis.
Lots of potential there.

Ever played Metal Fatigue? Yeah, that. Even has 3 sides.

[Shogun]

i like, that even the male vs have girly-names ;-)
that matches with their love for purple stuff ;-)

[Trolltaxi]

Vanu must be something like an arthropodic hive-consciusness - and their design resembles that. They look like cancers or insects after all.

So every part, even the smallest one is part of the Vanu, therefore it is the Vanu itself.

It's time to purge hives and chew bubblegum... and I'm all out of bubblegum - just to bend a classic! :)

[NewSith]

Backstory is awesome. I want it to become an official DC comic and want it to be drawn.

[FastAndFree]

Official Planetside comics... Now there is an idea

[Mastachief]

Novels and/or graphic novels

It works for Halo

[BlazingSun]

There are some interesting parts in the story, but overall it reads like some average fan fiction..

[Oty]

better than the first... but who uses weapons of mass destruction on the first day of the war? It is if the generals just said #*@! it lets just nuke them so we can go home and have tea...

[LZachariah]

I definitely agree that this one had deeper content than the first; overall, I like it. I like how they're fleshing out the history of Vanu (and yes, I was also surprised when they referred to Vanu as a "him" rather than a "race). I really hope that things like the NC's subterranean cities aren't just fluff, but are actually in the game.

I DEFINITELY agree with my being underwhelmed with the character's names. This is a new civilization colonized 200 years ago, which is an IMMENSE amount of time to generate new cultures and possibly have 1. Quasi-cyberpunk names, or 2. A quasi-return to classical, medieval style names. Nope, instead it's,

"Billy Bumpkin shouldered his Phoenix cannon and surveyed the landscape. He wasn't sure if the scanner sweep revealing a team of two Infiltrators on stealth buggies had been accurate, but if there was even a CHANCE that he'd get another round to settle his vendetta against Lieutenant Captain Mabel Brown, he was going to take it."


But as I say, I'm really into the content; this has huge potential. Looking forward to today's installment!

~Zachariah

[Raymac]

better than the first... but who uses weapons of mass destruction on the first day of the war? It is if the generals just said #*@! it lets just nuke them so we can go home and have tea...

Shock and Awe? Plus the 1 time nukes have been used in combat, they were used as soon as they were ready. If you don't have to worry about mutually assured destruction, or other nations getting on you for massive civilian casualties, why not use them?

I think the use of WMDs will have an effect on the gameplay in that the cities won't be cities anymore, but nuked out ruins.

EDIT: As for the names, I'm fine with them. Making up silly names is sooo cliche. Leave the Jar Jars and Spocks for other franchises. I like when sci-fi has some ties to reality to bind it. Plus Jessicana Morgannis isn't your everyday name.

[NapalmEnima]

It's time to purge hives and chew bubblegum... and I'm all out of bubblegum

Best Movie Evar. Great fight scene (over a pair of sun glasses). An Actual Plot. Lots of awesomely cheesy one-liners (see above). And quite possibly the BEST LINE IN THE HISTORY OF CINEMA:

"What's the matter baby?" (it's all about the context, I won't give it away)

If you haven't, go see THEY LIVE (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096256/), by John Carpenter. Classic.


PS: the original quote was "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and I am all out of bubblegum". The Duke Nukem version transposes the kicking and the chewing.

[Trolltaxi]

About the names. PS1 had few character faces that you could choose during character creation. There were caucasians, afros, latinos (and latinas :) ) amongst them - though I cannot really remember a character with a chineese face.

Maybe english will be the common language in the world of PS, but those settlers who arrived 175 years ago may have had different origins. And even if they spoke the same language, their heritage in their names would still be peresent. So russian, chineese, german, french, indian, japanese, muslim - style names would all be valid.

[LZachariah]

I definnitely agree that Auraxis is presumably VERY multi-ethnic, given the huge number of people who presumably arrived there to colonize the planet. I guess what I was thinking is that, after 200 years, Auraxis would have developed its own completely unique culture. For instance, look at how different our American names and use of language are compared to the United States 200 years ago! Now, I'm not saying that Marv should invent some hypothetical English slang like Burgess did for A Clockwork Orange, but this IS fertile ground for him to play with names and aspects of culture a little bit (ie- there's room for him to use slightly futuristic or classical names that are not normally common in A.D. 2011).

~Zachariah

(Literary note: Yes, I know that Burgess developed a hypothetical RUSSIAN slang for A Clockwork Orange; I was just drawing a parallel).

[xSlideShow]

better than the first... but who uses weapons of mass destruction on the first day of the war? It is if the generals just said #*@! it lets just nuke them so we can go home and have tea...

They took a military compound? Could be protocol... Especially when the NC aren't quite the push overs they expected? If it's just the Island could of considered it the best option with what they suspected over all casualties would turn out?

[Talek Krell]

Also depends on what precisely they mean. Maybe they were thinking of tactical nuclear weapons rather than city-leveling bombs.

[Serisno]

I'm sorry... If I just got news that my enemies were about to slaughter each other...

Why would I jump between them and start fighting both sides?

Realistically, why wouldn't the VS just sit back and wait for their enemies to kill and weaken each other, then jump in at the end and finish off the victor?

[Talek Krell]

Why would they commit genocide based on the advice of a dead alien?


Truly the VS are a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, wrapped in a candy van.

[Tikuto]

New Conglomerate hide underground.

Terran Republic in space?

Vanu on the surface somewhere? :o

[Graywolves]

I'm sorry... If I just got news that my enemies were about to slaughter each other...

Why would I jump between them and start fighting both sides?

Realistically, why wouldn't the VS just sit back and wait for their enemies to kill and weaken each other, then jump in at the end and finish off the victor?


Realistically why would the VS ever fight at all.....

[Captain B]

I'm sorry... If I just got news that my enemies were about to slaughter each other...

Why would I jump between them and start fighting both sides?

Realistically, why wouldn't the VS just sit back and wait for their enemies to kill and weaken each other, then jump in at the end and finish off the victor?

They're the hipsters of Auraxis. They spend a lot of their time talking about "how things really are", then try to explain that "you're not understanding their opinion", all the while fervently believing their fashion sense and skinny jeans are actually cool. They brag about their superior uses of technology and how their way is "cleaner" or "better" or simply "progress".

In the end, they're pretty dumb and annoying, but fear not: they too shall pass.