New Conglomerate Interview with Matt Higby

MMORPG.com has posted the second in their series of empire interviews, this time about the New Conglomerate with Matt Higby.

MMORPG.com: Can you give us a background on the New Conglomerate’s story and philosophy?

Matt Higby: The New Conglomerate was initially formed on Earth, as a mega-collective of civilian corporations who worked alongside the Terran Republic government on virtually every project throughout the solar system. After arriving on Auraxis, the New Conglomerate continued to work along with the Terran Republic on shaping and building up the new world. Over decades, tensions on Auraxis increased, with the civilian population growing more and more uneasy with the Terran Republic’s Marshall law and absolute military rule. After the military takeover of several “essential” corporate assets, and with continued crackdowns on civilian descent, the remaining corporations of the N.C. began rallying rebel groups on the fringe of the civilian population and began organizing a campaign of insurgency.

Check out the full interview here.

46 comments

2012-06-01 04:24 PM

Latest Comments

2012-06-02 05:48 AM

Revelator

Re: New Conglomerate Interview with Matt Higby

Originally Posted by starshine

NC can be summed up like this: All (wo)men are created equal, but some (wo)men are more equal than others.

you're awesome if you get the reference.

Planet of the Apes reference?

2012-06-02 08:13 AM

bullet

Re: New Conglomerate Interview with Matt Higby

Originally Posted by Higby

Yep, that was the first one. NC was last this time so people would stop calling me biased!

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/g...9/feature/6392

Oh Higby, we're all biased. It just sucks to see we have an NC leading the release of content. Should have been T-Ray or PurrfectStorm, then it would be ok.

2012-06-02 08:50 AM

sylphaen

Re: New Conglomerate Interview with Matt Higby

Originally Posted by Higby

Yep, that was the first one. NC was last this time so people would stop calling me biased!

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/g...9/feature/6392

Let me try something:

HEY ! WTH !!!! Why did you put NC last so that it would look better than all other factions ?

2012-06-02 10:23 AM

ringring

Re: New Conglomerate Interview with Matt Higby

Originally Posted by Revelator

Planet of the Apes reference?

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Animal_...ut_Animal_Farm

Animal farm by George Orwell.

"All animals are created equal but some are more equal than others"

And also:- "The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which."

2012-06-02 10:38 AM

Alderego

Re: New Conglomerate Interview with Matt Higby

Originally Posted by Toppopia

Wait a minute... isn't it like early in the morning right now in America? You should be asleep preparing for a full day of Planetside 2 developing. Screenshots and videos don't make themselves

with E3 coming up I'm not sure if poor highles is sleeping a lot, let alone that he gets a weekend off

2012-06-02 02:41 PM

Slib

Re: New Conglomerate Interview with Matt Higby

Originally Posted by Higby

Yep, that was the first one. NC was last this time so people would stop calling me biased!

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/g...9/feature/6392

Best for last.

Hail, glorious leader!

2012-06-02 04:28 PM

RovingDeath

Re: New Conglomerate Interview with Matt Higby

Originally Posted by GreatMazinkaise

Marshall should be martial, which is of course MMORPG.com's fault and not Hamma's.

And "descent" should be "dissent"

2012-06-02 08:39 PM

Kromag

Re: New Conglomerate Interview with Matt Higby

Some BABOON spelled 'Marshall' Law wrong. It's MARTIAL LAW. Jesus!

2012-06-02 11:16 PM

Pyreal

Re: New Conglomerate Interview with Matt Higby

Originally Posted by Higby

I guess I could have better said if as "the new conglomerate is made up corporations which worked on projects throughout the solar system, those corporations continued to work with the TR Government once on Auraxis" the clandestine "rebel" elements within the civilian population were part of those corporations in one way or another, either as executives, private security, workers, etc. The TR is a civilian government, and the fleet was under civilian control... until...

... could have better said the truth!
WE WANT THE TRUTH! We earned the truth, Mr. Higby.

Those clandestine "rebel" elements were formed by the very businesses that they inhabited. Those businesses formed, supplied, funded, and controlled these anarchists to the detriment of society for their own gain.

I work for the betterment of all mankind through the technological teachings of Vanu. A fundamental aspect of those teaches is truth. Without the acceptance of truth one cannot move forward, and thus it is necessary for the N.C. to be realized as the backstabbing, money loving, baby killing, untrustworthy traitors that they are.
They are traitors. They are traitors to a totalitarian government. The fact that the government was pushed into a totalitarian state by the actions of the N.C. must not be overlooked.

The truth of the matter seems to be that the N.C. manipulated the government into a morally questionable position in order to enshroud itself in a popular and oft seen "Justice for the People" mantle, all for the purpose of fulfilling its ultimate goal of overthrowing their government.

They fight to free the people from the iron grip which they themselves forced into being.

They are cunning traitors, to form an atmosphere where their attempted coup would be positively viewed by the populations as a 'rebellion against tyranny', but traitors nonetheless.

Originally Posted by Higby

Yep, that was the first one. NC was last this time so people would stop calling me biased!

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/g...9/feature/6392

You sir, are biased

It's all good, Shags.. except for your obvious infatuation with the N.C. which is blinding you to their true nature; a cunning traitor.
They will betray you one day, for that is the very nature of its mother: a betrayer.

I really enjoyed the Backstory pieces, and intend to write my own character's story as I move along with him clearing Auraxis of the pestilence known as the T.R. and N.C..

2012-06-03 12:01 AM

cBselfmonkey

Re: New Conglomerate Interview with Matt Higby

Originally Posted by Pyreal

Fair enough. I would however point out that to say this is all the NC is would be like saying that the current Auraxian TR are the same as when they first went through the wormhole. They spent decades traveling in the fleet and two centuries living/terraforming Auraxis. All the Empires have grown and changed in that time, in good and bad ways.

I work for the betterment of all mankind through the technological teachings of Vanu. A fundamental aspect of those teaches is truth. Without the acceptance of truth one cannot move forward, and thus it is necessary for the N.C. to be realized as the backstabbing, money loving, baby killing, untrustworthy traitors that they are.

Truth...now that is an interesting concept when applied to the Vanu. The actual aliens not the Empire in this case. What were the Vanu? Who were they? What did they stand for? What were their politics like? Why was literally all the technology, from the first proto-Beamer to their immense cities, just left behind for anyone to find? To my knowledge noone ever found a Vanu Constitution or Bill of Rights or any kind of documentation that actually tells anyone what these beings thought and believed on...well anything. Like the Forrunners in Halo they're practically a blank slate.

So with that in mind where the heck does the Sovereignty get off telling people that the Vanu tech, that following the Vanu's 'path' is a road to enlightenment and evolutionary progress? Their technology is certainly impressive but that could come about from a myriad of different reasons. None of them requiring that they be somehow higher, better beings then humans. Its pure speculation and pretty poor speculation at that with these scientists. Instead of trying to learn what the Vanu were actually like they seem more focused on humanizing this long dead alien race into something that they would find respectable. They were peaceful, they were enlightened, they set a trail that all should follow... Blah blah blah.

They are traitors. They are traitors to a totalitarian government. The fact that the government was pushed into a totalitarian state by the actions of the N.C. must not be overlooked.

People are responsible for their own actions. The NC did push first and the TR responded in kind. Neither is 'better' then the other in that regard.

The truth of the matter seems to be that the N.C. manipulated the government into a morally questionable position in order to enshroud itself in a popular and oft seen "Justice for the People" mantle, all for the purpose of fulfilling its ultimate goal of overthrowing their government.

Speaking on truth.

“Why are you doing this, G?” he asked her. “There’s no reason you have to join the military. There’s no reason you have to take sides. They’re both insane, you know, the Terran Republic and New Conglomerate alike. They’re going to kill each other and take down a lot of innocent bystanders.”

Genny laughed. “Unlike you Vanu lunatics? You believe in the magic powers of some alien God…”

“Not a God. Just an alien. We know they existed. We’ve excavated their cities. We’ve analyzed their artifacts. And ever since what happened to Briggs we’ve gotten sporadic telepathic feedback. Vanu and his people were real.”

- http://www.planetside2.com/news/2012-10loreorigin

'Sporadic telepathic feedback'? From the Vanu artifacts? From technology likely never intended to be used by anything other then a Vanu and could, indeed probably would, have unintended effects on a human mind?

Furthermore theres http://www.planetside2.com/news/nov282011backstory I wont like all the details, this is a big one, but there is one segment that really stand out for me.

I managed to convince Tom to let me keep the artifact for study, and to learn more about what I had felt that first time I had touched it. I studied the figurine for months while on the journey back to Earth. As time went on, I noticed more subtle changes about myself. Though the voices never returned despite all my attempts to conjure them, a purpose within me was crystallizing. A purpose that was stronger than any of my weaknesses. Maybe I should have questioned these changes more, but for the first time in my life I felt I belonged. I felt I knew why I was here.

Vanu. Vanu was my purpose; my reason for being.

His purpose for being? After touching the artifact once just triggering the visions once the guy in question was ready to commit his life, his entire existence, to what at that point was little more then a single word and a little statue? Thats not truth. Thats alien tech re-wiring his mind, his thoughts. Reprogramming him for a purpose. Either out of simple incompatibility or malevolent intentions I don't know. In the end I'm not sure it really matters.

They are cunning traitors, to form an atmosphere where their attempted coup would be positively viewed by the populations as a 'rebellion against tyranny', but traitors nonetheless.

And at this point the Sovereignty are starting to look more and more like unwitting slaves to a dead alien power. Their minds warped by the very technology they use into worshiping what they should be trying to understand and control. They claim that salvation can be found in their savior yet like all claimants before them their message has to be taken on nothing more then faith. And, fortunately or not, most of Auraxis population hasn't had the alien mind screw to make that leap of faith.

I guess what I'm saying is the Sovereignty aren't the 'good guys' here, no more then either of the other factions. Their rot is just more carefully hidden. But...like Cerberus in ME3 its still there. You just have to look past the fancy armor.

2012-06-03 12:07 AM

Toppopia

Re: New Conglomerate Interview with Matt Higby

Hmm, so the scientists have been indoctrinated. My god... they have to be stopped immediately, and the NC is in no position to so this. So its all up to the might of the Terran Republic!!

2012-06-03 12:33 AM

cBselfmonkey

Re: New Conglomerate Interview with Matt Higby

Originally Posted by Toppopia

Hmm, so the scientists have been indoctrinated. My god... they have to be stopped immediately, and the NC is in no position to so this. So its all up to the might of the Terran Republic!!

Oh hush. You guys let the brainwashed eggheads get away in the first place.

2012-06-03 12:38 AM

Toppopia

Re: New Conglomerate Interview with Matt Higby

Originally Posted by cBselfmonkey

Oh hush. You guys let the brainwashed eggheads get away in the first place.

Ahem.. Our doctrine only says to shoot protesters. Nothing about shooting scientists. So its not our fault.

2012-06-03 01:05 AM

starshine

Re: New Conglomerate Interview with Matt Higby

Originally Posted by Revelator

Planet of the Apes reference?

yeap, as someone earlier said, it's from Animal Farm.

as for Vanu, wouldn't we all be happier in the Matrix?

2012-06-03 01:22 AM

Kirotan

Re: New Conglomerate Interview with Matt Higby

It's hard for bystanders to tell the difference between someone who has been changed by knowledge or by brainwashing. Is the Vanu Sovereignty acting with true self purpose after gleaning new information, or are they being mind controlled? Like the TR and NC, they're in a gray area. None of the 3 factions are wholly good or bad guys, and that's what I like the best. Vanu has both Dr. Light and Dr. Wily working side by side, along with Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. As soon as we get SKYNET and GLADOS working, TR and NC are screwed.