News: PlanetSide 2 Backstory Henry Briggs Part 2

Ghryphen · 2011-11-28, 06:56 PM

http://www.planetside-universe.com/n...art-2-2630.htm

Peacemaker · 2011-11-28, 07:38 PM

Wow. A pretty epic introduction to how the Vanu Sovereignty begins. I hope there's equally revealing information as to what started the NC and what the TR were thinking at the start of the revelation of three different factions in the fleet.

What is confusing me though is that those first story's we got were from people on the onset of conflict between said three factions. I think it was stated that the wormhole had collapsed and another hundred years (or two or three, I forget, but a large amount of time basically). This is before Auraxis is even discovered, so the TR must have known something was up during a large amount of time, after landing on Auraxis.

This large time gap leaves me wondering what the heck happened during all that time? This could just be a time gap that means things just kinda settled back down after landing and then remnants of the VS and NC resurface to cause conflict. On the other hand this could show that these factions occupied Auraxis as sort of a "Political party" for the duration of colonization till war broke out.

I think the latter of the two would be great. It would explain why such a deep hatred had suddenly ignited a war could have just sprouted up. The story of the politics during the gap could be very epic.

LZachariah · 2011-11-28, 08:43 PM

This is absolutely the best chapter they've submitted so far. It's deep and complex, and only partially-understandable by anyone who is NOT Briggs. I am thrilled at how pitch-perfectly they convey the immensity of connecting with Vanu.

This is stellar work, and I affirm that Technology Equals Might.

~Zachariah

Khellendros · 2011-11-28, 08:54 PM

Ya, I love lore, keep these coming!

IceyCold · 2011-11-28, 08:56 PM

Well, looks like the Vanu are all crazy for sure.

It's ok, the N.C. will be there to liberate them from their insanity; with a 150mm dose of "freedom". :3

Stellus · 2011-11-28, 11:08 PM

Wonderfully written, and quite possibly the best video game lore I'e seen in a very long time. Not only does it give Vanu Sovereignty a humane and relatable backstory, but it provides so much depth and immersion to Planetside's universe and backdrop.

Talek Krell · 2011-11-29, 04:05 AM

So. Still a bunch of fuck-wit cultists.

They're going to have to tug really hard to pull the VS backstory out of the nosedive they've put it into.

Canaris · 2011-11-29, 04:07 AM

Originally Posted by Peacemaker

Wow. A pretty epic introduction to how the Vanu Sovereignty begins. I hope there's equally revealing information as to what started the NC and what the TR were thinking at the start of the revelation of three different factions in the fleet.

What is confusing me though is that those first story's we got were from people on the onset of conflict between said three factions. I think it was stated that the wormhole had collapsed and another hundred years (or two or three, I forget, but a large amount of time basically). This is before Auraxis is even discovered, so the TR must have known something was up during a large amount of time, after landing on Auraxis.

This large time gap leaves me wondering what the heck happened during all that time? This could just be a time gap that means things just kinda settled back down after landing and then remnants of the VS and NC resurface to cause conflict. On the other hand this could show that these factions occupied Auraxis as sort of a "Political party" for the duration of colonization till war broke out.

I think the latter of the two would be great. It would explain why such a deep hatred had suddenly ignited a war could have just sprouted up. The story of the politics during the gap could be very epic.

At a complete guess from the ending of that story is that the colony might have been a bit too busy terraforming Auraxis, that the need to pull together to survive out weighed their political desires at least for 175 years. Just my take on it.

One thing that strikes me as odd and maybe I'm just missing something from another story.

They flew out and found the artifact with a fleet, then then they said they were heading back to Earth which contradicts the point that they are flying out to the worm hole to New Earth / Auraxis. Did I miss something or is this a whole other expedition than the one with Connery & Briggs that found the artifact "brainwashing machine"?

Canaris · 2011-11-29, 04:10 AM

Originally Posted by Talek Krell

So. Still a bunch of fuck-wit cultists.

They're going to have to tug really hard to pull the VS backstory out of the nosedive they've put it into.

You don't get these kinds of crazy religious nut jobs in the TR........ come back to the fold

We just have the regular kind

Twheee · 2011-11-29, 04:23 AM

Originally Posted by Stellus

Wonderfully written, and quite possibly the best video game lore I'e seen in a very long time. Not only does it give Vanu Sovereignty a humane and relatable backstory, but it provides so much depth and immersion to Planetside's universe and backdrop.

Seems to me it gives Briggs a relatable backstory. At the end of the day though, we still have to justify why a bunch of rational scientists are chugging that kool-aid.

Also bugs me a bit that this time around, the VS gear isn't human designed using new stuff learned from tinkering around with Vanu tech, but instead is handed down to them by Vanu.

Does make me wonder though, are we going to see multiple sub factions in the lore, some of them being all crazy kool aid drinkers, and others being more grounded in reality and in it for the research opportunities?

FastAndFree · 2011-11-29, 04:30 AM

Originally Posted by Canaris

One thing that strikes me as odd and maybe I'm just missing something from another story.

They flew out and found the artifact with a fleet, then then they said they were heading back to Earth which contradicts the point that they are flying out to the worm hole to New Earth / Auraxis. Did I miss something or is this a whole other expedition than the one with Connery & Briggs that found the artifact "brainwashing machine"?

No, I think Tom Connery lead a second low-scale expedition to the Moon Belt and brought Briggs with him. They found the artifact there.
After that the Wormhole Event happened, and Connery jumped at the possibility, organizing a large colonizing fleet

Originally Posted by Twheee

Seems to me it gives Briggs a relatable backstory. At the end of the day though, we still have to justify why a bunch of rational scientists are chugging that kool-aid.

It was noted in an earlier chapter that "Ever since what happened to Briggs we have been getting sporadic telepathic contact"
How is that unquestioning blind faith?

Originally Posted by Twheee

Also bugs me a bit that this time around, the VS gear isn't human designed using new stuff learned from tinkering around with Vanu tech, but instead is handed down to them by Vanu.

Where did you get that from? I don't remember anything being said on that

Canaris · 2011-11-29, 04:40 AM

Originally Posted by FastAndFree

No, I think Tom Connery lead as second low-scale expedition to the Moon Belt and brought Briggs with him. They found the artifact there.
After that the Wormhole Event happened, and Connery jumped at the possibility, organizing a large colonizing fleet

It was noted in an earlier chapter that "Ever since what happened to Briggs we have been getting sporadic telepathic contact"
How is that unquestioning blind faith?

Where did you get that from? I don't remember anything being said on that

yeah I was just rereading the first Brigg story, that makes more sense

Talek Krell · 2011-11-29, 04:49 AM

Originally Posted by FastAndFree

It was noted in an earlier chapter that "Ever since what happened to Briggs we have been getting sporadic telepathic contact"
How is that unquestioning blind faith?

The problem isn't them believing in the existence of an entity called "Vanu". It's in them blindly assuming that he is trustworthy and accepting him as their new reason for existing.

Originally Posted by FastAndFree

Where did you get that from? I don't remember anything being said on that

They stated that Vanu gave the VS the "rebirthing" technology. Given that precedent it's reasonable to conclude that they're just building technology based on designs provided by him, rather than actually reverse engineering it and coming to understand how it works.

Twheee · 2011-11-29, 04:49 AM

Originally Posted by FastAndFree

It was noted in an earlier chapter that "Ever since what happened to Briggs we have been getting sporadic telepathic contact"
How is that unquestioning blind faith?

Where did you get that from? I don't remember anything being said on that

"It has been said that “The Ancients” (the ones that actually created the tech that the V.S. use) have shown them the way. They believe that they have been “blessed” with the gift of technology and power to “smite those that stand against the pursuit of knowledge and power”."

VS Empire brief. Also, when you start referring to things as "blessings" and talking about smiting, you're into religious territory.

Those sorts of terms also raise the question, do the VS troops know what the overall game plan is? Or are they just going with the the following three step plan:

1: Kill everyone until they submit to Vanu and in general be Vanu's little helpers
2: ???
3: Ascend/Get awesome tech!

Assuming they're in on things, it would help make then a faction you can identify with if us players are actually in on the loop. Unless we're doing the wonderful string along the viewer for three years until the big and probably disappointing reveal thing. Which really is more irritating than anything.

FastAndFree · 2011-11-29, 04:57 AM

Hmm. I'm sorry I can't hear you all over the sound of how good this drink tastes. Or something...

I'm still not convinced about the tech though. Perhaps Vanu just nudges them in the right direction? Clearly some kind of development still goes into the ancient tech - the Vanu Intel Briefing mentioned a Vanu Advanced Physics Lab. It's not like Vanu downloads a blueprint into their brains and they build it without even knowing how it works.

I think they still reverse-engineered ancient tech, except they didn't do it based on physically present ancient tech - they reverse-engineered it from telepathic fragments

edit
Or perhaps it is even simpler. A telepathic vision showed them where they would find some ancient technology which they then reverse-engineered. That would easily pass as "gifted to us"