Fractal Softworks Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Starsector 0.97a is out! (02/02/24); New blog post: Simulator Enhancements (03/13/24)

Pages: [1] 2

Author Topic: Mid-End game threat of the galaxy: The Scorn  (Read 4208 times)

yourleader

  • Ensign
  • *
  • Posts: 32
    • View Profile
Mid-End game threat of the galaxy: The Scorn
« on: July 04, 2020, 06:33:41 AM »

I feel like Star Sector lack of something: it lack cosmic horror, and some kind of end-game threat that put challenge to the player when the player have enough power to be competitive with other major factions. So an idea pop out of my mind, and i call it "The Scorn"

" After the collapse of Domain, most of their military project was abandoned, including a project about creating a planet-killer bio weapon somewhere at the unknown space. eon had passed, and the horror woke up from it's slumber. The Scorn, with nothing but it's hunger, start to consume everything in it's part, being the great evil lurking under the corner of the dark space "


Starting mechanic
Spoiler

-These images are used for references, created by Tecris-

The Scorn will spawn at the most far corner of the galaxy, randomly be one of the four. It will have an abandoned research station under it's control at first. This station will soon start to spawn invasion fleet and try to colonize the closest planet or asteroid ring possible, as long as the planet have resources. The Scorn of course prefer planets that is habitable or rich in resources, and try to stay away from systems that have neutron star. With enough invasion power, it will try to attack human inhabited planets. The defeated planet will be devoured by the Scorn, and soon will become one with the Scorn.

Scorn will terraform the planet type into "Scorn world", a hostile world that can only inhabited only by the Scorn. This planet will spawn Scorn invasion fleet, and will start to eat away the galaxy part by part.

The Scorn's invasion fleet is very strong, and it should be able to crush any foes that dare to stand in it's way. Jumping into a fight with the Scorn is one way ticket to hell. The Scorn have no fear, only hunger for the world.
[close]

Scorn in action
Spoiler
Scorn will terraform the planet type into "Scorn world", a hostile world with Toxic Atmosphere, Inimical Biosphere, Irradiated, Dense Atmosphere, and habitable potential removed. The terraforming time depend on the planet's base hazard rating. The lower the hazard rating, the faster the planet will become Scorn world. Once the convert progress is complete, this will lead to the second part that the Scorn will take advance of every resources available in the planet, and stability of the Scorn will be locked at max with "Scorn infested" condition.


-image as reference-

If the planet is already colonized, the Scorn will start to "infest" the planet: lock away space port, remove stability, disrupt every industries. The Scorn doesn't use antimatter fuel so it won't bombard the planet, instead, it eat away the population, and produce organic resources base on the size of the population. the more people it eat, the more organic richness the planet become. The size 8 colony die out in the full progress will create "Plentiful Organics" at the end, while size 4 will only gives "Trace Organics". This chance won't overwrite existing organic condition, but will overwrite if the amount is greater. After the last human died out, the planet will turn into Scorn World, and the Scorn colony will replace.

The colonized planet will form a market, but instead of "population & infrastructure", it's "Scorn hivemind" (Grow Scorn size), and instead of "space port", it's "breeding pool" (grow scorn ground defense). Each resources trait will give Scorn fleet a special power. Rich metal ore will give them heavier armor, rich rare metal will give them more firepower. rich farmland will increase it's healing ability, rich organic will increase fleet size, and rich volatiles will increase it's speed. These powers won't appear immediately, the Scorn need to build proper structure for it first, but they build them fast, and their fleet will soon become brutal monsters.

The Scorn can colonize in the asteroid ring or asteroid field, at maximum 3 "Gore nest" per system. These gore nests will have minimal ore and rare ore potential by default. These gore nest can grow, but wont exceed 5 in size.

The Scorn can take advantage of stable location to create "Scorn watcher". This floating flesh with hundreds eyes will expand the Scorn's detection range and burn level in the system. This thing cannot be taken control, but can be destroyed easily. Destroyed Scorn watcher will give organics.

Scorn planet can have a "battle station" protecting it if the dead colony have space station, called "infested station". If it don't have battle station, a group of Scorn fleets will protect the planet instead.

If the planet have ruins, it will create a special type of infested ship to join the Scorn fleet.



-These images are only used for references, created by Passwalker-
[close]

Interaction with the Scorn
Spoiler
Scorn World cannot be colonized. Scorn won't get decivilized unless being saturation bombarded or invaded. If the Scorn colony got wiped out / invaded, it will create a barren planet, with it's toxic trait still stay on it.

Scorn world rarely have orbital station protecting it, but have very high ground defense power. The origin Research Station have a special ship protecting it, called "leviathan"

-Image as reference by HELMUT-

Scorn planet have no human, no electronic communication, only living flesh. The planned invasion of the Scorn won't be early detected, nor it's colony be revealed unless surveyed. Scorn attack is brief and brutal.

The Scorn is the enemy to all. It will kill everything and anything, even [REDACTED]. The [REDACTED] nexus, defeated by the Scorn, will create infested nexus and spawn mixed abominations you never seen before.

Defeating this abomination will give you "special biomass". For some reason, Tri-tachyon is very interested in this turn of event. They will pay you for this dangerous mixed artifact, and might give you some mixed bio weapon you can equip for your ship.

Once the Scorn successfully invaded it's first human planet, the Hegemony will be the pioneer to fight back the Scorn. factions will set aside their hatred, and fight for the greater good.

For some reason, Luddic Path sees this as "Human salvation", the punishment of gods to purge evil technologies and bad human out of existence. They will try to aid the Scorn to attack human planets, and even attack you if you try to get in "the god's will".

The Scorn will keep eating until it's finally wiped out. If too much of it's habitat got destroyed, it will spawn some very big (considered special bosses) creatures to fight back.

If too much human colonies got infested, or too many planet got consumed by the Scorn, the Hegemony will form a special task force called "evil seekers" to track base location of the Scorn or even it's planned invasion target. Fighting the Scorn will be top priority, so no "AI inspection" while the Scorn is out there.

The Scorn, for some reason, able to use AI cores to aid their structures. It will re-use AI cores (If exists) from invaded colonies, to benefit it's flesh structures. This structure will create a type of Infested AI Cores called "Necro Core", which will pilot Scorn's creatures, and increase it's battle potential.
[close]

Scorn ship's nature

Spoiler
Scorn Creatures have no shield. Instead, it have regeneration. it's HP and armor will replenish over time. Their fighting tactic is usually flanking (for small creatures), or Alpha strike (for big creatures).

Scorn Creatures have bio-engine (they basically fart gas behind it's back) to move around in space, and have great maneuverability. They use their custom weapons (basically flesh "guns"), and wings (living wings). These creatures and weapons cannot be used after being defeated. They only give items called "biomass". However, Tri-Tachyon might know how to convert these items into useful bio-weapon blueprints.

Scorn creatures should be stronger and bigger than any ship counterpart exists in Star Sector. They face not specific faction, but all humanity combined.
[close]

Of course i'm not a modder, just a guy with some weird ideas. What are you guys think about this, or can this idea be made into an actual mod?  ;D
Logged

Megas

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 12118
    • View Profile
Re: Mid-End game threat of the galaxy: The Scorn
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2020, 06:53:17 AM »

This is better as a mod.  If cosmic horror means Cthulhu, tentacles, and slimy stuff, then hard pass.

I do not think I want a bug hunt.  Slime is not a requirement for powerful enemies.

Currently, the biggest threat are the zombie pirates.  Yes, the player can rollover them in combat, but they just... will not... die!  Their bases respawn the day after you kill one, and they are back to their old twirling mustache villain antics of burning down the core worlds (and your colonies) again.  You ignore them, core worlds will eventually die.  (It may take a long time, but worlds will burn if you play long enough.)

Remnants with Radiant power are nasty, but they are just peaceful elves waiting for the player to burn down their red village for treasure.
Logged

Morrokain

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 2143
  • Megalith Dreadnought - Archean Order
    • View Profile
Re: Mid-End game threat of the galaxy: The Scorn
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2020, 10:29:32 AM »

Read the blog post about the Gifs Alex posted on Twitter.  :)

If you read between the lines, something big and bad (and most likely technologically arcane in some way) is coming. Anything biological in nature? Could be. Could not be too. We'll just have to find out!
Logged

TheDTYP

  • Commander
  • ***
  • Posts: 136
    • View Profile
Re: Mid-End game threat of the galaxy: The Scorn
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2020, 12:42:39 PM »

Read the blog post about the Gifs Alex posted on Twitter.  :)

If you read between the lines, something big and bad (and most likely technologically arcane in some way) is coming. Anything biological in nature? Could be. Could not be too. We'll just have to find out!

I would bet an enormous sum of money that the "something big and bad" has something to do with the dimension Phase ships dip into. In the description for one of the phase weapons or ships (I forget which), I believe it is implied that something potentially sinister lives there. If I remember right, at least.

Also, while we're at it, I bet the Domain is still out there and that they won't take too kindly to independent interests (even factions parodying them like the Hegemony) taking control of a Sector that once belonged to them.

And that is all on top of the general decay of civilization in the Sector and the potential threat of the [REDACTED].

The apocalypse is getting crowded, my friends.

Reminds me of Dark Souls; either the Age of Fire ends, Demons wreak havoc across the world, or the Abyss and rampant humanity consumes everything. Lots of end-of-the-world scenarios. I wouldn't mind seeing Starsector go in a similar, bleak direction.
Logged

Yunru

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 1560
    • View Profile
Re: Mid-End game threat of the galaxy: The Scorn
« Reply #4 on: July 04, 2020, 12:44:42 PM »

I wouldn't mind seeing Starsector go in a similar, bleak direction.
Eurgh, save the grimdark. It always ends up just Grimderp unless the protagonist can actually change things.

Mondaymonkey

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 777
    • View Profile
Re: Mid-End game threat of the galaxy: The Scorn
« Reply #5 on: July 04, 2020, 12:53:21 PM »

Quote
something potentially sinister lives there

That is not original idea, 'tho.
1
[close]
2
[close]

And I suspect, they are not first...
Logged
I dislike human beings... or I just do not know how to cook them well.

Morrokain

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 2143
  • Megalith Dreadnought - Archean Order
    • View Profile
Re: Mid-End game threat of the galaxy: The Scorn
« Reply #6 on: July 04, 2020, 01:37:57 PM »

That is not original idea, 'tho.

There really isn't such a thing as an original idea these days. If you go back far enough you will find it. People just have short memories.

The only real caveat to this is technological advancement that proves concepts we previously couldn't or wouldn't think were possible. Even then, in the realm of science fiction even that limiter is stretched as far as society/writers can imagine at that point and time.

Alpha-level AIs aren't new, and God knows revolting AI robots aren't either. Nor are expansionary super empires finding previously isolated backwaters. Its still cool though and is done well in this game. I suspect any phase dimensional horrors will be as well if they end up being a thing.

It's less about original concept and more about original presentation.
Logged

TheDTYP

  • Commander
  • ***
  • Posts: 136
    • View Profile
Re: Mid-End game threat of the galaxy: The Scorn
« Reply #7 on: July 04, 2020, 05:18:07 PM »

Eurgh, save the grimdark. It always ends up just Grimderp unless the protagonist can actually change things.

I mean, if we're being honest, isn't Starsector already pretty grimdark? It's not like the scenarios I listed would be out of place in the context of the game (you could certainly make a convincing argument against the phase stuff, but it is canon in this universe, so...) It already centers around factions (most of which are fairly evil) fighting over petty, meaningless things as the Sector around them deteriorates and crumbles into anarchy. Exploration drives this point home, too. Look how many civilizations existed before in the outer reaches of the sector, and look how few are left now...

Also I'd imagine the player will have some say in how all this ends by the time the full release comes around. Hell, maybe even this coming update.
Logged

Megas

  • Admiral
  • *****
  • Posts: 12118
    • View Profile
Re: Mid-End game threat of the galaxy: The Scorn
« Reply #8 on: July 04, 2020, 06:45:19 PM »

Starsector is Neon Knights or high space fantasy once player is self-sufficient, has all of the blueprints, and can produce as much as he wants to feed his war machine and fights proper enemies like Hegemony, Tri-Tachyon, or Remnants.  Fleets are clean and player can wage war like a lean and clean machine instead of piloting piles of scrap.  I like it that way.

I like clean and mean and neon knights for arcade-like space shmups.  Save the broken-down junk for post-apocalypse survival horror or haunted houses.

For all of the game lore, core worlds feels stable and in a state of the U.S.-Soviet Union cold war, if not for the zombie pirate hordes.  With zombie pirates, the game feels like the movie High Plains Drifter.  (Lone gunslinger saves treacherous mining town from outlaws.)
« Last Edit: July 04, 2020, 06:52:13 PM by Megas »
Logged

Daynen

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 413
    • View Profile
Re: Mid-End game threat of the galaxy: The Scorn
« Reply #9 on: July 05, 2020, 10:05:58 AM »

Callin' it now: it's the Shivans.
Logged

Titann

  • Commander
  • ***
  • Posts: 122
    • View Profile
Re: Mid-End game threat of the galaxy: The Scorn
« Reply #10 on: July 30, 2020, 10:41:42 AM »

tbh its a very good idea and there is a way to make it a lot more interesting.

Let's say this "The Scorn" threat happened once and humanity found a way to lock them away.
Like if you want to start "The Scorn" threat you gotta find 3 object that is locking them from coming back to universe and these 3 "object" will spawn around the universe randomly and will be guarded by independent fleet that is assigned to protect them. These fleets shouldn't be that strong because no human is mad enough to bring back The Scorn threat unless its player. Independent fleet should also talk with player saying "you are crazy you don't know what you gonna release" something like that. After you deactive the object that is locking The Scorn, a tiny Scorn fleet will spawn in front of you and start attacking your fleet. This tiny fleet will contain 2 corvette-sized Scorn ships that is easy to kill with Destroyer and Frigate fleet. More Small to Medium sized The Scorn fleets will start spawning around the universe and can visit systems even core systems and start attacking the colonies.

The Scorn will able to infect ships they destroyed and will able to increase their fleet size just like players. Ships that is infected by Scorn will get Scorn Infection hull mod that will give "Infected" visuals to the ship and add armor regeneration bonus at the cost of reduced armor. So basically Tiny Scorn Fleet can become 30-40 ship fleet by keep wining battles and infecting other ships.

If Scorn fleet become large enough new bounty type will show up, basically you gotta chase down a Scorn Fleet and kill it to take the bounty. Also other factions also will spawn new fleet type called "Scorn Hunters" that is assigned to chase Scorn Fleets and destroy them but might result in disaster so These "Scorn Hunter" fleets will have a new hull mod called "Self Destruct". If a ship lost it will self destruct itself to prevent Scorn from infecting it. Every faction will start selling that new hull mod so player can also use it to prevent Scorn from infecting it so basically if you lose a ship it will be gone forever.

Things will continue like this for a while but after certain amount of time passed, The Scorn Hive Mind will spawn and one of the planet in outer system will become The Scorn Hive Planet.
Scorn Hive Mind will be Boss ship that is very challenging to destroy and it can infect ships as well so every time you lose fleet you will make Scorn Hive Mind stronger unless you got Self Destruct Hull mod installed on your most important ships. Scorn Hive Planet will spawn stronger/larger Scorn Invaders.

New Bounty will show up for The Scorn Hive. Scorn Hunters will able to attack The Scorn Hive as well. So you can use them as support.

Scorn Hive Mind will be very very strong and will be very hard to destroy  with standard ships so a faction will start building a single Super Dreadnought for you to fight Scorn Hive Mind If you are succesfull at destroying Scorn Invader fleets and will be up to how many bounties you took. If you didn't do enough bounties, Last Hope fleet will spawn and will have single Super Dreadnought and you basically have to escort that fleet and use it to destroy The Scorn Hive Mind.

Super Dreadnought will be strong ship but not strong enough to destroy Scorn Hive Mind 1v1. It will need escort and there is high chance to lose Super Dreadnought however Hive Mind will be heavily damaged so you can easly take out with other ships.

After Scorn Hive Mind defeated, you need to bomb their planet to get rid of them forever. The Scorn will stop spawning around the universe but you still have to clear them.

If you lose the fight and The Scorn Hive Mind infect the ships you got and become a unstoppable force, more The Scorn Hive Mind will start spawning around the Core Worlds. There will be 5 Scorn Hive Mind and The Scorn Hive Planet and you will get blueprints for a ship line that is designed to fight The Scorn. At this stage, humanity will be at risk. All human factions will become friendly to eachother and start fighting The Scorn threat and all human ships will have "Self-Destruct" Hull mod installed. Every faction will able to start building new ships that can fight The Scorn. Player will get blueprints for Super Dreadnought and will able to build them to fight Scorn Hive Mind. Only 1 Super Dreadnought will be allowed for fleet.

If you manage to destroy all 5 Scorn Hive Mind, The Scorn will retreat back to its first phase and become less threat to galaxy but still needs to be destroyed to go back to normal. If Scorn Hive Mind destroyed and the planet is bombed, things will go back to normal.

About Super Dreadnought, i think it should have hullmod that designed to reduce damage taken by Scorn weapons but increase damage taken by standard weapons so its not going to be super weapon for player to use.
For new ship line to use against The Scorn should be like - Bomber-Fighter-Frigate-Destroyer-Cruiser and Super Dreadnought.

too much wall of text but i think its worth, however i don't think its possible to mod something like this lol
Logged

isyourmojofly

  • Lieutenant
  • **
  • Posts: 71
    • View Profile
Re: Mid-End game threat of the galaxy: The Scorn
« Reply #11 on: July 31, 2020, 02:47:25 AM »

This is awesome! I love the look of the ships. If this isn't in the next release, I would love this to be a mod.
Logged

Morbo513

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 317
    • View Profile
Re: Mid-End game threat of the galaxy: The Scorn
« Reply #12 on: July 31, 2020, 05:23:55 AM »

Love the concept. Infested tech and bio-ships are cool as ***. A lot of overhead on content creation, but would love to see it. And yeah, a "bigger threat" universal to all the in-game factions is a good way to keep escalating the action when NPCs can no longer pose a threat to the player.

The Scorn worlds could be retaken if successfuly invaded; it could function sorta like tech-mining, but requiring a large flow of pretty much every resource, to the point of being guaranteed unprofitable, barely sustainable until the clean-up is finished. A planet's resources would be reduced over time depending on how long it's been infested. This would allow the human factions to come back from the brink, with some effort, otherwise it'd probably be unwinnable and just a matter of how long you can defend the last few colonies.
Logged

Kakroom

  • Commander
  • ***
  • Posts: 172
    • View Profile
Re: Mid-End game threat of the galaxy: The Scorn
« Reply #13 on: August 13, 2020, 03:08:05 PM »

I agree that this would be a great mod because most ideas for mods make good mods.

As a part of the vanilla package I would not want this. Starsector works well with for me with the whole Firefly "no aliens" thing. It's just us, the stars, the darkness, and our orphaned children.

I'd be totally down with some endgame crises though. Another Sector like ours that's managed to get back on its feet and mangle together some form of long-distance travel, with or without the help of AIs, coming over to reunite the Domain by force might be neat.

edit: Oh it's a bioweapon.

That sounds cool then.
« Last Edit: August 14, 2020, 08:24:48 PM by Kakroom »
Logged

ApolloStarsector

  • Commander
  • ***
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
Re: Mid-End game threat of the galaxy: The Scorn
« Reply #14 on: August 15, 2020, 01:09:39 AM »

Brilliant idea. I would love something like this. We need more of a late game challenge, and this provides that with also a much appreciated horror / alien angle.
Logged
Pages: [1] 2