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Post by TheGlyphstone on Jan 1, 2005 13:52:14 GMT -5
I think it's fine. Vague, yes, but that's the nature of Imperial record-keeping.
I like the three proposed changes, they'll even save me some reorganizing. Military tech is the only tech I've written about at the moment, what would be worth including in that section?
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Post by Kage2020 on Jan 1, 2005 18:13:22 GMT -5
Right, a more developed response here. An 'SR' for alien races is just fine if they are being included without a homeworld SR. For example, Tir'asur includes a great deal of detail about craftworld eldar because that is the 'alien' culture of the colony world. I know that caused a bit of trouble because people were saying that it was more in keeping with 'eldar sourcebook' information rather than a discussion of the colony world itself. However, the government of that particular world is the government of the eldar or at least the eldar of Lugannath if you like your get-out clauses. Damn, I'm rambling. The Alien SR thus represented is great! It is essentially an extension of the World SR, which is a good thing for consistency. I was against the concept at first because of redundancy, i.e. the information contained in an the World SR is going to be the same as the Alien SR... But on reflection, it should be valid. (But on a personal note, the Tir'asur SR stays as it is. People might say that it contains information on the eldar rather than the world, but no more or less than any other SR that has thus far been presented.) Well, then. Glyphstone is in favour... Glad to hear that I'm summarily ignored. I'll remember that. 1. Introduction - Very general overview of the alien race. How far are they spread across the galaxy? What does the Imperium know of them? Are they growing or shrinking in influence? Etc Seems like a theme piece. Fair enough. Nothing particularly special here. 2. Origins - From small furballs and insects on some insignificant rock, to an advanced race ready to conquer the stars. A look at origins evolution. No. Include this in a section dealing with physiology. 3. History - What happened after the aliens started travelling the stars. From their first explorations in the past and all the way to the present in the Dark Millennium. Fair enough. For races with limited 'extent' (i.e. just a single world) it should be remembered that a history of the world is a history of the race. 4. Society and culture - This section might be difficult for some. This is where you'd describe major cultural differences in these aliens. Obviously, all aliens are expected to have cultural variety like humans, but this is where you draw a few big lines. It's also the place to describe any caste system, clan system, etc. I can see what RacalLeader is getting at and, to be fair, he does have a point. But if we're going to do the Alien SR (which is itself a repetition in some cases) then having repetition in division of the various aspects of 'society' is just fine. 5. Government - Assuming that this race has a form of government that is seen all over their empire, you can write a little bit about that. One must not necessarily assume that just because a race has been created that they have an 'empire' of several worlds or even the same government! Eldar do not have laws, nor do they have dedicated law enforcers. This still gets you, doesn't it? The eldar do have laws. They are just totally integrated into their society. 7. Religion and philosophy - If this was the Imperium, you'd write about the Cult Imperialis. If this was the Orks, you'd write about Gork and Mork. Fair enough. 8. Physiology - Physical appearance, physical characteristics... Size, weight, speed, strength, average age, the softness of their skin... whatever. And, as mentioned above, this is where evolution should come in. 9. Psychology - What personality traits (if they do have personalities) are typical for this race? Fairy snuff. 10. Technology - This needs little explanation, I think. Compare the technology of your race to that of the Imperium or other 'official' races of Warhammer 40,000. Where possible it should be integrated into the terms that we've been using with the Guide, even if they have been optional. This means the following broad categories: - Energy - What type of energy sources do they utilise?
- Computer/Robotics - How advanced are their computers and/or robots/androids? (Remember that the Imperium is quite advanced, but much of the technology is obuscated.)
- Communications - What types of communication do they utilise? Radio is relatively low tech, but maser is more high tech...
- Medical - How advanced is their medical tech?
- Environmental - This includes modification of the environment through structures, living in areas that would otherwise not be possible for the race and up to terraforming, world building, creation of proto-dimensions, etc.
- Transportation (Land, Water, Air, Space) - These can potentially merge with advanced gravitic technology. If this is the case then include one section. If not, then separate it into various discussions.
- Personal Military - Guns 'n' stuff. The kind of equipment that the soldier carries.
- Heavy Military - Tanks 'n' stuff.
- Novelty
- What can they produce on a limited basis? Think of this as the level of research... Most of those are self-explanatory. If you can, try and integrate them into the GTL or TTL system of explanation, but broadly speaking this is not entirely necessary at this juncture. It can, for the most part, be done after the fact. 11. The warp - Does this race have psykers? Does it even know of the warp? How does it travel between the stars? How does it maintain interstellar communication, if it indeed has that..? Is the race susceptible to the dangers of chaos or other warp entities? It is important to note that the information included here is the kind of stuff that GW is so fond of in their Themed Armies. Eldar would discuss shuriken technology, for example. Necrons would have their Gauss weapons, etc. You do not have to tell people what their level in toaster-ovens is... 12. Military - Or lack of military. This is in reference to the structure. Technology is, of course, dealt with in previous sections. 13. Diplomacy - What relationship does this race have with other races? Is it currently at war with anyone? Does it trade with other races? A good one... It might get repititious with earlier information, but this might not be too much of a problem.
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Post by CELS on Jan 1, 2005 21:36:39 GMT -5
Glad to hear that I'm summarily ignored. I'll remember that. I'm trying to take over the project, Kage. Nothing personal I really, really think it would be best to have origins and history at the same place. I know that's how I'd like to do it for my aliens, the Jovans, and it would seem that Glyphstone and InsidiousThreat have already done the same for the Atlanteans and Vaeloni, respectively. If you just agree to this, it would make me happy and save them some work Definitely. Of course not. If it sounded like I meant that, I must have been careless. I thought they didn't have laws as such, but rather very strong norms and rules... I can definitely see that evolution is strongly related, but I think the idea of writing about their entire history in one section does have some merit. Perhaps the evolution can be mentioned in both sections, with a greater focus on society and culture in the History section, and greater focus on physiology in the Physiology section..? Yeah, good point! I always forget about that...
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Post by Kage2020 on Jan 3, 2005 7:46:01 GMT -5
I really, really think it would be best to have origins and history at the same place. Point taken, but unfortuntely for you ( ) only partially. A discussion of the 'culture' (i.e. arboreal habitat to plains, etc.) can be discussed separately to anatomy. So keep the cultural description here and, if it is even tackled, discussion of the physical evolution in the physiology section. (Generally speaking it will more than likely only be mentioned as an explanation of why the current physiology is how it is.) So, keep it separate: cultural and physical, with the cultural as you mentioned it and the physical as I did. I thought they didn't have laws as such, but rather very strong norms and rules... The culture is the law. Perhaps the evolution can be mentioned in both sections, with a greater focus on society and culture in the History section, and greater focus on physiology in the Physiology section..? Oh, you already said the above here... Ah well. Yeah, good point! I always forget about that... And technology is the obvious chance to do this... See the above, if you wish to modify your original 'structure'...
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