imperial culture

[Bloo]

(continuing the theme of planetary culture driving imperial ...)

junidy

if the zhodani consulate is a happy police state, junidy is a happy concentration camp.
. . .
centralized computerized networked state control extends to judys' personal lives. the chief programmer provides to each subject . . .

Ah, so this is the setting for the rpg PARANOIA!

Porozlo is Burning Man/Occupation Wall Street/Hippie Collective/Gig Economy to the nth degree. (I do quibble about the terminology of a "migrating central downtown" - those terms don't make sense together.)

 

[Bloo]

I have nothing past lbb 6. also, if one cannot figure out how to pronounce the name within sixty seconds then perhaps it is better just to move on.

When I put it in Google translate for Welsh, it comes out
"hleh-hleh-LEW-lah-LEW"
Link (click the Audio icon in the Welsh panel to hear it).

 

[savage]

did anyone find any of this useful in a game?

I have about 30 pages, I've written, on Porozlo. So, of course, I'm not going to utilize an Overview.

So, the problem is how to approach World Overviews. If something is a little off refs will throw out the entire Overview.

 

[whulorigan]

So, the problem is how to approach World Overviews. If something is a little off refs will throw out the entire Overview.

I would say that CotI is a good place to "vet" such an overview. Start a thread for Porozlo in the IISS Forum and ask for feedback relative to canon sources and other considerations.

I have about 30 pages, I've written, on Porozlo. So, of course, I'm not going to utilize an Overview.

I would love to see your overview and/or write-up of Porozlo.

 

[whulorigan]

did anyone find any of this useful in a game?

Not in a game (yet), but I thought the overviews were quite interesting. Maybe you should create threads for them in the IISS forum as well; that way they will be easier to find for someone doing a search.

 

[savage]

I would say that CotI is a good place to "vet" such an overview. Start a thread for Porozlo in the IISS Forum and ask for feedback relative to canon sources and other considerations.



I would love to see your overview and/or write-up of Porozlo.

Thank you. When I received a random nobility card for Porozlo, I thought we'd all put together backgrounds for our systems and publicly vet them. Therefore, creating unofficial background for thousands of 3I worlds. Sadly, nothing moved forward.

My Porozlo has been on the back burner. I had an early version of the system and was creating cities, businesses, governments, maps.

Presently, I'm writing my first non-Traveller sci-fi novel, and revamping some of my campaign. On a side note, I like attending the writers series at DragonCon. It provides tremendous inspiration as the writers of this century tell their stories and provide guidance.

To avoid confusion about my earlier comment, I think flykiller has done some very interesting activities. I am in favor of anyone that shares their ship work and TU's with the community.

 

[Condottiere]

For the Japanese it's a very secular celebration, and judging by watching their media, has a romantic and family element.

Christmas has it's imitators, basically the revitalization of Hanukkah and the invention of Kwanzaa.

The Chinese have the only clear competitor in their New year celebration, whose length almost matches the traditional Twelve Days, and more pragmatically, gives cold hard cash instead of presents, and emphasizes renewal and family. I know in Malaysia the Muslims copied the giving of Green instead of Red packets, in this respect.

 

[BwapTED]

Imperial culture:


Fear the Emperor

Reject the Psionic Heresy

Know your place, respect your betters, defer to imperial nobility (thus the Imperium-wide Social Status stat on the personal profile)

prejudice in favor of humans ( over aliens)

Robots are property, not people.

Service and fealty, the Draft

Swords and knives as symbols as well as weapons

Shame over guilt

Corporatism and subsidiarity

Personal violence in defense of honor

A common language used for administration , diplomacy, and interstellar commerce


Obviously things vary a great deal from one world to another. Parts of this outline would only apply to the ruling class of Capitol, places under its strong cultural influence, and the institutions of the Imperium.

 

[savage]

Imperial culture:


Fear the Emperor

Reject the Psionic Heresy

prejudice in favor of humans ( over aliens)

Robots are property, not people.
.

I don't think these rule sets totally stand on their own.

In Lorenverse, the Empress and other royals go on "get to know us" trips around the Imperium and to adjust local problems. In CT, Stephon did peaceful interviews.

There are psionic officers in Agent of the Imperium

A robot was knighted back in the original CT adventurers.

What prejudice? Humaniti is the majority.

 

[mike wightman]

Check the dates in Agent again - it is pre psionic suppression.

AB101 was a PC and so had plot armour.

 

[flykiller]

For the Japanese it's a very secular celebration

looks like the posts were deleted. I'm disappointed at that, I learned a lot from them and was hoping to read them more carefully today. are the posts still around anywhere?

 

[flykiller]

What prejudice? Humaniti is the majority.

and they've probably learned to take steps to make sure it stays that way.

 

[whulorigan]

and they've probably learned to take steps to make sure it stays that way.

Which is probably understandable.

The Vargr Extents are dominated by the Vargr;
The K'kree are the undisputed masters of the 2000-Worlds;
The Aslan dominate the Hierate (but are amenable to those who adopt their culture);
Even the Hivers, while being a fairly broad "Federation" of races, ensure that they are the first among equals and manipulate others for their own best interests as a "good parent".

Humans would certainly want a place (or places) where they have a degree of hegemony over their own destinies.

 

[BwapTED]

I don't think these rule sets totally stand on their own.

In Lorenverse, the Empress and other royals go on "get to know us" trips around the Imperium and to adjust local problems. In CT, Stephon did peaceful interviews.

There are psionic officers in Agent of the Imperium

A robot was knighted back in the original CT adventurers.

What prejudice? Humaniti is the majority.

1 "Fear" in this context does not mean quite what you think it means.

2 I don't know what Agent of the Imperium is. Attitudes about psionics are described in LBB 3. The " Psionic Heresy " is mentioned, IIRC, in early Library Data.

3 I have described the rough outlines of Imperial culture as I see it, based on hints from the LBBs and a few of the early supplements.

I like the Imperium , but I do not care much for some aspects of its later incarnations of the OTU.

I am not a GURPS Traveller fan(although Sword Worlds was well done.) So if that is the Lorenverse, it is not my bag. I write that with all due respect to Wiseman, who is a solid writer and a good designer. The later variants on the setting give me the feeling of a benign state with extensive powers that rules a mostly safe and settled federation of planets. Not utopian, certainly, but also not the rather gritty and " feudal " feeling I get from earlier, core Traveller stuff.
Way less Foundation, Dune, or Star Wars. Hints of Star Trek creeping in, maybe.


I do like MT's shattered Imperium.Hard Times looks very game worthy.

TNE does not appeal to me.

Knowing my sources may help you understand why my take on the Imperium differs from yours.

As you might guess, I do not think there is a single " canonical" universe on which everyone can possibly agree. If there were, threads like this would be pointless. I,peril culture would be written up at length, in clear terms. As it stands, you pick your sources, interpret things as seems right to you, and adjust as fits the sorts of games you want to run.

So I do not think anyone is badwrongfun for going with a default to "Yanks in space" or what have you. I should not have to add that note, but this is the Internet. Some third party might come along and misconstrue my comments. Or yours.

 

[aramis]

2 I don't know what Agent of the Imperium is.

Marc's first OTU novel.

 

[BwapTED]

and they've probably learned to take steps to make sure it stays that way.

Yep.

That is how I see it.

Different interpretations can be supported by pointing to different sources.

It all comes down to what the Ref wants, anyway.

 

[BwapTED]

Marc's first OTU novel.

This is the first I have heard of it. Interesting.

It seems to be quite recent.

I might get a copy and read it. I doubt it would change my take on the Imperium of the early Traveller products, though.

I am not somebody who adjusts his Greyhawk campaign continuity based on Gygax's Gord novels, or anything like that.


All that said, the novel might prove helpful to someone who wanted to create a "Millerian" OTU campaign, yes?

I' ll look for a review.

 

[aramis]

This is the first I have heard of it. Interesting.

It seems to be quite recent.

I might get a copy and read it. I doubt it would change my take on the Imperium of the early Traveller products, though.

I am not somebody who adjusts his Greyhawk campaign continuity based on Gygax's Gord novels, or anything like that.


All that said, the novel might prove helpful to someone who wanted to create a "Millerian" OTU campaign, yes?

I' ll look for a review.

It's recent. VERY recent (Dec 2015). And it shows me, very clearly, that Loren and Marc are NOT of the same mind about the OTU.

 

[robject]

It's recent. VERY recent (Dec 2015). And it shows me, very clearly, that Loren and Marc are NOT of the same mind about the OTU.

As the fans, so the authors.

 

[mike wightman]

May I just chime in and say it is a very good book.

And here is a link to drivethru where it is on sale:

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/169149?affiliate_rem=4209