Pacifist Stories

[contributor]

It seems like most of the stories involve combat of one sort or another. I'm not sure what a pacifist story would look like, but there should be one or two that encapsulates the essence of those play styles. Maybe those who play those styles would have some better ideas. Here are a few of mine.

- For Merchant/Smugglers maybe they would have to make so many trades of so much value in a certain amount of time.
- Maybe a smuggler story where two contacts of opposing factions in a trade war require you to trade so much volume across the conflict lines. They're business men/women who see this conflict as a nuisance to get around and are just pissed that politics are spoiling their profits. You could either trade legally and lose rep or trade in black markets if you have the skills/contacts.
- Diplo story where you have to race against time end a conflict, completing so many negotiations in so much time?
- Spy story? Sell a contact 100 records?

[drspendlove]

I think a multiphase mission with lots of back-to-back diplomacy and stealth checks would be really neat. De-escalating a conflict by any means necessary with plenty of peaceful options would be cool.

[dmesse]

In similar vein, how about a competitive exploration war between factions? Indie Jones be proud, factions racing to get those shiny xeno crystal skulls.

[contributor]

I know it may be more work to create, but I also like stories that depend more on choices players have to make through the dialogue scenes that may depend on how well they're listening to clues they are given. I'm thinking of the Augur story here which is one of the great pacifist stories out there right now. So I like the idea of needing to negotiate some sort of a deal with someone, but that deal depending on choices we make before and in conversation with someone. So a Diplo story that starts with a negotiation that we need to accomplish but has some branching choices on how to do it would be cool.

FIrst branch would be at the target contact's planet. We can either go in and speak with them directly or spy on their planet (3x?) until we get some key information. This information could give us a couple of options on how to gain some leverage over them or otherwise set up a successful negotiation. Talking to them could also result in some different options as they will ask us to do them a favor or we'll get some key information that might send us back to the person who initiated the story to renegotiate with them. Some options could involve combat, but not all. Lots of stealth and negotiate saves would be good. However we ultimately resolve it, it would be cool if it was really dependent on us paying attention to clues we're given to say just the right thing at the right time to swing the tide.

[contributor]

Also thinking that there is a lot of inspiration to be taken on trade negotiations from current headlines. It would be fun to see a story that could result in a trade ban or trade alliance depending on how we acted.

[grävling]

I had hoped that the smuggler prince unlock would have been about successfully aquiring a huge stash of restricted trade goods for her, rather than having me eliminate her rivals. Of course, eliminating rivals is what I am best at, and she probably knows thousands of people who are better smugglers than I am.

[fallen]

Great thread, thanks for posting it!

[John Robinson]

contributor

Adding pacifist story lines, separate from game unlocks. Working on some ideas, more later.

Inspired thinking! +1