Escape From Terra -- Multiplayer Only Tactical FFA Map v1.01
Sins Forums
In the late 23rd century mankind has come to a crossroads. The Earth is overpopulated and her resources are spent. While some look up and outward, most of the population fears change and has embraced a repressive and totalitarian world government. As greater restrictions are imposed, an audacious plan is hatched by several splinter factions on Earth....a plan to:
ESCAPE FROM TERRA
Three distinct factions have emerged in the 23rd century which are intent on expanding into space.
The Terran Expansion Cooperatives are made up of various businesses and interest groups which are intent upon colonizing the solar system. While the general populace looks at them as wasteful with resources better spent on the people, they are grudgingly accepted as a necessary evil. They employ or are comprised of some of the most ingenuitive engineers and scientists on Earth, and they are responsible for maintaining Earth's orbital industries. In recent decades, the Terran government has started nationalizing these industries and restricting new research and development.
While attempting to harness the power of the mind, it has been discovered that some humans have latent telepathic ability. The Advent have used subtle genetic manipulation as well as arranged marriages to reinforce the genetic traits which unlock telepathy. Initially dismissed as a deviant cult by the conservative social order, the last two decades have produced a generation of telepaths so powerful that their abilities cannot be denied. Discrediting them on the one hand, the government has initiated a program of documenting all known telepaths and has seen fit to imprison more than a few on trumped up charges. The Advent council seeks a haven where they can continue developing their mental abilities free from persecution.
The strangest of the factions is the Vasari. Two centuries of genetic engineering has produced several lineages of mankind that are not strictly speaking human. While this practice was often frowned upon, there have always been places on Earth where genetically engineered humans have been created to be stronger and smarter, either as soldiers, as experiments, or by people looking to gift their children with enhanced abilities to give them an edge in an increasingly challenging world. While some of these strains were non viable, some have thrived, and some simply do not die. By and large, Vasari are both feared for their superiority and reviled for forsaking their humanity. While many would brand the Vasari as abominations, they are tolerated for their brilliant scientists as well as their ability to work in hostile conditions both on Earth and in space.
By 2280 the fragile status quo had deterioted. The world government, in an attempt to consolidate its own power as well as appease the uneducated and superstitious masses, had become increasingly draconian in its persecution of both Advent and Vasari splinter groups. New laws illegalized genetically modified humans, and many on Earth were put in camps or segregated from society "for their own safety". When the diverse peoples of the Martian terraforming project rejected a directive to institute the same measures, the Terran Navy started assembling a large expeditionary force to "enforce order" on Mars. In this darkest hour, a plan was devised.
A brilliant Vasari scientist theorized humanity's first FTL engine, the phase drive. Lacking the resources to implement the plan by themselves, the Vasari leadership counted on the mutual self interest of the Advent and the Terran Expansion Cooperatives. The TEC would refit many of their heavy freighters with the Vasari phase drive as well as prepare them for deep space colonization while telepathic Advent operatives would work to keep the project hidden.
After two years of planning, While the world is focused on the Mars occupation and the Terran Navy is stretched thin, the plan is finally ready to be put into action. The improvised colony ships will deviate from their trade routes and evacuate their respective faction's peoples at various locations on Earth in unison. There will only be one chance -- once the initial confusion subsides, the Terran Navy will certainly capture or destroy all faction controlled installations in Earth orbit.
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Directive to all Captains of refitted TEC Freighters:
Captain,
By now you have picked up your faction's refugees at the designated evacuation zone. The Terran Navy is most likely scrambling to intercept as many ships as possibles. Your improvised TEC colony ship has been structurally reinfored and has rudimentary weapons, but it can not stand up to combat with dedicated Naval warships. We can not tell you where to go, you must use your best judgement to evade the Naval Command Carriers and make it to the edge of Earth's gravity well and engage the experimental Vasari phase drive engines.
Once you have engaged phase drive, you will be beyond the reach of the Terran Navy, but this is only the first step in your journey to freedom. Your ship has been well stocked with supplies, but you are likely overloaded with refugees. Your first goal is to find any suitable location to set up a habitation for your people. Avoid the Lunar garrison and the Martian Expeditionary force at all costs. We recommend a main belt asteroid or one of the suitable gas giant moons. It is critical that a colony be established before your life support is depleted.
Once you have established a colony and a seat of government, you will have some time to decide your next move. We do not anticipate the Terran Navy to have the resources to pursue you. They are already stretched to the breaking point by the Martian campaign as well as maintaining control of near Earth space. By the time they can locate and dispatch a ship to your colony, we anticipate you will be more than able to defend yourself. Remember, your ship contains some of Earth's best and brightest. Free of Terran persecution, there is no limit to what you might accomplish!
Good Luck! The future of your people depends on you!
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All the backstory aside, this is just a multiplayer campaign style map.
This map is specifically designed for a different kind of multiplayer experience, and will probably produce long games. I have tested it and done some balancing on my own, and it seems to work fine, so I am releasing it in beta to see if there is any interest. After a period of time, I will take the feedback and release a final version.
The map should work fine with any mods that allow TEC ships in the game, since the Terran Navy has many TEC ships stationed around the Sol system. Distant Stars should work just fine, and I also tested it with Stargate Races and it was ok. You will always start with a TEC colony ship (because I can't predict what race you will be if you use a mod), but once you establish a colony, you can start building your own race's ships.
If you like epic campaigns, you might like this map. The downside is that the Sins AI is lobotomized by how the map is designed. It only works for real people. Making this map AI friendly would have destroyed what I was trying to accomplish.
-- Cykur
11/14/10
Based on initial feedback, I have made an enhanced Single Star version.
11/15/10
Made minor changes to make Terra a bit more survivable as well as ensure people couldn't save their original base / colony near Terra. Reduced the amount of Neutrals in Sol system.
Map Links:
To use these maps, you must put them in the following folder:
C:\Users\XXXXX\AppData\Local\Ironclad Games\Sins of a Solar Empire\GalaxyForge
XXXXX is your User Name in Windows.