Into that Vast and Unrelenting Darkness (40K Xeno Civilization Quest)

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5D Antipytamid said:
I have to heavily disagree. There is little reason why such event would cause large-scale political tension. If anything , most governments would be much more internal focused (for at least some time) , since adopting new technology would be just way more beneficial than rushing to conquer your neighbors. It won't be a politically viable decision too , since jump in productivity and , consequently , quality of life , would already grant those in power HUGE popular support. And even if some madman head of state would be really obsessed with Big Shiny Guns and ways to use them , benevolent aliens could simply force them to stop doing dangerous things (likely getting support from the rest of the world). Overall , even if we take into account minor inconveniences caused by the sheer scale and unpredictability of system like an entire civilisation , giving specifically tech to everyone possible (I am not talking about humanitarian aid here) is very net positive. And even in worst-case scenario , trying and failing is morally superior to not even bothering and letting tons of people continue their suffering without any help since you were afraid
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This post has a few problems. First, the idea that the tech would cause governments to focus inwardly: even if we accept that logic, what does inward focus look like to, say, Putinist Russia? The currently LITERALLY tearing itself apart over transphobia UK? China? Hell, even in the US, 'inward development' can mean many things, many potentially bad, and I haven't even begun to cover the absolute flustercluck that'd be giving the DPRK alien technology: Kim getting access to replicators isn't going to make north korea a democracy, to be frank. And that's assuming inward development: your whole thing rests on the premise that expansionist powers will stop being expansionist when given technology, but learning how to build a laser gun isn't going to freeze world politics, especially as industries across the globe began to collapse because they just got obsoleted wholesale which lemme tell you would ignite a LOT of old historic rivalries as people began looking for scapegoats.

As for the latter half, the problem there is...Well, first of all, your example basically pre-supposes super-nukes as a problem, but that wouldn't necessarily be the problem compared to, say, regular wars of conquest enabled by more advanced technology, state oppression of their own people thanks to that shiny new surveillance and monitoring technology they were just given, deliberate destabilization of weaker powers using their new technology, them pre-emptively launching nukes at historical rivals because soon they won't have MAD any more to serve as a deterrent, or any number of potential failure scenarios. And some of that you can stop, sure, but a lot of them to stop would require you intervene deeply in their society to the point you would, in essence, be committing cultural imperialism anyways. And that's before we get into the fact that maybe it isn't just one madman: maybe it's the entire government, meaning you'd have to upend their entire system of governance to solve the problem! Or maybe they have popular support (probably from the millions of starving jobless people who you unemployed) meaning you also have to deal with a now-angry-at-you-for-deposing-their-leader populace! Maybe there are several governments like this, meaning the process has to be repeated across the planet!

(Also your thing rests on the idea that it'll improve quality of living, but like, without sufficient social development that's really not a given, especially in the short term in nations that don't have some form of UBI.)
 
The Bird said:
The currently LITERALLY tearing itself apart over transphobia UK?
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The UK isn't really tearing itself apart over transphobia, though transphobia is definitely a bit thing here.
Just taking this bit out to say that the UK really isn't tearing itself apart over transphobia. Not really sure how you came to this conclusion either tbh. The UK is more tearing itself apart of Cost of Living, Brexit, Partygate, the aftereffects of Trussonomics etc etc.

Now Scotland did have a big event which could be tied into Transphobia recently where the First Minister resigned quite suddenly and a lot of people (including me) suspect its because she tried to push through a fair few trans-rights reforms but ended being betrayed by too many people in the SNP (Scottish National Party), but ultimately I don't think she ever fully specified what it was she resigned for. It could also be the corruption scandal surrounding some contracts for a Ferry that were unfairly awarded, the fact that she failed to secure Independence despite that being her entire premise etc, these things could have been undermining her in the long term, but the timing of the resigning really suggests its the result of losing the confidence of too much of the party, especially since it 'should' have been an easy win when London stepped in to stop the gender reforms.
The fact that the leader of the SNP couldn't turn a Westminster intervention into a clear win suggests she'd been losing support for a while, or that the reforms were just that unpopular with the rest of the party.

Either way, I'd hardly call that tearing apart the UK. It's not like the SNP being full of transphobes makes them any more or less likely to try and tear apart the UK seeing as that's their entire point.

Of course, this really feels like it blew the lid on the SNP being a bit more rotten than was expected, with the current front-runner having already said there were against Gay Marriage, which is a bit of a bigger step back than anyone expected to hear I think.

Still, at the end of the day the SNP will still be in charge, and frankly there are still those other concerns going on right now which don't really have anything to do with Trans rights for the vast majority of the country.

So in conclusion the UK isn't really tearing itself apart right now any more than it has been for the last decade or so, and bigger issues outside Scotland are more focused on political scandals re: Covid restrictions, tory policies, and cost of living. While for Scotland the SNP seems to be teetering between a trans rights candidate, and a candidate who said 'Of course I wouldn't repeal gay marriage now... But if I was in charge back then I wouldn't need to' which is.... A thing. But either way the SNP's still going to be in charge and anti-UK either way-just with a homophobe transphobe flavor, or a pro LGBT leader who also can't actually do anything about it or they'd (probably) end up getting 'resigned' like their predecessor.
 
Sol Mark-1 said:
I wonder what would the most innocuous, or absurd thing that could fuck over an uplift?
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A careless spaceman drops a bolt during a routine mid-transit repair on a supply runner to a planetary observation outpost.

That bolt, traveling at relativistic velocities due to a fluke interaction with the drive fields, impacts the largest city on the planet with multiple megatons of TNT.

The natives are not amused, and retaliate with atomic weapons.
 
I spent about an hour yesterday night rambling to some friends about uncontacted peoples and etc bc of this thread, since that topic actually plays into a lot of how fiction ideas about "uplifting" "lesser/primitive" species or civilizations work and are seen by the audience, despite real life history having hundreds of easily read examples on why that shit basically never ends well. But lo and behold The Bird made two way better posts than I did. Damn 👀
 
So when are we upgrading our children's toys to Anti-matter? Gotta keep up that grindset you know? think of the children! :D
 
Hmm, we might want to leave the Antimatter and Planet Crackers for secondary education. Gotta have some actually fun science in there!
 
Razzocnor said:
Hmm, we might want to leave the Antimatter and Planet Crackers for secondary education. Gotta have some actually fun science in there!
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Just a thought, but we might want to round out their education in biology, so I suggest we pass them some kits to test out super deadly virus they crafted themselves! Surely, our kits could learn from working with biological weaponry, right?

edit: wait, unintentional pun: Kits for Kits! really, I should've caught onto that earlier! :D
 
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Eldar Gods:... Ah found our old PTSD, there's the flashbacks to the Old Ones handing out star killers to their crotchspawn.
 
So, what are your potential plans for next turn? This would be mine, it focuses on bumping up our ACD and NM in preparation for big projects like the Lunar Megahub or more shipbuilding.

[] Plan: ACD for days
-[] Explore Galactic East
--[] TKK Endeavor
-[] Black Hole Study
--[] TKK Accomplishment
-[] EXP (33)
--[] Living Metal Farming +3 (20/20) +1 LM
--[] Perpetunite Production Facility +20 (20/20) -1 LM +5 NM
--[] Specialist Electronics Production +10 (10/10) +1 ACD +1 Network -1 NM
-[] CUL (23)
--[] Orbital Pioneer Initiative +6 (10/10) +1 EXP
--[] Antianima Translator Matrix +7 (7/10)
--[] VR Simulators +10 (10/10) +1 ACD
-[] FTH (21)
--[] Mystek Protective Wards +11 (26/40)
--[] Huntek Workshop +10 (10/10) +1 ACD
-[] ACD (20)
--[] Gravity Engine +15 (15/15)
--[] Anti-Mutation Medication +5 (12/15)

+1 EXP
+4 Nuclear Material
+1 Network
+3 ACD
 
10moorem II said:
So, what are your potential plans for next turn? This would be mine, it focuses on bumping up our ACD and NM in preparation for big projects like the Lunar Megahub or more shipbuilding.

[] Plan: ACD for days
-[] Explore Galactic East
--[] TKK Endeavor
-[] Black Hole Study
--[] TKK Accomplishment
-[] EXP (33)
--[] Living Metal Farming +3 (20/20) +1 LM
--[] Perpetunite Production Facility +20 (20/20) -1 LM +5 NM
--[] Specialist Electronics Production +10 (10/10) +1 ACD +1 Network -1 NM
-[] CUL (23)
--[] Orbital Pioneer Initiative +6 (10/10) +1 EXP
--[] Antianima Translator Matrix +7 (7/10)
--[] VR Simulators +10 (10/10) +1 ACD
-[] FTH (21)
--[] Mystek Protective Wards +11 (26/40)
--[] Huntek Workshop +10 (10/10) +1 ACD
-[] ACD (20)
--[] Gravity Engine +15 (15/15)
--[] Anti-Mutation Medication +5 (12/15)

+1 EXP
+4 Nuclear Material
+1 Network
+3 ACD
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Checks all my boxes, at least. Although a complete economy summary would be useful for readability, at least for me.

One thing, I'd like to print out another Endeavor either this or next turn, and a second colony ship after that. Probably for Meeklak but I'll take suggestions, the important thing is to keep the easy /10 EXP projects coming.

EDIT:Oh, right, Temple of the Dancer. But ACD. But Dancer. Hmm.

I'll probably post an alt plan based on yours?
 
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I want to point out that holy amulets and the roadguide would help with our warp travel problem.

Also we might want to look into the next round of nuke upgrades, and possibly a valiant, because I smell Orks.
 
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Sol Mark-1 said:
I wonder what would the most innocuous, or absurd thing that could fuck over an uplift?
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Probably something completely unknown and out of context.

The ambassador decided to wear blue to a certain ceremony, which the body politic interprets as a subtle sign of support for the local sailors union, and now you unleashed a political power struggle.

The people, having seen a collection of wondrous technologies, ask for something that they think should be feasible (say, talking to the death) and interpret the refusal to do so as a snub. Leading them to question the current leadership wondering what they did to fuck up.
 
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10moorem II said:
So, what are your potential plans for next turn? This would be mine, it focuses on bumping up our ACD and NM in preparation for big projects like the Lunar Megahub or more shipbuilding.
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I want to try to push through the Enshrined Spirits+Secondary ShipShrines combo again. Increasing the effectiveness of all ship subsystems by giving each their own dedicated shrine, including the particle field generators, while also making each individual shrine a safer haven against the supernatural? Yes please.
 
[] Plan: Third Endeavor
-[] Explore Galactic East
--[] TKK Endeavor
-[] Black Hole Study +5 Gravity Engine
--[] TKK Accomplishment
-[] EXP (33)
--[] Living Metal Farming +3 (20/20) +1 LM
--[] Construct Endeavor Class Ship (20/20) - 1 NM
--[] Specialist Electronics Production +10 (10/10) +1 ACD +1 Network -1 NM
-[] CUL (23)
--[] Orbital Pioneer Initiative +6 (10/10) +1 EXP
--[] Antianima Translator Matrix +7 (7/10)
--[] VR Simulators +10 (10/10) +1 ACD
-[] FTH (21)
--[] Mystek Protective Wards +11 (26/40)
--[] Temple of the Roadguide +10 (10/10)
-[] ACD (20)
--[] Gravity Engine +15 +5 Black Hole Study (20/20)
--[] Anti-Mutation Medication +5 (12/15)
-[]ECON SUM
--[]NM : 2 -> 0
--[]ART: 2
--[]WARP: 0 ->0
--[]LM: 0 -> 1
--[]Network 0 -> 1

This is a variant on ACD for days, with two changes. We put off Perpetunite one more turn to build a third Endeavor, expanding our exploration capabilities a turn earlier, and we take on Temple of the Roadguide instead of Huntek workshops for some quick Warp protection and progress on making an accord with the Booug.
 
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