Lore Questions

Jerax

Thought I'd make my own thread for lore questions, since I have one and I imagine others will too. Rather than make a thread for each one, we can keep them all in one easy-to-find thread so someone in the know ( @Aurelius ) can sate our curiosity if he has time!

Jerax

My question! Are commsphere channels (e.g. faction channel) text or voice? I was under the impression they were text, which is why emoticons show up as emoticons instead of adjusting the sound like tells (subspace voice communication) do.

Wuff

(Faction): <Name> says, "Oh, I was referring to the <Topic>."

Squeakums

I've always assumed it's a mix of text messages and voice notes. I'd be curious to see it's supposed to only be one of those. 

Squeakums

Wuff said:

(Faction): <Name> says, "Oh, I was referring to the <Topic>."

You didn't actually say this though, you wrote it. I think the word is not used literally all the time. But maybe in this case it is!

Sorry for double post, editing previous comments is buggy on my phone.

Kax

I'm hoping it's voice. I'd prefer to not have a bunch of lmao :D o/ uwu on faction chat. 

Thessia

I don't understand why tells support emoticons but faction channels don't and it's really bothering me and I hope it's a bug.

Wuff

It's sent through your mindsim so I assume it's just the same kind of telepathy/aetherwave you have in channels in other IRE stuff, except Scifi.

Fyrel

I can't see why its input would have to be text or why its output format would have to be the same as its input. I usually treat it like it's a sort of filtered thought dictation. Your brain sends messages to your mindsim, and its displayed as a sort of transparent chat window in your retinal implants or mindsim lenses when you pull it up. The reason you wouldn't get emoticons is because most people don't THINK in emoticons. I assume they don't, anyway.

P.S. I'm happy there's a thread for lore questions in general. I'm going to ask so many silly questions here you have no idea.

Vega

It wouldn't make sense if it were text since I assume it works the same way as tells, since tells you can use emoticons and ** to add expressiveness to it. So maybe it just hasn't been added or perhaps it is to show that there is a lot of information being sent and therefore we don't pick up the nuances with our mindsims in there? But it's a good question!

Arsentar

I am pretty sure its voice. It doesnt make sense if its text. Thats my headcanon and I am sticking to it.

Squeakums

Arsentar said:

I am pretty sure its voice. It doesnt make sense if its text. Thats my headcanon and I am sticking to it.

I don't even disagree, but you feel strongly enough about this that I'd love to hear your reasoning if you don't mind explaining. Why wouldn't text make sense? 

Matlkael

When I think, I hear my thoughts, I don't read them. Is this common? Am I crazy? 

Flipilaria

I always assumed it was some kind of radio. If it's not, I'm in big trouble. Because I've been doing my character's accent on channels this entire time!

Arsentar

Squeakums said:

Arsentar said:

I am pretty sure its voice. It doesnt make sense if its text. Thats my headcanon and I am sticking to it.

I don't even disagree, but you feel strongly enough about this that I'd love to hear your reasoning if you don't mind explaining. Why wouldn't text make sense? 

When you do FTON while already having it on, it says 'You are already listening to faction communication.'
When you do FTON while having it off, it says 'You will now listen to the conversation of your faction.'
When you do FTOFF, 'You tune out of the conversation of your faction.' 
When it is already off, it says the faction is already muted.

Beyond that, its just simply more interesting to me if FT is one big radio party instead of an In-character in-universe chatroom.

Crorr

Matlkael said:

When I think, I hear my thoughts, I don't read them. Is this common? Am I crazy? 

If I make an effort to do so, I think verbally. (Usually if I exhale while forming a thought I'll 'hear' it) if I'm not making that effort, but I'm talking to someone, I hear my thoughts almost at the same time as I start to speak. If I'm making a Herculean effort I can visualize my thoughts, in an abstract sort of way, usually after I've been staring at a text-scroll for a while, or have been consistently writing.

Mattias

I tend to think it's vocal, but filtered through the dictation of your mindsim, like Fyrel was saying. That's why I actually speak in a slightly different tone/accent from when Mattias physically speaks. The tone is a little bit more formal and clean-cut as opposed to his more rural patter.

Arsentar

Doesnt make sense to be filtered because people read exactly what you type, though.

bairloch

I assumed text. Multiple channels almost demands it. You can't have multiple voice channels in real time. Not if you want to understand what's happening in any of them. I assumed we've got some sort of internal HUD with our mindsim and we see it just like we do on the screen. Easiest way for me to understand it. WYSIWYG

Fyrel

Arsentar said:

Doesnt make sense to be filtered because people read exactly what you type, though.

When I said filtered, I meant it didn't write down every single thing you think and post it on public broadcast, unless you specifically meant to do that. The reason it probably isn't vocal input is that nobody can hear you talking through tells or channels they're not in, even if they're standing one foot away, thus the reason for this sort of mental filter.

Fyrel

For a completely different series of questions, are there multiple "schools" of fury combat and the player characters all just use the same basic "umbrella" school, or are there no schools at all?

Is there a void kith counterpart somewhere that isn't playable?

Do all characters playing as furies have to use the same two-handed bastard sword kithblade shown in the art for the fury class, or can they safely describe themselves as using shortswords, glaives, or any manner of similar slashing (kith)blade?

Wuff

Furies all seem to use the same manoeuvres and stances, but the weapon does look to vary... 

Fury fits better with Star Kith. Star Kith is explosive action and spontaneity, Void Kith is about precise control, draining energy and pushing aside emotions.

Fyrel

I realize they exist. I was more asking if it was kosher to describe yourself as using them.

Aurelius

Fyrel said:

I realize they exist. I was more asking if it was kosher to describe yourself as using them.

Sure, but at the same time, you are actually only using one kind of weapon right now. (Plans to expand in the future.)

Aurelius

Fyrel said:

Is there a void kith counterpart somewhere that isn't playable?

Not a direct counterpart, no, but Starmourn is a massive place with dozens of cultures. The Corran mute void-powered shocktroops are, while not a direct counterpart, maybe something of what you're thinking of. 

Pollivar

There's a void-kithblade using army in the Selassian fort in Fort Ixsei. The Ormrarr specifically is called out as using a void kithblade!

Nykara

Aurelius said:

Fyrel said:

Is there a void kith counterpart somewhere that isn't playable?

Not a direct counterpart, no, but Starmourn is a massive place with dozens of cultures. The Corran mute void-powered shocktroops are, while not a direct counterpart, maybe something of what you're thinking of. 

Want. I want. Want.

Razzy

What are SIC Insurance Agents on that makes them seemingly invincible?
And where can I get some?

Crorr

Frankly my assumption is that they're just convincing looking holograms bring projected over Ultarine robots with several-inch thick body plating. This is the future, with the technology to do that. And spacers are known to be a bit...passionate about their ships.

Fyrel

Scoundrel themed lore questions!

Do scoundrels have some manner of targeting reticle in our retinal implants that's linked to our pieces like the smartlinks in Shadowrun, or are we just really good shots?

Speaking of pieces, is the ammunition some variety of dangerous (unstable, for instance) and that's why we can't swap out until the mag is empty?  Also as best I can tell from the lack of a slide or ejection port, as well as the "shellspill"  ability, we're wielding something akin to space revolvers that use pre packaged throw away magazines that double as heat sinks. Am I way off the mark? I'm picturing something like the PKD from Bladerunner, with some extra doodads on. Or maybe it's meant to be up to our imagination on how they work. Dunno. Maybe I'm dumb for applying modern firearms knowledge to future guns.

Also our jetpack mods are described as illegal, but illegal to whom? Just the manufacturers, or is there a sector-wide flight authority we're collectively irritating?

More silly questions!

Arsentar

There are probably standard flight regulations across the sector when it comes to jetflights. Probably like there's standard regulations regarding hovercars and the like. I assume its called illegalmods because they contravene said standard regulations.