Oude Steden - "Dutch" cyberpunkish setting

[malika]

This is kind of an old project I've been working on about a year ago or so.

Last summer we created our own "musical" in a setting that was a strange mix between The Warriors, Clockwork Orange and Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The setting I created was something too cool to ditch, been discussing with some friends to turn it into a game, but that never happened. And then I was thinking...SCIROR!

The attachment includes the "sourcebook" I wrote for illustrators and writers who wanted to do some short comic stories for it. I ended up writing several scripts, but haven't been able to find the right artists for them. I really need to learn how to draw...

But yeah, coming back to SCIROR, this could be a potential setting that stands loose from the whole SITA scenario. Yes, there might have been a psidemic and the machines are most likely gone. However, we don't have the Legion invading, and we are lacking most of the high tech/psionic stuff, so no AFG and no Org. The feel of the setting is very 21st century style, rather contemporary.

However... (hehehe!)

This world could have been part of the Supremacy, a paradise world in total ignorance of its reality, except to the small elite (executives). I imagine this place to basically be a gigantic city, imagine a hive world or Star Wars' Coruscant, but then in a Dutch architectural style. ;D It would then most likely be a Paradise World of a sorts, maybe even with Ecoria.

There are some possibilities of strange tech, but these wouldn't be too weird and would probably be considered quite primitive compared to Supremacy/Legion standards.

So what you basically got is a gigantic city (if it covers only a country, a continent or the entire world is up for debate) in which there is a constant struggle between different classes, ethnic groups, gangs, etc. but kind of based/influenced by Dutch culture/design/architecture/politics/etc.

Attachments:

[malika]

One Big City
We could of course drop the whole Dutch vibe, it's just something I'd like to include in there, but other games could go totally different.

I would imagine this to be a paradise world, very much modelled after our own Earth, but then way more urban. Imagine an entire world as some large Western World (European or North American) city?

Killing
The Mars Accord could still be in full effect here, but it would most likely be named differently by the locals. The executives might know it's the Mars Accord, but the locals just assume they can't kill each other, otherwise they'd get in even more trouble, meaning they only inflict pain/paralysis on each other. Or perhaps there would be a certain kind of kill quota: if the killing rises above a certain number, the involved city blocks are isolated.

Isolation in case of a paradise world isn't an immediate death sentence, people could still survive, it would just be even more difficult than normally.

AFG
I would also like to introduce the AFG here, but in a different form. I could imagine these to be proto-AFG of a sorts, experiments with the technology and unleashed upon the ghettos as some sort of military experiment.

This could then also be the world where other more advanced AFG (I imagine the development to be different on each world/corporation) are rewarded their human bodies. So imagine Legion AFG having fulfilled their service period and are rewarded a human shell again. Instead of being sent off back to Gaia or whereever, they could be sent here, into the ghettos of this world...totally disillusioned! ;D

[Philip S]

Nothing wrong with a Dutch vibe, it adds something extra to the mix!

Philip

[malika]

Hmm, pondering some more about this. I still think this world would probably use some sort of "kill quota" rather than seeing every kind of killing as a breach of the Mars Accord.

As long as there is no war, it's all fine. Limited violence is allowed, but as soon as it gets out of hand, the machines step in.

This might be the reason why the gangs were formed in the first place. it could be that "war" is a heavily ritualized thing and since there is the kill quota, the scale in which conflicts are resolved can only be "minor". The Executives could use gangs as their proxies to fight against each other.

This could mean that some of the gangs have been directly formed by the Executives, other ones might have formed as a response to them. The loyalties of the gangs could also change throughout the years. Gangs formed by Executives might end up going independent, or serving the Executives' enemies or whatever.

The Mars Accord (war clausule thing) in this case could be that killing is forbidden, but that gangs killing one another doesn't count as such. This means that the gangs are only allowed to kill each other, but as soon as they start hurting civilians, they get in trouble.

[malika]

This is made by Blender, who are probably one of the only companies in the world that make open source 3d software. We visited their office for work a little while back.

The vibe of the video (besides the Dutch accent) was kind of the feeling I imagined for this setting. But I might want to take it a few steps further, make it slightly more "absurd", as in yes...we have these old school styled brick buildings, but they would be the size of Mega Ecoria.

It would be a Legion world that is used as a "retirement home" for former AFG who have been transplanted in new human bodies.

So you would have a normal society, rather poor perhaps, and elites running around. Gang will form up to fight over the scraps and assert their dominance.

I was thinking that the gangs might exist as a separate entity from society. Legion law is a totally "new" (compared to the Supremacy) thing, but would still be based on some old elements from the Supremacy. I could imagine that in the name of stability they want to prevent civil wars from occurring. So humans (under normal circumstances) are not allowed to kill each other. However, the gangs inhabit a sort of "grey area" here, meaning they are not considered part of society, meaning they can kill each other however they like. Some of these gangers find their way back into the legions (as in military units within the Legion) or as separate mercenaries.

Many former AFG, unable to live normal lives, end up joining the gangs, meaning that it's very possible for an AFG to become a ganger and then returning to the Legion military as a Legionnaire. We could take it even further, that some Legionnaires might be rewarded "AFG-hood", thus getting their brains placed in a shell. We could see AFG going full cycle multiple times.

[PondaNagura]

yay blender!

I like the AFG angle, it's different, quite opposite transhuman mentality. Where as regular humans pursue self-preservation prolonging life, to reach immortality. AFG actually go from quasi-immortal, feel no traumatic pain or know blood-loss, to full sensation fragile bodies. Kind of like chaos dreadnoughts anguish, except the eventual reward is retirement as a human being. But old habits are hard to kick, especially if the VR training is embedded in their personalities.

I wonder, would there be mortality rate for AFG-transplants. They aren't used to being susceptible to microbes, or limits of their normal bodies, do they still take mortal risks, or is there like a VR rehab?

[malika]

yay blender!

Very nice guys, they also assign a "monkey butler" every week to take care of the lunch.

I like the AFG angle, it's different, quite opposite transhuman mentality. Where as regular humans pursue self-preservation prolonging life, to reach immortality. AFG actually go from quasi-immortal, feel no traumatic pain or know blood-loss, to full sensation fragile bodies. Kind of like chaos dreadnoughts anguish, except the eventual reward is retirement as a human being. But old habits are hard to kick, especially if the VR training is embedded in their personalities.

I think the return might be even more traumatic. The VR life is very devine/spiritual/absolute, as in fighting against angels and daemons. Their "reality" was pure intensity, and then to go from that to a normal organic shell that is fragile. Colours are no longer bright, sounds just mellow...intensity gone...

I wonder, would there be mortality rate for AFG-transplants. They aren't used to being susceptible to microbes, or limits of their normal bodies, do they still take mortal risks, or is there like a VR rehab?

You mean the body rejecting the brain or more psychological? I think biologically speaking the mortality rate would be 0%, the body doesn't reject because it has been from the same stuff (DNA). However, psychological causes such as suicide, violence, etc. would be a lot higher than those who are "normal". Do note that this only applies for the former AFG who did not become part of the Executive class.

[PondaNagura]

Yeah, I meant psychologically.
It'd be like getting over severe drug addiction, or phantom-invulnerability syndrome. If the sensations and perception allowed them by VR were as intense, the experience of being human would be numbing. They might have to push themselves to feel...anything.

[malika]

I think it would be very akin to phantom-invulnerability syndrome.

However, what we might also see is something rather opposite, something like congenital analgesia (inability to feel pain). Imagine never having felt pain, on one hand this might mean that the first normal pain must be such a strange and frightening sensation. But think of it in another way: not noticing you hurt yourself only until somebody tells you (must have had that so many times), now imagine never having been hurt and you now do stuff that should hurt, but since your mind is so far away from that you overlook the fact that you hurt yourself.

You could see them trying to push themselves even more to feel anything yeah. They would most likely become hedonists in the extreme sense, trying out really nasty stuff just to feel anything. Compare it to Slaaneshi stuff in 40k I guess.

However, we seem to have forgotten about the whole layer of military trauma as well. Where is all the post traumatic stress disorder stuff? I could see these guys as very...very...traumatised...

Of course, those lucky enough to become part of the elite classes, might get some fancy treatments which take away all these traumas (or maybe not...), but those who end up "retiring" to a normal situation, would be very messed up...neglected, denied...

[malika]

Hmm, kind of in doubt as in how Oude Steden would fit into SITA (the default Sciror setting). Personally I was thinking of keeping it rather vague myself, allowing players to come up with their own ideas as in how it fits (or doesn't).

Here are some possible connections between Oude Steden and SITA:

• Oude Steden is a retirement/recruiting world for the Legion
  AFG that have finished their service receive a new human body. Many of them become officers/politicians, basically the new Executives. However, most of them aren't meant for such a destiny, they simply get a new body and are dropped in the Oude Steden. They're basically disgruntled veterans who are shoved into poverty. These figures end up becoming gangers.
  
  Not all the gangers are retired AFG though. Many of them are just youths with nothing else to do. The Legion could use this violent world as a recruitment world for their Legionnaires (former Wardens) and maybe even new AFG. That way, it's very possible that somebody who has already retired might be picked up again to have his (or her) brain removed...
  
  The Legion (Wardens and AFG) aren't really present on this world, they've got local branches of enforcement (police) take care of stuff. However, some of their tech (rifles/pistols/etc) might be present though (I just want to see cops armed with Philip's weapon designs).
  
  Psionics might be there though, but more akin to the "monster of the week" episodes of X Files.
  
  
• Oude Steden is a prequel to SITA
  The feel of Oude Steden is somewhat of the near future, nothing too weird (yet). Humanity is about to create the machines that will inevitably form the Supremacy. This means that Oude Stede is more or less completely separated from the SITA scenario (by many thousands, if not millions of years), but in some way still totally connected.
  
  
• Oude Steden is the AFG's VR program
  Whatever you think is happening in Oude Steden isn't real. It's just a simulation played out in the AFG's brain. He or she believes to live on this world covered by contemporary Dutch architecture, gangs and cops, whilst in reality he fighting for the Legion on some distant world...
  
  
• Oude Steden is a parallel universe
  *insert evil moustaches*
  
  

[malika]

Doing some pondering on the gangs again. Here some info...

V.Q.C. - Virga Quod Calx
Basically the hockey themed gang as mentioned earlier. Take note, the gang is themed after Field Hockey and not the more American oriented street hockey or ice hockey. Generally the VQC look down upon these sports.

Guess waht Virga Quod Calx means?

Overview
The VQC was originally exclusively for those who belonged to the higher classes of society. The organization (gang would be an understatement) was closely connected to the field hockey teams who played in the wealthier parts of the city. The VQC were basically the youth who grew disgruntled with the lower classes living in their city. Gangs of VQC would enter the poor areas to intimidate those living there.

Later on the gang would end up settling in those areas, trying to gain more dominance over the area. It's also then that those from the lower classes would join in. The VQC quickly needed new members in order to compete against the other gangs. It is then that slightly more "Americanized" influences of street/ice hockey start to creep in the attire. It is later on that the VQC would tear itself apart, turning into separate gangs themed after Street Hockey, Ice Hockey and Field Hockey. But this is far away info, and not that relevant for now.

In short, the VQC consists of upper class youth, who generally look down upon the rest of society. Furthermore, they seek to purge society of "unwanted elements", be it the poorer classes or those of different ethnic backgrounds.

Equipment
Very much Field Hockey themed. Because they have the financial resources, they managed to convert field hockey gear into military hardware. Almost all gangmembers wear masks, very much akin to this rather than the Jason styled mask. The sticks they're armed with appear to be ordinary hockey sticks, but have been upgraded to include mechanisms to hide firearms (from shotgun styled weapons to automatic rifles) and blades (that can flip out of the stick, kind of akin to a switchblade)
Generally the gang members are well armoured as well, wearing protection of their lower legs and lower arms, as well as torso armour. All very much akin to the hockey theme, but upgraded that it can stop small arms fire.

The attachment includes a very early concept version a friend of mine did for when this was still the musical project. I guess the artists who will work on this can use this as a guideline, but go totally crazy on their own as well.

Attachments:

[malika]

Read this little bit about the latest Judge Dredd film, something we should keep in mind for Oude Steden as well. The main character in this project is the city itself...

io9.com/5945167/the-one-crucial-test-that-any-judge-dredd-movie-must-pass

[malika]

I'd like to pull up some more links into SCIROR, whilst not making it too clear to the players and in-universe characters.

Corporations and political parties
The city could be seen as a microsized version of the SITA era Legion empire. Inside the Legion there would be companies fighting amongst themselves over power, in Oude Steden this isn't that different.

However, instead of large factions, these factions would be localized subsidiaries. The lines between corporate and political power has of course blurred, meaning that there might not be that much difference between a company and a political party, some might even be fused, thereby creating a very patriarchical system. The political party would then also be the main producer of all your daily products.

I would imagine these companies to be omnispecialized, meaning they can produce anything, kind of akin to those Japanese companies that produce everything from computers to guitars to cars.

Ecoria
In the Oude Steden we will also see Ecoria, but not in the conventional sense. Whilst the Legion would normally use the Ecoria as large labour camps for mass production, in Oude Steden it are the elites who live in Ecoria. These are basically large gated communities that on the inside truly look like a paradise.

Do note that this is something that seems to exist outside of society in the Oude Steden. Whilst in the normal cities itselves are also elites, these are no where near the level of the super rich living in the Ecoria. So the Ecoria are basically populated by Executives, celebrities, etc.

Since the Ecoria is fully self sustaining, the feel is almost like those Italian/Toscane mansions with their own gardens to produce food. Production is automated and carried out through machines akin to robotic insects. What this basically means is that the agriculture in the Ecorium looks as if its some sort of robotic supported version of a natural ecosystem.

I'm currently working on some ideas/designs for the robot 'insects' that work on these farms.

Note that those who live in the normal cities never get to enter the Ecoria, unless they manage to become wealthy/powerful enough.

Food production in the Oude Steden itself
Unlike the Ecoria the normal cities are far from selfsustainable. There is no real space for food production, despite local efforts at urban agriculture. Food is imported from large facilities outside of the city through fully automated trains (reserve engineered from the ones normally used in the old Ecoria)

People living in the cities believe that these facilities are agricultural areas or even food factories. However this is not the case. They are basically Legion portal facilities which link up to facilities off world, some in orbit, others in actual different colonies where food is produced.

Most food is produced in orbital Ecoria which are also rather automated, but not as much as those used by the elites on the surface. This means that human labour is still necessary. Humans are brought in from the surface to work in these facilities. These people are not laborers but prisoners. Being sent to the orbital Ecoria is a one way ticket, no chance to returning to the surface. However, the prisoners don't know they are being shipped off to orbit, they believe these are labour camps on the surface.

New communities are thus formed in orbit, genetic stability is maintained by a constant flow of new prisoners.

So food is exported from orbit to the surface portal facilities and then to the local market (shops, warehouses, etc). What we do see though is that the wealthy within these cities have access to healthier food, to stuff like unprocessed vegetables/fruits/etc. The poorer neighbourhoods lack this, meaning people live off cheap processed foods, junk food, etc. Those who do try to live healthy either have to travel long distances to go to stores with healthy food, or try to produce it themselves.

Local food production is very difficult not only because of the lack of space to produce enough, but also due to pollution (water, air, etc). But one of the main reasons why it's difficult to product stuff in the poorer areas is gang related violence. Gangs constantly fight to gain control over areas, urban farms tend to get destroyed during the battle, or gangs destroy their own farms when they are about to lose territory. Furthermore it aren't the gangers who do the farming, locals who produce their own food are often forced to pay a tax in the form of their harvest to the gangs. And since they are already producing very little, even less remains for them to eat/sell themselves.


more ideas coming soon...

[malika]

[malika]

Hey Philip, I don't know if you mind this, but I thought I throw your concept art also in this discussion. But it all kind of depends if the Riot Police you designed will also be part of Oude Steden. M.O.T.N has expressed interest in sculpting stuff related to this project, so I assumed your concept art was also part of this.