The First TLF Expansion's Inevitable Galactic Outsider Trope

[Jerebaldo1]

You know how it goes: Galactic Civilizations, Distant Worlds, MOO2, Drox Operative....the Ancients Return to reclaim their rightful place in this galactic cycle as the only legitimate living thing. Anyway it's a well known and loved trope, or at least I always enjoy it. But, for this game, should you go this route, please oh please make that menacing cross-galactic force the dreaded.....what are they called in the ancient texts.....humans! Yes, the script will be flipped and it isn't any longer the AI or tentacled horrors responsible for galactic genocide (it'd be so: French film). The general idea I have for their aesthetics are the Helghasts in killzone, with their brutal mechanized exo-armor and totalitarian propaganda. Or perhaps a B5 Psycore\Shadow hybrid tech vibe. Otherwise, they could be a bit less over the top aggressive looking in their personal artwork, with the exception of their ships, which should take the cake for ominous looking.

Anyway, why am I thinking about this now? Because I'm ready to throw several wallets your direction forever, b/c TLF forever....seriously, this game is the Arcen Magnum Opus with longterm legs. I'm hopelessly addicted.

[Aklyon]

What if it was The Lost Hydral instead? That one who everyone forgot about and only now cameback to...whatever this solar system is called. I don't think it ever mentions what the system is called, now that i think about it...

[Azurian]

Or its 1000 years after and it's the discovery of interstellar travel and it becomes more of a 4x with taxes trying to colonize nearby solar systems

[I-KP]

Given that the races in TLF go from discovering wireless communications to igniting gas giants inside of a few decades I'd say us Humans would have a hard time keeping up.

It pleases me to see Distant Worlds being mentioned though, a fine game indeed.  I honestly don't know why I don't play it more because it checks more boxes than an Amazon dispatch centre!

[lifehole]

Distant worlds is/was a great, game. Just kinda suffers from a bloated UI and clunky mechanics in some cases. Overall a good game though.

In terms of potential tropes for an expansion... Well, the game seems kinda setup for it. I mean, like, 9 sapient races in one solar system? Crazy! Obviously a third party is involved, and obviously it's the dreaded humans.

[GreyTalon]

After a set number of Years(after say few years after everyone becomes spacefaring towards the mid game) a Giant Space Station warps to the remains of the hydral world and acts for all intents and purposes as a planet controlled by a totalitarian splinter group of humans resembling the helghasts as previously suggested?

[Jerebaldo1]

Hey Lost Hydrals would be pretty great too! I do like their concept.  As for the humans not being so advanced: this would plant the TLF universe as being much further in the future in Earth terms; or like the Anterans and star trek mirror universe,  it could be cross dimensional incursion...

[GreyTalon]

Lost hydrals kind of reduces the impact that you feel by being the last hydral, cheapens the experience a bit in my opinion

[runetrantor]

To be fair, our Hydral was going to start this Federation plan even with his race alive. The moon thing just happened to occur at the same time.

So our Hydral was expecting to go against its own government, and it could be fun, I doubt the Hydrals would be in for a federation. (Unless these lost ones dont adhere to the dictatorship that the homeworld was doing)

[lifehole]

To be fair, our Hydral was going to start this Federation plan even with his race alive. The moon thing just happened to occur at the same time.

So our Hydral was expecting to go against its own government, and it could be fun, I doubt the Hydrals would be in for a federation. (Unless these lost ones dont adhere to the dictatorship that the homeworld was doing)

Haha, instead of forming a federation he could be trying to dismantle a dictatorship/cause a rebellion. Interesting. It'd require a completely different game though.

[Drak]

Considdering some of the "ultimate" tech listed, I think the threat should be the return of the Timelords! "The Who" you say? "That's DOCTOR Who!" says I...  ;p

Serriously though, saving the federation you'vve just completed from a massive attack by a secret Hydral cabal that saw the moon coming and time locked/dimension shifted/whatevered themeselves to avoid the disaster would be an EPIC post game finallie.

[I-KP]

Considdering some of the "ultimate" tech listed, I think the threat should be the return of the Timelords! "The Who" you say? "That's DOCTOR Who!" says I...  ;p

Serriously though, saving the federation you'vve just completed from a massive attack by a secret Hydral cabal that saw the moon coming and time locked/dimension shifted/whatevered themeselves to avoid the disaster would be an EPIC post game finallie.

"Fixed point in time.  Can't help you.  Sorry."

[Lord Fiddlemeister]

To me, having the hydrals as the end-game threat would feel very weird. They'd become some comically evil force if it means they are going to destroy the federation of peace. I'd much prefer a primal force, something which, by nature, is incapable of communication or diplomacy. Think te tyranids from Warhammer 40k, the flood from halo or the bugs from Starship trooper.

[MaskityMask]

Considdering some of the "ultimate" tech listed, I think the threat should be the return of the Timelords! "The Who" you say? "That's DOCTOR Who!" says I...  ;p

Serriously though, saving the federation you'vve just completed from a massive attack by a secret Hydral cabal that saw the moon coming and time locked/dimension shifted/whatevered themeselves to avoid the disaster would be an EPIC post game finallie.

Huh, I actually also had that idea... It'd be cool to see hydrals do that. They could also if you fail to get rid of them fast enough use time travel to bring their planet and population back making them even worser threat. Like, first only thing they have left is their outpost where rest of the population evacuated. Then when they come back they bring back their planet later on if uou are unable to get past their defences after which they start galactic conquest and either genocide or force other races become their thralls.

To me, having the hydrals as the end-game threat would feel very weird. They'd become some comically evil force if it means they are going to destroy the federation of peace. I'd much prefer a primal force, something which, by nature, is incapable of communication or diplomacy. Think te tyranids from Warhammer 40k, the flood from halo or the bugs from Starship trooper.

Not exaclty. I mean, hydrals were apparently evil dictators so they don't need to become equivalent of antarans from master of orion. It could be scenario where they are much more powerful race with unique tech that other races can't get that can't be beaten by single race even if they ruler most of the system, at least not easily. Maybe if all races work together you can push them back and convince them to join federation as well to avoid another eradication.(but not by influence since they obviously think you as a traitor so you'd be unable directly influence them)