OFFLINE

*Still in Progress*

Project Renegade Back-Story Elaboration


Overview:

As stated before, one of the key issues that the game will focus around will be the issue of “What is America?” Albeit, this is more of a dubbed down version of what you are about to read but the essence of the matter is there.

     The game will touch on the relationships between the government and the people, the military and the government, and the contract between the parties (In the case of America, what our Forefathers established in the Constitution). What is the value of a nation’s sovereignty? What is the value freedom? How does the meaning of this change over time?

     In trying to answer these questions both sides will present, to the player, tension within the military forces on the Rebel faction and on the US side fighting alongside the NWC. The US and Rebel military commanders themselves, being middle aged men, most of them having been children growing up in a torn apart America (2030 era) where the US was on the brink of collapse and inner all-out war; now being thrust into a situation, trying to figure out what is best for the people and for the future of America. This isn’t going to be some High School Social Studies history lesson, it is ultimately a game where the player’s character is fighting for survival, but the issues will be presented and reoccurring throughout the game.

Let me establish the times that the game is being set up in:


My-View:

The US-Gov:

     The way I see it, all the factions within the war-torn America-of-the-future are fighting for what they think is “best for the people”. The current US administration, before the NWC overtake, were faced with economic collapse and instability, and trying to act in a way such that they thought would bring peace and prosperity back to Americas homeland: Supporting the NWC for the international trade and assistance that they would bring and welcoming their military help. This, of course, perhaps not foreseen at the time, at the expense of Americas sovereignty as it is now once again the subject of a higher power (Similar to pre-Revolutionary times).

     As time moved on over the years, the NWC became ever more oppressive, as discussed in the Editors Version of the Amended Back Story. The NWC takes more than they give and is less forgiving against Rebel dissent. Powers are steadily removed from the US Gov. and the NWC begins mandating practices that, by today’s standards, would be deemed “unconstitutional”. However there is little opposition to these policies that is heard by its citizens, largely because of the threat of force, but also because of the lack of unity that is felt in the US, and perhaps elsewhere, in other nations enduring the same fate. [At this point in time the US could be likened more some war torn African nation, not totally lawless, but the Gov. is viewed as a joke and is only dealt with because there is no visible alternative]
 

The US-Military:

     The US military is caught more in the middle. Being an organized force designed to support and defend the established Constitution of the United States and to protect the people of America, they remain loyal to the US puppet government that is controlled by the NWC, only so far as to keep America from totally ripping itself apart and to maintain calm in what areas they do control. Restoring prosperity and peace and eliminating internal enemies of the state (The Rebel faction) is its main focus. This is a touchy and somewhat paradoxical scenario, but is logical in its essence. The US military is neither Pro-NWC, nor Pro-US Gov, and definitely not Pro-Rebel. They, themselves, are fighting for their own existence and the continued existence of the people of America (Or, at least, how THEY best see that vision).

     The military does not view the NWC as allies but, more or less, as a means to an end. The NWC provides a military force that is assisting in quelling the “Rebellion” [Though, the NWC is doing a very half-assed job, with their withdrawing of majority forces, leaving the US military to pick up most of the slack (causing some strain inside the coalition) and the NWC’s hiring of foreign mercenaries to fight]. The military does see the NWC as outsiders as well (Similarly to how the Cossacks viewed the Russians in Tolstoy’s “The Cossacks”, they have more contempt and respect for the Chechens and the Abreks than the Russians, even though the they are fighting on opposing sides… perhaps not the best example, the US military would still view the Rebels as terrorists, but if you get the point…)

The-Rebels:

     The Rebels will see the NWC as an overly oppressive regime (similar to that of Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich) and see it as their duty to remove that body from power. There will be disagreement and dissimilarity between the rebel groups, with much confusion about what the right course of action should be. Some will be more ruthless and show less discretion between their treatment of US and NWC forces where as some Rebel Encampments will have more tolerance and recognize the difference between NWC and US forces.

     The Rebel forces are not the “good” guys in the conventional sense (all though they will carry about some of those traits (As will the US/NWC side as well)), they bomb public places, assassinate political figures, and, perhaps to the player, may seem to have become lost in their cause. The Rebel faction may seem to be equally bad as the NWC, but in different respects.

Overview Continued:

     The question the player may begin thinking as they play the game and immerse them-self into the “Renegade Universe” will be “Who is good, who is bad?” This will be seen very much in the game, in dialogue the player will have with the other characters in the game and will be different across the nation.

OFFLINE

Both this thread and the Editor's cut are outstanding! This is just what we're looking for. I'm glad you've put this up, as it's cleared up a lot of stuff to me, and I think Andy as well.