Faction (from original 7) that you DISLIKE the most

[Mart]

In short:
the faction you simply dislike the most,
maybe you just never play them,
maybe you also never pact with them,
maybe you always attack them,
maybe you attack them at the first sight, even if your chances are 10000-fold against you,
you wonder, what the game creators had in mind creating this faction,
...

[Geo]

The Lord's Believers. But the Hive is on a pretty close, if not the same, rang of the ladder.

[Yitzi]

From an ideological perspective,  , which is how I voted.

From a gameplay perspective, none really.  Each is fun to play, in their own way.

[gwillybj]

The Gaians. They are snobs.

[Yitzi]

The Gaians. They are snobs.

Aren't they all snobs?

[Geo]

The Gaians. They are snobs.

Aren't they all snobs?

Good question.

[PvtHudson]

Peacekeepers for their unrivalled hypocrisy. And also for their preferred research path being so close to mine, that they often grab Fusion Power first and steal The Hunter-Seeker Algorithm from my cyborgs.

[gwillybj]

The Gaians. They are snobs.

Aren't they all snobs?

Good question.

Yes, but I think the Gaians get to have it printed on their T-shirts.

[Yitzi]

The Gaians. They are snobs.

Aren't they all snobs?

Good question.

Yes, but I think the Gaians get to have it printed on their T-shirts.

I don't really see it...the Gaians aren't criticized for setting themselves up as the only "legitimate" authority, whereas the Peacekeepers are.

Let's also see what each faction says when you first run a social engineering system they don't like (before it reaches vendetta or breaking pact), or the one they do:

 :

"Your exploitation of Planet's delicate environment is entirely
unacceptable, $TITLE0 $NAME1. Any market economy must be carefully
controlled to prevent permanent damage to the local ecology. I implore
you to desist from your free market stance at once."

"$TITLE0 $NAME1, your Planned economics are wasteful. More to the
point, your ballooning population and inefficient, polluting industry
will soon cause permanent damage to Planet's fragile environment.
I am sure your concerns are humanitarian in nature, but in the long
run your people will benefit from a carefully regulated Green economy."

"$TITLE0 $NAME1, your respect for Planet's fragile ecosystems
is much appreciated. I can only hope that others will follow
your excellent example."

 :

"$TITLE0 $NAME1, you must surely realize that Democracy is a menace
to right-thinking people everywhere. Common citizens cannot be
allowed to question the decisions of their rulers! I urge you
to impose strict police control at once!"

"Have you no intellectual integrity whatsoever, $TITLE0 $NAME1?
It pains me to see an educated person pointlessly cripple
$<1:himself:herself::> with the pathetic fantasy of a creator
and afterlife. Will you not put aside medieval mythology and
join the rest of us in the third millennium?"

"You are most wise, $TITLE0 $NAME1, to keep your subjects under
tight control. The common man cannot be trusted to manage his own
affairs--democracy is the first cousin of anarchy."

 :

"$TITLE0 $NAME1, your so-called faction is little more than
a summer camp for extremists and malcontents. Be warned that
I have heard your rantings about 'power' and I shall not stand
idly by while you build a private army to conquer this planet."

"$TITLE0 $NAME1, your open and shameless pursuit of 'wealth' is
offensive to thinkers such as myself. Perhaps you would be wise
to better conceal your greed."

"$TITLE0 $NAME1, your research facilities are the envy of the Planet,
and none can surpass the expertise of your scientists. I warmly commend
you for tireless pursuit of knowledge."

 :

"Your Planned economy is wrongheaded and inefficient,
$TITLE0 $NAME1, and stifles the just and proper flow of capital on this
planet. I hope you will soon open your markets to a more realistic
model."

"$TITLE0 $NAME1, your impractical Green economics are causing
irreparable harm to legitimate business interests. I can
only hope you will not completely wreck our economy with this
nonsense."

"The health and vitality of your free market economy is to be admired,
my good $TITLE0. My congratulations."

 :

"What evils are you cooking up under the guise of 'research' and
'knowledge', $TITLE0 $NAME1? You may be fooling the others, but I
know you are up to no good."

"$TITLE0 $NAME1, your shameless pursuit of 'wealth' is shocking.
Pray do not grow too fat and weak, lest someone decide to
carve you up."

"I am pleased that you understand the brutal realities of life
on this planet, $TITLE0 $NAME1. Military power is key, for only
the strong shall survive here."

 :

"Your police state is godless and wretched, $TITLE0 $NAME1, and your
brutal crimes cry out to God for punishment. I pray that you will
find the Lord's salvation while your soul can yet be saved."

"$TITLE0 $NAME1, your so-called 'Democracy' is godless and
wretched. True freedom and happiness are only to be found in
God's love, and I urge you to repent your sins and open your
heart to the Lord."

"It is a joy to commune with a fellow believer, $TITLE0 $NAME1. I
trust your conscience rests easy in the hands of the good Lord."

 :

"You may speak of order and security, $TITLE0 $NAME1, but your
Police State is nothing more than a brutal dictatorship, and a
slap in the face to all who truly value human life."

"$TITLE0 $NAME1, it pains me to see you supporting fundamentalist
zealotry at the expense of intellectual progress, human dignity,
and virtually any other worthwhile value. Let remind you that we
are living in the third millennium, and urge you to put your religion
aside as the relic that it is."

"You are a wise and benevolent leader, $TITLE0 $NAME1, to have
perceived the lasting benefits of a free society even in these
difficult times. My hat is off to you."

From those, the Gaians seem to be the least snobbish.

[Soyweiser]

I find the to be the most annoying. Others have various reasons for their actions. Santi is just a bully. The right to defend pretty quickly turns to might makes right.

But I'm also not a fan of  . Personal bias against religious fundamentalists.

[vonbach]

Easily the Peacekeeping forces. Yang is at least honest. To be blunt i'm not a fan of any of them. Yang is a monster, Deidre is a pagan throwing her lot in with her new god at the cost of her own people. Morgan is money grubbing capitalist of the worst sort. Zararov is a mad scientist and Santiago is still a gang leader its just that now she has a army behind her. None of them seem in any way moral. Frankly the longer you play the game the more right  and balanced Miriam seems.

[Mart]

It looks like it was game creators intention to make factions with ideologies taken towards extreme.
They are fleshed out and therefore memorable. Something, that, gives more distinction to factions when compared even to civs in Civ4, at least for me.

[Chilldude]

I find to be offensive to the point where I attack on sight. This might have something to do with personal bias, but from a gameplay perspective the crippled research is just painful. I'm looking at you too



And now for some half-role-played rant:
I must take the opportunity to defend my main man
Poor misunderstood Yang only wants to take humanity to new heights. Together enough humans with the right know how have limitless potential! Alone I am a man; Together we are GOD! Why worship vengeful father figures from the past or unseen spirits when the power to move mountains, rain fire from the skies, travel the heavens and even defy the laws of that supposed father are all within reach of a humanity given purpose and focus through the loss of self. (except for the upper classes of course! Somebody has to think for humanity)

*End - morally reprehensible statement*

[Dio]

An analysis of the factions from a idealogical point of view might reveal some interesting insights.

1. Gaians:
Claim: They claim that protecting, preserving and knowing planet is ultimate good for human race. Faction penalities claim to state they are pacifists and freedom loving. The faction also contains underlying religious aspects.

Interpertation: They often use mind worms as weapons to further cause, as seen in the quotes for "Our Secret War." The quote for The Telepathic Matrix also reveals hints at its potential abuse as a form of ultimate police control, and the fact they can run Police State with few penalities tends to contradict the factions claim of "freedom loving."

2. Morganites:
Claims:
They first claim the building up of a economic and industrial corporation on planet. They also claim to lead in the researching, making, selling, and distribution of quality goods and other products.

Interpertation:
Really they simply try to seize the financial and material assets of others related to production and place it in a large company. They also desire to rule the planet through the buying out and intergration of all players in their new financial system. Therefore, they use potentially abusive and unethical corporate business practices disguised behind the claim of free market captialism.

3. Peacekeepers:
Claims:
They claim to espouse democracy, humantarian ideals, and the desire to reunite all factions under a single group. They make references to the enviroment, social conditions, and human rights. They also have hints of religion, especially in regards to the quote from Stockpile Energy (unused in normal games) and the use of Brother as their faction leader's title during diplomacy.

Interpertation:
First they use diplomatic coercion to attempt and reunite people that agreed upon seperating from each other. This sounds very unhumantarian and unethical. Second, where do they get the extra votes from the population? Perhaps the elite in the faction force undereducated immigrants to vote in a specific manner while providing social services like housing, jobs and food. Again, the additional votes sound very dubious at best.

4. The Lord's Believer's:
Claims/Features:
They first claim to act as a religious instiution that provides hope and moral guidance on a planet that they see as desperately needing it. They also claim that the technological progession of the other factions involve using inhumane and unethical practices. Finally, they have the most overtly religiously theme.

Interpertation:
They believe they in the neccesity of christanizing all the other factions in order to "civilize" these brutes and stop the technological advances they perceive as unethical. The faction might also have aspects of a terroist organization because the improved morale of probe teams implys secret training of subversive agents. In addition, their use of the term "Conclave Oral Law" indicates secret groups inside the faction that conduct activities without the use of written or mechanical aid. In other words, they use any means they deem neccessary, even if unethical, to recruit or disrupt those who take actions they consider wrong.

5. University of Planet:
Claims: It appears they have the greatest hand in scientific technological progession on the planet. They also appear to simply watch the unfolding of events on the planet until such time that the Gaians start interfering with their experiments. They also claim the pursuit of "unfettered research" as their highest goal.

Interpertation: They frequently use unethical scientific practices to achieve goals. It also appears they eventually start describing science and technology with an almost fanatical tone. Also they proceed with technological applications regardless of the consequences to society. They also monopolize the education system on planet and act aloof until people start interfering with their plans.

6. Spartan Federation:
They have been pretty well analyzed except for the fact they were, for unspecified reasons in game, intentionally murdered by the Gaians.

7. The Hive:
They have been pretty well described except that the faction's idealogical basis bears a striking resemblance to the underground group seen in Frank Herbert's Hellstrom's Hive. In addition, the rapid population growth of the faction might occur as a result of Yang's controlled and deliberate genetic modification of the population.

[Yitzi]

An analysis of the factions from a idealogical point of view might reveal some interesting insights.

1. Gaians:
Claim: They claim that protecting, preserving and knowing planet is ultimate good for human race. Faction penalities claim to state they are pacifists and freedom loving. The faction also contains underlying religious aspects.

Interpertation: They often use mind worms as weapons to further cause, as seen in the quotes for "Our Secret War." The quote for The Telepathic Matrix also reveals hints at its potential abuse as a form of ultimate police control, and the fact they can run Police State with few penalities tends to contradict the factions claim of "freedom loving."

While they can run Police State with fewer penalties than most, they also get less benefit than most, due to it only letting them use 1 extra police unit instead of 2.  (They also gain the ability to nerve staple, but that has its own costs.)  Their emphasis on native life also makes the SUPPORT bonus substantially less appealing.

In addition, their use of the term "Conclave Oral Law" indicates secret groups inside the faction that conduct activities without the use of written or mechanical aid.

Perhaps not; "Conclave" was the original name of the faction, and stayed in places in the fluff.  And "Oral Law" is a concept going back to Judaism, essentially meaning the unwritten (and thus orally transmitted) tradition interpreting and providing details to the written statutes.