Bengt Petter
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Joined: Sat 09 Apr 2011, 11:27

Interesting setting details

Sun 19 May 2019, 17:21

The ALIEN movies are all very focused on specific dramatic situations, mainly the confrontations with the xenomorphs. That's fine and a part of the genre, horror in space. Still, we sometimes also get glimpses from a larger dystopian world. There are a lot that could be expanded into plot details or other useful RPG stuff. What do you think would be cool to know more about? Here are a few things that I thought of:

1. The Lacerta Plague. This unknown epidemic was just briefly mentioned by Call in the fourth movie, so it might be something that happened quite late in the ALIEN time frame (or maybe not!). It sounds like a disaster that killed many. Where, when and how? Is Lacerta a place, a planet, a company, a plant, or a person? Was it a lab created virus weapon or something strange from a distant planet? Is it still around?

2. The autons and their rebellion. Call was an auton, a "second generation" synthetic created in 24th century. They were so well programmed that they revolted against their unethical, human masters. There is a history in all this. How did the synthetic industry change and why? Who created and produced the autons (apart from Weyland)? Who made profits from this production? What was the real agenda? 

3.  What is the real legacy of Peter Weyland? He is obviously a central figure in this setting. He created Weyland Industries and its´s project Building Better Worlds. How has this project evolved? What did Weyland really know? What is in his archive? Where is it? We know he died after being killed by an Engineer, but that was perhaps not the real end of his existence. I would imagine his DNA was preserved and perhaps cloned. Who took care of this? What happened through the years? If there are (living?) remains or clones, who and where are they and what are they doing? Maybe there are several generations of them, hating and/or loving each other. There might also be an AI copy of Weyland, since he was open to that kind of existence too. There might even be some kind of secret cult around his legacy within The Corporation. I imagine a bizarre Lunar mausoleum with lots of strange and extremely valuable stuff.  

4. What was the long term scientific outcome of the xenomorphs? Just from very small samples a lot of strange things can be done in a lab. For example, there might be extreme drugs or maybe even knew materials. Who has this stuff? Where is it kept? What can be done with it? Is it dangerous? Can it be bought or stolen?

5. Walmart in space. In the early 24th century The Weyland Yutani Industries was bought by Walmart. It´s a funny detail (introduced by the French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, I guess as an ironic gesture towards the American franchise), but it also evokes questions. When and how did Walmart become a power in this context? Did they produce spaceships, synthetics or something else? 
 
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blaster219
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu 15 Dec 2016, 23:56
Location: Manchester, UK

Re: Interesting setting details

Mon 27 May 2019, 11:44

Walmart basically became Buy 'n' Large from Wall-E. 😀

There's a fan produced Alien RPG made for the Fuzion system that had a Resurrection supplement that detailed the effects of the plague. Not sure if it was just stuff the made up or if the based it on source material such as comics and books.
 
EwokHolocaust
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed 05 Jun 2019, 15:49

Re: Interesting setting details

Wed 05 Jun 2019, 16:02

When is the game set in the Alien timeline
I would also be interested in the downfall of Earth and seeing Thedus (where the Nostromo left).
Some other random stuff mentioned in the movies that could be expanded:
  • ICC Quarantine
  • Colonial Administration
  • Core Systems (and over 200 surveyed worlds)
  • Independently Targeting Particle Beam Phalanx
  • Arcturians!
 
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CynicalMo
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Location: Indiana
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Re: Interesting setting details

Wed 05 Jun 2019, 18:16

When is the game set in the Alien timeline
The Starter Kit puts us in the 2180s. Maybe 2183 to be exact.
 
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VaeVictis9
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri 31 May 2019, 09:03

Re: Interesting setting details

Thu 06 Jun 2019, 07:30

From the starter kit (page 11):

H E R E A R E T H E FAC TS

The year is 2183—little more than three years since

the destruction of the Hadley’s Hope colony on

LV-426...

Edit: Overall there is a lot for making new scenarios. Movies, comics, games, books, etc.

However I too would like to know more about the universe during 2183.

I'm hoping for future scenario or campaign books to expand on it further.
 
EwokHolocaust
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed 05 Jun 2019, 15:49

Re: Interesting setting details

Thu 06 Jun 2019, 08:02

The Earth Hive trilogy was set int he 2180ties I think.
Also, the Aliens vs. Predator 1999 game had the marine campaign set 10 years after Hadley's Hope so 2189.

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