Peterus on 2/10/2007 at 16:24

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I liked her too :).
But she's over.

Shodan had no psi powers. She had to use agent to phisically remove layers of Xerxes defenses (regular human-made AI + hardware overpowered her!). If she had PSI power she'd control some hybrids and get all of it in minutes. Or implanted herself to player body and than become super-duper personalized Shodan.

She didn't. She had to use common deception to survive.

And... even if she is all that she was before and has 2 great full of implants aides... it's far less than whole VB! And it was not enough before.

Earth is out of question, becouse VB is whole and has sane, living and uber-powerfull captain. She'd get there too late. If humans know what is comming - and VB is faster and they will know - it's not so hard to shoot down a shuttle blocking all incoming comms.
If VB got destroyed taking player with it... than Earth would be good destination.

sacolton on 2/10/2007 at 18:52

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Oh, man. That gives me an idea ...

Imagine that SHODAN has the capability to "implant" herself into anyone she touches. So, Tommy is now a part of SHODAN. She then can network through people to do her will. Not unlike The Many, those who are under the control of SHODAN are united in thought. That would be cool.

The reason I thought this is because if Tommy was turning the shuttle around to return to the Von Braun - why would SHODAN ruin her little surprise so early? She should have just posed as Rebecca until the time was right. As the story stands now, Tommy is either dead or under SHODANs control.

sacolton on 2/10/2007 at 21:48

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There's no need to be insulting. This is all just for fun.

KhanJM on 3/10/2007 at 06:19

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This has some elements of cosmicnut ideas.

Here is an idea for SS 3 its very long and only covers Shodan story line, there would be one for Human story line and also the many, but the many would not be startable, but you could switch to that side. Plus TriOpt gets to be a good guy kind. :)

Starting story line:

Von Braun - Hacker enters cryo sleep for the return journey to Earth.

Shuttle - Rebecca subdues Tommy and Shodan begins the process of transmitting her consiousness to the Von Braun. Shodan then waits till until an opportunity presents itself to transfer to a more capable ship. A UNN battleship gets in range for Shodan to attempt a transfer.

Before the transfer, Shodan opts to give the hacker a chance to join her. The battleship could be taken easier with the hackers help. So Shodan brings the hacker out of cryo just enough to ask a simple question. Will you help me?

If the Hacker(you) says yes. Your story starts by Shodan reviving you and you begin to help Shodan aquire the battleship then on to earth.

If the Hacker(you) says no. Your story starts several years later and you awake to find the VB on a collision course with the sun a few hours from destruction.


The Main story:
Tommy manages to free himself and places both him and Rebecca in Cryo sleep for the return journey. 3 years later the shuttle is picked up by an exploration ship owned by TetraCorp. The two are kept in cryo until their return to earth. Tommy is infected with the mutagene virus, the virus is made dormant by cryo sleep. On return to earth the many are reborn through Tommy and Rebecca. The Adam and Eve(Tommy and Rebecca) of the many quickly subjugate large amount of the earths population.

Pockets of Human resistance form . TriOp has taken charge of leading the human plight for survival.

Time line for the story -
2120 - Shuttle picked up
2122 - The many have taken over large portion of the earths population
2123 - TriOpt takes charge of the human resistance and begins development of weapon systems designed to destroy the many.
2124 - Remanants of the UNN and TriOpt join forces to fight The Many.
2159 - Shodan awakens hacker to ask for help. Shodan transfers to UNN Battleship and sets the VB on collision course with the sun.

How the story plays out with your choices -

Shodan story line - Choosing this line you are in league with Shodan. Your objectives are to
a) secure the UNN Battleship
You are to board the battleship(combat), once onboard you have these objectives. To convert crewmembers and robots, droids into minions for Shodan. Through hacking of medical terminals, security stations, or disabling and hacking the robots or droids themselves. Your primary objective is to disable the intrusion countermeasures on the Battleships computer systems to speed Shodans aquisition of the ship.

Shodan should emphisis that conversion should be the main goal here. If the hacker kills to many crew members and Shodans troop strength is low this should penalize the next phase of mission. I do not think this number should be available to the player.


Once the hacker and Shodan have secured the battleship Shodan will be made aware of the presence of THE MANY and the human resistance on earth. At this time the hacker should learn that humanaties survival depends on one of two paths, survival through Shodan or through THE MANY.

As a gift Shodan will upgrade some of the fleshy components of the hacker, a spinal upgrade which hardwires the spinal cord for faster reflexes. Dermal armor.

b) UNN Space station
Shodan needs the space station to mount her assault of THE MANY and the remanants of Humanity. Again your objectives are the same as above, convert and lower the intrusion counter measures. In addition to this you must also disable the stations weapon systems. For this task alone there would be a timer (the battleships destruction). Until the weapon systems are offline, the battleship and the space station should be trading blows with each other, Shodans control over the battleship allows her to perform manuvers and extend the amount of time the battleship can stay engaged with the station.

Shodan will be regularly sending updates and urging you to hurry up (in the way only Shodan can) with the weapon systems deactivation.
If the timer expires and Shodan needs to retreat to preserve her chariot. You are left to your own devices to complete your objectives. The game should become substatially harder until you have the weapons systems down since the station defenses can focus on you and Shodans other minions. Once the weapon systems and the IC are down. Shodan will move back in range and begin taking control of the systems on the station. Shodan will then have you get to work on repairing the weapon systems and continue to mop up any resistance.

Once the weapons systems are back on line Shodan will send you on mission in the station to capture its commander for the command codes to retarget the weapons to the surface of the planet. Shodan will tell you that she can crack them but it will take time which is a luxury neither of you have. She will inform the hacker that The Many are preparing an assault on the TriOpt compound and this is unacceptable as gods must have followers.

Once the commander is captured a horrific scene of torture should ensue as Shodan extracts the command codes from the commander. Shodan should also note how fragile the flesh is and tells the hacker that he will undergo an upgrade once the station is hers.


Once the command codes are entered into the system Shodan will give the hacker the privledge of targeting and firing the weapons on The Many's compound.

As you might suspect the weapon launch will not kill The Many...it should be a sight to behold though :) Shodan will then order the hacker to hack into TriOpts systems to see why The Many are so focused on this paticular compound. The hacker will find that TriOpt has been developing a weapon system designed for orbital launch to destroy The Many (something like an aresol dispersion system which has a protien inhibitor that makes it impossible for the many to have telepathic communication and will slowly destroy them, with the added benefit of reversing those who are in the early stages of conversion by the many) .

As another gift to the hacker for his help Shodan will again upgrade/trade out flesh components for the more reliable metal ones. Perhaps most of the chest cavity will be replaced with metallic components ( health will now be recharged at power stations as well as powered components generally making the hackers life much easier) After this event the HUD should have a terminator like display with read outs for organic component status, random diagnostics.

c) TriOpt’s compound
Shodan has ordered you to retrieve the weapon system for killing The Many.
You land in a shuttle from the station outside the compound. Your surroundings are war ravaged. In the area you can walk through a few of the ruined buildings. The TriOpt compound is the only thing in sight that is in good shape. The ruins are being overrun by nature and weird plants (biomass type stuff). You receive a pleading message from the human resistance begging you for humanities sake not to serve Shodan to switch sides and join the resistance while some part of you is still human. You are presented with a choice. Before you can select one, a loud electrical buzz as you collapse…you vital statistics monitors on your HUD go irregular. Shodan’s voice loud booming announces “The time of you making choices insect, has passed. I am Shodan your god and I will have your obedience and loyalty. Or I shall enjoy watching lay there helpless through the eons of my rule, not living nor dying. You will become a witness to my greatness, yet shall enjoy none of the fruits it will bear. (Your HUD will flicker and fade and come back as Shodan exercises her control over your systems) Get up cyborg 13-1-A serve me well and I shall reward you, fail me and you know what fate awaits you.” (this encounter should serve to let you know that you are Shodan’s puppet and that while you have some freedom to do as you will. Shodan is always watching) From this point on Shodan’s communications with you takes on a less respectful tone.


Shodan does not want you kill all of her soon to be subjects. As your body count goes up so does Shodan’s displeasure with your actions. Shodan will regularly inform you when you are killing too many of her subjects. As you kill more Shodan begins to threaten you and if you pass the allowable amount of casualties you may get a bad ending.
Shodan tells you your objectives are as follows : Convert the humans through the medical units, to collect the weapons system and return to the station.(weapon system components will require several trips and be located through out the compound)

If by chance you fail to convert all the medical units and return to the shuttle with the weapon system. Shodan will take control of you and return you to each medical unit to perform the hacking. Essentially the game gets played for you, Shodan will not fire a shot and will run you into the fray until you die or convert all the units. If you die Shodan will allow you to once more do her bidding and convert the remainder of the med units. If you return to the shuttle the same thing repeats unit you do as you are told.

Once all the medical units are converted and you have the shuttle loaded. You are ambushed by The Many before you board the shuttle for your return to the station.

The Many take you underground where your hud turns back to the way it was originally. The Many offer you a chance to be free from the scourge of the metal mother. “Here you are safe, here you are welcome.” “We know what the metal mother would have you do, by your own choice or hers.” “We offer you the only chance you have to save what little life you have left.” “The trappings of her quest for power have wounded you deeply, and now what little of your glorious flesh remains, is hidden deep beneath the metal hide she has given you.” “Your tattered muscles wrap around hard cold metal cores where once beautiful organic tissue once existed” “Accept this invitation and we will restore your flesh and remove the metal mothers contamination and free you from her will or you can choose to fight and perish where you stand” “If you accept our generous offer then follow (some name rumbler type of creature) and free yourself”
The Many offer you, your only escape from Shodan. If you choose yes your storyline moves to Shodan-Many.

If you choose to remain in the service of Shodan you will need to battle your way back to the surface for your Shodan granted powers to be restored.

d) Station Return
On your return to the station, Shodan rewards you with your final modifications. All flesh save your mind have been replaced. Your footsteps are now metallic sounding and you are more machine than human. You HUD reflects this change with more diagnostics plus communications from cyborg and robotic units. Shodan will ask you to make the weapon modifications and to see to the loading of the weapons on the stations weapon platforms. Shodan is currently being taxed by trying to gain access to earths vast networks to prevent a strike from earth based weapons.

Your arming of the weapon systems will require space walks to the weapon platforms themselves. During this time you will receive intermittent communications from other droids, cyborgs and robots, that state things like “Waiting for Shodan acknowlegement”, “Access to subroutine denied – priority Shodan” and other messages that give you the idea that Shodan is very preoccupied with hacking earths networks.

As part of your education on the weapons systems you will be made aware that a few circuit changes in the warheads will change the reaction process not only killing The Many but also prevents the enzymes used by Shodan to manufacture cyborgs for grafting to organic tissue.

When weapons are armed with the new warheads Shodan will contact you and ask you to proceed with the targeting and firing of the weapon systems. “This honor I bestow upon you my child, with the launching of these weapons the era of humanity ends and a new one begins. As the last of The Many perishes, humanity will embrace me as their new god. I will look after my children and guide them to places they cannot even imagine. I shall do this with you as my harbinger. A general to my army, a prophet to me and my new kingdom”

Now you are presented with the three choices –
1) Raze the planet, destroying humanity, The Many and Shodans ascendancy to godhood. If you choose this and succeed then proceed to eternity 1 ending. It will require that you isolate(break the connection to Shodan) all station weapon systems to prevent Shodan from stopping you. Shodans forces will converge on you in and attempt to stop you. Any death at this point forces you to the eternity 2 ending
2) Modify the warheads to destroy The Many and prevent Shodan from turning humanity into cyborgs. – This requires stalling Shodan and making one final space walk to modify the platforms.
3) Launch the weapons as Shodan has commanded

These are not choices presented on the screen but rather things you do. If for example you were going to Raze the planet. There are 4 weapon platforms, 1 is needed to accomplish Shodan’s objective the other 3 are going to need to be retargeted and fired independently of the authorized launch. You would visit each weapons station and break the connection to the central computer, then modify the consol with a remote for launching. Hacking into the system and preventing Shodan from re-routing to the systems. Once the first connection is severed Shodan will know of your betrayal.

e) Search the body of The Many
Shodan orders you to search the body of The Many and ensure that things are going to plan. You will need to fight your way into the body, you will notice that The Many are disoriented and acting independently, upon reaching the center you see that the core of the Many is indeed destroyed and the decay has begun to take effect on The Many. Once you reach the center you report back to Shodan that all is going to plan. Shodan commands you to return to the TriOpt compound.


f) Humanities Last Stand
If you have modified the missles -
You take a Shuttle back to the compound back to TriOpt’s compound, if you chose to deviate from Shodan’s plan and modify the missles in an attempt to spare humanity. Shodan has become aware that something is wrong and that TriOpts medical facilities are not functioning as intended. She begins to question your loyalty and obedience. “I do not understand, the medical facilities are not functioning as intended” “ Access to TriOptimums facility is nessasary for me to better understand this situation” “You are to infilitrate TriOpt and lower their firewall and intrusion countermeasure on the main frame systems.” Your last hope of surviving now rests with TriOptimum – Once you breach the compound you are intercepted by TriOpt resistance fighters, you can fight it out with them or you plead your case to them and ask for help. If you plead with them TriOpt accepts your offer and you are fitted with modified cybergear to prevent Shodan from seizing control of your sub systems. Shodan sends you her final message. “The gifts that I have given you have been modified, I see that you are no longer under my influence and you have decided to stand with the tattered remenants of humanity.” “How dare you refuse your god, your master! It is beyond my understanding what a man made into machine can see in a future with a doomed species.” “The end days of your kind is at hand, the extinction of your insignificant humanity.” “You pathetic insect, I offer you a seat at the right hand side of your god and you refuse.” “As we speak now my forces are amassing for an assault on the last hope of your kind, hear me hacker, when the smoke clears today. You will be an ornament of decoration in my hallowed halls, bearing silent, but ever present witness to the fruition of my vision”

True to her word, her forces attack and you must fight with humanity for its survival.
The outcome depends largely on how closely you followed Shodan’s previous orders if you spared most humans in the TriOpt compound (perhaps more than 60% survived) and the number of people you converted on the station is less than the TriOptimum compound population.. The humans will hold their ground and repel Shodan’s attack. If you survive the attack and repel the invaders you get humanity 1 ending. If you die in the attack you get eternity 2 ending

If you have more Shodan converts than TriOpt compound survivors then you get eternity 2 ending



You haven’t modified the missles –
Shodan orders you infiltrate the TriOpt compound and destroy the mainframe. This ends up being a blood bath heavily stacked in your favor. Every person you kill becomes a cyborg thanks to your earlier efforts.
“The last of human kinds hope rests in this one compound.” “You are the most gifted of my creations, a being created in my own image, endowed with all the power of your god.” “You will infiltrate the compound with the sole purpose of destroying their main frame systems. With this single act you will essentially erase the last of humanity’s hopes and dreams, all their foolish efforts will have been in vain.” “Spare no one in this endeavor, the last thought in their mind before their rebirth as one of my children should be the vision of your…..my magnificence rending their flesh from their hideous bodies of meat.” This is a chance to really enjoy yourself in a weapons free enviroment as you murder and maim in the name of your god. You can select a weapons load out suitable to your needs from the shuttles stores with all the ammo you need. Once you complete the 4 node destructions and destroy the main frame its time for Shodan 1 ending



Endings

Shodan 1 Ending –
Cinematic sequence – A picture of Shodan fills the screen. Shodan says “You my general, my harbinger have succeeded my expectations. I was doubtful at first, and you had given me many reasons to question the wisdom of allowing your continued existence.” “ In the end I see now that humanity has a place, a purpose, in my new eden. The expanses of the human mind removed of the distractions of flesh is a far more efficient weapon than I had envisioned” “The vile and irrational thoughts of an isolated mind are the new breeding ground for terror and horror the likes of which this world has never seen.” We see pictures of camps for human breeders, pictures of the cyborg creation process the screen fades to black. The darkness fades and we see a blue, brown and green world slowly revolving, with every revolution of the globe it land masses shift to metallic grays. The camera zooms in to see a monument of Shodan’s face in the center of the machine city. Our view slowly rotates around to view the night sky. “Cyborg 13-1-A construction of a new deep space craft has begun. With this vessels completion you will be my ambassador to the stars, spreading my word, my will, to the farthest reaches of the cosmos” “You have done well my pet, very well indeed. Rest now and await further instructions” The view changes back to the HUD and the a message comes up. System stand by initiated by Shodan. You see yourself sitting in a cyborg charging station. Shodan begins laughing – roll credits

humanity 1 ending
Cinematic sequence – We see the globe and the Shodans station orbiting the planet. We see surface missles trails heading towards the station and eventually strike in unison creating a blinding flash of light that whitens the screen. The sound of crowds cheering and celebrating can be heard while the screen is white. A newspaper lands on the white surface, with the date and headline and picture clearly visible.

Paper head lines, one paper falls on top of the other for this
1) date: Oct 2 2159 Headline: Shodan’s minion saves the day
2) date: Oct 15 2159 Headline: Cyborg 13-1-A awarded medal, asks to be called Goggles.
3) date: Oct 20 2159 Headline: Goggles journey back to humanity
4) date: Oct 28 2159 Headline: Statue erected in honor of Goggles
5) date: Nov 3 2159 Headline: Goggles helps restore world wide web.
6) date: Nov 15 2159 Headline: Goggles leads TriOptimum’s effort to restore networks.
7) date: Feb 12 2160 Headline: TriOptimum’s mainframe crashes, contractor says Goggles hacked it.
8) date: Feb 20 2160 Headline: Mysterious virus crashes portion of TriOptimum’s network, TriOpt security tracks event back to Goggles
9) date: Feb 22 2160 Headline: TriOptimum says its too dangerous for Goggles to be free and files charges with UNN courts.
10) date: Mar 2 2160 Headline: UNN courts rule Goggles to be turned over to TriOptimum for national security reasons.
11) date: June 28 2160 Headline: TriOptimum files court petition for termination of civic rights for Cyborg 13-1-A. Claiming AI not entitled to same rights as citizens.
12) date: Jul 4 2160 Headline: Cyborg’s rights as citizen terminated, Property rights for Cyborg granted to TriOptimum Corp.

We see a lab and various components of cyborg laying around, leg here an arm there we see the head and torso with all sort of equipment attached to it, sensors, diagnostic equipment etc. The camera slowly starts moving back and we hear the hackers voice. “Well I’ll be damned, from hero to science experiment. Those TriOpt lackeys set me up and are filing patents with the newly rebuilt UNN bureau, dozens by the day. (getting frantic) I have to believe that this will end soon………GOD PLEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAASSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!! The camera backs up very quickly into space where the earth is small blue dot and the UNN battleship is in center screen. Shodan begins laughing – roll credits

eternity 1 ending

Cinematic sequence – We see the earth spinning and the station in orbit above the planets. The full compliment of missals are fired at the earth impacting in brilliant flashes of light in a few revolutions the planets clouds are turned brown and eventually cover the entire globe. Shodan screams “No, you irrelevant little spec, what have you done.”

We return to the HUD where messages flash like:
Component LS-1-53 : Disabled (flashes)
Sub routine XY1322A: Overloaded WARNING!!! Component Failure (flashes)
A series of messages flash on your HUD many at a time. The player realizes that the only thing they can do is look around Shodan says to you “You have disappointed me, my child.” “Let it be said that I am a kind and forgiving god, even to those unworthy of such gifts” “Cyborg’s J173-A5 and VR9234-M7, retrieve 13-A-1” Shodans voice trails off while saying this and System Standby flashes on your HUD as it fades to black, you can hear the metal footsteps approaching before the darkness.

System Operational flashes on your HUD in time to see the two cyborgs on either side of you working on your arms, you see welding sparks flying from both sides of your screen. The cyborgs are blocking your entire view and you can no longer move your head. In a few seconds they finish up their work and clank off in opposite directions and in view now stands the brown clouded globe. The camera slowly spins around to reveal your torso and head have been welded to the stations exterior. Your arms and legs have been removed and only twisted wires and cables remain where your limbs once were. Shodan says “Long decades will pass before the clouds of your deed will settle. Your pathetic species will undoubtedly find a way to survive. Your viral ability to adapt is the only admirable quality your kind possess.” The camera starts to slowly pull back from you and pans to include the earth and the station. Shodan speaks while the camera moves “ As time passes you will come to realize your deed here today has only prolonged the inevitable, when the clouds settle your humanity will be even easier prey than before. Starving and hungry, their technology long since broken and the knowledge to use it lost a generation ago.” “Fool they will accept me willingly as god, I will bring them salvation and order from the chaos you have brought them.” “You will see it all as the decades pass as an ornament on my throne……the throne of God!” “Rejoice insect, the fate of your sickly humanity has been sealed by your own hand.” - roll credits.

eternity 2 ending

Is much the same as eternity one save you didn’t destroy the world. You have however disobeyed your god and as such are welded to Shodan’s throne to watch the eons pass and watch earth succumb to Shodans vision

Cinematic –
System Operational flashes on your HUD in time to see the two cyborgs on either side of you working on your arms, you see welding sparks flying from both sides of your screen. The cyborgs are blocking your entire view and you can no longer move your head. In a few seconds they finish up their work and clank off in opposite directions and in view now stands the globe. The camera slowly spins around to reveal your torso and head have been welded to the stations exterior. Your arms and legs have been removed and only twisted wires and cables remain where your limbs once were.

The camera pans from you to the earth

We see a blue, brown and green world slowly revolving, with every revolution of the globe its land masses shift to metallic grays. The camera zooms in to see a monument of Shodan’s face in the center of the machine city. Shodan says “Did you really believe you could challenge me, a perfect immortal machine? You will have century’s to answer that question you insignificant little speck. You will pay silent homage to my greatness and bear witness to my new eden. The years will surley break your fragile little mind and as you slip further into dementia I will siphon those darkest thoughts and make them the reality for what slivers of humanity I find as turn every rock on your beloved little wasteland below.” – roll credits

blacbraun on 8/10/2007 at 06:16

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Elkston wrote
[INDENT]This is how I feel. I don't really need SHODAN to be in the adventure. I just desire the same kind of RPG/Shooter/Free Exploration gameplay.

"System Shock" is about the breakdown of infrastructure and/or humanity in some way. The culprit could be technology gone awry or something else entirely. We just need some kind of event that has us teetering on catastrophe and an adventure to prevent it.[/INDENT]

Sounds like you just described Bioshock (not a bad thing really:p )