Alternative Character Interpretation / Civilization: Beyond Earth

Civilization: Beyond Earth

Each of the affinities can be interpreted differently, depending on both personal preference and roleplaying style. A case can be made for assuming each affinity is radical, conservative or willing to Take a Third Option. Furthermore, since getting some leaf techs (ie. "3D" on the tech web) for your primary affinity may require you to first research techs for the other affinities, going purely one affinity is very difficult.

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• Supremacy:
  • Are they Science Heroes, willing to defy age-old dogmas and do what it takes to secure humanity's place in a vast uncaring universe?
  • Are they blindly rushing down the Scale of Scientific Sins and preparing to become The Borg by another name?
  • Are they treading a fine line, curious about alien civilizations but unwilling to be seduced by their promise and preferring to advance on their own terms?
  • Are they machine worshippers with varying degrees of religious dogma, ranging from Good Shepherd to Church Militant?
  • Are they trying to bring forth The Singularity and believe the purpose of man is to create an AI of godlike power?
  • Are they developing a society that they believe humanity has always wanted, basing it on skewed interpretation of surviving science fiction?
  • Are they seeking to create a universal species out of humanity that, thanks to Brain Uploading and matchless cybernetics, will possess both immortality and the capacity to thrive even in the harshest of worlds?
• Harmony:
  • Are they taking the lessons of the Great Mistake to heart and committed to ensure humanity will not destroy its environment again?
  • Are they misguided eco-terrorist fools who willingly or unwittingly give in to The Corruption?
  • Are they striving for balance between the old and the new, relying on nature itself as their guide?
  • Are they trying to create Organic Technology and adapting their bodies to use it properly strictly because it's a very pragmatic and low-cost approach?
  • Are they hedonists, willing to forsake dreams of interstellar conquest to recreate an Arcadia of simple pleasures and communion with all living things?
  • Are they subconsciously aware that the planet is a Genius Loci and trying to unite with it as a spiritual experience?
  • Are they slowly being manipulated by the planet into exterminating their fellow humans, allowing their very biology to disintegrate until they're just another of the planet's native lifeforms? The planet being sentient doesn't mean it's benevolent.
• Purity:
  • Are they the only sane ones in a world where everyone else forsakes humanity and rushes off to become cyborgs and mutants?
  • Are they Space Romans who hopelessly cling to outdated traditions of Evil Luddite / Muggle Power / No Transhumanism Allowed bigotry?
  • Are they believers in the fundamental goodness of human nature, unwilling to compromise due to remembering well the lessons of humanity's bitter past?
  • Are they afraid of the known or unknown implications of transhumanism and willing to resort to violence to protect their own humanity?
  • Are they simply too proud to admit weakness, and would instead find unity in their shared suffering and longing for home?
  • Are they opposed to transhumanism because they view it as an unsustainable future or socially believe that It Will Never Catch On?
  • Are they hypocrites for proclaiming that their technological advances are acceptable, but everyone else's aren't? Those Battlesuits and LEV Destroyers didn't exactly spring up out of the ground, y'know.
  • Are they clinging to an imperfect, idealized vision of Earth, glorifying humanity's past successes while refusing to admit or learn from our failures, and thus doomed to repeat history?
• Harmony - Purity:
  • Are they supporters of a humanity perfect in mind and body?
  • Are they misguidedly bringing humanity into losing its genetic diversity?
  • Are they another take of Space Nazis by focusing on genetic purity and the creation of a master race that's perfect in every way?
• Purity - Supremacy:
  • Are they supporters of the old science fiction utopias of old?
  • Are they fierce segregationists who would consider human mind uploads to be nothing more than programmable servants?
  • Are they hedonists who would let their simple automated robots and machines to cater to their every whim?
  • Are they only delaying the inevitable robot uprising. . . and making said uprising so much worse by deliberately treating their mechanical creations like slaves?
• Supremacy - Harmony:
  • Are they desperate survivors trying to make humanity survive anything and everything the universe will throw at them?
  • Are they giving away everything, even their humanity, for the sake of power without limits?
  • Are they simply letting the desire for freedom to live their life any way they like to their Logical Extreme?
  • #2 and #3 Confirmed (to a degree), Word of God states that while other affinities disagree to one extent or another, they all agree that Harmonal Supremacists go too far.
• As a result of the above, one can look at the affinities as a whole in a variety of different ways:
  • Are all affinities neutral, with their own upsides and downsides?
  • Are all affinities evil, a la Warhammer 40,000?
  • Are some affinities good, while others are evil?
  • Are all affinities truly good at heart, all wanting the best for humanity but unable to agree as to what?
  • Or, in an even more complex way, the affinities themselves are divided between their own good and evil factions (ie, Some Supremacists are Science Heroes while others are the Borg or some Purists are Space Nazis while others are benevolent Space Romans).
• Likewise, the leaders can be painted in multiple ways like:
  • Fielding the self made woman who pulled herself up the social ladder with nothing but her abilities and skills to become the leader of the most powerful corporation in world vs. Fielding the selfish and ruthless Corrupt Corporate Executive that uses underhanded tactics to get what ever she wants and motivated only by greed;
  • Barre the good, noble Reasonable Authority Figure who is determined to ensure the African people will never suffer the pain and humiliation of being exploited ever again vs. Barre the cold, calculating who has so much hatred and resentment in his heart hidden beneath the jovial front that he presents to everyone else that he is just a stone throw away from becoming Sheng-Ji Yang;
  • Kavitha the visionary Good Shepherd who led a spiritual enlightenment that gave the war-torn and suffering people of India a future to look forward to vs. Kavitha the Creepy Cult Leader that controls one of the most populated countries on Earth though social conditioning and indoctrination;
  • Daoming the Determinator Science Hero, a demanding yet ultimately "tough, but fair" leader who will ensure humanity's long term survival vs. Daoming the Dr. Jerk Emperor Scientist with No Social Skills;
  • Rejinaldo the badass Combat Pragmatist in command of an Elite Army who is willing to defend humanity against a hostile world vs. Rejinaldo the warmongering Social Darwinist;
  • Élodie the Gardener of Culture, nobly trying to preserve the dwindling and endangered cultural heritage of humanity vs. Élodie the haughty aristocrat with an attitude of Cultural Posturing that makes her feel like she belongs in the Age of Colonialism in centuries past;
  • Hutama the Humble Hero Badass Unintentional Honest Corporate Executive who deeply cares for the welfare of the common people vs. Hutama the Pointy-Haired Boss that only got his position because of his populist support and encourages his people to only care about 'living well' while the entire survival of the human race is at stake;
  • Kozlov the Bold Explorer Humble Hero from a peaceful unified Eastern Europe vs. Kozlov the Space Commie from yet another incarnation of a Russian empire.
  • Han Jae Moon, aka Candidate 37 of the Chungsu the Well-Intentioned Extremist intent on proving Hobbes Was Right, or Han Jae Moon, a man whose landing represent little other than a Sealed Evil in a Can unleashed into the galaxy?
    • The "Hybrid Affinities" trailer gives him an official one, claiming that Han is a shrewd but benevolent tactician who uses his spy network to oust dictators. Whether this is just the front that Chungsu would like us to believe, or whether players misinterpreted his initial description ^note (Chungsu's leadership seemed very Human-Hive-like before Han took it over.) will most likely depend on who's playing as him.
  • Lena Ebner the Reasonable Authority Figure who used diplomacy and genuine care for her citizens or Lena Ebner the Manipulative Bastard who used her political prowess to get what she wants.
  • Arshia Kishk the Had to Be Sharp survivalist who knew about Chronic Backstabbing Disorder among the colonizing factions or Arshia Kishk the isolationist Space Woman who is in Culture Clash with older factions who would be useful in aiding her people in settlement.
  • Duncan Hughes the Working-Class Hero who went into space to give salvation to humanity or Duncan Hughes the overambitious man whose work might do more harm than good.

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