Aeon Amadi
A.N.O.N.Y.M.O.U.S.
3105
   |
Posted - 2013.09.26 16:03:00 -
[1] - Quote
This is a theory as to why everyone chose their particular race, resulting in the population mass that is Faction Warfare in it's current iteration in Dust 514.
Now, bear in mind that there is going to be some political jabber in this theory and I understand that while it is a potentially ban-able offense (I have a lot of warnings under my belt for personal attacks as is) it doesn't make it any less important to the - as quoted by KAGEHOSHI, I believe it was - 'philosophical' standpoint of the theory.
Let's begin with the Amarr.
All of the races have a back story and a general ambience that reveals who they are as a culture. Some might seem savage or outlandish to others but this doesn't make them any less people, it just makes it a different culture. We can look at the Amarr and their tendency towards slavery and instantly say, "That's wrong" because it's been engraved in our heads that slavery is, in fact, wrong.
But... really, it's not so much wrong as it's just our misunderstanding of it all. This is a culture that was the first to achieve spaceflight after the collapse of the Eve Gate to New Eden long after the dark ages put everyone back to using plate-mail armor (figuratively speaking). It's the general assumption that their form of slavery is, in fact, wrong because of our own histories; American's especially.
Now, I know that's hinting at a really dangerous topic but we can't ignore the past and considering the absolutely rambunctious amount of players who sided with the Minmatar, I don't think we have by any means. The Amarr, however, take slavery in a different light than we perceive it. Empress Jamyl actually shocked the entire cluster when she announced that slaves 9th generation and up as well as those involved in theological or academic fields were outright freed.
It's important to note that not all Amarrian's are slavers, in fact, very few are and it's been in decline since the inception of CONCORD. Military officials may take POWs as slaves, Clergy may take them for religious reasons and the Royal Heirs are granted the right simply by stature - but the most notorious are Holders who are appointed slavers. I don't really know much about this topic specifically so I'll keep it short.
Another misconception of the slaves themselves is that they are all Minmatar, which isn't the case. The Amarrian's actually attempted (and still do) to enslave the entire cluster and show them the error of their ways, to purge them of their sins by religious fire one way or another. They even tried to enslave the Gallente Federation but outmatched against their power and might, not to mention their technology, were not only equaled but threatened by them. Even then, their current slaves are mostly 'mongrel' stock which even include some of the bloodlines currently in the Amarr Empire.
What all of this means and why it is important is directly associated with the players who declare allegiance to the Amarr Empire - they know of these misconceptions and understand the Amarr for who they really are: Religious crusaders who are trying to spread their word by any means necessary, to purge the cluster of sin and bring justice to the world. It's not necessarily bad, the methods are crude and outdated but their purpose and reason is good.
Which brings us to the Minmatar - a favorite among the Dust 514 players and Eve Online players alike.
Phew. Where to begin with these guys. They have such a rich and diverse culture - not to mention that awesome theme to their ships and weaponry! The Minmatar are more than just former slaves who rose against their oppressors, their culture is what we could call savage in nature. Body modifications that would rival even our most extreme BME models. Tattoos, piercings... Right down to their barbaric sense of pride.
Even when outmatched three to one in an engagement with the Amarr, the Minmatar not only denied support from a Gallentean Fleet despite being allies, they actually -threatened- them not to interfere. Minmatar pride is outmatched in the cluster and their inner fire is brutally efficient. Out numbered and out gunned these space-underdogs manage to perservere against the most insane odds.
So is it their innate sense of freedom that draws so many players to rally to their cause? Is it the fact that, despite all odds and having every disadvantage they still manage to thrive? I think it's a mixture of the two, coupled with our own real world histories. We as human beings long for freedom and we also long for the ability to do things that seem outlandish, if even for a little while.
There's a great deal of you that have tattoos, maybe some with piercings and even more that have considered getting one, the other or both. I myself have a number and a perpensity to show off my septum piercing - it's an extension of who I am and it shows the world that I'm willing to sacrifice to get what I want. But there's one more thing that this relates too, however subtle it may be and that is their nomadic nature. If it's one thing the Minmatar are, it's self-sufficient and all of this wraps up into a prize package that is the Dust 514 player mentality in gross.
Then there's the Caldari and their industrious nature.
There's a reason not many players flock to the Caldari in Dust 514. Corporate Capitalism at it's finest with a strong tinge of Militaristic tradition. Despite having the best economy in the cluster and a strong combative nature to boot, they still cling to the good ole' human element on their starships. Where the Gallente would field a drone or the Minmatar would field a firing computer, the Caldari field a man or woman in uniform with apt training and a sizable reputation.
(continued in next post) |
Aeon Amadi
A.N.O.N.Y.M.O.U.S.
3105
|
Posted - 2013.09.26 16:03:00 -
[2] - Quote
And vicious in the defense of their money makers. Almost dictatorial in nature they've managed to craft an almost paper-perfect communist society run by corporate heads who field backbone as well as good business practice. The second a smaller corporation starts getting unethical, it gets absorbed back into the umbrella corporation and replaced. Should the umbrella corporation ever be threatened, the entire state rallies to the cause and defends it mercilessly.
At least, this was the original conception - as of recent events the prosperity between those corporations has been tangled with the Ishukone Corporation effectively doing what is the greater good, much to the displeasure of their competitors as well as Executor Tibus Heth.
So what is it that attracts the player to the Caldari? What repels the player to the Caldari? A true militaristic nature is a solid floor work for any player who associates with that sort of discipline and honor. Economic gurus are even more likely to play the part as it befits their general stature.
And what keeps their player base so small? It actually has a lot more to do with the Gallente Federation than one might think. Aside from being vastly different in both combat philosophy and general behavior the Caldari are what we can now assume to be the direction the United States of America is heading.
Giant umbrella corporations own huge amounts of enterprise and just about everything you touch is part of a larger whole. Laws are passed to the benefit of the corporation, rather than the people (see Monsanto Protection Act) and unless you have money you can kiss goodbye any chance of taking legal action against those corporations. Bailouts for large businesses and a thin as ever line between military power and police action? Well, it's not hard to see why the average player is less likely to wave the Caldari banner, especially in America and Britain.
Suffice to say, we don't want to play a part in a game that we play in real life. We want the good guy to win and we don't like having insurmountable odds when trying to get our way. The possibility for corruption is ripe with the Caldari and considering the nigh madman-like tendencies of Executor Tibus Heth, it's easy to see why so few align with his agenda.
But much the same reason for this is why the Gallente Federation is a popular choice.
Originally termed as "Space-Murika!" by many prestigious Eve Online pilots, the Gallente Federation is the bastion of Liberty and Freedom. So much so that one fifth (a third of the Federation's population) of the Minmatar population associates with it's political blocs. Powerful and technologically advanced, the Gallente fiercely defend those values to the last dying breath. If it isn't in favor of the human spirit, it isn't Gallente and love them or hate them... you simply can't ignore them.
But one thing about the Gallente that many players find appealing is their immensely diverse culture and ever changing style. One moment they're frothing at the mouth over a president who's more celebrity than leader and the next they're led by an entrepeneural mastermind. In a split second the Gallente flux between being an Entertainment centre to an Artistic endeavor. Even their religious views are diverse, practicing Universalism and acknowledging all spiritual views and beliefs as valid.
Everyone's opinion matters and almost everything goes to public vote instead of being the decision of politician. Any and all decisions made are often considered a direct assault on one's individual rights and freedoms, creating a paradoxial tension between the public and the state, but this has worked in the Federation's favor. Pressing them ever forward toward their passionate grip on a society that holds even itself accountable when things go wrong.
Their fast, but that speed never stops them from being free in every sense of the word - with stark contrast when that freedom is threatened, even from within. It's the model Democracy to the very core, everything we start with and everything we strive for. If you find desire for it, the Gallente have plenty of it, freedom not excluded. It's this outlook that makes them such a popular choice in the modern world - because let's face it, anyone with red blood would much rather have a party than work for a day.
So, what drives the player to choose who they fight for? It's as much a decision they'd make in real life as they would in a video game. The morals and values that the race holds are vastly similar to what they adhere to...
... or they're playing the game much for the same reason they play any other game, to be someone they're not 
|