More thoughts on protoss psychology
Something that recently clicked for me was that the protoss could be make to seem more alien by characterizing them as, in terms of human neuroscience, high-functioning autistic or asperger's syndrome. They would not have (or not readily develop) the social skills humans take for granted, like body language, subtlety, deception, theory of mind, multitasking, etc. Because of their highly efficient telepathic communication, they never needed to. The exaggerated melodramatic personalities and idiot savant dedication they display in the games are how all protoss normally act whether they are running a taco stand or performing routine maintenance.
Setting hooks
A reboot is not beholden to replicating the exact setting of its predecessor. A reboot can change some things up while retaining the same spirit. Here are some examples I thought of for remixing elements of the setting.
How did the zerg come to Koprulu?
The zerg are driven to assimilate the strongest species in the universe and are incapable of diplomacy, peace, mercy, etc. This is (and should be) their defining characteristic regardless of what alternate reality they appear in. This does not explain how they came into conflict with the protoss and terrans.
The Determinant: In the manual, the zerg could not assimilate the protoss because their military was vastly inferior. To this end, the zerg invaded terran space to acquire the “determinant” they need to stand a chance. This is a transparent plot device to justify the terrans being involved in the war between the zerg and protoss when they would otherwise have little reason to do so.
Strange Aeons: On the 1996 Blizzard website, the zerg were explained as having invaded the galaxy in the distant past only to be stopped by the xel’naga. When they return long after the xel’naga’s demise to invade the territories of the terran and protoss civilizations, the Templars invade Koprulu to investigate ruins for clues as to how the zerg were stopped the last time they invaded. (This is similar to how the zerg-analogues in Halo and Mass Effect invaded.)
The Enemy has seen us!: alternately, the conflict was started by the terrans and/or protoss when they intruded on previously isolated zerg territory and alerted them to the new food sources of the outside world. For extra tragedy points, it might be the case that the zerg would never have been able to invade if the other races had not opened the way for them.
What were protoss and terran relations prior to the zerg invasion?
Neutral Zone: In SC1, according to the manual and 1998 website, the terrans and protoss barely interacted. The protoss were aware of the terrans, but most of the terrans were unware of the protoss. The fluff foreshadowed the two races coming into conflict over terran jealousy of the lush protoss worlds. On the 1996 Blizzard website, the terrans and protoss civilizations maintained some kind of cold war.
Open War: Alternately, the terrans and protoss were waging an open war. This may have been started by the terrans trying to claim protoss worlds, the protoss trying to annex the terrans as a client state, a train wreck of misunderstandings at first contact, or any number of other reasons.
I’m ignoring the canon plot and thinking about how things could have gone differently using the SC1 manual as the basis for a multimedia franchise.
Campaign: The Battle for New Texas
On the planet New Texas, Magistrate Ramirez has her hands full with the invading zerg. The Confederacy is not responding to her distress calls. Everything seems lost before mysterious aliens led by Khoros offer their assistance. These “dark templar” excel in hit and run attacks and provide a much needed respite from the zerg horde. A protoss fleet led by rogue judicator Sahaqal arrives and pledges to cleanse the planet of the “filthy infidels.”
I’m signing off here.
New Texas.
Magistrate Ramirez.
lmao
The Confederacy is supposed to be based on the culture of the Southern half of the United States. "New Texas" is a real settlement (a colony of the Confederate remnants, in fact) and "Magistrate Ramirez" is a real judge (multiple judges through history, in fact). I don't understand why you are laughing unless you find amusing coincidences funny.
Huh? I just realized "New Texas" would be a better name for the capital of the New Confederacy. Maybe New New Texas? Or New³ Texas?
Anyway...
At the same time the terran/nerazim alliance is fighting off the protoss, the zerg are having their own problems. The system has two broods assigned to it to seek and harvest psychics. These broods are ancient beings who have served the swarm for millennia and consumed many species (in contrast to the typical depiction of PCs being literally newborns). Their names given by the Confederacy are Narfi and Vaali, after the sons of Loki in Norse myth.
Vaali falls for an experiment performed by Project Bellwood (managed by Nova Squadron and Cerberus Program), which attempts to enslave the brood but loses control. Instead, the brood goes berserk and no longer recognizes the swarm's authority. Now it wants to replicate and conquer the universe. Narfi must now exterminate the rogue Vaali before it can build its own swarm.
Meanwhile, a local detachment of Epsilon Squadron (scientific border patrol and armored corps) lead by Doctor Jessica Wong is monitoring the protoss communications and uses EMP to jam the empire's fleet and deploy mechs to delay them long enough for the New Texas Militia and their nerazim allies to save the planet from annihilation.
Last edited by Mislagnissa; 08-17-2018 at 08:12 AM.
^- that actually sounds pretty dope.