Everything is connected about aliens

[Hertzila]

back to my first post, all the games that have aliens in it, they have something in common with other games. don't you think it's a bit weird as a coincidence??

Not really, it isn't/might not be a coincidence. I mean, UFO:AI wouldn't have aliens (most likely) if the original XCOM wouldn't had. Aliens are also a rather useful trope/thing to use for writers. Need an antagonist/protagonist/sidekick with unnatural abilities and/or technology far beyond ours (and what is possible) but no mythology has something like that? Use aliens! You can give them any powers or tech you want without any historian or religious person coming to complain because "you misinterpreted something"! _{Though you may get angry astronomers and physics professors instead.}

Really, when it first was thought that this planet is actually not alone here and that there are others, I'm fairly sure somebody very quickly came up with the idea that there might be others living there like we live here.

[DarkRain]

That makes me think:

What about the aliens that have no supernatural abilities and inferior technology? That is the aliens of a younger civilization, no one seems to think about them thogh they are equally likely (or rather unlikely) as the ones with a more advanced civiliztion

[Thrashard96]

you are right, but those who are advanced are way stronger.

[Hertzila]

That makes me think:

What about the aliens that have no supernatural abilities and inferior technology? That is the aliens of a younger civilization, no one seems to think about them thogh they are equally likely (or rather unlikely) as the ones with a more advanced civiliztion

That reminds me of the theory that humanity is actually the first species to make it into the space. As such, it turns the tables: WE'RE the ones that try to invade other civilizations and get blown up Independence style.
Or more likely, try to coexist with other(, lesser) species (or brutally take their planet(s)) with only every now and then a war breaking over some system or planet. Really, the only real resources when a civilization makes it into space and gets the ability to mine asteroids are industrial capacity (rather important, factory building is still a slow process), habitable planets (importance lessened when capable of huge-scale terraforming but still these would likely stay the primary cause of wars), population (at least in new colonies getting this up ASAP is important) and research capabilities (not really that important intra-civilization but between two civs, keeping the bleeding-edge tech better than adversary's would be a war of it's own).
And of cource if the highly unlikely situtation comes up where a planet has very rare but valuable mineral, it could spark a war of its own over the resources but this isn't really that likely. What are the odds that we find a suddenly revolutionizing mineral from the next planet (that suddenly becomes an irrationaly important part of our continued existence [and the planet happens to be habitable and very green {with giant blue furries}])?

you are right, but those who are advanced are way stronger.

If there are any. If they're capable of coming here with FTL, then they might be stronger (what if they've lived an incredibly peaceful existence and as such they barely have the idea of warfare). However, would you still consider them stronger if they'd invent the FTL travel a year before humanity does?

[Thrashard96]

what is FTL?

[Hertzila]

what is FTL?

Faster Than Light
Faster-than-light travel, especially.

[Thrashard96]

Right on time, my phone received the email .

[DarkRain]

That reminds me of the theory that humanity is actually the first species to make it into the space. As such, it turns the tables: WE'RE the ones that try to invade other civilizations and get blown up Independence style.

Do you think that would make a good theme for an hypotetical alternate campaign for UFO:AI? -- I mean the invading other civs part not the getting blown one btw.

[Hertzila]

Do you think that would make a good theme for an hypotetical alternate campaign for UFO:AI? -- I mean the invading other civs part not the getting blown one btw.

Completely possible. At least when/if the alien campaign is brought back, "fully implemented" (so that playing with them means you get periodic reinforcements and such; no money). Then it wouldn't be necessary to rework some main parts of the campaign.

Mostly it would depend on the general feel and writing. Most importantly, it would need a genuine reason for the humans to not just use "Orbital bombardment" with super effective results. For the XVI-aliens it's that they want our bodies alive, not dead in gibs. But humans would want something I said a couple posts upwards instead and the only thing aliens would be useful is science (alliance/population is unlikely if we're invading them and slave labour for ind. cap. is more easily done with robots).

It might also be a bit boring if you're just owning them like mad (like the XVIs are/were doing) so they would need their own special way to resist us (in UFO:AI it's our great research and adaptability). Like psionics, particle beams (humanity might still ride with lasers and bullets) or outright magic.
Magic especially might prove interesting, as it would turn into a race of who manages to master the other's speciality first.

[Thrashard96]

Another question: why people always begin fights?? Why there can't be a peaceful opinion??

[Hertzila]

Because human nature is violent. Because sometimes, when someone wants or needs something very badly, he will resort to direct, effective violence (whether it was Dave two blocks away who didn't want to buy you a drink after your tenth, a nation fighting for independence or for another country's resources). Because maniacs, sociopaths and psychopaths exist.

And besides, at least we realize that killing each other is not all fine and dandy and try to actively stay away from it. Unlike, say, ants.

[Thrashard96]

a bit too violent.

[XCOMTurcocalypse]

IT is also logical for a species to secretly manipulate humanity to be more peaceful, reducing population, disabling nukes and other weapons especially (or making them controlled by one gov) and be more environment and resource efficient.

If I wanted to conquer Earth for its bio resources and location, invading with UFO's head on would result:

-Humanity retaliating with nukes from hundreds of locations. Even if aliens win, the result would cost them a lot and irradiate all the precious biosphere.
-Armed and numerous humanity will put up a fight and even when token fighting, will make exploitation more costly.

So if you are the leader of an alien invasion force, whats the best thing to do?

Infiltrate government, ruin target planet's independence and business, increase taxes, make costly environmental cleaning at the cost of many businesses, make strict gun controls, disable all the nukes, make people extremely dependent on Government.

Makes humanity an easy target. Initiate invasion.

Just a thought.

[Hertzila]

IT is also logical for a species to secretly manipulate humanity to be more peaceful, reducing population, disabling nukes and other weapons especially (or making them controlled by one gov) and be more environment and resource efficient.

If I wanted to conquer Earth for its bio resources and location, invading with UFO's head on would result:

-Humanity retaliating with nukes from hundreds of locations. Even if aliens win, the result would cost them a lot and irradiate all the precious biosphere.
-Armed and numerous humanity will put up a fight and even when token fighting, will make exploitation more costly.

So if you are the leader of an alien invasion force, whats the best thing to do?

Infiltrate government, ruin target planet's independence and business, increase taxes, make costly environmental cleaning at the cost of many businesses, make strict gun controls, disable all the nukes, make people extremely dependent on Government.

Makes humanity an easy target. Initiate invasion.

Just a thought.

Fun fact I read from a blog of a future member of our Parliament: The western peace movement was originally a secret soviet sabotage/espionage program to reduce the amount of western nukes and combat readiness in case the soviets needed to invade. Kinda puts the movement in a different light, doesn't it?

E: One thing you, in a way, forgot: While human ICBMs could work as makeshift planetary defence missiles, they wouldn't be that effective and the aliens could just pummel us into the ground from orbit. "Alien ship uses Orbital bombardment!" "It's super effective!"

[Sarin]

However, using high-energy weaponry would cause collateral damage.

If I'd want Earth without humans, I'd go for biological agents. Nothing like good ol' plague to bring the cost of property down...