some backstory questions

[lord of the mark]

1. so whats canonical back story for SMAC

I presume the intro movie, the tech and facility quotes, the the SP movies, the book of planet interludes, and the description of planet in the manual.

ISTR seeing a text of a SMAC "movie" going into detail on the events surrounding the breakup of the unity, but not sure if that is at all "official"

My impression is that the Ely books were all written after the game came out. Are they considered "canonical"?

Of course the rules of the game, including faction attributes would be canoncial.

2. What exactly happened on earth that led to the launching of the Unity - the intro movie, though cool, is not clear to me.

3. I recall seeing stuff about a manifold - but nothing in the game - is that a concept intorduced in SMAX?

[Mr. President]

Journey to Centauri courtesy of the Firaxis website.

Centauri: Arrival also courtesy of the Firaxis website.

As I recall, the Manifold is a concept introduced in Alien Crossfire. Planet is the Sixth Manifold, which the two factions of aliens, the Usurpers (my favorite ) and the Caretakers, are competing over. Control of its integrated systems grants immense power to those who know how to use it.

The Usurpers seek to exploit Planet and cause a Transcendence which will elevate them to the status of gods. The Caretakers seek the exact opposite: they believe that Planet is a living being and that the Usurper Transcendence will kill it.

The control center, if you like, is the Manifold Nexus, which is a landmark in SMAX that gives a +1 Planet modifier to the faction that has it in their territory. (One of my personal favorite landmarks.)

[gwillybj]

Journey to Alpha Centauri will answer some of PotM's questions about Miriam.