TFTD Fanfic Discussion

[The Veteran]

Was going to post more but once I got back from the whole SORESO side track it seemed like a sensible place to stop. Andy's mine so don't kill him! Anyone else is fair game... Except Mark of course

 

Here's a list of the characters on this mission including the two casualties (bottom)

 

Able Seaman Mark Reynolds

Able Seaman Brian Goldstein

Able Seaman Andrew Munt

Able Seaman Matthew Gardna

Seaman Scott Gasvin

Seaman Dale Peterson

Seamen Richard Pritchard

Seaman Peter Brines

Seaman James Burton

Seaman Joseph Crawley

 

In discussion to the posts I'd missed. I agree, Thailand probably had no choice in the matter and 'Free' probably means 'slightly reformed' just to the point where America didn't invade them when they assimilated Thailand. It's probably an uber dictatorship but to be fair I imagine most if not all of the 16 powers are now. You don't annex and assimilate countries that easily if you're playing by the good boy rules...

[Accounting Troll]

Okay, I'll try to post something in the next 24 hours.

[Zager]

Here's a list of the characters on this mission including the two casualties (bottom)

 

You'd think they'd at least send an officer.

[The Veteran]

In fairness XCom is really less operational than SORESO... They've scraped together enough cash to make this base and equip a few rookie divers that probably came from any old where in the civilian world with the worst equipment in the world... I would personally suggest that the only officer they have is safely on base somewhere... Besides, its only a routine mission. They've done this a million times and never found anything. Why should they expect to now? And trust me, I'm in the military, an officer would NEVER go on a mission if they thought there was less than a 100% chance they were needed there. And they'd definitely never go if they thought there was more than a 0% chance of hostiles in the area! Officers are just normal people with degrees who can take a rifle apart in less than a day. They have no place anywhere except behind a desk...

 

But that's my 'I hate the forces' rant out of the way, nice to see you in here Zag, care to join in the jovialities?

[Accounting Troll]

I've posted my next chapter. Please be gentle as a troll's ego is a very fragile thing

 

The US Navy likes to name its capital ships after ex presidents (insert Bill Clinton joke here), so I couldn't resist mentioning a USS Jeb Bush to give us a nice dystopian element

 

I've also mentioned the X-Com scenario for Civilization II that was released by Microprose, partly because it was my first X-Com experience. It was set on Phobos in 2008, and X-Com had sent three avengers full of soldiers to destroy the alien forces it had detected there. I thought that it might help explain why the software tycoon who kept X-Com afloat was so reluctant to believe that the aliens had been totally defeated in the first alien war.

 

Also the divers who first see an aquatoid close up mistakenly identify it as a Sectoid. In the early days of the war, X-Com would probably think that they were up against alien survivors of the previous war who had managed to regroup.

 

Zager, I can understand your point about the officer. I've never really liked the way that in the first three X-Com games, the soldiers you get at the start are a bunch of raw recruits. If X-Com is supposed to be recruiting the best soldiers on the planet, why doesn't it at least scrounge a few men off the US Navy SEALS or the British SAS?

 

EDIT: I've started and pinned a character profile thread. Maybe we could have a profile for F. Denman Williams.

 

I feel that the Gillmen are victims of the aliens just as much as humans are, so I'd like to have a Gillman character who ends up siding with X-Com later on.

[The Veteran]

Haven't checked out the post yet but will do now. yes we should have higher ranking soldiers but not yet. Point is atm XCom isn't handpicking the best recruits, they're getting stuck with the cheapest... In this day and age of Bermuda like activity its hard to convince someone to dive at mysterious wrecks! The reasons are rather obvious I think...

 

Yeah like the sectoid/aquatoid thing, makes perfect sense, very clever!

 

Gillmen are very much slaves, we'll keep the prospect of them as allies until much later in the fic though so good though it is as an idea don't jump into it anytime soon!

 

Denman is a nut job, I imagine we'll hear a lot more of his exploits as we go on in the fic but I expect after the first USO he tries to intercept destroys all of his vessels in an instant, he'l be pretty much finished!

[Accounting Troll]

With the Gillmen thing, X-Com probably wouldn't make much progress in persuading them to change sides until it figures out a lot of the alien technology, including the MC implants.

[The Veteran]

true, then it wouldn't be so much 'would you like to?' as 'you would like to!'

 

Read and posted this is moving quicker than any of the other fics ever do, but we need more people... We can't run a fic with two characters!

[The Veteran]

For those who are interested I just uploaded an old piece of my own fiction I did a while ago. It was meant as a replacement for the Interlude section of XCom's official timeline in accordance with the various fics we do here. It's not 100% with what we have so far here but a couple of edits in my own posts and it soon will be Link is here

[Dumb_Commander]

Right now at this moment i have brain damage so i cant post right now.

[The Veteran]

Yeah, we know... You want some people to write you a TFTD fanfic... We're doing it! Give us a while and we'll bne at T'Leth before you know what's hit you!

 

Look DC... To be honest, this fic is moving quicker than most. That's because its in its early days to be fair but its still booting out a fair few posts every week. Look at the last posts in UFO and Apoc. They're months ago! (nudge nudge!) But we're doing alright... I know the TFTD fic was your obsession but don't worry too much about posting if all we're going to get is a few lines of character-less dialogue...

 

The rule is, that if a post wouldn't be missed within the fanfic then don't post it! So for example, if someone posted a suggestion of an aquanaut tuirning around? I'd deletye it in seconds... We don't need posts that don't progress the story so don't worry about it.

 

If you don't have time or content to post then just don't post! Noone's going to think any less of you for it! At the end of the day the fics are more my responsibility than yours so if they start slipping then I'll be to blame not you!

 

Now let's get a frigging groove on and start thes fics a moving again! All three of the bad boys! Lets GO GO GO!!!!!

[Accounting Troll]

I should be able to post something in the next day or two. The most recent post wrapped up the first mission with the surviving characters feeling relieved to have got out of that situation alive. I'd like to have F. Denman Williamns persuading the UN to reactivate X-Com, thus giving them the right to operate across the planet as they choose.

 

I think that he will be partially motivated by the desire to prevent humanity being destroyed by the aliens, but there are going to be a couple of other factors:

 

1. He wants future generations to remember him as the guy who saved X-Com from the budget cutters, thus allowing X-Com to save humanity. He must be getting on a bit by 2040, so his thoughts are probably turning to his legacy.

 

2. His company could make a fortune if it patents all that lovely alien technology X-Com aquires during the war...

 

 

EDIT: Installment added. I've got the UN ready to reacitvatre X-Com and explained why they have to do this, explained away why F Denman Williams doesn't seem to help out X-Com financially in the early months of the war and set out a possible strategy for X-Com to follow in the next few weeks.

Edited April 28, 2006 by Accounting Troll

[The Veteran]

Just read the latest movements, good post AT, moves us along nicely. Personally I'm not too keen on Denman's involvement with XCom at this point. I'm a keen follower of his insanity trait. It was written in some time ago by the writer of the SORESO saga I believe and it was followed up in the official timeline that he'd basically lost it mid 30s... I didn't realise until I'd reread my own story that I linked to earlier that I remembered how XCom had died and been reborn but personally I'm still a fond follower of the SORESO tales. Of how Denman bought XCom's Elerium salvage bases off them after the project had been cancelled by the funding nations and how he'd then tried to lead the war against the aliens himself. His greead and need for legacy got the better of him though and nothing else was as important to him as himself. XCom was reinstatd when Denman had proved he was incapable of fighting the war. And that was about a week before the Hyperion disaster... Unfortunately, that means I'd messed up on my second post. I sent us down the wrong road and unfortunately with a co-op fic. I can't put us back on track alone! AT this is just for you because I can see its only your toes it would step on and a lot of work went into that last post. But read the story I linked to earlier 'Alpha-01' its in the TFTD download section here. See what you think and how much you really want to involve Denman. I certainly wouldn't give him free reign on alien technology and nor would any government in the world! Its first come first served then into Area-51 style bunkers with the lot of it! Just like Roswell... See what you think though. At the moment theres not much work in changing the story a little but obviously, I'm a bit late so we can carry on the way we're going if you like. I just don't like contradicting other people's fiction, especially when we steal their characters!

[Zager]

Here comes your new chief scientists. A man who you'll all be familiar with, no doubt, developed as I envisioned him being developed over the course of the first alien war.

[The Veteran]

Yeah I love bringing Zager back, but 95? Was he really middle aged in UFO? I thought he was late 20s early 30s... Shows how much attention I pay! It's made even cooler though because he'll know my new characters grandparents I'm saying nothing though just in case certain people don't know the family tree!

 

AT, the basic jist of the timeline between UFO and TFTD, taken jointly from the official timeline, SORESO fanfics and personal fiction is along these lines...

 

First alien war ends early in 2002

XCom funding now targets Elerium retrieval from aqautic wrecks for research

XCom constructs an underwater base in the Normandy sea cliffs (Alpha-01)

XCom carries out Elerium retrieval operations until 2003 when it exhausts nearby crash sites

2 more bases are completed, XCom moves to Alpha-02 in the seabed North of Australia

Elerium retrieval continues until late 2004 when inert Elerium is retrieved with increasing frequency

June 2005 Australian crash sites are exhausted and XCom funding is cut

Alpha-01 and 03 are closed indefinitely, Alpha-02 continues R&D on its remaining funds

Alpha-02 closes due to lack of funds

2009 AW1 veterans launch a privately funded expedition to Mars to search for Elerium

On their unsuccesful return the Avenger is donated to America

2010 The US donates a revival fund to allow XCom to develop synthetic elerium

2012 The US cuts funding on slow and expensive elerium research. XCom decomissions again

Late 2012 F. Denman Williams purchases Alpha-03 a floating base in the pacific with the front of an oil rig

Denman forms SORESO and continues XCom's search for Elerium in downed UFOs

In following years the Cult of Sirius emerges as do the Inquisitors, XCom Veterans

In 2036 the Inquisitors and the CoS fought to the death annihilating most of both sides

In 2039 mysterious disappearances are reported, ships and planes vanishing

Denman heeds rumours of alien invasion and prepares for war.

Denman develops new aquatic technology, flying subs, DUtorpedos and submersible weapons systems

The experimental SORESO craft Khimtar is lost near Titanic, Denman conceals this from the governments he is trying to aquire funding from

2 months later the Pentagon recieves a belated distress call from Khimtar and become suspicious of Denman

Late 2039 Denman demonstrated his new vessels to the governments of the world

A prototype flying sub implodes whilst diving killing all onboard. The governments halt the demo

Early in 2040 Denman is removed from the project due to his repeated 'deceptions' and suspected mental instability

SORESO is disbanded and Denman's staff are moved to Alpha-01 late in 2040, XCom lives

Barracuda and Triton prototypes are created from Denman's flawed genius.

Alpha-01 became the 'XCom Experimental Underwater Facility'. Or more simply 'Ocean Base 1' nicknamed 'Le Rock'

At the close of 2040 the liner Hyperion is sunk by forces unknown.

XCom attends the wreck and confirms an alien presence. AWII begins

 

Again, the link to the eniter section of timeline between UFO and TFTD is here

 

 

 

 

 

THIS POST ORIGINALLY BY ACCOUNTING TROLL

 

Okay, I've changed my story somewhat.

 

I've used the idea that the UN strongly suspected that F. Denman Williams was more interested in personal glory than the good of humanity. However, the UN action in taking control over SORESO is still theft of corporate property.

 

I've changed the date of his dismissal to December 2040 because I wanted to show how and why they got rid of him without upsetting other corporations. It also occurs to me that he has just become a political liability; such an obsessional type is going to plot to regain control over SORESO/X-Com and denounce those who said he was mad. The most logical thing for the political backers of X-Com to do is to have F. Denman Williams quietly assassinated.

 

My character suggests keeping a watch on the seas between Rockall and Iceland: in the Cold War, British and American nuclear submarines had permanat patrols along there because it was the only way Soviet nuclear submarines could get into the North Atlantic. I would expect the depth of the seas to be an important factor in the location of the other X-Com bases in the coming months.

 

The conflict between the Cultists and the Inquisitors could have some potential. What role do you guys want the Cultists to have as the story develops?

 

 

 

 

 

Okay so apparently we've lost a few posts in the last day or so when the forums have moved. Thankfully this is where people figure out that I actually am a moderator, I'm just a damn lazy one! These are the discussion posts that we lost and the character profiles are good too. Unfortunately AT we seem to have lost the modification you made to the fic. I can drag out the original post time and time again but can't for the life of me get my hands on the edited version. I'll keep looking for a while longer but if I don't post it up there by the time you read this then I'm afraid its long gone

 

Regarding your last post in here not sure about the Cult of Sirius, they're underground at the moment since the battle with the Inquisitors preety much wiped out both sides. Any surviving Inquisitors will probably be hired back into XCom now though so that would make a good character for someone who wants that storyline to play with!

 

As for future XCom bases, it does occur to me that there already are two more bases technically... Following on from the piece of fic I keep linking to, this base we're using is Alpha-01. Its sunk a hundred odd meters into the Western sea cliffs of Normandy, nicknamed 'Le Rock' simply because its in a big french piece of rock... And I know rock isn't french for rock, its English, its ironic... possibly...

 

But point being... Alpha-02 has already been sunk into the seabed north of Australia and Alpha-03 is a floating base with the front of an oilrig near Hawaii ii I remember correctly... These bases already have hangars, stores, accomodation and sonar so they're fully functioning. Unfortunately we can't afford to use them so right now all but the sonars are switched off but that might help solve another problem...

 

In your post AT, old and new, you talk about detection of USOs. Now at the moment we don't know that these things can fly. We know we can but that just lets us think we have the upper hand! So for now its all bout covering the sea, choke points like you mentioned and say a sonar station in the middle of the pacific?! Alpha-03 already monitors those waters so all it needs is some information on international shipping and we'd be away. Same with Alpha-02 down under. That gives us a lot of sonar coverage and with a little funding we can get on to constructing advanced sonar stations in all three bases right away. That would cover us for detection quite realistically...

[Accounting Troll]

Post redone.

 

Regarding the location of the base, DC said that it was off the west coast of Ireland, which makes good sense militarily as you have nice easy access to the Atlantic deeps. The English Channel is little more than a mudflat; at low tide it won't make any difference whether the base is on the sea bed or floating. Submarine commanders hate entering shallow water. The one advantage the English Channel has is that it's so busy that the aliens would find it hard to pick out X-Com flying subs from the civilian traffic.

 

I might add that there's a mistake in the official timeline - the Second Alien War begins in 2040, not 2041. By now I suspect it would be easier to reprogram TFTD than to change that detail.

 

It's possible that the Cultists will attempt to help the aliens infiltrate human society, and they will probably attempt to get a spy inside the X-Com ranks, but I doubt they will fancy a direct confrontration unless the war causes a major increase in their support. Let's hope that X-Com have the sense to do a background check on new recruits.

 

Regarding the capabilities of the USOs, I agree. X-Com probably won't realise that they are capable of air flight until a Barracuda chases one over land. It's probably going to take them months to figure out that this bunch of aliens aren't simply unfinished business from the last war.

 

One thought about when X-Com starts gettimng new bases: will we be telling their stories as well or just concentrating on Alpha 1 and using the other bases as dumping grounds for poster controlled characters when the poster is going to be too busy to contribute for a few weeks or months?

[The Veteran]

I'd say we'll probably deal with additional bases the way they were handled in the Apocalypse fic... By which I don't mean have the aliens blow them up rather deal with them in an off hand sort of way. So we always know what's happening there and what missions they fly etc. but they won't necessarily be documented so well as those missions flown from Alpha-01

 

Why on earth did I have it in my head that the war started 2041 then? That's a bit bizarre! No matter, I'll have a check through the fic and see if its worthe editing. I'll try to I think...

 

Yeah the Cult will no doubt try to muck us about, they're already doing it in the other two fics so this one won't be much different! Bonus is, they can't exactly trespass or spy as we're now underwater!

 

Location isn't a massive issue either way but we need to decide fairly soon. My defense of Normandy would be that our subs don't stay in the water, they stay in the air. Only reason they're submersible at all is because their weapons don't work above sea level... I suppose I can be twisted into a base in Ireland though, after you've rewritten your post twice just because I asked!

 

Just edited through the fic, only a few minor changes with regards to SORESO/XCom ownership of the operation and my initial post with regards to XCom itself. Also we've never used the date in our fic so we can stick to the genuine 2040 start in ours.

[Accounting Troll]

I think the mistake was in the official timeline that came with Interceptor. The community has naturally treated the official timeline as canon so the mistake keeps getting duplicated. The only other possibility I can think of is that maybe different versions of the game have different start dates; I'm using the really old one that only works properly with DOSbox.

 

It's only a difference of one year, so it doesn't really matter.

[uriaheep]

Well I've read all the posts here and I'm still not sure what's going on.

[Accounting Troll]

That makes you an ideal choice for the supreme commander of X-Com. Generals and admirals never have a clue what's going on

[The Veteran]

How can you not know what's going on, there's hardly anything happening at all yet If certain aspects of the fic are unclear just let us know and either the orginal poster or myself can work on editing the fic into something more understandable! I'll try and post soon, I've ben off on an adventure of my own for the last day or so... Believe me, they're overrated!

[Dumb_Commander]

Good, i'm gonna consertrate on the UFO Fan Fic for now. As for the other thing, whos gonna post next?

[uriaheep]

Okay, okay - I've got it. I wanna play.

 

What next - character?

[The Veteran]

Yes please! If you're interested in joining any (or all ) of the cooperative fics here just head over to the respective character profiles topic and make your mark on the world of XCom! Have a read through of the fic so far and also the discussion topic as sometimes they cover some small explanations and guidelines relating to certain aspects of the fics. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask myself or someone else about anything. I hope you enjoy the fic!

[Accounting Troll]

I've been thinking about the first research task for the scientists. The jet harpoons that X-Com uses in the early missions in TFTD are hopelessly outclassed by the alien sonic weapons, and they can't even penetrate the armour many of the alien species have. The first priority therefore has to be to develop Gauss weapons.

 

Gauss pistols are useful against some of the alien species on burst mode at close range, but they lack the accuracy needed for medium or long range engagements and they don't have the killing power X-Com needs against tasoths, lobstermen and many of the alien terrorist species. X-Com will have to keep working on Gauss technology until it develops the Gauss rifle.

 

After that, the next priority should be to develop aqua plastic armour followed by medikits and alien grenades. The alien weapons are so powerful that there's no point adapting the AWI medikit design to work underwater until you havce some decent armour - one hit is almost always fatal for your soldiers until they get some armour.

 

By the time X-Com has developed all that, it will have just attempted its first alien colony mission or sea lane terror mission. After running into tasoths and lobstermen, and probably getting its butt kicked, X-Com is going to be desperate to develop more powerful weapons.

 

Remember that you can only research aqua plastics and hence aqua plastic armour once you have done a Deep One autopsy, so X-Com had better win the first Gillman terror mission.

 

Also, Gauss technology is an adaptation of AW1 plasma technology to work underwater using a power source other than elerium. In view of the major technological breakthrough this represents, I would imagine that Zager's character and his disciples have already worked out the theory but they refused to take it any further until now because of the moral implications of creating a weapon that humans would use to slaughter each other.