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zombaxx

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Jun 13, 2013
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Cyber Kings: Middle Mars
middle mars globe resized.gif

Download Links
GitHub
ModDB
Steam

Intro

Long ago, many centuries after Mars had been fully Terraformed, Earth went dark on the same day all existing electronics on Mars stopped working. All ships not in orbit fell from the sky.

Mars quickly descended into chaos as society collapsed, bringing on a new Dark Age. Most of the population succumbed to famine as governments broke down and nations fractured.

Around 1000 years later humanity is recovering and has entered a new Medieval Era, largely forgetting the accurate history of humanity and the disaster. Few know whether Earth is still around and is thought of as more of a holy icon and legend. Some ideologies reject the concept or existence of Earth as we know it.

Info
This map was created using an edited NASA heightmap with Ck2MapTools, with manual modding afterwards.
The mod uses mostly renamed vanilla features, with some lite Sci-Fi features such as cybernetics and cloning available only through the orbital offmap empire or with a court cywizard.

If you would like to view the full change log, report bugs, have ideas, want to know more about planned features, or would like to join the team please join us at the Discord link located on our Steam page or in the readme.txt file.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why isn't this map shaped like most Terraformed Mars maps?
A. This map uses the Azimuthal Equidistant map projection (same map projection as on the United Nations logo) centered on the south pole because most of Mars's landmass is in the southern hemisphere, while most maps in general use a mercator or equirectangular projection centered on the equator and prime meridian.
This map also has a much higher sea level than most depictions of a Terraformed Mars to make more interesting choke points.

Q. How do I get Cybernetics?
Option 1. As a Grace decision through the offmap empire (requires Jade Dragon DLC)
Option 2. Have a Cywizard in your court or as a direct vassal, do not have the Kind trait, have a prisoner with a cybernetic, then right click the prisoner and choose which cybernetic you would like to steal (cost decreases if you follow the Kemetic religion) How do I perform Genetic Engineering? Have a Cywizard in your court or as a direct vassal, have a child or courtier less than 1 year old, then right click the child and choose which congenital trait you would like added with genetic engineering for a large amount of gold (requirements decrease with tech level, or if you follow the Altered religion).

How do I create Clones?
Option 1. As a Grace decision through the offmap empire (requires Jade Dragon DLC), can only clone yourself this way, cannot clone courtiers.
Option 2 (not yet implemented). Have a Cywizard in your court or as a direct vassal, right click the character you would like to clone and select the Create Clone decision. Has a higher chance of defects than the offmap decision due to using surrogates instead of VAT chambers. How do I buy a Mech? Either be the Spacer religion, have a liege of the Spacer religion, or have an independent neighbor of the Spacer religion. The decision will then be available in the intrigue decisions menu. How do I not lose health when using a Mech? You need the Spacer Physiology, Heavy Worlder, genius, or strong trait, otherwise it takes a toll on your health the first time you plug into a Mech. Why are Mechs so expensive? There is no infrastructure to maintain them on Mars, which makes the cost of keeping them functional astronomical. They are extremely OP to make up for this (they have special battle events in additional to their blanket bonuses), and will be further balanced in future updates.(edited)

Q. What is Cyber Kings?
A. Cyber Kings is the series of Crusader Kings map mods created Zombaxx that includes Middle Mars, Western Pacific, Solar System, New York City, and perhaps a few others someday. It is called Cyber Kings because they all feature an orbital offmap empire that can sell you cybernetic implants, despite the rest of the mod still being a mostly feudal setting. Cyber Kings is also available as a mod template that can be used out-the-box after generating a map with ck2maptools. Anyone is free to implement the Cyber Kings mod template or it’s offmap mechanics into their mod as long as they alert me and credit me.

Current Events - 1066 years After the Disaster (1066 A.D.)

West Argyre, a longtime staple of the Valles Marineris Empire, has been conquered by the treacherous Terraformed who sailed across the Argyrian Sea from Noachis Terra. The Empire stands in shambles, having also ceded their western and north-eastern territories in an independence revolt that resulted in the destruction of many settlements across the once illustrious Valles. The western traitors, calling themselves the Empire of Noctis Fossae, seek to unite the disorganized lands between themselves and the Kingdoms of Alba to become the uncontested regional power to replace Valles Marineris.

Holy Terra, the remnants of modern day Catholics, prepare for the first crusade since before the disaster. The Kingdom of South Alba seems well poised to benefit from this crusade, however, is in a constant state of flux with their Orthodox neighbor, the King of North Alba. Both kingdoms remain unstable due to the rulers not sharing the same culture as their vassals. Nearby are the heathenous regions of Tempe Terra, home to Seaborne Warlords, Olympus Mons, realm of the Hellenic Kingdoms, and Tharsis Montes, where Solarian savages will tie you up and leave you to be judged by the sun. Beyond Tharsis Montes are nomads squabiling among themselves, though who could potentially become an unstopable threat if ever united.

When the once vast lands of Tempe Terra sank into Oceanus Borealis, leaving only the peninsula seen today, the Seaborne rose from the waters. This tragedy eventually developed into an advantage to the Seaborne, as they mastered the oceans and rivers to take what was needed. Their raiders are feared all the way from Mt. Olympus to Valles Marineris, and beyond to the Argyre Sea. They are the boogeymen to all Singularity based religions, including the so-called "Holy" Terra and the "Blessed" Singularity.

While the majority of Holy Terra adherents within West Argyre had long been happy at the prospect of parting ways with the misguided Blessed Singularity Valles Marineris Empire, takeover by blasphemous Terraformed overlords was the last way any self-respecting Singularitan wanted it to occur. They began plotting in secret to take back Western Argyre for Holy Terra, a feat that had long remained a pipe-dream since the missionaries first spread the true faith to Argyre shortly before the rise of the Valles Marineris Empire and the schism between Holy Terra and the Blessed Singularity.

The Remnant, a small island republic of diverse religions in the middle of the Argyre Sea, praises itself as the last beacon of democracy and the old ways of governance, but faces uncertainty while the long stable Valles Marineris Empire crumbles and loses control of West Argyre to Noachis Terra. Now with both sides of the Argyre Sea controlled by the newly united Noachian-Terraformed Empire, will the Remnant be able to maintain their liberty? Democratically elected leaders of the Remnant follow the old, just ways of serving for life, or until removal by faction majority demand, once votes have been counted. While the most respected candidate should generally win in theory, campaign donations, lobbying, and mercenary limits are unrestricted meaning the five corporate families are the only viable candidates.
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A ship from a nearby star system has arrived to investigate in the wake of the disaster. Because light travel is impossible it took this interstellar ship nearly 1000 years to reach its destination in the Solar System. Due to the loss of most of their fleet during the voyage, the crew, known as Spacers, are less prepared than would be viable to complete their mission. They must trade their advanced tech and knowledge, seen as magic by the majority of Martians, for food and resources in order to survive.

When the Spacers first arrived at the Tharsis Montes Space Elevator they were seen as angels descended from Sol by the natives, and unified the many Solarian tribes with the help of their mechanical beast, the Mech. The Solarians soon became aware their new celestial rulers are from a star other than Sol, and are thus demons rather than angels. Most of the "demon" Spacers were driven back by the Solarians in open rebellion, who destroyed the ancient and once holy entrance to the space elevator with the help of the fully Cybernetic prisoners that had escaped Spacer captivity soon after their descent from the cosmos. The remaining Spacers in Tharsis managed to band together and retake control over the Solarians. Their leader quickly became known as the Demon King, who hopes to repair the space elevator as quickly as possible to gain re-enforcements, but the Solarians have plans of his demise, and are holding his heir hostage.

After the Tharsis Montes Space Elevator was destroyed by the Solarian natives the Spacers have pivoted their base of operations on Mars to the less than ideal Planum Australe Region near the South Pole, and Promethei Terra on the Shores of the diverse Hellas Sea. The majority of their fleet had been destroyed during the Long Voyage from Tau Ceti star system to Sol, and most of their resources and infrastructure needed for long term survival had been lost, so the Spacers were forced to settle as many of their people as possible. Unfortunately most of the Spacer population must remain in orbit because Spacers cannot acclimate to the gravity of a planet without special gravity acclimating drugs which were in limited supply on the remaining ship, and must begin trading their remaining cybernetics and mech suits through the space elevator for food and supplies.

Moments before the Spacers first arrived to take young Tara’s people away from the desolate remains of Earth, her father, King of the Survivors, had been murdered in cold blood by his brother in-law, Kane. Years later, once the Spacers had begun settling the shores of Promethei Terra, the Earthers were given a small island of their own in the Hellas Sea. Much to her horror, leadership was given to her treacherous uncle in-law instead of to Tara, the rightful ruler of the Survivors. This made it an easy choice when a mysterious metallic man, dubiously claiming to be her distant relative, asked her to accompany him to western Tharsis Rise, a land where Earth is venerated, and claim her place among them as a true Earther and therefor the rightful ruler of the Holy Terran faithful.


Tau Ceti

Many of the Elite of Tau Ceti receive full cybernetic conversions not only to dramatically enhance their abilities, but also to extend their lifespans to near immortal.
Spacers are generally the working class of the Tau Ceti star system which are unable to adapt to the gravity of a planet without special acclimating drugs due to living their entire lives in low gravity. High gravity without these acclimating drugs would be tortuous or fatal. While Spacers often have minor cybernetics, it is extremely rare that a Spacer in the Tau Ceti would ever become affluent enough to receive a full cybernetic conversion.

Spacers mutinied against the Elite sometime during the ~900 year voyage to Sol from Tau Ceti, but many of the Elite Cyborgs escaped to courts across Mars on the surviving ship’s arrival. Most of the fleet used for the voyage had been lost before reaching Sol, leaving the ship docked atop the space elevators as the only possibility to ever leave the planet. To the common Martian they are known as Cywizards, and greatly sought after for their extraordinary council and abilities. Staying conscious for nearly 1000 years can make anyone crazy, so many of them had been placed in artificial comas for long periods of the voyage to retain their sanity.
Cryogenically freezing, like light travel, does not exist, so the Spacers had been the working class crew, and eventual colonists or soldiers, that the Elite Cyborgs needed.


Special thanks to Galle for letting me use the cybernetic portraits and hats from the original CK2 space mod Crisis of the Confederation,
Rwmroy for adding many features to the mod, TSF4 for his many fixes and suggestions,
and to the following for allowing Rwmroy to incorporate their mods into Middle Mars:
DaMonkey- Knights and Squires
Sinstar- Hostage Mod & Siege Events
mTA- Punishments & Executions
Sarc's Blacksmith mod
Dragatus- Release vassal as tributary
Faiterial's buildings
Cipher's More Realm Laws (Army Professionalism and tax laws)
Nuubialainen- Personal Castle Mod (training yard, library events )

***If you would like to play the Random World game mode instead of the standard bookmark, you need to set the final option 'De jure Kingdoms and Empires' to historical.
Also try my other Random World only maps:
Mars on the more standard Mercator projection
Western Pacific (Australia, South East Asia, and many Pacific Islands)
New York City (map extent is from the Mafia Kings mod)
 
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How did you miraculously lifted the sea level of Mars?
I also think a fantasy mod based on Terra but with its sea level uplifted could be cool.
A large number of ice comets were crashed into Mars to increase the sea level so that a higher population could be supported, more details are available on our discord server.
 
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