Suggestion for the fluff of psionics

[_Chrysippus_]

They do. I've had psionic materialists before.

The only real problem seems to be that just seeing proof of psionics isn't enough to make materialists go down that line of research. They need an expert scientist (or, I think the 2.2 patch notes said a psionic scientist works too).

Having any psionic pops, or seeing a psionic entity, or fighting against psionic troops etc, should be enough.

That's what I mean, all skepticism would fly out the window if a materialist soldier had his mind invaded by a psionic one.

 

[Rip Off Productions]

My suggestion would be that everybody can Psionically "Ascend", but different Ethos have different interactions with the Shroud, with Spiritualists having the easiest time developing Psionically to begin with, and being the only ones who can strike deals with "gods" who provide the greatest risk/reward content, while Materialists are restricted to stuff like extracting resources from the Shroud, and the basic benefits of psychic trait for POPs and leaders.

 

[_Chrysippus_]

My suggestion would be that everybody can Psionically "Ascend", but different Ethos have different interactions with the Shroud, with Spiritualists having the easiest time developing Psionically to begin with, and being the only ones who can strike deals with "gods" who provide the greatest risk/reward content, while Materialists are restricted to stuff like extracting resources from the Shroud, and the basic benefits of psychic trait for POPs and leaders.

That sounds pretty cool. I do think the shroud needs a bit more fleshing out and it does a leave a lot to be desired, but so do the other ascension paths.

 

[Lamey]

I agree that it feels like the materialists are just as, if not more, dogmatic than the spiritualists in this game. It's a pretty common trope for "scientists" in fiction - and one that flies in the face of reality.

I wish cybernetics had an alternative second stage to synthetic ascension. As I kind of agree with the spiritualists on that one - it feels more like mass suicide than ascension.

That said... I'm not sure spiritualists are right either. The shroud actually seems to define psychic energy as extra-dimensional in nature. Spiritualists seem drawn to strange and dangerous entities. It doesn't seem like they're finding God - it seems like they're looking for God and finding "whatever will answer"

 

[Acheron]

Cool ideas guys! The Shroud... what about this, materialists figure out psionics all right. However, the way they see it, it is just a huge invitation to otherworldly entities (Shroud and friends) to take over your mind ("soul" if they weren't materialists and is something that ought to be fixed, not embraced?

 

[Peter34]

They can simply disregard it as silly superstition. Imagine ghost are real and you saw one, would materialist believe you? probably not

Pics or it didn’t happen.