EVE General Discussion

Why should there be one.

Why should there be one.

Similarities nothing beyond that

A really interesting thing about the design of the root backstory is there seem to be two cultural axes going on. If you've ever been an AD&D dork (and still one at heart like me), they're like the Lawful vs. Chaotic axis and the Good vs. Evil axis. Here's a little diagram.

On one side of an axis are the traditionalists (Amarr organized religion zealots and Minmatar shamanistic tribesmen/clansmen). On the other side are the modern utilitarianists (Gallente progressives and Caldari corporate capitalists, both agnostic/don't care).

But for the other axis (hierarchical/authoritarian vs. liberal/egalitarian), Gallente and Minmatar are together on one side and Amarr and Caldari are together on the other.

Interesting to note 1: The real hatred wars are between the races that share either traditionalist or modern outlooks. They're kind of like two faces of the same coin.

Interesting 2: By this simple diagram, Gallente and Amarr have no shared outlooks on the world at all. They would both consider each others' ideas so idea as to be alien. Nut jobs doing something or other out there. Same for the more minor cultures, Caldari and Minmatar. The cultural or societal norms are so different, it's hard to imagine that a regular Caldari citizen could put himself in the shoes of a regular Minmatar citizen.

Interesting 3: The hatred wars are between groups that know each other. If it were about differences in cultural outlook, Amarr and Gallente should be against each other. The same if it were about competition for strategic cosmo-supremacy. But instead, the factions fight the people they know, based a good deal on pure vendetta. The story of the backstory got it right, I think.


Of course, altough Minmatar and Caldari don't share anything on those two axes, the do have something in common-- the citizens are both at the poor end of the spectrum, junior partners in an alliance with another faction, and aware that people in those groups generally have it easier than they do. Perhaps that 2-axis diagram needs a 3rd axis.

Anyway, what a brilliant milieu the original backstory writers created. Not like a game backstory, but like a complete fiction world setting.

Both these groups actually do have flyable ships in game. Society has given us a few event ships: Zephyrs and Gnosis off the top of my head. There is rumour of another one coming too.

Khanid makes a lot of T2 amarr craft. All the black ones I think- Malediction, Sacrilege, and one of the command ships are all done by Khanid. Maybe a few others too.