Shogo Adversaries
Enemies, like most of the game, can be split into an on-foot or MCA situation. It is possible, however that you will be able to face MCA on foot (good luck!) and face foot soldiers in an MCA (hurt 'em good!).
Below is a current enemy list. The list will grow over time:
Trooper - Basic Soldier
Shock Trooper - Soldier in heavier armor
Civilians - By-standers, innocents, on-lookers depending on context
Raksha - a "special" edition MCA for the truly gifted
Andra 5 - MCA version of the basic soldier
Andra 10 - MCA version of the shock trooper
Ruin 150 - Battle tank
Uhlan Walker - Spider tank (a la Ghost in the Shell)
This list will get more comprehensive as we approach ship date.
Shogo Storyline
The following is a transcript of the official storyline:
Story Index
Friends for Life
The Cronian Revolution
The Megacorporations & the UCA
Kato Energy
Developments on Cronus
A Shining City
Tragedy Strikes
The Aftermath
The Rise of Gabriel
Friends for Life
Sanjuro and Toshiro Makabe were orphaned at an
early age and ended up at a military academy on
the colony world upon which they were born. At the
academy, they befriended two sisters, Kura and
Kathryn, daughters of Commodore Nathaniel
Akkaraju, stationed there with his family. They also
befriended Baku Ogata, a scrawny runt of a kid who
was often the victim of bullies.
Sanjuro, who was younger than his brother, was
successful at whatever he attempted to do. He was
also popular, for he was a smart, spunky kid with a
lot of bravado and a good sense of humor. Toshiro,
tormented by their parents' deaths, was more
cunning and deliberate than his brother, but he was
also quiet and difficult to get to know. As any child
would, Toshiro resented his brother's facility with
people and social situations. More importantly, he
resented the favoritism Sanjuro earned simply by
being so damned likable.
Kura and Sanjuro had a love/hate relationship. They
thrived on teasing and abusing each other, but it
was merely an elaborate, naïve form of flirtation.
Eventually, as pretty much everybody who knew
them had predicted from early on, they became
lovers.
Shortly after the friends graduated, Commodore
Akkaraju's wife died in an attack on the colony. The
situation was complicated. He knew she was in
danger, but his orders were to remain at his post.
He asked for a replacement to cover for him while
he went to find her, but the request was denied.
Rather than disobeying orders, he stood by his post,
even when his daughters found him and pleaded
with him to go. When his wife died in the attack,
Akkaraju swallowed his shame and grief. Kura railed
against him, calling him a murderer and a coward.
He let her have her say without defending himself or
trying to calm her, for it was his duty as a father.
Kathryn, meanwhile, coped with the situation very
differently. She knew that her father could have
done nothing except get himself killed as well, so
she never blamed him. But the implications of the
military career she was about to enter suddenly
crystalized. She vowed never to use a weapon
against another human being and arranged to enter
a non-combatant position in the UCASF so that she
could still be with her friends.
For his courage and commitment during the attack
on the colony, Akkaraju was given command of the
UCASF Leviathan, the flagship of the UCA, and
promoted to admiral. That the defining moment of
his career should also be such a defining moment in
his personal life drove him to pursue his duty to the
UCA even more religiously.
Meanwhile, with the beginning of the Cronian
Revolution, Admiral Akkaraju was sent to Cronus by
UCASF high command.
The Cronian Revolution
At first glance, Cronus (technically 46CronusD, the
fourth planet in the nearly dead Cronus system)
seems like an unlikely place to play such a critical
role in the future of humanity. It is a hostile, barren
world with a poisonous atmosphere, incessant
volcanic and seismic activity, and an unexceptional
collection of minerals easily mined from hundreds of
thousands of more accessible asteroids and moons,
not to mention the handful of human-colonized
worlds.
However, when a deep space probe sent to the
system to collect scientific data for cataloging
purposes detected chemically compelling organic
material in soil samples, the United Corporate
Authority (UCA) was formed by three dominant
megacorporations (Andra Biomechanics, Armacham
Technology Corporation, and Shogo Industries) and
a jointly funded manned expedition was launched.
That early venture found rich deposits of the organic
material, dubbed kato for the probe that discovered
it (the Shogo DSP Katoki).
It would be over a decade before the benefits of
kato energy would become apparent and interstellar
travel would change forever...
The Megacorporations & the UCA
Each of the megacorporations contributing to the
Cronus expedition had a vested interest in the
mission at hand. Andra Biomechanics, founded in
Moscow in the early 21st century by Natalya
Andropov, a renowned researcher on the Human
Genome Project, grew to specialize in a variety of
genetic engineering, cybernetic, and mechanical
engineering interests. Their products included
medical bioengineering technologies, cybernetically
assisted prosthetics, and even anthropomorphic
mobile engineering vehicles (MEVs) used in
construction, mining (terrestrial and otherwise),
and demolition. They also did early research and
development of mobile combat armor (MCAs) and
armaments.
Shogo Industries, a Japanese conglomerate, had
interests ranging from technology to publishing to
the manufacture of children's clothing. With the
advent of MEVs and MCAs, Shogo decided to offer
their own highly advanced line of giant mechanized
suits. Their designs were well received both for
functionality and aesthetics. They also distinguished
themselves for space-based product lines and
microcomputer technology.
Armacham Technology Corporation got its start with
the manufacture of commercial satellites and
ground-based communication systems. Eventually,
they would expand to encompass civilian and
military vehicle manufacture, musical equipment,
security systems, and, predictably enough, MEV and
MCA technologies. Their MCAs (they discontinued
their MEV lines after some early experiments)
immediately caught the attention of the private
sector and various military organizations alike.
Sleeker and sexier than the offerings of their
competitors, Armacham's MCAs were and still are
considered the most striking MCAs available. Of
course, form without function is useless, and
Armacham delivers there as well. While not as
rugged as Andra MCAs or as sophisticated as Shogo
MCAs, Armacham's designs are reliable and hardy.
The UCA, originally intended as a joint venture that
would ensure the continued profitability and
expansion of the three organizations that founded
it, took on a life of its own almost immediately. With
its status as the primary regulatory agency for
interstellar commerce, the UCA quickly swelled into
an unwieldy bureaucracy. It was only after
dissociating itself from its progenitors that it was
able to restructure itself and become more efficient,
simultaneously forming the United Corporate
Authority Security Force (UCASF), which would soon
become the dominant military power in existence.
Within a decade, it was involved in the manufacture
of deep space vessels, aircraft, ground-based
vehicles, and MCAs. While the UCA's early entries in
the MCA market were poorly received, subsequent
models, especially the Defender and Enforcer, rank
as some of the best MCAs available.
Kato Energy
What makes kato especially enticing and useful is its
unique chemical composition. Being of an organic
nature, kato at first seemed comparable to
petroleum-a vestigial remnant of ancient indigenous
life. On further examination, however, it was
discovered that kato is actually alive in some sense,
although no more sentient than algae.
The importance of kato derives from its reaction to
high temperatures. When burned, kato passes
through several stages of recomposition before
losing its volatility. Each of these stages produces
an impressive amount of energy, but it's what
happens at the subatomic level that proves the
most beneficial.
In the course of its chemical breakdown, kato emits
a tachyon field that can be harnessed to allow an
object (such as a vehicle) contained within the field
to tunnel (i.e. move from one place to another
without passing through each increment of space in
between), thereby travelling at superluminal
speeds. Space travel without kato energy would be
like walking from New York to Los Angeles versus
flying there in a Concorde. As you can imagine,
interplanetary travel without kato energy is entirely
impractical.
Developments on Cronus
The population of Cronus grew steadily and rapidly,
even when the first underground colony, Avernus,
was devastated by a series of powerful earthquakes
that led to a mass migration to the burgeoning city
of Maritropa.
Avernus, although abandoned, continued an eerie
quasi-life of its own, for its geothermal energy
supply still pumped life through the city, powering
streetlamps, heating ducts, atmospheric
processors, hydroponic farms, and condensation
collectors. Those few who had chosen to remain
behind were able to sustain themselves with a
minimal amount of maintenance and repair.
Many of these holdouts (dubbed stragglers) were
former miners driven to psychological breakdown by
the pressures of long hours, horrible working
conditions, and long-term exposure to raw kato
residue, which had been demonstrated to have a
corrosive effect on unprotected flesh even in
particulate form, leading to respiratory ailments,
skin rashes, and even blindness. Though the term
"straggler" was originally aimed at those who had
remained in Avernus, it eventually grew to
encompass anyone displaying these characteristics.
A Shining City
Maritropa, unlike its ailing sister city, was intended
from its incorporation to be a sparkling metropolis
that afforded all the accustomed luxuries of other,
comparatively vital colony worlds to its diverse
inhabitants. The vast, snaking reinforced cavern
system that housed Maritropa flourished with
greenery, artificial light, and cosmopolitan life.
For all its self-imposed glory, Maritropa wasn't the
utopia it pretended to be, though. The lower sectors
of the city eventually began to fall into disrepair as
the aristocracy moved to the Canopy Section, a
series of buildings suspended from the cavern
ceiling. Using a material called Stion™ (developed
by Armacham) which becomes highly tensile when
charged with an electrical current, engineers
devised a support structure with a tremendous
load-bearing capacity. The view from the slums
affords an ironic perspective of the hierarchical
structure of Maritropan society.
By the time the revolution began in earnest, the
Cronian Mining Consortium (CMC)-the governing
body on the planet-had long been eager for
autonomy from the UCA and various corporate
interests. The importance of kato energy gave the
CMC a powerful bargaining chip offset only by
Cronus' military insignificance. So the CMC began
bolstering its military in secret, aided by a covert
treaty with Andra Biomechanics.
The UCA was aware of the buildup, of course, but
Akkaraju was instructed not to interfere for reasons
that were not shared with him. Unfortunately,
Akkaraju's superiors had apparently underestimated
the extent of the CMC's efforts. A sizable mercenary
fleet arrived in the system a mere two standard
hours before the CMC officially proclaimed its
independence and issued its terms. The UCA was hit
unprepared and forced to retreat from Cronus' high
orbit under heavy fire.
For the next 18 months, the UCA executed a series
of covert operations designed to undermine the
Cronian resistance by removing key individuals.
Although the overall success rate of these missions
was marginal at best, the plan eventually
succeeded and the Cronians agreed to negotiate an
accord.
It was around this time that a terrorist group calling
themselves the Fallen surfaced. Their initial attacks
were designed to undermine UCA faith in the CMC
and, indeed, delayed the treaty process by several
months. Once the existence of the terrorists was
established, the CMC requested UCA assistance in
rounding up the faction.
Tragedy Strikes
Sanjuro, who by this time had earned the rank of
Commander, led his squad-consisting of Toshiro,
Baku, and Kura-on a mission into Avernus in search
of a Fallen leader, acting on intelligence obtained
during a raid in Maritropa. The mission ended with
Toshiro, Kura, and Baku missing and presumed
dead.
Following is a transcript from the subsequent
investigation:
CDR BROWN: You state in your report that you were fired upon, and I quote, by an "incredibly powerful energy weapon"-
CDR MAKABE: That's correct.
CDR BROWN: And the next thing you remember, you awoke on the ground in your MCA, your camera systems malfunctioning-
CDR MAKABE: Yeah. Look, we've been through all this before.
CDR BROWN: This is standard procedure, Commander. And so what happened next?
CDR MAKABE: As I stated previously, I heard some kind of weird chanting.
CDR BROWN: Which you identified as Commander Makabe. Uh, that would be your brother.
CDR MAKABE: It sounded like him, but I couldn't see very well, so I wasn't sure.
CDR BROWN: And that was when you opened fire on Commander Akkaraju.
CDR MAKABE: I didn't "open fire" on her. I thought she was an Assassin. I heard movement and spun around. She must've been leaning forward, getting up, 'cause I couldn't see her head. She looked like an Assassin.
CDR BROWN: The Shogo Assassin MCA is a far cry from a UCA Enforcer, Commander Makabe. I find it hard to believe you could confuse the two.
CDR MAKABE: I told you, my display was damaged-
CDR BROWN: And you fired without thinking, without considering the consequences.
CDR MAKABE: Yes.
CDR BROWN: Did Commander Akkaraju return fire?
CDR MAKABE: No.
CDR BROWN: And yet you continued to-
CDR MAKABE: I turned, I saw an Assassin, and I fired. It wasn't- I didn't know it was her.
CDR BROWN: So you stated.
CDR MAKABE: I was in love with her. I'm not in the habit of shooting people I care about.
CDR BROWN: Your attitude during this interview will be noted, Commander.
CDR MAKABE: Is that was this is? An interview? Seems more like an interrogation to me.
CDR BROWN: At what point did your brother strike you?
CDR MAKABE: Right after I shot Kura. He blindsided me and knocked me down.
CDR BROWN: Did he say anything?
CDR MAKABE: Just whatever he was chanting. It sounded like gibberish to me.
CDR BROWN: What happened next?
CDR MAKABE: Toshiro was about to shoot me when the tremor hit. The ground gave way and they were just gone, just like that. All of them.
CDR BROWN: And what did you do at that point?
CDR MAKABE: I stood at the edge of the chasm, wishing I could see better.
CDR BROWN: Wasn't it dangerous to approach the chasm with your MCA's visual system impaired?
CDR MAKABE: I didn't care.
CDR BROWN: But-
CDR MAKABE: Three of the most important people in my life- they were just gone, Commander. Just gone.
The Aftermath
Sanjuro, still reeling from the Avernus tragedy, was
placed on probation for "inability to perform his
duties in a professional, responsible manner due to
severe psychological stress sustained in combat."
He was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD) and required to attend regular
physical and psychological evaluations.
He spent most of his free time with Kathryn, who
helped him cope with what had happened even as
he helped her manage her own grief. In time, what
had begun as mutual comfort turned into romance.
Kathryn, who had always harbored deep affection
for Sanjuro, understood that his feelings for her
were rooted more in a desperate sort of need than
in actual romantic love, but she hoped that time
would soften his grief and allow him to love her.
The Rise of Gabriel
The Fallen, meanwhile, grew stronger and more
organized. Military intelligence attributed the
transformation to a new leader elected to replace
Ivan Isarevich, who was killed in the Avernus
incident. The new leader, known only as Gabriel,
rallied the historically fragmented Fallen into a
fighting force capable of posing a serious threat to
the CMC.
Following is an extract from a public statement
issued by Gabriel to the population of Cronus and
the various interests in orbit around her:
"We, the fallen children of earth, our ancestral
home, are the rightful heirs and stewards of Coth.
We will tolerate no further exploitation of her
bounty, no further taking of her gifts. Those who
oppose the will of Coth shall be expunged. Those
who leave will do so with our blessing. Those who
remain will perish."
Final proof of the Fallen's viability came mere hours
after they seized a remote but well defended CMC
geological station. The CMC's military fragmented,
nearly a third of its soldiers declaring loyalty to
Gabriel and the Fallen.
The ensuing chaos presented a variety of
opportunities and problems for the UCA. Akkaraju's
prime directive was to recapture Cronus for the
UCA, thereby ensuring the continued harvest of
kato. The UCA and CMC had been on the verge of
compromise that wasn't especially satisfying to
either party but at least provided a foundation upon
to build.
With the CMC hobbled by its own partial collapse
and a fanatical army preparing a massive and
potentially apocalyptic assault on Maritropa, the
situation had changed dramatically in a short
amount of time. Neither the UCA nor the CMC
considered abandoning Cronus (or Coth, as the
Fallen called it) a palatable option. But the CMC was
no longer capable of defending itself. They could
hold out for a while, but ultimately they would fall.
Their predicament afforded the UCA a certain
amount of leverage.
The UCA, meanwhile, might be able to intervene and
overcome the Fallen, but the battle for Cronus
would take a heavy toll and might lead to a less than
desirable outcome considering the obvious
fanaticism and newfound discipline of the Fallen's
legions.
Akkaraju's recommendation to the UCA high
command was simple: eliminate Gabriel by any
means necessary and watch as the Fallen crumble.
After all, the admiral asserted, it was Gabriel who
had united the terrorists into a fighting force.
Likewise, it was his charisma that had lured a third
of the Cronian militia away from the CMC. How he
had spread his influence so thoroughly was
unknown, but its effects were self-evident. He was
the key.
The plan was authorized without discussion and the
details left in Akkaraju's hands. He had only to
decide who to send. He chose Sanjuro.
Shogo Gameplay
A game with non-linear gameplay is one where there is no rigid path to the end. Rather, the game's path (the path from start to finish) is dependent on the way one plays the game. The more complete the non-linear gameplay, the more dependent the storyline is on one's actions.
The crew at Monolith are determined to bring non-linear gameplay to a first person shooter through Shogo. Astounding considering a story line, at least one that is revealed through the game and not in the manual, has not yet made it to this popular genre.
Shogo is based on betrayal between brothers. Not only that, but we get to betray other people too. Not only that, but we get to CHOOSE who we betray. And thus we get a unique storyline based on what we consider to be the best choice. We also get a game with more life as playing with a different attitude will change the game. Shogo will feature the ability to backtrack to past levels if you so choose, but it will not really be neccessary. The idea for Riot is that it plays like a choose-your-own-adventure movie. Movies rarely cover scenes twice (Pulp Fiction and Twelve Monkeys being a good exceptions ;)
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