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Franc
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Anjou, QC, Canada
Nov 1999
time: 05:13
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Written for a parody, and reproduced here for some laughs 
If anyone feels insulted, tough.
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DRESI creates new add-on to hit game Alpha Centauri, called "Memetic Domination" ! Instant hit !
WHAT IS MEMETIC DOMINATION ?
An incredible new add-on to the best game ever - as heralded by PC Gamer and other magazines ! "Memetic Domination" uses the Alpha Centauri engine to bring you another kind of world domination - a war of ideas. Your goal is now to make the whole world worship you ! This is accomplished, not by destruction, but by the propagation of memes - units of ideas. Becasue of this, the "hit points" of units are now "belief points". When you "beat" another unit in memetic combat, the unit is "converted" to your cause.
THE NEW FACTIONS
The original seven factions have been replaced by fanatical religions bent on the complete memetic domination of Planet. They also have special units or unit abilities that can only be built by their particular faction. Here they are :
Your own faction - named at your choice. You get one special unit which represents you and your awesome power of charisma and conversion. You are swift and deadly, but use yourself sparingly since you cannot be replaced ! Male or female icons available. You can also play another faction, of course - in which case this faction is replaced by the Transcendents (see below).
Scientology - the "spiritual technology" cult. A good all-around faction, it has bonuses in anti-probing (Probe rating) and Police. Their special units are called "Registrars", which have a special ability called "Instant Brainwash". Reach out to enemy units with the Registrar and low belief points units will give in without a fight !
Religious Right - the Christian radicals cult. This faction has extra Growth, because of the influence of Catholicism. Their units can equip a special ability called "Conversion Tracts". Simply dispense these Jack Chick tracts at any square of land. Any enemy unit that walks on a square of land with tracts automatically loses belief points !
JWs - the Jehovah's Witnesses. This faction has extra production (Efficiency) because of their high level of involvment. Their probe teams can also benefit from the "Door Knockers" ability, which makes them completely unable to do anything to units but trebles their ability while inflitrating cities.
New Age - this wave of loosely-knit beliefs is taking over the world. Their poor cohesion (Probe rating) is compensated by Economy (the New Age market is vast) and Ecology bonuses, as well as a special ability called "Crystal Focus" which heightens your land unit's attack power !
Satanism - the religion of darkness and anarchy. Their low Police rating makes them especially vulnerable to riots, but this is offset by a Morale bonus. Their special ability of "Incantation" can summon demons that can scare the begeezus out of any unit !
Illuminati - the ever-elusive and omnipresent secret society, their seclusive nature makes them almost invulnerable to probing, and their crafty and adaptative nature gives them an advantage in mind-control Research. Their unit ability of "cloaking" lets them enter enemy territory undetected, unless a sensor is present on an adjacent square.
Transcendents - a mysterious heretic, nihilist, collectivist faction bent on the assimilation of Planet. Their lack of concern for material things give them an added Support bonus, and their lack of religious dogma gives them a definite advantage in Research. However, these extras are offset by their lack of special units or abilities.
The native mindworms (those little critters that come from the fungus and attack units and cities) have been replaced by the Men In Black. The MiB are secret governmental agents who roam around the map and tell people to "not say a word" about their newfound beliefs, effectively de-converting your people or land units. In case of drone riots, they can subvert a whole city, effectively snatching it from your control for their own nefarious purposes.
THE TECHNOLOGY
You have the same types of chassis and armor at your disposition, but not the same weapons - you use propaganda tools instead. Amongst the weapons available, you can discover and use : violence, threats, subliminal messages, as well as various mind control techniques.
New special projects are also available, like the following. They all have a preferred faction, but all factions can acquire them.
Subvert Government - makes your faction officially recognized as a religion by the government, nullifies MiB intervention. Used by many cults before, but especially Scientology.
Subvert United Nations - a complement to Subvert Government, this SP lets you inflitrate Planet's institutions, which has the net result of doubling your votes on Council ! Perfect when you need that extra boost to get elected.
Operation Footbullet - watch in amusement as all attacks on you from other factions heighten the number of MiBs on their territory ! Operation Footbullet is constantly used against the Scientology faction.
Call for Donations - a dramatic appeal for donations (a technique perfected by Oral Roberts, of the Religious Right faction) nets you a sweet 3000 energy credits.
Going the Extra Mile - ordering the establishment of more demanding rules to be obeyed further dissociates your faction from the rest of the world and gives them a even greater sense of belonging, giving your faction a Morale boost. This technique is used by the JWs with the organs and blood transfusion bans.
Crystal Power - by acquiring the knowledge necessary to power crystals with mystic energy, your citizens acquire mind defense powers by their personal crystals. Counts as a Tachyon Field for all your bases. A speciality of the New Age faction.
Human Sacrifice - the satanic symbolic "sacrifice" is a curse placed on one's enemies. The city where this SP is built loses 1 pop. : all enemy cities over 3 pop. lose 1.
The Walls Have Ears - your secret agents infiltrate the world one base at a time, one faction at a time, finally encompassing the entire inhabited globe. This Illuminati speciality gives you access to all the information on all bases and factions.
Doublethink - by using doublethink, one can eventually hold something and its contrary in his mind at the same time without any conflict. Nullifies all negative effects of Fundamentalist social choice. Perfected by the mind-control researchers of the Trancendence faction.
This is only a glimpse of the new additions in Memetic Dominance. A whole new game for the Alpha Centauri fanatic, available for only 29,95$ in all good computer stores !
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12-11-1999 15:21
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