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No it is really <comfy> here :^)

Sorry what was the question?

The galaxy is a hoax, nothing exists outside of planet earth.

Why don't scientists do something useful like fix the economy instead?

We don't need to go to vacuum in space, we have vacuums here.

[TalonisWolf]

OI! The poll made on Bay12 (at the top there) clearly shows that most of us, if not all of us, want our nation to remain on Earth! This is election fraud! I demand a recount!

I genuinely want to know why people want to ruin the challenge by colonizing Mars. As far as I can tell, there is no point whatsoever to doing so.

The challenge isn't ruined- loudwhispers stated that, once Mars has been colonized and developed enough, he'll grant the planet its own independent sovereignty. If anything, it means he'll have to worry about the Martians causing problems for him.

[Paxiecrunchle]

OI! The poll made on Bay12 (at the top there) clearly shows that most of us, if not all of us, want our nation to remain on Earth! This is election fraud! I demand a recount!

I genuinely want to know why people want to ruin the challenge by colonizing Mars. As far as I can tell, there is no point whatsoever to doing so.

The challenge isn't ruined- loudwhispers stated that, once Mars has been colonized and developed enough, he'll grant the planet its own independent sovereignty. If anything, it means he'll have to worry about the Martians causing problems for him.

Indeed the above poll does count as election fraud.

[blueturtle1134]

Now the elephant in the room: Do we even have terraforming terrafriending tech?

[☼Another☼]

Mars probably won't be able to actually do much in space because, as far as I know, if two empires occupy the same space (it is contested) neither can build there.

[Loud Whispers]

Spoiler: replies (click to show/hide)

How well does Stellaris actually handle having two separate empires in one system?

Pretty well, it's treated as shared space for power projection and ship access, provided neither of the factions have external power projection. If one of them does, then the solar system in question is treated as belonging to both, but the space is otherwise isolated by all the projection around it. None of this really matters to us though since we're not expanding or building satellites, so we're completely unaffected. It happens pretty frequently, usually when the AI conquers one planet in a solar system while leaving another that belongs to another faction. Though I've also done ludicrous shit like create solar systems inhabited by multiple Empires made up of habitats and the game thought that was ok

OI! The poll made on Bay12 (at the top there) clearly shows that most of us, if not all of us, want our nation to remain on Earth! This is election fraud! I demand a recount!
I genuinely want to know why people want to ruin the challenge by colonizing Mars. As far as I can tell, there is no point whatsoever to doing so.

Pretty sure this is more of a story than a challenge run honestly, and LW has never been one to let a good story go over tenuous 'goals' (which according to the OP have already technically been violated by interaction with foreign powers, it says 'ignoring the entire galaxy at large', which clearly hasn't happened).
I didn't vote or weigh in with an opinion, I'm just here for LW's style.

While having loads of recounts until we forget what we're voting for is hilarious and in the spirit of the UN, I've somewhat scuppered things by committing to the prior vote. As to whether this is more of a story or a challenge, I'd say it started out more of a challenge but started moving towards more of a story right around the moment the Adnori became isolationists under the reforms of King Gorliffe. Simply put, I was expecting to see how far we could get, not expecting to see how well we'd be doing. Then there's the whole thing where we did reach utopia, that against all odds we survived long enough to achieve this goal (whilst ignoring the galaxy, excluding the fanatical purifiers) so where do you go from there? I think the only way forward lore-wise then would be to introduce our utopia to the galaxy, and see if it can survive that ;]
Also I'm really a sucker for seeing what the AI humans get up to when they're let loose from player hands. Really makes for some hilarious, heroic and harrowing tales. Also with the benefit of having played through to the next century now (god, it was really fun), though our actions were immoral of the utmost degree, it has most likely greatly improved our chances of survival. More on that to come... But yeah, my general ethos when it comes to sticking to self-imposed rules, going all the way back to when I did DF Challenge runs more often, was that you use the rules to kickstart some organic story growth and once the story takes off, you loosen/change the restrictions if/when they get in the way of the story

Spoiler: 2331:08:09 (click to show/hide)

The great age of communication began with our introduction to the Estwani Conclave. Our first contact with the Estwani Conclave was a rather testing one. It was apparent they held us to be heathens in need of salvation at best, and immoral devils at worse. Yet their first impression would be shattered immediately, when we sent them considerable quantities of cash and minerals as a gift of good-will.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Realizing that humanity had a sincere love for all xenos, untainted by mercenary or covert motives, the Estwani Conclave and the United Nations of Earth would form a defensive pact. The Estwani subsequently sent a delegate to the Belmacosan Concordat, negotiating a treaty of non-aggression. The UN weaves webs of friendship, ensnaring all those within its delicate threads!

Spoiler: 2332:01:05 (click to show/hide)

Here at the terrafriending lobby, we are proud to announce that mankind's first discovery ship built in 132 years has spontaneously examined Mars and found it probable the planet harboured life once long ago, therefore, we propose plans to restore our neighbour to his healthier state. While the technology does not yet exist, with collaboration between Chadbook, United Spacestations, CyberIA & WeSpace, we are confident we can help Mars. After all, a sick planet is a planet in need, and so Earth is duty-bound to heal him.

2333:06:16: The UN establishes contact with the Kraxroz Nation, an Empire of democratic crusaders, whose fluffy feathers indicate they are lovely avians. Naturally humanity and the Kraxroz add each other as friends on intergalactic channels.

Spoiler: 2333:07:13 (click to show/hide)

"What the moo is a spacecow? Shocking evidence has been revealed and made by leading humanologist Salter Kopac that humans are 87% more ignorant on the Scovale scale of ignorance than the average Belmacosan regarding galactic megafauna."

United Nations begins research into crystalline entities, spacecows, pirates and other assorted stuff 133 years after the first proposals were mooted by budget committees of the UN Priority Council & Department of Opinion Safety. Ancient spacecow memes are revived to learn more about how venerable humans culturally integrated these noble aliens into their psyche, and it isn't long before "Pirates of the Yothmore Shroud but they're all Hitler" is the #2 trending song on Mindtoob.

Spoiler: 2333:08:15 (click to show/hide)

President Qiang Shen is completely fucked lmao, his time as President of the UN foreveremembered as that one person who let Mars into space. While the nations of Earth continue to support him out of pity, evidence amounts that he is abusing his body by injecting bumbletoad extract into his veins simply to cope with his loss. Kys kindly Mr. President, may you JUST in peace

2334:03:09: The Estwani Conclave request that the United Nations assume sovereign command of their nation, to submit as a protectorate. Their emissary details with tears running down his long neck, that the Estwani cannot survive without the protection of a greater power. President Qiang Shen replies that Earth is not a planet of masters, and that if we are to move forwards in this world, it must be as friends & equals.
2334:03:30: The United Nations signs a migration treaty with the Estwani Conclave, guaranteeing freedom of mobile habitation.

2335:10:15: The Rothak Confederation, protectorate of the Belmacosa, greets us. A year later the Star Realm of Vega, protectorate of the Belmacosa greets us. A year later on, the Kraxroz are made a protectorate by the Belmacosa. This pattern of annexation does not go unnoticed.
President Qiang Shen asks the Belmacosans; u avin a giggle m8? In order to ascertain whether the Belmacosans are becoming more imperialist, Qiang Shen sends forth inspectors to see how the Belmacosans treat the citizens of annexed star Empires. What he finds is comforting, for although the Belmacosans disagree with the proposal to form a federation, they remain true to the democratic spirit, running free elections where all xenos are citizens and the living standards are maintained roughly equal with social welfare given to all citizens. It's not utopia, but they're certainly not Adnori.

Spoiler: 2336:08:09 (click to show/hide)

The Belmacosan Divine Concordat adopts egalitarian values into its charter under the guidance of the Friends of Liberty League. As a result they reform their government to become the Belmacosan Republic, allowing all of their people freedom of religion.
2337:11:12: The Himalayan Observatories note that it appears the Mandasurans have embarked upon founding their first colony outside of the Iblyrian star system.

Spoiler: 23317:10:13 (click to show/hide)

The UNS Discovery's sensors pick up a gigantic object hovering around a black hole. This giant technosphere drifts around it, calculating, but otherwise seems benign. Proposals to attempt communication with the planet-sized calculator are rejected by President Qiang Shen, as sending unsolicited messages to technospheres is rude, and would likely be sent to the spam bin.

And I should add at this point I typed up all I have played through, but it came out far too long, with enough of it being information and data that won't make any sense without a bit of work. So to keep things in mind, I've got 80 more years of playthrough to write up, as I really got sucked into this one.

But... A preview of what is to come:

Spoiler: for psionics only (click to show/hide)

[TalonisWolf]

May I propose a new challenge? There are many sick and unwell worlds out there, collectively known as "Tomb Worlds". Once mankind stumbles on them, I propose we make it our mission to find and 'terrafriend' every last one, restoring them their glorious biosphere and bountiful ecosystem.

[Dorsidwarf]

lol dudes they finally found the bigg succ its real $fambrosephs $harmonythroughbigsucc $gargantua check it out

icon.spam.biz

[TalonisWolf]

If I hadn't looked at your profile, I'd have reported you as a bot- and I still think you've been hacked.

[NJW2000]

That's just the 4d polmemes. Ignore them, your consciousness is insignificantly expanded to know their true spiciness.

[ATHATH]

May I propose a new challenge? There are many sick and unwell worlds out there, collectively known as "Tomb Worlds". Once mankind stumbles on them, I propose we make it our mission to find and 'terrafriend' every last one, restoring them their glorious biosphere and bountiful ecosystem.

-1, that would require leaving our solar system.

Plus, wouldn't terraforming every tomb world endanger the non-living pseudo-ecosystems that exist on them (weather, tectonic shifting, etc.)?

I forget- can we study the infinity machine (the name of that sphere, IIRC) without actually sending a science ship to it?

Hm... I'm considering the possibility of making a USS Enterprise expy (science ship) to be the one and only ship to ever leave our ecosystem, leaving to find new worlds, study things, meet new species, convert other species to being pacifists, go where no man has ever gone before, etc. Should we put it up to a vote?

[Loud Whispers]

lol dudes they finally found the bigg succ its real $fambrosephs $harmonythroughbigsucc $gargantua check it out

icon.spam.biz

WE HAVE DISCOVERED THE 

May I propose a new challenge? There are many sick and unwell worlds out there, collectively known as "Tomb Worlds". Once mankind stumbles on them, I propose we make it our mission to find and 'terrafriend' every last one, restoring them their glorious biosphere and bountiful ecosystem.

We are yet to locate any such worlds sadly

Spoiler: 2338:03:05 (click to show/hide)

CyberIA introduces the brand new Robot Nation™, to replace Earth's aging synth population. The Next Gen Robot Nation™ is praised for its increased productivity, personality matrices and optional colour selection for maximum consumer self-expressivity, but questions are raised as to why the robots periodically shut down mid-work to install updates, cannot be modified by anyone who is not authorized by CyberIA as per the EULA and cost so much to continue operating. CyberIA CEO Maddison Likel argues that these are simply technological kinks which need time to be ironed out, in the mean time the manufactury DLC is available for pre-release pre-order reserving.
2338:09:04: We encounter the Alliance of Queptilium Planets, a race of plutocratic plant people.
2340:04:17: We encounter the Wacegin Kingdom, a collection of molluscoid hegemonic imperialists.
2340:08:19: We encounter the Empire of Suter, carnivorous sapient plants whom most resemble Earth's venus flytraps, led by a Stalk-Empress.

Spoiler: 2340:11:17 (click to show/hide)

AT LAST WE ARE AWAKENING - Guru Tandas, the Glowing Eyes Incident.
Psionic theory begins to become practical reality, as mankind's consciousness begins to expand beyond that crucial threshold, that it seems we are soon to see so much of the world as never before. To see the veil, to pierce beyond it in our dreams...

'why is it always 3!! WHY IS IT ALWAYS 3!!.'
-Master Iron Jade

'Our mind is the sculptor and the marble. You can't make this temple without undergoing the kind of mental operations I have. Be careful as you tread, creation is an instant, so too annihilation an instant, but it's well worth it when you find out just what an eternity is. But I'm proud of my loyal listeners. You're getting there. You're making the conditioning.'
-Merlin Again

'What are we here for? What is the ultimate truth of our existence and the mythology of deities? Do we exist because we are slaves to loose energy vampires, random evolutionary chance, the actions of entropic architects? The greatest deception is the lie that he does not exist. I've known his presence and he is very real. And because he is real so are many other things. The biggest truth; the key to all is that lie. That lie is proof of great deception when words do not represent actions and results. The actions and results of this world have one clear agenda. It's all controlled by, in our tongue, "the metal Landlord." Who or what is behind that title is a mystery most foul indeed, one that I do not have the answer to. But this world has felt his presence and this world knows how he operates. Based on my research, there is a history of many other civilizations across the cosmos who have fought each other for a long time and have evolved a lot themselves. Both positive and negative ones affect our planet. The negative ones have blocked out the Light because of an infatuation with power. But the higher the dimensional density the less of these beings exist because Darkness is weaker than Light. The 4D astral thought forms can seem extremely real (the Devil, ghosts, other entities), but they are only sustained by those who keep rejecting the Light and fade away once a soul remembers its true Divine nature. I'm especially troubled by how many people there just want to use the powers to meet their own ends. So, it really is a good thing that magic is laughed at. If every person on the planet started using it consciously right now Earth would perish as a reactionary move towards those who choose to enslave other beings... But these advances in psionic technology worry me. We are making magic manifest without Godliness or ritual.
-Runs With Swans Jr., Chief of the Brainbleach Company

-'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH'
-His Royal Highness Karl II, King of Denmark

Hm... I'm considering the possibility of making a USS Enterprise expy (science ship) to be the one and only ship to ever leave our ecosystem, leaving to find new worlds, study things, meet new species, convert other species to being pacifists, go where no man has ever gone before, etc. Should we put it up to a vote?

We did have one such vessel, called the UNS Discovery. It ventured forth to discover crystal plating and anything else of note in the galaxy before the precious endangered species of the galaxy were wiped out by interstellar powers. The UNS Discovery sent its last transmission in 2356, after reporting it was under attack by ancient mining drones. There were no survivors.

2341:10:04: We encounter the Zanaami mandate, a theocratic dictatorship of a bunch of swell mammals.
2342:09:22: We encounter the Great Ganvius Regime, whom we find so agreeable (being akin to the Belmacosa, a people of friendly sapient plants), we sign a defence pact with them.
2342:09:22: We encounter the Seban Foundation, who are a race of giant snails, who are promptly made protectorates by the Belmacosan Republic.
2343:01:05: We encounter the Valion Hierachy, six-eyed canids in command of a military dictatorship. Despite their authoritarian government they were pretty friendly.
2343:09:27: We encounter the Vurxac Alliance, a collection of allied Vurxac warrior-states who united to conquer the stars. Individually each Vurxac is a large arthropoid, towering over any adult human, with four legs and two arms - though no eyes, on a black exoskeleton. As had been protocol with all previous factions, we sent gifts and proposed non-aggression treaties, which were accepted.
2344:07:01: We encounter the Havarigga Regime, a decent folk who were exceptionally kind, though it seems the U.N. has rather embarrassingly lost its records on them... We apologise for this technical glitch and any inconvenience this may cause.
2345:11:17: We encounter the Lagin'Chuuz Unified Holdings, a race of molluscoids whose planet was unified by a single corporation which managed to corner every market of its ocean world.

Spoiler: 2347:01:12 (click to show/hide)

Mankind witnesses a fight between the Mandasuran Berserkers and a pirate fleet. The Mandasurans were noted for primarily utilizing advanced shields and missile technology, blasting through the shields of the pirates before vaporizing their hulls with penetrating laser beams.

[ATHATH]

Time to summon the (psionic) mothership, bois.

[ATHATH]

Relevant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1Xr9uTIzTw

Also relevant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHlCSXzsGEk

[Loud Whispers]

Relevant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1Xr9uTIzTw
Also relevant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHlCSXzsGEk

It should would be neat if we were allowed to build science nexuses haha

I forget- can we study the infinity machine (the name of that sphere, IIRC) without actually sending a science ship to it?

*EDIT
No, we have to send a science vessel with a tier 3 scientist to investigate it. To complete the quest you need to send a science vessel with a tier 5 scientist. We're also currently not able to safely send scientists to the electronic succsphere for various reasons (most rhyme with Andasura), which is an issue as it takes a century for us to get anywhere close to having tier 5 scientists (as we do not survey planets, one of the chief ways to train scientist xp)

2347:08:26: Robot Nation is made more intelligent, efficient and considerably more durable, much to the satisfaction of all Earthlings. "Made in Robot Nation" becomes a stamp of pride on all goods!

2348:04:26: We meet the Cormathani and the Pallyrians, however U.N. files regarding them appear to have been misplaced. What terrible archivist has wrought this upon us?

* Qiang  Shen sweats profusely.

2349:02:23: Plans for the galactic stock exchange and the research institute are put into motion, funding passed, putting Earth on the absolute vanguard of discovery and prosperity. Both state of the art financial and scientific centers promise to be the first of their kind in the entire known galaxy.
2349:09:02: President Barak Khadem is elected, Qiang Shen steps down.

2351:01:16: Mandasuran Warships block all hyperlanes in and out of the Sol system. Ironically, the Mandasurans serve as Earth's defence force, keeping Earth safe from hungry imperialists.

2351:03:14: We encounter the Yssravannari Pious State, a theocratic oligarchy of green-eyed reptilians in white robes ruling over a brown planet of faithful. They called us heathens, we gave them presents, they liked us - the UN story of diplomacy continued as thus.
2351:04:26: We encountered the Panaxala Principality, a spiritual monarchy of 10-armed grey arthropoids, their white skins blending well into their arctic homelands. While they did not like us at first, they would over the decades grow into a close partner of Earth.
The Kingdom of Naff'Ahnace was a peaceful Empire of Spyran avians, but peace of one of the worst kinds. An elite minority ruled over a decadent hierachy, whose underlings toiled continuously to support the endeavours of their masters.
2351:10:11: We encounter the Riggan spice exchange.
2352:03:25: We encounter the Directorate of Gordan and the Hiffnar Combine. The Sibulans of the Directorate of Gordan are technocratic avians, serving under the oligarchic Directorate of Gordan, so named after the Bussinessbird Gordan Freebird, who purchased every nation on his planet. The Hiffnar Combine are a warrior-state of lion people, who would come to see Earthlings in a good light, if only because they would be surrounded in darkness.

Spoiler: 2353:08:18 (click to show/hide)

Construction of a GMO ayy lmao defence force for Earth begins.
2353:10:01: The United Nations receives association status with the Propitious Pact, so granted by the lovely plantoids of the Ganvius Regime. The Belmacosans vassalize the Pallyrian theocracy.
2354:01:23: We make contact with XuraCorp.
2355:03:30: We make contact with the Xeltek Assembly. At first we took little notice of the Xeltek, as we ran out of gifts to give, but over the decades we would grow considerably closer.
2355:11:06: The Belmacosans vassalize the Valion Hierachy.
2356:12:28: The UNS Discovery is destroyed in space by ancient autonomous mineral processing droids. There are no survivors, and a week of mourning is called.
2357:03:18: We encounter the Beldross Star Empire and the United Caloctra Commonality.

2358:02:13: Research into jump drives begins, with theoretical Earthling ships theoretically the best in the world. The shortest distance between point A and point B is 0, and with our minds developing as they are it is clear that we can make it happen, should we be so inclined.
2359:04:12: Second inspection of the Belmacosan Republic confirm that their integrations of vassals is uniformly equal, with all given citizenship and social welfare.
2359:11:23: Antonella Riveros elected President of Earth.

Spoiler: 2360:08:09 (click to show/hide)

THE GREAT AWAKENING, THE DANCE OF TRANSCENDENCE HAS BEGUN.
DECLARATION: ERA OF NEWBORN TRANQUILITY AND SHITPOST, TO THE PROFOUND AND THE VULGAR, HUMANITY MINDBEAMS THE STARS

Thought: Humanity. Focus: Earth, chain thought: Ascended
Earth is now quiet but for the rustling of leaves and the sound of birdsong. Though human voiceboxes are quiet, their voices speak loud.

[Teneb]

Yeah. One planet challenges use ships and a lot of Outposts. I don't know about vassals and protectorates.

NFO has it right.