Victor Steele's Past

[Jarylan]

Just finished up the Love Starz content. It was the first time I'd actually gone through it all. Great content, but what stuck with me in the end is the whole story you get from Pink about your father.

Some of what's there seems hard to swallow, given how you seem to idolize your father at the start of the game. But between that conversation with Pink, and the conversation with your cousin on the train, I get the feeling Victor was much more of a bastard than the PC thinks.

Dunno why, just this has got me thinking. What was Vic really like...

A few things people agree on. Vic was a horndog who thought with his dick. He was a good businessman, in the end. He was involved in a planetary rush, and was quite an adventurer.

Yet, none of those things preclude him from actually being kind of a bastard to most folks. Dialogue with Jack/Jill seems to confirm that both brothers slammed each other relentlessly in comments, but that maybe neither was a good person.

Not sure I have a point in all this, just felt like getting my thoughts out. For what's supposedly a porn game, I spend a lot of time considering the characters I meet and all their interactions.

Hah, still hoping to get into the Rats' Raiders hideout someday and meet Mikky. Damned if I have any specific sex ideas for that though.

Guess I just wonder if anyone else ends up thinking on this stuff as well?

tl;dr Anyone else get deep into loving the characters and lore in this porn game?

 

[Nyx_Arach]

Oh absolutely! I'm completely the same. While I haven't gone through the Love Starz content myself, the comment from the Rival during the train scene, in regards to Vic's first ship got me thinking. We don't really know anything about him, do we?

We know he was a horn dog, and perhaps not the greatest at thinking ahead (he coded the probes to react to any Steele DNA - completely disregarding the fact he most likely left a small army of bastards in the galaxy, as well as not preparing for the fact that Max might try something)

My own current head-cannon in regards to the ship is that originally Max and Vic were meant to head out together, they were much closer before the Rush. But while Vic is defined by action, Max is defined by thought. Max wanted everything to be ready, wanted to hire a crew and have people who were skilled at fighting at their back - but that took too much time, so Vic took action, taking the ship and leaving without Max.

But there's more to fact that Vic wasn't the best person - the Microsugeons that we are injected with - they are far more advanced than any other out there, even Xenogene can't create anything that can passively heal Taint, yet despite Steele Tech supposedly being one of the more altruistic corps, these little miracles are being locked away and only being used one one person? Why? Plus they were developed on Uveto (which is just TiTs version of Noveria from Mass Effect)

It is rare that a game can engage my tinfoil hat mode - creating theories for character's actions, while enjoying the game for more than just it's porn content.

 

[PanzerGuitar00]

The thing is, this game has the same issues as Warhammer, that being with so many different writers who may have different interpretations of how Victor may have been, he could be portrayed wildly differently depending on who wrote the scene.

 

[Skunkupine]

But there's more to fact that Vic wasn't the best person - the Microsugeons that we are injected with - they are far more advanced than any other out there, even Xenogene can't create anything that can passively heal Taint, yet despite Steele Tech supposedly being one of the more altruistic corps, these little miracles are being locked away and only being used one one person? Why?

Because they are experimental, and they have some pretty severe side-effects: the reason Steele changes when eating local food (e.g. Zil Rations) is because Steele's microsurgeons are changing him/her to match the local environment - not everybody changes when they eat local. That's kind of a big design flaw - not as bad as turning the user into a giant blueberry, but almost. It's even mentioned in the game that the plan was to collect data and then try to improve the product.

As for "matching any Steele DNA" - perhaps Victor did not yet have his designated heir's DNA when he launched the probes - it's implied that it took quite some time for them to get where they were going. Also, it may have been to enable a fall-back: "Crap. This kid just ain't right. Oh well, back to the drawing board."

 

[Nyx_Arach]

Because they are experimental, and they have some pretty severe side-effects: the reason Steele changes when eating local food (e.g. Zil Rations) is because Steele's microsurgeons are changing him/her to match the local environment - not everybody changes when they eat local. That's kind of a big design flaw - not as bad as turning the user into a giant blueberry, but almost. It's even mentioned in the game that the plan was to collect data and then try to improve the product.

As for "matching any Steele DNA" - perhaps Victor did not yet have his designated heir's DNA when he launched the probes - it's implied that it took quite some time for them to get where they were going. Also, it may have been to enable a fall-back: "Crap. This kid just ain't right. Oh well, back to the drawing board."

Oh no, I can completely understand the experimental part. But his plan for these untested mircosurgeons was to use his own kid as the testing group? It seems a bit dangerous, but the gamble would be worth it if it protects Steele jr.

You make a good point with the probes, but there is one problem: There was no fall-back, Steele jr was an all eggs in one basket sort of deal, Vic didn't have time to go back to the drawing board.

Let's say those probes launched around the time Project Legacy started (I know it's not called that, but I like the way it sounds XD) That's at least twenty years between launch day and the day Steele jr sets off - we know at least one older sibling, and jr even remarks they may have some royal siblings (all of which would be older) out there. Any number of those kids could have been independent when the probes set off - and found the probe by accident - the probe on Zheng Shi wasn't meant to end up in the hands of pirates and slavers surely. Any number of those kids could have grown up with a chip on their shoulder, accidentally have discovered a probe while it was in transit and discovered Vic's entire plan - and decided "I'm his kin - why shouldn't I snatch up the company?"

They get a massive head-start, and may even be willing to go so far as to kill Steele jr when they do start the race - or even before, most of the jobs that Steele jr takes in their early years are risky business - but that's not say that Vic wouldn't have taken precautions on protecting his legitimate child.

 

[Skunkupine]

Oh I agree - Victor's plan was terribly ill-conceived, as Jack/Jill's involvement shows. It's probable that Victor's mind was pretty fucked by Taint in the final days, and he wasn't planning well. The smarter thing would have been to train his heir in business, in manipulation, in government, to make him/her the best businessman possible, rather than dumping the kid into the Rush and hoping they learn to fly before they hit the ground.

 

[Jarylan]

Yeah, even in the best possible read of this, Victor is rather eccentric. And I wonder how much of that is just taint messing with his brain.

As for the issue about many different writers, you are correct there, but everything has to be approved, and loose as canon is, I am sure there are some guidelines.

But also thinking back to it, the woman who tells you the sordid details of Vic being a bastard was very drunk at the time, and carrying a flame for the poor dead bastard too.

I dunno. I guess there's a lot up to interpretation, but lately, the general thing has been backing up off the "Victor was just a good boy" train, and working to make him more human and flawed.

Now, in comparison to that, we haven't seen anything to suggest that Max isn't a total bastard. Even the things your cousin says seem to support that to some degree.

So, while there has been some attempt to dirty up Victor Steele's image, muddy the water a little...nobody seems to be doing that with Max (i.e. attempting to clean up his image even slightly.)

 

[TheIrishOtaku]

Victors questionable morality is partly why my Steele tries to be the most moral person he can (well, as much as you can be in this particular universe). He doesn't want to make the same mistakes his dad did.

 

[Jarylan]

Victors questionable morality is partly why my Steele tries to be the most moral person he can (well, as much as you can be in this particular universe). He doesn't want to make the same mistakes his dad did.

Same. Fucking up the Black Void or Beth Carver are my favorite hobbies.

 

[Nyx_Arach]

Same. Fucking up the Black Void or Beth Carver are my favorite hobbies.

We clearly have similar hobbies. XD

 

[Abi3264]

Same. Fucking up the Black Void or Beth Carver are my favorite hobbies.

Same, I really hope we can go genuiely against both of those eventually in a quest, if not take their leader down, at least give them a taste of their medicine

 

[CrazyBakaBaka]

From the very start of the game: "[Victor's] child could rise to greatness, becoming richer and more powerful than he ever was. And perhaps, with a bit of luck, a better person as well."
Additionally, a part of the email See you around, kid.: "Keep an eye on your Uncle Max and his spawn: they’ll try to worm their way into your inheritance if you aren’t careful. Just try not to hate them, especially the kids. You’d be pretty messed up if your daddy was a petty, scheming, back-stabbing bastard, too. Well, more so than I am, anyway! Hahaha."

Victor didn't think of himself as a paragon of morality, and seemingly didn't bother to present as such. But he is known as "Tricky Vic" for a good reason. He was frequently planning something, although he tended not to bother explaining that plan to anyone. At the start he is the one who recommends your character to the job classes, and while it was meant to prepare you for the Rush, he didn't bother to explain that and instead left Steele wondering why in the world they were being recommended such strange careers. Going into a bit of personally speculative territory, but I think another example of such a scheme is Anno. It's mentioned that she was sent to Tarkus out of the blue, seemingly unable to get transferred anywhere else for no reason. A decision that doesn't make a whole lot of sense unless Victor was intentionally trying to put her directly in the path of Steele, as a kind of mini-test (more on this in a bit).

As for Victor not thinking the Rush through, look at it as him creating something of an echo. Steele Tech was born from a Rush and thrives off finding new mining spots during the Rushes. And a lot of what made Victor successful was him going out and finding (and occasionally saving) planets and meeting people. Looking over certain texts in Phaedra (Cousin bonding time + Giving Syne the data) and there is a recurring theme of the importance of actually going out and seeing the worlds you impact. And what I mentioned with using Anno as a test, from Day 1 Victor knew that she had an incredible mind, so her being on Tarkus was a softball test for Steele, making sure that they also keep their eyes and ears open for people that can help them/Steele Tech.

As for the cousin's (and other family members) involvement? As shown earlier, he did expect that, but in his own adventure he had to overcome Max and the nightmare of legal bureaucracy, so fighting against family was clearly always an expectation as just another Trial to overcome. But more importantly, I think to Victor, this was also a way to leave as the final victor against Max. He hoped for Steele to be a better person, and the last instruction he ever gave us was "Just try not to hate them, especially the kids." Victor had a grudge against Max, but he doesn't extend that grudge to Jack and Jill, and it seems he didn't want Steele to hate them either, which is coming to head in Phaedra.

Stretching a lot of things, but the overall theme of Phaedra seems to be The Sins of the Past and Redemption. Phaedra was torn apart by a war, similar to how the Steele brother's relationship were torn apart by the Rush. I mentioned the theme of going out to different worlds earlier, but a key part during the dialogue with Syne is only by going out to the worlds so you can understand how to fix something as broken as Phaedra. Only by going on the adventure of the Rush can the relationship of the Steele family be fixed. There is a victory in trampling over Max and the Rival, but doing so I think ignores the final instruction. The ending I think Victor wanted for Steele is to befriend and steal away the Rival, as that would be the true F-you to Max, stealing away even his legacy.
Because yes, trampling over your enemies is a victory. But turning your enemies into allies? That's also a kind of victory I think.

 

[MakoBlade]

Just finished up the Love Starz content. It was the first time I'd actually gone through it all. Great content, but what stuck with me in the end is the whole story you get from Pink about your father.

Some of what's there seems hard to swallow, given how you seem to idolize your father at the start of the game. But between that conversation with Pink, and the conversation with your cousin on the train, I get the feeling Victor was much more of a bastard than the PC thinks.

Dunno why, just this has got me thinking. What was Vic really like...

A few things people agree on. Vic was a horndog who thought with his dick. He was a good businessman, in the end. He was involved in a planetary rush, and was quite an adventurer.

Yet, none of those things preclude him from actually being kind of a bastard to most folks. Dialogue with Jack/Jill seems to confirm that both brothers slammed each other relentlessly in comments, but that maybe neither was a good person.

Not sure I have a point in all this, just felt like getting my thoughts out. For what's supposedly a porn game, I spend a lot of time considering the characters I meet and all their interactions.

Hah, still hoping to get into the Rats' Raiders hideout someday and meet Mikky. Damned if I have any specific sex ideas for that though.

Guess I just wonder if anyone else ends up thinking on this stuff as well?

tl;dr Anyone else get deep into loving the characters and lore in this porn game?

Don't forget your half sister Shade. Her mom never talked about him, and apparently he didn't help them either. I wouldn't be surprised if he's also the guy that knocked up Dizzy at least once (can't remember if all of her children came from the same father or not. I remember the son being the oldest and Bizzy being the youngest) It's possible they both weren't great, which is why your father asked you to be nice to Jack/Jill to hopefully stop the in-fighting amongst the immediate families.