Crises

Crises are special events introduced with the Intrigue expansion. Unlike other events they have multiple stages and can result in failure if specific conditions aren't met.

The Simulation

Introduction

Description	Choice	Effect
Our researchers have come to a startling conclusion, that the entire galaxy is simply a simulation. Every solar system, planet, and citizen is merely a computer process and our entire existence is not reality.	Attempt to contact the being that is controlling this simulation.	Benevolent +5
	To avoid panic, hide this information from the public.	Pragmatic +5
	Find the limits of the simulation, and exploit them.	Malevolent +5

Choice 1 route

Description	Choice	Effect
Your scientists have developed a massive transmitter than attempts to vibrate the universe at a quantum level. They say that the vibration is large enough that it should be noticed by outside observers, and probably won't destroy reality. What do we want our message to be?	"Please give us a new world, a paradise to inhabit."	Benevolent stat check
	"Why are we here?"	Pragmatic stat check
	"Prove to us that you exist!"	Malevolent stat check

Result

Choice	Outcome	Effect
Benevolent	Success	Your scientists broadcast your message, "Please give us a new world, a paradise to inhabit." There is no immediate reply and you begin to wonder if anyone heard your message, or if there was anyone to hear it. Then your scientists notice an uninhabited planet in a solar system you control. Though all recording and measurements claim it has always been there, no one recalls having noticed it before. Apparently your message did get through.
Benevolent	Failure	Your scientists turn on the transmitter to beam its message from {PLANETNAME}. For a heartbeat a million dimensions can be seen overlapping each other, most burning or only cold emptiness. The atoms of every mountain, building and citizen of {PLANETNAME}, including those of the transmitter itself are shifted and collapse to more primal forms, water, radioactive air and dull grey ash. {PLANETNAME} Destroyed
Pragmatic	Success	Your scientists broadcast your message, "Why are we here?" You have your answer almost immediatly as a brief portal opens to another dimension, world or reality. Through it comes a ship unlike anything you have seen before, able to travel to the very edge of the known universe, maybe even beyond. Your citizens take to calling the ship, Messenger. Free "Messenger" Ship
Pragmatic	Failure	Your scientists turn on the transmitter to beam its message from {PLANETNAME}. For a heartbeat a million dimensions can be seen overlapping each other, most burning or only cold emptiness. The atoms of every mountain, building and citizen of {PLANETNAME}, including those of the transmitter itself are shifted and collapse to more primal forms, water, radioactive air and dull grey ash. {PLANETNAME} Destroyed
Malevolent	Success	Your scientists broadcast your message, "Prove to us that you exist!" You have your answer almost immediately as a brief portal opens to another dimension, world or reality. Through it comes a ship unlike anything you have seen before, an incredible warship able to conquer civilizations on its own. The answer seems to be clear, whatever answered you from beyond this reality has clear intentions for you: conquest. Free "Retribution" Ship
Malevolent	Failure	Your scientists broadcast your message, "Prove to us that you exist!" You receive your answer almost immediately. Apparently someone is listening, and they either hate you or they have a dark sense of humor. Your response is a series of meteors that shower down on {PLANETNAME} killing millions. At least now you have your proof. Population halved on {PLANETNAME}

Choice 2 route

Description	Choice	Effect
Your citizens continue to live their lives, oblivious to the simulation they are a part of. Meanwhile your scientists have begun to create a simulation of their own, one that contains its own worlds and virtual citizens.	Make this simulation a paradise for the simulated citizens living in it.	Benevolent stat check
	Release the simulation as a game for your citizens to enjoy.	Science stat check
	Use this simulation to practice military techniques	Military stat check

Result

Choice	Outcome	Effect
Benevolent	Success	Despite your best efforts you cannot remove suffering entirely from your simulation. Unless every experience is the same, some are always better, and some are worse. There is always to joy and pain. Your philosophers consider this lesson carefully. +20 Benevolent, +20 Pragmatic, +20 Malevolent
Benevolent	Failure	In every simulation, no matter how perfect, the simulated citizens become depressed and depraved. Violence and apathy seem the outcome of every experiment and the only ultimate conclusion of life. Your scientists are deeply disturbed by these results. Global Effect: -25% Research for 10 turns
Science	Success	Your game continues to grow and attract fans throughout the galaxy, becoming so popular that many ignore their daily lives to play. Global Effect: -10% Production, +25% Influence for 50 turns
Science	Failure	Despite the long hours and the hard work of your passionate designers, developers and artists your game doesn't become the massive blockbuster you hoped for. Instead you make about as much on the game as you spent developing it. Welcome to the gaming industry.
Military	Success	The military simulation displays clearly how military models of the last decade, and even those of the past few years are woefully out of date. Military strategy and capability is changing so quickly commanders training is nearly useless by the time they graduate. Fortunately our simulation allows us to adapt our strategy with each new development, and become more effective on the battlefield. Global Effect: Permanent +10% Soldiering and Resistence
Military	Failure	The military simulation was going well, until containment failed and it took over one of our manufacturing facilities. By the time we stopped it it had already created a fleet of very aggressive warships.

Choice 3 route

Description	Choice	Effect
Your scientists theorize that time is constant only as we experience it. From the perspective of the simulation it runs in bursts. They speculate that if they can isolate an area in 'real-time' they can cheat the simulation and take advantage of moments where the rest of galaxy is inactive.	Isolate our research computers so that they can continue to process outside local time.	Science stat check
	Create a field large enough to contain an entire ship, one that is unhindered by time.	Military stat check
	We risk damaging the galaxy itself with these efforts. Put a stop to them.

Result

Choice	Outcome	Effect
Science	Success	Isolating the research computers from local time was successful and capable of performing years of research in seconds. Until the day we saw dark shapes moving within the containment field. They were shaped like Thalans. But when we opened the containment field they were gone, as well as our equipment. Though we cannot continue our experiments, at least we have the research we gained while it was running. Finish Current Research
Science	Failure	Your scientists prepare a chamber to isolate their computer from local time. But their calculations are incorrect. When the field is switched on the computers and a large part of their lab disappear entirely, lost in some other reality. Perhaps someday in the future they will reappear. Until then a large amount of their research has been lost. Global Effect: -50% Research for 10 turns
Military	Success	Other civilizations have noticed your new warship. They believe that by ignoring the laws of physics you risk damaging the galaxy itself. Global Effect: -2 Diplomacy. Free "Timeless" ship.
Military	Failure	You scientists successfully manage to put a time field around a warship, allowing it to move at incredible speed. While they are still toasting their success your military displays its incompetance by underestimating the ships speed and pilot it right into a moon, destroying it in its first flight. Both your military and your scientists fall into screaming matches blaming each other for the tragedy. Global Effect: -25% Research and Military Construction for 10 turns
3		Your ministers are impressed that you put the needs of the galaxy above your own. This inspires them to follow your example in their dealings with other factions. Global Effect: +2 Diplomacy