posted 12-08-98 12:23 AM ET        

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Quite simply, I like the Gaians. Unfortunately, I feel kinda dumb supporting a faction with the handle "stepdaughter" (me be male).

Personally, I find 'Gaia's stepchildren" doesn't quite cut it. If anyone can think of a better sounding name, I would love to hear it.

posted 12-08-98 04:50 AM ET            

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Or we could just call ourselves/them "Gaia's Children"... Possibly "New Kids on the Block: Gaia"?

I don't see why it would have to be 'step-' whatever. The natural argument for that holds water, IF you call the faction "Chiron's step-blabla", but noone's put that one forward, so if we just dump the prefix, we can dump this thread, as well...

posted 12-08-98 07:02 PM ET            

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Yes, I too think that the name should be changed. I'm not sure but I think that the original rationale for "stepdaughters" was that Planet was a "stepdaughter" of "Earth (Gaia)" Eventually, should humanity expand across the stars, there would be many human inhabited planets, and each would be a "stepdaughter." Thus, the term "stepdaughter" referred not to the individuals of the faction, but to the chain of planets.

However, I think the point made about male players being reluctant to play this faction is valid. I would be extremely pleased if Firaxis changed the name.

posted 12-08-98 09:16 PM ET            

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Yes. Unfortunately, I am also unable to think of a better one. As Rang points out, there's a lot of information in the handle 'Gaia's Stepdaughters' - none of which is actually sexist in the classic 'Mankind' mold. But I still find the name inappropriate.

Some ideas:
'Gaia's Revenants" - a bit too dark, but with the reborn/vengence aspect, which adds a little twist (I may want this name myself, actually...)
'Gaian Republic' - ????

posted 12-08-98 10:49 PM ET            

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Well, I for one like the name.

[ducks all the rotten fruit thrown at him]

Personally, being a male, I would not be ashamed to play as the SD of G, and anyone that would be ashamed would have a rather large problem getting in touch with their feminine side, IMO.

Ferchrissakes, it's just a name people. If you feel ashamed because someone called you a "sissy" for playing the SDs, you got problems...

[laughs at the boys puffing their chests out in masochismic displays]

posted 12-08-98 11:00 PM ET            

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Well, I'm certainly not a Gaian, but I think the name "Gaia's Stepdaughters" is great. It think it's very colorful and interesting. The alternatives that have been proposed seem to me to be far too cold and sterile.

Rang: I believe that the term stems from the fact that the faction believes that people are connected to their planets like children are connected to their parents, but the colonists are still in some ways foreigners to this new planet. This is analagous to a stepdaughter depending on a new, yet biologically unrelated, parent.

posted 12-08-98 11:01 PM ET            

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Aw, geez yer a ****** ******, BG.

(Personally, I keep my feminine side firmly locked up most of the time, and only let it out to admire sunsets or good classical music. I'm not much of a liberated gal, you could say )

I'm not particularly worried about being called a sissy - although playing computer games could already be considered somewhere along that line. And I do like the name; as I say, I can't think of anything better at the moment (though Gaia's Revenants is definitely starting to grow on me. But that's personal, and I doubt others think the same).

All I'm suggesting is that if anyone has any *better* ideas, and I emphasis better, I would like to know. I think it's not the best possible name around.

Yes I would like a gender neutral term god damn it!!!

posted 12-09-98 12:24 AM ET            

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Heh, heh, nothing better than being called a ****** ******.

What about"
Children of Gaia
Gaia's Offspring
Gaia's Greenies
Gaia's Legacy

Ah, they even sound lame to me. Look, just face your feminine side, and learn to live with it.

posted 12-09-98 01:15 PM ET            

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Better not put forth the idea that Deirdre is goiong to run the SDoG as a matriarchy, eh? Afterall, she probably believes (rightly or wrongly so) that Earth was screwed up principally by male politicians. She probably figures that the fewer males there are in power, the better off they'd be.

Yessiree, I figure that in the SDoG a guy has only a couple of choices: infantry grunt, concubine or manual laborer. Personally, I know which one I'd prefer.

As for the name, doesn't bother me a bit.

posted 12-10-98 08:00 PM ET            

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I say change the name. It has kind of turned me away from the faction, because it implies almost all female. Not that I'll play the faction much, but I still think Gaian's sound better. I have no feminine side! It ran away when I started mumbling something repulsive & disgusting

Up with Sparta! Down with the Hive, Gaians & Believers!

Up with The Simpsons!

Your faithful & hell-bent NIMadier general,
YYYH

posted 12-10-98 08:00 PM ET            

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I say change the name. It has kind of turned me away from the faction, because it implies almost all female. Not that I'll play the faction much, but I still think Gaian's sound better. I have no feminine side! It ran away when I started mumbling something repulsive & disgusting

Up with Sparta! Down with the Hive, Gaians & Believers!

Up with The Simpsons!

Your faithful & hell-bent NIMadier general,
YYYH

posted 12-10-98 08:01 PM ET            

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Bloody double posts! !!!!

Your faithful & hell-bent NIMadier general,
YYYH