Who is the player?

[Somdudewillson]

So, I was playing a short bit of FTL and got my crew slaughtered. After mourning my fallen friends, something occurred to me. WHO AM I? I mean, you, the player, are an unknown being who:

Has a flexible view of time. (Pausing)

Sees the entire ship at once.

Can instantly reallocate power.

Is capable of instantly giving orders to crew members, even in the harshest of circumstances.

Has crew who instantly follows said commands, even if they are "Stand in this oxygenless room and die."

Does not exist as a visible crew member.

Cannot man any system.

Cannot continue to command the ship when there are no crew left.

Knows everything about every weapon, no matter if it was bought from a store, given by a surrendering enemy, or found floating in space.

Has instant control over all systems on the ship.

Knows the effects and precise cost of every system upgrade.

So... what manner of being is the player?

[Leylite]

This is definitely a recurring discussion topic, but I think it's definitely one the developers left ambiguous.

There are a couple of points in favor of the "Captain is a normal person" theory, which involves two events: first, the Slug captain who tries to get the player captain themselves to drink something, and second, a Mantis sector boarding event which specifically says "you, the player" ready their pistol:

http://ftl.wikia.com/wiki/Slug_Captain_ ... to_a_Drink
http://ftl.wikia.com/wiki/Mantis_Boarders

These could be chalked up to questionably-accurate flavor text, but the text is in the game and it must be considered as evidence (however weak) against the "player is the ship's AI" theory.

Really, though, I think you can pretty much take whatever theory is your favorite.

[Somdudewillson]

This is definitely a recurring discussion topic, but I think it's definitely one the developers left ambiguous.

There are a couple of points in favor of the "Captain is a normal person" theory, which involves two events: first, the Slug captain who tries to get the player captain themselves to drink something, and second, a Mantis sector boarding event which specifically says "you, the player" ready their pistol:

http://ftl.wikia.com/wiki/Slug_Captain_ ... to_a_Drink
http://ftl.wikia.com/wiki/Mantis_Boarders

These could be chalked up to questionably-accurate flavor text, but the text is in the game and it must be considered as evidence (however weak) against the "player is the ship's AI" theory.

Really, though, I think you can pretty much take whatever theory is your favorite.

But the player cannot be a crewmember, as every crewmember is expendable. You can have every original crewmember die and still be the captain. And the player can't really be the ship's AI, because then how come you need crew?

[stylesrj]

But the player cannot be a crewmember, as every crewmember is expendable. You can have every original crewmember die and still be the captain. And the player can't really be the ship's AI, because then how come you need crew?

Maybe your AI isn't sophisticated enough to operate the FTL drive and is only capable of controlling ship systems and giving orders? Why is it that the enemy ships can still fire at you even if their entire crew is onboard your ship?

Or perhaps that one of the crew is always Captain. If the original crew dies or is dismissed, someone else becomes Captain. The Captain can do all those crazy orders and no one will question them because everyone knows they're expendable.

[5thHorseman]

Or perhaps that one of the crew is always Captain. If the original crew dies or is dismissed, someone else becomes Captain. The Captain can do all those crazy orders and no one will question them because everyone knows they're expendable.

This is what I always figured. Federation law states that a clear chain of command must exist on each military vessel. Every single person on the ship has a place in line, and if the captain dies everybody just moves up one in the chain.

Regarding pausing and all that, that's just an abstraction for us, the player.

[Somdudewillson]

This is what I always figured. Federation law states that a clear chain of command must exist on each military vessel. Every single person on the ship has a place in line, and if the captain dies everybody just moves up one in the chain.

Regarding pausing and all that, that's just an abstraction for us, the player.

How does the captain retain control over the ship when the entire crew are on an enemy ship in a nebula?

[stylesrj]

How does the captain retain control over the ship when the entire crew are on an enemy ship in a nebula?

There's an achievement for that one. Obviously Hal 9000 takes over for you while the Captain's onboard the enemy ship. Thanks to the neural network, they can instantly send orders to it which sends orders to the rest of the crew while they're still trying to not get their limbs cut off by a Mantis warrior.

Plus it sings Daisy Bell. The Mantis, not Hal 9000. That'd be bad.

Trusty old Autopilot...

[5thHorseman]

This is what I always figured. Federation law states that a clear chain of command must exist on each military vessel. Every single person on the ship has a place in line, and if the captain dies everybody just moves up one in the chain.

Regarding pausing and all that, that's just an abstraction for us, the player.

How does the captain retain control over the ship when the entire crew are on an enemy ship in a nebula?

Through his Pip-Boy, of course.

[zaphod_]

Honestly, I think the player might be the wonderful image featured in your sig.

[Somdudewillson]

Honestly, I think the player might be the wonderful image featured in your sig.

The only possible response to that preposterous idea: http://pastebin.com/FA0CS7vW.