Sup peoples. I have a new FPS game idea in which you are a man trying to survive in winter holocaust Earth circa 2148. So far I have the first part of the timeline in rough draft and need a little feedback if you guys don't mind. BTW this is a rough draft so every little detail of what happens in this timeline won't be covered. Just wait for the story to be completed for all that. =P Here's the first story arc in the timeline. Takes place starting in 2009. Winter The World Revolution Arc 2003 - U.S. enters war with Iraq on the speculation that Iraq held illegal weapons of mass destruction and of Saddam Hussein’s alleged ties to al-Qaeda. 2007 – A surge of almost 25,000 troops is pumped into Iraq much to the disapproval of most Americans. The surge causes Iraqi people to become even more displeased about American stationing in Iraq and look towards their leaders for results. 2009 – The timeline for troop withdrawal is pushed back almost 2 years as new president Stanley A. Harper pushes 15,000 more troops into Iraq in order to flush out the capital Baghdad. Hopefully, this will push Iraq to peace. 2009 – Late September – Iran is now infested with a large cult by the name of “The Followers.” These people are led by one who calls himself As-Salam and his 12 “Disciples” who believe they follow the Islamic messiah. His words influence within seconds and his spirit can lead anyone to follow him. U.S. calls him “The Hitler of our time.” Iranian government orders for him to be removed. 2009 – The Iran government is usurped in a coup d’état after a large mob kills half of the military present at the execution of As-Salam. “The Followers” then force their way into the senate building where various members of the Assembly of Experts are killed. As-Salam is named Supreme Ruler over all in Iran. The U.N. is asked to assist Iran in restoring order. As-Salam asks that faith be put in him as he takes his new leadership. If they enter, it will be considered an act of war. 2010 – Words of As-Salam's fair leadership for Iran reach Iraqi people who want relief from the U.S. oppression. One of the Disciples, Matteaus, preaches As-Salam's Islamic interpretations in Iraq where his words catch on quickly. Soon, insurgents are backing down as Matteaus’ words reach more and more people. 2010 – Late October – The death toll number for American soldiers has stopped at 3,102 for almost 4 months. U.S. is pressured to leave Iraq now that the violence has been completely abolished, but the President is wary of the results. 2011 – U.S. is pressured from Iran to remove stations from Iraq or suffer the consequences. Iran leaves the U.N. November 21st, 2011 – 31 simultaneous explosions occur destroying the American Consulate of Iraq, along with 12 military bases. 3 minutes later, 80 car bombs explode killing thousands. The death toll of Americans spike from 3,100 to 3,600 in 1 hour. The President throws this rebellion in the face of the U.N. and pushes for more troops. 2012 – Insurgents are hitting the troops harder in large urban areas. The death toll steadily rising 50 lives each week. The American public calls for withdrawal from Iraq. This obviously is response to the prolonged U.S. invasion. Congress holds firm to the Presidents words that Iraq is not a lost cause. July 16th, 2012 – As-Salam promises Iraq freedom if the people return the country to where it belongs. To the Persian Empire. The Iraqi people are drunk with his words of peace and prosperity that Persia would bring. On July 16th, the Imperial Pact is signed by the Iraqi leaders giving total leadership to As-Salam. This is the start of the Neo-Persian Empire. July 17th, 2012 – The U.S. is warned to simply leave or suffer the consequences. Every Iraqi man, woman, and child is ready to give their lives for the removal of the Americans. As-Salam’s words seem to be a catalyst for the people to remove the Americans by any means necessary. The U.N. pressures U.S. forces to leave Neo-Persia. Their objectives are no longer legal since Iraq exists no longer. August, 2012 – The U.S. forces begin withdrawal from Iraqi grounds. 2013 – Neo-Persia begins its “Conquest of the West” as many called it, as each of “The Disciples” influenced the middle-east countries to join the empire. Soon, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Jordan join the Neo-Persian Empire (more popularly known as the N.P.E. or Neopia) 2014 – As-Salam visits China’s leaders and in a speaking session, lead’s them to believe he is the true Maitreya, or incarnation of Buddha. Their beliefs lead them to give As-Salam China’s full allegiance. The U.N. strongly disagrees. China leaves the U.N. The President asks Congress to provide him with his own sanctioned militia for “Homeland Security” purposes. Most are vague but under the pressures of Neopia becoming a world-power, the Congress is prepared to do anything to protect itself. 20,000 troops are now under the command of President. As-Salam now goes by Maitreya Salam. 2015 – The U.S. is concerned with Neopia’s new standing in world leadership. It now has control over most of the Middle-East along with China’s loyalty. A new type of religion is created after combining Buddhism and Islam practices called Revolutism. The ideas of it sweep the world and become the number 1 religion in under a year. The President views it as a terror-driven religion and moves to ban it throughout the country. The “Followers” of the religion revolt against the notion and soon marches and pickets. Under orders of the President, the Homeland Guard moves into New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Detroit in order to halt high levels of violence connected to the Congress’ deliberation over banning Revolutionism. The people begin to literally war with the Guard and before long, the army is occupying all major cities of the U.S. January 19th, 2016 – Congress finally reaches its decision. Revolutionism is viewed to be terror-driven in nature. Its concepts endanger the governmental structure of the United States and anyone found practicing it will be found in deliberate acts of terrorism, the punishment of which is death. The people are extremely shocked at the harshness of the verdict but continue to challenge the government. The Homeland Guard is increased to 100,000 troops to enforce the new laws. January 20th, 2017 – In an uprising in New York, 2 small children are killed by stray bullets from a young officer trying to keep the peace. Before long, riots are tearing through the city and the Homeland Guard is forced to act. Martial law is declared for all major cities in the U.S. 121 people die after Guards shoot them while they steal, riot, commit arson and various other crimes. January 21st, 2017 – Certain states offer protection from Martial Law and the Guard. They refused to be taken over in a totalitarian fashion. The whole western U.S. and some southern states offer freedom from the U.S. government. People start to migrate. July 20th, 2017 – Western states refused to commit themselves to the U.S. as acts become wilder and wilder. Neo-Persia has now started a nuclear program and while they say it’s for technological purposes only, anxiety rises in the U.S. On July 20th, a man by the name of Taylor Cadaway leads the Western U.S. to break away and form its own country, The American Confederation. Most central states choose to stay out of the conflict and form an unofficial border between the two countries. 2018 - The Confederation has more of less become its own semi-successful country with Taylor Cadaway as President. Although he leads with a strong hand around the people, it seems he’s pushing them in the right direction. US constantly tries to negotiate with the people to rejoin the States but most of the people don’t seem to be affected by the US’ promises. Cadaway slowly but surely pushes the people into giving him more and more power after direct threats are made by the U.S. He now seems to have a country that once flaunted its freedoms by the neck. 2020 - Cadaway spreads news of constant espionage, planned terror-based attacks, and bio-terrorism all coming from the now enraged U.S. government. He now has his own secret police, the Invisibles, to monitor all of the A.C. for signs of treason and direct attacks on the government. The largest phone company, iTalk is taken over by the government and all land-based, cell based, and satellite phone calls are monitored and recorded. Before the year is over, the A.C. is pushed into totalitarianism where the people are governed closely by the Black Hand. Curfew is enforced and new software is installed into homes to detect all activities of its occupants. Censors are thrown over much of the popular media including anything depicting acts of violence, terrorism, drugs, explicit sex, government collapse, apocalyptic theories, and assassinations. Any talk of the government in a bad light is punishable by death. A talk of a possible alliance with Neo-Persia is underway. The Homeland Guard is becoming corrupted in small areas, with certain members calling themselves the Black Hand. 2023 - The U.S. fuels its people to “save” its sister country by invasion and annexation. Neopia warns the U.S. that any act of violence upon the country and people of the A.C. will spur the immediate response of the Neo-Persian government. The U.S. decides to back off. Meanwhile, A.C. scientists discover oil in Antarctica after a large earthquake split the landmass into pieces. The new oil, named Petrolite, is a scientific wonder; able to create a more efficient fuel with no pollutants. The oil is also found to be plant based, allowing it to be reproduced in large quantities in manmade Petrol-Forests of Nevada. Soon, A.C. monopolizes the energy industry. Most of Europe unites to recover from a large AIDS pandemic and fix the large currency inflation problem. 2024 – The A.C. delves into biochemical research for Petrolite. After the removal of certain hydro carbons, Petrolite stimulates plant growth by approximately 600%. Slowly, the basis of research turns from ethnic development towards biochemical warfare. Research goes into creating 3 Terra-Bombs which on contact would erupt in a forest of earth eating vines and acid filled plants. The attack would be more devastating than a nuclear one since rebuilding in the area is no longer possible. 2028 – 3 Terra-Bombs are completed and placed in underground missile silos: 2 in Nevada, 1 in New Mexico. The Neopian State of China begins developing a prototype for basic AI-Robots. Upon completion, the robots would be able to accomplish the more dangerous hard labor tasks. The President loses power as the Black Hand grows and ravages the U.S. They took it upon themselves to enforce the law, usually unfairly with punishments above and beyond cruel and unusual. The President is forced to act before all of the U.S. is lost. He asks for conference with Cadaway to discuss the removal of the Black Hand from American soil. Cadaway proposes only one solution: to allow the American Confederacy to annex the U.S and eliminate the terrorists that would then be occupying Confederacy territory. President Harper refused the offer, calling the Confederacy a disgrace to the American dream and history. Cadaway rebuttals by saying that Harper was a fool of an American to let terrorists take over its land in the first place. He then threats to remove the Black Hand and annex the U.S. forcefully. The U.S. army slowly dissolves and blurs with the Black Hand as they gain more and more power. Many Americans flee into the deserted plains of Africa since the Pandemic of 2015 killed most Africans. March 23, 2029 – Explosions devastate Washington D.C. where the base of operations for the Black Hand resides. Thousands of Black Hands and civilians die as monuments topple, buildings disintegrate, and radiation rips through the city. The President calls a State of Emergency an hour before another explosion rips through New York City’s Times Square. Suddenly, vines erupt from Times Square and tear through the whole city. Thousands more Black Hand and civilians die as vines tear down whole buildings in seconds and acid eats through raw flesh. 30 minutes later, Confederate troops mobilize and enter Tennessee and Kentucky. The President of the U.S. declares war on the Confederacy but no longer has an army. The Black Hand prepares to defend their borders, reluctant to give up their power. 2029 – Because of the large growth of the Black Hand in the past year, it was able to hold the Confederate troops in Tennessee for 6 days. March 30, 2029 – Confederate soldiers initiate an “Urban Blitz” tactic and drive through U.S. territory. West Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, and Ohio are quickly taken over and occupied by the A.C. Black Hand troops hold a final front in Pennsylvania and Virginia, refusing to let the A.C. to completely take over. April 15, 2029 - The Black Hand fought hard knowing they were in their last days. Able to hold off the advancing Confederate Army for almost 4 weeks, they finally surrendered on April 15th. Most were put in internment camps while others were publicly executed. The remaining U.S. territories were annexed into the Confederacy after Congress and the President sign their government over to Cadaway. Harper is then publicly executed in the middle of the Reflection Pool at Washington D.C.

Not sure if you know this, but "The Black Hand" is already 'taken' - in C&C Renegade, it's the group of elite enemy soldiers. I don't think it's copyrighted, but it's not very "original". Just my 2c. :)

yeah someone told me that. Never played C&C but it's used for a number of things. It was a originally was the name for a large number of terrorist organizations, plus the bad guys on Jackie Chan Adventures =P
I'm gonna change it, just needed a cool name to go there for the time being.

Don´t want to be a smartass, but "The Black Hand" was a secret society of serbian officers who wanted to liberate their motherland from Hapsburg influence. Maybe the creators of C&C Renegade knew this, maybe not. The term sounds to generic to be copyrighted for sure. If "your" Black Hand has a politic agenda as as well then keep the name as a historical allusion.

Black hand is also an faction/guild in oblivion.

That's alot of plot changing events in a relatively short time period. If the game is supposed to be set in 2148, you might do well to extend the timeline both in terms of plot plausibility and simplicity.

Yeah I've changed up the dates and the story since then to extend it a little bit. It's also just one arc (chapter) leading up the the storyline for the game. The next arc deals with World War 3 and the arc after that is about the re-emergence of large scale civilization/technology. Itll all eventually lead to 2148 hopefully =D