Now fallen, they've none the less left their impact upon the earth.
There were two general 'factions' in the Old Empires era. Some of the Empires were Radical, others were Traditional. The radical Empires struggled to reach a final Technological Singularity that would change the Galaxy forever, while the traditional Empires were more interested in the status quo and in keeping and maintaining power. The two philosophical perspectives always clashed, but it was ultimately the Radical Factions that pushed everything over the edge.