This tweet http://twitter.com/EclipsePhase/status/9305715155931137
spawned a chain of thought in my head i can't let go off.
I read Ctech, found the setting interesting, especially the subtle dread, the Engel (yes, thats the german plural) radiate.
BUT how can the memes and tropes of them believeably be transplanted into Eclipse Phase? I find that challenging, not because of the "Well, lets create some really exotic biological Hoplite with a small AI Ego inside" aspect, more from the "Why would anyone do that" point. Plus: How could somebody add that dread? Using the exsurgent virus seems impossible, there could be somebody who believes, he controls the virus, but the virus actually controls him and every "pilot" (or sleeved ego).
Or some Exhuman found alien DNA on an Exoplanet and now mixes and matches until he found his perfect killing machine.
Furthermore, would there actually be use of mechs in a sci-fi hard game like Eclipse Phase? AFAIK mechs had no real advantage compared to tracked and wheeled vehicles?
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Biomechs - Japanese Goodness
Mon, 2010-11-29 17:50
#1
GreyBrother
Biomechs - Japanese Goodness
Mon, 2010-11-29 18:22
#2
Thunderwave
Re: Biomechs - Japanese Goodness
Humaniform mecha? No.
The human frame is, in all honestly, kind of crappy when it comes to efficient movement. It's got a high center of gravity and the use of two feet puts a lot of pressure on the ground relative to the mass of the frame. For smaller mecha or powered exo-frames it's a fine shape, but the bigger you get the worse it is.
However non-humaniform mecha would fit rather nicely for some areas. Moving over rough ground, for one. Moving a six legged mecha over rough rocky ground is probably easier then, say, moving a tracked or wheeled vehicle over it. The rougher the ground, the more practical a vehicle like that becomes.
Of course in a hard sci-fi setting like EP, how fast are those mecha really going to be moving? Gundam? Probably not. The AT-TE from Star Wars? Probably. Long, slow, ponderous steps of a sturdy mecha on six legs.
Mon, 2010-11-29 18:33
#3
CodeBreaker
Re: Biomechs - Japanese Goodness
Thankfully some of us play Eclipse Phase gonzo style! :D (Hard Science-shmience.)
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Tue, 2010-11-30 08:03
#4
theshadow99
Re: Biomechs - Japanese Goodness
There has actually been considerable real world work on humanoid mecha, both in Japan and in other parts of the world. Some of this goes into things like the Battlesuits of EP. Another point is that their are already many humanform synthmorphs, this suggests their are reasons people would make humanform robotic designs regardless of how 'functional' it may be. The biggest hurdle for EP is why it would be a 'suit' style design and not a over-sized synthmorph.
There are also advantages to humanoid mecha, though absent forests those mostly come down to hilly, rocky, and mountainous terrain. A 'spider' design may be good for rocky and hilly terrain as well, but without some way to hook into the terrain, then in mountainous terrain it will lose to a humanoid design.
For Angels in particular... Alien DNA is an easy choice. I mean in the anime that inspired the 'Engels' of CT, NGE, they were made with strange and unique DNA from organisms not native to the earth. I'd add in a whole lotta 'we had never seen this creature, but we decided to grow it in a lab' concept from the recreating the dinosaurs fiction. I'd also suggest that they have trouble Identifying their 'brain', but realize their destructive potential and work on a some method of control to harvest that potential for use in combat. This could easily lead into the same control scheme as in CT where a pilot wrestles with the will of the creature that exists under the surface of the 'mecha'.
Sat, 2010-12-04 03:39
#5
GreyBrother
Re: Biomechs - Japanese Goodness
I let this thread rest for a while and thought about it.
Yes, damn it could be done. Enterprising anarchist scientists/argonauts, why not. Even the Genehacker sample char is a mad scientist.
"We choose this small exoplanet - dubbed Eden - for our experiments. The native wildlife is fierce and provides good genetic material to work with. Five years ago, we started with the first designs and simulated the the possible outcomes when we mix the genetic codes with terran wildlife. The first prototypes were a failure. They started developing egos in stages as early as two months. We flushed them and started anew. The next model incorporated a cyberbrain after the simulations showed, that messing with the brains dropped neural efficiency by almost 74% without any way to compensate. We wired the cyberbrain as dominant part of the nervous system. This time, we did it right. The creature is effectively braindead, when the cyberbrain goes active and neural inhibitors slow down the nervous system if not "piloted". Since it was once common on old Earth, we gave the firstborn the nickname "Adam". The second functional morph was "Jeremiel". They take around 4 years to grow, several more are under way for fieldtesting and our new blood is eager to learn how to direct them - piloting is the wrong term and we don't actually sleeve them into the morph.
The mechanics added several cybernetic enhancements, all wired to the cyberbrain. We even encased Adam and Jeremiel in an armoured shell, capable of withstanding one or two hits of Direct Actions anti-tank weapons. Still, i don't like to look at them. They... i am in the hangar, looking at their 7 meter tall forms. And i know, they are not sentient, they can't be. My AR display tells me that and my muse assures me, that it isn't even possible.
But i have the feeling, that they watch me.
Enough of this paranoia. I have to review some psychological profiles. The pilots reported some anomalies in the control systems."
Sounds good?
Sun, 2010-12-05 09:41
#6
memesis
Re: Biomechs - Japanese Goodness
"I'm afraid to admit that some of our early.. experiments.. weren't exactly disposed of. We used some rather daring processes on their neural structure. The official report, the one that says 'flushed'? It should read abandoned to the wilderness."
"We thought they weren't viable lifeforms, that Eden's native wildlife would deal with our mess. We thought they weren't smart enough to survive."
"We were wrong."
"It turns out that those armored shells may be more important in the next few weeks than we thought."
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F-Rep +2
Sun, 2010-12-05 13:15
#7
CodeBreaker
Re: Biomechs - Japanese Goodness
*giggles* Oh gods, my players will hate me for this.
BioMech (Pod)
Implants: Basic Biomods, Basic Mesh Inserts, Cortical Stack, Cyberbrain, Mnemonic Augmentation, Puppet Sock
Aptitude Maximum: 30 (40 SOM)
Durability: 150
Wound Threshold: 15
Advantages: Movement Rate (Walker, 12/50), +15 SOM, +10 COO, +5 REF, Any kinetic damage taken by the BioMech is halved after armor is applied, Natural Armor (10/10, does not count as a layer), Claw Attack (2d10 + 10, -5 AP, use Unarmed Combat skill)
Disadvantages: Lumbering (If knocked down, takes 2d10 kinetic damage), Extra Large (+30 to hit in combat), Extra Heavy, Alien Physiology (Any gear, including implants and enhancements, must be specially designed for this morph, increasing the cost category by one.), Hard to Pilot (Jamming this morph with a puppet sock is particularly difficult. All tests made while jamming the BioMech suffer a -10 modifier unless the pilot has been specially trained.), Extremely Exotic (Alienation and Integration tests when sleeving into this morph suffer a -30 modifier)
CP Cost: 150
Credit Cost: Expensive (100,000 minimum, extremely rare)
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Mon, 2010-12-06 17:14
#8
GreyBrother
Re: Biomechs - Japanese Goodness
Good sir, i will use your framework and build on it. :D
Mon, 2010-12-06 17:24
#9
CodeBreaker
Re: Biomechs - Japanese Goodness
I am currently stuck with my iPad, computer with all my EP stuff died, but I was going to expand on it too add a horror aspect. Basically I was going to use rules similar to the multiple personality rules to make them have a supressed beastial side, and every time they are wounded the pilot would need to make a contested WILLx3 test to stay in control.
Something to think about. I'll probably do my own version when I have my computer back, giant, evil biomechs are too fun to pass up :p.
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Mon, 2010-12-06 17:25
#10
CodeBreaker
Re: Biomechs - Japanese Goodness
Double post.
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Tue, 2010-12-07 02:39
#11
GreyBrother
Re: Biomechs - Japanese Goodness
Exactly what i had in mind. The biological brain is active, rules-wise a multiple personality implant and every biomech has a psychological profile which suggests some triggers.
Wrote up short blurb about three kinds i had in mind. No hard rules right now, but i have some time in the evening.
******
Tanks - Brutish creature, massive strength, developed a heavy natural armor. Psychological profile suggests tendencies to pompous behaviour in combat.
Stalker - Chameleon, fast, vicious, ruthless. Chameleon skin, claws are very hard and can rip through hard armor. PsychProf shows fast thought processes and a taste for scaring the shit out of its enemies.
Spider - Trap-laying predator. Developed silk glands akin to Earth spiders. Likes to lurk and tries to lure prey into trap. Loves to play with its prey.
Fri, 2010-12-10 05:48
#12
GreyBrother
Re: Biomechs - Japanese Goodness
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1prb2ro3f8Rgny8dsVoxR1lVdhDaoNv3rHZLn...
My official worksheet right now. Not much structure. Will change over the course of the weekend.