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[Scelly9]

So, I got bored and began reading the GURPS books that I have to many of. Suddenly, I found one that seemed pretty terrible for an actual GURPS game, but could be absolutely wonderful for a forum game. GURPS Biotech. So, here we are. The system is a dumbed down GURPS system, using the Biotech rules.

You are fresh out of college with a shiny new Bioengineering degree. You currently live in a small apartment, your contract is going to expire within two weeks so it's probably time to move out. You have ₩5000 sitting in a bank account linked to your debit card, enough to live on for a few months. A job would be nice, though. Even if it's some one-time gig like 90% of Bio jobs seem to be these days. What is your name, and what do you do?

[Kazymir]

Simon Sanberg, dabbling designer pet splicer.

[Cheesecake]

Mitch Marson. Biomedicine engineer. Creates plants and animals that can produce antiviruses and supplements.

[Scelly9]

Your name is Simon Sanberg. What do you do?

[Scelly9]

Bamp.

[Knave]

Human augmentation of course!

[a1s]

Human augmentation of course!

+1. Transhumanism ho!

[Scelly9]

You have an apartement, no lab, no tools, and almost no money. These thing are not conductive to genetic modification.

[a1s]

well duh- look for a job. 


[side bar: What do bioengineers actually do? What does a typical "one-time gig like 90% of Bio jobs seem to be these days" usually entail?
In fact, could you link to/write a small intro to the GURPS-BE world we're playing in? Is it cyberpunk with genetics? Or the 90s where genetics are the 'new nuke' instead of computers? Is it like a movie we might have seen?]

[Knave]

Yes, I'm also curious!

+1 to the find a job to suit our talents course of action.

[GrizzlyAdamz]

PTW

[Scelly9]

The year is 2130. Genetics research has progressed far beyond anything seen in the past, and vat grown meat is the main staple of all households across the systems. Fun Fact: Most non-vat meat is illegal. Several hundred planets have been colonized, and FTL travel makes long distance journeys possible. Corporations are the leading forces in today's world, and nations occupy only a small part of the galaxy, the rest is privatized systems, planets, and wars. Recent leaps forward in bio-engineering mean that humans can be modified easily (although many modifications remain illegal) and new species are viable to create in a lab environment within months. Bio engineers can do anything from create Popples™ (Pork apples) to creating drug, disease, and fire resistant crops. They are frequently hired to do genetic modification for a new colony world, and back alley deals may lead to diseases targeting a specific marker, small animals growing human organs ready for transplant, and illegal humans modified for combat, or to keep them in check.

There are a few genetics classifieds to search through, as well as some rather shady ones. Browsing quickly, you find a few that look interesting.

1: A 5 year contract to do any required modifications for a new, independent, colony world. Checking the world information, you notice a few grasses that are edible, but only during a specific month. They are mostly overrun with other native grasses though. You would have a small lab for the first two years, upgraded to a larger one afterwards. You would also have two assistants.

2: A one-time gig to create new a new species of crops specifically modified to grow on one of the most industrialized planets in the galaxy. They need them all  to produce fibers to create cloth from, in five different colors. You would have a medium lab.

3: Another 1 time offer, with the possibility of more jobs if successful. Create a modified human to survive on a normally inhospitable world. Looking through specifics, you notice water is scarce, and the air is too thin for normal humans. Gravity is 2G and the planet is much hotter than a normalized world.

[Knave]

Number 3 sounds quite up our transhuman alley! It could also give us experience if we ever feel like going down a shadier path towards making bioengineered soldiers.

[Scelly9]

You contact the poster of job 3, and ask for more info. You will have a large lab, 3 assistants if you desire, 1 biotank, 3 forced growth tanks, and a place to live included. The wages will be $250,000 upon job completion, plus an additional $10,000 per month you get it done in under 2 years. (So, if you do it in 14 months you will get a bonus of $100,000) The temperature is 25% higher than normal, water is extremely scarce, grasses are relatively abundant, although they are not edible for humans. The air is only half the oxygen content that it needs to be for humans. Gravity is 2.11G and air pressure is 75% of what humans require

[Eotyrannus]

The temperature is 25% higher than normal, water is extremely scarce, grasses are relatively abundant, although they are not edible for humans. The air is only half the oxygen content that it needs to be for humans. Gravity is 2.11G and air pressure is 75% of what humans require

Ah, here we go! Right up my alley!

Temperature... I would replace the hair on the head with feathers, possibly silver. A thick coat of feathers is much better at losing/gaining heat than a similar fur coat, so it'd stop overheating of the head. Long fingers could also help increase the surface area, as fanning with a larger hand would also help with the hand losing heat.

Water... Uric acid instead of urea. The genitals would need to be modified to be able to do this, but we'd save a lot of water. Better panting ability and wilful sweating might be of use, too.

Oxygen... Larger lungs are an obvious choice. Perhaps increase the amount of mitochondria, so it's got more efficiency. An avian lung would vastly improve breathing.

Shorter, stouter limbs are a must. Improving shock-absorbing would help, and hollow bones (which could fit into the avian lung system) would also reduce weight-to-volume.

Air pressure... Well, better breathing helps with that. Other than breathing problems, low air pressure doesn't affect humans much, it's just moving between the states that's the problem.

Most of these solutions are either relatively simple or can be taken from an average bird. Should be a relatively easy job, since we have plenty of resources.