Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Sean Mirrsen]

What's a MACS, if somebody doesn't mind enlightening me? I haven't exactly read much of Techland, being slightly turned off by other people's tinker tedium. I suspect I have no use for one, but I'd like to confirm.

The MACS is a concept of a Mission-Adaptable Combat Suit. The idea behind it being that if you have a MACS, then before every mission, with minimum fuss and minimal expense, you can quickly re-equip yourself with (mostly non-weapon) equipment that fits the role you intend to perform on the mission. At its most basic, it's a Mk3 that allows you to switch the rocketpack for a number of other things, without buying a whole new suit. It has other features as well (it's MCP-based, provides internal power supply to any mounted weapons, and has a synthflesh- and robobody-specific versions that may omit the suit and the exoskeleton if need be), but that's the gist of it.

[syvarris]

Irrelevant, but even if we loose this war we'll be helping mankind, since we'll be stimulating the UWM to get off their asses, work together, reform their government, coordinate and actually do something for a change instead of resting on their laurels.

...Assuming you believe Steve's propaganda about wanting to help humanity, rather than the much more likely fact that he just wants more power.

Interest check!

http://strawpoll.me/2932843

That "I'm actively attempting to sabotage it." option made me laugh.  I nearly chose it, despite the fact that I'd actually really like it to succeed.

The MACS is a concept of a Mission-Adaptable Combat Suit. The idea behind it being that if you have a MACS, then before every mission, with minimum fuss and minimal expense, you can quickly re-equip yourself with (mostly non-weapon) equipment that fits the role you intend to perform on the mission. At its most basic, it's a Mk3 that allows you to switch the rocketpack for a number of other things, without buying a whole new suit. It has other features as well (it's MCP-based, provides internal power supply to any mounted weapons, and has a synthflesh- and robobody-specific versions that may omit the suit and the exoskeleton if need be), but that's the gist of it.

It also costs somewhat more than an MK.III, to get slightly worse functionality in that role.  It's only a good choice if you sometimes want to swap out certain pieces with other abilities, for example in a mission where flight is going to be nearly useless.  Or in a mission where you'll stay in atmosphere for a long time (you can swap the rockets for turbojets, which are electrically powered- infinite flight!).

[tryrar]

you know, reading mission 18 has me wondering about something: What would happen if we pitted the eater of cold versus Ice⁹?

[Unholy_Pariah]

Id have to go with china⁹

[Radio Controlled]

you know, reading mission 18 has me wondering about something: What would happen if we pitted the eater of cold versus Ice⁹?

Indigestion?

[Toaster]

Let's find out!

[Parisbre56]

Irrelevant, but even if we loose this war we'll be helping mankind, since we'll be stimulating the UWM to get off their asses, work together, reform their government, coordinate and actually do something for a change instead of resting on their laurels.

...Assuming you believe Steve's propaganda about wanting to help humanity, rather than the much more likely fact that he just wants more power.

I don't see how the quoted part is relevant. Or how gaining power is incompatible with completing one's objectives. One usually needs power to do something.

And from an OOC perspective Steve is an AI. AIs are usually driven by the need to change data to match their objectives, not by their need for power or survival. (Granted, it is possible for one to develop things that could be interpreted as that though, if it is allowed to alter its own data and its evolution takes certain paths or if it has biological components that can cause neural noise when added to it, like Steve.) And he has no (visible) need to help humans. If he is truly free to do anything, then he could just take his brains and run off and leave us get killed by whatever eldritch horror (or overload) comes next. So the fact that he doesn't means that he has a reason to help humans. It could be a genuine desire to help humans, created by brainwashing process, similar to the one used for Ghost Ship humans. It could be because he is compeled to help humans, even though he hates them. It could be a selfish reason, maybe he needs humans to do something or maybe he just likes playing with them. Either way, it is more likely that we'll end up better with his help, rather than without it, at least at thins stage. So it's better to just try to gather any info we can and just play along for now.

And from an IC perspective, the Generals say we should trust Steve and Flint trusts the generals and assumes they know more, so he's not questioning that. Plus, Steve did help save Flint's life, so he also has Flint's gratitude, a bit less than the one Flint has for Miyamoto.

you know, reading mission 18 has me wondering about something: What would happen if we pitted the eater of cold versus Ice⁹?

I think thing really eats cold. Replaces it with heat. Maybe it reverses entropy or something. So they would probably cancel each other out. Or it would mature very quickly and leave. Or it would be too much food and it would explode in a fireball. Why don't you take Toaster's suggestion?

[Unholy_Pariah]

Hmm your probably right paris... humans are what 70-80% water? and we can still drown...

[Toaster]

I think Steve's true motivation is protecting humanity.  The catch is I think he's protecting it from Space Cthulhu, not the UWM.

[Xantalos]

Oh, this'll be fun.

[Nikitian]

Oh, and I think I might know who's brain they used previously, and I'm pretty sure you do as well. You reckon this person could be used again as a template, should the previous not be possible?

@Radio Controlled If it is not classified data, who do you think that person is? The Shadow Walker guy and the Armory Master don't fit - not their style, and I was led to believe the Doctor was mostly a scientist originally, and became that 'God of Blades' during his HMRC sentence (as well as became, uh, that creepy monster thing - not much sense in sending him to the 'Corps otherwise, between easily adapting to resist shock and almost guaranteed survival). Maybe I am missing something?

I think Steve's true motivation is protecting humanity.  The catch is I think he's protecting it from Space Cthulhu, not the UWM.

And then it was actually Steve protecting the Space Cthulhu from humanity. Nah, too predictable.
And then it was actually Steve protecting another Space Cthulhu we have no idea about from humanity by pitting humanity against evolved humanity, which is the Space Cthulhu we are aware of. Had actually been doing ever since the Altered Wars. With the Altered Wars.
Wow, suddenly it all makes sense!

[syvarris]

@Paris

Maybe I didn't make it obvious, but I meant that the whole "I'm running this revolution because the UWM is fat and lazy now." Is a lie used as an excuse for why he's running the revolution.  And I didn't say we shouldn't play along with Steve--I mean, there's about zero chance of surviving the other option--but just saying that the statement "We're helping humanity even if we lose" is false.

We're gonna fight the war and try to win, but not because it's the right thing.  No, we're gonna fight the war and try to win because it's better to die afterwards than to die now.  Especially since you can abuse drugs and braincase neurochemistry in the meantime.

Plus, there's always the chance that an opportunity will come up to bail out in relative safety, or to sabotage the war just enough to result in a tie, meaning neither side can deal with you when you run off.

@Toaster

Interesting concept.  Although, he claims that part of the reason is to lift research bans, which probably wouldn't help that.  And making an enemy for the UWM that is actually dangerous is risky too- they're more likely to try something that really pisses off SC.

Alternatively, he's actually seeking to gain power, but not for power's sake- instead, it's so he can actually direct humanity towards stopping whatever is going to happen.  Or perhaps he isn't actually interested in the revolution at all, and is actually using it as a means to get something thay would allow him to obtain apotheosis...  Ahh, everything just opens up when you bring space magic into the equation...

@Nikitian

Why do you assume the Doctor served a normal HMRC sentence?  VonNost was decapitated, if you don't remember.  Anyways, the stuff with him all took place during and right after the Altered Wars; I'm pretty sure the HMRC was actually formed a few centuries after they ended.

[sambojin]

I thought Steve is/is-going-to-be space Cthulu. He just gathers, studies and destroys potential threats to himself. He has no intention of protecting humanity from himself, he's just not making it too obvious that he's been messing with us this whole time.

[Nikitian]

@syvarris Was that in the last ER talk? Never got around to listen to it, damn. Probably should have.
Also, I recall that the HMRC - or its predecessor, for what it's worth - was created around the end of the Altered Wars, just as well.

Oh, and nah, we are helping the humanity - regardless of Steve's motives. I mean, if we win, that's what history textbooks would say, right? 

[Harry Baldman]

The MACS is a concept of a Mission-Adaptable Combat Suit. The idea behind it being that if you have a MACS, then before every mission, with minimum fuss and minimal expense, you can quickly re-equip yourself with (mostly non-weapon) equipment that fits the role you intend to perform on the mission. At its most basic, it's a Mk3 that allows you to switch the rocketpack for a number of other things, without buying a whole new suit. It has other features as well (it's MCP-based, provides internal power supply to any mounted weapons, and has a synthflesh- and robobody-specific versions that may omit the suit and the exoskeleton if need be), but that's the gist of it.

It also costs somewhat more than an MK.III, to get slightly worse functionality in that role.  It's only a good choice if you sometimes want to swap out certain pieces with other abilities, for example in a mission where flight is going to be nearly useless.  Or in a mission where you'll stay in atmosphere for a long time (you can swap the rockets for turbojets, which are electrically powered- infinite flight!).

So, taking a weighted average between these two, it's high-end equipment nobody actually needs or particularly wants. Or even will be able to particularly afford. Complete with an overly bland acronym. Possibly an overdesigned solution for a problem that doesn't exist, too.

At least that's the impression I get from all that. Might be it's a genius invention that everyone will want to get somewhere down the line, but that's the impression I get.

Have you guys thought about focusing more on interesting equipment in the 1-5 token range instead? Particularly in the way of utility-focused equipment, as we don't have much of a selection on that end. That way somebody might, you know, try some of it one day. After all, I'm pretty sure that if you've got tokens in the 10-20 bracket, there's better things to spend them on than a hypothetical MACS.