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[Radio Controlled]

And Radio, could you please do your tinkering in Tinker, not the Heph thread? I know you're more looking to ask for research and such from ARESTEVE but the net effect is basically the same.

((Sorry I guess. I tried to keep things confined to things directly related to Hep, though I may have veered off that a little bit recently. But if it bothers you that much, I'll try to be mindful of it, though don't shoot me down if it happens again.))

4)Finally, can we use the same designing procedure (like the one used for the exoskeletons) for the following things:
-generators
-fuel mixtures (mostly to get even higher energy densities)
-general computer hard- and software for suit systems

4. Depends. Are you trying to create entirely new versions or directions for energy generation and computer hard and software, or just better, or efficient systems?

More efficient versions, since I suspect that wholly new things would need an influx from some alien artifact anyways.

Any more information needed? If not, completion date?

[Parisbre56]

@PyroDesu: If I come back from the next mission alive, what would be needed for me to get a place in Hephaestus?

((It's very likely that, unless there are a large number of open slots for next mission or a pure combat mission where I will be necessary, I will not participate in the next mission. Mostly because if there are any spaces for veterans left after the newbies fill the rest, I'd prefer it if people like SerCon, Miyamoto and Lenglon took them. So I would prefer it if I could spend that time on Hephaestus to pursue some ideas I've had since the beginning of this rebellion.))

[Sean Mirrsen]

This process will be done on: October 3rd.

Put it on the list of shit what be in motion.

List of shit in motion updated.

In the meantime, repeating the question missed in the OOC thread:

For the MACS suit, you proposed the core suit to be purchased normally, and the modules to be loaned. Exactly what do you envision the loan costs being? I.e., assuming the core suit is a Mk2 equivalent, has an exoskeleton and a rocket pack module loaned in, costing 5, 8, and 8 token individually. The suit is bought, but how much of the remaining 16 token would be the "down payment" for the loan, and would there be any "running cost" for using equipment without exchanging it? Taking into account that the Mk3, that would be the equivalent of that setup, costs 13(?) token. Just trying to see if there's any benefit for the player to use it at all besides the module exchange.

[syvarris]

((Very verbose turn here, but mostly all on one topic, and with simple questions.))

((There's two messages to Simus in this.  If Pyro isn't back before the turn goes, then I want to assume she's fine with it.  Even if this might result in her submerging my body in ClF₃.  I just want stuff done.))

1.Send this message to Simus.  If she approves it, or doesn't respond, send the inner message to the Doctor.  Fingers crossed.

Hello, Simus.  I remember that after we awoke Xan, after I asked him some questions, you suggested that I simply ask the Doctor about the possibility of replicating him, and any dangers.  Thus, I have prepared the attached message to send to him.  I would like you to review it, and sanction it before I send it.  I would hate to send something, and only afterwards find out that it broke some rule.

Please remember, I do not intend to act upon any of this without your permission and extreme caution.  This message is intended to assess if the idea is even feasible, and what risks are involved.

Recently, the clone that Xan had stored here was awoken.  His abilities are quite interesting, and you are supposedly the one who gifted him with them.

You were very helpful with building Fleshpits here, and we have already produced a sizeable force of sod soldiers thanks to your efforts.  However, it still takes a long time for a full sod to be grown using them- Do you think it would be possible to improve, supplement, or replace the fleshpits using Xan's abilities?  He is fully capable of producing an entire body in mere minutes, given sufficient materials.

Another question is whether his flesh needs a direct connection to an organic brain to function; could one create a flesh form that changes shape based on the commands of a computer, or a braincase like those that we use in robotic bodies?  And if not, could a sod's brain be modified to control flesh like Xan, or is the process so inherently complex that it requires a fully functional human brain?

If the answer to the previous questions is that a fully flesh brain is needed, do you think we could construct the needed material using a Biochemical Forge?  And would it have any chance of damaging said Forge?

Of course, the most important question is whether any of these ideas are wise.  Xan's abilities could of course be quite dangerous.  We would like you to explain any possible dangers inherent to utilizing Xan's abilities.  Also, do you have any knowledge or ideas about some form of weapon that would be particularly effective against something like him?

2.You said we could get a sod brain blueprint for the Biochemical Forge by copying an existing sod brain that's in the state we want.  What, exactly, do you mean by 'state'?

3.If you mean skills/experience/personality or whatever, run a very short competition between our existing 300 robosods.  Something like going to the firing range and firing a clip out of a rifle within a time limit.  If we don't have the resources for that, then do the best we can.  Take the ten highest scoring sods, and copy them. 

4.If you mean something else that you think might alter my decision, welp, I guess it isn't happening this turn.  If you don't think it matters, just copy ten sods.

5.If 'copying' ten sods would take time in either of the preceding cases, assign a Science Team to it.  Ask Simus, but if she doesn't respond do it anyways.  This seems minor enough that it'd be done before any negative effects really matter.

6.If the copying is quick enough to be done already, then start producing one of each of the brains.  Mostly to check if any of our blueprints are defective.

7.How long will six take?

8.Oh, also, do the copied sods die?

9.Order the production of all the basic resupply stuff for the sword, in case that type of thing isn't automatic.  Hopefully it can be considered to be done before the supply shuttle leaves.  Also order production of actual equipment for our sod hordes.  Radio can figre out what exactly tht entails later.

Oh, and @PYRO!  I've got two questions in this- Can I send that message to the Doc, and can I use a Science team to make sod brain blueprints?

[Empiricist]

Charles researches the following:

• What do most UWM soldiers do after their term of duty?
• Have there been any cases where specialist units have defected due to appeals towards their sociopathic nature?
• What were the causes of the government rebellions?
• How quickly does the UWM deal with rebellions?

[Sean Mirrsen]

((Guess I might post an actual action as well.))

Anton Chernozorov

Anton messages Simus again.

"XO, I want to requisition a construction team, and authorize a construction. I know you've given me the task of expanding our ship production right now, but I feel like this goes towards both my interests and yours.

We need a High-Energy Research and Development Complex. Our facilities here are good, but they have limits. Our testing range is not fit for testing weapons of significant destructive power. Our power generators are plentiful, but any mishap could blow out half the facility. Any accident in the research labs while building anything involving high energy densities, could blow half the facility up. We need a separate, suitably remote facility, preferably separated from the base here by a mountain, or even better, the horizon line. It needs to have its own power generation and storage facilities, it needs its own workshops for prototype production, it needs its own warehouses and living space for supplies and technical crews. And most of all, it needs a lot of free space all around it. Hell it could even be in space, if we're up for having a permanent crewed science station in orbit.

Now, the reason why I want it is obvious of course, but the reason 'we' need it is because we need to step up our game significantly if we want the ships we build to have a fighting chance against the likely greater numbers of UWM forces. There are quite a few weapons that not only the UWM doesn't have, but even we don't have, in ship-scale sizes. There are at least some new ideas for making bigger and better power generators. And there are still a few other things to try that could require amounts of power too large to be tested near our main base.

All in all, I think we'll need it. Do we need it on the ground for ease of access and maintenance, or in orbit for extra safety and science options, now that's a question I wouldn't mind getting a second opinion on. What do you think?"

Message Simus about setting up a High-Energy R&D Complex, and using a construction crew for it. If I have a go, send the construction crew to build up the base of the future structure (in orbit or on the ground in a fitting faraway location), and get to designing the thing, using Aresteve's help, in VR. It must be remote and as fully autonomous as possible, in essence a secondary base geared specifically towards R&D rather than production, with an emphasis on having lots of power to throw at really big guns and other kinds of equipment.

[Radio Controlled]

((sean, you could consider building it on another celestial body instead of Hep or space. Migh be easier to set up a self-sustaining base that way. We could have a SCIENCE! moon.))

[PyroDesu]

((Okay, just so you guys know, it may be a bit before I post - and when I do, it's going to look more like a turn. I'm trying to tie up anything related to me since the last time I actually posted a turn. PW, would you mind holding off on the next turn until later today?))

[Sean Mirrsen]

((He might actually be holding it off for a day or two, depending on how soon the delay he mentioned in OOC starts.))

[piecewise]

((Okay, just so you guys know, it may be a bit before I post - and when I do, it's going to look more like a turn. I'm trying to tie up anything related to me since the last time I actually posted a turn. PW, would you mind holding off on the next turn until later today?))

Holding intensifies

[PyroDesu]

((Just my luck. I say I'll post later and the internet across the entire campus goes out. And the post to post is on the desktop and not the laptop.))

[Sean Mirrsen]

((And to get another question in while we're waiting for Pyro's update and the next turn, PW, will we Hephaestus people be doing any level-ups along with the others?))

[syvarris]

Edit: wrong thread >.<

[Radio Controlled]

((Gonna post it now seeing as how I don't need to wait for Sword's report anymore. Pyro, you can respond to this whenever you've got the time).

Dear Simus,


I contact you with a request for formally adding something to the armory. The weapon in question is the universal chem thrower, a combination of Pancaek’s namite thrower and my goop thrower.

The weapon itself is a simple thing, just a device for throwing liquid chemicals out at high speeds. The pressure comes from the ammo tanks, though there is a secondary small cannister with pressurized gas to clean out the tubing after a shot. While I might be looking into developing new payloads, right now there are two things available, both of them extensively field-tested and found useful. I might be able to tinker up other chemical mixtures later on, but for now I think this’ll do nicely.

1) Namite, a mixture of a napalm-like substance with a high-temperature thermite. This gives us a liquid that can stick to targets somewhat (in part due to it’s viscosity) and burn at almost irresponsible temperatures. Hot enough to melt buildings and robots.
Here’s a short list of situations the namite thrower displayed it’s usefulness on missions:
-melted a murderbot on M7
-Cleared a whole level of enemies during Hep assault (M11)
-destroyed a pursuing police force on M14

2) Sticky goop, a system where mixing two solutions gives an expanding, sticky goop that traps and immobilises targets non-lethally. Every cannister also comes with a secondary small spray bottle of dissolvant. It saw use on M14 where it:
-temporarily restrained a possesed Faith
-allowed capturing a cultist alive
-restrained a possessed teammate without hurting him


Hoping to hear from you with your opinion on this.


Was signed,

Miyamoto de Bergerac

[Sean Mirrsen]

((How often does the Council meet, anyway?

I've compiled a final preemptive write-up for the Spektr/Raduga weapons. I've also figured out what I think is the best way to handle the overcharge, including our all-favorite deadly failures from overuse.

Spoiler: 'Spektr' Variable Laser Weapon (click to show/hide)

Cost: 5 token
Description: It may be built like a miniature Gauss cannon, but in reality this is a bigger, meaner cousin of the classic Laser Rifle. With the help of a particle accelerator and a magnetic vacuum chamber, it gives you more power for its size, and a lot more options to play with. The provided instruction manual has further information on the weapon's functions, and comes in melee-friendly polymer hardcover.

Requirements: STR 5 to avoid aiming penalty
Range: Melee -1, Short +1, Medium 0 , Long -2, Extreme N/A
Ammo: N/A (Generator, 4 TPU)
Features: Variable nominal power (1-100%, default 100%)
- Variable beam focusing (focused beam to 90-degree spread, default focused)
- Variable beam wavelength
- Beam overcharge option

Variable beam wavelength:

• Microwave (MW): Scatters through and boils water, electrifies metal. Extra damage to unarmored flesh and electronics. Cannot be overcharged.
• Infrared (IR): Plain laser similar to UV. May affect UV-resistant targets.
• Visible Light (VL): Beam will be visible in any dust or smoke, and will light up the impact area. Can be any color. Otherwise similar to IR and UV.
• Ultraviolet (UV): Plain laser similar to IR. May affect IR-resistant targets.
• X-Ray (XR): Penetrates through flesh, penetrates armor as ionizing radiation, nasty damage to anything not behind three feet of lead. Extends range bracket to Extreme (-2). Can only fire when overcharged.

Overcharge option: You can spend a turn charging the weapon.
On the next turn, the weapon must be fired, and it will fire with double its normal maximum power.
After this, the weapon should not be fired or charged again for one turn.
One turn to charge, one turn to fire, one turn to cool down.
In extreme circumstances, the weapon can still be used without the requisite 1-turn cooldown period - so-called "hot firing". Either normal firing, or another charge for an overcharge is possible.
When the weapon is used in this manner, there is a 50% chance of meltdown every turn until it's given a chance to cool down. "Meltdown" involves the weapon firing prematurely, either forward, upward, or backward, and suffering permanent damage in the process.
(Forward makes it incapable of overcharge and requires cheap repair. Upward makes it unable to fire at all, but is still cheaply repaired. Backward, apart from probably hitting the user and making the weapon inoperable, also fries the cyclotron and generator, requiring costly repair)

Spoiler: 'Raduga' Variable Heavy Laser (click to show/hide)

Cost: 11 token
Description: What looks like a V12 engine block mated with a gauss cannon is actually a new, heavier brother to the Cutting Laser. Delivering much more power to the target, and much more options to play with, this weapon is quite packed with industrial-strength science. The provided instruction manual has further information on the weapon's functions, and comes in melee-friendly polymer hardcover.

Requirements: STR 10
Range: Melee -2, Short +2, Medium +1 , Long -1, Extreme -3
Ammo: N/A (Generator, 8 TPU)
Features: Variable nominal power (1-100%, default 100%)
- Variable beam focusing (focused beam to 90-degree spread, default focused)
- Variable beam wavelength
- Beam overcharge option

Variable beam wavelength:

• Microwave (MW): Scatters through and boils water, electrifies metal. Extra damage to unarmored flesh and electronics. Cannot be overcharged.
• Infrared (IR): Plain laser similar to UV. May affect UV-resistant targets.
• Visible Light (VL): Beam will be visible in any dust or smoke, and will light up the impact area. Can be any color. Otherwise similar to IR and UV.
• Ultraviolet (UV): Plain laser similar to IR. May affect IR-resistant targets.
• X-Ray (XR): Penetrates through flesh, penetrates armor as ionizing radiation, nasty damage to anything not behind ten tons of battlesuit. Improves Extreme range bracket to -1. Can only fire when overcharged.

Overcharge option: You can spend a turn charging the weapon.
On the next turn, the weapon must be fired, and it will fire with double its normal maximum power.
After this, the weapon should not be fired or charged again for one turn.
One turn to charge, one turn to fire, one turn to cool down.
In extreme circumstances, the weapon can still be used without the requisite 1-turn cooldown period - so-called "hot firing". Either normal firing, or another charge for an overcharge is possible.
When the weapon is used in this manner, there is a 50% chance of meltdown every turn until it's given a chance to cool down.
"Meltdown" involves the weapon firing prematurely, either forward, upward, or backward, and suffering permanent damage in the process.
(Forward makes it incapable of overcharge and requires cheap repair. Upward makes it unable to fire at all, but is still cheaply repaired. Backward, apart from probably hitting the user and making the weapon inoperable, also fries the cyclotron and generator, requiring costly repair)

In effect, I simplified the "hot firing" clause to "you can do whatever, but for as long as you don't do the cooldown, you have a 50% chance of the thing blowing up on you". So if you have a choice between 50% chance of misfire and 100% chance of faceful of alien murderwieners, you can choose the slightly lesser evil.

Feel free to drop the directional failures though. It's something I came up with just now, seems plausible but might be annoying to keep track of.))