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[piecewise]

Whats the glowworm gun again?
Can do. Might take a while.

Glowworm gun is the thing that ate Kisame's arm on the cultist mission, the thing that syvarris was experimenting with a little while ago, and is now safely locked in a secure room.

We can get a research team on it, but one question:

are there any safety procedures you want them to follow for this particular thing?

What needs approval, Aresteve?

Can we get ETCs for what's being worked on by crews and reports from finished projects? We've not had reports from science crews since what, Radio's nonspecific armor research? I know several artifacts have been researched but you've not given us reports.

Mostly because I forget.

Is there a list on the wiki of whats been researched? If So I'll go through and create a post with info you can look at.

>A few weapons and a few tools.

Because I can't let it go:

1.Why would the crystal grenade launcher need hollow shells to form the rounds?  At worst, couldn't you form the rounds in a sealable chamber, then move them into the barrel/open the chamber into the barrel and then fire?

2.Why does the launcher part need to be as large as a rifle?  It wouldn't need a long barrel, because it doesn't necessarily have to be very accurate, and it shouldn't need a large/strong magnetic repulsion unit, because it's launched at such a low velocity.  Further, to my knowledge, the Testament is fairly small, but just has a massive magazine.  'Taping' a small barrel and magnet on it shouldn't be too much of an issue.  Especially if it can be designed so that it uses the Testament's normal magnetic propulsion.

3.Since you compared it to the Brisant (Pyro's grenade launcher), I'll state the differences.  This is an attachment, whereas the Brisant is a standalone device.  It should be much lighter, cheaper, less accurate, and weaker in general.  The purpose of this device is to meet at least two of the following requirements: Be cheaper than the Brisant, Use cheaper rounds due to PSL fluid's remarkable price, and Be capable of airbursting.  The first and last are probably mutually exclusive, and which one I would go for would originally have depended on what your answers to the questions in my previous post were.

Different, more interesting weapon:

5.Bring up the file for the MYTHRIL PENETRATOR!  If you don't remember, that's the vibrating mythril rapier that some guy designed to poke through Battlesuits with.  Specifically, I want just the tip of the thing, exact length TBD.

6.Use VR magic to accelerate that tiny mythril needle to high speeds, while imparting a spin, and fire it into the front of a Battlesuit.  Increase the length/velocity of the needle until it penetrates into the cockpit, or I realize that this isn't a workable idea.

7.Once I have that, get a crystalline projector, and fire it at the very rear of the needle just before the needle is launched.  If the crystal fails to grow inside the cockpit once the needle has penetrated, try firing slightly later, or adjusting the size of the needle.  Is it possible for the needle to penetrate, carrying the crystal, then allowing the crystal to grow, eviscerating the inside of the cockpit?


For the Council, and fellow tinkerers, to explain the above: I want to make a CON weapon that is capable of defeating a battlesuit.  There's only really two types of weapons that can do this effectively: Shoulder fired weapons, like an automanip launcher or ludicrous explosive launcher, or the Piezoelectric Shard Launcher.  The former cost eight or nine tokens, the latter thirteen.  The former get one shot per six to eight tokens, the latter gets 7.5 to the token.  The former are good at doing anything that requires a big boom, the latter is good at destroying anything that can be damaged by a big hole.

Basically, if you use CON, need to kill a battlesuit, and are price-minded, you're never ever gonna buy anything aside from the PSL.

My device would hopefully be an alternative, and something to bridge the massive gap.  It would be basically useless against anything that isn't a battlesuit, due to overpenetration, and it would probably cost a token per round, at least.  However, it would hopefully be a good bit cheaper than a PSL.

Oh dear, this is quite a post. Lets see.

1-2-3.Well, the normal gun has a special chamber to hold and shape the rounds before firing them, remember? Well, you could Do that and forgo the metal round, but it would make the grenade launcher basically as large as the gun, doubling the thing's over all size and weight. And it would also be the more expensive option. A metal shell injected with the substance and then fired via more conventional means would be much cheaper and smaller, though it would need shells. Your choice really. The point is that while the launcher itself isn't terribly large, the mechanisms used to shape and solidify the crystal would be.

5.How could I forget. Alright, just the tip.

Ha.

6-7.So..something like a flechette gunexcept firing needles? And needles that tumble? Oh, no, when you say spin you probably mean stabilizing spin on a forward facing axis, not wild tumbling spin. I see what you're going with here; but Mythril isn't super sharp, just super hard. So it wouldn't blunt itself on the armor but it wouldn't just sail through it like butter either. The fact that it would lack much weight wouldn't help. Don't get me wrong, the thing would be a nightmare against flesh or most thinner armors, but battlesuit is just too thick. Also, mythril needles are a bit like diamond bullets.  The idea, as you explained it, isn't a bad one though. It just needs to be reworked using some other angle and series of materials.

[Empiricist]

Has the Council made a decision on the Remote Turret Conversion Kit yet?

[Hapah]

Has the Council made a decision yet?

Please be more specific, it's been a while.

EDIT: Thank you!

[Empiricist]

((Edited post to be more specific.))

[Hapah]

Alright, here's the main Council talking points for your conversion kit:

-We had a little discussion about whether it should use Con (as it is a Con weapon) or Aux (since it is being controlled in a very non-typical fashion). Consensus leans pretty heavily towards Con at the moment, if only due to the fact that Aux is already so useful.

-We would like to quantify what "too heavy" and "too much recoil" are. Did you have a specific existing weapon in mind to use with the kit, or one that would serve as an upper limit? We were also looking to quantify the text below.

The transmitter has the same limited range as the "Pawn" Suppressive Fire Entity. The range may be increased at the armory via a replacement transmitter (or I suppose some sort of transmission relay unit).
The scope is really more of a visible-light camera than a scope. If support for other spectra, zoom-in capabilities and the like are desired, a replacement scope must be purchased from the armory.

-The weapon won't be usable in a normal fashion with the conversion kit equipped/applied (which I think you intended, as you named it a Conversion Kit).

-No (or perhaps extremely easy) rolls will be required to rig the Conversion Kit to a typical weapon with no stress. If you have bullets whizzing by your head, things may change.

-The last point is a bit vague, but the price was suggested to be around 3 to 4 tokens, for a version that can fit "all lower-tier weapons", which is a bit ambiguous. We're still working on that; but the idea is that universal adaptability comes with a price.

What are your thoughts on all of this, Emp? And by the way, thank you so much for including the link: if everyone linked all relevant information, their projects would probably be processed much quicker! And please, keep in mind that none of this is gospel: Piecewise calls the shots, I'm just relaying what his little club of advisers came up with. And other Council members can keep me honest by PM, if they felt I have misrepresented anything here.

[Empiricist]

We had a little discussion about whether it should use Con (as it is a Con weapon) or Aux (since it is being controlled in a very non-typical fashion). Consensus leans pretty heavily towards Con at the moment, if only due to the fact that Aux is already so useful.

I agree with the consensus as it uses the control system as the Pawn SFE which also ran on CON.

We would like to quantify what "too heavy" and "too much recoil" are. Did you have a specific existing weapon in mind to use with the kit, or one that would serve as an upper limit? We were also looking to quantify the text below.

If it has a strength requirement higher than 4-5, it cannot be used without upgrading the motor and stand. If it potentially injures its user with less than 4-5 strength, using it without an upgraded motor and stand will destroy the kit's parts due to recoil.

The transmitter has the same limited range as the "Pawn" Suppressive Fire Entity.

You'll have to ask Piecewise about that, sorry. I can't remember or find the post that detailed its range. It's basically using the same parts as the Pawn SFE, just modified slightly, so I would imagine it has a similar range.

The scope is really more of a visible-light camera than a scope. If support for other spectra, zoom-in capabilities and the like are desired, a replacement scope must be purchased from the armory.

Basically, it doesn't actually let the user zoom in on anything or see anything that the naked eye cannot. Unless replaced with something better, all it does is transmit its visual feed like a camcorder.

"all lower-tier weapons"

All CON weapons that can be purchased for 5 tokens or less. Well, barring the hand-laser.

I suppose a better distinction would be "all CON weapons that are guns and which do not require more than 4-5 strength".

The weapon won't be usable in a normal fashion with the conversion kit equipped/applied (which I think you intended, as you named it a Conversion Kit).

I was thinking of having it still usable in a normal fashion with the kit equipped. But seeing as it can be equipped/removed easily, I don't really mind that limitation.

And by the way, thank you so much for including the link: if everyone linked all relevant information, their projects would probably be processed much quicker!

You guys can thank Radio Controlled for that - he's the one who recommended that I compile the relevant info into a single post.

[Sean Mirrsen]

Anton Chernozorov

A message from the long-lost weapon/spacecraft/shipyard designer reaches Overseer Simus's inbox.

XO, the orbital yard is complete, and I already have an idea what we need to build with it. We really shouldn't focus on warships until we have some advanced weaponry for them, but until then there's a need for all-purpose, FTL-capable transports. Not just for use by us here, but on other fronts as well. With that in mind, I designed a ship class that can be quickly overhauled for carrying any given type of cargo or equipment, or even act as a small base of operations if necessary. I called it the "Gram's Scabbard", after some mythological sword or other, and the fact that it's more of a shell for carrying other things... yeah, I wouldn't mind if you proposed a better name for it.

I have checked with Aresteve, and he approves of the idea in principle, but apparently as Overseer you are in charge of approving the designs and ordering required components. Please review the attached design file.

On that note, it appears we are able to order things like FTL and stasis equipment to be shipped in from other locations. Would have been great to know that earlier. The list of required parts we're missing is also attached, made in respect to building a batch of eight ships, which I think would be the minimum we'd need in the near future. Please review and place the order at your discretion.

<Attached File: Gram's Scabbard.vrs>
<Attached File: Missing components.txt>

The ship in the design file appears to be a single-hull, closed-bay transport. Unlike the Spirit of Communism, which is basically a giant tug for towing cargo containers, the Gram's Scabbard class has a long, segmented cargo hold completely enclosed by the hull. Infrastructure for connecting stasis pods for mass passenger transport goes through the walls of the hold, an assortment of power lines and conduits that can be easily repurposed for powering life support or any onboard equipment should parts of the hold be repurposed into living space or working areas, or should the cargo require special containment. A sizable powerplant supplements the latter notion, even it it weren't needed for the FTL systems, and numerous shuttle docking collars line the sides of the ship to supplement loading and offloading cargo. Upon closer inspection, it appears that the loading bays are level with the floors of the cargo bay, as if someone entertained the possibility of using the large bays as hangars for fighter craft, but hadn't followed through with adding the larger doors that would necessitate; though with the design of the ship being as it is, it's fairly apparent that such a modification would be comparatively easily made.

The text file is a numbered list of components, model numbers and dry descriptive monikers obviously copied from some official listings, followed by how many of each is required. Together there are eight sets of large craft FTL hardware, and some large amount of stasis pods and associated equipment, supplemented with the only bit of readable english text in the file - "(This is enough to outfit four ships to carry people. I expect we'll need at least two for ferrying Q'Baha workers and any future allies, and if we can't find a use for the other two, Steve probably will.)"

[Hapah]

Emp: The Council has unanimously agreed (Piecewise approval still pending, of course) that your "Remote Turret Conversion Kit" project should be approved, with the following characteristics:

-Usable on all long gun-shaped Con weapons which cost 5 tokens or less.
-Can use weapons with a Strength requirement of 5 or less.
-Weapon cannot be operated with the kit equipped/applied, and applying or removing the kit should take no rolls under "typical" circumstances.
-Range of the Transmitter falls to Piecewise; though I imagine it may vary based on the surroundings.
-No enhanced optics; only a basic camera.
-With a price of 3 tokens.

Do you have any questions, comments, or feedback?

[syvarris]

1.Okay, first, I want to test out other materials.  Talk with ARESTEVE/other researchers a bit and ask what materials they might recommend.  Try stuff out, and maybe variants like a depleted uranium flechette tipped with mythril or something.  For now, price is no object- I want to prove that the idea can even work before I start making it cheap.

2.Test what happens when the crystalline projector is fired at the front of a flechette, which is then immediately embedded past the first three layers of BS plate.  Does the crystal push the flechette out, fail to expand, deform the armor, what?

3.Test if the crystal, fired at the back of the flechette, would even start expanding if the flechette penetrated into the cockpit.  Just to make sure.

4.Can I dissect the crystalline projector?  Or is it VR-banned, like space magic devices?  Can ARESTEVE unban it for me if so?

5.Unrelated, mostly: Paris said that the main capacitor for the Battlesuit is outside the armor layers, and therefore possibly vulnerable to microwaves or x-rays or something.  Is this true?

[Empiricist]

Emp: The Council has unanimously agreed (Piecewise approval still pending, of course) that your "Remote Turret Conversion Kit" project should be approved, with the following characteristics:

-Usable on all long gun-shaped Con weapons which cost 5 tokens or less.
-Can use weapons with a Strength requirement of 5 or less.
-Weapon cannot be operated with the kit equipped/applied, and applying or removing the kit should take no rolls under "typical" circumstances.
-Range of the Transmitter falls to Piecewise; though I imagine it may vary based on the surroundings.
-No enhanced optics; only a basic camera.
-With a price of 3 tokens.

Do you have any questions, comments, or feedback?

Nope. It sounds great to me 

[Radio Controlled]

We can get a research team on it, but one question:

are there any safety procedures you want them to follow for this particular thing?

Seeing how these are researchers formerly from the sword, who have thus worked with very exotic and dangerous artifacts before, I'm guessing they already have quite a battery of standard safety protocols, doubly so if the artifact in question has known mind control properties. So, could you give me an idea of the kind of procedures they would already employ?

[piecewise]

Emp: The Council has unanimously agreed (Piecewise approval still pending, of course) that your "Remote Turret Conversion Kit" project should be approved, with the following characteristics:

-Usable on all long gun-shaped Con weapons which cost 5 tokens or less.
-Can use weapons with a Strength requirement of 5 or less.
-Weapon cannot be operated with the kit equipped/applied, and applying or removing the kit should take no rolls under "typical" circumstances.
-Range of the Transmitter falls to Piecewise; though I imagine it may vary based on the surroundings.
-No enhanced optics; only a basic camera.
-With a price of 3 tokens.

Do you have any questions, comments, or feedback?

Nope. It sounds great to me 

Name it, describe it, get it ready for the armory. It will go on sale after these missions end. Or technically as soon as you've got it described and everything, but, well, armory is in another dimension so.. yeah.

We can get a research team on it, but one question:

are there any safety procedures you want them to follow for this particular thing?

Seeing how these are researchers formerly from the sword, who have thus worked with very exotic and dangerous artifacts before, I'm guessing they already have quite a battery of standard safety protocols, doubly so if the artifact in question has known mind control properties. So, could you give me an idea of the kind of procedures they would already employ?

Well...we kinda gave you their interns. Dr.Clark wasn't happy with us stealing his staff. They've been living on this ship for 4 generations, after all.

Anyways, they'll take standard precautions, not unlike what was already being done, (Ie isolation, careful testing with backups and containment proceedures, etc) Really I'm just asking because it might give me a chance to have something go wrong and start a mission on heph.

I'm gonna have to start making things more dangerous around here; taking less things for granted.

1.Okay, first, I want to test out other materials.  Talk with ARESTEVE/other researchers a bit and ask what materials they might recommend.  Try stuff out, and maybe variants like a depleted uranium flechette tipped with mythril or something.  For now, price is no object- I want to prove that the idea can even work before I start making it cheap.

2.Test what happens when the crystalline projector is fired at the front of a flechette, which is then immediately embedded past the first three layers of BS plate.  Does the crystal push the flechette out, fail to expand, deform the armor, what?

3.Test if the crystal, fired at the back of the flechette, would even start expanding if the flechette penetrated into the cockpit.  Just to make sure.

4.Can I dissect the crystalline projector?  Or is it VR-banned, like space magic devices?  Can ARESTEVE unban it for me if so?

5.Unrelated, mostly: Paris said that the main capacitor for the Battlesuit is outside the armor layers, and therefore possibly vulnerable to microwaves or x-rays or something.  Is this true?

1. Aresteve points out that forcible penetration of thick armor is generally inefficient when certain energy spectrum are able to penetrate it. He says that he may be able to modify something he's created to perform as you'd want, but that you'd have to come see it.

2.If the "seed" crystal is embedded in the flechette then it should work. Assuming the crystal isn't shattered before it can begin to grow.

3.It might get sheered off as it penetrated the armor and just grow on the outer layers, but it would grow.

4. You can, but I'd recommend some containment protocols. Thing has a dangerous capacity for exponential growth.

5. I think thats just his suit, since he grafted an extra one on to power the rainbow cannon.   

[Radio Controlled]

Well...we kinda gave you their interns. Dr.Clark wasn't happy with us stealing his staff. They've been living on this ship for 4 generations, after all.
Anyways, they'll take standard precautions, not unlike what was already being done, (Ie isolation, careful testing with backups and containment proceedures, etc) Really I'm just asking because it might give me a chance to have something go wrong and start a mission on heph.
I'm gonna have to start making things more dangerous around here; taking less things for granted.

Oh goodie. The rejects squad.

Anyways. In addition to what they'd normally do, let them test it without touching it if at all possible. Use mass amp for manipulating it if available. Use rotating crew of people who 'interact' with it, and have those people monitored by a small separate group of people who never come into contact with the artifact. Perform regular scans and examinations to watch for subtle mind control. Have ARESTEVE keep an eye on them from time to time.

[Empiricist]

((Here is my attempt at writing its armory entry.))

Spoiler: 3 Tokens| Remote Turret Conversion Kit (click to show/hide)

• Description: A bare metal case containing what appears to be a scope, a ball-jointed tripod and what appears to be a mechanized metal condom designed for gun triggers. All three of these components are attached to their own set of adjustable clamps. On the inside of the case are a set of diagrammatic images that document with almost patronizing detail the operation of a clamp and how to use them to attach the parts to a firearm.
• Function: Converts a gun-shaped conventional weapon into a turret controlled via wristpad, complete with visual feed. Works everything that does not require more than 5 strength, though it can only pull the trigger, so please adjust any dials before deployment. This kit can be applied with no roll when there isn't anything trying to murder the user, the weapon can only be used in turret mode when the kit has been applied. Turrets are controlled using CON.
  
  Want to use Aux instead? Code it. Want it to handle something heavier? Buy an upgrade. Want it to cope with more recoil? Buy an upgrade. Want its scope to actually function like something other than an over-glorified handycam? Buy an upgrade. Want better signal range? Buy an upgrade. Want it to run an amp or manipulator? Go fuck yourself.

[piecewise]

Well...we kinda gave you their interns. Dr.Clark wasn't happy with us stealing his staff. They've been living on this ship for 4 generations, after all.
Anyways, they'll take standard precautions, not unlike what was already being done, (Ie isolation, careful testing with backups and containment proceedures, etc) Really I'm just asking because it might give me a chance to have something go wrong and start a mission on heph.
I'm gonna have to start making things more dangerous around here; taking less things for granted.

Oh goodie. The rejects squad.

Anyways. In addition to what they'd normally do, let them test it without touching it if at all possible. Use mass amp for manipulating it if available. Use rotating crew of people who 'interact' with it, and have those people monitored by a small separate group of people who never come into contact with the artifact. Perform regular scans and examinations to watch for subtle mind control. Have ARESTEVE keep an eye on them from time to time.

Good good. Now...how can I get around those....

((Here is my attempt at writing its armory entry.))

Spoiler: 3 Tokens| Remote Turret Conversion Kit (click to show/hide)

• Description: A bare metal case containing what appears to be a scope, a ball-jointed tripod and what appears to be a mechanized metal condom designed for gun triggers. All three of these components are attached to their own set of adjustable clamps. On the inside of the case are a set of diagrammatic images that document with almost patronizing detail the operation of a clamp and how to use them to attach the parts to a firearm.
• Function: Converts a gun-shaped conventional weapon into a turret controlled via wristpad, complete with visual feed. Works everything that does not require more than 5 strength, though it can only pull the trigger, so please adjust any dials before deployment. This kit can be applied with no roll when there isn't anything trying to murder the user, the weapon can only be used in turret mode when the kit has been applied. Turrets are controlled using CON.
  
  Want to use Aux instead? Code it. Want it to handle something heavier? Buy an upgrade. Want it to cope with more recoil? Buy an upgrade. Want its scope to actually function like something other than an over-glorified handycam? Buy an upgrade. Want better signal range? Buy an upgrade. Want it to run an amp or manipulator? Go fuck yourself.

Quality ending.

Last chance to comment, before this thing becomes canon. If anyone has a problem, speak now, etc.