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[Sean Mirrsen]

I already have a feature list, in principle. It's changed around a bit, with the various revisions, and versions appearing and disappearing, but here's how it is right now. Feel free to look it over, see if you spot anything too frivolous.

Spoiler: RT Unit Detailed Writeup (click to show/hide)

Basic Artee
Body - robotic synthoid, quadruped, animal-like. Combines feline, equine, humanoid, and reptilian features, in that order.
Control unit - organic brain (front torso), supported by two CPU blocks (head/rear torso) for multitasking and automation.
Power supply - 8 TPU generator, compact. (mid torso)
Features:
- Extra storage: Internal bays in sides of middle torso, under hinged "wing" covers. External bays over rear torso.
- Extra limbs: Two fully articulate arms with hands, roughly human-strength, with custom double-joint shoulders. Capable of fully folding into the internal bays, under the wing covers, with some space to spare, for concealment. Fully articulate prehensile tail, body-length.
- Mobility wheels: One in each leg, retractable, electric powered. For driving on interior floors, pavement, and other hard surfaces.
- Weapons: None integrated in basic form.
- Armor: Minimal/similar to standard robobody, with some reinforcement of "wing" covers.
- Tools: Mechanical crushing/cutting jaw (head). Universal holsters (sides of front torso). Boosted communications antenna (back of neck).
- Misc: Folding handgrips (back of head) and folding footrests (sides of front torso), allowing a single person to drive the unit as one would a motorcycle.
- Equipment/Addon slots: Head, Muzzle, Neck, Back/Spine, External bays, Tail, Outer shell.

Equipment/Addons: One set of equipment can be installed per slot, from the provided choices, for extra cost.
- Head slot: Fits equipment inside a vertical mount through the top of the head.
-> Kinetic Ram: Gauss-accelerated ramspike with kinamp tip, intended to put the entire mass of the unit behind a single impact (headbutt).
-> Catapult: Gauss-accelerated launcher for custom-fitted grenades, grappling hooks, and any similar ammunition (bought separately).

- Muzzle slot: A small equipment slot in the center of the unit's faceplate, aimed forward.
-> Small Electrolaser: A customized version of a Red Hand, feeding off the internal generator.
-> Cutting torch: A high-intensity short-range utility laser, with limited chemical fuel cell.

- Neck slot: Fits equipment into a compartment behind the outer panels of the neck, extending into the bottom of the skull ("lower jaw").
-> Universal Sprayer: A compact, shorter-range modification of the handheld weapon, installed in the lower skull, feeding from flexible tanks fitted in the neck compartment (up to 2 different substances, small tanks).
-> Medical Suite: The neck compartment is fitted with a custom version of the Advanced Medical Kit, including a small tank of Fleshknitter. The "lower jaw" is fitted with a combination injector (for Fleshknitter/painkillers/boosters) and dispenser for medical tools and supplies.

- Back/Spine slot: A series of connectors and attachment points hidden under outer panels, allowing installation of external gear. Installing gear in this slot prevents carrying additional cargo over the back of the unit.
-> Turret Hardpoint: A gunnerbot-derived 360-degree turret, with options to be controlled externally or by the unit's own AI. Weaponry varies.
-> Flight Unit: An assembly consisting of a series of rocket verniers and a large fuel tank, affording the unit flight akin to that provided by a Mk3 suit.

- External Bays slot: The two compartments on either side of the rear torso can house a variety of gear instead of being used to store cargo.
-> Grenade Launchers: A pair of single-barrel 40mm grenade launchers, with some elevation/traverse capacity and automatic reloads fed from a rotary magazine, 8 grenades per launcher.
-> Technical Suite: A collection of enginnering and assembly tools similar to an extended Advanced Toolkit, including all necessary peripherals for directly interfacing with a variety of computer systems.

- Tail slot: The prehensile tail can have extra gear installed, to leverage its strength and dexterity.
-> Small Electrolaser: A customized version of a Red Hand, feeding off the internal generator. Acts as an independent 360-degree turret controlled by the CPU systems.
-> Grasping Claw: A mechanical grasping attachment, for carrying small amounts of cargo, towing/dragging vehicles or teammates, or reaching into difficult spaces (among other things).

- Outer Shell upgrades: The powerful onboard generator, processors, and high strength/endurance of the quadruped body allow some extensive modifications to the outer shell. Unlike other addons, these can be installed simultaneously.
-> Heavy Armoring: Hexsand/Sharkplate plating around the body's surface, extra ballistic mesh around the joints. Extra reinforcement of "wing" covers.
-> Selective Electrified Surface System: Similar to the robobody upgrade, but allows electrifying specified surface areas selectively, as an offensive measure. (i.e. "electric tail whip")
-> Optical Camouflage: A layer of electrically controlled "paint" that can change color and even emit light to mask the unit's presence in almost any circumstances, though it does not render it invisible.

In addition to the above, the unit can carry two regular handheld infantry weapons on the Universal Holsters, and aim and fire both simultaneously thanks to the support CPUs taking some of the sensory/coordination load off the brain unit. The unit can carry and handle other equipment that a regular humanoid could use, excepting anything requiring Exo skill.

Cost of additional equipment, should the unit be rented or otherwise called into use, is to be determined.

Notably, most expansion slots give a choice between a combat option, and a utility option, allowing to tune the unit's role to the exact mission specifications.

[Radio Controlled]

With Simus braindead, Syv not posting lately, Emp not really doing anything either, and nik on mission, you're the only really active Hephaestian, Sean.

Maybe, uh, consider also working on the artifact backlog a bit? Or at least make sure there are science teams working on the Heabi sample?

[Xantalos]

New mission idea: retrieve the Heph people from the security they themselves devised so we can treat them for their coma-like state.

[Sean Mirrsen]

With Simus braindead, Syv not posting lately, Emp not really doing anything either, and nik on mission, you're the only really active Hephaestian, Sean.

Maybe, uh, consider also working on the artifact backlog a bit? Or at least make sure there are science teams working on the Heabi sample?

I'm sure I'll have my hands full shortly as well. Remember the Experiment?

But sure, why not. I'll try to see what teams we have available and what can be done.

[Parisbre56]

Selective Electrified Surface System: Similar to the robobody upgrade, but allows electrifying specified surface areas selectively, as an offensive measure. (i.e. "electric tail whip")

Just wanted to mention that the ESDF is already selective. The BS one at least, because I've used it that way. I don't see why robot body ESDF wouldn't have the same option.

[Sean Mirrsen]

Selective Electrified Surface System: Similar to the robobody upgrade, but allows electrifying specified surface areas selectively, as an offensive measure. (i.e. "electric tail whip")

Just wanted to mention that the ESDF is already selective. The BS one at least, because I've used it that way. I don't see why robot body ESDF wouldn't have the same option.

Ah, okay. I don't remember it giving the option, and it'd make more sense for a defense system to be all-or-nothing, so I specified. If it's already selective then it's just going to be ESDF.

[Radio Controlled]

I might (no promises!) try to work on the glowworm gun in the future. Anyone want me to test anything specific? However, I also have a lot of other things to work on, leading me to my next question:

I wanna brainstorm in here for a way to let Sword people do artifact testing/development for Hep, maybe for payment. Perhaps via QEC-controlled robobodies? I mean, with the very low amount of Hepheads still functioning, we might really need some extra help. Of course, we probably shouldn't just open the floodgates and let anyone do whatever, so ideas or suggestions or potential pitfalls are welcome.

And finally, I've been thinking of trying to figure out a way to get Leo (Dev's char) working for us. I talked to Dev, and there's a chance Leo would be willing to design stuff for us in exchange for material luxuries (some years in solitary gave him ample time to stew, meaning it'd make sense IC for him to maybe consider helping us now). Of course, obvious dangers are present, and it's not a given Leo could be persuaded, but Dev didn't outright reject the idea when presented. Preliminary OOc thoughts on this?

[Nikitian]

No artifact testing or research outside the hell-pits research facilities of the Apocalypse Lab complex (and, by the way, that is especially true for the glowworm gun testing). I probably wouldn't mind some help with testing via QEC-bodies, since the  Science Teams were probably anyway going to use them extensively, but there are certain caveats with this.

First, unless Hephaestus staff will (finally) be paid for all the hard work, neither the people outside Hephaestus should be. I'm not talking about Tinker-benefits - even Tinkerers aboard the Sword get those, so that's not it; I am talking for straight-up token salary for doing the same things you want from non-Hephaestus residents, only for free and all the time around. We 'kinda' have the planet's resouces at our disposal, yet in reality we are getting nothing from this thankless job (except for personal satisfaction, of course - we could just pay volunteers with that, if you wish ).

Second, there is a reason why QEC-controlled bodies were limited to Hephaestus use: Piecewise really doesn't want us to be in two places at the same time. So unless you deal with him on that (and if you do, that would open a whole can of worms, like the Gestalt which are currently aiming for that, which was previously clearly denied), this avenue would be closed. Unless the person in question is a very determined General that wishes to meddle in Hephaestus affairs from afar. As a rule, the characters have not been allowed to do stuff both aboard the Sword and on Hephaestus.

Third (and finally), in direct continuation of the second point, as we both know so well (and you actually mentioned), artifact testing and research is a risky business. Not so much for the researcher (if the correct precautions were taken), but for the artifact itself. A certain bar of trust and realiability must be passed - so, all in all, only the applicants approved for this research by the Hephaestus Administration could be allowed to conduct the testing - which is, coincidentally, the same procedure as with them actually visiting the place.

All in all, I have a counteroffer: we rescuscitate Syvarris and PyroDesu from stasis-catatonia, and once again offer people to come to Hephaestus as temp-assistants. Then people apply for Hephaestus stay and work, we review and send personal invitations, and then we finally have extra help for Hephaestus.


As for Leo - I've discussed this with Devastator, and there was this idea of Maurice visiting Leo. Of course, the idea came when the mission preparations were done, so we had no proper time for this sort of interaction; still, it might give interesting results.
Also, I don't think he had "years in solitary" to think things over - I'd think that he has been in stasis for most of the time if not all, like the convicts aboard the Paracelsus Sword, to preserve him 'fresh', - so probably not so much subjective time has passed for him. However, and this now might be an idea, we could actually let him pass away some years awake and conscious, out of stasis, so that he'd finally have that "ample time to stew", with all the possibilities that entails.

[Egan_BW]

Perhaps you could tell Leo the Secret Things. that has seemed to help motivate people in the past.

[Xantalos]

If only I ever got to have that talk I planned to have with him.

[Radio Controlled]

No artifact testing or research outside the hell-pits research facilities of the Apocalypse Lab complex (and, by the way, that is especially true for the glowworm gun testing). I probably wouldn't mind some help with testing via QEC-bodies, since the  Science Teams were probably anyway going to use them extensively, but there are certain caveats with this.

Of course, sensitive or dangerous testing requires adequate protective measures. Wouldn't wanna explode our artifact by accident or anything. 

First, unless Hephaestus staff will (finally) be paid for all the hard work, neither the people outside Hephaestus should be. I'm not talking about Tinker-benefits - even Tinkerers aboard the Sword get those, so that's not it; I am talking for straight-up token salary for doing the same things you want from non-Hephaestus residents, only for free and all the time around. We 'kinda' have the planet's resouces at our disposal, yet in reality we are getting nothing from this thankless job (except for personal satisfaction, of course - we could just pay volunteers with that, if you wish ).

Thing is, Hep people mostly do whatever they want to do anyway, so the artifact backlog keeps growing. We'd pay people for doing the things that aren't being done right now. I mean, be honest, with only you and Sean being active (and Emp, but he's not into these things), and Sean never really doing artifact research, how much longer till, say, the glowworm gun yields  applicable results? PW updating more frequently would also help, but I dare not ask even more from our gm.

Second, there is a reason why QEC-controlled bodies were limited to Hephaestus use: Piecewise really doesn't want us to be in two places at the same time. So unless you deal with him on that (and if you do, that would open a whole can of worms, like the Gestalt which are currently aiming for that, which was previously clearly denied), this avenue would be closed. Unless the person in question is a very determined General that wishes to meddle in Hephaestus affairs from afar. As a rule, the characters have not been allowed to do stuff both aboard the Sword and on Hephaestus.

I was hoping that, if it was only for artifact testing on Hep and nothing but, that PW would allow it. Of course, it's something we'd have to check to be sure, but if we ensured it's not for more tinker I think he might be convinced to allow it.

Third (and finally), in direct continuation of the second point, as we both know so well (and you actually mentioned), artifact testing and research is a risky business. Not so much for the researcher (if the correct precautions were taken), but for the artifact itself. A certain bar of trust and realiability must be passed - so, all in all, only the applicants approved for this research by the Hephaestus Administration could be allowed to conduct the testing - which is, coincidentally, the same procedure as with them actually visiting the place.

Of course, we'd need to have good checks and balances to prevent people from, say, exploding our artifacts or damaging the installation. But thing is, if I installed such a system I'd try to make sure all is clear and people knew what the rules and such would be. And it'd be for individual projects/artifacts, so it could be used on an as-needed basis, as opposed to someone coming to Hep to do whatever (is there a list of guidelines for that? Do peiople even really know it's a thing?)

All in all, I have a counteroffer: we rescuscitate Syvarris and PyroDesu from stasis-catatonia, and once again offer people to come to Hephaestus as temp-assistants. Then people apply for Hephaestus stay and work, we review and send personal invitations, and then we finally have extra help for Hephaestus.

I dunno if we should persuade people into playing ER more. If they aren't, then they probably either don't have the time or just don't feel like it. You can always try, of course, but as Pyro's example has shown, simply wishing for it isn't enough to make it happen. Either way, I'm always willing to compromise, so how about you have until the seventh of August to try and revive those 2 players and set up a clear list of rules or guidelines for Hep temp workers. If unsuccessful by that time, then I'll go ahead and start working on a way for people to do work from the Sword via QEC. Sounds agreeable?

As for Leo - I've discussed this with Devastator, and there was this idea of Maurice visiting Leo. Of course, the idea came when the mission preparations were done, so we had no proper time for this sort of interaction; still, it might give interesting results.
Also, I don't think he had "years in solitary" to think things over - I'd think that he has been in stasis for most of the time if not all, like the convicts aboard the Paracelsus Sword, to preserve him 'fresh', - so probably not so much subjective time has passed for him. However, and this now might be an idea, we could actually let him pass away some years awake and conscious, out of stasis, so that he'd finally have that "ample time to stew", with all the possibilities that entails.

Kay then, so does that mean you wanna do it yourself? I'm gonna need a clear commitment, cause if not I'll just look into it myself (because I've noticed that not making things concrete often just leads to it falling by the wayside and being forgotten).

[Nikitian]

Okay, first things first. Can we postpone all dates by two weeks of Piecewise's semi-absence? Because it'll likely be fairly quiet during this time, at least as far as Heph thread is concerned (I was really curious it actually got updated today.)

Spoiler: On Hephaestian and temp-worker salary: (click to show/hide)

Set the goals and rules and we would follow them before fooling around, if that is a prerequisite for being paid; currently, I believe, we are doing 'whatever we want' because personal enjoyment is the only available motivation to us at the moment.

Actually, I am even fine with first trying it out on temp-workers (as in, right now) if the full implementation, concerning the Hephaestian, would come later as well. If Piecewise wouldn't mind it, I'd suggest picking a similar approach to Tinkering: set a percentage number (let's say 50% because it's low enough to avoid abuse, yet high enough to let more expensive artifacts be as appealing to investigate as cheaper ones - the spectrum here is not 1-50 tokens, it's more like 1-~15 tokens, after all) and pay that amount of the artifact's price (rounded up, I guess, but it matters less with 50% than with 25%, for example) to the researcher who fully investigates the artifact. "Price" for mission artifacts, in this case, likely being set by Piecewise (because he already showed he can with the Pyramid artifact from the first mission).

If the item, by any accident, gets blown up, naturally the researcher does not get anything. Whether to fine or not to fine for such carelessness would be a good question, but it might as well lead to diminished interest in helping science, plus possibly put the person in debt, so this should be considered carefully.

Spoiler: On temp-workers: (click to show/hide)

There's currently the precedent of QEC-controlled bodies being set with, ah, the Gestalt, so we'll see how that one turns out. Assuming that it works out, I guess it would only be natural for people to be allowed same, within certain limits. I'll try to figure out the 'rules and guidelines' more clearly, but for now I have this particular idea: There would be two main types of jobs for people coming to Hephaestus.

First type are Assistants to respective Admins; the set of requirements is more strict, but they might as well be given the free reign while their work is more or less overseen by their Administrator, who sometimes can give additional tasks to his/her Assistant, and, in general, is expecting usefulness and loyalty from these Assistants. This is basically how it was meant before, when Flint's coming was discussed - at least one Admin vouches for the person and gives reasons why he'd be useful for them, no Admin vetoes the candidate, etc. It's a more rigorous set of restrictions, but eventually it allows greater freedom and availability to the Assistant (think how Maurice is currently to the Doctor).

Second type are Temp-Workers, and this is here where QEC-controlled 'bots from the Sword would belong to. The set of requirements is much more lax, if only because they don't really have much freedom of action on Hephaestus, for security reasons. They state the research they would like to conduct, and working place is set for them to try out that research; most likely the workplace, as a rule, is set within a special research lab wing in the Apocalypse Lab, with all the necessary precautions. If the Temp-Worker comes to the system physically, he or she lives in a barrack not unlike our Unit Quarters aboard the Paracelsus Sword, and operates their QEC bot from there (as a rule; for artifacts that would need live testing and/or really brave researchers exceptions could be arranged). All in all it is a less glorious position, but it comes without much additional trouble and can be reasonably allowed to more or less anyone (e.g. Even Auron could probably come to Hephaestus to work under these rules!).

Spoiler: On character resuscitation: (click to show/hide)

I believe that it deserves asking them whether they intend to return, or not (in the latter case, we are having vacancies on Hephaestus Staff list). For example, PyroDesu still wants to eventually return playing (as I have asked him), but there have been complications and, well, to be honest, I only hope that he will eventually return. I'll contact him again, in a day or two, but that's a sort of stubborn hope, not rationally proven belief.

With Syvarris it is more troubling, however; while PyroDesu still visits the forums, he has last been here on 7th of July. That's the additional reason why I'd like to wait some longer, and that's actually our only action I can think of in this regard (unless someone knows of a way to contact him outside of the forum - e-mail address, perhaps, or something). If this is a very sudden holiday vacation, he'd be back after a month or so, I presume (certainly before the classes begin in September - I recall him being a student in a college or something); however, if it's something worse, we probably won't ever know, I am afraid.

Spoiler: On Devastator's character (click to show/hide)

Unfortunately, I don't remember what I wanted to talk to Leo about, but yes, I would still like to have this conversation between him and Maurice. The real problem here isn't commitment, it's time and effectiveness; Maurice won't be available for quite some time yet (and that's assuming he survives his own mission), so it might just be better for Gen.Miyamoto to personally intervene right now, since you apparently have the possibility and the plan how to sway him.

Lastly: You've assigned a science team to working on the Haebi brain, but at the moment all of them are busy because they had no one to report their findings to. We'll assign one to having it researched from this moment, but could you ask Piecewise for their findings? Here is the list of their current tasks, and at least one of them (Beta, not Q'Bajans, unfortunately) should 100% certainly be free right now, with three more "very likely"(including Delta, who are the Q'Bajan flesh-specialists). If you would be so generous as to get their reports and assign new research tasks to them (I have even set the research goals for your convenience, and those include researching the Haebi brain - though you might prefer move it to being researched next), I would be very grateful.

[Empiricist]

Thing is, Hep people mostly do whatever they want to do anyway, so the artifact backlog keeps growing. We'd pay people for doing the things that aren't being done right now. I mean, be honest, with only you and Sean being active (and Emp, but he's not into these things), and Sean never really doing artifact research, how much longer till, say, the glowworm gun yields  applicable results? PW updating more frequently would also help, but I dare not ask even more from our gm.

I'll be happy to help out with artifact testing if it's possible for me to organize it without doing it using my actual character, due to lacking any In-Character qualifications or motivations.

[Parisbre56]

For the Gratesplosion artefacts, some of them have already been investigated. Piecewise said he'd do 3 of them at a time. So I think you need to chose three that we have no results for and tell piecewise what they are because he probably doesn't remember what we've already researched.
List of artifacts is here:

Flaming golden rebar surrounded by forcefield
Hexagonal spike, glows blue with black swirls
Blackish gray crystals
Piece of staircase railing with a thin coating of moving black stuff. (warning, may cause tissue damage and massive shadowy tornadoes)
Giant lump of spiky pollen with red glow
Metal cylinder. Resonates dangerously well.
Neon green humming spikes. Explode when struck
Feather shaped rod with yellow glow. Broken in half. Used to project much heat before broken.
Extremely corrosive gas

We have researched those:

6.Flaming golden rebar surrounded by forcefield
7.Feather shaped rod with yellow glow. Broken in half. Used to project much heat before broken.
8.Extremely corrosive gas

2.The piece of staircase railing with a thin coating of moving black stuff. (warning, may cause tissue damage and massive shadowy tornadoes)
3.The metal cylinder, which resonates dangerously well.
4.The neon green humming spikes. They explode when struck

So that leaves us with

Hexagonal spike, glows blue with black swirls
Blackish gray crystals
Giant lump of spiky pollen with red glow

Might also want to specify that the analyzer blobs were the organic computers from the anomalous planetoid that had two research teams working on it, because one of them decided to switch over to it, because it was difficult/interesting/showed potential/were better at partying.

And that we had hard drives and pictures of the god computer.

EDIT: Oh, and do we have any quote saying the assaultsuit is twice as strong as a battlesuit? Because I never remember that being said.

[Nikitian]

Yeah, thank you. I had pretty much the same idea, but thank you for suggestions about the "organic supercomputer" and "hard drives and pictures" details, I added them as well to my post in Heph thread.

Anyway, the assaultsuits use the new exoskeletons, and those are twice as powerful as the old ones. In fact, that's the reason our regular exoskeletons got that price drop - they are basically upgraded and then stripped down to half-power, resulting in the same power for half the cost. With the assaultsuits (and because of the increased weight of hexbug) the endoskeleton was left at the same resource cost, resulting in twice as strong machine (minus  a bit strength denied by the hexbug plating).

Still, I assume assaultsuits have less strength than Avatars of War just because that's space-magical Avatars of War for you. This might be a wrong assumption, of course.