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[Parisbre56]

Space magic (or at least the space magic we use in or amps) doesn't like cloned/artificial brains. No, wait, that's not exactly true. Space magic likes people's brains to have certain qualities. It has never been clearly stated what those qualities are, but from what I've seen, for humans (don't know if it's the same for aliens), space magic needs people to have a bit of genetic diversity (not too many clones) and it needs people to have real memories and experiences, made in the real world (don't know why, maybe the amp god is using us to gather data, maybe it acts as a key, maybe it brings the brain in a correct state that is in tune with the world). Maybe it also needs the brains to be at least partly organic, but I'm not certain, I don't think anyone has ever explicitly asked that. So whenever you need a brain for use in space magic, you need to remove it from a real human.

[TheBiggerFish]

Space magic (or at least the space magic we use in or amps) doesn't like cloned/artificial brains. No, wait, that's not exactly true. Space magic likes people's brains to have certain qualities. It has never been clearly stated what those qualities are, but from what I've seen, for humans, space magic needs people to have a bit of genetic diversity and it needs people to have real memories and experiences, made in the real world (don't know why, maybe the amp god is using us to gather data, maybe it acts as a key, maybe it brings the brain in a correct state that is in tune with the world). Maybe it also needs the brains to be at least partly organic, but I'm not certain, I don't think anyone has ever explicitly asked that. So whenever you need a brain for use in space magic, you need to remove it from a real human.

Ooooor we could simulate experiences on cloned brains?
I mean, is it that hard to zap neurons in patterns approximating the firing of real brains?
...You know, this is best saved for the IC.
Also, did we empirically test this theory?

[Parisbre56]

No, but NPCs who work on space magic science have repeatedly said that purely artificial brains won't work, we need brains to be at least partially natural. People have proposed similar methods (clones with VR training) in the past but the scientists said it wouldn't work. And I'm about 67% certain that they are saying that because they have already tried that and not because they like stealing people's brains.

Note however that brains don't have to be completely natural. There was a guy who was a clone with some genetic variation that was raised semi-naturally for a few years (assuming the story was true). We could probably use some sort of accelerated breeding program to do something like that, create a species of humans that are born and grow up faster (or just create them fully formed in vats with use of genetic randomizers or recombiners) but it would still take years to grow a proper brain, because they need those real experiences. The human brain needs those to work with space magic for some reason. And even then, it's not certain whether or not we could somehow make them be more potent at amping or better at certain tasks/calculations by selecting for certain traits. The yield will probably be semi-random or even diminishing.

If the thing about brains doing math is confusing you into thinking the math is needed to allow the use of amps, then imagine ampers like D&D clerics. They have no magic of their own and neither do their amps. They use amps to contact their god, the god of math. They communicate with that god by using math. And then that god in turn uses math to transform their brain, to put their brain in the correct state, in the correct  arrangement of energy.

The way I think it works is this: Because the universe is breaking apart, certain arrangements of energy can cause certain seemingly-unrelated effects. So when the amp in your brain puts your brain and the amp in the correct state, the correct arrangement of energy, that certain arrangement causes a change to manifest in the world. But for some reason, that correct state relies on the human having certain experiences, perhaps because it doesn't just need the brain to be in a certain state for a certain moment, it also needs the brain to have the proper history, or something it can only get by interacting with the world and the math and space magic energy the world hides in it. Of course, I'm not a science guy and that relies on OOC information and speculation, so I have no way of testing that assumption.

The theory I like the most is that the math god has a certain "template" that is meant to recognize brains eligible for the use of space magic. Perhaps the math god is an AI, created by humans to allow them to do certain things, so they have programmed it with certain traits they thought defined humans. But something like "define human" is very broad and hard to define, especially in a sci-fi setting, so maybe that AI also recognized other species and beings. Or maybe the AI broke down or evolved in ways humans couldn't predict. Perhaps that AI hasn't been created yet, but the effects of its creation ripple on to the past or to alternate universes. Or maybe it's not an AI at all, maybe it's just humanity evolved into something alien and then sent to the past. Which is the reason we can't change the future even though the prophecies tells us that it will happen, because we can't fight causality. Or maybe we can, because going back to the past has created an alternate universe, like in Red Alert.

Anyway, that's just my crazy mind making theories out of vague hints. The only way to know for sure is to beak the Doctor's Cipher in the Doctor's cipher thread.

[Xantalos]

Well, not really. Your volume cannot change. You could make yourself look larger by making parts of your body empty. But on the bright side, depending on how the control works, you could summon thousands of needles and then launch them at your enemies, since you don't need the metal to be connected, you merely need it to be close enough so that you have enough willpower to control it. And you are also limited by the size of your braincase (unless you get that genemod that spreads your brain and a custom flexible braincase) so you can't fit through everything. And you need at least some mechanical limbs to take care of movement so that you don't have to expend willpower every time you want to move or make your body look like it's moving. And said limbs should be capable of fine manipulation if you also want them to take care of things like facial expressions, so parts of them at least would be very fragile. And there's also the problem that if you want to make bodies look and feel right, then you need to be able to make weak malleable parts of metal which will be able to bend like skin does, which means even more fragility.

Overall, a T-X sounds like a choice more suited for a combat character with some space magic and charisma/stealth capabilities. The other choice is more for a quick moving, sneaky, stealthy, space magicky glass cannon... which is partially what your character is, although you probably lack the dexterity and charisma to properly utilise it.

EDIT: Unless you can get away with using a proxy brain for it doing the calculations for the skin and movement, but then you just switched the problem of your brain exploding with the problem of the proxy brain exploding. Which means that thing is going to burn fuel (read "brain batteries") fast.

Has anyone ever tried producing prepatterned brains/chunks of neural tissue?  Like a muscle matrix grower thing, only for neurons.  In short, it can run x program, but only x program.  Might be useful.

I had plans for this, but now I can't, sadly.

[Comrade P.]

So I thought recently. We have Sandbag, right? And you people have seen Big Hero 6 and the microbot bit (reference)?

I wonder if it is within reasonable price range (no more than 7 tokens per bag) to have that kind of system capable of NOT permanently fixing on a solid form once it forms it.

[Nikitian]

Actually, I'd really follow that idea. Mostly because 1)at the moment, we already have the pimp cane which can do the same and more; 2)as it is, I still couldn't find a way in which it could be useful and cost-efficient. Hopefully, with the proper Scientific Advancement we could move on to non-permanent solidification and assembly.

[Comrade P.]

The idea here is that thing would be a middle in versatility and cost between super-versatile pimp cane, where you get only a few of that adaptive metal for 5 tokens, and a sandbag, where you get a whole bag of not that versatile stuff for 3.

With microbots, you could get a big-ass bag of pretty versatile stuff for, say, 7 tokens. Neat huh. Should I get this kind of money, I'll probably ask for that as a custom job.

[Empiricist]

So in other words, you want to replicate Milno's sharkmist abilities as a piece of equipment?

[Execute/Dumbo.exe]

The idea here is that thing would be a middle in versatility and cost between super-versatile pimp cane, where you get only a few of that adaptive metal for 5 tokens, and a sandbag, where you get a whole bag of not that versatile stuff for 3.

With microbots, you could get a big-ass bag of pretty versatile stuff for, say, 7 tokens. Neat huh. Should I get this kind of money, I'll probably ask for that as a custom job.

*Puts hand up*
So, Basically, for 133% the price of a non-renewable ammo source, you get a fully renewable one.
Let's say for the gauss rifle, there's a new magazine that has constantly regenerating ammo, for the price of 3-4 tokens, the instant a Con newbie has completed a mission, he has no reason not to take that thing.
Even better, that super sandbag is dangerously powerful, lock up a Battlesuit's joints! Pick a lock! Burst the door open! Instant weapon! Etc. Etc.!

[Nikitian]

Breaking news: Syvarris is alive and might return within a month!

[Radio Controlled]

Breaking news: Syvarris is alive and might return within a month!

Hide your children, hide your wife, escape to Mexico!
The great munchkin is coming back to haunt us (oh no!)

But more seriously: how do you know? Did you pm him?

[Nikitian]

He finally replied to a pm I sent to him ages ago. Oh, how happy I am! Incredibly happy! Bring me the wine, and call for the finest women of the land: we have the return of a hero of the realm to celebrate! And don't forget the portable VR machines - we'll have armor thickness to test!

(Next we only need for PyroDesu to return, and we'll have full set. Well, until Sean restarts with a non-Hephaestus resident...)

[Radio Controlled]

And then Irony and Tir and tcm and zako and all the others return as well!

And then you wake up.

Ahem, anyways, I do believe pyro still uses the forum from time to time, but usually for computer advice and such.

[Nikitian]

Well, yeah, I know. I just still have to ... resolve a character arc with him. Thus hopeful waiting continues.

[Radio Controlled]

Huh, one of the council members sent me this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdCI15QojoA
Hmm. Wonder what thats about~

Just a small on-the-record, but the council member who sent that didn't do that in his 'function' of council member, he just acted on his own. As such, this isn't an 'official' council statement, just something someone (who happens to be on the council) sent to pw (who didn't make the distinction for some reason).