Print

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

[Rolepgeek]

You do realize that the square root of a distance depends on the unit of measurement used, right?

[Technically, yes. Proportionally, no. If a single AU(Arbitrary Unit) is 16 feet, and we can go either 0.25 AU, 1 AU, or 4 AU, then going half an AU will take up √4 or 2 FE, or .5 AUE, going 1 AU would take √16 or 4 FE, or 1 AUE, and going 4 AU would use up √64 or 8 FE, or 2 AUE. 1 AUE is, in all cases, equal to 4 FE. So long as the unit of measurement is consistent, then it should work fine.]

[Ross Vernal]

Maybe add some more seeds first, charge back up, then move.

[Peradon]

Do not travel. Instead, attempt to prototype a bot with a means of photosynthesis, so that we can begin farming energy.

[variablenonsense]

I had thought about photosynthesis, but we have limited water. Photosynthesis requires water to produce energy. While I assume that we have an unlimited (essentially) amount of CO2, the water could be a problem.

Do we perish / stop working after any set amount of time, and if not perhaps we should actually just sit still and farm energy for a while through simple solar absorption.

Can we redesign a bot we already have, ie, not design a new bot, but make seed bots more efficient at solar generation?

[Peradon]

We're in the middle of the arctic, all we have to do is use a little bit of energy we get to melt the ice to get water. It should be self sustaining.

[variablenonsense]

Well, if we're capable of doing that for at least a neutral net gain/loss then I'd be all for trying to build photosynthesis capabilities into our seed bots or create a new bot to do it.

The first would be preferrable since I'd think applying a new tech to an old bot might be easier on our design capabilities but if not then there you go.

[Rolepgeek]

It is difficult for Us to decide on a clear course of action, but after some thought, You direct Us. Until We can determine the best direction to travel in, We should build up stores. You decide that the best, or rather, easiest way to store energy is to do so chemically. Reconstructing chloroplasts that We had broken down for materials when consuming certain organisms, You create a new type of Bot. It is a simple Bot, but that is alright. It will do it's job for now. We increase our size with their construction, these new Bots, and begin creating the sugars, ever more complex to store ever greater amounts of energy, with their absorbed energy. It costs Us much of Our materials, but We can always collect more, and their presence will be a great boon to our stores. They need only a name, if You desire to give them one.

The light is just starting to dim. We recognize this. This happens regularly, and We reduce our processing levels to the bare minimum needed for Our survival and cohesion when it grows too dim, when the cold grows fierce, to conserve energy. The light period is halfway done. What else might We do until the darkness falls?

Spoiler: We Are... (click to show/hide)

3 kg Seed Bots
1 kg Heavy Bots
1 kg Light Bots
0.5 kg ? Bots

Spoiler: We Have... (click to show/hide)

Energy Stores:
44 Y/60 Y
Material Stores:
800 g Water
400 g Carbohydrates
350 g Biological Material (Various)
0 g Hydrocarbons (0 Y)
140 g Silicates
140 g Sulfides
140 g Phosphates
25 g Nitrates
15 g Iron

Spoiler: We Sense... (click to show/hide)

Surroundings
Temperature: Low
Water: High Concentration; Crystallized
Biosphere: Hypothesized Minimal
Light: Moderate

Directions
North: Warm, Wet, Plentiful; 40 Y to move
East: Warm, Dry, Bright; 35 Y to move
South: Cold, Wet, Windy: 20 Y to move
West: Cold, Dry, Minerals; 25 Y to move

[variablenonsense]

Well, if our 'seed' bots are the basics, why not call them 'sprout' bots? They're brand new, not super efficient, but gathering energy for Our growing self to expand and create new functions. I think it's fitting.

I would continue gathering energy as much as possible. Have the light bots collect crystalized water in case we need it for photosynthesis, bringing back any materials that our scans may have overlooked since we aren't in the best condition right now.

[Ozarck]

Head west, scout for minerals.

[The Froggy Ninja]

We should call them leaf bots. Seeds are the origin and leaves are the powerhouse. Can I get a resource estimate on the cost of a basic sensory array. Even if it were static it would be useful. They will be the Roots. Stable bases that feel around.

[Ozarck]

sensory arrays would be feelers. Roots would be our mineral collection bots.

[The Froggy Ninja]

Well yeah but most plants don't have specialized feelers. Or I guess not substantial ones. They're usually these tiny hairs on the roots.  And by that logic the roots would be transports. Very little of the actual deconstruction is done by the roots themselves. It's a separate system that is located in the roots

[endlessblaze]

I like the name leaf bots.


I like the sensor array idea, but it should have some mobility.

[The Froggy Ninja]

Well yeah. But I want cost/stat estimates for both since we need to make the most efficient choice possible right now.

[endlessblaze]

agreed.