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[Madman198237]

For the hope contest, I think we should focuson what people are worried about.

From turn flavor
1) Serf murders people
2) Serfs introduced by  Shutdown of cooling to large parts of MAGMA
3) Crime caused by Shutdown of cooling to large parts of MAGMA
4) An accident caused by criminals stealing ICE
5) Crime in magma

I think this may be a good idea. It's certainly not a terrible one. We would undoubtedly benefit from securing the MAGMA situation (at least in the public perception)….but I think it may be better to invent a super powerful heat exchanger/active cooling system which can be used in spacecraft.

Hope Design: High Efficiency Air Temperature Management Intelligent System, Externally Regulated (HEATMISER)
MAGMA is something of a problem. In the public perception, most problems are caused by MAGMA, its heating issues, and the resultant crime problems. But that's OK, because we can fix all of that with an environment regulator computer.

We've sealed off the unused deep portions of MAGMA using a network of reinforced pipes, made out of a carefully DUC-engineered alloy that will not weaken at all even after prolonged exposure to high temperatures, while also easily transferring heat from one side to the other. The heat is absorbed by the water in the pipes, which becomes steam and is used to run a large set of turbines. The steam is then piped up throughout MAGMA and the surrounding tunnel network, to make the upper regions pleasantly warm. The water is cooled on the surface, and then brought back down to the warm regions of MAGMA to cool them, before being run through the heating pipes and turbines again. Further up the borehole, heat-exchanging systems are installed throughout almost every public space and most dwellings, to maintain a constant temperature by feeding cold or hot water through the exchangers.

The turbines provide very cheap electrical power to all MAGMA residents and industries, promoting industrial growth and reducing use of normal sources of energy, like oil. People love their bills growing smaller, after all. The system also removes their heating and cooling expenses. We're really a wonderful government here in Mereth.

With enough water and enough heat (Which we do indeed have more than enough of) we can move heat from the deep regions of MAGMA to tunnels around the actual borehole proper. Extensive Excavator use can provide much more living space to be spread out underground, all kept at a comfortable temperature. This reduces the crowding in MAGMA proper, allows for more people to live further from both the surface and the deeps (And thus further from hypothetical nuclear harm...at least as far as they're concerned. They'll probably be relatively safe as long as anybody trying to nuke MAGMA uses a normal nuclear detonation altitude, and doesn't modify for a ground-contact detonation.)

However, in order to facilitate so much new construction and so many more tunnels, we need a better substance than Instant Roads. Roads is good for making Excavator tunnels stable enough for construction, but such tunnels still have to be reinforced before regular buildings can be erected within and around them. Enter Instant Buildings, a modification leaning on the DUC's extensive experience doing things nature never intended chemistry to do, experience the DUC didn't have at the beginning of the war. Instant Buildings sets so fast that a simple configurable spray nozzle can be used to lay down anything from foundations to walls to doorways, within minutes. No molds or reinforcements required----though of course the mixture can still be sprayed over pre-placed rebar for additional strength. Using Instant Buildings allows the new excavation and construction to proceed rapidly and safely. Of course, it might just be that Instant Buildings is useful for combat engineers trying to get bunkers, antitank obstacles, and roads constructed in open terrain fast enough for them to be useful even when the frontlines tend to move a bit.

Installing the redundant piping in new, guarded tunnels around the outside of MAGMA, a backup ICE-spraying emergency coolant system for the barrier, and copious numbers of holocube readouts make the system pretty safe from most potential dangers. To keep MAGMA much safer than before, though, is the job for the 'Manager of Industry, Services, and Environment Regulation', also known as the MISER. Based on the powerful ORACLE computer but much smaller and simpler, MISERs are not meant for predicting enemy action, instead they are meant to keep all the powerplant/heating/cooling, industrial, and security systems of MAGMA running using predictive power just as much as regular old computing power, saving ORACLE time for military-exclusive use and ending the citizens' fears of an ORACLE takeover. Many more holocube-based large displays are installed in MISER control rooms, as MISER's calculations, operation, and predictions are much easier for technicians to understand and monitor...and technicians are responsible for implementing MISER-proposed fixes, further making the system easy to perceive as safe.

MISERs will be responsible for making sure that crucial parts of the MAGMA safety system keeps working so that no regions overheat, using a camera network made of very high-quality and small cameras spread throughout critical cooling, power generation, and ICE-containing areas to stop dangerous crime, run factories, and otherwise replace ORACLE in nonmilitary tasks, while also providing computer experience and safety, security, and comfort to citizens.

As a side benefit, the cooling of industrial areas and increased safety and perfect temperature of all of MAGMA should once again encourage people to go outside instead of isolating themselves at home while also encouraging more people to flock to our industrial center and it's steadily expanding and amazing city.

I need to elaborate a bit more on the tasks, I think, but I've got to leave so I'm going to post it now and allow you to hate me even more bask in the glory of my backronym soup.

OK, so this has been edited. Right now, there are now meant to be more than one MISER unit and I've written in an advanced form of Instant Roads useful for incredibly fast construction.

[TricMagic]

Mereth Lunar Pressure Suit: Spacesuit Model

Making use of materials made by DUC, this suit's underlayer keeps you warm, or chill if it's needed. Moreover, the suit itself is made to resist tears and puncturing, it's quite tough. This, combined with a few other metals, a durable heat-resistant Plastic, and some various ores, makes for a good suit for underwater, deep-ground, and space work, depending on what you need it for. Though you do need to specialize the suit models for each type of condition.

The Lunar Pressure Suit keeps it's shape in vacuum, and has an attached tank for air. In the Left Gauntlet lies a grapple hook with quite a bit of wire. Depending on the attachment, it can help bring stuff up on the moon, or catch outcrops, as well as potentially dig into the moon to help descent and ascent.

Last is a simple axe/pick to dig in to the moon when needed to catch yourself if you fall. Overall, while a bit bulky, it allows standard human movements. And the gloves are made so you can still wield a CLAW if needed, and grasp normally. Mostly through a pressure seal so they stick out of the arms area of the suit.

Spoiler: Base Image, from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (click to show/hide)

[TricMagic]

OCEAN: The Opal City
The Opulent City of Entertainment, Adventure, & Necessities

MAGMA extends far, both deep and wide. With current issues with our housing though, it's too hot. What isn't so hot? The Ocean.

So, we've begun the task of digging tunnels that goes straight from MAGMA to the Ocean. Some of these tunnels will serve as natural aqueducts, serving Steam Generators and water collection, allowing us to generate even more power to the grid, and collect fresh, clean water, along with various minerals. And salt, lot's of salt to sell.

Others however will be the base for a rail-line direct to an underwater ceiling, a dome made with Magmatite-enhanced glass/plastic that does not break under pressure made by DUC. This Ocean City will serve a base for underwater operations, and with help from dug Magmavents, will be heated by MAGMA to a suitable temperature. These same vents can also serve as Steam Generators and Fresh Water as well for the people, leading to hydroponics farming.

The OCEAN City, where it's nice and cool, with plenty of stuff to do, like casinos and restaurants!

As for how the Glass/Plastic stuff works, the Magmatite, along with various minerals extracted from ocean water, is used to create something whose molecular chemical structure bends, but it never actually has it's bonds break from pressure. If anything, it just gets stronger from the force.

Military Design:
Tremor Bombs: (0)
SLOTH: (0)
Reality Anchored N-ship: (0)
LEO Space Station Aurora: (2) Flabort, TricMagic
Brainwave: (0)
Firestorm: (0)

Hope Design:
Blue Whale: (0)
Lunar City: (0)
Usrsa Maximus: (0)
Watchtower: (0)
Dreamstate: (0)
Lunar Alternative Viable Autarky: (1) Flabort
PROPHET: (0)
OCEAN: (1) TricMagic

Because a place where you can have fun is nice. It's also cool, gives us more power generation, Salt to sell and use along with fresh water, and Hydroponics. Along with the Glass/Plastic for future use in designs/revisions.

[TricMagic]

FIRE
Frequently Incendiary Radioreactive Element

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Say hello to FIRE. Made by a lazy DUC that wanted a faster way to microwave food. Needless to say, we've admonished them, and they'll be out of the hospital in a few months.

Getting some of the rest of DUC on the notes and piece it together, this stuff is pretty much ICE's Opposite. When it encounters a radiation wave of sufficient strength and duration, say 30 seconds, it activates, producing a huge amount of energy from every form of wave in it's vicinity. This takes the form of heat, a lot of it, and temporary imitates fusion. Of course, then it burns out, along with whatever material it might have created.

Taking from this, it can actually act to remove radiation entirely, used properly, with plenty of safeties. So Nuclear Radiation isn't a problem. Working with this stuff is though.. As is, the amount of safeties you need to use it limits it to space use only. We've taking to making it as these glittering cubes, and storing them in Lead.

What's interesting about this is pretty simple, use microwaves on it in space, where the radiation is low intensity, and it will consume that stellar radiation to create enough energy by itself to work as a booster. This can greatly shorten time between objects in space, at minimal space. It needs another material made by DUC, Ablative Shattersteel, to work as the chamber, but it reduces the time it takes for the larger spaceships to a few days to reach the moon. Going to Mars, we can just keep on boosting to increase our speed, and given enough time to boost, we could even reach Pluto.

Of course, at the moment, the asteroid belt renders that particular plan impossible off of normal flight plans. But we can reach Mars, so long as the vessel is big enough to have such a chamber. To note for those who don't know, Ablative Shattersteel is a chemically locked piece of steel. It's Molecules don't move at all. But this renders it fragile to bullets, with pieces tearing apart from the force concentrated in that area. Making it in plates works well though, since it can't heat up or cool down.

FIRE is made up of Oil and Magmatite, and any design that uses it for large scale STC should use it. A little less than a single Magmatite Unit is usually enough for Moon trips however.

My proposal for HOPE is to use it along with GOFAST to begin a colony on Mars. FIRE can also be used to begin the process of restarting Mars' own atmosphere, but that's another project entirely.

retired for the below post

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Zero-ICE ChamberThe Zeor-ICE Chamber. A place in Vacuum, that contains nothing but pure Zero-ICE. No Heat, no Cold. It's gone so close to 1 K here that it actually effects the temperature in the areas above it, even though there is no Reaction. It's a strange place, and strange things can occur here. Opening the Valve to let some of the Zero-ICE out to flow through a chamber actually produces electricity.

To understand what happens here, the Zero-ICE, when coming through a chamber of air, creates Cold Fusion in those particles, generating a large amount of electricity to flow into the Zero-ICE, which then reaches the output circuits.

And that's not the only weird thing around here, time seems slower to those who near it as well. It is all very weird.

In Practice, this actually serves a purpose, as only small ICE Chambers filled with this Zero-ICE are needed to power our ships and vehicles. They do have an associated Ore cost though, given normal alloys break in these conditions. We simply turn on a valve, let the Zero-ICE flow through chambers filled with outside air, and instant power. Though that power is unobservable, for some reason. It just ends up flowing out as soon as the Zero-ICE enters the Air Chamber to flow through.

A byproduct of this at the Main ICE Chamber in MAGMA happens to be some strange metals, tiny amounts, but they are harder than anything we can produce otherwise. They don't really heat all that easily either. They work for space armor since they don't heat up on exit/reentry. We could use them for Combat Armor as well, since they will be able to deal with the melting issues noted.


Design Produces-
Zero-ICE Chamber: Placed in a dug out Alcove in lower MAGMA, it passively generates a tundra-like chill and a strange sense of time closer to it.

Z-ICE Generators: Size varies on what it's used in, but mostly a generator is the size of a watermelon, a big one. This size, with gas chambers around it, can produce a lot of electrical energy.

1 Z-Metal Unit: Produced by the main Zero-ICE Chamber in MAGMA, Z-Metal typically requires Laserforging to heat up into something that can be made into Z-Combat Plating, among other potential designs. As such, it takes a huge amount of energy for it to melt, and is non-conductive in just about every way imaginable. Doubles as a perfect material for spacecraft, though it's scarcity usually requires it only be applied as a surface layer. So Z-Combat Plating again. It can effectively replace Combat Plating's Ore cost, though that cost is still +1, only Z-Metal instead. Still many times better than regular Combat Plating.


We've effectively termed a new name for this phenomenon, given while the effects of fusion do occur, it's not really the hypothetical Cold Fusion others might think it is. Cryo-quantum Distillation, the production of electricity from quantum freezing of molecules past their gas form and straight past solid, into a fused material.

[TricMagic]

Hope Design: Non-limited Power Source via Zero-Point ICE

An improved form of ICE, together with some truly unusual catalysts, can bring temperature of a material down to 0K. Physics as we understand it breaks down at that point, but observations indicate that upon reaching the point of 0 thermal energy matters undergoes a phase change to a stable form at significantly lower energy level. The energy produced in this phase change is released through electrons that can be harnessed for electricity production, while the new state of matter discovered is a peculiar metal-like substance seemingly almost unaffected by temperature.

Needless to say, many scientists are crying in a corner.

This type of Power Generation is new, quite new. But it has some very interesting applications. For one, so long as we bring this improved Zero-Point ICE, and the materials to create a Zero-Point Chamber, we can produce our own energy anywhere with it, from native materials. When Aratam accuses us in the very very  few diplomatic talks we do have, mostly spying, they always accuse us of being insane. Needless to say, those round peg thinkers can cry with this achievement in the Mereth way of thinking.

It is a Hope to the people, for with this advancement, we no longer have to worry about energy, and this improved Zero-Point ICE can also be used to cool large parts of lower MAGMA through their vicinity to their local Zero-Point Chambers.

More locally, this Z-Metal that gets produced also has use in melt-proof tool bits for lower Magma. As well as potential other uses more military, but that's totally just a byproduct, it's meant to keep you from being cooked alive after all. Space Travel is also bound to be more affordable when this Z-Metal gets used for exit/reentry. And we can set up a Zero-Point Chamber on the Moon for Power, which means citizens may get that moon trip sooner rather than later.

Military Design:
Tremor Bombs: (0)
SLOTH: (0)
Reality Anchored N-ship: (0)
LEO Space Station Aurora: (2) Flabort, TricMagic
Brainwave: (0)
Firestorm: (0)

Hope Design:
Blue Whale: (0)
Lunar City: (0)
Usrsa Maximus: (0)
Watchtower: (0)
Dreamstate: (0)
Lunar Alternative Viable Autarky: (1) Flabort
PROPHET: (0)
HEATMISER: (0)
OCEAN: (0)
Non-limited Power Source via Zero-Point ICE: (1) TricMagic

The Z-Metal through the Zero-Point Chamber. Easy power generation. Can potentially even create Plasma Thrusters using a Zero-Point Chamber to create the Electricity needed.

HEATMISER. Computer, meant for power and cooling. Along with a material for spacecraft, the heat transfer, I think... Can you clarify here MM?

[Madman198237]

Let's get voting before Tric makes it to a quintuple post so we can figure out where we stand on things and move discussion along.

Military Design:
Tremor Bombs: (0)
SLOTH: (0)
Reality Anchored N-ship: (0)
LEO Space Station Aurora: (2) Flabort, TricMagic
Brainwave: (1) Madman
Firestorm: (0)

Hope Design:
Blue Whale: (0)
Lunar City: (0)
Usrsa Maximus: (0)
Watchtower: (0)
Dreamstate: (0)
Lunar Alternative Viable Autarky: (1) Flabort
PROPHET: (0)
HEATMISER: (1) Madman
OCEAN: (0)
Non-limited Power Source via Zero-Point ICE: (1) TricMagic

I want to do Brainwave because I'm a stubborn sort of idiot because it's a big step forwards in our tech that gives us a way to match their infantry, because it advances a critical field that can do so much for us if we just push the technology a little further, and because I extremely dislike the Aurora station proposal for multiple reasons that I think I went over in Discord. It's too much, too expensive, and too inefficient.

I want HEATMISER because I slaved over those backronyms for like ten minutes to get it to not be physically painful to read, and also because I truly believe it'll accomplish the goal and get the Research Credit. I want the RC because that would allow us to, next turn, take a big step in N-Tech....or possibly something else. Depends on what we vote in now and what our problems are next turn.

Anyway, we got a breather this turn because the sudden increase in blue prevented our enemies from breaking our lines. Brainwave enhances army-wide coordination and unit cohesion and thus aids us everywhere---in the air, in Bear Armor, Grizzly Suits, everything. Hopefully, that would be enough to keep momentum for the next turn. Alternatively, I could support a design aimed at forcing the Plains and the Sea, since breaking through on that front might be enough to cripple the enemy.

[Atomic Chicken]

Military Design:
Tremor Bombs: (0)
SLOTH: (0)
Reality Anchored N-ship: (0)
LEO Space Station Aurora: (2) Flabort, TricMagic
Brainwave: (1) Madman
Firestorm: (1) AC

Hope Design:
Blue Whale: (0)
Lunar City: (0)
Usrsa Maximus: (0)
Watchtower: (0)
Dreamstate: (0)
Lunar Alternative Viable Autarky: (2) Flabort, AC
PROPHET: (0)
HEATMISER: (1) Madman
OCEAN: (0)
Non-limited Power Source via Zero-Point ICE: (1) TricMagic

[TricMagic]

Military Design:
Tremor Bombs: (0)
SLOTH: (0)
Reality Anchored N-ship: (0)
LEO Space Station Aurora: (2) Flabort, TricMagic
Brainwave: (1) Madman
Firestorm: (1) AC
N-Tune: (0)

Hope Design:
Blue Whale: (0)
Lunar City: (0)
Usrsa Maximus: (0)
Watchtower: (0)
Dreamstate: (0)
Lunar Alternative Viable Autarky: (2) Flabort, AC
PROPHET: (0)
HEATMISER: (2) Madman, TricMagic
OCEAN: (0)
Non-limited Power Source via Zero-Point ICE: (0)

I'd vote for both Hope Designs, mostly cause I like both MM's and Mine/Andrea's writing.

Also..

N-Tune
It's been noted that Aratam puts it's people under drug use to create their SEEMs, but that is so very inefficient. Looking over the latest test results, as well as those who end up going into space, we find a link. Those who have spent time interacting in N-Space show some ability to react faster than they should. And those who stay on the Moon seem to note something in Magma, the number 8.

Top Scientists have begun a set of tests to determine the link. And the first results are rather astounding. It's possible for those who are not in-tuned to the N-Dimension can in fact Tune with it, and those who already are see gradual improvements to the connection. Taking from this, we've created another implant type utilizing the new Neuogel that has come out of DUC that works with our current Immortal Model to improve those connections. After that, our Volunteers simply need to keep a gate active in a small sealed room, and those undergoing the N-Tuning process will be able to connect to each other over the new implant type, and see enhanced reaction times, which means they can actually dodge and hit those SEEMs, and coordinate together locally.

This Project is heavily linked to the Brainwave prototype project, taking a lot of data from it. The new N-Tuned require a GATE, but the lack of HAUNTER use means the process will only be Expensive.

Thoughts?

[NUKE9.13]

So, the choice for the Hope design is between HEATMISER and LAVA, in my mind. The former will provide maximum short-term comfort to the citizenry, whilst LAVA offers the best chance of humanity's long-term survival. If our goal was to do what is best for humanity rather than placate the masses, it'd be LAVA hands down. However, I believe that the population of Mereth is probably just as short-sighted as every other population on the planet, so HEATMISER is more likely to win us the RC.
But then there's also the issue of what we get out of the design in terms of tech, which in the case of LAVA is obviously a vastly increased ability to operate on the Moon, and in HEATMISER's case is... no, wait, I see that the thing about better ICE has been removed, so it's just slightly better ORACLE performance and a trivial heat-resistant alloy (I highly doubt we'll be getting more Oil through improved power generation).
...yeah, no, when there was stuff in there about improved ICE, I was considering it, but now there's just not enough useful tech involved for it to be worth it. An RC is nice, but it's not worth as much as the difference between what we'd get out of LAVA and HEATMISER (as it stands).

For our regular design, I'm leaning towards the Firestorm currently- it'd be useful as a means of regaining air supremacy even if Aratam does nothing in space, and if they do, it should be capable of at the very least contesting whatever they send up.
Regarding the other designs currently in the votebox:
Tremor Bombs: I'm worried about collateral damage. It sounds like a strategic weapon more than a tactical one, that we can only use in places we don't want to set foot in for however long it takes the Hellborers to calm down and go away.
SLOTH: Jack of all trades, master of none.
N-Ship: I'd rather wait to see if we get the RC, as this would be a good thing to use it on.
Aurora: A bit all over the place, I'm not sure a single spacestation would be enough to properly defend the entire Orbital theatre. The Ram is neat, and the sensors would be useful, but I'm not sure that's worth all the effort required to also make an entire spacestation.
Brainwave: Frankly, Madman, you're beginning to sound a bit like Fallacy used to with his catpeople with this one. That is, you've proposed it every single turn for the last... many turns, every time saying that this will solve all our problems. It won't. It's a design that sounded like a decent idea many turns ago, but by now is outdated.
N-Tune: A slightly more modern version of Brainwave- a little bit Aratamish, but not necessarily so much as to make me dislike the design. I'd prefer this to Brainwave. Not that I'd like to do either at the moment. I just don't think it's what we need.

Of course, I'm not 100% locked in on these votes- if HEATMISER was made a bit more useful, I could be convinced to support it instead, and if we want to gamble that Aratam cannot into space, a different regular design may be more effective.

Military Design:
Tremor Bombs: (0)
SLOTH: (0)
Reality Anchored N-ship: (0)
LEO Space Station Aurora: (2) Flabort, TricMagic
Brainwave: (1) Madman
Firestorm: (2) AC, NUKE9.13
N-Tune: (0)

Hope Design:
Blue Whale: (0)
Lunar City: (0)
Usrsa Maximus: (0)
Watchtower: (0)
Dreamstate: (0)
Lunar Alternative Viable Autarky: (3) Flabort, AC, NUKE9.13
PROPHET: (0)
HEATMISER: (2) Madman, TricMagic
OCEAN: (0)
Non-limited Power Source via Zero-Point ICE: (0)

[Madman198237]

I am extremely confused as to why a new form of ICE was somehow such a large thing. If the metal alloy was trivial then why wouldn't the adjusted ICE be trivial? The problem with that was that I could not figure out how to mix a reusable form of ICE with the requirements of a steam power generator.

Yes, it does trade away the lunar operations potential of LAVA for comfort...but then we are getting a RC from this. You want to do something massive on the Moon next turn? Here's an RC to do it. Want to expand our ability to use the N-Dimension, possibly up to and including portals? Now we've got a much better chance of making it.

My problem with LAVA is that right now we only have 1 Region Rating. If LAVA requires time to set up or time to open up more regions, then we'll be crippled for one or more turns, and can guarantee that we'll lose ground.

You are also underestimating the amount of engineering that might be going into this. I can include more benefits if you'd like, but it's been really hard to get opinions on how difficult people think that this massive engineering project will be. If you guys think it'll be relatively easy I'd be willing to start adding things, like an "Instant Buildings" modification to Instant Roads to make it usable in combat construction (happy accident as it'd be used to help provide more accommodations and reinforce more branching tunnel work to keep people away from both the surface and the lower industrial/hot regions of MAGMA), more extensive computer deployment throughout MAGMA, possibly an improvement to camera tech for better security in public spaces (also makes such a camera available for Grizzlies), etc.


I have never yet said that Brainwave will wave away all our problems. It remains, however, an excellent way to improve coordination and get our foot in the door of advanced technologies requiring the brain....which is still a great way to try and mitigate Aratam's individual combat advantages. Imagine if our fighter pilots could control fighters with their minds instead of relying on slow muscle movements? Improved interface between N-Sensitive and GATE is an obvious and logical way to establish better control and range. If we ever want to get remote-controlled robots with no human actually in the robot, this is a necessary step.

I do keep coming back to this, because I have ideas and then go "well this would really benefit from/only be possible with an improved CAT system". Sorry if I sound like Fallacy proposing something and being ridiculous about the benefits of it. At least when I suggest it the benefits actually are reasonable, achievable, and don't require people to have cat ears for some unfathomable reason.

I also fail to see how it's become outdated.

[NUKE9.13]

I am extremely confused as to why a new form of ICE was somehow such a large thing. If the metal alloy was trivial then why wouldn't the adjusted ICE be trivial? The problem with that was that I could not figure out how to mix a reusable form of ICE with the requirements of a steam power generator.

It wasn't a large thing, no. But at least it was something- you mentioned that it could reduce the maintenance requirements on Skyrangers and suchlike, which whilst not a huge leap in technology would've been helpful to some degree. As it stands, we gain next to nothing from HEATMISER.

Yes, it does trade away the lunar operations potential of LAVA for comfort...but then we are getting a RC from this. You want to do something massive on the Moon next turn? Here's an RC to do it. Want to expand our ability to use the N-Dimension, possibly up to and including portals? Now we've got a much better chance of making it.

I'm not saying an RC is worthless- hence why I am willing to consider something like HEATMISER in the first place. But it has to be worth more than the difference in value of HEATMISER and LAVA.

My problem with LAVA is that right now we only have 1 Region Rating. If LAVA requires time to set up or time to open up more regions, then we'll be crippled for one or more turns, and can guarantee that we'll lose ground.

This is a fair concern, actually. My assumption is that just unlocking the technology will boost our region rating somewhat, since it can be applied on a smaller scale to existing lunar operations to make things more liveable, and the space suits will make moving around much easier (and then we could deploy a LAVA operation in another region to get even more RR). But I should check with CW whether that's plausible. If we would have to sacrifice our existing mining operation for even a single turn, then yeah, LAVA wouldn't be the best idea.

You are also underestimating the amount of engineering that might be going into this. I can include more benefits if you'd like, but it's been really hard to get opinions on how difficult people think that this massive engineering project will be. If you guys think it'll be relatively easy I'd be willing to start adding things, like an "Instant Buildings" modification to Instant Roads to make it usable in combat construction (happy accident as it'd be used to help provide more accommodations and reinforce more branching tunnel work to keep people away from both the surface and the lower industrial/hot regions of MAGMA), more extensive computer deployment throughout MAGMA, possibly an improvement to camera tech for better security in public spaces (also makes such a camera available for Grizzlies), etc.

I'm not saying it wouldn't take a lot of engineering work, I'm saying that all that engineering won't help us on the battlefield.

[Madman198237]

I'll add the Instant Buildings thing to the proposal.

I just DO NOT KNOW how much ELSE we can afford to add without adding too much difficulty. I need other opinions on it. What should be added? What can we afford to add?

Should I add more computers, so we get experience with deploying smaller-than-ORACLE independent computer systems throughout the city? Should I add good cameras such that we might be able to easily add them into a Grizzly upgrade? How much is too much, how many straws of Trivial difficulty break the difficulty camel's back?

[TricMagic]

Climat-ICE
There has been a lot of advancement in how we make things, most specifically Gel for batteries. And the Old Stabil-ICE formula can probably be tweaked.
Climat-ICE, when electricity is run through it, cools down the area surrounding it, by using that electricity to facilitate this. In steam generators, it can turn steam into water. What's impressive is it's a lot safer, since it only activates when electricity is run through it.
So, it's reusable, since it's not consumed in the process. Just run electricity through it.

The How of it is a bit more complex.
The Climat-ICE gel is pretty chill, it only slightly reacts, as in slightly meaning Magnetic Fields always give it a low charge. Touching it unaided is a good way to get frostbite in 1 touch. The heat of something is related to how close the atoms are in it, and how quickly they vibrate. Climat-ICE takes the charge sent through it, and stills the air, creating a stasis field. This reaches out to the surrounding area, and air is pushed away from itself. This seems to create wind. As a result, the area is cooled, even after leaving the field of effect. Objects that use Climat-ICE themselves cool down quickly from the field being applied to it. An opposite reaction, turning electricity to another form. That of a stasis field.

Needless to say, this transforms electricity quickly. It's kinda like a magnetic stasis on the molecules that make up stuff around it. The Formula can be considered thus,

Climat-ICE Mass x Power Amount(Electricity) per second = [Stasis Effect ≜ Magnetic Field] = [Area Cooldown ≜ Size of Effect] = Material Heat Removal per second

This Equation mostly breaks down the numbers. More Power into Climat-ICE means a greater effect. It's Mass is a multiplicative effect on the strength of the Field induced, and it's size. The same with how quickly it can cool an area, and how large that area is. Likewise how quickly materials have their heat removed from them into the air.


This stuff has a lot of uses. In somewhat small amounts, it can be used in a steam generator to turn steam to water very quickly, which also means seawater can be turned into salts and trace minerals that sink down from the stasis and pure water, which we can drink.

Steam Generator has water flow in from an Aqueduct contianing ocean water. MAGMA evaporates it, and the steam powers the turbine. That Steam then flows through a Pipe with Climat-ICE behind the walls, turning it back to water. Eventually it is moved out of such an area, and turns to steam in a further generator. This repeats until it finally runs through enough to be pure water, and gets sent up and out for drinking. The Salt eventually get caught in hoppers in the system, pushed into them by water that gets turned to steam.

Likewise, more Climat-Ice can be simply hooked up to the grid to provide it's cooling effects, which in concert can cool all of MAGMA.

Climat-ICE is safe to handle, for the most part. It takes a truly ridiculous amount for the Earth's Magnetic Field to actually flash freeze an area.

WayPoints
Way Ahead Yonderward Pointing Onward to Interstellar Night-Time Skies

Waypoints. Miniature Space Stations that can be built around a single GOFAST rocket. Properly connected, we can get these Space Stations into Space.

Each Waypoint, once detached of the rocket that got it up there, is equipped with life support, Supply areas, living space for the Crew, Solar Panels made by DUC's Expertise, and thrusters to keep it in LEO.

And the Docks. The Docks are a place to build in space, making use of the very space the rocket once went with Wireless CAT-Directed Haunters, and SERF-2s equipped with simple boosters, connected to a retracting Datalink. The Docks also serve as an open space to receive spaceships through their Airdock systems, and can be resupplied and fitted with heat shielding for the trip back down to earth, as well as refueled if such a thing is needed.

Each Way-Point also has a Command Room and Radio network to connect with all other Waypoints. These rooms make use of the Starknights' data displays, a huge step in information display, and holodecks, for  the best in data Coridination.

All Waypoints are also given cameras for observing the world below. We can send most of each Waypoint up on a rocket, before adding the finishing touches to each.

The Goal of the Waypoints is thus-

• Allow Building of Transports capable of landing on the Moon, and in the case of cargo models, leaving it's gravity well. Use Starknights Systems as the base, but their Cargo Holds allow for more room as they won't be reentering or exiting Atmosphere
• Refueling, Resupply, and Coordination of local Space Assets via the Way-Point Network.
• Create an easy way to establish Greater Region Control on the Moon.

See Operation Plan Below.

TOPBOY
Transport of Onsite Permanent Base Operations via Yim

Build Permanent Bases in Waypoints that can transport themselves to the Moon. Make many Modules, and transport them to the region via Starknights. In doing so, Permanent Life Support is achievable.

[NUKE9.13]

My problem with LAVA is that right now we only have 1 Region Rating. If LAVA requires time to set up or time to open up more regions, then we'll be crippled for one or more turns, and can guarantee that we'll lose ground.

This is a fair concern, actually. My assumption is that just unlocking the technology will boost our region rating somewhat, since it can be applied on a smaller scale to existing lunar operations to make things more liveable, and the space suits will make moving around much easier (and then we could deploy a LAVA operation in another region to get even more RR). But I should check with CW whether that's plausible. If we would have to sacrifice our existing mining operation for even a single turn, then yeah, LAVA wouldn't be the best idea.

As it turns out, you were right. I asked CW on Discord, and he unfortunately confirmed that we would need to deploy LAVA as an operation to get any benefit out of it.
So, that pretty much kills LAVA for me. I'm now just wondering how best to do HEATMISER. Discussion is ongoing.

[andrea]

Ascension project: Flesh is weak

Humans have were constrained by the limits of the flesh. We get injured, we grow frail, we fall sick and ultimately we die. Our senses and our mind leave us as we toil in this land of suffering. And yet we endured, because our only choices were this or oblivion. And we fought with whatever means we could muster, be them grand tombs, poetry, philosophy, glory or simply a family to carry out our memory. Surpassing our mortal limits has been the great struggle of human history, but for the first time ever, we can finally win. We shall leave the weakness of our bodies behind, our frailties, illness and sickness and embrace the future.

Since our first forays into cybernetics years ago, we have been able to reconstruct wounds that would have been crippling. missing legs or arms, broken spines. What could have left a man broken, now leaves him better, with superior durability than the common man. And yet, we met a wall. All limbs can be replaced, but organs not yet. But what do we need organs for, if steel is better than flesh? We still are enslaved to them for the survival of the one thing that truly matters, the seat of the self: the brain. Arguably the only important part in the human body, it requires a complex biochemical environment to be sustained for its survival. So crucial and yet, like the rest, so fragile.

Now then is time to take the final step.
During Research for GATE we made an unexpected breakthrough with one test subject, code named 16. They entered N-space, and 16's consciousness , through at the time mysterious means, was moved to a linked HAUNTER robot. Impossible, we would have thought, to hold an human mind in such a small container. And yet through technological means we transfered the essence, the soul of a person into a superior container. It clearly had to be studied and replicated. With the willing help of 16 we studied their brain and we studied the process through which the transfer happened. After countless experiments with pigs, miracolously we managed to replicate the event. A full transfer through the N-space is not required, just a certain softening of the boundaries of reality and a connection to a GATE, in addition to a Datalink to the host computers. And just like this, we gained the ability to upload our brains into computers. Not mere data, but actual people.

Of course, now that we can truly design our bodies, we should take proper care of them. The mind is not unloaded into just another mass of silicon. Rather, it is loaded into a reinforced redundant core designed to withstand an impressive amount of punishment both physical and electromagnetic. This then, using a Datalink, can be connected to any body we could dream of. from the humble SERF to the space faring HAUNTER, or even a mighty grizzly for industrial work. The nostalgic may even prefer to be implanted in their former body, as long as it might last. If a biological brain can command mechanical limb, the opposite can surely be true as well. And this is only the beginning of what the future holds for us, for a silicon mind can live experiences entirely virtually, can move freely among the datalink, and can create copies and backups of itself(we hope) to be stored safely in the deepest vaults. Even among those who don't embrace the change immediately, acceptance of mechanical augmentations is sure to increase, resulting in an healthier, stronger, sturdier population.

In this new age, you will suffer no hunger. You will suffer no illness. You will suffer no injury. You will not grow old and wither away. Senses and strength beyond the dreams of previous times will be achieved. And even if grave misfortune should befall upon you, your brain case will endure, to be recovered so that a new body can be built. This is the age of Homo mechanicus.

Flesh is weak
Metal is strong

Embrace the change
Death is obsolete.