Print

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

[wierd]

Yeah, that is what was intended; Further symmetry, with the prior long winded explanation.

[Madman198237]

No but in the vote you need to (in short form, hopefully) explain the symmetry, since there's more than one possible version of "further" symmetry.

[wierd]

Ooohhh kay....

Code: [Select]

Unset Symmetry (1): NG
Tubular Symmetry (1): Chaoskl21
Paired Symmetry (1): Taricus
Triune Symmetry (1): MetalSlimeHunt
Further Symmetry (2): Weird (Trigonal-60deg radial, truncated bilateral), Madman


[Madman198237]

Code: [Select]

Unset Symmetry (1): NG
Tubular Symmetry (1): Chaoskl21
Paired Symmetry (1): Taricus
Triune Symmetry (1): MetalSlimeHunt
Further Symmetry  (Trigonal-60deg radial, truncated bilateral) (2): Weird, Madman

I am only suggesting you do as the GM said

[piratejoe]

Code: [Select]

Unset Symmetry (1): NG
Tubular Symmetry (1): Chaoskl21
Paired Symmetry (1): Taricus
Triune Symmetry (1): MetalSlimeHunt
Further Symmetry  (Trigonal-60deg radial, truncated bilateral) (3): Weird, Madman, Piratejoe


[Glass]

Code: [Select]

Unset Symmetry (1): NG
Tubular Symmetry (1): Chaoskl21
Paired Symmetry (1): Taricus
Triune Symmetry (1): MetalSlimeHunt
Further Symmetry  (Trigonal-60deg radial, truncated bilateral, "Weird's Symmetry") (4): Weird, Madman, Piratejoe, Glass


[Ardent Debater]

Code: [Select]

Unset Symmetry (0):
Tubular Symmetry (0):
Paired Symmetry (0):
Triune Symmetry (1): MetalSlimeHunt
Further Symmetry (0):

GLORY TO THE TRI-ANGLE, MOST PERFECT OF SHAPES! SKREEEEEEEEEEEE!

Spoiler:  GM Note (click to show/hide)

Forget species supremacy, shape supremacy is where it's at.

Further symmetry.

Silicon compounds tend to form arrangements based on trigonal-pyramidial base units. Evolutionary exploitation of this arrangment can produce consistent breaks in crystalline blandness, and give rise to the kinds of structures I suggested previously. (Such as exploitation of different chiral "handedness" of such structures), allowing for ornate and interesting morphologies. (See for instance, the stunning degree of variation found in diatom shells, which are made from biochemically secreted silicon compounds.)

Early life may have a preference for trigonal symmetry, with a bilateral secondary symmetry (such as diatom shell, which has trigonal symmetry for each half of the shell, which is bilaterally symmetrical with the other side of the shell, in most cases) but advanced life may favor trigonal "plates" in any number of configurations. 

Symmetry is probably radial, but bilateral is possible too. 

I will go full on imagination orgasm here-- let me dig out some pencils.

Spoiler:  GM Note (click to show/hide)

Quite intriguing, what's more is that it's readily plausible for a silicon foundation under searing radioactive conditions.

Screw it, I will just try my best to explain.

Consider a 6 legged starfish like creature.  In actuality, it has 3 legs, and 3 arms.  The ventral (lower) section of the creature has 6 roughly triangular plates that converge to a blunted point that points downward. The plates extend outward, away from the body, and up at an approximately 50 degree upward slant. These structures give rise to the arms, which are articulated and terminate in 3 bladed "fingers" at the end of each extremity.  A similar construction exists on the dorsal (upper) section, descending downward at the same 50ish degree slant, forming articulated legs terminating in 3, triangular toes on each foot.  (Visual aid-- consider a cylon base ship.  Now consider that the lower section's extending "arms" angle upwards at ~50 degrees, and the upper section's arms angle downwards the same amount. Instead of being smooth on the top and bottom, the arm structures form apical points. Each arm section is comprised of 2 roughly triangular plates with a central seam.)

The fissures of the ventral section contain orifices for ingesting well weathered clay silicate mineral and crystalline salt, as well as ducts for expelling high concentration hydrochloric acid, which is stored in 12 chambers, 2 along the length of each extremity. 

The dorsal section is much more robust and ornate then the ventral section, and contains highly exagerated plates with thick and heavy ridges, which extend nearly straight up, similar to the prominence of a rose thorn. These structures contain the photosynthetic organs for the organism, and are also used for thermal regulation. The prominence is comprised of interlocking plates that can be deployed like a 3 petaled flower, and oriented toward light or other high energy particle radiation sources.  Structures for the capture of beta particles (high energy electrons), and high energy photons are present in this organ assemblage, and connect with a convoluted looking organ containing many small sacks of concentrated mineral solutions dissolved in the silicon tetrachloride solvent. These function as a charge differential based electro-chemical battery.  The stored electrical charges are used to power the other cellular activities of the organism with electrochemistry, utilizing organic semiconductor networks to distribute the collected energy potentials.

Each radial section contains 2 eyes, and 3 chemical sensory organs.

The organism has a circulatory network, but lacks a dedicated pulminary organ.  Instead, the electrical energy potentials generated through photovoltaic energy harvest are used with semiconductor nanostructures heavily distributed through the capilliary network to propel the solution (and dissolved minerals) via electrohydrodynamics.  Every portion of the organism's "soft inner body" thus functions as one giant heart, propelling the fluid around in a continuous circulated current.

Ruptures in the tissue result in a runaway reaction with atmospheric water vapor, releasing hydrochloric acid, and rapidly depositing silicon dioxide, which plugs the rupture, until the organism can properly regenerate the damaged tissue.

Spoiler:  GM Note (click to show/hide)

This is a very much an achievable end result, especially when the background radiation is taken into account. You'll be starting off with a distant, largely undeveloped evolutionary ancestor in accordance to the "templates" you decide on, but there's nothing preventing life-forms from trending toward trigonal-sixty degree radial symmetry, although early iterations aren't going to be anywhere near as sophisticated as the structure eons of (guided) evolution can devise. The circulatory system in particular is fascinating.

Code: [Select]

Unset Symmetry (1): NG
Tubular Symmetry (1): Chaoskl21
Paired Symmetry (1): Taricus
Triune Symmetry (1): MetalSlimeHunt
Further Symmetry (0):
Tubular dude

Spoiler:  GM Note (click to show/hide)

Radical. There's a lot that can be done in a tubular framework, not to mention how well such a structure might do in zero-gravity and aquatic environs compared to the four-limbed biped bodyplan that's popular in many of the galaxy's species.

Code: [Select]

Unset Symmetry (1): NG
Tubular Symmetry (1): Chaoskl21
Paired Symmetry (1): Taricus
Triune Symmetry (1): MetalSlimeHunt
Further Symmetry  (Trigonal-60deg radial, truncated bilateral) (2): Weird, Madman

I am only suggesting you do as the GM said

Spoiler:  GM Note (click to show/hide)

The current explanation is more than fine, I think, no reason to abbreviate a complex concept any further than it has to be.

Code: [Select]

Unset Symmetry (1): NG
Tubular Symmetry (1): Chaoskl21
Paired Symmetry (1): Taricus
Triune Symmetry (1): MetalSlimeHunt
Further Symmetry  (Trigonal-60deg radial, truncated bilateral, "Weird's Symmetry") (4): Weird, Madman, Piratejoe, Glass


Spoiler:  GM Note (click to show/hide)

This works too. Really interesting schematics everyone, I was curious to see what format you'd all decide on, but wasn't expecting something so exotic from the start of things. I mean that in the best way of course.

[IncompetentFortressMaker]

Code: [Select]

Unset Symmetry (1): NG
Tubular Symmetry (1): Chaoskl21
Paired Symmetry (1): Taricus
Triune Symmetry (1): MetalSlimeHunt
Further Symmetry  (Trigonal-60deg radial, truncated bilateral, "Weird's Symmetry") (5): Weird, Madman, Piratejoe, Glass, IncompetentFortressMaker
Also, wierd, are you a biologist?

[Kilojoule Proton]

Code: [Select]

Unset Symmetry (1): NG
Tubular Symmetry (1): Chaoskl21
Paired Symmetry (1): Taricus
Triune Symmetry (1): MetalSlimeHunt
Further Symmetry  (Trigonal-60deg radial, truncated bilateral, "Weird's Symmetry") (4): Weird, Madman, Piratejoe, Glass, Kilojoule Proton


[Naturegirl1999]

Code: [Select]

Unset Symmetry (0)
Tubular Symmetry (1): Chaoskl21
Paired Symmetry (1): Taricus
Triune Symmetry (1): MetalSlimeHunt
Further Symmetry (3): Weird, Madman, NG
Thinking about it further, having no symmetry would make it difficult to control where different reactions take place and what reactions take place

[mightymushroom]

Q: Are all 'psionics' in this setting strictly related to warp phenomena?

I want to propose a mixed scenario, in which there is a mobile larval stage similar to wierd's plan, that during "mating" – between 3 units to start with, can evolve more and bigger configurations later if competition allows – the mating ritual forms physical bonds between units, cementing them together into a tube. Take the stronger, tougher dorsal layer of wierd's plan as the foundation for an outer shell while the delicate manipulators of the ventral section end up on the inside. This 'adult form' would have the combined neural capacity and memories of all participants, enabling it to be "smarter" than individual larvae. It thus has the capacity to use the now-internal manipulators for complex tasks no larva could perform alone.

Back to the psychic question: the adult's increase in capability comes at cost of mobility now that all the former legs are stuck in one mass. (I expect some creatures will evolve to leave the tips free for active defense, but then they are pointing every which way and the ones in contact with the ground/seafloor cannot shift the whole quickly.) It would be handy if these adults eventually find a means of communication with their more mobile youth. To ensure they get a steady food supply delivered, for instance.

If straight psionics are out something else could still substitute. Perhaps our electro-silicon tubes are covered in natural LEDs to flash messages. Or pheromones if you want to be boring.

Code: [Select]

Unset Symmetry (0):
Tubular Symmetry (1): Chaoskl21
Paired Symmetry (1): Taricus
Triune Symmetry (1): MetalSlimeHunt
Further Symmetry  (Trigonal-60deg radial, truncated bilateral, "Weird's Symmetry") (7): Weird, Madman, Piratejoe, Glass, IncompetentFortressMaker, Kilojoule Proton, NG
Mixed Life Cycle – wierd's symmetry -> Tubular (1): mightymushroom
P.S. Also tried to recalibrate votes since so many came up while working. Apologies if I got yours wrong.

[wierd]

Keep in mind that our lifeform evolved in a thick veil area, and this is GOOD.

Being a psyker lets you hurl shit around, but it also makes you into enslaver food.


It also means that if we develop FTL travel, ours will be PURELY technological, meaning it does not require going through the warp. (though it might be that we stumble on an arm of the webway, and reverse engineer creating a wormhole network of our own. again through purely technological means.)

"are you a biologist?"

No, just something that passes for a polymath these days. (It is impossible to be a true polymath in this era; the state of the art progresses to rapidly in any given field to stay current in ONE, let alone multiple disciplines.)

[mightymushroom]

Well, that's my question I guess. We are obviously not standard psykers due to our home location. The question is, is there something different in basis yet similar in effect we can do for communication?

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of LED shells. Even if my idea doesn't win, can we incorporate this later? Imagine the rave scene this world has.

[wierd]

We eat high energy particle radiation.

It is entirely possible we could use radio frequency communication, symbolic gesture communication, optical communication, chemical communication, or any number of other mechanisms.

I rather like radio communication.  It would have some "fun" implications when/if we encounter other sentient races, since our conversations would cause communication interference.

[Nirur Torir]

It also means that if we develop FTL travel, ours will be PURELY technological, meaning it does not require going through the warp. (though it might be that we stumble on an arm of the webway, and reverse engineer creating a wormhole network of our own. again through purely technological means.)

Which isn't necessarily a good thing, since it would likely either be slower or take a lot more resources dedicated to our exotic FTL.

I am going to vote for boring triangles.

Code: [Select]

Unset Symmetry (0):
Tubular Symmetry (1): Chaoskl21
Paired Symmetry (1): Taricus
Triune Symmetry (2): MetalSlimeHunt, Nirur
Further Symmetry  (Trigonal-60deg radial, truncated bilateral, "Weird's Symmetry") (7): Weird, Madman, Piratejoe, Glass, IncompetentFortressMaker, Kilojoule Proton, NG
Mixed Life Cycle – wierd's symmetry -> Tubular (1): mightymushroom