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[Pilsu]

Well if we're going to have terminators I don't think realism is a factor anymore. So much for 14th century

[Felblood]

There's a jump between clockwork prostetics and time traveling, super robots wrapped in a perfect disguise of human skin.

I'll admit I was surprised to see that powergoal, myself, but it doesn't have to totally alter the flavor of the world, if it's done gently.

[Pilsu]

We don't even have anything approaching that level of sophistication. We're not even close, we're talking decades or even centuries into the future here

"Clockwork something" means nothing. It's just a steampunk's way of handwaving the existence of steam powered 30 foot robot spiders. There's nothing simple about prosthetics of this magnitude

[bjlong]

Let it slide, man. Sink into the rule of cool with this one.

(It could work like a vice you have to crank with your other hand.)

[Neonivek]

Well if we're going to have terminators I don't think realism is a factor anymore. So much for 14th century

I think the second Magma forges were done... the realism factor was damaged.

[Pilsu]

I think the second Magma forges were done... the realism factor was damaged.

Think it ceased being realistic around the time Toady decided you play as dwarves

Point was, clockwork prosthetics practically rape any suspension of disbelief after guns and steam were declared off-limits

[Neonivek]

Well... Clockwork existed before the 1400s so we arn't looking at SUPER technology

So having clockwork prostetics isn't that far out of the realm of reality.

[SirHoneyBadger]

Ok, it's not pre 1400AD, but, from 1508...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6tz_von_Berlichingen

and his prosthetic hand:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Goetz-eiserne-hand.jpg

This guy was a pretty badass early 16th century german knight/mercenary who actually had a metal hand.

I'm not sure how fully functional it was, but it definitely existed, and it could atleast open and close.

Prostheses themselves existed atleast as far back as 1295 BC, with prosthetic toes discovered in ancient Egypt, and clockwork mechanisms date back to atleast 100 BC with the Antikythera Mechanism.

[Neonivek]

Well... Prostetics other importance to them beyond just how well they could be used as the body part such as appearance or even the ability to wear them without crippling pain.

Though mind you I think impressive aspect of that mechanical prostetic hand isn't that it can open and close.

It is that they found a way to combine appearance and function. Generally speaking they had HORRIBLE times combining both. (You could have hands that didn't make people puke... or you could actually pick things up)

[Pilsu]

You realize that's just a gauntlet that can somewhat hold it's shape after being set right? And that clockworks are simple spring powered machines, not an introductory course to cybernetics?

I rewrote this post about 50 times unable to fathom the idiocy present here. Clockworks. REALLY? Might as well talk about fucking levers and pulleys, except those might be tangentially relevant to operating the fingers! Even then the thing would be useless since you'd need your spare hand to operate the contraption like a marionette

[Mel_Vixen]

How Götz´s Ironhand worked? Look here

It is said that he could hold an sword and fight with it as if he hadnt an Prothesis.

Most Power for the hand comes from underarm over tendons. I wouldnt wonder if an dwarf had found an way to conncet this tendons with wire and easy mechanims.

An entire underarm is much more complex thought.

[bjlong]

I don't think anyone's arguing that Goetz's hand was a fully functional *hand,* but rather a fairly good reconstruction that worked with his profession.

I can't tell from the pictures, but I'd imagine it was merely a hand with an open and closed state he could somehow operate with his stub. Looks like it had some kind of lever and trigger that ensured the lever and trigger stayed in contact. Might be a bit beyond the dwarves to do something this small, but a cruder version looks doable. The mechanisms'd have to be made of something softer than iron, I think, so that they'd be workable, which means reforging them every few years. Power goal wouldn't work then, though... huh. Maybe something to ask Toady about later.

[SirHoneyBadger]

I'm not certain you're addressing me, Pilsu, but yes, I realize it.

I don't think the kinds of prostheses our dwarfs can make would be, or have to be, terribly functional, and while clockworks would be nice to see in the game, I agree with you about the levers/pulleys being more relevant for most of the functions a prosthetic arm would be capable of.

Clockworks might possibly have *some* applicable function, but yeah, it's not cybernetics we're talking about, here. Atleast not without some magical/mystical stuff going on. 

But having a metal arm that looks like an arm, and that can open and close, even in a limited fashion, would be better/more attractive than a stump.

[Neonivek]

Power goal wouldn't work then, though... huh. Maybe something to ask Toady about later.

Naw... Artifacts, magic, Super Crafting, and even out of place technology works. 1400 is just what Toady is aiming for in essence, but not what he is married to. (I hope no one takes my statement TOO far...)

Even then the thing would be useless since you'd need your spare hand to operate the contraption like a marionette

Alright... so he wouldn't be winning any Thumb wars... but for all intents and purposes it does its job.

Prostetics could also be weapons in it of themselves! Imagine replacing a soldier's hand with a claw or sword!

[SirHoneyBadger]

Or a self-winching under-over double-crossbow!