From: BIOHZD@aol.com Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 2:32 AM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Re: Hybrids, tech, ecology Hello, As someone wrote: By the way, has anything been said about photosynthesis pigments on Poseidon? Straightforward green chlorophyll-a? Possibly red/brown-yellow pigments for things growing in deeper water? Or something weirder? >>>>As with most things Poseidonesque there is a greater diversity of light sensitive pigment colors on the waterworld than on Earth. As on Earth however, greens are most common, and this was, for the most part, part of a conscious, artistic choice. Many things about the appearance of Poseidon are Earth-like, when they do not have to be, even assuming the identical biochemistry. I have often read sci-fi novels where there are fundamental differences (when compared with Earth) in the appearance of the new world simply for artistic effect - the gold colored ocean in "Reef Song" by Carol Severance, is a good example of what I mean (it's a great BP-esque book BTW). Unfortunately these differences often go unemphasized, and therefore stick out clumsily when one is reminded of them by the text. We did not want BP players to be similarly knocked on the head whenever the game moderator remembered to say, "and oh yeah, the sky is mauve". Most importantly, we wanted the typical player, whose underwater experiences are most likely limited to Cousteau films, to be able to use their accumulated memories of such images to help them visualize the BP game world. This would be hard to do if Poseidon's oceans were purple because of some kind of wonky phytoplankton pigments. From the Depths, Jeff Barber Biohazard Games *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: P. Marquard [CanisLupus@vip.cybercity.dk] Sent: Thursday, December 17, 1998 11:32 AM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - [Blue Planet] - Transbeings Greetings and Salutations! On 17-Dec-98 18:14:22 stevie of Stephan.Aspridis@stud.uni-hannover.de wrote about: "[BLUE PLANET] - [Blue Planet] - Transbeings". s> Is the Transhuman package available to humans only or is it available to s> Hybrids and Cetaceans too? s> s> I also wondered whether the immunological symbiont halves the healing time s> of Transhumans too. If so, they would heal wounds in 1/4 the time a s> normal, not enhanced human would need. s> s> Also, something to think about: Most well situated people already have s> their children being Transhuman (sort of Gattaca). This is also available s> as a gene-therapy treatment. I would bet that many people would like to s> have it (and even get into debts only to have this advantage, too). I s> would say that in another 50 to 100 years (when the treatment is cheaper s> due to refinement and better understanding of Long John), there wouldn't s> be very much "normal" humans or hybrids left. (I would also say that the s> immunulogical symbiont is standard then, financed by health plans - it is s> cheaper to spend a few thousand once and then don't have to worry about s> the people getting sick at all) s> s> Any opinions? Yes, the cynical one: Now it is only those with adequate ressources that get this treatment. That is, the rich or those whose employers can see an advantages in having their employees transhuman. In other terms: Those in power or with power (not necessarily the same). It could become a symbol of the upper classe(s) and thus denied to or made defficult to obtain for those not deemed worthy of such a treatment. It has happened before and will most surely happen again. You are not only stuck at the bottom of society because you are poor and un-educated but also because you are the wrong species (well, sort of). Makes revolutionary talk about equality a bit more defficult since there obviously ARE a difference between haves and haves-not. Of course this would just lead to another form of revolutionary platform, but that is - from a GM's point of view - just fine. PS: I might have misunderstood something about transhumans since I only got through ¼ of Blue Planet before I moved and I haven't got my stuff (including Blue Planet) yet (it is 4 months ago I moved). -- #Greetings, Marquard# *#-= Canis Lupus =-#* #CanisLupus@vip.cybercity.dk - 2:238/188.9@FidoNet# *#AMIGA - the choice of connoisseurs#* *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: BIOHZD@aol.com Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 2:32 AM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - [Blue Planet] - Transbeings Hey Steve, You have some questions: Is the Transhuman package available to humans only or is it available to Hybrids and Cetaceans too? >>>>Well, yeah, but I guess it might be called Transcetacean ; )? Seriously, at the end of page 229, there is a short bit on genies and further biomodifications. Essentially there are limits on what additional mods can accomplish, and yes, the price is about 50% more per mod. I also wondered whether the immunological symbiont halves the healing time of Transhumans too. >>>>No - as someone already pointed out, Alphas basically have the equivalent of the IS already, and so an additional modification would not gain little. I would say that in another 50 to 100 years (when the treatment is cheaper due to refinement and better understanding of Long John), there wouldn't be very much "normal" humans or hybrids left. >>>One of my favorite aspects of the BP setting is its future. For example, what will be the social/political impacts of an ageless upperclass? What will the word humanity actually mean in 2500? I appreciate the tone these unanswered questions give the setting - making it feel like society is just about to crest the hill of a strange new future, where anything is possible and the prospects are exciting and scary at the same time. I would also say that the immunulogical symbiont is standard then, financed by health plans - it is cheaper to spend a few thousand once and then don't have to worry about the people getting sick at all >>>> Though Jason's comments about present day healthcare are sadly true, within the BP setting, the value of a symbiote would be paramount to many things. Incorporate nations would most certainly save money by providing symbiotes to many if not all of their citizens. This would not only reduce healthcare costs, but it would conserve the training, experience and biomodifications they may have invested in their people. Besides, these days people spend more than $10,000 on a car that will be worn out in 8 years, cosmetic surgery that will sag in five years, or a time share they get only once per year. I think eventually, most anyone that can come up with the cash to get the mod. It is such a fundamentally beneficial use of resources that I suspect that there will be CommCore pages at local banks for symbiote loans, right next to those for hoppers, habitat domes and college tuition. From the Depths, Jeff Barber Biohazard Games *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: BIOHZD@aol.com Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 2:32 AM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: [BLUE PLANET] - Mega Response Hello Yu, >>>>You write...ah...well...you write a lot, so ah...I guess the usual clip and paste is a no go ; ). Anyway, before I respond specifically to your questions/comments, let me indulge in a few general points of my own... >>>>Inspired by various and sundry recent threads, "Monkey Boy" Barber writes: >>>>Blue Planet is a science fiction game, the operative words being fiction and game. Though picking nits is an occupational hazard of the typical sci-fi fan, at some point, arguing over the color of a dragon's eyes is, well...pointless. If there are dragons, you have already made some assumptions about the suspension of disbelief. If there is no room for the fiction, then "what might be" becomes "what is", and what fun is that if you are trying for a little cooperative escapism. >>>>Though I would encourage the continuation of such threads as they are often fun and informative, I would also remind folks to come to the surface once in a while, and look at the whole ocean. BP was never intended as a scientific thesis on anything. As the cover of the book implies, BP is a game. Fix, dump or ignore what does not work for you, then sit down, play, and have some fun ; )! >>>>Ok - now that I have put in my general .02cs, here are some responses to Yu's post. I hope not to sound challenging or unappreciative of Yu's comments. She has been specific, articulate and cordial. I simply hope to be the same. [portable nit picker whirs to life] Fluid Mechanics is going to be released real soon, right? :) >>>>Well...ah...on the geological time scale it was out months ago ; ). Seriously, we are working as quickly as we can. The old timers on the list know the story. Biohazard is a small operation and the staff all have (has?) day jobs. Our production speed is therefore limited. Suffice it to say, the priority right now is Access Denied. (BTW - We just completed the expanded BP index for AD - there are over 1400 entires. I hope you're all satisfied [grin]. Lots of detail there may be, but detail is not what I need. Principles are more useful, I can work out the details myself (and with the help of some more tech-oriented friends :). What I can't figure out is what are the limits of the level of technology currently available in the BP universe and/or the level of commonly available technology. >>>>Speaking from experience, the typical gamer wants lots of details, and is far less interested in generalities about tech and equipment. Check the archived posts to this list for bags full of just such assertions. >>>>We made a conscious effort to create generic template examples of various technologies with the intention of guiding players much like you suggest. It seems most BP players wish we had been more specific than we were. As a company with an interest in creating a viable product line, we need to consider what is marketable, and therefore must often target that ever elusive "typical gamer". >>>>IMO there are many empirical guides to the technological capabilities of BP. There are details on and descriptions of superconducting batteries, DNA based data storage, fusion reactors, absolute genetic engineering, suspended animation, orbital construction, bioplastic, etc. It seems like there is plenty here for someone who wants to "work out the details [herself]". For example vacuum vines are apparently in common use by the Belters. >>>>Well, the book says "slightly more than one hundred". A plant that grows in vacuum? >>>>If it can get sufficient sunlight, and enough nutrients from its substrate, why not? Ice asteroids theoretically contain water, carbon dioxide, etc. Near absolute zero? >>>>My understanding is that ambient temperature in space is essentially irrelevant. Absorbed heat, however little, would be warming, slow to dissipate, and would probably help to melt the ice of the vine's substrate. With very limited available nutrients? >>>>Even natural plants have an amazing capacity to manage most of their nutrient requirements with only water, some carbon dioxide, and a little nitrogen compound. All these should be readily available on an ice covered rock, especially if there are a few belt miners around to help acquire the nitrogen. This sounds like extreme hypertech to me. >>>>Ah...hence the science *fiction*. And besides...I think its cool. Just sticking this weed on a cold rock out there in hard vacuum and expecting it to grow is past silly. >>>>That's too bad. Vacuum vine wine - though an acquired taste - is a uniquely satisfying beverage ; ) (ACCESS DENIED) Another example: the experimental black Martian plant. A black plant that does not suffer from overheating >>>>In the decidedly cold Martian atmosphere I do not think this would be an issue. or dehydration >>>>This too is an unlikely problem. Even natural terrestrial plants have dozens of adaptions to prevent desiccation - cuticle, stomata guard cells, fluted stems, deep tap roots, tubers, etc. I think LavOrg could also manage a few, even more effective adaptations. Why not use something that doesn't attempt to be so super-efficient? >>>>>Efficiency is the name of the game if terraforming is to be accomplished on any reasonable time table. Lichens have very minimal energy and nutrient requirements (they grow even on Antarctica). On the other hand they grow very slow. >>>>Way too slow in most cases, but some of the plants spore morps are certainly lichen-like. (/ACCESS ENABLED) The thing with bioware is that most things one tries to improve are the result of some four billion years of evolution. >>>>This in not true. The vertebrate eye for example is no older than the first fishes, say 600 million years. Your statement also implies that evolution has created perfect adaptations. Evolution is in fact a break even proposition in most cases, and as a result there is plenty of room for further modification and "improvement." If there wasn't, evolution would have no driving force and would stop. And the general principle in adaptation is that one can't have everything. >>>>Not really. The general principle is that the process of *natural* selection rarely favors the expenditure of resources on traits that do not secure an equivalent return. This would not apply however in the case of bio- mods. They are by definition, artificial, and part of humanity's new, Long John driven, *unnatural* selection. If you gave Mr. Mouse improved echolocation (BP 232), I would think that his new ability to better avoid Mr Cat would make him a far more successful evolutionary competitor without detracting from his other mousy tricks. >>>>I would suggest that a species - namely humans - *can* "have everything". Really, that is what make us the ultimate evolutionary competitor - we make whatever we need to get the job done. Bio-mods would simply the latest manifestation of the stone tool. So tinkering with biological designs is going to cost, >>>>Evolution is actually *random* tinkering, and it obviously works a lot of the time. and the new stuff will probably need lots of maintenance. >>>>What tools do not? Why would cyberlimbs still be more efficient than the biological stuff? >>>>Unfortunately my physics background is limited, and I know virtually nothing about thermodynamics. My take however, is that myolecs are more efficient, and in general larger, than the users natural muscles and so, even though there is the same amount of metabolic energy to work with, the amount of work that can be done is greater. >>>>Additionally, as described with a couple of the more metabolically demanding bio-mods, the user must eat more, and more often, than before getting his implants, to meet the increased metabolic demands. Much of the cyber/bioware has ridiculously short "transformation times" too. >>>>I do not think ridiculous is an accurate assessment. but how long does learning to use your brand-new extra sense going to take, when your brain doesn't have an area that would process the new information? >>>>Function is different than effective use. My touch receptor nerves work because they are hooked up like they are. I did not have to train with them for them to pass stimuli. When I was an infant, they also worked, I was just not very good at processing the information I got from them, and the situation was futher complicated by my undeveloped brain. >>>>I think that bio-mods transformations would be similar to infant development - easier in fact, as the user would have mature cognition and could think through a lot of things that would confuse an infant. How, exactly, would an implanted translation computer work? >>>>Translators, any processing implants for that matter, are supported by what amounts to artificial lobes of the brain. Part of the implant consists of a computer dedicated to processing whatever stimulus data is being collected. The relevant parts of the data are feed through an NIC (BP 225) to the appropriate regions of the users brain - cognitive, associative, coordinating, or some combination of these. Some systems bypass the brain entirely, controlling certain functions automatically - see programmed reflexes (BP 226). >>>>The programming of these auxiliary processor lobes, and their integration with the natural brain, allows the user to understand the processed stimuli the same way one "understands" any stimulus. I mean, what is the brain actually doing that lets us understand a visual image, or a spoken word? It is simply passing electrical signals around various circuits and we interpret (and that's the magic part) this as sight and sound. The implants do the same thing with echolocation or infrared or whatever. The user just understands, the same way you understand as you read these words. >>>>Sure - some sorts of implant processors will take time to get used to, and it will take time for their output to become useful, but I would suggest it would be more akin to learning to ride a bike than it would be to learning how to do multidimensional analysis in your head ; ). Hybrids aren't believable either "The rudimentary state of genetic engineering at the time [2065] made it easier to simply blend together genes from various species rather than attempt to design an entirely original being." This results in "basic and isolated physical modifications"?!? >>>>I suppose "blend together" is probably not the most scientific way to have written the above text. However, I think this is insufficient grounds to claim that hybrids are unrealistic within the realm of a science *fiction* RPG. >>>>Undercurrents #6 will have the definitive information on hybrid genetics. For the sake of time and effort, lets wait until UC 6 comes out before we dig into this. We will enthusiastically steel from the ideas you presented if it fits the intent ; ). Also, except for rare cases, humans don't have the musculature or nerves required to move their ears. >>>>Ah..., I can wiggle my ears [wiggle wiggle]. I know its not really the same thing as with a cat, but hey. Too bad I doesn't work to pick up women ; (. This, in my opinion, makes creating viable cat/human hybrids by simple gene transfer extremely unlikely. >>>>As per above, wait for UC 6. Basically, a single sentence in a couple of general paragraphs does not a guide to genetic engineering make ; (. We will do better in the upcoming BP book: "Do-it-yourself Biomodification - a beginners guide to self mutation using a Swiss-army knife and duct tape. Perhaps slightly more likely would have been to use the [snip] Now add a huge dose of luck, make the process automatic as far as possible and repeat billions of times. The mix of cat/human could be varied too by making a haploid cell out of the original cell resulting from the fusion and fusing that with another cell. >>>>Good suggestion - we will store it for possible theft later : ). Incidentally, when is the Encyclopedia Poseidonica's release date? :). I wouldn't really call the three pages on unique habitats and the 25 species descriptions (with plenty of white space on the pages too!) an awful lot. Better than most RPGs, granted. But most RPG products suck. >>>>But...ah...BP is an RPG, not a textbook??? Using the 25 pages by putting in 24 pages on biodiversity and 1 page crammed with sample stats would be a better use of the space. >>>>As per the discussion about tech above, gamers dig creatures. I *know* that if we had droned on about ecological zonation, covertypes, niche's, dispersal adaptations, and island biogeography, BP players would be grilling us on the lack of creatures instead of the difficulties of space travel ; ). (And Kai might never have seen his beloved Blimps, and therefore might never have joined us in our watery fun!) Not to worry. The sourcebook Survey (working title only) will have more hard science on Poseidon that you can shake a whollop fish spine at. Great! >>>>Well, maybe not rock hard science. Well, it will probably be downright slushy in places, but it will be cool slush! This is the "how" of it, not the "why". Why would they have such a, ahem, uniquely reactive enzyme? Is a bioplastic-like material found in Poseidon lifeforms? If so, it would have merited a mention in the source material.. Decomposing is a specialist business... a fungus that specializes in a certain substance is going to out compete a generalist on it's growth medium, because maintaining that variety of reactive enzymes is going to have a higher metabolic cost that just producing fewer enzymes tailored to the substance. >>>>There are two parts to this answer. The first is mundane, and the second is...well...Access Denied. >>>>1. The fungus (there are many species by the way) does not maintain vats of enzyme at the ready. It has the genetic code to produce a vast array of enzymes capable of hydrolyzing all sorts of organic molecules. When a species encounters a given substance various membrane receptor proteins allow the fungus to make a chemical assessment of the material that leads to the production of a number of enzymes in a certain class. If these are effective at digesting the material, chemical feedback stimulates further enzyme production and soon...so much goo. If that class is not effective, negative feed back stimulates the production of another class and so on until one works. This explains the effectiveness and lack of selectivity for the fungus. >>>>2. Access Denied - Fast fungi, at least the parent stocks, are a legacy of the Creators. Enough said for now - you will have to wait until the UC 5 for the nitty gritty ; ). Makes me go "urrgh", actually. Similarity in genetic basis doth not a similarity in biochemistry make. >>>>Ah...it most certainly does. When we say in BP that the genetic code of the planets are the same we were being literal. Codons are codons, anitcodons are anticodons and amino acids are amino acids. The protein you code for is the protein you get - on both worlds. Evolution is biochemical in the end. >>>>Well, no, it is genetic, driven by spontaneous mutations that lead to changes in frequency of genes within a population's gene pool. Now if you are implying genetics and mutations are biochemical at their most basic level, and then so is evolution, then ok...I agree. "*Achoo!* Dey dever said adything aboud dis in Ibbigration, and dow I don'd have de scrip for de redurn trip. I'm godda indenture to a deep-mining operadion and hobe I don'd have da eat any fish dere, 'cos dey give be a derrible rash." >>>>I like! This requires that humans have neurotransmitter receptors that are blocked by the nerve toxin. Hmm.. most animals on Earth use acetylcholine as a neurotransmitter at least in some of their nerves... >>>>Does this mean that a chemical that say destroyed the mylin sheaths or prevented the ion gates from working would not be a nerve toxin. I am not being sarcastic...just wondering? Although some more randomness might be fun. :) "Ever wonder why we can swim through the tentacles of this blimp species, but all around fish die by the hundreds?" "Nah." >>>>Too cool! Parasiting is highly specialized activity, and there's nothing remotely human on Poseidon. I still hold with the biochemistry differences... >>>>This might be true in some cases but there is a lot of ecological play in such relationship. Jason mentioned some little internal nasties, but there are bigger more obvious ones too. Think of deer ticks and sea lamprey, or even barnacles. These have a variety of hosts. I agree, although the term "aggressive ecology" rubs me the wrong way.. how can any ecology be more savage than another? Same rules of "survival of the fittest".. >>>>I know what you mean. Misuse of such terms bugs me too. ie. I am annoyed when people refer to "higher" or "more advanced" organisms. I prefer more complex - hazards of being a teacher I guess. >>>In this case however, I do mean more aggressive. If I put tetras in an aquarium with cichlids, even little ones, the tetras are done for. Now transfer that idea to Poseidon where the evolutionary trends favor active instead of passive competition even more. When we put Earth's typically passive competitors on Poseidon they seldom stand a chance. This sort of ecology was intentional - it makes for more exiting ocean swims and scarier forest strolls ; ). For the same reason lifeforms from Poseidon shouldn't do too well on Earth (but with the Earth in 2199 being so messed up, anything could happen). >>>>>Do not be so sure ; (. For example, a fast fungus infection on Earth might make the Blight look like a mild case of athlete's foot. Are the islands repeatedly colonized by traveling organisms adapted to such an existence, so that most islands have a fairly uniform ecology. Or are species dispersed to islands at random, undergoing an adaptive radiation? >>>> The simple answer is yes - on both counts. I also like the idea of fish ranching. I happened to see a report on an experiment using fish recently, where the fish were cold-branded for later identification. It made me immediately think of natives branding their fish schools, and gangs of dolphin fish rustlers capturing the fish and trying to modify the old brands. A real Old West frontier feel... >>>Don't laugh, but fish pirates used to be a big deal in the north west (US). I spent some of my youth in Alaska, and back around the turn of the century there were range wars of a sort there, with folks robbing fish weirs and shooting each other up in the process. I think John Wayne was even in a B&W movie about it called Fish Pirates. Evolutionary biologists continue to propose classification schemes, and endlessly debate the research. We hope there will be a consensus before Survey goes to press ; ). Heh. Need a collaborator? Did I mention I also do illustrations? ;) >>>>Hey, I'll keep that in mind - got any samples you could send along. If nothing else, UC is always in need of ecological illos and writeups. >>>>Well, my fingers are now bloody stumps, but I hope this all helps. I am sure I went on way more than I needed to, but it is important to the creators of BP that you all know how much hard work and careful thought went into the book. We did not just have our hands a lot, and print the first thing we dredged up from the depths ; ). Thanks all, especially those that bothered to read this far ; ). Jeff "I'll shut up now" Barber Biohazard Games *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: BIOHZD@aol.com Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 2:32 AM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Re: Hybrids, tech, ecology Hey Jason, You write: Okay. Gonna do my best here. If I stray from gospel, please feel free to slap me into place, Jeff. Naw - it's allright. Your conditioning seems to be holding. I will withhold the shock-stick ; ). Jeff "Pavlov" Barber Biohazard Games *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: BIOHZD@aol.com Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 2:32 AM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Social Effects of Biomods Hey Robert, You write: Consider that many people equate Long John with immortality, and that there are a lot of megalomaniacs who'd probably develop a God complex after a few decades of longevity treatments. Also, there'd be other odd psychological effects from living past the "normal" human lifespan. >>>>I as posted before, this is one of my favorite "social issues" in BP. I am thinking that this topic might make a cool article for Undercurrents, maybe as a excerpt from a 2199 speculative text on sociology. Hmmm...I'll have to give this some more thought. Imput anyone? Jeff Barber Biohazard Games *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Auberon [fskln1@uaf.edu] Sent: Thursday, December 17, 1998 9:59 PM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Re: Hybrids, tech, ecology Suvi Ylioja wrote: > > > On Fri, 11 Dec 1998 BIOHZD@aol.com wrote: > > Lots of detail there may be, but detail is not what I need. Principles > are more useful, I can work out the details myself (and with the help of Actually, I vote for detail. I don't have as many engineer friends around as I used to. > The thing with bioware is that most things one tries to improve are the > result of some four billion years of evolution. And the general principle > in adaptation is that one can't have everything. So tinkering with > biological designs is going to cost, and the new stuff will probably need > lots of maintenance. That depends. Your immune system is far from complete, and the only cost I can really see for massive improvements would be a bit more metabolic energy. Cheeseburger? Some, like Salt Tolerance, I don't understand at all. Others, like ESP, actually do add a whole mess of complications, but also have a really long healing time, which I assume includes some minor corrective therapies. > BP cyberware works principally with myo-lecs, right? (Maybe with > additional rechargeable batterys, too?). And myo-lecs are muscles modified > to produce current. Ok so far. But cyberlimbs are heavier than than the > equivalent biological bits, and yet thay grant strength and agility > bonuses, in other words they work better that the real thing. What this > sounds like to me is that cyberlimbs add a level of energy transfer > (chemical power - current - mechanical power), and according to the laws > of thermodynamics usable energy will be lost as heat in that transfer. Why > would cyberlimbs still be more efficient than the biological stuff? Kinda depends -- without knowing how the thing works, it's awful hard to say anything about how it functions. Maybe when replaceing an entire limb like that, the myo-lecs are strictly supplimentary. After all, if you just hook up blood vessels, you could just convert the chemical energy in there. > Much of the cyber/bioware has ridiculously short "transformation times" > too. I bet the damage the implanting operations does heals in that time, > but how long does learning to use your brand-new extra sense going to > take, when your brain doesn't have an area that would process the new > information? How, exactly, would an implanted translation computer work? > *(you press the button and it goes?) The translation computer could simply be routed to bone conduction in the jaw -- you'd just hear the translation. Your brain can screen for the right "feed." > "The rudimentary state of genetic engineering at the time [2065] made it > easier to simply blend together genes from various species rather than > attempt to design an entirely original being." > > This results in "basic and isolated physical modifications"?!? Even today, after a LOT of trial and error, this could be done. You try it, you get an auto-abortion, you see why. Edit the genes in the cat egg, try again. If you want to get tricky, wait until the Human Genome Project is done, and work out a partial map for the cats as you go. > Cats... the source material strongly points in the direction that > genetic material from domestic cats was used (fur with various patterns, > slit pupils). Now, there is no "ear" gene in humans that can simply be > replaced with the equivalent "pointy cat ear" gene. Even if there had By the same token, there's no "pointy cat ear" gene for cats, either. You'd just have to blend the various genes. Of course, those genes aren't going to control only one thing... Like I said above. Trial and error. I can see the U.S. DoD spending billions on erroring, myself. > been, the human skull forms earholes in places where cat-size, mobile > ears are not very handy. Also, except for rare cases, humans don't have > the musculature or nerves required to move their ears. The same problems > apply for the rest of the Cats' modifications. But again, they're using chimerization, or gene-blending, to achieve these hybrids. If they were pulling specific genes, there would definitely be a problem, but these things really are half cat. > Perhaps slightly more likely would have been to use the technique of cell > fusion (and this is what I had been assuming..) where 2 haploid cells from > the two species had been artificially fused and made to start development. I think that's what the paragraph you quoted above was trying to say, albeit somewhat awkwardly. > The problem with this is also that the chromosome numbers of humans and > cats are different, and are "mismatched". Putting two half-sets > of the chromosomes of the two species in the same cell would result in > confusion. If this could be gotten over (dunno how...) > the result would be, yes, a hybrid of human and cat genomes, and > would, most likely, have ceased development very soon and perished. Of course, I'm assuming that the process involves tinkering with the chromosomes in the cat egg to put them in "human" order, and add or subtract enough to bring the number to 26. > This process just _perhaps_ might produce something viable. Then the > unfortunate creature could be cloned, and the clones could be varied by > random mutation (in most cases would result in something unusable..) and > maybe gene transfer. If you edit the cat's egg first, they could interbreed with humans, with the cat genes dominant (by breeding for dominance, most likely) > So the resulting Cats would have truly mixed genes, with perhaps a certain > randomness in what feature of the original species is expressed. But you could run breeding programs with your first few generations to select for the expressions you want. The sports simply wouldn't be allowed to breed. On the down side, this would mean that there wouldn't be a whole lot of genetic diversity to "purebred" cats. > RPG products suck. Using the 25 pages by putting in 24 pages on > biodiversity and 1 page crammed with sample stats would be a better use of > the space. IMHO. But nearly meaningless to me. I don't know the first thing about biology (okay, I've picked up bits here and there). I just want good, usable imformation, presented in a readable fasion. For that, I think the BP book is fine. > "*Achoo!* Dey dever said adything aboud dis in Ibbigration, and dow I > don'd have de scrip for de redurn trip. I'm godda indenture to a > deep-mining operadion and hobe I don'd have da eat any fish dere, 'cos > dey give be a derrible rash." Now this is funny. I'm definitely going to do this to one of my players, and I think I even know which one. MWA Ha ha ha haaaaa. > This requires that humans have neurotransmitter receptors that are blocked > by the nerve toxin. Hmm.. most animals on Earth use acetylcholine as a > neurotransmitter at least in some of their nerves... Which explains why Poseidon's so amazing. The animal life there uses the same (or similar enough) neurotransmitters. How's that for too much coincidence to be healthy? > I agree, although the term "aggressive ecology" rubs me the wrong way.. > how can any ecology be more savage than another? Same rules of "survival > of the fittest".. Compare Australia to South America. Or, put another way, I can guarantee you that duck-billed platypuses would not last as a species in southeast Alaska. The predators there are fewer and farther between, and less efficient species have thrived as a result. Just thought of an even better example. Ever see a picture of the Dodo? Can you picture those surviving anywhere with a similar climate? > Make that "Poseidon lifeforms are uniquely adapted to their environment, > and conditions are sufficiently different that Earth lifeforms have a > severe disadvantage." For the same reason lifeforms from Poseidon This too. > are species dispersed to islands at random, undergoing an adaptive > radiation? Okay, what's adaptive radiation? > I also like the idea of fish ranching. I happened to see a report on an > experiment using fish recently, where the fish were cold-branded for later > identification. It made me immediately think of natives branding their > fish schools, and gangs of dolphin fish rustlers capturing the fish and > trying to modify the old brands. A real Old West frontier feel... Now that's funny. I'm using that one too. > (/ACCESS DENIED) > > Another example: the experimental black Martian plant. A black plant that > does not suffer from overheating or dehydration on a planet with a very > thin atmosphere. And it's polymorphic. And it spreads fast. a) Mars gets sunstantially less solar radiation that Earth, being twice as far from the sun. b) It would already have to have some pretty intense measures against dehydration to retain any water in liquid form on the surface of Mars. With an atmosphere that tops out at ~20 millibars over most of the planet, the boiling point is a real issue. After dealing with that, worrying about the plant getting a bit warm is probably a joke. c) As for the polymorphism, it does occur, and this is a developed, not evolved, plant. I don't really worry about this one. They found genes that could make it black. Now *that* is impressive. d) The spreading fast could be thanks to Poseidon -- LO is known for taking risks, and Poseidon is known for voraciously competitive life forms. > Why not use something that doesn't attempt to be so super-efficient? > Something like a lichen would make more sense. Lichens have very minimal > energy and nutrient requirements (they grow even on Antarctica). On the > other hand they grow very slow. Why use something like lichens? Your corporation might fold before you can show any proof that anything is really happening. They're not doing this as a public service, remember. -- +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= "I never get involved in my own life. It's too much trouble" - Michael Garibaldi (Babylon 5) *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Auberon [fskln1@uaf.edu] Sent: Thursday, December 17, 1998 10:02 PM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - [Blue Planet] - Transbeings stevie wrote: > > Is the Transhuman package available to humans only or is it available to > Hybrids and Cetaceans too? There's a comment on that in the rulebook -- If you're not human, or have had your genome modified already (any kind of full-body mod, except bodysculpting) they cost more. > I also wondered whether the immunological symbiont halves the healing time > of Transhumans too. If so, they would heal wounds in 1/4 the time a normal, > not enhanced human would need. I assumed it was built in, based on the fact that all the effects (the increased healing) are present as part of being an Alpha. > humans or hybrids left. (I would also say that the immunulogical symbiont is > standard then, financed by health plans - it is cheaper to spend a few > thousand once and then don't have to worry about the people getting sick at > all) Assuming you have a health plan... -- +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= "I never get involved in my own life. It's too much trouble" - Michael Garibaldi (Babylon 5) *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Auberon [fskln1@uaf.edu] Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 3:19 AM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Social Effects of Biomods BIOHZD@aol.com wrote: > > >>>>I as posted before, this is one of my favorite "social issues" in BP. I am > thinking that this topic might make a cool article for Undercurrents, maybe as > a excerpt from a 2199 speculative text on sociology. Hmmm...I'll have to give > this some more thought. Imput anyone? I'd love to throw in the dystopian view -- what happens if synthesization of long john fails? The mines will pass peak production, and then what? Since the price due to lack of supply will quickly make longevity treatments the province of multi-millionaires, when all that's left is sockpiles, how many wars will we have as the methuselahs start dropping off, one by one? -- +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= "I never get involved in my own life. It's too much trouble" - Michael Garibaldi (Babylon 5) *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Auberon [fskln1@uaf.edu] Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 3:47 AM To: BP list Subject: [BLUE PLANET] - Fish wars Jeff Barber wrote: > >>>Don't laugh, but fish pirates used to be a big deal in the north west (US). > I spent some of my youth in Alaska, and back around the turn of the century > there were range wars of a sort there, with folks robbing fish weirs and > shooting each other up in the process. I think John Wayne was even in a B&W > movie about it called Fish Pirates. Who's laughing? And it hasn't stopped. There are a lot of Coast Guard ships up here that don't ever do anything but bust the Japanese and the Koreans (both) for fishing in our waters. In this age of technology, that a precision business, too. The father of one of my ex-girlfriends held the record for a while. He interdicted a South Korean fishing boat 400m from the border. For that matter, I don't know if it made national press, but the largest of the ferries that connect southeast AK here was blockaded by fishing boats in B.C. recently, as part of ongoing "discussions" about whether it's us or the Canadians overfishing the Pacific Northwest. We say it's their dams, they say it's our boats. Either way, the population's low and our Governor is forced to engage in international diplomacy pretty frequently. The rest of us have just spent most of our time wondering whose crackpots will shoot first. (it's at 10:1, as the Canadians are generally considered saner and less well-armed ;->) ...But probably noone cares. Just threw this in as an example -- imagine this on Poseidon, where it's not only a matter of economics, but survival of your villiage. I think I might have to throw the characters in my current game into a "You're using up all the ___________" fight. -- +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= "I never get involved in my own life. It's too much trouble" - Michael Garibaldi (Babylon 5) *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: stevie [Stephan.Aspridis@stud.uni-hannover.de] Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 3:47 AM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Re: Hybrids, tech, ecology >Blue chlorophyll for a blue planet. I like it. Yep, sounds cool. But it would be only somewhat more bluish actually. Did some calcs Sol has a temperature of about 5780 K, its peak wavelength being 468nm, this gives a factor of 2705040. Lambda Serpentis (as your averag G0) is somewhere between 5900 K and 6000 K (let's say 5950 K), so its peak wavelength is about 455nm. I'd say that the average "green" for plants on Poseidon is somewhat like in blue fir-trees. Ciao, Stephan *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: stevie [Stephan.Aspridis@stud.uni-hannover.de] Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 3:58 AM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Mega Response >>>>>Blue Planet is a science fiction game, the operative words being fiction >and game. Though picking nits is an occupational hazard of the typical sci-fi >fan, at some point, arguing over the color of a dragon's eyes is, >well...pointless. If there are dragons, you have already made some assumptions >about the suspension of disbelief. If there is no room for the fiction, then >"what might be" becomes "what is", and what fun is that if you are trying for >a little cooperative escapism. > I wouldn't think of picking nits as a hazard. In can be productive, too. While you guys at Biohazard have dome definitely better work than most, if not all, in developing a "hard SF" game (gosh, I love the sound of this), constructive picking nits can always prove useful. >>>>>I suppose "blend together" is probably not the most scientific way to have >written the above text. However, I think this is insufficient grounds to claim >that hybrids are unrealistic within the realm of a science *fiction* RPG. > >>>>>Undercurrents #6 will have the definitive information on hybrid genetics. >For the sake of time and effort, lets wait until UC 6 comes out before we dig >into this. We will enthusiastically steel from the ideas you presented if it >fits the intent ; ). YES. I just love the hybrids (o.k, so I also loved the chimps in Uplift). IMHO, hybrids shouldn't be just humans with isolated modifications, they should be a species of their own, not quite human, not quite anything else but, well, Silvas and Cats (would raise the question: "what defines a human?" since they basically come from a mixed human/animal stock). *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: stevie [Stephan.Aspridis@stud.uni-hannover.de] Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 3:49 AM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - FluMech Tech wish list ...not to mention Spaceships (or: how to make a visit in the belt without using jumpcrafts ;) ) Ciao, Stephan *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Auberon [fskln1@uaf.edu] Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 4:50 AM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - FluMech Tech wish list Tun Kai Poh wrote: > > Okay, here's a few things that I'd like to see in FluMech. Think of it > as my letter to Santa. :) Ditto > BALES OF COCAINE... [snip] And recreational drugs. Nowadays there is a stunning variety of hallucinogens (effecting various senses), uppers, downers... What's popular on Poseidon? How powerful is it? What's the profit margin (for those players selecting professions from the "Crime" section)? RUBBER BALLS AND HULA HOOPS So far we've got cetacean breathing things, sports things, work things, and transportation things. I'd like to see transportation things addressed a bunch more, but also, what does the discerning dolphin own? What's in the "Sharper Sound-picture" catalog? FINAL BOARDING CALL Not a necessity, but maybe some elaboration on models of jumpcraft, or other methods of travel (I could do the dirigible section). Who makes the best? Who makes the cheapest? Who really gets the repair parts? RADIO SHACK What can you get in parts? Can an enterprising lunatic build his own bioplastic molds? Can you put a computer together from parts? What parts can you buy and what can you do about it? SUPPLY ROOM -- HOSPITAL STAFF ONLY What kind of stuff do doctors have? When a medic hops out of that GEO Assault Jumpcraft, what's he got with him? There's good stuff in the book, but I want MORE!!! AND IN THIS PETRIE DISH There are fascinating tidbits in the main book, like the bacteriological EVA suit. What else can the little critters do? And what about internal applications? Can I give myself a shot on St. Patrick's Day and have green skin for 20 hours or so? I don't know if this sort of thing is really even possible, but wouldn't it be spiffy? WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS JUMPCRAFT? Speaking of biotech, has it made the jump to military applications? Imagine if you're making a raid, how handy it would be to have softened up the opposition before hand. Literally. Engineered organisms that will make everyone in the area so sick they're useless for 12 hours starting within one hour of... Breeding the little critters to eat their bullets, or all of one of the components of their binary propellant. NAH, THEY'RE JUST ORDERING LUNCH Spy stuff. I'm assuming that most of Atlas' board knows what most of Dundalk's board had for breakfast any day of the week. How? This could go as far as planted agents who don't even know that they're spies (a la Jenny Mneumonic), or be as techie as a potted plant designed to grow metal filaments in it's stalk, making it an antenna. SHOWING IN THEATRE 3 IS... There are hints at sensies and feelies in the book (Implanted Sensory Recorder comes to mind) -- what are these like? Can you be your favorite soap character 5 days a week as a ride along? What can you rent? What can you buy black market? That might actually be Undercurrents fodder. Particularly after I stay up until 3am and watch _Strange Days_ twice. -- +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= "I never get involved in my own life. It's too much trouble" - Michael Garibaldi (Babylon 5) *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Archangel Gabriel [angelgabriel@earthlink.net] Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 2:01 PM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Mega Response -Jeff Barber wrote: >Hello Yu, {Big, gigantic, huge, KA-SNIP!!!} >Jeff "I'll shut up now" Barber >Biohazard Games > Thank you very much! Yu's original message was so articulate and detailed that I began to doubt my confidence in the realism of BP. (Eeeeek!) But Jeff's response was equally articulate, and said some of the things that were boiling in the back of my head. Now I don't feel so bad that there are a few little biological issues that I don't understand fully enough to use effectively in my game. Mantra: It's a game, it's not reality. It's a game, it's not reality. It's a game, it's not reality...... Archangel *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: rql [rqlii@yahoo.com] Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 1:37 PM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: [BLUE PLANET] - Gene-slamming IMHO, living centuries (or whatever) on Long John would tend to make a person extremely paranoid. If you live a long time gene boosted and disease free, the only thing to fear is death by unnatural , and usually painful, causes: Gun fights, terrorist explosions, somebody dropping a hopper on your head....(it happened), etc. I picture a bunch of rich exec types closeted away in they're private eco-bubbles somewhere, with the only interaction done by live video feed or something. But maybe I'm just being bleak. Daque ps-Whats up with that human embryo (partial) cloning in Korea ? _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Archangel Gabriel [angelgabriel@earthlink.net] Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 2:08 PM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Social Effects of Biomods From: Auberon >> {snip} >I'd love to throw in the dystopian view -- what happens if >synthesization of long john fails? The mines will pass peak production, >and then what? Since the price due to lack of supply will quickly make >longevity treatments the province of multi-millionaires, when all that's >left is sockpiles, how many wars will we have as the methuselahs start >dropping off, one by one? > Oooooooooooh! That's good! I hadn't thought about that. <> I always thought that the humans would figure out how to interact with the aborigines, and some arrangement would be made. <> Damn optimism. I'm gonna have that surgically removed. Can anyone recommend a good doctor? Archangel *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Andy Wills [andy@olywa.net] Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 5:14 PM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - FluMech Tech wish list Auberon wrote: > RADIO SHACK > What can you get in parts? Can an enterprising lunatic build his own > bioplastic molds? Can you put a computer together from parts? What > parts can you buy and what can you do about it? I like this idea. A page or two about what a mad scientist can create would be very helpful...especially considering our RPG group. Making a hovercraft from scratch could be very difficult, but using components, it could become easy. (Same as putting a computer together is easy now, because someone else did most of hte work already in creating the components) -Andy *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: BIOHZD@aol.com Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 5:22 PM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Gene-slamming Hey Daque, You write: ...somebody dropping a hopper on your head... >>>>You too huh? The use of hoppers in unothodox ways seems to be a halmark of the Red Sky campaign (see Biohazard website). Ethan, via remote link, dropped one on the head of a poacher that was supposed to be guarding the thing - instant poacher pancake ; ). Jeff Barber aka. Ethan Merriweather Biohazard Games *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: BIOHZD@aol.com Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 5:22 PM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Social Effects of Biomods Hey Auberon, You write: I'd love to throw in the dystopian view -- what happens if synthesization of long john fails? The mines will pass peak production, and then what? Since the price due to lack of supply will quickly make longevity treatments the province of multi-millionaires, when all that's left is sockpiles, how many wars will we have as the methuselahs start dropping off, one by one? >>>>As I said, speculating about the social future of the BP setting is just too cool! Jeff Barber Biohazazard Games *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Robert P. Stefko [rpsst16@pop.pitt.edu] Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 5:45 PM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Longevity >I'm in the process of reading Holy Fire right now (fascinating book), >and I'd say it's a more complicated issue than that. I'll post a review >as soon as I'm done on it. I'm a bit of a Sterling fan, although I >haven't read all of his output yet. I'd say most of Bruce Sterling's SF >relates quite well to BP. There is definitely more to the book than generational dialogue. That was simply the element I enjoyed most. The cosmopolitan atmosphere and surreal pop culture elements were also fascinating. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: stevie [Stephan.Aspridis@stud.uni-hannover.de] Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 7:01 PM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Mega Response >Mantra: >It's a game, it's not reality. >It's a game, it's not reality. >It's a game, it's not reality...... What? Heretic! ;-)) Ciao, Stephan *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: Tun Kai Poh [t_poh@hotmail.com] Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 7:17 PM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: [BLUE PLANET] - Fun with Jumpcraft >>>>>You too huh? The use of hoppers in unothodox ways seems to be a halmark of >the Red Sky campaign (see Biohazard website). Ethan, via remote link, dropped >one on the head of a poacher that was supposed to be guarding the thing - >instant poacher pancake ; ). > >Jeff Barber >aka. Ethan Merriweather >Biohazard Games So, too, in my games. When I ran Flight Hazards for the first time, the pilot of the players' ERT team found himself held at gunpoint by an Incorporate thug, with help far away. The only thing he could do was to activate the team's jumpcraft with his uplink jack and remotely pilot the hopper to crush the gunman. His assailant caught on, but then the cavalry arrived in the form of a fellow ERT medic who put enough lead into the Incorporate guard to knock him down. Then the jumpcraft landed on top of him to make sure he didn't get up... I guess great minds think alike. In my For the Love of Man/Hurricane Season campaign, our resident techie, recovering from a gutshot, had to fly in to the rescue when the other characters got into a nasty fight with poachers on an illegal "poaching cruise" for Incorporate executives. The techie failed his piloting roll badly; the jumpcraft came in too low and sheared off the ship's hypersail masts, then sucked an Incorporate hostage into one of its intakes, showering the back decks with red slush before crashing into the ocean. The whole party ended up stranded with the surviving poachers and Incorporates when the crippled ship strayed into a sargassum mat and stuck. Just then, freebooters allied with the poachers showed up to rob the Incorporates. And by unhappy coincidence (something I use a lot of in my games), so did a bunch of aborigines hoping to recover one of their own which the poachers had managed to kill and were storing in their ship's hold. Anyway, things got kind of out of hand (well, even more out of hand) when two of the party members went on a killing spree as a result of some...substances...in the water. And set off a four-way firefight. And all because of the jumpcraft crash. Ah, good times. Kai Poh ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. From: c718678@showme.missouri.edu Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 9:07 PM To: blue_planet@MPGN.COM Subject: Re: [BLUE PLANET] - Fun with Jumpcraft Hmm... sounds like Santa ought to include some anti- jumpcraft-as-pancake-maker technology in that Fluid Mechanics book they were talking about.:) Later, Eva @@@(* > *)@@@ cuisinart? bean crock On Fri, 18 Dec 1998, Tun Kai Poh wrote: > >>>>>You too huh? The use of hoppers in unothodox ways seems to be a halmark of > >the Red Sky campaign (see Biohazard website). Ethan, via remote link, dropped > >one on the head of a poacher that was supposed to be guarding the thing > - > >instant poacher pancake ; ). > > > >Jeff Barber > >aka. Ethan Merriweather > >Biohazard Games > > So, too, in my games. > > When I ran Flight Hazards for the first time, the pilot of the players' > ERT team found himself held at gunpoint by an Incorporate thug, with > help far away. The only thing he could do was to activate the team's > jumpcraft with his uplink jack and remotely pilot the hopper to crush > the gunman. His assailant caught on, but then the cavalry arrived in the > form of a fellow ERT medic who put enough lead into the Incorporate > guard to knock him down. Then the jumpcraft landed on top of him to make > sure he didn't get up... I guess great minds think alike. > > In my For the Love of Man/Hurricane Season campaign, our resident > techie, recovering from a gutshot, had to fly in to the rescue when the > other characters got into a nasty fight with poachers on an illegal > "poaching cruise" for Incorporate executives. The techie failed his > piloting roll badly; the jumpcraft came in too low and sheared off the > ship's hypersail masts, then sucked an Incorporate hostage into one of > its intakes, showering the back decks with red slush before crashing > into the ocean. The whole party ended up stranded with the surviving > poachers and Incorporates when the crippled ship strayed into a > sargassum mat and stuck. Just then, freebooters allied with the poachers > showed up to rob the Incorporates. And by unhappy coincidence (something > I use a lot of in my games), so did a bunch of aborigines hoping to > recover one of their own which the poachers had managed to kill and were > storing in their ship's hold. > > Anyway, things got kind of out of hand (well, even more out of hand) > when two of the party members went on a killing spree as a result of > some...substances...in the water. And set off a four-way firefight. And > all because of the jumpcraft crash. Ah, good times. > > Kai Poh > > > ______________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line > 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message. > *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe blue_planet' as the body of the message.