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Approved Submission Personal Defense Shield "Svalinn"

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Reading over it, @Syaoran I think it's mostly small details. The first paragraph should be split into an opening sentence that sums it up in brief, ans then an about section that goes into a bit more detail. I also suggest explicitly stating that this is a hand held or wrist mounted energy shield too; I even thought it was a full body shield at first. Next would be the appearance; I think you may want to detail both the emitter itself, as well as the fields that it will emit, since they're two different things.

Going into more technical details though, Origin is typically about simple, reliable tech, though high-end is not off the table. Solid volumetrics is where it gets complicated. I suggest having the base models of the shield use purely gravitational and magnetic fields to deflect, with a volumetric image to visually indicate to the user the boundaries of the shield. Meanwhile, the volumetric version would be the high end model, and can be DR 5 if you'd like.

Additionally, to appeal to the Star Army, you might even consider being able to have it run off of their NSP packs.
 
I can do that, though most of it might be tomorrow, depending on if I get my stuff finished I'm doing. Did not realize I forgot to actually explain it was a hand held shield XD. As for the volumetrics, I was worried about how the material would react to energy attacks, but yeah I can split it up into different versions. That'll get the cost down too for the basic model...speaking of that though, is that a good price point for it?
 
Okay I think I got everything added. I also figured, since I was making Solid Volumetrics an upgrade, why not throw in another possible upgrade, and added essentially a taser system as an upgrade too. Also added the mod for the battery and increased the amount of visual description and did some reorganizing of the page.
 
If I may cut in:
The shield seems largely effective at the point where it intercepts attacks.
  • In light of that, it seems to function in similar ways to the shields on power armor.
  • It doesn't look like the gravity manipulator grants anykind of protective value. It seems to be more for the purpose of an 'attack magnet' to help blocking attacks.
  • The optional solid volumetric add-on seems to be a shield-only conformal barrier. It doesn't seem meant to soak up damage as much as it seems render the surface to be hit tougher.
  • Its intended battery longevity doesn't seem to match the model of barriers either.
  • I'm a little uncomfortable with the idea of making a shield carried by normal infantry that would be rated as Light Armor and Medium Armor with volumetrics active. That's just as good as the much heavier shields on power armors. So, given how Origin is a civilian contractor and that this is the first energized shield of its kind, making it natively Tier 2 seems a better idea than Tier 3.
  • The dimensions offered for the 3 different shield sizes don't seem to inspire that the smaller sizes are less resilient, thus have more coverage. Coverage is something better reflected during RP.
Therefore, my recommendations are:
  • Consider it as resilient as a Heavy Personnel target (Tier 2+1). Assumed to be non state-of-the-art, non-military.
  • The hard-volumetric add-on ups that to being a Light Armor targets as long as the emitters/power last. The volumetric add-on effectively makes it 'state-of-the-art' (Tier 3+1) without the need of high strength to lug a weighty shield around (something less in reach of humans, but more in reach of nekos/ID-SOLS).
  • I suggest a price increase for the Solid-Volumetric add-on. I see it as a good buyer's dilemma to consider buying a couple less pricy shields for 1 higher-performing shield. Also, solid vulmetric is fairly new tech that's still not very widespread even in the military sector. (Yamatai is just starting with its hard light on the still uncommon Mindy IV, seems normal that a civvie company on Origin would put premium on that tech).
  • Materiel of the shield unknown. Elaborate? I suggest Durandium for portability.
  • All means of harm are mentioned as Tier 1. I suggest using the term "Light Anti-Personnel" for better clarity for readers having no insight in Damage Rating nomenclature. The linking back to the page is excellent, though I'd recommend pointing toward the quick reference rather than the huge instruction-manual brick.
Even without the above, this submission looks in pretty good shape.
 
Fred said:
If I may cut in:
The shield seems largely effective at the point where it intercepts attacks.
  • In light of that, it seems to function in similar ways to the shields on power armor.
  • It doesn't look like the gravity manipulator grants anykind of protective value. It seems to be more for the purpose of an 'attack magnet' to help blocking attacks.
  • The optional solid volumetric add-on seems to be a shield-only conformal barrier. It doesn't seem meant to soak up damage as much as it seems render the surface to be hit tougher.
  • Its intended battery longevity doesn't seem to match the model of barriers either.
  • I'm a little uncomfortable with the idea of making a shield carried by normal infantry that would be rated as Light Armor and Medium Armor with volumetrics active. That's just as good as the much heavier shields on power armors. So, given how Origin is a civilian contractor and that this is the first energized shield of its kind, making it natively Tier 2 seems a better idea than Tier 3.
  • The dimensions offered for the 3 different shield sizes don't seem to inspire that the smaller sizes are less resilient, thus have more coverage. Coverage is something better reflected during RP.
Therefore, my recommendations are:
  • Consider it as resilient as a Heavy Personnel target (Tier 2+1). Assumed to be non state-of-the-art, non-military.
  • The hard-volumetric add-on ups that to being a Light Armor targets as long as the emitters/power last. The volumetric add-on effectively makes it 'state-of-the-art' (Tier 3+1) without the need of high strength to lug a weighty shield around (something less in reach of humans, but more in reach of nekos/ID-SOLS).
  • I suggest a price increase for the Solid-Volumetric add-on. I see it as a good buyer's dilemma to consider buying a couple less pricy shields for 1 higher-performing shield. Also, solid vulmetric is fairly new tech that's still not very widespread even in the military sector. (Yamatai is just starting with its hard light on the still uncommon Mindy IV, seems normal that a civvie company on Origin would put premium on that tech).
  • Materiel of the shield unknown. Elaborate? I suggest Durandium for portability.
  • All means of harm are mentioned as Tier 1. I suggest using the term "Light Anti-Personnel" for better clarity for readers having no insight in Damage Rating nomenclature. The linking back to the page is excellent, though I'd recommend pointing toward the quick reference rather than the huge instruction-manual brick.
Even without the above, this submission looks in pretty good shape.
Click to expand...
Well part of what you said was why it had V2 stats instead of 3. Originally it topped out at 4SP, but there are only3 tiers in the new system, so it ended up going up to max for personnel. I was kinda hoping PA hand shields would all end up at least T4 since they're intended for use against power armor attacks. As for the gravity system, it originally was to draw in attacks, but I realized slowing them down with repelling them would lessen impact, and people would probably figure that too, so I just made it a standard function and stated it. (The material though is listed under the 'mechanics' section for 'shield plate', that's what I'm calling the actual blocking portion since it's interchangeable.)

I guess though I could rewrite the gravity part, as "reduces the effectiveness of on coming attacks effected by gravity by 1 tier if they are in up to light anti armor strength" That way they still effect upto T4, but anything above that it doesn't effect. And I can totally raise the price of the solid volumetric add on, I just want to make sure the base shield is something someone can buy with start money.
 
I'm a little dubious in what is essentially a gravity-based attractor to blunt attacks (only physical projectiles at that). It's like "Come to me... but STOP!" That seems a little too much at the last minute to really have any defensive perks. At best, I'd see it cancelling out any higher speed the attraction effect would generate. I considered you meaning it was a system that could attract or push... but KFY graviton beam assembly tech can only attract. It takes a different machine, a graviton repulsor, to push away. The Nepleslians do have their push/pull system which is more versatile in smaller package, but even if that non-Yammie tech is reverse engineered on the civilian market, would they achieve performance exceeding that of a military manufacturer and keep the price low enough to let it remain affordable for civlians?

Another concern of mine was making sure that it didn't exceed Tier 4, since shields at Tier 5 are so heavy that they need a 'Light Power Armor' to lift. Given how the volumetrics read that they improved the resilience, it seemed like the only place the shield could be put and allow for the hard volumetrics to offer an observable improvement would be to have the shield default as Tier 2+1 and have the volumetrics make it count as 3+1 (I actively wanted to avoid a 4+1 outcome). It looks to me that the hard volumetric part is the one that reflects best for a 'more resilience' feel to the item in question.

From the language used in that article, it could justify having a kind of shield normally too heavy to carry for infantry at a manageable weight. Meaning that it would make it a more approachable purchase for normal people to carry around.

* * *

In any case, you already have an approver assigned to this so it's not my place to define the feasibility of the piece of tech. My advice is given. My hope is that you'll at least consider my concerns on nomenclature. :)
 
Oh no, the gravity system has a settinbg you can set it to attract or repel, and it's controlled manually by the user, so they can't pull a shot in then try to slow it down, it'd be too fast. I don't really know what the KFY standards are for it the whole system is based off of something created by the designer at an earlier time.

As for it's strength, when you say 2+1 and 3+1 how is that different from 3 and 4 respectively, I'm getting a little confused at that. I also want to make sure it stays as something that can be carried by normal infantry without needing to use power assist(you might need it block some of the heavier attacks and stay standing, but not to hold it.) I want it to stay as 'pick up and use' reliable defense

Also, no problem with you giving advice, I plan for this piece to become something that is seen kind of commonly in infantry settings, since infantry is sorely lacking in options for defense. So the more desirable it is to more people, the better.

(As for nomenclature, I plan to make the changes, I just want to do all the edits about your concerns at once instead of a bunch back to back.)
 
Some explanation then on what goes on in my head :)

When I talk about Shields in the DRv3 article, I mention that shields are usually one step better than the power armors using it. Usually shields aren't as thin as the armor you're wearing; it's probably a much denser plate that you have some faith will be able to take damage would wouldn't be able to. For example, the Daisy - currently listed as a Medium Power Armor (Tier 5) - would usually have a zesuaium shield that would soak damage just as well as a Heavy Armor target.

At which point, in my head, I'm counting that as "tier 5 native +1 for being a shield"; summed up as Tier 6 as long as people get why.

So, when I look at the best shield an infantryman might lug along, that heavy personnel's +1... so 3+1. But then I consider that shield in the same light as some big squad assault weapon that's really heavy to carry around. After all, the next best shield is a heavy plate of metal only a light power armor with assisted strength could carry on one arm. So, I figure that going one step down - the native shield for medium anti-personnel - is the kind you'd be able to carry on one arm just like you can hold a rifle in one hand (firing well with it is a different matter altogether, but that's beyond the scope of this topic). So, I figure, being Tier 2+1 is probably pretty good for that shield. Sure, going Tier 3+1 would be 'more resilient', but it would also be 'different', so for this project going for more might not be better.

And it leave the room to allow the solid volumetric to upgrade it without going so far as to step on the toes of the super heavy plates power armor use as shields. It lets it go from "tier 2 native +1 for being a shield" to "tier 3 native +1 for being a shield" without the implied weight of a shield native to the heavy personnel category. You could have this ID-SOL with a huge heavy shield next to you, and achieve being able to block attacks coming from an LASR with a lighter shield enhanced with Origin tech.

Something which, to me, sounds like a pretty sweet deal - you could have this one guy cover his entire team from some pirate power armor hosing them down with an LASR. Your shield is probably going to eventually perforate under the prolonged abuse of a high rate-of-fire weapon like that, but while it lasts, it's pretty awesome.

That's where I come from, anyways.
 
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Ah okay, I was just a little confused on the notation. But since I'm going to be rewriting the gravity generator part to rather than add strength, simply reduce physical attacks of a certain strength or weaker, maybe this will be a good way to write it?
  • For the physical shield's resistance; "Designed to stop multiple medium strength anti personnel attacks( so that'd be T3(2+1))"
  • The Solid volumetrics would be; "Designed to increased shield strength so that it can stop multiple heavy anti personnel attacks(T4(3+1))"
  • And then the generator would be; "Weakens the impact of of light anti-armor attacks that are effected by gravity.(When in repel setting) Or draws attacks of light anti-armor strength towards it(when in attract setting)
I'll have a link for each class strength right to the reference page, and in super script I'll have it say what tier that actually makes it.
 
That sounds okay.

So, the best case scenario being:
You have your physical shield augmented by hard volumetrics which is as good as Light Armor protection with the repel active, meaning that someone with an LASR shooting at you would score Moderate Damage rather than Heavy Damage on it.

I consider the sum a very powerful piece of technology to have available to personnel on the civilian market. It's much lighter but potentially stops damage just as well as a Mindy using a shield might. Technically, so is a bazooka, so, there's no need to be unduly alarmed (the bazooka is sparingly used due to ammo; this is limited to be that good against kinetic attacks, somewhat less towards other stuff). I kind of hope the pricing model makes peak performance from this item out of reach of a starting character to make such functions more sought after/a nice upgrade for an independant.
 
Yeah I'll be raising the price to make it's peak harder to get to, might increase battery consumption just a little as well so that walking around in full power mode isn't as good of an idea and you only switch to that when you know you're going to need it.
 
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