Approved Submission Nekovalkyrja, Type 33A Variant for Legion

[Wes]

Submission Type: Body Variation
Submission URL: https://wiki.stararmy.com/doku.php?id=stararmy:nekovalkyrja_type_33a

Faction:
FM Approved Yet? Yes/Self/Today
Faction requires art? Yes

For Reviewers:
Contains Unapproved Sub-Articles? No
Contains New art? No
Previously Submitted? No

Notes: Submitted for discussion.

A commission is in the works for this.

 

[Fred]

In general, I get a good vibe from this.

My points for contention are:
- Green skin. It kind of reminds me of SARP trolls (the IC race *sigh* ) and it has positive in variation and the older neko stigma... but for me it doesn't consistantly work. Green only serves as camouflage in environment were green would camouflage you... and a 33A Neko could operate more than just in forests. Since what we have here are groundpounder nekos, having terrain mimetic skin (think chameleon) could be the sought after alternative; as a operatively cheaper version of mainstream neko stealth: thermoptic camouflage.

- Solid Volumetrics: I'd recommend against it, so it encourage tool use. The mimetic skin mentioned above would also fill in this too, I think.

 

[Wes]

Commission info:

Hello! I've wanted to commission you for a long time and I'd glad to finally send some work to you.

This would be for an article on my RPG forum website, StarArmy.com - an example of a female clone soldier.

Type: Colored character with transparent background.

Payment: $96 upfront using paypal - my paypal is [email protected]

Legal: See https://wiki.stararmy.com/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=legal:contract-art_commissions.pdf (work-for-hire; non-exclusive)

Character: I'm looking for an example of a six-foot tall young female with cat-like ears instead of regular ears. The ears would be positioned in the same place normal ears would go. She is built like a gymnast.

Skin color: Green as shown https://i.imgur.com/EHiE6Hq.png
Eye color: Blue
Hair color: Dark Green as shown https://i.imgur.com/EHiE6Hq.png
Hairstyle reference: https://i.imgur.com/4D0xy0B.jpg https://gs1.wac.edgecastcdn.net/801...64285a/tumblr_n3d1qj4XOg1rq2nq2o2_r2_1280.jpg - shaved sides

Pose: Standing. Please show the full body from head to toe. You can tell by her pose and her face that her personality is ice cold and that she is not only trained to kill but actually born for it.

Clothing References:
She is wearing a skin-tight bodysuit of this design: https://wiki.stararmy.com/lib/exe/fetch.php?cache=&media=character:nat1.jpg - the zipper on the front is visible all the way down
For more detail on the outfit see here: https://wiki.stararmy.com/doku.php?id=stararmy:uniforms:female_bodysuit_type_22

Over the bodysuit she is wearing this jacket: http://www.farfetch.com/shopping/women/gareth-pugh-geometric-panelled-jacket-item-10120847.aspx

The jacket should be in Star Army colors https://stararmy.com/roleplay-forum/index.php?attachments/paneled-jacket-png.1045/ with the plates in "Uniform blue" and the middle (green on the example) section in "Infantry Cornflower Blue" as shown on the color palette: https://wiki.stararmy.com/lib/exe/f...ararmy:uniforms:duty:palette_for_uniforms.png

She has a pistol in her belt holster. Reference: https://wiki.stararmy.com/doku.php?id=stararmy:weapons:nekovalkyrja_service_pistol_type_33

Please use this patch on her right arm: https://wiki.stararmy.com/lib/exe/fetch.php?cache=&media=stararmy:hinomaru_trans_bg.png - no other patches are necessary.

For any questions please email me at [email protected] (fastest) or note me on DA.

Does this sound good? If so, let me know and I'll send payment.

 

[Wes]

Update: All skin colors will be available due to demand. It's possible some 33A legion nekos might see play at some point and although nobody posted them in the actual submission thread, there were some additional requests to change.

As for the volumetrics, that's kind of a major point of making this neko so it's got to stay.

 

[Fred]

Can you explain how you envision Solid Volumetrics being used for this neko? Either as showcased NPCs, or as handled by PCs?

 

[Wes]

Yes, I imagine it will be used primarily as a forearm shield in the style of the existing power armors to measure to block bullets. It could also be used a sort of personnel-scale full body shield or possibly for making a sword-like projection of hard light. The use of it would be draining in terms of energy and could not be used all day. Presumably rules limit it to the PDR scale so it would likely be something like 4 SP (Personnel).

 

[Samanthia]

Looks good, Wes. I like the idea and player option in color appearance. And the Idea of having having terrain mimetic skin (think chameleon) stated by Fred. As for the solid volumetrics would be a bit overpowering, by my opinion. Unless it was used by Rulers, V.I.P. or Someone very powerful in society as an Elite Guard Force.

 

[Fred]

Personnel-scale full body shield goes against an objection you've made in the past about "catgirls in mini-skirts with forcefields", but not one I care to mess around with except this caution:

Power armor have a role in combat. I'm concerned that applying this form of personnal shielding and melee weaponry trivializes other aspect of the nekovalkyrja/power armor relationship... which is presently what I would term "well balanced". Since you mentioned you expected a new power armor standard for the 33A, it feels overdesigned to me.

Moving on.

A large merit of the 'soldier' neko, in my eyes, is the return of the 'amazon-style neko'. I'd see increased physical strength (think NH-27) and inate camouflage abilities (not actual invisibility) as sought after trait for a neko-type you'd see in great numbers as ground-pounders, while showing the kind of stamina 'starship nekos' with their fast power armor (i.e.: Mindy) and short/very decisive engagement aren't required to rise up to. Though, having written that, I'd have to question: why isn't the Type 33 Tennyo already considered to rise up to this standard? Looking at how they are 'augmented' from the Minkan, this would look like a high bar they are mostly already hitting... and any lacks are actually presently well covered with the M6 Daisy.

So, yes, I do like the amazon-neko vibe... but that's about all that's really sought after here in my eyes. The rest just feels needlessly overdesigned. I'll acknowledge that the Type 33 neko is made to easily adapt to new variants - in effect, no new neko body type need be made because of this adaptability. But... If you needed anything further from a Tennyo, the direction was to go Eihei.

I'm playing Devil's Avocate, Wes, mostly for quality control - I don't think it's needed, but I'm not going to be bothered if you do push it forward (it seems more like a background element/precedent concern than anything we'll actually see much use of). I'm going to ask you why you feel a new Type 33 Nekovalkyrja is required. Why you're compelled to introduce this. Is it just because you want something new, and wish to insert more advanced tech in the neko bodies? Wasn't the Eihei already advanced enough? Why do you need extra tech to close the gap between neko and power armor when you're still planning to have the 33A use power armor too? I suspect contradictions, and just want to help you straighten them out.

 

[Wes]

The intention is that eventually power armor components can be placed directly on the Nekovalkyrja. Her body provides the "power" part (for movement anyway) and the armor is mainly just the "armor" part, plus the weapons. The 33A is definitely bigger and stronger than the basic NH-33. The idea is that the nature of power armor can move away from only being available in complete suit form; instead, power armor of the future can also come as attachable components like a forearm weapons unit that can go on the neko individually and be mixed and matched. Nekovalkyrja are strong enough that they don't need power armor to have a muscle layer (and now you can see why the 33A is stronger to compensate for the loss of that excess muscle).

As a future Nekovalkyrja warfare system, I expect something like:

1. The actual neko
2. Some sort of new bodysuit/plugsuit that is the base layer of armor
3. Armor pieces that go onto it

With the above, the result is a complete power armor system equivalent to a Mindy or Daisy. But it also leaves the option of 'going light' and only using the torso as a breast plate, etc.

I hope this explains the reasoning behind it and I'll be happy to answer further questions.

It's possible that any NH-33 with the right "patch" could convert into a Type 33A without transferring bodies, or the reverse (although that'd be a downgrade, since the 33A does some extra stuff). However the Type 33A is not strictly a replacement for the NH-33, it's a variant for the ground forces. The space fleet prefers its small-statured nekos for good reason. We may eventually see the 33A features backported to the base 33, or perhaps as a Type 33B space version that's short/small but has the new features (cybernetics enhancements) added.

 

[Fred]

Thanks for the explanation of what you wanted with that.

I'm perplexed, because the nekovalkyrja made a downward curve from the NH-17/27 down to the NH-29/Tennyo and there were reasons for it. Despite the 33A being an isolated case, I can't shake the feeling that "neko+plugsuit+plating = power armor" is a direction you'd like to take more broadly, rather than this isolated case.

It makes me suspect that as time went on, the reasons why you tried to tone down neko muscle in SARP has losts its value/meaning (remember, we had long talks about why the NH-29 had to be weaker - it was clearly important to you back then). I wonder if that's wise to switch gears back in the earlier direction. If we see an actual 33A based playerbase, or if in the future an advancement from the Tennyo to 33B incorporating that extra strength and features as standard... won't we just invite the same "Gah, I can't deal with all these neko advantages beyond humans as GM" problems that came before, incorporating either watering down eventual outcomes of player actions or coming full circle?

I have to admit I can see some merit in your reasoning. I can picture how you'd see appeal for a setup like that. I'm worried it's blind to metagame concerns, but to me the 33A is still a far better alternative if implemented to the NH-32 Valkyrja you were fiddling with before.

Since this is a possible patch to the NH-33 rather than a leap forward to something quite different, I'm cool with trying out this direction. I just hope you thread carefully.

 

[Wes]

Commission art update: Ganassa says

Thanks, but right now i'm still opened for commission but i'm putting people in a waiting list, so i can send them back an email when i'll be ready to take their commission.

The average waiting time is 3 months.

I'm not sure I'm willing to wait this long for this particular artwork. If it was another neko image that wasn't vital, I'd be okay with it, for the good art and the 45,000+ views it will get...but the fact is that this submission needs art ASAP so I may tell him I'm no longer interested, or change the character and sent this one to another artist.

 

[Wes]

Update: Art commission canceled. I may try to get one from another artist.

 

[Fred]

Wes, what makes acquiring art for these Type-33A so urgent? A Legion-based neko variant is hardly what I'd consider vital artwork considering the Legion's visibility in-roleplay.

 

[CadetNewb]

I agree with Fred - let's not rush and hold off on getting a commission for now. Especially since we don't even know how a lot of the players actually feel about this. $96 is a large sum of money for a single commission, and its use should be considered carefully over some time, with input from the community of players.

In regards to the tech itself however, it actually reminds me a lot of what I'm working on - the Ottyo work the very same way, with gear being attached to their T-800 level troops, rather than having PA. I don't mind it at all, but I can't help but notice the similarity. It just pops out at me.

That aside, I have very similar concerns to Fred's - they seem overly complex for the job, with the volumetric energy shields integrated into them. I was under the very strong impression that it was forbidden to have shielding on 'buck-bare' infantry. This goes directly against that, but if this is allowed here, it should be allowed site-wide too; that is, people being allowed to have Halo or Mass Effect style personal shields. I'm also wondering why we're moving back into the direction of the NH-27; one of the main reasons why Neko were powered down was to make them more human, and thus relatable to not only the players OOC, but other people IC. And on top of the headache GMs were getting too. This is looks like a direct contradiction to that move I feel that such inconsistency isn't good for the setting since it creates a sort of whiplash. Rocks the boat, and not in the good way - anyone outside of SARP looking in will notice this when they examine all the models of NH too.

Also, I liked them being called NH. Yes, it creates political turmoil and all that stuff IC, but without imperfections and so forth like this, it'd be one less thing to RP about and one less thing to have fun with. I like having flaws, because if they're not there, then there's no conflict. And if there's no conflict, there's no story to be had in SARP. I love Yamatai, but I'd never want it to be an actual Utopia - things just go downhill from there.

I figure it's why Star Trek found more skeletons in the closet as time went on too.

 

[Soresu]

I'm just going to say, that Personal Shields should be an involved, labor intensive process to research before implementation. There is a lot of things to take into consideration when trying to produce such a device that seems to be overlooked. Power, portability, strength, recharge, safety (A shield around an organic? If it were a plasma shield they'd be incinerated.) amongst other things. In all honesty, I would suggest dropping personal shields. Power Armor is skirting the edge enough as is. But can back up being had. A flesh and blood Neko cannot.

 

[Amaryllis]

I dislike this idea because it adds even more abilities that like Fred mentioned may overwhelm players who want to play more human/mundane characters and I like the clear distinction in power and appearance currently between Neko in and out of power armor. Plus this gives everyone a reason to have personal force fields and could potentially make people feel like they have to make their races/standard equipment even more powerful even if they don't want to.

And I thought personal shields were one of those things no one was supposed to have or at least there was a long discussion in an old thread which made a strong case for not having them.

If people don't like writing Neko without hearts/having to remember they don't have them and they also have issues with flight, isn't making energy shields and swords going to run the same risk of being disliked/underutilized/ignored when it doesn't make sense to be?

And cybernetics seem kinda weird to add in addition to shield and weapon generation as well as all the other stuff that is currently built in like cloaking, skin sight, techno telepathy, enhanced regeneration, enhanced sight, etc. They're already like terminators to an extent. On top of that I wonder how people are going to feel about putting power armor on in pieces rather than a full suit when people have gotten used to full suits as the standard.

 

[DocTomoe]

Um, excuse me folks, I've got a pinch of an issue here.

I've been working on writing up a new synthetic lifeform to fill the niche of a dedicated war-fighting model, and this kind of steals my thunder. Wes, if you would not mind getting in touch with me over PM, perhaps we could discuss this model, and the plans I had, and the plans you have, so neither of us are stepping on each-others toes.

PS: You're going to have the same old neko problems with this thing anyways.

 

[Kyle]

The problem I have with this submission is that we already have Neko's whom are quite powerful, which means that to make another classification of Neko's doesn't really seem to.. fit with me, considering that the NH-33 series can be used for any kind of occupation, whether it be ground, air, space; anywhere... thus making a new Neko just seems like a waste of resources.

 

[Wes]

What if we required an internal battery for the volumetric abilities to do anything major with the solid features (like make shields, swords, etc)? I understand the the problem is a matter of power. With enhanced compatibility with cybernetics, we could eventually work out some sort of wiring/power system to put in them. But those advanced abilities would not be available for the baseline neko and never to the demilitarized ones. The nekos have been toned down in the past but they are not on a permanent "downward" trajectory.

Alternatively, the shield could be implemented as some sort of tool that could be carried.

Um, excuse me folks, I've got a pinch of an issue here.

I've been working on writing up a new synthetic lifeform to fill the niche of a dedicated war-fighting model, and this kind of steals my thunder. Wes, if you would not mind getting in touch with me over PM, perhaps we could discuss this model, and the plans I had, and the plans you have, so neither of us are stepping on each-others toes.

I don't need another Nekovalkyrja or something to replace the Nekovalkyrja, at least not in humanoid form.

 

[OsakanOne]

I don't see how this submission brings new opportunities for roleplay.

From a political standpoint this is going to be viewed as Yamatai preparing for terrestrial combat for a war that doesn't exist yet that isn't a respond to an arms-race.

Many IC characters are going to view this as posturing and warmongering and sprawl miles worth of conspiratorial discussions among characters.

Why else introduce a new model to respond to a problem that doesn't exist?