AS per a request from Wes:

[SaltedFish]

But we don't want a "who has the biggest gun" contest. It's become ridiculous.

I assume this would be a government-funded project. As such, when did a government ever do what we want them to do? There *is* a war going on, isn't there? Or have I misconstrued the basis of this board?

 

[Fred]

Well, I know Nekovalkyrja's can :

- Have slightly better senses than humans, especially hearing
- Are a bit stronger and quite more agile
- Have an excellent metabolism and can actually produce some form of self-regeneration (this supposedly makes them hard to kill through conventional means). They can also process matter a bit more efficiently than humans, allowing them to draw nutrients from non-edible materials. They require, however, much more food in the same span of time as a similarly sized human would.
- They have the SLICS system which allows them to pilot some mecha and vehicles as if they were an extension of themselves
- he can produce an E-M field which allows them to propel themselves (hover) in areas with negibible gravity.
- Many of the more recent nekovalkyrjas have mimetic holographic capabilities that allows them to make themselves transparent. This does not carry on to their gear, usually. That same ability can be used to create a few holograms... they can, for example, learn to drape themselves in holographic clothing.
- Nekovalkyrjas can use tactile sight. That is, feel light on their skins to 'see' in a manner nearly identical to their eyes, except all around them. They litterally see through their skins.
- Some have self-cloning capabilities and can give birth of smaller nekos.

The Mindy Power Armor actually shares several of the unique abilities the nekovalkyrja's have... which is why it's called an armor that was made for nekos, by nekos.

However, many nekovalkyrja skills (NH-17, NH-22M and NH-27) aren't really used out of mecha combat, which makes the Yamataians as good crewmembers as the nekos themselves - if fact, they don't even eat as much!

So, essentially, the toning down you've been hearing about concerns lowering the powers of the nekos... since they don't really need them when it comes to power suit combat. Furthermore, disminish these capabilities while making them Yamataians allows the 'converted' nekos to be able to experience another side of life aside from combat - namely the possibility of having children, which can leads to building familly units and so allows a former-neko to enjoy 'normal human life'.

* * *

I don't really know what the ID-SOL's are. I expect genetically breed soldiers with a sharp mind, big muscles and high resilience.

 

[Jadg Wolf]

I'm not talking from an IC view point. I'm talking about OOC "bigger gun" contests. IC has some bearing on that, obviously, but the way things got to be so technologically escalated was people constantly trying to out-do each other OOC. Now, Wes is trying to balance the game. The fleets with thousands or millions of ships were reduced not for an IC reason, but for OOC "game balance" issues. That's also the purpose of the NH-29.

 

[Rob]

I hear ya Jadg...

Current SA tech = "Look as we chuck out four fully crewed and combat-ready battlefleets in the time it takes you to cross a solar system!"

 

[SaltedFish]

Well, I know Nekovalkyrja's can :

- Have slightly better senses than humans, especially hearing
- Are a bit stronger and quite more agile
- Have an excellent metabolism and can actually produce some form of self-regeneration (this supposedly makes them hard to kill through conventional means). They can also process matter a bit more efficiently than humans, allowing them to draw nutrients from non-edible materials. They require, however, much more food in the same span of time as a similarly sized human would.
- They have the SLICS system which allows them to pilot some mecha and vehicles as if they were an extension of themselves
- he can produce an E-M field which allows them to propel themselves (hover) in areas with negibible gravity.
- Many of the more recent nekovalkyrjas have mimetic holographic capabilities that allows them to make themselves transparent. This does not carry on to their gear, usually. That same ability can be used to create a few holograms... they can, for example, learn to drape themselves in holographic clothing.
- Nekovalkyrjas can use tactile sight. That is, feel light on their skins to 'see' in a manner nearly identical to their eyes, except all around them. They litterally see through their skins.
- Some have self-cloning capabilities and can give birth of smaller nekos.

The Mindy Power Armor actually shares several of the unique abilities the nekovalkyrja's have... which is why it's called an armor that was made for nekos, by nekos.

However, many nekovalkyrja skills (NH-17, NH-22M and NH-27) aren't really used out of mecha combat, which makes the Yamataians as good crewmembers as the nekos themselves - if fact, they don't even eat as much!

So, essentially, the toning down you've been hearing about concerns lowering the powers of the nekos... since they don't really need them when it comes to power suit combat. Furthermore, disminish these capabilities while making them Yamataians allows the 'converted' nekos to be able to experience another side of life aside from combat - namely the possibility of having children, which can leads to building familly units and so allows a former-neko to enjoy 'normal human life'.

* * *

I don't really know what the ID-SOL's are. I expect genetically breed soldiers with a sharp mind, big muscles and high resilience.

Well, I think the main problem I need to overcome here to get my idea approved, is not really the capabilities of my.. things vs the Nekos, but rather where is the niche for my creations? Reading your bit there, my 'borgs can do all that, in different forms, except for cloaking and "seeing through their skin." (Neat trick, that)

As for the bolded part, you lost me. Something about toning down the abilities of the nekos so they become like Yamatai beings and able to feel love and happyness and rainbows and puppies? Sorry, just the wording got me a little turned around.

After poking around in the CCG, and after gleaning what info I could, and based on what you've said, I gather that the ID-SOLs are mainly:

- Genetically altered
- Big brutes
- Cybernetic implants(?)

Again, I think these 'borgs of mine would be like the next generation of ID-SOLs. Mainly because they are:

- Genetically altered
- Small brutes
- Cybernetic implants(!)

chew on that, and tell me what ya thinks

 

[Fred]

Um, well, at this point, I'm not sure exactly what I should tell you. The point is getting your idea approved, eh? Mmm... let's think on it.

I think you might be on the right track in wanting to do a synthetic/compact version of the ID-SOL. Seen like that, it's probably no big deal.

The part I mentioned before is that, regardless of how I might put it - OOCly, people on this board believe the Nekovalkyrja are overpowered and they are slowly but surely toning them down. Factions ICly have a different method for doing so, but still, the nekos are going through a gradual downgrade. Creating a race to 'equate power' with the nekos is just creating the same problem over again in another shape.

Then again, there are people whom just want newcomers to stick with the races they have right now *shrugs*.

I haven't been here for all that long, so I'll leave further technicalities the people in charge to explain ^_^

 

[SaltedFish]

Um, well, at this point, I'm not sure exactly what I should tell you. The point is getting your idea approved, eh? Mmm... let's think on it.

isn't that the point of this forum? to propose ideas and get them approved?

The part I mentioned before is that, regardless of how I might put it - OOCly, people on this board believe the Nekovalkyrja are overpowered and they are slowly but surely toning them down. Factions ICly have a different method for doing so, but still, the nekos are going through a gradual downgrade. Creating a race to 'equate power' with the nekos is just creating the same problem over again in another shape.

gotcha. Now I understand. Being a person who likes wading through hodres of enemies leaving a trail of blood behind, the Nekos don't seem all that overpowered to me... :\

Then again, there are people whom just want newcomers to stick with the races they have right now *shrugs*.

 

[Rob]

gotcha. Now I understand. Being a person who likes wading through hodres of enemies leaving a trail of blood behind, the Nekos don't seem all that overpowered to me... :\

Who doesn't? BUT, I think the toning down of the SA's combat abilities, at least in part, is very welcome, because up till now (while I've been here) the majority of PC combat has resulted in lots and lots of enemy death and very few, if any, actual losses on the SA side, unless we're talking about massive fleet to fleet battles, scripted slaughter or the encountering of a new, powerful enemy.

 

[Nyton]

Not to make an off topic tangent, but this is.

I'm reminded of Phantasy Star 3 where the whole background of the game was the story of a war between the Orakians and Layans. The Orakians created androids and cyborgs to battle the Layans who used genetic manipulation to breed biomonsters to fight for them.

 

[SaltedFish]

Who doesn't? BUT, I think the toning down of the SA's combat abilities, at least in part, is very welcome, because up till now (while I've been here) the majority of PC combat has resulted in lots and lots of enemy death and very few, if any, actual losses on the SA side, unless we're talking about massive fleet to fleet battles, scripted slaughter or the encountering of a new, powerful enemy.

Heh. In real life, one-sided battles are a good thing. For your troops anyway. If the combat here seems so uneven then maybe we *do* need a new enemy... Or maybe just an other resurgence(or a larger one than is already happening) of the SMX. Nothing like a good fight to get things moving...

What say you?

 

[Cryshalo]

Whoa, steady on there SaltedFish; its crazy enough already to try and get up to speed on all the species for a new member without throwing a few more into the mix!

I do agree with the sentiment that the 'super-human' species ought to be toned down. A struggle between equals is a much greater story than a chess game of queens versus pawns! If we promote a conflict consisting of greater and greater weapons, with the attendant tit-for-tat paradigm, then aren't we just leading to a RP that is 90% OOC research and 10% RP that is more accurately smarmy marketing for the new research? Worse yet, when making over-powered creations, I feel that a good deal of the humanity in this enterprise is sacrificed, leading to a more sterile game. It may not always make as much sense IC instead of OOC, but in cases like this, function may follow form.

Heh. In real life, one-sided battles are a good thing. For your troops anyway. If the combat here seems so uneven then maybe we *do* need a new enemy... Or maybe just an other resurgence(or a larger one than is already happening) of the SMX. Nothing like a good fight to get things moving...

Yes, well real life tends to make one sad and sorry story. There's a reason that everyone makes books and movies about the epic struggles of WWII, where so much was spent by both sides, rather than the one sided stomping that was the Persian Gulf.

 

[SaltedFish]

I do agree with the sentiment that the 'super-human' species ought to be toned down.

If humans can't keep up, they don't belong. In other words, if humans were stupid enough to create a better type of being, then they, well, deserve to get wiped out. That or seclude themselves somewhere where they can't get hurt.

A struggle between equals is a much greater story than a chess game of queens versus pawns! If we promote a conflict consisting of greater and greater weapons, with the attendant tit-for-tat paradigm, then aren't we just leading to a RP that is 90% OOC research and 10% RP that is more accurately smarmy marketing for the new research? Worse yet, when making over-powered creations, I feel that a good deal of the humanity in this enterprise is sacrificed, leading to a more sterile game. It may not always make as much sense IC instead of OOC, but in cases like this, function may follow form.

Well, when you put it that way, you make a good point. But what you're saying is you basically want to freeze, for the most part, all reasearch and development of new weapons. The main advantage SARP has over other games is it's ability to evolve, so we can't stop it completely, at least.

Yes, well real life tends to make one sad and sorry story. There's a reason that everyone makes books and movies about the epic struggles of WWII, where so much was spent by both sides, rather than the one sided stomping that was the Persian Gulf.

I guess I'm struggling to make the SARP an accurate portrayal of real life, extrapolated to the future. It can't be all beer and skittles.

 

[Cryshalo]

Well we certainly wouldn't freeze research, but at the same time there's no need to have a veritable arms race. Too little change and there is stagnation, but too much and everything is cinders.

No reason either for all design and research to aim purely at new guns and new armour; horizontal development is as valid as narrow vertical development. Whilst the guns are integral, a little butter wouldn't go astray!

Following realism is a very good default option, but all the same, not one to follow religiously when fiction is the name of the game. It gives the reader a beachhead into the world of the game, but all the same we want to see something fantastic at times, neh?