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Another_Poet
2010-06-09, 02:01 PM
edit: Playground suggestions have been added to this post in red!

Hi everybody!

I am asking for your collective brainthunder and mindlightning. I've been working on a ruleset for a sci-fi/space pulp RPG over the past year. The system is very close to being done.

One of the rules of the system is that each player may choose one "sci fi toy" ffor their character to begin with. These are essentially the "magic items" of the system, things that range from realistic but outlandish to Dr. Who on Crack.

The problem? I don't have enough of them! Please suggest crazy sci-fi tools or technologies you would want to have if you were exploring the depths of a very hostile solar system or hunting down space pirates. The only things that are disallowed are full-on time travel and go-anywhere teleporting.

Here's a list of what I have so far:

Analyser/Synthesiser - reads the chemical structure of any substance or slowly nano-assembles substances (similar to tricorder from Star Trek)
Anytool - reassembles itself to imitiate various tools, can manipulate mechanical devices including locks (similar to sonic screwdriver)
Hoverboard
Jetpack
Bak-Pack - allows limited timetravel, rewinding time for up to 60 seconds for a "do over"
Plasma sword similar to light saber
Phase Grenades - explosive charges that can be set to pass through matter (such as a wall) before detonating
Scout drone - friendly robot acts as infiltrator
Combat drone - friendly robot acts as walking artillery
Morph Armor - similar to Metroid, turns you into a small agile sphere
Portal Beam - similar to Portal, lets you place wormhole gateways for short-distance fixed-location teleporting
EMP cannon - disables unshielded electronics
Ghost Cannon - similar to Ghostbusters, traps energy entities
Echo Peeper - ultrasonic scope allows seeing through walls
Gravity Bomb - unfolds dense matter stored on parallel universe to create dangerously high gravity (small chance of black hole)
Gravity Modulator - adjust local gravity to strong, normal, lunar, or no-gravity; also reverse gravity
Hack bastion - Stores data on parallel universe to prevent hacking
Universal Translator - translates any language
Ice Beam - freezes target, possibly killing living being
Deneuralyser - similar to MIB, causes amnesia and suggestibility



That's all I have so far guys. Please add to the list! Feel free to adapt ideas from your favorite shows or movies :)

A.


Playground Specials:

Weak Force Modulator - Adjusts weak force in matter, affecting nuclear stability.
TK Gun - Gravity coil pistol allows manipulation of objects from a short distance
Neo's Grace - A bracelet with a small time distortion ability allowing burst of "bullet time" with low mishap rate.
SolidComm - Nanites allow telecommunications in your head with no external devices.
HoloWorld - Holographic projector allows creation of static illusions the size of a large room or smaller.
Phase Suit - Allows Combat Suit (and wearer) to phase through walls with a low mishap rate.
Medic Drone - Robot handles medic duties for the party, plus simulated compassion.
Pico-Launch EV - Dissembles Combat Suit (and wearer) into beam of black dust and launches into space for reassembly on orbiting ship.
Vaccuum Bomb - Folds local gases/fluids into parallel universe causing massive scale implosion.
Cullis - Portable device creates single tactical energy shield to block passages, cover openings, or act as invisible barrier.
Insurance Plus - Transmits brain data regularly for clone-based "resurrection"; subjective continuity not guaranteed.
Battle Juice - Hulk feel used by corporations. HULK MAD!!!!
HoloBuddy - Holographic duplicate of self misleads foes, realistically takes wounds and dies horribly :roach: :roach: :roach: (Winner!)
Stim Pills - Who needs sleep when you can have flawless guard duty 24/7
Sonic Nauseater - High frequency sound waves cause nausea, defecation, blurry vision and miscarriage
Blood Oxegenator - Never need air again
Bio-FuelCell - Use your HP to power your laser
Hull Spray - Pressurised foam instantly seals doors/cracks & can be sculpted into things
REPLO blocks - Creepy robot blocks reproduce limitlessly and build ugly castles

Ravens_cry
2010-06-09, 02:14 PM
Weak Force Modulater.
Turns the weak force strength in a material up or down. Can temporarily make uranium 235 as stable as lead, preventing a nuclear explosion. Can make lead as unstable as uranium 235, creating a nuclear explosion.
Best used at range.

Raimun
2010-06-09, 02:25 PM
A gravity gun. I haven't played Half Life 2 but telekinesis is cool in every form.

A bracelet-thingy that slows time around wearer à la Returner. Basicly bullet time with batteries required.

Stealth (optic) camoflauge from Metal Gear Solid. Almost like being invisible.

Nanomachines from MGS. Gives you a cell-phone that seems telepathy, among other things.

... Actually, quite a lot of supporting items from MGS.

Well, you can't go wrong with cybernetics?

And the Owlship. The Owlship, man!

Another_Poet
2010-06-09, 02:27 PM
And the Owlship. The Owlship, man!

Tell me more about this Owlship.

arguskos
2010-06-09, 02:29 PM
You got the Tricorder, but not the Replicator? FOR SHAME!

Lightsaber? Holographic projector? Phase-state changer (lets you turn into other things, phase through objects, etcetcetc)?

Bharg
2010-06-09, 02:42 PM
Using a morph armor for the first time has to be really painful.

What about any kind of cyber or bioware?

Another_Poet
2010-06-09, 02:48 PM
@arguskos: What is the replicator? I am not a star trek fan so I am not sure. The analyzer featured here can replicate small amount of material however.



Using a morph armor for the first time has to be really painful.

We're hand-waving that and assuming it rebuilds you somehow so that you suvive safely.


What about any kind of cyber or bioware?

Depends. Minor things like cybernetic arms to be stronger, or biologically enhanced eyes, are covered under different rules. If you can suggest cyber/bioware that is as major as having, say, a gravity bomb or a time-reverser, then it might fall into this category. I'd be very interested in hearing ideas you have.

Savannah
2010-06-09, 02:56 PM
Medic drone - a small robot follows you around and heals you.

Adumbration
2010-06-09, 03:05 PM
Pico-technology transporter. Essentially like nano-technology (only smaller) that turns you into black dust that can travel near the speed of light in vacuum, or at slightly lower speeds in atmosphere. Naturally reassembles you once you get to the place you wanted. If you want a buffed version of this, make it sentient, smart, give it all the schematics for everything man has built. It already has the ability shape matter. (To prevent breaking game, don't give it self-replicating abilities.) (Idea from Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds.)

Raimun
2010-06-09, 03:09 PM
@arguskos: If you can suggest cyber/bioware that is as major as having, say, a gravity bomb or a time-reverser, then it might fall into this category. I'd be very interested in hearing ideas you have.

Having a lot of cybernetics installed in one person? I'll admit,, this isn't such a good idea unless the game revolves around these and all of that has been done before. Still, cyberware is one of the most interesting concepts in sci-fi.

Cyber limbs to boost arm and leg strength. (To a certain limit but still impressive)

Eyes that give you a night and thermal vision.

Skin that is like kevlar.

Wolverine-like claws.

Neurally connected RAM that give you new skills.

The whole frickin' Robocop/Six Million Dollar Man-deal.

Beware the cyber psychosis, though.

Bharg
2010-06-09, 03:10 PM
Major as having a gravity bomb? I've never ever heard of a gravity bomb...
What about a vaccuum bomb, portable tactical energie shields or personal shield generators? A repulsor gun? Low gravity is a fine element.

Cyberware (artificial limbs, implanted weaponry and devices, amor plating etc.) and bioware (atificially grown and optimized organs like muscles, also cloned limb replacements, foreign organs improving capacities etc.) would add a lot of options. Improvement of capacities of your body or protheses.

What about robot parrots and weaponry that is integrated into your arm like a shot gun? Just yells "Yaarr Harr!" right at ye!

ShadowsGrnEyes
2010-06-09, 03:27 PM
Predator vison goggles!

Antigravity belt!

Internal Nano bots! The kind that can do anything from change your hair color on a whim to rapidly repair damage.

Personal force shield! (how come you look like your wearing only a jumpsuit but arent dying in space? personal force sheild thats how!)

Holographic pet/ companion. (a hologram that lives in your watch or earing or lapel pin and happens to be smarter than you about everything or tapped into an intergalactic database!)

datalink! (you are tapped into an intergalactic database)

Martin Greywolf
2010-06-09, 04:34 PM
Artemis Fowl. Read the books, they are filed to the brink with awesome stuff.

Apart from that:

1) Exoskelet armor. This is realistic, awesome and variable. It can be nothing but basic HEV suit (monitoring life functions, adminstering stimulants and absorbing shocks), or it can be highly advanced gizmo like MJOLLNIR (increased strength, weight of 2 tons (if I remember correctly), personal shield, internal AI-able computer system, videoscreen in helmet, enough heat and shock absorption to make an orbital insertion in it,...). Examples are, of course, Half-Life and Halo.

2) A-Tan. Comes from a book by a russian sci-fi author Sergei Lukjanenko. Basically, its a little mojo in your head that transfers your personal information to a nearby a-tan corporation station so that you can be ressurected.

3) Battle juice. Basically a mix of steroids that should help you in battle. They can have as many helpful (or side) effects as you like. Quicker reactions, increased strength (hell, increased any ability score), better eyesight, higher pain tolerance (i.e. temporary HP), and withdrawal effects such as ability damage, coma, HP loss...

4) Holoscanner. Can scan reasonably big area and project it on a small, 3D minimap. It can have several sensors to cover larger areas.

5) Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy. Basically a wikipedia in a touchpad form with general info or with access to databanks. (Do I really have to write where this ide came from a second time? didnt think so)

6) Portable barrier. Throw it on a floor or to the wall and it will create a forcefield that will stop anything from passing through at most 6x9 corridor (alternatively, it could just work one-way).

7) Geiger counter. Because you can never know what is that green light just ahead and if you should touch it (spoiler: you shouldnt)...

Totally Guy
2010-06-09, 04:56 PM
Why not have a mechanic for allowing the players to bring in their own ideas for technological doohickeys?

Ravens_cry
2010-06-09, 04:59 PM
HoloBuddy
Need a Diversion when in a Firefight?
Can't Think with all Those Pesky Bullets in Your Face?
Introducing the Holobuddy™ From WarCo™!
The Holobuddy™ comes in a small, portable package, for easy insertion. Just place, press the button, and in seconds your HoloBuddy will by drawing fire, allowing you to Cap Their Ass in Safety™. Comes with Realistic™ Hit Detection and Realtolife™ wounds, blood, screaming in pain and pleas for Mother™.
Other holographic soldiers aids sound tinny and distorted. The Holobuddy™ has patent pending Surround-u-Sound™, adding that extra Verisimilitude™ needed in today's advanced Battlefield™.
Call Today, Operator-Bots™ are standing by!
From WarCo™ We Make War Easy!™
Holobuddy, Operator-Bots, Realtolife,Surround-u-Sound, Realistic, Safety and Mother are registered trademarks of WarCo™

arguskos
2010-06-09, 05:02 PM
The Replicator on Star Trek was something that you pushed buttons on and it created stuff for you, like food or gear or whatever. It needed fuel, but that fuel could be anything (like dirt).

Altair_the_Vexed
2010-06-09, 05:05 PM
Why not have a mechanic for allowing the players to bring in their own ideas for technological doohickeys?
The Gadget system for d20 future (http://www.d20resources.com/future.d20.srd/equipment/) does this quite neatly.

jiriku
2010-06-09, 05:46 PM
Robot companion
Wearable Intelligent AI
Personal shield generator
Stim Pills, enabling you to go without food or sleep for a considerable length of time. Hell of a crash when they wear off though.
Robot body: download your consciousness.
Robot drones (vehicles, war devices, etc) controllable through a cranial implant and a wireless network.
decamole equipment: field survival gear such as a stove, shelter, boat, or other important device, made from an advanced material that weighs only a few grams and collapses to store as a pocket-sized slug. When activated, inflates itself to full size within seconds and is super-rigid and resistant to temperature and puncturing. Ballast the inflated structures with water or sand to prevent them from blowing away in the wind.
massless starship: much like the decamole gear above, this is essentially a starship whose hull and bulkheads are one molecule thick, the entire structure made rigid and resistant to micrometeorites and weapons through the use of a high-tech energy field running through the hull. The ship might weight only a few kilos even though it's the size of several city blocks, and spare quantities of the building material make it essentially instantly self-repairing if damage.

Yukitsu
2010-06-09, 05:59 PM
Spess mahren power terminator armour. Force field, fully automatic grenade launcher, gigantic fist with an armour piercing disruption field thingy, teleportation and it's automated adamantium suits designed for operation in the center of plasma reactors.

Jack_Simth
2010-06-09, 06:30 PM
The Civilized Ring
The hexagonal "gemstone" in this ring is a densely-encoded data stack, a rechargable energy battery, a computer processor with some available memory, a bi-directional matter/energy converter, a few simple sensors, a few simple energy transmitters, and a bit of clever programming. With the proper commands, it starts making copies of itself from available local materials, and assembling the copies into a networked computer (each "cell" of which communicates with it's neighbors by way of modulated low energy transmissions), physically forming them into arrays to make various useful structures, such as Razors, chairs, tables, pots, pans, vehicles, buildings, starships... anything one could desire that has been pre-coded into the data stack. When the specified structure is complete, it re-seeds the ring with another copy of itself, ready for use later.

It even looks snappy. There's rumors that the dense data stack also includes a recorded personality, and that the personality is activated once there's a certain number of gemstones involved in the network... but those are just rumors. The usage manual does have an unexplained warning, though: Do not instruct The Civilized Ring to make any object requiring more structural volume than three hundred fourteen point one five nine two six five three five eight nine seven nine three cubic meters.

Randel
2010-06-09, 08:55 PM
Personal Travel Machine:
Essentially a small tank vehicle that holds one person and is small enough to travel inside buildings. The driver sits inside and use controls inside to manipulate attached robotic arms, weapons systems, or other devices. Comes in multiple types and designs with civilian models able to move rapidly in cities using little fuel, military models having powerful force fields armor and weapons, and various scientific models equipped with sensors and such.

They are based on the Dalek travel machines. (here (http://www.cg-lair.co.uk/daleks_page1.htm) is a sight where you can see examples of dalek designs. Here (http://web.mit.edu/francov/www/citycar/#) is a page about City Cars which are sort of like a human version of them)


Sonic Nauseater
A device that emits high frequency sonic waves that cause the human body to vibrate uncomfortably. Has several setting which can cause everyone in a given area to get disoriented, sick to their stomach, or collapse from sudden weakness and disorientation.


SkinSpray
A medical substance that sprays artificial undifferentiated cells onto a wound which quickly differentiate into tissue and heal over the wound. They can heal a person from wounds that damage the skin and surface tissue and quickly become a new layer that heals them good as new. However, the cells cannot reproduce and after several days they flake off. Usually by that time the body regrows new cells to take their place but repeated applications of SkinSpray may be needed.


BloodOxegenator
A cybernetic implant that is surgically hooked up a a persons circulatory system, it automatically removes carbon dioxide or monixide and other blood contaminants and provides a steady supply of oxygen. It just needs a source of electrical power to operate and can constantly recycle new oxygen from the CO2 extracted from the blood.


Bio-FuelCell
Another cybernetic implant hooked up to the blood stream which extracts sugar or fat from the body and converts it into electricity. Useful for cyborgs without a constant supply of electricity since they can simply eat more sugary or greasy foods and convert it into energy.


Hull Spray
Sort of a 3D version of duct tape. A canister sprays out a stream of Hull Spray which quickly hardens into a solid mass. With different nozzles and some artistic talent, a user can create solid objects with it such as chairs, crude screwdrivers, coat hangers, or primitive body armor. Can also be used to bar closed doors. Was origionally intended to seal holes in the hulls of space ships but the compound isn't stickey enough to provide a decent seal. Instead, its a cheap way to make almost any 3D object you want.


REPLO blocks
Small self-replicating robotic blocks. Each one can absorb sunlight for a power supply, extract nearby materials for raw material, fabricate a copy of itself, and stick to the new block. They can be assembled in a variety of configurations like LEGO blocks or programmed to do so themselves. With one block, and a computer, you can program it to absorb a bunch of garbage or dirt and then construct a whole building or similar structure out of REPLO blocks. The resulting structure is not air-tight but can power itself with solar power or be used to power other devices.

Another_Poet
2010-06-10, 11:31 AM
These are terrific ideas everyone. I will work on making a list and editing them into the first post. If anyone has more ideas keep 'em coming!

:)

Bharg
2010-06-10, 12:10 PM
I hope you will use the parrot.

Another_Poet
2010-06-10, 12:13 PM
I hope you will use the parrot.

lol, I don't know what benefit it has other than to look piratey... and they are supposed to be killing the pirates!

Maybe it could give a bonus to blending in with pirates when undercover :)

Bharg
2010-06-10, 12:43 PM
A parrot pet robot could have multiple uses other than being awesome and piratey like serving as a data terminal (yaar, pirate data), a communication device (send it to speak with someone), a reconnaissance drone (inside a ship or station), arm it with a ray gun or a payload (as an attack drone or robot suicide bomb to try to kill the enemy as a last resort or to serve as a diversion to secure the captains escape). Robot parrots are awesome!

Another_Poet
2010-06-11, 08:24 PM
Okay everyone. Thanks again so much. Here is the full list of items based on your suggestions.

If one of your ideas didn't "make the cut" it is probably because it is already handled by other sections of the gear in the ruleset, which you couldn't have known of course. A lot of things like medical tech, bioware, and the like are assumed to be standard and are just in the "Gear" section rather than the "Sci Fi Toys" section.

Thanks again everyone!!!!


Weak Force Modulator - Adjusts weak force in matter, affecting nuclear stability.
TK Gun - Gravity coil pistol allows manipulation of objects from a short distance
Neo's Grace - A bracelet with a small time distortion ability allowing burst of "bullet time" with low mishap rate.
SolidComm - Nanites allow telecommunications in your head with no external devices.
HoloWorld - Holographic projector allows creation of static illusions the size of a large room or smaller.
Phase Suit - Allows Combat Suit (and wearer) to phase through walls with a low mishap rate.
Medic Drone - Robot handles medic duties for the party, plus simulated compassion.
Pico-Launch EV - Dissembles Combat Suit (and wearer) into beam of black dust and launches into space for reassembly on orbiting ship.
Vaccuum Bomb - Folds local gases/fluids into parallel universe causing massive scale implosion.
Cullis - Portable device creates single tactical energy shield to block passages, cover openings, or act as invisible barrier.
Insurance Plus - Transmits brain data regularly for clone-based "resurrection"; subjective continuity not guaranteed.
Battle Juice - Hulk feel used by corporations. HULK MAD!!!!
HoloBuddy - Holographic duplicate of self misleads foes, realistically takes wounds and dies horribly :roach: :roach: :roach: (Winner!)
Stim Pills - Who needs sleep when you can have flawless guard duty 24/7
Sonic Nauseater - High frequency sound waves cause nausea, defecation, blurry vision and miscarriage
Blood Oxegenator - Never need air again
Bio-FuelCell - Use your HP to power your laser
Hull Spray - Pressurised foam instantly seals doors/cracks & can be sculpted into things
REPLO blocks - Creepy robot blocks reproduce limitlessly and build ugly castles


Wow guys this is just awesome! You just doubled my Toy section!!!

Jolly Steve
2010-06-12, 02:13 AM
The kind of science-fiction found in RPGs is usually very similar to fantasy, so most fantasy ideas can be translated (or vice-versa).

For example infravision can become low-light goggles, Read Languages becomes a Universal Translator or telepathy, and so on.

The differences are usually in the costs and requirements to use them. For example low-light goggles might not be useable with a helmet, and be limited by cost rather than class/skills (technicians might be the only ones able to repair them, but anyone can use them).

Jolly Steve
2010-06-12, 02:17 AM
laser sword: personal weapon, which can also sometimes deflect lasers.

Eloi
2010-06-12, 02:26 AM
Transdimensional Displacer of Immortality: Everytime you are killed, this device notes that your vital signs indicate you have died, and displaces a highly similar version of you from another dimension who also owns the device, where you were at so you can continue living.

Storm Bringer
2010-06-12, 08:51 AM
macro scale quantum superpositioning device (MSQSD). allows the user to create a tempory (few combat rounds) clone of themselves, identical to how they were at the time of creation (equipment, wounds, ammo, etc), allowing them to be in two places at once, for a short time. if one is killed, then the other one automatically becomes the 'real' one.