[OOC] Game Chatter

Be sure to read and follow the guidelines for our forums.

load previous
Apr 7, 2024 5:55 pm
Alepous says:
So I get "space engineer" and "mech pilot" as my professions?
Correct!
Apr 7, 2024 6:04 pm
We've also found our fourth player - MinMin expressed interest in bringing an ISOmorph to the table. Welcome MinMin!
Apr 7, 2024 6:51 pm
Welcome, MinMin! :D
Oh yeah, an ISOmorph! I was hoping for one, I love artificial lifeform characters.
Apr 7, 2024 8:42 pm
Thank you everyone!

I think I'm close to submitting my character Dell, but I think I've got a few questions about the setting since it's not one I'm familiar with:
1. Since the ISO's are artificial constructs running images of live volunteers, I assume Dell would act more 'Bladerunner' human-like than 'Data' artificial android-like. That is to say, he'd act according to his programming without any human emotion or remorse related to the consequences, but at the same time he'd present himself with a human-like personality rather than as a cold machine when interacting with others?
2. Despite being human-like, ISO's seem common enough that I don't think they'd be trying to hide their nature. It would be obvious/communicated to all others that Dell was an ISO.
3. And while I suppose that an ISO might go around chanting one's Axion as a mantra, it would probably be more fun roleplay wise if this was never revealed openly and it had to be extrapolated by other players from their actions.
4. I think I'm clear on the distinction between Primary and Secondary Occupations, but plot and setting-wise where and when would it make sense for those roles to have occurred? I was envisioning Dell's pre and post rebellion life both starting on Pyley--though he might have been shipped out anywhere after joining the rebellion. But should he instead be based on KEYstation or another planet for party formation purposes?

FYI--I'm designing Dell around the idea having been a courier in his 'original life' with the idea that same day delivery competition of the future had led to ridiculous daredevil feats for the pre-rebellion Amazon delivery in the big city to avoid moneyback guarantees, etc. (I was trying to keep this sort of balanced and figured he'd perhaps be the team getaway driver for ground vehicles, though that could conceivably be expanded to more vehicles and 'pilot' if one was needed for the crew and the GM thinks its balanced). He ultimately ended up as a logistics officer for the rebellion since beyond just being a good truck driver, he was able to organize people and supplies to get them where they were needed.
Apr 7, 2024 8:58 pm
Hardcore Amazon delivery is an amazing concept. :'D Also I like your idea of hiding the Axiom, MinMin! Although if the game is supposed to be short, we probably won't have time - or many opportunities - to guess it? Still probably will be fun!

Speaking of working together, do our characters know each other? More in the sense of whether we are aware of each other's weaknesses, strengths, origins, professions, etc. Did we have a briefing about each other, or do we literally just meet right before the mission?
Last edited April 7, 2024 8:58 pm
Apr 8, 2024 12:37 pm
MinMin says:

I think I'm close to submitting my character Dell, but I think I've got a few questions about the setting since it's not one I'm familiar with:
1. Since the ISO's are artificial constructs running images of live volunteers, I assume Dell would act more 'Bladerunner' human-like than 'Data' artificial android-like. That is to say, he'd act according to his programming without any human emotion or remorse related to the consequences, but at the same time he'd present himself with a human-like personality rather than as a cold machine when interacting with others?
2. Despite being human-like, ISO's seem common enough that I don't think they'd be trying to hide their nature. It would be obvious/communicated to all others that Dell was an ISO.
3. And while I suppose that an ISO might go around chanting one's Axion as a mantra, it would probably be more fun roleplay wise if this was never revealed openly and it had to be extrapolated by other players from their actions.
4. I think I'm clear on the distinction between Primary and Secondary Occupations, but plot and setting-wise where and when would it make sense for those roles to have occurred? I was envisioning Dell's pre and post rebellion life both starting on Pyley--though he might have been shipped out anywhere after joining the rebellion. But should he instead be based on KEYstation or another planet for party formation purposes?

FYI--I'm designing Dell around the idea having been a courier in his 'original life' with the idea that same day delivery competition of the future had led to ridiculous daredevil feats for the pre-rebellion Amazon delivery in the big city to avoid moneyback guarantees, etc. (I was trying to keep this sort of balanced and figured he'd perhaps be the team getaway driver for ground vehicles, though that could conceivably be expanded to more vehicles and 'pilot' if one was needed for the crew and the GM thinks its balanced). He ultimately ended up as a logistics officer for the rebellion since beyond just being a good truck driver, he was able to organize people and supplies to get them where they were needed.
FlyingSucculent says:

Speaking of working together, do our characters know each other? More in the sense of whether we are aware of each other's weaknesses, strengths, origins, professions, etc. Did we have a briefing about each other, or do we literally just meet right before the mission?
Good questions!

MinMin, to your questions:
1.) I'd say you have a good read here. On the scale of Bladerunner Replicant to a fully constructed android, ISOmorphs hew more closely to the Replicant in terms of behavior. They have access to their ego image's memories in the same way Replicant's have implanted memories, but rather using that to blur the line between the artificial and the biological (as in Bladerunner), ISOmorphs utilize their image for a very specific goal and shed from emotional resonance. They are built to purpose. An ISOmorph created to manage inventory in a mega-warehouse will be visually and structurally different from an ISOmorph built to build ships in the vacuum of space, or an ISOmorph built to administer medicine. While the basic programming is widely the same, the ego image fuels the expertise needed to fulfill their goal. In this way, there are "lines" of ISOmorphs. They come off the factory floor almost identical, and the differences in their personalities only start to arise after they begin to learn the lessons of their particular field (a shipbuilding ISOmorph might gain expertise in cockpit construction as opposed to engines, for example).
2.) Correct. ISOmorphs are quite common, and as mentioned, are immediately visually identifiable, even in cases where more human-like features are more desirable.
3.) Sure, you could play it that way!
4.) Plot wise, Primary Occupation happens prior to the War, and Secondary Occupation happens after the War has started and has shaken everything up. For ISOmorphs in particular, Primary Occupation reflects the expertise of their ego image (what they were constructed to do), and Secondary Occupation is either other skills they picked up in the course of their main function, or whatever job they had to take up after the Rebellion displaced them or reassigned them once the status quo had been shifted. Setting wise, you can originate Dell anywhere. Pyley works fine, as it's the origin of the Rebellion and transport to KEYstation is part of the assignment no matter where you have them start. You could also place Dell in KEYstation, and maybe the Rebellion taps them specifically for the assignment because "we already have an agent on site". Whichever sounds good to you!

To FlyingSucclent's question:
Your characters have met, but only very recently - right before leaving for KEYstation, maybe in a capsule hotel just off the spaceport. Maybe you've heard of another character's exploits before ("Hold on, you were part of the Pious Rebuke job? That had the hive swarming for weeks!"), but no one has worked together before yet - safer SecOps, from Rebellion brass. Your brief introduction has been enough to understand who is good at what, and general attitudes. If Dell is located in KEYstation, most of what you've heard about them is from gossip ("I've heard our agent on the inside is a devil behind the wheel"), and anything else about the you'll be seeing fresh.

Let me know if I missed anything or you have any other questions!
Apr 9, 2024 1:04 am
Thank you, everyone--that helped give me a much better feel for everything. I've gone ahead and submitted Dell for review--I decided to reassign him to KEYstation as you suggested. Reading through a brief about supplies to be delivered to a special squad that's being thrown together in a hurry, he's surprised to find that he himself is among them...
Apr 9, 2024 11:29 am
Dell looks great! All approved :D
Apr 11, 2024 8:39 am
I'd like to make my character space-colony born. Is there such a location on the System? (I watched too much Macross I guess)
Apr 11, 2024 11:04 am
Of course! There's larger ones in orbit over some of the larger moons, and literally thousands of them in the Kohzander Belt. Feel free to name your colony and we can make it work :D

That's everyone's characters' approved! I'll get the main IC thread started later on today. Thanks for your patience everyone - excited to get started!
Apr 11, 2024 7:41 pm
Ok, I just put the colony's name. It was the Prospero Space Colony, but when it was destroyed the sector was renamed to Serenity Valley in the name of the thousands of people that perished within the O'Neill cylinder.
Apr 12, 2024 6:58 am
Here is the background story for Ulysses Corvus

Ulysses was born at the Prospero Space Colony, an O’Neill cylinder that housed several thousands of people. He became a space architect and got married, everything went well till Leviath attacked the colony. The Corporation did not liked the autonomy that the colony had, its major source of income was the mining operations on the near asteroid belt and the space construction yard. The stability of the colony, both economical and political, were a thorn to the Corporation’s agenda of total control of the sector. The Corporation’s forces attacked en masse during a holiday day, when everyone was celebrating and was more relaxed. The initial causalties were too many and Ulysses tried his best to escape with his family. But it was not easy to avoid the massacre and soon they were chased down by Leviath army personnel. They got cornered in a construction site, along with other civilians, and were gunned down. In a desperate attempt to save his family and the other people, Ulysses climbed in the cockpit of a constrcution mech and tried to fend off the Leviath forces. His action was in vain, as he saw his family getting killed. In his rage he decimated the Leviath forces on the construction yard but he sustained heavy damage and passed out before the mech broke down.

Some time passed and the Prospero Armed Forces, what was left of them, found him. They took him with them and left the colony with an escape shuttle. He woke up just before the Leviath forces managed to overload the space colony’s reactor and blew a hole that was the doom of the rest of the population. The O’Neill cylinder managed to stay in one piece but the damage was catastrophic, as the air vented out, leaving the interior a cold and dark tomb. The remaining civilians and armed forces of Prospero banded and formed an insurgency group, that to this day try to eradicate Leviath or any other major Corporation in the System.

The Prospero colony was renamed by the survivors as "Serenity Valley".

Ulysses knew how to operate heavy machinery, for his job as a space architect, and was quickly drafted as a mech pilot by his new comrades. Fuelled by a rage and a bitterness for revenge he hates Leviath with his whole being.
Apr 13, 2024 11:32 pm
To those who don't mind doing it, can you make your character sheets public? For convenience with descriptions and strategizing and stuff. :D (You can do it by clicking a book icon in your character list.)

Also, question to the GM! Is there a list for current Lines & Veils? I'd really like to know what not to include in my posts in advance.
Apr 13, 2024 11:43 pm
Also, unrelated, but I'm really happy with how Switchblade's avatar turned out! Sci-fi always lets me shamelessly use neon hues.
Apr 14, 2024 7:56 am
I do not mind. I like stuff being public, games too. I like reading other stories. Whateer the DM says.
Apr 14, 2024 12:46 pm
Mine is now public. I find it helpful also to share the sheets.
Apr 14, 2024 1:03 pm
Hey folks! Sorry for the delay, the weekend's been hectic. I'll get the list of Lines & Veils up today!
Apr 14, 2024 1:23 pm
All right, Lines & Veils updated. As always, that's a living document, so let me know if you want to add something along the way or we need to change the course of a scene. :)
Apr 28, 2024 11:18 pm
I'll be honest, I'm not entirely sure of how one circles an exterior of a thing which is on the ceiling, but, erm, there are probably some passageways? XD
Apr 28, 2024 11:26 pm
Of course! Multiple parking lots, several catwalk entrances to different sectors - the power plant is a campus affair.

Also, sorry for the delay today, team - I've been traveling most of the day and I'm wiped. I'll get an update on the action tomorrow. Apologies again!
load next

You do not have permission to post in this thread.