Hypercompetent 'Average' Citizens

[AlexanderHowl]

Starting at TL7, medical and social advances allow for healthier and more intelligent populations, resulting in statistically significant increases in health, intelligence, etc., in young people, though this is probably balanced by the maintainance of a larger population of disabled and elderly people, so the average likely does not change that much. By TL9 though, genetic engineering offers a chance at widescale improvements in average capabilities, meaning that the 'average human' could easily start with a 100 CP template at TL9, a 200 CP template at TL10, a 300 CP template at TL11, and a 400 CP template at TL12. While the people at TL11 and TL12 are technically a different species than the people at TL9 and TL10, they would probably still consider themselves to be humans.

Since genetic modifications are transferable across generations (at least within the same upgraded group), society would only really need to pay for improvements during the first couple of generations that it is available if it decides to subsidize universal adoption. Baseline humans would likely result from unplanned pregnancies, meaning that society would likely discourage such reproductive events, though baseline humans might be functionally extinct by the end of TL10. By TL10 though, proteus viruses would allow the transformation of unmodied embryos into modified embryos, so unplanned pregnancies would probably not be that significant of a source of baseline humans.

So, how would you run a campaign in a TL10 setting where the 'average' human possesses a 200 CP template? Is it just a matter of increasing PC point totals by 200 CP or would you just give it to them as a 0 CP trait (with unmodifed humans receiving a -200 CP racial template)? How would you represent unmodified humans? Would they be a protected group, would they suffer discrimination and/or would they flee the realms of the modified humans in search for a place where they could be average again?

[Donny Brook]

If the PCs are starting with a [200] template/metatrait, I'd have them record it as such.

[RedMattis]

I don't quite understand what you're asking here? Why would it even matter if I give them a huge template for free or not if everyone is forced to have it anyway?

The only point at which the players points matter is when they can choose where to spend them. So if they are given 600 points, but 400 is reserved for the 'Super Human 3000'-template then they effectively have 200 points to spend. Whether you note down 200 or 600 as the total point value on the character sheet doesn't matter much for anything except when buying Allies/Patrons/Enemies (where you definitely should count them as 600-point characters or things will get hella' weird).

[khorboth]

I'm not sure I accept your premise about the real world. But that's ok, I don't have to in order to answer your question about your setting.

I'd require the template.

If the default is IQ 12, then IQ10 is a disadvantage and should count against a limit. If "fit" is the default then "not fit" should be a disadvantage and should count against the disadvantage limit. Etc. Munchkiny players shouldn't be able to skim extra points by not taking the full template.

[Stormcrow]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

So, how would you run a campaign in a TL10 setting where the 'average' human possesses a 200 CP template? Is it just a matter of increasing PC point totals by 200 CP or would you just give it to them as a 0 CP trait (with unmodifed humans receiving a -200 CP racial template)?

Originally Posted by khorboth

I'd require the template.

Yes, this is a mandatory, 200-point racial template. You just record it on your character sheet as Future Human [200] (or whatever it's called) and calculate your attributes from their new base levels. Give each character an extra 200 points to cover it.

I mean, yeah, you could give them Future Human [0] and not give them the extra 200 points, but then you'll have to recalibrate if any such person ever goes somewhere where advanced humans aren't the norm. Save yourself the bother by getting it right from the start.

[acrosome]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Starting at TL7, medical and social advances allow for healthier and more intelligent populations, resulting in statistically significant increases in health, intelligence, etc., in young people, though this is probably balanced by the maintainance of a larger population of disabled and elderly people, so the average likely does not change that much. By TL9 though, genetic engineering offers a chance at widescale improvements in average capabilities, meaning that the 'average human' could easily start with a 100 CP template at TL9, a 200 CP template at TL10, a 300 CP template at TL11, and a 400 CP template at TL12. While the people at TL11 and TL12 are technically a different species than the people at TL9 and TL10, they would probably still consider themselves to be humans.

Since genetic modifications are transferable across generations (at least within the same upgraded group), society would only really need to pay for improvements during the first couple of generations that it is available if it decides to subsidize universal adoption. Baseline humans would likely result from unplanned pregnancies, meaning that society would likely discourage such reproductive events, though baseline humans might be functionally extinct by the end of TL10. By TL10 though, proteus viruses would allow the transformation of unmodied embryos into modified embryos, so unplanned pregnancies would probably not be that significant of a source of baseline humans.

So, how would you run a campaign in a TL10 setting where the 'average' human possesses a 200 CP template? Is it just a matter of increasing PC point totals by 200 CP or would you just give it to them as a 0 CP trait (with unmodifed humans receiving a -200 CP racial template)? How would you represent unmodified humans? Would they be a protected group, would they suffer discrimination and/or would they flee the realms of the modified humans in search for a place where they could be average again?

Well, I will start by saying that you are making a hell of a lot of setting assumptions, here. I dispute your proposition that an "average" TL10 citizen would be 200 CP, at least by the timing given in Ultra-Tech that puts TL 10 around 2120 CE (on medium speed of development). That's only a century from now! Hell, my kid might still be alive! There will still be many undeveloped areas, and people who for various reasons resist these Big Brother attempts to force a standardized genome upon them, etc. A good chunk of central Asia will still live on $1/day, and the Sentinelese will still be lobbing arrows at low-flying aircraft and murdering fishermen.

That being said, if you did have such a template for developed Westerners whose progenitors have already been victimized by Big Brother then, yes, I'd make them pay for the template. Especially since so many other unmodified humans will be around, as I argue above. And maybe a player might want to play a Luddite, after all? One of the GATTACA underclass, perhaps?

[AlexanderHowl]

The Slow Progress track, which is probably close to real life, places TL10 at 2200 and TL11 at 3000, which is 800 years for the universal deployment of genetic upgrades. The idea of universal genetic upgrades is to prevent an underclass from forming, though there will be people who will resist change, so you will need planets to serve as reservations for baseline humans. As long as the baseline humans do not leave their planets, the rest of interstellar society will likely leave them alone in their mediocrity. After all, the value of planets is likely as biological reserves, and baseline humans would make adequate preservationists if given a small stipend.

[Donny Brook]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

The Slow Progress track, which is probably close to real life, places TL10 at 2200 and TL11 at 3000, which is 800 years for the universal deployment of genetic upgrades. The idea of universal genetic upgrades is to prevent an underclass from forming, though there will be people who will resist change, so you will need planets to serve as reservations for baseline humans. As long as the baseline humans do not leave their planets, the rest of interstellar society will likely leave them alone in their mediocrity. After all, the value of planets is likely as biological reserves, and baseline humans would make adequate preservationists if given a small stipend.

Brave New World: Interstellar

[AlexanderHowl]

It is hard for IQ 10 people to compete with IQ 12 people, for HT 10 people to compete with HT 13 people with Very Fit, or Appearance (Average) people to compete with Appearance (Beautiful) people with Voice. On average, baseline humans are potentially inferior on every level, so I imagine that they would want to live in communities where they were average rather than inferior. In such a place, they could forget about their genetically engineered peers and celebrate their minor accomplishments.

[awesomenessofme1]

Gulag planets for those who won't accept the government forcibly rewriting their genetic code. What could possibly go wrong?