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Old 10-31-2019, 06:37 PM   #151
Prince Charon
 
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Default Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding

One clear vote and one possible vote for 'Common for security and landing parties,' one vote for 'Experimental only' (not on the list, but not that different from 'None' in the context given), one clear vote for 'None' (which also caused me to ask about GURPS Action), and one vote for 'Life-support belts only' (not on the poll, but a valid concept, and similar enough to 'None' in the specific context of personal force fields that grant DR), assuming that I'm reading everyones' posts correctly.

Also, at least one vote for using rules from GURPS Action, or two if TGLS's vote counts.


Does anyone else want to weigh in, or clarify an existing post that I'm misunderstanding, or should I call the vote as 'No personal force shields that grant significant DR (outside of Tech of the Week and such), but we'll use GURPS Action and related rules to prevent insta-kill of important characters?'
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Old 10-31-2019, 07:25 PM   #152
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Default Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding

I think that using the Action rules fits most star trek variants pretty well. I don't have a strong preference on force screens either way.
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Old 10-31-2019, 08:07 PM   #153
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Prince Charon View Post
Also, at least one vote for using rules from GURPS Action, or two if TGLS's vote counts.
Sure, count it that way.
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Old 11-06-2019, 08:47 PM   #154
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Default Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding

Other Energy Weapons

Vulcanian Mind Disruptor

This telepathic device has been the standard Vulcanian personal weapon since before First Contact with Terran humanity. They are normally worn as headgear, and have telepathic controls (it would be difficult for a non-telepath to use them at all, or impossible with most models), but are otherwise game-mechanically similar to the Mind Disruptors in GURPS Psi-Tech p27, albeit usually smaller. The skill is 'Beam Weapons (Headgear)/TL [IQ/E].'

The Holdout Mind Disruptor is normally disguised as a hair decoration, hidden in a wig, hat, or behind a layer of false skin, or even implanted beneath the user's scalp (generally requiring the removal of sections of bone, a fairly dangerous operation). The equivalent of the Mind Disruptor Pistol is a circlet or headband, though it is sometimes built into a helmet or large-enough hat; unlike other Mind Disruptors, the Mind Disruptor Headband is LC3, so long as it doesn't have a setting that is further restricted (see below). The Mind Disruptor 'Rifle' is routinely built into a helmet, and would be rather difficult to disguise as anything else. The Heavy Mind Disruptor is a backpack attached to a modified Mind Disruptor Helmet via a reinforced cable. A Tactical Mind Disruptor is not usually something you wear, although it can be built into a larger backpack, rather than being part of a vehicle; the user interface is normally a helmet, but the emitter is generally separate from the user.

The various types of Mind Disruptor on p27 (Death Beam, Hypnagogic Beam, Insanity Beam, and Neutralizer Beam) are all available, though weapons capable of using the Insanity Beam are more heavily restricted, being LC1, and the Death Beam is always LC2. In addition, Mind Disruptors capable of imitating Instill Fear, and the effects of the various Neurological Damage options in GURPS Psionic Powers p65, are available, though Agony, Hallucinating, and Seizure are LC1. Some Mind Disruptors are capable of multiple settings, others (especially the Holdout models) have only one.

Vulcanians also make some use of Psychokinetic Disruptors, below, against robots and other targets that will not be affected by Telepathy. These are likewise usually built into headgear and telepathically operated, as it's what they're used to. In some cases, the Mind Disruptor and the Psychokinetic Disruptor are built into the same device, though these tend to be bulkier than the standard weapon of the same levels of power.


Psychokinetic Disruptors

These weapons are common to many races, including the Andorians, Klingons, Orions, and Kaa. In general, they function much like Pizard's Space Fantasy Disruptor Beam Weapons, save that they use psychokinesis, rather than some sort of gravitic effect. A few disruptors have less-lethal settings, by turning down the force of the attack, generally while using higher frequencies. The effects are somewhat similar to the sonic nauseators and sonic stunners in GURPS Ultra-Tech (pp124-126), save that they still work in a vacuum, and will do about 1d-3 cr damage as well... more or less, depending on the range, and the specific model and size. Thelev Industries disruptors, for example, are notorious for doing more than the average amount of damage for their size on less-lethal modes, though due to quality control issues, how much more varies from weapon to weapon, even within the same model (they're cheap weapons in both senses, and thus are depressingly common; more convenience store robberies are done with Thelev Industries products than any other variety of disruptor).


Tellarite Biokinetic Rays

These ray-guns normally do toxic damage using biokinetic effects. This may be general damage, or it may imitate some specific poison, depending on the model (or setting, if that model has multiple settings). Statwise, biokinetic ray-guns are functionally very similar to the High-Energy Lasers from GURPS Ultra-Tech pp114-116, with certain modifications: They obviously do not have the Infrared, Blue-green, nor Ultraviolet options, damage is tox, and the armor divisor is changed to (∞) for physical, inanimate armour, as the rays do not interact with non-living things. Living armour, or armour that uses psi-tech to have a sort of pseudo-life, is fairly common among the Tellarites, and treats biokinetic rays as if they had no armor divisor. Vehicular and building force shields, as well as many natural psionic defences, likewise treat these weapons as if they had no armor divisor.

Some biokinetic rays have a stun setting which is functionally similar to the Sleep ability from Psionic Powers p49. In general, treat the number in front of the 'd' on the stats for that weapon as the HT penalty (e.g. a Biokinetic Crystal would do HT-1 aff if built for stunning, the Heavy Biokinetic Pistol would do HT-4 aff, the 'Dinosaur' (colloquial translation, actually refers to megafauna still extant on Tellar) Biokinetic Ray does HT-8 aff if given a stun setting at all, and so forth).

Tellarites also use ordinary lasers for non-living targets. Most such lasers have a photokinetic 'beam-jacketing' feature, to avoid damaging the eyes of observers (and targets who aren't hit in the face). They are also quite fond of normal firearms, at least when on a habitable planet.


Ergokinetic 'Zap Guns'

Similar to Pizard's Remote Electroshock Weapons, save that they use an ergokinetic effect to carry the current (effectively imitating the Lightning ability from Psionic Powers pp33-34), rather than lasers. Weapons of this type were very common in the Solar Cooperative before first contact, and remain so in some areas as a cheaper alternative to phasers.

Outside of museums and personal collections, firearms are rare on this Earth.


Thoughts?
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Last edited by Prince Charon; 11-06-2019 at 08:52 PM.
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Old 11-10-2019, 04:41 PM   #155
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Default Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding

Romulan War or equivalent question

* Pretty much canon: So, the Solar Cooperative and some allies thereof (possibly something like the Coalition of Planets from Star Trek: Enterprise, possibly not) go to war with a Vulcan offshoot who are referred to as Romulans, probably as a reporting name rather than what they actually call themselves (which is 'Rihannsu,' at least in some of the novels). According to Spock in Balance of Terror: "As you recall from your histories, this conflict was fought, by our standards today, with primitive atomic weapons and in primitive space vessels which allowed no quarter, no captives. Nor was there even ship-to-ship, visual communication; therefore, no Human, Romulan, or ally has ever seen the other." (Presumably, there was also little or no ground combat.) "Earth believes the Romulans to be warlike, cruel, treacherous... and only the Romulans know what they think of Earth." This takes place around the mid-22nd century (mature TL10^, with Earth possibly having some early TL11^ stuff by the end of the war, like militarily useful amounts of anti-matter; the Romulans do not get anti-matter technology - "Their power is simply impulse," according to Scotty, which in this context means fusion). One or both sides may have experimented with sensor countermeasures during the war, but a true cloaking device would not be present, as the crew were surprised to see one in TOS. The war ends with a treaty negotiated by radio, which creates a neutral zone between the Romulan Star Empire and the territories of Earth and Earth's allies, after which the Romulans go into isolation from that part of the galaxy. Some time following this, Earth and Earth's allies form our Federation-expy.

* Modified canon (with Romulans): Something like the above, but some elements are significantly different, like the Romulans being discovered to be a Vulcan offshoot during the war, or the treaty not creating a neutral zone (which could have a number of causes, including the Romulans losing badly enough to get conquered), or the Romulans have a good cloaking device during the war, or they conquer Vulcan, et cetra. Please specify what changes you'd like to see. This will probably trigger another vote if it wins, unless there's already a clear consensus on which changes are preferred.

* Modified canon (with a canon race other than the Romulans; please specify). This will probably trigger another vote if it wins, unless there's already a clear consensus on which race is preferred.

* War with the Kaa, or another GURPS Aliens race (please specify). This will probably trigger another vote if it wins, unless there's already a clear consensus on which race is preferred.

* Federation-expy forms without war (meaning that whether there's a war or not, it's not the impetus that causes the Federation-expy to form).


Thoughts?

EDIT: The consensus appears to be 'modified canon with Romulans,' so there will be another vote on the specific modification.
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Last edited by Prince Charon; 02-02-2020 at 02:29 PM.
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Old 11-10-2019, 06:46 PM   #156
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Default Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding

Quote:
Originally Posted by Prince Charon View Post
Romulan War or equivalent question
Pretty much cannon gets my vote. But I'd justify the "no visual communications" thing as Romulan paranoia. This could take the form of them jamming psionic methods of gathering images or refusing to share broadcasting standards.
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Old 11-10-2019, 07:28 PM   #157
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Default Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding

"Enemies are for fighting and accepting surrender from, not video fraternizing."
Even the non-psychic can learn from body language and expressions that the other does not want known.
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Old 11-11-2019, 04:01 AM   #158
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Default Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding

OK, that's two clear votes so far. Thank you.

In case anyone is interested, here are two websites that have a version of the Romulan War that seems to be compatible enough with TOS and TNG canon that I tend to use them as inspiration for the era, even if specific details will certainly be different: History of the Earth-Romulan War at Star Trek Minutiae, and the Starfleet Museum. With the latter, it helps that a lot of the Romulan War-era spacecraft look like they can be written up in three sections, for compatibility with GURPS Spaceships.
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Old 11-11-2019, 07:10 AM   #159
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Default Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding

The mystery of the Romulan identity feels a little far-fetched. I'd prefer a modified cannon. The neutral zone is fine to keep, but I'd like their identity to be known during the first war.
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Old 11-12-2019, 03:31 AM   #160
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Default Re: [Psionics] [Space] Psi Trek - Worldbuilding

OK, two for 'pretty much canon,' one for 'modified canon (identities are known).'

I'm leaving the vote open until at least Wednesday, and possibly longer, depending on whether other stuff distracts me.
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