Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Well, don't hurt your wrists again -- it would be unfortunate to have you go away for another week.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

I'm doing much better now that I've reorganised by desk and have gel wrist rests for both keyboards and mouse. I still get pain if I overdo it though.

Some thoughts on communications
 

Radio communications work, roughly, like this.

Everything uses a very wide band direct sequence spread spectrum radio. Roughly, what's going on is that the radio broadcasts over a very wide spectrum of radio bandwidth. It doesn't broadcast at a set frequency. Which parts of the bandwidth are in use depend on something that's called a chip code. This is a pseudo-random code, that's modulated rapidly, (current tech is megahertz; Radivan is in tens of Ghz.)
Anyone listening needs to know the chip code, clock rate, and the synchronized time. If you don't know this, it's nearly impossible to listen in. The longer chip code is, the harder it becomes (and the more time it takes, which isn't actually the same thing.). If the chip code were truly random, and of length longer than the broadcast it would be impossible (not just not practical, but actually, theoretically, impossible, subject to some constraints on power levels) to even detect that communication is taking place, let alone listen to it.

Encryption, if it's in use, is done at a higher level. (Presentation and application layers, in the OSI reference model, more or less.)

This is the sort of thing that anyone who paid attention in their high school physics classes would know.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

I'm gonna go fnord my character's stupid, then.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Is Coach the second class cabins and stuff?

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

"Smurf" is a curse word here?

Suddenly, the setting is harder to take seriously. :D

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Just think of it as the word used in place of the real curse that would, no doubt, not be allowed by the board's censoring software. :)

Smeg would have been a good choice as well (from a Red Dwarf fan).

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Well, he is bright yellow. A race of little blue men might just be hereditary enemies.

As T@nya notes, there is censoring software. I've no desire to find out what the filters are, nor to get yelled at. I'm sure you all know the sort of word he's actually using.:wq

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Well, we do know that "merde" doesn't get filtered. :)

Regarding the creation of wormholes: This isn't Pierre's area of expertise, but am I right in assuming that according to common knowledge it would

a) require prohibitive amounts of energy and

b) except for trial and error there'd be no way to know where you'd be going?

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

A) No one knows where they come from. There's the "some alien race, for which we have no other evidence, did it" camp. There's the "they're natural" camp. There's evidence supporting each position, but not much. Wormhole research sucks up trillions of dollars in research money, and doesn't produce much.

b) yes, you have no idea where you're going to go, the first time someone jumps through a wormhole. Blind jumping through wormholes is game for crazy people. There's no guarantee that you'll be able to get home. There's lots of adventure fiction about this.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Is there any way of seeing outside the ship in this area?

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

If you ask you might get someone to get you access to the video feed from the bridge sensors.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

I've edited my last IC post to include that request.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

If you ask you might get someone to get you access to the video feed from the bridge sensors. They're not likely to have access to the whole set of sensors, since they don't have contorl of the whole ship.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Noted: see my last IC post.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Sorry I've been quite. I had guests this weekend, and didn't have time ot do other things. I'll post some new content tomorrow morning,

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

That's okay. I look forward to finding out what's going to happen next. :)

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

The *ship* -- all jump ships, in fact -- has a Choi drive. It's what lets you go through wormholes. If they're there, of course.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

It's probably self-explanatory, but with Retros I mean violent technophobes. No high-tech setting would be complete without them.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Any that exist have had 3800 years to get used to new technology. the base line has been moved up a bit. The people really opposed to things tend to stick to themselves. There are whole planets they can have, just for their cult.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Xerxes will remain in the head for half an hour (unless someone bangs on the door needing to use it :) ). Let me know when he's back with everyone again, or if anything happens in the meantime.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

I really wanna question the captured guy.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

You could start out by asking what's happened to him.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Xerxes should have thought of that, considering he used to be a soldier. He's probably assumed that his superior (the captain in this case) is handling that.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

I've actually been wondering that. I was just kind of assuming someone else had somehow imprisoned him since you never mentioned him getting up and leaving, and he was only stunned for 20 seconds or so.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

I assume that was established, as Julia wouldn't have left her prisoner unattended. And since none of the PCs responded, I'm guessing some crew member did. In whose charge did Julia leave the fellow?

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Smarg's.

I thought I'd made a post where Smarg had handcuffed him, and dragged him off. It seems I didn't. Oops. Well, that's what happened. You don't know what happened in the mean time. There was about 20 minutes between him being carried off, and Smarg appearing in the crew mess.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

A poison filled tooth is possible. So is a poison filled big toe, or a drug dispenser embedded in a large muscle mass, or any other way you can think of, pretty much. The automed will find most of them. It's got a CT-scanner and other scans built in, and would routinely perform one on a trauma patient.

I need to look at character sheets again before I do the IC post, because making sense of the data the automed presents you with for him requires some skill.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Drat, I seemed to have temporarily split the party. Sorry about that (just roleplaying my character).

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

None of you have medical skills to make much sense of what Anth has told you, beyond "suffered multiple massive traumas" and having her point at the bones when she tells you which one is which. That needn't stop you from speculating, of course.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Didn't Anth say it was probably a toxin?

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

She did, yes.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

He wasn't waving the shotgun around like he'd seen lots of combat. He
looked more like someone who'd never gotten a lesson on holding a gun.

Unless you think someone here (PCs or ship's crew) poisoned him,
there's no way as yet to know if he did it himself, or if there was a
signal from the outside. Or if the implant had a programmed destruct
sequence.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Hmm, yes. There is that.
Nope, I don't suspect another PC or the crew. But it will be interesting to find out who did it. If he poisoned himself, he's some kind of fanatic and getting useful info out of him will be difficult. If, on the other hand, one of his buddies poisoned him via remote, he could be more willing to talk. Who knows*, maybe he didn't even know someone could "switch him off".

*Apart from you, that is. :)

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

We're probably taking this way too seriously. It's probably just a freak accident, probably caused by the freak accident of this wormhole business. They're probably just everyday pirates, just hijacking a ship, and they just happened to do it while it was docked, and then the ship they hijacked happened to jump through a wormhole that wasn't there, and he happened to have an adverse reaction to... uh.. something.
==
I'm going out of town for a few days, so I probably won't be able to post again before Monday. I may have access to a computer for a little bit tomorrow or Saturday, though.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Quite a coincidence if it isn't all connected. I think it's more likely to be part of some bigger picture.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

1.5 Gs will put most of you at medium encumbrance, with no equipment. Heavy with the stuff you've got, I think. (I've not yet checked.)

An exo-suit is a powered exo-skeleton, usually also a vac suit. It's got defaults from Vacc Suit, Spacer, or Soldier.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

A procedural point: Since the party is in two locations, I've put the location where it's happening as the title of my IC posts. If you'd follow that convention, it be a bit less confusing.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

The default from Vacc Suit is -2, right? What's the default from Soldier?

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

-4 from either Soldier or Spacer. Exo-suit is DX/ave, so the default is DX-5.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

If I do use the suit I'd better default from Vacc suit; my skill will be 10 but that's better than the 9 from Soldier.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

How close-fitting is this suit? Does ordinary clothing (such as Xerxes' nanoweave suit) fit under it?

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Over it, probably. It's a skin tight pressure suit -- one that makes lycra biking shorts look baggy -- fitted with a collection of small (about the diameter of a bic pen) rods that provide reinforcement and the boost in strength. A normal jumpsuit fits over one with no problems. Only the helmet and gloves are bulky. You can use any space suit helmet, if you'd rather use your own.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Okay, Xerxes will wear his visored space helmet. With a skill of 10 I have a feeling this trip might be embarrassing for Xerxes, or painful, or possibly both. On the bright side I might be able to put a point into exo-suit later on.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

I'm assuming that when abseiling we'll be using the climbing skill with a penalty, right?

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

How difficult are the exo-suits to use? I've read through the Environment Suit skill entry in Characters and it suggests penalties ranging from 'lower of skill x and suit skill' to 'no penalty at all'.

If the suits are easy to use Pierre will dare the descent. But if they are difficult to use he'll stay behind, as it would be obvious that he would be more hazard than help.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

How easy they are to use depends on what you're doing. Walking around in them, once you've gotten used to them, isn't difficult at all. Ballet, on the other hand, is pretty tough.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Well, I was more thinking of skills that will likely come up, like Climbing, Jumping, Free Fall, etc.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

It's only an issue for things where fine control matters. It'll change how far you jump, and you'll probably misjudge where you land, but if that doesn't matter, than it's not a problem. With a skill roll, you can adjust the strength to match your native strength, so it disappears in free fall.

I don't think your skill or lack of skill with exo-suit is going to be a problem.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

What ST is the result of wearing the exo suit?

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Up to 14. It's adjustable, so you can get your normal strength in higher gravity, if that's what you want. I'm going to do the IC post in a bit. (I've got to cook dinner first, though.)

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Is abseiling a technique of climbing? I'm assuming that it counts as rope-down (with equipment), giving us Climbing rolls at -1. Is that right?

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

I'd think it's part of the basic skill. You'll be using a motorized harness, which gives a +4 to skill. It's also got a "descend to ground" button, which uses the built in radar to find the ground, and slow down before you hit it.

Here's a rundown on the gear you've got:

The exo-suit is made of sheer-thickening fabric, which provides DR 15/4 (DR works the same way as nano-weave, full for PI and Cutting, less for other types). It's basically a Stealth Exoskelton, a skin suit, and some armor rolled into one package. It's got two small air tanks included. Also included are the sort of electronics you'd expect from me -- diagnostic computer, radio booster, a millimeter radar set, biometric monitoring, and the like. It'll seamlessly interface to a computer implant. The whole shebang is 20 lbs.

The climbing harness weighs three pounds. It's got a motorized winch, which is capable of pulling a ton at about 10 feet per second. Three 100 meter spools of super-strong and very thin rope are included. Each has a magnet at one end, which can be released remotely. There's also some shorter bits of ropes, carabiners, and the like. It gives a +4 to skill where it makes sense.

You're also give a set of tools. 4 lbs. This is a bunch of standard mechanical hand tools. The most likely to be used part of this is an electric wrench. It's used to open doors.

Pressure doors have a fairly simple mechanical failsafe. A rod is exposed to the ambient pressure on both sides. If the difference is greater than about 0.1 bar, it slides to the low pressure side. This physically blocks the door from sliding open. To open a door, you need to retract the rod (and pin it in place), using a wrench. (If you're familiar with the spring brakes used on air brake systems, the idea is the same) The door can then be opened normally, if it's got power. If it doesn't, the wrench can be used on the door, to open it by cranking it. Every door is supposed to have a tool for this behind an access panel, on both sides. Using the manual wrench, this takes about a minute; the electric one cuts it to about 15 seconds.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Oh, okay, thanks. That should make the climb pretty easy for Xerxes (knock on wood :) )

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

I don't think Julia had a shotgun. Her skill will be defaulting from pistol, so it'd be 9 (pistol's 11). I'd be fine with saying she grabbed a shotgun, though, if that works better for some reason.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

The pistol is probably the better weapon against armored targets.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Then that's definitely what she's using.

It can be safely assumed that Julia will continue to follow orders even if I don't post saying so.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Xerxes will be trying to see if these are indeed dead bodies (first aid to check for signs of life, unless it's obvious that they're dead) and try to identify who they are and how many of them there are.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

A couple hours in hard vacuum is pretty good way to kill someone.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

I edited my last IC post as I realised the legs are still in the way.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Dscheidt, I'm assuming that the next post will be another IC post from you letting us know whether the pressurisation worked.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Yes. I'm writing it right now. I'm trying to figure out how much I can push the pace.

Do people think things are dragging along?

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

The pace is fine by me.

about the elevators
 

You're in elevator tube three. There are four identical tubes, running through the passenger space of the ship. When the ship is under power, they've got elevator cars in them, which work more or less like you expect elevators to work. In free-fall, the cars (there's more than one per tube, as they serve different areas.) are moved to one end of the tube, and access doors to the tubes are opened. They then work as rather cramped hallways. Two are designated for traffic forward, two for traffic aft.

The cars themselves run on a concealed gear rack, so there are no exposed cables or hydraulics.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Since it's pressurized now, would we do better to stop using our air portable air supply? How much does that have, anyway?

Also, what's the DR of the helmets?

==

I'm once again going out of town for the weekend, and so odds are I won't be able to post again 'til Sunday night. Sorry.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

I agree.

That's a pity. On the other hand that means I will have more time to read though my shiny new GURPS Dragons. :)

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

I'll hold off on advancing the plot until Sunday, then.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Fleckenzwerg, has Xerxes seen any of your little robots? If so he could suggest that have send one up to set off any traps on the elevator car.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

I'm afraid you've got something mixed up, t@nya. Lonewulf's character Andrew is the one with the robots.

That reminds me of something. We didn't play out a lot of smalltalk before the ship was hijacked. Nevertheless our characters will have talked to each other (during dinner, at the bar, while using the exercise machines). So maybe we should all post what the characters would have told of semselves in a sentence or two.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

I'm sorry. :( It's been so long since Lonewulf's character has been active I forgot about him whilst remembering the robots.

As for the sentence idea, it's a good one.

Pierre knows that Xerxes is from a planet called Luoso and that he's on leave from its army. Other than that Xerxes has been a bit close-mouthed and Pierre would've gotten the impression that he's a loner who doesn't feel comfortable with small talk. He appeared to avoid the subject of his family.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Julia's on a diplomatic mission from some small planet that you've probably not heard of if you don't take a professional interest in microrobotics. She's working out some sort of trade agreement. She's not totally closed about her past, but doesn't usually offer up much detail without prompting. You may know by now that she fled a huge civil war that you may have heard of if you have much knowledge of politics in the (very broad) region -- but since it would have been before the hijacking that she mentioned it, you could have looked up the places and events mentioned.

===

I'm away from my character sheet, but I've got traps at default of 9 or better. I don't remember what Lockpicking and Electronics (Security) are at, but if Traps defaults to one of them that might be the way to go. Maybe a Spacer Per roll to see if everything's in order?

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

You've got two small air tanks. They're good for six hours a piece, assuming normal activity. They'll last longer if you're sitting still, less if you decide that you need to run a marathon.

18, 12 for the visor.

friction matting
 

Friction matting, which is what the floors -- and many walls and ceilings, anywhere you might want to walk in free fall -- are covered in, is a sort of short pile carpet, made up with a bunch of features that make it the ideal covering for spaceship interiors. It's got a slight electrostatic charge, which causes it to attract dust, dirt, lint, hair, and liquid droplets that get free in free fall. It's super wicking, capable of absorbing (and directing towards recycling, there's going to be some IC about this...) fluids. As the name suggests, it's also a high friction surface. With a suitable mating fabric (like used on ship board shoes), it's as sticky as good Velcro.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

How many people can fit in an elevator, and how much room would 6 or 8 people have to get out of the way of shotgun blasts? For the pirates (if it was them) would it have been like shooting fish in a barrel?

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

The elevator shaft is 2 meters by 2. The car fits inside that, so it's about 1.8 by 1.8 (by 2.5 tall). Eight people is the limits of comfort, about, but you can jam many more inside if you don't care about personal space.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

There were about a thousand people in the section that was forcibly depressurized. If they hadn't been evacuated, and the whole section was depressurized, they're all dead, except anyone who had a pressure suit very handy.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

I edited my last IC post to suit. Also, do you know where Fleckenzwerg is? He hasn't visited the forums for four days and I was hoping that he was okay.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

Haven't heard from him. (or lonewolf, for that mater.)

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

I think Lonewolf has been sick with bronchitis or similar illness. He posted something to that effect in the pbp he's been running.

Re: [OOC] The Catacombs, hard SF
 

That would explain things.