Non-lethal force vs cybershell suspect

[lwcamp]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

I really don't understand why GURPS is so averse to optical computers. Aren't we moving towards that kind of future?

We are making significant strides towards optical computation, with recent discoveries of optical diodes and plenty of development in plasmonics (exploiting surface plasmons, a kind of hybrid electronic-optical particle). It is anyone's guess how this will compare to graphene-based semiconductor computation (either electronic or spintronic or both), or to quantum computation, or to more exotic methods. Optical computing probably will be used - communication these days is mostly optical so for routing these signals optical computation would be helpful - but when you need to go to heavy duty computation you might transition to something else.

Luke

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

I really don't understand why GURPS is so averse to optical computers. Aren't we moving towards that kind of future?

Not really, no, and it's not obvious that they'd be immune to EMP anyway.

[wellspring]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Not really, no, and it's not obvious that they'd be immune to EMP anyway.

As a practical matter, the THS setting is quite clear on such matters. Page 65-66 describes computing technology in detail. And, on page 141: "Being optical, all computers are immune to electromagnetic pulse."

Hard to be more clear than that. I know Changing Times tries to walk that back, but I don't see the point. It is what it is.

(Anthony's point is well-taken; however, since we're discussing stuff that works in-setting, a review of the canon is in order.)

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by jacobmuller

10mm ETK .

Does ETK exist in Transhuman Space?

[Anthony]

Realistically, putting bullets through a cybershell is probably non-lethal force, as long as you don't aim for the brain (the brain will either have a UPS or be designed to handle a power outage relatively gracefully, and doesn't bleed or anything, so disabling the shell won't prevent pulling out the brain and rebooting it or just plugging it in somewhere else), and electroshock weapons have a fair chance of being lethal force. I don't believe this is reflected in game statistics, however.

[jacobmuller]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Does ETK exist in Transhuman Space?

considering I didn't notice that stingray don't, no, they probably don't - another item for me to check.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by jacobmuller

considering I didn't notice that stingray don't, no, they probably don't - another item for me to check.

Isn't ETK a designers note cutting room floor kind of item and specifically one that easily produces uber-weapons? Or am I thinking of something else?

[jacobmuller]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Isn't ETK a designers note cutting room floor kind of item and specifically one that easily produces uber-weapons? Or am I thinking of something else?

Nope, you're thinking right. I've seen a complaint+suggestion somewhere that ETC should be a 25% boost and ETK the 50% boost to make it more inline with other weapons.

THS uses ETC. For that matter, even Traveller doesn't use ETK! I'll have to go hunting for that ETK critique - maybe it's just a space opera fantasy weapon.

Time to bin all my designs/ understandings and start again, again. Keep encountering similar problems with the spaceships side of things.