Advanced Low Berth?

M

Morgoth99

Banded Mongoose
Okay, Low Berths are generally a "roll the dice and see if you die." They're also fluffed as the cheap way to travel.

But not everyone likes that, so are there any official "advanced" berths? My assumption is that someone would build them, if for no other reason than a noble is more likely to pay money for an "emergency low berth" system on his yacht that isn't going to have a risk of killing him. (or for that matter, the Imperial navy probably doesn't want to lose the super experienced engineer who is doing his time in the frozen watch.).
 
Morgoth99 said:
But not everyone likes that, so are there any official "advanced" berths?
Click to expand...

Core, p158:
There is real danger to the passenger, as a Routine (6+) Medic check (1D x 10 minutes, INT) is required upon opening the capsule, applying the passenger’s END DM to the check.

A further DM+1 is applied if the ship is TL12 or higher, while non-humans suffer DM-2. An emergency low berth inflicts DM-1 on this check.

If the check failed, the passenger does not survive.
Click to expand...

TL-12+ would be the "advanced" version?

You're not going to fail a 6+ check all that often with a decent medic that takes it carefully, and perhaps an assistant or some computer support.
A non-human in an Emergency Low Berth might have a real problem...
 
The simplest upgrade is a better medic presence on revival.

As the check is an INT based check then you can use expert packages to boost or substitute Medic skill. To give a skilled medic +1 would be very cheap (if the CSC rules are used) a specialised wristwatch sized computer would cost around Cr300 including the level 1 expert package. If you don't have a crewman with Medic skill (you naughty cheapskate scamp) the package will be more expensive, but still less than the cost of a single low berth. This is a one off cost, you can transfer it among crew and there is no ongoing maintenance cost.

The Robot Handbook has an advanced low berth for KCr90 which operates as Medic 2 which would mean all but the most feeble passengers would have little chance of failing to make it out. At TL12+ revival checks gain an extra +1 for no extra cost. Low berth capability can be added to any of the Auto-Docs for KCr20. The difference is that you need to pay this for every berth and as that is a ship cost it also has an ongoing maintenance burden.

You don't need all your berths to be so advanced, maybe only a proportion of them for which passengers might pay a small premium (passengers with high endurance may not need them, low endurance non-humans probably do).

The alternative droid option is a specialist medical droid. If highly customised you could get the cost down to under the addition cost of a single advanced low berth. A droid does not consume life support, can be stored in a cupboard and requires little maintenance. You can get away with one per 120 passengers so the cost per passenger is low compared to upgrading the berths.

For KCr120 you can have a basic auto-doc that has Medic 3 with a low berth built in. This will auto-revive with a total +4 to the Medic check. Passengers with no negative endurance modifier can be revived with no chance of failure. The most feeble passenger with END 1 (-2 on the check) will only fail the roll 1 in 12 times and even this small chance can be eliminated by taking extra time reviving those passengers. Your monthly maintenance will be higher, but guaranteed survival will make you a popular captain (I'd give a ship equipped with this sort of low berth a bonus for finding low passengers).
 
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The low berth death chance is directly ripped off from Dumarest, and made sense in those novels as they were explained as being designed for livestock not humans.
Third Imperium low berths should have been designed for the sophont it is to be used with.

Stick a human in a vargr low berth and there are unlikely to be many issues considering the shared genetic herritage, but an Aslan low berth for humans is likely to cause issues. I say issues, these should be solvable by a software patch and possibly different drug cartridges.
 
It depends on how actually deep freezing works, and optimal ways for each species.


17131982_0.jpg
 
Honestly, if the advanced low berth is as safe as advertised, I could see half the crew fighting for a slot. One week of staring at the same four walls and eating rehydrated noodles vs. blissful unconsciousness? No contest.

Just rotate one poor soul to stay awake, play space nanny, and check up on the cleaning bots. Cheaper on food and water, and no one has to listen to Gavin’s harmonica rendition of Wonderwall for the sixth straight jump.

Yes, yes, “but what about training?” I hear you say. “We could be increasing our skills!” Sure. That’s fun for a while. Maybe the first time. Maybe the second. But after six jumps of trying to master Persuade with a sour-faced instructor hologram or meditating to boost Recon in the broom closet, you start eyeing that low berth like it’s a vacation. One week of blissful nothingness sounds a lot better than another lecture on the difference between a mole and a tracked vehicle. Wake me when we hit port or if we’re under attack, I guess.
 
AnotherDilbert said:
Agreed, there should be a significant downside to low berths, otherwise they would be the norm, especially for passengers.
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The downside is that you lose agency as you are wholly reliant on someone else to wake you up.

The type of ships that run a Cr700 low berth might be the ships that decide to take 100% profit and just space you or sell you to slavers.

Even on a legit ship you are especially vulnerable if the ship suffers a malfunction. Awake passengers can get into a lifeboat, low berth passengers could not be revived in time, even if the ship had enough space in any lifeboats or pods for them (think Titanic, you are cargo class). In the event of pirate attack you are neither useful in defending the ship against boarders nor able to influence what the pirates do to you if they win. In the event of a power issue, you could all have an unplanned revival or just die there.

These are not regular experiences to make it a per trip dice roll, but they would only need to happen for a fraction of passengers to put some people off. How many people avoid flying where possible despite the proportionally low incidence of air accidents. I avoid ocean travel as I am terrified of depths (who knows what is lurking down there - I blame Lovecraft!)

Regular passengers can have their life support adjusted incrementally during travel to match their destination world. In low you could go from high oxygen, low gravity tropics to, low oxygen, high gravity semi-frozen within the blink of an eye as far as you are concerned. Even if the assumption is that the low berth alters what it is feeding you, the psychologic shift cannot be managed incrementally.

Actually just bunkering up for a week can be very relaxing - more so than a vacation. Not everyone likes it, but for some that week in a cabin with only your own company, good food, a good book and maybe a project that you have been putting off could be blissful.

Just because you don't die it doesn't mean it is a pleasant experience either. Most people survive general anaesthetic but I wouldn't choose it to avoid the boredom on a long haul flight. Falling asleep during air travel is disconcerting enough for me when I wake. It is not a vacation it is sleeping for a week. Regular travellers will doubtless suffer side effects like muscle atrophy, possible mental health issues.

To sleep—perchance to dream. Aye there's the rub. For in that sleep of low berth what dreams may come :)
 
swordtart said:
The downside is that you lose agency as you are wholly reliant on someone else to wake you up.

The type of ships that run a Cr700 low berth might be the ships that decide to take 100% profit and just space you or sell you to slavers.

Even on a legit ship you are especially vulnerable if the ship suffers a malfunction. Awake passengers can get into a lifeboat, low berth passengers could not be revived in time, even if the ship had enough space in any lifeboats or pods for them (think Titanic, you are cargo class). In the event of pirate attack you are neither useful in defending the ship against boarders nor able to influence what the pirates do to you if they win. In the event of a power issue, you could all have an unplanned revival or just die there.

These are not regular experiences to make it a per trip dice roll, but they would only need to happen for a fraction of passengers to put some people off. How many people avoid flying where possible despite the proportionally low incidence of air accidents. I avoid ocean travel as I am terrified of depths (who knows what is lurking down there - I blame Lovecraft!)

Regular passengers can have their life support adjusted incrementally during travel to match their destination world. In low you could go from high oxygen, low gravity tropics to, low oxygen, high gravity semi-frozen within the blink of an eye as far as you are concerned. Even if the assumption is that the low berth alters what it is feeding you, the psychologic shift cannot be managed incrementally.

Actually just bunkering up for a week can be very relaxing - more so than a vacation. Not everyone likes it, but for some that week in a cabin with only your own company, good food, a good book and maybe a project that you have been putting off could be blissful.

Just because you don't die it doesn't mean it is a pleasant experience either. Most people survive general anaesthetic but I wouldn't choose it to avoid the boredom on a long haul flight. Falling asleep during air travel is disconcerting enough for me when I wake. It is not a vacation it is sleeping for a week. Regular travellers will doubtless suffer side effects like muscle atrophy, possible mental health issues.

To sleep—perchance to dream. Aye there's the rub. For in that sleep of low berth what dreams may come :)
Click to expand...
Well written!
 
It also occurs to me that if it was known that you had arrived in system travelling low, it might prejudice certain patrons. You would logically be more likely to get offers for low paid jobs where there was greater risk of harm that high paid jobs, since that is clearly the way you roll. High SOC patrons may consider you beneath their consideration or at best rude mechanicals.

You are also more likely to be a subject of interest for the local police and you might even be classed as a vagrant.
 
Morgoth99 said:
Okay, Low Berths are generally a "roll the dice and see if you die." They're also fluffed as the cheap way to travel.

But not everyone likes that, so are there any official "advanced" berths? My assumption is that someone would build them, if for no other reason than a noble is more likely to pay money for an "emergency low berth" system on his yacht that isn't going to have a risk of killing him. (or for that matter, the Imperial navy probably doesn't want to lose the super experienced engineer who is doing his time in the frozen watch.).
Click to expand...

As the Referee you are free to add TL 13, 14 and 15 Low births.

For example::

Glisten Cryogenics presents the Low Berth Deluxe. Why trust your passengers to designs of the Zira Sirka? How much nicer it is to have a happy customer walk out of your ship, than loading them into a body bag. Think of the paperwork saved! In addition, this unit has an auto-revival system, so no need to employ an expensive medic!

This new design incorporates the following features:

* Human, Vargr and Aslan compatibility as standard
* Emergency Cryoberth facility
* Integrated Revival System. A specialist autodoc using the latest AI systems will actively control the revival. If a problem is encountered the process can be reversed with the Cryoberth facility - allowing the passenger to be transferred safely to a more capable medical unit.
* 240 hour backup power

Options:

* Upgrades for other sophants can be accommodated - please inquire about with specifics.

Rules:

  • This TL15 Low Birth system. Scans the passenger and configures it's suspension protocols to match. No penalty to non-human passengers.
  • It the passenger's END is 2 or less it will warn against proceeding - the passenger will need to override this warning
  • Revival System. A specialist autodoc (Medic 3) conducts the revival. Unless instructed, it will take it's time, granting a +2 DM on the Medic check.
    • Medic Check:
      • Medic +3
      • TL12+ Capsule +1
      • Taking time (1D Hours): +2
      • Passenger's END DM: ?
      • Target: 6+
Unless the passanger has a END DM of -3, the test cannot possibly be <6. On a failure the Cryoberth feature is activated.
 
swordtart said:
... I avoid ocean travel as I am terrified of depths (who knows what is lurking down there - I blame Lovecraft!)...
Click to expand...
I avoid ocean travel due to the frequency of ship-wide outbreaks on cruise ships. Being in a port state, I hear about them ALL the time, even without listening to network television.
Plus years on the Eisenhower. That is enough to kill the cruise-travel bug all by itself.
 
Fresnel said:
As the Referee you are free to add TL 13, 14 and 15 Low births.

For example::

Glisten Cryogenics presents the Low Berth Deluxe. Why trust your passengers to designs of the Zira Sirka? How much nicer it is to have a happy customer walk out of your ship, than loading them into a body bag. Think of the paperwork saved! In addition, this unit has an auto-revival system, so no need to employ an expensive medic!

This new design incorporates the following features:

* Human, Vargr and Aslan compatibility as standard
* Emergency Cryoberth facility
* Integrated Revival System. A specialist autodoc using the latest AI systems will actively control the revival. If a problem is encountered the process can be reversed with the Cryoberth facility - allowing the passenger to be transferred safely to a more capable medical unit.
* 240 hour backup power

Options:

* Upgrades for other sophants can be accommodated - please inquire about with specifics.

Rules:

  • This TL15 Low Birth system. Scans the passenger and configures it's suspension protocols to match. No penalty to non-human passengers.
  • It the passenger's END is 2 or less it will warn against proceeding - the passenger will need to override this warning
  • Revival System. A specialist autodoc (Medic 3) conducts the revival. Unless instructed, it will take it's time, granting a +2 DM on the Medic check.
    • Medic Check:
      • Medic +3
      • TL12+ Capsule +1
      • Taking time (1D Hours): +2
      • Passenger's END DM: ?
      • Target: 6+
Unless the passanger has a END DM of -3, the test cannot possibly be <6. On a failure the Cryoberth feature is activated.
Click to expand...
I assume you built this with the Robots Handbook. Please share the specifics and cost for us interested customers.
 
Terry Mixon said:
I assume you built this with the Robots Handbook. Please share the specifics and cost for us interested customers.
Click to expand...

Well... Actually no. But I have now!

1742660540805.png
In my game I would add +50k to the standard 50k systems, so 100kCr.

However, the Robot Handbook has something very similar on p181. This is only Medic 2 and costs 90kCr.
 
Actually, yes it does. First, a low berth is size 7. That gives it room for the 50 slots of medical chamber for a human. It would need to be bigger to fit an Aslan, as that would take 100 slots and not fit in the standard housing. Here is the sheet with the Advanced Low Berth from the book without the cool add ons.

1742844378483.png1742844396801.png

I had to give it a discount rate of 20% to match the book price, but its otherwise on target. If I start modding it to add the ability to handle other races, that will bump the price as well. I'll do that now, because I want to see what it would cost. I won't add Aslan in as that would take it out of the size range for a normal low berth.
 
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Bumping it up to TL 15, adding efficiency to get more run time, adding Vargr to the mix, bumping the brain to get Medic 2 with a DM of +3, and bumping the medikit to allow up to Medic 3, I get this. Only KCr30 more. A bargain at the price and in line with what you wanted to charge.

If you wanted to bump Medic up to 3 with an effective DM of +4, the cost goes from KCr120 to KCr260.

1742844698451.png1742844717162.png
 
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