Biological Starships

[Tom Kalbfus]

Suppose starships could be grown instead of built. Lets say a civilization with advanced bio-sciences decides it wants to genetically engineer a starship, all the parts of it are organically grown including the Computer/Brain, Jump Drive, Maneuver drive, power plant, staterooms and also some hard points, and weapons. Suppose there were organic counterparts for each standard starship, with each one being seperate species. What issues do you think the GM would have to deal with before integrating these things into his campaign?

 

[wbnc]

Suppose starships could be grown instead of built. Lets say a civilization with advanced bio-sciences decides it wants to genetically engineer a starship, all the parts of it are organically grown including the Computer/Brain, Jump Drive, Maneuver drive, power plant, staterooms and also some hard points, and weapons. Suppose there were organic counterparts for each standard starship, with each one being seperate species. What issues do you think the GM would have to deal with before integrating these things into his campaign?

In practice..very little. I've used bio-ships in a couple of games. Besides the obvious fact that a bio-ship cant easily swap parts with a normal ship, and specialized shipyards would be needed to repair, and "bild" bios-hips there weren't any real problems.

t make things a bit more balanced I made them resistant to EMP, effects, and had them a good bit more vulnerable to anything that used radiation. Ten there was the issue of Psionics....that was the tricky part, deciding which Psionc abilities would actually work on a bio-ship.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

I agree, nothing says you can't use HG to design them.

I would suggest giving them a Healing Rate that could heal Hull damage and minor system's damage.

The "Repair Drones" and the Auto-Repair software would actually be the living creatures that would do the repairs (repair bugs or dogs or whatever).

 

[Condottiere]

Sort of three dee printing, if the shape isn't embedded in the DNA, a framework of nanobots could provide initial support and direction.

The first advantage you'd think of would be self repairing; possibly also evolving and growing bigger.

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

Suppose starships could be grown instead of built. Lets say a civilization with advanced bio-sciences decides it wants to genetically engineer a starship, all the parts of it are organically grown including the Computer/Brain, Jump Drive, Maneuver drive, power plant, staterooms and also some hard points, and weapons. Suppose there were organic counterparts for each standard starship, with each one being seperate species. What issues do you think the GM would have to deal with before integrating these things into his campaign?

In practice..very little. I've used bio-ships in a couple of games. Besides the obvious fact that a bio-ship cant easily swap parts with a normal ship, and specialized shipyards would be needed to repair, and "bild" bios-hips there weren't any real problems.

t make things a bit more balanced I made them resistant to EMP, effects, and had them a good bit more vulnerable to anything that used radiation. Ten there was the issue of Psionics....that was the tricky part, deciding which Psionc abilities would actually work on a bio-ship.

Lets lay some ground rules:
The bioships aren't self-aware, the are living organisms, but somewhere between a plant and an animal, they have brains, and have built in "software".

Bioships are subordinate to their crew, basically there are controls that tell the bioship where to go and what to do.

Bioships instinctively can jump, where you tell them to jump, much as a person knows how to walk.

Bioships are genetically engineered, they are made up of cells just like animals and plants are, they have DNA and all the cellular mechanisms for division and repair.

Bioships have enough brain mass to emulate a human personality, their baseline was an intelligent creature, so the capability for intelligent thought remains, but as the ship was designed to be useful to those who engineered it, it is subservient, though some ships are self-willed, most that have a personality, have that personality disconnected from the mechanisms that drive and guide the ship, although there are some exceptions.

Bioships can reproduce, and they need to eat, and can be bred with other bioships of the same species, and there are two genders of bioship, male and female. The female bioships can produce baby bioships in their wombs, though they need to receive DNA from a male bioship in order to do this. The baby bioships spend some time in their mothers womb, after they are born they instinctively follow their mothers around, eating and growing until they reach a useful size, where they can be crewed.

How does this sound?

How do you suppose the economics of bioships would work? What do you suppose is the lowest tech level that can use them?
I think the society that uses them needs to have basic knowledge of Astronomy, I think probably a tech level 4 society could use them, so long as they can feed the ships, fuel them, and raise them properly.

 

[wbnc]

Suppose starships could be grown instead of built. Lets say a civilization with advanced bio-sciences decides it wants to genetically engineer a starship, all the parts of it are organically grown including the Computer/Brain, Jump Drive, Maneuver drive, power plant, staterooms and also some hard points, and weapons. Suppose there were organic counterparts for each standard starship, with each one being seperate species. What issues do you think the GM would have to deal with before integrating these things into his campaign?

In practice..very little. I've used bio-ships in a couple of games. Besides the obvious fact that a bio-ship cant easily swap parts with a normal ship, and specialized shipyards would be needed to repair, and "bild" bios-hips there weren't any real problems.

t make things a bit more balanced I made them resistant to EMP, effects, and had them a good bit more vulnerable to anything that used radiation. Ten there was the issue of Psionics....that was the tricky part, deciding which Psionc abilities would actually work on a bio-ship.

Lets lay some ground rules:
The bioships aren't self-aware, the are living organisms, but somewhere between a plant and an animal, they have brains, and have built in "software".

Bioships are subordinate to their crew, basically there are controls that tell the bioship where to go and what to do.

Bioships instinctively can jump, where you tell them to jump, much as a person knows how to walk.

Bioships are genetically engineered, they are made up of cells just like animals and plants are, they have DNA and all the cellular mechanisms for division and repair.

Bioships have enough brain mass to emulate a human personality, their baseline was an intelligent creature, so the capability for intelligent thought remains, but as the ship was designed to be useful to those who engineered it, it is subservient, though some ships are self-willed, most that have a personality, have that personality disconnected from the mechanisms that drive and guide the ship, although there are some exceptions.

Bioships can reproduce, and they need to eat, and can be bred with other bioships of the same species, and there are two genders of bioship, male and female. The female bioships can produce baby bioships in their wombs, though they need to receive DNA from a male bioship in order to do this. The baby bioships spend some time in their mothers womb, after they are born they instinctively follow their mothers around, eating and growing until they reach a useful size, where they can be crewed.

How does this sound?

How do you suppose the economics of bioships would work? What do you suppose is the lowest tech level that can use them?
I think the society that uses them needs to have basic knowledge of Astronomy, I think probably a tech level 4 society could use them, so long as they can feed the ships, fuel them, and raise them properly.

Juvenile bio-ships could be used as small craft, that's how I handled it..as they mature they mutate into larger forms, once they reach a certain age/mass they cocoon themselves and mutate.

in other cases the Bio-ship manufactures it's own drones, and drones...basically simpler forms that do not metamorphose, or grow in size.

I do include sentient ships, with independent personalities...these are rare, and form partnerships rather than being bought and sold.

I would imagine if you were part of a culture that used the Bio-ships you could purchase the standard ones as if they were constructed starships, the cost pays for the materials and nutrients. while the self reprodicing ones you might hadve to negotiate with it's parents for services...or the owner for an immature version ..if the ships aren't sentient.

http://wbyrd.deviantart.com/art/Leviathan-Akula-579037516
http://wbyrd.deviantart.com/art/leviathan-type-Xenoforms-WIP-578950074
http://wbyrd.deviantart.com/art/Kraken-updated-579033716

 

[Tom Kalbfus]

In practice..very little. I've used bio-ships in a couple of games. Besides the obvious fact that a bio-ship cant easily swap parts with a normal ship, and specialized shipyards would be needed to repair, and "bild" bios-hips there weren't any real problems.

t make things a bit more balanced I made them resistant to EMP, effects, and had them a good bit more vulnerable to anything that used radiation. Ten there was the issue of Psionics....that was the tricky part, deciding which Psionc abilities would actually work on a bio-ship.

Lets lay some ground rules:
The bioships aren't self-aware, the are living organisms, but somewhere between a plant and an animal, they have brains, and have built in "software".

Bioships are subordinate to their crew, basically there are controls that tell the bioship where to go and what to do.

Bioships instinctively can jump, where you tell them to jump, much as a person knows how to walk.

Bioships are genetically engineered, they are made up of cells just like animals and plants are, they have DNA and all the cellular mechanisms for division and repair.

Bioships have enough brain mass to emulate a human personality, their baseline was an intelligent creature, so the capability for intelligent thought remains, but as the ship was designed to be useful to those who engineered it, it is subservient, though some ships are self-willed, most that have a personality, have that personality disconnected from the mechanisms that drive and guide the ship, although there are some exceptions.

Bioships can reproduce, and they need to eat, and can be bred with other bioships of the same species, and there are two genders of bioship, male and female. The female bioships can produce baby bioships in their wombs, though they need to receive DNA from a male bioship in order to do this. The baby bioships spend some time in their mothers womb, after they are born they instinctively follow their mothers around, eating and growing until they reach a useful size, where they can be crewed.

How does this sound?

How do you suppose the economics of bioships would work? What do you suppose is the lowest tech level that can use them?
I think the society that uses them needs to have basic knowledge of Astronomy, I think probably a tech level 4 society could use them, so long as they can feed the ships, fuel them, and raise them properly.

Juvenile bio-ships could be used as small craft, that's how I handled it..as they mature they mutate into larger forms, once they reach a certain age/mass they cocoon themselves and mutate.

in other cases the Bio-ship manufactures it's own drones, and drones...basically simpler forms that do not metamorphose, or grow in size.

I do include sentient ships, with independent personalities...these are rare, and form partnerships rather than being bought and sold.

I would imagine if you were part of a culture that used the Bio-ships you could purchase the standard ones as if they were constructed starships, the cost pays for the materials and nutrients. while the self reprodicing ones you might hadve to negotiate with it's parents for services...or the owner for an immature version ..if the ships aren't sentient.

http://wbyrd.deviantart.com/art/Leviathan-Akula-579037516
http://wbyrd.deviantart.com/art/leviathan-type-Xenoforms-WIP-578950074
http://wbyrd.deviantart.com/art/Kraken-updated-579033716

One advantage of bioships is they grow, reproduce, and self-repair or heal.
The people who use them, don't need to maintain a high tech level, they don't even need to know how they work. So long as they know how to care and feed them, the ships can take care of all the rest.

Lets say we had one thousand bioships in our world today, some alien merchant showed up and sold them to a number of nations and corporations, with instructions on the care and feeding thereof. Lets say the innate tech level of the ships is TL 15, they have their own fusion power plants, maneuver drives, and Jump Drives all grown as various organs in their bodies, they also have built in laser cannons and sand casters. There are 1000 of each "species" which are Seeker, Scout/Courier, Far Trader, Subsidized Merchant, Laboratory Ship, Subsidized liner, Yacht, Heavy Freighter, Mercenary Cruiser, Corsair, Launch, Ship's Boat, Pinnace, Shuttle, Modular Cutter, and Light Fighter.
These are the only ships they can have, if they want more ships, they have to breed them with a male and female of the same species.

What do you think would happen if we included these with an otherwise tech level 7 society like we have in our world today?

 

[wbnc]

One advantage of bioships is they grow, reproduce, and self-repair or heal.
The people who use them, don't need to maintain a high tech level, they don't even need to know how they work. So long as they know how to care and feed them, the ships can take care of all the rest.

Lets say we had one thousand bioships in our world today, some alien merchant showed up and sold them to a number of nations and corporations, with instructions on the care and feeding thereof. Lets say the innate tech level of the ships is TL 15, they have their own fusion power plants, maneuver drives, and Jump Drives all grown as various organs in their bodies, they also have built in laser cannons and sand casters. There are 1000 of each "species" which are Seeker, Scout/Courier, Far Trader, Subsidized Merchant, Laboratory Ship, Subsidized liner, Yacht, Heavy Freighter, Mercenary Cruiser, Corsair, Launch, Ship's Boat, Pinnace, Shuttle, Modular Cutter, and Light Fighter.
These are the only ships they can have, if they want more ships, they have to breed them with a male and female of the same species.

What do you think would happen if we included these with an otherwise tech level 7 society like we have in our world today?

It might totally derail scientific research into various other technologies. People would focus more on improving breeds of existing bio-ships, like we do with horses, cattle, dogs, cats, etc. It would also lead to the possibility of bio-ships being tethered as mobile power stations to energize local power grids. and form improvised orbital facilities. a standard 100 ton Bio-ship would be able to perform tasks that no other vessel could. using it in atmosphere as a sky-crane, surveillance platform, or other tasks not originally part of it's intended function.

Selective breeding, could in a few generations(bio-ship generations) produce smaller, or larger bioships from the main breeds along the lines of miniature, pygmy, and tea cup varieties. Eventually they might be altered enough to form bio-craft, vehicles and platforms. Humans being a pragmatic species, using what works over developing new technology to replace functional devices the might very well abandon hard-tech as fast as they could breed replacements.

You might end up buying CarChow ( organically sourced, no fillers....now in Chicken and shrimp flavor)instead of gasoline. farms would replace factories....the down side is we would need huge development of biomass to feed our new tech/pets...fights over "grazing" land might replace wars over mineral, and chemical resources.

Now you have my twisted little mind working on scenarios....

 

[Anonymous]

Essentially this bioship is a space dragon.

 

[wbnc]

Essentially this bioship is a space dragon.

Basically. it supposed to be something alien, unpredictable, and potentially dangerous.

Although potentially Dragons would be another class of bio-engineered critter. Along with hydra a kraken

 

[Condottiere]

 

[wbnc]

that would be a more than scary thing to run into if you were cruising along minding your own business. more organic than mechanical by a long shot.

 

[Anonymous]

If you genetically engineered these bio-ships from scratch you might not want to allow for uncontrolled reproduction. It would make sense to design them as being incapable of it. When I park a car, I don't want to come back and find more cars. I'd only have to waste time scrapping them.

There's also considerations like food waste (how much food the ship needs because it has 'useless' bits to maintain) and weak spots. If you build a super soldier than needs a groin guard (edit: or "cant shoot him/her he/she's too pretty"), your design is probably flawed.

 

[Condottiere]

Crew: emergency rations.

 

[wbnc]

If you genetically engineered these bio-ships from scratch you might not want to allow for uncontrolled reproduction. It would make sense to design them as being incapable of it. When I park a car, I don't want to come back and find more cars. I'd only have to waste time scrapping them.

There's also considerations like food waste (how much food the ship needs because it has 'useless' bits to maintain) and weak spots. If you build a super soldier than needs a groin guard (edit: or "cant shoot him/her he/she's too pretty"), your design is probably flawed.

Seems like a familiar problem...We dealt with it for thousands of years when we used horses.

The process could be controlled in a few ways
Intermittent replication: objects only replicate under specified conditions.or at predetermined times to limit population.
selective Replication: only selected units can reproduce. the rest are incapable of reproduction, or have the process switched off.
centralized replication: only a specific type can reproduce and those are maintained in a controlled, secure location.

And as for the economics of lugging around integrated "construction decks" and various bits of replication hardware. Nature has performed numerous field tests, and log term studies on the issue and has determined that it is a viable method of replacing worn out, damaged, ad outdated units, and also serves as a highly effective means developing continuous upgrades to various models in it's inventory.

Crew: emergency rations.

A good reason t0 make sure the tanks are topped of before you leave port.