Mark A. Siefert
Mongoose
What sort of technology and/or items would people like to see in a Transhuman supplement?
Transhuman Traveller
- Thread starter HorusZA
- Start date
Travellingdave
Banded Mongoose
Agreed. I'd mainly look for rules for Human augmentation/alteration (either genetic, biomechanical, or purley robotic/cybernetic -- enhanced longevity will probably be part of that), A.I.s (whether web-bound or in robotic bodies, maybe even as PCs?), and advanced information tech (like internal V.R.s and immersive datawebs, perhaps even linked hive-minds). That's all I can think of at the moment, but I'm certain there's more. Some discussion of the social and cultural implications of this tech would also be helpful.Jame Rowe said:EDG said:Infojunky said:
All of it?
Rules for bioenhancement, mechanic enhancement, robot bodies of all sized including ships ... yeah, all of it. Just be clear on the different types of transhumanism.
A good read of the human cultures in Alastair Reynolds' Revelation Space or Bruce Sterling's Schismatrix series would provide MANY ideas.
An interesting adjunct to these would be including more space travel technology that does not involve gravity manipulation (or perhaps even jump drives), since many of the transhumanist futures tend toward hard sci-fi.
Mark A. Siefert
Mongoose
OK, I've composed a short list of concepts for a Transhuman Traveller:
Computers, Robots Cybernetics:
AI Characters (Creation, Integrating with computer/robot body/biological body)
Netrunning
Virtual and Augmented Reality
Personality Backups/Uploads
Cyberbrains
New Cyberbetic Upgrades
Robot Shells
Full Cyborg Bodies (i.e. robot bodies with biological brains)
Nanotechnology:
Cell Repair Machines
Enhanced Immunity
Smart Matter
Nanofabrication
NanoSwarms (Offensive, Defensive, Repair, Utility Fog)
Biological:
Replacement Clones
Rejuvenation Treatments
Gender Change
Appearance Change
Pantropic Modifications
Bioshells (i.e. biological bodies for AIs).
Any other suggestions or ideas?
Computers, Robots Cybernetics:
AI Characters (Creation, Integrating with computer/robot body/biological body)
Netrunning
Virtual and Augmented Reality
Personality Backups/Uploads
Cyberbrains
New Cyberbetic Upgrades
Robot Shells
Full Cyborg Bodies (i.e. robot bodies with biological brains)
Nanotechnology:
Cell Repair Machines
Enhanced Immunity
Smart Matter
Nanofabrication
NanoSwarms (Offensive, Defensive, Repair, Utility Fog)
Biological:
Replacement Clones
Rejuvenation Treatments
Gender Change
Appearance Change
Pantropic Modifications
Bioshells (i.e. biological bodies for AIs).
Any other suggestions or ideas?
"Xoxes"? That's what TS calls them anyway - when a digital intelligence makes a copy of itself that is then run as an individual entity.
I guess the "Ghosts" from TS count as "Personality uploads"?
Also, the social impact of all of this tech needs to be examined. How would various religions react? What does this do to the availability of information? Can you just buy AIs? Is that viewed as slavery? Do AIs have rights? Or Bioroids?
Transhumanism isn't just about the technology itself, it's about how that technology changes humanity too.
I guess the "Ghosts" from TS count as "Personality uploads"?
Also, the social impact of all of this tech needs to be examined. How would various religions react? What does this do to the availability of information? Can you just buy AIs? Is that viewed as slavery? Do AIs have rights? Or Bioroids?
Transhumanism isn't just about the technology itself, it's about how that technology changes humanity too.
Mark A. Siefert
Mongoose
EDG said:
I'm not entirely sure I like the notion of using a RPG to preach morality, even hypothetical morality. I say give the players and GMs the tools and let them mull over the ethical questions as they game.
FreeTrav
Cosmic Mongoose
Mark A. Siefert said:
I can both agree and disagree with this; it depends on what you mean by "using a RPG to preach morality".
I agree that the game author should not write the game such that conforming to his preferred morality confers advantage within the context of the game. Rather, the game should merely set the scene and situation to be explored and allow the players and referee to come to their own conclusions about morality. A game set in the Star Trek universe should allow equally for playing in either "our" universe or the mirror universe.
I disagree that a RPG should not be used as a tool in a context where morality is being taught outside the game. The game can be used to set up the scenario, which is then explored in all of its various forms, and the scenario, the actions taken, and the ramifications are examined in a post-mortem, and conclusions drawn from that post-mortem along with other teachings. Using the game this way makes the decisions and the ramifications of potentially higher personal impact for the players than mere classroom discussion might.
(N.B. 'Morality' is not limited to religious contexts, either - the arguments apply equally well to ethics-outside-of-theology, and perhaps even to politics and public administration decisions, if the game allows for play at such level.)
Mark A. Siefert said:
Who said anything about preaching morality? I'm just saying that a big part of Transhumanism is that it explores how humanity is changed by technology. If you just throw TS tech at people without mentioning the posisbilities of how it could change societies, then you're missing a huge part of the genre.
It's really easy to make tech lists and stats for it all - it's more challenging (and interesting) to give GMs ideas for how they can use that tech in their games. Ask the ethical questions, give a range of possible answers, and then let the GMs decide... but ask the questions, regardless.
