Enterprise, Inc.

[Doctor Agenda]

I need some help for a present-day 'super-powers just appeared' setting. I'm not in the wrong forum, I'm just thinking of the technical progress that could be made in a setting where nearly 10% of the world's population gained paranormal gifts (around 90% of those very low-powered in terms of points, like +0-25 in base points and +0-25 in disads). Changes generally reflect the subject's desires and personality. The setting includes power objects created by the event and paratechnology that some paranormals can create which can somehow cheat the laws of physics. Left over from the empowering event are fulgarite-like glassine objects that contain the same transformative power as the event (effectively containing character points) which can be used to grant powers or allow normals to build or repair paratechnology. Sort of in-between lie paranormals whose powers allow them to alter substances and materials in ways not easily duplicated by current technology...they can help make technology that is theoretically possible if only we had 'X', but the tech requires the equivalent of highly skilled handcrafting.

 

Naturally, I expect both legitimate technological breakthroughs (by random roll, Paul Moller of Moller Skycar fame, is a paranormal), and theoretically impossible and non-reproducible paratech devices (reactionless drives, gravity rods, that sort of thing). The event occurred Oct 12, 2007, and I think it is time the fruits of a small percentage scientists getting +10 to their Int and engineers getting +5 to all Engineering-related skills started appearing.

 

Making the skycar practical and pushing the development of Valkyrie-type interstellar vehicles decades ahead are two things I'm considering. A related feature of the setting is space-worthy paranormals can deliver payloads, salvage debris, etc. I've basically stolen Titan from Gestalt Hero to be North America's most powerful paranormal (one in a billion).

 

Any suggestions for cool stuff that geniuses and savants could have close to market after 7-8 months in the category of legitimate breakthroughs?

[Doctor Agenda]

Re: Enterprise, Inc.

 

Enterprise Group, Inc.: This space-oriented research corporation started out as a Discussion Board inspired by the appearance of Alts (paranormals). Reasoning that Alts could accelerate the time table of humanity's reach for the stars, some computer-savvy Star Trek fans created a board with sub-forums for Engineering, Personnel, Colonization, and Financing. With the aid of Titan, the International Space Station has been completed with some extra bells and whistles. The technical expertise they've attracted for designing better spacecraft and the business know-how brought up on the Financing sub-forum has given some of the participants the confidence to incorporate a new aerospace business with a business model of employing Alts to help with all phases of their business, with putting up satellites being their current main source of income. The dream is to build an FTL starship, the reality is the theoretical foundation may be out of reach in our lifetimes even with Alt geniuses working on the problem. They will probably wind up using inexplicably functioning paratech with potential repair issues, but they want it bad enough to take the risk. They are rumored to have discovered a crystalline power source that will allow a 'warp engine' to function. They are designing something like a Star Trek 'Runabout' to deliver payloads, explore the solar system and nearby Stars, and start a Mars Colony. They are searching for Alts with abilities and skills that will be useful in space, like life support or radiation control. The Board is still active and full of suggestions for missions for Titan and other space-capable Alts.

[csyphrett]

Re: Enterprise, Inc.

 

Mechanical cures for diseases would probably be allowable. Some treatments for cancer involve firing a beam of radiation into the tumor to kill it before it can spread. Improvements on equipment could result in a hand held device that irradiate the body with pinpoint accuracy.

 

Tim had an article on tricorders that had just been invented that use a cell phone for imaging. Imagine a cell phone that could do that without having to dial out.

 

Same for lasik eye surgery.

 

Weapons of every kind would be improved.

 

Robotics would be improved to match something like Patlabor where giant suits are used in place of cranes. They could be used for cars, airships, etc.

 

Toxic waste could be recycled into something useful. I am sure that bunch of guys could use it for things like rocket fuel.

 

Those are the first few ideas off the top of my head.

CES

[tkdguy]

Re: Enterprise, Inc.

 

Here's an old thread I started with some new technology being developed. Perhaps you'll find something you can use for your game.

[Doctor Agenda]

Re: Enterprise, Inc.

 

You guys rock, thanks lots!

[csyphrett]

Re: Enterprise, Inc.

 

Also you can have ships that can reach solar system space if you have two things. One is a genuis that can design spacecraft. The other is a transformer that can take those designs and build them.

 

Robotic factories, teams of paranormals, so forth can fill the second slot.

 

But I expect that eventually at least you could launch missions as far as Neptune within a year.

CES

[Doctor Agenda]

Re: Enterprise, Inc.

 

That's an excellent point. There's no way of knowing whether the 'hyperdrive' or 'anti-gravity' will pan out because they're theoretical, but MATERIALS that don't violate the laws of physics but are beyond our capacity to manufacture with current technology could be designed and Alts with appropriate transformation powers could make them real. There are both geniuses who can design spacecraft and Alts who can perform otherwise-impossible feats of manufacturing. Such spacecraft would be intermediate between paratechnology (paranormal technology that can't be understood or reproduced by current science) and regular technology...it can be understood, but not reproduced. Cutting current space travel times in half would make things like a manned Mars expedition practical.

[csyphrett]

Re: Enterprise, Inc.

 

Once you get a ship, you can get colonies just that easy. Special teams would be able to construct walls with the same new tech or powers.

 

I think Cowboy Bebop had the Martian cities terraformed with a curtain to hold in air and livable conditions from the rest of the planet.

 

CES

[Doctor Agenda]

Re: Enterprise, Inc.

 

Could start with Alts that are pre-adapted...for Mars you'd want folks who don't breathe and can handle low pressure, low temperatures, high radiation, and abrasive dust. They could build the domes or curtains to provide a livable environment. It would probably be a very small starter colony: out of those who meet those standards, few would be willing to go. Mars ain't no place to raise a kid.

[csyphrett]

Re: Enterprise, Inc.

 

That's up to you and the speed of your campaign. Depending on what you get as powers, there's no reason why a group of Alts could not start a colony and turn it into a thriving city within a few years.

 

One, maybe two heroes like Firestorm could create domes for living space in a few seconds out of the Martian landscape.

 

A lot depends on what you got, and how to use it.

CES

[Doctor Agenda]

Re: Enterprise, Inc.

 

I AM using Titan from Gestalt Hero with just a little revision. He could certainly carry all the materials for a habitat to Mars and Alt colonists should be able to make up for any technological short-comings. Most of the colonists would not need to Mars adaptations and could be selected for other useful gifts. The Alts who can survive unaided can focus on exploration and other excursion tasks. Thanks for the perspective, Csyphrett!

[csyphrett]

Re: Enterprise, Inc.

 

No problem. It just seemed easy from my POV but I have never had players decide to set up bases on another planet so I have never had to think about it except in comic book terms.

CES

[Doctor Agenda]

Re: Enterprise, Inc.

 

I have a PC whose motto is 'We've gotta get off this rock!' but he doesn't play well with others. I'm hoping to engage him more cooperatively with Enterprise, Inc. He's spaceworthy and can make the flight to Mars quickly (FTL) but is limited in the amount of payload he can carry and hates to do commercial work for free. He's wrangled ownership of 10% of Enterprise, Inc. based on his exploration and payload delivery services (also picks up some of Titan's slack for NASA). He wanted a provision where no one else could own more than 10% of the company, but I felt they wouldn't reasonably go for that...they DO have a paratechnologist who is helping them build the equivalent of a Danube-class Runabout from Deep Space 9 (Max FTL Warp Factor 5), after all, so it isn't like they don't have any alternatives. I think a fast-track Mars Colony project is just the thing to get him fired-up.

 

Although alien civilizations are not a feature of my setting (Quantum Alternate Universes are, though), I'm leaning toward some form of life on watery planets in the Green Zone be reasonably common (about 1 in 36 odds). Scouting nearby star systems, maybe out to about 20 LY would also be a valuable service he can perform.

 

It seems like one science impact of Alts will be astronomers getting TONS of new data.

[csyphrett]

Re: Enterprise, Inc.

 

Unmanned probes to the edge of the solar system could be done cheaper too now that I think about it.

CES