Ragitsu Posted May 14, 2012 Report Share Posted May 14, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm6QCZk_yvs While the Xenozoic Tales setting does not take place in the 1920s or 1930s, it is a very pulp-ish setting, and so I feel my question is most appropriate on this board. What kind of major lost technology do you think would be worth basing a quest around? A nuclear bomb has appeared in the comics, and solar panels were mentioned, so those are right out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sougen Posted May 14, 2012 Report Share Posted May 14, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. Wow, it has been forever since I saw any mention of Cadillacs and Dinosaurs. I never played a game of C&D and only ever thumbed through the book at my friends place. So I can't say I got much of a 'feel' for the game but I don't think it ever struck me as pulpish. Also, I think you might get more traffic in the General roleplaying forum. All that said, I think the undergrowned cities that were a mainstay of the C&D I remember had computers that still could run various functions in the city. Maybe if your city has one on the frits or has already gone down, a quest to find a replacement control program / AI might be good. Maybe they heard stories of a shutdown city that has a still working computer core just 'out yonder'. It gives the Players a environment challenge from the surface creatures. It gives them a since of distance and scarcity by being so far away from home. It also gives them the chance to 'interact' with the locals of the 'what should have been" abandoned city. What strange customs do they have? Maybe they aren't the original inhabitants. What happened to the fore generation? Were the new 'residents' innocent in the previous groups disappearance? How will the players know before it is too late? As to tech, beyond the Comp Program, there could be a wealth of data that goes with it. There could also be access to various advanced weaponry or vehicles that are more than the gas guzzlers. Just my two cents. It has been a long time since I saw any mention of the game setting, so my knowledge has all but been lost to the flow of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragitsu Posted May 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. The setting is definitely pulp. By the way, guys? This thread has been viewed at least one hundred and sixty-six views, yet has only been replied to once. I refuse to believe there is only that much creativity to be shared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RexMundi Posted May 21, 2012 Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. One of my favorite settings etc etc etc ....... Pure Pulp, heh.... Anyway, if you want some good Lost Tech to recover... wow that's a list. I'm gonna go out on a limb right now and say one of the best things you could recover in that setting, would be a functional 5 axis flow jet with plenty of garnet, power to run it, and/or a good Rapid Prototype machine as well..... On the other hand, a small scale Iron Mine and Smelter would come in pretty handy as well, and the same could be said for an Arc Furnace.... ~Rex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted May 21, 2012 Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. Note: I've never seen C&D before; in fact, never heard of it before. Are we looking for fixed facilities anchored in the lost cities, or more portable items that could be brought out and used? Still, some pulpy ideas come to mind for "lost" tech... Geothermal power tap; "infinite power from the center of Mother Earth"? "Radium Healing Beds"? The early pulp era still had some belief in radioactives as having curative powers.... Mind control (or perhaps just telepathic communications) via magnetism: "Geomagnetic Mentalism Amplifier and Transmitter"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragitsu Posted May 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. Five axis flow jet? What is this, and why is it significant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. Is it just me, or did Xenozoic Tales go to mighty weird places, mighty quickly? There's underground cities and a weird "xenozoic" event leading to a world where there were Cadillacs and dinosaurs. Anyone else would have thought that that was more than enough high concept for one comic book series, but when I dipped into the middle of the trade, I was treated to Jack being held captive (mind-controlled? Hallucinating? I have no idea) in Sea City, which apparently had mysteries up the yin-yang all of its own. Rex gives a nice list of technologies that you might want in a car shop at the cusp of becoming a small-scale manufacturer. It would seem from the fact that they're having difficulty getting a fleet of Cadillacs going that these are the kinds of things that the underground cities might need. Seems, anyway, because it's hardly clear to me what technology the underground cities wouldn't have. If you're looking for maguffins for PCs to chase, oil wells and refineries would work well. So would exotic alloy stockpiles. There's a lot of chromium, manganese, nickel and other metals in a high-power 50s engine, and they're hard to come by most places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragitsu Posted May 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. Note: I've never seen C&D before; in fact, never heard of it before. Are we looking for fixed facilities anchored in the lost cities, or more portable items that could be brought out and used? Still, some pulpy ideas come to mind for "lost" tech... Geothermal power tap; "infinite power from the center of Mother Earth"? "Radium Healing Beds"? The early pulp era still had some belief in radioactives as having curative powers.... Mind control (or perhaps just telepathic communications) via magnetism: "Geomagnetic Mentalism Amplifier and Transmitter"? Geothermal power generation is already around, so that's taken. I don't think the radiation idea would work out, as an atomic bomb has been shown...and it was more or less made clear that it is dangerous, so the prospect of radiation being able to heal is iffy at best. Mind control might work as a one off "tool" of a villain, but it doesn't suit my needs. I have in mind a discovery that would benefit many, if not all, people. Is it just me' date=' or did [i']Xenozoic Tales [/i]go to mighty weird places, mighty quickly? There's underground cities and a weird "xenozoic" event leading to a world where there were Cadillacs and dinosaurs. Anyone else would have thought that that was more than enough high concept for one comic book series, but when I dipped into the middle of the trade, I was treated to Jack being held captive (mind-controlled? Hallucinating? I have no idea) in Sea City, which apparently had mysteries up the yin-yang all of its own. Rex gives a nice list of technologies that you might want in a car shop at the cusp of becoming a small-scale manufacturer. It would seem from the fact that they're having difficulty getting a fleet of Cadillacs going that these are the kinds of things that the underground cities might need. Seems, anyway, because it's hardly clear to me what technology the underground cities wouldn't have. If you're looking for maguffins for PCs to chase, oil wells and refineries would work well. So would exotic alloy stockpiles. There's a lot of chromium, manganese, nickel and other metals in a high-power 50s engine, and they're hard to come by most places. How far west do you envision PCs would have to go before finding such deposits and/or stockpiles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. Well, manganese and chromium are mined in Africa, nickel at several points in Canada. These are both a long way west of the East Coast, though that might not be the best direct to take to get there. If you're referring to supposed American strategic reserves, they're mostly out in the Great Basin. Again, a long way. You'd be better off just looking for them in a warehouse at an old GE works or such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted May 23, 2012 Report Share Posted May 23, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. Another thing to bear in mind is that 1950s era high-performance automobile engines took a generous dose of tetraethylene lead in their fuel as well as fairly high grade motor oil. Since Cadillac and Dinosaurs has gasoline being replaced by dinosaur guano, you're somewhere out in fantasy land as far as this logistical restriction goes. If you decide to embrace the somewhat more reasonable idea that there's still some POL to be had in the Pennsylvania fields, a supply of anti-detonants (presumably not TEL, because of health risks) would be another good maguffin. Or you could either adjust compression rating down or use ethanol, although both will Cadillacs a little sluggish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragitsu Posted June 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. How valuable is the concept of ethanol? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dan2448 Posted June 5, 2012 Report Share Posted June 5, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. The original Xenozoic Tales comic book from the 1980s was one of my all-time favorites, especially Mark Schultz' excellent and detailed artwork. As a result, I absolutely detested the "Cadillacs and Dinosaurs" cartoon adaptation. The visuals in the cartoon were so simplified and cartoon-y compared to the Alex Raymond/Al Williamson-inspired artwork in the original comic books. With regard to a "lost technology" to chase after, I'd suggest a variation on that idea that's more in the spirit of the original comic book. At the center of the story in the comic book were Jack "Cadillac" Tenrec's ongoing efforts (in unspoken concert with these mysterious Sleestak-looking reptile men) to prevent the current inhabitants of the planet from unearthing (and then using) any of these ancient technologies. (Because technology caused the prior apocalypse.) So I'd suggest choosing a MacGuffin that the characters will never actually obtain, because of the efforts of Tenrec and his allies. In keeping with the spirit of the comic book, I'd also choose something that was potentially destructive (like an atomic bomb) and/or a wasting asset (like mining coal or drilling for oil) and/or not friendly to the environment (so I would not choose solar panels, for instance). In this way, the PCs would be trying to find some object or technology that will make their lives better and easier (a noble objective), while Tenrec and his allies work actively to prevent them from obtaining it (for their own noble reasons). Oh, the entire run of transcendently excellent Xenozoic Tales comic books was reprinted in one collected volume in 2010 (called simply "Xenozoic"). It is currently available on Amazon, I see, for $29, as well as on ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted June 5, 2012 Report Share Posted June 5, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. How valuable is the concept of ethanol? Gasoline/ethanol blends have better knock ratings, but also lower energy content. I discounted ethanol and biodiesel mainly because they would be readily available in the setting, but not used. Apparently, the objective is to extract the last horsepower of performance out of those vintage '50s V-8s, and that requires TEL, or its more modern replacements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragitsu Posted June 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. What are some prime choices for extinct animals that would do well as livestock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen Archer Posted June 27, 2012 Report Share Posted June 27, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. Can't think of many. IIRC, according to some surviving letters from sailors, the Dodo was considered tasty. And there are several species of hen that have gone extinct. Wikipedia probably has a full list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolon Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. Are you thinking of maybe herding dinosaurs? There were a few that ran fast and used herd tactics to avoid predators that might be a good idea. They were smaller. You might even want to think of a hunter gatherer herd animal like a buffalo but you would maybe keep in your area to have regular kills if a large species. There was a giant bison as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragitsu Posted June 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. Any extinct species from long ago that could fill in a cow/buffalo type role is ideal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burrito Boy Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. If you're looking for actual cattle, you can't go wrong with the Aurochs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurochs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RexMundi Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. I would herd Iguana myself. You get a zillion times more edible and usable product out of them for the same area compared to "moo cows"..... ~Rex....does a lot of Post Apocalyptic stuff.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragitsu Posted September 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. The iguana would have to be dog sized or larger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RexMundi Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. Not an issue, even today much less in the Cadillac's and Dinosaurs setting... ~Rex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndianaJoe3 Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. I'm sure there's a species of monitor lizard that's the right size but they don't herd well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Obvious Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. Lizard milk is kind of dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 Re: [Xenozoic Tales / Cadillacs and Dinosaurs] Lost technology idea needed. And depending on just how different the Xenozoic setting is from nowadays, your starting point for a herd animal should still be a ruminant. There's a reason that the dinosaurs didn't re-evolve after the Cretaceous extinction, and that is surely the evolution of the graminoids. (Grasses.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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