Tools of the trade

[taalismn]

*Chronostraint
Chronostraints were developed by the advanced neo-humans known as the 466ers to deal with other time/temporal-magic using beings, such as Temporal Raiders, Thieves, and Warriors. Chronostraints are skintight body suits(usually neck-to-toe fit) woven of a golden substance said to be made from altered space/time itself. The suit is worn like a prison jumper or straitjacket(typically in conjunction with other forms of restraint), and activates its special properties when the wearer attempts to use Temporal Magic or a time-based super ability,or by a special coded radio/PPE signal from a warden, whereupon it works like the Major Superpower Slow Motion Control, with a few modifications:
*Slow Motion--Victim finds their speed, APMs, attack damage, and combat bonuses HALVED, and they lose all initiative. They will feel as if they were trying to move underwater with heavy weights affixed to their limbs.
*Split Second Paralysis---The wearer can be frozen in an instant in the course of an attack(lunge, punch, etc.) for 1d6 seconds.
*Slow Metabolism---The wearer feels lethargic and run-down; -4 to Initiative, and -10 to strike, strike, parry, dodge, and roll. Speed is reduced to 1/4. On the plus side, the prisoner needs only a quarter as much food, water, and oxygen while this feature is activated, and is +1 to save versus poison/toxins and +10 % to save versus coma. The wearer is essentially in a listless torpor, unable to do much more than shuffle about or veg out.
*Hibernation---The suit can be used to put a prisoner into a state of temporal hibernation or stasis, whereupon the Chronostrait flows to cover the entire wearer, and forms a coccoon. It is estimated that this function is good for up to 50 years before giving out and needing re-activation.
*Neutralizes Temporal Magic and Temporal Abilities---Besides activating when these powers are used, their bonuses and abilities are drained away by the golden time-fabric, leaving the person using their own base abilities only. It will also prevent Teleport spells from being performed by the wearer.
The suit itself is skintight, lightweight, and has 80 MDC. It is near-impossible to remove without special tools, and its skintight fit prevents the wearer squirming or shimmying out of it. Destroying the MDC of the suit deactivates it, but cutting/damaging it must be done carefully so as not to harm the prisoner inside the suit.
Chronostraints are EXCLUSIVE to the 466er STP(SpacioTemporal Police), but a few suits are rumored to have fallen into the hands of others. A suit of the stuff could probably bring upwards of 200,00 credits on the Black Market.

[Roscoe Del'Tane]

Some bright young techno-mage at Arzno was tired of her AC conking out on her, and her ceiling fan just didn't make the cut in the intense heat of the day, so she came up with something better. Combining the cooling units from the AC with the spinning blades of the fan, she made a Frost-Fan an excellent alternitive to either of the base units. The blades of the fan look completely normal, only with garnets on the tips. The garnets allow the fan-blades to cast either frost-blade or one of the other cold type spells. For those within range of a ley-line/nexus, the fan will run perpetually and automatically; other wise, you must pay P.P.E. per normal. Cost is 10,000 credits per unit and takes 2-4 hours (includes install costs).

Zap Cuffs: Used by some militaries and police forces (as well as slavers and other ilk) to contain unruly people and prisoners. Looks like a simple braclet (or even ring) with no decoration other than CROOK printed around the edge. The cuffs are designed to 'zap' the wearer if they go outside certain peramiters. The peramiters could be as simple as 'leaving area XYZ', 'going more than 50 feet away from Person A', 'assaulting those not wearing ZaP Cuffs', etc. ect. On the low setting, they do no appreciable damage, but stings like the dickens, medium does 1d2 direct to hitpoints, and high does 2d4 direct to H.P.; medium and high settings will cause the person to collapse and convulse if they fail a save vs. shock (-3). Cost is 5,000 for ten units, comes with a recharging station and controll compter. Lifespan between charges is 2 weeks, at the end of the time period, if the person is not AT the charging station, the cuffs will let loose all of its remaining charge (equal to 4 melees of damage, with thee attacks per melee). The reason for the high damage (and cost) is the cuffs actually use nano-tendrills to drill into the persons arms/fingers and conduct the electricity directely into the blood-stream/nervouse system.

Multiple Person Armor Adaption Kit: This is designed for those in small communities or organizations with only a few suits of armor, and several people to pilot/operate them. Instead of having the suit fit each person badly, the suit will have gell pads and stuff that will accomodate the body type and size of the wearer (within reason). Costs 250 credits for each person.

All I've got at the moment, hope you like.

[taalismn]

S

Multiple Person Armor Adaption Kit: This is designed for those in small communities or organizations with only a few suits of armor, and several people to pilot/operate them. Instead of having the suit fit each person badly, the suit will have gell pads and stuff that will accomodate the body type and size of the wearer (within reason). Costs 250 credits for each person.

All I've got at the moment, hope you like.

Moldable Aerogel jumpsuit maybe?

[Aramanthus]

Those are some excellent picks for the 3G's area. Just one thing Taalismn, what is the cost for your new device?

[taalismn]

Those are some excellent picks for the 3G's area. Just one thing Taalismn, what is the cost for your new device?

Upwards of 200,000 credits due to its rarity and limited apps...Few people have temporal mages or the like they need to keep restrained/under control(you gotta CATCH them first before you put them in prison duds)...

[Aramanthus]

Cool! Thank you for clearing that up. I appreciate it.

[taalismn]

No problem....it's a specialized item..

[Aramanthus]

Yes, but very useful for those who can use it.


Kids first nanotek kit. This kit has everything your kid need to create a swarm of naniites. These nanites are easy to program for doing useful and helpful things around the house like dusting, cleaning the carpet, picking up after themselves and general mischief. You recieve enough material in the kit to create over 100 billion nanites. You also recieve the simple computer language to program your swarm. This kit allows to you mltiple task for your nanites. And the nanites also have a power charging platform to charge then indefinately. And did we say this kit was not expensive. Every kid will want one of these kits and everyone of them will be able to afford them. These kits are a reasonable cost of 10,000 credits. Don't stop with one kit, buy a dozen! These kits are brought to you by K-Tal!

[Roscoe Del'Tane]

Am I the only one who sees the possible problems with that nano-kit?

"Here Tommy, in honor our of burying the hatchet, I got you a soda."
:Tommy drink, drink, drinks:
"Actually, that contained a load of nanites that will monitor your physical stress levels, and promote explosive flatulence at the worst possible times. Later, you $%#^*&$^!"

Alright, now that I got that out of my system, sounds like a good idea, and is defitenly something that every child should have! Wish I could have some that would keep the dust and such down in my apartment (so dirty), and oh the tricks we could play with such toys...

[taalismn]

Obnoxious little brats...

[Aramanthus]

I planned that little flaw in it. I was hoping someone would point it out. Great spot Roscoe!

[taalismn]

It's kids' gene-resquencing kits that help bring down the world in After the Bomb...

[Roscoe Del'Tane]

It's kids' gene-resquencing kits that help bring down the world in After the Bomb...

Does that mean we'll get to meet the Gang of Four? The Empire of Humanity could have Mouser bots and Utrom Walkers...fun for the whole party in an all out frag-fest. Sounds like a game I could really get behind.

[taalismn]

It's kids' gene-resquencing kits that help bring down the world in After the Bomb...

Does that mean we'll get to meet the Gang of Four? The Empire of Humanity could have Mouser bots and Utrom Walkers...fun for the whole party in an all out frag-fest. Sounds like a game I could really get behind.

Entirely possible...that's part of the fun of a Megaverse...go for the unexpected mixes and matches...

[Aramanthus]

Wow! Cool! People are still talking about my little creation! Glad to spark some interest. I'll have to work on something else this fun!

[taalismn]

Yep...now pardon me while I check on my desktop miniature ponies....

[Roscoe Del'Tane]

Comm System: This is actually a series of towers that facilitate communication, not just the system. Cost for basic radio communications is 250,000 credits per square mile, laser communication is 450,000 per square mile, and telephone is 300,000 credits per sqaure mile. Laser and telephone comm can be buried underground and still be effective, but costs 50% more per sqaure mile. Cost includes installation, takes about one week or so to put up per square mile (double if its buried).

The towers are made out of minor M.D.C. materials, but wont really support much additional weight (they won't break, but will lean/bend over until the extra weight is removed). High winds can cause them to whip back and forth alarmingly, not enough to do damage (not unless its hurricane type winds) but just enough to cause static or disruption.

[Aramanthus]

It looks very interesting. Just one thing. What is the square mile after each cost? Is that the size or the coverage? Sorry Roscoe, but I read thru it and it confused me on those phrases. Could please elaborate on them, please!

[KLM]

Comm System: This is actually a series of towers that facilitate communication, not just the system. Cost for basic radio communications is 250,000 credits per square mile(...)

If this means that for a 2 by 2 miles area (4 sq miles) one must spend a million...

...I think you are off by two digits, even three.

A military radio relay truck (ex-soviet, with vac tubes...) can cover like a 30 km radius, which
is about 18 miles => roughly 1000 (one thousand) square miles. It does not cost 250 million
in any currency, even when it was new.

On the other hand, this cost can be raised two or even three times if terrain is rugged - but
not more.

Adios
KLM

[Aramanthus]

I'm sure Roscoe will clarify it for us. I know he will!

[taalismn]

Comm System: This is actually a series of towers that facilitate communication, not just the system. Cost for basic radio communications is 250,000 credits per square mile, laser communication is 450,000 per square mile, and telephone is 300,000 credits per sqaure mile. Laser and telephone comm can be buried underground and still be effective, but costs 50% more per sqaure mile. Cost includes installation, takes about one week or so to put up per square mile (double if its buried).

The towers are made out of minor M.D.C. materials, but wont really support much additional weight (they won't break, but will lean/bend over until the extra weight is removed). High winds can cause them to whip back and forth alarmingly, not enough to do damage (not unless its hurricane type winds) but just enough to cause static or disruption.

Relatively low tech....about what you'd expect to find on the frontier or the less advanced worlds...

[Aramanthus]

From the creator of the "Kids First Nanotek Kit" comes the newest craze! It's the "Kids first Fusion reactor kit." This kit allows the child to build their own fully functional fusion reactor kit. The kit even comes with two pound of boron for the use as the fusion fuel. The kit has it's own incorporated vaporizer for the boron. The kit provides fun for one child at a time. You too can light up your neighborhood. The whole kit cost a reasonable cost of 10,000 credits.

[Roscoe Del'Tane]

Comm System: This is actually a series of towers that facilitate communication, not just the system. Cost for basic radio communications is 250,000 credits per square mile, laser communication is 450,000 per square mile, and telephone is 300,000 credits per sqaure mile. Laser and telephone comm can be buried underground and still be effective, but costs 50% more per sqaure mile. Cost includes installation, takes about one week or so to put up per square mile (double if its buried).

The towers are made out of minor M.D.C. materials, but wont really support much additional weight (they won't break, but will lean/bend over until the extra weight is removed). High winds can cause them to whip back and forth alarmingly, not enough to do damage (not unless its hurricane type winds) but just enough to cause static or disruption.

Relatively low tech....about what you'd expect to find on the frontier or the less advanced worlds...

Yeah, they are meant for towns and cities, or to string along to connect two bases or whatever; their meant to be sold to places that wouldn't have them on their own. The cost is so high is because it includes a couple dozen radio/laser/telephone systems (includes hand/headsets and walkie-talkies), for the military, the police, and other assorted groups. The whole square mile thing is just where its guaranteed to work properly, broadcasting is possible, but I have no idea what the ranges would be (so I just ignored that). Sorry if I wasn't clear on that; maybe have add-ons for pre-existing towers, like 20% of the total cost to add to them? That way you could have laser, radio, and telephone systems in your town.
Hope that helps, sorry again if it was unclear

[Roscoe Del'Tane]

From the creator of the "Kids First Nanotek Kit" comes the newest craze! It's the "Kids first Fusion reactor kit." This kit allows the child to build their own fully functional fusion reactor kit. The kit even comes with two pound of boron for the use as the fusion fuel. The kit has it's own incorporated vaporizer for the boron. The kit provides fun for one child at a time. You too can light up your neighborhood. The whole kit cost a reasonable cost of 10,000 credits.

"Tommy, how come Kitties bald and glowing? Did you have another containment leak young man?"
"Sorry mom."

I wouldn't mind having a few of those for my characters, but for KIDS? I won't even let the little goobers into my car, let them run around with fissionable material! Brrrr!

I can just feel the warm glow of increased background radiation...I hope I can grow a tree out of my head, just like my hero Harold!

[KLM]

Fusion, especially cold fusion is a much cleaner business, than fission, with its less than
pleasant byproducs.
----------

As for telecommunication: I would say 1000 credits per sq mile multiplied by terrain (by like
maximum a factor of 3 or 300%) plus 100 credits for each user supportable by the system...
The latter factor is also payable for each square mile.

So kinda like having cell phone service for Manhattan and for Greenland costs roughly
the same...

Adios
KLM

[Aramanthus]

Thank you for the clarifications from both Roscoe and KLM! It's a big help. Actually Boron is not radioactive. So you don't have to worry about it.

[Roscoe Del'Tane]

Thank you for the clarifications from both Roscoe and KLM! It's a big help. Actually Boron is not radioactive. So you don't have to worry about it.

Not a problem on the explanation! Lord only knows, I know what i'm trying to say so well, that I often forget telepathy doesn't actually exist! Heck, even I have a hard time figuring out just what is going on inside me crazy brains sometimes.

And I was thinking more along the lines of the kids screwing up the fusion proccess. I know when I was a kid, I had a hard time sitting still through microwaving a bowl of Spagetti-O's, let alone making sure the pocket-nuke in my bedroom was 'healthy'.

And the cost for the systems SHOULD be in the hundreds of thousands worth of credits per square mile, not millions; most of that is the fact that the poles are made out of MDC materials, and they are having to BUILD the whole system from the ground up, not just activate a few phones. A cell phone coverage area probably costs several million dollars IRL, but they can spread the costs out with...whatever it is they use, but since just about everybody has one nowadays, its not that big a deal. But on Rifts Earth and other isolated places that dont have access to satelites, large scale radio-towers and such, so their transmissions would be considerably curtailed, and they would most likely be desperate for some form of inter-community communication. I know I'm glad to be have a cell phone when its forty below zero, and I need to talk to someone across town, saves gas, saves time, and keeps you warm and safe inside.

[KLM]

And the cost for the systems SHOULD be in the hundreds of thousands worth of credits per square mile, not millions; most of that is the fact that the poles are made out of MDC materials, and they are having to BUILD the whole system from the ground up, not just activate a few phones. A cell phone coverage area probably costs several million dollars IRL, but they can spread the costs out with...whatever it is they use, but since just about everybody has one nowadays, its not that big a deal.

I have to disagree. It is a lot cheaper.

Lest say, we have a 64 feet tall "tower" - the MDC material, the powersource (solar) and construction costs -
it probably will come out less, than the cost of a Mountaneer ATV. That is around 70000 credits in the RMB,
and is MDC.

Now...
http://www.navweaps.com/index_tech/tech-011.htm

As you can check above, the tower "sees" up to 9 miles. Not much. But this means an
area of 9 by 9 by pi square miles (which is over 250 square NAUTICAL miles). The ruggedness
of terrain can alter this - sometimes for our advantage, say we can build our relay tower
to the top of the tallest hill.

Now, how much the relay center would cost?

A good educated guess would be that a military radar with a 100 miles range would cost
more. But this article is listed at a price of 16000 credits.

So, we have about 100.000 credits cost for 250 sq miles - plus the cost of communicators.
Not bad, eh?

---------
Now here comes the tricky part.

A given radio frequency can only service a given number of simultanous "chanels" and
they have to slice up time among themselves. Fortunately, with digital communication
(and with a little loss in the quality, but hey, we do not want to transmit operas)
human voice can be very well compressed.

Lets say, that one cell therefore can service 100 "transmissions" simultaneously.
It can have however many thousands of peers on standby, hopefully they will
not try to communicate simultaneously (anyone tryed to make a call on the 31st
of December around midnight?).

If we expect more of them to use the frequency simultaneously, we have to build
more "cells" - ie. relay towers, so not a single one of them will cover more, than
100 "active" clients - this might mean a separate relay for each level of a building.

Still, for a hundred costumers, a relay station costing 100.000 credits will be
enought 24/7. That is 1000 credits per head, plus the handheld communicators.

---------
Remember I said that covering Manhattan or Greenland will cost about the same?

That is why.

But on Rifts Earth and other isolated places that dont have access to satelites, large scale radio-towers and such, so their transmissions would be considerably curtailed, and they would most likely be desperate for some form of inter-community communication. I know I'm glad to be have a cell phone when its forty below zero, and I need to talk to someone across town, saves gas, saves time, and keeps you warm and safe inside.

Oh yes. The above calculation is the manufacturer's price.

On RIFTS Earth, the price will factor in
- how much money the costumer has for the project
- who else can do it
- my greed

Adios
KLM

[taalismn]

Messsage Gum---Specially tailored chewable foodstuff impregnated with a form of telepathic algae...The gum is 'fixed' with the signature DNA of the intended recipient...When that person chews/consumes teh gum, and their DNA(as in bodily fluids) activates the encapsulated algae, the psychic single-celled organisms broadcast(range of a few inches) a short telepathic message of up to a minute's length, before self-destructing in the person's digestive juices...For anybody NOT possessing the trigger DNA, it's just another sugary treat.
Message bon-bons, lollipops, and other foodstuffs also exist...Cost is typically 500 credits a pop, but how much is your message security worth?

[Roscoe Del'Tane]

:Shrugs: Alright KLM, I give, I give. It just made sense the way I thought of it, but yours does seem to work better. Color me chastened.

[Aramanthus]

Excellent new gear Taalismn! Just one thing. If someone has a duplicate of the recipent's DNA. Could they recieve a copy of the message?

[KLM]

:Shrugs: Alright KLM, I give, I give. It just made sense the way I thought of it, but yours does seem to work better.

Sorry, a few semesters in signal processing and telecommunication
has this effect on people

Adios
KLM

[taalismn]

Excellent new gear Taalismn! Just one thing. If someone has a duplicate of the recipent's DNA. Could they recieve a copy of the message?

Possibly...but how will you know what foodstuff the message is coming in on?

[Aramanthus]

That is very true. But information does get leaked to the wrong people once in awhile. Security precautions should be maintained.

[taalismn]

That is very true. But information does get leaked to the wrong people once in awhile. Security precautions should be maintained.

Yeah, but then you have to watch every possible foodstuff that a person might eat, BEFORE they ate it...and tat's kinda hard to do obviously.."Ha, we have a sample if his DNA...we'll just taste everything he eats before he gets it!"...After a while, somebody's bound to notice you're waylaying delivery boys for the food they're carrying...

[Aramanthus]

LOL You might have a point. Unless they are smart enough to have all of the delivery boys on their pay.

[taalismn]

LOL You might have a point. Unless they are smart enough to have all of the delivery boys on their pay.

You really want to spend all your budget on subverting the takeout delivery people in a given area? On the offhand chance one of them will deliver a message-laced food order? When you might want to spend some of that money on surveillance devices, body armor, or transportation? Suppose one of the calls in sick, and snother dlivery guy not on your take fills in for them?
I you got that much money to spend, you may as well simply take out your target now with chloroform and a sack...Cheaper and faster, and a couple of thugs and maybe a primed policeman or hacked surveillance system would be less expensive..

[Aramanthus]

I know! I was being a little silly!

[taalismn]

I know! I was being a little silly!

Those voices in your head...they're not schizophrenia...they really ARE the pizza talking....

[Aramanthus]

I don't think they're the pizza, since I had brats and carrots this evening. So I suppose that they could be talking to each other.

[Roscoe Del'Tane]

After a while, somebody's bound to notice you're waylaying delivery boys for the food they're carrying...

:.Dons a black leather jacket and shades, and speaks in my best Govenator voice: "Give me the Pizza if you want to live..."

Pass-Through: An alteration use for the Nano-Aperture-Producer. Instead of a wall, the floors and cielings are made permeable to living tissue. Cost is twice that of the N.A.P., other than that, all the other rules still apply. (sorry about this, been playing a lot of Smash Bros lately).

[Aramanthus]

Sounds like a very useful piece of tech. What would you charge for it?

[Roscoe Del'Tane]

Hmmmm; say a cool million for a 10x20 section of floor, with no other frills? Just a little spur of the moment posting. Of course, the person wanting to use it would have to have some kind of tranciever or somthing to facilitate this, or a remote that would allow triggering the sections.

That would be a great way to get rid of invaders actually; wait untill they get to your control room, trigger the floor, and drop them straight into the furanace! Also good for door-to-door salesmen and such! Exellent reason to dig yourself a lions-pit in your house...

[Aramanthus]

I think it has a lot more uses. I can see it as a very quick way to either get to a panic room or else a cooridor to one.

[Roscoe Del'Tane]

Auto-Defibrilator: For those with weak hearts, or heading into places where medical assistance is scarce or negligible. Its a cybernetic implant that stores excess kinetic energy to make elactricity, which can be used to jumpstart a bad heart. Cost is 2,500 credits

Sensor Band: Essentially the same thing as the Super soldier Sensor Hand, only miniaturized onto an elasticized band one inch wide and as thick as a piece of construction paper. It comes with a receiver that can be slipped onto an ear or connected to a helmet's HUD, so the user can have vital info relayed quickly. Standard procedure is to simply wrap it around an armored hand and go, not quite as good as a sensitive sensor suite, but better than blind luck and guesswork when radiation is involved. Cost is 1,000 credits (made out of M.D.C. plastic, good for the owners* lifetime, guaranteed), users inirtial energy and a micro-power-cell to do scans; if near to an energy source (PA or such) it will extrude nano tendrils to leech power from it.
* Lifetime guarantee is only good for mortal S.D.C. beings, with a cap on 200 years on the outside.

All I could come up with at the moment. Oh, and LIVE burn you! I will not allow you to fall to the wayside!

[taalismn]

Virtual Flooring---It looks like solid material, but in reality it's millions of nano-plates that can be directed to form solid walls and floors, able to support weight, but at a command, they can morph to alter the floorplans, color, and surface texture....
In theory, all you need is a support frame(the building skeleton), pour in the nano-plates, add the electrical wiring, pipping, and what not, and you've got yourself a building that can be customized on command...
Security measures can be built/programmed right in. Walls and ceilings can morph to trap intruders inside solid containment boxes, or the floors can part like the Red Sea to drop unwanted guests screaming into the basement....
THis sort of construction, though, isn't popular in the Three Galaxies because of several well-publicized early examples that suffered from acute sensitivity to EM fields and power loss...several office complexes simply went to metallic dust, with great loss of life as the buildings' occupants suddenly found themselves treading air...

[KLM]

Nice, but...

Well in my POW nanotech-formed objects - if suffering a power loss - stay in their last form.

However, creating a morph-house is much easier with force fields (and nanites) - which
of course CAN be shorted out or forced to shut down due to power outage.

Again, just my two cents and deranged engineering mind

Adios
KLM

[taalismn]

Nice, but...

Well in my POW nanotech-formed objects - if suffering a power loss - stay in their last form.

However, creating a morph-house is much easier with force fields (and nanites) - which
of course CAN be shorted out or forced to shut down due to power outage.

Again, just my two cents and deranged engineering mind

Adios
KLM

S' right....Just those particular models suffered the defect...OF COURSE, other engineers already figured out the safeguard, but they found their work overshadowed by the blunders of those who DIDN'T

[Aramanthus]

Those are some very cool gadgets to find in the Phase World area. What about a cost Taalismn for you nifty device?

[taalismn]

Those are some very cool gadgets to find in the Phase World area. What about a cost Taalismn for you nifty device?

Depends on the size of the structure and any extras...I'm not a contractor, so I can't qoute you a price, though I'd guesstimate a price may 5-10x the cost of a normal structure, but remember you also can redecorate/redesign at the flick of a switch and a fraction of the time/effort.