Future Tech Advice and Assistance Thread [O.O.C.]

[Vocenae]

Second thing, its a question I mentioned in my previous segment about hand to hand combat, I want to know.. Would hand to hand combat training be useful in FT would it work? Do others here have similar training?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNhYJgDdCu4

I believe this is applicable. It might not be specifically about hand to hand combat, but the message is the same.

[StellarGate]

Second thing, its a question I mentioned in my previous segment about hand to hand combat, I want to know.. Would hand to hand combat training be useful in FT would it work? Do others here have similar training?

I don't see why you wouldn't want to train in hand to hand combat. Even if the soldier never gets within fist range of enemy X, they can use it for self defense against dumb crooks in that dark alley, bar fights if they get caught in the middle, or just exercise which is a bit more fun they lifting weights and running around. I personally think its important that soldiers be able to defend themselves if they are without a gun/sword/knife with more than just 'swing your fist and hope it connects'

[The Tarantara Dominion]

Second thing, its a question I mentioned in my previous segment about hand to hand combat, I want to know.. Would hand to hand combat training be useful in FT would it work? Do others here have similar training?

I don't see why you wouldn't want to train in hand to hand combat. Even if the soldier never gets within fist range of enemy X, they can use it for self defense against dumb crooks in that dark alley, bar fights if they get caught in the middle, or just exercise which is a bit more fun they lifting weights and running around. I personally think its important that soldiers be able to defend themselves if they are without a gun/sword/knife with more than just 'swing your fist and hope it connects'

I agree, which is why, even though the Tarantarans are scrawny little things compared to most species[they are around the size of humanoids], they are capable close-ranged combatants. Of course, they did evolve specifically to be predators but you know how that goes.

[Feazanthia]

No reason not to train in hand-to-hand, unless you're at war and desperately need troops on the front line right the fuck now. Sure, in an era of overwhelming air support, ortillery, smart anti-personnel weapons, hyperintelligent autonomous drones, and spammed cruise missiles, the odds of an infantryman's survival being dependant on his hand-to-hand skills are fairly low. Still, training in hand-to-hand may come in handy (see what I did there) in a clutch, and having mastery over one's body always helps when carrying out other duties one will carry out in the military.

That being said, it's highly likely that, with the advent of human augmentation and powered exoskeletal armor, new forms of martial art would arise to both counter and take advantage of increased capabilities. For instance, vavarjur style martial arts amongst my nation have evolved to focus on focused, powerful strikes in an attempt to overwhelm the enemy's armor, while defensively it has become far more fluid and agility-based to take advantage of cybernetics and powered armor augmentations.

[Oppressorion]

There are also various reasons why soldiers may be separated from their weapons and/or armour, or they may be unusable - a long campaign leading to limited ammunition/armour repairs, escaping POWs, attempting to pass a hostile checkpoint through subterfuge, close quarters combat, bad environments making maintenance difficult (sand, mud, insects), etc.

[The Tarantara Dominion]

No reason not to train in hand-to-hand, unless you're at war and desperately need troops on the front line right the fuck now. Sure, in an era of overwhelming air support, ortillery, smart anti-personnel weapons, hyperintelligent autonomous drones, and spammed cruise missiles, the odds of an infantryman's survival being dependant on his hand-to-hand skills are fairly low.

That being said, it's highly likely that, with the advent of human augmentation and powered exoskeletal armor, new forms of martial art would arise to both counter and take advantage of increased capabilities. For instance, vavarjur style martial arts amongst my nation have evolved to focus on focused, powerful strikes in an attempt to overwhelm the enemy's armor, while defensively it has become far more fluid and agility-based to take advantage of cybernetics and powered armor augmentations.

We used an idiosyncratic mixture of several martial arts for our armed forces, it's based around the natural abilities of a Tarantaran, which androids and Cylons also feature as do other Cybernetic entities[please don't get me started on how I made a computer empathic... especially since it'd have flaws with damned Vulcans, no facial features whatsoever! Not even microfacial features!], and is designed around agility and the ability to utilize the enemy's movements against them. Without cybernetics its efficient, with them it's more useful than you'd guess.

[The Legion of War]

Hm... The Legion is well aware that there are aliens out there that are bigger and stronger than Humanity. So hand-to-hand combat tends to focus on things that allow a smaller combatant to fight effectively and as quickly as possible (usually by lethal means).

The Legion's armed forces have all soldiers train in hand to hand combat techniques developed for baseline humans.

The only thing I'm debating is whether to have some sort of new martial art developed for this, or simply have their training comprise of a bunch different martial arts.

Maybe just say it's the later, but in practice it appears to be the former. I mean, after learning so many different techniques I'm sure that in combat they'll just seem to blend into one.

So basically, think a mixture of lethal martial arts (Krav Maga, Combato, etc) and grappling martial arts (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, etc).

[The Tarantara Dominion]

There are also various reasons why soldiers may be separated from their weapons and/or armour, or they may be unusable - a long campaign leading to limited ammunition/armour repairs, escaping POWs, attempting to pass a hostile checkpoint through subterfuge, close quarters combat, bad environments making maintenance difficult (sand, mud, insects), etc.

Especially Sentient Sand, a world with Giant Mud Holes that make up fifty percent of the surface and evil, creepy, slightly annoying Insectoid races. Don't forget those... and environments that your species can't breathe in, those are the worst.

[The Tarantara Dominion]

Hm... The Legion is well aware that there are aliens out there that are bigger and stronger than Humanity. So hand-to-hand combat tends to focus on things that allow a smaller combatant to fight effectively and as quickly as possible (usually by lethal means).

The Legion's armed forces have all soldiers train in hand to hand combat techniques developed for baseline humans.

The only thing I'm debating is whether to have some sort of new martial art developed for this, or simply have their training comprise of a bunch different martial arts.

Maybe just say it's the later, but in practice it appears to be the former. I mean, after learning so many different techniques I'm sure that in combat they'll just seem to blend into one.

So basically, think a mixture of lethal martial arts (Krav Maga, Combato, etc) and grappling martial arts (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, etc).

After a few decades, we no longer taught the styles individually in order we taught them simultaneously in a way that mixed the movements together so that it flowed better and didn't test your mind to think of what to do next... effectively it's its own martial art since it's been "naturalized".

[The Legion of War]

Hm... The Legion is well aware that there are aliens out there that are bigger and stronger than Humanity. So hand-to-hand combat tends to focus on things that allow a smaller combatant to fight effectively and as quickly as possible (usually by lethal means).

The Legion's armed forces have all soldiers train in hand to hand combat techniques developed for baseline humans.

The only thing I'm debating is whether to have some sort of new martial art developed for this, or simply have their training comprise of a bunch different martial arts.

Maybe just say it's the later, but in practice it appears to be the former. I mean, after learning so many different techniques I'm sure that in combat they'll just seem to blend into one.

So basically, think a mixture of lethal martial arts (Krav Maga, Combato, etc) and grappling martial arts (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, etc).

After a few decades, we no longer taught the styles individually in order we taught them simultaneously in a way that mixed the movements together so that it flowed better and didn't test your mind to think of what to do next... effectively it's its own martial art since it's been "naturalized".

I'm considering taking a "Bruce Lee" approach and perhaps just selecting the parts of each martial arts that prove relevant. I suppose in that sense it'd become it's own thing.

However I like the idea of having a soldier having to think of what to do next. It keeps them on their toes and alert, and able to adjust rather than just acting on "instinct". Not sure if what I just said is a valid point or not...

[The Tarantara Dominion]

After a few decades, we no longer taught the styles individually in order we taught them simultaneously in a way that mixed the movements together so that it flowed better and didn't test your mind to think of what to do next... effectively it's its own martial art since it's been "naturalized".

I'm considering taking a "Bruce Lee" approach and perhaps just selecting the parts of each martial arts that prove relevant. I suppose in that sense it'd become it's own thing.

However I like the idea of having a soldier having to think of what to do next. It keeps them on their toes and alert, and able to adjust rather than just acting on "instinct". Not sure if what I just said is a valid point or not...

It increases thinking time...

Even a few split-second reactions in combat with a Tarantaran could mean life or death, we're one of the quickest reacting species in the game, we're empathic and will likely have a general idea of what you're going to attempt to do before you do so... instincts of another species are just outright confusing.

That's what our movements are in combat, they are not just trained, they become instinct, they become reactions that don't require thinking it over.

So, that's why we don't have one martial art learned and then the next, it causes too much trouble, we teach them all FULLY, and SIMULTANEOUSLY in a way that ensures that you don't need to think too much about it in combat.

[Feazanthia]

After a few decades, we no longer taught the styles individually in order we taught them simultaneously in a way that mixed the movements together so that it flowed better and didn't test your mind to think of what to do next... effectively it's its own martial art since it's been "naturalized".

I'm considering taking a "Bruce Lee" approach and perhaps just selecting the parts of each martial arts that prove relevant. I suppose in that sense it'd become it's own thing.

However I like the idea of having a soldier having to think of what to do next. It keeps them on their toes and alert, and able to adjust rather than just acting on "instinct". Not sure if what I just said is a valid point or not...

Speaking from experience here, if a soldier has to "think" about what move to use next, he's going to get a fist in the face. You want to train to the point where you're already 'thinking' several moves ahead, your body is just carrying out the moves themselves instinctually.

This was my big problem when I studied jiu-jitsu. I was always trying to think reactively instead of proactively. It slowed me down a lot. My sensei told me, martial arts are only about half teaching you new things to do. The other half is learning what you're already capable of, and trusting yourself to do it.

[The Tarantara Dominion]

I'm considering taking a "Bruce Lee" approach and perhaps just selecting the parts of each martial arts that prove relevant. I suppose in that sense it'd become it's own thing.

However I like the idea of having a soldier having to think of what to do next. It keeps them on their toes and alert, and able to adjust rather than just acting on "instinct". Not sure if what I just said is a valid point or not...

Speaking from experience here, if a soldier has to "think" about what move to use next, he's going to get a fist in the face. You want to train to the point where you're already 'thinking' several moves ahead, your body is just carrying out the moves themselves instinctually.

This was my big problem when I studied jiu-jitsu. I was always trying to think reactively instead of proactively. It slowed me down a lot. My sensei told me, martial arts are only about half teaching you new things to do. The other half is learning what you're already capable of, and trusting yourself to do it.

"When you fail you know you haven't let your self flowed, you know your magic hasn't become one with you through ebb and that ever desired flow. When you have failed, you thought instead of reacted. When you have failed, you hoped instead of following your instincts. That is why you die this day, the mind of your kind is just so slow." - Adechi, Jane

She's a bitch but she has a point that says "we agree!"... "even if we insult entire species in the process!"

[Talonis]

From a scientific standpoint, the subconscious mind has 30 times the conscious mind's computing power. Furthermore, it has access to images that are deleted and imperceptible to the conscious, so in addition to being faster, one who needs not use his conscious is also better able to perceive impending blows and progressing dodge attempts.

[The Legion of War]

I'm considering taking a "Bruce Lee" approach and perhaps just selecting the parts of each martial arts that prove relevant. I suppose in that sense it'd become it's own thing.

However I like the idea of having a soldier having to think of what to do next. It keeps them on their toes and alert, and able to adjust rather than just acting on "instinct". Not sure if what I just said is a valid point or not...

It increases thinking time...

Even a few split-second reactions in combat with a Tarantaran could mean life or death, we're one of the quickest reacting species in the game, we're empathic and will likely have a general idea of what you're going to attempt to do before you do so... instincts of another species are just outright confusing.

That's what our movements are in combat, they are not just trained, they become instinct, they become reactions that don't require thinking it over.

So, that's why we don't have one martial art learned and then the next, it causes too much trouble, we teach them all FULLY, and SIMULTANEOUSLY in a way that ensures that you don't need to think too much about it in combat.

OH. I get what you mean now, teach them all at the same time.

I was thinking of doing that as well. Formally, the soldiers would be taught these are part of different martial arts. In practice, they'd be expected to use all of them in combination fluidly and effectively. Although I'm not sure if that'd produce instinct.

Whatever. That's the method I'm going with now. Since the Legion is taking techniques from a multitude of martial arts, it'd be impractical to teach them one at a time. If I did do that, it'd make it extremely likely that a soldier would be sent to war before s/he has gotten a chance to start combining techniques.

@Feaz

I see what you're getting at. That makes sense. I suppose then, that the Legion's training would involve combining a multitude of lethal and grappling martial arts, while training a soldier to think proactively.

That thought process could also prove useful in other areas of combat I assume.

[The Tarantara Dominion]

It increases thinking time...

Even a few split-second reactions in combat with a Tarantaran could mean life or death, we're one of the quickest reacting species in the game, we're empathic and will likely have a general idea of what you're going to attempt to do before you do so... instincts of another species are just outright confusing.

That's what our movements are in combat, they are not just trained, they become instinct, they become reactions that don't require thinking it over.

So, that's why we don't have one martial art learned and then the next, it causes too much trouble, we teach them all FULLY, and SIMULTANEOUSLY in a way that ensures that you don't need to think too much about it in combat.

OH. I get what you mean now, teach them all at the same time.

I was thinking of doing that as well. Formally, the soldiers would be taught these are part of different martial arts. In practice, they'd be expected to use all of them in combination fluidly and effectively. Although I'm not sure if that'd produce instinct.

Whatever. That's the method I'm going with now. Since the Legion is taking techniques from a multitude of martial arts, it'd be impractical to teach them one at a time. If I did do that, it'd make it extremely likely that a soldier would be sent to war before s/he has gotten a chance to start combining techniques.

@Feaz

I see what you're getting at. That makes sense. I suppose then, that the Legion's training would involve combining a multitude of lethal and grappling martial arts, while training a soldier to think proactively.

That thought process could also prove useful in other areas of combat I assume.

It wouldn't produce instinct... it would just produce extra thought. That's why, IC'ly, after a few decades the lines kind of just blurred... The other styles became indistinct and it just blurred into a single, complicated[though not so for those who know it, as it becomes instinct] martial arts style.

[The Fedral Union]

Well it makes sense agility, speed and finesse would take hold, saying that I was wondering what hand to hand would be like between two people in PA who had shields/personal force fields. Then I remembered Dune, its still cool but at this stage I think one would be less effected by "physical" strain due to PA and more by mental strain.

Ie: Trying not to slip up, if you slip up then well it can either be curtains for you or your knocked on your ass ectera ectera. No-one is perfect, I know all of my species sure as hell have their fair chance of mistakes or slipping up in such situations just like anyone else (Even on rare occasion my AI's) . It now becomes more mental will power based, but unless your god your still gonna get a brusin/scarin.

Saying that its pretty much obvious for me anyway that base-line humans would be quite at a disadvantage to some other races/alines/augment users. Humans are not the most physically strong species in the NSverse. But I try to make up for that (for them) by applying our usual/strongest traits ingenuity, team work (in a sense) and leadership. As for my other races alot of them have a different mix of qualities but no species/race is stupid.. They merely preffer other methods of getting things done or doing things ect. So my wolvian (warewolfish like people) folks for example are pretty strong, they're quick and cunning ie pack hunting. But they prefer more direct methods as opposed to my humans who may prefer subtle , light handed/ indirect methods usually based on ingenuity and so forth. Its not that my wolvians aren't technically inclined they are really smart they would rather take the simple blast our way out of a situation method rather than a more planned/elaborate thing.

Of course circumstances were the best/quickest method is to blast out and or shoot something up until it no longer moves is an obvious a best choice that's usually universal.

I am on about this because it also leads me to something I've been considering and I want to know if I am in the clear.

That several traits of a species such as cultural mixed with biological/evolutionary and social can determine how they'd act in a fight. Would they be more calculating? or will they be more predatory ectera. I use such things for my own settings to determine how something like a hand to hand fight might be conducted on my side (all aspects of PA and shields included, obviously physical endurance will apply without those bells and whistles of PA/Shield tech); Mental endurance/ "normal psychological state" (for that species) are used by me to basically figure out. "If they're more likely to shoot you in the back, eat you or spare you/capture you.

(OFC humans can do all this but YMMV I highly doubt most normal human soldiers would enter a semi-phycotic rage state and do some.. well sadistic things. Unless they're bat-shit insane)

My point is I'd like to know how much of an effect biological, psychological, cultural and so forth aspects of your species/people effect their brutality and behavior in combat?

I may be rehashing something alot of people have talked about already but I wonder how many people give it thought.. And if it even matters?)


(As a note: note I generally consider fallibility in species to make things far more interesting..Otherwise being perfect makes you boring and god.. In that case why chill with us peon mortals? Some folks know this.. But some may not think of aspects like that.)

As things that can happen we'll keep in mind Murphies law. A solider can loose his weapon in plenty of ways .. A displacer rifle can go kaput or well in this case some components will melt making it a distorted paperweight. And if your side arm goes the way of the do-do too then you have your combat knife. My people carry a rifle (or main weapons) their side arm (pistol like weapon) and a combat/utility knife (sure swords are cool but try to use a fucking claymore for everything a kbar or other combat knife can be used for.. People tend to forget combat knives are there for a solider to /survive/ as well as use as a weapon. They tend to equip people with elaborate excessive bladed weapons, its cool sure just a bit odd for some situations). Saying when I do plan an rp like that out (ie involving some cool brawling) I'll be sure to make up a reason why my guy lost his main and pistol weapon. Not hard to fathom.

[Oppressorion]

Eh, I'd suggest that crosstraining to an expert level in every variety of hand-to-hand combat takes up a disproportional amount of time and effort. Not that they aren't useful - it just adds too much time to basic training and eliminates too many recruits that simply cannot learn them. So I'd give them enough training to get by in the most common varieties, and then specialise in one or two depending on their roles.

[StellarGate]

Well it makes sense agility, speed and finesse would take hold, saying that I was wondering what hand to hand would be like between two people in PA who had shields/personal force fields. Then I remembered Dune, its still cool but at this stage I think one would be less effected by "physical" strain due to PA and more by mental strain.

Ie: Trying not to slip up, if you slip up then well it can either be curtains for you or your knocked on your ass ectera ectera. No-one is perfect, I know all of my species sure as hell have their fair chance of mistakes or slipping up in such situations just like anyone else (Even on rare occasion my AI's) . It now becomes more mental will power based, but unless your god your still gonna get a brusin/scarin.

Saying that its pretty much obvious for me anyway that base-line humans would be quite at a disadvantage to some other races/alines/augment users. Humans are not the most physically strong species in the NSverse. But I try to make up for that (for them) by applying our usual/strongest traits ingenuity, team work (in a sense) and leadership. As for my other races alot of them have a different mix of qualities but no species/race is stupid.. They merely preffer other methods of getting things done or doing things ect. So my wolvian (warewolfish like people) folks for example are pretty strong, they're quick and cunning ie pack hunting. But they prefer more direct methods as opposed to my humans who may prefer subtle , light handed/ indirect methods usually based on ingenuity and so forth. Its not that my wolvians aren't technically inclined they are really smart they would rather take the simple blast our way out of a situation method rather than a more planned/elaborate thing.

Of course circumstances were the best/quickest method is to blast out and or shoot something up until it no longer moves is an obvious a best choice that's usually universal.

I am on about this because it also leads me to something I've been considering and I want to know if I am in the clear.

That several traits of a species such as cultural mixed with biological/evolutionary and social can determine how they'd act in a fight. Would they be more calculating? or will they be more predatory ectera. I use such things for my own settings to determine how something like a hand to hand fight might be conducted on my side (all aspects of PA and shields included, obviously physical endurance will apply without those bells and whistles of PA/Shield tech); Mental endurance/ "normal psychological state" (for that species) are used by me to basically figure out. "If they're more likely to shoot you in the back, eat you or spare you/capture you.

(OFC humans can do all this but YMMV I highly doubt most normal human soldiers would enter a semi-phycotic rage state and do some.. well sadistic things. Unless they're bat-shit insane)

My point is I'd like to know how much of an effect biological, psychological, cultural and so forth aspects of your species/people effect their brutality and behavior in combat?

I may be rehashing something alot of people have talked about already but I wonder how many people give it thought.. And if it even matters?)


(As a note: note I generally consider fallibility in species to make things far more interesting..Otherwise being perfect makes you boring and god.. In that case why chill with us peon mortals? Some folks know this.. But some may not think of aspects like that.)

Here, let me put forth my race, the Cresians.

Cresians are humanoid creatures with wings. I won't delve too deeply into their history, Cresians are a mix of original Cresians and human settlers that cross mated until their no humans left, leaving only human/Cresian offspring.

Because of this, Cresians are still very much predators, still able to kill with a single bite, but act like civilized beings 99.8% of the time. Their instincts drive them, in a hand-to -hand fight, to go for the throat or the wings in an attempt to kill. Since their telepathy/empathy allows them to see others coming, they can usually hit hard and easily win over a person who does not know that they are telepathic.
They also have pack-like instincts at times, their telepathy and empathy making them 'go with the crowd' (aka peer pressure), it also drives them to sometimes get snippy with people they really shouldn't who are above them (like commanders and Admirals) in a displays of dominance.

In combat, Cresians would much rather have the enemy surrender than have to kill them all, as their telepathy allows them to feel death and even if it is the enemy's, it is not pleasant to feel. But if pushed, they are willing to engage in suicidal behaviors to preserve their whole race. And I am not just talking about one or two staying behind to press the big red button, I'm talking ships with crews of hundreds, even thousands, blowing themselves up to ensure that they are exploited or captured. (This is because the Reconzi War which was against an assimalator race meant that any soldier captured would be game over for the Cresians as spies would be able to get on their home world and release viruses, bugs, or just kill off the whole planet.) Cresians don't like doing this and many were tramatized by this and resulted in the fact that while their Empire was (and still is) heavily armed, they are deathly afraid of going to war for fear of a repeat of the Reconzi War.

TL;DR version- Cresian are hella dangerous with predator instincts combined with telepathy/empathy, but a former war made a culture willing to do what it has to, but afraid to anger those around it for fear they'd repeat their war.

[The Tarantara Dominion]

Well it makes sense agility, speed and finesse would take hold, saying that I was wondering what hand to hand would be like between two people in PA who had shields/personal force fields. Then I remembered Dune, its still cool but at this stage I think one would be less effected by "physical" strain due to PA and more by mental strain.

Ie: Trying not to slip up, if you slip up then well it can either be curtains for you or your knocked on your ass ectera ectera. No-one is perfect, I know all of my species sure as hell have their fair chance of mistakes or slipping up in such situations just like anyone else (Even on rare occasion my AI's) . It now becomes more mental will power based, but unless your god your still gonna get a brusin/scarin.

Saying that its pretty much obvious for me anyway that base-line humans would be quite at a disadvantage to some other races/alines/augment users. Humans are not the most physically strong species in the NSverse. But I try to make up for that (for them) by applying our usual/strongest traits ingenuity, team work (in a sense) and leadership. As for my other races alot of them have a different mix of qualities but no species/race is stupid.. They merely preffer other methods of getting things done or doing things ect. So my wolvian (warewolfish like people) folks for example are pretty strong, they're quick and cunning ie pack hunting. But they prefer more direct methods as opposed to my humans who may prefer subtle , light handed/ indirect methods usually based on ingenuity and so forth. Its not that my wolvians aren't technically inclined they are really smart they would rather take the simple blast our way out of a situation method rather than a more planned/elaborate thing.

Of course circumstances were the best/quickest method is to blast out and or shoot something up until it no longer moves is an obvious a best choice that's usually universal.

I am on about this because it also leads me to something I've been considering and I want to know if I am in the clear.

That several traits of a species such as cultural mixed with biological/evolutionary and social can determine how they'd act in a fight. Would they be more calculating? or will they be more predatory ectera. I use such things for my own settings to determine how something like a hand to hand fight might be conducted on my side (all aspects of PA and shields included, obviously physical endurance will apply without those bells and whistles of PA/Shield tech); Mental endurance/ "normal psychological state" (for that species) are used by me to basically figure out. "If they're more likely to shoot you in the back, eat you or spare you/capture you.

(OFC humans can do all this but YMMV I highly doubt most normal human soldiers would enter a semi-phycotic rage state and do some.. well sadistic things. Unless they're bat-shit insane)

My point is I'd like to know how much of an effect biological, psychological, cultural and so forth aspects of your species/people effect their brutality and behavior in combat?

I may be rehashing something alot of people have talked about already but I wonder how many people give it thought.. And if it even matters?)


(As a note: note I generally consider fallibility in species to make things far more interesting..Otherwise being perfect makes you boring and god.. In that case why chill with us peon mortals? Some folks know this.. But some may not think of aspects like that.)

As things that can happen we'll keep in mind Murphies law. A solider can loose his weapon in plenty of ways .. A displacer rifle can go kaput or well in this case some components will melt making it a distorted paperweight. And if your side arm goes the way of the do-do too then you have your combat knife. My people carry a rifle (or main weapons) their side arm (pistol like weapon) and a combat/utility knife (sure swords are cool but try to use a fucking claymore for everything a kbar or other combat knife can be used for.. People tend to forget combat knives are there for a solider to /survive/ as well as use as a weapon. They tend to equip people with elaborate excessive bladed weapons, its cool sure just a bit odd for some situations). Saying when I do plan an rp like that out (ie involving some cool brawling) I'll be sure to make up a reason why my guy lost his main and pistol weapon. Not hard to fathom.

Agreed, which is why the last time the Tarantarans came into contact with giant, armored insects in an infantry-based battle I ran away. They were few, but so we're we and they were like freaking tanks. I have to say, we were outmatched. [PM-based RP... it was fun!]

[Talonis]

On the topic of being generally overpowered- as learning is the best way to fight over long periods, it would seem that people who rely solely on existing power may be at an eventual disadvantage, given a realistic situation. This can be represented in two situations: the side that has longer spears loses to the side that masters the bow, and the big, bulky wrestler can be defeated by the experienced martial artist, who through repeated beatings learns more than his victorious counterpart.

On the topic of AI, I find they function best in situations where they always make mistakes. Just plug in a genetic / random / dichotomic algorithm, brute force chosen possible solutions in a model relating to the present situation (the need for high level field computing is bypassed by the War Engine System, see my factbook), enumerating working results for testing on actual situations. So our AI will indeed fail many, many times. But it will also learn, and do so on multiple levels (See: War Engines).

[The Star Corporation]

On the topic of being generally overpowered- as learning is the best way to fight over long periods, it would seem that people who rely solely on existing power may be at an eventual disadvantage, given a realistic situation. This can be represented in two situations: the side that has longer spears loses to the side that masters the bow, and the big, bulky wrestler can be defeated by the experienced martial artist, who through repeated beatings learns more than his victorious counterpart.

On the topic of AI, I find they function best in situations where they always make mistakes. Just plug in a genetic / random / dichotomic algorithm, brute force chosen possible solutions in a model relating to the present situation (the need for high level field computing is bypassed by the War Engine System, see my factbook), enumerating working results for testing on actual situations. So our AI will indeed fail many, many times. But it will also learn, and do so on multiple levels (See: War Engines).

Our AI are sentient so they are capable of learning on multiple levels. We even built a ship that lives on a higher level of consciousness than us... it's unlikely we will do so again since it kind of took over the Tarantarans.

[Talonis]

Our AI are sentient so they are capable of learning on multiple levels. We even built a ship that lives on a higher level of consciousness than us... it's unlikely we will do so again since it kind of took over the Tarantarans.

Top down?
Try this, done up in a Java pseudocode:
if( isTargeting && checkRace(tarantaran)){
stop;
}else{fire();}

Bottom Up?
Weight "Not hitting allies" above "hitting enemies". And using a War Engine system on nanobots could prove useful, if that doesn't make your bots too heavy to work.

[Kyrusia]

Let's keep in mind that this thread is not intended to be a place to repeatedly compare ones toys; it's meant for advice and assistance, not merely chatter. Let's divert back to a bit more on-topic things, and less merely simple chit-chat. Thank you.

---

Also, this post - made quite a while ago - is generally relevant advice to individuals whom intend to roleplay utilizing hard/strong artificial intelligences and/or synthetic intelligences. I believe others (Voc, Rethan, Feaz, and a few others) have also posted relevant advice in regards to this topic, I just can't remember the post page.

Just to make note regarding the concept that simply because a strong Artificial Intelligence or Synthetic Intelligence was not "enslaved" or otherwise indentured to its human or otherwise non-machine creators, it otherwise cannot/will not lead to that species' destruction, I feel I must quote this paper. While, by no means, is it the end-all, be-all, the paper poses some interesting questions that players and writers should consider before utilizing strong AI's/SI's as pivotal plot points or otherwise as "characters":

"The risks in developing superintelligence include the risk of failure to give it the supergoal of philanthropy. One way in which this could happen is that the creators of the superintelligence decide to build it so that it serves only this select group of humans, rather than humanity in general. Another way for it to happen is that a well-meaning team of programmers make a big mistake in designing its goal system. This could result, to return to the earlier example, in a superintelligence whose top goal is the manufacturing of paperclips, with the consequence that it starts transforming first all of earth and then increasing portions of space into paperclip manufacturing facilities. More subtly, it could result in a superintelligence realizing a state of affairs that we might now judge as desirable but which in fact turns out to be a false utopia, in which things essential to human flourishing have been irreversibly lost."

This, of course, entirely disregards the very real, mechanical and literary issue of playing and writing-as a synthetic intelligence: that being, despite it being created (presumably) either by human life or some semblance of life reminiscent of human intellect, one must - in effect - write for a perspective of sophonce which is inherently alien to our own. This tends to, ultimately, result in the writing being drab, boring, and unnatural in a way that is not intended - "artificial" despite the player's/writer's claims of said AI/SI being "super-advanced" and otherwise post-singularity.

Look at it this way: if an AI/SI is post-singularity in intellect, why would it feel the need to talk like: "ALPHA-ALPHA TWELVE EIGHTY-SIX. COMMENCE EXTERMINATION PROTOCOL ZETA-SIX." One of the key ways to demonstrate intellect is through the fluidity of how a character speaks, acts, responds, and in other behaviors; this tends to be why I've always portrayed any "significantly advanced synthetic intelligence" as aloof, even verbose and eclectic in its speaking, but simultaneously exceptionally articulate. This is further why players who attempt to create AI's/SI's as characters, I tend to advise for them to write for those characters as if they were simply another, intelligent being - not a machine.

If the robot is advanced enough to calculate a coordinate system accounting for n-number of dimensions in order to properly perform a superluminal jump, I'm sure it can do more than sound like it's quoting a Sony Ericsson manual.

To digress, however, back to the point of both the alien-ness and (amazingly) inhuman thought processes of a potential post-singularity machine or synthetic intelligence, the paperclip analogy demonstrates how even with safeguards and security protocols, something as simple as an improper line of logic (from our perspective) can lead to planetary-level genocide. God forbid, furthermore, that such a synthetic intelligence - if it were truly post-singularity - would feasibly (by benefit of being more intelligent than its creators) be capable of deliberately deactivating and/or disassembling any potential safety protocols or safeguards or "kill-switches" its vastly-unprepared creators might have naively assembled in an attempt to protect themselves.

In short, if you intend to portray AI's/SI's with considerable intelligence - either human or post-singularity in nature - you should do your research and, in the very least, feel comfortable that however you choose to write them will be interesting and not read like an ASUS product catalog.

[The Fedral Union]

(subverted)