looking for BioTech organic technology resources

[travelnjones]

Howdy

One of the reasons for my renewed interest in Dark Conspiracy was the BioTech the darklings use. I was originally working on a fantasy setting that also used organic technology.

Can any of you folks have any resources you can point me too? I will list some of the products i have gotten a hold of for this project.

Dark Conspiracy: DarkTek well everything actually
Torg:Space Gods
Gurp: Atlantis
Space Master: Dark Space
Harry Harrisons Eden Trilogy
Emailed Joe Fugate about the A.I. product from Digest Publishing Group

Thanks
jim

[Zvezda]

The GURPS Biotech book probably. And Cyberpunk. I think the Euro Source holds a lot of Biotech.

[travelnjones]

Though i am really thinking of stuff more like was in Dark Conspiracy. Living buildings that construct themselves and those sensor bundles detected all the frequencies of EM. Maybe this is more organic examples of technology.

I am not so into the modification of the human body. Which the gurps seemed to focus on.

[Linden]

David Cronenberg's film Existenz: Guns made of bone that fire teeth instead of bullets. Play stations grown from farmed amphibians that plug into the owner's spine and distort their sense of reality. Nice.

Possibly this post should go in the movie thread...

[Zvezda]

Looks like you can probably use the Tyranids for inspiration.

[travelnjones]

It is definetly some of the ideas i am going for. I have seen the tyranid stuff as well a bunch of my friends are big into 40K. The monsters I am using are sort of tyranidesq

Being a nerd I watched a lot of Dr. Who as a kid so i have even seen the Claws of the Axios episode. I have even re watched some of the Gi Joe movie for this stuff.

[ReHerakhte]

[And I just reread the thread and saw that you have access to this book already. DOH! Oh well, it might create interest for other readers )

Many years ago I read Harry Harrison's book "West Of Eden" (ISBN-10: 0743400135), in it it had an alternate history where the dinosaurs had not been wiped out and reptiles had evolved into human sized intelligent creatures. These were called the 'Yilane' and they made a lot of use of genetically-modified animals and plants for their technology requirements.

My memory is a bit hazy about the details but from what I recall it included sea-reptiles that had hollow chambers inside their backs to allow passengers and cargo to be carried. These living ships were controlled by nerve bundles that had been grown into 'control nubs' and would cause the reptile to respond even if its brain desired otherwise.
Another example was a toad whose eyes had been altered to provide one large bulbous lens and a small lens on the other eye. It was used as a microscope with the user tweaking the animal to provide the different magnifications.
And finally, a weapon, this if I recall, was a small lizard that had been modified with a gas bladder and an ejection port. It was long and stiffened and pressure on a certain part of its body would cause the bladder to violently expel gas and thus fire a bone splinter at the target. I think it was preloaded with about ten bone splinters before use.

The main thing with these devices though, is that they are still living and require food and rest like any other animal and while many people didn't like the story that much (read the Amazon reviews!) I found the living technology of the Yilane interesting enough that I did read the other books in the series.

As I say, my memory is hazy as I read it over ten years ago but here's the link to Amazon for some more details http://www.amazon.com/West-Eden-Harry-H ... 0743400135

Cheers,
Kevin

[Fiannaidhe]

Check out RIFTS books.
Specifically, RIFTS ATLANTIS and RIFTS BOOK OF MAGIC

http://www.palladiumbooks.com/Merchant2 ... _Code=W800

http://www.palladiumbooks.com/Merchant2 ... _Code=R800


The Splugorth use "Bio-Wizardry" . These items perform various functions utilizing life energy either from a trapped creature built into the item, or from the user itself.(RIFTS World Book: Atlantis)

I wish i could be more helpful with some more specific books to check out, but theres just too many rifts books to mention. Often each book has one or two, .. or dozens of magic/technological/biological items to introduce for gameplay.

I'd reccommend going to your local game shop and just look through any and all Rifts books you see there to get ideas. I think they still put out a periodic magazine/book called THE RIFTER.

[Linden]

Many years ago I read Harry Harrison's book "West Of Eden" (ISBN-10: 0743400135), in it it had an alternate history where the dinosaurs had not been wiped out and reptiles had evolved into human sized intelligent creatures. [/url]

I read West of Eden a long time ago as well. I remember the ship being a hugely modified icthyosaur with a hollowed out dorsal fin resembling a submarine conning tower. As I recall there was a big appendix at the back which detailed the various bits of Yilane technology, complete with pictures. Could be useful as a mini-source book in Dark Conspiracy.

[ReHerakhte]

I read West of Eden a long time ago as well. I remember the ship being a hugely modified icthyosaur with a hollowed out dorsal fin resembling a submarine conning tower. As I recall there was a big appendix at the back which detailed the various bits of Yilane technology, complete with pictures. Could be useful as a mini-source book in Dark Conspiracy.

I read the series so long ago, I had completely forgotten about that, now I'm madly looking through boxes of old books to see if I kept those books in particular!

Cheers,
Kevin

[travelnjones]

Yes i have read the first and some of the second of the eden series. I have the full series. Good stuff its different. I also have the Atlantis book by palladium; I have considered getting their splicers book too. The problem with Palladium is they are a little overly Kewl. Some time i wish they would do a hardcore character driven game that throws away most of the Palladium crunch. No MDC, No boxing skills that give attribute bonuses.

I have recently been tracking down a few other books with ok results.

Ian Macdonald has a book called The Broken land that seems to be pretty much perfect for what i am looking for. The cover at least looks very close to the DGP A.I. source material I have been able to track down. Megatraveller Digest 4 and some old challenge magazines.

I am looking into the Star Wars Yuuzhan Vong as well. Which is nice as it has books, comics and actually RPG material i can look over. Their stuff is a little disappointing as it seems to just duplicate existing tech.

Thomas Easton has a series of books also called the organic future. I am almost finished with the first. The ideas thus far have been giant animals modified into cars and jets I am not thrilled with that idea. Writing is more or less pathetic. I dont like authors who cant string a pretty sentence together; its like reading shatner.

Actually some of the zhi bri of tribe 8 have a similar feel but, that game is creepy. I feel like i need to take a show after reading it.

Thanks for all the input everyone keep it coming hehe
jim

[tadkelson]

again back to Palladium



Splicers


http://www.palladiumbooks.com/Merchant2 ... _Code=S200

[travelnjones]

again back to Palladium



Splicers


http://www.palladiumbooks.com/Merchant2 ... _Code=S200

Yeah i have seen that one, i really dont want to buy it though. I bought the new Robotech thing sort out of nostalgia. But i blow too much cash already and some palladium stuff has been lacking. I havent looked at any newer stuff but have you ever notice how crappy a 1st level character is at basically everything except combat stuff. You are very lucky to have over a 50% chance at stuff.

Maybe if i could find it on the cheap.

I even had an idea for a fantasy meets cold war spy stuff that I would have liked to do with palladium. Make it really character based doing investigations and crap but those elective and secondary skills are so low you cant do crap.

[travelnjones]

I am trying to make note of the various biotech ideas i come across and put them in a little doc.

Ian Mcdonalds "the broken land" was very good. Lots of ideas!

[Zvezda]

That would be excellent. Thanks in advance.