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UNIVERSES - by CHAD HALE

#1
What follows is the basic text of my "Psi-Tech" universe. Likely the first of a few SCI-FI concepts for futuristic campaign settings. As other space sims limit themselves to a single timeline, technological advancements and so forth; I see that limit theory DOES NOT. The door to creativity isn't closed here; it is wide OPEN. So I wanted to share this with you. I tend to write such things as the basics for role playing game campaign settings using the SAVAGE WORLDS rule system. This is a fan contribution.
Last edited by Chad_hale on Wed Nov 12, 2014 3:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: UNIVERSE: PSI-TECH

#2
]PSI-TECH[/color]

History: constantly ridiculed, mostly unfunded, psychic research had been conducted for more than a century. Virtually nothing could be shown for such efforts aside from anecdotal experiences of what might have been a real “event” and charlatans.

1970’s A few institutions for higher learning began collecting scientific data related to psi (aside from the secret efforts of governments to use psionics for spying and worse). Princeton engineering anomalies research (P.E.A.R.) Stanford research institute (S.R.I.) and many more began to make a concerted scientific effort to study psi with the goal of producing legitimate data. Academic skeptics had fun ridiculing all psionic research as fraud.

Scientists- Defined as “those who did not accept our knowledge of things as perfect and dared ask questions”. Those few scientists changed our world. Ahead of their time these scientists endured mockery and the stigma of researching the “paranormal”. There is a thin line between scientific genius and wild eyed insanity; that line is proof via successfully repeating results on demand. This was something that psi could not reliably do.
“It takes an instant to ignore the truth – but a lifetime to prove an instant.”


Random event generators (REG) utilized radioactive decay to generate random numbers. Psi experiments focused on having psychics direct the result generated. While some results appeared impressive Skeptics could easily attack the way the experiment was performed, elaborate on failures to reproduce the effects elsewhere, and attacking the credentials of the persons involved. There just wasn’t enough reliable data to support any claims.

Time passed and technology advanced in other areas;

•Extremely powerful microscopes and an electromagnetic probe was used to move a single atom.
•Magnetic resonance imaging technology could scan a target and create a highly accurate 3-d model.
•The Large hadron collider produced possible evidence for the Higgs boson and the Higgs field.

The scientists looked to meta-analysis to gather a cumulative weight of data that could not be ignored. A number of experiments placed REG devices in laboratory controlled conditions at locations across the United States, Canada, and the European Union. When a disaster of significant proportion hit the news, the REG machines produced remarkable data showing a relationship. Almost as if the event had caused the machines to synchronize. They didn’t know what relationship had the impact on the REG data. The assumption was a collective effort of human consciousness, but they had no proof.

Scientists then wanted to see if they could get a unified effort of consciousness to affect REG devices in the same way. The Experiment was to use brain power to reach a goal artificially. They used dozens of brain tissue slivers all responsible for the same single function. When stimulated with an electric current the effect on REG machines was inconclusive with a mixture of spontaneous positive results. The miniscule effect proved to be too elusive to produce with any regularity and the brain tissue presented too many variables to the conduct of the experiment. The academic response to this gruesome experiment distorted the public view of psi research.

Breakthrough
; a “psychic” receiving an MRI experienced a brief flash. The MRI had captured an interaction between a firing nerve and an ion outside of the synaptic gap. The psychic described this as receiving a message. The scientists using the MRI data were able to calculate a formula and the next step was to build a working model for non-local interactions.

Technology continues to advance: Nano wire computing had reached another performance prediction, a petaflop of memory and processing approximately the size of a red blood cell. These are called RBC processors.
•Quantum computing with enough Q-bits resulting in a computer smarter than all computers ever.
•Failure of the singularity; sadly a computer is only a machine and can only act on programing. Despite exponentially increasing computer power no computer becomes self-aware.
•Failure of mind uploading: as it turns out the stuff of consciousness is a mystery and we cannot interface analog minds with digital technology. Academics claim that we do not have a full understanding of the chemistry and physics of the trillions of interacting neurons to succeed. With our best technology we can create very good copies but to date none are the genuine article.

A revised version of the brain mapping and duplication projects linked together 3 lbs of the most advanced RBC processors in the hope of reaching the singularity. A related project applied a similar computer to the non-local interaction formula by pulsing “Digital intent” at quanta in a particle trap…

Result: anomalous perturbation.

Scientists were thrilled and sought to discover everything they could about it. Repeatable, Verifiable, on demand proof. The official term is “Digital Interaction field non-local effect” (publicly shortened to “DIF” and “No Loc”). All such interaction fields became a new area of research. Quantum foam, zero point energy, the Higgs field, it seemed we had rediscovered the “Ether” that the Michelson-morely experiment had supposedly disproved.

The scientists found that they didn’t need a collective consciousness, or even a human brain. The circuitry for DIF devices was simplified; Power source, RBC, particle trap. The power was limited to the energy needed to “assert” the intent on the non-local property. The outcome of the kinetic effect was greater than the sum of energy used. Some scientists speculate that this is an elastic reaction of the Higgs field responsible for mass and inertia.

That’s odd:
the effect could not be directed to produce energy for its own use. You can’t take energy from the universe without putting it back. Yet a levdisk can keep a person aloft for hours! a whole starship can teleport to a star light years away, instantly. Such a feat should require far beyond infinite energy! Some of these feats should be completely impossible! How does it work? What is the logical rationale?

Where does the power come from:
Some effects might not be achieved by energy but information. A teleported object is not a convoluted process of flawless matter and energy conversions as much as it is changing quantum information redefining an object as existing at the new location. Non locality and quantum weirdness is a very deep rabbit hole indeed.

What we do know is that the quanta in the particle trap exhaust their non-local effect as the asserted influence presses them into a singular state of dissolving back into nothingness. Akin to an anti-matter reaction, the effect achieves almost perfect efficiency. E=MC2 Even these tiny particles have considerable energy to release.

Looking back, how did psychics achieve their feats with only neural energy, one human brain, and no particle trap? It seems that psychics rely on quantum foam to randomly provide quanta for a No-loc effect. Human psi potential is a talent as rare as Mathematical prodigy and functions similarly to a strongman’s Uniform Mass neuron firing during a feat of strength, only that the mass firing is in the Central Nervous System. Recently this trait has been found and can be applied to a prospective person via Genetic engineering.

One company produces an energy drink made of simple sugars, stimulants, bucky-balls loaded with quanta. The drink is called “RED PILL” and provides psychics with a small energy boost, improved focus, and quanta to burn.

END MUSEUM TOUR:
That is how PSI-Tech was discovered, developed and created the world we now live in.

Would you like to know more?

The psi-tech world: what do you imagine the future to be? Actually it is similar to the present only with a rampant increase in psionic technology.

Super immersive Virtual reality: holographic scanning of a "person, place, object, environmental feature" to create the same for use in constructing virtual space. Private universes are tailored by the individual - shared universe is tailored by real world cameras active scanning into the virtual. Virtual spaces are infinite and require no resources (by comparison to 1980’s). Sim is how people refer to virtual space.

Swimming in cycles: one aspect of life has changed. A computer about 100,000 times as powerful as the one you own in 2014 has reduced in size to be a very small fraction of a grain of sand. Most devices harbor both Q-bit computing and RBC computing checking the flow of data. Gliches, lock ups, lag and other problems (to include malicious programming) has faded into obscurity.

Universal connection:
Everyone is connected. Your favorite apps run as if you were plugged in to the host server. With this much computing power virtual servers can spin up everywhere.
*If computer games had been an addicting before; they most definitely are now - it becomes nearly impossible to educate 2040's youth in regards to the difference between reality and fantasy. Social skills that are solely in the real world has become an art form; 2040 people study Emily Post akin to how a 2014's person might study a martial art and are viewed by most 2040's in the same light.

One language: As the digital uses pure mathematics to express absolute meanings without error (1+1=2 EVERYWHERE); every single human language, cultural cue, and emotion, can be translated. Despite having a world populated with billions of diverse peoples, cultures, and languages; Via Sim, we all can communicate as one. Yes, there are still problems here and there, but such concerns are usually on the analog side. (Pebkac) Problem exists between keyboard and chair.

A Population in sim: Sim has led to a “Pod” being a person's home. The idea of physically commuting through the real world to visit another location has become an exotic concept to most. To virtual space addicts, real world travel is forced phobia exposure. With housing reduced to a ten foot cube, a sprawling population of 350,000 could comfortably fit in a 100 story sky scraper with a base of one city block (1/8th a mile).

Future Diet: as a 2014-er you might imagine the whole human race as being 300 plus pound morbidly obese plugged-in slugs. we 2040's prevented that by making scan beds. a scan bed is the virtual space controller that you 2014-ers wish you had. The scan bed uses isometric muscle activation and feedback to ensure that the full body is exercised and kept fit. Also, a birth immunization includes a "gene key" that prohibits weight gain beyond a specific Body Mass Index. on average most humans at 6 foot tall weight only 150 (female) 170 pounds (male). The gene key activates genes in all persons increasing lean muscle growth by 5 times.

Future Medicine:
in 2014 medical care is a reaction that may follow after an injury or illness; 2040, we take care of you before you are even born. Genetic screening takes the best of both donor parents to create the best possible "Potential Person". Some 4,000+ Genetic diseases are preventable. There is a black market for samples of genes that guarantee augmentation in some form. Genetic Key technology is a process of switching on desired traits. This is typically provided to a newborn. Benefits include an extensive list of anti-disease and quality of life enhancing augments.

Future Education:
Someone has to bring new content from the real world into virtual space. Sim actors and actresses are scanned as they study new material and the process is communicated to the customer as vividly as possible. Education via sim is preferable; it is faster, creates a personal experience, and makes a longer lasting impression on the mind. Public education starts at 6 months and is usually finished with a doctorate by fourteen.


Future employment:
Work still has to be done in 2040 and most of it involves creating sim content. In the real world a technology was created to undo centuries of dumping garbage into the environment. Turning garbage into a renewable resource. A "Nom" (Slang) or angstrom recycler is a fusion power module running a plasma arc that reduces garbage to individual atoms. This vapor is sorted and sifted by centrifugal force, specific gravity, chemical spectrum, thermal, and magnetic properties. The result is tubes filled with single raw chemical elements this raw material is the stuff used by molecular printers to Real Fabricate (Slang- "Fab") almost everything with Nano material properties. The phone in your tooth to the capsule tower you call home; all of it is "Fabbed".
An abandoned urban area fallen into decay is reclaimed Via Angstrom recycling (nom-nom-nom) and the material can be used to fab a Brand new sparkling hyper tech city according to the most advanced technology templates in Sim.

Thirty minutes or less: All the "Stuff" that you and I have is usually delivered by someone in the real. The world isn't perfect and it is not a utopia; we still have all of our faults too.

Now for the stuff you won't believe...

Character Races:
• Bioroid
• Cyborg
PSI-TECH archetypes:
• ACE-helm (cartographers, navigators, pilots)
• Captain (diplomat, spy, tactician, leader, administration)
• Doctor (All Bio-Sciences to include planetology)
• Engineer (power and repair, gadget hacking)
• Intel/commo (communications, remote tempest hacking, and Electronic warfare)
• Psion (Dedicated Psi-talent practitioners)
• Scientist (non-psi science, non bio-sci, a focus on physical sciences. commonly sensor system experts)
• Weaps-X (Weapons expert, warefare focus)

PSI-TECH edges:
Changes to edges and New edges.
PSI-TECH GEAR:
New equipment for the future.

Character Races: these two races are in addition to those presented in the Science fiction companion.

Bioroid - Titan
Initially created to be super soldiers, special operations, and covert agents for the war; Now our regrettable offspring that we use and abuse.
*Engineered: Start with d8 on agility, smarts, strength, and vigor. No attribute can be raised above d12 during character creation.
*UNBREAKABLE: Titan tissues are stronger than steel (keratin genes replaced with spider silk protein genes). TITANs start with the brawny edge however the modified carry multiple is X20. Titans are rumored to be five times better than a normal human at everything; while this claim is debatable, in terms of strength - it is most certainly true.
the downside...

*SUBSERVIENT:
start with d4 Spirit. The spirit attribute can’t be increased during character creation. The spirit attribute requires two advances to raise and can’t be raised above d6. Titans were engineered with minimal independence and willpower.
*Soulless: Titans start with one less bennie.
*Vat Grown: start with only 3 attribute points and 10 skill points to spend, A titan may look like an adult but have no worldly experiences to reflect on. Titans are Clueless (Major) until spirit is raised to d6 and earn the seasoned rank.
*NOT HUMAN: Titans are second class citizens and are regarded as WEAPONS. For example: a TITAN is not welcome to attend a political rally. Titans can be identified by appearance, biometrics, R.F.I.D. chips implanted in vital organs, and monofilament metal skeletal lacing. Disguise attempts don't work: everything about you is obvious. For this reason Titans have the outsider (Major) hindrance.
NEEDS FOOD BADLY: Titans pay a price for their amplified potential, they need to eat and drink at the minimum four times what a human would need each day or start checking for fatigue due to starvation or thirst.


Cyborg_Veteran

During world war III, all military members were tested for numerous special capacities. Military members who tested positive for cyberware tolerance were offered “conversion”; in addition, injured veterans received free cyberware replacement.
ADAPTED: cyborgs are treated as having +1 dies step spirit for cyber tolerance and they do not halve spirit to determine their total cyberware points. These points are used to purchase cyberware.
INTERNAL: all cybernetics to include implants do not have weight, bulk, and are concealed from normal senses (*unless specified). I.e. are a part of the persons natural body weight.
CONVERSION: Typically, the cyborg was fitted with military grade cyberware with carbon nano-tube artificial muscles. Both arms, both legs, and a total bio-metal skeletal sheath are typically provided.
FLESH WELD: Using a Genetically engineered "in the cell manufacturing" cytoplasmic cell membranes are reinforced with 1 angstrom thick atomic "velco". This material utilizes molecular hooks to interlink and holds together with van der whal, casamir or other nano scale forces making the entire body extremely resilient. The molecular hooks are powered by the cells: if a cell dies, the hooks cease to work. as the molecular hooks are created by an GE organelle in each cell, cell replication and replacement serves to maintain the tissue reinforcement.
The downside...
REPAIR_ME: Cyborgs are not like normal flesh and blood. Cyberbetics do not heal over time. When an injury or critical damage applies to a specific area: arm, leg, etc - the effect is not removed until the cyborg is repaired.
GRACELESS: Cyborgs have a -2 on any task that a person can just attempt naturally. I.E. a cyborg will have the penalty for swimming skill checks, agility skill checks, even activity that we take for granted a cyborg will have difficulty completing. shuffling a deck of cards, using a key, petting a cat, using a paint brush.
NUMB: feedback systems are no where near as advanced as natural. cyborgs must focus intently on every movement and every physical contact or risk inflicting 1d6 nonlethal damage to something adjacent to them. people, pets, furniture, appliances, flat ware, art pieces, whatever; when a cyborg is under stress they may not notice that they are inflicting harm. When normally concentrating to avoid such mishaps the cyborg has a -2 to notice skill checks and initiative. A cyborg that doesn't care is a dangerous dance partner!
REGISTERED: cyborgs are considered weapons and are restricted in some areas.
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NEXT PROJECT- SPACE 2020- by CHAD HALE

#3
***GRAVITY TECHNOLOGY***
Okay, imagine a Light emitting diode (L.E.D.) a tiny electronic component that works like a light bulb. Keep this in mind as I take you on this little tour.
******************************************
LESSON ONE: Fundamental Force Coupling - There are fundamental forces in physics; for this topic we discuss only two. Electromagnetic force (EM) is 1X10^42 stronger than Gravity (G). There are theories that imply, show, and prove conversion of one force into another. The tiny electronic part if it can convert a portion of EM force into G (*even at a greatly reduced efficiency than a ratio of1x10^42), you would get a rather astonishing effect! instead of requiring a Jupiter sized amount of negative mass energy to generate a warp field a Gravity Wave Projector drive can generate a warp bubble with a mere gigawatt capacitor discharge. Gravity wave projector technology does not generate true gravitons, the effect is more so a bending of space akin to gravity or anti-gravity effects. As "True Gravity" is a property of mass, Gravity Wave projectors become less efficient in the presence of "true Gravity".

Grade school question: Why build starships with Gravity technology? the answer is that magnetism affects only magnetic materials while Gravity affects everything that has mass.

LESSON TWO: "Gravity is easy", the science of Spacecraft gravity and gravity based inertial compensation- Scientists point out that a Localized Gravity Zone (Or LGZ) applied to a spacecraft greatly mitigate the dangers of inertia posed by extreme maneuvering. Spacecraft engineers point out that Gravity Wave Projectors (henceforth G.W.P.) can be applied to deck plating through out the interior of a space craft to provide a healthy one G environment. GWP systems are highly energy efficient and are incorporated into most modern "Environmental/Life support" power allocation systems.

Grade school question: Why is a single large gravity generator the wrong way to go?
A single large gravity generator would act in a straight line to the center of other nearby masses; meaning the only place you could "Stand up" would be directly over said large gravity generator...

LESSON THREE: additional applications - G.W.P. devices applied akin to vectored thrust provide true Vertical take off and landing, enable non-aerodynamic flight and harmless Re-entry. Spacecraft attempting planet fall need not make meteoric descents at Mach 24. One can go from the ground to space or visa versa, at safe atmospheric speeds without damaging aerials, antenna, and drogues.

Jet engines in space? within a solar system G.W.P. intakes enable fission drives to gather fuel from the vacuum of space. Space isn't an absolute vacuum; It is estimated that there is one hydrogen atom per cubic meter. This is important as a spacecraft traveling at Fractional Lunar Distance (FLD) speeds, say 25,000 KmPH will gather fuel from space. How much? if the space craft intake is one square meter that one hour of travel gathers 25,000,000 atoms; but that is less than Avogadro's Number, which is roughly 6.02x10^23 atoms. translation - you need a more efficient method of gathering "H" to replenish fission thrust fuel. This is where GWP tech comes in handy. The external effect of a spacecraft GWP systems serves to draw fuel into to your intakes as if your intake radius is your spacecraft's cubic volume.

Fractional Astrometric Unit Speed Travel (FAUST) - Space is an inconceivably vast almost empty nothingness. Even travel at FLD speeds seem to be a crawl if you are going from Mercury to Pluto. The weak space distortion effect caused by gravity technology can act as a multiplier for your current velocity. Some call this "Micro warp" travel. FAUST speeds are approximately ten times faster than Fractional lunar distance speeds. On average 250,000 Kmph.

Tractor beams: How do you get propulsion from a gravity wave projector? Gravity obeys the inverse square rule, and always acts from the center of a mass along a straight line to the center of another mass. That means all forces are in balance on a stationary object. What does the gravity wave projector do? it allows us to place a gravity like effect that is *NOT* acting from the center of a mass. Thus an imbalance, and the stationary object Moves. This is the key behind Anti-Gravity thrusters as well.

Distortion Shielding: the distortion effect serves to make spacecraft harder to hit. A spacecraft's "shields" are not feeble screens of energy to be defrayed at the slightest impact. this would be pitting your power plant and shield effectiveness against an enemies weapons and that is a waste of power! the best solution to space combat is that distortion shielding reduces the effectiveness of damaging attacks as less of the weapon effect can actually reach your spacecraft.

Refractive Cloak: Warp travel indirectly enables the use of a relativistic loophole enabling a spacecraft to travel effectively at Faster Than Light speeds. The side effect is that ships traveling at warp can not see where they are going, nor can the destination detect the spacecraft. As this effect is achieved with a warp bubble, it may be possible to design a variant of the warp drive to create a "Refractive cloak" that conceals a spacecraft from detection inside a warp bubble. However, as GWP becomes less efficient in the presence of true gravity neither FTL warp, nor refractive cloaking can function within the true gravity radius of a mass greater than the ship generating the effect.

LESSON FOUR: How is this not a "Reactionless thruster"?
1. a submarine doesn't carry tanks of water to squirt against the propeller, the submarine turns the propeller against the "Water" that is already there...
2. the use of this device does not create thrust; not anymore than a skier at the top of mountain has only muscle power to get to the bottom.
3. Perpetual motion, overunity, and other physics breaking absurdities are "Scientifically impossible".
4. the device is not a closed system and can't be used in this manner.
5. The Effect of gravity is accessing an OUTSIDE force.

LESSON FIVE: FTL Warp metrics - creating a warp bubble. Bending the fabric of space is a loophole around the Speed of light. You technically might not be moving, when you are traveling at warp. Thus you aren't actually going "FASTER", you are taking a short cut to cheat a way through the distance. Thus no time travel and warp travel does not impart any inertia.
Shaping a warp field to best serve a star ship is akin the science of aerodynamics and is thus named "Warp dynamics". A warp bubble can serve to deflect debris from a spacecraft path as the field may resemble a boat wake, only projecting this protective wake *Ahead* of the boat (*as well as around the boat). Obviously, if you are travelling at warp objects of equal mass or less than your space craft are pushed aside.

Grade School Question: Can you ram a planet with a ship at FTL warp?
No. Anything with a larger mass will defeat a warp bubble. This why there is no "Insystem" FLT. If you want to generate a warp bubble you need to move your spaceship to a Lagrange point. also, A spacecraft snared by a tractor beam can not establish a warp bubble for FTL Travel.

Grade School Question: "What about energy accumulation?"
Yes, particles of mater and energy can enter a warp field, but they roll out away with the area of space that expands back to normal behind your starship. A warp bubble is frictionless distorted space. So there is no gamma burst of cosmic death when you come to a stop after travelling at warp. Travel Via a warp bubble is not acceleration at all - so no f=m*V and K=M*V^2 nonsense.

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