I am working on a science fiction campaign setting, hopefully something I could use for novels. But for now I'm just kicking around some ideas. I'm posting them here because I really want to get some feedback from some of my contemporaries and not just my Girlfriend (who thinks everything I do is gold) and my co-writer. Here is what I am thinking:
IDEAS
The first thing is that I wanted to look at the flavor of this universe. What kinds of already produced projects will influence my own. First and foremost this is a universe based on Exploration. Think of Indiana Jones and Star Trek were to mate and have a child. This will not be the war soaked stories of Star Wars.
The second thing I was thinking about were spaceships. There are lots of methods of Faster than Light (FTL) travel, whether you prefer Hyperspace or Warp Drive. I really liked the portal idea from Stargate, and it's something I'm going to borrow and tweak. Now, I did not want to steal too much from Stargate, tell me what you think:
In Stargate, we have all these doorways on alien planets, and the way you travel to them is by typing in the address. It's like a telephone, you can use the telephone to call anyone in the galaxy as long as they have a phone. Plus the Stargate requires a power source. To seperate myself from the Stargates I want my portals to have a lot of diversity.
The Portals are activated with a key, which looks like a small carving of an idol and it glows. Without the key, the portal does not turn on. (which requires the heroes to go searching for the key, which excretes a type of radiation that can be tracked via scanner) 75% of all Portals are two way portals. So the portal on Arkris will take you to Elgrom and you can leave Elgrom back to Arkris (but that is it!). 15% of all portals are one way portals. So the portal on Arkris will take you to Belysian, (but not back). Finally 10% of all portals are called Hubs. They cannot travel to all portals in the galaxy (but they can carry you to most!) Every World will have multiple portals.
Technology
Tech in my setting is going to be shoddy at best and varies from World to World. As far as weapons go, we have the melee weapons (axes, swords, pipes etc.) that are cheap and reliable, and Guns which are expensive and faulty. This is a little bit so we can tone down blasting and things like that. Not to mention that ammunition needs to be reserved when you get out into very far reaching and primitive Worlds in the galaxy.
Spaceships are purely for small travel, you won't see any Faster Than Light spaceships. So they are only good if you have inhabited planets that are close by (in the same solar system for example). On civilized Worlds we see speeders, planes, bikes, and animals. On less civilized Worlds you will mostly see animals.
The Pad: It's like a super blackberry, allowing you to research Worlds and write your findings.
The other aspect of the setting is magic, we probably won't be seeing anything like in an average Dungeons and Dragons game where people throw lightning bolts around, instead it will be more subtle things. Magic like in Indiana Jones (The Crystal Skull or Holy Grail for example) or in the Lord of the Rings movies (when Gandalf speaks to the moth or creates a shaft of light to turn away the Ringwraiths). It's usually very rare and mysterious, something so odd that you cannot even quite understand it.
Other Ideas
Alien Monsters are something I enjoy. That huge predator who comes lumbering from the forests, I'm envisioning the monsters from the Original Star Trek series (that disappeared it seems in the later incarnations of the series) or some of the interesting creatures from Star Wars. Weird monsters.
Who built the portals? One of the great mysteries of the universe, no one really understands where the portals came from, or when they were first figured out, they just always seem to have been. Who built the ruins that seem to dot every world? What happened to the people who built the portals?
Similar Worlds Theory: Almost all of the worlds that the portals open to support life. They have a mostly oxygen atmosphere, they are within the livable zone of their solar systems. This is an idea that Gene Roddenberry used in Star Trek to explain why people don't need space suits when they come on to planets.
Worlds:
-A world where one side of the planet is always exposed to the sun and the other is in eternal night.
-A world reeling from a nuclear holocaust (think Fallout 3)
-A desert planet (like Egypt not Tatooine).
-A lush jungle world
-A planet dominated by a hive city that has overtaken the only continent (also home to the largest hub portal)
Races:
-humans: The space trash of the universe, they are everywhere.
-changelings: shapeshifters.
-The Singe: ape people (Planet of the Apes)
-Planet people
-Telepathic people
-The Grom: a warrior society with a modern twist.
What do you think? Is this an idea worth pursuing? what do you suggest?
Quote from: Gnome Nachos-The Grom: a warrior society with a modern twist.
I'm curious what the modern twist is.
Finally I don't see why you wouldn't want to put effort into this (as long as your interested, that's important). However so far there's nothing too original, it seems like (as you put it) the offspring of various famous science fiction settings/franchises.
QuoteThink of Indiana Jones and Star Trek were to mate and have a child.
First off, thank you for that particular mental image of Shatner and Ford. Blergh.
QuoteTo seperate myself from the Stargates I want my portals to have a lot of diversity.
The Portals are activated with a key, which looks like a small carving of an idol and it glows...
75% of all Portals are two way portals...
15% of all portals are one way portals...
10% of all portals are called Hubs...
Is there a particular reason for this? The two-ways and the hubs I understand, but the one-way portals don't seem to make much sense. Why would they build these? Why are the keys statues? What do the portals look like? Have they all been found?
QuoteTech in my setting is going to be shoddy at best and varies from World to World. As far as weapons go, we have the melee weapons (axes, swords, pipes etc.) that are cheap and reliable, and Guns which are expensive and faulty. This is a little bit so we can tone down blasting and things like that. Not to mention that ammunition needs to be reserved when you get out into very far reaching and primitive Worlds in the galaxy.
Sounds like fallout. Pipes are improvised weapons, so I don't know why those are listed. The only reason guns would be expensive and faulty is if the entire galaxy were in a pre-renaissance society, or higher-level technologies were jealously hoarded by those with the ability to make them (making them common for people of that society).
QuoteSpaceships are purely for small travel, you won't see any Faster Than Light spaceships. So they are only good if you have inhabited planets that are close by (in the same solar system for example). On civilized Worlds we see speeders, planes, bikes, and animals. On less civilized Worlds you will mostly see animals.
Non FTL travel to other planets still takes on the order of months and years. I think you might mean between moons of a gas supergiant or something.
By Speeders, I assume you mean the things like in star wars. Those require either advanced gravitational harnessing, or an immense source of power, or both. Why are these seen, but not guns?
QuoteMagic like in Indiana Jones (The Crystal Skull or Holy Grail for example) or in the Lord of the Rings movies. It's usually very rare and mysterious, something so odd that you cannot even quite understand it.
Why? What purpose does it serve?
QuoteAlien Monsters are something I enjoy. That huge predator who comes lumbering from the forests, I'm envisioning the monsters from the Original Star Trek series (that disappeared it seems in the later incarnations of the series) or some of the interesting creatures from Star Wars. Weird monsters.
I would assume that these are somewhat rare, especially near a portal?
QuoteWho built the portals? One of the great mysteries of the universe, no one really understands where the portals came from, or when they were first figured out, they just always seem to have been. Who built the ruins that seem to dot every world? What happened to the people who built the portals?
That's fine, I guess. As a writer, you NEED to know where this stuff came from, however. It's a setting bible, meaning it should have EVERYTHING. Please answer your questions (or were you asking for suggestions?).
QuoteSimilar Worlds Theory: Almost all of the worlds that the portals open to support life. They have a mostly oxygen atmosphere, they are within the livable zone of their solar systems. This is an idea that Gene Roddenberry used in Star Trek to explain why people don't need space suits when they come on to planets.
Fair enough. Depending on the age of the society, are there any that have since become uninhabitable?
QuoteWorlds:
-A world where one side of the planet is always exposed to the sun and the other is in eternal night.
-A world reeling from a nuclear holocaust (think Fallout 3)
-A desert planet (like Egypt not Tatooine).
-A lush jungle world
-A planet dominated by a hive city that has overtaken the only continent (also home to the largest hub portal)
Sorry that I'm ripping these apart, but here we go.
-That's called a tidal lock. Unfortunately, that also makes the planet uninhabitable. Strong air currents would render the surface completely windswept, not to mention that the two sides would be at ridiculous temperature extremes.
-Having a planet that can be described as 'just like X' is not a good thing. What makes this different than Fallout 3?
-Unfortunately, what you probably think of as Egypt isn't desert; it's floodplain. That said, Egyptian Desert IS Tatooine Desert (Tatooine was filmed in Tunisia, located on the edges of the same desert as Egypt.
-The whole thing? What makes this planet special?
-hive city? Are we talking giant ant's nest, or like Coruscant? Either case, the question becomes; where is all the food coming from?
QuoteRaces:
-humans: The space trash of the universe, they are everywhere.
-changelings: shapeshifters.
-The Singe: ape people (Planet of the Apes)
-Planet people
-Telepathic people
-The Grom: a warrior society with a modern twist.
again, I'm sorry. (probably should say that about this whole thing)
-Why? Why are you copying one of the most obvious and pervasive tropes in all of science fiction?
-No comment, I'll need more information.
-Care to tell me what special about your apes that make them not ripoffs of the movie?
-eh?
-different from magic? Are you SURE this is sci-fi?
-What's the twist? Why the stereotypical 'heavy' name?
I'm using portals myself in my unnamed multiverse setting (found under Silvercat's Dream), although those portals don't require you to build gates they work on their own.
The look I'm envisioning for this pulp-era movie serials, things like Flash Gordon. Except for the rarity of guns.
Excellent points Stargate, I appreciate your ripping my idea apart and that's the whole reason I posted this here. I'm going to mull over what you wrote...
QuoteIs there a particular reason for this? The two-ways and the hubs I understand, but the one-way portals don't seem to make much sense. Why would they build these? Why are the keys statues? What do the portals look like? Have they all been found?
The reason for this is to add what I picture is a sense of difficulty to the setting. I didn't really want it to be as easy as just hopping into the "Stargate". The one-ways are going to be broken or malfunctioning portals. The idea was to make "getting home" difficult for our intrepid adventurers. The reason the keys are statures are to make them individualized. It's like why the keys to your home might be painted with flames on them or a small note on what the key goes to. They are like puzzle pieces, usually an inch thick and 6 inches across. They often look like a face. The Portals look like doorjambs, the inside of the Portals are windows to where they come out.
Your final question brings me to the key of the story. Not all portals have been found, but finding them is important (mostly for trade). The Commerce Guild is an organization of companies who deal in interplanetary trade. They deal in all manner of goods, from ore, spice, food, wood, and goods. They employ House Arbogast, a company of explorers who spread out through out the galaxy searching for more portals and following them to where they lead. Thanks to them, the map of the galaxy looks like a huge web with strands representing all the connections planets have.
QuoteSounds like fallout. Pipes are improvised weapons, so I don't know why those are listed. The only reason guns would be expensive and faulty is if the entire galaxy were in a pre-renaissance society, or higher-level technologies were jealously hoarded by those with the ability to make them (making them common for people of that society).
I like Fallout a lot, I've only played it a little and I like things about it. The reason the pipe is listed because of the very popular SpikedPipe 3000! One of the more complex pieces of machinery in the entire setting. It's basically a silvery pipe, about 6" long with a button. You push the button and a beam of lazer pours out, about 3' long. It's like a sword or something, but glows blue, green, or purple (just kidding!)
There are other reasons the guns wouldn't work as well and I think it comes down to the supplies available to a society. Gunpowder is made out of Sulfur, Carbon, and Potassium Nitrate (according to Wikipedia). If a society didn't have access to large amounts of sulfur, they'd find something else (Nexion, the made-up element for example.) However, that's an awfully silly explanation. I like the idea of the overlying government (because there is one) has a ban on most firearms. Like the assault weapons ban in some states. So really awesome military grade weapons are hard to come by, and the people get to deal with less powerful small arms (unless they purchase weapons illegally).
QuoteNon FTL travel to other planets still takes on the order of months and years. I think you might mean between moons of a gas supergiant or something.
By Speeders, I assume you mean the things like in star wars. Those require either advanced gravitational harnessing, or an immense source of power, or both. Why are these seen, but not guns?
Good point, not to mention that traveling between planets via rocket is incredibly complicated. I once was watching a documentary, according to them, travel to Mars is only really feasible every 2 years because otherwise Mars and Earth are just too far away. So it would take years, more then likely, because the Portals are available the scientists of the universe wouldn't waste time trying to make huge Starships like the Enterprise.
I threw speeders on top of there because I've spent all day reading through the Star Wars roleplaying game Saga Edition. I think that vehicles will mostly be ground vehicles. Especially Motorcycles. I once saw a really cool picture on an issue of an engineering technology magazine of a motor-unicycle. It was pretty cool. I also really like the combat bikes from Warhammer 40k. Vehicles will probably be electric, or use a type of power cell fuel. But you're right, I will more then likely not use Speeders (except on planets and moons with low gravity possibly)
QuoteMe: "Magic like in Indiana Jones (The Crystal Skull or Holy Grail for example) or in the Lord of the Rings movies. It's usually very rare and mysterious, something so odd that you cannot even quite understand it."
Stargate525: Why? What purpose does it serve?
The purpose this serves is to not make this like the Amethyst 4ED Roleplaying Game. Which is basically all about magic (elves, dragons, etc.) vs technology (AK 47s, America, Europe, Pipes). Instead these are things that are just mysterious things that aren't as easy to understand. Such as a race of people who's religion focuses around a ritual that summons one of their strange gods into the priest. Now if this were Star Trek we would say that the "strange god" is really an alien entity that can take control of your body and is preying on the superstitions of a people. Instead I just want to leave it a little mystery.
QuoteMe "Alien Monsters are something I enjoy. That huge predator who comes lumbering from the forests, I'm envisioning the monsters from the Original Star Trek series (that disappeared it seems in the later incarnations of the series) or some of the interesting creatures from Star Wars. Weird monsters."
Stargate 525: "I would assume that these are somewhat rare, especially near a portal?"[blockquote]
Yes I would say they are rare on some planets. The setting is structured in a few, very well connected city dense and population dense planets. These are very Earthlike. However, there are more wild and dangerous Worlds that will be chock full of monsters.
[blockquote]
Me: "Who built the portals? One of the great mysteries of the universe, no one really understands where the portals came from, or when they were first figured out, they just always seem to have been. Who built the ruins that seem to dot every world? What happened to the people who built the portals?"
Stargate525: "That's fine, I guess. As a writer, you NEED to know where this stuff came from, however. It's a setting bible, meaning it should have EVERYTHING. Please answer your questions (or were you asking for suggestions?)."
Flexibility is the key to air power, as my Dad always says. I am definitely open to suggestions, but to answer your question... The makers of the Portals are a race who call themselves the Chakelops. These god-beings are strange to behold and are not even of this universe. They come from another reality and were expanding their empire into this universe (billions of years ago). However, due to a civil war breaking out in their universe they pulled back most of their slaves and supplies and returned to their strange universe. They have not been back since. Or so we are lead to believe. I really like the Chakelops and I am going to scan a drawing I did of them and you will agree (I hope!)
QuoteMe: "Similar Worlds Theory: Almost all of the worlds that the portals open to support life. They have a mostly oxygen atmosphere, they are within the livable zone of their solar systems. This is an idea that Gene Roddenberry used in Star Trek to explain why people don't need space suits when they come on to planets."
Stargate 525: Fair enough. Depending on the age of the society, are there any that have since become uninhabitable?
Absolutely! Pollution, Nuclear Holocaust, and worlds that have suffered other natural disasters (such as a massive asteroid striking a World).
QuoteSorry that I'm ripping these apart, but here we go.
-That's called a tidal lock. Unfortunately, that also makes the planet uninhabitable. Strong air currents would render the surface completely windswept, not to mention that the two sides would be at ridiculous temperature extremes.
-Having a planet that can be described as 'just like X' is not a good thing. What makes this different than Fallout 3?
-Unfortunately, what you probably think of as Egypt isn't desert; it's floodplain. That said, Egyptian Desert IS Tatooine Desert (Tatooine was filmed in Tunisia, located on the edges of the same desert as Egypt.
-The whole thing? What makes this planet special?
-hive city? Are we talking giant ant's nest, or like Coruscant? Either case, the question becomes; where is all the food coming from?
That's ok, the whole reason I posted these early primordial notes was so that I could get creative criticism, because comments like yours help me to think creatively (more creatively than normal)
-I didn't know that's what it was called and you make excellent points. While there may be a possible habitat established on the cold side of the planet that was created for the slaves of the Chakelops so they could mine deep into the planet, otherwise we probably won't see a lot of people walking around. Good information though.
-It's just the seed of what I want it to be, I'm not sure yet what will make it different or if it will even make the final cut of planets.
-Flood plane, that's what I want.
-Naturally with planets like this, that are covered in plains, or covered in mountains, or covered in whatever. It's just the launching point. The idea I want for the Jungle Planet will be only one major body of water (a small sea) otherwise it is a humid land full of rivers that stretch over nearly the entire planet. It would be comprised of a large part of dense Jungle, however this is a mystery planet. Not a whole lot is known about it since few travel to the planet and few travel far from the portal (except for the explorers of House Arbogast)
QuoteRaces:
-Why? Why are you copying one of the most obvious and pervasive tropes in all of science fiction?
-No comment, I'll need more information.
-Care to tell me what special about your apes that make them not ripoffs of the movie?
-eh?
-different from magic? Are you SURE this is sci-fi?
-What's the twist? Why the stereotypical 'heavy' name?
-Humans: Not sure, because it was the first thing I thought of. The idea I really like for the humans would be newcomers to the universe of Portals, only just now realizing how they work. So they are like the little fish in the big ocean.
-Changelings: Well, I am thinking that this race would be the dirty underbelly of the universe. Dealing in all manner of dirty things, slaves, guns, drugs, and worse.
-Singe: hmmm... well for one thing we won't see the three different subraces that are in Planet of the Apes (Orangatans, Gorillas, and Chimpanzees). but otherwise that's something I'm going to have to think a little more about. I like the idea of them being small, like 3 feet tall instead of human sized. And they are hyper-intelligent, but still a little restricted by their very monkeylike bodies.
-Plant. Plant people. Sorry for the misspell. Not sure yet what I'm going to do with them, I have just always liked the idea of an intelligent plant.
-Telepaths: Different from magic... Well a race of telepaths would be incredibly social, with no secrets, and have no control over their mind reading. It'd be like trying not to feel. And again, nothing as overt as launching lightning bolts or picking people up. Possibly brain melting.
-Names are a very good point. I would think that the Humans would come up with words to describe people. So instead of calling them the Kthandkilatars, they would call them Changelings. or instead of the Grom, the Warlords, or something similar. I would think that the twist is... I don't know yet. I am toying with them and I don't want to say something until I come up with something really good.
For ease, starting now, I am going to start numbering ideas. Please feel free to refer to these numbers.
#1. New Planet: Kolthein
Kolthein is an industrialized planet with a 12% human population. (The other 88% of the population is yet to be determined)
Kolthein is famous for it's Gene Modification Technology, first created by a human scientist named Din Yurica, it is a highly controversial form of body modification. Incredibly expensive, it is a cocktail of drug treatments that instills superhuman capabilities into Humans and some other humanoids. However there is a low percentage of patients whose bodies deny the treatment. Yurica has kept these reports quiet, however, rumors still persist.
The drug produced by the company Yuricorp usually bestows what can only be described as a super power such as super strength, flight, increased reflexes, increased durability, regenerative properties, and more. According to Yurica's writings the possibilities are literally infinite with powers as individual as a fingerprint. As seen when his son Dorell was administered the drug. All reports of his son have been silenced.
Naturally, the Commerce Guild disapproves of Gene Modification, feeling it is both too risky to the consumer and a risk to their line of products (such as vehicles, jet packs, and more). The Government has put a trade embargo on Yuricorp and travel to the world is restricted.
QuoteThe reason for this is to add what I picture is a sense of difficulty to the setting. I didn't really want it to be as easy as just hopping into the "Stargate". The one-ways are going to be broken or malfunctioning portals. The idea was to make "getting home" difficult for our intrepid adventurers.
*Bzzt* Wrong sir, thank you for playing!
There should be no reason for something to exist in a setting whose only purpose is 'to make the players' lives more difficult.' If they're broken, the players WILL ask how to repair them.
The only way I cen see these feasible as built is if they are part of a massive transportation network. Grain goes through one to a processing plant, which goes through another one to the storehouse, which is connected to a hub. Like that.
QuoteThe reason the keys are statures are to make them individualized. It's like why the keys to your home might be painted with flames on them or a small note on what the key goes to.
Individualized keys to an entire PLANET?
QuoteThe Portals look like doorjambs, the inside of the Portals are windows to where they come out.
How big? Why haven't they been destroyed? Remember, these things are devices for interplanetary commerce, so making them 36' wide is going to put a serious cramp on it.
QuoteYour final question brings me to the key of the story. Not all portals have been found, but finding them is important (mostly for trade). The Commerce Guild is an organization of companies who deal in interplanetary trade. They deal in all manner of goods, from ore, spice, food, wood, and goods. They employ House Arbogast, a company of explorers who spread out through out the galaxy searching for more portals and following them to where they lead. Thanks to them, the map of the galaxy looks like a huge web with strands representing all the connections planets have.
Fair enough. However, their job is incredibly difficult. They're looking for a doorway on an entire planet, without being certain whether one even exists (or has melted, been destroyed, is buried, etc.). Once they do, they still need the key, which could be destroyed as well.
QuoteThere are other reasons the guns wouldn't work as well and I think it comes down to the supplies available to a society. Gunpowder is made out of Sulfur, Carbon, and Potassium Nitrate (according to Wikipedia). If a society didn't have access to large amounts of sulfur, they'd find something else (Nexion, the made-up element for example.) However, that's an awfully silly explanation. I like the idea of the overlying government (because there is one) has a ban on most firearms. Like the assault weapons ban in some states. So really awesome military grade weapons are hard to come by, and the people get to deal with less powerful small arms (unless they purchase weapons illegally).
Most of the people who would want a firearm would be willing to get them illegally. Saying there aren't guns because they are illegal, barring a massively invasive (or peaceful) government, is absurd.
By the by, the one that they actually need to worry about is the saltpeter. Worries like that, however, are thrown out the window when you get to technologies relying on internal combustion and similar. Not to mention that gunpowder isn't needed (airguns, springs, a different explosive compound).
QuoteVehicles will probably be electric, or use a type of power cell fuel.
Where are these cells being manufactured, stored, and distributed? Where is the electricity coming from?
QuoteInstead these are things that are just mysterious things that aren't as easy to understand. Such as a race of people who's religion focuses around a ritual that summons one of their strange gods into the priest. Now if this were Star Trek we would say that the "strange god" is really an alien entity that can take control of your body and is preying on the superstitions of a people. Instead I just want to leave it a little mystery.
I would hope that the people harnessing these technologies know where it's coming from. Leaving it a mystery is fine, but I say again that the writer needs to know EVERYTHING. Which one is it?
QuoteYes I would say they are rare on some planets. The setting is structured in a few, very well connected city dense and population dense planets. These are very Earthlike. However, there are more wild and dangerous Worlds that will be chock full of monsters.
so these planets with 'chock-full' monsters; what do they eat? There's a reason that you don't see lions all over Africa; there isn't enough food.
QuoteThe makers of the Portals are a race who call themselves the Chakelops. These god-beings are strange to behold and are not even of this universe. They come from another reality and were expanding their empire into this universe (billions of years ago). However, due to a civil war breaking out in their universe they pulled back most of their slaves and supplies and returned to their strange universe. They have not been back since. Or so we are lead to believe. I really like the Chakelops and I am going to scan a drawing I did of them and you will agree (I hope!)
Oh good god.
Are you telling me that they colonized an entire UNIVERSE? If there was a war, why didn't the controlling side simply move over here and wall themselves off? How is it that our physical laws can even allow these beings to exist? Why did they colonize planets so close to habitable conditions for humans? How long has intelligent life been around, if these guys were here billions of years ago? Why are their buildings indestructible (they'd have to be, surviving this long)?
Lots of plot holes there buddy, good luck.
QuoteAbsolutely! Pollution, Nuclear Holocaust, and worlds that have suffered other natural disasters (such as a massive asteroid striking a World).
Ah. So stepping through a gate IS a crapshoot! You could wind up on a sulfur-choked world with no way back off.
Quote-I didn't know that's what it was called and you make excellent points. While there may be a possible habitat established on the cold side of the planet that was created for the slaves of the Chakelops so they could mine deep into the planet, otherwise we probably won't see a lot of people walking around. Good information though.
I'd actually say that the warm side is more likely, though deep underground. The question becomes why they chose that planet, though.
Quote-Flood plane, that's what I want.
A WHOLE PLANET?
Quote-Naturally with planets like this, that are covered in plains, or covered in mountains, or covered in whatever. It's just the launching point.
So it could be like earth. Or a jungle Oasis in a desert world? That's why I'm usually averse to 'trope-worlds,' especially in a semi-realistic setting. Habitable planets will look like earth, not be covered in one feature (impossible anyway due to latitude).
Quote-Humans: Not sure, because it was the first thing I thought of. The idea I really like for the humans would be newcomers to the universe of Portals, only just now realizing how they work. So they are like the little fish in the big ocean.
Which is diametrically opposed to 'humans are the common-born scum of the galaxy.'
Quote-Changelings: Well, I am thinking that this race would be the dirty underbelly of the universe. Dealing in all manner of dirty things, slaves, guns, drugs, and worse.
Ya know, just once I'd like to see changelings as extremely social, friendly bunches of very gifted thespians. That's what I'd do with the power. Stage makeup would be a thing of the past.
Quote-Singe: hmmm... well for one thing we won't see the three different subraces that are in Planet of the Apes (Orangatans, Gorillas, and Chimpanzees). but otherwise that's something I'm going to have to think a little more about. I like the idea of them being small, like 3 feet tall instead of human sized. And they are hyper-intelligent, but still a little restricted by their very monkeylike bodies.
Restricted? chimps are stronger, more flexible, generally better adapted creatures than us. give them a superhuman brain and they would rule the earth.
Quote-Plant. Plant people. Sorry for the misspell. Not sure yet what I'm going to do with them, I have just always liked the idea of an intelligent plant.
Aha. More information.
Quote-Telepaths: Different from magic... Well a race of telepaths would be incredibly social, with no secrets, and have no control over their mind reading. It'd be like trying not to feel. And again, nothing as overt as launching lightning bolts or picking people up. Possibly brain melting.
So why can they do this with other species, whose brain waves, thought processes, and general brain layout are completely alien?
Quote from: Gnome NachosThe drug produced by the company Yuricorp usually bestows what can only be described as a super power such as super strength, flight, increased reflexes, increased durability, regenerative properties, and more.
I'd be wary of including things in this kind of list that aren't actually possible. I've bolded the prime example. Without massive wings and a restructuring of the torso, a flying human isn't possible. Everything else I could see, although this suggests a massive level of technology.
drugs only ever add or take away something you already have. A drug will never give you a new ability, only improve those you already have.
Quote from: Gnomish Cheetosdrugs only ever add or take away something you already have. A drug will never give you a new ability, only improve those you already have.
Well it sounds more like a retroviral treatment than a more conventional drug. Depending on how fast and loose he's willing to go with it, you could turn the patient into almost anything.