 January 15, 2010 - 9:36am | A subject that has caught my attention recently is the posthuman and transhuman movements. Both of these are inter-related, in that once the "transhuman singularity" has been acheived, we will be in the posthuman era. Fascinating stuff. if you're not familiar with the subjects, I suggest you look it up, but in brief - transhumanism is the idea of using nanotechnology, biotech and genetic engineering to enhance, modify and create "perfect" humans. These ubermen would be "posthuman". Like I say, that is how I understand it, in a nutshell. I've been thinking about what sort of technologies the SF universe might produce to make "trans-sentients" (I'd avoid "trans-species", since that would imply race-to-race modifications) in the Frontier. What sort of nanotech, biotech, etc., would exist, and what effects would it have on the peoples of the Frontier? What would the game rules be (in any version)? What about the in-game role-playing opportunities? Maybe there are Yazirian religious extremists that feel such tech is an abomination. Maybe some Vrusk company is a leader in nanotech. Maybe Cassidine Development Corporation uses a wide variety of such tech in their terraforming work (which is a whole 'nother topic). This is definitely something I am going to continue to research. Please discuss... Long live the Frontier! |
 January 15, 2010 - 10:31am | The movement had its roots in the cybernetics movement of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, and the Gundam franchise has explored the theme(from Newtypes to Innovators). Even Star Trek touched on this topic(Khan)during the TOS run and again during the NextGen era(DS 9 in particular). Certainly, we will have cybernetics, nanotech and genmodding to create uber beings in the Frontier(doubtlessly the Sathar have been using those techniques to create their attack beasties and Cythar). On the genmodding front in particular, the Frontier's scientists will probably have mutagenic viruses tailored to rewrite DNA on the fly, and it will become a common means of cosmetic alterations(who needs tinted contact lenses and Clariol, when you can inject a virus to make yourself a blue-eyed blonde). "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
 January 15, 2010 - 10:32am | i am still thinking about this for my SFu. Time flies when your having rum. Im a government employee, I dont goof-off. I constructively abuse my time. |
 January 15, 2010 - 3:07pm | I tend to modify SF according to modern discoveries, due to the original intent of the game as stated in the Blast Off! article in Dragon. The intent was to create a scientific game that is within the realm of believability but pushes beyond the modern age. The modern age today has achieved much of what was only speculative, and in some cases were even considered science fantasy at one time, so I try to be inclusive of modern ideas in the Frontier, rather than sticking it firmly in 1979-1982. Only the naive Buck Rogers style of the game in that year do I try to hold on to in order to maintain some continuity with past materials. The Frontier has at least 4 races contributing to the science of the Frontier, one of which is very science-oriented (the Vrusk), so to think that they would be so backward as to lack a fully realized transsentient culture would be unimaginative in my mind. Even Kim Eastland desired to provide a fully realized transhuman culture through genetics and cybernetics in Zeb's Volume 2, but never got the chance, though did provide some transsentient inventions, including experiential matrix transfer. The very foundation of Star Frontiers suggests a transsentient culture by the inclusion of implants and the Sathar's preoccupation with genetic engineering. Considering the age of the Frontier being in the hundreds of years, transsentience battles should definitely be long in the past and well moderated by each world. Even the UPF would have transsentient laws. Of course, as with everything, transsentients would continue to be developed and revised in the Frontier. It should not be something static, but should be well-established. I have Genetics and Cybernetics articles nearly finished for the magazine. Then there will be ground work for establishing transsentient organizations around these concepts, which I have also mapped some out myself. I should be done with it all by February. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
 January 17, 2010 - 10:26am | I just use what sounds like a good idea, nanos injected into a body to take up permanent residence for the purpose of fighting off other viruses, infections. Sort of a booters for the bodies own defenses. The problem of creating a genetic super soldier is you'd need others of it's kind to breed it with, this was done in the backstory for Heavy Gear with Earth's Prime Knights and it continued into their GREL soldiers, which the majority of those were infertile. Gundam Seed touch on the idea as well with the Co-ordinators, humans altered at birth to be smarter and faster. I rarely put as much thought into this as some lifeforms might take their steps for improvments much farther than another race is willing to. In every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same. |
 January 28, 2010 - 2:20am | I'm a fan of Orion's Arm and could tailor a campaign that incorporates transhumanist philosophy as a plot point. The Mechanons, or a civ like them, somehow break the second toposophic barrier and become capable of wielding a level of technology far beyond that of any known SF science. It then becomes "Expedition to the Barrier Peaks" to have a team of characters board such a super-scientific vessel and explore it, learning how to use its truly remarkable technology to combat a Sathar incursion force before the ship self-destructs. Perhaps the vessel was originally sent as a delegation only to encounter a hostile reception from the Sathar that left it badly damaged and off-course. A team of SF characters are sent to make first contact with the ship before it is overtaken by a Sathar armada, only to realize that it can't fall into the hands of the Sathar and must be destroyed. The ship might have conflicting ideas about that. The wonders and dangers of such an advanced ship would make for a fun take on "EttBP". Perhaps the tech is so advanced as to be akin to "magic", a ship rife in unexplainable fields allowing for the control and release of powerful forces through incantations with verbal and somatic components ("spells"). I am sure the ship would do its level best not to be destroyed from within or without, so the characters would have to convince it to die in a way it can accept. Shoo Yaktaboovi The Dralasite lives! |
