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technology;
| TECHNOLOGY |
 Kostka is set in the distant future, where humanity has puzzled out things like long distance space travel, cryosleep, true artificial intelligence, translation of the human brain to digital data, and semi-organic, lab grown synthetic bodies. We anticipate there being a lot of questions on how the technology works and in what circumstances, so if you have any additional questions on these topics not answered in the write ups below, please feel free to drop your question in a comment directly to this entry page below. R.I.P.LEY  The nickname for the Responsive Intelligent Personality (R.I.P.) that serves as an avatar for the ship's operating systems. Ripley's AI originally programmed personality was cheerful, if sharp-witted, but she's gone through a few... changes. RIP (Responsive Intelligent Personality) is Kostka IV's onboard AI. Ripley has ultimate control over all ship functions and facilities - on Kostka IV, Ripley is God. However, due to severe data corruption, and extensive damage from an unknown event prior to the game’s start, she’s having a lot of trouble keeping the ship going. Ripley is Not All There. Sadly, she's going a little bit wonky, and warring with herself while simultaneously trying to keep a ship that would normally take hundreds and hundreds of people to run it operating with just herself and a team of droids (also powered by her). Run low on physical resources, uncorrupted data space, and processing capacity, Ripley has to reduce herself down to the most basic and necessary functions to be certain she still has the ability to make transdimensional jumps and outrun what’s hunting the ship, and those aboard it. As PCs take on more responsibilities on the ship, and thus relieve the droids (which are extensions of Ripley) of the need to handle them, Ripley will be capable of taking on more processes and unlocking more parts of the ship/resources for PCs to utilize. PS: Ripley loves K-Pop. HO/ST BODIES  ⬡ HO/ST Bodies: Holistic Occupancy/Synthetic Terminal (yes, you may call yourself a HO if you like). These are artificial, semi-organic, absurdly advanced, generically humanoid bodies that morph to fit the body the uploaded mind was inside of at the time of their canon point (special circumstances (like fatal wounds) may cause alterations). They start in the cryo pods, housed in a blue space-soup looking goo, that is edible, highly nutritious, and completely sanitary. Of course, once the pod is open, that sanitation can no longer be 100% guaranteed, but you get what we mean. HOSTs are woken up with a jolt of electricity, like taking a hit from a defibrillator, times 10, thus activating the HOST body and kicking it into life. Because the HOST bodies have never walked before being uploaded with a mind and released from the pods to walk, PCs start out with bambi legs, having to re-teach themselves what walking is, and get over the muscle atrophy and stiffness of the body. They will be told that consuming the cryo fluid, or staying in their pod for longer, will accelerate this process. HOST bodies cannot function away from the Kostka IV for longer than 12 hours, without a life battery attachment, which can last up to 72 hours before shutting down and requiring a recharge. So long as the HOST body remains connected to Ripley's network, the mind inside can be saved and backed up in databases. Should the HOST body be destroyed, the mind save can be spun up in a new HOST body. However, each new upload will cause significant deterioration to the mind save (damaged sanity, perception of reality, memory, power control, body function, etc), increased with each new body. Ripley will only allow 3 reloads before uninstalling that mind save completely from her network, deeming it a waste of resources. HOST bodies are not infinite. It is highly recommended that a newly calibrated HOST body take it's first several meals from the cryo fluid within their pod, to promote healthy and quick adaptation to the new environment and body traits (ie, you'll walk without looking like Bambi faster if you lick up the cryo soup from the floor). All HOST bodies, once activated and ejected from the cryo pod, are branded with an ID number printed within a hexagon, tattooed to the back of their necks. One PC will keep the same ID number through all HOST bodies they go through. Ripley has ultimate control of HOST body functions. If you start breaking stuff or piss her off enough, she will power you down and “put you in time out.” HOST FAQ: Do I need to brush my teeth? No, your mouth has self-cleaning microbes and your breath naturally smells like you just had a fluoride treatment at the dentist. You're welcome.  ⬡ Network: There is no phone device, tablet or wristband that characters will use to access the network, as they do not need them. The HOST bodies are designed to interlink with ease, so communication can be done through Text, Audio, Video or Projection (more info on that below). Access to the networking capabilities of the HOST is activated by tapping fingertips together in a certain coded order each individual sets up within their HOST during the acclimation process (Bambi legs time). When activated, a lens over the right eye brings up a HUD the PC is able to navigate through by shifting their eye, or reaching out to touch the selected option as if it is floating where it's visually perceived. The system is fairly intuitive, and all one need do is reach up a hand to touch the option they wish to select. For text, a keyboard overlay will appear in the HOST's visual perception, and, by default, all messages will show: a name (Lastname, Firstname) and your username will be set as your ID code (IV 01-123-45678). Characters are free to set their own username, instead of using their ID code, and change their name. A HOST can also post anonymously to the network as well (no guarantees Ripley can't trace it back to the origin, but she's not going to tell). There are no real rules on the usage of this network, aside from don't try to hack your friends, or your not-friends (just don't hack anyone, okay, it's rude). Ripley does understand the human need to socialize, especially in trying and stressful circumstances, so have at it kids. ⬡ Projecting: The HOST network also holds a function called Projection, which is very trippy, and Ripley does not currently have this feature unlocked. Projection will become available, once characters unlock/figure it out/Ripley has the spare resources for it. Projection is about what it sounds like - a holographic projection of the PC broadcasting the message appears within the visual perception of all PCs that accept the message. Example: Tony Stark wants to show everyone his new dance, so he broadcasts a Projection invitation. Leon Kennedy likes dances, so he accepts this invitation, and he can now see a holographic (non-tangible), life size version of Tony Stark dancing around his quarters. Should Leon Kennedy wish to reply to this Projection with his own, he will send a Projection Request himself, and if Tony Stark accepts, he will see a holographic (non-tangible), life size version of Leon Kennedy golf clapping for him. However, Hannibal Lector has decided he is done with Tony Stark's shit. He declines the request/invitation to receive Tony's Projection, and all Tony gets in response is a notice stating "Hannibal Lector (ID 00-001-84739) has declined your Projection request". Hannibal Lector experiences no extra visual interferences. A Projection cannot be forced, and it will only allow 3 requests to be sent before blocking the sender with a spam violation for up to 24 hours. ⬡ Hacking: There are limitations. One HOST cannot "hack" the mind of another HOST (unless an event is in progress that somehow allows it). No amount of technological know-how or technokinesis will allow this, as it is enforced by Ripley, and you don't want to try to fight Ripley. She will remotely shut your brain down and put you in time out. Repeat offenders, she will uninstall (aka, ya not coming back, r i p ). If a player wants to attempt some shenanigans based on this, please comment to the plot request page. MAINTENANCE DROIDS  All through the ship, there are tiny little helper droids zipping through the vessel, managing tasks and tending to the ship. If something breaks, about 5 of them immediately show up to fix it. They do not respond to Walkers (PCs), do not talk, and will only beep increasingly loudly at any PC’s attempting to detain them, until eventually setting off an EMP, shutting down the PC’s HOST body for about an hour before it's able to reboot. Once they wake, no matter what room or trap or what-have-you they've been contained in, the droid will be gone. The droids come in all shapes and sizes, some looking well finished and polished with a very corporate look to them, some assembled with pure functionality and pragmatism in mind. If you hadn't guessed, the latter were assembled on the ship, by Ripley, some time after their initial departure. There isn't much personality to them, aside from an aggressive focus on the task at hand, as they were designed to act as Ripley's hands around the ship, taking orders from her, the mind. While they aren't authorized to harm any of the crew, and you could kick them around like a soccer ball if you really wanted, they do have permission to give bothersome crew an electric jolt, or, if they're in danger of serious damage, send out an EMP to knock out the HOST bodies long enough for them to flee. So, still. Not a great idea. The droids are an extension of Ripley, really, and if anything, their minimal personality could be almost called 'annoyed', as any time they're distracted or interrupted for their duties, they have an urgency in them to get back to work. Stop giving the droids anxiety, you jerks. If a player wishes to plot some shenanigans with them, please post a comment to the plot requests page. ⬡ 3D Printer: Some droids have a small 3D printer attachment that produces small items made only of plastic. This is meant for basic items, like utensils, hair clips, pens, etc. Please do not ask the droids to print you a shiv. They don't have that template. CRYO PODS  Each pod holds an artificial, semi-organic HOST body in it, though the glass will be fogged until the installation and emergence process begins. They’re filled with a gelatinous, transparent-blue fluid that aids the HOST bodies in the initial morphing stage to suit the mind and identity that’s being installed into it (a process that takes roughly 24 hours, sometimes longer). All changes are grown inside the pod before the emergence process ever begins. As Ripley will tell you; you have never been more sanitary than when you were inside the birthing pod (yeah, she calls them birthing pods, you’re all infants to her, sorry). Once outside the pod, there’s narrow walkways between aisles and aisles of them, set out through several long halls, all leading into a medical bay. It’s small and under-stocked, designed there for the occasional unfortunate incident going into or coming out of cryosleep, but it seems somewhat worse for wear. Some basics can be found in the drawers and cabinets, but nothing here is likely to get you through open heart surgery. It’s not recommended to do anything more complicated than sanitizing and stitching in this facility. On the bright side, the new crew loaded into the HOST bodies will be, for the most part, healed of anything fatal, but you never know. Ripley’s been know to get distracted. VIIK TERMINALS  Posted at even intervals throughout the Atrium walkways, there with be small kiosks, with flickering holographic displays. At another point in time, it appears that these kiosks could be used to welcome new guests, give directions, and answer questions about the ship, its crew and its mission. Now, they only buzzes with a weak hum when motion approaches, sometimes showing a blurred, static outline of what might have been a person, uttering a word or two clearly before cutting out again. Other times, it’s more like random selection playbacks of past activity in the area around the kiosk. This could range anywhere from momentary flashes of chatting couples and laughing children, to seconds of blood-curdling screams, and haunting, incoherent whispers, twinned with raving laughter. Feel free to ask VIIK a question. You might get an answer, if it’s short enough, and it might even be fitting the question you asked. Or, you might get a recipe for quiche, with a side of nightmare fuel. It’s hit and miss. |
