Biosynthetic Shells

[CakeIsOssim]

"I can't lie to you about your chances... but... you have my sympathies."

Just going to get this out of the way in advance: yes, this was stolen from inspired by Ridley Scott's Weyland-Yutani synthetics. I desperately seek originality in anything I try to do or implement, but with shells, there are not many directions to go in terms of physiology: you've got what we have now (mystery synthetic flesh draped over a metal body), replicants (synthetic humans, Ridley Scott), and Alien androids (also Ridley Scott). My reasoning for adopting Alien-kind shells is because I personally do not believe that mere synthetic flesh draped over a rigid body provides any sort of believable human form.

Another thing before I get started is that none of this is coded - it's all conceptual. The concept may be subject to change depending on mechanical possibility as well as community feedback. We'll just have to see. Some things are probably way heftier to code than others, and I've already been told that some things may require a deal of refactoring certain IPC body behaviors to allow the mechanics to function correctly.

Here's what I'm suggesting: Shells are incredibly complex and are pretty much the top-of-the-line synthetic in both behavior, appearance, and technology. They're incredibly expensive and incredibly particular. Instead of a flimsy explanation of synthskin on top of a humanoid body, I suggest actually having to create biosynthetic parts out of available materials such as silicon. Features described below.

Organs

Silicon Organs:

-Skin Tissue

-Musculature

-Circulatory Fluid

Electronic Organs:

-Positronic Brain

-Optics

-Power Cell

-Bio Generator

-Pump

 

Organ Functions

-Pump pumps Circulatory Fluid to nearly every component, providing lubrication (and cooling?). This also accurately simulates a heartbeat. If the Pump is damaged, the Circulatory Fluid no longer flows properly and the Shell will begin to suffer speed reductions. Destroying the Pump ensures the fluid does not flow at all, maximizing speed reduction.

-Power Cell functions exactly the same. Charges slightly off of the Bio Generator, but charges considerably quicker from a recharger. If destroyed, powers down the Shell (unconscious state) until the cell is replaced.

-Bio Generator stores and processes food and drink, breaking it down and collecting the energy expended. This charges the Shell's Power Cell slighty. The Bio Generator alone is not enough to fully recharge the Power Cell. If destroyed, the Shell will not process anything consumed. This is a non vital organ.

-Optics do not change from the normal IPC optics. An optics organ is still required for sight. Shell eyes appear and feel organic, but contained within are tiny lenses that feed into the optical unit.

-Musculature is an engineered silicon-based colloid that is grafted onto the Shell's skeletal structure (which is either metal or polymer). These muscles are controlled by electrical stimulation, and the muscles achieve locomotion via microscopic biological hydraulics. These muscles prove to be stronger than human muscles on average, but not any more resilient.

-Skin Tissue is another silicon-based colloid that differs from the Musculature in that it possesses no microhydraulics. In some places, the Skin Tissue is grafted to the Musculature, to allow for humanlike movements of the skin (mostly in the facial region).

-Circulatory Fluid provides lubrication (and cooling?) for the Shell's internal components. If a large portion of the Circulatory Fluid is lost, the Shell will begin to suffer movement penalties. Shells should not bleed forever, as the conduits that carry the Fluid are sectioned off with tiny valves to prevent complete loss of the Fluid when damage is sustained.

 

Mechanics

-Exosuit Fabricators should be modified for the ability to print biosynthetic limbs given the right ingredients, as with all synthetic limbs (torsos aside). This means that the Fabricators could accept silicon reagent for reasons stated ahead.

-Biosynthetic limbs should require steel and silicon.

-Circulatory Fluid will be present, contained in bags (I have sprites for them already), in robotics. More can be created via chemistry by using silicon.

-Circulatory Fluid can be replinished by mounting a bag of the fluid to an IV injector, and connecting the IV to the target Shell. (Can also be used as a weapon, as Circulatory Fluid is mostly silicon and toxic to organics when placed in the bloodstream.)

-Repairing a damaged Shell would (preferably) require surgical tools and a quick operation. Something akin to cutting them open with a scalpel, repositioning damaged internals with a hemostat, and reconnecting synthetic tissue with a fix-o-vein. Limbs damaged far beyond repair can be replaced by the normal limb removal surgery.

-EMP will still affect these new Shells, as they're still partly electronic. Perhaps 'biomechanical' is a better word, but eh. Biosynthetic sounds cooler.

-Since they aren't really organic, homeostasis does not apply. However, depending on where we go with cooling, I think it would be more uncanny to have them attempt to remain at normal human body temperature, which is 37C (98F).

 

Pretty hefty stuff. What are you thoughts? Would you like to see biosynthetic shells on the station as opposed to the ones we currently have? For coders, what kind of requirements are we looking at here? Feasible? Sane to implement?

[Zundy]

Obviously awesome. Would this replace synth skin bionic limbs?

Also I would assume they'd be new, top of the range units canonically?

[CakeIsOssim]

Obviously awesome. Would this replace synth skin bionic limbs?

 

Not on organics, no. For two main reasons: 1. to hell, and leave it there, with transhumanism, and 2. lore fluff about neurological grafting to synthetic tissue, et cetera.

Edit: answering your second question because I replied to you too quickly.

Not sure about lore implementation yet. It could go silently and we could all just pretend that's the way Shells have always been, OR we could come up with some news (or what have you) about how these are brand new, rolling out of [x] company's laboratories. I'm favoring the latter.

[K0NFL1QT]

This is both awesome and terrible.

Awesome, because you're fleshing out IPC mechanics. Terrible, because you're moving IPCs closer to being just another human reskin, like every other race but Diona, by giving them blood and a heart.

[Sytic]

Agreed, awesome. I think more organs for synthetics in general is fantastic, having specialised ones for the special synthetics is even better.

[Pratepresidenten]

If these biosynthetic shells would replace the current shells, Im all for it. As it stands now, Shells are put together very.. Awkwardly. Just an endoskeleton with synthskin slapped ontop of that.

Besides, wouldnt it be awesome if shells bled all white?

 

This is both awesome and terrible.

Awesome, because you're fleshing out IPC mechanics. Terrible, because you're moving IPCs closer to being just another human reskin, like every other race but Diona, by giving them blood and a heart.

 

You can fancy up an IPC all you want, organs, blood, heartbeats and even sweating, but that doesnt change what they are (Or should be) at the very core. A cold, uncaring machine.

[Zundy]

To be fair I love this. I'd definitely go with these models being a new thing introduced with bells and whistles.

The fact they'd have organs would enhance the "alien-ness" imo since as far as I can gather you could say, remove their "heart" and they'd still function albeit at a massive disadvantage - am I right?

[CakeIsOssim]

Besides, wouldnt it be awesome if shells bled all white?

...

 

You can fancy up an IPC all you want, organs, blood, heartbeats and even sweating, but that doesnt change what they are (Or should be) at the very core. A cold, uncaring machine.

 

Either white, a sort of translucent grey, or white with a hint of yellow. And also, yes. They only appear human on the outside. On the inside, both physically and mentally, they are still a synthetic.

[ElChucho]

Yes,yes,YES!

This looks awesome,but gives me some questions:

1)

In the organs list,there is no Tag, will this new shell be an untagged IPC?

2)

How does the biogenerator work? You just consume, for example, an apple and you gain some energy from it?

Will this new shell be able to eat and drink any kind of food/drink? That would allow them to have something to do in the bar,like taking a cup of coffee with their coworkers without being the only one not ordering something.

3)

Will all the damage be fixed with operations or the light damage will stay with the welder/cable method?

[Hackie]

I'm all for it. Expanding and making shells more distinct seems like a fantastic idea. Will they still require suit coolers or some equivalent?

[Bygonehero]

Now is the era of human+

In all seriousness I am against this, you know why cake.

[Synnono]

I'm into it. Despite what people meme about, blurring the lines between machine and living thing is near to the core of what makes shells compelling synthetic beings, and making them more compelling can only do them good. They don't work as well the farther they slide into the uncanny valley.

[CakeIsOssim]

...

 

The Shells will still be tagged upon character creation. I didn't think it was worth mentioning for this reason. Yes, the biogenerator should ideally work by consumption of any food or drink. I'm erring towards only getting charge from food, though. Fixing damages may require a mishmash of surgical tools and welder/cables, depending on the damage.

 

I'm all for it. Expanding and making shells more distinct seems like a fantastic idea. Will they still require suit coolers or some equivalent?

 

Ideally, should not require a suit cooler, but an EVA suit nonetheless.

 

Now is the era of human+

 

Even if you're kidding here, any qualms about this can be put to rest by the fact that this doesn't really change how Shells are already expected to behave - just how they appear and how they function, backed up with some new mechanics around them to make them unique from the other IPCs.

[Snakebittenn]

Alcoholic/butanolic drinks should work for it.

[Lohikar]

In terms of code, I don't see this being too difficult. Probably would make more sense to not have them a child of the IPC species since most of the IPC checks sound like they wouldn't apply.

[MO_oNyMan]

Honestly a logical next step for IPCs. I've always wondered why is there a paranoia with shells being forced to wear tags despite it being ridiculously easy to identify them as non-human. An IPC that is indistinguishable from humans even via a hand-held scanner or a full body scanner would naturally play much nicer into the paranoia and tags storylines.

+1

[CakeIsOssim]

In terms of code, I don't see this being too difficult. Probably would make more sense to not have them a child of the IPC species since most of the IPC checks sound like they wouldn't apply.

 

Whatever would be easiest and still get the job done. I'm glad this sounds feasible. It's one of the things I'm most excited about and I'd really like it to become a reality. Have to give credit to the people that helped me formulate it into something cool, also. I can also provide you with any peripherals you'd need like sprites.

Additionally, thank you everyone so far for your feedback. I'm also glad there are those taking interest in this, be it positive or negative.

[Tailson]

Did someone say... Bicentennial Man?!

 

 

Seriously though, I do like this idea. Being able to take those steps well and truly into the uncanny valley with shell characters would be excellent fun and would really help with those uncomfortable moments between organics and "nearly-organic"-looking robots. That feeling that something is off about the person in front of you...

Takes that paranoia and tag stuff to a new level, too. I like it.

I agree that these fancy biosynth things shouldn't be compatible as organic limb replacements, not least because as you stated: They require silicon blood to function and that stuff is hella toxic.

[Itanimulli]

Sorta-kinda bumping this to agree with it. I like the fact that they'd seem a whole lot.....weirder, which is the general feeling that likely lorewise brought up such major controversy in the first place. I'd love to see something like this. Not the least because of the possibilities it presents.

And getting damaged would put a lot into perspective. Perhaps have them bleed excessively when damaged to a certain point, hindered but not nearly as in peril as a human with equivalent trauma.

[AmoryBlaine]

Sounds really good. No compliants.

[zyymurgy]

(Edit to note: I didn't see the date on this lol)

I like the thought of fleshing out Shells, but I'm slightly opposed to giving them organs. However, I can understand the desire to have internal components to work on. I just worry that it makes them too humanlike. As long as the process of working on their synthetic organs is closer to robotics than it is to human surgery, I'd be okay with it, though.

Side note, I don't think synthetics should be able to eat/drink and process the nutrients unless they have an internal biogenerator or something, and in that case, they should be noisy as fuck because they have a blender in their chest. I guess it could be hand-waved, but I prefer robots to be more inhuman when possible. Personal onion though.

+1 for Replicants.