Confused about the storyline (storyline q&a itt)

[Edta]

When I was thinking about nanotechnology, the best explanation I could come up with was viral like particles. They can reproduce (with help of the host) and by altering the DNA code they can be programmed. The proteins they code for would allow them to be released or activated by certain nerve pulses which are controlled by our Nano Controlling Unit implanted below the cortex. If these bots leave the body they would not have enough energy (ATP) to do a lot; my theory was that Notum somehow replaces ATP. The NanoPrograms would be software running in the NCU that allows us to get the wanted nerve pulses without needing to do this complicated process 'manually'.

While some of this might apply to nanobots, certain lines from Prophet Without Honor make me assume that's not how Ragnär visioned nanobots and my explanation might be more suited for viralbots. Not that much is said about how nanobots work, but there two inconsistencies with my theory: 1. Nanobots are first generated in a Vacuum which is not to be expected if the bot was organic. 2. Nanobots use bio-electrical energy.

So yeah, I guess we have to assume nanobots are mechanical bots and not organic. The only issue is that viralbots/ organic nanobots look very realistic to me and are not so different from certain sections gene therapy. Mechanical nanobots by the year 2012 at the other hand sound just as likely as magic to me, but I'm not so much educated on this subject .

@Notcrattey: I guess the battlestations are close enough to Rubi-Ka to get some notum over there. If the notum diffusing through space is not enough, it should be possible to pump some notum in the cramped area's of a space station for nanotechnology to work properly. By the way: nano programs do work without notum, just less efficient and not outside the body .

[trousers]

I have a question that needs answering!

If Nano programs and nanomages can't work on anything but rubi-ka thanks to the notum, how do they work on the battlestations in space?!

This is very important!

Devdas once explained it to me, and I will try to paraphrase it...

There's Notum In, On and Around Rubi-Ka. This includes the region of space where Rubi-Ka's Artificial Satellites are.

Think of it this way - You have a ball of flour. Throw the flour against the counter top (That's the cataclysm). Flour will explode out into the air and linger around. That's what's going on with the Notum... It's a giant, unsettling ball of flour. ... ? Yes.

[Edta]

Ooooh, that brings up a question!
What's the molecular weight of notum?

The lower it is, the more it escapes into space...

[Aythem]

I have a question that needs answering!

If Nano programs and nanomages can't work on anything but rubi-ka thanks to the notum, how do they work on the battlestations in space?!

This is very important!

Because it's close enough to the atmosphere of Rubi-Ka that the notum permeates the battlestations

[SoapTarder]

Because it's close enough to the atmosphere of Rubi-Ka that the notum permeates the battlestations

much like notum permeates the alien ships that we board... talk about lack of climate control on alien ships!

edit* something I forgot to add, which is interesting (if it already hasn't been hashed out), is the idea of whether our NCUs are compatible with viralbots. this may be purely game mechanics at play, but its clear that our ncu's are compatible with viralbots (i.e. when an alien hits us with dots etc... and run in our ncu), but that aliens may also have a similar method of controlling viralbots, such as VCUs. both seem to be compatible with the other form of technology (like casting nano shutdown on a hacker or ankari. I've never actually done it, but Im sure it works.) a lot of hostile nanos we cast actually mess with the targets nanobots and/or ncu, yet they also work on aliens who have no nanobots or ncu per say. again, its probably game mechanics and such at work, but it opens the window to the possibility of humans using viralbots without a problem for friendly and hostile nanos, to a limited or unlimited extent. in the case of bringing the fight to the kyr homeworld (if its still intact), or their forward base of operations if they have one, the lack of notum, and the subsequent use of new viral (vs. nano) toolsets needed in this environment is plausible, even for nanobreeds. this is just me farting out brainwaves, but its food for thought i guess.

[Edta]

My theory about "compatibility" of NCU's is that the nanoprogram to control the nanobots on your target isn't actually run on your target. The nanobots/viralbots are told what they will have to do when they leave the caster. The thing you see in your NCU as a hostile nano is your NCU telling you what is going on in your body.

[SoapTarder]

I guess it comes down to whether viralbots receive instructions in the same manner as nanobots do from a program. it is likely that the instructions that a program sends to the nanobots are incredibly simple in nature. after all, ncu's are just compilation units for the various programs running. its the programs that instruct the bots, so all one needs is a program uploaded that speaks the language of viralbots, and voila, you are using viralbots. if however viralbots are controlled via other means, like telepathy, or via chemical release, or even neuro-transmitters, that would pose a problem...

what makes sense to me, is that I am sending a program to your ncu's (like gsf for ex.), that controls your nanobots and fills up some of your ncu's. I obviously lose nanobots as the program is transferred to you via nanobots, but the fact that it's running in your ncu suggests that the nanobots that have left me are now responding to the program now running in your ncu (or are used up), and I no longer have any effect on them. this also suggests that certain hostile programs should work in much the same way. if its argued that the nanobots of a hostile program don't need instructions to do their thing, than why do nanobots require a program to be running for a friendly nano to continue working? thats the only part of nanobots leaving a caster and just doing their own thing for a while that gets me. its much more efficient to utilize the ncu of the target and use the hostile program to mess with their nanobots.

of course, in the case of nukes, i agree, no program needs be uploaded. however, if I cast Kel's on an alien, why is the aliens ncu locked out for a few seconds before another nt could cast Kel's on the same alien?

im obviously going way off topic, and apologize for that, and it seems game mechanics are punching me in the brain, So I'll just stop.

[Edta]

I would say it depends how much of a firewall the NCU has. If it's crap, it should be possible to load hostile nanoprograms in it. However I like to think the NCU has a decent firewall and that only friendly nanoprograms are allowed. Hostile nano's can perform their actions by the physical presence of nanobots, but this makes them less stable so they last shorter. The removal of nano's mostly feels nanobot based and not software based to me.
This explanation doesn't require wild life to have an NCU, so that's why I like it. It probably are gameplay reasons, but the fewer conflicts you story has with gameplay, the better the story .

[SoapTarder]

I agree with what your saying regarding hostile nano programs. i was merely speculating on the capabilities of viralbot usage with humans. obviously such nanos as snares, roots, calms etc. fall perfectly into what you are saying. as far as a firewall goes, well... i've always seen nano resist playing the part as a firewall for hostile nano programs. really though, if hostile ncu's require no software to function (hence the short duration of most hostile programs), then nano resist is a mysterious beast indeed, because it acts as a cloud around the character that repels incoming nanobots, but does not cleanse any hostile nanobots once inside the cloud or even inside the host, so to speak. I can buy that explanation as well. after all, an enforcer removing most roots and snares with rage would just be an act of the enforcer igniting and burning up the hostile bots that surround him (which makes some nt roots questionable).

yeah, i agree, simpler the better.

[trousers]

Question: What up with the Shadowlands Ring Teleporters?

Example: At The Sword In the Stone [fig. 1] There is a giant rock formation. Inside of the rock formation is a ring teleporter which depicts the Round Table of Camelot [Fig. 2].

Speculation: If there are no existing plans for this ring...

Perhaps have an excavation team unearth the gate. Since the Ring is not under the control of Ergo it allows Scientists to be able to thoroughly examine it. This research allows the Scientists to be able to manufacture a Human constructed Ring which is able to successfully sync with the Xan ring, Linking Camelot to Ely.

This research is accomplished through a joint effort of Omni-Tek and the Knights. The Ring ultimately is an evolution of the Whom-Pah technology which Omni-Trans and Omni-Engineering hold the patents to. The Knights may be willing to partner with Omni-Tek, much to the dismay of the rest of the Clans, in order to better understand their connection to the Shadowlands and a higher calling.

Figures:

[Figure 1]

---

[Figure 2]

[Alezander]

Regarding nano bots around Rubi-ka's orbit.

Reading the original Prophet Without Honor, i clearly remember that Omni Tek surveyors detected the magnetic/energy whatever radiation emited by Notum itself. There are clear statements in the game in technology descriptions of different items and in PWH that the operations of nanobots on Rubi-ka are so much more efficient thanks to the presence of the energy emission of notum. So the questions is not about the direct physical presence of notum, but rather the questions would be -How far do the energy emissions of notum reach?

Basicaly, all nanotechnology and nanomages themselves should be able to function as long as they remain in proximity of the notum energy fields.

No something unrelated.

There has been talk about the Kyr Ozch previously.

These are my theories about our alien friends.

Reinforments and resupply.

The Kyr ozch have been maintaining a very costly siege of Rubi-ka for years now. This raised the question of how are they able to maintain both their numbers and hardware.

There have been several statements saying that the Kyr ozch are somehow technologicaly way superior to Humans. (Including all sub breeds). I dont believe this is the case. They are not technologicaly superior, they have simply taken a different path of technological development then their human cousins.

While humans do dable in genetic and bio engineering, Kyr ozch technology and society has aparently fully embraced it. Viral bots, biomaterial components etc. This does not mean that their technology is somehow superior. If we consider the performance of the human military and the human technology against the aliens even at the begining of their campaing, human soldiers have been on the par or even superior from day one to their Kyr ozch counterparts.

And at that time the weapons technology used on Rubi Ka was not even the best that humanity could showcase. The armaments manufactured by the Orbital Battlestations perhaps better reflect of what the human military-industrial complex is capable of producing. Also since the arrival of the Kry ozch humans have embraced, reverse engineered and even fusioned alien technology with our own, making it clear that humans much more capable of adapting than the Kry ozch are, which still seem to use the same increasingly ineffective technology against their enemies.

Now returning to Kry Ozch technology. Any sufficiently advanced piece of mechanical technology has an endless supply line behind it. The different technologicaly advanced componentes and the countless industrial branches required to assamble them. This knowledge makes us ask how can the Kry ozch near endlessly replace their destroyed equipment.

One possible explanation comes from the part biological nature of their hardware. Any piece of advanced eqiupment seem to be using a biological part. And those biological components are the ones that are performing the complex tasks, by altering basic mechanical technology.

Basic mechanical components are rather easy to replace and perhaps even manufacture on sight. Harvest and refine piece of iron, and carbon, combine make steel, press steel into simple components such as wires, plates, barrels, gears etc. put it togheter and then place the complex biological component over it, turning it into and advanced piece of hardware.

We know that Rubi-ka's solar system has several other stellar bodies and even asteriod belts- The Kyr Ozch could harvest raw materials for their simple mechanical components.

Now the biological ones. In biotechnology you only need to create a single cell encoded with the tasks it needs to perform into its DNA, then simply put it into a petri dish with enough nutrients and wait for it to grow into whatever you need the thing to perform. This means that you can simply grow your advanced technology on site.

This would allow the Kyr ozch fleet to be a highly autonomous expeditonary force.

I am not saying that thay are able to replace anything on sight, but most likely they are capable to manufacture a great deal aboard their ships.

The rest of the technology they could perhaps not replace on site, they could recieve from their home dimension via regular shipments that are dispatched at fixed intervals. Mainly because the fleet could be largely self sustaining, the amount of aditional gear they would need to ship could be quite limited.

Now of their troops. We know little about Kry Ozch physiology but, what is obvious is that they seem to be reproducing quite extensivly aboard their ships. Considering that even recently born or even prematurely born Kry Ozch larva's are already combat capable, they maturation cycle could be very short. Considering humans are able to education their children via direct ncu programming (Prophet Without Honor) Kry ozch most likely simply geneticly program knowledge into their offspring.

This would allow them to rapidly replace one generation of lost soldiers with a nother one.

Now about the Kry ozch and their strategy ... or lack thereof.

The Kry ozch do show quite high level of unit level tactical organization and capabilities. They use a variety of specialist troops in combined arms teams.

On the other hand on the strategic level they seem rather ...idiotic. They consistently throw endless amounts of troops at whatever objective of any strategical value shows up on their radars, without atempting any strategical manuovering.

This is rather remeniscent of how humans waged war for exemple during the First World War. The primary cause for this was that war, and the weapons with which war where fought changed over night, but the leadership was unable to adapt for several years. So the solution was simply throwing endless amounts of resources at the problem in a hope that brute force will overcome.

Perhaps this is the situation in which the aliens found themselves with us. They do not comprehend our tactics, strategies, technology because they have never encountered anything similar. Perhaps in their history they always fought wars in ways we do not. This does not mean they somehow losing their intelligence due to their break with the source, but rather means we are simply as alien to them as they are to us.

Now returning to their percieved space superiority. Rubi-ka's defenses held out for years against the Kry ozch, and even before the arrival of the Goliath Battelstations, space stations like Morning Star were beyond the Kry ozch capability to destroy. While the Kry ozch seem to be throwing everything they got at us, the human military reply has been rather restrained. We have seen no major fleet combat. Considering the capabilities of a single Goliath class battlestation, a combined ICC fleet, fielding the variety of warships probably possesed by the hypercorporations and the megacorporations, could have an overwhelming superiority over the Kyr Ozch.

The real question is why is the human response to the Kyr ozch is so timid? One of the reasons is that simply what we got is enough to hold the planet and maintain commerce despite of the constant Kyr ozch presence.

Exactly due to the Alien presence the value of notum could have gone up significantly on the galactic market allowing Omni tek to reap more benefits then the continous defense effort would cost. Additionaly due to the increased ICC oversight and heavy militarization of the planet, Rubi-ka is safer then ever before from military aggression of its corporate rivals.

Further more, as long as the alien threat is any ways present the clans are also focused on the common enemy, most likely restricting the amount of clan aggression against corporate interests. The aliens turned the clans into uneasy sort of allies or at least into very cautious enemies of the corporation.

I strongly believe most over estimate the alien threat. The Kyz Oach could simply be a paper tiger.

[Kotts]

^That, was awesome.

[Flipyap]

FC: Hire the wall-of-text guy! That Was pure awesome!

[playboyfixer]

The Knights may be willing to partner with Omni-Tek, much to the dismay of the rest of the Clans, in order to better understand their connection to the Shadowlands and a higher calling.

don't think the Knights would ever do that, even just out of fear that omni-tek would strip & reverse-engineer the portal to use it for their own nefarious plans, against the clan among others

[trousers]

don't think the Knights would ever do that, even just out of fear that omni-tek would strip & reverse-engineer the portal to use it for their own nefarious plans, against the clan among others

Omni-Tek could strip the reverse engineer the Camelot Ring right now should they find it and decide to without the cooperation of the Knights. Should that be the case, and the significance of Camelot become overwhelming apparent to Omni-Tek the Knights might be faced with the decision of Siding with Omni-Tek or face an invasion.

again, depending on the significance of Camelot to the linking of the two rings, and I would say it is a big one, Omni-Tek may be willing to give up a lot of resources to the Clans (Save for Omni-1) to secure Camelot for their own nefarious plans.

Knowing this would be a battle that would be horribly lost by the Knights they may be persuaded to work together.

[Alezander]

Omni-Tek could strip the reverse engineer the Camelot Ring right now should they find it and decide to without the cooperation of the Knights. Should that be the case, and the significance of Camelot become overwhelming apparent to Omni-Tek the Knights might be faced with the decision of Siding with Omni-Tek or face an invasion.

again, depending on the significance of Camelot to the linking of the two rings, and I would say it is a big one, Omni-Tek may be willing to give up a lot of resources to the Clans (Save for Omni-1) to secure Camelot for their own nefarious plans.

Knowing this would be a battle that would be horribly lost by the Knights they may be persuaded to work together.

That is a long shot presumption, based on the idea that Omni Tek can pull off whatever they want, because the Knights would be facing off the whole of Omni Tek alone.

Any such open aggression as a ocupation of Camelot would pull most of the Clans into action against OT, even the most OT friendly ones. No Clan, even ones hostile to the Knights could get away with inaction. The Sentinels would have a field day. As would the Unionists. All the moderate clans would also be pulled into the conflict due to their ties to the Knights.

The portal just dont worth such an escalation of the conflict. OT does have direct acces to the Shadowlands anyways via JOBE, which is quite and OT friendly organization.

If the portal would have any use for anything, it would quickly become a shared resource anyways...for the right price of course.

The Knights arent the Sentinels and Camelot is not Sparta.

[trousers]

I don't think it's too presumptuous. The Omni-Tek Armed Forces have two sizable military installations in Avalon. If an Omni-Tek saboteur knocks out the Grid and the Whom-Pah (not an overly difficult feat since Omni-Tek developed both technologies) Camelot would become isolated from immediate reinforcement.

And please don't get me wrong, my line of thinking is not just snatch up Camelot for Omni-Tek. should something like this happen I would love to see Sparta see introduced as a new Clan city where the Knights fled to in exile.

Then once the Clans organize Omni-Tek would be fighting a three front war (Sparta to the West, Sentinels to the East and Omni-2 to the South). I think it might be nice to see this level of conflict actually develop since right now you would never know Omni-Tek and the Clans are at war with each other if someone didn't tell you.

But, this is all very much wishful thinking, as I don't expect FC will do anything with the ring :-\

[playboyfixer]

only question is if ICC would allow it to happen, especially with the disabling grid & whompa. Neuts would cry havoc over freedom of going where you want and so on, not to mention what opposition they might face in SL once some higher authorities there find out what they want to do with the SL gate.

Somehow i think also that the whole point of those rocks is that something / someone in SL blocked it off with a reason, and they won't allow it to be opened again.

[trousers]

Somehow i think also that the whole point of those rocks is that something / someone in SL blocked it off with a reason, and they won't allow it to be opened again.

That would also make a pretty sweet story arc

[playboyfixer]

i know, i've somewhat been theorizing it in-game in my research storyline, but no-one else seems interested to join in maybe cause it doesn't involve killing omnis or so