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Three quick questions:
1) If a ship has a bio-neural computer do you have to have a regular computer as well.
2) Do you need an ODN with a bio-beural computer?
3) Anyone have any ideas of biomechanical ships except just using the Borg ship regeneration hull?
1) No. As I recall the dialogue from "Caretaker," only some of Voyager's computer systems use bioneural circuitry. Later ships may be purely bioneural, but in any case bioneural and isolinear systems can apparently be integrated, or you can have only one or the other. (I'd prefer both, personally, or at least an isolinear backup for those occasions when my gelpacks come down with a cold or Rigellian Kassaba Fever or whatever.)Quote:
Originally posted by Alex Pryde:
Three quick questions:
1) If a ship has a bio-neural computer do you have to have a regular computer as well.
2) Do you need an ODN with a bio-beural computer?
3) Anyone have any ideas of biomechanical ships except just using the Borg ship regeneration hull?
2) Yes. The bioneural gelpacks we see aboard Voyager pretty clearly are nodes or subprocessors, not a data transmission system.
3) Not offhand.
[This message has been edited by Erik Filean (edited 01-01-2001).]
If you buy a bio-neural computer network using the Spacedock rules, what you're getting is a normal computer network augmented with the bio-neural packs. You don't have to pay for a computer core and the bio-neural system, just the bio-neural computer system as a whole. That's why it costs more than a normal core.
You do have to have an ODN with a bio-neural computer system.
I, at least, have not yet given any thought to bio-organic type starship technologies. Given the depth and complexity of the subject, not to mention its general inapplicability to Star Trek, I will probably avoid doing so until I get around to writing SRM: Delta Quadrant and have to deal with the Borg (and, more importantly, Species 8472). Until then, you can easily build a bio-organic ship using the normal Spacedock rules -- just say, "Hey, this system's biological instead of electronic." http://www.trekrpg.net/Board/ubb/smile.gif
Steve Long
Hmm, bio-organic ships... maybe I'll work on that.
I do recall that it was mentioned on a episode that the Breen use Organic ships.
I do get the what is being said thought, just build a normal ship and say that was built from parts that are from a growth vat, instead of a processing factory.
That's true, some mention was made of the Breen having organic ships or ship components. Well, you'll get to see my take on Breen ships in the DWS soon enough, so it'll provide a good illustration of my "use the same rules and just say it's organic" principle. http://www.trekrpg.net/Board/ubb/wink.gif
Steve Long
[This message has been edited by Steve Long (edited 01-02-2001).]
Well organic ships must have some pretty hefty advantages over conventional technology!
1) You can't replicate lifeforms -thus it would be a pain to repair the ships (you can't replicate spare parts).
2) Lifeforms require a whole lot of adaptation for a vacuum, warp fields, and capacity to withstand plasma (phasers!).
3) If its intelligent (Tinman, etc) then you have to be careful it doesn't wig out after damage.
Some possible advantages of an organic ship:
A) Slow regeneration - probably not "borg speed" but in Star Trek you never know. If they can heal small wounds really quickly then scaled up medical equipment could do the same for a bioship.
B) reduced life support requirements. You could design the ship to process and release atmospheric gasses for the crew.
In my opinion there would have to be some pretty big advantages to use bioships since really there are only a handful of races that use them (and the Breen may or may not - their ships don't look particularly organic) such as Species 8472.