DOCSLIB.ORG

GURPS Transhuman Space Classic

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
GURPS Transhuman Space Classic T R A N S WhatIn the year 2100, is humanity “human”? faces its greatest challenge: settling H the vast reaches of the solar system. Spacegoing transnationals U develop technologies that governments fear to explore, while bizarre M posthuman cultures bloom like exotic flowers. Will “human” cease to have any meaning in a world of genetic engineering and digital A consciousness? N It is a time of wealth and adventure, of transformation and terror – S the age of Transhuman Space! Within these pages, you’ll find: P A I A future history of the next 100 years: the rise of China, the C terraforming of Mars, and the birth of the first artificial E intelligence. I A gazetteer of the solar system, from Earth to the thriving colonies on Luna, Mars, and beyond. I A detailed encyclopedia of transhuman space. I Dozens of transhuman character templates, from space-adapted parahumans to digital infomorphs. Play an AI or an intelligent octopus! I Complete rules for spacecraft design, travel, and combat. Transhuman Space is the first in a comprehensive line S This book contains a complete of sourcebooks exploring a T roleplaying game. GURPS Basic Set, transhuman vision of the 22nd E Third Edition and GURPS Compendium I: century, where biology and V Character Creation are helpful, but not nanotechnology merge with required for full use of this book. GURPS E Bio-Tech can provide additional options, interplanetary adventure. but is not required. J A Welcome to our future! C K S O N SECOND EDITION, FIRST PRINTING G PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2002 ISBN 1-55634-454-6 A M E 9!BMF@JA:RSSTSPoY`Z^ZaZnZj S STEVE JACKSON GAMES Printed in www.sjgames.com SJG03695 6708 Canada T R A N S WhatIn the year 2100, is humanity “human”? faces its greatest challenge: settling H the vast reaches of the solar system. Spacegoing transnationals U develop technologies that governments fear to explore, while bizarre M posthuman cultures bloom like exotic flowers. Will “human” cease to have any meaning in a world of genetic engineering and digital A consciousness? N It is a time of wealth and adventure, of transformation and terror – S the age of Transhuman Space! Within these pages, you’ll find: P A I A future history of the next 100 years: the rise of China, the C terraforming of Mars, and the birth of the first artificial E intelligence. I A gazetteer of the solar system, from Earth to the thriving colonies on Luna, Mars, and beyond. I A detailed encyclopedia of transhuman space. I Dozens of transhuman character templates, from space-adapted parahumans to digital infomorphs. Play an AI or an intelligent octopus! I Complete rules for spacecraft design, travel, and combat. Transhuman Space is the first in a comprehensive line S This book contains a complete of sourcebooks exploring a T roleplaying game. GURPS Basic Set, transhuman vision of the 22nd E Third Edition and GURPS Compendium I: century, where biology and V Character Creation are helpful, but not nanotechnology merge with required for full use of this book. GURPS E Bio-Tech can provide additional options, interplanetary adventure. but is not required. J A Welcome to our future! C K S O N SECOND EDITION, FIRST PRINTING G PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2002 ISBN 1-55634-454-6 A M E 9!BMF@JA:RSSTSPoY`Z^ZaZnZj S STEVE JACKSON GAMES Printed in www.sjgames.com SJG03695 6708 Canada ™ Editors: Andrew Hackard and Sean Punch Additional material: Anthony Jackson, Kenneth Peters, Jonathan Woodward, and Jon Zeigler Base map design: Nelson Cunnington Stellar cartography: Heather Oliver Special thanks: John Nowak, Sean Punch, Gene Seabolt GURPS System Design I Steve Jackson Managing Editor I Andrew Hackard Creative Director I Philip Reed GURPS Line Editor I Sean Punch Transhuman Space Line Editor I David Pulver Project Administrator I Monique Chapman Production Manager I Heather Oliver Production Artists I Philip Reed and Gene Seabolt Print Buyer I Monica Stephens GURPS Errata Coordinator I Andy Vetromile Sales Manager I Ross Jepson Lead Playtester: John L. Freiler Playtesters: Anthony Jackson, James “Pip” Barrett, Frederick Brackin, Tony Chen, Mark Cogan, Peter Dell’Orto, Steven Ehrbar, Werner H. Hartmann, Jürgen Hubert, James Jones, Samuel Lindsay-Levine, M.A. Lloyd, Phil Masters, Nelson Cunnington, Robert O’Connor, Bowden Palmer, Shawn Penrod, Jeff Raglin, Thomas Schoene, John Snead, SwiftOne, Constantine Thomas, Christopher Thrash, Eric Ueber, Jonathan Woodward, Jon Zeigler. GURPS, Warehouse 23, and the all-seeing pyramid are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. Transhuman Space, Pyramid, and the names of all products published by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are registered trademarks or trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license. Transhuman Space is copyright © 2002 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. ISBN 1-55634-454-6 Second Edition 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Bioroid Status . .76 Ubiquitous Computing and Privacy . 77 Uplifted Animals . 77 Uploading and Mind Emulation 78 Notable Main Belt What Doesn’t Exist . .78 INTRODUCTION . .4 Asteroid Stations . 41 NATIONS . .79 The Transhuman Space Line . 5 OUTER SYSTEM . .43 The European Union . 79 About the Author . 5 Europa . 43 People’s Republic of China . 80 About GURPS . .5 Other Jovian Moons . 44 India . 81 The Trojans . 45 Pacific Rim Alliance . 82 1. TRANSHUMAN SPACE . .6 Transpacific Socialist Alliance . 82 Timeline: To 2020 Saturn . 46 . .8 United States of America . 83 Timeline: 2021-2030 Saturn’s Moons . 46 . .9 Islamic Caliphate . 84 Timeline: 2031-2040 Titan . 47 . .10 The South African Coalition . 84 Timeline: 2041-2050 . .11 Uranus . 48 Neptune . 48 Free Cities . 84 THE COLONIZATION OF SPACE . .11 The Kuiper Belt . 49 New Nations on Earth . 84 Timeline: 2051-2060 . .12 Primordial Black Holes . .49 Twenty Poorest Nations . .85 Rust China . 12 Pluto . 50 The Duncanites . 85 Timeline: 2061-2070 . .13 The Oort Cloud . 50 The Revised Outer Timeline: 2071-2080 . .14 Space Treaty . .86 Timeline: 2081-2090 . .15 SPACE TRAVEL . .50 MEMES . .86 Timeline: 2091-2098 Interplanetary Distances . 50 . .16 Memetics . 86 Current Events: 2099-2100 . .17 The Black Hole Controversy . .50 Interplanetary Distances (AU) Education . .87 Mining the Moon . 18 Are You Sapient? . 91 The Ares Conspiracy . 19 on Jan. 1, 2100 . .51 INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS . 93 NAGHI and Titan . 20 Space Travel . 52 Corporations . 93 Third Wave, Fourth Wave, EXTRATERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENTS 53 Sentencing Criminals . .96 Fifth Wave . 21 Gravity . 53 Security and The Overturn . 21 Spin Gravity . .54 Intelligence Agencies . 97 The Pacific War . 22 Microgravity . 54 International Nongovernmental The Shezbeth Expedition . 23 Health Problems in Organizations . 98 The Fifth Wave . 24 Micro- or Zero Gravity . .55 Zero Gravity . 56 WAR AND THE MILITARY . .99 THE TRANSFORMATION Space Sickness . .56 Kyoto Cup HuGEX Tourney . .99 OF MANKIND . .24 Vacuum and Trace Operations Other Than War . 100 Pantropy . 24 Atmospheres . 57 Modern Soldiers . 101 Human Obsolescence and Other Environmental Space Warfare . 102 the Receding Singularity . .25 Dangers . 58 The Strongest Military Forces 104 Morphological Freedom . 25 Radiation . 59 Spaceborne Forces . 104 What Is Human? . 25 OUTLAWS AND TERRORISTS . 105 CAMPAIGN THEMES . .26 3. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF Ten Most Wanted Adam Smith on Mars . 26 Human Criminals . 105 Black Ops . 26 TRANSHUMAN SPACE . 61 CORE TECHNOLOGIES . .62 Terrorist Groups . 106 Law and Order . 26 Criminal Organizations . 106 Meme Wars . 27 Artificial Intelligence . 62 Augmented Reality . 62 Bioroid Trafficking . 106 Nation Building . 27 The Hunted . 108 Outlaws . 27 Bionics . 64 Soldiers . 27 Brain Implants . 64 Travelers . 27 Computer Technology . 65 4. CHARACTERS . 109 Fusion Power . 66 Trouble at Exogenesis? . 109 He-3 Mining . 67 Character Points . 110 2. THE SOLAR SYSTEM . .28 Genetic Engineering . 67 Character Types . 110 INNER SYSTEM . .29 Mundane Jobs . .114 Statistics: Explanations . .29 Human Genetic Engineering . 68 Minifacturing . 69 NONHUMAN CHARACTERS . 114 The Sun . 29 Racial Templates . 114 Mercury . 30 Carbon Nanotubes . 70 Nanotechnology . 70 Human Templates . 115 Venus . 31 Human Genetic-Upgrade Earth . 32 Pharm Animals . 71 Reproductive Technology . 71 Templates . 115 Earth Orbit . 34 Parahuman and Bioroid Luna (“The Moon”) . 35 Robots . 72 Smart Matter . 73 Templates . 116 The Lagrange Points . 36 Uplifted Animals . 118 Mars . 37 Spacecraft Types . 74 Spacecraft . 74 INFOMORPH CHARACTERS . .119 THE MAIN BELT . 39 Digital Mind Templates . 119 Near-Earth Asteroids . 40 Space Habitats . 75 Tissue Engineering . 75 Template Lenses for Life in the Main Belt . 40 Digital Entities . 120 New Shadows . 121 WEAPONS . 155 SURFACE FEATURES . 186 Cybershell Templates . 121 Portable Weapons . 155 Liquid-Crystal and Bioshell Templates . 126 STUN WEAPONS . 155 Chameleon Systems . 186 WEALTH AND STATUS . 126 Heavy Weapons . 155 SURFACE FEATURES TABLE . 186 Sapients Rights . 126 Weapon Table . 156 Radiators . 186 Pan-Sapient Rights Table . 127 Weapon Features . 156 CONSUMABLES . 187 Wealth . 127 Weapon Options . 157 REACTION MASS,COOLANT, AND Status and Cost of Living . 128 AMMUNITION TABLE . 157 FUEL TABLE . 187 Age . 128 Grenades . 159 MUNITIONS PACK TABLE . 188 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES 129 SUITS AND PERSONAL ARMOR . 159 STATISTICS . 188 Advantages . 129 Armor and Suit Accessories . 160 CPF TABLE . 189 New Advantages . ..
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Transhuman Space Classic
    THE EDGE OF NOWHERE The Deep Beyond is the solar system’s final frontier. A vast zone stretching from the asteroid belt to the edge of interstellar space, its siren call has drawn researchers, pioneers, visionaries – and outlaws. Deep Beyond includes: ! Expanded descriptions of the asteroids, gas giants, moons, and comets of the outer system. Visit the gas mines of Saturn and Europa’s icy oceans! ! What it’s like to grow up in the Deep Beyond . as a Duncanite parahuman, a sapient AI, or even an enslaved bioroid. ! Dozens of organizations, from the rebel ghosts of Axon to the cyber-soldiers of the 82nd Spaceborne. ! New character types, from judges-for-hire to Jump RATS and Swarmdozers. ! New vehicles and technologies: ice-hulled Gypsy Angel spacecraft, portable lasers, prospector swarms – even the black hole power plant. Transhuman Space is required to use this supplement. GURPS Basic Set, Third Edition Revised, Compendium I, and Transhuman Space: In The Well are also recommended. FIRST EDITION,FIRST PRINTING PUBLISHED APRIL 2003 ISBN 1-55634-586-0 9!BMF@JA:RSTWUXoY`ZgZaZnZ` Printed in SJG02695 6703 the USA THE EDGE OF NOWHERE The Deep Beyond is the solar system’s final frontier. A vast zone stretching from the asteroid belt to the edge of interstellar space, its siren call has drawn researchers, pioneers, visionaries – and outlaws. Deep Beyond includes: ! Expanded descriptions of the asteroids, gas giants, moons, and comets of the outer system. Visit the gas mines of Saturn and Europa’s icy oceans! ! What it’s like to grow up in the Deep Beyond .
    [Show full text]
  • Transhumanity's Fate
    ECLIPSE PHASE: TRANSHUMANITY’S FATE The Fate Conversion Guide for Eclipse Phase RYAN JACK MACKLIN GRAHAM ECLIPSE PHASE: TRANSHUMANITY’S FATE Transhumanity’s Fate: ■ Brings technothriller espionage and horror in a world of upgraded humans to Fate Core. ■ Join Firewall, and defend transhumanity in the aftermath of near annihilation by arti cial intelligence. ■ Requires Fate Core to play. Eclipse Phase created by Posthuman Studios Eclipse Phase is a trademark of Posthuman Studios LLC. Transhumanity’s Fate is © 2016. Some content licensed under a Creative Commons License. Fate™ is a trademark of Evil Hat Productions, LLC. The Powered by Fate logo is © Evil Hat Productions, LLC and is used with permission. eclipsephase.com TRANSHUMANITY'S FATE WRITING DEDICATION Jack Graham, Ryan Macklin The Posthumans dedicate this book to Jef Smith, our ADDITIONAL MATERIAL companion of many days & nights around the table. Jef was a tireless organizer in Chicago's science-fiction/ Rob Boyle, Caleb Stokes fantasy fandom, including the Think Galactic reading EDITING group and spin-off convention, Think Galacticon. In Rob Boyle, Jack Graham 2015, he co-published the Sisters of the Revolution: A GRAPHIC DESIGN Feminist Speculative Fiction Anthology with PM Press. Adam Jury We will miss Jef's encouragement, wit, and bottomless COVER ART generosity. The person who lives large in the lives of their friends is not soon forgotten. Stephan Martiniere A portion of profits from Transhumanity's Fate will be INTERIOR ART donated to Jef's family. Rich Anderson, Nic Boone, Leanne Buckley, Anna Christenson, Daniel Clarke, Paul Davies, SPECIAL THANKS Alex Drummond, Danijel Firak, Nathan Geppert, Ryan thanks his wife, Lillian, for her support and Zachary Graves, Tariq Hassan, Josu Hernaiz, octomorph shenanigans, and blackcoat for being a font Jason Juta, Sergey Kondratovich, Ian Llanas, of feedback.
    [Show full text]
  • Download The
    RPG REVIEW Issue #33, December 2016 ISSN 2206-4907 (Online) Transhumanism Interview with Rob Boyle ¼ Designer©s Notes for Cryptomancer¼ Reviews of Eclipse Phase and supplements ¼. A Cure for Aging? GURPS Transhuman ¼ Aeorforms for Blue Planet ¼ APP setting for Big Damn Sci-Fi .. RPGaDay 2016 ¼ Morlocks for GURPS ¼ Doctor Strange and Arrival Movie Reviews ¼ and much more! 1 RPG REVIEW ISSUE 33 December 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS Administrivia, Coop News, Editorial many contributors p2-6 Interview with Rob Boyle with Rob Boyle p7-10 Transhumanism is Total Nonsense by Karl Brown p11-13 Have We Found A Cure for Aging? by Karl Brown p14-15 Cryptomancer Designer©s Notes by Chad Walker p16-17 Cryptomancer Review by Lev Lafayette p18-19 Transhuman RPG Reviews by Lev Lafayette p20-40 Aeroforms for Blue Planet by Karl Brown p41-42 Sue Gurney, Infomorph Slave Robot by Adrian Smith p43-44 APP for Big Damn Sci-Fi by Nic Moll p45-46 Morlocks for GURPS by Gideon Kalve Jarvis p47-48 RPGaDay 2016 with Lev Lafayette and Karl Brown p49-57 Doctor Strange Movie Review by Andrew Moshos p58-60 Arrival Movie Review by Andrew Moshos p61-63 Next Issue: RPG Design by many people p64 ADMINISTRIVIA RPG Review is a quarterly online magazine which will be available in print version at some stage. All material remains copyright to the authors except for the reprinting as noted in the first sentence. Contact the author for the relevant license that they wish to apply. Various trademarks and images have been used in this magazine of review and criticism.
    [Show full text]
  • Pyramid Volume 3 in These Issues (A Compilation of Tables of Contents
    Pyramid Volume 3 In These Issues (A compilation of tables of contents and In This Issue sections) Contents Name # Month Name # Month Tools of the Trade: Wizards 1 2008-11 Noir 42 2012-04 Looks Like a Job for… Superheroes 2 2008-12 Thaumatology III 43 2012-05 Venturing into the Badlands: Post- Alternate GURPS II 44 2012-06 3 2009-01 Apocalypse Monsters 45 2012-07 Magic on the Battlefield 4 2009-02 Weird Science 46 2012-08 Horror & Spies 5 2009-03 The Rogue's Life 47 2012-09 Space Colony Alpha 6 2009-04 Secret Magic 48 2012-10 Urban Fantasy [I] 7 2009-05 World-Hopping 49 2012-11 Cliffhangers 8 2009-06 Dungeon Fantasy II 50 2012-12 Space Opera 9 2009-07 Tech and Toys III 51 2013-01 Crime and Grime 10 2009-08 Low-Tech II 52 2013-02 Cinematic Locations 11 2009-09 Action [I] 53 2013-03 Tech and Toys [I] 12 2009-10 Social Engineering 54 2013-04 Thaumatology [I] 13 2009-11 Military Sci-Fi 55 2013-05 Martial Arts 14 2009-12 Prehistory 56 2013-06 Transhuman Space [I] 15 2010-01 Gunplay 57 2013-07 Historical Exploration 16 2010-02 Urban Fantasy II 58 2013-08 Modern Exploration 17 2010-03 Conspiracies 59 2013-09 Space Exploration 18 2010-04 Dungeon Fantasy III 60 2013-10 Tools of the Trade: Clerics 19 2010-05 Way of the Warrior 61 2013-11 Infinite Worlds [I] 20 2010-06 Transhuman Space II 62 2013-12 Cyberpunk 21 2010-07 Infinite Worlds II 63 2014-01 Banestorm 22 2010-08 Pirates and Swashbucklers 64 2014-02 Action Adventures 23 2010-09 Alternate GURPS III 65 2014-03 Bio-Tech 24 2010-10 The Laws of Magic 66 2014-04 Epic Magic 25 2010-11 Tools of the
    [Show full text]
  • 2101, First Quarter
    TM TM 2101, FIRST QUARTER Written by JAMAIS CASCIO, PHIL MASTERS, KENNETH PETERS, PATRICK SWEENEY, and JON F. ZEIGLER Edited by PHIL MASTERS Illustrated by MARCIO FIORITO An e23 Sourcebook for GURPS® STEVE JACKSON GAMES ® Stock #37-6708 Version 1.0 – February 2010 CONTENTS 2101, FIRST QUARTER . 3 Traveler’s Tale . 5 Search for the Oldest Living Human. 3 Record Attendance at UN General Assembly . 5 A Monstrous Ego? . 3 Divad Blasts to the Finish in Too Much to Swallow? . 3 Mars-Earth Plasma Sail Race . 5 Esperante Executive Assassinated . 4 Noted Philosopher Turns Isolate . 6 Gaza Desalination Plant Goes Online . 4 InVid Review: The Tempest . 6 Triplanetary Lines Offers Discount Mars Rates . 4 About GURPS Steve Jackson Games is committed to full support of more. To discuss GURPS with our staff and your GURPS players. Our address is SJ Games, P.O. Box 18957, fellow gamers, visit our forums at forums.sjgames.com. Austin, TX 78760. Please include a self-addressed, stamped The web page for Transhuman Space: Teralogos News is envelope (SASE) any time you write us! We can also be at www.sjgames.com/transhuman/teralogos. reached by e-mail: [email protected]. Resources include: Bibliographies. Many of our books have extensive bibli- ographies, and we’re putting them online – with links to let New supplements and adventures. GURPS continues to you buy the resources that interest you! Go to each book’s grow – see what’s new at www.sjgames.com/gurps. web page and look for the “Bibliography” link. e23. Our e-publishing division offers GURPS adven- Errata.
    [Show full text]
  • Transhumanism
    T ranshumanism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=T ranshum... Transhumanism From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia See also: Outline of transhumanism Transhumanism is an international Part of Ideology series on intellectual and cultural movement supporting Transhumanism the use of science and technology to improve human mental and physical characteristics Ideologies and capacities. The movement regards aspects Abolitionism of the human condition, such as disability, Democratic transhumanism suffering, disease, aging, and involuntary Extropianism death as unnecessary and undesirable. Immortalism Transhumanists look to biotechnologies and Libertarian transhumanism other emerging technologies for these Postgenderism purposes. Dangers, as well as benefits, are Singularitarianism also of concern to the transhumanist Technogaianism [1] movement. Related articles The term "transhumanism" is symbolized by Transhumanism in fiction H+ or h+ and is often used as a synonym for Transhumanist art "human enhancement".[2] Although the first known use of the term dates from 1957, the Organizations contemporary meaning is a product of the 1980s when futurists in the United States Applied Foresight Network Alcor Life Extension Foundation began to organize what has since grown into American Cryonics Society the transhumanist movement. Transhumanist Cryonics Institute thinkers predict that human beings may Foresight Institute eventually be able to transform themselves Humanity+ into beings with such greatly expanded Immortality Institute abilities as to merit the label "posthuman".[1] Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence Transhumanism is therefore sometimes Transhumanism Portal · referred to as "posthumanism" or a form of transformational activism influenced by posthumanist ideals.[3] The transhumanist vision of a transformed future humanity has attracted many supporters and detractors from a wide range of perspectives.
    [Show full text]
  • Steve Jackson Games Contents Introduction
    Written by DAVID PULVER, with KENNETH PETERS Additional Material by WILLIAM BARTON, LOYD BLANKENSHIP, and STEVE JACKSON Edited by CHRISTOPHER AYLOTT, STEVE JACKSON, SEAN PUNCH, WIL UPCHURCH, and NIKOLA VRTIS Cover Art by SIMON LISSAMAN, DREW MORROW, BOB STEVLIC, and JOHN ZELEZNIK Illustrated by JESSE DEGRAFF, IGOR FIORENTINI, SIMON LISSAMAN, DREW MORROW, E. JON NETHERLAND, AARON PANAGOS, CHRISTOPHER SHY, BOB STEVLIC, and JOHN ZELEZNIK Softcover: stock # 01-6002 • ISBN 978-1-55634-810-5 •PDF: stock # 31-0104•Version 3.0 – November 2016 STEVE JACKSON GAMES CONTENTS INTRODUCTION . 4 Gear for Nonhumans . 16 Swarmbots . 35 About the Authors . 4 Adjusting for SM . 16 PERSONAL GEAR AND About GURPS . 4 EQUIPMENT STATISTICS . 16 CONSUMER GOODS . 38 Personal Items . 38 1. ULTRA-TECHNOLOGY . 5 2. CORE TECHNOLOGIES . 18 Clothing . 38 AGES OF TECHNOLOGY . 6 POWER . 18 Entertainment . 40 TL9 – The Microtech Age . 6 Power Cells. 18 Recreation and TL10 – The Robotic Age . 6 Generators . 20 Personal Robots. 41 TL11 – The Age of Energy Collection . 20 Exotic Matter . 7 Beamed and 3. COMMUNICATIONS, SENSORS, TL12 – The Age of Miracles . 7 Broadcast Power . 21 AND MEDIA . 42 Even Higher TLs. 7 Civilization and Power. 21 COMMUNICATION AND INTERFACE . 42 TECH LEVEL . 8 COMPUTERS . 21 Communicators. 43 Technological Progression . 8 Hardware . 21 Encryption . 46 TECHNOLOGY PATHS . 8 AI: Hardware or Software? . 23 Receive-Only or Conservative Hard SF. 9 Software . 24 Transmit-Only Comms . 46 Radical Hard SF . 9 Using a HUD . 24 Translators . 47 Cyberpunk . 9 Ubiquitous Computing . 25 Neural Interfaces. 48 Nanotech Revolution . 9 ROBOTS AND TOTAL CYBORGS . 26 Networks . 49 Unlimited Technology.
    [Show full text]
  • Transhuman Space
    TM Written by WILLIAM H. STODDARD Edited by PHIL MASTERS Editorial Assistance by JASON “PK” LEVINE Illustrated by JOYCE MAUREIRA and DAN SMITH An e23 Sourcebook for GURP S® STEVE JACKSON GAMES ® Stock #37-6712 Version 1.0 – June 2011 CONTENTS I NTRODUCTION . 3 Intrusion . 21 Bosses . 29 About the Author . 3 Social Engineering . 22 The Ruling Classes . 29 About GURPS . 3 SURVEILLANCE . 22 Twisted Eloi . 29 Spy-Tech . 22 Nonhuman Criminals . 29 1. SETTING AND GENRE . 4 Remote Surveillance . 22 CRIMES AND THEMES . 30 THE ELECTROLASER Traffic Analysis . 23 THE ART OF INVISIBILITY . 31 ON THE STAGE . 4 FORENSIC METHODS . 23 Security: The Low-Tech Option . 31 Mystery vs. Suspense . 5 Nanodetection . 23 Avoiding Surveillance . 31 SUBGENRES AND SETTINGS . 5 Genetics . 24 Covering Trails . 31 The Classic Mystery . 5 MEMETICS . 24 Going Unrecorded . 32 Pulp, Hard-Boiled, and Noir . 6 Artifact Analysis . 24 Hidden Messages . 32 Procedurals . 6 Population Analysis . 24 Laundered Funds . 32 The Cozy . 7 Deprogramming . 25 THE SUPPLICANT . 33 Young Detectives . 8 Debunking . 25 Countermemetics . 25 5. DESIGNING AND 2. INVESTIGATORS . 9 Memes and the Law . 25 PRESENTING OCCUPATIONAL LENSES . 9 SIMULATIONS . 25 SCENARIOS . 33 Canine Police Combat . 11 Profiling . 26 NDAs . 34 ADVANTAGES , D ISADVANTAGES , Crime Scenarios . 26 THE EXPOSITION . 34 AND SKILLS . 13 LEGWORK . 26 THE STORY Advantages . 13 Observation . 26 Perks . 14 Informants . 26 BEHIND THE STORY . 34 Disadvantages . 14 Searches . 27 INQUIRIES AND Skills . 14 Virtual Legwork . 27 COMPLICATIONS . 35 Investigative Skills . 14 Voice Under . 35 Complementary Skills . 15 4. CRIMES THE RECOGNITION . 36 Techniques . 15 AND CRIMINALS . 28 Ongoing Subplots . 36 EQUIPMENT .
    [Show full text]
  • Altered Bodies, Changing Identities, Shifting Power: Trans/Posthumanism and the Reproduction of Humanity in Film and Video Game Fandom
    Altered Bodies, Changing Identities, Shifting Power: Trans/Posthumanism and the Reproduction of Humanity in Film and Video Game Fandom Thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Leicester by Callum Thomas Furlong McMillan BA, MA School of Media, Communication and Sociology University of Leicester 2019 1 ‘The universe is cold. Fun is the fire that melts the blocks of hardship and creates a bubbling celebration of life. It is the birth right of every creature, a right no less sacred for having been trampled on since the beginning of time’ Nick Bostrom 2 Abstract This thesis investigates the theories of transhumanism and posthumanism, the former dealing with radically changing bodies and minds, and the latter with the nature of humanity itself. It examines how these theories are rapidly growing and gaining more exposure in both today’s media (specifically, video games and science fiction (SF) screen media, two likely platforms for such work), and the minds of their fans: the so called ‘geek fandom’ that follows this type of media with a passion. The literature review lays the groundwork for this research, following the early days of humanist thought, the birth of ‘anthropocentrism’, and the history of transhuman and posthumanist thought from ancient times through to the modern day. In addition, this thesis tracks the ways in which video games and science fiction scholarship has developed, alongside research methods for both, in order to provide context to the case studies I have created: two for video games, (Xenoblade Chronicles/Xenoblade Chronicles X) and one for SF screen (EX_MACHINA).
    [Show full text]
  • A Typology of Posthumanism
    Part One Abstract. The term ‘posthumanism’ has been employed to describe a diverse array of phenomena ranging from academic disciplines and artistic move- ments to political advocacy campaigns and the development of commercial technologies. Such phenomena differ widely in their subject matter, purpose, and methodology, raising the question of whether it is possible to fashion a coherent definition of posthumanism that encompasses all phenomena thus labelled. In this text, we seek to bring greater clarity to this discussion by formulating a novel conceptual framework for classifying existing and poten- tial forms of posthumanism. The framework asserts that a given form of posthumanism can be classified: 1) either as an analytic posthumanism that understands ‘posthumanity’ as a sociotechnological reality that already exists in the contemporary world or as a synthetic posthumanism that understands ‘posthumanity’ as a collection of hypothetical future entities whose develop- ment can be intentionally realized or prevented; and 2) either as a theoretical posthumanism that primarily seeks to develop new knowledge or as a practi- cal posthumanism that seeks to bring about some social, political, economic, or technological change. By arranging these two characteristics as orthogonal axes, we obtain a matrix that categorizes a form of posthumanism into one of four quadrants or as a hybrid posthumanism spanning all quadrants. It is suggested that the five resulting types can be understood roughly as posthu- manisms of critique, imagination, conversion,
    [Show full text]
  • Transhumanity's Fate
    TRANSHUMANITY'S FATE WRITING DEDICATION Jack Graham, Ryan Macklin The Posthumans dedicate this book to Jef Smith, our ADDITIONAL MATERIAL companion of many days & nights around the table. Jef was a tireless organizer in Chicago's science-fiction/ Rob Boyle, Caleb Stokes fantasy fandom, including the Think Galactic reading EDITING group and spin-off convention, Think Galacticon. In Rob Boyle, Jack Graham 2015, he co-published the Sisters of the Revolution: A GRAPHIC DESIGN Feminist Speculative Fiction Anthology with PM Press. Adam Jury We will miss Jef's encouragement, wit, and bottomless COVER ART generosity. The person who lives large in the lives of their friends is not soon forgotten. Stephan Martiniere A portion of profits from Transhumanity's Fate will be INTERIOR ART donated to Jef's family. Rich Anderson, Nic Boone, Leanne Buckley, Anna Christenson, Daniel Clarke, Paul Davies, SPECIAL THANKS Alex Drummond, Danijel Firak, Nathan Geppert, Ryan thanks his wife, Lillian, for her support and Zachary Graves, Tariq Hassan, Josu Hernaiz, octomorph shenanigans, and blackcoat for being a font Jason Juta, Sergey Kondratovich, Ian Llanas, of feedback. Adrian Majkrzak, Stephan Martiniere, Marco Mazzoni, Thank you to all our playtesters—from the Eclipse Phase Mark Molnar, Maciej Rebisz, Lorenz Hideyoshi Ruwwe, forums during the open playtest, to the crack goups James Wolf Strehle, Daneil Stultz, Viktor Titov, assembled at Gen Con and Metatopia! Alexandre Tuis, Bruno Werneck, Andy Wright Thanks to Jonathan Bagelman, Emily Care Boss, Juliet Brownell,
    [Show full text]
  • Transhuman Space Classic
    Written by John Snead, David Pulver, Phil Masters, Dawn Elliot, Gene Seabolt, Jon F. Zeigler, and James Maliszewski Illustrated by Neil Cook, Jesse DeGraff, Ceredwyn Ealanta, Marcio Fiorito, Matthew Kresge, Lokarian Additional Material by Kenneth Peters • Cartography by J. Scott Reeves Edited by Steve Jackson and Scott Haring Cover by Jesse DeGraff GURPS System Design ■ SteveJackson Managing Editor ■ Andrew Hackard GURPS Line Editor ■ Sean Punch Transhuman Space Line Editor ■ David Pulver Project Administrator ■ Monique Chapman Art Director ■ Loren Wiseman Production Manager ■ Monique Chapman Production Artist ■ Justin De Witt Print Buyer ■ Monica Stephens GURPS Errata Coordinator ■ Andy Vetromile Sales Manager ■ Ross Jepson Lead Playtester: John L. Freiler Playtesters: James “Pip” Barrett, C.J. Beiting, Roland Boshnack, Frederick Brackin, John Buston, Benedict Chapman, Nelson Cunnington, Peter Erwin, Anthony Jackson, Nana Yaw Ofori, Jeff Raglin, Thomas Schoene, Allen Smith, Michael Suileabhain-Wilson, Geff Underwood, and Jeff Wilson. GURPS,Warehouse 23, and the all-seeing pyramid are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. Transhuman Space, Pyramid, High Frontier, and the names of all products published by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are registered trademarks or trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license. Transhuman Space: High Frontier is copyright © 2003 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal, and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author's rights is appreciated.
    [Show full text]