(finally a moment to actually think stuff through...)
Hm, lots of stuff in the last bit. In rough order:
The biotech thing: I'm not enthused by the idea, but that's more aesthetic grounds on my part than any real mechanical objection. If we're gonna explain it I'd rather go with nanotech (the magitech of choice for the discerning 21st century sci-fi writer) but it could go either way. The concepts are similar enough, and keeping it ICly vague provides yet another thing for fen techies to argue about when they get together.
Limitations: I can think of only three hard limits that should be set on Plot Devices. First, they can't openly break the laws of reality. Since Fenspace operates (mostly) on the looser laws found in all quality space opera, that's the upper bound. No totally godlike deus ex machinae or the like.
Second, they can't be used to build weaponry. Some sort of safety lock that "breeds" true and can't be broken. (They can be used to *power* weapons, but if you want to use one to charge up the Reflex cannon you need to build a Reflex cannon first, which leads into...)
Third, they can't build genre vehicles from scratch. That is, you can't show a Plot Device a picture of the Milennium Falcon and say "Build this!" It's kind of arbitrary considering all the other stuff we're thinking of making the Plot Device do, but I think it's important to preserve the DIY feel.
---
Mr. Fnord
http://fnord.sandwich.net/
http://www.jihad.net/
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery
FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information
"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"
Hm, lots of stuff in the last bit. In rough order:
The biotech thing: I'm not enthused by the idea, but that's more aesthetic grounds on my part than any real mechanical objection. If we're gonna explain it I'd rather go with nanotech (the magitech of choice for the discerning 21st century sci-fi writer) but it could go either way. The concepts are similar enough, and keeping it ICly vague provides yet another thing for fen techies to argue about when they get together.
Limitations: I can think of only three hard limits that should be set on Plot Devices. First, they can't openly break the laws of reality. Since Fenspace operates (mostly) on the looser laws found in all quality space opera, that's the upper bound. No totally godlike deus ex machinae or the like.
Second, they can't be used to build weaponry. Some sort of safety lock that "breeds" true and can't be broken. (They can be used to *power* weapons, but if you want to use one to charge up the Reflex cannon you need to build a Reflex cannon first, which leads into...)
Third, they can't build genre vehicles from scratch. That is, you can't show a Plot Device a picture of the Milennium Falcon and say "Build this!" It's kind of arbitrary considering all the other stuff we're thinking of making the Plot Device do, but I think it's important to preserve the DIY feel.
---
Mr. Fnord
http://fnord.sandwich.net/
http://www.jihad.net/
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery
FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information
"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"