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StarCluster 2 Biotechnology Guide
 

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StarCluster 2 Biotechnology Guide
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StarCluster 2 Biotechnology Guide
Publisher: Better Mousetrap Games
by Rob M. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 12/31/2005 00:00:00

In its 17 pages the Starcluster 2nd edition Biotech Guide provides an overview of the biotech available in the Starcluster universe at various tech levels/eras, and specific rules for individual biotechnologies. These individual technologies include Augmentation, Androids & (Uplifted) Animals, Modifications (Implants & Replacements), Matter Transmission & Mind Transfers, Cold Sleep (and other suspended animation technologies), and Food (Technologies including Hydroponics, genetically engineered foods, & stasis based ?Food Mats?).

The book opens up with a couple of pages of overview of the specific technological areas, mores regarding their use among different cultures and users, and a general timeline of their use, introduction, and refinement. The individual sections then follow. Areas of most interest to players are Augmentation, Modification & Replacement, Androids & (uplifted) Animals, & Matter Transmission & Mind Transfer.

Augmentation is distinct from Modification & Replacement as it is performed by genetic engineering of the subject before birth, and thus is only available during initial character creation. The availability of Augmentation is dependent on the character having a high (social) Rank, or in this case the assumed Rank of his parents. These augmentations occur either as bonuses to the character attributes, and at higher levels, the availability of special abilities such as enhanced senses, innate weaponry, fast healing, enhanced balance, burst of strength, and all manner of exotic appearances (fur, fangs, feathers, fantastically colored skin, tails, etc.). Also notable for the GM?s & Players is the discussion of views of the augmented in society, which are generally well tolerated within the SaVaHuTa (which you may recall is made up of genengineered human races, the Sastra (prehensile tailed monkey people), Vantor (?mer? people), and Tagris (tiger people)), and met with wide-spread discrimination and outright hate among the Diasporan Community.

The Androids & (uplifted) Animals sections details the rules for Androids, which in this case refers to non-robotic synthetic humans, created from custom engineered DNA on up, think Replicants from Blade Runner, only with the option for larger animal-based non-sentient ?bio-roids? and such as well. There are no hard and fast rules provided for ?Android? characters due to this variation and thus the player must negotiation with the GM when deciding the exact abilities and attributes of his character. Rules are provided for players wanting to play uplifted animals. The uplifted animals present within the setting include uplifted dolphins (who are given a set of prosthetic hands to allow tool-use), chimps, dogs, bears, cougars, and raccoons.

The Modifications section includes rules for implants (such as computer ?jacks?, dermal armors, and interestingly integral A-grav rigs), and replacements (All your ?We can rebuild him, stronger, faster, we have the technology? fun, such as robotic arms, and cyber-eyes). All of these have price-tags associated, often hefty, time for implantation and adaptation & training, and minimum tech level requirements. Also, most all of these bits of cool gear have various drawbacks and hazards associated with their use, so it?s not all chrome and coolness.

The Matter Transmission and Mind Transfer rules are interesting. They are an offshoot of the settings Jump Drive, which works by a combination of a Jump Field and a Psionic Navigator, the field isolates the ship from the ?real universe? after which the navigator can cause it to change position (traveling without movement.) Well, this same technology base, via a sequence of ?Cells?, is used for matter transmission; however it is not as nice and neat as the jump drive and nowhere as efficient and safe as ?transporters? in Star Trek, as there are pretty much always ?transporter accidents? involved. This is due to limitations in the technology, thus it is only used in emergencies, or for military purposes. Characters using Matter Transfer are subject to effects ranging from Skill & Attribute loss to outright death, so don?t expect Scotty to beam you up.

The Mind transfer tech works on a similar principle and is subject to similar problems. The individual applications of the mind transfer process are pretty varied, ranging from transfers from old or damaged bodies to clones, young to old bodies, mind transfers between bodies, multiple minds in single bodies, humanoid minds to animal bodies, etc. Thus mind transfer provides the GM with lots of amusing and interesting plot opportunities for adventures.

The Cloning section provides an interesting discussion of the technology. In which the important distinction is made that a clone is a genetically identical twin of a different age than the genetic donor, the cloning process does not clone a persons mind or memories. Clones can be used as the targets of Mind Transfers, but suffer from the limitations of mind transfer, as described above. This section points out that primary use of Clones is for the production of ?vanity? children. Clones made of a single parent. Then there is of course cloning for spare parts, though usually only individual parts are grown rather than an entire body. Another interesting topic discussed is ?downshifting? humans, in many ways the opposite of the uplifting process used on animals. Instead the human clones are made non-sentient and used for labor and other purposes. Also discussed is the use of ?Super Splat? clones, a clone of a subject that has been developed to be a ?super soldier? or athlete, etc. Then the process of religious cults of clones made from the cult leader/prophet/divine messenger is discussed. Finally, the mention of people cloning celebrities so they can raise their role models themselves. (Who wouldn?t want to raise their own Shatner?)

There is also discussion of the use hydroponics & food grown on starships and their psychological effects for the crew, as well as cold sleep & other suspended animation techniques used on STL starships. Overall there is a lot of fascinating and fun technologies discussed, both as ways to make your character cool, as well as fodder for social Science fiction plots involving the use of clones, uplifted animals, mind transfers, etc. All kinds of cool what-if stuff that are at the heart of Science Fiction, providing the GM with the opportunity for all kinds of adventures beyond just cruising around in your starship getting into space battles.

The PDF itself is laid out in two columns, with a nice readable body text, and a ?NASA? style futuristic text used for section titles. There are only two bits of art, the cover piece, of a ?h4wt chixxor? in the shower sporting some kind of implant wire thing falling down her shapely back, done in the ?trademark? Starcluster water-colorized art style, which looks pretty good. The only piece of artwork in the body of the PDF is of an uplifted chimp, in a blue hoody, on a hover-board, seriously, which is also done in the ?trademark? Starcluster water-colorized art style, which also looks pretty good, particularly the landscape background.

Overall, this is a very meaty product, providing the GM and players with tons of cool tech goodness, not only in character goodies, but also fascinating technology based setting details & options for punchy, thematic Sci-Fi storytelling. I recommend it for most all Starcluster players as way to add a big bio-technologically boosted shot of hard SF musing into their campaign. <br><br><b>LIKED</b>: The discussion of the social ramifications of cloning, augmentation, modification, and uplifted animals & slave class biologicals.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: No Bookmarks? Nano-Tech not addressed, perhaps in another supplement. <br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br><BR>[THIS REVIEW WAS EDITED]<BR>



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[5 of 5 Stars!]
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