Traits and Flaws

I've been toying with the idea of adding some form of "Traits and Flaws" system to my games, and this is the preliminary list of what would be available.  Still not sure how to integrate it into the game, if all players would get a standard pool of points to balance the purchase, or tie it to the Bio-E system.

This is still a work in progress, I'm just posting it for comments or for others to run with.

Addiction - The character has an addiction to a benign or harmful substance, which will cause the character distress if they are unable to acquire it.

Adverse Reaction - Whenever the character is exposed to a trigger (object, food, pollen, sound, etc), the character experiences an adverse reaction of some sort.

Age - Character got either an early or late start on the road to adventure.  Either way, people (their teammate are no exception) rarely take them seriously due to their age.

Amputated - One or more of the character’s limbs has been amputated for some reason.  This may be compensated for with a prosthetic limb, but it is always an issue.  NOTE: Bionic or Biotech limb replacements negate this flaw unless they are also flawed in some way.

Awkward, Physically - The character has a tendency to trip over their own feet, roots, rocks, power cords, etc.  This can also note that the character has a difficult time due to their physical size.

Awkward, Socially - Try as they might, the character just doesn't mingle well in social settings.

Conditional - The character has an ability or power that can only be used/activated when certain conditions are met.

Cursed - A darkness follows the character wherever they go.  Whenever something good happens to the character, it is always offset by something equally bad or much worse.

Easily Distracted - The character is easily...SQUIRREL!

Distinctive - The character has a something that sets them apart for the crowd: a booming voice, a birthmark, fur markings, etc.  Regardless, the character does not have the ability to blend in. (Prowl penalty)

Hair Trigger - It doesn't take much to set this character off.  Anger management is not in their vocabulary.

Halfbreed - The character is a genetically engineered cross of two species that is prominently displayed in their appearance, and causes the character to be shunned and/or discriminated against.

Hidden Past - The character’s past has been deliberately hidden or obscured from them by agencies unknown, and they may feel compelled to uncover the truth.  This may easily be tied with the Cursed, Nemesis and/or Obsessed/Seeker traits.

Hunted - There is a price on the character’s head.  Wanted Dead or Alive.  This differs from Nemesis in that it is normally impersonal, and the hunter is only interested in the reward.

Impaired Sense(s) - One of the character’s senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell) is impaired somehow, requiring some sort of aid (if possible) to compensate for.  Alternatively, the character’s sense(s) may be so heightened, that their use impairs them.

Indebted - The character owes someone something that is difficult to impossible to repay, and they are constantly reminded of this fact.

Infested (rename?) - The character’s body is home to one or more colonies to nanites allowing them to purchase a number of Embedded Nanotech Systems. (I’m planning on this as a future project)

Mute - The character does not talk.  This doesn't mean that the character cannot talk, it’s just that they do not talk.  Character must be able to talk (speach partial or full) to take this flaw.

Nemesis - Someone for some reason has a rivalry with the character and is constantly interfering in the character’s affairs.  This may result in numerous confrontations, but will always lead to one ultimate showdown.  This flaw differs from Hunted in that this is based on a personal vendetta.

Obsessed/Seeker - The character is obsessed with the acquisition of a difficult to impossible to acquire object, person, location, or knowledge.

OCD - Not to be confused with the Obsessed/Seeker flaw, this character is obsessed with, or compelled to perform an act as to deal with anxiety, or to keep their perpetual anxiety in check.  If the character is unable to perform their rituals, things can get very unpleasant.  This flaw can be placed in check with the proper pharmaceuticals and/or therapy.

Phobia - The character’s has an irrational fear or dislike for a specific thing or group of things: dogs, dolls, heights, water, etc.

Prodigy - Amazingly, this character is a prodigy when it comes to a particular skill. That skill is automatically set to 80% and increases at +5%/level past the first, and may exceed 98%.  Weapon Proficiencies are treated as starting at level 5.

Shadowy Past - The character has a secret from their past that haunts them, and -- if it were to ever come to light -- would most likely destroy them or cause them no end of anguish.  This flaw cannot be tied to the Hidden Past trait as this flaw requires the character to know what is haunting them.

Significant Other - The character has an attachment to someone that they hold over all other considerations.  This could lead to severe complications if anything were to happen to their significant other.

Stalked - The character has one or more people who hang on everything the character does and says.  These fans will track the character’s exploits to the point of following them wherever they go, and even “taking souvenirs” when they get a chance.

Talented - This character just “gets it” when it comes to a certain subject.  Choose one skill group and those skills progress at 1.5 times as fast.

Trigger - There is something specific that will enrage this character.  Once this trigger has been tripped, the character will last out at the offender.

Unskilled - Try as they might, the character has a hard time getting the hang of things.  Skills progress at half the usual advancement rate.  This may be taken in conjunction with Prodigy.

Vulnerability - The character has an Achilles Heel, a weakness that can be either physical or psychological that can be exploited in combat.

Robot Water Snake

AtB isn't just about mutant anthropomorphic animals fighting against the remnants of humanity...

It's also about scary robot water snakes that want to hunt you and drown you!

This is the new TMNT cartoon?

Seriously?

Fluffy Goes To War

Illustration by Seoul concept artist Oh Jihoon.
Some random antho art I found online.  Maybe I should use this as inspiration for an adventure plot.

RUIN [Short Film]

I found this short film and found it rather inspirational for what the ruins of a city in ATB could be like.
[http://www.conceptruin.com/]

Turtle Cart

This video gives me so many ideas, I don't know where to start.

[IN THE NEWS] Automated Flying Construction Robots

When I saw this, I knew they were something I need to scale up and bring into some role playing game.

Watch as a group of automated quadrotor robots autonomously build several cubical structures. Quadrotor researcher Daniel Mellinger notes, "We tell the quadrotors what structure to build and they figure out the assembly plan and then build it."

These structures beams are held together with magnets, but there's no reason if this were scaled up that you couldn't have a team of welding robots securing larger metal beams while the lifters recharged their batteries.



This reminds me of the 80s sci-fi movie Runaway

2019: A Future Imagined

2019: A Future Imagined from Flat-12 on Vimeo.

Visual Futurist Syd Mead ("Blade Runner," "Aliens," "Tron") reflects upon the nature of creativity and how it drives the future. Photographed in P2 High Definition, this featurette provides insight into the fascinating mind of one of the most influential artists of modern cinema and automotive design.

Post Apocalyptic Survival Video

Ducked and Covered: A Survival Guide to the Post Apocalypse from Nathaniel Lindsay on Vimeo.

Ducked and Covered: A Survival Guide to the Post Apocalypse is an instructional public information film designed to assist the general population with surviving life in Australia after a nuclear war. Produced by the Australian Board of Civil Defence during the early 1980s, this previously unseen, dusty print was uncovered deep within a university film archive.

Broken into four chapters, the film guides wary survivors through the trials that will await them in the post apocalypse. From post-apocalyptic fashion and unique uses for surplus human skulls, to becoming a local warlord and avoiding radioactive mutants, there is something for all dwellers of the wastelands. With its dry methodical narration, brooding synthesizer, minimalist animation and erroneous guidance, Ducked and Covered is a dark humored parody/loving homage to the late cold war era, early 1980’s public information films, as well as a reminder… OF WHAT STILL COULD BE.


WINNER - Audience Award - Best Animated Film - MAELSTROM INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, Seattle, WA, USA 2010.

OFFICIAL SELECTION

CINEQUEST 20 FILM FESTIVAL, San Jose, California, USA 2010.

THE WILLIAMSBURG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, Brooklyn, NY, USA 2010.

MAELSTROM INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, Seattle, WA, USA 2010.

DOOMSDAY FILM FESTIVAL & SYMPOSIUM, Brooklyn, NY, USA 2010.

NEWFILMMAKERS NY, FALL SERIES, New York City, NY, USA 2010.

STATE OF DESIGN FESTIVAL, Melbourne, Australia 2009.

PRESS
http://www.macguffinpodcast.com/macguffin-content/m-i-f-f-f-2010-animation-shorts-review/3/
http://www.thesanjoseblog.com/2010/03/cinequest-comedy-short-films.html
http://www.fanboyplanet.com/movies/cg-cinequest2010.php

Mutated Animal Found In Ditch

Okay, it's actually a video short by Neil (District 9) Blomkamp. IO9 tracked down some information on the AGM Heartland logo on the side of the creature and found this info:

Entertainment services by way of an online website with video, audio and textual content and images featuring characters and storylines about a fictional genetic engineering company that produces genetically engineered and altered organisms.

Arthur C. Clark and The World of Tomorrow

PART 1:


PART 2:

Building The Babies Of Tomorrow

Lorigen Engineering from JimTheFilm on Vimeo.

[Lorigen Engineering]

Biped Porcupine

Here's an interesting video of a porcupine mimicking the walking motion of the people watching it.

2010 Kia Soul Hamster Commercial

I've got a few ideas brewing again. Here's something to keep the Blog alive.

Iz goin to do science!

Rise my army!