quote:

Welcome to my CYOA.

The goal of this thread is to get me back into the habit of writing regularly and get some ideas out of my head. I have some potential plot hooks and threads, but you, the readers, get the final say in how our story progresses.

I aim to be a bit different from the standard Choose Your Own Adventure thread by allowing you to control several characters and their experiences. I'm not sure how well multiple perspectives will work, but it's worth trying.

The technology will be close to hard sci-fi, but I'm open to suggestions to help steer the story and keep it interesting.

Things that seem futuristic today are commonplace (3-D printers, Google Glass, stem cells, weaponized lasers, robot drones).

Fully-autonomous AI most likely only exist in research laboratories.

FTL travel? Yes. Instantaneous teleportation? Doubtful.

Cybernetic implants? Yes. Perfect memory back-ups and transfers among clones? Unlikely.

Augmented reality with haptic feedback? Yes. Holodecks? Probably not.

Adaptive camouflage? Yes. Ablative force fields? Not on your ship.

Colonies on Earth-like planets are formed and lost regularly, but perfect terraforming of planets like Mars is not possible.

Life has been discovered on other planets, but so far human-level intelligence has not been found (and species uplift hasn't worked).

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Background:
[From stevey666]: Command Unit 92 is effectively an entire room that can be re-purposed as needed. Installed in this 'room' are holographic projectors which give a customisable avatar designed to help crew adjust to an AI commander (or in previous cases, fool the crew). The default setting is based from the rogue scientist that worked on the unit after its 'disappearance' (48 year old female). There is also a robotic version of the avatar that can be accessed by the command unit wirelessly that has a battery life of 13.546 hours at normal usage.

Skills and Abilities:
-Research[+4]
-Robotics and Computer Engineering[+2]
-Tele-presence[+2]
-Customizable Avatar[+0]

Notable Equipment:
-Advanced Computer Core
-Experimental Holoprojection Bay
-Android Avatar

Flaw
-Uncanny Valley[-2]

quote:

Background:
Bronski insists the deckhands call him "Chief," though he has long since retired from the navy. He's a pro around nuclear power plants, and has even survived a few leaks and hull ruptures. However, he and Dr. Martin tend to butt-heads over which part of the ship's power grid is a priority.

Skills and Abilities:
-Nuclear propulsion systems[+2]
-Repair[+2]
-Hazmat[+2]
-Starship Trivia[+2]

Notable Equipment:
-Good tool set
-Hardened vac-suit

Flaw:
-Hard-headed[-2]

Background:
Dr. Martin has a strong background in nano-robotics, and isn't afraid to remind others of his skill. The lab techs find him to be a bit authoritarian, but respect his work. Unfortunately, the controversial nature of Martin's projects sometimes causes grants and tenure to be denied.

Skills and Abilities:
-Nano-robotics[+2]
-Project Administration[+2]
-3-D Fabrication[+2]
-Astrophysics[+2]

Notable Equipment
-Good small fabricator


Flaw:
-Blacklisted(Academia)[-2]

quote:

Background:
(From Beer4TheBeerGod) "Although he was a real dog at some point, a chance encounter with a parasitic alien life form left the humble animal transformed. His mental pathways were dramatically rearranged and as such he now possesses an alien intelligence. Alien microbial forms traverse his blood, repairing damage and rendering him immune to the effects of aging. He also possesses moderate psychic ability, allowing him to insert thoughts into the members of his crew without their knowledge."

"He loves treats, a reflection of the constant conflict between the alien intelligence and the innate personality of a canine. The best laid plans can be shattered by the presence of a squirrel or a thrown ball."

The Commander empathizes with Carter's need to stay hidden. It's likely that certain organizations would rather dissect Carter in a lab than respect a unique melding of two lifeforms.

Skills and Abilities:
-Good Dog[+2]
-Starship Pilot[+2]
-Evasive Action[+2]
-Computer Operation[+2]
-Thought Projection[+0]

Notable Equipment
-Alien parasites
-Custom hardened vac-suit
-Computer I/O jacks

Flaw:
-Imperfect Uplift[-2]

quote:

Background:
Mei previously served with the Solar Conclave's infantry, and was most recently employed by a private security firm. She can a bit skeptical, but is dedicated toward getting the job done.

Many missions on strange moons and in hostile territory have made low-gravity environments second-nature to her. She still carries the scars from an old injury that ended her military career.

Mei hasn't fully come to terms with working for a walking, talking artificially generated intelligence, but the pay is good. The Commander may be weird, but isn't as shady as some of her previous employers.

Skills and Abilities:
-Soldier[+2]
-Ranger[+2]
-Low-G Environments[+2]
-Starship Command Systems[+2]

Notable Equipment
-Armored Environmental Suit
-Modified Beam Rifle
-Adaptive Camouflage Shroud

Flaw:
-Old Injury[-2]

BetterWeirdthanDead posted:

I expected some sort of Love Boat or "pleasure barge".

BetterWeirdthanDead posted:

I tried predicting some of the "other" options that would be submitted. Strangely, I expected some sort of Love Boat or "pleasure barge".

BetterWeirdthanDead posted:

Exploration and research are currently tied.

Beer4TheBeerGod posted:

Exploratory research? Like exploratory surgery, only with new life and new civilizations?

Mustache Ride posted:

Away to option 2 Seed bank on a Forgotten World

And we need this guy to be our Captain. Laser pistols and mustaches.