November 9, 2016The first portion of the day is spent theorizing.
An example of a theory thought of today is some sort of replica for yourself. The device would match you in size and with heavy obscuring clothing could appear to be human at most examination. The body is simple. It'd take time - maybe a full day or some time spent every routinely for a few days - and a
lot of scrap metal. The size would be perfect for a MK4 Energ-E cell, making power a relative non-issue.
Imitating human-like walking is the hard part, however. Unless you're insanely lucky, you reckon that despite your incredible intellect it just won't work out at first. But through iteration and revisions it could probably be improved to a workable level. Unless you think of some method to circumvent this either by creating some genius technique or device or whatever or finding a better way to spend your time when making it.
In terms of price,
$200 would cover the metal and therefore most of the body,
$150 could be enough for electronics, and you'd of course need a MK4 Energ-E cell. Though you can always just use resources and materials that you found yourself and have instead of buying it, but that'd take conscious effort. Oh yeah, and you'd need clothing for it too. A method to control would also probably be a good idea. But if you go through with it, you'd get a pretty nifty invention.
Enough thinking! Time for thinking
and doing! Exciting things! Like programming!
You spend the next few hours working on the Miner virus. Your goals were simple: easier on the computers as to prevent burnouts, a more stealthy virus, and getting their password to routinely and subtly take cash from their bank accounts. Okay. Maybe that last item is harder than the rest, but it won't stop you from trying!
...And in a
completely unreasonable fashion, you manage to find a technique for the probe virus to use to access bank accounts without being caught. The universal flaw that you
somehow found requires that the accessed money must be in very small amounts. Otherwise, the security present may catch onto the disappearing money. It also needs to be local; you'll only ever see the money from the viruses. You can't directly access the compromised accounts.
All in all, it should net another
$2/week. Not an extreme amount but it adds up.
Unfortunately, the time poured into exploiting the
extremely lucky opportunity ends up hurting your other goals in improvements. The burnout issue is not fixed, but at least you didn't somehow make it permanently worse. Though the virus should now be able to get past most standard consumer antivirus programs. More advanced server, corporate, and hobbyist antivirus stuff still laughs at your attempts of infection.
You decide not to push your luck any further, and finish with the programming for today.
You turn your mental gaze towards the scorpions. You imagine they're very happy to see you, but scorpions surprisingly aren't expressive. You spend some time trying to teach them any semblance of sentence structure, but don't make any progress. Despite their natural smarts, education of your intended scope simply won't be possible without some external help to their intelligence.
Shelving the sentence structure
and little scorpion graduation hats for now, you instead make some puzzle-based lessons for the Edurarium and guide the scorpions through that. After some time spent, you feel like the scorpions are
closer to learning something but aren't quite there yet. Trying again with the same lesson plan could provide better results tomorrow if desired.
One heartfelt goodbye to the scorpions later, you equip the Glock and stuff the mask in your undetermined on-person storage spot. Let's say it's a fashionable bag. You thought about bringing the shock gun, but your plan was to bring a "weapon" and the Glock felt like, while boring, it filled that role the most.
After you check to make sure you didn't forget anything, you head on out to the meeting spot an hour early. Much to your surprise, there's someone already there. Accounting for your weapon, you carefully approach and greet her. After identities are in fact confirmed, dialogue begins.
"I'll, uh, make it short. I have $25,000 in cash and I need a way to break into the military base's vault. If you don't want any part in it, just... walk away. But if you do help me, nothing bad for you or society will come out of it. Just call... this number," she hurriedly states as she hands you a small ripped piece of paper,
"if you ever have something that can help. Please only call if you have something done that you are sure will work."Without a goodbye, she quickly walks away, leaving you with the scrap of paper in your hands. You check it. It's a number, for sure. Confused, you head back to your humble abode where you decide not to ask how she even knows you. With some minor deliberation, you decide that you'll sleep on it.
You also realize, before you go to sleep, that there are projects you've been neglecting. Wireless Energy Transfer, that drone theft AI, and medical chemicals. All things that you started work on but never bothered continuing. You recall that all these things had to be worked on for some time if it was just you going at it, though. Monotonous, but hopefully rewarding work!
You harvested 2 ml of venom, turned it into lasting venom, then sold it for
$60.
Cash: $242
Housing: Trashy Garage
Holdings:
Structures
- Makeshift Data Terminal
- Hydrogen Fuel Cell MK3 w/ Wheels [95%]
- Basic Chemistry Equipment (Flasks, Tubing, Beakers, Safety Equipment, Bunsen Burner, Measuring Equipment, Droppers etc.)
- - Peltier Heat Pump (Cooling Device)
- Large Makeshift Terrarium [6/10]
- 2x Roach Trap [Feeding 6/10]
Clothing
- Baggy outfit
- Raccoon mask (face-concealing)
Weapons
- Injector Crossbow
- 1x Glock 20
- Shock-gun
Special
- 4x Semi-Valuable ($0-10,000) Paintings [Hung up]
Tools & Equipment
- Basic Metalworking Equipment
- Cheap Welder
- Handheld Drill
- Shovel
- Glass Cutter
- Basic Chemicals (Used for experiments; doesn't require replenishment)
- Stinger-resistant Gloves
- Protective Work Gear - Boots, Gloves, Painter's Equipment, Goggles, Respirator
- Black Gloves
Miscellaneous Creations
- Backmounted Energy Distributor [0/2 Fuel Cells]
- "Energ-E" MK4 Fuel Cell [87.3%]
- Laser Impact Triangulation Device
- Aerial Remote-Controlled Drone & Controller
- Remote-Controlled Robot & Controller
- Wireless Jamming Device
- Battery-less Buggy
- 6 ml Powdered Venom
Items and Materials
- 2 ml Knockout Venom [Expires in: 2 days]
- 10 ml Thermite
- 1 ml Dynamite
- 4x Electronics
- 1x Plumbing Parts
- 1x Gas-filled Fire Extinguisher
- 2x Regular Computer Parts
- 5x Old Phone
Ammunition
- 1x 10mm Magazine - 17/17
- 1x 10mm Magazine - 11/17
Miscellaneous Items
- Fake University Scientist ID
- Fake Military Scientist ID
- Fake Government Scientist ID
Makeshift Terrarrium [6/10]
Scorpions
- [F] Nineteen (Fed by Roach Trap) [Maze Navigation] [Stingerpainting] [
- [M] Eighty-four (Fed by Roach Trap) [Maze Navigation] [Stingerpainting]
- [F] Animal Farm (Fed by Roach Trap) (Mature at December 5th, 2016)
- [F] Scorpling (Fed by Roach Trap) (Mature at December 5th, 2016)
- 2x [M] Scorplings (Fed by Roach Trap) (Mature at December 5th, 2016)
Speed: Okay
Hardware
Core - Regular/Basic
Memory - 8gb
Display - 14-inch CRT Display
Extras
- 3x USB 3.1 Type-C ports
- Basic Internet Connection
Software
- Data Entry
- Programming/Script Creator
- Internet Browser
- Packed Probe Virus
- Packed Miner Virus
- Military Vault Stranger
- Evan Williams, University Researcher(?)
- Modern Art Dealer
- Shock Gun: A gun with a range of 2 meters. Temporarily incapacitates the victim for 10 seconds. Has to be plugged in. 600 charges from a single MK4 "Energ-E" Fuel Cell.
- Miner Virus: A simple bitcoin-mining virus. Can be deployed to computers through standard transmission vectors such as websites, videos, and emails. Circumvents most consumer antivirus, but is found by most corporate, server, advanced, and other similar types of antivirus. Burns out an infected computer after 2 weeks. Makes $3/week.
- Cooperation Edurarium (Patented): A reasonably-sized container housing a variety of switches, pressure plates, platforms, food dispensers and more to teach small animals (scorpions) lessons. Has to be modified for different lessons. Lessons have to be overseen by a human from beginning to end. Extremely secure.
- Shock Baton MK2: A handheld energy-based baton that will temporarily stun another person when struck with the baton. Stun lasts 10 seconds. Has to be plugged into a Backmounted Energy Distributor. No noticeable energy usage.
- Backmounted Energy Distributor: A moderately-sized contraption with the appearance of a backpack. Uncomfortable to wear, but doesn't restrict wearer's mobility in drastic fashion. Fuel cells are slotted in, and equipment can be plugged by cable into its slots to receive power from these cells. 2x slots, Takes 2x MK4 Energ-E Fuel Cells.
- Injector Crossbow: A crudely-made crossbow that fires custom-made darts intended for hitting a person or other entity. It requires custom-made darts to function. Mid-range to close-range. Is somewhat inaccurate. Costs $30 and 2x Scrap Metal to make.
- Knockout Venom: A very effective chemical that almost immediately knocks someone out for hours with just 1 ml once inside their body. Costs $2 to make 5 ml Knockout Venom from 1 ml Scorpion Venom. Can be converted back to Scorpion Venom at the same ratio of 5 ml Knockout/1 ml Regular. Expires in 3 days.
- Probe Virus: A basic computer virus sent over email to its target. It doesn't spread to other computers of its own accord, but is very stealthy at gathering information and sending it back to its owner.
- Aerial Remote-Controlled Drone: A small-ish remote-controlled aerial drone. Is extremely maneuverable and quick with a grabber-arm that can grab most small objects, putting them into the drone's container bin, or the arm can perform very limited manipulation of the surrounding environment. Has a small open-air storage bin on the top that's shallow and is 1 1/2" long+wide. A camera on the front transmits a video feed to its controller. Uses MK4 "Energ-E" Cells to power itself. Has a range of 10 miles. Lasts a week on a MK4 "Energ-E" Cell.
- Laser Impact Triangulation Device: A handheld device that can detect the exact position of impacts on surfaces with extreme accuracy up to a mile away. Used for tasks such as determining the location of a person or vehicle on a surface. Utilizes a small display located on the device to display data. Has a range of up to a mile. Extremely unwieldy due to power source. Powered for a week by a MK4 "Energ-E" Fuel Cell.
- Remote-Controlled Robot: A small remote-controlled wheeled vehicle powered by a "Energ-E" MK4 cell, and its accompanying controller. Extremely maneuverable and can navigate over obstacles its size or smaller, can very quickly make turns, and has a great speed relative to other remote-controlled vehicles. The controller and bot have a range of 10 miles and the bot lasts a week on a single "Energ-E" MK4 Cell.
- Hydrogen Fuel Cell MK4 - "Energ-E" (Patented): A hydrogen fuel cell identical to the MK3 in power output and fuel usage, but takes the form of a small cylinder 3 inches in diameter with a height matching about a foot. Can be easily inserted/removed from objects and hot-swapped in addition to being used like an engine similar to the previous Fuel Cells. Utilizes the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Catalyst. Costs $170 to make.
- Hydrogen Fuel Cell MK3: A hydrogen fuel cell that's very roughly about half a meter in length, height, and width. Lasts a day once fully fueled and can provide a fairly large amount of power - a bit more than is needed to run a regular consumer car. Utilizes the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Catalyst. Costs $170 to make.
- Hydrogen Fuel Cell MK2: A hydrogen fuel cell that's very roughly about half a meter in length, height, and width. Lasts a month once fueled. Outputs very little power. Costs $150 to make.
- Hydrogen Fuel Cell Catalyst: A chemical compound that speeds up the electrolysis process in fuel cells. Should increase power output at the cost of fuel usage. Costs $20. (Price is added onto the price to create a fuel cell utilizing catalyst)
- Hydrogen Fuel Cell MK1 - "The Long Count": A very large hydrogen fuel cell that takes in hydrogen and oxygen to output power. Once fueled, can continue running for years. Outputs very little power. Is extremely large. Costs $150 to make.
- Antivenom: Antivenom neutralizing venom that can be made in a lab. Requires 1 ml of Venom and $40 for 2 ml of Antivenom.
- Wireless Jamming Device: A backpack-like device that jams all wireless operations, including communications such as cell phones, in a 60 meter radius around the device. Goes around back (or can be held, but it is heavy) and can be operated from there. Also around the size of a backpack. A single Energ-E MK4 Fuel Cell provides 20 pulses.
- Buggy: A buggy. Tiny single-person open-ended low-to-the-ground vehicle with a top speed of 40mph. Has an open-bed container with minor walling that can carry 1mx1m worth of materials. Uses a single Energ-E MK4 Fuel Cell to run for 36 hours on a full charge..
- SPCAAD Ammonia Grenade: A makeshift ammonia grenade that disperses ammonia on impact via the glass container shattering. Effective blast site measures 28 meters in diameter.
- Powdered Venom: Scorpion venom in powder form that lasts forever without expiration. Poses no threat to organisms and can't naturally turn into liquid form.
- Lasting Venom: Scorpion venom that lasts for 2 weeks while remaining just as potent. Sells for $40/ml. Requires 1 ml of Venom and $10 to make 1 ml of Lasting Venom.
- Handheld Microwave Jammer: A handheld (makeshift) gun that disrupts communications in the area it's pointed at. Can also cook food like a microwave if close enough and you really wanted to cook food. Needs to be plugged in.
- Venom Bullet: A bullet that will 'inject' scorpion venom into the victim. Venom expires after 2 days in the bullet.
- Butane Cannon: A projectile cannon that operates off of butane to propel the projectile roughly 40 meters away.
- Makeshift Data Terminal: A rudimentary terminal that accepts and stores data.
Question: How useful do people find the links to next/previous updates found in some games? The most well-known example I can think of is Demonhood, but I had the "system" present in some of my forum games. If you're still unclear, it's when each update has two links at the top (or some other place) to the previous update and the next update if there is one.
It seems useful to me, but I'm unsure if it's worth the effort.
Poll
2 (22.2%)
Author
Topic: You are an Independent Scientist! (Nov 12, 2016) (Read 35587 times)