Wanna Build Some Infrastructure?

[slade2501]

so, bored with snowmen eh? wanna build a town of your own, or pep up a small run down community?

Well my fine role playing friends, the name of the early game is INFRASTRUCTURE.

Water. Food. Shelter. Sanitation. Defense. Electricity. Industry. Law Enforcement. Defenses. Government.

Water: for any decent sized community, a source of potable water is a necessity. I would recommend the Rifts equivalent of a Tactical Water Purification System to start. Capable of up to 650 gph (gallons per hour) with access to a lake, stream or ocean it can fully purify, desalinate and treat water sources. I would place a cost of 75,000 credits, plus 2-4000 credits per month in operating costs and consumables. It also requires a source of electricity.

Food: in the short term, preserved food/dehydrated food would work well, but for a year round solution, I would recommend greenhouse growing, where heat, light and moisture can all be controlled, eliminating most insect trouble or weather problems. An example of this is a 60ftx30ft greenhouse, 1800 square feet, capable of 8000 pounds of vegetables per month, 4.4 pounds of veg per square foot (yes this is actually real, and doable in our time now). It requires water, 1-3000 in consumables, growth medium per month and takes power that can be provided by solar panels or even E-clips (yes its really that low).

Shelter: there are numerous examples of building materials available for homes and permanent shelters, but few on actual designs besides a mega concrete box. I think that original western frontier designs of half below/above ground shelters with root cellers and covered with earth would provide excellent cooling in summer, and warmth in winter, with space for root cellars/preserved food storage.

Sanitation: for a low tech solution, basic sewage lines would be extensive and expensive. A communal drain would be easier to build and care for. Any kind of sewage treatment plant would be a massive undertaking (400,000 credits), while well treated latrines and public baths (roman style) would be far less trouble. Magic or high tech could provide a quick solution here (I imagine a MDC sewage tank where ALMOST md lasers would vaporize the sewage). Yes, the crapper would run on E-clips.

Electricity: this could be accomplished by any number of means; solar, wind turbines, hydro power, fossil fuels (expensive), magical generators (ley line required?), Nuclear power supplies, the list goes on. the next issue is regulated dissemination and safety (burring the wires is best, depending). monthly upkeep would depend on the size and complexity of the system. households could individually decide to provide their own power or also arrange backups in case of emergencies.

Industry: after building something in your own cottage, industry requires utilities, work space, tools, work-people, supplies and a market to sell too. Rifts does not really provide for this, outside of building a merc company, traveling circus or working for the black market. This is not so bad, its not really a thing most folks want to role-play. I would recommend playing this by ear, and setting it up as a thin the NPCs worry about, or bring to the players as a plot hook, aside from the players investing monies and reaping returns.

Law Enforcement: assuming your little town HAS laws, then you obviously need a law person to adjudicate it. This can provide some great opportunities for your player to be law persons, vigilantes by night, or masked avengers. town with less than 10,000 people often report an average of 3 police officers per 1000 civilians. Obviously in rifts, this goes higher with a town militia, as the threats are ten thousand times more dangerous. I would hazard, that 10 out of every hundred is armed and capable of fighting to defend home and family. This would mean a basic MD weapon and armor. Larger towns might ask wealthy citizens to procure or purchase armor/heavy weaponry for additional threats.

Defenses: Mega-crete bunlers. moats, pit traps, gun emplacements, mine fields, electric fencing, armed patrols, strike teams, fast response squads, power armor, robots, tanks, missile batteries whatever the player or town can afford or scrape together. All of these are FORCE MULTIPLYERS, making the town few as powerful and effective as the enemy many.
This can also mean magic defenses, detection, vampire hunters, etc. The player might often fill these specialist roles.
Cyborgs welcome!

Government: Ugh. Just Ugh. Install a great charismatic king, and let it be run behind the scenes. trust me.

Any and all responses, ideas and wit are welcome. this is just my thoughts on a late Thursday night.

[The Beast]

so, bored with snowmen eh? wanna build a town of your own, or pep up a small run down community?

No. What I want is a complete file on everyone who's seen the Sound of Music more than four times.

[slade2501]

so, bored with snowmen eh? wanna build a town of your own, or pep up a small run down community?

No. What I want is a complete file on everyone who's seen the Sound of Music more than four times.

I'm not sure what your getting at friend.

[guardiandashi]

Based on my understanding of the amount of power that is supposed to be in an E-clip I would have absolutely no issues using an eclip as the "battery" for a power wall (see tesla power wall) equivalent.
however for long term power production I would look at solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, or nuclear generation. even though nuclear is extremely common for vehicles, power armor, and robot vehicles I don't think it my first choice. With that said, if I did have a nuclear power plant running my town, I would be strongly inclined to put it in an underground bunker if possible.

after the power is at least semi stable I would focus on building up the other essentials
water, shelter, and food.
then start building shelter / work spaces for production.

[Emerald MoonSilver]

so, bored with snowmen eh? wanna build a town of your own, or pep up a small run down community?

No. What I want is a complete file on everyone who's seen the Sound of Music more than four times.

I've seen it 10-15 times..... You got a problem with that bub....

[Blackwater Sniper]

so, bored with snowmen eh? wanna build a town of your own, or pep up a small run down community?

No. What I want is a complete file on everyone who's seen the Sound of Music more than four times.

I think anyone who is over 30 has seen it at least 4 times, voluntarily or not. My first two times were during Sunday night "family movie night." It was just a cute musical then. After I grew up, I learned what the story was actually about.

[Orin J.]

so, bored with snowmen eh? wanna build a town of your own, or pep up a small run down community?

No. What I want is a complete file on everyone who's seen the Sound of Music more than four times.

I think anyone who is over 30 has seen it at least 4 times, voluntarily or not. My first two times were during Sunday night "family movie night." It was just a cute musical then. After I grew up, I learned what the story was actually about.

i've never seen the film at all, actually......

[The Beast]

so, bored with snowmen eh? wanna build a town of your own, or pep up a small run down community?

No. What I want is a complete file on everyone who's seen the Sound of Music more than four times.

I think anyone who is over 30 has seen it at least 4 times, voluntarily or not. My first two times were during Sunday night "family movie night." It was just a cute musical then. After I grew up, I learned what the story was actually about.

i've never seen the film at all, actually......

Surely you can't be serious.

[Prysus]

so, bored with snowmen eh? wanna build a town of your own, or pep up a small run down community?

No. What I want is a complete file on everyone who's seen the Sound of Music more than four times.

I think anyone who is over 30 has seen it at least 4 times, voluntarily or not. My first two times were during Sunday night "family movie night." It was just a cute musical then. After I grew up, I learned what the story was actually about.

i've never seen the film at all, actually......

Surely you can't be serious.

I am serious. And don't call me Shirly.

Greetings and Salutations. I'm with Orin J. and haven't ever watched the movie. With that said, I'm supposed to ... Sometime ... Soon ... Maybe. My wife wants me to see it, so we just have to get around to it. Farewell and safe journeys.

[guardiandashi]

if you watch the pacifier you get the cliff notes version of the sound of music

[Killer Cyborg]

One of my characters from WAY back was a HU2-style mineral-based alien named "Stone Doubt."
He was an architect.
One of his powers was Control Elemental Forces: Earth, and he'd use this for construction projects. Unfortunately, the powers like Wall of Earth, Tower of Earth, Quicksand, etc. have durations, making them less than useful for construction, BUT Rend Earth could still be used for ditches/foundations and such, and Encase In Earth is "until the victim or object has broken free, or until the superbeing releases it."
Which nets out as "permanent."
And in Rifts Earth, the Earth/Stone encasements are MDC.
So... if somebody wanted a simple Mega-Damage hut or shed, he'd put up a tent/yurt/cardboard box as a basic frame, then encase it in MDC stone.
Other than the cost of the frame materials and/or the labor to put the frame up, there was no materials cost.
He could also do existing structures like houses, castles, etc.

[Captain_Nibbz]

Greetings and Salutations. I'm with Orin J. and haven't ever watched the movie. With that said, I'm supposed to ... Sometime ... Soon ... Maybe. My wife wants me to see it, so we just have to get around to it. Farewell and safe journeys.[/justify]

Never seen it either actually . . .

[slade2501]

One of my characters from WAY back was a HU2-style mineral-based alien named "Stone Doubt."
He was an architect.
One of his powers was Control Elemental Forces: Earth, and he'd use this for construction projects. Unfortunately, the powers like Wall of Earth, Tower of Earth, Quicksand, etc. have durations, making them less than useful for construction, BUT Rend Earth could still be used for ditches/foundations and such, and Encase In Earth is "until the victim or object has broken free, or until the superbeing releases it."
Which nets out as "permanent."
And in Rifts Earth, the Earth/Stone encasements are MDC.
So... if somebody wanted a simple Mega-Damage hut or shed, he'd put up a tent/yurt/cardboard box as a basic frame, then encase it in MDC stone.
Other than the cost of the frame materials and/or the labor to put the frame up, there was no materials cost.
He could also do existing structures like houses, castles, etc.

now that is a great power!

[Hotrod]

so, bored with snowmen eh? wanna build a town of your own, or pep up a small run down community?

No. What I want is a complete file on everyone who's seen the Sound of Music more than four times.

I think anyone who is over 30 has seen it at least 4 times, voluntarily or not. My first two times were during Sunday night "family movie night." It was just a cute musical then. After I grew up, I learned what the story was actually about.

I've seen it many times.

I always thought it was about a pre-nun who gets sent to help a rich widower with his 7 kids. They fall in love, get married, and run away with the kids to Switzerland to avoid WW2. Also, there's music.

What nefarious narrative did I miss?

A Juicer's version of "The Sound of Music"

Foe: the bandit who I shot
Ray: the type of gun I use
Me: the guy who shoots a lot
Far: the range of my pew pews
So, let's go and shoot more thugs
Law-men pay me for the kills
Tea? No thanks, I'll stick with drugs!
To bring death gives me the chills! Bring me a...
Foe...

Err.. sorry, does that count as a conversion?

[Father Goose]

so, bored with snowmen eh? wanna build a town of your own, or pep up a small run down community?

No. What I want is a complete file on everyone who's seen the Sound of Music more than four times.

I think anyone who is over 30 has seen it at least 4 times, voluntarily or not. My first two times were during Sunday night "family movie night." It was just a cute musical then. After I grew up, I learned what the story was actually about.

I've seen it many times.

I always thought it was about a pre-nun who gets sent to help a rich widower with his 7 kids. They fall in love, get married, and run away with the kids to Switzerland to avoid WW2. Also, there's music.

What nefarious narrative did I miss?

A Juicer's version of "The Sound of Music"

Foe: the bandit who I shot
Ray: the type of gun I use
Me: the guy who shoots a lot
Far: the range of my pew pews
So, let's go and shoot more thugs
Law-men pay me for the kills
Tea? No thanks, I'll stick with drugs!
To bring death gives me the chills! Bring me a...
Foe...

Err.. sorry, does that count as a conversion?

This is my new favorite song!

[Hotrod]

The C.S. version of The Sound of Music:

How do you solve a problem like the debee?
How do you round 'em up and put 'em down?
What could be just as scary as the debee?
A magic spell-caster? A vampire mob? A Clown?

Many a thing you know you ought to tell them.
Many a thing they ought to understand!
But how do make them pay
Or leave when they want to stay?
How do you get them off of human land?

Oh, how do you solve a problem like the debee?
How do you hold a weapon in your hand?

[Father Goose]

The C.S. version of The Sound of Music:

How do you solve a problem like the debee?
How do you round 'em up and put 'em down?
What could be just as scary as the debee?
A magic spell-caster? A vampire mob? A Clown?

Many a thing you know you ought to tell them.
Many a thing they ought to understand!
But how do make them pay
Or leave when they want to stay?
How do you get them off of human land?

Oh, how do you solve a problem like the debee?
How do you hold a weapon in your hand?

We're so far off the OP topic at this point (which normally irks me if it's more than a post or two), but I'm loving the results!

[Captain_Nibbz]

The C.S. version of The Sound of Music:

How do you solve a problem like the debee?
How do you round 'em up and put 'em down?
What could be just as scary as the debee?
A magic spell-caster? A vampire mob? A Clown?

Many a thing you know you ought to tell them.
Many a thing they ought to understand!
But how do make them pay
Or leave when they want to stay?
How do you get them off of human land?

Oh, how do you solve a problem like the debee?
How do you hold a weapon in your hand?

We're so far off the OP topic at this point (which normally irks me if it's more than a post or two), but I'm loving the results!

Worst part is I had to scroll to the top to even remember what the original topic was

[Hotrod]

A Tolkeen Ley Line Rifter's version of "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music

Drifting on ley lines and rejuvenation
Travel by Rift on a magic vacation
Artifact hunters and treasures they bring,
These are a few of my favorite things

Dead boys dying at my summoned demon's hands
General Holmes' troops in Xiticix hivelands,
SAMAS suits struck down with magic lightning,
These are a few of my favorite things

When Dog Boys bite,
When their blades cut
When Psi-Stalkers feed
I simply remember my favorite things
And slaughter them for... King Creed!

[Father Goose]

A Tolkeen Ley Line Rifter's version of "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music

Drifting on ley lines and rejuvenation
Travel by Rift on a magic vacation
Artifact hunters and treasures they bring,
These are a few of my favorite things

Dead boys dying at my summoned demon's hands
General Holmes' troops in Xiticix hivelands,
SAMAS suits struck down with magic lightning,
These are a few of my favorite things

When Dog Boys bite,
When their blades cut
When Psi-Stalkers feed
I simply remember my favorite things
And slaughter them for... King Creed!

Okay, this is my new favorite!