Dead... and Back is a survival horror Role Playing Game. The Anarchy Zones is its official setting - aliens, reanimates, and the ruins of 2055 America.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Nano Medicine in Play

So nano stuff is pink, comes in two forms, is found in hospitals, university, and occasionally convoys, and is apparently a much in demand good, even if it may possibly be linked to the reanimate phenomenon. What does it do for the players?

The main boon is that is immunity to disease, or at least, a notably lessoned severity.  While the outposts try to maintain sanitation, supplies of safe water, detergents, and population mans a lot is overlooked. Furthermore, everyone has been operating under stress, and often without adequate food. If the reanimates were not already a pandemic, humans in this state would be ripe for one. Overuse of antibiotics in the 20th and 21st centuries has rendered a number of pathogens immune, and somewhat warmer wetter weather patterns in much of the US means tropical diseases have spread into the states.

Without functioning nano-vaccine, the GM would have extra book-keeping, as it becomes vital to think about what disease the players might come in contact with and their hygiene habits. Although a long list of symptoms and a little research can add some role playing and urgency, for ease, the specifics are as simple as reducing skill rolls to 6s only - just like low deadening/lucidity. Any disease - mental or physical - taxes ones ability to concentrate and operate at peak performance.

Nano-medicine in hospitals can restore functionality to damaged limbs and organs - even add cybernetic replacements if necessary. Access to such facilities is a strong reward, and can allow characters to continue their adventures, rather than be retired due to ailments.

Bionic technology seeks to augment abilities, but can not super-power them. There are no cyber-limbs with built in weapons or super strength. The human skeleton could not withstand such stresses, and the quest to keep weight, cost,  and power requirements to a minimum means that in a number of cases, artificial replacements are inferior to the original. (And the best still have minimal gains.)

Similarly, gene replacement therapies can create biological uber-soldats (yet) but do allow doctors to edit out some neonatal problems and reduce certain risks. Research into genetic longevity has not created any immortality serums, but 150 has become a lot more attainable than before.

1 comment:

  1. I know the blogging is a way to get content up for the game and keep writing, but when are you going to have something I can review? ;-)

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