Benevolent Mega-Weapons

[Stan Shinn]

I'm looking for some sort of technology to use in my campaign that:

A) Is something which could theoretically be used for good, but
B) Is perceived as a dangerous weapon.

The thing that comes to mind is the Genesis Device in the Star Trek II movie -- it would terraform a world but at the expense of destroying what was there before. The Titan A.E. animated film followed a similar premise.

What other things like this can you think of? Love to hear your ideas

 

[Vladika]

A kinetic devise used to destroy asteroids on a planetary impact course. Say a ship mounted "weapon" that gets taken over for nefarious reasons?

Good topic by the way!

 

[mike wightman]

A sentient silicon based life form that can be engineered to provide secure ship to ship communication protocols and advanced computer architecture...

sorry, couldn't resist it :devil:

More seriously I can see a lot of genetically modified 'something' technology being a tremendously useful tool, but too easily subverted for most people to feel comfortable with.

 

[McPerth]

Well, I see many things in this cathegory:

• Retroviri: In MgT 2300AD the yare used for DNA changes to help colonists or to fight genetic diseases, but they also can be used for darker goals....
• Psionics: after all, the Zhodani are the happiest society in the chartered space, yet that's not as Imperials see it...
• Antimatter: usable for power, but too much such energy released wild may be quite destructive
• Gravitics: a repulsor might be used as a demolition tool/weapon...
• Thrusters: while reactionless acceleration is the key to space exploration, it can also accelerate a mass to be released at very high speed against a planet...
• Medical drugs: after all, most are poisons at controlled doses:
  • Warfarin is used as anticoagulant, or as rat killer
  • the first anti-cancer chemotherapics were mustard gas or derivates, and you cannot be sure if a factory is producing one or another
  • Digital was used in Agatha Cristie's novels as a posion, yet is quite used as heart drug (digoxin)
  • Imagine fast drug in inhalated form released on a city as chemical weapon...
  • Same with medical slow drug (as it needs full hospital facilities to survive it)...
  • etc...

Should I keep on?

 

[Stan Shinn]

Awesome feedback so far! Thanks

 

[McPerth]

Afte all, any tool might be used as a weapon. Just think of an axe in the hands of a lumberjack or in the hands of a Viking berserker or Saxon Huscarle. I guess your view of it is different in one situation or the other...

 

[flykiller]

the happy gun. transmits a signal that triggers the release of endorphins in the targeted brain, leaves the target sitting on the ground and smiling stupidly.

 

[Vladika]

the happy gun. transmits a signal that triggers the release of endorphins in the targeted brain, leaves the target sitting on the ground and smiling stupidly.

Like in the Hobit "pipeweed"?

 

[flykiller]

Like in the Hobit "pipeweed"?

actually after posting I remembered that niven's "ringworld" describes exactly a happy gun. probably where I subconsciously got the idea.

 

[Limburger59]

Excuse the language in the article, but the ramifications of not thinking through genetic monkey business are terrifying...

http://www.cracked.com/article_18503_how-biotech-company-almost-killed-world-with-booze.html

 

[Carlobrand]

I'm looking for some sort of technology to use in my campaign that:

A) Is something which could theoretically be used for good, but
B) Is perceived as a dangerous weapon.

The thing that comes to mind is the Genesis Device in the Star Trek II movie -- it would terraform a world but at the expense of destroying what was there before. The Titan A.E. animated film followed a similar premise.

What other things like this can you think of? Love to hear your ideas

Bots are already solidly in that category, at least in the Imperium.

 

[epicenter00]

#1 Orbital Solar Power

Solar collectors in orbit that beam down their power to ground stations using microwaves.

Benefits: As part of an integrated power system and superior battery technology, we could probably replace every other kind of power generation we have at the moment with solar collectors. No need to worry about clouds, night time or anything like that, especially if they're never in the shadow of Earth.

Threat: Exactly who controls where those microwave beams are pointing, anyway?

#2 The Kzinti Lesson

Not going into details. Google it if you don't know it already.

#3 Large In-System Massdrivers

Benefits: These are used for flinging ores and other valuable materials from places in the Solar System to Earth, where they are caught by other mass drivers to match velocity to Earth where they can then be broken down and transported down the gravity well to feed industry. The benefits are enormous.

Threat: You say it takes three years for a rock to travel from Jupiter to Earth, but that rock seems like it's traveling awfully fast...

 

[ShapeShifter]

Ravashol pulsar

The Ravashol pulsar, developed by Dr. Ravashol, was actually intended to be a peaceful but powerful communications device that transmitted information through laser energy.

The Cylon Empire captures the gun and converts it into a very powerful weapon.

Captain Apollo leads a band of Colonial Warriors to the gun and destroys it ("The Gun on Ice Planet Zero", Part II).

One of my fave BSG eppies.

 

[SpaceBadger]

actually after posting I remembered that niven's "ringworld" describes exactly a happy gun. probably where I subconsciously got the idea.

Yep, the Tasp. And getting shot with one can be addictive; eventually turned Louis Wu into a wirehead.

Similar issues explored in Spider Robinson's "Mindkiller".

 

[Jeff M. Hopper]

Yep, the Tasp. And getting shot with one can be addictive; eventually turned Louis Wu into a wirehead.

Similar issues explored in Spider Robinson's "Mindkiller".

And the movie/TV show Serenity/Firefly.

 

[GypsyComet]

#3 Large In-System Massdrivers

Benefits: These are used for flinging ores and other valuable materials from places in the Solar System to Earth, where they are caught by other mass drivers to match velocity to Earth where they can then be broken down and transported down the gravity well to feed industry. The benefits are enormous.

Threat: You say it takes three years for a rock to travel from Jupiter to Earth, but that rock seems like it's traveling awfully fast...

Even just moving the big rocks or iceballs slowly has potential. While it is considerably lower tech than Traveller assumes, Benford & Brin's "Heart of the Comet" is one example.

 

[SanDragon]

The Point Of View gun from H2G2...

 

[mike wightman]

Comet movers.

Designed to move large chunks of ice from the ice system for terraforming projects.

Mass drivers (electromagnetic or gravitic)- used to fling large chunks of raw ore from asteroid mines to the smelting plants.

Robot x-boats, robot lash traders.

 

[cym0k]

Revelation Space's Cache Weapons. Which are similar to Dark Star's bomb, just a bit more serious.

After being deployed outside the hull of their carrier vessel, their own engines move them to a safe distance while acquiring a target. It is not entirely clear the degree of independent thought that each weapon is capable of, nor is the degree of security in remote control entirely known. They seem, however, to be fundamentally able to make their own choices about whether or not to fire and whom to target, being able to override the pacification codes programmed into them.

 

[Travellerspud]

any sort of "black hole" technology