Nanowars - An Introduction
Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 1:00 pm
By now you've no doubt seen a few tidbits of something I keep referring to as "Nanowars". It's a pet project of mine and if things go the way I hope they do it could end up being quite a large project.
Heres some background information to get you up to speed as well as a ficbit I wrote up in about five minutes.
Pitch
On a distant barren world Maximals and Predacons clash over advanced technology that could tear Cybertron apart in a devastating war.
The story begins 150 or so years before the Axalon ever left port and most likely before our Beast Warriors were even built. A research facility on a planet named Thylos IV falls silent for little to no apparent reason and a ship is diverted to investigate.
The ship arrives at the planet and is beset by stealth mines in orbit around that world, forcing some the crew to abandon ship. Of 24 crew members, only 3 survive planetfall.
They discover that a Predacon called Callisto has ruthlessly attacked and killed almost everyone at the research base and has enslaved her own brethren with a complicated and potent virus that forces them to be utterly obedient to her.
Matters Escalate until Callisto reveals she has the ultimate weapon: Nanotechnology.
Perverting this bleeding edge invention, she programs a scant few to begin replicating endlessly: To increase their numbers evermore into infinity, and of course obey her will.
To counter this insurmountable threat, the Maximals create their own Nanogrid to prevent Callisto from destroying the planet, and the universe.
FAQ
What is Nanotech?
Nanotech is engineering on "Nano" scale, building objects and machinery at a billionth of a meter.
How does Nanotech fit in with Beast Wars?
Nanotech actually featured quite heavily throughout Beast Wars but was taken for granted for the most part. Nanotech performed all those wonderful qualities such as internal repairs, Repairs in the CR chamber, digestion of organic matter and Transmetalisation.
Why set this in the past?
Simply put, I felt it was new ground to break, and felt like building a bridge between G1 and Beast Wars. G1 never had any inkling of nanotechnology, whilst Beast Wars was chock full of it (albeit somewhat subtly). I wanted a series where we would transition from the tools and technology of G1 towards something of a primitive level of Beast Wars era Tech. There were also other odds and ends, such as the sudden appearance of Emergency Stasis Lock (Absent in G1, Ubiquitious in BW).
So... Wait. You're telling me that something One Billionth of a meter can pick apart an entire planet? Are you NUTS?!
In answer to the latter, Yes. In Answer to the former, most certainly, provided that tiny machine or Nanite has been instructed to build a perfect copy of itself and the copy has also, in turn, been instructed to copy itself and so on an so forth. The Gray Goo Disaster, as Exit Mundi puts it, is quite easily capable of destroying Earth should the worst happen, and within 3 short days no less.
Okay, so these nanites can eat a planet in 3 days. Doesnt make for much story does it?
On the contrary. If there are two competing "Races" of nanites, then there begins a war fought on a nanoscopic scale. Since replication wouldnt be that energy intensive, most of the effort would be concentrated on the front lines where the most "Gridlock" takes place, slowing effective replication considerably.
So why have these nanites at all?
Because they add a new angle. Territory in Beast Wars was essentially the immediate locale of influence that each team could exert given travel time, knowledge of the terrain, sensor readings, weapons coverage etc etc etc.
With Nanites, Territory has a whole new meaning. Friendly territory literally is friendly, with the local nanite network lending a hand in repairs, manufacturing ammo and fuel for your systems and even tipping you off to possible enemy infiltration!
In enemy territory, the tables turn. The local nanites there arent too fond of you and view you as so much available raw material. Better finish the job in enemy territory quick smart before you find yourself melting... literally.
And in the area where Gridlock occurs? No real net benefits. Your nanotech is too busy fighting the enemy nanotech to care what your needs are.
You didnt answer my question
Feel Free to post up a question and I'll try to answer it
Your FAQ is patronising
Drat
Also, If you read the entire rambling incoherent post: Congratulations on making it this far.
Ack! I almost forgot! I intended to include a few "Sample" episode descriptions. They're basically the short blurb you'll find that gives you a general idea of what happens in an episode.
The Grid
The maximals discover a mysterious grid in contested territory. Callisto and her predacons have also discovered the grid and the race to both understand and control the grid begins…
Protoform Alpha
When the Maximal ship was destroyed, a lone Maximal managed to escape by stowing away on a recon satellite and launching into a low orbit. Now the satellite has crashed and both sides have detected the Maximals Spark within. Will the Maximals be able to rescue their comrade? Or will Callisto gain yet another spark to twist to her dark ambition?
Glitch
Pyro discovers that Callisto has hacked into his core consciousness, disabling his transformation programming and trapping him in vehicle mode! Despite locking her out in the nick of time, he finds that he is slowly losing his grip on reality and who he is. Unless Proteus can save him, Pyro is destined to die.
Thumper
Proteus creates a seismic generator called a “Thumper” that can trigger earthquakes. But when the device malfunctions on its first test, will the maximals be able to deactivate the device before it can cause a catastrophe?
Heres some background information to get you up to speed as well as a ficbit I wrote up in about five minutes.
Pitch
On a distant barren world Maximals and Predacons clash over advanced technology that could tear Cybertron apart in a devastating war.
The premise is... complicated to say the least and requires a little history lesson.We have believed that for three centuries, Cybertron has been at peace.
We have believed that rift between Autobot and Decepticon, between Maximal and Predacon, had long ago been sealed.
How wrong we were.
Like fools we have clung to the stories the Maximal High Council has told us, believing their sweet words whilst they shrouded history in a veil of secrecy.
As I once believed.
None of you know that a war once raged that threatened the future and prosperity of not only Cybertron, but the galaxy itself, a war that rivaled the much fabled Beast Wars.
For our secret war was fought within the shadows and buried within the pages of history; forgotten by all but those that survived and silenced by those that would have you be ignorant.
Now, more then ever, the truth must be heard, before the mistakes of the past return to haunt us forevermore.
So sit, listen, and learn, as I tell you…
… of the Nanowars.
The story begins 150 or so years before the Axalon ever left port and most likely before our Beast Warriors were even built. A research facility on a planet named Thylos IV falls silent for little to no apparent reason and a ship is diverted to investigate.
The ship arrives at the planet and is beset by stealth mines in orbit around that world, forcing some the crew to abandon ship. Of 24 crew members, only 3 survive planetfall.
They discover that a Predacon called Callisto has ruthlessly attacked and killed almost everyone at the research base and has enslaved her own brethren with a complicated and potent virus that forces them to be utterly obedient to her.
Matters Escalate until Callisto reveals she has the ultimate weapon: Nanotechnology.
Perverting this bleeding edge invention, she programs a scant few to begin replicating endlessly: To increase their numbers evermore into infinity, and of course obey her will.
To counter this insurmountable threat, the Maximals create their own Nanogrid to prevent Callisto from destroying the planet, and the universe.
FAQ
What is Nanotech?
Nanotech is engineering on "Nano" scale, building objects and machinery at a billionth of a meter.
How does Nanotech fit in with Beast Wars?
Nanotech actually featured quite heavily throughout Beast Wars but was taken for granted for the most part. Nanotech performed all those wonderful qualities such as internal repairs, Repairs in the CR chamber, digestion of organic matter and Transmetalisation.
Why set this in the past?
Simply put, I felt it was new ground to break, and felt like building a bridge between G1 and Beast Wars. G1 never had any inkling of nanotechnology, whilst Beast Wars was chock full of it (albeit somewhat subtly). I wanted a series where we would transition from the tools and technology of G1 towards something of a primitive level of Beast Wars era Tech. There were also other odds and ends, such as the sudden appearance of Emergency Stasis Lock (Absent in G1, Ubiquitious in BW).
So... Wait. You're telling me that something One Billionth of a meter can pick apart an entire planet? Are you NUTS?!
In answer to the latter, Yes. In Answer to the former, most certainly, provided that tiny machine or Nanite has been instructed to build a perfect copy of itself and the copy has also, in turn, been instructed to copy itself and so on an so forth. The Gray Goo Disaster, as Exit Mundi puts it, is quite easily capable of destroying Earth should the worst happen, and within 3 short days no less.
Okay, so these nanites can eat a planet in 3 days. Doesnt make for much story does it?
On the contrary. If there are two competing "Races" of nanites, then there begins a war fought on a nanoscopic scale. Since replication wouldnt be that energy intensive, most of the effort would be concentrated on the front lines where the most "Gridlock" takes place, slowing effective replication considerably.
So why have these nanites at all?
Because they add a new angle. Territory in Beast Wars was essentially the immediate locale of influence that each team could exert given travel time, knowledge of the terrain, sensor readings, weapons coverage etc etc etc.
With Nanites, Territory has a whole new meaning. Friendly territory literally is friendly, with the local nanite network lending a hand in repairs, manufacturing ammo and fuel for your systems and even tipping you off to possible enemy infiltration!
In enemy territory, the tables turn. The local nanites there arent too fond of you and view you as so much available raw material. Better finish the job in enemy territory quick smart before you find yourself melting... literally.
And in the area where Gridlock occurs? No real net benefits. Your nanotech is too busy fighting the enemy nanotech to care what your needs are.
You didnt answer my question
Feel Free to post up a question and I'll try to answer it
Your FAQ is patronising
Drat
Also, If you read the entire rambling incoherent post: Congratulations on making it this far.
Ack! I almost forgot! I intended to include a few "Sample" episode descriptions. They're basically the short blurb you'll find that gives you a general idea of what happens in an episode.
The Grid
The maximals discover a mysterious grid in contested territory. Callisto and her predacons have also discovered the grid and the race to both understand and control the grid begins…
Protoform Alpha
When the Maximal ship was destroyed, a lone Maximal managed to escape by stowing away on a recon satellite and launching into a low orbit. Now the satellite has crashed and both sides have detected the Maximals Spark within. Will the Maximals be able to rescue their comrade? Or will Callisto gain yet another spark to twist to her dark ambition?
Glitch
Pyro discovers that Callisto has hacked into his core consciousness, disabling his transformation programming and trapping him in vehicle mode! Despite locking her out in the nick of time, he finds that he is slowly losing his grip on reality and who he is. Unless Proteus can save him, Pyro is destined to die.
Thumper
Proteus creates a seismic generator called a “Thumper” that can trigger earthquakes. But when the device malfunctions on its first test, will the maximals be able to deactivate the device before it can cause a catastrophe?