Sample Tech and Modular Systems (Engineered Lifeforms/Drones/Armor)

The following apps are all approved for public use by characters and as referenced technologies in applications. Following modular systems can be used as a means of public reference for building tech without requiring the use of an application as an extension of our Technology Codex system.
​

 

ORIGINAL APP BY JIN THE BLUE, UPDATED TO CURRENT FORMAT BY @WowGain:

Name: Standard power armor

Description: A suit of armor designed give a soldier greater protection, precision, and carrying capacity

Abilities:
-Durasteel plates protect most of the body, making it resistant to small arms fire.
-Hydraulic cylinders bare the burden of the heavy plates, heavy weapons, and steady weapons recoil, allowing the wearer freedom of movement without the fatigue of normal armor.
-The suit has a six hour battery life.

Conditional Abilities (Optional):
-Suit can be connected to closed breathing apparatuses, allowing it to be used to prevent the wearer from inhaling dangerous toxins within the air.

Limitations:
-The durasteel plates do not cover the joints of the armor, as it would further hinder flexibility.
-Movement is restricted in the suit, limiting the elbows and knees to 90° bends, and keeping the neck fixed straight forward.
-If the suit runs out of power or the hydraulics are damaged the suit becomes dead weight, rendering the wearer unable to move.
-The battery is susceptible to EMP.

Conditional Limitations (Optional):
-Standard power armor suits are not rated for use underwater or in airless environments

How does it work: Power armor consists of a set of pneumatic cylinders used to support heavy durasteel plate armor. The suit itself is powered by a large battery pack on the back of the armor. These plates can be replaced by any suitable material for plating, as long as they don't stress the hydraulics too much for them to carry the load.

Flavor text: Designed by a CivSpace conglomerate several decades ago as a method of improvement upon early armored exosuits, this specific model of personnel power armor has seen standardized use since their inception, a staple of military factions in and out of CivSpace.

Referenced Technologies (Optional): Power Armor

Attainability: Open

Tags: [Military]

Category: Wearable

 

CREATED AND UPDATED BY @WowGain:

Name: HERMES MK XII Active Camouflage Suit

Description: A form fitting dark suit with hood and optical piece to be worn by the user for the purpose of cloaking into the surroundings for espionage or camouflage. The fabric of the suit appears slightly reflective, tiny "scales" covering its surface which may catch the light. Upon activation what can be seen resembles a very slight warp to the edge of the body, almost impossible to spot unless one is looking for it. On the back is a small battery, powering the suit, this is covered by the same fabric as the others. Along the chest, groin, and the back including the back of the knees is padding, a thin layer of a Kevlar like material to defend from puncture and very light arms fire.

Abilities:

• Cloaks the user, blending them into the surroundings almost seamlessly
  
• Installed eyepiece for a smart UI that allows for quick cloaking and decloaking, and a good view of the surroundings with built in night-vision and other sensors.
  
• Flexible and lightweight, allowing for stealthy movement

Conditional Abilities (Optional):

• In an environment with mostly uniform surroundings, the user is all but undetectable by even the most sensitive optics software.
  

Limitations:

• No excess armor can be worn, with the Kevlar padding being the only defense one has if they decide to wear this suit.
• Not resistant to EMPs
• Cannot cloak the sounds made by its user
  
• The sensors can be tricked by doing things that they cannot replicate (Hit with a laser, laser would stop dead on the suit, etc)
  
• Damaged sensors will show, causing the surface to "bleed" in places, showing the normal black inactive form.
  
• The cloak has a slight delay in updating to sudden, large changes, causing a slight shimmer to appear, the same happens upon initial cloaking, which appears like a slight wave of scales "flipping" that spreads across the body.

Conditional Limitations (Optional): N/A

How does it work: Meshed into the suit is a system of smart active camouflage camera sensors, these sensors pick up the surroundings and once activated begin to mimic their surroundings with an active moving display able to respond to changing surroundings at update speeds faster than is detectable by most high-end cameras.

Flavor text: Created by the technology conglomerate TERMINUS's military branch to fit the needs of contractors.

Referenced Technologies (Optional): N/A

Attainability: Open

Tags: [Civilian]

Category: Wearable

 

ORIGINAL APP BY JIN THE BLUE, UPDATED TO CURRENT FORMAT BY @WowGain:

Name: Nocturne Procedure

Description: A procedure that gives the subject better hearing, increased agility, and enhanced low light vision.

Abilities:
-Low light vision
-Enhanced hearing
-Olympic levels of agility

Conditional Abilities (Optional): N/A

Limitations:
-Vision is less precise making things slightly blurry, the brighter the area the blurrier the vision.
-If exposed to an EMP the subject is rendered deaf.
-The implants can be blown out by loud noises.
-They have a weaker frame, and are more prone to bone fractures.

Conditional Limitations (Optional): N/A

How does it work: A Tapetum lucidum, a reflective membrane organ present in species such as cats, would be surgically implanted in each eye, behind the retina reflecting more light into the eye allowing for enhanced vision in the dark. The cochlea in each ear would be replaced by a cybernetic implant allowing for better hearing. Finally the subject is put on a strict diet and exercise routine, as well as given hormone treatments making them thinner, smaller, and more agile.

Flavor text: A surgical advancement created in the mid 3100s by a team of medical scientists looking to advance existing sensory abilities in organics.

Referenced Technologies (Optional): N/A

Attainability: Open

Tags: [Civilian] [Genetic]

Category: Genetic

 

CREATED AND UPDATED BY @WowGain:

Name: MARS III Mining ExoSuit

Description: A large mecha capable of carrying one worker, equipped with a shell made from an alloy of Durasteel and Ferozium to create a very strong and durable, yet extremely heavy hull. Its servos are hydraulically powered, steel joints. Once entered, a HUD activates, with scanners installed for the purpose of locating the best mining locations. Installed onto the arms of the suit are two powerful claws for extracting pay dirt. Mounted onto the shoulder is a tri-beam mining laser for the removal of rock and dense material. Also installed is a radio with auxiliary cable ports and optional Bluetooth. Average height is 5 meters (16 feet), and the average weight is 2.5 tons



Abilities:

• Extreme strength enhancement
• Very durable due to the Durasteel and Ferozium shell
  
• Mining laser is capable of causing heavy damage to structures, persons, and of course, capable of breaking thick bedrock and ore-rich pay dirt
  
• Music
• Battery life of around ten hours

Conditional Abilities (Optional):

• The mecha is capable of traversing rather unstable and rocky terrain, made to climb around in mining quarries and tall shafts.

Limitations:

• Very slow moving, due to the weight and hydraulic systems not being the fastest moving of systems
• Not really designed for combat, more for industrial work. As such, in a fight it would probably be easy to overtake it with numbers and agility
  
• Susceptible to EMPs
• Its possible that you might end up listening to horrible music, that's fate worse than death.
  
• Damage to the hydraulic joints can stop the arms and legs from being capable of movement as well causing the suit to begin to overheat from leakage of oil and hydraulic liquid.
  
• Claws are poor at articulation, its pretty much impossible to grab things that they haven't been designed to grab (Boxes, Rocks and Dirt)

Conditional Limitations (Optional): N/A

How does it work: Utilizing a system of hydraulics and several large, rechargeable power cells, the heavy mech allows for a driver to mine and perform stressful tasks with much more ease.

Flavor text: Designed by Ophanius Industrial, the MARS III mining mecha has been a standard among resource extraction operations across the galaxy since its inception in the market in 3224.

Referenced Technologies (Optional): Mechas

Attainability: Open, but they are rather expensive, averaging at about 12,000Px per suit.

Tags: [Industrial]

Category: Vehicles

 

=ENGINEERED LIFEFORMS=
ORIGINAL DRAFT BY: Jin The Blue
​

Ever since the development of advanced technology, the various species of the Milky Way galaxy, both ancient and young, have sought to toil in the domain of gods and create life themselves. From creatures born from tubes in labs to advanced robotics with detailed programming, engineered life is a pet project for many mad scientists and engineers with limitless ambition. Their combined efforts over the years have led to such beings becoming commonplace in some areas of the galaxy.
There are many opinions and stances regarding the ethics and safety of creating life, which has lead many of these scientists and engineers often take their research and work to places where neutrality and freedom are to be found. Because of this, in recent years the Fringe has become the perfect haven for these unnatural beings and the people who have sought to create them.
All engineered life was constructed, whether made in a factory or cobbled together in a garage. Engineered lifeforms must accept that they were built with a purpose, whether or not they choose to accept it. Some accept their fate and carry out their directive, while others actively rebel or are separated from their creators. Whether they hate them, love them, or simply never met them, it was no accident their creator made them.

While Engineered is split into both artificial and organic life, artificial life is further split into two more categories.
There are two types of artificial lifeforms - "mechanoids", such as Synths or Androids, which take on the form of an organic to some degree, but are made of non-biological components (pistons, motors, batteries, etc) and "metanoids", which are artificially created semi-biological lifeforms made to replicate and improve upon what nature has created, contrast with cyborgs, a term for naturally-born organics which have been given varying degrees of cybernetic modifications that can replace organs, limbs, or entire bodily systems.

Composition
​

While artificial life varies from creation to creation they do fit within a few limitations, and possess defined qualities - height, weight class, skin, base, and extras. Height and weight describe the creature's physical proportions, and generally range from 2 to 8 feet, and 50 to 400 pounds. The weight class is the ratio of weight to height and determines the physicality of a creature, see the attached table to determine weight class and physicality. Skin is the exterior of an engineered lifeform, and varies from metal, to fur, to scales. Base determines whether a creature is animal, plant, machine, or even nova. It is the flesh and blood of a creature. Extras describe anything added beyond the basic two arms and two legs, and can include extra arms, wings, tails, and more. So long as a creature can be described with the generic qualities listed below, and is between 2 to 8 feet and 50 to 400 pounds including extra weight from its components (such as skin), it does not require an app to be brought onto the server.

Weight Class	Pounds per foot	Lifting capacity	Skin weight factor
Ultralight	20	1 times weight	0.5
Thin	30	1.5 times weight	1
Medium	40	2 times weight	2
Heavy	50	3 times weight	3

Skin Components

Skin is the protective layer that keeps internal components from being external. The stronger the skin, the heavier. An engineered lifeform always has to be carrying their skin, and its weight subtracts from its maximum lifting capacity. Engineered lifeforms of a higher weight class need more skin to cover them. To determine the weight of a creature's skin take the skin weight, and multiply it by the skin weight factor.​

Light Skin
Human skin, fur, thin scales, plastics, and other similar materials make up light skin. It has a skin weight of zero, but also little in the way of defense. Light skin is preferred for engineered lifeforms that seek to blend into a crowd, or draw attention to themselves as it is the easiest to disguise and decorate.

Medium Skin
Thick leather, rubber, thin metals, ceramics, and other similar materials make up medium skin. Medium skin adds slight protection, mostly from unarmed opponents, and slight protection from blades and ballistics, but this is only lessening the damage they cause not preventing it entirely. Medium skin has a skin weight of 5 pounds per foot of the creature's height. Medium skin is preferred for special ops, and industrial androids, any creation that needs to be able to sustain light damage, without losing too much maneuverability. Metal medium skin is to be treated as 1/16" aluminum for all intents and purposes.

Heavy Skin
Thick chitin, thick metal, hardwood and other similar materials make up heavy skin. Heavy skin has a weight of 10 pounds per foot of height, and offers substantial protection, allowing an engineered lifeform to resist unarmed attacks as well as small bladed weapons, while reducing the damage from small-caliber arms. Heavy skin does not entirely nullify damage, and is no excuse to forego proper armor. Heavy skin is favored by engineered lifeforms created as general infantry or monsters, as their dexterity is irrelevant for the protection they need.

Bases
An Engineered Lifeform's body is its "base", and its base determines things like fuel, how it can be repaired, and structure.​

Flesh and Bone
Engineered lifeforms constructed with an animal base are considered flesh and bone. Their bodies are held up by bones that are maneuvered with muscles, and are powered by digestive and respiratory systems like those found in humans. Bones keep the body upright and rigid. Flesh bodies are naturally self repairing. So long as a wound is properly treated in time, it will repair itself, even bones if set properly. Bone injuries will heal over a period of weeks to months. The process can be sped up with advanced medical care.

Plant matter
Engineered lifeforms based around flora are considered plant matter. Plant based E.L.s have hardwood bones similar to ones found in flesh based creatures, and vine like muscles that move them. Their bodies can either be powered by digestive tracts or photosynthetic cells. They have a circulatory system that pumps sap like blood, and a respiratory system. The vine like muscles of plant based E.L.s are more flexible than other bases, however if the muscles are over extended by an outside force they may tear, causing them to remain limp and causing the E.L. creature great pain. Similar to flesh bases, plant bases will naturally repair wounds - from simple cuts or muscle tears to skeletal fractures, injuries will heal in a matter of weeks to months, depending on the severity of the injury.

Mechanical
Engineered lifeforms built from machines and code are considered mechanical. Mechanical based E.L.s have a frame that acts as a skeleton and are moved by motors and actuators, synthetic muscles, etc. Their bodies can be powered by batteries, biological engines that require food, or traditional fuel. Mechanical bodies are rigid and stiff, but not inherently more durable than their biological counterparts. While mechanical bases are easier to construct than biological ones, they lack their ability to heal over time, so any damage done to a mechanical base must be repaired by hand.

Synthetic
Mechanical lifeforms built to either emulate or resemble organic beings through methods such as artificial skin or even facsimile of organ systems are known as Synths, or Synthetics. Their bodies can be powered through similar means as Mechanical E.L.s or "Androids", but are more often powered through the use of biological engines to emulate gastrological functions in organics. With the emphasis put on emulation of an organic being by synthetic-type E.L.s, the maximum strength of their skin is maxed out at medium. In addition, Synthetic E.L.s also suffer from the inability to self-heal damage over time, and as such must have repairs done when damage occurs. More advanced and expensive models do have limited ability to heal their synthetic skin, however, but this is usually where regeneration ends.

Energy
Engineered lifeforms composed of an energy body and a shell are considered energy beings. Energy based E.L.s gain their energy from consuming fuel that can range from conventional food to ship fuel. A magnetic center, such as the brand found on Novakid, creates a shell that keeps their vital gasses from leaking out. They are limited to at most medium weight class and light skin, but so long as the magnetic center remains intact the energy being only needs 25% of the internal gas to remain alive. However, they get exponentially weaker the less gas they contain. Energy bodies will regain pressure slowly over time and their shells reform naturally.

Extras

What good is a created being that functions within the normal bounds of evolution? Extras are the extra touches put on an E.L., and any given E.L. may have any number of extras without requiring an application.​

Cosmetics
Decorative plumage, ridges down the spine, extra, or less fingers or toes, any addition to the body that does not truly alter the function of a being is considered cosmetic.

Natural weapons
An Engineered lifeform that is always in need of protection may be armed with natural claws, hardened fists, horns, and other melee weapons that lack moving parts.

Wings
Any Engineered lifeform may have wings, but only those that are Thin Weight Class may glide, and only those that are Ultralight Weight Class may actually fly, the rest are for decorating.

Additional armor
Plates of thick armor that act as additional skin may be added to certain parts of an Engineered lifeform. These plates add to their weight as if they were medium or heavy skin for two feet of additional height, and can cover 4 square feet. Nova bases cannot use this extra.

Tails and limbs
An Engineered lifeform can have a tail that is no longer than 9 feet minus their height. Additional limbs add foot & height before calculating weight class each. Heavy creatures can use their tails to attack as if it were as strong as a single leg, while thin and ultralight creatures may hang from their tails, or use them to manipulate objects as if it were another arm.

 

=DRONES=
Original Draft by: @PrivateNomad & @WowGain​

Drone technology has existed well over a millennium ago, being even more advanced in the 33rd century and utilized often for not only combat purposes, but industrial and civilian purposes as well; repair bots, scouting drones, turrets, and more can be utilized as Drone, and ultimately utilize many of the other technologies to differentiate themselves.​

Whether constructed out of scrap or expertly engineered, drones are sometimes obtainable by the denizens of the Fringe as a means of accomplishing objectives with ease. Though useful tools, drones still naturally have the limitations that many other engineered robots have. Drones can range in size from 8000 cm3 to 300,000 cm3. By weight, a drone could vary from 7.5lbs to 600lbs.

Energy
​

Perhaps one of the most limiting aspect of drones and their engineering is the need for energy; batteries are heavy and must be charged or replaced while some forms of natural power generation tend to be low output on the small space of a drone and cannot account for greater mobility requirements or weapons.
One of the sometimes cheaper and more effective means of powering drones is with batteries. Advancements in power generation and inventions such as chemical batteries and DE batteries have allowed drones to persist in operation for extended periods of time. Drones powered by batteries must carry the weight, but have a much higher energy capacity to work with. Batteries must also be recharged or replaced, a drawback that often limits the mobility of drones after their battery life has drained.

Composition
​

Some drones favor mobility and scouting ability over military prowess, while some drones favor heavier armor to take more of a damage. Drones can have different type of armor which add to their weight depending on their size class.

Drone Sizes by Volume and Base Weight

Size Class	Base Weight
Tiny (8k cm3)	5 lb
Small (20k cm3)	15 lb
Medium (100k cm3)	30 lb
Large (200k cm3)	90 lb
Huge (300k cm3)	140 lb

Armor Types by Weight and their Multipliers to Size Class Weight
​

Armor Type (Lightest to Heaviest)	Base Weight Multiplier
Ultralight (Plastics, etc.)	.5
Light (Aluminum, etc.)	1
Medium (Thinner durasteel, etc.)	2
Heavy (Thick durasteel, violium, thin impervium, etc.)	3

Components
​

A drone is not a drone without serving a function, and its functions are served using components; components add weight to the base chassis of a drone and also reduce the battery lifetime of a drone, whether passively from the entire lifetime or per use of the component. Particle thrusters or anti-gravity thrusters or other methods of movement require more energy to push more weight. Some components also have a minimum size class of drone that they may be put on.
Note: energy lifetimes are for specifics. In RP, it is fine to simply estimate, as the exact lifetimes are only to get a general grasp of each energy usage.

Component	Weight	Energy	Description
[Power] Battery	X lb	+30 min/5 pounds	Batteries add lifetime to a drone, and do not generate power when used up.
[Power] Solar Panels	X lb (Max weight 12 lb)	+5 min/1 min idle per 2 pounds -2 min/1 min Without charge	Advanced solar panels that generate power when exposed to light; must be placed outside and is vulnerable to attack. Must be in contact with light and UV radiation to gain more charge. Is just a weight drag if has 0 charge and isn't in light.
[Power] Atomic Battery	5 lb	+2 min/1 min idle	An atomic battery; metamaterials encasing a bit of solarium that generate energy when idle.
[Civilian] Hammerspace Module (EN Storage)	Weight of objects held	-3 min/5 kg stored or retrieved	A small card module that contains an Electronegative Storage device; can output stored objects into an arm, tractor beam, etc.
[Civilian] ENDI Scanner	3 lb	-2 min/scan	An ENDI scanner projector that can send out a horizontal ENDI beam pattern that captures a detailed scan of an object or specimen.
[Civilian] Radio	3 lb	-½ min/30 sec used	A simple electromagnetic radio transmitter and receiver; also allows RC control. Must have tachyonic comms nearby to use Nexus.
[Military] Ballistic Turret	Use actual weights	Zero on ground drones -½-2 Minutes Passive on hover drones	Covers a wide range of most ballistic and fuel weapons like guns, flamethrowers, and other similar techs. Most require bullet cartridges.
[Industrial]/[Military] Directed Energy Weapons	10 lb 20 lb (Min. Small)	-2 min/5 sec of fire -4 min/5 sec of fire	Covers a wide range of most energy weapons such as continuous laser beams (for welding or combat), plasma turrets, radiological weapons, electrical guns, and more.
[Industrial] ZPE Manipulator	5(X) lb	-x min/5 sec max weight 35 lbs	A mounted tractor beam that can manipulate objects at a maximum mass of 5 kg per 5 pounds of ZPEM module weight.
[Industrial] Robotic Arm	5 lb	-2 min/1 min of use	A mounted robotic arm allows fine manipulation of nearby objects (with a hand), and can hold things or have tools attached like plasma cutters, welders, etc.
[Industrial] Silicate Hardlight Projector	3 lb	-½ min/1 min used	A silicate hardlight projector, for whatever purpose needed.
[Industrial] Photonic Hardlight Projector	3 lb	-1 min/1 min used	A photonic hardlight projector, for whatever purpose needed.
[Industrial] Plasma Shield Generator	8 lb	-4 min/30 sec used	A small module stuck on the outside that creates a plasma shield barrier.
[Industrial] Particle Thruster	8 lb	-3 max min lifetime per 10 pounds of drone weight	A small attached particle thruster is an option to grant a drone flight mobility. Must produce more thrust the heavier the drone is, costing more power.
[Industrial] Anti-Gravity Module	6 lb	-3 max min lifetime per 20 pounds of drone weight	Anti-gravity channels on the bottom of the drone allows it to hover a maximum of 20 meters from the ground.
[Industrial] Electric Motor	X lb	-2 max min lifetime/15 lb drone weight	Most typically used for motorized wheels, this form of ground transportation is cheaper in energy use. Requires 4 lb per 15 lb of drone weight. Can also be used for other applications such as wings, saw-blades, etc.

 

=PERSONAL ARMOR=
Original Draft by: @WowGain & @Drakkar​

During times of war and in situations requiring personal defense, armor is often a necessity. This is especially true in the ungoverned land of the Fringe, a place where the high-running emotions of the free populace often cause conflict to eventually lead to some form of violence as an outlet. A way of life for these people, armor in some form is seen as a must by most who spend their time in areas of the Fringe which aren't well guarded by Civilian Police of the local powers that be. This armor can range from simple combat armor, to massive mechanical behemoths which require physical augmentations for the wearer to properly pilot them, only utilized by those who have the time and resources to maintain such devices.

Base

It all starts with the base of your armor. Whether you're creating simple kevlar body covers, or massive composite plating which can resist high caliber fire, the base of your armor is one of the most important factors of it, if not the most, as it decides all other requirements in energy, weight, and of course, how well it protects you. Armor can run the gamut from 4 lbs to 400 lbs, and its height can be modular, from 2ft to 8ft tall, aside from Mechas, which involve the range of armor from 10 to 20ft tall and 1000 to 100000 lbs.​

Base Type	Base Weight Multiplier
Extralight	2 lbs/foot
Light	10 lbs/foot
Medium	15 lbs/foot
Heavy	25 lbs/foot
Superheavy	50 lbs/foot
Mecha	X lbs/foot

​

Extralight
The most basic of armor, the Extralight base type encompasses combat armors constructed of Kevlars and other fabrics which may or may not be reinforced with light metal fibers such as Durasteel or Aegisalt. These bases are usually capable of dealing with short blades such as those on daggers and knives meant for stabbing, and can slow the impact force of small arms on thicker plates put on the torso, back, upper arms, and upper legs. Using modern materials, they allow for superb maneuverability, but are quite limited in their ability to protect from attacks, particularly energy weaponry. Mostly used by scouts, or those who feel as though they do not need to heavily guard themselves.

Light
A step up from Extralight, Light armors include thicker fabrics supplemented by actual hardplates, usually made of light metals or composite ballistic ceramics. Much less flexible than extralight, it still offers a good balance of agility in comparison to provided defense, as long as you aren't in the middle of bullet hell. Light plating can best resist average pistol rounds and some larger pistol rounds.

Medium
Often treated as the trading point between whether you are wearing Combat Armor or Power Armor, Medium armors begin to use more hardplate than softplate, thinner metal plates, high impact composite ceramics, and other materials such as limited carbide/carbyne use provide a much greater defense against armaments, at the cost of both maneuverability and range of motion. Because of the higher grade materials, Medium Armor allows for specialized defense against energy weapons through ferozium and or high-polish surfacing and angling of armor. Combat armor consisting of Medium plates often only covers vital areas, with light or even extralight being used on other parts such as the extremities to minimize the weight needed to be carried. Medium armor can handle pistol rounds, as well as provide moderate defense from rifle rounds.

Heavy
Breaching into armor plating only meant to be on powered armors, such as power armor, (light and heavy), mechsuits, and mechas, Heavy Armor is the route to go for superb defensive capabilities when weight and cost is not an issue. Consisting of thick plates of metals and composite materials meant to tumble ballistics and have enough bulk to resist the ablation of energy weapons, Heavy Armor's greatest weaknesses are the lack of flexibility when donning this armor, and its weight. Those with lighter armors can take advantage of the inertia their opponent's mass carries, disorienting them and moving around faster than they can safely. These armors can be powered through hydraulics, servos and actuators, and synthetic muscles. Without their power, they become little more than extremely heavy turtle shells, impossible to move in. Heavy armor can handle rifle rounds, but massive or dedicated armor penetration calibers will still cause damage reliably.

Superheavy
The ultimate in defense, Superheavy armor plating is only capable of being put on mechsuits and mechas. Thick metal and composite plates in layers allow for the armors which don these plates to become walking tanks in their capability to shrug off projectiles. Similar to heavy plating, the armor which carries this can only pray to be mobile in any way if powered, leaving them at the mercy of those wielding high-voltage weaponry capable of shorting out circuitry and destroying battery cells. Mobility is all but limited to walking and turning, with fine motor skills left impossible to access due to the thickness and bulk of this armor. Weapons meant to be used by those in these armors have to be custom made for them to be held in the larger hands of said suits without being crushed or otherwise impossible to wield. Able to generally provide good protection from rifle rounds and survive large rifle rounds and dedicated armor penetration without much difficulty.

Mecha
The final "class" of armor, mecha armor consists of plates similar in design to superheavy class armor, yet in weights which can range from just over superheavy weight, to a single plate weighing more than entire sets of armor. Ability against ballistics varies, but usually hovers around Heavy to Superheavy capability.

Classes​

The "classes" of armor are broken down into five distinct areas, Combat Armor, Power Armor, Heavy Power Armor, Mechsuits, and Mechas.​

Combat Armor
Simple, a class of armor that has existed since the dawn of civilization for each species. Combat armor can simply be worn. At its most basic, it requires no supplementary power, no additional technology outside of the plates which are donned. Most people in the Fringe find themselves utilizing armor within this category because of its economically viable pricing, decent balance of defense grades and flexibility, and low maintenance requirements. Combat armor can fit within the range of 4 to 150lbs before it breaches into power armor, requiring some form of power and support to be worn.

Power Armor
Modernity comes to armor. Power armor encompasses all armors which have some form of load bearing technology on them which is supplied with energy from a power source. This added power allows for said armor to be much heavier, and thus more protective, than any combat armor can be because of the limitations of weight that are set upon it. Although power armor has existed for centuries, spanning back to periods long before the turn of the millennia, as a technology it still advances enough that modern models of power armor are often outside of the economically viable range for many citizens of the Fringe. However, for those with the coin, a suit of power armor is a remarkable investment for defense, with a loss in the realms of mobility. One major issue with all classes exceeding combat armor is the lack of an ability to freely jump without proper acceleration or propulsion. Power armor can range from around 160 to 210 lbs before it requires a neuro-link to be properly actuated.

Heavy Power Armor
Once you begin to tack on enough weight to a suit of power armor, you reach the classification of heavy power armor. The most recent advancement of the classifications, Heavy Power Armor came about as Soft Neuro-links allowed for those who donned it to still have the capability of controlling their armor, but without the need for Hard-Link augmentations or Pilot chambers. Although not as much of a risk as in Mechsuits, the possibility of the neuro-link being broken is still a present issue with Heavy Power armor, as a well timed strike to areas such as the back of the head on the nape of the neck can cause momentary disconnection from the link, leaving the wearer without the ability to control the massive armor around them. This often results in the wearer being knocked to the ground, unable to get back up on their own without thrusters or other devices meant to right them.
Heavy Power Armor, due to its massive weight, cannot be brought to most civilian colonies in a traditional sense. Teleporters used by these colonies will turn the person back out of the sheer weight of their armor being detected as breaching a safe threshold, which could destroy the teleporter if it was accepted. This however, does not prevent them from entering through orbital deployment or onto industrial teleporters usually found on Carriers, which can hold much heavier weights without damage. Civilian Colony law will often vary for how they treat visitors donning such armor, but don't expect a free pass to loiter about. Heavy Power Armor runs the gamut of 220 to 310lbs.

Mechsuit
The final class of armor that isn't considered to be piloted by those who wear it, the Mechsuit came about as a desire for sub-mecha armor that required less training to be used was fulfilled. Although it requires less training in the classical sense from a Mecha, Mechsuits come with the greatest needed investment to be worn. Massive in form, they require a Hard-Neurolink to be controlled in any usable degree. As such, those who wish to wear armor of this caliber must seek out an augmentation which allows for them to be directly plugged into their armor. Besides the ethical imperatives of such an augmentation in the minds of some, the requirement of a direct link proves additionally dangerous in that the hard connection between the armor and the person wearing it, if severed, can be extremely dangerous. Without a direct connection, the wearer is left without control of their armor, and in some cases blinded if the helmet doesn't include a visor. Similar to Heavy Power Armor, but with the added difficulty that often, this neuro-link can only be reestablished by the wearer climbing back into their armor and having it plugged in by a third party. Just as with Heavy Power Armor, this class is often restricted from teleportation onto Civilian Colonies, and for a great majority of colonies, is outright banned from being worn. However, the maintenance costs and possible dangers that can be encountered while wearing such a suit of armor leave this armor as rarely being seen outside of active military battles. Armor of the Mechsuit class falls into a weight range of 320 to 400lbs.

Mecha
The final class, Mechas are often regarded as more of a vehicle than armor by most due to their size, and that the wearer is piloting the suit from a chamber within it, rather than wearing it. Behemoths of war, Mechas can range from 10 to 20 feet tall, and weigh anywhere from 1000 to 100,000lbs. Although deadly, these metal monstrosities are only as good as the pilot who is wearing them. Learning to fully pilot a Mecha can take months to years of training depending on the complexity of the model, making being a Pilot a lucrative, but dangerous occupation. Because of the dangers they impose, Mechas are banned on nearly any colony one might find, though few pilots would find themselves foolish enough to bust out a Mecha for anything but a full-blown battle where simple infantry just isn't able to cut it.

Attachments​

For those who find themselves interested in the various knick-knacks and devices which can be attached to their shiny suits of armor, fear not. In this modern age, many tools have been devised for the purposes of augmenting armor with additional capabilities. However, regardless of the class of armor, the introduction of power cells must occur to power said devices. For armor which is already powered, these cells are often auxiliary to the power cells which allow the armor to function.​

Component	Weight	Energy	Description
[Power] Battery	X lb	+30 min/5 pounds	Batteries add lifetime to armor’s auxiliary cells, and do not generate power when used up.
[Power] Solar Panels	X lb (Max weight 12 lb)	+5 min/1 min idle per 2 pounds -2 min/1 min Without charge	Advanced solar panels that generate power when exposed to light; must be placed outside and is vulnerable to attack. Must be in contact with light and UV radiation to gain more charge. Is just a weight drag if has 0 charge and isn’t in light.
[Power] Atomic Battery	5 lb	+2 min/1 min idle	An atomic battery; metamaterials encasing a bit of solarium that generate energy when idle. Can only be attached to Power Armor and up.
[Civilian] Hammerspace Module (EN Storage)	Weight of objects held	-3 min/5 kg stored or retrieved	A small card module that contains an Electronegative Storage device; can output stored objects into an arm, tractor beam, etc.
[Civilian] ENDI Scanner	3 lb	-2 min/scan	An ENDI scanner projector that can send out a horizontal ENDI beam pattern that captures a detailed scan of an object or specimen.
[Civilian] Radio	3 lb	-½ min/30 sec used	A simple electromagnetic radio transmitter and receiver; also allows RC control. Must have tachyonic comms nearby to use Nexus.
[Military] Ballistic Turret	Use actual weights	Zero on ground drones -½-2 Minutes Passive on hover drones	Covers a wide range of most ballistic and fuel weapons like guns, flamethrowers, and other similar techs. Most require bullet cartridges. Can only be attached to Heavy Power armor and up.
[Industrial]/[Military] Directed Energy Weapons	10 lb 20 lb (Min. Small)	-2 min/5 sec of fire -4 min/5 sec of fire	Covers a wide range of most energy weapons such as continuous laser beams (for welding or combat), plasma turrets, radiological weapons, electrical guns, and more. Can only be attached to Power Armor and up.
[Industrial] ZPE Manipulator	5(X) lb	-x min/5 sec max weight 35 lbs	A mounted tractor beam that can manipulate objects at a maximum mass of 5 kg per 5 pounds of ZPEM module weight.
[Industrial] Robotic Arm	5 lb	-2 min/1 min of use	A mounted robotic arm allows fine manipulation of nearby objects (with a hand), and can hold things or have tools attached like plasma cutters, welders, etc.
[Industrial] Silicate Hardlight Projector	3 lb	-½ min/1 min used	A silicate hardlight projector, for whatever purpose needed.
[Industrial] Photonic Hardlight Projector	3 lb	-1 min/1 min used	A photonic hardlight projector, for whatever purpose needed.
[Industrial] Plasma Shield Generator	8 lb	-4 min/30 sec used	A small module stuck on the outside that creates a plasma shield barrier. Can only be attached to Power Armor and up.
[Military] Ordnance Missiles	20lbs (launcher), 5lbs per rocket	NULL	An ordnance launcher, capable of deploying small rockets which can contain various payloads, plasma, mundane, radiological, chemical, etc. Can only be attached to Mechas.
[Industrial] Propulsion	10 lb min, 100 lb max	-2 min/30 sec used	A propulsion jet attached to the legs of the armor, allows temporary lift, useful for allowing someone in armor classes above combat armor to jump. Particularly powerful propulsion can even allow for very short flight. Prone to combustion if shot.