Poll: POLL: Sci-fi bodymodding. Bio or Mech?
- Thread starter Ithos
- Start date
I voted both. They each have their advantages and disadvantages.
Artificial senses can in some ways pick things up which natural ones can't, but have blind spots biological modifications would easily cover.
Also, bio-modification would allow for faster reflexes and greater flexibility/agility than mechanical augmentations, but mechanical upgrades could provide greater durability and hitting power.
Also, high levels of mechanical alteration would trigger immune responses which could only be effectively quelled by either wrecking the immune system (See War of the Worlds for examples of the problems this would cause) or require some level of biological alterations anyway.
This is, of course, barring any unforseen advances in either technology, for example, biological augmentation which unlock incredibly powerful psi-abilities or some kind of highly advanced nanotech capable of seamless integration with an unmodified immune system. Neither of which really fits with the spirit of the question.
Artificial senses can in some ways pick things up which natural ones can't, but have blind spots biological modifications would easily cover.
Also, bio-modification would allow for faster reflexes and greater flexibility/agility than mechanical augmentations, but mechanical upgrades could provide greater durability and hitting power.
Also, high levels of mechanical alteration would trigger immune responses which could only be effectively quelled by either wrecking the immune system (See War of the Worlds for examples of the problems this would cause) or require some level of biological alterations anyway.
This is, of course, barring any unforseen advances in either technology, for example, biological augmentation which unlock incredibly powerful psi-abilities or some kind of highly advanced nanotech capable of seamless integration with an unmodified immune system. Neither of which really fits with the spirit of the question.
I say Mech over Bio. I would swap a few parts out for mechanized replacements.
Fewer risks (metal is stronger than flesh, metal doesn't get sick), and my current knowledgebase is in computers and hardward, so throwing a mod on my cyber-arm would be up my alley, rather than moding a bio-replacement.
Fewer risks (metal is stronger than flesh, metal doesn't get sick), and my current knowledgebase is in computers and hardward, so throwing a mod on my cyber-arm would be up my alley, rather than moding a bio-replacement.
Biomods, any day, every day
First of all, I'm assuming it has gone as far as possible in terms of research, so that any biological augmentation, either in an animal/plant/bacteria/etc is applicable to humans, as well as certain homebrew mods that are within the realm of reason.
First off, give me a few more amino acid generators and nutrient producers, and a chloroplast and whatever is in a chemoautotroph, so I can survive with just sunlight and water, or just chemicals, or the standard human method of eating. Give me a more efficient method of cellular respiration where it recycles Oxygen or converts other chems to Oxygen so I can live anywhere with an atmosphere, and not need to breath for hours at a time. Give me cell regeneration for near immortality, and extend my cells life so the can reproduce as many times as they damn well please. Induce many periods of quick acting puberty, or perhaps integrate some DNA from a very large animal, so I gain several tons in muscle mass, and several meters in height. Expand my brain size 10 or 20 fold, reintroduce a baby's ability to retain infinite information that reforms the brain and specializes it to specific tasks that I undergo every day of my life. Give me the near bulletproof hides of many animals, the razor sharp teeth of a shark, a reinforced bone structure from a large elephant, altered slightly so I retain my ability to stand on my back legs, and a monkeys tail. Give me a trees ability to continue growing for 4000 years, and remove the ill effects of aging. Allow me the jumping ability of the jackrabbit, or perhaps the flea, the rapid movements of a panther or hummingbird, and the sprinting abilities of an ostrich or cheetah. Give me the nose of the bloodhound, the eyes of the owl, the inner ears of a rabbit, a dolphins echolocation, a fish's ability to detect electric fields.
So yes, I do prefer the biological modifications...
(I realize 1 or 2 of those things are slightly beyond the realms of reality, at least in our lifetimes, but a man can dream, can't he?)
First of all, I'm assuming it has gone as far as possible in terms of research, so that any biological augmentation, either in an animal/plant/bacteria/etc is applicable to humans, as well as certain homebrew mods that are within the realm of reason.
First off, give me a few more amino acid generators and nutrient producers, and a chloroplast and whatever is in a chemoautotroph, so I can survive with just sunlight and water, or just chemicals, or the standard human method of eating. Give me a more efficient method of cellular respiration where it recycles Oxygen or converts other chems to Oxygen so I can live anywhere with an atmosphere, and not need to breath for hours at a time. Give me cell regeneration for near immortality, and extend my cells life so the can reproduce as many times as they damn well please. Induce many periods of quick acting puberty, or perhaps integrate some DNA from a very large animal, so I gain several tons in muscle mass, and several meters in height. Expand my brain size 10 or 20 fold, reintroduce a baby's ability to retain infinite information that reforms the brain and specializes it to specific tasks that I undergo every day of my life. Give me the near bulletproof hides of many animals, the razor sharp teeth of a shark, a reinforced bone structure from a large elephant, altered slightly so I retain my ability to stand on my back legs, and a monkeys tail. Give me a trees ability to continue growing for 4000 years, and remove the ill effects of aging. Allow me the jumping ability of the jackrabbit, or perhaps the flea, the rapid movements of a panther or hummingbird, and the sprinting abilities of an ostrich or cheetah. Give me the nose of the bloodhound, the eyes of the owl, the inner ears of a rabbit, a dolphins echolocation, a fish's ability to detect electric fields.
So yes, I do prefer the biological modifications...
(I realize 1 or 2 of those things are slightly beyond the realms of reality, at least in our lifetimes, but a man can dream, can't he?)
Mechanical perfection! Glory to the Omnissiah!
I'd prefer to mix and match though, at least one mech arm would be rather awesome, but there are bits that would probably be best kept fleshy...
I'd prefer to mix and match though, at least one mech arm would be rather awesome, but there are bits that would probably be best kept fleshy...
Mech all the way. I mean Bio is nice and all, but I'd rather have metal alloys and advanced tech making me an ultimate badass.
