No Genetically Enhanced Humans in Felarya?!

I've been reading and reading and reading and reading into Felarya... I must have spent like 19 hours so far(and I'm a quick reader ) but there is one thing that bothers me... how come some of the humans on Felarya have space battleships(which would require powerful lasers, engines, warp drive units, amongst other things) and yet they apparently haven't studied the human genome and started enhancing their people genetically. Why is that?

Daejien wrote:

I've been reading and reading and reading and reading into Felarya... I must have spent like 19 hours so far(and I'm a quick reader ) but there is one thing that bothers me... how come some of the humans on Felarya have space battleships(which would require powerful lasers, engines, warp drive units, amongst other things) and yet they apparently haven't studied the human genome and started enhancing their people genetically. Why is that?

Because most writers here are very aware on how so called "Super Soldiers" are always horribly flawed in most sci-fi? Because most Felarya writers are on the fantasy side? Because nobody found any good time or plot to use them? There are probably other reasons.

I should have said Altered instead of enhanced >.<, such as humans with squirrel tails(my character Lilah is an example)

Oh...

So far, it's the only one.

ah, so that's a free area to traverse?

People avoid those Daejien because overall they make no sense. There's very little want in the scientific field for a potion to make a human develop dew claws or the tail of a fox.

As for humans lacking genetic enhancements? Because as Sean said, there's a bunch of flaws in most super-soldier plans. Super strength is nice and all... until you realize your soldier with the laser gun doesn't need more strength in 9/10 scenarios and you could just find specialists for less cost. The only enhancements worth actually putting on someone in the age of future weapons are eyesight, reaction times, and speed. NBC resistances follow behind, as often times you can still create NBC gear for as much / less than the enhancement of the soldier.

Not to say they're not a fun idea to write out. Especially if - like most writers - you're writing stories where the average soldier would have a hard time with numerical superiority against a 3rd World Country Militias.

I was kinda thinking of just shooting magic into their chromosomes until something happened

Daejien wrote:

I was kinda thinking of just shooting magic into their chromosomes until something happened

That overall tends to end poorly. Unless this is your ideal form for a modified human. With magical enhancements it's easier to understand temporary upgrades [like an army being taught minor level magic for every person], but there's still the issue that it tends to require high-level mages or large rituals / sacrifices to gather enough power for a permanent change. Not that I would not mind a 'savage' human culture that uses sacrifices. I'd actually enjoy the thought of such.

In short, genetically enhanced or altered humans are awesome in theory, but impractical in practice.

Sean Okotami wrote:

In short, genetically enhanced or altered humans are awesome in theory, but impractical in practice.

You know... that actually makes sense... I withdraw myself from this little topic.

Sean Okotami wrote:

In short, genetically enhanced or altered humans are awesome in theory, but impractical in practice.

Yep. Unless it's applied to the species as a whole and you don't need to fix it with each new generation, in the end it's often not worth it.

Though your magic enhancement thing Daejien is enough in my opinion to keep this going. Some rough examples of what could be done:

Personal Sacrifice - Small: Usually nothing big, the sacrifice is likely no bigger or smarter than the average Pig.
Effect - Done before Battle: Minor regeneration after the first wound is suffered for about a minute.

Not much needed to get the buff, is still potentially life saving, but is not broken in power. You could make tiers for "Personal" sacrifice, "Family" sacrifice, "Ritual" sacrifice, and "Village" sacrifice. Personal effects only the one doing such, but they gain larger buffs than would be received if more people participated. Family would be a group (it need not be a Family in the most strict sense, but anything more than ten or so people is likely not going to count as 'family' anymore). Village would be the whole community works on something. Ritual would be extra work done before, during, and after the sacrifice, but could apply to either group and tends to increase the potency of blessings / have unique options.

Examples of Personal Sacrifices:

Small - As said above, likely nothing too big or smart. The blessings would be very minor, and unless you perform a lot of these you're unlikely to receive a permanent blessing - even in that case the blessing will likely be weak.
Minor - Perhaps a larger animal, or more of the small ones done at once. A deer-sized being would likely count here, along with 'commoner' slaves of most man-like species. These blessings would be somewhat stronger, longer lasting, and better than before. But you're still not going to see someone becoming a god amongst men unless they sacrifice a whole cities worth of slaves or something.
Common - Slaves of caught 'Warriors'* or Nobles caught personally, notable wild animals - the pack master of wolves, for instance - or fellow villagers* who've earned the ire of the village. Here blessings become a bit more noticeable. Right now we're talking only one or two sacrificed at once - more would bump up the category. The reason it would not apply earlier is a slave's a slave and a pig's a pig - you're only going to get so much before they peak.
Notable Individual caught magic users of lower levels, small groups of the warriors / nobles. Here the buffs start to draw the gracing power's attention. If they approve, the buffs will be worth the person's while. You may be graced with good fortune for the next season, or have the ability to treat any weapon you use as if it were magical for a limited time.
Great
Excellent
Divine - The most noteworthy of sacrifice. To reach this someone may need to sacrifice their entire family, a group of high-ranking clergy from another religion, etc. The buffs here would be simply astounding, and likely - if the gracing power approves - put you on the road to greatness. You may gain the ability to throw people into convulsions with a flick of your wrist, or your body regenerate at a rate that Trolls would be envious. If you make a poor sacrifice and are disapproved though, the consequences will likely be most dire. Just killing your family in the hope of gaining power will get you nothing, but if the scenario is just right you'll be approved. These would be nigh impossible to achieve once - even more so a second or third time - and require a good bit of luck and favor towards you.


* Mages, Clerics, and anyone who can use magic is ranked higher than the average in their category.

Not complete, of course, but still a rough outline or something. Would work well for the Felarya RPG too, as you could put it in as a sort of system for humans to make them slightly more survivable.

If you want to get technical, Ryla could be considered a genetically altered human - just not through human technology.


But the folks are right. Genetic enhancements just create FAR too little benefit to justify the colossal budget required to create them.

Now, if you're REALLY dead set on the idea, you can pour all your resources into a "
big hulking monster-maker"(BHMM?) and rely on that to turn a bunch of volunteers or attack dogs or bums you pull off the street into SS Doomtrooper-style baeasties and sick them on your enemies. But A. That's not really a refined method of enhancing your soldiers, B. half the subjects are liable to die, C. Who's to say you'll be able to control them, and D. wouldn't it be easier just to dress your guys up in fancy tech weapons?

Now, I'm all for using hideously deformed creatures of superhuman size and strength to crush your enemies, but it's not a very practical, cost-effective source of manpower.

Malahite wrote:

Daejien wrote:

I was kinda thinking of just shooting magic into their chromosomes until something happened

That overall tends to end poorly. Unless this is your ideal form for a modified human. With magical enhancements it's easier to understand temporary upgrades [like an army being taught minor level magic for every person], but there's still the issue that it tends to require high-level mages or large rituals / sacrifices to gather enough power for a permanent change. Not that I would not mind a 'savage' human culture that uses sacrifices. I'd actually enjoy the thought of such.

I think its more along the lines of better intelligence, reflexes, and possibly beauty,

anyway, the only inherent problem with genetic engineering is most of our genes are multi purpose, so changing one can have different effects, anyone who is genetically engineered as a species or individual with definitely have some characteristics inherently different than just the desired improvements, what these are, and weather or not they are even negative depends on the circumstance.

I was thinking its because nearly one third of the creatures around them already look like they could be just that. Faries, Naga, Driddlers and Elementals. Subconsciously they are thinking hmm, if this goes bad we are pretty much screwed. Then theres management, always worrying about other things ect. Plus, if there were more Neko's who knows how Negav would have to settle since they are a little choosy with the stone.

You can just imagine the spam mail that would be going around if genetic 'enhancement' were popular...

GREGOLE wrote:

But the folks are right. Genetic enhancements just create FAR too little benefit to justify the colossal budget required to create them.

Well, if you're talking Hobo Hulks or babies in tanks, then I'd totally agree with you. But something like gene-doping for greater bone/muscle density, bigger lung/heart capacity, or slightly better mental potential is something within current technology.

Also, despite old belief, once you have the very specific piece of a chromosome you want to change, you don't need to hack up the subjects own genes to make it work. (though it does apparently make it more likely to work as intended, that's the part that's so expensive.)

Hell, there were Olympic athletes that were disqualified in 2008 for gene doping (one in track one in shooting, if I remember correctly).

In their own little way my own proposed race, the Ellisians, are the result of some changes to the original set of human traits, but not through any sci-fi genetic splicing, but good ol' fashioned crossbreeding with a couple other humanoid species. But for the sake of not trying to godmod, most of the changes instigated by this are more cosmetic and behavioral than straightforward physical improvements.

the only effective way to genetically enhanced human is by using something along the lines of t or g virus but it would require genetic modification's to match the host and then chemically programed or it won't have the desired effect