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Bio Modification
How to approach your design.

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There's a few considerations I want all players to make before they start inquiring about Bio-Mods ICly. I don't want to make this process restrictive, but sometimes judging people's submissions/requests for these gets frustrating due to the level of subjectivity involved. Hopefully this will help make things come to us in a bit more of a refined manner and allow us to approve them quicker and with less discussion.

1. NO functionality. That means no extra limbs, no heat vision, no super eyesight.

2. ONLY visual changes. You can look more like a cat. Or a dog. Or a fish. But you aren't going to get a cat's balance or a dogs jaws or a fishes ability to breath underwater.

3. ICly mods must follow the 80/20 principle. You can only be 20% modified. That means no fur covering the entirety of your body. No all encompassing changes. No changes to the way your body functions.

4. You can modify up to 4 @nakeds with a Biomod. Two @nakeds being the default package. Each @naked after that up to four costs an additional fee.

5. Keep it simple, keep it CP. Focus on individual features like your eyes, horns, a tail, teeth, nose, etc.

Admin reserve the right to veto mods or request changes if they do not feel it's fitting to the theme.

By Cerberus at Apr 12, 2017 3:06 PM
Height/Weight modification is do-able. Just try not to make it extreme.
By Cerberus at Apr 12, 2017 3:12 PM
What would be a good judge for height-weight modification? 20% of original height can be added?

I.E. a 5'2" person (62 in) can add 12.4 or so inches?

By LostSoul at Apr 12, 2017 3:14 PM
Question relating to functionality of biomods. Given that there are animal parts that can emote, would it be possible to have a part of the body glow when wanted? Ex. Tip of the finger (al la ET) with no benefit other than looks?
By Dawnshot at Apr 25, 2017 8:47 AM
People shouldn't be emoting animal parts moving. That's what "no functionality" means.

And the rest of it can be resolved/discovered through RP. The clinic will tell you what's do-able and not.

By Linekin at Apr 25, 2017 3:26 PM
Understood. Thank you!
By Dawnshot at Apr 26, 2017 8:30 AM
This needs to be updated.

Apparently, biomods aren't even allowed to do simple movements like flick and sway anymore, even though swaying tails have been a city-wide status symbol ever since I've started playing. I don't understand the logic in gouging biomods harshly enough that what used to be a sexy addition has been reduced to a limp rope hanging down over one's butt.

By Trickyhottrev at Jun 24, 2017 10:29 PM
There's no need for an update, it's clearly covered under item number 1, which states 'no functionality.' They're cosmetic, pure and simple.
By himble at Jun 24, 2017 10:32 PM
Slap a Mr.Studdly on your butt and stick a sock on it!
By Heliodor at Jun 24, 2017 10:34 PM
Swaying and flicking tail doesn't allow extra functionality. It is merely adds extra decorations to your poses/emotes.

If you get biomods and the tail just hangs limp without you being able to move it, what difference is there between a modded tail and just a costume tail you wear? Might as well spend money on the latter. It's less too.

By Diani at Jun 24, 2017 10:37 PM
There's absolutely nothing stopping you from making a costumed one, it'd be just as creative as (if not more so than) going for animal mods in the first place, in my humble onion.
By himble at Jun 24, 2017 10:41 PM
"No functionality" originally meant it just doesn't give you any practical advantages. Minor involuntary movements were still okay, and I don't see why they shouldn't be. There should be a difference between a headband and real ears for example, again because having real body parts changed is a STATUS SYMBOL and should be treated as such, given how expensive they are. I'm also really tired of all this staff-side discrimination against people interested in biomods, especially because a fair amount of players are interested in them.

When my character first decided to invest in her own mods, I was told they'd give a charisma bonus for cuteness or whatever. Then when I actually got them and asked about the bonus, one of the staff joked about giving me a penalty instead. If the staff think people are being unthemely with a certain feature of the game, I would much rather they cooperate with the playerbase and try to adjust the culture rather than remove features or make them worthless.

By Trickyhottrev at Jun 24, 2017 10:45 PM
I am a relatively new player, who got to see the ads and found out I can actually get mods, and saw other pcs who had mods, it was so cool. I saved up forever on one character, they got permed, then I saved up for months on my latest character wanting so much to get the mods, then I get told, no, i can't use them for what I wanted to use them for...Functionality to me means, like...actually using them mechanically. So yeah wings wouldnt give flight, and you can't use your third arm or whatever. But surely you can still USE the tail and ears. Biomods are supposedly modifications of genetics which would change your physical structure and open up dna possibilities that lay dormant in you. So this would indicate these limbs are actually in your dna to have, so should have nervous control at the minimum. All we are really asking is let us flick our ears in agitation, lay them flat in fear, perk them in interest, wag our tails in happiness or tuck our tails in fear. You are right, it is cosmetic, but cosmetic doesn't mean meat versions of costumes...

Why waste 40k chy on biomods if they will not do anything more than a 10k set of clothes I customize myself?

By SacredWest at Jun 24, 2017 10:58 PM
Word from on high is that extra parts are cosmetic only, and that's where the discussion should end. I don't really see why, in a game about subterfuge and intrigue, corporate backstabbing and gritty ultraviolence, you are choosing to make 'I can't wiggle my fake ears and tail' the hill you want to die on.

Instead of digging your heels in and fighting against something that is not going to change, find other ways to express yourself through biomodification. Make yourself look weird and cool and cyberpunk as hell. Push the boundaries of what it means to look human, without resorting to tired anime tropes that are ultimately unthemely.

By himble at Jun 24, 2017 11:03 PM
I've already said how they can be made to be themely very easily. I always hate it when things are taken away after hope and excitement have been allowed to build up, and it's even worse when it's been part of the world for a long time. I'd also like to underline that I wholeheartedly disagree with this "unthemely" argument. Tech in Sindome is biased significantly towards biological manipulation. Biomodifications, nanogens, clones and drugs way outstrip cybernetics and electronics in this game. That means that genetic modification is integral to the theme and to the culture of the universe this game is set in.
By Trickyhottrev at Jun 24, 2017 11:16 PM
I think they were implying that 'anime-like' bio-mods (cat-ears and the like) are unthemely, although I can't say I entirely agree.

Why do people like cat ears in animated media? Because they're cute obviously.

Is it so unthemely for people with chyen to spare to want to look cute and unique?

By Stelpher at Jun 24, 2017 11:22 PM
What I'm actually saying is: instead of beating your head against the wall on something that's been decided, you can instead put that energy into finding other cool ways to express yourself through biomodification.

I get the frustration, I was similarly frustrated with the price jump, but them's the breaks and the best way to handle it is to roll with it and move forward.

By himble at Jun 24, 2017 11:29 PM
I would be inclined to disagree. The only way things do not get changed is if people do not stand up and voice their opinion. If everyone just laid down and took it when they felt something was oppressing them, we would all be slaves. We are voicing our opinion that the current biomod rulings are harmful to the theme and enjoyment of the game, and do not make sense, and are requesting that staff hear us and consider making changes. In the end it is up to them, but if we never speak up, then they won't know something is not going over well!
By SacredWest at Jun 24, 2017 11:35 PM
I think making yourself into a catbeast is themely enough. Jives with CP transhuman vibes. I'm not sure if animal biomods fits in with Sindome's flavor of cyberpunk, but I don't think that's what's being discussed.

That being said, I wouldn't get too worked up over not being able to swish your cat tail. Not to say it wouldn't be nice to get justification for why you can't.

By kroack at Jun 24, 2017 11:41 PM
I was onboard for the discussion, but you lost me at the 'Biomod Oppression' tangent, so I'm just gonna peace out.
By himble at Jun 24, 2017 11:42 PM
The oppression was more from you, himble. "It's been decided, you can't do anything about it, just give up." Defeatist attitude. It's oppressive. I used to get beat up every day in school. Teachers used to tell me, just ignore them, just give up. It didn't fix the problem it only allowed the problem to continue. When I learned to stop listening to people say I can't and stood up and punched back, was the day problems started getting fixed. The biomod fans of Sindome are speaking up because they feel a rather central point of biomods has been canned. Probably someone down the line somewhere abused biomods to make this happen, but we as a community are saying we want to be able to be creative and expressive with something we are working hard to get, and do not want to feel gypped over something.
By SacredWest at Jun 24, 2017 11:47 PM
Johnny is the one that ruled on the movement of biomod'd appendages like tails and such. No one here can or will overrule him on that. End of story.

I also don't understand why this is so important to people, sexy or not. We're not a Moosex simulator.

By Cerberus at Jun 24, 2017 11:59 PM
Not that I don't agree with the points you're making SacredWest, about discussing something that a portion of the community believes should be changed, but try not to bring too much of your own personal history into the matter. Relating someone who has no desire to change the current rules to highschool bullying won't score your argument points.
By Stelpher at Jun 24, 2017 11:59 PM
Body modification is very punk, and transhumanism is very cyberpunk. If there were the option to become gene-spliced hybrids, that'd be extremely punk, spitting in the face of the sheer ultimate: your own humanity.

Buuut, that's not an option here. Bio-mods are set to a certain degree and that's that. And with the degree they are allowed to, it runs more along the lines of the upper class taking elements of the lower class they've decided are nice and gentrifying them. Instead of gauging your ears, you're changing your ears. Bonus points for it being solely owned by corporate entities. If it weren't for the staff approval involved, it feels like stuff you'd get on a bad whim at a dumb mall kiosk.

Low level transhuman biomodding like what is available should probably be more relegated to an accessory, a touch of your look rather than the whole of your identity. It's a weird consumer product. There's a ton of room to work around and make some weird, cool stuff with it. If not being able to be an anime catperson is the sticking point, that's a bummer. Be punk with it, spit in the face of convention instead of doing the same thing everyone's minds default to. People will notice creativity, and that'll be more of a status symbol anyways.

By urgentsurgeon at Jun 25, 2017 2:58 AM
You are allowed to look cute by having cat ears and a tail. Even though it is so bland and unthemely and 20th century. Sindome is set in the 21st century and revolves around Cyberpunk, it is gritty. When I think gritty I don't think furry 'seductive' felines. I think much darker. They can be present but they don't fit the theme. At all. Biomods are meant to be a way to customize your character in ways not possible or alter them in humanly ways as an already established character. It's not about functionality it's about the personality and the statement you're trying to convey. The biomods are simply a way to express that at a glance.

Your argument about it being wrong and unjust is saying that the admins have to rework and rewrite a lot of the lore, particularly revolving around the UN, and now create a main event in which biomods are somehow further developed to be allowed to be interacted with by the mind, and background plots in which the UN's decision about it can be seen and felt within Withmore. It's illegal to alter the body too much, just with cybernetics. There is rules and things in place that keep certain cybernetics from being released/R&D on the global market by mega-corporations. Why is the UN going to allow people to have functional biomodifications that don't meet their policy? This is no exception.

It's not the admins who are opressing you, it's the world government in practice. Treat it as such. I've just laid it down for those who don't understand. Let me remind you that if you want to roleplay as having those functional biomods the GM's are going to be killing some of the players characters for the sake of IC'ness. Just accept what was given the blind eye and move on. Just because it was practiced and picked up by some doesn't mean it was right.

By SmexyCucumber at Jun 25, 2017 3:53 AM
I don't have a dog in this fight at all but I'd like to voice my support for the idea that simple, non-functional emotes (eg, moving your cat ears to characterize an emotion or whatever) should be allowed. They're not granting any kind of statistical or functional bonus, they're just helping fulfill someone's dream of being a cat girl or whatever.

Does that detract from theme? Literally no more than cat biomods already do. The fact that someone can express themselves through minor emotes of those body parts is not going to be any less themely than the fact that they have those biomods to begin with. All it's really going to do is make a certain segment of the playerbase happier and more engaged with their characters, and how could that be a bad thing? Just my thoughts.

By Crooknose at Jun 25, 2017 4:53 AM
I have no dog in this fight, so I shan't state whether or not I feel biomods should be allowed to emote. Instead I am going to state my feelings on how this "debate" has panned out.

I made my first post in the forums the other day. I made it because it seemed like both sides AND staff were presenting their views then listening to one another in an effort to progress and make a GAME more FUN for everyone. That excited me and so I posted something I felt would be useful to the progression of the game.

What I have seen in this "debate" from the staff is purely an effort to shut down differing player views without a given reason as to why those views are wrong. Something similar happened at town hall when a player presented their observations and it was implied by a member of staff that they were cheating simply for making those observations. None of this makes it feel like player opinions are valued, and it makes me feel more reluctant to engage with the community.

In short, I am very disappointed to see any member of staff conducting themselves in this manner and people are less likely to bother presenting potentially useful views in the future if they feel they aren't going to at least be listened to and treated with respect.

Thank you.

By FunTimes at Jun 25, 2017 7:24 PM
Great, good for you.

Also, I made a new cybernetic called the SK Biomod Motor-Function Controller. It'll allow you to use your weird furry emotes and such with your ears and tails. Don't be caught using emotes like that without this mod.

ICly, this mod contains the additional processes and such to interface your human brain with your animal appendages, etc, etc.

No, you won't be getting anything more than this for biomod enhancement. So please don't ask.

By Cerberus at Jun 25, 2017 7:27 PM
Animal mods are boring, but that is the kind of thing that people would get IRL if this kind of thing was available. I think biomodded ears and tails should be able to move at least a little bit, just because it's kind of weird if they can't and promotes how unusual and eye-catching they are if they can. It sounds like such a little thing but a cat tail that sways when you walk is a lot cooler than a limp rope above your butt.

I think comparing this discussion to bullying and real world oppression is real silly. Claiming that tail-wagging vs not tail-wagging is a vital issue central to your character is also silly. I don't even have a tail IRL and I lead a rich, full life.

By Vera at Jun 25, 2017 7:37 PM
Whoops, didn't see Cerb's post before I made mine. Disregard.
By Vera at Jun 25, 2017 7:45 PM
I've literally said I've added a cybernetic mod to enable the movement. This conversation is so dead, please.
By Cerberus at Jun 25, 2017 7:46 PM
To add a little more clarity to Cerb's post, if you've already gotten a biomod and you would have wanted motor function for your ears or tail, etc so you can emote, you can XHELP to get this ware implanted retroactively and for free.

Note that having this sort of ability will further your character's psychological separation from the rest of humanity. Avoiding it will be a good way to preserve your humanity.

By Johnny at Jun 26, 2017 12:20 PM
I really love that the Staff did listen and did something for those players that wanted to be able to anime their biomods. I don't appreciate the ton that came along with Cerberus's revelation of this new item but I do appreciate the effort and time they took to make players happy!
By gunsalamode at Sep 24, 2017 12:24 PM
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