Build A Bot

[Deleted]

So, as we're all very, very aware, Cybertronian anatomy isn't a clear cut business. Everyone has their own interpretation of it and I thought it might help if we had a thread where we could sorta ask, discuss and build the limits of what Cybertronians are capable of in the game.

Like for instance, right now in Shut Up and Drive, Krax has been very generous to me and set up the scene in near darkness. Which is all well and good and convenient for Zoom-Zoom to avoid an aft-whooping but I'm just wondering that surely Cybertronians have night vision which renders all that moot (I should probably learn to not look the gift horse in the mouth but the question won't stop bothering me). I mean, I can't think of a reason why their vision would be limited to the same wavelengths of light that a human would be.

My knowledge of how light works is mostly high school physics, so if anyone who knows more could come up with a counter-argument, I'd love to hear it.

[Flatline]

I SO started up a big word document on anatomy and stuff for me to reference while I am doing surgeries or other nonsense so I could actually lie and sound like I know what I am doing. I was planning to finish it before posting for input, but this seems like a good as time as any to get this ball rolling!

FOREWARNING This is a MASIVE post of my ramblings and contemplations.

In regards to the eye thing, perhaps not all Cybertronians were created with night vision being an option. Sure, it can be done, it is a piece of tech that is able to be installed or made. But just like how the cameras you can buy at the store don't have night vision ((or if they do its super shitty)) than they may not be sparked/formed with that an option depending on their job.

Megatron may have it, since he WAS a worker in the mines, a very dark place. Paying and outfitting lights down in such an area could be seen as a waste of time and funds when they could just craft the miners with that capability. Though in contrast! It could also be cheaper than the technology to upgrade the eyes to that new wavelength or form them with it to begin with.

The Night Vision could be seen as a luxury, or even just novelty. Installing it is probably a MASIVE pain in the ass, due to how many tiny connectors there are. There is also the fact that the eyes are a sort of organic thing, and can't be replaced without a donor? I mean, they could not just input a camera into Breakdown's socket and call it all good and dandy, otherwise I am sure they would have tried? In order to give their warrior proper depth perception again?

Just my thoughts.

WARNING
Everything below this line was my pre-made Medic Database I was throwing together. This is all nonsense made up by me, or referenced from the Glossary or some documents and videos I read on engines and such. I would love input, or ideas or anything to make it better.
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PROTOFORM: SKELETAL/ENDO-STRUCTURE
The most basic of internal functions and support structures. This creates the framed shell in which all other mechanics will go overtop, only to then be protected by the outer plating. This structure tends to be rather sturdy and reinforced well with triangular shapes to easily support the frame applied to it. The amount of triangular reinforces depends on the frame type, very few for small two wheelers, while a tank would be riddled with a multi posted form.

• Post: Or rather a 'long bone'. The posts are the straight solid metal beams that collect between joints and flexible spots. They are extremely sturdy, and structurally sound, not prone to breaking under typical pressure and movement duress.
  
  
• Back Strut: Or 'Dorsal Column' This is the primary flexible post that runs up a bot's back. It is the central column in which all limbs attach, and where the Neural-Circuitry will run. The joints of each disk lock together securely, protrusions looping under one another so that to break or rip this post apart, would require the actual metal to be demolished or loops cut off.
  
  
• Helm: This refers to the skull plating that claps over the delicate sensors below. It is very thick, and often reinforced further on warrior class bots to create a difficult to penetrate barrier.
  
  
• Hinges: From Prismatic, to Cylindrical, to Planar, Reduced Slot, Ball, and Slot, Saddle, Ellipsoid, Pivot, the sheer variety of types is boggling all on its own, but the purpose is always the same. A point in which motion occurs between two Posts that restricts motion from taking breaking angles, but permits flexibility within reasonable parameters.
  
  
• Terms:
  -Servos (Hands/Limbs)
  -Pedes (Feet)
  -Rotator Cuff (Shoulder)

/////// - SKIN/DERMAL LAYER
[Work In Progress]

/////// - ARMOR
[Work In Progress]

HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS - MUSCULAR SYSTEMS
Piston rods compress round shaped disk panels inside of cylinders that are filled with oil. The oil is contained in independent systems to move and activate each individual joint. Damaging one does not interfere with pressure in all the others, but a leak will not recover on its own.

• Piston Rod: Solid metal posts that are the moving part of the Hydraulics. The post pushing out, or contracting to pull body parts among hinged joint lines.
  
  
• Piston: Heavy cylinder with thick rubber rings that is inside the Cylinder Barrel and screws onto the end of the Piston Rod. This part is the seal that the oil presses against, moving the rod back and forth.
  
  
• Cylinder Head: The opening where the rod inserts. Has rubber rings to seal the rod within, and a thick wiper ring that removes dirt from the piston rod and keeps contaminants from the internal function.
  
  
• Cylinder Barrel: The sturdy tube that houses the oil and internal functions.
  
  
• Hydraulic Grade Oil: Translucent golden yellow. The fluid is specially formulated to work under pressure, and should only be used in hydraulics.
  

NEURAL-CIRCUITRY - SENSORY RECEPTORS AND NERVES
Branching across the entire body is a webwork of thin cables and lines that attach to other systems via small patches of metal. These are what feed pain and injuries to the primary processor, as well as basic sensory experiences such as tactile touch.

--

Neural Cables: Thin and easy to damage, but plentiful in quantity, these cables branch across the entire frame, multiples attaching to the same objectives and parts to keep updates accurate and constant. All cables feed back towards the Back Strut where they collect and run directly towards the Neural-Net.

Because this is a Bio-Mechanical system, they can recover and repair on their own unless damage is overly severe. Severing the cables within the Back Strut can completely disable large portions of a mech's body, the damage sometimes irreversible due to the sheer quantity of near invisible cables needed to be replaced or reconnected.


Neural Patches: Tiny clusters of bio-mechanical parts that attach to other components and internal organs. Each one records readings directly from the organ or mesh panel, and feed it back to the primary processor via the cables.

• Sensory Pads: Dense clusters of Neural Patches that collect across the entire framework of the hands or notable portions requiring tactile receptiveness. When referring to the extremity, it is akin to a human's fingertips where tactile response is much more refined.
  
  
• Dermalsensors: Similar to the Sensory Pads, but spread out much more scarcely, these tactile data sensors attach to the outer plating and armor. If pain becomes too severe, it can temporarily fizzle out and overload the devices. If pain goes across a line, personal firewalls can be placed to try to protect one's own mind from the agony.

--

Auditory: These connect to the Audios deep in the ear finial just as one would expect. It is a rather self explanatory part, with a mesh of gold coated plastic acting as an ear drum.

• Terms:
  -Audio Sensors / Audio Relays / Audio Receptors
  -Backplate
  -Plastic Membrane
  -Electrical Lead

Optic: Very delicate and almost impossible to replicate without a donor, these lines are thick clusters of squared off cables that lead from the Optic orb back into the Neural Net. Each cable is protected with a thick layer of dense rubber, as if even the smallest of cable is cut within, it can completely impede visual accuracy and capabilities.

• Terms:
  -Aspherical Lens
  -Focus Ring
  -Shutter
  -Image Sensor
  -Micrometer Order Circuits

Olfactory: Rather self explanatory. The lines that run from the olfactory receptors to bring back smells.

[Work In Progress]



TEMPERATURE REGULATOR - 'RESPIRATORY' SYSTEM
Cybertronians do not breathe in terms of what humans would recognize, and rather have an internal structure for cooling processors and organs.

All of their internal organs that generate heat, have water filled pipelines that run alongside them in order to flow and leach off excess temperatures. This fluid runs up the frame and continuously cycles through a centralized tank located high in the torso cavity. The Radiator holds multiple dispersing fins and fans, where fresh air can be pulled in through the mouth to force the heated air from the external vents. To block off the vents, or be in the vacuum of space or underwater with no matter to push through the system, will not kill a bot. However if they are put in strenuous fighting or activities too long? It can cause internal overheating which can have secondary consequences variable to which organ is affected most.

• Coolant/Antifreeze: The 'life blood' of the temperature regulator. This almost radioactive green looking chemical has a high thermal capacity, and low viscosity, permitting it to distribute temperatures for the most efficient expulsion of heat. It can be other colors, though whatever it is it always tends to be vibrant and overly neon.
  
  
• Thermostat: A small device that attaches to a Neural Patch to inform the processor how well this internal radiator is doing.
  
  
• Terms:
  -Cycle Vents
  [Work In Progress]

/////// - Digestion/Consumption
[Work In Progress]


/////// - Brain
[Work In Progress]

[Deleted]

Excellent post, Zercon! Thanks!

I reckon they can see pretty widely across the spectrum - limitations to their 'eye sight' is usually just for the sake of plot/suspense. Darkness in our thread was purely for atmosphere - you can take it either way. It's usually been the case that if we want to restrict a character's abilities for the purpose of plot, that it should be linked to what resources they've had access to. Theoretically, all mechs could be medics or engineers as they can all upload the same knowledge into their processors and hook up the same equipment. In all canons, though, this is not the case, and some medics are more 'gifted' than others. There are specialisms that make them uniquely individual.

Megatron will have good low-light vision from his time as a miner, and sensors related to penetrating rock and reading minute differences in composition that could indicate energon crystals. He won't have vision on a par with Bluestreak and Roulette for targeting, though (hard to miss with that effing big cannon, so he gets by).

For the sake of our thread, House, I think that Zoom-Zoom could just be that good at blending into his environment (matte nanites that scatter light) and have excellent control over his EM field (if he pulls it in to his mesh, dampens the sounds of his systems/holds his breath) which could make him effectively invisible.

We have an RP Wiki here: tfp-rp-wiki.tiddlyspace.com/ that has a section on anatomy. It's rather misplaced in the sidebar (under Setting rather than Links), but it covers the basics.

Personally, I love this rather technical break-down by Alexandra Spar on FF.net: www.fanfiction.net/s/2078720/1/Cybernetic-Physiology-and-Internal-Medicine. Handy for anyone writing medics (or TF/House crossover fics *coughs*)

Ultimately, though, it's science fiction and giant alien robots. So long as you aren't taking the piss with it, roll with what works for your character.

[Deleted]

Nice, Zercon! That's a very useful post.

I imagine most mechs come with a standard functioning but their expertise starts to define their frame types. Like Megatron, again because he's Mister Example for this thread, was a miner but he was also a gladiator. Compared to say Ratchet, who was neither of which. Their frames are similar but really start to show a wide range of difference in the smaller details. Ratchet probably has sensors the likes of which Megatron wouldn't even dream of. But Ratchet is a medic and has to have those to monitor his patients. Likewise, Megatron has strength surpassing nearly everyone. So he probably has ridiculous hydraulics in his shoulders.

For Roulette, she's more oriented toward targeting and reflexes. Her targeting program is ridiculously complex and is amped up into the motor control department. That's how she can draw and react so fast with her weaponry. So I've always thought that her vision is pretty excellent and she's likely got more than just a few standard modes to see in because a sharpshooter who can't see in low lighting would be a very poor sharpshooter.

TL:DR Rambling about how expertise shapes the body, so to speak.

[Flatline]

All the rambling!

Anyway I agree fully Rumi.

Each frame type I feel would have specific things that they are initially built for, and likely 'after market' additional crap once they get more specialized. Since we are picking on Megatron, I'd think his sort of frame would be a standard worker protoform with the powerful hydraulics and reinforced joints with a lot of struts for support. The nitpicky stuff that would aid him specifically as a miner would be slapped on overtop this. Then after he was awake and 'alive' the gladiator stuff, the armor and knowledge, would come into play.

People can change things about themselves, try to reinforce stuff, alter appendages ((like Flatline's lil runty arms)) and other nonsense to enhance and add on, but that base protoform and parameters would always be rather dominant? Can't really upgrade a tiny little scientist bot to say... huge wrecker I would think, but one who was a dancer before the war, would have the coordination skills to transfer into a fighter. So such sideways steps with correlating parameters, or making a brute stronger, or a medic's hands even more steady, or a scouts movements quicker, is just specialized upgrades.

This could also be why brutes and warriors couldn't just download the information on how to be a medic. Sure, they may know WHAT to do, but perhaps their actual bodies can't make the motions needed. Hands not built to delicately move small increments at a time. Minds not programmed to handle multiple calculations at once ((Which would be needed if a patient was hemorrhaging blood from a garish injury)). This could swing the other way too, like, I am sure Flatline would friggen FAIL if he got hold of Roulette's sniper. Sure he has the steady hands, he has the ability to move tiny increments to aim. Physically? He could hold it and manage the feat. HOWEVER channeling the processor into calculating trajectory and weather elements along with general aiming that he isn't accustomed to? His mind never having a need to even touch such parameters? Makes them foreign concepts that even if he knew how to do it? Does not mean that his processor CAN manage it to any skill level above 'lawl'.

[Deleted]

This site on obscure Transformers also has a list of some Cybertronian and human tech:

s90690880.onlinehome.us/jhiaxus/pages/technology.htm

We could probably work this somehow into the RP; there's stuff there that could count as upgrades or built-in functions.

[Deleted]

House has a lot of rambling thoughts due to House's tendency to mix and match her continuities into a smooth blend that satisfies her. Also, she thinks waaaay too much about these things in general and likes to world build. Regarding frames and frame specializations, I'm pretty much onboard with most that's been said.

However, I juuuust wanted to expand my thoughts on the whole night vision thing, which I should have given first up so you could rip it apart and tell me where I'm completely off my mark but I hadn't gotten all my thoughts together at the time of the initial post.

Onwards to world-building with House!

Firstly, regarding their vision in general. From my tf-wiki-fu (from y'all know I'm quite adept at) I can't really find a mention of a star that Cybertron orbits around. Its got a few moons, around to 3-4 depending on which continuity but, generally speaking, there's no star it actually orbits around. In some continuities, Cybertron is actually drifting across the universe. The Aligned continuity, which is the sandbox we're currently playing, Cybertron has 3 orbiting bodies, two moons and an asteroid belt. No sun.

So the point I actually want to get across here is that even if Cybertron orbited a star, its wouldn't even necessarily be in the same distance Earth is from our sun or even the same type of star for Cybertron to get the same spectrum of light that Earth does. As Cybertron doesn't have a sun, Cybertronians logically should be pretty well-adjusted to low light conditions (come on, it should be no-light conditions, really. It'd be like night time permanently on Cybertron with just the starlight from distant stars to light up the sky). Sure, all of Cybertron has been cyberformed so modern Cybertronians wouldn't have as much need for it but given that energon shortages is just about synonymous with Cybertron in just about every continuity, I'd say the need for low-light vision never goes away. The whole massive cities thing is also something to consider. In every depiction of Cybertron, its cities built in layers that go deep into the planet. Lighting up all of that is a huge use of energy, so for mechs that live deeper in the planet, I'd see it as being a default thing in-built in their frames and maybe less important to the mechs up top.

Anyway. Ignoring all of that, I'd argue against night-vision being too expensive an upgrade for several reasons. Subspace and the ability to transform I'd say are much, much more complicated technology but appear to be a universal modification that every frame is installed with. Secondly, the fact that they've been at war for as long as they have, for your basic grunt to not be able to see in the dark….just seems implausible. War creates huge pushes in scientific research, you don't have to look far back in human history to see that. If Cybertronians ever had a problem with night-vision, it would have been one of the first things to go in the war.

Add to the whole robots in disguise motif that permeates every part of their culture. This ties back into being able to see in a much broader spectrum of light that humans do, which actually was my initial question. They adapt to planets that they land on and not every one of those is going to be conveniently sitting next to a star the same size as ours or the same distance away. Being able to see in a much larger range of wavelengths would be part and parcel to being RiD.


TL:DR: House can't think of a reason for night-vision not to be a standard thing for every giant alien robot to have. Also, she puts way too much thought into these things and should have moved on from this thing already. Debate.