Atrophic Earth (Discussion, Story and Lore)

[98714123340]

Atrophic Earth takes place over a span of about 500 years. The events that unfold are open to writers and artists all over to tell a story. Remember to tell the date your part of the story takes place so it can be put on a timeline. In order to keep things consistent and for my own power tripping purposes. I have the power to declare something canon.

The entire idea behind canon is to ensure a level of quality and consistency. Additionally in a setting where the stories are told across a vast space of time. It is important that continuity is maintained. People in 2090 will not know about what happens on December 16 2162, Nor would we see Homo-Herbivora walking around in the Robotic Golden Age. However this does not mean you are not free to write a story that throws continuity out the window. Just don't expect it to be flagged as canon.

Another method that something can be considered canon is partial reference. Some elements of your story maybe taken, sometimes out of context and added as a canon element. That authors can use in their own story.

The methods that you use to tell your story in this setting is entirely up to you. A Novel, Short stories, a comic or even a Forum Adventure. You could even draw a picture or concept a scene, And there is also the prospect of music. Yes even music can be flagged as canon. Though music would probably be more likely to become a canon element considering the nature that music is used in.

If you want your story to be considered for canon, the best way would be to post here with a link or send me a pm.

Titles are different from the setting title. You are free to call your story whatever you like. Though not required, it is preferable to add the tag [Atrophic Earth] to the forum thread to make searches easy.

Timeline

show spoiler

hide spoiler

Late 2090's
Research into artificial sentience has proved successful. To prevent robots overthrowing mankind, incompatibility with binary technology is integrated into it's core architecture. As well as some dependencies.

2113
Robots Enslave the Earth, and robotic leaders campaign for democratic candidacy that humans can vote for.

2122-2158 (Robotic Golden Age)
Robotic leadership brings a golden age for human and robot kind. Many advances in science has been produced.

December 16 2162. (The Great Famine)
Most robots leave for interplanetary conquest abandoning earth and taking most of it's valuable resources with them.
The Robots that remain experience true independence for the first time without their central intelligence core. They begin developing new civilizations. Though not as powerful or organized as before.

2164
Humans genetically engineer a new breed of humans more suited for the scarred land. Designed to be Vegetarian and never growing taller than 3 feet tall. This was to ensure low energy requirements.

2217
The first historically recorded sightings of Homo-Atrophos.

2488
The last Homo-Sapien on earth dies, their successors: Homo-Atrophos and Homo-Herbivora live on.

Canon Elements

show spoiler

hide spoiler

Species:
Homo-Atrophos "Ill-Nourished Man" 2217
The incredibly obese had an advantage over their leaner counterparts in that they had a lot of energy reserved and were able to last longer when food got really scarce. The offspring were more and more capable of storing fat and their cardiovascular system is enlarged to enable long endurance when incredibly fat. The brain has regressed in order to take less energy. They roam the lands in tribes, and hibernate in the winter.
___________________

Homo-Herbivora "Plant Eater Man" 2164
Adults are at average 3 feet tall. Rarely ever being 3.1". They have maintained knowledge of technology and history throughout their passing generations. Primarily using binary processing cores to ensure incompatibility with Robotic Civilizations. They eat a strict vegetarian diet due to the genetic modification of it's ancestors. As such their bodies has adjusted for such a diet. Having a strong large jaw to help chew tough plants. As with all Man, they can have a tendency for territorial and violent behaviors. They have long feuded with Robot Civilizations and Homo-Atrophos

Robotic Model:


Scout Drone 2113
Small and powered by the sun. It uses fan propulsion to maneuver. It was used in the Robotic Golden age to monitor humans and lower class robots for disorderly conduct. Though equipped with radar, microphone and a camera. They are harmless on it's own.
Their intelligence is low and are often kept as pets by the Homo-Herbivora.
___________________


General Operations and Manufacturing Unit "Go Man" 2126

The human body proved to be a excellent base for general purpose operations and use of tools. Nicknamed "Go Man" they were marketed during the Robotic Golden Age for various repetitive tasks or heavy lifting. They are powered by batteries and often go to recharge stations to hangout. Their intelligence is average human in comparison and are standardized as 5 feet tall. Go Men are the most populous robot remaining once most of the robots left earth.

Go Man's arms and legs can be detached and replaced. You can find some specialized limbs for jobs that require it.

Plot Objects:

Centralized Intelligence Core
A centralized processor and databank where sentient robots can interface with to ask questions and receive orders. It contains a staggering large amount of encyclopedic knowledge and a ever evolving rules and guidelines. Most robots depended on it for basic function and never learned how to act without it.

Colour Coding
During the Robotic Golden Age. Most robots that interacted with humans were colour coded to help understand which robot specialized at what task. Since most robots can excel in multiple jobs, the colour coding was necessary to keep track of which robot was experienced in.

Warm Colours are Industrial Jobs and Cool Colours are Civil Jobs.




Green is a oddity of the color coding system in that it is often found in both industrial and civil locations tending to buildings and machinery ensuring everything is working and hygienic.

Military Robots do not have the same colour coding system. At most you would see camouflage.

Cache
The term used for sentient robot memory. Most robots that come out of a manufacturing facility. usually come with preallocated memories to help with basic function. These usually involve basic everyday things such as body operations like speech, sight, and walking; A extensive dictionary and self preservation. More advanced functions usually are accessed from the central intelligence core. Otherwise it would have to be learned manually.

Plantlife:

Animals:

Answered Questions:
Q: Is there faster than light travel?
A: No but the robots spaceships are very fast and Numerous.
They took quite a lot with them, including humans.

Q: Is there aliens?
A: Yes but not on Earth. It is not much of a conquest without something to conquer.

Q: Do Robots Feel Emotion?
A: Quick answer is no. Though there is a similar effect for some things. If their intelligence level is high enough they can experience things like frustration and stress. Additionally interacting with humans who do experience emotion can help them learn the appropriate emulation of emotion, but that is akin to acting.

Behaviors which can trigger similar responses to emotion:
Frustration
Stress
Confusion
Trust
Danger
Safety
Self Preservation

Q: Do Robots have Personalities?
A: It depends greatly on the intelligence level but yes robots can and will develop personalities. It depends greatly on how much independence they have and how much they experience.

Q: What is life like for a adult human in the Golden Age?
A: If that human happens to be disabled or overly obese. They would be supplied a Go-Man Butler. Additionally Go-Man Butler's are supplied to trouble cases to keep an eye on. If that adult human is able, they are required to have a job, they can choose the job but if they can't find one; then a job is provided for them. If they break the law then they are deported to work off their sentence at a mine.
Vaccines are mandatory. Other then that it's business as usual and they are free to do pretty much anything they want.

Laws are not unreasonable and largely based on already existing laws of the time.

Stories:

show spoiler

hide spoiler

Canon Pending

Morphimus

11th of April, 2163

Canon Contributors

show spoiler

hide spoiler

Morphimus

• Plot Object: Cache

[Morphimus]

This seems like quite the interesting concept. I very much like the idea of a collaborative series of fictional stories/comics/images/music/etc written by multiple authors connected by way of an over arching timeline. If I could be a part of this, I think I would appreciate the experience greatly. What I mean to say is, I do believe I would enjoy creating a forum adventure based around this concept. That is, if you would permit me to do so.

[98714123340]

You do not have to ask permission. But I appreciate that you did anyways.

(In case I wasn't clear yes I permit you to!)

[Morphimus]

Thank you Mr. Numbers (I apologize if that is an incorrect pronunciation of your name).
I think I will make an adventure about young inexperienced robots trying to survive during the time of the great famine. Sometime between 2162 and 2164 is the time period I would prefer for this story.
One immediate issue I find with this is that I do not know what I should call it? Perhaps something along the lines of "Times of Famine [Atrophic Earth]".
If you have any input regarding this, please do not hesitate to tell me.

[98714123340]

It is in fact the accurate pronunciation.

I am about to state something really obvious, sorry about that. Young and inexperienced robots are still the same size as experienced ones. They don't grow in size since, well they are inorganic.

I haven't thought about tags yet, though [Atrophic Earth] Should suffice.

[Morphimus]

I thank you for your input, Mr. Numbers.
I would like to inform you that I often use whatever silly thing the readers post first. If you think that might be a problem or detriment to the story building process I may alter that behavior.
As for the title it is still up for discussion and I have yet to reach a consensus about what this title may be.

I am about to state something really obvious, sorry about that. Young and inexperienced robots are still the same size as experienced ones. They don't grow in size since, well they are inorganic.

Yes of course they would not change in size at any point in their lives. I understand that. Robots remain the same size and shape unless modified by an outside force.(I think that is one of the primary laws of physics?)

Note of almost no importance to thread: I do not often speak/type so verbosely or in such moderately sized paragraphs but your avatar promotes in me the desire to be civilized and proper in manners and forms related to speech and communication. It is quite an interesting feeling.

Side note: Would you like to continue the conversation on Pesterchum? If so my chumhandle is sulfurateSynteresis. Feel free to contact me whenever you please.

[98714123340]

Eventually I am going to hit a brick wall with a limit of some kind. Be it images or text. (probably images)

So I am building a website to put all of this information! I am still working through some design decisions but it is never too early for feedback!


Click to view the page.

[xooxu]

Are there any requirements that you would like in order to be cannon? Like mode of story telling? It seems pretty lax.

[98714123340]

The primary necessary goal for it to be considered canon is for the events to be plausible and the already established canon elements and timeline is respected. Other then that, yes it is pretty lax!

There is also an appeal factor, I might not like something but if enough people like it and it fits in the above prerequisites I will probably flag it as canon.

As for method of story telling that is entirely up to you. Some examples are in this quote but you are not limited to them.

The methods that you use to tell your story in this setting is entirely up to you. A Novel, Short stories, a comic or even a Forum Adventure. You could even draw a picture or concept a scene, And there is also the prospect of music. Yes even music can be flagged as canon. Though music would probably be more likely to become a canon element considering the nature that music is used in.