| From: | "J. Keith Henry" <Ereskanti@***.COM> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Surgery costs |
| Date: | Fri, 4 Jul 1997 12:56:54 -0400 |
Sailer) writes:
>
> > Still, 50 times the normal price would make alpha grade
> > drastic invasive surgery still cost 12.5 million, which is a bit much
> > IMHO.
> >
> > --
> > Gurth
>
> Compare the surgery cost with the cost of the implants... even if you
> get alpha-wired reflexes, the surgery costs about 20 times as much as
> the implant... and that's the point I do not understand.
Let me try and help out Simon, please note, I said try...
It has been indicated in the Shadowtech and Cybertechnology sourcebooks that
cyber-implant surgery requires some incredibly impressive technology -AND-
magic.
On the Tech side of things, not only are the reuirements including sterile
wraps, bandages, tools and site, but they are also requiring sub-cellular
implant work, which includes nanites (not Star Trek things, but neat
none-the-less) and probably viral rna/dna/mna (mycorybonucleic) protein
compatibility controllers.
On the Magic side, especially with the heavier stuff, you are looking at
monitoring the aura and body-to-mind interaction scale. Even if the subject
is drugged up, his body and mind are very much at work, even if it is at the
subconscious level. Being able to monitor and even control (never thought
about Control Actions or Control Thoughts this way?) to assist the
physician's job by having the body perform some VERY strange, non-normal,
actions. How about, stop/alter bio-electrical pathways to the lower right
ulnary nerve, that way when the new Wired Reflex Implant goes in to that
region, it doesn't automatically create an autoresponse (read as reflex
action) which could disrupt the surgery or tear off the physicians head.
Standard Cyberware (and Bioware) implant work is not reliant upon these extra
measures as much, such is -part- of the reason that the essence loss is so
drastic. Alpha, Beta, and Gamma (and whatever comes next, in the games here,
it was Delta and Theta) class cyberware also includes the ability to implant
same said hardware. That means more initially delicate neurofibril
connections, more broad spectral compatibility requirements and technicians
with higher degrees of understanding (which are usually rarer).
And as for a magician with that scale of knowledge, well, I admit that in the
games here, it is very common for the PC's to aquire newer skills themselves
(the ultimate rarity, the cyberdoc is a PC)...but a magician who actually
goes into the medical field is a real rarity...most are security types or
detective types, health magic is more off-the-side, and usually harder drain
for the really good/desired stuff.
But those are just part of it, sorry if I lost you in any of it.
-Keith
