- Transhuman Space
Infobox RPG
title= Transhuman Space
caption = "Transhuman Space" core rulebook cover
designer=David L. Pulver
publisher=Steve Jackson Games
date= 2002
genre=Science fiction
system=GURPS "(3rd edition)"
footnotes= Part of the "Powered by GURPS" line
*"Transhuman Space" is a
role-playing game published bySteve Jackson Games as parts of the "Powered by "GURPS " ("Generic Universal Role-Playing System") line. Set in the year 2100, humanity has begun to colonize theSolar System . The pursuit oftranshumanism is now in full swing, as more and more people struggle to reach a fully posthuman state."Transhuman Space" was one of the first role-playing games to tackle
postcyberpunk and transhumanist themes.Fact|date=June 2008 In 2002, the "Transhuman Space" adventure "Orbital Decay" received an Origins Award nomination for Best Role-Playing Game Adventure. "Transhuman Space" won the 2003 Grog d'Or Award for "Best Role-playing Game, Game Line or RPG Setting". [cite web
url=http://www.gamingreport.com/article.php?sid=8399|title=Transhuman Space wins Grog d'Or 2003|publisher=GamingReport.com [http://www.gamingreport.com/] |accessdate=2007-09-05]etting
The game assumes that no cataclysm — natural or human-induced — swept
Earth in the 21st century. Instead, constant developments ininformation technology ,genetic engineering ,nanotechnology andnuclear physics generally improved condition of the average human life. Plagues of the 20th century (likecancer orAIDS ) have been suppressed, theozone layer is being restored and Earth'secosystem s are recovering (although thermal emission byfusion power plant poses an environmental threat—albeit a much lesser one than previous sources of energy). Thanks to modern medicine humans live biblical timespans surrounded by various artificially intelligent helper applications androbot s (cybershells), sensory experience broadcasts (future TV) andcyberspace telepresence . Thanks to cheap and clean fusion energy humanity has power to fuel all these wonders, restore and transform its home planet and finally settle on other heavenly bodies.Human
genetic engineering has advanced to the point that anyone--single individuals, same-sex couples, groups of three or more--can reproduce. The embryos can be allowed to be developed naturally, or they can undergo three levels of tinkering: "genefixing", which corrects defects; "upgrades", which boost natural abilities (Ishtar Upgrades are slightly more attractive than usual, Metanoia Upgrades are more intelligent, etc.); and full transition to "parahuman" status (Nyx Parahumans only need a few hours of sleep per week, Aquamorphs can live underwater, etc.) Another type ofhuman genetic engineering , far more controversial, is the creation ofbioroid s, fully sentient slave races.Critically wounded (or completely healthy) persons can "upload" by recording the contents of his/her brain on a computer disk. The individual then become a "ghost", aninfomorph very easily confused with "sapientartificial intelligence ". However, this technology has several problems as the solely available "brainpeeling" technique is fatal to the original person, has a significant failure rate and the philosophical questions regarding personal identity remain equivocal. Any informorph, regardless of its origin, can be plugged into a "cybershell", or a biological body, or "bioshell". Or, the individual can illegally make multiple "xoxes", or copies of themselves, and scatter them throughout the system, exponentially increasing the odds that at least one of them will live for centuries more, if not forever.This is also a time of
space colonization. First, humanity (namely China, followed by the USA and others) colonized Mars in a fashion resembling that outlined in theMars Direct project. TheMoon ,Lagrangian point s,inner planet s andasteroid s soon followed. In the late 21st century even some of Saturn's moons have been settled as a base for that planet'sHelium-3 scooping operations.This is noutopia , however, as several problems arise from these otherwise beneficial developments. TheGeneration gap has become a chasm as lifespans increase. No longer do the elite fear death, and no longer can the young hope to replace them. While it seemed that outworld colonies would offer accommodation and work for those young ones, they are being replaced by genetically tailored bioroids and AI-powered cybershells. The concept of "humanity" is no longer clear in a world where even some animals speak of their rights and the dead haunt both cyberspace and reality (in form of informorph-controlled bioshells or cybershells).And the wonders of high science aren't universally shared — some countries merely struggle with informatization while others suffer from nanoplagues, defective drugs, implants and software tested on their populace. In some poor countries high-tech
tyrant s oppress their backward people. And in outer space all sort of moderncrime thrives, barely suppressed by military forces.ee also
*
Hard science fiction
*Orion's Arm References
*Review in Vol. 20, No. 1 of [http://www.lfs.org/indices.htm "Prometheus"] , the journal of the [http://www.lfs.org/ Libertarian Futurist Society] .
External links
* [http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/transhuman/ "Transhuman Space"] Official web site
* [http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_7744.html Review of "Transhuman Space"] atRPGnet
* [http://blog.empyree.org/?2005/06/15/1494-feedback-from-transhuman-space Feedback from "Transhuman Space"] Some thoughts about the book, with reactions from David Pulver
* [http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/transhumanspace/ "Old" Yahoo! Mailing-list (still active)]
* [http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/transhuman_space/ "New" Yahoo! Mailing-list]
* [http://www.roliste.com/grogdor2003.jsp/ 2003 Grog d'Or Announcement]
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