Components

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Components (Current x5, cannot be raised above science or engineering.

General systems information:  Components don't really do much on their own, and in fact, Hugo can't even use them without being first obtaining an aspect path. Aspect recipes will require various components that can be purchased once you have ranked the path up to the corresponding level. Purchasing more powerful components will allow Hugo to create more powerful items.

The items created with these components and the recipes from the aspect paths can be very powerful, and can usually be freely traded away.

Building components requires an XP expenditure or a study point expenditure. Study points used to build components need not be paired with normal XP expenditures.

Rank 1: 

Optimized Spring ï¿½ utilizing elastic potential energy, this spring is designed to generate a large amount of kinetic force in short order. After its stored energy is used up, it must be rewound by hand (or with another machine). The optimized spring is super-efficient, unlike its more mundane counterpart, and is actually capable of producing a respectable amount of energy.

Cost: One XP buys 10 small springs, 4 medium springs, or one large spring. Size: small springs are 2 lbs each, medium springs are 15 lbs each, and large springs are 200 lbs. Use: Simple power source, useful for variable energy expenditures, and must be rewound after each use. Small springs take 5 rounds to wind, medium springs take 10 turns to rewind, and large springs take 50 turns and a special apparatus.

NOBLE gas -NOBLE gas is a chemical compound that is super-light (far lighter than air), and very inert. It is non-flammable, non-reactive, and also acts as an insulator.

Cost: One XP buys 30,000 cubic meters of gas Size: variable, but bought in 30,000 cubic meter chunks Use: To fill airships, insulation, pneumatics

NOEBL gas ï¿½ NOEBL gas is a chemical compound that is Super-heavy (heavier than steel) and very intert. It is non-flammable, non-reactive, and acts as an insulator. A special property of this gas is that it actually reduces in mass as it increases in density, allowing large quantities of it to be stored in pressurized canisters fairly easily.

Cost: One XP buys 10,000 Cubit meters of gas Size: Variable, but bought in 10,000 cubic meter chunks. Very, very heavy Use: Counterweights, insulation, shock absorption, pneumatics, ballistics

Overload Switch ï¿½ The overload switch is a very basic power-converter unit and apparatus that allows the full, efficient discharge of an energy source. When paired with an energy source and activated, it will result (usually) in a large explosion.

Cost: One xp buys 10 overload switches Size: golf-ball Use: When paired with items with energy sources, allows a self-destruct capability.

Field Becker Coil ï¿½ The Becker Coil is a fundamental improvement over the tried and true Tesla coil. These coils use a physics property not unlike the Bernoulli principle to amplify energy output to a respectable level. This particular model deals with energy fields

Cost: One xp buys 5 mini coils, 3 small coils, 2 medium coils, 1 large coil, or ï¿½ massive coil Size: mini coils are 1 lb, small coils are 10 lbs, medium coils are 50 lbs, large coils are 200 lbs, and massive coils are 1 ton. Use: energy field manipulation and creation.

Rigorine fiber Rigorine fiber is a highly optimized carbon compound that can be layered over items to protect them. It is either a chalky gray or a bright brass color in its native form, but can be painted any color desired.

Cost: 1 XP buys 500 square meters. Size: Weighs 1 lbs per square meter. Use: armor plating.

Rank 2:

Thermal Sink ï¿½ the Thermal Sink is a hyper-efficient heatsink. Its uses are limited, but sometimes it is very useful.

Cost: One xp buys 10 small sinks, 5 medium sinks, or 1 large sink. Size: small sinks are golf-ball sized, medium sinks are computer tower sized (and weigh 20 lbs), and large sinks are car sized and weigh a ton. Use: reducing and harnessing heat energy.

Super-Violet Focus Crystal ï¿½ A fundamental improvement on the concept of a normal focus crystal, these tough crystals are used as lenses to focus light in particular ways. When focused into a laser, this high-wavelength crystal produces a violet or ultraviolet light.

Cost: One xp buys 8 small crystals, 3 medium crystals, or one large crystal Size: Small crystals are golf-ball sized, medium crystals are baseball sized, and large crystals are beach-ball sized. Use: Focusing light. Binoculars, microscopes, lasers.

Frictionless Gel ï¿½ This super-lube is really useful to have around when you're working with mechanical parts. A little bit goes a loong way, and it's super difficult to wash off, so be careful with it. Although it's not actually frictionless, it does produce less friction than traditional lube by a wide margin.

Cost: 1 xp buys 500 cubic meters of frictionless Gel Size: varies, but bought in 500 cubic meter chunks Use: mechanical friction reducer, increases efficiency.

Displacer Wing - Using the second law of thermodynamics, and newton's second law of motion, this displacer wing is highly efficient, and produces many times the lift of a traditional wing. Can also be adapted into a propeller for air or water-faring ships.

Cost: 1 xp buys 20 Displacer Wings Size: each wing is between .1-10 feet long. 3 wings make a ship propeller, 5 wings make an air propeller Use: Aeronautics, lift generation, propulsion, steering

Receptor ï¿½ This device measures any number of conditions and orginizes the data into mechanical force.

Cost: 1 XP buys 6 receptors in any mix (visual, auditory, pressure, thermal, chemical, electromagnetic) Size: ping-pong Ball Use: Gathering and orginizing data. Sense extension or granting. Restrictions: Visual receptors must be paired with small super-violet crystals. auditory receptors must be paired with sonic system. Electromagnetic sensors must be paired with micro field becker coil.

Focused Becker Coil - The Becker Coil is a fundamental improvement over the tried and true Tesla coil. These coils use a physics property not unlike the Bernoulli principle to amplify energy output to a respectable level. This particular model deals with focusing energy into particular vectors.

Cost: One xp buys 5 mini coils, 3 small coils, 2 medium coils, 1 large coil, or ï¿½ massive coil Size: mini coils are 1 lb, small coils are 10 lbs, medium coils are 50 lbs, large coils are 200 lbs, and massive coils are 1 ton. Use: energy beam manipulation and creation. Lightning guns.

Rank 3: 

NOBEL gas ï¿½ NOBEL gas is a super-light but highly reactive gas. It must be stored in a special container while it is being transported.

Cost: One xp buys 5000 cubic meters of NOBEL gas Size: varies, but bought in 5000 cubic meter chunks. Use: bombs, conduction, reaction starter.

NOBL gas ï¿½ NOBL gas is a frightening compound. It is highly reactive and very heavy. Being put in a tank filled with NOBL gas would corrode and crush just about any living thing to death. A special property of this gas is that it actually reduces in mass as it increases in density, allowing large quantities of it to be stored in pressurized canisters fairly easily.

Cost: One xp buys 1000 cubic meters of NOBEL gas Size: varies, but bought in 1000 cubic meter chunks Use: Ballistics, Bombs, Conduction, chemical warfare, executions

Becker Battery - The Becker Battery is a general improvement on the standard rechargeable batter that's common today. It's relatively small, but also recharges quickly and holds a pretty good charge.

Cost: one xp buys 3 small batteries, 2 medium batteries or one large battery Size: a small battery is twice the size of a normal D battery (4 battery pool), a medium battery is lunchbox sized (8 battery pool, and a large battery is backpack sized (10 battery pool). Use: to power electronic devices without a generator. Can be recharged by plugging into a power source at a rate of 1 pool per two rounds.

Superpressure Canister ï¿½ The Superpressure canister is capable of storing a huge amount of condensed gas for later use. It also protects reactive gasses and allows nearly indefinite use of pneumatic devices. Gasses stored inside are still as heavy as they would be outside, though.

Cost: One xp buys two 500 m^3 canisters, one 1000 m^3 canister, or one 5000 m^3 canister. Size: Small canisters are the size of a soda can, medium canisters are the size of a wine bottle, large canisters are the size of a small keg. Use: storing gasses, pneumatics, gas/plasma guns.

Physical Logic Unit (PLU) ï¿½ A much improved version of an ancient analog computer, this physical logic unit allows the storage and execution of basic on-the-fly programs. Multiple PLUs can network very effectively when combined in the same system.

Cost: One XP buys 10 PLUs Size: pea Use: Autonomy, AI, programming.

Sonic System ï¿½ converts energy into sound waves, or converts sound waves into energy. A sonic system also has the capacity to focus and project sound waves in unique ways.

Cost: One XP buys 4 sonic systems Size: about the size of a golf ball Use: Hearing devices, amplifiers, sonic demolitions, sonic manipulation, harnessing sonic energy for use in a battery.

Rank 4:

Thermal Focus This apparatus focuses thermal energy from potential energy. Consider it the opposite to the Thermal Sink. Pairing a thermal sink with a thermal focus allows you to store and then re-assert heat energy.

Cost: One xp buys 5 small focuses, 2 medium focuses, or 1 large focus. Size: small focuses are salt shaker sized, medium focuses are small trash bin sized (and weigh 15 lbs), and large focuses are large trash can sized and weigh a ton. Use: focusing and applying heat energy.

Diamond Servo A step above the servo competition, this device is a small engine that facilitates join movement in mechanical systems. Used when you're making things that move, and renowned for its durability.

Cost: 1 XP buys 20 mini servos, 10 small servos, 5 medium servos, 2 large servos, or 1 mega servo. Size: mini servos are pea-sized, small are silver dollar-sized, medium are tea plate sized, large are dinner-plate sized, and mega are wagon-wheel sized. Use: Facilitating movement of physical components. Used in automatons, turrets, robot arms, etc.

Polarity manipulator This powerful device can be used to manipulate the polarity of a metal, turning just about anything into an electromagnet.

Cost: 1 XP buys 2 small polarity manipulators, 1 large polarity manipulator, or massive polarity manipulator. Size: Small polarity manipulators are the size of soup cans and can hold 300 lbs of weight. Large polarity manipulators are the size of computer towers and can hold up to 5 tons of weight, and massive polarity manipulators are the size of a cargo container and can hold up to 5000 tons of weight. Use: climbing magnets, magnetic field dampening or manipulating, rail guns (!!!)

Entwined Quantum Bits - These two atoms are created in an entwined state; when one flips, so does the other, no matter where in space they are. This allows for very efficient and effective data transmition when you really, really need it.

Cost: 1 xp buys four pairs of entwined quantom bits (8) Size: the case for the bits is the size of a liqui-gel pill. Use: Long range data transmitting.

Rank 5:

Super-battery ï¿½ The super-battery is the holy grail of energy storage. It is able to harness electrical energy nearly instantly (at about 4 terawatts per second). It is also able to store nearly unlimited energy (up to 20 TW [the world power usage in 2006 was 16 TW]). These puppies are pricey and powerful, and will work miracles for you if you know what you're doing.

Cost: 2xp for a giant superbattery, 3 xp for a large superbattery, 4 xp for a medium superbattery, 5 xp for a small superbattery. Size: Giant superbatteries are the size large SUVs, large superbatteries are the size of a Volkswagen bug, medium superbatteries are the size of a large trash can, and small superbatteries are the size of a basketball. Use: Transferring energy with near-perfection. WARNING: using an overload switch on a fully charged super-battery is HIGHLY DANGEROUS.

Power Converter ï¿½ The power converter is one of the greatest inventions in scientific history. It allows a near perfect translation of any energy source into any other energy source.

Cost: 2 xp per power converter Size: basket-ball sized Use: Transforming heat energy into electrical energy, transforming kinetic energy into magnetic energy, etc.

(using a power converter and super battery in conjunction may allow you to harness lightning (and the heat that comes with the lighting) and power super-devices (such as railguns or magnetic manipulation super-gauntlets)

Rank 6: Anti-Matter Generator - The anti-matter generator harnesses the power of a small black hole and a nearby parallel universe to produce an incredible amount of electrical energy.

Cost: 10 xp Size: Refrigerator or so Uses: creating power. . . lots of it. When paired with a power converter, this device can create any type of energy.

Matter Affect Converter - using a newly discovered type of anti-matter (element zero), the Matter Affect Converter essentially allows any type of matter to follow properties similar to magnetism.

Cost: 5 xp for a small converter, 10 xp for a large converter, and 20 xp for a mega converter. Size: Small converters are the size of a backpacking pack and weigh 50 lbs, large converters are the size of a car, and mega converters are the size of a small building. Their weight may be reduced by their own field. Uses: Creates anti-matter fields, and allows for the distant manipulation of masses and forces. Could theoretically allow for near light-speed travel, weight reduction, super accelerators, and other wonderful applications.

Component Maneuvers (cost 2xp each): 

Build small: Spend an extra experience when buying a component, and it is one size smaller. This allows Becker to make stuff like large super-springs that take up the size of a medium spring. You can only buy ONE of a component at a time when you use this maneuver.

Build MASSIVE: Spend an extra experience when buying a component to double size and effectiveness. Must buy the largest version already. Doesn't work with inversely proportional size/cost relationships (as with super battery.)

Multi-Tasking: Allows you to work on an additional contraption at the same time as another. This merit may be bought multiple times, but may not exceed your wits. This is invaluable when you want to make many contraptions between games.

Mass-Production: Allows Hugo to spend xp equal to 1 + the component level of a given component to put it into mass-production. Each component in mass-production produces 1xp of that component per month automatically.