I'd like to try out a game I and three of my friends from my school made. EDIT: This is an actual stand-alone computer game, not a roleplaying scenario. Here's the introduction I gave about it in a presentation:

"The Cells is a round-based, multiplayer game. The players are divided into two teams with different victory conditions: There are a set of important targets, such as German military structures in the game. The French Resistance tries to destroy those targets while the Gestapo tries to protect them.

The trick is, that to achieve their goals, the Resistance has to work together. For each target, there's a number indicating the strenght of its defences. Only if that many players or more attack the target at the same time, will the target be destroyed. To coordinate, the players have to build a network of contacts, to organize as CELLS.

At the same time, the Gestapo players must try to infiltrate these cells, to find out the dates and targets of the planned attacks. This is possible, because nobody knows on which side the other players are. If Gestapo manages to find out about an attack, they can send troops to protect that target that day, which will foil any attack, regardless of the amount of attackers.

Then how does all this information spread? Quite simple: In in-game chat sessions between groups of two or more people. The chat is the very core of the game, where a variety of trust games take place as the players try to figure out who to tell what information. In addition to attack plans, they may share their suspicions about others, try to trick spies into revealing themselves or basically anything related. All of this under the constant threat of being listened in by a third party.

To support these core mechanics, there are mechanics for spying on other people's actions, counterspying, and arresting and interrogating other players in Gestapo's name.

The game is all about team play: No individual score is kept. Instead, each player collects points for their team - the Resistance or Gestapo."

In addition to these game mechanics, Cells features atmospheric narratives by Raisa Omaheimo and Jarno Koponen, as well as great illustrations by Jukka Liukkonen. You can see some sketches here (they haven't changed much, actually):

I suggest we gather together a group to play this game on Monday 27.8.2007 at 19:00  CEST(EDITED). EDIT: We'll be aiming at a 2 - 3 hour game. Please mention in this thread if you're interested. We need about ten players, but no amount is too many! I'll be recruiting my other friends as well, and don't hesitate to tell your friends either!

EDIT: To run the game, you need Java 5.0 or higher (Java 1.5.something is the same as Java 5.0, curiously). You can install it on your operating system of choice here.

TAU

TAU (Terraforming Assistance Unit) runs the tower for the most part. Most of the machinery, including elevators, radlocks, factories, and Chibots, are controlled by TAU's protocols. It doesn't mean they're completely out of human control, though, as illustrated here.

TAU's software is based on a layered architecture of protocols, which can be roughly divided into the following groups. They are explained in the way they should be working, though lately many of the functions have been malfunctioning.

1) The TAU Networking Protocols
The lowest levels of the TAU Networking Protocols simply take care of the data transfer between AI Networking Nodes. Somewhat higher are those protocols responsible for handshakes and error handling. In general, these protocols see to that data can always be tranferred from one AINN to another without problems. Colonists understand most of these protocols. An exception to this is the Necklink Transfer Protocol that converts TAU's signals into neural signals - a very complex procedure that's not understood very well.

Most of the communication is based on wireless links between AINNs.

2) The TAU Utility Protocols
The TAU Utility Protocols are built on the TAU Networking Protocols. They control the simpler, local functions of the different TAU utilities, including the moving of floatbeds and elevators, or running life-support systems or factories. Some of these protocols have been built or modified by the colonists, but a lot of its logic is still unknown.

3) The TAU Database
The TAU Database is also built on the TAU Networking Protocols. It allows the colonists (and TAU itself) access to lots of data, including personal profiles, camera data, and most importantly scientific, technical and a myriad of other kinds of knowledge. The queries into the database aren't very complicated, and colonists have learned to perform them on their own, as well as create their own databases using the same architecture. However, TAU keeps colonists from modifying data they haven't written themselves, in addition to which many parts of the original databases are malfunctioning.

There are (at least) three TAU databases relevant to the colonists:
1) The Main Database in the Speedgrowth Chambers. That's where the colonists get their information during speedgrowth. Unfortunately, it's unaccessible to the Middle Cluster due to TAU's fragmentation.
2) The Middle Cluster Mirror Database. The colonists in the Middle Cluster have access to this database - or would if it hadn't been seriously fragmented by a power spike. It used to contain the same information as the Main Database, but now it takes advanced defragmentation algorithms and lots of guesswork to get any information out of it.
3) The Backup Database. This is the backup database of the Middle Cluster Mirror Database. This one works and is accessible to the colonists. However, it contains only information deemed crucial to survival, such as scientific and technical skills, camera data and personal files.

((Will be edited to finish later.))

Name: The One Faith
Formed: 3.3.103
Organization: Equalitarian
Leadership: One leader (elected)
Status: Active

Do you feel there is something missing? Does your life lack depth, a feeling of being connected with what you do? Have you felt that the TAU database, even were it complete can't give us all the answers? Have you thought thoughts even our best physicists have no answer for?

There is a reason for this. While the settlers here have focused on technology and rationalism, they have stunted their spiritual growth to a dangerous degree. Perhaps to a degree that will make us fail no matter how clever we are, a degree that will make us unable to understand or appreciate what we are doing here. The One Faith presents an answer to this spiritual void.

We aim to restore the Holy Writings of monotheism, the Bible, the Q'uran and the Torah and base our belief around a single Godhood who has created the universe and all of our physical laws. We pray to this being for guidance and out of respect. This gives us a level of calm and mental surplus that no rational thoughts could give. There is Truth to be had here, not just mere truth, and this certainty makes us able to work hard for the good of the
tower's inhabitants, both physically and spiritually.

Come join us for daily sermons at Lockerhall Alpha. You do not need to share our views or join us, everyone with an open mind is welcome. Perhaps it will grant you a measure of peace.

Also, if you have gotten Speedgrowth knowledge of religions, we would very much like to discuss this with you, to properly reconstruct the different faiths.

Members:
Balthazar - Leader
Erasmus - Handler
Millie - Handler (dead)
Gerhard (dead)
Stein
Linette
Paula
((10 members altogether))

((By Darkhawk))

TAU teaches all colonists about reproductional anatomy during the basic courses of biology. It also explains the cultural aspects of monogamic relationships and tells about different rituals used to seal it. The colonists also learn that during the Technocracy there was no marital institution but different kinds of marial contracts were still very popular. This is about the extent of it. TAU's databases (in the Speedgrowth Chambers) contain more information about these matters, but a colonist will learn about it only if he/she pays particular interest in it.

Even though aware of the basics, the colonists have very little emotional experience when it comes to affection. They didn't even have parents to have a long-term loving relationship with. In may ways, they're like orphan children who are just reaching puberty.

Biologically, all colonists have been sterilized in order to prevent childbirth (but not permanently). Also, their hormonal activity is being tuned down by the floatbeds, but not completely removed. They can have sex and even enjoy it, but they can also live completely without it.