new glitter boy

[Icefalcon]

Having a stealth version of the Glitterboy is antithetical. Let me explain.

1. The whole reason they are called Glitterboys in the first place is due to the Chromium armor. This armor is designed to reflect part of the damage by lasers, which a form of light. Because of that, they reflect light, any light. So unless you are using spells to make it invisible, people are going to see it coming literally miles away.

2. Something that heavy is NOT going to be moving quietly, especially when flying. Turbines are going to make high pitched whines, walking is going to snap whole trees not just little sticks, after a certain weight they will actually cause tremors, servos are going to make noise and parts moving against each other are going to make a bit of grinding or scraping. Not to mention you will scrape against rocks, trees, and buildings because you cannot feel what you are actually touching like a person could. Forget trying to move through water, too much splashing.

3. Glitterboys, no matter the model, were made to take the place of modern armor on the field. The things they replace are stuff like tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and anti-aircraft field pieces. No a Glitterboy does not have to have a big cannon to fill the roll but they do need some type of heavy weapon (PB rifle, heavy laser, plasma rifle or something similar). They are supposed to be more mobile than the tech that they replaced but not to the point of actual flight. That role is filled by other PA's and actual aircraft. The Glitterboys role in combat is similar to the heavy weapons guy in a platoon. He carries the big gun and has the heavier armor to make him last longer. Even in Quebec, an entire legion of Glitterboys is backed by other support troops (vehicles, power armor and borgs).

[Icefalcon]

Having a stealth version of the Glitterboy is antithetical. Let me explain.

1. The whole reason they are called Glitterboys in the first place is due to the Chromium armor. This armor is designed to reflect part of the damage by lasers, which a form of light. Because of that, they reflect light, any light. So unless you are using spells to make it invisible, people are going to see it coming literally miles away.

2. Something that heavy is NOT going to be moving quietly, especially when flying. Turbines are going to make high pitched whines, walking is going to snap whole trees not just little sticks, after a certain weight they will actually cause tremors, servos are going to make noise and parts moving against each other are going to make a bit of grinding or scraping. Not to mention you will scrape against rocks, trees, and buildings because you cannot feel what you are actually touching like a person could. Forget trying to move through water, too much splashing.

3. Glitterboys, no matter the model, were made to take the place of modern armor on the field. The things they replace are stuff like tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and anti-aircraft field pieces. No a Glitterboy does not have to have a big cannon to fill the roll but they do need some type of heavy weapon (PB rifle, heavy laser, plasma rifle or something similar). They are supposed to be more mobile than the tech that they replaced but not to the point of actual flight. That role is filled by other PA's and actual aircraft. The Glitterboys role in combat is similar to the heavy weapons guy in a platoon. He carries the big gun and has the heavier armor to make him last longer. Even in Quebec, an entire legion of Glitterboys is backed by other support troops (vehicles, power armor and borgs).

Thank you for making the words! I just couldn't and it was extremely frustrating.

Anytime. I am a bit surprised the light reflective properties had not come up before now though.

[say652]

Having a stealth version of the Glitterboy is antithetical. Let me explain.

1. The whole reason they are called Glitterboys in the first place is due to the Chromium armor. This armor is designed to reflect part of the damage by lasers, which a form of light. Because of that, they reflect light, any light. So unless you are using spells to make it invisible, people are going to see it coming literally miles away.

2. Something that heavy is NOT going to be moving quietly, especially when flying. Turbines are going to make high pitched whines, walking is going to snap whole trees not just little sticks, after a certain weight they will actually cause tremors, servos are going to make noise and parts moving against each other are going to make a bit of grinding or scraping. Not to mention you will scrape against rocks, trees, and buildings because you cannot feel what you are actually touching like a person could. Forget trying to move through water, too much splashing.

3. Glitterboys, no matter the model, were made to take the place of modern armor on the field. The things they replace are stuff like tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and anti-aircraft field pieces. No a Glitterboy does not have to have a big cannon to fill the roll but they do need some type of heavy weapon (PB rifle, heavy laser, plasma rifle or something similar). They are supposed to be more mobile than the tech that they replaced but not to the point of actual flight. That role is filled by other PA's and actual aircraft. The Glitterboys role in combat is similar to the heavy weapons guy in a platoon. He carries the big gun and has the heavier armor to make him last longer. Even in Quebec, an entire legion of Glitterboys is backed by other support troops (vehicles, power armor and borgs).

stealth GB systems. contrgravity flight system(silent) camouflauge system(reflects light) and an out of phasefield generator(to walk through walls, etc.) size a little larger than a suit of body armor. using a pulse laser canoon(which is silent) would and could function as a stealth glitterboy armor. the two things all variants have in common are a shoulder canoon and laser resistance. perhaps this model would/could only exist in phaseworld, but it is still a viable and effective unit.

[Icefalcon]

stealth GB systems.

Depends on type. Some might work to make it more sneaky but not by much.

contrgravity flight system(silent)

Not currently available to any earth based power. The only place you can find this system is Phase World.

camouflauge system(reflects light)

Would not work with the light reflective surfaces of the Glitterboy. Maybe if you dumped the Chromium armor and put light "absorbing" material on the surface of the armor.

and an out of phasefield generator(to walk through walls, etc.)

Again, another tech not available to earth based powers. Again another Phase World only item.

size a little larger than a suit of body armor.

That might allow a prowl ability but you still have to be concerned with weight, servo noises and the scraping of the armor plates.

using a pulse laser canoon(which is silent)

No argument on this but that first shot would pinpoint your location fairly quickly. A streak of light is much easier to follow than a bullet.

would and could function as a stealth glitterboy armor.

not really

the two things all variants have in common are a shoulder canoon and laser resistance. perhaps this model would/could only exist in phaseworld, but it is still a viable and effective unit.

I will agree that it is ONLY possible in Phase World. As a matter of fact, I could think of a few things on top of that to make a stealth unit but it would require the dumping of the Chromium armor. That is the biggest hurdle to making a stealth unit unless you can add magic to it. Regardless, nobody out there will have more than one or two of them because there would be nobody capable of mass producing one except on Phase World and they have better stuff anyways.

[say652]

still quite possible to build a stealth based glitterboy. even in frontline warfare, stealth and suprise are often required. or more to the point how would a 2000lb glitterboy conduct house searches? BOOOM!!!! wasn't in that one. BOOM!!!! wasn't in that one. well you get the idea.

[Icefalcon]

still quite possible to build a stealth based glitterboy. even in frontline warfare, stealth and suprise are often required. or more to the point how would a 2000lb glitterboy conduct house searches? BOOOM!!!! wasn't in that one. BOOM!!!! wasn't in that one. well you get the idea.

Until that 2000 lbs Glitterboy steps on an anti-tank mine.

[Nightmask]

stealth GB systems.

Depends on type. Some might work to make it more sneaky but not by much.

contrgravity flight system(silent)

Not currently available to any earth based power. The only place you can find this system is Phase World.

camouflauge system(reflects light)

Would not work with the light reflective surfaces of the Glitterboy. Maybe if you dumped the Chromium armor and put light "absorbing" material on the surface of the armor.

and an out of phasefield generator(to walk through walls, etc.)

Again, another tech not available to earth based powers. Again another Phase World only item.

size a little larger than a suit of body armor.

That might allow a prowl ability but you still have to be concerned with weight, servo noises and the scraping of the armor plates.

using a pulse laser canoon(which is silent)

No argument on this but that first shot would pinpoint your location fairly quickly. A streak of light is much easier to follow than a bullet.

would and could function as a stealth glitterboy armor.

not really

the two things all variants have in common are a shoulder canoon and laser resistance. perhaps this model would/could only exist in phaseworld, but it is still a viable and effective unit.

I will agree that it is ONLY possible in Phase World. As a matter of fact, I could think of a few things on top of that to make a stealth unit but it would require the dumping of the Chromium armor. That is the biggest hurdle to making a stealth unit unless you can add magic to it. Regardless, nobody out there will have more than one or two of them because there would be nobody capable of mass producing one except on Phase World and they have better stuff anyways.

Something that you have to consider though, someone makes and sells Glitter Boys in the Phase World setting. While who is left up for individual GM to decide (and could be more than one manufacturer) it's entirely possible that there could be Glitter Boy variants making use of Phase World technology. So there might be a Phase World variant that uses a HI laser Cannon more suited to a phase world tank and Contra-Gravity flight systems, or a gravity cannon firing heavy projectiles or explosive ordinance.

[say652]

so a flying unit is viable so a stealthunit is viable. the two things that make a glitterbor are a shoulder canoon and laser resistance. variatians that stay in theme are infact glitterboys.

[Icefalcon]

Something that you have to consider though, someone makes and sells Glitter Boys in the Phase World setting. While who is left up for individual GM to decide (and could be more than one manufacturer) it's entirely possible that there could be Glitter Boy variants making use of Phase World technology. So there might be a Phase World variant that uses a HI laser Cannon more suited to a phase world tank and Contra-Gravity flight systems, or a gravity cannon firing heavy projectiles or explosive ordinance.

But they would not be produced by any earth based power. That was my only point. I do agree that they could totally be possible in Phase World, without laser resistant armor that is.

[Icefalcon]

so a flying unit is viable so a stealthunit is viable. the two things that make a glitterbor are a shoulder canoon and laser resistance. variatians that stay in theme are infact glitterboys.

Flying does not make it stealth. It just makes it easier to pick out at a distance.

[Nightmask]

Something that you have to consider though, someone makes and sells Glitter Boys in the Phase World setting. While who is left up for individual GM to decide (and could be more than one manufacturer) it's entirely possible that there could be Glitter Boy variants making use of Phase World technology. So there might be a Phase World variant that uses a HI laser Cannon more suited to a phase world tank and Contra-Gravity flight systems, or a gravity cannon firing heavy projectiles or explosive ordinance.

But they would not be produced by any earth based power. That was my only point. I do agree that they could totally be possible in Phase World, without laser resistant armor that is.

With laser-resistant armor, it doesn't say 'makes kinda glitter boy like power armor that isn't laser resistant' it says 'makes glitter boys', which would mean they either reverse engineered Chromium armor or it's not that unknown in the Phase World setting. Given the tech levels of Phase World reverse-engineering Glitter Tech doesn't seem very difficult, unlike Earth trying to reverse-engineer contra-gravity technology.

[Icefalcon]

Something that you have to consider though, someone makes and sells Glitter Boys in the Phase World setting. While who is left up for individual GM to decide (and could be more than one manufacturer) it's entirely possible that there could be Glitter Boy variants making use of Phase World technology. So there might be a Phase World variant that uses a HI laser Cannon more suited to a phase world tank and Contra-Gravity flight systems, or a gravity cannon firing heavy projectiles or explosive ordinance.

But they would not be produced by any earth based power. That was my only point. I do agree that they could totally be possible in Phase World, without laser resistant armor that is.

With laser-resistant armor, it doesn't say 'makes kinda glitter boy like power armor that isn't laser resistant' it says 'makes glitter boys', which would mean they either reverse engineered Chromium armor or it's not that unknown in the Phase World setting. Given the tech levels of Phase World reverse-engineering Glitter Tech doesn't seem very difficult, unlike Earth trying to reverse-engineer contra-gravity technology.

I wasn't indicating they could not make the Chromium armor. Was I was indicating is that is impossible to make a stealth unit that uses it. It is gonna reflect any and all light that hits it and people are going to see it from a long way off (reduce the sight range at night but still reflects any light).

[say652]

in japan their woods model is cammo which needs to be shot off to activate the laser resistance. and the camouflauge system would function as it creates a light refraction around the armor,just like the naruni camouflauge armor i got the idea from.

[Icefalcon]

in japan their woods model is cammo which needs to be shot off to activate the laser resistance.

Which means that the armor need to take damage in order to get the laser resistance to start taking effect. Which means that while it has that surface coating on, it will take damage from lasers normally.

and the camouflauge system would function as it creates a light refraction around the armor,just like the naruni camouflauge armor i got the idea from.

The light refraction of the fiber optics (which is how the Naruni armor operates) would be overloaded by the reflective properties of the chromium. It is like having a light bulb inside a bunch of fiber-optic cables. It is going to make the glow surrounding the Glitterboy even more prominent. Either that or the system will not be able to disperse enough of the light being reflected of the chromium to make a difference except at night.

[say652]

so by painting it flat black or gray the camouflauge system would function and yes until the stealth coating(which is sdc paint) was burned off the suit takes normal damage from lasers. remeber 1mdc+100 sdc so how many shots would burn off the paint?????

[Nightmask]

Something that you have to consider though, someone makes and sells Glitter Boys in the Phase World setting. While who is left up for individual GM to decide (and could be more than one manufacturer) it's entirely possible that there could be Glitter Boy variants making use of Phase World technology. So there might be a Phase World variant that uses a HI laser Cannon more suited to a phase world tank and Contra-Gravity flight systems, or a gravity cannon firing heavy projectiles or explosive ordinance.

But they would not be produced by any earth based power. That was my only point. I do agree that they could totally be possible in Phase World, without laser resistant armor that is.

With laser-resistant armor, it doesn't say 'makes kinda glitter boy like power armor that isn't laser resistant' it says 'makes glitter boys', which would mean they either reverse engineered Chromium armor or it's not that unknown in the Phase World setting. Given the tech levels of Phase World reverse-engineering Glitter Tech doesn't seem very difficult, unlike Earth trying to reverse-engineer contra-gravity technology.

I wasn't indicating they could not make the Chromium armor. Was I was indicating is that is impossible to make a stealth unit that uses it. It is gonna reflect any and all light that hits it and people are going to see it from a long way off (reduce the sight range at night but still reflects any light).

Oh, yes, I agree that without something to cover up the chrome finish you can't get around stealthily in anything that's got exposed chrome armor. The Glitter Boy transport for example says it incorporates some Chrome armor in its design but clearly it's not exposed since the transport isn't a Chromium transport. You'd need some kind of detachable covering that can be removed by a flick of a switch when finally exposed, so a variant design with attachment points for the concealing armor.

[Icefalcon]

Something that you have to consider though, someone makes and sells Glitter Boys in the Phase World setting. While who is left up for individual GM to decide (and could be more than one manufacturer) it's entirely possible that there could be Glitter Boy variants making use of Phase World technology. So there might be a Phase World variant that uses a HI laser Cannon more suited to a phase world tank and Contra-Gravity flight systems, or a gravity cannon firing heavy projectiles or explosive ordinance.

But they would not be produced by any earth based power. That was my only point. I do agree that they could totally be possible in Phase World, without laser resistant armor that is.

With laser-resistant armor, it doesn't say 'makes kinda glitter boy like power armor that isn't laser resistant' it says 'makes glitter boys', which would mean they either reverse engineered Chromium armor or it's not that unknown in the Phase World setting. Given the tech levels of Phase World reverse-engineering Glitter Tech doesn't seem very difficult, unlike Earth trying to reverse-engineer contra-gravity technology.

I wasn't indicating they could not make the Chromium armor. Was I was indicating is that is impossible to make a stealth unit that uses it. It is gonna reflect any and all light that hits it and people are going to see it from a long way off (reduce the sight range at night but still reflects any light).

Oh, yes, I agree that without something to cover up the chrome finish you can't get around stealthily in anything that's got exposed chrome armor. The Glitter Boy transport for example says it incorporates some Chrome armor in its design but clearly it's not exposed since the transport isn't a Chromium transport. You'd need some kind of detachable covering that can be removed by a flick of a switch when finally exposed, so a variant design with attachment points for the concealing armor.

That would sound like an acceptable trade off to me.

[Icefalcon]

so by painting it flat black or gray the camouflauge system would function and yes until the stealth coating(which is sdc paint) was burned off the suit takes normal damage from lasers. remeber 1mdc+100 sdc so how many shots would burn off the paint?????

I will grant you that the laser resistance would work after the first shot burns the coating off. But that first shot has the advantage that that dark color is going to absorb the light from the laser, meaning that it will do full damage to the Chromium beneath until the chromium is exposed.

[Nightmask]

so by painting it flat black or gray the camouflauge system would function and yes until the stealth coating(which is sdc paint) was burned off the suit takes normal damage from lasers. remeber 1mdc+100 sdc so how many shots would burn off the paint?????

I will grant you that the laser resistance would work after the first shot burns the coating off. But that first shot has the advantage that that dark color is going to absorb the light from the laser, meaning that it will do full damage to the Chromium beneath until the chromium is exposed.

The thing is the armor shouldn't get any kind of benefit like that, a single shot (unless it's a flamethrower washing over the armor) shouldn't remove a painted on or otherwise armor-bonded coating so you should be sacrificing pretty much all protection against lasers in exchange for the stealthy option (which admittedly given how high the MDC is it's not that bad a deal). You'd have to have easy-off covers if you wanted to restore the protection quickly in a battle.

[Icefalcon]

so by painting it flat black or gray the camouflauge system would function and yes until the stealth coating(which is sdc paint) was burned off the suit takes normal damage from lasers. remeber 1mdc+100 sdc so how many shots would burn off the paint?????

I will grant you that the laser resistance would work after the first shot burns the coating off. But that first shot has the advantage that that dark color is going to absorb the light from the laser, meaning that it will do full damage to the Chromium beneath until the chromium is exposed.

The thing is the armor shouldn't get any kind of benefit like that, a single shot (unless it's a flamethrower washing over the armor) shouldn't remove a painted on or otherwise armor-bonded coating so you should be sacrificing pretty much all protection against lasers in exchange for the stealthy option (which admittedly given how high the MDC is it's not that bad a deal). You'd have to have easy-off covers if you wanted to restore the protection quickly in a battle.

We already have an example of the coating "burning off" with damage from the Japan book (not that I totally agree with it) making it a possibility in game play. However, I agree with you that it would normally be bonded coating totally negating the protection from lasers. I don't see how you can just spray paint an armor to give it stealth. Most stealth coating (in real life anyways) are created as a bonding agent that bonds permanently to the material it is applied to.

[glitterboy2098]

it's not that the paint is bonded on.. it's paint.

its the fact that the paint will be burned off if struck.. but in tiny bits at a time. a glitterboy shoulder or leg is hundreds of square inches of surface. most attacks are going to burn off or scrap off only a few square inches at a time. and the chance of a hit occuring in the exact same spot in a normal attack is so low to be not worth modeling. (maybe a called shot, at some ungodly penalty, could let you do it. but a random strike from normal shot?)

personally i'd rather use camo netting and cloaks.. with the right coverage, you can hide the suit, but you can ditch it when your anti-laser defense becomes more important than stealth.

[Nightmask]

it's not that the paint is bonded on.. it's paint.

its the fact that the paint will be burned off if struck.. but in tiny bits at a time. a glitterboy shoulder or leg is hundreds of square inches of surface. most attacks are going to burn off or scrap off only a few square inches at a time. and the chance of a hit occuring in the exact same spot in a normal attack is so low to be not worth modeling. (maybe a called shot, at some ungodly penalty, could let you do it. but a random strike from normal shot?)

Which was my point really, each shot is only burning/scratching a tight area so you aren't going to have one shot make everything just *poof* away leaving the chrome free and clear from that point on. You have the trade-off of sacrificing the anti-laser protection for reducing how noticeable you are due to reflections off your armor.

[Icefalcon]

it's not that the paint is bonded on.. it's paint.

its the fact that the paint will be burned off if struck.. but in tiny bits at a time. a glitterboy shoulder or leg is hundreds of square inches of surface. most attacks are going to burn off or scrap off only a few square inches at a time. and the chance of a hit occuring in the exact same spot in a normal attack is so low to be not worth modeling. (maybe a called shot, at some ungodly penalty, could let you do it. but a random strike from normal shot?)

personally i'd rather use camo netting and cloaks.. with the right coverage, you can hide the suit, but you can ditch it when your anti-laser defense becomes more important than stealth.

A more valid tactic. This is something I would definitely allow.

[Icefalcon]

The big thing though is that at a certain point, stealth technologies (other than cloaks, paint or similar) turns it into something other than a "glitter"boy. At that point you have something else entirely.

[say652]

well then i will take my stealth suit with a shoulder canoon to a different post then. sorry for the inconvience

[Nightmask]

The big thing though is that at a certain point, stealth technologies (other than cloaks, paint or similar) turns it into something other than a "glitter"boy. At that point you have something else entirely.

Well realistically there's only so many things you can do for variations off the Glitter Boy before you just repeat yourself or it's no longer a Glitter Boy. Only so many different types of weapon systems, so many auxiliary systems, etc. It would be nice seeing other vehicle designs using Chrome though, or even as an expensive housing material for MDC structures where you don't mind losing concealment.

[Icefalcon]

The big thing though is that at a certain point, stealth technologies (other than cloaks, paint or similar) turns it into something other than a "glitter"boy. At that point you have something else entirely.

Well realistically there's only so many things you can do for variations off the Glitter Boy before you just repeat yourself or it's no longer a Glitter Boy. Only so many different types of weapon systems, so many auxiliary systems, etc. It would be nice seeing other vehicle designs using Chrome though, or even as an expensive housing material for MDC structures where you don't mind losing concealment.

I totally agree. I still have hopes of seeing a "glitter" tank.

[wyrmraker]

it's not that the paint is bonded on.. it's paint.

its the fact that the paint will be burned off if struck.. but in tiny bits at a time. a glitterboy shoulder or leg is hundreds of square inches of surface. most attacks are going to burn off or scrap off only a few square inches at a time. and the chance of a hit occuring in the exact same spot in a normal attack is so low to be not worth modeling. (maybe a called shot, at some ungodly penalty, could let you do it. but a random strike from normal shot?)

Which was my point really, each shot is only burning/scratching a tight area so you aren't going to have one shot make everything just *poof* away leaving the chrome free and clear from that point on. You have the trade-off of sacrificing the anti-laser protection for reducing how noticeable you are due to reflections off your armor.

While I definitely agree with you with the physics of burning off all of the paint at once, sadly the Palladium physics setup, combined with the nightmare of logistics of figuring out just what is covered and what isn't, make it unfeasible to manage. It's just simpler and easier to do it Palladium's way.

[GenThunderfist]

The big thing though is that at a certain point, stealth technologies (other than cloaks, paint or similar) turns it into something other than a "glitter"boy. At that point you have something else entirely.

Well realistically there's only so many things you can do for variations off the Glitter Boy before you just repeat yourself or it's no longer a Glitter Boy. Only so many different types of weapon systems, so many auxiliary systems, etc. It would be nice seeing other vehicle designs using Chrome though, or even as an expensive housing material for MDC structures where you don't mind losing concealment.

That's really just the thing. The original idea of the nickname "Glitterboy" is not entirely because of it's boom gun nor the fact that it's laser resistant. Those are just iconic about the Glitterboy. The Glitterboy get's it's name from it's chromium armor, which literally glitters in the light and as lasers dance off of it.

Now that many of the variants tote large weapons and Chromium armor, that has become the "set peice" style of Glitterboy. To be fully classified (in almost all cases I believe) the suit needs
1. A big gun, doesn't need shoulder mounts, doesn't need to be a boom gun. Just large and does a healthy amount of damage.
2. Chromium Armor. It can be painted over, but it HAS to be there. Not ANY laser resistance, it MUST be chromium in order to still be a "Glitter" Boy

So either, we as a fanbase will have to totally realign our perspective of what a "set piece" GB really is, or Palladium will have to TELL us what makes a GB a GB and what doesn't.
It seems obvious at first. Get a boom gun and some Chromium Armor and your set.
Then we see GB variants without Boom guns...or some with 2 boom guns (looking at you Fat Boy...you unholy monster).
Well that leaves us with Chromium Armor...then we see some without even the Chromium Armor that look exactly like a GB (that's right Shadow Boy...I've got some for you too).
It could be the size, but we have the much smaller Chromium Trooper (I believe it's smaller no book in front of me ATM)
It ends up leaving us all scratching our heads and wondering "Where does the line between GB and SAMAS/Titan PA/etc. begin?"

In my personal opinion, the glitter boy has a RIDICULOUS amount of variants. I understand WHY it does, I just don't LIKE that it does. I like the original GB personally. It could already kill pretty much whatever it wanted, and had the MDC to back it up, everything after that is just gravy isn't it? I'm not saying GB vs. Ancient Dragon would see the GB win the day, but you really can't go wrong choosing GB Armor over anything else.

[Nightmask]

Umm...just because yo painted chromium armor with a camouflage cover or even flat black doesn't make the unit any less laser resistant. The point of contact with a laser weapons would result in the flash vaporization of the coating, which means if its SDC paint, it matters not at all, its its somehow MDC paint, a concept I am suspicious of, then you knock off a point or two of damage, and then half the remaining.

The point is that no matter what you coat it with, the actual reflective properties are still intact.

Funny last time I checked you spray paint a mirror and it stops being a mirror because it can't reflect anything anymore because the paint is in the way. You hit that painted mirror with a laser beam the mirror gets damaged because the paint ensures the laser beam isn't reflected but burns it instead. A glitter boy isn't going to be reflecting laser beams if it's painted either and its laser-resistant properties are gone when coated with a non-reflective material like paint because the coating ensures full absorption of the laser beam at the surface rather than it being scattered.

[wyrmraker]

I think that we're missing a couple of major points here. One of the GB variants in Japan uses camouflage paint, and doesn't lose it's laser resistant properties.
The second point, and the one I feel is more essential to the arguement over Chromium Armor, is that PB has never felt it necessary to explain their physics with anything other than handwavium. Trying to argue just the internal physics in Rifts may very will give a person an aneurysm from the stresses of trying to make it all fit together.

In short, the Chromium Armor takes half damage from lasers no matter what. Why? Because Simbeida said so. How does that work? The magic of being the author makes it that way.

[GenThunderfist]

I think that we're missing a couple of major points here. One of the GB variants in Japan uses camouflage paint, and doesn't lose it's laser resistant properties.
The second point, and the one I feel is more essential to the arguement over Chromium Armor, is that PB has never felt it necessary to explain their physics with anything other than handwavium. Trying to argue just the internal physics in Rifts may very will give a person an aneurysm from the stresses of trying to make it all fit together.

In short, the Chromium Armor takes half damage from lasers no matter what. Why? Because Simbeida said so. How does that work? The magic of being the author makes it that way.

Chromium Armor ORIGINALLY reflected the lasers like a mirror (hence "Glitter") the new ones that have paint and still take half damage CHANGED it into magic. The original concept made sense. Also Chromium Armor is super advanced which is why all Chromium Armor MDC values are so high...it's like super dense or something. The original concepts and physics of the thing made sense within the Rifts setting (which is about all I ask of them is that they don't break THEIR OWN made up physics), being painted over SHOULD cause full damage to happen, until the paint is removed (through whatever made up system is involved) because the laser is absorbed into the paint instead of being reflected.

Logically this is correct.

Unfortunately Chromium Armor has become a magic sort of technology that seems to absorb properties with each new rendition as presented in newer books to only make it stronger and better. Finally leading to the main point of the GB argument of "Why aren't you playing a GB pilot?"

[wyrmraker]

I think that we're missing a couple of major points here. One of the GB variants in Japan uses camouflage paint, and doesn't lose it's laser resistant properties.
The second point, and the one I feel is more essential to the arguement over Chromium Armor, is that PB has never felt it necessary to explain their physics with anything other than handwavium. Trying to argue just the internal physics in Rifts may very will give a person an aneurysm from the stresses of trying to make it all fit together.

In short, the Chromium Armor takes half damage from lasers no matter what. Why? Because Simbeida said so. How does that work? The magic of being the author makes it that way.

Chromium Armor ORIGINALLY reflected the lasers like a mirror (hence "Glitter") the new ones that have paint and still take half damage CHANGED it into magic. The original concept made sense. Also Chromium Armor is super advanced which is why all Chromium Armor MDC values are so high...it's like super dense or something. The original concepts and physics of the thing made sense within the Rifts setting (which is about all I ask of them is that they don't break THEIR OWN made up physics), being painted over SHOULD cause full damage to happen, until the paint is removed (through whatever made up system is involved) because the laser is absorbed into the paint instead of being reflected.

Logically this is correct.

Unfortunately Chromium Armor has become a magic sort of technology that seems to absorb properties with each new rendition as presented in newer books to only make it stronger and better. Finally leading to the main point of the GB argument of "Why aren't you playing a GB pilot?"

I agree with you. It SHOULD happen that way, it's SUPPOSED to happen that way, and yet it doesn't. I try very hard not to argue even the internal physics of Rifts, because it make me froth at the brain every time. And the real vs in-game physics make me turn off my laptop for days on end to go to something that has a chance of making more sense. Like Patriotic Paranoid Radio.

[GenThunderfist]

I think that we're missing a couple of major points here. One of the GB variants in Japan uses camouflage paint, and doesn't lose it's laser resistant properties.
The second point, and the one I feel is more essential to the arguement over Chromium Armor, is that PB has never felt it necessary to explain their physics with anything other than handwavium. Trying to argue just the internal physics in Rifts may very will give a person an aneurysm from the stresses of trying to make it all fit together.

In short, the Chromium Armor takes half damage from lasers no matter what. Why? Because Simbeida said so. How does that work? The magic of being the author makes it that way.

Chromium Armor ORIGINALLY reflected the lasers like a mirror (hence "Glitter") the new ones that have paint and still take half damage CHANGED it into magic. The original concept made sense. Also Chromium Armor is super advanced which is why all Chromium Armor MDC values are so high...it's like super dense or something. The original concepts and physics of the thing made sense within the Rifts setting (which is about all I ask of them is that they don't break THEIR OWN made up physics), being painted over SHOULD cause full damage to happen, until the paint is removed (through whatever made up system is involved) because the laser is absorbed into the paint instead of being reflected.

Logically this is correct.

Unfortunately Chromium Armor has become a magic sort of technology that seems to absorb properties with each new rendition as presented in newer books to only make it stronger and better. Finally leading to the main point of the GB argument of "Why aren't you playing a GB pilot?"

I agree with you. It SHOULD happen that way, it's SUPPOSED to happen that way, and yet it doesn't. I try very hard not to argue even the internal physics of Rifts, because it make me froth at the brain every time. And the real vs in-game physics make me turn off my laptop for days on end to go to something that has a chance of making more sense. Like Patriotic Paranoid Radio.

Oh, sorry if there was any mis-communication. I wasn't trying to argue how it SHOULD work in a game, I was just explaining the original internal physics over what has been spewed onto the pages of more recent rifts books.

No the GB variants screwed the proverbial pooch on any semblance of balance and homogenized physics in my opinion.

[wyrmraker]

I think that we're missing a couple of major points here. One of the GB variants in Japan uses camouflage paint, and doesn't lose it's laser resistant properties.
The second point, and the one I feel is more essential to the arguement over Chromium Armor, is that PB has never felt it necessary to explain their physics with anything other than handwavium. Trying to argue just the internal physics in Rifts may very will give a person an aneurysm from the stresses of trying to make it all fit together.

In short, the Chromium Armor takes half damage from lasers no matter what. Why? Because Simbeida said so. How does that work? The magic of being the author makes it that way.

Chromium Armor ORIGINALLY reflected the lasers like a mirror (hence "Glitter") the new ones that have paint and still take half damage CHANGED it into magic. The original concept made sense. Also Chromium Armor is super advanced which is why all Chromium Armor MDC values are so high...it's like super dense or something. The original concepts and physics of the thing made sense within the Rifts setting (which is about all I ask of them is that they don't break THEIR OWN made up physics), being painted over SHOULD cause full damage to happen, until the paint is removed (through whatever made up system is involved) because the laser is absorbed into the paint instead of being reflected.

Logically this is correct.

Unfortunately Chromium Armor has become a magic sort of technology that seems to absorb properties with each new rendition as presented in newer books to only make it stronger and better. Finally leading to the main point of the GB argument of "Why aren't you playing a GB pilot?"

I agree with you. It SHOULD happen that way, it's SUPPOSED to happen that way, and yet it doesn't. I try very hard not to argue even the internal physics of Rifts, because it make me froth at the brain every time. And the real vs in-game physics make me turn off my laptop for days on end to go to something that has a chance of making more sense. Like Patriotic Paranoid Radio.

Oh, sorry if there was any mis-communication. I wasn't trying to argue how it SHOULD work in a game, I was just explaining the original internal physics over what has been spewed onto the pages of more recent rifts books.

No the GB variants screwed the proverbial pooch on any semblance of balance and homogenized physics in my opinion.

No, there wasn't any miscommuncation. I was emphatically agreeing with you on how disagreeable the physics in Rifts get.

[Hotrod]

Variants I like:
Sidekick. This makes all kinds of sense in a GB Legion. Different mission, different suit, and it makes sense for it to have the chromium armor for assault jumps and such.
T-550. Though it winds up doing about the same thing as the original, it makes sense for Triax, the great toy company, to come out with their own version, standardized to their own technology.

Things I'd like to see:

Glitter Borg, or Glitter Borg armor. It would be cool to be able to tailor a borg's armor selection against a laser threat.

Chromium Body Armor, a Cyber knight favorite? Could also make sense for people who need to expose themselves and be visible, like medics.

Glitter Shield, a la Perseus. Good against Basilisks and Medusa. Also good against lasers.

Chromium combat vehicles. Tanks, planes, et cetera. Combat ambulances seem like a logical choice as well.

Things I don't want to see:
Glitter boy variants that make no sense. The Taurus indirect fire glitter boy in FQ is a good example. Why put chromium armor on an indirect fire weapon? It's supposed to lob ordnance up, not expose itself and blaze away. The fact that it needs a dedicated reload team (on a light hovercycle? Not good protection) to sustain fire for more than a single melee. The Hell's Angel Glitterboy is another example. It flies like a Predator and has no need to sink in pylons when it shoots its boom gun, but only when it's hovering or flying slowly. On the ground, it has to sink in pylons. So it's more stable in the air than on the ground when firing something that fires with enough momentum to throw it back a quarter of a mile?

Ludicrous Glitter Boy variants: Glitter Girls: Putting boobies on power armor? Shaping it to dimensions that Barbie couldn't squeeze into? It's absurd. Fat Man: slightly less absurd than the GiGi, but still absurd. If you want something that slow and unwieldy, just make a glitter hover-tank. It'd be cheaper and more efficient.

Glitter Boys with no real justification for their existence. The original ain't broke. Why spend oodles of credits designing, prototyping, and manufacturing something that, in the end, does exactly the same thing with little to no appreciable difference? Examples: Tarantula GB, Taurus GB (if equipped with a standard Boom Gun), Glitter Girl (I just loathe that suit), Fat man, and Wolf.

[GenThunderfist]

Glitter Borg, or Glitter Borg armor. It would be cool to be able to tailor a borg's armor selection against a laser threat.

The Glitter Borg DOES exist. However as far as I know it's only in a Rifter Article along with some other official triax 2 stuff. I think it's rifter 50 something - sorry I can't be of more help on that, I don't have it in front of me and I don't want to go looking through all the Rifters for it...

It's rather disappointing...sure it's got Chromium Armor which is ok...but it's just...yeah...not that great.
However! Right next to it is the Bombadier Borg which is a pretty cool concept IIRC...so check that out. No Chromium Armor but, honestly, he doesn't need it


As for not making ludicrous variants that are a sin against all that is the Glitterboy? yeah...I would love that to stop too. For example there are about 5 things I like in Triax 2 and none of them are the new and improved GB Variants...or that stupid Wolf thing...seriously? That thing can't possibly be necessary to fight the Gargoyle Incursion...

[Nightmask]

Glitter Borg, or Glitter Borg armor. It would be cool to be able to tailor a borg's armor selection against a laser threat.

The Glitter Borg DOES exist. However as far as I know it's only in a Rifter Article along with some other official triax 2 stuff. I think it's rifter 50 something - sorry I can't be of more help on that, I don't have it in front of me and I don't want to go looking through all the Rifters for it...

It's rather disappointing...sure it's got Chromium Armor which is ok...but it's just...yeah...not that great.
However! Right next to it is the Bombadier Borg which is a pretty cool concept IIRC...so check that out. No Chromium Armor but, honestly, he doesn't need it


As for not making ludicrous variants that are a sin against all that is the Glitterboy? yeah...I would love that to stop too. For example there are about 5 things I like in Triax 2 and none of them are the new and improved GB Variants...or that stupid Wolf thing...seriously? That thing can't possibly be necessary to fight the Gargoyle Incursion...

There's also the canon option of turning any power armor or robot vehicle into a cyborg, so you can have someone who is a Glitter Boy Cyborg (obviously full conversion).

[wyrmraker]

Glitter Borg, or Glitter Borg armor. It would be cool to be able to tailor a borg's armor selection against a laser threat.

The Glitter Borg DOES exist. However as far as I know it's only in a Rifter Article along with some other official triax 2 stuff. I think it's rifter 50 something - sorry I can't be of more help on that, I don't have it in front of me and I don't want to go looking through all the Rifters for it...

It's rather disappointing...sure it's got Chromium Armor which is ok...but it's just...yeah...not that great.
However! Right next to it is the Bombadier Borg which is a pretty cool concept IIRC...so check that out. No Chromium Armor but, honestly, he doesn't need it


As for not making ludicrous variants that are a sin against all that is the Glitterboy? yeah...I would love that to stop too. For example there are about 5 things I like in Triax 2 and none of them are the new and improved GB Variants...or that stupid Wolf thing...seriously? That thing can't possibly be necessary to fight the Gargoyle Incursion...

There's also the canon option of turning any power armor or robot vehicle into a cyborg, so you can have someone who is a Glitter Boy Cyborg (obviously full conversion).

Say, could you hook me up with where it says that that's canon? I've been trying to convince GMs of this option for years now.

[Nightmask]

Glitter Borg, or Glitter Borg armor. It would be cool to be able to tailor a borg's armor selection against a laser threat.

The Glitter Borg DOES exist. However as far as I know it's only in a Rifter Article along with some other official triax 2 stuff. I think it's rifter 50 something - sorry I can't be of more help on that, I don't have it in front of me and I don't want to go looking through all the Rifters for it...

It's rather disappointing...sure it's got Chromium Armor which is ok...but it's just...yeah...not that great.
However! Right next to it is the Bombadier Borg which is a pretty cool concept IIRC...so check that out. No Chromium Armor but, honestly, he doesn't need it


As for not making ludicrous variants that are a sin against all that is the Glitterboy? yeah...I would love that to stop too. For example there are about 5 things I like in Triax 2 and none of them are the new and improved GB Variants...or that stupid Wolf thing...seriously? That thing can't possibly be necessary to fight the Gargoyle Incursion...

There's also the canon option of turning any power armor or robot vehicle into a cyborg, so you can have someone who is a Glitter Boy Cyborg (obviously full conversion).

Say, could you hook me up with where it says that that's canon? I've been trying to convince GMs of this option for years now.

Rifts: Triax (the original one), page 168, 'Brain Transplant'. Rather than placement into a cyborg shell that's meant to be more human in design one can be placed within a more powerful chassis such as a robot vehicle or power armor instead.

[Hotrod]

Triax (original) page 168 has a section on installing a human brain in certain models of robots and robot vehicles (making them a de facto borg). I'm not familiar with a method for doing this inside a power armor, though presumably a full conversion borg of human dimensions could pilot a power armor (seems inefficient to me, but plausible).

[Nightmask]

Triax (original) page 168 has a section on installing a human brain in certain models of robots and robot vehicles (making them a de facto borg). I'm not familiar with a method for doing this inside a power armor, though presumably a full conversion borg of human dimensions could pilot a power armor (seems inefficient to me, but plausible).

There isn't any practical difference between modding a power armor or a vehicle to have the systems necessary for a brain to be wired into it. Heck if you can extensively remodel something that was never meant to have anything inside of it at all (like the dyna bots) to become cyborg bodies something with a large hollow space inside like the Super-Trooper or Glitter Boy has plenty of space to make such installations.

[glitterboy2098]

main thing would be to disconenct the forcefeed back control system, and to instal a suitable support framework for the brain. odds are you'd end up filling much of the Torso section of the suit with the extra borg life support system (gas exchange system/lungs, system for digestion of nutrients and voiding of waste, etc.. stuff to keep the brain alive the PA doesn't have)

you might want to fit the arms and legs of the suit with protective barriers so shots that penetrate through don't expose the more important bits of the borg aspect.

[Nightmask]

main thing would be to disconenct the forcefeed back control system, and to instal a suitable support framework for the brain. odds are you'd end up filling much of the Torso section of the suit with the extra borg life support system (gas exchange system/lungs, system for digestion of nutrients and voiding of waste, etc.. stuff to keep the brain alive the PA doesn't have)

you might want to fit the arms and legs of the suit with protective barriers so shots that penetrate through don't expose the more important bits of the borg aspect.

I imagine sealing off those unnecessary extremity spaces would be just part of the package, since I can't see them having any reason to put anything else into them. Shouldn't be much need for extensive waste removal concerns given it's just a brain there isn't going to be significant waste production like with a complete organic body involved (and must of the waste is simply because the material is useless or unprocessed, unlike a cyborg where it's only provided with necessary nutrients for the brain and nothing else).

[Nightmask]

Another idea for GB's: lose the two stupid horn-like protrusions on the head. They serve no purpose except to waste material.

Aren't they part of the waste heat disposal system or some other key system?

[taalismn]

Another idea for GB's: lose the two stupid horn-like protrusions on the head. They serve no purpose except to waste material.

Agreed...Triax got that much right at least.

But they make great holders for birds' nests! Or an impromptu basket-holder for carrying things on ther Glitterboy's head, or the goal-basket for a pick-up game of Halfing/Gnome Basketball!

[Icefalcon]

Another idea for GB's: lose the two stupid horn-like protrusions on the head. They serve no purpose except to waste material.

Aesthetic choice made by the original creator. It might bother some people but I have no problem with them.

[Nightmask]

Another idea for GB's: lose the two stupid horn-like protrusions on the head. They serve no purpose except to waste material.

Aesthetic choice made by the original creator. It might bother some people but I have no problem with them.

Aesthically, it doesn't bother me. But if I was the in the budget office, I wouldn't want to pay for the extra machining and raw material for something superficial.

Given how Chromium armor is apparently the most expensive material to produce I'd have to agree, that's a lot of extra expense for no added value.

[Icefalcon]

Another idea for GB's: lose the two stupid horn-like protrusions on the head. They serve no purpose except to waste material.

Aesthetic choice made by the original creator. It might bother some people but I have no problem with them.

Aesthically, it doesn't bother me. But if I was the in the budget office, I wouldn't want to pay for the extra machining and raw material for something superficial.

The "horns" very well might be created as a hand hold for taking the head piece off or to cover sensory equipment (like hearing modules). There might be hundreds of reasons for their presence. But in the long run, I can see your point in why would they waste the material. However, keep in mind that the original GB design was done during the Golden Age of Man, when it was probably not a very big problem to spend a little money (probably negligible cost at that time) on aesthetics. If you think about it, it is probably why Triax did away with them.

[taalismn]

[ If you think about it, it is probably why Triax did away with them.

"Ever try to move through thick forest with those damn horns constantly hanging up on branches and what not? Sure, you can just power through the underbrush, but occasionally you tag a thick one that snaps your head about before the branch breaks, or you wind up with a big clump of leaves up there, making you look like you got a bad leaf-afro! And the noise!"
---Anonymous Glitterboy Pilot, Hudson Bay Theater of Operations.