LET'S [test] DRIVING

[cava]

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN, YOU KNOW THE DRILL. Here's a few options, all stolen shamelessly from previous iterations.

> The Park. Man, what a nice day out. Why not enjoy it? I'm sure -- shit, yep, there's some echo monsters or whatever they're called.
> The Mall. Exactly what it says on the tin! Dodge the hordes of teenage mallrats or take part, whichever suits your tastes.
> Rainy Day. Agh, it's fucking awful out. And is it raining those vermilion things?? Now you've got an Echo to contend with on top of everything else. Find some shelter, quick!
> Arts and Crafts Fair. WILL THE KITSCH OVERWHELM YOU


or make up your own whatever this is basic and just for the purposes of getting a new test drive up.

Comments

[amajin]

[Jin happens to be in the same place. He's been looking forward to this artbook for years, but hadn't bothered to preorder anything. Luckily it's obscure enough he has his own copy under his arm when he spots the kid.]

[He feels that weird sense of recognition, a sort of deja vu... He's been feeling it a lot lately, but this one is especially strong. Something's telling him to annoy this kid. He sidles over, setting his book onto the top of a nearby shelf and plucking the book out of the kid's hand.]

What'cha lookin' at, nerd?

[He grins, feeling strangely fond of this complete stranger.]

[brodad]

Hey-!

[oh my god you can't just take things give that back

He starts to reach for the book before really noticing the person who took it, and stops mid-motion as a wave of familiarity comes over him. He's pretty sure he can trust this guy, though he'd be hard-pressed to say why since so far there's been nothing particularly confidence-inspiring.

He pulls back and crosses his arms instead. Noticing another copy of the book sitting on a shelf nearby, he returns the smile.]

I'd say you already know the answer to that.

[amajin]

[He makes a double take behind him.]

Aw, man, and I'm supposed to be a genius.

[He offers the book back and sighs.]

Yeah, all right, I came here to get this book, but I've got an excuse. I'm a robotics engineer, so it's legitimate research.

[So there.]

[brodad]

[He takes the book back, and uh. His face just. Completely lights up at "robotics engineer".]

I tried making a two-foot scale model of the Yotta for a final project as an undergrad, but the dimensions had to be altered for it to stay upright while walking. Which model do you think would be most realistic to produce?

[amajin]

Oh man, I have put so much thought into this!

[He grabs his own copy of the book and pages through it, poking triumphantly at a picture of a garishly colored and squat mecha]

Given the technology we have available, the only one we could feasibly make is the Gamu, since it has a lower center of gravity and is powered mostly by hydraulics. The power source is the real issue, uh...

[He thinks about his recent problem with a mobile unit... He redesigned it with a much smaller power unit. Even though there's nothing that small that could power something that big.]

Basically it would have to have a mobile power unit behind it at all times to work. Back when I was a kid all I could think about was making giant robots, but there aren't a lot of jobs in that. I work in the medical industry.