[SPECIES DEVELOPMENT] Barebones

[knux400]

BAREBONES

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ORIGIN

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• Originated in Monte
  
• Intended as a low-cost construct for mining jobs, accidentally developed into a proper race
  
• The manufacturer decided to cut costs further by basing their AI off an existing type of construct, not realizing they had free will
  
• "Whoops I guess we made a race huh"
  
• They were never slaves- although they were designed specifically for mining, barebones live under the same conditions as any other citizen in Monte
  
• A good portion of them still work as miners, as they are naturally inclined towards it
  
• ????
  

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CULTURE

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• Barebones tend to be hoarders, keeping miscellaneous bits and bobs in case they become useful
  
• It is very important for a barebones to have some amount of engineering skill- since barebones hospitals are few and far between, they often have to maintain their own bodies
  
• Barebones value worth in a literal sense- they value useful tools or materials more than objects of sentimental value
  
• Because of this, they tend not to add things to their body they don't need- hence their skeletal appearance
  
• It's always better to use something until it breaks than to keep it preserved forever
  
• When a barebones dies, the body is dismantled and the parts are given to friends and family, often to be reused in new barebones
  
• Having fresh, unused parts at the time of death is seen as unused potential in a tragic sense- recycling and continuing to use these parts is a way of fulfilling that potential
  
• Old, broken parts are typically recycled back into raw materials
  
• Keeping a piece of a barebones on display is a big no-no- it insinuates that the part is worthless, and is disrespectful to all those who have used it before
  
• ????
  

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APPEARANCE

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• Barebones are named for their extremely thin bodies
  
• Most tend to be humanoid, although other morphs exist
  
• Typically range from 4 to 8 feet tall
  
• Primarily have metal bodies, although barebones made from other materials are known to exist
  
• Tend to stay close to other species in terms of size and shape for convenience of living
  
• ????
  

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BIOLOGY

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• Barebones are entirely mechanical- no organic components whatsoever
  
• Generally they run off of shred energy, but they can also consume food if they have a specialized setup for it
  
• No sense of taste
  
• They can "smell" whether or not the air is safe for people with lungs, but they don't perceive flavor of any kind- this is a sense left over from their roots as mining robots
  
• Barebones can add any type of electronic device to their body, but most tend to limit themselves to one or two 'extras'
  
• It takes some time to become accustomed to a new body part- a barebones with a newly replaced arm will generally be clumsy and uncoordinated with it for the first month or so
  
• Self-modding is possible and very common, most barebones tend to keep a box of spare parts in their home for add-ons or repairs
  
• About 90% of Barebones have significantly modified themselves in some way, those that haven't are usually very young
  
• Their thin metal structure was designed to be cost-efficient for easy mass-production, and sturdy enough to allow them to take dangerous mining jobs
  
• Heads are typically camera-like, with a single lens
  
• Most lenses have a closable aperture for protection and adjusting to different light levels
  
• Barebones' actual minds and personalities are stored in a hard drive just small enough to fit in the back of their head- the rest of their body is completely subject to modification
  
• Because of this, it is possible for a wealthy Barebones to have multiple bodies- usually a 'personal body' and a more specialized body for certain jobs
  
• Barebones are powered by a scrap core, typically kept in their torso
  
• ????
  

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LIFE CYCLE/FAMILY STRUCTURE

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• Barebones can theoretically live forever as long as they are properly maintained, and typically reach maturity at 18-20 years
  
• Being robots, Barebones do not grow (apart from self-modification)
  
• Children are built from scratch rather than born- there is a several-month-long period in which the parents gather parts from various places, draw up plans, and actually build the child
  
• Usually they tend to stick to one of the original designs, allowing the new Barebones to modify itself however it chooses as it grows up
  
• Younger barebones will lean toward being overly logical and pedantic, and will have little to no concept of social norms and practices
  
• This is due to their AI being designed for being a worker and not much else- however, each Barebones is capable of learning by rewriting its own code, allowing it to develop as a person
  
• As a barebones gets older, it will develop more emotional and social capabilities until its personality is essentially indistinguishable from an adult of any other species
  
• Barebones can and frequently do form relationships outside their species
  
• ????
  

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MORPHS

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Note that the following morphs are starting points for Barebones, and are often modified and repaired during the course of the Barebones' life. Younger Barebones tend to be closer in appearance to their original design, while older Barebones show their age with extensive modifications.
 

Biped Frame- The original design for the Barebones, and the kind most still use as a starting point. Consists of a standard body shape with a lightweight and skeletal design. The rectangular head features a lens with a small light for illuminating dark areas. The unit stands at roughly 6 feet tall.

Lifter Frame- A heavy quadruped frame with a flat back for carrying large objects. Consists of a rectangular body with four large legs, each with a set of gripper claws for traction and stability. The platform on the back is mounted on a gyroscopic joint, which can tilt to avoid disturbing sensitive cargo, and there are numerous open loops present for securing the cargo with straps. The front of the torso has a rotating lens and a pair of floodlights. The unit stands at roughly 4 feet tall.

Sheala Frame- A pod-shaped frame designed for deep sea exploration. The turbines on either side can unfold into a pair of legs for land travel. Consists of a teardrop-shaped body with two large legs, each with a set of turbines built in. They have a small set of folding arms for manipulating objects, as well as a large lens and a pair of floodlights protected by a thick plexiglass dome. The unit stands at roughly 4 feet tall.

Crawler Frame- A small insectoid frame designed for scouting and charting new areas. Consists of a spherical shell that divides into eight sections. The tip of each section serves as a claw to dig into surfaces, allowing them to crawl along most walls or ceilings. They can retreat into their shell at any time for protection or for rolling along surfaces. The sphere is 6 inches in diameter and has a telescopic lens with a small light built in. The unit stands at roughly 1 foot tall.

Nymph Frame- A miniature version of the Biped frame designed for surveying and exploring new areas. Its short legs aren't suited for walking more than small distances at a time, but they can fold into the chest area for more streamlined flight. The unit stands at 18 inches tall.

Scorpion Frame- A large, six-legged frame with a retractable tail for demolition and excavation. The attachment on the tail can be easily removed and replaced for different purposes, making this frame excellent for more specialized applications. The outer shell curves up and around the tail while retracted to provide protection and stability.

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RULES

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This is a species development thread! Here you can have discussion on the species presented, and offer suggestions/ideas for developing them- thus directly contributing to the species! Anything is fair game so long as it follows the restrictions (if any are listed). This main post will be updated as we go, allowing for people to always have an up to date resource on the species.

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Restrictions/No-go's

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• Keep it SFW!!!!
  

[victorianflorist]

Though it would limit their movement functionality, would you say that some Crawler frame Barebones have shapes other than spheres?

[knux400]

Though it would limit their movement functionality, would you say that some Crawler frame Barebones have shapes other than spheres?

The vast majority tend to stick to spheres or spheroid shapes (think like a dodecahedron or something along those lines) in order to preserve their ability to roll- however, there are a rare few standouts that change their shells into more exotic shapes or even remove them entirely!