Cyborgs or androids?

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Cyborgs or androids?

Postby Thoul » Mon May 7, '07, 7:11 pm

If you've played Phantasy Star III, or even a little bit of it, you know that there are several characters in that game called "cyborgs," while the rest of the series calls similar characters "androids." My question for you is, do you think the characters in PSIII are really cyborgs, or actually androids like the others?

A cyborg is a blending of man and machine, something with both metal and living tissue. A couple of examples would be a person with robotic limbs or a robot with some human organs. An android is an entirely mechanical being, with no living parts.

To me, the cyborg label in PSIII seems kind of hard to believe. Wren is able to transform into an air plane, boat, and submarine capable of holding four people - I can't see a cyborg being able to do that, even with extra parts installed. He has to rearrange a lot of his body, which seems unlikely for a cyborg.
Last edited by Thoul on Wed Sep 5, '07, 6:47 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Cyborgs or androids?

Postby Neithird » Mon May 7, '07, 10:46 pm

I like to take the game at it's word on this one. These ships have limited resources (just because they are ships), but it is suggested that cyborgs have been created continuously for 1000 years. They wouldn't have enough raw material to do that, even with recycling. If they grow some of the parts (using PS2 style clone tech) to make cyborgs, it cuts down the materials needed. It would also explain how cyborgs can use techniques/magic, which is genetic, when androids can't.
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Re: Cyborgs or androids?

Postby Tsunami » Wed May 16, '07, 8:44 pm

It was yet another mistranslation. Simple as that. :p

Mieu is the only one who I'd consider as a cyborg, but even then, she's supposed to be an android as well with emotions and was created using advanced technology. Check out the PSIII script translation for that, interesting stuff they left out and changed.

But other than Mieu... Doubt it. A small little robot couldn't be a cyborg, unless they used small children for horrific experiments. :D
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Re: Cyborgs or androids?

Postby Neithird » Thu May 17, '07, 9:29 pm

The little robots could be an example of a mostly robotic cyborg. Something with just a few organic parts, like a liver or such. I have to admit that they are good evidence for being androids, though.

I'll always think that Mieu is a cyborg after reading that one comic by the PS3 character designer. You know, the one where all the princes meet and Sean talks about Mieu filling in for his mom? :o
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Re: Cyborgs or androids?

Postby Thoul » Wed May 23, '07, 5:53 am

Check out the PSIII script translation for that, interesting stuff they left out and changed.


Where is the script translation? I think I haven't seen that one.

I have to agree that Mieu is the only one I could see as being a cyborg. I don't think she is one either though, because of Miun. I don't have an image of it handy, but in Miun's cutscene portrait, you can see her wires and metal parts. :o So I don't see how she could be a cyborg and wander around all that time in that shape. :?

But hey, if you prefer cyborgs, that's cool too. 8)
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Postby Lamanai » Wed May 23, '07, 6:38 pm

The only one I ever thought could possibly be a cyborg was Mieu- and that was probably due to that particular comic by Toyo Ozaki.

Here's a couple pictures showing Miun's "wiring" and such. :)

In Game:
Image
Art from one of the Adventure Books:
Image
I can't seem to find the full image, but you can see Miun's hand is metal...:
Image
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Re: Cyborgs or androids?

Postby Thoul » Thu May 24, '07, 5:38 am

Thanks for the pics. :) I don't think I have seen that last one before. I had forgotten the one in the adventure book, too.
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Re: Cyborgs or androids?

Postby Neithird » Thu May 24, '07, 11:21 pm

Maybe I'm being stubborn, but I still think Miun could be a cyborg. :stir:

Okay, I have to admit, she has a lot of wires and metal as we see in those pictures. But we can't say if she has organics deeper in or not. The Terminator is technically a cyborg, but all it has, as far as living parts, is an outer layer of skin. If it works for him, it can work for Miun, too. :p
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Re: Cyborgs or androids?

Postby Lamanai » Fri May 25, '07, 5:07 am

Neithird wrote:The Terminator is technically a cyborg, but all it has, as far as living parts, is an outer layer of skin. If it works for him, it can work for Miun, too. :p


Good Point! :rofl:
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Re: Cyborgs or androids?

Postby Tsunami » Sat May 26, '07, 7:57 am

Thoul wrote:Where is the script translation? I think I haven't seen that one.

Here's a link:
http://home.att.net/~RCgamusic/ps.htm

Scroll down, they're at the very bottom. Pretty interesting read, if you ask me. :)

Neithird wrote:I'll always think that Mieu is a cyborg after reading that one comic by the PS3 character designer. You know, the one where all the princes meet and Sean talks about Mieu filling in for his mom?

Yeah, that's why I sorta consider Mieu as a cyborg, too. How else could she have cared for Sean if she didn't have the equipment, or so to speak? :wink:
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