Parallel // Terminals

The Remote Terminal Project is an exploration into the communications technology of the world of Parallel TCG. It’s the design of how it looks, feels and functions, but also most importantly, it's role in the overall narrative as it unfolds within the five warring factions and their quest for earth’s resources. 

Remote Terminal // Kathari

The Kathari Remote Terminal Bio Matter (RTBM) allows full manipulation, augmenting, and supercharging of the body’s electrical impulses and nervous system to display and transfer data and information.

Along with it’s own ability to engineer uploaded data into a visual and physical spectrum, the Bio Matter turns any organic compound it bonds with into a projector that allows for direct manipulation and control at a cellular level.

 
Once bonded with the Bio Matter, the host (sometimes referred to as a “Controller”) needs only to think or gesture, and an instantaneous connection and transfer is bounced between the Controller and the RTBM.

The Bio Matter can conform to any shape that the Controller dictates. For example, bonding to the Controller’s temple could produce an ocular display rather than from a hand or limb as pictured here.

In contrast, it could grow to the size of a backpack, attaching to the Controller’s back, making essentially the entire body a live projector.

The RTBM also allows the Controller to transfer or display data via any surface as well as transferring to another controller bonded with an RTBM. This allows for a rapid and easy transfer of information.

RTBM’s are made from a combination of ceramic, metal and synthesized organic tissue. The Bio Matter is grown, like any living thing, around the Terminal itself, bonding it completely as one entity once fused together.

Using the RTBM INTERLINK module, data transfer between the Terminal and Data Storage units is possible.

The INTERLINK attaches to the Terminal via a magnetic seal, and allows organic matter to extend through the Interlink, into the drives, where it collects the data.

The Data Storage units are easily interchangeable, and can connect with one another to combine or sort large sets of information and data.

Remote Terminal //
Marcolian

The Marcolian Remote Terminal Communications Unit is a battlefield-ready manned comms platform, designed to be used in all forms of field combat. It is used primarily to facilitate communication between the fleet, ground forces and special combat units. It also has an offensive function, broadcasting a far reaching jamming signal to block and disrupt enemy communications.

Even while taking heavy fire, the RTCU is well protected by the pulse powered force field. This allows it to follow troops into hostile territory and maintain front line communications with the rest of the troops.

Remote Terminal //
Shroud

The Shroud Nodal Construct is always moving, changing and growing. When accessed via a Controller, it expands to a visual representation of the many combined manifestations of Shroud within the network.

The Controller is composed of a magnetic induction transmitter and a powered induction core, all housed within the display unit.

The central unit within the controller houses a magnetic induction transmitter. Using the energy of the prime powered induction core, the transmitter creates an intense magnetic field that phase shifts the construct into a visual form.

Once the Controller is active, coordinates to a nodal fragment can be accessed. With node coordinates, the Shroud can “travel” to, find and communicate with other Shroud within the network.

The Nodal construct, always in flux, expands to a visual representation of the many combined manifestations of Shroud within the network.

Rather than opening a traditional channel of communication, the construct phase shifts into the form that represents the given coordinates of the nodal network.

Remote Terminal // Augencore

The Augencore Terminal is a direct extension of their highly augmented and sophisticated technology. It's a mix of tactile instrumentation and complex machine language, contained in a single device, which is both modular and easily modifed to suit the operator's needs.

One of the earliest sketches I did for Augencore, was a of an input terminal with a spherical keyboard. I really like the idea of the keyboard tilting and rotating, a bit like a rubix cube.

The keyboard is suspended by a magnetic ring, allowing it free movement as well as any configuration that the user wants to display. The keys are inspired by braille, as I imagined the Augencore have merged so closely with machines that their visual language is mostly binary.

When designing, I always try to envision the technology that powers the ui, and the functionality behind the parts that make up the whole. This helps to maintain a stronger sense of believability and keeps the designs grounded.

The terminal itself is connected to a projector array, that can be arranged in a number of ways, depending on what the user needs to display. For example, a linear array works better for streams of data and windows, while a grid works better for a 3d map or a spatial hologram.

Remote Terminal // Earthen

The Earthen Mycelial Network Remote Terminal (MNRT) serves as a communication bridge, between the vast Mycelium network that runs across the earth, with the Earthen people.

Bonding with the user’s nervous system, the Mycelium and Hyphae branches, give the Earthen the ability to manipulate organic matter at a cellular level, in order to display, communicate with or create symbols, language and concepts.

The MNRT is normally composed of the communication device that the user wears, the crystal drive that holds and collects the data, and the station that allows for the transfer of the data from the drive to the device.

The MNRT can take many shapes, depending on it’s use. The one pictured here, is in the form of a neck ring. Worn around the user’s neck, the ring holds beaded cores of Mycelium, that serve as storage and transfer of data.

Via the Mycelium network, the data is passed through a Hyphae bridge. The Mycelium then merges with the user’s vocal cords, allowing the user’s speech and vibration patterns to mimic the natural waveforms of natural elements. In this way, the user is able to literally project a vibration vocally, transforming organic matter in order to communicate concepts.

Found deep in Earthen underground cavities, these crystals come in many shapes, colors and forms. The crystals used as data drives are grown from a Mycelium mass, and have an unique bond with the network. Able to store and hold generations of data, they serve as infinite mirrors of information used to distribute further via MRNT’s.

Once data is passed from the drive to the MNRT, the information is stored in the Mycelium cores. It’s then further transferred through a Hyphae bridge.

Though resembling man made carvings, the symbols pictured here are actually formed by the use of the MNRT’s. These symbols are the language of natures own frequencies, and communicate purpose and meaning by changing the cellular composition of organic matter. Thus the symbols can appear in anything from wood and stone, to skin and fluid and so on.

Design and Art Direction / Kristoffer Brady

Client / Parallel Studios