Engis and Oxygen

[ApSciMorgs]

Engis are sapient robots consisting of trillions of nanomachines working in tandem to produce a vaguely humanoid form, right?
So why are they vulnerable to asphyxiation?

[Darthcaboose]

Engis have also been said in the game's lore to be part machine, part organic. I imagine it is the organic part that requires oxygen.

[Gorlom]

Obviously they need air for their cooling fans. without some way of expelling heat (the vacuum of space is cold but there's no way for the engi design to transfer it out) they overheat and malfunction.

And I have no idea why they aren't water cooled or some such.

[Kieve]

I picture them as being very similar to the Geth from Mass Effect (most notably the first one). They might be synthetic but they're still living organisms.

[ApSciMorgs]

And I have no idea why they aren't water cooled or some such.

Because water has a bad habit of breaking electronics. Something like cooking oil (it has better thermal conductivity and less electrical conductivity) is far better.

I picture them as being very similar to the Geth from Mass Effect (most notably the first one). They might be synthetic but they're still living organisms.

And for the Mass Effect reference, you sir, win the Internet, and my respect.

[Kieve]

Because water has a bad habit of breaking electronics. Something like cooking oil (it has better thermal conductivity and less electrical conductivity) is far better.

I now have the mental image of an Engi going into a supermarket and chugging a bottle of Canola. Thank you for that

And for the Mass Effect reference, you sir, win the Internet, and my respect.

Yay, internet! Just what I always wanted.
Hear that, Internet? You are MINE now! Mua-hahahaha...

[Derakon]

The real question is, why do rockmen need oxygen? They don't even have internal organs...

[ApSciMorgs]

The real question is, why do rockmen need oxygen? They don't even have internal organs...

... Welp... SUBSET GAMES, WE DEMAND ANSWERS!

[KirksEchoingScream]

As artificial lifeforms in a science-fiction universe the Engy are all on journeys of self-discovery as they try to become more human.

First they had an emotion chip installed, so they could feel as humans do.

Then they had death chips installed, so they could also experience death. The software contained in these chips overrides their natural immortality and shuts down their system whenever it detects something that would kill a human.

The Federation would like them to take out these chips, since if they were immortal again that would make them a much more powerful ally, but the Engy believe that without finite lifespans and constant danger they will never be motivated to try new things and change.

[Toxo]

I picture them as being very similar to the Geth from Mass Effect (most notably the first one). They might be synthetic but they're still living organisms.

Actually, the Geth didn't require oxygen :p Explained somewhere in Mass Effect 2, when you enter a Geth base.

I'm gonna have to go with what Darthcaboose said, they're still partly organic and that their organic parts require the oxygen.