Hello,
I have a very rough draft of the Nebuleon II rules for Aritficial Entities. I would appreciate any and all feedback.

AI CharGen (1 M PDF)

Thanks,
Bill

Damnit Jim He's a game designer!  He don't need another system!

He's dead Jim!

On the contrary doctor, his eyes are glazing over but his hand is reaching for his credit card.

I...Just...Don't know...Spock...do we have...the......Right to...Protect Him...From...Himself?

The Prime Directive is quite clear Captain, we must not interfere with the development of primitive species.

You soulless Vulcan bastard, his credit card's creeping up as it is and he's got three walls of his study lined to the ceiling with games and two more with miniatures cases.

I believe that would make a pentagonal room doctor, also, souls are irrelevant to rational debate.

We...can't...just...stand here...argueing...point...less..ly...we must act...or...not...act...and...live...with the consequ...ences!

FIRE A SPREAD OF PHOTON TORPEDOES FROM THE PHASER BANKS!  THAT'LL SORT HIM OUT!!!

.....

Seriously though, it's a good thing my shields are up, I'm going to have to buy Nebulon now.  I wonder if the Sentry Box has it in hard copy.  Maybe it's just the "SEU" but you seem to be channelling Star Frontiers quite heavily there.  Not that it's a bad thing.

The rules look good, I'll need a little more familiarity with your game before I pass judgement on the specifics.  However, no experience and no class might be a bit harsh.  I guess it depends on how much the upgrades one can purchase or have installed by a friend match up with the capabilities gained from experience.

Quote from: David JohansenSeriously though, it's a good thing my shields are up, I'm going to have to buy Nebulon now.  I wonder if the Sentry Box has it in hard copy.  Maybe it's just the "SEU" but you seem to be channelling Star Frontiers quite heavily there.  Not that it's a bad thing.

The rules look good, I'll need a little more familiarity with your game before I pass judgement on the specifics.  However, no experience and no class might be a bit harsh.  I guess it depends on how much the upgrades one can purchase or have installed by a friend match up with the capabilities gained from experience.

Traveler and Star Frontiers are my roots. I have to say, I find myself strangely motivated between those two sometimes.

So, the no classes and no exp is not that great a hindrance. The advantages of the AE over biologicals is the ability, assuming you have the SCIM ports and SCIM Sticks, to swap skills out within a few minutes per rank of skill. So, suddenly need to pick a lock? No problem, swap out your Gren Hris linguistics SCIM. Get a few creds for working on a cargo hauler as their medic? Buy (rules for purchasing SCIM skills will be in the equipment section) some more ranks in Xenobiology for Trigs for the next haul.

So, essentially, biologicals have the ability to learn from direct experience, advance ranks of skills or learn new skills from these experiences. AE have the ability to swap out programs. Although they can "learn from remembering" they do not have the heuristic ability to abstract that experience to apply to their skills.

Perhaps not the most "realistic" explanation but one that seems acceptible from a game balance POV.

Yes?

Bill

It's always a quandry what to do with robot PCs.  I lean towards the idea that the price of self-awareness (randomly scrambled quantum neural network) is the need to learn skills the oldfashioned way.  The trade off being that they can carry things farther than a robot would normally be able to.

Mainly it lets them function more like organic PCs in play.

I'm not putting down your method though.  It makes a lot of sense and is quite realistic.

Quote from: David JohansenIt's always a quandry what to do with robot PCs.  I lean towards the idea that the price of self-awareness (randomly scrambled quantum neural network) is the need to learn skills the oldfashioned way.  The trade off being that they can carry things farther than a robot would normally be able to.

Mainly it lets them function more like organic PCs in play.

I'm not putting down your method though.  It makes a lot of sense and is quite realistic.

And to be clear David, I am not saying there is one true way here. I am just looking for the best way to enact the style of AI I have chosen for the setting. I have often had the idea that AI should be no different than biologicals, straight down to the physical. In setting design terms, I am trying to increase the options of the player by giving them another, alternate way to play. Combine this with the general paranoia of the general populace towards AI after the Wars and you have a group (the AI) that will not be allowed as much freedom.

At least that is the way I look at it for this setting. It will probably be different in Future Skein.

Bill

It's a decent way to go as I said.  And an interesting choice, I must admit that the build everything the same way approach of HERO has always bothered me as soon as you step away from the very silver age superheroic thing.

I like it, Bill! Should work slick as a greased squirrel for Neb!

-clash

Quote from: flyingmiceI like it, Bill! Should work slick as a greased squirrel for Neb!

-clash

Good to hear from you Clash. I posted it here so you would see it. If you have any suggestions I am all ears. I know you are more of a zero sum kind of guy while I tend to be a sum up/point spend kind of guy.

Thanks,
Bill

Quote from: HinterWeltGood to hear from you Clash. I posted it here so you would see it. If you have any suggestions I am all ears. I know you are more of a zero sum kind of guy while I tend to be a sum up/point spend kind of guy.

Thanks,
Bill

Hi Bill!

The basic concept is excellent - trading amount of skills for flexibility in their use is very cool.  

One thing you may want to do is have Armor affect APP negatively. Bulky, armored AIs would tend to be a bit intimidating.

Another thing is that tight beams aren't more secure - with one time pads, broadcast comm can be ultra-secure - but they are more *stealthy.* Unless you are on a line between sender and reciever, you don't know anything is sending at all. They do have to be Line Of Sight, though.

I'll see if anything else comes to mind.

-clash

Quote from: flyingmiceHi Bill!

The basic concept is excellent - trading amount of skills for flexibility in their use is very cool.  

One thing you may want to do is have Armor affect APP negatively. Bulky, armored AIs would tend to be a bit intimidating.

The way I usually handle heavier armor is to penalize Defense (i.e. it becomes easier to hit you). I will see if I can work something up for this.

Quote from: flyingmiceAnother thing is that tight beams aren't more secure - with one time pads, broadcast comm can be ultra-secure - but they are more *stealthy.* Unless you are on a line between sender and reciever, you don't know anything is sending at all. They do have to be Line Of Sight, though.

I'll see if anything else comes to mind.

-clash

Yeah, I was struggling with the best way to explain this due to the nature of the game. Obviously it is not the best way. I will reword.

Thanks,
Bill

Updated with Clash's suggestions. Thanks Clash!

Bill