cyborgs like the ones in 'Ghost in the Shell' ?

[JimMarn]

I have read the Robots book. I didn't see anything in it that would allow for characters, PC or NPC, like the ones in Section 9, 'Ghost in the Shell' anime and movies. ( The anime and first two movies are the universe, but different parallel tracks.) It is possible I missed it.

Basically, humans can have small radios implanted in their brains. Short distance communications. You can read books to evidently. The cyberized people in the episodes have titanium and servo shells. The skin looks like human skin. Cameras for eyes. No power source is mentioned. Probably nuclear. There are some strength capabilities, but they can be overpowered by weapons. Some of them can see in other than visual light. Section 9 is an anti-terrorist group working for the Japanese Prime Minister.

Some of them, their brains are virtual/cyber brains. The conciousness, memories, and emotions are transferred over. Their firewalls, in their cyber brains, can be hacked and false memories installed.

The 'standard' weight of their shells is about 800 pounds.

Are such characters able to be rolled up in Traveller ? Which tables should I use, or does it require other tables ?

Thanks !

 

[Fritz_Brown]

It would require some customization of the character generation process. Substituting skills, perhaps. One of the biggest hurdles would be overcoming the PC robot being a munchkin, I would think.

 

[Cryton]

I imagine you could make them quite easily using MgTs Traveller Supplement 8:Cybernetics. Not sure how you would do it using older rules sets.

~Rich

 

[gruntfire]

The Mongoose supplement 8: Cybernetics has the rules for replacing the brain and body with cyber replacements. That is probably the only place to find what you are looking for.

 

[Carlobrand]

"Making" them could be done with the robots book, Book 8: just assume a human brain is replacing the robot brain and, assuming the various parts are serving as analogs to human limbs and sensory organs, that's pretty much all you need to do. If you've got something beyond a limb/sensory analog - say you want to give him spider legs, or add a maneuver drive in addition to legs, or add a densitometer on top of visual sensors, or add a mortar - then you might need some supplemental CPU to help the human brain manage the additional function that the human brain isn't wired for.

Rolling them up is a different matter. If they are sufficiently human in appearance and performance, you can roll them up using the usual character generation system, maybe add in some modifiers if there's prejudice or if some particular part gives them some edge - for example, a powerful data storage system could function as a high education analog and result in DMs there, or prejudice might make them ineligible for social standing increases or even for officer billets. If they are radically different from human norms, then you're entirely on your own - there IS no character generation system for an intelligent armored fighting vehicle, you'll have to make one up.

All of that depends on the specifics of your TU and where these guys fit in with the overall scheme of things, most specifically why someone/agency is spending so much money to built a shell around these guys instead of just putting a pilot in a machine or going with a bot or remotely piloted unit (both of which are more easily controlled by whatever authority intends to field them), what that someone/agency expects to get for the (hefty) investment, and how the rest of society feels about this ... being. Your cyborgs could be slaves, or simply second-class citizens, or they could enjoy full rights and respect in society. It's all based on the universe you build around them and why they exist in the first place.

 

[epicenter00]

No power source is mentioned. Probably nuclear.

It might be nuclear, but I doubt it. It's probably not batteries either. Masamune Shirou isn't a big fan of nuclear power in his works. He likes more quasi-biological systems in robots. I'd guess it's some sort of fuel cell based on like sugars for fuel.

 

[Lycanorukke]

A strong AI in the OTU would require a minimum of TL 16 to exceed the 50% synaptic limit, and the Imperium is 15 at best. A human 'personality' running on a <50% computer would be just a deterministic simulation, and while simulation personality programs do exist in Trav (Zid Rachelle) they are not self aware. Thus you would have to move outside the 'old' Trav books and use GT or MgT.

Brain implants do exist in one of the JTAS books, and is essentially used for 'silent' communications or data storage.

 

[Carlobrand]

A strong AI in the OTU would require a minimum of TL 16 to exceed the 50% synaptic limit, and the Imperium is 15 at best. A human 'personality' running on a <50% computer would be just a deterministic simulation, and while simulation personality programs do exist in Trav (Zid Rachelle) they are not self aware. Thus you would have to move outside the 'old' Trav books and use GT or MgT.

Brain implants do exist in one of the JTAS books, and is essentially used for 'silent' communications or data storage.

Hivers have a rep for being ahead of the curve in computer tech. A gamemaster might be able to work that into some method of justifying the tech he wants.

Also, it's not clear that he's confining himself to the OTU. His strong interest in the anime works suggests he may be considering a creation of his own and is just looking for a rules set to build it around.

 

[BytePro]

To me, for chargen this is just a normal PC with possible +X to Edu (reading?) and possibly -X to Soc (or restrictions as Carlobrand mentioned); along with Battledress Str DM equivalent +X to Str and a built-in armor equivalent for combat.

For play, the 'mind' radio could come in handy for RP (no real mechanics), but may be susceptible to certain EM environs and to RF location (as they have an emitter in their heads) and eavesdropping and spoofing. Power source may also present custom issues, related to detection (radiation - thermal at least) as well as 'refueling'. Head hacking would need some customized approach, I suspect (perhaps borrowing from psionic rules, ditto for other mind aspects).

Most notable, though, I would think, would be issues re: the 800lbs! Like walking on unre-enforced permacrete, riding in TL8 cars, or piling into elevators! :file_21:

 

[JimMarn]

Lots of good ideas. Thanks !

From the Anime episodes I got the impression that fully cyberized humans were rare. They could be done 'cheaply' in comparison to custom bodies like Section 9 had, but they still weren't inexpensive. The Section 9 bodies cost in the millions of dollars and were government supplied. Some of them were only partially cyberized.

They were first class citizens, so that was no problem as far as them being slaves, etc.

There was mention of 'dead children' being found. Upon much research, were found to be robotic dolls who closely appeared to be real children who had died. I don't remember if that was in the book or one of the episodes.

One of the other things mentioned in both the anime and the movies is 'external memory'.

Basically memory devices, or mnemonics, to help the cyberized, and some with a bare minimum like a radio in their skulls, to remember events in case of accidents effecting their memories. One of the major characters in the Anime episodes wears an old fashioned ladies watch as an external memory device.

Less than a week ago I saw such a news article. The scientist said he had come up with a way to store your videos, your voice, pictures, etc. And one day not too far into the future, he claimed, it could be used to hold enough information that you could clone yourself, and half all of the previous bodies memories and experiences. Or if you were injured in an accident and had partial memory loss. Sounds like the above 'external memory' to me.

@epicenter00 I do have the English translation of his books. He didn't seem thrilled by the idea of small reactors in the shells. I haven't read it recently.

 

[Enoki]

Not to mention the Traveller #1 usual thing that bites you with tech: Money. Maintenance would cost money. Parts might not be readily available. Nothing like suffering some serious breakdown on a TL 4 world...

Then there is the cost. Cost to get it initially, cost of maintenance, cost of fuel (maybe a fuel cell with L hydrogen?).

I would think the whole thing would be almost cost prohibitive outside an enviroment where such technologies are relatively common. That might preclude or restrict travel, cause issues like you can't get refined fuel where you want to go so either you haul it with you or...?

There would be an up and down side in terms of ability too: You might find you have better sensory capacity in some areas and worse or non-existant in others. For example maybe better auditory and visual capacity but severely reduced or non-existant smell and taste.

This whole line of technology could and probably would be a two edged sword so to speak on that might put off most players from even attempting it.

 

[JimMarn]

Some of the characters mention 'regular cyber maintenance'. From context it wasn't easy to tell. I think monthly. Section 9, being a government group, had their own repair facilities. Hard to move their building though.

I can see it leading to problems for player characters. The main characters did have a number of abilities, some enhanced, some not. Typically reaction time, hearing, and muscles. One had infrared eyesight, but his eyes were grids, not cameras. Too obvious.

One scenario an opposing character mentions 'she is hesitating as she doesn't have mid-range targeting software loaded and is downloading it via satellite'. Turns out it he might have been mistaken. But it does lead to interesting problems. Storage of software for different situations.