• Welcome to the new COTI server. We've moved the Citizens to a new server. Please let us know in the COTI Website issue forum if you find any problems.

General Handling Adult themes in Traveller with Robots?

Ghost In The Shell is more a physical manifestation of possibly ascension to a higher plane of existence.
The GITS follow on series’ explored some very adult existential themes such as what is a soul and what choices do beings that are not necessarily married to their shells make.

Also took on many issues surrounding the use of power, which was greatly influenced by the various cybernetic techs in play.
 
Point taken.

But now back to our regularly scheduled program:

Handling Adult themes in Traveller with Robots?​

To my way of thinking, wouldn't it depend on the Campaign and GM/Players?

1. Robot Adult Themes are in the background, just like any other robot oriented themes. (an advertisement on a wall, a hotel known to serve a specific need)
2. Roll Die/Dice to determine what did or didn't happen, if something of this type happened.
3. Might have some importance to a small part of the Campaign, something like Mr. Universe and his Robot Wife in Serenity (movie).
4. An important part of the Campaign, something like Data and Tasha Yar and the 'Thing That Will Never Be Spoken Of Or Remembered... EVER!' in Star Trek TNG.
5. Roleplay as necessary and go to the next scene when done. Maybe take a break for a few minutes and drink some cold water.

And another thing to think about, what about Robots in relationships with other Robots? It's rare, but I've come across a few stories like this, and maybe a movie or two.

And you can reverse it, what if a Robot, either because of a malfunction or because it's very advanced, is enamored of a PC who is/isn't interested?
 
Yes, but I put it in the Referee's Lounge so we can all learn how to handle it.
O.K...

When I was in high school, my friends and I were playing a D&D game where the GM had all of our characters captured and raped by Kobolds (also no chance of fighting back or escaping). The GM thought it was funny, but us players were kind of 'very irritated' and told him not to do it again or suffer the consequences.

wouldn't it depend on the Campaign and GM/Players?
How Adult Themes With Robots is handled depends on the GM & Players. Do you keep it mild or explicit? Do you allow a little leeway if it advances the story/campaign? Is raunchy par for the course? Does keeping it mild make the GM or Players unhappy?

The bottom line is, if it's fun, go with it, and if it isn't fun, change it so that it is fun, or at least acceptable.

In Sword Art Online, there is a conversation about how, even though players can do whatever they want in a game, some things that are done can affect the players character in real life in a negative way (this may or may not apply to the GM or Players). On this note, there could be possible consequences for a character indulging in Adult Activities with a Robot. Does the society accept this behavior? Is it illegal? Is the character just satisfying a need or is this a problem that's just the tip of the iceberg (the character has trust issues, it's a release of pressure so they don't act out in anger or frustration and end up hurting someone, the character is into S&M but doesn't want to hurt anyone, the character actually prefers robots to a real person and are kind of cold/shy around people in general, fill in the blank...).

I've been thinking for a few minutes and can't help but wonder if this subject is just as difficult to handle as politics and/or religion? For some it might not be a problem that needs to be handled, and for others it could be a very serous problem.

On a side note, I hope I didn't cross any lines with my reply or step on any toes, but this is a pretty serious topic and I felt I needed to be a little more serious than usual.
 
(some more time has passed)

If Adult Themes with Robots isn't already baked into a Campaign...
1. Use real world as a guideline. eg: prostitution is illegal in many countries and both legal and regulated in others. The same could apply to Robot Adult Themes in game also.
2. Use Government & Law of UWP to determine legality/illegality and if there are any regulations or lack of same.
3. Robot Brothel or married to Robot, or something in between. What is the theme being dealt with, and is it an in game problem or an out of game problem? Or both?
4. If it's going to break the game, the GM has some tough decisions to make. If there is no problem, then there's nothing that needs to be handled. If it's something in the middle, the GM & Players should discuss it and work out a compromise if necessary.
 
Chobits by Clamp.

A manga (8 volumes) with an anime adaptation about persocoms (mostly low end synaptic androids with a few high end synaptic androids. at least, that's how I see it).

The main character finds a persocom in the trash and takes it for his own use. After powering it up, he discovers that it's memory has been erased, except for it's desire to 'find that someone special'.

The mc's best friend is dating a woman whose husband has abandoned her for his persocom.

One of the mc's co-workers was emotionally traumatized by someone who considered a relationship with a persocom as more important than her.

The mc's former employer was once married to a persocom for a few years.

A high school technical expert on persocoms who was contacted for help to understand what was different about the mc's persocom and other persocoms. The expert has built a persocom to replace his older sister who has died and two others who are servants.

Concerning the OP, this series covers a number of adult themes (I only mentioned a few) that could possibly find their way into a Campaign. Some situations might be easier to handle than others. Doesn't it come down to personal convictions as to what's allowed and not allowed in a Campaign, or where to make compromises?
 
That's the future.

There's a installment in I would guess is the Phoenix series, where all babies are test tubes, and they're each given an android/robot caregiver.

It's the same reason there are waifus, whether designated human, elven, demonic, or artificial lifeforms, currently.
 
Back
Top