Robotics or Cybernetics?

[stofsk]

I'm fishing for opinions here. I have the excellent Robot supplements for T20 that Comstar published. They're pretty good, my complement to the author, but I have to say that the rules and advice for detailing a Robot player character are sparse. Although I was initially opposed to the idea of a robot PC taking half the XP rewards it kinda grows on me now that I've taken potential Prior History into account. After all, Robots don't age the way meat does. You can have decades of service in any prior history, take half the XP and still be of a comparable level to the other PCs (assuming they all take roughly the same number of terms as each other) so party balance isn't really an issue. But that's the thing. There are no robot-oriented classes.

I mean, yes, a robot can take any class it wants. Why's it going to take Barbarian? Can it join the Army or Navy? A Robot Noble? Somehow I think the Moot might have a few things to say about that (on the other hand, YMMV as might YTU). For laughs, a Psionicist Robot.

What about cyborgs? You start off as meat, add cybernetic prosthetics as you go. Problem: most of the time, its assume your arm was severed in a tragic accident which prompted you to get the kickass adamantium plated Str 20 robo arm. But there are a few psychopaths who would do it themselves just to get the new shiny toy (and more than a few players who will munchkin the rules).

There are things like datalinks, borged brains and the like, that have only bare descriptions in the THB. There is a brief implicatory paragraph about culture and acceptance of Cybernetics as well, with it being seen in disfavour. I can totally see this subject still open to further development in future publications...

But for a player character, what would you choose? Robot or Cyborg?

 

[veltyen]

... acceptance of Cybernetics as well, with it being seen in disfavour.

In the OTU sure.

While I may seem a heretic, I use traveller as a generic sci-fi setting, with whatever morality and mores that I consider important to the stories I'm telling.

I have had a AI PC. They walked around in a variety of vehicles. Handwavium was a major factor in how I ran them.

 

[sinbadsam]

In a past Traveller Campaign, the "Power Gamer" aka "The General" in the group was "guided" into eventually becoming a "Brain in a Box" Robot.

Why was he called "The General" well he had a Tactical skill of Greater than a 5. He won some battles that the enemy did not expect anyone to win at, so it was also a bit hard on his body alot of the time. Replacing robotic/cybernetic parts was easier to replace than have to go thru all that time healing.

It worked out very well too.

"OK the battle is over, we won again, boy those Aslan were most surprised, the General's robot body is toast again, where did his brain sneak/crawl off too? Do you think the Aslan will hold a grudge for this action?"

 

[mbrinkhues]

In the OTU cybernetic replacements are mostly "out of favor" since you can get clone/regrow lost limbs, sensor organs etc. And cloned/regrown parts are maintenance free.

That happened pretty early in the techline around the time the Solomanie started uplifting Bears and Dolphins so Cybertech mostly never got to the "faster, stronger, more capabel" stage. Besides, who wants to bay 6MCr and be forced to run around with that stupid background sound all the time ;=)


<Potential Spoiler>

As for robotic nobles IIRC there is one in the 1106 timeline of DPG's "Grand Tour" adventure set. The Pseudo-Bio robot of the researcher get's accidently knighted by ole Strephon.

 

[Liam Devlin]

For the generic Gamer, T20 YTU has nerve refusion at TL-11 medically speaking (re-attaching severed limbs, hands, feet).

But societies without TL-11 would still be using prosthetics for victim-survivors of war and industrial-vehicle accidents.
From the TL1 peg leg to the TL-9 & 10 limbs we see today. All obvious, nothing Cyber-punk about them.

If you look at that way, then those "super-strong" limbs aren't about much when higher tech, cheaper medical healing is available.

As for your question stofsk:

A Robot, if the choice is between that and a Cyborg.

 

[Whipsnade]

Originally posted by Michael Brinkhues:
As for robotic nobles IIRC there is one in the 1106 timeline of DPG's "Grand Tour" adventure set. The Pseudo-Bio robot of the researcher get's accidently knighted by ole Strephon.

Michael,

Not quite accidently. The adventure's color text makes it abundantly clear that Strephon knew exactly what he was doing.

He pronounces Aybee's name correctly as AB-101 and not Aybee Wan Owen. He then calms the players fears by telling him that he knows Aybee is a robot. Strephon also asks Dr. Krensten(?) if the doctor can make a version that looks like Strephon so the emperor can take more time off to go sailing!


Have fun,
Bill

 

[alanb]

Originally posted by Bill Cameron:
Strephon also asks Dr. Krensten(?) if the doctor can make a version that looks like Strephon so the emperor can take more time off to go sailing!

So that's who died on Capital in 1116...

 

[Liam Devlin]

Originally posted by alanb:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Bill Cameron:
Strephon also asks Dr. Krensten(?) if the doctor can make a version that looks like Strephon so the emperor can take more time off to go sailing!

So that's who died on Capital in 1116... </font>[/QUOTE]Could make for an excellent reason why Dulinor felt the need to flee back to Ilelish, suddenly knowing the real & organic Emperor S was elsewhere..

 

[Whipsnade]

Originally posted by Liam Devlin:
Could make for an excellent reason why Dulinor felt the need to flee back to Ilelish, suddenly knowing the real & organic Emperor S was elsewhere..

Liam,

And then the real & organic Emperor S didn't do anything... sigh

We all know the real reason for that, originally the Real Strephon wasn't the real Strephon. That was retconned later as a sop to the Hobby.

From a certain viewpoint, the retcon only made matters worse. If the Real Strephon had always been the real Strephon why did he act like such a complete idiot? I mean, here's a guy whose been the Emperor for decades, was raised to be the Emperor, had handled all sorts of problems including Norris losing his Warrant and nearly losing the 5th FW, had rammed through his reintroduction of the Domains over the objections of the nobility, and now he acts like a wimp? Huh?

I just couldn't see it and that's why I wrote Wounded Colossus.


Have fun,
Bill

 

[Liam Devlin]

I know Bill, I was just baiting the conspiracy theorists, thats all.

I apologize, its late and I'm punch-drunk tired from teaching an 18 year-old daughter how to drive over the Holidays today

 

[kafka47]

There is much sympathy for Liam's position out here on the boards. Conspiracies abound, if you take the position that each successive version of Traveller becomes more official than the last...GT, I am sure would have much to say on the issue...remembering a certain card geme...

However, I wonder if there was a way to tell what was a clone or robot very quickly in the OTU?

The robots, for the pseudobiological variety seem to resemble those in the Aliens series, outwardly human but leak milk when hurt. Otherwise, why would Dur presumably exposed to many TL F contrivances in his life be concerned. Surely, he would know that a simple x ray would reveal a metal exoskeleton, as opposed to something that mimicked organic life.

The clones in OTU also seem odd, more like skin jobs from Blade Runner, as I can think of any biological test that would be able to say that some one is 37 days old (grown in a vat) versus 37 years old (the ole fashioned way) other than the presence of a large amount of Slow Drugs in the system (but even that could be traced to trauma & injury).