Flynn's Guide To Robots...

[Flynn]

Good Morning, All:

Starting after Father's Day (as this week, I have family vacation), I will begin working on Flynn's Guide To Robots. This thread is intended to provide feedback to those interested in this project, as well as seek your input and thoughts into making this book the best it can be in the short amount of time required to produce it.

My goal is a 64 to 128 page sourcebook for robots. (The page count has a wide range as the content has not been set in stone as yet.) As Flynn's Guide to Robots will be released before Mongoose does their own book on the subject, it is practically guaranteed that this work will evolve along different game mechanical directions that MGT will eventually cover. Should MGT's robot rules be released under the OGL, I will make an effort to produce a Revised version of this product at that time. However, I felt it necessary to set expectations now in advance so that you are not caught unawares.

At its core, Flynn's Guide To Robots will contain at least the following:

• Basic robot construction rules
• Example robot corporations
• Background material related to robots in the Azri Drakara setting
• Robot write-ups (at least 25 different robots, more if the ideas are flowing or special requests come in)
• Robot encounters (at least 8, hopefully more)
• Rules for robots as PCs
• Review the rules specific to using robots in combat

These are the design goals for this product:

• Compatibility: Flynn's Guide to Robots needs to be compatible with the Traveller SRD rules, to make it easy to integrate into your on-going Traveller game.
• Streamlined: The system in this book needs to be easy to use when creating robots.
• Open-Ended: While the robot creation system in this book should be easy to implement, it should have lots of options, and room for adding more in the future.
• Usable Out Of The Box: This product should make life easier for the Referee, and provide inspiration right out of the box for using its contents in Traveller games. If a Referee can't use the book as is, why would he ever want to buy it? This ultimately is our Number One priority.

If you have any input, please feel free to offer it here. Your comments and involvement have a real opportunity to shape this product. Remember that I will not be easily available this next week due to family vacation (Tuesday through Sunday), but we will definitely get down to business come Monday, June 16th.

In the meantime, if you want to help me out (and get your name in the credits for your assistance), I would appreciate a list of page references to any mention of robots in the core book itself. I will have to check to make sure that the information found there is also found in the SRD when it is released, but at least I have a better chance of creating a compatible system if I know what's been mentioned so far.

With Regards,
Flynn[/list]

 

[rust]

Currently I use both CT Robots and GURPS Robots to design robots for my
setting. From my point of view, GURPS Robots is much too complicated for
my needs, and the technology of CT Robots seems to be somewhat outda-
ted.
What I am looking for is therefore a modular system that is no more com-
plex than CT Robots, but a bit more in line with current ideas about future
technologies.

For my setting, a human colony on a water world, I would welcome aqua-
tic robots for aquafarming or undersea mining as well as robots for aste-
roid mining.
It would therefore be nice if your guide could include modules for things li-
ke aquatic drive systems and informations on pressure, crush depths and
such. It would of course not have to be detailed information, just some
guidelines.

I am also very much interested in aquatic and other drones, especially
robots used for exploration purposes.
Your system could therefore perhaps have a good choice of sensor sys-
tems and communication systems, if possible including sonar.

One or two aquatic weapons would also be most welcome, for example
a harpoon rifle or a sonic weapon.

Well, that's it from my probably very special point of view. I am really
looking forward to see your guide in August, and I will definitely buy it,
with or without aquatic robots and gear.

 

[pasuuli]

I'm interested in how the components that make up robots fit into the larger Traveller world. How robot brains are related or unrelated to ship's computers. How robots are powered. Materials science and the concept of 'armor'. Robot limbs and cybernetics.

Then there are fuzzy borders, like when a robot may be large enough to carry a person. Does it become a vehicle? Can a robot be designed in the form of battle dress, with much the same purpose? Is a robot essentially equal to a robot brain which is embedded into a vehicle or piece of equipment? Can a starship be a PC? Can Virus?

In other words, are you considering Robotics or simply robots?

 

[Infojunky]

I still use the original robots rules from Journal. though I have considered updating them to striker. just haven't made it so far.

 

[Emperor Herdan]

Flynn

Could you also include "Remote Operation" vehicles as an option. Basically a "Robot" without the brains... That allows those who have Remote Operation skills something to use their skills on.

Take care

Emperor Herdan

England and Scotland were great, haven't drunk like that for _ages_ but my the paperwork that waited for me when I got home is horrendous

 

[Flynn]

Good Evening:

So far, I've picked up a definite interest in the following topics:

* Modular system for Robot design (including aquatic modules, sonar, aquatic weapons)
* Special rules (pressure/crush depths, relation to ship's computers, material sciences)
* Aquatic robots (aquafarming, undersea mining, etc.)
* Drones (for use with the Remote Operation skill)
* Robot-controlled vehicles (to coincide with the "Robots as PCs" section, as well as mechs and automated vessels)

Most of those can easily be addressed. Some of the special rules options I may leave out, as they may be too specialized for the content of FGtR, but I will do what I can.

Conceptually, I believe that MGT defines robots as specialized vehicles, given how they are referenced in the combat rules. The combat rules section of the Guide will likely explore that relationship a bit further.

I'm doing a little more work on the outline, and should have something more definitive in terms of content and page count once the basic outline is complete. In the meantime, any and all suggestions are welcome. They may not get implemented, but they will at least be considered.

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[-Daniel-]

Hello Flynn,

* Modular system for Robot design (including aquatic modules, sonar, aquatic weapons)

Not just underwater. Space, combat, heavy labor, construction, and other areas would have various modular adaptations.

"Robots as PCs" section....

This needs to be very well defined IMO. If you open the role of robots as PCs then it needs to be clear when they are “owned” and that opens up a whole can of worms right there.

Here are a few more areas I believe a good book on Robots should address to some extent.

What is the difference (if any in your rules) between a Robot, Automaton, Android, Drone, Cyborg, and other AI entaties?

What are the differences between biological constructs and mechanical constructs?

What are some of the laws in the Imperium regarding robots and the liability of the owners?

Define the various levels of intellegence (from none to true AI).

Just my .02 credits worth.

Daniel

 

[rje]

"Robots as PCs" section....

This needs to be very well defined IMO. If you open the role of robots as PCs then it needs to be clear when they are “owned” and that opens up a whole can of worms right there.

Actually, I think the can of worms opened just reveals more plot hooks and potential backgrounds. Of course Flynn will have to mention the implications of "PC robots".

What is the difference (if any in your rules) between a Robot, Automaton, Android, Drone, Cyborg, and other AI entaties?

What are the differences between biological constructs and mechanical constructs?

Good subjects, and ones I think can be addressed "organically"; i.e. the classifications can fall into place naturally with the rules.

 

[rust]

* Modular system for Robot design (including aquatic modules, sonar, aquatic weapons)

Not just underwater. Space, combat, heavy labor, construction, and other areas would have various modular adaptations.

Perhaps a short section on the construction of additional modules could al-
so be useful, since the guide will hardly be able to address all the potenti-
ally interesting modules ?

 

[Bygoneyrs]

Although I have to think you will include these but also include Military Cbt Robots, Spy/Scouting Robots and Police style Robots as well. Maybe coming up with a standard base-line type, with different Job packages one might add to the above types to tailor them to ones campaign needs.

For me it brings back fond memories of my "Bounty Bots" a real pain in my PC's butts for 20+ yrs...LOL

Penn

 

[Flynn]

At this point in time, I have 50+ different generic robots listed in my rough outline that will be developed and detailed as part of FGR. Here's a crude breakdown of the basic categories, with the number of robots and drones in each:

* Security/Law Enforcement (5)
* Military (10)
* Personal (11)
* Mining (5)
* Science (3)
* Service/Expert (17)
* Artificial Life (1)

I'm sure there will be others that make it on the list as the book progresses forward and other ideas emerge. Bear in mind that none of these are designed for alien races, as the product cannot reference the OTU and so I'm restricted to generic robot concepts. It should not be difficult for creative Referees to use some of these for robots from their own alien cultures, with or without minor changes.

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[SSWarlock]

It should not be difficult for creative Referees to use some of these for robots from their own alien cultures, with or without minor changes.

Heh. I think that's a safe bet, Flynn. :wink:

 

[-Daniel-]

Without more details, I would say the list looks good.

I am really looking forward to a Robot book as I have always liked having robots in my ATU.

Daniel

 

[Bygoneyrs]

Hey Flynn do you have a web site for this future Robot book? I am interested in buying it, as it would be a nice reference to add to my collection?

Penn

 

[Flynn]

The website for Samardan Press is:

http://stores.lulu.com/samardanpress

At this time, Lulu does not handle preorders (to my knowledge), but when this product becomes available, you'll be able to pick it up there in either PDF or POD (softcover) formats.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

 

[Flynn]

Good Afternoon, All:

I have begun the development of the robot design system which will be the core of Flynn's Guide to Robots. I am using as my inspiration the spaceship construction system, looking at it for an idea of the level of complexity and a basic design approach. After ironing out a simple framework, I've started looking over the actual robot write-ups found in the Equipment section of the main rulebook, in an effort to start reverse engineering them to figure out how to create a design system that will be compatible with these existing write-ups. What I've found, however, is that either I'm missing some basic information, or the robots in the main rulebook were created on the fly, without a design system, because some things just don't make sense.

For example:

1. Just looking at the Intelligence and Education scores for the robots:
Specialized Computer/1 (running Intellect/1 and Expert skill/1) gives Int 3, Edu 5
Specialized Computer/1 (running Intellect/1 and Expert skill/2) gives Int 5, Edu 6 OR Int 9, Edu 12.
Computer/3 (running Intellect/1 and Expert skill/2) gives Int 9, Edu 12.

Perhaps the Autodoc meant to have Computer/3 instead of Specialized Computer/1. I don't know. If so, then we might be able to explain why the Int and Edu are the same as the Combat Drone, and thus we'd be seeing some consistent results. However, I haven't seen whether a change to the Computer value for the AUtodoc shows up in the errata yet or not, so I don't know for sure.

Then again, maybe these are also a function of TL. Hmmm...

2. Looking at the Hull and Structure values, we can see the following:
Combat Drone: Hull 4, Structure 4
Probe Drone: Hull 3, Structure 3
Cargo Robot: Hull 2, Structure 2 (Huge)
Servitor: Hull 2, Structure 2
Repair Robot, Autodoc: Hull 1, Structure 1
Personal Drone: Hull 1, Structure 1 (Tiny)

Note that two size categories are listed, and there still doesn't seem to be a relationship between Hull/Structure values and the size. There also doesn't appear to be a relationship between Hull/Structure values and TL, because the Autodoc and the Combat Drone are the same size and TL but have different Hull/Structure values. Same goes for Probe Drones and Repair Robots.

3. I don't even know where to begin to try and figure out how MGT determines the Strength and Dexterity of their robots from the Equipment section.

Needless to say, the FGR will have different values. The goal, however, is to do my best to keep things in roughly the same price range with roughly similar results.

Of course, if I gain any insight into how the Core Rulebook robots were created, that will help focus the resulting robot design system to bring it into alignment with MGT expected values.

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[rje]

You could draw a distinction between standard and starship computer models versus robot brains; repurposing computers creates interesting effects?

 

[Flynn]

Good Afternoon, All:

Time for a quick update. This last weekend, I've been working on coming up with the basic robot design system. As inspiration, I've used old JTAS articles on Robots from the CT Compilations, Book 8, 101 Robots, MegaTraveller, Traveller T20 and TNE's Fire, Fusion & Steel, as well as Mongoose's Traveller. The core rules will hopefully be done by tomorrow or Thursday, and then I'll need to vet the system through some rigorous robot design sequences. Of course, when the SRD comes out, I'll have to review the work and make changes as needed to make it compliant with the OGL, but I've been working on minimizing that effort where I can.

Here's a quick reference chart of the current intended sections. As new ones are added, they will also be added to the list.

Flynn's Guide To Robots: Status Report

• Robots In Your Campaign: Not yet begun.
• Robotic Corporations: Some work done.
• Robot Design System: Nearing completion of first draft.
• Common Robot Designs: Not yet begun. (0 of 53 created.)
• Special Rules For Robots: Not yet begun.
• Characters And Robots: Not yet begun.
• Playing Robots As Characters: Not yet begun.
• Random Encounters: Not yet begun. (0 of 8 created.)

It is early on in the project, but I've found it good to provide an overview of progress. It keeps me focused, so to speak.

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[rust]

Since the robot design system is the core part of the guide, this is an im-
portant progress.

More and more I am looking forward to your guide.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

In your design system, you might also want to include modules for Exotic, Corrosive and Insidious Atmospheres. I figure those worlds, especially Insidious are going to have a LOT of robots doing the outside work...

Might blend well into the Aquatic and Space stuff, sort of an "alternate exterior environment adaptation" section...