Annatar Giftbringer
Emperor Mongoose
JTAS 7 does feature the Astrogon, a rebuilt lab ship with robotic brain
Intelligent ships for the players
- Thread starter Regnarts
- Start date
Annatar Giftbringer
Emperor Mongoose
The patron encounter begins at p.81, and the ship itself on p.86.
The ship, it’s pinnace and air/raft all have robotic brains.
The ship, it’s pinnace and air/raft all have robotic brains.
eclecticidol
Mongoose
The Mindjammer Traveller conversion has rules allowing players to play intelligent ships (or other types of powerful AIs, such as the avatar of an AI that runs a planet). Lots of interesting ideas but quite difficult to backport to the Traveller universe.
I admit I have struggled often with understanding the Computer rules in Traveller over the years. My players tend to avoid them, too.
Regarding the Astrogon, which I am introducing into my campaign, there is a note that "As a non-sentient being, its independent Astrogation skill checks suffer DM-4...". I presume the rule for this DM is in the Robots book (which I don't have).
- Are there other DMs to skill checks for non-sentient beings/Ship's Brains, beyond self-repair?
- The Ship's Brain is listed as INT 12 and having Astrogation 2, so its modifiers to make an Astrogation check are +2 INT, +2 skill, -4 non-sentient = 0, correct?
- It could make Gunnery checks at +2 for skills, but no modifier for DEX?
Regarding the Astrogon, which I am introducing into my campaign, there is a note that "As a non-sentient being, its independent Astrogation skill checks suffer DM-4...". I presume the rule for this DM is in the Robots book (which I don't have).
- Are there other DMs to skill checks for non-sentient beings/Ship's Brains, beyond self-repair?
- The Ship's Brain is listed as INT 12 and having Astrogation 2, so its modifiers to make an Astrogation check are +2 INT, +2 skill, -4 non-sentient = 0, correct?
- It could make Gunnery checks at +2 for skills, but no modifier for DEX?
Yes, the Astrogation rule is in the Robot handbook.
If the ship has a Haptic system the Ship Brain can get a Dex bonus as if the TL were a stat for certain skills. It specifically does not mention Gunnery, but your GM experience may vary,
For an additional Cr2000 per ton the interface can
include full haptics, allowing the robot brain to ‘feel’ the
operation of the ship, providing an effective DEX equal
to the brain’s TL for any Pilot checks or operation of any
manipulator-like ship’s systems such as grappling arms
or cargo cranes.
While not completely sentient, the ship brain can fake it pretty well and use regular Expert Software. I don't remember there being any other skill DMs
IMO, I think the ship's brain rules are a bit overpowered.
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To Tha Moon!
Cosmic Mongoose
Yeah, why not. It's just another NPC with functions/actions. Right now we have ChatBots and stuff.
The higher the Tech Level, the easier this would be.
WHULorigan
Emperor Mongoose
But that is exactly why I wouldn't want my ship fitted with one. What do you do when your ship one day says to you: "I quit." And leaves port without you? As noted above, the ship then becomes the robot's "body".
A better idea would be to have a robot brain with its own dedicated body (anthropomorphic or otherwise) that can interface with and run the ship's computer like a coprocessor to its brain as the primary core, but that can be easily decoupled from it. (Then it can even come with you on the away mission and still control things via uplink).
Grognardia
Emperor Mongoose
I've written several short stories featuring Cathbad, an Omega-class Ship's Brain. So far, he has been working (mostly) fine 
Here he is getting activated for the first time: https://soren-boye-petersen.itch.io/seven-gs-one-bard-zero-regrets
Here he is getting activated for the first time: https://soren-boye-petersen.itch.io/seven-gs-one-bard-zero-regrets
Sigtrygg
Emperor Mongoose
Post Singularity intelligent ships will be all over the setting, depending on how it plays out of course
Intelligent ships are also a thing in TNE and beyond.
I personally quite like the Andromeda Ascendant ship intelligence, mobile avatar, the whole package.
In my Culture setting intelligent machines, ships, vehicles are common place.
Intelligent ships are also a thing in TNE and beyond.
I personally quite like the Andromeda Ascendant ship intelligence, mobile avatar, the whole package.
In my Culture setting intelligent machines, ships, vehicles are common place.
Fluffy Bunny Feet
Emperor Mongoose
I've thought that making ships with AI (but not self aware or self motivated) could be interesting as it would allow the GM to have a way to attract attention to needed things.
The AI would be rules based and over time it would acquire new rules based on orders given and their responses to what the AI did as a result. It wouldn't always be what the PCs expect.
For example the AI "notices" that the crew always (or mostly) scans a port to see what ships are present (or queries the port) and does so without being asked and immediately responds when they begin to do so and eventually starts automatically presenting the data. If they try to narrow down what data they want to "interesting" ships it won't know what they mean by "interesting" unless prior actions provide a hint. It might just start listing ships never seen before or maybe for models of ships that haven't been seen and miss what the players want. The ship might for example be asked "why didn't you tell us 9 fingered Pete's ship was here" and learn that ship is to be considered interesting.
Over time its behaviour would be fine tuned by the crews instructions and responses to the results. Not of course the way they might want it to be.
Of course an old ship that they buy/acquire might have been "trained" to do things they don't like and will need to work to change. (GM discretion of course). Alternately it may have had a factory reset and be untrained with limited independent action programmed in. Smarter owners might backup the rule sets periodically to be able to restore after a reset or undesired behaviour being developed.
The AI would be rules based and over time it would acquire new rules based on orders given and their responses to what the AI did as a result. It wouldn't always be what the PCs expect.
For example the AI "notices" that the crew always (or mostly) scans a port to see what ships are present (or queries the port) and does so without being asked and immediately responds when they begin to do so and eventually starts automatically presenting the data. If they try to narrow down what data they want to "interesting" ships it won't know what they mean by "interesting" unless prior actions provide a hint. It might just start listing ships never seen before or maybe for models of ships that haven't been seen and miss what the players want. The ship might for example be asked "why didn't you tell us 9 fingered Pete's ship was here" and learn that ship is to be considered interesting.
Over time its behaviour would be fine tuned by the crews instructions and responses to the results. Not of course the way they might want it to be.
Of course an old ship that they buy/acquire might have been "trained" to do things they don't like and will need to work to change. (GM discretion of course). Alternately it may have had a factory reset and be untrained with limited independent action programmed in. Smarter owners might backup the rule sets periodically to be able to restore after a reset or undesired behaviour being developed.
