Intelligent ships for the players

[Regnarts]

The Robot Handbook has the Ship's Brain technology, which is described in such a way:

"A ship’s brain gives a spacecraft the capability to perform some functions autonomously and can give the ship itself a personality. Whether operating directly through interfaces to a spacecraft’s control systems or through drones or avatars, ship’s brains can supplement or replace some crew functions"


Do you think intelligent ships using self-aware brains fit into OTU?
And would you introduce such ships for the players, or even get the players to crew such a ship?

I was theorycrafting a vessel for an exploration/espionage adventure and I was wondering if and Omega-class brain with a personality based on Richard Francis Burton would be a good idea.

The vessel itself (an advanced Darrian-IISS coordination):

Multirole Explorer Vessel IISS "RF Burton"	Mass	Cost	Energy
(Destroyer, modified MIDU AGASHAM Class)
Hull	3,000 tons, Streamlined	—	180
	Reinforced, Radiation shielding	—	165
Armour	Bonded Superdense, Armour: 4	115,2	57,6
M-Drive	Thrust 6 (energy efficient, reduced size x2)	144	594	1350
J-Drive	Jump-4 (reduced fuel x2)	305	571,875	1200
Power Plant	Fusion (TL15), Power 3600	180	354
Basic Ship Systems				600
Fuel Tanks	J-4, 24 weeks of operation	1188
Bridge	Holographic Controls	60	18,75
Computer	Core/100fib	—	195
Sensors	Advanced	5	5,3	6
	Sensor Stations	3	1,5	3
	Countermeasures Suite	2	4	1
	Enhanced Signal Processing	2	8	2
Weapons	Medium Plasma-pulse Cannon Bay (long range)	100	37,5	90
	Triple Turrets (missile racks) x6	6	19,5	6
	Triple Turrets (pulse lasers, accurate) x8	8	38	104
	Triple Turrets (sandcasters) x2	2	3,5	2
	Point Defence Laser Batteries (Type III) x2	40	40	60
Ammunition	Missile Storage (288 missiles)	24
	Sandcaster Canister Storage (160 canisters)	8
Screens	Meson Screens x2	20	40	60
	Nuclear Dampers x2	20	20	40
Craft	Docking Space (100 tons)	110	27,5
	Serpent Class Scout	—	19,36
Systems	Fuel Processor (600 tons/day)	30	1,5	30
	Fuel Scoops	—
	Armoury	5	1,25
	Briefing Room	4	0,5
	Medical Bay (12 patients)	16	8	2
	Laboratory (6 scientists)	24	6
	Workshop (6 mechanics)	18	2,7
	Collectors	125	62,5
	Biosphere (60 crew)	30	6	30
	Library	4	4
	Ship Brain: Omega		40
	Jump Filters		5
Staterooms	Standard x60	240	30
Software	Manoeuvre
	Intellect
	Jump Control/4		0,4
	Library
	Advanced Fire Control/1		12
	Anti-Hijack/2		8
	Virtual Gunner/2		15
	Electronic Warfare/3		24
	Evade/3		3
	Point Defence/2		12
Common Areas		60	6
Cargo		101,8	—
Total:	2648,235	MCr

 

[Vormaerin]

If you mean "A ship's brain with a fully sentient Artificial General Intelligence", that tech is considered to be just beyond what the Imperium can do reliably (mainly because they don't want to be able to do it). But experimental versions have existed in the OTU. The Kinunir class was full of experimental tech (black globes, an AI, etc). There're constant references to such things coming from the TL 16 research centers in the Imperium, despite the general cultural revulsion at the concept.

And next year, Mongoose is expected to release a campaign called Singularity, which likely deals with this sort of thing.

Ship's Brains as in Robot ships that are not sentient but can operate with some autonomy are a thing that can be made in the OTU, but the Imperial culture (with its Vilani roots) is generally disapproving of such. There's no reason that the PCs couldn't have such a ship and just not advertise the fact.

If you want full on ships as player characters type action, that's a bit out of OTU but there's no reason you couldn't do it in your campaign if you wanted to. The Mindjammer setting for Traveller has that if you wanted examples.

 

[Regnarts]

Yes, I am waiting for Singularity with quite a lot of curiosity.

As for self-aware ship brains, I was thinking of TL15 self aware brains, and the Omega in particular (from Robot Handbook):

Self-Aware
The robot is capable of fully independent thought and reason. While not considered a fully conscious sentient being, this is a philosophical distinction that a Self-aware robot can understand and debate. A Self-aware robot can accomplish tasks based on very general parameters or solely interpretation of its owner’s requirements. Self-Aware robots have innate intelligence greater than most biological beings and can attempt Formidable (14+) tasks.

Omega
The most advanced ship’s brain generally available is the Omega model, equipped with an exceptionally intelligent TL15 Self-Aware brain. Capable of operating ship’s systems at a high level of skill and proficient with communications, administrative and legal matters in most documented languages and governments, it allows proficient operation in all aspects of interstellar travel. Able to control up to four avatars, eight drones and an advanced swarm, the Omega can run a small ship by itself. Limitations on jump survivability for an entirely automated ship usually prevents the Omega from operating a crewless starship but it can run an entire ship with just a moderately capable conscious sentient aboard to look over the jump calculations and sit out the weeklong jump. The Omega’s major drawback – besides cost – is its rather smug manner, a side effect of its extraordinary intelligence and wide set of skills.

 

[CordwainerFish]

The Omega’s major drawback – besides cost – is its rather smug manner, a side effect of its extraordinary intelligence and wide set of skills.

That would fit right into the Murderbot stories.

(Murderbot calls itself that ironically. It has no desire to murder, it just wants to be left alone to watch soap operas. (Really.))

 

[Vormaerin]

Other than a rule in the Robot book that says non-sentients can't handle jumpspace, there's no reason that you couldn't have a robot ship.

 

[Sigtrygg]

Just ignore that stupid rule along with the m-drive limit.
In TI/OTU canon robots could have piloting skill and operate ships, I have no idea how this bit of fanon became acceptable, variant rule no probs but it is another example of MgT changing setting canon by accident for no good reason.

 

[Vormaerin]

Well, I certainly agree with that

"We don't trust autonomous ships" is enough of a reason not to have them if you don't want them in your setting, you don't need nonsensical "sentience must be present" rules. I always wondered where that came from.

 

[alex_greene]

... you don't need nonsensical "sentience must be present" rules. I always wondered where that came from.

Andromeda (TV show with the revolting Kevin Sorbo), or maybe Larry Niven's Known Space.

 

[AndrewW]

Andromeda (TV show with the revolting Kevin Sorbo), or maybe Larry Niven's Known Space.

Something like this also exists in the Legion books by Jack Williamson.

 

[Condottiere]

Probably jump torpedoes.

 

[Anstett]

The Ship Who Sang - Anne McCaffrey

The Ship Who Sang - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Vormaerin]

Andromeda (TV show with the revolting Kevin Sorbo), or maybe Larry Niven's Known Space.

Oh, yeah, there's a lot of fictional sources for ftl space either requiring sentient minds or being actively bad for sentient minds. I meant I wasn't sure how it got into Traveller. I don't recall seeing it before it was that sidebar in Robots, but I could have just blotted out in my mind after reading it in some previous incarnation of the rules.

 

[Subzero001]

So the Nova bomb missile = the star trigger? LOL

What about the AI in Makergod?

AI's from Halo that are clones ripped via a method like in "agent of the Imperium" but not to a disk but to the artificial brain.

Then there is the brain uploading to ships in "secrets of the ancients"...

 

[AndrewW]

The Ship Who Sang - Anne McCaffrey

The Ship Who Sang - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

For something like this in Traveller refer to the Mongoose Publishing 1st edition Book 4: Psion and the Psion Integration Chamber.

 

[alex_greene]

Larry Niven, to go back to that problematic author, also wrote a short story, "Donovan's Brain," where a human brain had literally been transplanted into a ship, complete with life support system of course. The brain-in-a-box was wired into the ship's systems. The ship was his body.

 

[alex_greene]

Also, did somebody mention Iain M Banks' The Culture, which went down the whole "super AIs running vast ships" road?

 

[Jame Rowe]

I think that the AIs not being able to do jump solidified as a reaction to TNE.

A setting which is how I first found Traveller (I was 13 when it came out), and still enjoy. But a lot of people don't like it, and are wrong.

 

[Sigtrygg]

TNE has a great setting.

 

[Vormaerin]

Traveller's long running inability to distinguish between the game system and the setting hurts TNE, I think. TNE was a significant mechanics change. Combine that with being a setting wipe and you disgruntle a lot of people.

The setting itself better suits the kind of gameplay Traveller espouses most (exploration, trade pioneering, backwoods adventuring) than the Third Imperium. Or, at least, what the Third Imperium has grown into over time.

Edit: meant "backwater" not backwoods.

 

[CordwainerFish]

Larry Niven, to go back to that problematic author, also wrote a short story, "Donovan's Brain," where a human brain had literally been transplanted into a ship, complete with life support system of course. The brain-in-a-box was wired into the ship's systems. The ship was his body.

Two stories and they were titled "The Coldest Place" and "Becalmed in Hell". "Donovan's Brain" was a different author.