Robot Confusion

[justacaveman]

I recently picked up Book 9: Robot and I was trying to create a large robotic canine (Large Mastiff Size), and I couldn't create a 4-legged dog sized robot without it coming out so slow that it couldn't outrun a human being, or MUCH heavier than any sort of robotic dog should be.

Size 3 erect legs Take up 4 slots each, and weigh 15kg each. And these are the smallest legs that can outrun a human. Size 3 sprawling legs weigh a lot less, but I'm not designing an insect.

And 4 size 2 erect legs can't support a size 3 frame since they each only have 25kg lift, plus they can only go 12 kph which is slower than a human being.

And I ran into more problems when I tried to make wheeled or tracked robots.
Tracks weigh 1000kg for 1/2 metre of track and can only lift 50kg, and wheels weigh 250kg each and can only lift 100 kg!!!!????? Are these numbers backwards, or is there something I'm missing?

Also how much equipment can you put into a slot? For weapons I was going with 1 slot per 5kg for internal weapons. Is there an official ruling on this?

Any help would greatly appreciated.

 

[DFW]

Also how much equipment can you put into a slot? For weapons I was going with 1 slot per 5kg for internal weapons. Is there an official ruling on this?

Any help would greatly appreciated.

The book is an incomplete work in progress.

 

[barnest2]

Well aren't you just helpful DFW...

Anyway, are there any other types of legs other than sprawling and erect? because I wouldn't describe a dogs legs as erect...

Tracks weigh 1000kg for 1/2 metre of track and can only lift 50kg, and wheels weigh 250kg each and can only lift 100 kg

I would assume that the weight of the track/wheel doesn't count against their carrying capacity.
I.e. the wheels are 250kg, and they carry an additional 100kg...
However, those numbers do sound slightly ridiculous. I would change the track ones massively...probably the wheel ones a bit as well.

Is there an official ruling on this?

I don't think so. There was a thread here a while ago discussing it. Your option sounds pretty good. It gives you a good sized rifle, or hell, even a pair of SMG's

 

[DFW]

Well aren't you just helpful DFW...

However, those numbers do sound slightly ridiculous. I would change the track ones massively...probably the wheel ones a bit as well.

Well, If I had thought he wanted house rules to fix the book I would have jumped in. However, it seems that has to be the case from your eval of the rules.

 

[barnest2]

Well, If I had thought he wanted house rules to fix the book I would have jumped in. However, it seems that has to be the case from your eval of the rules.

From what has been written? yes, I think it does need fixing...
Maybe we should make this a combined effort. Lets redo the robot book, just good...

 

[DFW]

Well, If I had thought he wanted house rules to fix the book I would have jumped in. However, it seems that has to be the case from your eval of the rules.

From what has been written? yes, I think it does need fixing...
Maybe we should make this a combined effort. Lets redo the robot book, just good...

I really think that it needs a TON of errata. After that is worked out, Mongoose can just give all who purchased a hard copy a new PDF.

Future rule books need extensive play test, for real.

 

[barnest2]

Screw it, just rewrite the thing.
From what I am hearing, errata isn't enough. That or every single page is getting updates essentially. At which point, why not just release "robots: book 2, we did it right this time"

 

[Jeraa]

You mean exactly what they are doing with the vehicle books?

 

[barnest2]

You mean exactly what they are doing with the vehicle books?

exactly.... except I like the vehicle books...

 

[DFW]

You mean exactly what they are doing with the vehicle books?

Kinda, the vehicle rules went from unworkable to mostly fluff that is a mass of GM house ruling required.

 

[AlphaWhelp]

Personally, I have houseruled that arms and legs actually add slots, not take them away. This is actually a common houserule if you ask around people who use the book in their games.

With the exception of arms and legs, I think the majority of the Robot book is actually quite functional as written.

 

[justacaveman]

I found the robot design rules quite straight foward except for the Transportation system rules, and the fact that they didn't define what a Slot can hold.

I came up with 5 kg per slot by looking at the new weapons on page 20. I'm even less generous than some of the examples, so I figured that would do for an average.

I wish they would have included prices for the example robots, and a walkthrough build for at least one of them. One reason for purchasing these kind of books is to save myself work when the players want to purchase off-the-shelf items. I reverse engineered the Spider Bomb robot from page 43 to determine it's cost, only to find out that it couldn't carry the weight of it's components (Easily fixed by adding 2 more legs.).

I like the arms and legs ADD slots idea, and if we can come to a general agreement as to the weight and capacity of Tracks and Wheels, and the amount of mass a Slot can hold, we should be able to create robots that we can share with each other quite easily.

I'm creating a series of Canine Robots that I will post when I'm done, but it will be better for everyone if we use some Common Design House Rules. I'll include the House Rules I used when I post my designs.

 

[E.D.Quibell]

You mean exactly what they are doing with the vehicle books?

Kinda, the vehicle rules went from unworkable to mostly fluff that is a mass of GM house ruling required.

Mongoose seem to have the same marketing stratergy as Microsoft. It worked for Microsoft and it's working for Mongoose; so why change it?

Best regards,

Ewan