| From: | Tzeentch tzeentch666@*********.net |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Meat Drones (was Re: Cyber-Escort) |
| Date: | Mon, 15 May 2000 14:59:30 -0700 |
> Speaking of cyberfloozies, this sounds like a good time to
> resurrect the meat drone thread. Clonal body, move by wire 0, a drone
> interface, and a rigger with some acting skill?
I wrote some stuff for The Matrix that was never submitted (for one thing
I'm not particularly happy with how it turned out). Lemme know what you
think, sorry about the references to rules that are not included here:
SLAVEBOTS
An interesting application of knowbots to help certain classes of major
neurological damage has given rise to the idea of slavebots. These are
custom-designed knowbots designed to utilize metahuman bodies as a sort of
biological drone. Although there have been no reported contacts with these
systems, it is generally regarded as only a matter of time. Agents do not
have the capability of running the necessary software.
The Slave
A slave must have at least a Limited Simsense Rig (p. 32, Man and Machine),
a skillwire system (typically of a high rating), and either cybereyes or an
external video system. The user must also have enough storage memory either
as headware memory or directly connected to a datajack in order to hold
either the slavebot itself or its client program. With the client program or
slavebot loaded the slave body effectively becomes a drone for purposes of
control, typically the slaves consciousness is placed in a simsense loop,
but in some cases the subject is area and conscious, but is not in control
of his own body. If the slave is going to be remote controlled then some
sort of communications link must be implanted or otherwise connected to the
hosts skillsoft system.
The Slavebot
A slavebot is designed as a conventionl knowbot (p. xx) but with an
additional +2 Multiplier. It may also take the special skill of "Puppeteer"
in addition to other abilities. The puppeteer skill allows the knowbot to
properly utilize a metahuman body. Essentially it functions as a vehicle
skill for controlling humanoids. The rating of this program is used for
determining the slaves final stats while being controlled.
[For simplicity knowbots are Multiplier 15 programs. Rating x2= effective
pool of points to divide between Intelligence and Charisma.]
A slavebot that intends to run on a single slave must have a system to run
on. Typically this is either on a cranial cyberdeck or one in a cyberarm. In
any case the device must be DNI controlled. If the slave is going to be
controlled as part of a drone network then a special "client" program must
be loaded onto the slave. This program is essentially a variety of adaptive
skillsoft - for space purposes treat it as a standard activesoft with a
Multiplier of 7 and a rating equal to the slavebots puppeteer skill. The
program rating cannot exceed the rating of the slaves skillsoft system.
Autosofts
At the gamemasters discretion the slavebot client program can include more
advanced Pilot ratings or even additional varieties of autosoft. Typically,
any such program will have an additional +2 Multiplier but function as
normal. The slave must have a computer system capable of running these
programs, as well as have the original client program loaded.
[Don't worry about the Multipliers, these rules don't include my programming
stuff]
Slave Stats
Once the slavebot takes control of the slave, the hosts statistics are
redone.
Vehicle Stats: The slave is considered to have an effective Sensor rating of
1, plus 1 for each additional cybernetic or externally connected sensor
system.
Mental: The hosts Charisma, Intelligence, and Willpower drop to an effective
score of 0. Instead, the knowbots client software gives the host a Pilot
program rating of 1 if not under direct control of the slavebot. The host is
assumed to be able to perform any action an anthroform drone could
performed, with some additions. In any case, when not under direct control
the slaves actions will appear jerky and not-altogether controlled. When
under direct control, the host has the effective Intelligence of the
slavebot and a Charisma equal to the slavebots Personality and the hosts
natural Charisma averaged.
For example, a slavebot with an Intelligence of 4 and a Personality of 3 is
controlling an Intelligence 3, Charisma 3 slave. The slaves effective
Intelligence is now the slavebots, since the slaves mental processes are no
longer in control of the body. The hosts effective Charisma is now
((3+3)/2=) 3.
Physical: The hosts physical attributes are averaged with the slavebots
puppeteer program rating. This averaging includes all natural enhancements
to the slaves attributes (such as those gained through bioware or
cybernetics). The slaves Body is not averaged.
For example, a slavebot with a Puppeteer skill of 4 is controlling a slave
who has physical attributes of Quickness 5, and a Strength 4. It's effective
Quickness and Strength will be ((5+4)/2)= 4 and ((4+4)/2)=) 4 respectively.
Skills
The slaves skills are not used while being controlled, nor can the slavebot
use any pre-loaded skillsofts. Instead it can only use its own programmed
skills. It is important to treat the slave body exactly as if it were a
drone.
Dice Pools
Slaves do not have normal dice pools. Instead, they may use the slavebots
Learning Pool if being directly controlled.
Pain Resistance
Since the knowbot does not experience pain, and will only have awareness of
the general condition of its host body, it can drive the body to incredible
feats impossible normally. The slavebot can have its hosts walk through a
wall of fire, dip their hands in liquid nitrogen, or crawl forward missing
limbs.
To represent this, it is suggested that gamemasters apply the physical adept
power of Pain Resistance to slaves (p. 170, SR3) at a level of 4.
Slave Aura
A slaves aura will appear very odd once under the control of a slavebot. If
the assenser scored more successes on his Assensing Test then the reader
will realize that there is something gravely wrong with the individual,
although it may not be immediately obvious.
Ken
---------------------------
There's a war out there, old friend, a world war. And it's not about who's
got the most bullets, it's about who controls the information. What we see
and hear, how we work, what we think, it's all about the information!
Cosmo, 'Sneakers'
