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Post by sp on Jan 15, 2023 0:45:48 GMT
So. My Private Investigator Star has a Robot secretary (grunt). Had, actually.
On their very first voluntary encounter, they got carjacked at the spaceport by a trio of runty Hishen, and the robot caught an unlucky round.
That is, a damage roll of 5 + 2 (no armor) = 7, which is greater than 6, which is "obviously dead."
I'm willing to accept that, but the P.I. is obviously pretty shook up. She'd like her pal and work partner to not be dead.
Is there a precedent, consensus, or published rule for what it would take to "resurrect / replace" a robot?
Is it possible? What would it cost? Would the memory and personality be recoverable "in-canon" or would the best one could hope for be plugging new, clean boards (or equivalent thereof) into the old chassis and playing pretend?
Any thoughts would be appreciated!
Thanks.
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Post by TheConvenientSkill on Jan 15, 2023 11:18:13 GMT
Whatever you want in your game, and how you see robots. I don't think there is an 'in-canon' answer (I could be wrong and just not read that part!).
If your robot is of the utilitarian Star Wars Battle Droid style then sure, spit the disk and plug it into model Hitachi B-10.
If they are more of the Blade Runner/Detroit Become Human variety then that might not be possible, but then could be if they are of the T-800 variety.
So to my mind there is no right answer. Maybe your star pops to the nearest 'bot store to see what models they have available, could be a like-for-like or new model.
Gotta go, I'll come back with some thoughts on cost etc if Ed or anyone else doesn't jump in first.
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Post by sp on Jan 15, 2023 12:23:44 GMT
Thinking in the framework of overall THW mechanics, in the specific robot mechanics in the New Beginnings book, and the background fluff presented...
"Obviously dead" is something that is final and taken seriously. (The simplest mechanical solution to my question would be retconning the robot as a co-star all along and "cheating death".)
In general, though, dead is dead in the rules. People who went out of the fight may recover and return to the band. Vehicles that were disabled can probably be repaired. Complex and Sentient robots probably fall somewhere between those two. But the top of the damage chart makes people "obviously dead" and vehicles (according to NUTS! since I don't have other rule sets with vehicles), well, "vehicle explodes. All inside are obviously dead."
So, rules suggest that when you get that result on the damage chart, it's plain to even an untrained, casual observer, that this person is dead beyond any hope of recovery, or this vehicle is broken beyond repair. Like, vaporized or exploded level.
(Apologies--now I seem to be thinking through my own question aloud for all to read.)
And I'm aiming to play this campaign "in the published universe" and "with rules as written" as much as I can, so trying to be faithful to that.
Right, so, the answer about robot death would be different if you were talking about Star Wars or Star Trek or Blade Runner or Ghost in the Shell or Altered Carbon (did they have robots? Well, people death ...) but in each case, it would be significantly part of the plot and themes of the universe.
Where THW games do tend to say, "here's a universe... please install your own plot and themes" to an extent. And now I'm even rambling on.
Of course, gaming has the old D&D precedent of questing to the underworld in hopes of reuniting the soul of the departed with the body. And real life stories of folks recovering against all odds and hope.
And of course, at the end of the day, "it's your game."
Anyway, I'm leaning towards something along the lines of, an "obviously dead" 5150 complex robot that you want to bring back would be... something like a cross between a classic hot rod that has been totally wrecked and an important computer that's been fried.
Just "replacing" would be a matter of running down to the dealership and picking up the thing, or the parts to make the thing, or trying to source the components...
But "repairing" back to the original probably impossible. Data, perhaps significant data, has been lost beyond recovery.
Whether it's the same robot in the end is kind of a "ship of Theseus" question. Really, it would only matter in the mind of the P.I. having the repairs done.
But it would be significant enough that that process... finding parts, finding technicians, repairs, rebuilds, trying to train back memories and personality (to the extent personality actually exists) would BECOME the plot of this campaign: it would be the point.
And, of course, most people in-universe wouldn't understand why you're putting so much effort into this machine.
And, how do you afford that as some gutterpunk wannabe investigator?
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Post by sp on Jan 15, 2023 12:31:16 GMT
I split this bit off into its own section:
Solution in my brain:
- Maintaining the "quest" to rebuild the robot costs maintenance: 2 Decreasing Rep d6 per month for parts and technician retainers
- "Repairs complete" would use the find/clue mechanic: each successful voluntary encounter that's specifically related to the recovery protect (finding techs, getting parts, working on memory recovery) would earn a "point". Roll under the total number of points, and repairs are complete. 1 to 6 months.
Whether or not the personality and memories are recoverable is basically up to roleplay between the characters if/when the 'bot is up and running again.
Sounds reasonable to me!
What do y'all think?
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Post by hansuke on Jan 15, 2023 14:57:45 GMT
If modern cinema, and TV, has taught us anything, it is that "Sometimes they can come back" (but never quite in the way you expect). So I would think you could reanimate your robot buddy, but maybe give them an new random attribute such as: Clumsy Cruel Dim Apathetic: Roll 1d6 at the start of every Encounter. If the score is higher than the figure's Rep or a "6" is rolled toss another 1d6 and consult the table below: (1 - 2) Staggering (3 - 4) Dumbass (5 - 6) Nerves of Steel Slow
Crazy as a Loon: Roll 1d6 at the start of every Encounter. If the score is higher than the figure's Rep or a "6" then robot attacks the star (you).
that's just the few I am thinking of but I think there could be many more.
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Post by sp on Jan 15, 2023 15:19:20 GMT
If modern cinema, and TV, has taught us anything, it is that "Sometimes they can come back" (but never quite in the way you expect). So I would think you could reanimate your robot buddy, but maybe give them an new random attribute such as: Clumsy Cruel Dim
that's just the few I am thinking of but I think there could be many more.
I like this idea. Narratively, I was expecting to play up the "not the same" weirdness, and I like the idea of reinforcing that mechanically with new attributes.
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Post by hansuke on Jan 15, 2023 15:29:55 GMT
After reading your posts above, all I can think of is Bender's friendship with Fry on Futurama. I haven't seen any episodes in quite a while, but I bet there are some random attributes that could be taken from Bender. Right now all I can think about is where to get a beer bottle for the miniature.
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Post by Ed the Two Hour Wargames Guy on Jan 15, 2023 15:41:52 GMT
Want your bot back? As has been said, it's your rules. Lots of good ideas.
However, my take... Gain 1 Decreasing Rep d6 per point of Bot Rep. Then have the bot take a Challenge Test: Pass 2d6 All good, back to normal. Pass 0d6 Drop 1 point of Rep. Want that point of Rep back? Keep taking the Challenge Test at the bots current Rep. Hope this helps.
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Post by sp on Jan 15, 2023 16:10:20 GMT
Want your bot back? As has been said, it's your rules. Lots of good ideas. However, my take... Gain 1 Decreasing Rep d6 per point of Bot Rep. Then have the bot take a Challenge Test: Pass 2d6 All good, back to normal. Pass 0d6 Drop 1 point of Rep. Want that point of Rep back? Keep taking the Challenge Test at the bots current Rep. Hope this helps. This feels definitely more in the spirit of the rest of the rules--streamlined and fits the system mechanics. Also like the increasing risk / diminishing returns if you're chasing the "original" but fail the initial challenge. And since this is Ed's answer, I'll consider it the "official" response! Though I appreciate all who have added thoughts, 'cause I think we've all come up with good ideas that other folks can choose to incorporate or build on in similar situations. Maybe one day I'll get around to writing up an AAR and posting it here so everyone can see how I ultimately choose to go.
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Post by Ed the Two Hour Wargames Guy on Jan 15, 2023 16:31:43 GMT
The comments and ideas on this thread took to where I went. Thanks to all.
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Post by Shon Maxx on Jan 15, 2023 19:13:24 GMT
I like this. Quick and simple. I was thinking about using this in the new Future Tales, but since there’s only OOF now like in LTL, it probably wouldn’t fit.
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