[hal]

Neural Net computers:

In theory, they permit a computer to learn as it goes - from experience rather than requiring software upgrades to reach new levels.

When you design memory storage for Neural Net systems, they have to be capable of permitting that level of self-directed learning. As a consequence? That table on CLASSIC GURPS ROBOTS, that was revised earlier per our discussion in the first post in this thread, has some other properties involved.

Complexity 2 grants 2 points.
Complexity 3 grants up to 4 points.

In the original table, it would say "3, 4" points
Then the next entry would read as "5 to 8 points" etc.

In reality, for Neural Net computers? Each "complexity grants from 1 to the highest possible. So a complexity 1 software package would only hold from 1 to 1. A complexity 2 software package would hold 1 to 2. A complexity 3 package would hold from 1 to 4. A complexity of 4 would hold from 1 to 8 points.

Why this distinction? For the campaign world we're running in - Neural Net software is unique to each Neural Net computer. you can't pull out the memory from one computer with its optimized OS and Neural Net to function in a different computer that went about things differently.

In addition, to cover the concept that these are self-learning systems - Each time you put in a memory core of a given complexity for a Neural Net computer, it starts as if it had ONLY 1 character point in its skill. It then GROWS over time so that it is now at character points 2 in the skill (if within the limits of complexity schedule). Eventually it gets to where it has 3 points in the skill, then four, etc.

And finally, we TOYED with this idea, but we are not certain we want to go this route per se...

TALENTS as a concept did not exist within GURPS CLASSIC and is a new thing for 4e. Just as you can build some "advantages" as software for use with GURPS CLASSIC ROBOTS, it would seem to make sense that there should be the option to give Robotic Brains, the option of having "Talents" as well.

One route we discussed, was that just as you can add on Dexterity Co-processors to a computer, why not add Talent Co-processors? Just as 3 is the limit that can be added to a computer per GURPS CLASSIC ROBOTS, I got to thinking that TALENTS as a multi-leveled advantage, could be set as follows:

Small Talent Co-processors - max four per machine
Medium Talent Co-processors - Max two per machine
Large Talent Co-processors - max 1 per machine.

Think about it. Talents treat the IQ of characters as being +1 IQ overall per level of the advantage. The cheapest at 5 per level permits up to 6 skills. The second most expensive one grants up to 12 skills per level of the Talent, and the third one? at 13+ under these rules, would be limited to no more than 24 related skills (Gm Choice). The progression is 6x 4 or 2 x 12, or 1 x 24.

Alternatively, one could simply treat the advantage of Talent as a complexity program like Ambidexterity etc. Just remember to bump the Complexity of all the older versions of software in GURPS CLASSIC ROBOTS by +2 to reflect that the newer computers are all +2 complexity compared to the OTL 8 computers.

At first, my buddy wasn't happy with the fact that computers still end up being expensive. He thought that the price for "Genius" chips for the newer ULTRATECH made it more expensive to get what he wanted for his robot characters - then the CLASSIC GURPS ROBOTS costs were. That was, until I showed him by comparing apples to apples and oranges to oranges...

The old "Genius" chip is really the new "Fast" chip. The New Genius Chip grants a +2 bonus in ways that were not possible before. Whereas he'd struggle with a "Standard" computer from GURPS CLASSIC ROBOTS to barely be able to grant a limited personality simulation - he can now go one class LOWER in computer type (small) - use a Genius Chip, and still be cheaper than the older original computers he used initially for his builds.

All things being equal? Simply using the original Build rules for "Frames", DR, legs, arms, etc - still allows people to build robots the OLD way, and integrate them with the new way of defining computers for 4e. A bit of a nice "hybrid" of old rules combined with the new. Until GURPS VEHICLE DESIGN is published, this might work in the short term.

Hope you like these ideas. If you come up with your own ideas for use in something like this, by all means, do so.

One thing that I'd really like to see someday? Is a list of Complexity 1 "apps" that can for example, be run on a Cell phone with a Small computer brain in it. IT would be nice to have an app called "Find my armor". If your character paid $11,000 for a Arachnoweave Duster Coat (DR 29/7, weights about 9 some pounds) do you really want to get beat up in a bar fight, only to see your 11,000 coat disappear? ;) Then put an IFF beacon in it so that if you do lose it, your phone can poll to see where it is.

On that note - have fun. Hope this helps someone who was maybe wishing they could use GURPS CLASSIC ROBOTS for their 4e campaigns, but had a hard time figuring out what to do.

In addition? I was SHOCKED (Shocked I tell you!) when I stumbled across this line in GURPS ULTRATECH page 26:

"The complexity of the computer hardware and the software will set a maximum limit on the robot’s IQ. In general, robots with human intelligence require large mainframe systems at TL9, but fit into computers built into man-sized robots at TL10."

That seems to be an about face over the rules as written in GURPS CLASSIC ROBOTS where robots as characters can simply improve their robotic IQ irrespective of the original IQ formula being based on the complexity of the computer that housed the Robot's "mind".

Well, share your thoughts, and if you have ideas that might be worth considering, I'd be happy to see them. :)