Obsolete robots as PCs

[Anders]

In a campaign with robots as PCs, there is the possibility that an older model will be used as a PC. Now, there are lenses for this in Ultra-Tech, but there's also the problem that anyone doing maintenance or repairs on you will be at a penalty due to TL differences. How much should this be worth? I'm thinking -1 point per TL difference.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Anders

In a campaign with robots as PCs, there is the possibility that an older model will be used as a PC. Now, there are lenses for this in Ultra-Tech, but there's also the problem that anyone doing maintenance or repairs on you will be at a penalty due to TL differences. How much should this be worth? I'm thinking -1 point per TL difference.

Let's start by nailing this down a little more firmly shall we?

Obsolete Body Your body is of a lower TL than is standard for the campaign, which means that people of the campaign TL who need to work on it with TL skills will be at TL penalties as per the "Tech-level Modifiers" box on p. B168.

I think the value of this disadvantage should be based on the penalties, which increase a lot faster than the TL difference.

[Ashtagon]

This seems to be a variation on the Primitive disadvantage from third edition.

[Daigoro]

Ignore the fact that the difference is based on TL, and this sounds like the machine version of Exotic Biochemistry (or whatever its actual name is).

[CeeDub]

I think johndallman found the proper reference, but I'd like to ask a few questions about your premise.

There is obsolete, which probably means "a model from 5 to 10 years ago", and there is "from a previous TL", which would be better described as antiquated, a.k.a. "IT BELONGS IN A MUSEUM!"

So the question really is, who would go to the trouble of getting to this point in the first place? Who would keep a robot in working condition for this long, except to literally preserve it as a museum piece?

If, in your campaign setting, robots are not built with planned obsolescence because they are sentient, and thus kept around for longer, I would expect a possibility to upgrade older robots with newer parts and software as they become available.

Either way, I doubt this would be an issue at all. Could you perhaps give us a little more background, please?

[Anders]

It was just a stray thought, so there's no detailed scenario. "Obsolete" in this context means "from an earlier TL".

You can imagine e.g., a factory owner not upgrading to the latest models because the existing ones do a good enough job. Yeah, the new model may be able to do a better job, but not good enough that it's worth the expense. The factory closes and one of the robots escape destruction and goes out on the road. Or someone restoring old robots for the same reasons people renovate old cars or computer games. Nostalgia is another factor.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by CeeDub

So the question really is, who would go to the trouble of getting to this point in the first place? Who would keep a robot in working condition for this long, except to literally preserve it as a museum piece?

If, in your campaign setting, robots are not built with planned obsolescence because they are sentient, and thus kept around for longer, I would expect a possibility to upgrade older robots with newer parts and software as they become available.

Originally Posted by Anders

You can imagine e.g., a factory owner not upgrading to the latest models because the existing ones do a good enough job. Yeah, the new model may be able to do a better job, but not good enough that it's worth the expense. The factory closes and one of the robots escape destruction and goes out on the road. Or someone restoring old robots for the same reasons people renovate old cars or computer games. Nostalgia is another factor.

My first thought was Wall-E. A robot that has been around so long it has developed sentience (or at least a higher level of sentience) than intended.

It would also suggest a setting using the classic sci-fi trope of robot minds being inseparable from robot bodies. Though I could see cases where it would still apply.

[whswhs]

I don't think there is, or should be, one GURPS trait that defines this. If it's just hard to find parts and service, I would call it Low TL and have done, I think. If you're wearing out and can't be repaired or upgraded, it could be Terminally Ill. In between you could have a Mitigator, or it could be Dependence or Maintenance. Trying to shoehorn all these narrative possibilities into a single game mechanic seems likely to produce irrational results.

[DangerousThing]

It also depends on the T:L of the game and what tech is commonly available.

For example, if specialty robot-shops have nanofacs to build the replacement parts, then at best it's an inconvenience - must wait a few hours for repairs. Even a robofac would probably be able to create most of the parts for an obsolete robot.

[dcarson]

A reskinned Unusual Biochemistry might make sense if it is hard to get the kind of parts you need for repairs.