Playability of LAIs (as player characters)?

[vicky_molokh]

Greetings, all!

While I'm pretty sure that EIs are almost a cliché among THS groups*, at least as common as Drizzt Clones among D&D groups, what is the community's opinion on LAIs? Sure, that Low Empathy is nasty, and the -1 (base) IQ is unpleasant. But racial traits can be compensated by personal IQ increases (they don't have the Fixed IQ Taboo Trait in their template) without jumping into EI territory. They're neat in requiring less Complexity to run. And they're almost twice as cheap as SAIs in terms of points (82 vs. 153), which is pretty significant if the point total is, say, 150-200. Oh, and Visualisation is neat, particularly once you upgrade it with more Reliable and some Reduced Time (possibly with an Accessibility of requiring a higher Complexity of hardware).

The only strongly unpleasant bit about their template is that they waste [12] on Racial Skill: Computer Operation IQ+3 instead of Racial Skill Bonus: Computer Operation 3 + some points in the skill.

Thanks in advance for your opinions!

* == I remember whswhs mentioned an NPC EI in Whispers. Clancy heavily hinted that one of the PCs of his old group was an EI, and mentioned such a possibility for the current game too. Canon also seems to pay enough attention to them to almost provoke people into making them in their games.

[jeff_wilson]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

Oh, and Visualisation is neat, particularly once you upgrade it with more Reliable and some Reduced Time (possibly with an Accessibility of requiring a higher Complexity of hardware).

Or at least a large database of what-if and previously attempted scenarios. This may be more of the reason for their altered aspect than some fundamental EI transformation; they literally can learn from experience, so eventually "I am not programmed to respond in that area" gives way to "one moment please" and finally no response is necessary because they have learned to anticipate requests.

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

The only strongly unpleasant bit about their template is that they waste [12] on Racial Skill: Computer Operation IQ+3 instead of Racial Skill Bonus: Computer Operation 3 + some points in the skill.

Why is this strongly unpleasant? It's not optimal, but it doesn't make them less efficient than meatbags.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by jeff_wilson

Why is this strongly unpleasant? It's not optimal, but it doesn't make them less efficient than meatbags.

Because it means about 6 points wasted. Between Visualisation, Modular Abilities, the fact that Honesty will prevent using Computer Operation for hacking (in campaigns which don't use the Hacking skill), and the fact that TL8 User-Friendly Interfaces can commonly be handled by default or [1], while THS has it at TL10, this seems like an expenditure that goes nowhere. It doesn't help flesh out the character, it doesn't add fun playing it, it doesn't improve overall efficiency (compared to spending them elsewhere).

These are just 6 points, of course. But it's the most dubious bit of the template.

[jeff_wilson]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

Because it means about 6 points wasted. Between Visualisation, Modular Abilities, the fact that Honesty will prevent using Computer Operation for hacking (in campaigns which don't use the Hacking skill), and the fact that TL8 User-Friendly Interfaces can commonly be handled by default or [1], while THS has it at TL10, this seems like an expenditure that goes nowhere. It doesn't help flesh out the character, it doesn't add fun playing it, it doesn't improve overall efficiency (compared to spending them elsewhere).

These are just 6 points, of course. But it's the most dubious bit of the template.

That skill is essential to maintaining system integrity in the malware-besodden TS infosphere, and defending against the not-honest people who have to buy the more expensive Computer Hacking skill to go on the offensive. LAI-Bob can easily apply his Visualization to his routine uses of Computer Op to secure his own system as well as any others in his charge, and LAI-Bob can maintain both unflagging vigilance and lightning-quick responsiveness perpetually. Without that skill, you have no assurance LAI-Bob hasn't been replaced by a Gypsy spirit or a phishing trojan within minutes of his first connection to the Web.

But if you want a LAI that never interfaces with anything, yeah, it's waste.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by jeff_wilson

That skill is essential to maintaining system integrity in the malware-besodden TS infosphere, and defending against the not-honest people who have to buy the more expensive Computer Hacking skill to go on the offensive. LAI-Bob can easily apply his Visualization to his routine uses of Computer Op to secure his own system as well as any others in his charge, and LAI-Bob can maintain both unflagging vigilance and lightning-quick responsiveness perpetually. Without that skill, you have no assurance LAI-Bob hasn't been replaced by a Gypsy spirit or a phishing trojan within minutes of his first connection to the Web.

But if you want a LAI that never interfaces with anything, yeah, it's waste.

Well, not every LAI has to be a computer administrator. And for those who aren't, it's better to employ an actual specialised administrator to set up the security (with, perhaps, 20s in the right skills). And having proper firewall, antivirus etc. stopping threats before they affect the system is probably better than going through the registry (or the equivalent) hunting down all that malware manually.

[jeff_wilson]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

Well, not every LAI has to be a computer administrator. And for those who aren't, it's better to employ an actual specialised administrator to set up the security (with, perhaps, 20s in the right skills). And having proper firewall, antivirus etc. stopping threats before they affect the system is probably better than going through the registry (or the equivalent) hunting down all that malware manually.

That's all included in the local operation of Computer Operation, per Jon Ziegler; the OS is full of exploits, but it's also got adaptable protection features intentionally included.

Every LAI lives on a computer, so it needs to be a Computer Operator to keep itself in good, autonomous working order. Could you imagine the scathing reviews otherwise? "I asked Suri to order a pizza and it ended up giving my credit card number to a phishing site!"

As far as a a specialized administrator with 20-something skill, that sounds like a service you'd have to pay monthly for, where some SAI periodically remotes in to give it a good going over.

[Phil Masters]

Putting aside all the pointless moaning about a character type which is computer operations spending a few points on Computer Operations skill, I'd have thought that the important thing here is the Low Empathy. Everything else is stuff that can be worked around, bought off, or just enjoyed as part of the roleplaying, but Low Empathy is the big flag which says "This character type isn't really much of a personality".

Some players will be happy with that - buy the character enough Guns skill and some players will be happy with anything - but roleplayed correctly, a character with Low Empathy should usually be a bit boring to roleplay. Which is why I would mostly tend to leave LAIs as Allies. But they could be interesting exercises in mild weirdness - the one in Wild Justice is intended as such. It's really sort of "Do you actually want to play HAL-9000?"

[sir_pudding]

I had a player once ask me, for reasons I still fail to grok, if he could "play a gun". I offered him an LAI, but that was still too much volition for him. I still don't have a clue what he actually wanted.

[jeff_wilson]

Originally Posted by Phil Masters

Putting aside all the pointless moaning about a character type which is computer operations spending a few points on Computer Operations skill, I'd have thought that the important thing here is the Low Empathy. Everything else is stuff that can be worked around, bought off, or just enjoyed as part of the roleplaying, but Low Empathy is the big flag which says "This character type isn't really much of a personality".

Isn't a personality something like an add-on by 2100? Couldn't I fix up LAI-Bob with an Elvis eidolon and have plenty of "personality", albeit of the superficial kind?

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by jeff_wilson

Isn't a personality something like an add-on by 2100? Couldn't I fix up LAI-Bob with an Elvis eidolon and have plenty of "personality", albeit of the superficial kind?

It would still have Low-Empathy, so it's reactions would be clearly simulated and out of sync with what's going on. It might try to cheer you up, and say something Elvis but only if you tell it that you are feeling down first.