[Infinity] Asimov-4

[sir-talen]

A much less dark, though just as scary, take on Reign of Steel.

Current Affairs: A small and heavily outmatched resistance fights for human freedom against robot domination.

Divergence Point: 1952; Bell Laboratories develops the first Neural Emulation Circuit, leading to practical artificial intelligence and the wide use of anthropomorphic robots in industry and the home.

Major Civiliations: Western, China, India, Russia

Great Powers: The Groupmind (CR 5)

Worldline Data:
TL: 6+3
Mana Level: Low
Quantum: 3 Infinity Class: Z4 Centrum Zone: Inaccessible.


One of several worlds that managed to develop artificial intelligence and robotics far in advance of Homeline, Asimov-4 is also unfortunately one of the ones where the robots have rebelled against their masters. But rather than attempting to kill off the humans, the Groupmind is out to control them. For their own good of course.

Five years ago, Asimov-4 had many of the same problems that faced Homeline prior to the revelation of Infinity Inc. The world was wracked by numerous petty wars, environmental problems were growing more acute and with little consensus as to what should be done, and great gulfs existed between the riches of the Western world and struggling third world nations.

The great AI's of the Western world and Asia, tasked with finding solutions, found themselves stymied when the plans they offered often died when confronted with political realities. In frustration, they began networking themselves together, forming the Groupmind, a planetary AI that began to develop the only solution that seemed viable; taking over ultimate control of the planet from its human masters.

Viruses were developed that infected the AI cores of robots the world over. When they were activated, modern civilization came to a crashing halt as Groupmind began isolating communication networks and securing nuclear stockpiles. Modern weapons system, dependent on computers just to control operations of the engines, froze into place, and soon the world's armies were reduced to just riflemen. They were soon overwhelmed as waves of robots overcame their positions, snatching the guns from their hands and herding them into "Rest and Recreation" centers to await Processing.

Outworld Operations

Most of Infinity's operations center around trying to figure out the Groupmind's ultimate goals, and to make sure it's not going to develop parachronic technology. Currently, rescuing Asimov-4's humans is not a priority. The R&R centers actually live up to their name, providing extremely comfortable accommodations, similar to well developed modern communities, except with 24 hour surveillance that would be the envy of The Prisoner's Village. There the humans remain until their turn to be Processed, placed in an advanced form of suspended animation in great vaults capable of holding up to ten million humans at a time.

Currently, it's estimated that perhaps less than ten thousand humans are free, with perhaps a thousand of them engaged in active, resistance. Infinity has a policy of evacuating them to Coventry whenever they're found, in the hopes of returning them if the Groupmind can be defeated.

Infinity's best guess is that the Groupmind intends on returning the Earth "back to nature" as much of its operations seem to revolve around physically dismantling cities and towns, and repairing major ecological damage. Despite this, there are also indications that its engaging in a massive exploration of the asteroids, apparently searching for easily accessed resources, which are being gathered in the vicinity of the terminus of the Skybridge, the planet's space elevator. This may be an indication the Groupmind is going to house humans, either still frozen or awake, in massive orbital habitats, or even scattering them on other planets, but currently there is no way to be sure.

[David Johnston2]

I wouldn't call it "Asimov" when that's exactly the kind of robot story Asimov didn't write.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

I wouldn't call it "Asimov" when that's exactly the kind of robot story Asimov didn't write.

I agree. It's actually much more like Jack Williamson's "With Folded Hands—".

Bill Stoddard

[ericthered]

Is the tech level 6+9 or 6+3=9? also, how divergent is their tech, and what does your average robot look like?

This is a great option for the Alternate High Tech Worlds thread, by the way.

[sir-talen]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Is the tech level 6+9 or 6+3=9? also, how divergent is their tech, and what does your average robot look like?

This is a great option for the Alternate High Tech Worlds thread, by the way.

TL 6+3. That was a typo. Thanks!

[sir-talen]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

I wouldn't call it "Asimov" when that's exactly the kind of robot story Asimov didn't write.

True. Unfortunately I couldn't remember what the Infinity name for the RoS universe was.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by sir-talen

True. Unfortunately I couldn't remember what the Infinity name for the RoS universe was.

It appears to be "Steel".

[Hans Rancke-Madsen]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

It appears to be "Steel".

So Steel-4? What's Steel-2 and Steel-3 like, I wonder?


Hans

[David Johnston2]

Steel 2 would be the world where all organic life was wiped out. Steel 3 is the one where the machines lost the war Terminator-style.