Need some help with machine meta trait rules.

[Jaware]

I one again seek the knowledge of the collective.

I have a player who wants to play a robot for a character. I don't really have a problem with it. It fits the story and everything.

but I am having trouble finding some rules.

namely the ones where it explains the wear and tear as a similar effect of aging.

anybody able to point me in the right direction?

[ericthered]

The maintaince disadvantage, most likely: without it you don't end up with wear and tear.

[Phantasm]

The Machine meta-trait is in Basic Set: Characters on p. B263. First column, about halfway down the page, specifically reads:

Originally Posted by Basic Set, p. B263

• Your body does not age. Instead, it wears out, with effects similar to aging.

So basically, a machine "ages" like a normal person would, with Enhanced Lifespan, Short Lifespan, and Longevity applying normally. The machine is just more prone to breaking down the older it gets.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Phantasm

The Machine meta-trait is in Basic Set: Characters on p. B263. First column, about halfway down the page, specifically reads:



So basically, a machine "ages" like a normal person would, with Enhanced Lifespan, Short Lifespan, and Longevity applying normally. The machine is just more prone to breaking down the older it gets.

What he said.
GURPS is pretty good about you get what you pay for overall. So if an advantage is not listed it wont apply.
Some Machines need to breathe, for cooling or combustion for example so Doesn't Breathe is not included in the Machine metatrait.
Same with Unaging, some machines will wear out faster than others but no machine currently made by man lasts forever. Even purely electronic ones just wear out after awhile.

[Flyndaran]

Gurps only causes base Stat loss due to aging, which machines experience just the same as biologicals.
Many have the advantage of (Unaging: IQ Only) to account for easily repaired program A.I.

Maintenance is not the same or really related even though many machines have it.

[KarlKost]

Can't a machine be repaired or even upgraded?

Edit: in order to prevent wearing out of course

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by KarlKost

Can't a machine be repaired or even upgraded?

Edit: in order to prevent wearing out of course

Repaired, yes... to a point. Eventually, even that car with 200,000 miles on it which has had nearly everything but the gas tank and the main engine itself replaced* - some items more than once - is going to give up the ghost, so to speak. Such repairs and upgrade may extend the servicable lifespan, but eventually it'll get to the point where you'll junk it rather than keep repairing it when multiple things go wrong at once.


* using my own car as an example. Just hit 200K miles Thursday last week; it's not a matter of "if" it'll break down for good but "when".

[Flyndaran]

Aging in gurps just increases the rate of needing to roll for Stat loss. For humans, and base PCs, it's once per year from age 50 to 70, then once per six month from 70 to 90, then once per three months. It doesn't increase again.