Obsolete robots as PCs

[The Colonel]

I'm guessing there will also be electronic warfare applications - modern hacks, viruses and whatever probably won't run on your firmware and you may have problems connecting to the local network. Which also means you may have trouble hacking other people. Modern AIs may find your presence disturbing.

Sort of reminded of that bit in the Deus Ex mod Red Sun where Paul Denton is faced with a bunker door that is essentially unhackable because its electronic lock runs on punch-card technology...

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by 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.

Er, Low TL is about what tech you can understand and use, not what tech you are made of.

Unless the robot also has a learning disability, it could easily lack Low TL, or could even have High TL.

(Atomic Robo, for example, might have components that predate WWII, but remains on the cutting edge of weird science research. Though I don't recall the age of his manufacture being an issue for repairs so much as the still-hard-to-reproduce capabilities of Fictional Tesla's masterpieces.)

[Stormcrow]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

Er, Low TL is about what tech you can understand and use, not what tech you are made of.

But character points are about game effects on your character, not physical descriptions of your character.

Suppose I'm a robot in a setting where robots are commonplace. The technology in me is from the previous tech level, but the facilities to service me are still widely available, and this is an enlightened society that does not discriminate against older models. In such a world there is absolutely no downside to being made of an older tech level, so there should be no cost or benefit in character points.

Any deviation from that baseline is going to be setting-specific. Maybe it's harder to find TL-appropriate attention for my Maintenance disadvantage: the cost will be a penalty on my mechanic's maintenance roll, not character points to me. Maybe modern robots look down on previous-TL models; that's a Social Stigma on me.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

But character points are about game effects on your character, not physical descriptions of your character.

Suppose I'm a robot in a setting where robots are commonplace. The technology in me is from the previous tech level, but the facilities to service me are still widely available, and this is an enlightened society that does not discriminate against older models. In such a world there is absolutely no downside to being made of an older tech level, so there should be no cost or benefit in character points.

Any deviation from that baseline is going to be setting-specific. Maybe it's harder to find TL-appropriate attention for my Maintenance disadvantage: the cost will be a penalty on my mechanic's maintenance roll, not character points to me. Maybe modern robots look down on previous-TL models; that's a Social Stigma on me.

How is any of this related to my post? I mostly agree with what you're saying, but it makes no sense to be saying it to me.

[Stormcrow]

Sorry, I guess I misread your post.

[RyanW]

This could just be a simple modifier for Maintenance. Call it "Rare skill" and I would figure it around +20% or so. It would also work for characters who need exotic mystical treatments, parachronic stabilization, etc.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by RyanW

This could just be a simple modifier for Maintenance. Call it "Rare skill" and I would figure it around +20% or so. It would also work for characters who need exotic mystical treatments, parachronic stabilization, etc.

It's a bit context-dependent whether that's a problem or not, which might be an issue.

If the character often needs to deal with their Maintenance by hunting up a new local specialist who can meet their needs, needing rarer specialists could be a big (or outright impossible depending on rarity) problem, and clearly worth some extra points.

If on the other hand they deal with it by always staying in reach of their regular maintenance crew, the 'rare skills' premium would be essentially free points...with a side of 'might convert to Terminally Ill if the GM takes away the crew'.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

If on the other hand they deal with it by always staying in reach of their regular maintenance crew, the 'rare skills' premium would be essentially free points...with a side of 'might convert to Terminally Ill if the GM takes away the crew'.

"Keep your friends close, and your mechanic closer." Dependency (Magic Spring Water) is free points as long as you stay close to the magic spring. Unless you consider "has to stay close to magic spring" to itself be worth points.

Maintenance (Rare skill) amounts to having three choices: A) being relatively tied to a specific place, B) putting a person you are heavily dependent upon in danger by dragging them along on the adventure with you, or C) looking for a person with hard to find skills every time you travel.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by RyanW

"Keep your friends close, and your mechanic closer." Dependency (Magic Spring Water) is free points as long as you stay close to the magic spring. Unless you consider "has to stay close to magic spring" to itself be worth points.

Maintenance (Rare skill) amounts to having three choices: A) being relatively tied to a specific place, B) putting a person you are heavily dependent upon in danger by dragging them along on the adventure with you, or C) looking for a person with hard to find skills every time you travel.

My point is that any Maintenance has those same three options, except for the "hard to find" modifier in C. And B (or an A/B hybrid where the crew travels but stays a bit further from the 'front') is a pretty common solution to Maintenance requirements in the real world.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

My point is that any Maintenance has those same three options, except for the "hard to find" modifier in C. And B (or an A/B hybrid where the crew travels but stays a bit further from the 'front') is a pretty common solution to Maintenance requirements in the real world.

Fair enough, but if the skill is rare, falling back on C when A and B fail would go from nuisance to potential disaster.

I think it's an extra concern worth a small enhancement value.