Remote-controlled robots?

[tkdguy]

In my hard sci-fi campaign, there will be robots that repair the engines or the exteriors of spacecraft. These will be controlled by the engineers via remote control.

 

I'm not sure how to build this. This is obviously listed as a disadvantage when creating the write-up, but should I also sell back some characteristics?

 

Any and all suggestions are helpful. Thanks in advance.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

Heal spaceship, OAF (robot) RSR (Spaceship engineering), indirect and possibly some sort of extended range advantage (can't recall at the moment if heal has range: if it doesn't you will need to add that in too)?

 

You could also add in extra time, and other advantages, but it seems that you do it that way or you build a vehicle, which seems unnecessarily complex.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

If we are talking about lots of little robots, make them inaccessible, rather than accessible in the focus limtiation. Same principle though.

[McCoy]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

Could be a form of duplication.

 

But what I've found works best is Clairsentience and Telekinesis. with some limitations.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

You could also use transform or limited summon of slavishly loyal beasties (summoned creature must be in area and arrives under own power - out of the repair bays ), with a mind link to the summoned creatures (the repair-bots) to give them commands.

 

I think the path you take would have to be determined by the effect you want and how you desire the game-experience to pan out.

 

Occam's Razor says go with the easiest one though, which, for fixing broken stuff, really does sound like a heal.

[tkdguy]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

Interesting ideas, guys. Thanks. Should the a roll be required for the engineers to successfully manipulate the robots?

 

Here's some information about the robots I plan to use:

 

As far as robots are concerned, I'm looking at the Personal Satellite Assistant being developed. This one is meant for communications systems and administrative tasks, but a variant with attached tools can be used to maintain and repair nuclear engines on the ship, operated by the engineers via remote control. Let's face it, maintaining a miniature nuclear plant in space doesn't sound too appealing. When the ship is accelerating, there will be some gravity. So perhaps the PSA robots will have mobile magnetic attachments to let them move on the ground or have miniature jets that will allow them to stay airborne.

 

For repairs and maintenance outside the ship, miniature versions of the Mars Rover will be used. They pop out of their compartments and repair the exterior of the ship. Their wheels will be magnetized, so they don't float out into space. These will also be guided by remote control.

[Beast]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

Regeneration or healing(could also work on items in repair bay)on the vehicle(lots of little robots all over the ship)

OAF Immoble(work station)

concentration 0 DVC

full phase or 1 turn depending on flavor you want

0 end or not depending how you want the robots powered either by the ship or independently(robots may have a reserve and need to be recharged by the main power source so the engineer will need to figure out what what needs to be fixed first)

[McCoy]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

Interesting ideas, guys. Thanks. Should the a roll be required for the engineers to successfully manipulate the robots?

Depends. If the robots are being used as tools in the normal course of making the repairs, I would say controling the robot is presumed in the repair skill roll.

 

If, as I suspect, you want them fully stated out because you expect their design parameters to be exceeded, as PC's and NPC's use them in ways the designers never anticipated, yes, I would require a seperate robot operation skill.

[Dust Raven]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

The first thing that came to mind was writing up the robots as Automatons with no controlling computer. Instead, a living operator controls them via radio communication. In this case, the controller may be required to make a Systems Operation Roll, or have something similar to a TF with the remote controlled robots. The controller would also be required to make any rolls they would have to make had they themselves gone EVA to make repairs, the only difference is the use of the robot proxies. You need not include the necessary Skills on the robot's character sheet unless you want to consider the robot to enhance the user's Skills (using the rules for assisting other characters).

 

The simpler suggestion using Healing for the ship with a Focus is a good one as well. Remote controlled robots could just be the SFX of ship repair.

[BNakagawa]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

are they supposed to be autonomous droids that act on their own (but under orders) a la R2D2?

 

are they supposed to be radio controlled cars that have wheels that stick to starship hulls with cameras and tools mounted on turrets so the engineers drive them to where the damage is and press buttons to make them weld, cut or patch?

 

Very different but both applicable given the original description.

[tkdguy]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

The first thing that came to mind was writing up the robots as Automatons with no controlling computer. Instead, a living operator controls them via radio communication. In this case, the controller may be required to make a Systems Operation Roll, or have something similar to a TF with the remote controlled robots. The controller would also be required to make any rolls they would have to make had they themselves gone EVA to make repairs, the only difference is the use of the robot proxies. You need not include the necessary Skills on the robot's character sheet unless you want to consider the robot to enhance the user's Skills (using the rules for assisting other characters).

 

The simpler suggestion using Healing for the ship with a Focus is a good one as well. Remote controlled robots could just be the SFX of ship repair.

Your first idea was what I was thinking of. I would give them a few skills, such as analyzing engine output and basic maintenance. My idea is that most of the time, the engineers would rather have the robots take care of the more dangerous parts of the space ship (the engine is nuclear-powered) as much as possible. I think they would need to make skill rolls at times, especially during combat.

 

are they supposed to be radio controlled cars that have wheels that stick to starship hulls with cameras and tools mounted on turrets so the engineers drive them to where the damage is and press buttons to make them weld' date=' cut or patch?[/quote']

 

That would be the case for these robots. AI is still a bit limited in my campaign, so R2D2 would be a bit too advanced for this game.

 

I was thinking about giving them INT 10, EGO 0, PRE 0 at the very least. It's just how to write up their nonsentient nature that's giving me problems.

 

I'm not discounting the other suggestions (healing, regeneration, duplication). I can still use those when writing up the ship. It's just when a player needs to operate an individual robot when I need a detailed write-up.

[Dust Raven]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

I was thinking about giving them INT 10, EGO 0, PRE 0 at the very least. It's just how to write up their nonsentient nature that's giving me problems.

 

Ego 0, as far as I'm concerned, implies nonsentience. More specifically, the lack of an Ego Characteristic is the Hero System definition of nonsentience, and all Automatons lack an Ego Characteristic. As a result, and per the rules, Automatons cannot make decisions for themselves. They require a Computer, AI or character to continuously give them instructions, or change the instructions given to them for a simple but long lasting task.

[Zed-F]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

My first question would be, why do you need to write them up? Is anyone going to be fighting them or using them for something other than what they were built to do?

 

I would probably just stat them up as a Heal Starship BOD (maybe with RSR if someone is controlling them) and handwave the rest.

[tkdguy]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

That seems to be the easiest option.

[gojira]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

My first thought was something like Clairsentience and Telekenesis with the limitations OAF and 0 DCV. I think that's the most powers direct approach.

 

 

My next thought was that you just use the Science or Mechanic skill, Star Ship Repair, and the GM rules that the drones or a VacSuit are required to make the skill rolls at all. Basically, GM fiat. Stat them up as Vehicles if you have to, and make the players pay points if they start using them for things besides just the SFX of "fix my star ship."

 

 

I think I had one more idea, but my mind appears to be going. I'm sorry, Dave.

[tkdguy]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

How about combat robots controlled by joystick?

 

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=2504508&page=1

[gojira]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

The less "extension of you" the power gets, the more I'm inclined to treat it as ordinary equipment. Costs $$, not points.

 

If anyone can grab the joystick and use it, it's probably stuff, not a power.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

The less "extension of you" the power gets, the more I'm inclined to treat it as ordinary equipment. Costs $$, not points.

 

If anyone can grab the joystick and use it, it's probably stuff, not a power.

 

True, and there is less need to actually build 'stuff', but I like to anyway, even if the player is not paying CPs for it.

 

Noone mention forks.

[gojira]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

True' date=' and there is less need to actually build 'stuff', but I like to anyway, even if the player is not paying CPs for it.[/quote']

 

Ok, so long as we're clear that the primary option is that it's stuff.

 

Probably some form of Clairsentience, Telekenisis, and HRRP, possibly all with Megascale with lims OAF, Independent & Real World Equipment.

 

Maybe add a computer with low INT and no EGO to represent a few automatic function it can run independently.

 

That's pretty simple, and I'm not sure how to represent the remote piloting. That's what HRRP is there for, so it can receive orders, but I'm not sure exactly what the official build would be. Things link Mind Link seem excessive, as there's no mind on the robot to link to. (OTOH, Mind Link alone might cover it, if a vehicle can be given eyes and arms by default, like a follower.)

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

I would write the robots up as a Summon or Followers (built as an Automaton in either case) with Radio communication to relay commands and Clairsentience to represent remote camera system.

 

The Robots themselves would posses a limited form of Healing (Body) and maybe Transform (to fix broken engine parts) as well as Mechanics, Electronics and Engineering skills. These can be used as the base skill or compimentary to the remote controllers skill.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

I would write the robots up as a Summon or Followers (built as an Automaton in either case) with Radio communication to relay commands and Clairsentience to represent remote camera system.

 

The Robots themselves would posses a limited form of Healing (Body) and maybe Transform (to fix broken engine parts) as well as Mechanics, Electronics and Engineering skills. These can be used as the base skill or compimentary to the remote controllers skill.

 

I'd have thought the Heal (restore limbs) adder would have enabled broken bits to be replaced or fixed (maybe subject to an activation roll: having the right parts in stock). You might also want to buy extra time for the adder: general structural work can be done quickly, but the trickier bits of the plasma nascelles needs time and a delicate touch...

[Vondy]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

I'm going to assume a general heroic milieu and that the robots are separate from the character - probably purchased as a part of the ship. That being the case, I would do this with a skill roll. It could be a vehicle familiarity: remote, combat piloting, or some sort of professional skill that subsumes this ability (ss: starship engineering). As for limitations, the immediate ones that come to mind are limitations via the robots link, which is probably HRRH or a laser comm. The robot may have limited sensors, which would hamper the ability to see what the problem was visually on the monitors, or might have problems with its comm link which could result in broken contact - and that might mean someone has to put on a spacesuit and go for a spacewalk. Also, unless the engineer is able to see what he's doing via the monitors and use the available tools on the robot to fix the problem, he's going to have to rely on the robots extant diagnostic and repair routines to do the job, which could result in a need to reprogram the robot (time), or reconfigure it for the task at hand (time). In terms of what the robot accomplishes - build the tools into the robots, not the ship or character. And, I don't think regeneration is necessary. I don't need regeneration to fix a car in a heroic game, just the necessary parts (or the ability to fabricate them) and the correct skills. A spaceship isn't any different.

[Guest TheUnknown]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

Healing with approiate lims and advan would produce SFX but if you want to actual have a real sci-fi feel where these robots could be used in a later story by pc's or npc's as a plot device then you want to stat them out as duplicates of the ship or as Summon creatures with the needed skills & abilities to produced the desired effects. Actually so many ways to do it but the one that's produces more story and realism is to have it stated up! if you want some templates let me know and I'll send you some.

[Guest TheUnknown]

Re: Remote-controlled robots?

 

I'm going to assume a general heroic milieu and that the robots are separate from the character - probably purchased as a part of the ship. That being the case' date=' I would do this with a skill roll. It could be a vehicle familiarity: remote, combat piloting, or some sort of professional skill that subsumes this ability (ss: starship engineering). As for limitations, the immediate ones that come to mind are limitations via the robots link, which is probably HRRH or a laser comm. The robot may have limited sensors, which would hamper the ability to see what the problem was visually on the monitors, or might have problems with its comm link which could result in broken contact - and that might mean someone has to put on a spacesuit and go for a spacewalk. Also, unless the engineer is able to see what he's doing via the monitors and use the available tools on the robot to fix the problem, he's going to have to rely on the robots extant diagnostic and repair routines to do the job, which could result in a need to reprogram the robot (time), or reconfigure it for the task at hand (time). In terms of what the robot accomplishes - build the tools into the robots, not the ship or character. And, I don't think regeneration is necessary. I don't need regeneration to fix a car in a heroic game, just the necessary parts (or the ability to fabricate them) and the correct skills. A spaceship isn't any different.[/quote']

 

Very true in most cases I would agree. As far as regeneration it's needed for several sfx such as if you can fabricate the material so you don't need transformation to do so also if you're talking about a self repair system that get the ship up to par in a matter of mins, hours, and days depending on level of damage is needed to actually do it in a reasonable time. Also if its suppose to repair extremely fast or If the ship is organic regeneration is probably the easiest way to go, besides you can increase time needed until you reach the time you want it to take to fully restore you busted ship.

 

Example: If you ship has 50 body and regenerates at 1 Body per 20 min it would take 17hrs without complications to repair ship to full. Story, rolls and sfx can increase and decrease that time base.

 

If a ship is not suppose to be self sufficient and needs a dock/bay to complete full repairs then regeneration is probably not the way unless you put lims on it to create the desired effect.

 

your knowledge of 5E proves to be respectable:dyn