Remote Control

[Fearghus]

I am running a game in a setting similar to Shadowrun. I have a player that wants to set up a drone rigger. For those that do not know a drone rigger controls a bunch of remote control drones. I was going to build them as a group of followers with various advantages / disadvantages to indicate that they can not act autonomously and are actually totally under the control of the pilot.

 

But then it occurs to me that it is possible to hack the systems of a drone and seize control of it from it's pilot, so maybe I should build the power as some sort of mind control for the machine class of minds so that two riggers could actually battler for control over the same drone.

 

The question I have is what advantages / disadvantages would you put in place to build this?

 

Thanks in advance. I look forward to all your answers

[psyber624]

Re: Remote Control

 

Sounds like mind control with (-1) Limitation "Only to Control Drones". Then you build the Drones as a Universal Focus. Possibly add in Lockout to the drone to represent that if he is controlling his drone he can't try to control someone else's.

 

That build basically allows him to control his own drone with no need for mind control rolls or the like, but trying to control someone else's drone requires the mind control rolls (and he can use his mind control to fight someone else attempting to gain control of his drone.

[griffinman01]

Re: Remote Control

 

I did something similar using Summon with the Slavish (+1) advantage so that they were 100% loyal. They could still be targeted via mind control (hacking) and dispel (EMP) which worked out pretty well.

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: Remote Control

 

I would make them followers or vehicles. They would utilize radio communication. If this is blocked, they can't be controlled. They could be built with a 0 INT computer that requires input from the controller to "make decisions". This could be accomplished via a Mind Control power that mimics radio control and is treated as Radio Group instead of Mental Group.

 

You could buy Mental Defense for the Drones that represents a secure link that only your Mind Control can ypass. However, hackers and electronic warfare experts might be able to hack in or break down the drones firwall and take over control. For an incredibly effective Firewall use both Mental Defense and Mental Damage Reduction. I would use the following for a Drone Control Scheme:

 

Ego+ control of drones basic functions (movement systems)

Ego+10: control of drones communication or sensor systems.

3go+20: control of drones tertiary functions and other secure systems such as defense systems.

Ego+30: full control of all of drones systems including highly secure functions like encryped files and comm systems, self destruct etc.

 

In Shadowrun, its probably common for most (all?) Drones to have at least basic computer brains that allow them to execute various programs without operator input, so that they can be programmed to perfor basic fuctions on their own, but the operator can at any time chose to take manual command of any drone he controlls at any time. I never did play a rigger back in the day but had several friends who liked them (including my wife) and I vaguely recall the drones capable of some degree of autonomy.

[Ice9]

Re: Remote Control

 

Yeah, if they're like SR drones, you can just give them orders and let the AI do the specific fighting/moving, or you can control them manually. The advantage to direct control is that it makes them more effective (assuming you have good piloting skills).

 

I think either Follower or Summon would work for this, with Mind Link (Radio group) used to issue commands. Jamming would be Darkness or Change Environment to that group, hacking would be Mind Control, and the requirement to be connected would just be the drone AI having a low INT, so they can't do much on their own initiative.

 

That looks like a good Mind Control list, although I might switch the first two entries - gaining access to their communications seems like a prerequisite for controlling their motion.

[BhelliomRahl]

Re: Remote Control

 

I recently run a Hero Cyberpunk game and one of my players was a Rigger.

 

Drones were built as vehicles. Consider putting limits on number of Multipliers for Number of Vehicles. A Rigger can easily have 32 drones all build on the same points for only a slight cost over a single drone.

Built a Computer brain which was used with each Drone. This ment specific programs could be created for them. i.e. Travel from A to B, Observe Target, Attack Target, etc. It also allowed simple independant operation within the parameters of Programs and skills/knowledge. (I had his drones evolve over time and develop EGO becoming A.I.s which started hacking the Rigger and self modifing - He had taken a Complication Linked to this idea at the start)

 

Mental Link was used for secure communication networks between the Rigger and Drones. Mental Defense as an Attack Barrier.

 

Mind Scan was used to detect terminals; Drones, Cyberbrains, etc. Then Mind Control, Mental Illusion, Mental Blast, etc. were used as manipulation and attack methods.

 

Have a look a Advanced Players Guide 1 p.70. It has a section on Cyberkinesis, using mental powers to control machines. Is what I based the above power usage on.

 

Possession which is also in APG1 p.74 is useful for the Rigger to transfer his conciousness into a drone for direct control or if the drones can only be operated by the Rigger with no independant action.

 

The Kazei 5 book is a animepunk/cyberpunk universe and has some really useful ideas, I would recommend having a read. It has some Rigger cyberware such as Vehicle Control Link, Skill Jacks, etc. Also has examples for computers used for controlling vehicles, altering them for drones is a simple matter.

[Mister E]

Re: Remote Control

 

With Duplication you get direct control over all of your duplicates. This is in contrast w/ Multiforms, Summons, Followers, Mind Controls... which all have some other form of rules-mediation in place between the player & the thing being controlled.

 

The duplicates may be exact duplicates, something else entirely, astral projections, virtual forms, robots, computers, vehicles... even [iIRC] bases.

 

[example]

 

In D&D, the number of presently active avatars that deities may have at any given time can easily be represented in HERO with what are effectively remote-controlled duplicates.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Remote Control

 

Here's how I did it for my MetaCyber campaign: Vehicles -- under the section "Control Links"