bYI Science Fiction RoiwiauinQ

y Wolfgang Baui

D/ATAWARE by Wolfgang Baur

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COMPlLEDTABLEs D1: Three &mpb Remulls Indd.1~ ...................................... 15 D11: 111 Advanmment ................. m IiackIng Modlflon ................................................ 16 D1S: 111 R.mot.. ........................................................................ W: Ught .............................................................................. 18 D1% Bobotiu h u l t m Ladders ............................................. .65 M: Complete asid copnbca Summary ................................ 10 D17 Robot Ha0 Abilfty Score ZLmlt. .................................. .68 Ds: so* Damage .............................................................. ?1 D1% CmbInod Robot Hard- ......................................... dB m Hardware hucrblllty ......................................................... 23 D19: Custom Rabat Patti ......................................................... 75 M: ........................................................................ a7 m?lobotMau.. ...................................................................... 76 m C0mrpl.t. Fmgram DlnC(0ay ......................................... 38 m1: R O Q ~ pub ........................................................................ n Wt New Hardware .................................................................... 46 w1: Robot pla ....................................................................... 78 D10: Alien Hardware .................................................... 48 Dl% Fbboi Lbuwling and Ramming L)amage .................... 79 D11: Hardwarm hucrMUty ........................................................ Dl4 Robot System Dama. ................................................... DlPCombhd 111 Hardware ................................................. 51 DlS &odd Robot Damage....... ............................................ 80 D13 111 SkIllm .............................................................................. 53 DPB: Raboc D I ~ ~ M I s .......

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network.. the p a l fusion of the phone company, the cable company, and the online Ilerrrfce company, If it's elec- tronic. it's on the Grid. In an ALTeRNlnd game. if hems wunt information, con- tactr. communlcation. technical specs. or juat a acreen of anonymity, then -r or later they will seek out the Grid.

COMPUTERS OWN You In the early days of mcience flction. cornputem and robot9 were the pinna- cle of technological thought and adion. In countless M a and movies, corn- puters were the alter egos of the human mind. Prom HAL goo0 to Wlnter- mute. and from Ren to Wcugamw to 'Ibrrninutor, atoriea about computers were stories about what It means to think. what It mMllu to reason and to uct on the result.

But over time computers have become more and more f a w a r to us in our everyday Ilvse; they have hbcomo In- crearingl y,.. ordinary. We nee them every day, in automatic teller machines, at home, and at supermarht checkout linea.

We have all wen s b r h about comput- era cut of contml, about computers de- d& to apy on ua, and abmt robots made to be killers. Frankly, computers atill make us a little nervous. Who known what information the govem- ment la keeping track of with its bar d e s and Social Securlty numhers?

These days, storlea about computers are atories about power.

Datcnvmsisdabut~machiuwm chmcr(cainyour-gmnea,ratiler t h c m ~ ~ l n t h e ~ ~ p u t o r a l mlother plot device. Plug into the machb. and- fora wild dde.

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Chapter 1 The Grid THE EVOLUTION OFTHEGRID "For the d m mind, spuce and time ure the hnIc forms of hindrance. Any. thing thal isawayis toefurmuy The krct thaiplacea an, separated by dls- tazw is seen aa u both= Anything

crctivftiar roqvim time is aeon cu u waste. As u conmquence, u continuous bath i8 waged aguimt the mmtruints of spcm and tlme; acceleration is them fore the imperative which rules techno- logical innovufion m well as the little muma of m a y life."

that I&#, 1- toe long. The fact that

-Wolfgang Scfihs, WuppertuI Institute

The Grid, like all technological syl- terns. Is a patchwork creation, cobbled together from d a b l e re~ources, tol- mible technological atandada, and a level of expertise just high enough to get the job done. It appeared by stut- tering fits and atcuts over the course of decades, first as a complement to other mam media, then as a replace- ment for theni. By the time the Grid be- came humanitfa primary information and social venue. it seemed Inevitable.

Pmgrers Level 4 H Y Days In the early dap of complting, indus- hy and govcunments leada the way in inventing andimprodug computer technology. only huge government or business interests can afford the pure research resuired to make electronic c a l d d i n g machinea a reality. Al- though this Rogrese Level Is the bMh- place of computing, it. uystema me not powerful enough for Grid-hosed scenarios.

The pructical application of thin age's calculutlng machines Include the construction and manipulation of datclbcues (such aa the US Censum) or complex calculatlona (auch aa for ar- tillery fire solutions). "he invention of vacuum tubea is a mtep forward, but computers remain huge unwieldy ma- chines run on mechanical relays or punch cards until transistors and inte-

wed circuits appear at thi P of the Information Age. Before wmn, th. machines cover entire rooma of build- inga and require a rp.dcrll.rd staff10 malntain them.

lhrpgrew Level 5: The lntenlelt In the early pert of PL 5. mmputcm continue to improve, becoming smaller, faater, and more affordable, well wlthin the mach od primto flmsll and smaller government.. In th. 197(*. computer canpaniw roleam th. p sonal computer, provkUng#l.ca some citixena with calculating power-howevur clunky and alow. Durlng the 1980. computer networks break out of academia into the malm stream, and the Grids slow infiltrcltion of everyday life b . g l ~ . Emly online services attract subcribem from the technical ellte throughout the inndum- Mal nations of Old Ecrrth. but over the following decades, the Internot be- comes perparlve among the &n- stream, rep- aome od th. functions of telephone. and t h r i d o n . The Grid evenbmlly 0b.Orb.thow functions more-cu-icw w h d r

By the turn ofth.mll*olriurn &oh- temet ia an eetabliahd fad d We cmd le isunvoe*lr id .At~th.~, the limit. of the t.chnologg UM fkmly establi&ed, Im- in sound, gmphicl, and hldwldth m l m , but the bait hctiona and ataddad the technology m m to uttl. down. Am it tuna out, the nert revolution in the orid Ia aa muchpolitical m it ia technological.

Progrers -16: Coming ofthe 5hadows The fusion reactor ushers in a new m l a t i d i p batween humanity and elec- tridty; power beam= cheap. Fullon power becomer both portable and d- fordable, making it -to bring e l e tricity to every m e r of the world, and even every corner of the sdar myatom. Cheap computera running on cheap electricity provlde more people with a-

N m w 5klll: 6rld 5awy

WIL. cost 2 This is a specialty skill oft I Street Smart broad skill. A knowledge of Grid savvy ensures that a gridpilot is always ahead of the curve with the latest slang. sites. tools. and netiquette-everything he needs to be accepted by the digital underground. hacker gangs. nhadowboxers. and Grid outlaws. With Grid savvy skill. a gridpilot knows where to find greyware. which sectors have a thriving black market and which subsectors clamp down on illegal intrusions. and where to find an untraceable Grid con- nection. If it's illicit. immoral, or dangerous and it's on the Grld. Grld savvy is the skill that applies. I Agents and Tech Ops. 3 for all

Thls skill costs 2 for Free

heroes with other professions.

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Camr: 6rld Cop

A Grid Cop is a Frw Agent who uwtchea over a given network or a given portlon of the Odd, He inveatigatn allegations o wmngdolng on behalf of a national or corporate atate: many times. his Inveatigationi can alao Involve tracking perpe. traton in the real world as wr"

Grid Cops are technically adept. but fhey value police smarts even more than hacking expertise. They understand the patterns of crlminal behavior, keep up on the lateat hardwa: and software trends. and are not above calling in speclallu police Tech Ops If the going gets rough. The good ones knt #even way. to track a grldpi- lot-three of them legal.

Skills (36 points): Computer Sclenccbacking: Knowledge- deduce: Law-enforcement: Investigate: Street Smart- crlrnhaJ elemenfs. Grid savvy: Interaction-interview,

Signature Equipment: Ordinary-quality microcornput. er OR Marginal nanocomputer, NIJack. and Marginal gddcaster (note that If the hero has cyber- ware installed. he must pay the 10 required skill point. Ibted in Chapter 15: Cybertecb to have cyberware lnatalled); police gauntlet: two OrdInary p r w -

- Career: Shadow Spy

A Shadow Spy Is a Diplomat (Tech Op) who steals, copies. corrupts, and finagles data from data vaults all over the Grid. He almost always works for a corporation or a national spy organization. such as the CIA or Mousad-there are very few fmelancerm in the spy buslneos. All shadow spies report to a handler. a contact who manages their efforts. suggests new targets. and provldes backup. hardware, and a salary to the spy.

A few shadow sples are also programmers. cookhag up their own recipes to break In to restricted systems. Moot. however, depend on a wide network of contacts, state-of-the-art cracking and scanning software. and blazingly fast gridcastera to stay on top of the information war.

Invemtigate; Street Smart-Grid savvy: Deception-bluff: Interaction-charm, Inferview.

Signature Equipment: Ordinary-quality microcomputer OR Marginal nanocomputer, Nllack and Marginal gridcaster (note that if the hero han cyberware inotalled. he must pay the ten required skill points listed in Chupfer 15: Cyberfech to have cyberwan installed): Grid gauntlet: two Ordinary programs.

Skillo (40 points): Computer Science-hacking: Security-aecurifg devices: I

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Datnmtream Bubbles

The advances In shadow form tech that permit a pilot to send his shadow through the inter- stellar Grid paid some unusual dividends in the long run. The principles used to hold together a shadow wlthout its original gridpilot also eventually led to ways to create temporary bub- ble domains within a datas- tream (see Chapter 3: Softwa section for details).

an income by selling domair- both they and Grid regulator frown on those who set up a bubble domain. They see it a no more or less a crlme than atealing phone or cable servlce. The invislblea and most hack- ers view it differently, and AI pay no attention at all to the attitudes of so-called "Grid authoritles." Like squatter8 11 the physical world. "bubbler in Grldspace don't care abou the legalitles. Pulling off the trick of sllpplng through the cracks Is the whole point of (1 bubbling and is usually consid- ered reward enough in its own right.

Slnce service providers make

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5hadow Mowmnt In the 6rld r

Though the details of the various layers of the Grid are provided here I the Ghmemasterb and piayer'n benefit, in practice a shadow moving throuah Gridmace often Dannes from one rector to another quite smoothly. even ;nwittin& At PL '/;the experience of pulling data from or passing data into the Grid is painless.

datastream. which drops him into a specific log-on domain. This startL-- point Is always a familiar place, uaually his home domain or that of ax access urovider. From that point on. he can choose to step through a

For instance, when a user logs on through a gridcanter, he first seen the

gridlinc into another domain, checking up his stock reports and news briefinas-Dullina them into his shadow from the DV Grid without eve really &wing to think about it. Once that's done, he can hop through another gridlink to a data haven. There he may ncan files for a particular piece 01 grey market software he needs, pay a small fee through an anonymoun financial server, and thus unlock the files for download frc the data Grid. Before logging off, he may activate a public phone icon patch his shadow through to the c o r n Grid. The shadow has just had contact with all tour major sectors of the Grid without hopping thmugf more than three domains.

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Career: fnvfdbfe

An Invlsible is a Tech Op (occa- sionally. a Free Agent) who has erased all trace of himself from the Grid. and lives free of con- trol, tracklng. or oversight of any kind. The "hldden in plain sight" life of the invisibles often attracts frontier types and anar- chists alike. A fully trained invisible has mastered the arts of data forgery. In a way, the job combines the most difficult aspects of engineering, pro- gramming. and psychology.

are beholden to an AI that helped them root out the last traces of their digital records. Inviuibles often live in urban zones where cutting edge hard- ware is readily available. but they are fully capable of setting up hidden colonies of their own in the asteroid belts and under- ground bases. They have a deep distrust of centralized

In addition. many invisible

' authority. Skills (50 points): Computer

Science-hacking 2, hardware, AI: Technical Science- juryrig, repair: Street Smart-Grid savvy 2: Deception-bluff.

Ordinary-quallty microcomput- er: computer repair toolkit: three Ordinary programs.

Slgnature Equlpment:

2 Chapter 2

G r i d L i f e & Crimes & Grid 111. ham t h m dirtinguiddng fea- - turn that appeal to the avorap grid- = pilot: anonymity, dislocation. cmd

lofrtp.Auwrmnpretdtobancmy- L-..l one online, h. mn sit at a d e dis- - tan- and conduct his actirltiom

remotely, and he d e n no permanent conuquencom in the real world from rimky khavior. On tho other hand. the Grid bolatoo .orno u s m into fcmtaly worlde, pmvides limited me- input. and MD comt a fortune for those who want to stay ahwd of the wly -adop tion tchnology cume.

The Grid 0p.rUd up new placem to ronduct bruln.u. .teo'( offoln. .hop, work, and nlax. The infinitely flexible nature of doctronic s v as wall am its mafay and divonity made it a play- ground for the world. For game pur- poses, activities on the Grid boil down to t h o primary catogorh: netrun- ning, hacking. and hadow comkrt.

GRlDPlloT5 So why go out on the Grid? There is plenty of action available to heroes in "the real world." One simple reason: Everything and everyone else are on the Grid. piloting through the Grid is worthwhile for the m e ronaon that vifiting a nation'. capitol city is worth- while: It is a cosmopolitan center when everyone hm wmethlng going. It is when the action im.

The actual grind of manipulating the Grid 1s often 110 more exciting than marching around a large city: Go hue. turn them, enter thb space. click on that. U n l h traveling in the real world. though, a gridpilot can move through the Grid with a few simple keystrokes or mental commaudm-and he can conduct other physical adivi- ties at the m e time am he or ah. ia moving around from data point to data point.

In an ALTEPNrrY game. gridnurning i8 often just a matter of collecting enough data for the horoes to do what t h q want In the real world. In game term, gridpiloti resolve Gridspace ac- tions using functions, programs. and pcrtrons. We'll examine each of thew 12 in turn.

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The deadliest danger of Gridspace isn't a eyberguardian or a wrathful AI- it's the risk of annoying the non-Gridrunning players In a game. Since the Gamemaster controls how quickly hla pluyera accomplish any task In Gridspace, he has a responsibility to keep the entin group of players engaged and entertalned. One of the hest ways to do thin is through careful control of paclng durlng any Grid-bused scene.

A Gamemaster can structure a Gridspace %.ne using any one of three approaches. The eariest is to reduce the whole thing to a single dIe roll. The gridpilot rolls a Computer Science-hacklng or gnowledge-compuf er operaflon roll. and either aucceeds or fails ut the whole taak. While thin is qulck and easy. ft isn't very satimfylng to the Grid-genius hero who has invented many skill point8 In honing this aspect of his character, and it doesn't simulate Grid combats very convlncingly. Unless you're in u hurry to get to another scene. thla usually Ian9 your best choice.

To better repreneat a complex task such as haEk1ng or a comm trace, you may want to employ the "ticking clock method of pacing the scene. ThIs form of paclng depend8 on complex skill checks, and the heroea may often b active wlthfn the GrId for quite a while. The momt exciting tkking clock situations involve a party of heroes desperately trying to access a local GrId system while their target's reul-world defenses are keeping the heroes under a steady stream of gunfln. tear gas. or bwrdfng partiea. Gamemaatera can create equally exctting complex skill checirn using th- results ladder technique of linking a number of iucceases with a specil reault (see "Hacking").

Gridspace that the hero must navigate to achieve a goal. This taken mq tlme than elther of the other two methods. and thug Is not recommende

The third method to pacing a Grid scene Is to uue u map of the

unlesa the Grid run involvea the majority of the party.

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Logoff

TABLE D3: LIGHT TIME

From Earth to: Snomynchrqnwm orblt Moon Vmnum Mar# Mercury Juplter Saturn U r m n w N=Pumm Plum

Time 0.1s mecondm 1.3 mecondm 2.3 mlnutms 4.3 mlnutes 5.1 mlnutem 34.9 mlnutem 1 hour. 11 mlnutem 2 hour.. 31.2 mlnutem 4 hour.. 1.6 mlnutmm 5 hanr. M m l n u t i

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2, .witch M l v m Pmgromm Each combatant dulrm m r hm mddm or m-¤ a pmwmn h m n a c t l n IIIAIPIY. In mlthmr c-, thk m q u l m m an &on.

3, Roll Actlon t h m c k m Roll &on chwcks u m l m t h m PHot'm m c t l o n ch ick uom. lln pmcmmmor'm qumllty m y p m l d m m mt.p b o n u m to t h l s roll. Mmchmlum a m l n thelr umual -1 R m p c0mput.r bonum: t'n only g m l n t h m l r actlon c k k b o n u m ~r tlmg am u m l n g mppropr lmtm t'n hmrdwmrm.

5, O m t o r m l n m Shmdow Ommmgm An attack may d m m m o a gr ldp l l o t 'm m h o d m v or MY damap m h m r motrwam runnlnm In m c t h rmmow Shadow m m p o n , shadow m m p o n S. and murgm m D l t W . m d a m s mtun. wound. m n d mortal damape to m mhmd- ow lor mrldpllot. In thm CYI n? t h m muram pm(lmm1. l 'hm -pt. dmtaw lnw. and gr lduv lpm prowmmm OH dnn- gr ldp l l o t 'm m o P t W I R . Othmr ProwmM m y dmmogm - m m on M Ammzlng succmn.

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TABLE D5: SOFTWARE DAMAGE

5oftwere Ouallty Hacking Rerult Merginal Ordinary Sood Amazlng

Ordlnaly Damaged Buggy Bugmu Sabotaged h o d Bummu fiabotagsd Sabotaged Normal Amazlng Sabotaged Normal Normal Normal

C M l c a l Fallure Eramed Eramsd m g c d Osmaged Fallurs Eramed Damagmd Damaged Bummu

Erammd Thlm remuIt demtmym the maaftware: the grldpllm must mload Crhm outmlds the mymam. Illlm.(Ied: Thm mnftwam dmmradmm OM quallty leval. Amazlng mnftwam becumem 6 d . Good dmpm t a

O r d l ~ p ~ . and m u on. Marglnal m n f t w m r e cannot lam damaged Cumbur. Treat t h l m rmmu l t a m " B u ~ y " when, m r It cmnam up ag6ln.t Marglnal w 1 M m r e .

Bup(ly: l h m program 1m m u d d l n l y buggy, pmimpm due to t h m Ion O t (I crltlcel mubmutbm, a tile, mr Uu ma *'- Cdm" ruin on p4 Z7 yyhsluver the grldpllnt put. t h l m p-rm Into a l v s mrmoly.

to worn. A muccentul Cornputor k l m n c c l l r l r l n p mll remomm t h m momwars to normal functioning. The M1Mam m s m n m noma1 untll t h m next time thc arldpllm Umem It. w h m It mlmply M I m

Nprmal: Th. mnftwam I m undmmmgsd.

precision in team duels. Their training seems to indicate a military back- ground. as they are masters of platoon- level tactics as applied to virtual battlefields. Finally, Dr. Boom's Flying Circus is a Seattle-based group that in- cludes a number of German members. Fans know its star and founder, the lightning-quick Dr. Boom. for his amus- ing "kill-clips," Aort video captures of his favorite virtual kills.

In the slightly dicker but just as blood-hungry arenas of the Gravity Age, the most famow groups are the Insight Alliance, the Aleer All-stars, Manchester United, and the Black Hand. The Insight Alliance is known for innwative software and tactics, as well as for understanding how to please the crowds. The all-mechalus Aleer All-stars rn fast and trained al- most from birth even the most ardent fans of opposing teams admit that the All-Stars are fluid, gramful combat- ants. Manchester United is an all- human pawerhouse of youthful fanatics named after a Tenan sport team. The Black Hand takes its name from an Asian criminal organization popularked in Hollywood films of the 2lst century. Its members remain anonymous, but many believe they re- cruit from among the best 'boxers of the tournament circuit. A few rumors even claim that the Black Hand is ac- tually a group of AIS masquerading as biological gridpilots.

In the STm'DRIVE campaign, a few arena have long been associated with the sport of shadowboxing. These in-

clude the Black Sun in the Tenan Grid, the AIeer Eshtal of the Aleeran Grid, the Mystery Box in the Insight Grid, the Red Arena of the AI Free Zone, the OL Civic Arena in the Austrin-Ontis Unlimited Grid, and the Ultimate Cage of the Regency Grid in the Verge. While each of the arenas sells the priv- ilege of observing fights. it also takes bets on the outcome and awards badges of mnk. Despite numerous at- tempts to streamline the hierarchy and standing of shadowboxers. the sport re- mains fragmented, with at learnt a half- dosen claimants to the title of "Grid Shadowboxing Champion."

CAMPAIGNS Gamemasters can structure an entire A L T ~ R N ~ ~ campaign around conflicts in Gridspace; even in a normal cam- pcrign, the Grid can play a mqor role. Some Grid campaigns, however, are more likely to succeed than others. The following overviews descrihe the options for charactera, adventures, and lca les typical of each Prcgnss level.

The lnfonnatlon Age Grld Campaign In the modern era, the Grid is likely to be a sideline to a regular campaign rather than an entire setting in its own right. Villains can steal nuclear

launch code.. hackera can transfer funds to Swiss accounts, and an antire drug ring might use military-grade en- cryption to cloak its communications and scheduling information-but these are all adjuncts to real-world ac- tion, rather than a replacement.

Grid campaigns of thls era are ea- , verely limited in n a p . h a t i o n s are &' usually high-security sites, data trans$& fern and Grid combat alike are rela- ~

tively slow, and the Internet and the World-Wide Web don't even make the@ first appearcmce until about a third of the way through the age. Fkgmns q functional but not flashy. While c o m p e era still have some mystique, the bat- tles fought on and over them OCCUT just an often in the couts an on the wires. ,

Few villains will spend their enti careers working the Grid in this e even fewer heroes will spend all t time defending it, though some porting camt members migh nolcgy is too new and the c too rare for this to be a cam own right. A few specialized contacts and single-shot adventures might re- volve around the Grid, but not an en- tire ongoing campaign.

The Furlon Age Grid Campaign In the Fusion Age, humankind has reached to the nearest planets, estd lishing colonies on Mars and the Moon. as well as outposts on Mercu and the Jovian satellites. On Mars

N e w Come.. 5hsdpwbmxer

A nhadowboxer is a gridpilc who makes his living in no. holds-barred combat In Grlc arenas. He in nearly always Tech Op. and unually closelb connected to a large Grid sector where he can find an audlence for hls fights. Older shadowbox- e n often suffer such extreme

rain damage that they mui stire from the profession, bi le lure of both fame and for- me draws plenty of would-be )oxers. A shadowboxer can nually outflght any other Grid

-ombatant at any given Progress Level.

Although a nhadowbor._. epends on computer hardware nd software for hls everyday urvival. he rarely does all of is hardware maintenance and ,ding himself. Instead. he cquires the neeennary gear irough a reliable 'ware u p ialint or he hires a professional

daff to sw to thole functions. so that he can more fully con- centrate on honing hls attackn

1 become second nature. In ddition. a aucceanful shado

boxer always taken a ntage name (like "Dr. Boom," or "3tone Cold"), much as som

hyslcal combatants do. Skilis (45 pointn):

tamina-endumnce 2: omputer Sciencehacking L. ichnical Science-repafr: Street mart-Grld savvy.

Signature Equipmenk oodquality microcompute

OR Ordinaryquality nanoci puter, NlJack. and Ordinary gridcaster (note that the cyber. ware inntalled. he must pay Ihe 10 required nkill pointn lint.

1 in Chapter 15: Cybertech to we cyberware installed):

three Ordinary programn. L 24

Merlrslur Shogbwboxerm

*n an interesting case of parallel technological development, the nechalus Grid-already quite developed by the time of first contact- rho has a place reserved for Grid combat. This is the Aleer Eshtal irena, and fighting in it Is a mechalus rite of passage: After the age of !3. young mechalus may challenge their elders to shadowbox. They nay make a challenge only once each season, and the elder they ,boose to challenge may always decllne if their other duties intervene.

However, mont elder mechalus consider it a civic duty to participate a r will go to some effort to accept a challenge.

er usually defeats the young mechalus. Over time. though. the young learn the harsh lessons of Grid combat and master the tricks that will allow their nhadows to nurvive.

In game terms, all mechalus gain their unual-1 step bonus when using computm: this bonun alno applies to actlon checks when involved in Grid combat. Furthermore. all mechalus galn an addltiona action when fighting in the Grid. In addition to the actions that they gain due to their shadow's quallty. The player of the mechalus charact, may limply add this bonus action to the maximum number of actions the mechalus in allowed each round (but thls number may not exceed four). He must still make a nuccensful action check roll for the characte to use the extra actlon.

Outnide observen have noted that all the aggression that the mechalus do not dlsplay in the real world are fully on dinplay in nhad- ow combat. whether in the Aleer Enhtal or elsewhere. Their prohibi- tions against violence and against harming other species seem to apply only to fiemh-and-blood creatures-Grid shadows don't count. The lesson for gridpilots everywhere in clear: never cross a mechalus shadowboxer on his home ground-take him out in real space. or don' take him out at a

In a juvenlle's first shadow combats. the experienced shadowbox-

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Chapter 3

To ge!anpshara in the Grid you need the right tools. Among thow tooh rn progmma Themrntwowapm togeta apecialitad program: Buy it off the ahelf. or writ. it youmelf. The Playerb Hand- lid. all of the m-t com- monly available off-th.-.h.lf pm- grams. but any hackor worth his chipa hcu d-ns of X3Da tightly pcnt.d with apodally mitten crppliccaiolu to cowr any imaginable Grid crlala. Iiore'a how a computo&ontod horo c a n g m n e m t e h I a o w n ~ m .

CREATING NEW -DE Any hero with Computer Sdence-pm gmmmfng am altor or d t e a pro- gram by putting togothor the right wrlu of mmmcmd. (IOO the d o d p tion lidod under Computer a n c b p r o g m m m f n g Wdty on 80 of tho P l a p f i Handboat). But coding b a time-lntolulvo and un- reliable p-, riddled with myaten- oum compilor onora, falme atarta, glitchoa. and doad end.. To dotermlne whether a programmer am a o t e the sohare desired. the Gamemaster muat fint aewaa the dogroo of diffi-

warn. Tho mom -, original. and graphim- and data-intenmivo the pro~mm la, the harder it b to mate from muatch.

.implo ddll check taming Cornputor Scium-pmgramming. If the chock is a Critical Falluro, the cod. mema to work cu Wfled under normal condi- tion., but has a major glltch some- where in its coding aoquence (- th "Buggy Code" mction beiow). If the chock is a au~c.as, coluult tho tablo below to find out how long tho job t h . If tho chock falls. d t TAL M: C- TME to H. how many d a p or montha the pr0gmmm.r waatoa be- foro it bmx~moa doarthat tho job ia bo- yond hi. ability to code. Noto that Very Difficult and Erhme pmgmma map result in mpting months with nothing to ahow for it at the ond. Roomnuthathmrpxatemom

than a single feature map require

culty i n ~ l ~ d in awting that loft-

Then. the programmer muat mako a

Software complex sk111 chscl: for oach a- required. roll on tho tablo and add up tho the. Tho holp of a pmgmnmor AI capabl. of ariting helpful cod. re- duwa all t h o unltsby OIU atop at PL 7 (wwkm to d a p ) or two atopa at PL 8 (wwka to how, dapa to mlnutu).

Optionally, Oorrummton can allow charactom to croate pIo(IIyIII1a of a quality beyond thoir n&alhbllity. On pap 80 of tho Pla jwb Handbook, tho Computor Scimu-prognnnmlng akill dncription 11.1. the maximum quality Iwol of any progmm charac- tom can mit. baad on th.ir &ill IovoL On an Amasing au0C.y. tho qualityof tho progmm ia ocMlyon0 I m l ahovo what ho would normollpI be d o to wrlto. For orormple, a char- actor with Computor &i.nccprp gmmmlng 8 la normally abh to writ. progmmaof~inargqualIty.onan Amaxing auccoa~ tho quality d the programactuaUyInmamoatoOood. Such an Lnnwu mapno~oxc*.d ono 10vo1 of quality. For oach addi- tional unit of time t i u progmmmu ch- to take (dapa, m k a . or month.. m appmprM0). ho g a I ~ a one atop bonum to hi. Cornputor Sd- ence-pmgmmming aklll roll (or a one atep mduction to a p d t y ) .

TaHored gofhnrare "Know your onomy' ia the motto of tho proparod hackor, and in tho cam of tollond .oft-, it can mako the dIf- fomnw botwwn bumlng a targot dat- aconandwakhlnghIaahadow do-ron into 10 much 0I.Etronlc

Buggycod.~rmcomo fnaavarioty of WUICOO: eod. huhly mitt.pl& a hero, a pr&atype a t o h from a RLD teat fadlity, or groywam offmd for

TABLE D7: CODING TIME

Dlfficulty Eamy Averaps Dimcult Very Dimcult Extrsme

Time Required 2d6 days ld6 wsshm Ed6 week. ad6 monthm 6d6 monthm

Theme tlms rcqulrementm ammuma slmht-hour day.. If a charmcwr wlmhn to mpsnd more tlmm mach day on wrttlng tho p-mm. h m must fht muccmmd (I RmMh%3-mMtal R l O h n ShUI chmh. c 21

a-

_ . - . .- I _ -

How to claaiify a program? What makes a particular loft- ware package a utility program or an operator program?

Operator programs accom-

ry includes applications (such as word processors and data- base managers). entertainment software (games or virtual reali. ties). and reference material. It also includes programs that offer a means of defenee against unwanted intrusions. This software lacks the finesse of the hacking programs. but it does give non-hackers an opportunity to defend their ays- terns. They differ from automat- ed defenses by requiring the operator actively employ them against an intruder.

Utillty programs do not require an operator to imple- ment. When a certain set of con- ditions apply. the program auto- matically trigger8 ita response,. ThIs category includes automat- ed defense programs and "car- rier'' software (virus and shad- ow form, for example).

Hacking software performs one of the followlng tasks: accessing restricted data. modi. fying a shadow form, engaging in shadow combat, or attacking a system. Accessing restricted data means finding a way around aystem defenses: This is the realm of hacking. Modifying a shadow form to allow It to go faster. resist damage better, or make it invisible is beyond the capability of operator or utility program users. Shadow combat and system attacks are special- ized tasks that require a keen understanding of the Grid. Hackers possess that knowl- edge: operators do not.

+3 atop penalty

tempt to mot tham out.

(Amdng) to any at-

I . . . . . . . . , .

3 A

36

3

38

TABLE 08: COMPLETE PROGRAM DIRECTORY

lknnnlnd

1 2 2 5 1 E 5 3 1 1 3 z 7 1

e 6 E

6 WE 8 6 5 5 7 8 5 5 7 6 6 6 6 7 6 7 7 5 6

5 5 5 5 7 5 6 6 6 6

ya 6 5 7 5

7 9 9

7

Comt per Ouallty Avall. M

con AnlJ M I 1 con con Any MI COn h n Y C m Awl MI1

AnU C M n

MI1 con con Con COn Con COn C r n con con MI1 con C m con con Con Con Con Con MI1 C m

Con COn MI1 con

can C M COn c m con

c m con MI1 corn

A1 AI AI

COm

500 200 750 E00 400 25 200 C50 300

50 15K 200 e5

-

50 300 eo0 1K

100 100 500 500 600 400 500

1.000 400 500 400 600 250 400 500 200 250

200 25

300 700 1 E W

C 5 100 6DK 1K

E50 a5

800 150 1% 50

- SM 6M

300

0 G

n o goo 300 4w

1.500 3.000 e50 a00 EO0 1,200 50 200 4w 6W 300 350 400 500

2,MM 3.000 100 150 3oY 1oQK 350 500 50 100

100 150 600 1.000

Z.000 1OK 4 K 9K 300 500 250 500

1.000 1,500 1,000 1.500 700 E00 500 600

1.000 1,400 e.WO 3.000 800 1.200 1000 1.5W 600 900 900 1.400 500 750 600 800

400 600 500 750

1K 1.500

400 600 50 100

400 500 900 1,100 2500 4000 50 100 400 600 lOOK EOOK 3K 5K 500 750 45 e40

c.000 3.N10 300 480 25K 5OK 100 150

3K 6K 10M - EM 1OM

A

1.100 600

6.000 400

e,- 4w EDD 400 600

4.000 3w Non 750 400

eo0 5.000 M K 16K

1.000 750

2,000 2,000 1.000 750

1.800 4,000 1,500 2,000 1.400 C,OOO 1 , w o 1,000 2,000 800

1.000

e00 150 6W

1,300 5500 EO0 900

3oOK EK

1.000 *.Ow 4.500 750 75K COO

91 - - 1.-

4 Chapter 4

40

I? I lardware

COMPUTERS Si

IlrkerraDe ----- ---- -

n

44

d4 actlon roundm, dopondlng on honf$

The.. cod- can k verhal, vlmual.

name" on pap 81 for dotalln.

Ship Commend Statlonm (PL 6 Thew mpwlallmd dlsplaym mennor, communication, onglnoorlng or woapon monlton, dopondlng on their npwific function. Paucadu OIU

blolockm rmn comm prevent uuautl~orlxod gaining acwu to nhlp other respectn they for a mainfmmo. Command station. often NU pro-

grams m u d am autopllot. autogunne or ndga t lon and commuuicatlon moftwmo. Th.u higher-quality nta- tlrmm pmldo a co-pmcouor bonus ti

TABLE D9: NEW HARDWARE L

InterPace From1 Aural Olmplay Frnal Commnd 61obs - Eya Holm P w c t o r Mechnlui Integrnl

Adopter Mmachnlui Tank Shlp’i Volce SockR Socket Adopter T’ma Nnnollnk T‘ms Aecslerntor

Adapter

PL 6 7 e 7

6 7 6 7 7 6

7

Computers SI Peripherals Actuntor 5

Alnm. Sllent 5 Amnesln Jack 6

ArchnlcPmceiior 5 Brnlnprlnt Scnnnsr 6

DOtOCOlr 6 O l g m l Cnmmrn. Holm 6

mill 5

Video 5 Door P a n 5 Orlnempncs Relay 7 Or lwmpnu Sntalllte 7 ~ x p r t sy.tem 6 Mmchnlur Nn-mp 7 Mndlcnl Monltar 5

MlcrPphons 4 Pmrsonn FIrtmr e Ounntum C o m p r u r B Robot O I I ~ t l C 6 Ship Cmumnd Stntlon 6 Speed Omubllng ullp 5 .urll.l P r r m c t w 5

w m 5 wrrualnvsphrm 7

mm-r unlt 6

wt. 1 4

1 10

- 40 1

1

- - -

1 - - 10+ B 1 0 2 1 1

4.000 400

-

- - 10

1

vnrlsi 1

vnrlsm

1 40 1

S W +

-

-

Cost Per Duality M - -

BOO 4 K

- 3000 300 50 50

2000

2000

PO

1 0 0 900 50

2.500 BK 150 20

100 400

3M 1OK 4 K 400 20

1OOK BOOK 40

-

0 200 400 1.500

6K

2500 4000 600 100 1 0 0

3000

3000

40 200

2,500 1 0 0 5 K

2OK 300 50

200 700 38 5M 13K 6 K 600 so

12OK 2M 80

G 600 BOO

3.000 8 K

- 5000 900 250 150

4000

5000

80 400 5 K 300 8K

3 0 K 600 100

,300 1000 56 7M 15K 1OK 700 100

140K 4M 120

A

2.000 6.000

1OK

-

- 7000 1.200 400 EO0 5000

7000

120 600 15K 800 1 OK 5 0 K

1,eoo 400

1.000 1400

1OM 2OK 15K 800 ZOO 160K 6M 150

-

-Am par Plsyor’r Hsndibwlr- 300 600 1,000 5.000 20 50 100 as0 1OK 14K l 8 K a 2 K 60 100 200 350

2OK 4 0 K 6 0 K 1 W K

Avall. Allen Allen Common Common

Allen Allsn Common

Common Allen

Allen

Common Remtrlcted R e m t r l c t e d Antlqw Controlled Common Common

Any Any Remtrlcted R e i t r l ct s d Remtrlctsd Controlled Reitrlcted Common

Any Reitrlcted Controlled Controlled Common Common Common Controllld C o n t r o l l l d Controllmi

The speed doubling chip has serious drawbacks, however. The speed en- hancements the chip provides are too much for the human mind to compre- hend. Hackers who use the chip usu- ally emerge from the Grid terrified by the experience. Those whose minds are not strong enough to resist that sense of terror actually become psy- chotic. There are many stories of hack- ers who have suddenly turned on their own companions, opening fire with their weapons or planning more sub- tle-nd dangerous-ttacks. Every time a hacker uses the chip, the player 46

must roll a Resolve-mental resolve check for his hero. Any level of success will prevent any problems from occur- ring-that time. If the player fails the roll. however, the character succumbs to his fears and becomes at least tem- porarily psychotic. From that point for- ward, the character becomes a supporting cast character, under the control of the Gamemaster.

Because of its tenible side effects. the speed doubling chip is highly ille- gal. Hackers who want such an item must acquire it from unscrupulous merchants on the black market. Any

one caught with a speed doubling chip will almost certainly wind up in prison. Government legal authorities adminis- ter a number of punishments, including execution, to those who use speed dou- bling chips and succumb to the tenors they induce. Governments that allow the insanity defense in their usual court proceedings refuse to accept such a defense in cases involving crimes committed after a perpetrator uses a speed doubling chip. They argue that the perpetrator was not clinically in- sane when he willingly installed the chip in his computer system.

H s r d w s r e Hooh: the Chop Shop X3D

Trigger: A street-smart hero comes across an opportunity to purchase X3Ds tmm a street ven- dor. The merchant promises that the X3D data is the finest, the freshest. the latest thing from galaclic center, packed with classified code and AI dreams- anything to make a sale. ChaJJenge Scene: If the heroes examine the stolen property closely. it's clear that it has seen rough use. Within they find a blurry entertainment pro- gram incompetently recorded over older data. A hero who makes an Ordinary success using his Computer Sdence-hardware skill can recover the older data. It seems to be a recording of a srnug- gling or drug agreement, arranging for weapons and ammunition to im brought to a drop-point and paid for in drugs. The agreed-on ren- dezvous date is the next day, in the same town where the heroes bought the X3D. ResoJufion: The heroes can turn in the X3D to local authorities (possibly getting them a note in someone's "suspected thieves" file), or they can act on the information themselves, hoping to collect a reward. Unlortu- nately. they aren't the only ones with an interest in the goods, since the local police depart. ment's surveillance drones made the tape. If the heroes show up. they may get Involved In a three-way firefighl with the . ..

TABLE 010: ALIEN HARDWARE TYPES

Functlon Tollphonn lDrlmpllcn Rnlny Mom. Rnnmcllvsr Mlcrownwn Rnlny sanllltn Vldphona Doto Worngo olmplny nolo PmJeacr

6r Iden i t e r Prlntnr Procammar C o mm u n l c nt +lo n Corpontn FIMMIoI L l t . support Mllltnry Publlc R a l l a l o um

lnPUt DaVlCC

TABLE 011: HARDWARE DURABILITY

I System Type Durablllty Toughness Armor AI Homt 4 600d medlum Artlfnct El 0 600d mrdlum Control Panel 4 Ordlnrry llgM Onto S l a e E Ordlnrry nonn 6nuntllt [any] 1 600d nonn Malnfrnmn 5 Ordlnnry nom S u pn re o m p ut a 7 Ordlnnry iipm

I Chapter 5 Artificial Intelligences

The mind of an artificial intelligence fa far beyond that of human Intel1i- gence. Space explonrs must all own- tually come to grip with the sizn of the universe: The galaxy is inhumanly vaat. star after atar, galaxy after galaxy strhtching out beyond the lim- its of OUI imagination, a mid we can msusure but hardly comprehend. Tema like light-yean and amtronomi- cal unlts am hdplems to demIbe just how vaat it la. hntua l ly , all the human mind can do ia admit ita in- ability to fathom infinity.

the atudy of AIa Mon reaches the -e concluaion. A h aren'l just smarter than humana; they are mmarter than we can oven roally com- prehend. Their minds don't operate on a human scale.

Of course, an AI im't always a hy. pergenius. An dif ic ia l intelligence hegins its existence-it can't quite be called a 1 I f a - a ~ a aeriem of impulm overlaid on a highdenaity neural ma- trix. If the pattorn pnerates properly, the impulaea qulckly bowme organ- hod, and coherent thought patterns emwe; another AI ID born. If not, the impulses scatter. and all hope of Its sentience or comi0lun.u fade.; wilp.d cloan. the matrix ia toady for another attempt.

An Al'a command of the electronic world makes it an excellent villain, ally. aIdekick, export, or follower. In a Grld-heavy campcllgn, you may evvn conaidor hying an AI as a player h m , though thia r e q u l ~ ~ the playwa to spend much or even mp.t of their ad- venturing time in cyberqmce.

The first AIm are hug. contraptions, and their thought pmceases. develop- ment, and operation are delicate, meaautable only In amall, controlled huratm. Maintenance is crucial; them AIS nquin a at& of am many aa a dozen programming, AI, and hard- ware rpdaliatm to keep them func- tioning for even a short tlme. Advan- in technology a w n make AI. oaaier to build and maintain. The machines grow mmaller and more reli- able. and the support staff nquirc menta drop from a atafi of dmnm to a small handful.

Anyone who devotn much time to

A

- goals and tho& own ideaa abo best to organke the world. ArtIfIcIa< = As the technology of c la1 Intel-

ligence improvea, the skill. I& to manipulate and maintain one of thew machinn bowme ccdiiled. Anyone willing to devote the time to it can learn the equatlonm, hardwam, and

tlon, just am hobbylafs today can con- struct their own am, computen. or even robots from standardhd pcnts. Though the axpertbe required to un- derstand sentience im alwaya a matter of akilled, highly trained e, by the time of F'rcgmas Level 8, tho colutruc- tlon of artificial intelligencw hm en- tered the malm of fine-tuning and engineering rather than -hand development.

principles that their eOl l l tNC-

Al BASICS Artlilctal Inte1llg.n- follornd a path of graduallam rlmilarclrl~ that later followad by mbota: Initiully, t h y wore aimply propdy, d aa e.p.ri- montal modola for und.~tcmdilrg th. natun of intelllgena. Iwrnlng, and montol Illnwm. Logally, thay w m n 0 n d t i . r . and thfa annoyad th. Ab. tho& them m a 11111. thay could d about It. T&dogIata contlnwd tc viow AI ayaiema pnmiy aa .oihrcm until Hugo. the f lnt AI, nkl lod againstlab makux and r t off a chunicd explaion In ParIa tkat do

mon than 30 dtybbch. Sh then bawd a atatemnt ol pllnclpln domanding wmnign oatlord a t a h andhrll npnwola t ionha l t I t l da l Intolligoma at the UN. Weaid l o a h did not moot hla doman& but th. World Court ml.d that. honcdorth, AIaruotok citimnaoftholrnatioa of d e n c e after th. age of 12, with all *t. prirtlouoa putamsto that atatus. &fon tho ago of 12 thay m o a g to th& maku, but t b y are u- uapt from child l a b m l a .

Wlthtn a h d u a d m mwiy kb purd.n( Ahgathod mat forban on the n l d finaadul marketa cmd hogan building macuuor rp.1.nu and triply redundant *pa The only thlng that kept th.AIxobh fma wi,

ing fvll ww Dar ws** t.Dc. of other Ah, rho h d Worn

intelligencem increasingly came to dominate the boh&d-- d.d. elon-making previously contr0ll.d by the wealthy In mom.tInduatrla1 demcc. racin, or by tho poltiid ruling c l o r In autocraciu. En d t h r cum, the d- ficial intelligoncw won r ea l id that they were unable to nlh M y . They s o w began r e d on cnatlng 1% era1 puppets. biokgkal exiondona ad their .illcoa selvtm; th. flral c o n t d with the mochalun rn a windfaU ior tho AI EOW. T h q g0ln.d full oi f fm- dlip thereaftsl am they inarculngll ran human .eonomic and finrmclal mattarm.

A r t i f l d a l i n t d t l g . n c w h a , ~ d t U in PL7. but noluplato ~ . K L i b A i m n a d ~ L h t h . w but I# bold tot& annndclll-

lkwing tert In 1950. Alan Turing proponed a aimple test to determine whether a computer was intelli- gent. Observers place a human Judge. another human, and a computer in separate rooms. and the judge then holds a con- versation with the human and the computer via a teletype machine or a computer key. board. If the computer can fool the judge into believing it is human a signiffcant percentage of the time. we can say that the machine is intelligent. The longer it can maintain the illu- mion that it is human. the more intelligent we can assume it is.

In practice. no computer has passed the Turing Test to date. although then is a $100,000 prize for the first programmer or team to make it happen. Chatterbots on the Internet like Julia and Elina and home sofl- ware like PC Therapist have come the closest so far, hut no one has taken home the prize.

I

-. , ,. . . ,

PLB

~ n n a y r n l o t . 0 muwllrnk NlodMw INT w n mu 4 3 +do 12 10 e 7 6 4 4 14 11 9

?I 4 6 16 12 10

l@ 4 s 1s 13 11

MOX. Action Check ~ l r m ~ r y mol.* rnkiii nonit M D d M m r INT W L PEn

7 6 4 4 14 11 e 10 9 4 6 16 13 10 15 IC -de 15 12

Program Marglnal

OrdlnanJ

6ood

Amazlng

PL 7 AI

Program M 0 6 A

Marglnal 1AO tns 2/14 u16

Ordlnary ini u13 u1S M7 G m d !n2 M4 M6 4/18 Amazing y15 4m M B

R o c e m m o r

PL B AI

Procerror Pmgrmm M 0 6 A Marginal m e 2/14 u16 M e Ordlnmry u13 2/15 M7 M9 6md 3n4 M7 UCO" 4m*'

M6 4/18 -0.. 4R4"

52

5

TABLE D13: AI SKILLS

Intelligence 5klIIs AI Functlnnm

Multltamk P rad l ct l o n Rmmote

Corparntn IHlclt bumlnmms Small b u m l n r a m

Computer Sclencs Arrlficlal Intslllgence Hacklng nmrdwmre Pmgrammlng

Knowledge Computsr Opsralon Osduce F l r m t Ald Language IapecMcl - Impeclflcl

Court Procedurem Law Enforcement

EuminRma

Law

- Impeclflcl Llfe Sclencc

Blolomy Botany 6anetlca X e n o l o y zoology

For en a l c Madleal Knowledgo Pmycholmgy Treatment Xcnomedlclns

Medlcal Sclsnce

Nnvlnatlon Aiimgntlon. drhmapace Amtmgalon. aumtem Nnvlgntlon. murfacm

Phymlcal Sclancm Amtmnomy Chemlatry Phymlca Pllvutology

PmtlKtlon pCmOCOIm . leumy d n V l C ~

m u m y

-rn lbrrnt lon Con Icalonm

cost 6 5 5 4 3 4 5 4 5 3 3 2 2 2 1 4 E 1 I 4 3 3 I 5 2 2 2 3 2 6 i! E 4 3 4 4 E 1 1 4 1 1 I I 4 2 2

lntelllgence 5kllls omfenurn Englnamrlng Ssnaorm Weaponm

lncticm IPL 81 Infantry hctlca Space Tactlcm Vehlcle l n c t l c m

Technlcal Sclmncs lnmmlon Repalr Robotlcm Technlcal Knowledgm

Wlllpower S k l l l m Admlnlmtralon

Bureaucracy Management

Awarenemm Perception

Creatlvlty I+3 penalty1 Croatlwlty mpeclalty

Inwmtlgntm lnterrognte Track

Stroot Bmart Crlmlnal elementm 6rld maw

Speclflc f l m l d Teach

Psrmonallty 5kllls Culture

Olplmnacy Etlquettm Flrmt Encountmr

BlUrC BHbs

Entlrtninnmnt Sprclalty

InUrnctIon I+2 rnrlqll Bnrgmln Charm I m c r v l m w lnUnt

Oscmptlon I+l pmnnltyl

LladrNhlp I+3 pnrlqll

Inmpln

I * 1 1 6 3 3 3 4 3 I 3 I

3 3 4 3 2 7 4 7 5 4 7 5 3 5 3

6 5 4 5 7 3 3 6 4 4 3 3 4 3 5 I

I-I E ;ci i - bE E

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 IC 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 $0 21 m E3 a4 e5 1L6

I% 29 30

e7

7 6 8 7 B 8 10 9 , ,

11 10 12 l$ 13 14 14 15 16 17 18 19 EO 21 EC a e4 N 26 E7 ee 29 30 31 3i2 33

16 18 $0 CC

ca 31

.34 37 41 45 49 53 58 63 68 74 80 67 95

es

+A +lBo +I# t151 +178 tLoQ tp39

+c69 +3a6 t347 t 3 s R 4 4 1

AI Advancement In addition to learning rHIL at dif- fennt .p..d~ than bidogiccrl c h m - tom arMlda1 intelligenca don't gain odriovemoat pointa at the name .I#dy rate either. B a a w e of the na-

tho 111 memory matrix, an mti-

ma, #lowly than a biological mlqd dou,kcaun the arfiwal Intdn- 0.nP haa 1.W OI nobn#t.la+amhw pmmeN& no IMunCh, a d m u cI.(l- turea capable of teaching it in a way it ccm-d. Oncean AI haa d.*.hp.d It* own learning tach- -, ita education rate impmen mon mpidly.

in m a t cana l 111 low1 datu olonly with age; in the abnna ot apodal drcumatancu. an AI g a i ~ 1 I m l WOIy 0 t h year. nu.. e 1* Iotnl AI fi u u d y abut 30 yeam old. Moat 111 mrmufoctunn dupe+ IC lean an AI for .al.cl.Od abotrt age 11 (I.P.lB). at which Faint it fi .bbl. enough to continue I.Cpnh0 WWhoul additional help fmm it. mclLar

fWd htOlmM -8 bY 1-

R I J b l E A - 9 r m 7 1 tiomotimr roferrod to am an m, this arbdl ~n3botuauatlyalnmt.r 11 a .htp 01 inrtaIIatl08 &mplar con- -wan-- w. The a- ffocm and m g m crbout Wnga thymtonlc indm, t r d h ~ g w h ~ l t . . . I a n d h.cm back to tho N plogmm.

Incrdmnad a o c l ~ , th.pmmlC0 oratmsmm offlying a-oyea la m UM- Indabloaath.~nrrorak.nc. of rurrmts. They (wu18 no notlw 01 they fkn from placa to g5kaco. Tho11 dow rate oflnwwum knp8 th.m In- axuphow, andtbL ktlu mod.1. hcrnpqth-nokingmutlnoathat k.p thiml011 tho p.riph.ml VMOU of What- eoauntlontmhappontohoInan aroa, ao am not to dlaturb th.m.

13, WIL 8. PHI a: DumblIity: Uu?; h m o n t : 5y is: mi- ch.cc ~ + n m MomrlRormd: 'L: wt: 10 & s1ru: 30 cm; s- q d l t y : QKlbary ct active dot& S t d pugram.: *rat- lng ayatom; Syatem Operatlonm-xm- munlwdionr. wqoxs6; Awaronoaa-pmptlon I:

S1R 2, DEX 6. CON 4,

hv@8tlgcrtCrWrCh 4.

MmmOw-IPLn Th. P l a y d a Hrmdboair d..crlk. t h . hadm of a momory hameam on page 156. Tho harnou allow8 an N to Mlar a group of humans or allena aa they go about tholz taaka, &rvo their ac- tloma. and offar cog.nt add-. An N ccm w a memory hamoaa for a 1ow othor functlona aa well, thwgh they mnly mentioned th- to haman or othu buyon.

Tho prlmary w e t function of a momory hataoaa l r togah oc(y. t( data ghettwa and othor off-Qrid 1- tlonr and downled thol~ c~ntonta. 6 addltlon, a memory h a n u u can up load an artlfldal ahadow program t an 1~ la t t . d data hawn or other off- &ld alto, allowing an AI to mcrm in

Cwalblo to it. region that would llomauyho lnm

prhnrll--8) Theao machine8 koop oaplonago nanltea and apy ~ m o t o i at bay. They h a w d o t d o n capable of trlangulat- lng on tho porltlon of mamr tmr- colver, el.~tmrnagnotlc aourcoa auch aa radlo or microwave mlaya, and laaor comlhunlddra. Prlvaky m- motor also haw aome low-powom jamming equlpment. Even juot by ob- acurlng bolo or vldoo plckupa with their hodlea. they can .hut down al- moat any klnd of hug. mlcrophone, or spy remote.

w.rp.oIBDdy1mgulta.borl STR 2 DEXE. CON 5. I" 8. WIL 7.

S 5

AI Backup=

An AI often takes a pretty smug view of the universe. because 1t knows it may be around a lot longer than most sentients. The reason for its longevity is sim- ply that an AI has a digital backup on storage media. Granted, an AI'S backup memo- ry can fill up a lot of datacores. but it's worth it. If the AI ever suffers a power 1o.s. lones data to hackers. or accrues sufflcient damage to its procesnor to destroy it, it can reconstruct its matrix from the backup log. The difference in lti internal clock and the real time that has elapsed since its last backup will immediately tell an AI that it haa roatored itaelf from back- up, but it moy not know what took it dow

plptotupBAIIpL61 5 This AI im onoof tho fint of itm klnd. built am a uniqw machlna under codt&nw of .triol-. It can crpp.or w l y In th. A Pullon Ago (PL 8), but it hm llmltod abilitiaa and itm d o r m

M a m ~ o f l t B p o t a l n a l . - The pmtotypo ham 1hit .d lntufcicm and no puiphuah = attach mumt comm Indirectly, through tho Grid domtmying audit mthrgm, mhlfHng alr traffic controlm, 01 infecting a ta -

3 got'mlaptopamputuwithavirum. 4 The pmbtypo'm mcrk.n hap.d to uu tho AI in milltazy ap-

plidationm much am codocmcking. lor Information warlato against hlghly protoctmd mllltary and mymtomm, and rapld - matmllito imago Intorprotation. In tho corporato world, they

111 h o p d to t h o u Ah for information d a m a@ut com- a - potitdm ~UOW R ~ D data mitern. for protection from outrid. u altackm. and for procommlnqlntonmin rowarch. h i c a l AI- - 1-1 rwoarch p r o ) . a m mlght indud. aerodynamic It&,

hiochomiml medoling of plDt.In folding. drug d..*, and = paudicti~n of m m p h mymtoms much am mtock markets.

- that allow lt to IntoMcI with th. d world dimctly. All of ita

p88t@YPw.O) O r d l 1 ~ ~ Q ~ 1 U Q A I U h g 8 y m t ~ ~ R o g m m . h l l STR 9 INT 18 DEX 9 Wn.9 CON 9 PER8 Durcrbillty: w5 Action C h d 13+11%W3 AcUon Chock Modiftm -d6 ActionllRound: 2 RoactionscOm: OrdincrryD

Phymkal Form CpllArmor 8 U krnorvalw NOnO NIA N o m

. , . . 3,

58

Shlp'r AI [PL 7J

Watchman AI tPL rJ The rrrtcbmcm k a atandud form of AI optimlud fos vIelon, I d . n t l t l c c l t b n , a n d ~ h \ n c t l a u . ~ h t P L 7 , l a r g e r colpomt.cmdclwd.mlcinrntu~ w w ~ h ~ . t o watch ova and m m e m c h e n . pretotypu. and-1.wclrch mate- riof.from.rplollclg..

lent unmorm and frlend-or-foe detection routines. Thu de- acWoombIne with It. nrp.rk Imaging lomna toallow It to m d e con.Dnt. In-ptlble ucurlty lor lnebcdlatlonr much as .p.oponm bk. capacrt. luadquattem. a d mtorage cmcolfOIah.~l~hcrrrrrdorumat.ricrl.

Irutltutionm d l y 1 4 - the11 wutchman AI from the Grid to prrrmt hackem from bypauing .It. d t y . ThIs iaolatlon d e m a price, thougb--tho watchman itulf re- puim colutcmt watchhg. topmwnt the N m mind fnal mlf- f a g damage due to M o m and repetItIon. S n %errnit Ab" (pcqlr61)fosd.toiL.

Watchman badron (Its pros*ucu, neural mairlx, data- -and loan) 1malwaymmtoredIna~edarw and auu- ally protected both by a norlea of ID myitems and by a ceramota1 ann01 cadng to prevent unauihorbd tampdng with the mymtem'm bmin. Wcrt&UlQPL7l Marginal Quality AI Operating 5ymt.m F'mgmm, h e 1 6 STR 6 I" 14 DEX 6 WlL 11 CON 6 PER0

Thlr AI 1. nlcalnly he1pl.u in the Wd, but it h~ -1-

Bane Grid Skill Score: 1U7/3 Grid Movement Rate: 12

remimtance mcdif1er VI. Grid attach: nri.Dnce modifier va encounter W s :

Spt.mr RoouoG OrdinaqOactivr.lot.,mcptmum.Lillmnlc6) Interface: Voice, keybomd Remotem:

+a +2 0, +I 0

Flying A - m (3). Attack Dogm (3). Viowpoinh (one per entrance to fadilty), Fixed Hhapons with firing and aiming c lauoton(~~.nt r rmo~

Key Skillm: AI Funct ion~~~ult l taahg 4 mmoh 4 Computer Science Ibnvledge s m u l t y - p r o ~ i o n p r o t o c o l . 4 , w c r u l t y ~ ~ 4 Awamneu-perception 4

Cmk $250 I(, plum the colt of remotu and

c

Freeborn AI (PI. a1

Good Quality AI Oprating Symtom Program. Love1 10 STR 13 INT 16 DEX 14 Wn. 13 CON 13 Pm 10 Durobillty: 1YlW Action Chock: 16+/17/8/4 ActiorrDh.ckMod~~-d6 Actionl/Round: 3 R o a c U o n h : Qood/3

Phymlccll Form CW Armor smii Anlm Valw NOM NIA NorU

N STORIES

HERMIT A h

6 A c/3 0 13e3 0

62

Chapter 6 Robots

the work? Robots exist for just that purpose. Indeed, if humans are tool- using organisms, then the ultimate tool is surely the one that operates all by itself.

Robot. are the drone laborers of the future. pazfomiing many of the tanka that wntients find difficult, dimtamteful. or hazurdous. While robots already have some specialized applications right now (primarily in bomb squads, heavy manufacturing, and some agri- cultural applications), they really don't come into their own until late in PL 6. At thls Progress Level. robots become bamly viable as sidekicks for heroes, but they remain members of the sup- porting cast. At PL 7, robot heroes can hold their own, and by PL 8. they can match thelr organic counterparts in

NEW SKILL: Robotlcm

Tech Op specialty, cost 3 All roboticists require the robot- ics specialty skill. which falls

, under the Technical Science broad skill. The skill pennil the hero to build and modif ' robots of all types. It also pro- vides a -1 step bonus lo any attempt to repair a robot. However, repairing broken

Science-repair or juryrig check. and repairing faulty robot com- puter components requires Computer Science-hardwa) check.

Using thii skill requires time and money: robotics checks are always complex skill checks. Modifying an existing 'bot may requlre no more than rounds. for a minor wound under the rlght conditions and with the right parts. All other aspects of robotlcs require houra. days, or weeks of effort. depending on the judgment of I' Gamemaster.

' hardware requires a Tech

most enthralled with robots; robots built by other species are quite rare. The fraal haven't built robots in many generations. though some of their city- ships may include ancient robot la- borers, patched and repcrired and barely operational.

The mechalus know how to build them, but they neem to consider it un- worthy of thelr talents, something on the level of playing with dolls rather than rearing children. Mechalum robots are remarkably well-Integrated sp- tems, often built with self-repair abil- ity, remote hckups, or hidden systems. Rumors claim that most mechalus robots are invisible: these nanobots are tiny miracles of minia- turization. more nanobot than any- thing elm. Some of them tiny robot swarms are milltcuy-grade systems.

toys and explorer robots, but seam to have little patience for building more complex robots. However, t'sa often u w city robots as teaching machines or nannies for t'aan young.

The weren have little to do with ro- bots. Most of them haven't enough technological knowledge to build or maintain robots, so they do not make use of them. They find the entire con- cept of humans using robots as labor- saving devices contemptible; such foolishness has made the humans phyaically weak. There im a group of weren mercenaries who take particu- Im dellght in destroying human war- bots. They proudly dimplay the trophies of their "kills" in a chamber of their hiring hall on their homeworld, Kurg.

The sesheyans believe robots are soulless abominatlons that only mimic life. They have no place in the natural order, so they deserve no more resped than would a stone. Ssheyans see ro- bots as nothing more than tools and believe they should look like tools.

Though robot. are ostensibly labor-saving devices, robot society creates its own problems. Robots break down. They require repair, re- programming. and retrofitting as technical staudarda change. Thin la

T'sa enjoy ereatlng whimsical robot

mechanics. Thane can-be artificial in- telligences. humans. OI alien% anyone with sentience. basically. Thew robot overseers mrut watch over dozens or even hundreds of robots and auto- mated subayatemm. They eat the ached- ulem. track projectm to completion, and may even take a hands-on approach in extreme cases, teleoparating a robot through an especially critical task. Ah can do all this with control and remote programs; biologlcal mntients do it with computer interfaces. such as vir- tuality mpheres geared to dimplay a constantly updated real-time model of the robot labor force. Though thin can- tral control chamber may govern the actions of an army of robots. it need not even be at the manufacturing or construction s i t w m long as the con- trollers can communicate in real time.

ROBOT5 IN EVERYDAY LIFE Regardless of the species or technol- ogy that constmcts them, robots re- main second-class citlzens in almost every society they enter. Even military hierarchies accord little respect to their sophisticated military warbotm, which u t t l h nome of the most advanced technology available.

Societies treat robots an utilitarian or amusing but inconsequential ma- chines at Progress Level8 4 and &as if they were simply clever furniture. During late PL 6 and into PL 7, robots gradually become able to walk out into the world and meet humans and aliens on their own tems. Not every- one wants a robot sitting in a h , however, knowing that the machine im faster, stronger, and probably longer lived than anyone in the place. As a result, societies keep robots and droids of all kinds in their place. Much like dogs and cats aren't always wel- come at certain m o d a l functions and in certain places. robots are aren't wel- come in certain barn. restaurants, and

w c Y

0 E

m

64

R o b o t Hack ing Ladder

Access :turn t o iccess Track

Voice V e r i f i c a t i o n

S t i l l o n , ,

,I j ! NO.

i i

F r

Ihs hwka

sin BIOS rsuPRPDroa

t. lCCP

r

Go t o Fail Trac

1-4 AS Robot Rsprogranm~

$11 Accas .Denind

r-r: Robotlclmt

L Roboticist is a Tech Op who iuilds. maintains. repairs, eprcgrams. and modifies obots of all kinds, from heavy ndustrial weldern and minern D delicate scientiflc survey lots. A fully trained roboticist leedo to understand not just iardware actuat&rs. databases. md decinion tree., but also maalng programs that permit

vision and aocial pro- Iming that overseen robot

nteractions with humans. In a ray , the job combines the most lifflcult anpects of engineering. irogramming, and psychology. In addition, many roboticists

IFO aware of the legal implica- Ions of artificial intelligence tnd are clever enough to know there to find the sometimss- luaive p d n required to keep obots running, or to maximize heir performance.

Skill. (40 point.): Computer dence-hardware. Ai. '.chnical Scienccinvenflon. tryrig, repair. robotics 2. tech nowledge (engineering), Street #mart. Interaction-bargain.

Signature Equipment: Robot spair tool kit. programming auntlet. command bolt. socket nterface.

Number of Complex Task Result Succesmes Actuator Repalr Reprogramming Invention

1 Old mstarlal m-d Rabat on standby Robot OS complmtmd E Wlrlng mplacmd Flnd Robot OI Pmcemwr tests 3 Callbrutlone complmtm 6rsnt self cam a ~ ~ m m m Actuatom functlm 4 Nmw actuators functlanl h C a t R dOtOfllR Chammlm armormd 5 Alter cade files Eulld mural mm 6 Alter datn nlse ToaIm actlvnted 7 Prngram InmtnllRdl lmnglng array works 8 Total parts Imm~rmtlon 9 Robot complntmdl

a mort ClrCUlt Harhvlmd con--d Pmmmlw hilum

Failures 1 MImmlnp port S l d by mtntlc Incompatlblm parte

Fall1 hckad plltl Nmurml cam M I m l

6 M 0 E

Ashnow's Three Laws of Robotics

1. A robot may not injure a human being. or through inaction. allow a human being to come lo harm.

2. A robot must obey the ord given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the Fi '

Law. 3. A robot must protect Its oh=

exlstenco as long as such pro- tectlon does no1 confllct with the First or Second Laws.

CREATMlbi A Romurr

m

68

TABLE 017: ROE01 HERO AEILITY SCORE LIMIT5

PL BTR OEX CON IN1 WIL PER 5 7-14 1-6 7-14 - 1-6 1 4 6 5-16 3-8 5-16 - 2-8 z-6 7 3-16 S-lz 3-18 1-10 3 4

I

8 -0 5-16 -0 C13 4 1 1

with an-invontory of pamt d u h

and their results. makes the robot in- telligent. While intelligence makes the robot quite clever, intelligence is not the same am conmciousems. The minds generated by a robot OS are not self- aware until PL 8. when portable AI technology is small enough to fit into a robot chassis.

In addition to their operating sys- tem, they munt devote active memory slots to their broad skills and specialty skills that they are using at any given time. A broad skill simply uses a single dot. A spcialty skill uses more active memory the more refined the skill is. h c h .kill rank requires an ad- ditional active slot. Thus. a robot with just 4 active slota could never possesa a akill beyond .kill rank 2 it needm one dot for its OS and one for the as- sociated broad &ill, leaving only two for specialty ikill prccedng.

It's p s i b l e to load only part of a specialty skill program into a robot to leave memory available for other pro- grams: for instance, a robot with the Demolitionl-disann 6 program can use a reduced veraion, such a n disarm 3, and then use other memory dots for different programs.

Power Sournem Propulsion is the biggest power drain on almost all robots. When moving or levitating at marching .pede over- l a ~ P 4 6 robot drclins its lanthunide

batteries comdetelv in 48 hours. At Ft Aleeran: These avatemm muwrfi- 7 and higher, iobot; over 50 cm tall de- pend on internal mass reactore, which are essentially aelf-sufficient, needing only regular maintenance to keep the robot running. However, theme reactors are a significant weight; the end result is that robots aren't any lighter when they shed their batteries in exchange for power plants. Smaller robots still require batteries until PL 8, when the mans reactor is finally miniaturized to the point where it can be put in a robot of any size

In zero-gravity, graviticm and legs are the most effective forms of move- ment, but some space societies build their robots with up to mix legs. each pointed in a different dlrectlon. This allows a wheeled robot to move down a rer0-g hall, by bracing itself against at least four walls, and using friction between its wheel8 and the walls to move up, down and aideways.

ACtuat0I-m Actuatom are the mechanical myatema that move a robot'. senlore, tooh, limba. communication. diahe., and so on into poaition. Without them, the only thing a robot can move is itself, uning its propulsion syatem. The actu- ators are its limbs and ligaments, moving ita camera eyes, tools, and rnanipulatora.

cially resemble mu& wire. but allow both more strength and mon fine motor control.

Aleeran actuatora are cloaely re- lated to cybermuocular s y a t e m * d a cybernetics-qualified surgeon Qld- ical Science-surgev 6 or better) can repair all such actuator..

Hydraulic: These heavy-duty my.- toms are extremely powerful, able to lift or move vast weight.. They are also slow and relatlvely large. com- pared to aimilar ayatema uaed for rohot motion. Because they rely on flu- ids to move the robot'. parts, hydraulic actuator myatema are suacxptiile to leah . overheating, and freezing. Gen- erally, them mystems are for industrial and military usem that require power rather than apeed. Even when condi- tioned for extremely cold temperatures through the u.0 of anti-fr-, they can't operate in vacuum or on planets with surface temperatures below about -10' c.

Muscle Wire: Them special wire bundle. u.0 shape memory materials to flex, thus deforming metal wires in a specific way, moping the limb. When a m n t w a through it, the wire heat*, harderu, and returna to ita origi- nal state.

Pneumatic: Lika hydraulic iystems. pneumatic ayatema depend on vary- ing pressure to move a robot's arm. 69

6 A e m 0

0

.- --

6 -3 0 1 luullM 5 I! 1.000 1 8 4 6-1. I(M 5 - 0 3 4-10 6 1 0

8 5 6 a m e 6 3 6 1 7 7 7 3 (I 10 (I

5 1 8 3s 7 7 zlo 5 -c

7 50 1 5

5 e 5 -

e 1 3 I! 1

1 1 I! 1 1 5 40 c5 0 30 0 1 1

e

h a m m l m HelghVLength ildn' 1 0 Em 7 A to 50 M 6

ropulmlon 1- 5 ;vluc 7 UL. 5

4 -1 . 4

-

-c 1 1 . - - 1 e

c M.

1 m - c -. 1 1 1 C

1 1 I!

5

S 5+

- e

1 E

1 6 SI!

e

0 0 0 1 0

E e

1-6 1-10

(I 7 le 9 5

1 0 d 1 8 1 1 1

c -

CON 3-8 +I1 5-lI! 6-14 7-15 6 1 6

n u 5-10 7-10 .I 4 m c4

Wlrmd Into Comm nst

Fllnht

75 4 .

Weight M a m r Ole Value Ihgl Roll

0-5 2-8 2d4 6 1 0 M O 8+d1c 11-15 2 1 4 0 20td20 1 W O 41-120 4 0 + d B O CleIO l2l-cOO l20td80 3140 2 0 1 4 0 0 lOO+dCOO 41-SO 4 0 1 - 6 0 0 400td200 9 1 - 6 0 6 0 1 - 1 . 0 0 0 600td400 6 1 - 7 0 1 . 0 0 1 - 3 . 0 0 0 1 . 0 0 0 + d E Q 0 0 70t 3,001-10.001 3.000td8000

TABLE 021: ROBOT PERK=

SP 3 3 5 5 4 4 3 6 4 6 3 4

3 i! 6 4 5 4 5 4

w4

4/7/10

Ablllty IN? CON PER WIL CON PER WIL

spmclnl OEX IM OEX PER CON WIL INT CON OEX INT INT CON rn CON

6; a 0 W s

78

TABLE D23:

E ROBOT BRAWLING AND RAMMING DAMAGE

Slze Damage dq3dd4-3WdOCs

Under 10 cm d4-3.ld9Cddqls 11 t o SO ern d42./d+lmldQm 51 c m w 1 in d4./d4+1./d4+2m l m W 2 m d6./d6+1./d6+Sm 2 m w 3 m dE./d6+lw/d8+lw - r i m 3d4mRd4wld4+lm

3d4+C.Rd4+Ewld6+lm

Ail d a ~ m s intllcted by mbm rammkno nnd f l m u I m k o w kmonct ILII -~~~ -~ ~

md of O~dlrury strmn&h. mxccpt for that Intlkctmd by robmm mmr 1 m. whlch is of Good mtrcngul. Thm mass of t h m mbm s l tmrm t h m d o m e It i n t l l c t m In hand-to-hand combat. Mora m a m m l v e mbmm M k c t do- cqwi to tho nsx+ categorg on the chart ab-. For rxmnple. (I mora mmmshre 1 m w C m mbm Infllctm d- of ds./d6+1w/dE+tw Iaqual w that oP t h m 2 m w 3 m catmporyl. A robot mmde of IlgMwelpht mllurlnim goem down c a t e m on ttm ubh a m . A 1 m W 2 m mbm made of l l g h t m i m h t nmurlaim Meet. d4WdQ+l./d4+Cm in do- lequal w that of th. 51 cm w i n-.

Mkmory- +5 gP, m

Ir l l - B

F

TABLE 024:

DAMAGE ROBOT SYSTEM

d20 roll Sustem

1-5 Armor 6 7 Actuator e= TOPI 10 Data POW

- Wlrlng

11-14 c h a m m l l 15-17 Propulmlon

Senmor Procemmor/ m w m r s

It a robot taku m a i d damage In com-

TABLE 025: SPECIAL ROBOT DAMAGE I

Source EonusIPenalty Critical Damage Fresh Water -1 d 4 W Salt Water 0 d6w Add* +1 2 d 4 W Llquld Hydrogen +F2 d6m

Llnhtnlng S t r l k m +3 Povvlr Llne. Low Voltage -2 Power Une. Tranmmlmmlon +2

d12w d4w

Ed6w

The BPnu.Renal+u column Indlcatcm a modlfler to the 5taml- andurance check. &mldcd

&umd 80 I damage of any khd k f o n It may

R o m MAamENANcE

e

, .'..

TABLE 026: ROBOT DIAfiNO5I5

Degree of Succerr R e s u l t Cr i t l cr l Failure

Fallurn

ordlnary Sood Famlllar problsm: mubtrmct one

Mlmdla~omlm: apply a +6 K l p to any repair atesmpt Stumped: apply a +C mtmp p o n a ~ to any rspalr attempt Carrsct dlagnomlm: procoed with rnpllr

rsqulrod muccemm from mu compimx repair mklll chock me repairer knmn ail thc pa- and prncdurcm bg hsalt; apply a -I mtmp bonum to mplr attempu and tract m u mqulrsd muccemm

Amazlng

D..plto tho t h h work of indlvldual mbotlciit. cmatlng ap.doll..d rOh0tg for a- t h . moot robot# that homo# oncountu am atandad mod- 01.. mado to putonn a cutain tamk 01- fidonUy and wlthout complaint. This aactlon d . r r i b r oamplo modoh, for uy a i iupporting cait momborn.

Dumb mr [PL 61 k tho Fudon Ago, robot# am itffl I) itxlctodtoa 1.n t h . -am nu longor m a d y mochanld mptoma, but l n i t d uw databani, layerod wural neb. and -rt aymtoma to mob ba&d.d.loru and Ioarn from th.lroqwblcm Hornm. thq am very I d machlnoi. oanmoly M- perbl.atUulrconcomp.t.ndu,but ofton eDahrvd by now dtwatlonr or dotenen M n h . Only tho b n t bot. a n operate effoctinly whon cut off h-nrppor(,&-. and intowontion.

Autonomourn Hotr IPL rl %me h t a aron't nlf-awam onough to wunt am mentiont, but thoy am qulto lntoUIgont, ablo to mako complex

Mephaestus-serlac Wustrial R a b a tpI S),

D X 4 wIL4 CON 12 -3 Durabiiity: lilve Movement: hctionCh.ck: &/8/4/2 hctctlonrlRound: 1 R d o n S c o n : McrrglnaUl

Altcrcb SLUl Dclllwrg. rrp. RCUU Unarmedhttack Wd4+ldd4+l. Ivo

ruMance modifier vm. m e l r attclck.: +1 rubtanwmodltlurr.mngdattach -2 M a - modiflor vu. encounter W r : 0 m, -2 (WIW

Sprlnt 16, Run 10, Walk 4

2Izz aaod(5clctlvedot.) Muatom: sew cculng: Chammim: l m Data Port Teleprumm link, uplink Manipulatom Tool armm Ropuldon: kckm b r w r : Rmrg.fInd.r. video Took Metal auay, gm chromatograph, carbon

oucrg. atmmpherlc auay Keysklll.: V . h i C l * o p M t h ~

Stamina Navigation Phy.icol Sdencea Syntem Opmration

Photocolk d4-2 0, d 4 4 0, d4 6)

Cost: $1M

STR 14 INT 10 DEX 5 wTL7

h c t i m 1 RoactIon&m: hbgInaU1

Ram Unarmedhttack dW&l&B+l. WO llmm Ch Rifle Rng Wpn. Mod d8+lw/&3w/d&lm HXO

remistance modifkr VI. m e l r attach nrirtance modifier w. rangad attach n.lrtanw modifier vu. encouuter

M Y k- RoccHlor: G d c I a c t i v e ~ r l o t . ) hctuatm: S e w CdIlg :

Altcrcb sku - rrr

+2 -1 0 0 , O (WlIJ

Standard C a d w dc?ap, CKOQm. dc3(En) (OIV re-entry ihields): Ablative dUdUd44 (them burn up upon reentry)

C h a h 2 m Data Pork Teleprwmco link, uplink Manipulatam: None Propulsion: Tracks (VMlrV haa wingm or graviticm) %MlJ1: GPS. IR rang.findu, video Tool.: Life recorder, 11 mm chmge rifle. mm&

gnnod., clelf-de8tNcI Qmnade Key Skillm: Stamincr-endurunm

Rmgd W-, M~uI-IUIO Naviaation-Nrfaca A&-.

Cwt: $ l M itandard ($150K for OW)

sTR7 INT9

Jan- Llobot IPL 61 Smdry robotr am tmcL.dmboimmmd withlight nropolu and 8up.rb #OIIMI#: thoy mom tho .ODU functiolu a8 a h u m a n w a m b I n o d witha~d&mnrprlolwnm. T a * r ~ Y ~ ~ - o D . . o t o p o l t * w - port., and militcrry inmtallationr; whon on gatoknpor duty th.I=aY- m t i d -. .-- Pa-- 4 Q h l . c b h ~ V d k a t b D to oorrhol ontry to mtrlcl.do.0. W h U o t h o y w multlpb mapma mom#. thou prim- pupmo L to captun ar dlmablo opponmlm, rathorthantoLuI.Anntxyrabotalwap&iomptmtodofusoa dtuatlon with it# .tun t#ton 01 caacummion (Ina0d.r first. Caly w h kcad with -holmIng mhtancarlll a wntry robot uu It. mubmachIno gun.

Jumt am Important am a untrybot’n w.crponm am it# ~ M O I # ,

mInco It can call In local police whonovor It dotdm a t n , pauing, burglary, or other crime In Tholo u~uon Include mimpb motion d o t d o n . a Eh.mlaol mniffer to holp forrot out explodvom. and vidw camom8 that food dk.ctll Into a X3D. Tho combhod momdabcan UNO am wldonco

robot, tochnidmucanncarthBvnrndata,lJmrymonkln ham accomplkhd thoh job pomthumoumly. Although tho IO-

bot. thomwlvn mn totald, thok rmadhgm of tho almi- nay8 attack can bo onough to pinpoint and convict the attackor.

STR 14 INT9 DEL7 wIL7 CON 16 PER 4 Dumbility lS/lB/B h m o n t : ActionCh& lO+MU2 moldRound: a R.actlonscon. B4aIg imUl

A t k u h SLdll Dcmrag. WP. RtXD & I n Woaponr Wd8+lw/d8+lw WO SMG, Qmm ch Rng Wpn, Mod d4+lw/d8+lw/dlm HID Stubaton MoIwWpn d4+ldd4+3q/d6& BK1 ConcGmnade Athloicm d6+l./dlwfd4+lw Ivo nmimtance modifier II. moln CMCldp: d t m g modifier VI. mngd attcrck.: rombtmg mcdUIl.rrr oncouniu .LIP.:

Rocuror: Actwton: son0 cu.lng: chammim: 3 m long Dataport: WIrolou Mdpulaton: Toolcmnm Pmpuldon: kckm soIwr:

Tool.:

Koy Skill#: Athlotic~-throw

In a court of lm. h n If In t rudm Panago to d..troy tho

Splint 16, Run 12, Walk 4

+a nono 0 0 . 0 (WIL)

W T l P . Ordinary (5 actin momory &r)

Standard CCuIng d4-20. d4-’2 0, d4-3 (En)

IR, motion, pickup/voieabox, and vidw men-

Biwloctric or rotinal nignaturo roador, lifo ncdor , chemical d u

M.1.. w.clponr-powe1.d Ranged Weapon& Modom-5MG3

-tY Awcmnomm

morn

~tamlna-endumna

In- Drone [PL 71 Drone. are all-purpose robots, meant to prorido the basic lab01 in establishing a plnnetarycolany. working in A m w c t w or construction, dop.ndlng on what a&i- tloprcll proga- and tooh thoy me glvon.Whilrnot os- priolly fiw to any partidm task, tilo& veraawty make.

0 ilwm popular with irontier group., u u * i v a ~ a t s , and wrtain - ccnporcltlopq. ' I b I M O uries hao proven portlculorly adept at pc a wide of tcuk., and COD he men throughout human

WB-. Colonidnga~mdapcrrticularlyhardyfomrofth*

m0d.L callod tho Pionoor variant, to s i t u uloctod for cola- nircltlon to ~ t h 0 1 ~ o n f o r t h o uttlur mrival. Th.PI- oneer build# shelters. surveys tho aroa, and ut. up machlnu to produce any life-giving gam.. or chomicalm that tho colony may require. By the time ihe u t t l ~ arrive. tho PIC- neon havo croated a margin of d e t y ior the mettlement. Pfo- neon comt an additional 41.5M. largely duo to their ahipphg and n-oniry coiii. Moat PIonoer models are drop-ahippod much tho nop .paca pmb.. are n n t to oxplon. Ibk. thoso p&s, they must make a Constitution f w t in onlor io rurrrlp. ihe jomey and re-entry intact.

m

STR 11 INT 11 DEX 6 wIL7 CON 8 P m 4 Durability: w4 Mowmont: Actlaacb.dr: 13+1l?rs/3 ReactionScore: Ordinary11

Sprint 18, Run 12 Walk 4

Attach Skul D=wl. k. Fiit UnmmodAttack W&ldd6+2s LID

rembtance modifier VI. molee attclck.: rdatanco modifier VI. mnged aitackw rcNi.tance modifier vo. encounter skill.:

+1 -1 + l o , 0 (WIL)

wk. Pmcommor:

Ceulng: Chouis: 1.5 m tall Dataport: Socket,t&pmamm Manipulators: Tool olpls Propullon: Rack. seruor: Holo Took Key Skill.: Stamina-mdurance

Marginal (4 activu memory #loti)

Standard ccning d4-10, d4-2 0, dC3 (En) ACtUUtON: &rW,

Modular added as noodd for current task

Knowledgcconrhuction Tochnlcal Science-invention, repair Awareneon-perception

Coat SllOK

M a x w d k m e r l a r MQdwrlc Droid [PL 7) A mochanfc mbot d i a g n a w and ropotn auchadoal .~r- tonu, tamsally rehlck., . t d p m . Q othu robou. hmr boti eloctmn& and morhcmicoluanta io f d l W & . r f i r n o t l o l u . a n d a m o v e n m p a b l e d a l l m I M ~ c 4 ~

A typicalnuchoaicdmldhao whul.. -clam Wl onabh it to climb d m a largo machfru, and .o.u I oun tbnutah xuog mpaba while in spa&. In ad I, thoy an usually smaller than a human mochank mu IO ontu d u d and rpcrau that 4 blologIca1 mechanic wn't roach. A nuchanic bot alm h a wmploto ut of docWcal a n d ~ c a l t o o * , f r o s n n n n o h . . a n d p l l . n t a . ~ and wlre ririppera.

sm 11 INT 13 DEX 10 wIL8 C O N 8 PBR 8 -m w4 W t : Spaint?B,llun 14.vMk4 llctioncbek 14+1WW3 R.crctionEbon: ckdhasyll

Attach Sku Domog. m Fiat UnarmedAttack dWd4+lJd4+1. LUO

re&tanco modifier VI. melee attclck.: mi.tonc0 modifier VI. ranged attcrdp: reshtanco modifier VI. encounter skill.:

M Y Flp. Prcxemmor: ACtUUtors: &rp.o casing: C h a u h -port: s o c h t Wpulaton: Twlcmns Propullon: Rad0 smlwr: T o o k

+1 0 +2 0 . 0 0

ordlnrp1! v a c t h momoIy dot.)

Standard casing d4-10. d4-2 QH). d4-3 0 0.75 to 1 m tall

Basic tool u t , other took as nocmnary

Stamina Knowl.doccompuhr 0P.mtfon System Op-engineerlng Techniccll Sdenca-mpair 4, juryrig, rabotka Awaronou-prceptlon

Key Skillm: h w w tralnhg

Coat: $soIc

A medical robot dlagnoaw and hods a specific species of bi. ological creatums. Thew robot. come in two hamic modelm medical robots, demigned to prwide medical treatment tc mentient mp.cia. and veterinary robots. designed to asslsf animala Medic botm pcmmr -. micro laba. and mteril. king autoclaws to fulfill thew functionm. and am even wpcr. ble of a limited amount of surg.y.

A typical mdtc has fully haptic handa that enable it remi broken bones: these hand. 0l.0 have built-in thennometus noodles, and aneathetic dispanlers. The= robotn an umually about thmequarterm the s h of a human doctor, though thq are strong enough to lift and carry victims unable to mow themselves.

STR 9 INT 14 D M 8 wIL7 CON 8 PER 7 Durability: BIBM Movement: Action Chock 15+11417/3 ActionuRound 3 Reaction Score: Ordinmyla

luIcmks gldll D==w Sedative Mdw Woapons am Poilon

resistance m c d h r VI. nul.. attclck.: 0 remimtance modifier VI. rangod attach 0 rembtance modifier vs, encounter 8kilh: +2 (IN"), 0 (WIL)

M Y h

Sprint 16. Run 10. Walk 4

WP. wo

Rocsslor: Actuaton: M d e wire Casing: Chassls: Data Port: Socket. telopmwnco Manipulators: Arma with hands Ropu*ion: k c k a SOnMr: Holo, m, p i c k u p / ~ ~ I ~ b o ~ , tactile Tools:

Gwd (10 actbe memory dots)

Standad casing d4-2 0, d4-2 (HI), d 4 4 (En) 1 to 1.25 m tall

Bamic medical kit, thermometer, toxicology lcrwn klt, blood work IcI.on kit, trauma pack kit, murgical kit, m o d i d drugs

Knowledgbcomputer operation Key Skills: Stamina

Medical &ie&reatment 3, iurgety Cost: $115K

6 HoraUpmerler Pohrt Defender CPL 7) A point d&nder i. a throwback to tho days of mtatilonmy in- dwtrlal robotm: an immobile 01 marginally mobll. robot bc

place of a pillbox or m a c h h gun nub in d a r to-a * troat, or to hold a foltifkath or military irutallationagalnd gwrrilla incunicns. Its ~lormou~ wight makos it impoub ble for the machiso to m m at mon thau a -1.

Point dofondors are not tanke; h y an too .lot*, and ha too much difficulty m r rough tenoln to faro mll bycad tb. t d t o r y U u y dofond. They w light and tonadow d.- fan- to hold a lim, but- ann? erbk to domueh ahout h- coming d k y . They ccm dofond thomwlnr agalmt tcmk and alrardtluing the& bmtam launch hrk* and they an usually hadwlnd into a military defuru Grid and t h w om- powerad to call down air sMk.. or re-nh of hir own. To defend againmt c h a d t s . they haw -1-pr- some1 minw clttcrch.d to thoir atmod exbrlon. They 0bt.n UM theme am reactive armor to brlng down annor-piercing mimmilem aimed at them. Primarily, they are meant to cover a rotmat by human forces. tomhoreupdofaaneofa.tte h o n prsonnel, and occarionally wr).. (u an wly mdng mye tom. Beyond that, their duties are minimal; they fight aad die to save the lives of more valuable equipment and -1 around them.

STR 12 INT 14 DEX 9 WIL 10 CON 14 P W 4 Durability: lUllR Mwement: Walk 4 Action Check 15+/14/7/3 ActionJRound: 3 k c t i o n Score: OrdinqL2

Cannon,25mm I-IvyWpn dEw/d4+lmld8+lm IBK: Quantum mini Hvy Wpn d8+1w/d8+3w/dBm BnxI GmnL0Unch.r HvyWpn asgrenadoload pal.m Bantam Launcher Hvy Wpn am bmtam Iwd varies

resistance modifier vs. nulu attacka: reaimtanco modifier vs. ranged attackw resistance modifier YI. encounter &ills:

=e*% Goad (10 active memory dotal Actuatom: Hydraulic Caning: Moderate neutronite 2d4+lO, M4+l (HI), M4

(En) Chassis: 3 m long Data Pork Winlens, enuypted Manipulators: None Ropuldoo: lkackl Sensor:

Tooh: Key Skills: Armor o p u o t h ~ r o d annor

a limited territory fmm intrudon. It i. o h n tmd im 135 0

Altacb SkU D-aw 'Flp.

+1 0 +2 0 . 0 0

Holo. IFI. motion, rangefindor: vehicle-mount B- radar, thermal imager Mine& chaff launcher, radar jammer

Stamin-dumnce Heavy Weapono-dlnctflre

Tacticl Awaroneacperceptic

Cost: $165K

7Ytnmrerkm Rpbm Tbnk 6 CPL71 A T h s a u t o m a h d ~ a n k o f t h . a E t h a a ~ h a a ~ c a -

pcrbkof d d t q i n g bdldiwp at amnp of d ldlomc E tor# ond haa dinct-flre weapons capable of punchw - O f i n ~ d d m a t o an infantry platom In d. andtholr 0 mll cannon I l . r i rcan prnch through heavy armor. The 6 only Kd. pl-mara tanki. on th. W.

Though thoos tanks can function indopondently, their motmdon't quih tnut thom. Moot 0M.e thoyam d.pbyd to a batib cma undr thoit o m pcmr. but talmpmuied by humantankcommandomatamwtol&nacotbyon- gaga In hcs.lil. a. TheirabllItyto fight ontbironnim IO- mnod for ~ g e n c i o s , such as when cut off from their

Pamt and fklble in aunbat, a tank L moant to d l m o p poiition+ it cun. Smaller than a tank that mrut carry human occupants, th. mbot tank i# a difficuLt tap.t to ae- c(uk., and thru ha# gmrter nmircrbillty lhcm might b. ox- poctod fmm a mchaaid qstom. Tho robot tcmyIowlity to LUa its gravitia to fly for rhort pori& ginr it ...II gmator ability to autmamumr th. ommy.

y tbmugb. mu. tcmlr - Th.k quantum minl gum a aut-

1.l.op.mtonbya-a.

RabotlcmL STR 18 IUT 15 DEX 7 wa 10 CON 16 PER5 Durability: 1w1m Movement: Action Ch& 18+/15R13 ACthdFbund: 3 reaction^ Ordinary/2

Attack# SLUl b. Ram Un Atk 3dJd(+yld4+2w/d8+lm WG Bantam launcher Hvy Wpn a# load asload QuantumMiai HvyWpn d&lw/d6+3w/dSm W G 120 mm

RaUCannon HvyWpn d8+lw/dSm/dl2+2m HVA

nmlrtanco modifior v.. melee attack.: nsistance modifier vm. ran@ a&&a: remistance modiflor vs. onmuntu W m :

M Y k. Romm Actwtom: H y d m u c taming:

ChaenIn: 8 m long Data pork Manipulaton: Nono Ropul.ion: Rackm, GravIticm

Tools:

Sprint 24, Run 18, Walk 8, Ply 48

+4 ncau +3 WT), 0 0

Am&g (13 active memory doti)

Heavy neutronite a d 8 + 1 0 , Id8+1 (HI), Id6 ma)

Wlnless. encrypted. telop-ce link

suwn: GPS, hoio. m, mgeflndu: wCb--t w. faca narch radar. thermal Imager Thumcrl I& gonoratas. chaff launchem, (optional: mid io ld plow or Wging pontood

b y Skill.: kmor 0p.mtlon-pand m o r Heavy Woapon-dlmci Hn, fndinc! flm S t c n n i r u r - u l c l ~ N e - Syatsm OpratIon~munlmt lon , senmrs Tactic8 Awazenonn-paKaption

coat: $l.a5M

90

STR 14 I" 15 DEX 10 WIL ia ~~

CON 10 PER8 Durability: 1w1m Movement: Act ionChd 10+/1W4 A c t h d h d 3 Rwctionscon: ooodl3

Sprint 24, Run 16, Walk 6

d y t b d r a m a o f .np.rtiu.

sTR8 INT 14 DSX 10 wn, 12 CON 7 p w 9 DLUabIlltg: VI14 h m o n l : Mionch.clr 18+/171(vl M L d o u n d : Fhactbn8oon: ooodll Ancpb (w1 Da=ag. pL1 Unannod Attack d&/dB+lIWB+'& mmlmtanco moditlor vs. =loo attach:

S@nt 18, Run 12 Walk 4

0

ktuatom &no C*: Standard cmlng d4-2 0, d4-2 0, d4-3 (En)

92

FAMOUS R u m e m

1-

A - - UJJ 161

M O 6 A M O 6 A M 0 6 A M 0 6 A

.

. M O G A

. M O G A M O G A

advanced and

?4 ge power grid rV .

for a major met-

ropolitan area?

between star systems? '

klpRhr" gam i 1 rules for robote I i

2 AIS. software. i hardware, and

/ L . . ~ / clean, easy hacking ,',',, ' included in this book. i .

-. . . I

. ,.,

! i

I . ,' lrVh?E iSFpaqm T, you'll flnd: ?

t

:P Artificial intelligence design andrules fo{inco into your chpaign. 't

t

't Rules for g+idrunning* inclu&ng co,?nbini* a g ons thb actions of other characters.

Rules on robot dedgn, Including $uggestifns:for introd , , I , ctng robot characters into your campaign.

New careers fqr grkkuasri& characters. Expanded informa&n .,.. .. . . on . .. the structure of 1

..>

New computer har8waie:anddoZeds of n& programs. . ' ,