First off, can a drone with the "Cyborg Adaptation" modification as stock still be rigged as an ordinary drone (i.e. by a person or an e-ghost with the appropriate capabilities)?

Secondly, assuming we are talking about an NPC, is there any reason in the rules while the CCU module of a cyborg could not be 'possessed' by an e-ghost instead of an actual brain, using the rules for cyborgs on p. 159 of Augmentation?

Basically, I am trying to find a legal way to get an e-ghost "inside" a Tomino, and I need to figure out if that is possible via the former or the latter. From my own reading, the former seems like less of a stretch, but I'm not sure.

Any drone complex enough to have skillwires has to have some level or response and there for a link. That link is like any other node, one that could theoretically be taken over by a E-ghost type AIs. I'm not sure what that would look like translated into something that fight with a PC but i will try and put something on paper and come up with an answer. I'm sure there are other factors that would make that whole process difficult, not the list of which includes the owner of that hardware isn't going to be very happy with Said E-Ghost. But who knows, could be fun to watch.

Well I'm looking forward to coming up with the stats tonight. I just want to make sure that's possible.

The concept is that the Tomino BELONGS to the e-ghost (given to him by his 'employers', long story) as opposed to being an existing cyborg that is getting jacked.

The simplest thing I think is leaving the CCU unused and having the e-ghost rigging the Tomino like a standard drone, assuming that is legal. i.e. no brain-in-a-jar at all.

If you take a look under the AI character creation (Runner Companion Page 90) it discusses AIs and more specifically a "home Node" it lists drones as possible home nodes, you would need to give said E-ghost the Piloting Origin quality (See 91) to really make it "legal" but clearly that is working as intended.

I don't see any reason a Tomino can't be rigged like any other anthroform drone, assuming it has the wireless connections needed to do so. It probably does, though I expect a jar head might disable that and / or slave the drone to his CCU comlink.

@Marcus: Interestingly, the e-ghost does in fact have a different home zone.

@Mongoose: Thanks, that's the answer I was hoping for.

The way they're written up, all of the cyborg adapted drones in Arsenal are more or less just drones with an extra compartment for the CCU. Technically, a cyborg wouldn't really NEED to be installed into the drone to operate it, they could remote operate it just like any other rigger.

Which is what they are. Rigger in a box.



-k

The CCU is not really a node, it is the hardware needed to keep a biological brain functionning and interface it with the hardware. It is mostly useless for a digital entity, be it a sprite, e-ghost or AI

In this case what makes the more sense is to keep the chassis, but ditch the CCU adaptation and put a decent node in the freed space in which the e-ghost can reside and ride the drone from the inside rather than through a Matrix connexion.

Changed my mind.

Heck, rip out the CCU adaption and install one of the more portable Nexi.

The Evo Mobile Terminus would work. It's already available in a medium drone, so the size should not be an issue.



-k

This doesn't help but all I could picture after reading this post was this scene from Venture Bros:

Hehe... i just saw the episode where Ghost Robot fought 21...

On topic: Too bad it isn't clearly stated how much CCU-compatibility costs, or better: How much a Tomino/Otomo costs without that crap.

Right: we know the exact cost of CCU-Compatibility. There's just no rule for 'selling off' a built-in mod. Really, you shouldn't be allowed to, but your GM might let you make a (hard) B/R test to remove the gear, then sell for the standard 30%. Still a fair bit of money.

the main problem is finding a buyer. the people who can actually put a CCU to good use typically won't be looking for a second-hand one. i would consider it to be at least impacted as if the market was already too full, personally (though on the flipside, that one time where there actually *is* someone in need of a second-hand CCU could cause a higher-than-normal demand, since it is such a rare item). so either they'd have to sell it cheap, or wait until it actually becomes needed, imo.

but in any case, i would agree with the observation that a CCU adaptation is really just the connections and space to fit in a CCU, and you could just as easily put a much smaller object (such as a commlink) in it's place. you could also put a *really* small metahuman, in theory (maybe a gnome, but even that might be pushing it?)

Agreed, but that's sort of what the 30% is for. It certainly depends.

I wouldn't think you could put anyone (even a Pixie) in the space, though.

Fortunately in this case, it's for an NPC (and an NPC for whose handlers, money is no object) so cost is a total non-issue, but non-cyborg versions of the Anthro-Badass drones (at least the Tomino) would be cool to have as an option for PC riggers.

surprisingly, we actually have a size listed for a CCU. it is likely larger than what you are thinking:



i'd say you can definitely fit a pixie in that. it would have to be a small gnome, however, and the gnome would have to be curled up to take up the smallest amount of space possible.

an adult gnome is mentioned as ranging in size from 70 to 100 centimeters tall. if you take a short gnome, they could easily tuck their legs into their body to remove 20 centimeters off their height i should think (and if they bow their heads, even more). meanwhile, since the body is most likely a lot less than 1/2 as wide as it is tall, it seems likely a gnome would be considerably less than 30 cm across. i don't doubt it would be uncomfortable, but i do think it would be possible for a small gnome (particularly if you find one who is even shorter than 70 cm tall) to fit into the space provided. given that mobility is not strictly necessary (they would be controlling the drone via wired or wireless controls), it could potentially work.

It would certainly be an expensive substitute for a glass jar that would do the same thing. : P

Pixies are 46 centimeters tall on average.

And now I have book reference for showing how a pixie-sized rigger cocoon fits in a medium drone, especially since I also spend mod slots on the cocoon + extra entry point!

Mwahahaha!




-k

Thanks Jaid. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) That *is* the first time I've seen a good reason for allowing a Pixie in a drone. On the other hand, that's a really tight squeeze: is there room for the Pixie *plus* the Cocoon? Perhaps not. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I thought about something. The Cyborg adaptation is only 15K, not really that expensive, and is somewhat standard. The major cost is the CCU.

So what you could do is design an armored pixe-box (or onboard node for a digital entity) with a compatible shape and ports, fit it with it's own life support (or backup batteries) that you can unplug and move to a shelf (or another drone) when you don't need the specific body or have to do work on it that requires to shut it down.

You realize a rigger rides INSIDE a rigger cocoon, yes?

It's just an enclosed armored seat that keeps a rigger's body from bouncing around too much. They're really not that complicated.



-k

Yes: it's a whole seat, with armor. So, I ask: if a pixie is 46cm, and the space is 50cm by 30cm (cylindrical), is there room for the pixie *plus* the armored seat?

What's the wing span on a Pixie? Putting something with wings in confined space like that is certainly going to require some training and desire on the part of the pixie. If its the that close it certainly possible to modify it and the base unit to make one they could fit in. But at 400k a pop i don't think this is a big risk.

It's not like we (or rather, 'they') can't make anthroform vehicles with room for a pixe, gnome, dwarf, or bigger metahuman. The Otomo simply *isn't* one; it's a drone, with space for a very small brainjar.

You're right: we're assuming the wings don't exist, have been 'safely' and 'willingly' removed, or take up zero space. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Whoops!