Technomancers and Drones, Can Sprites be used to control drones? Options

[Dotslash]

I have an idea for a Technomancer that uses drones, but places sprites within them to give them a sort of personality and life of their own. As I understand it Machine Sprites are set up for this, as they have the Command Complex Form so can command the Drone to use its programs to do things. Like, Pilot, fight or whatever. So as I understand it if a Technomancer compiles a Machine Sprite and registers it, giving it control of one of their drones... Then the drone should be controled by a semi-autonomous sprite and be able to function just fine based on the commands given by the Technomancer, and if it has no commands it can act well. With its own limited personality like a pet correct? I hope so, I think it would be rather neat. Thank you.

[Ryu]

You can have a sprite "ride" a drone on autopilot. The sprite gets admin access to the node, and provides personality and orders. Machine sprites are ideal because they can directly support the autopilot with their powers.

[DireRadiant]

Yes.

[Jaid]

note that any sprite can give a drone orders... you don't need the command CF for that. command CF is for directly controlling the drone via the matrix without rigging it.

[Tiger Eyes]

Actually, a fun trick to make them unhackable... (note even among us freelancers, there's debate on this tip, but it works at my table, so if you play at a developer's table, it's all good).

Machine sprite in drone. Sprites can communicate to their TMs via a resonance connection. Disable the wireless connection for drone. As long as no one physically gets ahold of the drone, it is functually unhackable (note you really need a registered sprite for this trick to be really useful; you can even pay karma = sprite's rating to bind it there for a long time).

[DireRadiant]

As long as you don't send another Sprite to Hack it.....

[Ard3]

No wireless, how the spirit is going to hack it?

[wylie]

tiger eyes, I just hope my TM rigger player isn't reading this; he is dangerous enough, (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

he already slaves the drone(s) to his node

so, you know, some days you scare me just a little

thanks for the input

[Heath Robinson]

Sprite - Resonance Realm shortcuts.


You can also hack that kind of drone using another drone capable of achieving direct connection. Or a rocket launcher. Unhackable Drones aren't a major issue.

[Ard3]

Sprite - Resonance Realm shortcuts.

Shortcuts can only be used if A) Technomancer who registered the sprite is in that node or B) sprite has legitimate account or backdoor access.

[PirateChef]

My technomancer solely uses sprites to control drones, to the point where certain sprites basically "live" in certain drones and he calls them by name. (He's of a shinto like belief that sprites are the spirits of machines, and can't call up sprites without there being a machine present). He also has a sprite that lives in his commlink that is basically his "familiar".

[Tsuul]

Doesn't putting a sprite in the driver's seat and asking it to do things eat up services to the point where you almost need a SPG (services per gallon) rating?

How can you keep up with the service cost?

[Tiger Eyes]

Doesn't putting a sprite in the driver's seat and asking it to do things eat up services to the point where you almost need a SPG (services per gallon) rating?

How can you keep up with the service cost?

Two things. First, don't micromanage your sprite; it's an intelligent being that doesn't need to be told every step to perform (inhabit this drone and use it to protect me would be one service, per 8 hours, as would 'control this drone and send me all the surveillance data you obtain'). Second, you can either continually re-register your sprites (for 8 hours of service, that's 3 services/day) or if you really want to have one sprite in a drone, all the time, spend the karma to bind it there.