Transformers - More than meets the eye..., ...With some limitations Options

[The Jopp]

Well, we have flying dragons, tiny drones, magic and advanced cybernetics. Now we also have AI’s and spirits inhibiting toasters…

So why not transformers? It just takes a slight leap with the rules…

First we take an AI, then we buy a car for example.

Here is where we stretch the rules a little.
Add Mechanical Arms and Walker mode to the car. We now allow the “transformer� to be allowed to change shape and use the different movement modes.

Since the AI is in residence within the car it uses it as a body that can transform between anthroform and a groundcar. Since this basically costs 6 modification slots I can’t really see it as unbalanced and also limited to larger vehicles unless they choose grapple arms.

For Example: Blackout
Blackout woke up in a parking lot with the job of infiltrating the local population, it soon dawned on him that he was not exactly looking like the local population, or rather whoever had given him the job had no idea what the local population looked like.

He had no memory about where he came from or what he is compared to everything else. His job description was simple, set up a base of operation, gain funds and find the Matrix…And he found “a� matrix, but most likely not the right one due to his amnesia.

His body is a Hyundai Shin-Hyung with Chameleon Coating, a rating 10 area jammer and other useful infiltration gear. He has a modified Ares Mp Laser 3 as a handgun with burst fire modification and smartlink (cost a hefty 30050Y total and i count it as a pistol weapon for him.) His limbs have a cyber shotgun and a micro grenade launcher (loaded with IR smoke grenades) and his sensor package has been improved.

[Rayzorblades]

In the movie, Blackout was a helicopter. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Neraph]

It'd be easier to make them Free Spirits (would kinda go with the fluff too - their native metaplane is the Cube) who have Realistic Form and Morphic Form. They look like a realistic car. Then they look like a realistic... car-bot.

[The Jopp]

It'd be easier to make them Free Spirits (would kinda go with the fluff too - their native metaplane is the Cube) who have Realistic Form and Morphic Form. They look like a realistic car. Then they look like a realistic... car-bot.

Yes but a mechanical being that cannot interface with the matrix would be even more odd, AI's would be more "realistic"

[TBRMInsanity]

With the current level of SR technology I don't think that you could have a AI controlled anthroform transform into a recognizable vehicle and still maintain centre of gravity and such. They may be able to transform into a vehicle mode for faster movement but it would look more like the Citymaster with no ability to get inside of it.

I agree it would have to be AI controlled as Free Spirits wouldn't be able to manipulate this construct as well as an AI. You would have to make sure that the construct has a satlink built into it so it can always have access to the Matix.

[Neraph]

Yes but a mechanical being that cannot interface with the matrix would be even more odd, AI's would be more "realistic"

Why couldn't they interface with the Matrix?

And maybe you guys aren't understanding the free spirit bit. They aren't posessing a vehicle; they have Realistic Form and Morphic Form and look like a vehicle. They can even have people get inside and drive them (as per Realistic Form).

[darthmord]

Neraph, some of the rules strongly imply that Spirits cannot use / interact with the Matrix at all. Something about being unable to perceive AR.

[Neraph]

Ahh, I misread that post. I thought he was saying that his AIs couldn't interface..

[Caadium]

Using what is already out there, I'd say you're better off using a customized Daihatsu-Caterpillar Horseman with the Advanced Cargo Module option it has. Beyond that I'm sure you could come up with some modifications that fit within the rule that, once inhabited by an AI, would be transforish. It wouldn't look quite the same, but consider an AI or Cyborg for a moment and ask yourself why it would want to look humanoid? Instead, wouldn't it be more important to be able to functionally interact with the meat world? Of course some AIs, and more so cyborgs, might be concerned with 'fitting in', but I somehow doubt that an entity going for the functional use of a transformer body would be one of those.

[TBRMInsanity]

I think an AI controlled Mecha would be scary in itself, (taking away any ability to turn into a vehicle mode). I wonder if it is possible for an AI and Free Spirit to work together to accomplish the whole Transformer thing. The AI would inhabit a large anthroform but the free spirit would provide a mask making the anthroform look like a vehicle when the two want to keep a low profile.

I would guess that the partnership would be something that allows the Free Spirit access to the Matrix (even if it is by proxy) and the AI would get access to the physical (an possibly the astral) world. You would need a VERY good backstory for the transformer and it would help to give it a split personality disorder (AI vs Free Spirit).