AI question, AI question Options

[Branmac]

OK, in a game I am in one of the players is running an AI "rigger". The other characters don't know it is an AI and it is trying mighty hard to keep it that way. Always doing the remote connection game. The problem is that we need to go to a remote location and my character is concerned that the rigger can be jammed leaving us with no way to get home.

What arguments can the AI come up with overcone the (low level hardware etc) knowledge that it isn't that hard to jam a signal? I don't want to be a jerk about it but I also dont want to just accept 'because I said so' from a character I have no background with.

Any ideas?

[Tanegar]

What and where is the AI's home node? If it's the team vehicle, there's no problem: just have it say that it has access to unusually sophisticated comm gear that circumvents conventional jamming technologies.

[hahnsoo]

The AI can load itself into the vehicle, right? It doesn't have to run its rigger operations remotely all the time. AIs can load themselves into any node, and they don't have to run their operations from a static "home node" all the time. Obviously, it's dangerous for the AI, since physically destroying the vehicle will destroy the AI if it is completely cut off from the Matrix. The AI can avoid this by simply having a satellite link installed into the vehicle, so they can "eject". The choice is whether or not the danger of physical destruction is greater than the danger of revealing itself as an AI. It's one of those interesting questions that I would relish, if I was roleplaying an AI, since it's not a decision that you would normally face in regular play.

If the player is concerned about Jamming, he/she should invest heavily in a high Signal rating (brute force) and ECCM (directly counteracts Jamming).

[Karoline]

Bit confused about your question. Are you asking how the AI can operate in an area with jammers and such, or how an AI can make it seem as though the AI isn't an AI?

For the first problem... well it isn't too big of a problem since the AI can load itself into any node it wants, including the getaway vehicle or the drone it is operating or whatever.

As for the second problem, the AI can just claim that the 'Rigger' in question has some good... whatever that program is that helps overcome jammers.

[Rystefn]

I've done this... Sadly, if the other runners insist on having the rigger physically on-site, there's not much you can do. Personally, my vehicle had a sealed-off driver's compartment, and I refused to open it, even for the other runners. Pretended to be a severe germophobe. That's not likely to work on a long-term mission, though, where they'll eventually notice that you don't come out for food or to relieve yourself. The simple fact is that eventually, you either have to bow out of some runs, or the other characters will work it out.

[MadDogMike]

You can get some pretty good resistance with a high Signal rating and a ECCM program (doesn't the ECCM program add directly to Signal for resistance? That'd require a Rating 12 jammer to block Signal 6/ECCM 6) so you could just offer that excuse. Or failing that have a "good Pilot program installed" (i.e. the A.I.) and in cases where the jamming gets super strong just start talking like a drone and pretend you're just a high-end fuzzy-logic program taking over. All of this presumes your teammates even have the computing knowledge to raise objections anyway; if (as is likely) the A.I. has a higher knowledge of the Electronics skill group (and Electronics Warfare in particular) than everybody else, how are they going to know it "shouldn't" be able to overcome jamming?

On a slightly related note, I've been working on an A.I. character myself, and was wondering about opinions on something. The A.I. in question was going to have a Bust-a-Move doll body (it's an outgrowth of a children's "chibi" anime program, the drone in question would be a doll version of its character) but I was wondering how to do two options (or if said options were possible). First, I wanted to have an implanted commlink so it could play hacker, and was wondering if a smuggling compartment could cover that, and if so whether it would take more than one slot as the vehicle mod description mentions for overlarge items. I presumed a commlink was probably along the size range of a modern I-pod/cellphone so it could fit inside a doll at least, but I'm not sure how many slots it should take up. Or is there a way to make the drone itself act as a commlink (i.e. mod the drone's electronics to act as a commlink in addition to driving the drone around)? Second, for hilarity value I was thinking about installing an anti-theft system (Security guard - "What's this doll doing lying here?" *ZAP* (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ). It's two slots so it would technically fit, but is that cheesing the system too much to put it into a small drone?

[Rystefn]

I'd let you put a 'link in pretty much anything. Computers are tiny in the future... Since you're starting with a drone, anyway, I'd say it's already a commlink if you install the right software, but that's my call, not something in the rules (or if it is, I don't know about it). As for the Anti-Theft - well, if you have the slots, then it fits. Hilarity ensues.

Good point on the relative knowledges, by the way. Usually the GM won't let you roll to put lies over on the other players, but you can certainly point at your character sheet and say something like "Look, I have a massive number of relevant skills on this, how many do you have? What's their rating? In short, what does your character know about it?" Then say to the GM, "No, I want to do this in-character: Look, I've spent life doing this (fill in some appropriate specifics), I know what I'm doing. What do you know about it? Do you have a degree from MIT&M? Were you an Electronics Warfare Specialist for the Athabaskan Council? In short, what do you know about it? When you start talking about spells and spirits, I take your word for it as an expert, and I'll thank you to extent me the same courtesy!"

[Tsuul]

If your going to go the 'download into the vehicle' route, a long range rocket with parachuting emotoy payload might be a cool escape plan.

[KarmaInferno]

I've done this... Sadly, if the other runners insist on having the rigger physically on-site, there's not much you can do. Personally, my vehicle had a sealed-off driver's compartment, and I refused to open it, even for the other runners. Pretended to be a severe germophobe. That's not likely to work on a long-term mission, though, where they'll eventually notice that you don't come out for food or to relieve yourself. The simple fact is that eventually, you either have to bow out of some runs, or the other characters will work it out.

Shove an Otomo drone in the driver's seat.

Done.

Or, heck, get a vat-cloned human body and rig it as a biodrone.



-karma

[Delarn]

1. Otomo, or MCT Housekeeper with mimic installed.
2. Cloned biodrone are quite expensive. But it does have a thralled spirit so a mage wouldn't notice.
3. Have a military rating blackbox/escape pod device built in the drone/vehicule.

[Aaron]

Could the AI move into the vehicle and just pretend that it's logging in remotely?

[Rystefn]

If your going to go the 'download into the vehicle' route, a long range rocket with parachuting emotoy payload might be a cool escape plan.

This post is comprised entirely of win, awesome, and pie. Alternately, a Bust-A-Move bear with the empathic software for a home-made emotitoy that happens to be a breakdancing teddy bear. Suck on that, Mr. Ruxpin!

[Delarn]

Could the AI move into the vehicle and just pretend that it's logging in remotely?

The Otomo enter the vehicule and connect to it ... Bam

[MadDogMike]

The Otomo enter the vehicule and connect to it ... Bam

Given Otomo's are Availability 24R and 150,000 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) , an A.I. getting one is kinda... difficult. Considering you can't start with it (and even if the Availability wasn't the issue, that's a ridiculous amount of BP when it costs 110 to be an A.I. in the first place), minus GM fiat, beating up a cyborg, or waiting for a LONG time for that much cash, you won't have access. There is one other possibility though I forgot in my initial suggestions; stick a rigger cocoon in the vehicle and "stay inside" it (maybe get something crude inside to give the proper shadow, even a mannequin will probably work given a rigger is just laying there while in VR) and you can pretend to be there in the flesh, abeit not with complete safety if your buddies try to "rescue" you from a crash or the like.

[Rotbart van Dain...]

Or, heck, get a vat-cloned human body and rig it as a biodrone.

Nah - just hire from a Bunrako parlor.

[hahnsoo]

Nah - just hire from a Bunrako parlor.

Or just hire a prostitute, period.

Disembodied voice: "Now, just lie down in that rigger cocoon"

Girl: "Ooo, kinky."

Disembodied voice: "Alrighty, don't panic. The cocoon will close now, and you'll be inside it for an hour."

Girl: "I'm getting paid 1000 nuyen for this, right?"

Disembodied voice: "Right. I just need to you lie there."

Girl: "Honey, that's what I usually do for 100 nuyen anyway. For you, I'll do the premium stuff."

Disembodied voice: "Err, that won't be necessary. You may feel some nausea from the vehicle in motion."

Girl: "This ain't my first rodeo, if you catch my drift. I'll be fine."

[Saint Sithney]

A satlink provides signal rating 8 and costs 500 nuyen. Install them in the van, the drones, everywhere.
ECCM software is basic kit. Signal 8 + ECCM 3 = you need a jamming rating of 11 to stop it calling out. No such Jammer exists.
Boost the ECCM to fit response, and you can break through some heavy Negating Paint, up to rating 15.
Repeater Drones can fit the cracks in their Faraday armor/whatevs and take you from one onion layer to the next, daisy chain style.

If team mates have a problem with the rigger running remote, the standard response is to stuff it.

Of course, as an AI, these problems are all not going to apply to you, but that's what it takes to "stay in the car."
You just get to stay in the drone. Preferably not the lead drone though..