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Biokinetica

Mar 30 2009, 01:41 AM

My GM and I are in light throws over the capabilities of a vehicle's ability to use autopilot to guide itself across town. I'm looking for clarification on a few things regarding pilot programs and in what situations the Fuzzy Logic upgrade (quoted below) comes in.

As I understand it, the section about auto-navigation clearly states that virtually every vehicle has the ability to competently pilot itself without any human intervention. Although no vehicle in Arsenal seems to be 'smarter' than rating three, the pilot program is specifically designed to control that vehicle, correct?

QUOTE

Arsenal; Page 136
Fuzzy Logic (All, Pilot 3+ Only)
Many Pilot programsare enhanced with autosoft s in order to handle the unexpected,but there are limits to the kind of scenario trees that such programs have available. For those cases, there is the fuzzy logic, package - a specialized hardware/soft ware combination that fully considers the situation and helps the relevant programs select among their choices more efficiently. This does not take the place of Pilots/autosofts, but gives existing programs installed in the vehicle better fidelity in their decisions. If the vehicle/drone takes a Complex Action, it can add +2 to its dice pool for a specific task. Outside of combat, it can take a full minute to consider its options to add +3 to its dice pool instead.

He insists that fuzzy logic is necessary to deal with the size and weight of the Conestoga Vista (the vehicle in question), as well as other mundane things like turning street corners and stopping at lights. My argument is that pilot programs are designed with all the specifics of their intended vehicles in mind, meaning, they can afford to have abysmal ratings of one and two. What I don't get is what the fuzzy logic upgrade is for, and why such top-notch reasoning is necessary to follow grid guide's regulated traffic.

Backgammon

Mar 30 2009, 01:47 AM

A vehicule driving itself in the city is ridculously simple. Pilot is enough. In fact, you wouldn't even roll any dice it's so easy.

If you're in a chase/combat situation, that's different. You still don't need Fuzzy Logic though, it would just add dice. You never need fuzzy logic.

EDIT:

Here, got you a quote for your GM:

QUOTE

Though driving in full immersion VR continues to grow in
popularity, most people still enjoy steering their vehicles manually
with those controls augmented by continuous traffi c updates via
GridGuide. Other people rely completely on their vehicle’s autopilots—
interfaced with GridGuide of course—and don’t even
bother to learn to drive or get a driving skillsoft . Using automated
systems (oft en with a remote rigger watching over dozens of vehicles)
is cheaper than hiring drivers/pilots, so quite a bit of land,
sea, and air transportation is handled via autopilot.

P.98 Arsenal, on the description of GridGuide.

the_real_elwood

Mar 30 2009, 01:58 AM

Yeah, if you're in a town with GridGuide, and your vehicle is so equipped, I don't even think any test needs to be made at all. Getting across town is pretty much exactly what GridGuide is designed for.

DireRadiant

Mar 30 2009, 02:00 AM

Also look at the more general rule, p. 54 Making Tests

"Th e gamemaster should not
require a player to make a test when the action is something
that the character should be expected to do without diffi culty.
For example, if a character is driving downtown to buy soymilk
and NERPS, no test is necessary. If she’s suddenly found herself
in a car chase, however—perhaps she ran a red light and a Lone
Star offi cer is in pursuit—then it’s time to break out the dice."

Biokinetica

Mar 30 2009, 02:13 AM

QUOTE (Backgammon @ Mar 29 2009, 08:47 PM)

We think alike; that's one of the things I originally pointed to.

the_real_elwood

Mar 30 2009, 03:33 AM

Yeah, you get a Pilot program for a vehicle. The individual program is designed with the specifics of the vehicle in mind. If your pilot program is supposed to get some big beast of a Conestoga Vista across town, it'll do it. So whatever the performance envelope of the vehicle in question is (i.e. abysmal vehicle ratings), the Pilot program operates within it just fine.

mercurywave

Mar 30 2009, 07:20 AM

A bit off topic on the driving bit but still prevalent I believe...
Fuzzy Logic helps with all software thats uploaded on a drone/vehicle?

For example a drone/vehicle infiltrating would be:

Pilot3+Covert Ops3+Fuzzy Logic3(noncombat)=9 dice pool??

or Targeting:

Pilot3+Targeting3+Fuzzy Logic2(combat)=8 Dice pool?

Only if the program is uploaded right?

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