Dumpshock Forums > AI Character

CodeBreaker

Jul 26 2009, 06:29 PM

Ok, building an AI character for a new game that I am joining. Wondering about something that could make fitting him into 400BP much, much easier. First, open Runners Companion to page 91.

Piloting Origin
Cost: 5 or 10 BP
The AIâ€™s origin is (or is related to) that of a drone or vehicle
pilot program. With the 5 BP version of this quality, the character
with this quality can interpret rigger signals and may â€œjump intoâ€?
rigged vehicles as would a rigger. The 10 BP version of this quality
is the same, except that the AI may load and directly use all autosoft
programs, using the program rating in place of its own skill.

Buy that at 10BP. That lets me load all autosofts (I imagine that counts both Drone and Agent autosofts, but that shouldn't matter either way for this). Then I crack open Unwired, and flick to page 114.

[Profession]
Profession autosofts are the equivalent of a single Technical
or Knowledge skill. It allows a drone with the proper equipment
and specs (tools or working arms) to perform the task, rolling Pilot
+ [Profession] for the test.

I take that autosoft, lets say for... hell, all of the Technical skills at Rating 4. Each one costs 4000

each, and there are 20 Technical Skills in total. So that comes to a total of 80k, or 20BP. Now, correct me if I am wrong but does that mean that I have just effectively saved a silly large amount of BP on skills? Normally all of those skills at Rating 4 would cost what, 320BP? 300BP in savings, and as far as I can see this is perfectly OK by RAW.

Sure, it means I have to buy myself a utility drone with two mechanical arms, but that does not really cost that much and is vastly outweighed by the BP benefit.

I am asking Dumpshock about this because it seems a bit too good to be true and I am worried that if I bring it up to my GM he is going to flip to some page of the rulebook and invalidate the entire character (I know this is really munchkinny, but my GM is normally OK with such things as long as he cannot find a reason why I should not be able to do it. i.e he will probably not just outright say no.)

Summerstorm

Jul 26 2009, 07:19 PM

Hm hm... why not? But i find the thing with the agent autosofts more interesting. Cascading, Expert Defense/Offense and Homeground are AWESOME... Hm that would give AI's finaly a bit strength in the matrix. (I really have still difficulties to believe that a maxed Hacker and Technomancers can rock the AI good)

But well, the thing with the profession Autosoft is really good. Combined with the free creative thinking of an AI... VERY powerful. You can slot... ehm load a program and begin to DESIGN with it. (Ah well, maybe a GM should restrict that - i think i would / just allow menial labour, repairs and easy formulistic work in general?)

CodeBreaker

Jul 26 2009, 07:28 PM

QUOTE (Summerstorm @ Jul 26 2009, 08:19 PM)

Hm hm... why not? But i find the thing with the agent autosofts more interesting. Cascading, Expert Defense/Offense and Homeground are AWESOME... Hm that would give AI's finaly a bit strength in the matrix. (I really have still difficulties to believe that a maxed Hacker and Technomancers can rock the AI good)

Agreed, Cascading has the potential to make AI Gods in prolonged Cybercombat. And I imagine an AI can change between Expert Defence/Offence rather easily (Its a simple turn program on turn program off) which makes them even more adaptable. Which is why I thought I should ask Dumpshock. Some of the autosofts are really, really nice. (Plus it gives the AI the potential to be one hell of a Rigger. Look at me, I can Pilot/Shoot any vehicle or gun with a simple program change.)

(Also of Note. An AI can quite easily have a Home Node with Response 9 at Character Creation. That means I can route my traffic through 3 different Proxy Nodes and have an end Response 6. +12 Threshold to all Traces. That means that you basically have the same rating as a Technomancer does against Traces.)

Summerstorm

Jul 26 2009, 07:45 PM

Yeah.. and you could hack/take over a enemy drone, kick its pilots ass, load ITS autosofts and begin unloading on your foes *g*. But you wanted to have every autosoft already in high levels, yes?

Well, but you pay for all this cool stuff with beeing VERY limited in other ways. (No Attribute over 6, no IP's over 3. No helping cyberware. You will always be a rating 6 program for the rest of your eternal life. Hm... that should be changed. There should be no... or very high limits for AI attributes and speeds.)

I built an AI rigger myself two months ago... but opted out for an elven one instead, because we already had an exotic creature in the team (Pixie...grrrr). But AI are really interesting, i need to try it soon.

Tip: Buy yourself an Nexus and max it out on everything but persona limit (Or max it too, and buy a load of agents). Make it your homenode.. Nobody f**** with you in your Node when you have Firewall 9 and can run a complete lvl 6 set of software and are assistet by Agents also running Lvl 6 attacks *g*. Oh and try to get your hands on Lvl 11 optimized software *g*. Brute force is the only thing you can do in the matrix *g*.

Also "Rootkit" and "Authority" are great Qualities. Rootkit is a "must have" in my eyes: -6 dice to percieve you in the matrix is instant invisibility for most foes.

Great, now i really want to play "Smith", the creepily amoral, nice guy. Always eager to tinker and built drones... then rigg them in a bloody assault with no disregard for life and safety *g*.

Edit: Oh... i just had the idea of buying 3 of those Nexi... they only cost about... 30k with software? And set them into a cluster... Now i only need dozens of copies of programs and a lot of Agents to BECOME a Botnet... muhahaha.

P.S.: How do you get 9 Response? I can only get 6?... 3 bought + 3 because of the homenode modifier... Or do you count the Response Enhancer?

CodeBreaker

Jul 26 2009, 07:54 PM

Code Flux is also a good one, even if it is ill defined. Every few times I jump about Nodes my Access ID changes. That could be extremely useful at times. But yeah, any AI who does not take Rootkit is crazy, it is extremely useful (Again it brings them almost to the same level as a Technomancer.)

But as far as I am aware an AI can still write Software yes? If so, they just have to take some of their time out and write up better Software. Normal Hackers do it. Sure, writing that awesome Rating 12 Attack Program will take goddamn ages but as far as I am aware there is nothing stopping them.

Honestly I think an AI is the best Hacker/Rigger mix. They can quite easily be quite good at both from character creation, and there is some level of advancement. But I also think that they could do with a few little things. Maybe a 50 Karma thing that gives them another Matrix IP, or the ability to push Mental Attributes above 6 (Which honestly I think they should have anyway. They are computer programs after all)

Also, an AI *can* get Attributes of 7, it just costs them a feck load of Karma. Buying the Exceptional Attribute quality for 40 Karma a pop, and then 35 Karma for the actual Attribute. And doing that puts up one of their Matrix Attributes, as well as their Rating if everything else is at 6.

Summerstorm

Jul 26 2009, 08:43 PM

Hm. A Lvl 15 Hacking Attack Programm with 6 Levels of Optimization and 3 Levels Armor Piercing (or other fun stuff)should run on our System 9 Nexus.

Time to Code: I assume: Software 4, Log 6. Lvl 5 Software Programming suit 5, and access to an Programming Environment Nexus (We will hack us an account there, or the price will blow us away *g*) 15 Dice against (38, 2 weeks) ... better we use edge sometimes *g* Hm, without edge; assumed (optimistic)hits: 5,5,4,4,4,3,3,3,2,2,2,1,1,1,0 =40... that will be a tight one. And only ~7 Months work... But still hitting someone in the matrix with 15 DV+Nethits -3 Armor would be just funny. That will teach those cocky Technomancers to play with us AI's

Anything wrong in my calculations?

Heath Robinson

Jul 26 2009, 09:04 PM

QUOTE (Summerstorm @ Jul 26 2009, 09:43 PM)

Anything wrong in my calculations?

You're applying a modifier that isn't in any rule. It's a suggestion for a GM fiat limitation on the number of tests you can make and is, therefore, not RAW. You make your program in an average of 4 monthes.

darthmord

Jul 27 2009, 02:35 PM

From what I've read in RC, AIs have some interesting tricks up their sleeves. This is yet another.

Neraph

Jul 27 2009, 03:11 PM

I've had that very same idea: an AI with Pilot Origins running autosofts. This is what I came up with.

[ Spoiler ]

This is assuming you can put autosofts into software bundles (I don't see why not; they are software programs, are they not?). The above drone was actually built as a "helper" to a main character, so if you are an AI you can drop the R4 Pilot program and R3 Adaptability autosoft. It should be noted that the Chemistry and Arcana skills are now active/technical, so those can be gained for an additional 4k (less than what you get back by removing Adaptability and Pilot).

Neraph

Jul 27 2009, 03:12 PM

QUOTE (Summerstorm @ Jul 26 2009, 02:43 PM)

Hm. A Lvl 15 Hacking Attack Programm with 6 Levels of Optimization and 3 Levels Armor Piercing (or other fun stuff)should run on our System 9 Nexus.

Time to Code: I assume: Software 4, Log 6. Lvl 5 Software Programming suit 5, and access to an Programming Environment Nexus (We will hack us an account there, or the price will blow us away *g*) 15 Dice against (38, 2 weeks) ... better we use edge sometimes *g* Hm, without edge; assumed (optimistic)hits: 5,5,4,4,4,3,3,3,2,2,2,1,1,1,0 =40... that will be a tight one. And only ~7 Months work... But still hitting someone in the matrix with 15 DV+Nethits -3 Armor would be just funny. That will teach those cocky Technomancers to play with us AI's

Anything wrong in my calculations?

It would take less time to get freeware R4 programs than coding your own. That's time you could spend doing 'runs or organlegging or something more productive.

You're also seeming to forget program degredation. Each month those programs will degrade 1 point of rating, unless you care to patch them yourself, taking even more time from you're character's playability.