[K5pbem] My Thoughts On Restarting the K5 PBEM

[Michael Surbrook]

On Nov 27, 2005, at 10:44 PM, Greg Ewing wrote:

> The character I have long wanted to play would ideally have  
> something I don't know how to write up.  If I had to, I could  
> basically just use it in flashbacks and such to when he had all his  
> components, and say that was taken when he was demilitarized.
> Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make a cyborg who ALSO  
> has a "combat computer/AI) that can
> 1)navigate/perform research/other such acts
> 2)operate some subset of his weapons while he operates the rest
> 3)Execute evasion subroutines if he is knocked out, for instance
> 4) keep watch while he is sleeping.
>
> I could write up an AI, but then, how to incorporate it?   I looked  
> at the Bestiary writeup for a Hydra, to see if that would work, but  
> I don't think that is quite it.
>
> I don't really like the Ettin writeup, where two heads just gives  
> extra perception and better two handed fighting, but I suppose I  
> could do something like that, giving the character 2 extra speed,  
> limited to offensive/internal actions only, not movement, and  
> enhanced perception, then two weapon fighting, ranged  or some  
> such.  I am not really happy with that though.
>
> My initial thought was that the Cyborg would have about a 4 speed,  
> but the AI would have a separate speed of probably 2.
>
> One tactic I envisioned was an assault on a target, and he would  
> order the AI to engage in suppressive fire with a grenade launcher  
> or machine gun while he ran and engaged with the primary weapons.

If your cyborg has a on-board combat computer, it is not an AI.  
Although there are autonomous combat machines in K5, there is no true  
"AI" outside of replicated lifeforms (which are clones when you get  
right down to it). So unless you have a brain in a box back there  
(which is a good way to go insane, since you won't have any sensory  
input), figure it to be a very advanced computer (which could still  
do 1, 2, and 3, and might be able to do basic forms of 4). The big  
thing is, the AI can't "think" on its own.

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Michael Surbrook
susano at guisarme . net http://surbrook.devermore.net/index/index.html

"To preserve your sanity, we have edited all facts from the following  
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Darren Hansen