Streamlined Robot Design (CP2020)

These rules are intended solely as a quick kit-bash, to design robots that are roughly man-sized or smaller. It is assumed that engineering and technology by this point are capable of nearly anything, subject to the limits of price. To build larger robots or WADS systems, use the design sequences listed in Chromebook 4 and Maximum Metal. 

This kitbash is a rough extrapolation of the existing remote drones, as well as the computer rules developed previously for quick and dirty netrunning. Determine the cost for each section; add them together to determine final cost.

Chassis - The basic structure of the robot, into which everything else is added. It determines the base cost of the robot. The chassis includes one set of manipulators, appropriate to size, capable of functioning as simple hands. If the chassis has no manipulators at all, it is 50% cost.

Basic Cost of Chassis: BOD x $200

A drone has SDP equal to BOD x 5. 

Drone Armor: Armor is also a part of the chassis. Select a desired SP rating, and calculate the cost thusly: BOD x SP x $20. A drone may have armor rating up to its SDP, or 1/2 that value for flying drones. 

If a drone receives a critical hit in combat, roll 1d6 and consult the table below. 

  

Motive System- How the thing gets from A to B; drives, crawls, swims, flies. Cost depends on the complexity of the system and size, as well as performance. Multiple systems are rare, though certainly possible. Choose a desired MA (ground, air, aquatic) and consult the chart below. For reference, MA of 5 is about 30kmh, or 18mph. 

Power - How long can the drone operate? This assumes some sort of fuel cell, battery, or RTG isotope plant. The specific type is less important than how long it will run. Cost is a function of size and desired endurance.

 Basic Cost of Powerplant: BOD x Hours of Endurance x $25

Autonomous CPU/Brain– Some more sophisticated drone systems are designed to operate autonomously, taking direction from a human superior, but operating on their own, using their own skills and attributes. These could be considered proper "droids". The brain that controls the drone/bot determines how it can or will be used. The table below is based on the computers of the “Simplified Netrunning” rules, modified for use here. Decide on the desired INT and REF, and simply add the costs to the total. Even if only used for remote control (see below), a minimum of INT: 1 and REF: 1 are required to be usable. 

 

Autonomous Skills - Skills for use in autonomous drones can be assumed to cost about 1/2 what is listed for skill chips in CP2020, p.73 but with no specific level cap. Programming skills for a drone or robot is a much simpler task than for an organic being. A drone may not run skill software at a level higher than its own INT score. 

Remote Control Electronics – This is the control and communications equipment needed for operating a drone remotely, whether through a deck or a simple control console. Quality Factor refers to the accuracy of control if operated remotely, whether a penalty or a bonus. If a drone is being teleoperated, they use the operator's INT, REF, and skills, with the penalty described below. 

Control Range: Miles of Range x Quality Factor x $25

 

Example:  A drone with a -2 penalty to control, and a 20 mile radio range, would need an uplink costing about $800 (20 miles x QF 2 x $20)

Optional Equipment – This broad category includes everything else under the sun. Rather than trying to come up with a coherent system for this, feel free to abuse the existing Cybernetics rules for nearly everything – optics, audio, tool options, sensors, weapons, et-cetera. Assuming the following broad rules based on the size of the bot.

For weapons, assume that each rough size of weapon uses the following number out "mounting points". P=1, J=2, L=3, N=4, HVY =5

Drone and operation in the 2300x2020 setting takes three main forms - remote operation, telepresence, and autonomous operation.

Remote Operation uses normal control equipment, video cameras, and good transmission equipment. It is the simplest and least expensive method, being the default in most common usage. Drones piloted this way, sometimes called RPV's, are not as fast to react as a human being would be, but are still useful in combat. They are more commonly found in roles where combat is not expected. A remote drone operator uses the skill "Remote Operation", and operates at a flat penalty of -3 due to the limitations of the controls. Special abilities which give a bonus to vehicle operation add one half that value to skill rolls concerned with movement and positioning. Remote Operation is normally used with the user's INT for Awareness/Notice, and the lower of the user -or- the drone's REF for attack and defense rolls instead of weapon skills. In some circumstances involving modifying settings, it might apply to TECH. In combat, the drone suffers the same -3 (or less) penalty to initiative as the operator does to the skill.

Example: Average Joe has INT +8, REF +7, Remote Ops +5, and a standard control rig for -3. The drone is a decent model with a REF of +7, the same as Joe. His INT-based rolls will thus start at +10, REF based rolls at +9. His drone has a base initiative of +4. This is plenty adequate for his job operating a survey drone for a science mission, but not for a combat drone.

Telepresence ("Rigging") uses an interface deck of the sort used with netrunning, and directly connects the user's nervous system to the drone directly. This method allows for superior performance at increased cost. A telepresence drone is quite fast, sometimes more so than an unaugmented human, depending on the sometimes uncanny speed of a skilled operator. Most modern combat drones are of this sort. The rigger uses the "Interface" special ability for skill rolls, applying it to REF for rolls involving motion or combat, and INT for Awareness/Notice rolls. Operation is normally used with the user's INT for Awareness/Notice, and the lower of the user -or- the drone's REF for attack and defense rolls instead of weapon skills. A rigger normally operates at a penalty of -3 , but adds the quality bonus from their interface deck, plus various range and environmental penalties. This final modifier, which may be positive if the equipment is good or the user is skilled, applies to all skill and initiative rolls. Because the user is directly jacked in, Interface is added to the initiative roll. Also, bonuses to initiative or Awareness/Notice (such as Combat Sense) also apply.

Example: Rigger Jane has INT +8 and REF +7, Interface +5, and a good +2 interface deck that reduces the penalty to a -1. The drone is similar to the one in the previous example, with REF +7, same as Jane. Jacked in, the JaneDrone starts with INT rolls at +12, REF rolls at +11, and a much better initiative of +11. The skill rolls are slightly better than Average Joe's drone, but the reaction speeds that are so critical in a fight are much, much better.

Autonomous Operations refers to a drone which no longer requires a human to operate it, but instead operates as a full robot. Such a machine has its own statistics (INT, REF, etc), its own skills, and makes its own rolls in combat. There are no control systems required for such a machine. In combat, such machines are often referred to as killbots, combots, or warbots, and as such are heavily restricted by law, treaty, and custom.

Example: HK-612 is an autonomous kill-bot with INT +5, REF +8, and various combat skills at +5. It hates all humans, and is parked in your front yard waiting for you to answer the door.