So I was doing a sci-fi campaign and players of course wanted to play robots
The trouble is letting one player play a self-aware tank makes combat balance ridiculous.
Anyway how's this for a solution, all self-aware robots are 'Asimov non-compliant', they're simply unable to harm humans at all. Even in self defence.
They'll still stronger tougher and faster than humans however, as well as being less prone to anger or fear making them popular for the more respectable security and law enforcement agencies.
They also have no programming restriction on wrecking other robots sentience or otherwise.
Gameplay why is it means robot players are Kung Fu Monk meet shields. They still get to do superhuman stuff, as well as 'drone mop up' but they can't pick up a gun and mow people down.
Anyway do you think that keeps robots...well robots will still be in fun and playable?
Jack Ortiz
Selectively omit details from your sensors or selectively deactivate them so you do not detect humans. You can now move and act with impunity. After all, the laws preventing you from harming humans require you to detect them first.
Don't try to justify it. Your cybercores hold your digital spirits as you defeat Dr. Reaver's cyber gorillas to prevent him from reaching the Data Star.
William Rodriguez
I think OP was using non-compliant to mean "doesn't have to follow the laws" as opposed to incompliant meaning "actively goes against the laws. That being said...
This would mean the first law of robotics is still in effect, isn't it? Presumably with less restrictions about collateral damage and so forth, but it's still in effect. Etierh way it does seem an intersting restriction with potential for drama: >"If they won't listen to our orders, how do we know they won't decide to disobey their only remaining law huh? And we can't trust 'em now they can look out for themselves!"
Daniel Smith
I guess it could work but I wouldn't allow more than one person to be a robot and it might make sense to have them be an especially advanced robot that is part of the plot of the campaign
Anthony Cox
Just make EMP a thing so enemies have a way to stack debuffs on them.
They tank the hell out of shit, crush people with their bare hands, eat five times as many bullets as their allies, but dude pops an ion grenade and they're clutzing around struggling to perform motor functions unless they reboot.
Connor Flores
Id maybe change it to unable to kill or maim and force them into a non lethal path. It would force them to try something potentially new and also open up the path for recurring enemies and other such complications that stem from leaving your enemies alive.
Ryan Gray
or even have areas where robots aren't allowed to go, similar to how recording equipment isn't allowed in sensitive areas
Jonathan Barnes
The first obvious problem is that 1st law full wording is: >"A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm." That means robot running on it can't let his team-mates kill his enemies, unless the enemies are somehow not people.
