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[piecewise]

... I want a baneblade... A Leman Russ, at least? A Sentinel? Or maybe a little Chimaera?

Not a lot per bot, it's basically just a very compact, powerful computer running AI taken from the snowglobe. The only real difficulty is making things that small and good takes time and special processes, and getting the AI adapted to it takes a bit too. So manufacturing time is the real bottleneck here.

Since I have the Hunterbot CPU already, how much would it cost to have a standard robobody outfitted with it and supporting computer hardware? And how would that thing work mechanics-wise?
 

Eh, not a whole lot. 3-4 tokens.

And you'd get an adaptive, dangerous robot which runs on absolute logic.

Mechanics wise it would be an NPC with some bonuses and unique behaviors.

What about using the Organo-tissue Dominator Psychokinetic Amplifier to transform, rather than create something? For example, how hard would it be to transform a tiger into a lion?

What about changing some physical properties? For example, how hard would it be to make one's skin supertough by changing it into some kind of advanced polymer?

Could you use the Organochemistry Overrider Psychokinetic Amplifier to achieve effects similar to the above by very very slowly (some weeks perhaps) manipulating the DNA of the entire body and then triggering some sort of cellular regeneration to replace all old cells with new ones (that will have the modified structure resulting from the new DNA)? Essentially something similar to Ivan's transformation but more slow and controlled?

Yes, though difficulty is dependent on level of change. For instance, you want it to just look like a lion, or you want it to be genetically identical to one?

Yes, though you might have to worry about stuff like rejection and other natural processes if you don't do it right.

Yes,  though, again, it would take a long time and you'd need to be very careful.

(wiped out three report-magnet posts in which the posters failed to be respectful)

Sorry about that. These technicians, man. One minute they're talking about theoretical physics, the next minute there's a knife fight. The ER Skunkworks is a dangerous place.

[Caellath]

The effectiveness of kinetic amps is already proven against most targets using standard dex+str rolls, my piledriver negates the need for a strength roll and astronomically increases their damage output making them effective against even heavily armored targets.
Its effectiveness is pretty much gauranteed if you can get close enough to use it.

You might want to check a similar project I made with Milno around 1~1.5 year ago. It's also an arm-mounted piledriver with a kinetic amp tip, but I had to create an adhesive surface because there was a problem with the whole thing kicking back, if I remember correctly. Then I added an easy-release system to leave the whole thing pounding away at the target while the owner escapes. piecewise gave something around 6 or 9 token back then, I forget.

[Parisbre56]

New project: Terror Drones

Basic Variant Test:

Create a basic spider-bot chassis, just a small radio controlled drone with 4 scout-eye-like legs, a very basic CPU, a very small laser-cutting-torch and a generator to power the whole thing, including the laser.

Don't bother with programming them, just have the VR do its thing for now, like there's some kind of perfectly programmed computer giving them orders.

Spawn a UWM ship like the one we took over or larger. Crew hostile and alerted but they don't know for sure that they've been boarded.
Spawn 10 spiderbots in various locations around the ship while giving them no information about the layout of the ship. Sometimes they're spawned all in one location, sometime in groups and sometimes each in a different location.

Have the bots go from one area of the ship to the other.

They're going to use info gained from other drones to help navigation. Movement pattern similar to telepathic ants (they split up when they don't know where to go but if an exit is detected they all know about it and use it).
They're going to use their lasers to get through small (or large if necessary) obstacles or attacking people if necessary. Make them smart enough to bypass or disable defences (cutting their power supply with their lasers for example) like turrets if they detect them.

Run the above test many times. Problems? Any places the bots can't reach or any situations where they are decimated or stumped?

((Since there's nothing pressing going on on the ship and this is a kinda-big project, I thought I'd divide it into multiple tests/posts to make it easier. Would you prefer it if I described the general idea first?))

[Tavik Toth]

Updated.

"Halberd"Rapid Battle Unit
Cost: 15 tokens. 5 for individual weapons.
Armour: Electro Reactive Armour and/or Thinned Battle suit plate
Height: Around 13 ft (how many meters is that?) tall for most configurations.
Weapons: 1 Coilgun or equivalent rapid fire weapon along with a choice of either a under barrel rocket launcher or a bayonet type weapon. 1 mech scale dagger or sword type weapon for melee. 2x shoulder blades or 2x Gauss cannon or 1x Gauss cannon and 1x Shoulder blade. 1 optional wrist mounted shield made of battle suit plate.

Movement: Roller blade style system mounted on feet to allow for quick movement across most surfaces with ability to be stowed inside the feet to allow for movement on rougher surfaces such as a wreckage strewn fields or mountains.
Cargo: 1 Pilot and/or AI controlled.
Support: Auto repair kit.

Operation: This configuration is designed to rapidly engage enemy forces while being supported by other Halberds and other friendly units including infantry and air support. And if equipped with a under barrel rocket launcher, it can engage enemy armour units if it has to.

Advantages: Speed, adaptability and same basic parts used in all configuration.
Disadvantages: not as heavily armoured as units such as a battlesuit.

PW, how much of a difference in cost is this setup?

Missed me Piecewise.

[piecewise]

New project: Terror Drones

Basic Variant Test:

Create a basic spider-bot chassis, just a small radio controlled drone with 4 scout-eye-like legs, a very basic CPU, a very small laser-cutting-torch and a generator to power the whole thing, including the laser.

Don't bother with programming them, just have the VR do its thing for now, like there's some kind of perfectly programmed computer giving them orders.

Spawn a UWM ship like the one we took over or larger. Crew hostile and alerted but they don't know for sure that they've been boarded.
Spawn 10 spiderbots in various locations around the ship while giving them no information about the layout of the ship. Sometimes they're spawned all in one location, sometime in groups and sometimes each in a different location.

Have the bots go from one area of the ship to the other.

They're going to use info gained from other drones to help navigation. Movement pattern similar to telepathic ants (they split up when they don't know where to go but if an exit is detected they all know about it and use it).
They're going to use their lasers to get through small (or large if necessary) obstacles or attacking people if necessary. Make them smart enough to bypass or disable defences (cutting their power supply with their lasers for example) like turrets if they detect them.

Run the above test many times. Problems? Any places the bots can't reach or any situations where they are decimated or stumped?

((Since there's nothing pressing going on on the ship and this is a kinda-big project, I thought I'd divide it into multiple tests/posts to make it easier. Would you prefer it if I described the general idea first?))

New project: Terror Drones

Basic Variant Test:

Create a basic spider-bot chassis, just a small radio controlled drone with 4 scout-eye-like legs, a very basic CPU, a very small laser-cutting-torch and a generator to power the whole thing, including the laser.

Don't bother with programming them, just have the VR do its thing for now, like there's some kind of perfectly programmed computer giving them orders.

Spawn a UWM ship like the one we took over or larger. Crew hostile and alerted but they don't know for sure that they've been boarded.
Spawn 10 spiderbots in various locations around the ship while giving them no information about the layout of the ship. Sometimes they're spawned all in one location, sometime in groups and sometimes each in a different location.

Have the bots go from one area of the ship to the other.

They're going to use info gained from other drones to help navigation. Movement pattern similar to telepathic ants (they split up when they don't know where to go but if an exit is detected they all know about it and use it).
They're going to use their lasers to get through small (or large if necessary) obstacles or attacking people if necessary. Make them smart enough to bypass or disable defences (cutting their power supply with their lasers for example) like turrets if they detect them.

Run the above test many times. Problems? Any places the bots can't reach or any situations where they are decimated or stumped?

((Since there's nothing pressing going on on the ship and this is a kinda-big project, I thought I'd divide it into multiple tests/posts to make it easier. Would you prefer it if I described the general idea first?))

Biggest problems are the following:

1.The bots are easy to kill. So, anyone with a gun or heavy object can smash them up.

2.They navigate most places just fine, but static defenses give them problems.

3.The more of them that get destroyed, the harder it is for them to function. 

For greater success I recommend the following changes:

More powerful cutting tools: Basically, let the buggers burrow through the ship. Saves them from being seen by passive defenses and lets them do damage on the way.

Mass deployment: Use lots. Like 100s or more.

Updated.

"Halberd"Rapid Battle Unit
Cost: 15 tokens. 5 for individual weapons.
Armour: Electro Reactive Armour and/or Thinned Battle suit plate
Height: Around 13 ft (how many meters is that?) tall for most configurations.
Weapons: 1 Coilgun or equivalent rapid fire weapon along with a choice of either a under barrel rocket launcher or a bayonet type weapon. 1 mech scale dagger or sword type weapon for melee. 2x shoulder blades or 2x Gauss cannon or 1x Gauss cannon and 1x Shoulder blade. 1 optional wrist mounted shield made of battle suit plate.

Movement: Roller blade style system mounted on feet to allow for quick movement across most surfaces with ability to be stowed inside the feet to allow for movement on rougher surfaces such as a wreckage strewn fields or mountains.
Cargo: 1 Pilot and/or AI controlled.
Support: Auto repair kit.

Operation: This configuration is designed to rapidly engage enemy forces while being supported by other Halberds and other friendly units including infantry and air support. And if equipped with a under barrel rocket launcher, it can engage enemy armour units if it has to.

Advantages: Speed, adaptability and same basic parts used in all configuration.
Disadvantages: not as heavily armoured as units such as a battlesuit.

PW, how much of a difference in cost is this setup?

Missed me Piecewise.

Updated.

"Halberd"Rapid Battle Unit
Cost: 15 tokens. 5 for individual weapons.
Armour: Electro Reactive Armour and/or Thinned Battle suit plate
Height: Around 13 ft (how many meters is that?) tall for most configurations.
Weapons: 1 Coilgun or equivalent rapid fire weapon along with a choice of either a under barrel rocket launcher or a bayonet type weapon. 1 mech scale dagger or sword type weapon for melee. 2x shoulder blades or 2x Gauss cannon or 1x Gauss cannon and 1x Shoulder blade. 1 optional wrist mounted shield made of battle suit plate.

Movement: Roller blade style system mounted on feet to allow for quick movement across most surfaces with ability to be stowed inside the feet to allow for movement on rougher surfaces such as a wreckage strewn fields or mountains.
Cargo: 1 Pilot and/or AI controlled.
Support: Auto repair kit.

Operation: This configuration is designed to rapidly engage enemy forces while being supported by other Halberds and other friendly units including infantry and air support. And if equipped with a under barrel rocket launcher, it can engage enemy armour units if it has to.

Advantages: Speed, adaptability and same basic parts used in all configuration.
Disadvantages: not as heavily armoured as units such as a battlesuit.

PW, how much of a difference in cost is this setup?

Missed me Piecewise.

Hmm. Well the battle suit plate shield is gonna put some strain on the budget. The bot itself, along with the blades are cheap. Gauss cannons are gonna be normal cost. Really the suit itself is gonna be like 12 or so, and the weapons you chose to use with it will range from like 3 to over 10. So which of those weapons you chose to use is going to make a big difference. I wouldn't recommend trying to use them all.

[Tavik Toth]

The shield is also optional so some people might not use it.

Test how a Halberd des against a UWM tank.

Standard Configuration:
1x Coilgun w under-barrel rocket launcher
2x Shoulder blades.
1x Sword
1x battlesuit plate shield

 

[Radio Controlled]

Would you think that somewhere in the middle of a battlesuit and avatars size be good?

I'd personally advise you to keep it as small as possible. Between Mk.III and battlesuit at most. Because the bigger it gets, the more situations the pilot/wearer won't be able to advance or enter.

Also, I think going for either a decent shield or body armor would be better than trying to get both, for cost reasons.

Since I have the Hunterbot CPU already, how much would it cost to have a standard robobody outfitted with it and supporting computer hardware? And how would that thing work mechanics-wise?

Eh, not a whole lot. 3-4 tokens.

And you'd get an adaptive, dangerous robot which runs on absolute logic.

Mechanics wise it would be an NPC with some bonuses and unique behaviors.

Interesting. And if we were to integrate the CPU into an existing robobody or suit which already has a pilot, would that be the same cost, or lower? And how would that work? Would the occupant get a support ai (like a less sexy Cortana) and would it have any bonuses to rolls or something?

[Tavik Toth]

Would you think that somewhere in the middle of a battlesuit and avatars size be good?

I'd personally advise you to keep it as small as possible. Between Mk.III and battlesuit at most. Because the bigger it gets, the more situations the pilot/wearer won't be able to advance or enter.

Also, I think going for either a decent shield or body armor would be better than trying to get both, for cost reasons.

Since I have the Hunterbot CPU already, how much would it cost to have a standard robobody outfitted with it and supporting computer hardware? And how would that thing work mechanics-wise?

Eh, not a whole lot. 3-4 tokens.

And you'd get an adaptive, dangerous robot which runs on absolute logic.

Mechanics wise it would be an NPC with some bonuses and unique behaviors.

Interesting. And if we were to integrate the CPU into an existing robobody or suit which already has a pilot, would that be the same cost, or lower? And how would that work? Would the occupant get a support ai (like a less sexy Cortana) and would it have any bonuses to rolls or something?

I didn't plan for it to do things like entering buildings. I planned for it to assist other units like battlesuits in a combine arms style or even on teams of 5-6 Halberds, either all the same configuration if its a normal team or even several different configurations in each team if possible. Several teams can also work together if one team doesn't have the equipment to face a threat.

[Radio Controlled]

I didn't plan for it to do things like entering buildings. I planned for it to assist other units like battlesuits in a combine arms style or even on teams of 5-6 Halberds, either all the same configuration if its a normal team or even several different configurations in each team if possible. Several teams can also work together if one team doesn't have the equipment to face a threat.

Aha, that helps. Yeah, in that case battlesuit size should be fine.

[Tavik Toth]

I didn't plan for it to do things like entering buildings. I planned for it to assist other units like battlesuits in a combine arms style or even on teams of 5-6 Halberds, either all the same configuration if its a normal team or even several different configurations in each team if possible. Several teams can also work together if one team doesn't have the equipment to face a threat.

Aha, that helps. Yeah, in that case battlesuit size should be fine.

13ft isn't much higher, correct?

[Radio Controlled]

I didn't plan for it to do things like entering buildings. I planned for it to assist other units like battlesuits in a combine arms style or even on teams of 5-6 Halberds, either all the same configuration if its a normal team or even several different configurations in each team if possible. Several teams can also work together if one team doesn't have the equipment to face a threat.

Aha, that helps. Yeah, in that case battlesuit size should be fine.

13ft isn't much higher, correct?

I'd aim for 10-11 feet max, personally. But again, you should ask pw how small the suit, in its current form, could be made, so we know what to compare.

[Tavik Toth]

I didn't plan for it to do things like entering buildings. I planned for it to assist other units like battlesuits in a combine arms style or even on teams of 5-6 Halberds, either all the same configuration if its a normal team or even several different configurations in each team if possible. Several teams can also work together if one team doesn't have the equipment to face a threat.

Aha, that helps. Yeah, in that case battlesuit size should be fine.

13ft isn't much higher, correct?

I'd aim for 10-11 feet max, personally. But again, you should ask pw how small the suit, in its current form, could be made, so we know what to compare.

I might make a variant based off of the melee armour shrike and the other one used before the double blade.

[Parisbre56]

A small test before I continue working on the drones:
I know this might seem useless but bear with me, this thing has a purpose as part of a larger project..

What's the most expensive sensory equipment I could get my hands on/can find in the VR? Some kind of Manipulator-based sensor?

Take a battlesuit-sized exoskeleton. Fill it with all manners of the most powerful sensory equipment I can find. Everything I can fit on it that wouldn't make it ridiculously expensive. Seismic, electro-resistive, sonar, spectrometers, radar, anything. Be sure to put them in the appropriate place for best reception (seismic sensors in the legs for example).

Then add a helmet that can save and process the gathered data and can output it as something useful that humans can understand and use.

Spawn two NPCs in a maze with sections made of random materials. One NPC has the sensor suit, the other a normal battlesuit-sized exoskeleton. Then spawn a bunch of Sod guards inside the maze hostile to them.

Is there any measurable increase in success with using the sensor suit to escape the maze? (no cheating/jumping over/breaking walls) Any materials the sensor suit can't see through?

[piecewise]

A small test before I continue working on the drones:
I know this might seem useless but bear with me, this thing has a purpose as part of a larger project..

What's the most expensive sensory equipment I could get my hands on/can find in the VR? Some kind of Manipulator-based sensor?

Take a battlesuit-sized exoskeleton. Fill it with all manners of the most powerful sensory equipment I can find. Everything I can fit on it that wouldn't make it ridiculously expensive. Seismic, electro-resistive, sonar, spectrometers, radar, anything. Be sure to put them in the appropriate place for best reception (seismic sensors in the legs for example).

Then add a helmet that can save and process the gathered data and can output it as something useful that humans can understand and use.

Spawn two NPCs in a maze with sections made of random materials. One NPC has the sensor suit, the other a normal battlesuit-sized exoskeleton. Then spawn a bunch of Sod guards inside the maze hostile to them.

Is there any measurable increase in success with using the sensor suit to escape the maze? (no cheating/jumping over/breaking walls) Any materials the sensor suit can't see through?

What do you want to be sensing and on what scale? Before I give you an electron scanning microscope and you want the Hubble Telescope.

Uh, I think you're gonna have a bit of a problem if you put them on a mobile platform. I mean, the seismic sensor is going to be picking up the vibrations of the legs continuously doing micro corrections to keep standing, let alone what happens when you move. Being the most sensitive things possible also means they're gonna be very prone to interference. Plus some of them, like gravity detectors, take several hours to calibrate themselves to any particular area.

I understand what you're trying to do here, but as it is you're gonna end up with a 120 token suit covered in easily damaged sensors that would need to be completely shut down and stationary for hours before being able to use all its sensors. And the thing about it is, you're not really going to be able to get a computer set up in such a way as to interpret all this stuff and combine it into a single screen without that single screen just being a fucking mess. I mean here, watch this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5xmo7iJ7KA

They have a giant array designed specifically to see through walls and it still only sort of works and produces blobby images that have to be interpreted by the user. With all those things in tandem and with all the meaningless background noise, it would require a specially trained operator to get anything out of it.

sorry that didn't really work out. Have a consolation prize
http://cyberneticzoo.com/

Would you think that somewhere in the middle of a battlesuit and avatars size be good?

I'd personally advise you to keep it as small as possible. Between Mk.III and battlesuit at most. Because the bigger it gets, the more situations the pilot/wearer won't be able to advance or enter.

Also, I think going for either a decent shield or body armor would be better than trying to get both, for cost reasons.

Since I have the Hunterbot CPU already, how much would it cost to have a standard robobody outfitted with it and supporting computer hardware? And how would that thing work mechanics-wise?

Eh, not a whole lot. 3-4 tokens.

And you'd get an adaptive, dangerous robot which runs on absolute logic.

Mechanics wise it would be an NPC with some bonuses and unique behaviors.

Interesting. And if we were to integrate the CPU into an existing robobody or suit which already has a pilot, would that be the same cost, or lower? And how would that work? Would the occupant get a support ai (like a less sexy Cortana) and would it have any bonuses to rolls or something?

Cheaper, or about the same, really. But what you'd get, as it is, is a sort of "Autonomous mode" you could turn on or off. It wouldn't really be able to function as support, at least as it is now. It would be all on or all off. Could be useful for a battle suit, though, if the pilot dies or needs to get out for some reason.

The shield is also optional so some people might not use it.

Test how a Halberd des against a UWM tank.

Standard Configuration:
1x Coilgun w under-barrel rocket launcher
2x Shoulder blades.
1x Sword
1x battlesuit plate shield

 

If it's effective against a battle suit a tank isn't gonna stand much of a chance.

[Parisbre56]

Ah, I see. I was trying the reverse tinker procedure of trying to see what I could get and then building off of that towards my goal. Let me try the normal tinker procedure: Stating my goal and then looking for equipment to achieve it.

Project name: One-eyed King (O.K.)
Sub-project name: Sandman's shroud

Take an exoskeleton. Put two sandbags on it. Then have the bags' sand be computer controlled (should be possible since it already is in a way).

There are three dials, an on/off switch and an emergency trigger.
Once the system is turned on, the sand will exit the bags and begin circling around the user. When turned off, it will return to the user's bags. Sensors will ensure that the sand keeps a small but safe distance from the user, so that he doesn't get hurt.

One dial controls how fast the sand is rotating, one controls the distance from the user and one controls the density of the sand cloud (how close the sand particles are to each other).

The emergency trigger causes some of the sand around the user to fly towards the exoskeleton and then solidify a short distance from it to form armour. (Not too short though, don't want to entomb the exoskeleton. Think of it as spaced armour.) The longer the trigger is pressed, the more sand is used to form the armour and the thicker it gets. (This would work better if it was automated but I'm keeping it manual for now.)

Spawn the above system and search through sensors until I find something that can see through the sand cloud.
Would sonar work? Or a combination of different sensors? Or sensor pods further away from the exoskeleton, like eye stalks?

Then test the result against sods with laser and gauss rifles.
Is unhardened sand effective protection against those weapons?
What about hardened?
Is it effective in reducing visibility of the enemy?
Is the sand effective at killing sods or at least blinding them long enough for the suit to close in and kill them?
Any problems other than that it can't work in vacuum?