PW:cost of robots and droids...?

[Braden Campbell]

"Hey Uncle Owen! This R-2 units's got a bad motivator!"

My playing group currently has no one with any technical or mechanical skills. There is no one among them who can fix their star ship. So they went looking to buy a robot.

I had no idea how much one cost in the 3 Galaxies setting.

On Rifts, your average NAG labour bot is a bout 4 million credits, but this is because they are tough to build, and expensive to program. However, in Phase World, robots should be present in almost every major civilization....so what should the buying cost drop by? 50%? 80%?

[filo_clarke]

In the Aliens Unlimited Galaxy Guide it lists the standard price for a TGE Basic Security Robot (no not THAT TGE). This is a humanoid construct, with basic skills that can be upgraded by buying additional programs, such as Piloting, W.P.'s, Military skills etc. You might be able to redesign the security model with repair in mind and bring the cost down by eliminating armour and integral weapons. However, the cost listed is still around 1 million credits... that's still more expensive than hiring a colorful NPC with a curious accent to fix and maintain the ship.

[Braden Campbell]

Yeah, but I'm the GM.

I guess the first big question is: how common are robots in the 3 Galaxies?

If they are everywhere, then you can buy them cheap. If there has been a Bhuterain Jihad against thinking machines...well, better get a colourful NPC.

[LunarYoma]

Id go with the robots from Aliens unlimited.

[Braden Campbell]

I have decided that the availability of robots (or droids) greatly depends upon where you are in the 3 Galaxies.

We know that the Altess use robots for everything: so I have said that they field vast droid armies. The Armoria officers are "overseers" that make sure the battle droids don't run completely amok.

For whatever reason, I cannot see the Kreeghor building robots. Maybe they lack the technical know-how...and that's why they were so eager to have the Machine People join them. Hey, free robots.

Terrans (CCW humans) hate robots. I think in the good 'ol days of the Human Alliance, "thinking machines" tried to take over humanity, and mankind had to fight back. Then we founded the CCW. Today, Terran TVIA inspectors also make sure that no Human Alliance worlds develop AIs beyond a certain intelligence point...starship computers are fine, but SKYNETs are not.

This will also bring the Terrans into conflict with other CCW members who do use robots. And, I think was the reason that the CCW Congress got tied up in debate as to whether or not to allow the Machine People entry: most members wanted to, the Terrans, and their ever-so-slight majority did not.

So who else would use robots commonly?