Quick and Dirty Drones and Robots in GURPS

These rules are intended solely as a quick kit-bash, to design robots that are roughly man-sized or smaller using the GURPS rules. All costs and stats are figured in comparison to a normal person. Determine the cost for each section; add them together to determine final cost. All robots share the “Machine” meta-trait (GURPS Basic, p263). This basic trait costs $1000; the listed advantages and disads modify this by 1% per character point.

Brain – Use the rules in GURPS Ultratech (p21-30) to purchase appropriate hardware and software to serve as a robot brain. Running a drone requires a Complexity 3 program, of normal price.

Chassis - The basic structure of the robot, into which everything else is added. It determines the base cost of the robot body, as well as the ST, DX and HT of the robot. ST represents the basic structure of the robot, as well as it’s ability to manipulate the environment. Size and HP are based on ST. DX represents the robots ability to manipulate the environment, move with finesse, and react quickly. HT represents the structural integrity of the system, and it’s ability to function under duress. This is different from gross ability to resist damage, which is better shown by HP.

ST Base Cost = ST x $200

· Either “No Fine Manipulators” or “No Manipulators” are worth a -25% discount on ST cost.

· Any amount of ST may be purchased as either “Striking ST” or “Lifting ST” at 50% of list price.

· Extra HP can be purchased for $100 each, representing a larger, more robust robot body.

DX Base Cost = DX x $500

· Bad Grip is worth -10% per level, up to -5

· Ham-Fisted is worth -15% or -30% depending on which level is used.

· High Manual Dexterity costs +10% per +1 bonus, up to +5

HT Base Cost = HT x $100

Motive Systems - Robots are capable of moving around in a variety of ways, with legs, tracks, or wheels being the most common. This rule set assumes that a robot can move on normal ground at a speed appropriate to (DX + HT)/4, just like any other character. This is then modified by adding up the character point cost of any additional motive systems, and then multiplying them by a dollar amount. Some common advantages and disadvantages are listed below:

Base Motive Cost: Final Calculated Point Cost of Motive Advantages/Disads x $100, or $200 for flight-related equipment

Advantages: Amphibious, Catfall, Enhanced Move, Flight, Perfect Balance, Super Climbing, Super Jump, Terrain Adaptation, Tunneling

Disadvantages: No Legs, Reduced Move

Sensors – All robots in this system come with a basic sensory package, including sight and hearing equivalent to human norms. The standard robot thus suffers from “No Sense of Smell/Taste” and “Numb”, having no gustatory senses, and only limited touch.

· Adding a sense of taste/smell costs $1000.

· Adding a human equivalent sense of touch costs $1000

Adding additional systems, such as IR vision, parabolic hearing, rad sensors and so forth are fairly simple. There are a great number of options, all with a character point cost of some sort.

Base Sensor Cost: Final Calculated Point Cost of Sensor Advantages/Disads x $200

Other Systems – There are an infinite number of optional pieces of equipment that can be added to a robot. In general, one should use the following guidelines:

1) If the gear can be found in a GURPS sourcebook, use that price.

2) If it cannot, but it can be expressed as an ability with Character Points, use “CP x $100” as your normal benchmark.

3) If neither of these apply, ask the GM.

EXAMPLE: “Danger” (rigger) and “Boomer” McCreaty (techie) get together to produce a proper drone for the netrunner to use on hostile runs. They just made big bank stealing ceramic dentures from little old ladies, so they have some funds to spend. After a weekend drinking Snogboggen Beer and designing the drone, they obtain the parts and assemble the drone, a hideous mechanical spider the size of a house cat. The thing is cheap and dirty, and requires that Danger actively run it if he wants it to do anything more complicated than “stay over there, watch that door”.

1) The pair start with a “small” computer (Complexity 4) and a “Drone” program, for $200 and .5lbs.

2) They build a fairly small body, with unexceptional performance. ST-4 ($800), DX-10 ($5000), HT-10 ($1000). But since Danger will use it for electronics, he gives it “High Manual Dexterity +2”. That’s a +20% to the DX… another $1000. A DR5 shell is $500. Total is $8300.

3) The bot doesn’t fly or anything, but it needs to climb and stick to walls. That’s “Clinging”, for $2000.

4) In addition to the usual senses, Danger needs the bot to see in the dark and have some sense of touch. “Night Vision +9” costs $1800, and Touch costs $1000.

5) Finally, the little bot has some equipment installed – an electronics mini-toolkit ($400) and a TL9 7.5mm holdout pistol ($240). More could easily be added, but this will do for now.

The complete drone costs $13,640 if assembled from new components. If Danger and Boomer are willing to cut some corners on reliability, shop for used parts, steal some stuff, and ignore important safety practices, they can probably get it down to about 50% of that. The end product weighs about 15lbs, and fits easily in a duffel-bag. More importantly, it allows the netrunner to participate in things more fully, albeit in a limited capacity.