I have a question about this "automated" ship matter (though i apologize for reducting such a large potential thread) and i quote you there :
< 2) It's reasonable to assume a ship could be fully automated and operated by a robotic intelligence but to simulate the robots seen in game there could reasonably be some limitations as follow: a) Such ships might only operate in a set range of functions--perhaps restricted to a single system or a single trade run. They may not be able to program themselves to perform radically different tasks. This can only be an assumption so it cannot be mandated either way. A good example of compromise in this matter is the Harvesters, who pause before action and articulate their "thought process" and the variables they are processing to make a decision, which they then announce.
As the above is already an accepted role play standard (we use that to support the above--not as the sole justification for an automated ship), its reasonable to say, "My ship is automated" as long as some role play is provided in game to demonstrate that and show it at work.>
As you know, i created a kind of automated ship whitch i role play as a kind of spying drone.
here are the specifications :
* scans the area for contacts and determine the threat (friend or foe database)
* scans coms frequencies,
* scans non encrypted transmissions,
* hacks <if the targeted player role play a firewall faillure>(or try to and change target if he don't)
* power up and down systems before and after entering a jump hole to avoid data loss
* transmitting his whole database for saving when near a faction base and uptade systems if near the source
* engage evade program if hostiles are spoted,
* engage combat stance program if no escape is possible but turn to evade mode if the possibility comes.
* communicate with faction station to get waypoint orders (if the ship comes to systems where no faction ship or station are, it is then full automated but only to perform its goal with only the evade and combat program and database on) ... ex : ship is in new york system, have to go to sigma 13 ... there are no faction stations or ship (usually) in kusari so it's on its own there and uses a route program uptaded before jump.
in game this appears like that :
<powering up systems>
<diagnostic system>
<all systems are on line> or <system malfunction> ===> return to nearest base or ship
<scanning area for contacts>
<scanning frequencies>
<proceeding to waypoint>
during this process ... the ship don't react if attacked (believe me, sometimes you'd better be a good typewriter to avoid destruction)
before a hole jump (not gates that i believe data secured)
<processing database>
<transmitting data> (if a base or faction ship is in the system)
<powering down systems>
<engaging autojump>
when somelone is calling me, i only <scan transmission> and if some usefull info is given i <uptading database>
the only character i give an <acknoledged> to an info are other AI characters for they can speak with datalanguage and i supose they did since they detected an AI onboard
and at last.. if a faction ship is communicating with me ... the program first <scan transmission> then <processing database> then <searching for clearance> if there is no clearance it treat this one a any other, if there is a clearance then the AI transmit a secured recorded vocal message and wait for the faction ship to send it his Clearance ID to be connected to the person who controls truelly the ship (also if stations or ship are near for relaying).
Well sorry for extended so far, but i was wanting all to be clear ... and this is what i want to know ... typing all of these "functions" witch are the ship language like anyone would say "hail new york" or "give me 2 millions at once or face my guns", typing these then seems to annoy some other player ... i heard sometimes (in new york mostly) "stop flooding" or "do you really think an AI would say on coms ?" .. or course i like this ai roleplay and don't want to play as a mute ... but all of this seems to be intrusive to other people and they rarelly follow it (excepting for a hack game with a xeno ship who fairly played the game by "failling down" his firewall to give some info before powering off it ... or these harvester i recently met)
so the question is (at last lol) ... should i keep on or should i save bandwith with my silence ?
