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(Meta)Humanoid Drones?

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JustADude

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« on: <01-22-12/0554:29> »
Okay, so I've noticed that, despite Mimic being listed in the Mods section, there's really only one or two drones that, from the writeup, seem like they could even hope to pass for close enough to Metahuman to make use of it. Am I missing something, or are there really that few options for humanoid robots?
« Last Edit: <01-22-12/0603:52> by JustADude »
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KarmaInferno

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« Reply #1 on: <01-22-12/0908:59> »
So far, there's just the Akiyama/Otomo/Tomino line of cyborg drone bodies, and the Manservant.

War! introduces the Mitsuhama Chinpira, which is described as being the shape of a troll, but the stats fail to match the fluff - no "anthroform" or "humanoid" descriptor, no mechanical arms.

I am personally convinced the Evo Orderly is the victim of a misunderstanding on the part of the artist. The fluff makes no indication that it carries passengers at all unlike the Steed entry previous, and in fact comment that doctors often remotely rig the units to perform medical operations so they can service hundreds of patients without having to travel to the location. But the artwork shows it as a walking wheelchair. So I think it got errata'd to remove the "humanoid" descriptor because that was the easiest way to reconcile the text with the art.

As a Missions player that runs a rigger using a gimpy Manservant with Mimic because there's no affordable alternative, I would dearly love to see the Orderly's errata rescinded, and more anthroforms introduced.


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Kat9

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« Reply #2 on: <01-22-12/0936:01> »
I'm all about anthroforms, I've mentioned it in a few posts on the subject now. I hope the devs read the forums and toss out a "On Solid Footing" or something book. I mean Deadly Waves?

Boats?


... really?

Back on track though, animal shaped drones, humanoid shaped drones, "What the frag is that" shaped drone. All on legs.  You know, its my opinion that a guard facing a steel lynx is going to respect it. They know its an armed, armored drone but they've faced that before. However if they're faced with a snarling, roaring quadruped hellbeast they have never seen  before (thanks to the  as much as I hate the phrase "pimped ride" option) they might just be a little off their A game.

JustADude

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« Reply #3 on: <01-22-12/1611:55> »
Yeah, that's about what I thought, Karama, and I agree totally about the Orderly having been screwed by the Artist.

Also, +1 for wanting a book of humanoid and animal walkers.
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Mirikon

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« Reply #4 on: <01-22-12/1811:04> »
Kat, how many Shadowrun settings have large stretches of coastline? Seattle, Manhattan, Los Angeles, Hong Kong... I could go on, but you get my point. Plus, a boat can make for a nice safehouse. I've used the houseboat myself, a couple times. Worked out quite well.

Personally, I'd love to have some more anthroform drones. And I'd love to see the cost/availability for metahuman biodrones.


What? I have an AI rigger that would love to put a more humanoid face on things at the meet.
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Kat9

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« Reply #5 on: <01-22-12/1907:06> »
Sure, I grant you that there are in fact coastlines on many settings. However....how often really do you go out in the water in a typical run? I played a lot of SR3 and I can't say as we really went anywhere that wasn't on wheel, foot or through the air (intentionally or otherwise).

Kat9

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« Reply #6 on: <01-22-12/1916:09> »
Yeah, that's about what I thought, Karama, and I agree totally about the Orderly having been screwed by the Artist.

Also, +1 for wanting a book of humanoid and animal walkers.

Thank you, I like rep!

Seriously though, yeah there needs to be animal walkers too. I mean that little hover drone is nice and all but even Batman knows that using a drone that looks like a real bat can be better to follow someone. Sure you got the bird one and you can say its a bad, but what about a cat. You see them everywhere. I know _MINE_ watches me a lot.

I use two mouse drones, they even have fur. Sure the fur has ruthium coating so I can make them invisible-ish. Even with that off, in the right setting people would ignore them.

I play a gnome. I like the idea of getting drones sculpted to look like Mouse. Someone gets into the van and there are six of him, all looking at them at once. Sort of like Village of the Damned style. Also, sort of helps give the person looking to shoot "the rigger" a multiple choice problem.

Mirikon

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« Reply #7 on: <01-22-12/1921:12> »
As I said, it all depends on where you are. In LA, for instance, half the city is standing water, making a boat (and a chemical wetsuit) essential equipment if you're going to try and avoid the cops. Or if you're in the Carib League, or the Phillipines, or several of the less civilized areas of the world, a boat is more useful than a van. In Seattle, having a boat means you can navigate to different islands (and out into Salish lands) easier than by going through checkpoints.

Boats obviously are of limited use in Denver, I'll agree, but in any city with major coastline and waterways, boats are like any other vehicle, they give you options. The insertion to a corp warehouse on the docks may be easier by sea than by land, yeah?
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« Reply #8 on: <01-22-12/2003:55> »
And having your own plane gives you some mobility of movement, especially if it's legal as far as the world is concerned.

Helicopters are another valuable asset for Shadowrunners, but are typically hired as-needed by rigger contacts.  A Nissan Hound would be damned useful for a Top-Down Insertion.
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Mirikon

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« Reply #9 on: <01-22-12/2028:27> »
Indeed. The limiting factor of air assets is the cost, of course. Anything bigger than a drone that can fly is insanely expensive. Plus, there are limited areas where you can store them. Boats are cheaper, and there is no shortage of marinas in any coastal city where you can stash them, or you can get a trailer and haul them inland, if you want.

That's one of the things I like about the new PDFs. None of the vehicles are Uber, but they are all natural camouflage, because they're common. Really, the only ones I have trouble seeing a use for are the suborbitals, and the other high altitude vehicles, unless you were doing a space campaign.
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« Reply #10 on: <01-22-12/2031:03> »
And even then, they're good for when a target is coming down...  Just to give a feel and an example of what they look like.
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