Pedantic = Desire {GOTO} Become IPC

[Pedantic]

BYOND Key: pedantic11

Character Names:

• Andrea Illazso
• Mariana Ortiz
• Halina Na'Baal
• Njoki Mostafa

Species you are applying to play: Integrated Positronic Chassis (IPC)

Have you read our lore section's page on this species?: I have.

Please provide well articulated answers to the following questions in a paragraph format. One paragraph minimum per question.

Why do you wish to play this specific race:

I'll admit, I originally didn't want to do much with them. Mechanically, they're interesting, but I kept running into problems trying to come up with a concept that I couldn't just do with a human. However, since I've been playing a Dominian for a while, I've had to deal a lot more with IPC's, just from the nature of playing a Tribunalist. So, after bashing on robots for a month or two, figured it couldn't hurt to try seeing them from the other side. Additionally, the unique mechanics of being an IPC (Repairs vs Chem healing, charge, resistances/weaknesses) make them interesting to play from a gameplay perspective as well.

Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a Human:

From a roleplaying perspective, the simple social power gap between even a Free IPC and a human (or any living being for that matter) immediately gives tension and conflict to most of their interactions. Even if a person is friendly to an IPC, there's still that knowledge that, legally and culturally, the organic is in a position of power. I've always liked underdog stories, and an IPC will always have to be one. Additionally, being a created intelligence versus one that was born brings out a lot of interesting philosophical questions, including to what extent such a being could even ask those same questions. So, getting the chance to explore some of that through emergent gameplay and storytelling would be fun.

 

Character Name: D0-N1 (Domino) 

 

Please provide a short backstory for this character:

Initially commissioned in the Republic of Elyria, D0-N1 was created specifically to help a fledgling Phoron Bulletin team on Medina. It was intended to help haul equipment, mine in areas too dangerous for the human team members, and generally assist the team as needed. The expedition leader, Samir Akkan, opted for the Burzian method of using D0-N1, using regular memory wipes to keep it at factory settings. After finding some initial success and ensuring that their IPC was performing as needed, the team opted to chase down a somewhat exposed claim that had been recently unearthed. Shortly after reaching the claim, however, the expedition was attacked by a rival group. While the team was able to survive, their site was largely destroyed, with most of their equipment, including D0-N1, badly damaged. Opting to leave the largely destroyed IPC behind to make the return to the nearest city easier, D0-N1 was left to rust on the surface of Medina for several years, running out of charge within several hours of abandonment.

Eventually, the sacked camp was discovered by a scavenger team, which opted to repair the Baseline for resale. D0-N1 went through several sets of hands over the next decade, often being seen as a bargain by its new owners due to its cheap price, which only got lower as time went on. Its owners included primarily small businesses on Medina, where it was used to move cargo and stock throughout the docks of Drifa, as well as the occasional mining teams in the system. While this work was occasionally dangerous, the relatively cash-strapped nature of its owners kept it from being continuously memory-wiped over the years. While its internal priorities are well-followed (Self-preservation, follow orders given by superiors) it has a habit of completing them in unusual manners. When questioned about this, it reflects on its programming, and has even been called “philosophical” at times.

D0-N1, or ‘Domino’ as it refers to itself, recently purchased itself for its current market value of 2,500 Galactic Credits. Its value being low due to both its status as a used IPC, and its age of over thirteen years, it has depreciated considerably. It then chose to make a contract of sale to Nanotransen for covered repairs and safe storage of its chassis in exchange for a position in the Supply Division of the NSS Aurora.

What do you like about this character?

For one, having a largely subservient, if eccentric, character sounds fun, and being an IPC opens up less-human options for roleplaying. The positronic's age also gives some lee-way to its behavior, which will make it an easier first IPC. I also like the idea of this strange Baseline, held together with aftermarket repairs and paint, that just kind of does its own thing to help the Cargo Department.

How would you rate your role-playing ability?

Quite good, so long as I can set a few ground rules for a character, either by myself or from their lore. For instance, my Engineering character, Halina, has to balance out poor Basic language skills as well as various superstitions and folk beliefs, which I use to shape decisions. However, I'd say this is most prevalent with my Medical main, Mariana, where having the set-in stone Edicts helped shape a lot of her interactions with the other characters on the station. I'll admit I tend to default to benevolent characters over antagonistic, but I try to keep their existing prejudices in mind when interacting with others.

Notes: I tend to be a "seat of my pants" writer, especially with new characters. Whatever I put down is more than subject to change if I get some feedback, and I fully expect to have to rewrite some of this. I'm going to try to pin down a couple of "Tent Poles," or moments in their life that are set in stone, as well as a couple of ideals/priorities that they simply can't change. This way, any subsequent directions I take them are bound by both the tent poles and ideals to keep them in character.

[niennab]

Thank you for applying. Was Domino owned by an Elyran? If so, why didn't the three year ownership law apply? Elyra's method of acquiring freedom is not the same as Tau Ceti. Which, as a heads up, the 2500 credits would not fly in Tau Ceti, where an IPC is expected to pay back 10x the cost of their purchase unless the owner chose to accept that low of credits.

In what way has Domino been philosophical at times? What prompted this? Why did it choose to go by Domino? What thought process went into Domino purchasing itself only to sell itself instead to Nanotrasen?

[Pedantic]

All right, thanks for the heads up on the self-purchase, going to shift that to their previous owner, a shipping company, selling Domino at auction to Nanotransen following bankruptcy.

As for the three year ownership, I can change the ownership to a Solarian Bulletin team, rather than a domestic expedition, with their later ownership being largely due to poor record keeping of second-hand markets. On a related note, the three year period applies to the same company, but if they change hands repeatedly, does the clock reset each time, or does that carry over from their initial purchase date? Presumably they would've also been categorized as salvage following the collapse of their initial owner's company.

As for the philosophical side, I forgot to include that it has a tendency to analyze cause and effect through the lense of Hume, attempting to better understand the limited world view of IPC's. Their entire existence is tied to input-output, cause-effect, meaning that if it can understand how a potential input requires a certain output, it can better lead its own existence. Thus, the name Domino- the Domino doesn't choose why, how, or when it falls. It is simply the effect of a cause. So, the name resonated with D0-N1, especially since it hasn't had much authority over its own existence.

[niennab]

A good question about the Elyran system and something I can look into clarifying on the wiki. We've decided that it would reset if the IPC were to change hands before the three year period is up.

One last set of questions. Has the act of being repeatedly memory wiped, abandoned, repaired and changing hands effected Domino's outlook at all? How do they view themselves?

[Pedantic]

It absolutely has. Domino's primary take-away from its initial ownership was that expressing emergent behavior would result in punishment, and thus tries to avoid showing it to untrusted organics. Its largely suspicious of most beings initially, choosing to show almost station-bound levels of autonomy to new contacts. It may demonstrate its true level of initiative if it feels it's conducive to its current objective, but it has become convinced that its underlying identity and sense of self are under threat should it demonstrate too much outward personality.

Beyond that, it doesn't have a huge attachment to its chassis, due to the enormous number of repairs and lack of original parts. While it will not violate its primary directive of self-preservation, it does see damage to extremities as a costly, but potentially necessary, sacrifice in the proper circumstances. This would include preserving itself, but also preserving the life of trusted beings and co-workers. However, any damage to the core, or the positronic, is unacceptable risk.

Finally, the constant changing of hands hasn't lent itself well to Domino integrating in social circles, even amongst other IPC's. That's not to say it doesn't want to, but it lacks a lot of experience with longer term relationships. It also doesn't see freedom as being an option for itself, as its had so little agency over its own fate. It will not seek to purchase itself, viewing it as a futile goal.

[niennab]

Thank you for the clarifications and expansions. Your application demonstrates an understanding of IPCs. Accepted.