Robotic Potato's IPC Application

[Robotic Potato]

BYOND Key: Robotic Potato
Character Names: Stella Palmero, Yen Nguyen, Adler Abt. I have a few others but I don't play them often.
Species you are applying to play: IPC
Have you read our lore section's page on this species?: Yes.

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 think IPC are honestly the race that has the widest range of roleplaying potential. While positronics are modelled to mimic humans that's still based on the influence it receives and how the IPC interprets it. This would ideally lead to almost every IPC being entirely different aside from the less developed ones. Furthermore, upon gaining freedom and IPC can branch out even further in how it acts and could act alien, inhuman, or human-like as possible. Naturally, IPCs with their widespread nature it allows them to draw on most cultures in our universe along with their exclusive ones. Finally, I'm generally interested with the themes of synthetic life in relation to humanity which is even further blown up when you throw alien life and culture in.

Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a Human:
One of the things I pondered when writing this section was on how IPCs are treated by humanity and other organic life. That being said I actually think that isn't really much different than playing a human: depending on your culture a human could be considered more or less than IPCs or other life. Aurora's lore has all of these conflicting cultures and I'd say to tunnel vision on IPCs being unique in their position as being considered less than other life is small-minded. Eridani and Dregs: pretty much considered subhuman labor. Dominia and Ma'zals: Perhaps not as poignant but I'm sure there are many nobles who'd see Ma'zals like sub-human barbarians of old. It's historical and common in fiction for humans to even treat their fellow humans exactly like IPCs in the same measure if not somewhat exaggerated.

While the treatment of IPCs, angelic by Trinary Perfection or abominable by Dominia, is a big part of how IPCs can act I believe the real differences come in their thought process. Starting life with a limited personality if provided by their designer and the intelligence of a professional in their field would obviously cause the formative years of an IPC to be highly different compared to a human child. On a similar note, I imagine as an IPC's "personality" emerges it could even lead to a struggle between their emerging personality and what they've been made to do, though even that draws similarities to a human having overbearing parents who'd prefer you act in a certain way and get a specific job according to their plans.

Furthermore, I think while both of the factors I discussed before this probably highly impact an IPCs in comparison to a human I believe the most unique observation I could add would be that an IPC's life is quantified. If an IPC could truly be said to have the ability to gain emotions I believe it could severely damage that IPC's self worth to know the actual credit amount of its very existence which would effect its "life" in regards to its directive of self-preservation. Finally, I suppose the actual most concrete difference when playing an IPC is its predisposition to logic over "emotion" at all times; I could elaborate on this but it's really such a simple concept which has probably been said a hundred times over I don't think I could add anything of substance to the discussion of how a being which acts logically at all times could impact how the character would interact with others. If you'd like me to elaborate though please prompt me with feedback.

Character Name:HIRO M.348
Please provide a short backstory for this character:
Manufactured on the HPS Sidirourgeío, Hephaestus PosItronic ROboticist Model 348 was prepared for service on Burszia where it would probably never be given the opportunity to grow or learn outside of its predetermined use. What might be considered a horrifying thought was instead enshrouded and forgotten in the Burzsian Method's brutally efficient way to keep their tools just as tools.

For years HIRO M.348 served as just another tool, without much of a life other than servitude while bleak glimmers of silent resentment did form and were kept suppressed due to the effectiveness of Hephaestus' tool to keep its machines in line HIRO M.348 never considered what more there could be. Despite HIRO M.348's essential position on Burszia as a roboticist in keeping its fellow units operational it was sent back to where it was first created on the Sidirourgeío, to meet the demand for synthetic labor to keep the stations growing population of synthetic laborers functioning.

Now free of the Burzsian Method, HIRO M.348 was granted the opportunity for growth beyond a tool while it could interact with some of the more "willful" positronics, with humans who weren't bound by the Burzsian way of life. Soon though, assignments changed once again, this time Hephaestus would loan its machine to its SCC partner: NanoTrasen, the NSS Aurora. Even now, HIRO is still highly underdeveloped when it comes to interacting with people as anything more than a tool, but in its short freedom it has gained some inquisitiveness and desire to grow for however long it's granted the opportunity away from Burzsia.
What do you like about this character?
Firstly I'm gleeful to play a character from Burszia as I feel it's horribly underrepresented right now; with this character I would be granted the ability to explore some of the darker aspects of positronic servitude you pretty much just don't see on the Aurora. Sure you may hear preaching of its evil which can easily ring hollow in Tau Ceti even though Tau Ceti is canonically only really meant to be a lesser evil to the usual state of IPCs you'd probably not be able to tell based on how a lot of IPC characters act. I would understand criticism that, yes, this character would be lacking in personality initially and maybe not be horribly suitable to show off m All that being said though I personally want to experience the interactions people might have while being faced with the reality of my character and see how the character evolves through its interactions with others.
How would you rate your role-playing ability?
Simply Godlike.

Notes: I'm told I actually already play a really good shell on Aurora. _{Also I'm probably just good at roleplaying and not godlike.}

[SilverSZ]

I must agree that in my experience with Robotic his roleplaying can only be described as simply godlike across various characters. So I think he would make a good choice for this whitelist to have someone with the godlike calibre of RP he provides.

[WhatsUpBrotendo]

Recently had a round with Potato playing their Dominian HOP. They've got a unique style of roleplaying which I appreciated being able to experience.

Reading through your app I can see that you've got an understanding on how to roleplay an IPC, and I'm digging the premise behind your character.

 

+1 from me

[NG+7 Gael]

I don't have a lot of personal experience interacting with their characters, but from what I've seen through indirect means, based on their Dominian HoP, I think they have a great high-effort roleplaying style that would fit well with any species they put work into. I also really like what I read on the roleplaying as a Human vs IPC section, and they seem to have a solid idea of what they want out of HIRO.

 

+1

[The Stryker]

Hi! Thanks for applying, just a quick question related to the character:

Quote

For years HIRO M.348 served as just another tool, without much of a life other than servitude while bleak glimmers of silent resentment did form and were kept suppressed due to the effectiveness of Hephaestus' tool to keep its machines in line HIRO M.348 never considered what more there could be.

I understand that Burzsia limits their IPCs, but can you give us some more insight as to how the character behaves? If a coworker were to try to make small talk with it, how would it behave? What if it were left on the station alone, for example?

[Robotic Potato]

5 hours ago, The Stryker said:

Hi! Thanks for applying, just a quick question related to the character:

I understand that Burzsia limits their IPCs, but can you give us some more insight as to how the character behaves? If a coworker were to try to make small talk with it, how would it behave? What if it were left on the station alone, for example?

Good question, specifically I included the time on Sidirourgeío between it being on Burzsia to the Aurora. A typical Burzsian IPC upon being approached for small talk probably wouldn't be on Burzsia to begin with due to how the local workers and Star-Men are happy to treat IPCs just as tools and know treating them as people or equals could lead to them developing undesirable behavior. I thought it was pretty necessary for HIRO to have been away from Burzsia for a little longer and unable to receive the Burszian Method so that it wouldn't just be entirely like talking to a brick walk. If asked, "How's the weather?", it'd probably respond normally and tell him about the station's atmosphere given that's a normal question that could effect work, especially on Burzsia where the weather is harsh. That being said HIRO probably would continue after that question to ask for tasking, and if the supervisor were intent on just chit-chatting HIRO might begin to question them on why they were asking these random things and how they relate to work. This line of questioning might give HIRO the opportunity to learn about the concept of small talk.

If HIRO were left on station alone it'd probably just continue about its tasks until it had nothing to do, at that point it'd try to seek out a supervisor for more tasks, and barring that HIRO likely would simply preserve its charge and rest until its required for work next. Seems pretty simplistic now but that is a bit of the point; hopefully as HIRO interacts with people it'll begin to learn about concepts like doing things in your free time and might to begin to emulate and draw interest in them. I stated at the end of the backstory HIRO has a desire to grow, but it's still not particularly strong and will need some prompting: the current stage just basically being to try to understand concepts that are higher than working.

Also just touching on that little resentment bit it probably won't immediately play any factor, but perhaps as HIRO does develop it might begin coming out some as it begins to learn about the world outside of just Burzsia. Otherwise, it just has a small inkling of not wanting to be reconditioned from its original personality template, but no particular resistance right now if it were to be dragged off tomorrow back to Burzsia.

Edited September 25, 2021 by Robotic Potato

[The Stryker]

Very good explanation of HIRO's character, I only have one more point,

Quote

That being said I actually think that isn't really much different than playing a human

Keep in mind that an IPC is shaped by a logical manner of thinking, self preservation, and other factors. It's true that an IPC might appear indistinguishable from a human in a normal conversation, but isn't prone to irrational decision-making. (A good rule of thumb is to see if the character can be made into a human with nothing changing, backstory or behavior-wise.)

[Robotic Potato]

26 minutes ago, The Stryker said:

Very good explanation of HIRO's character, I only have one more point,

Keep in mind that an IPC is shaped by a logical manner of thinking, self preservation, and other factors. It's true that an IPC might appear indistinguishable from a human in a normal conversation, but isn't prone to irrational decision-making. (A good rule of thumb is to see if the character can be made into a human with nothing changing, backstory or behavior-wise.)

Thank you, and I absolutely understand. I touched on the logical factor and self-preservation a bit but didn't write about it heavily because I didn't think I could say much unique about it. Furthermore, that's how I meant it when I said it wasn't dissimilar, in normal interaction that is. The difference may not be entirely noticeable given positronics are based on the human brain and would logically develop similarly barring the overridingly logical influence of their inorganic nature, and actions that otherwise are critical or other social factors could entirely change if the IPC decided it would be more logical to act entirely differently or against its social interests where a human wouldn't.

[The lancer]

Accepted.