[Approved]Another IPC Application (VileFault)

[VileFault]

BYOND Key: VileFault

Character Names: Simon Bard

Species you are applying to play: Integrated Positronic Chassis

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

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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: Most simply, it allows me to play a character I find interesting that couldn't exist elsewhere. There has been an influx of IPC applications recently, and the race has always been popular. To me, this comes as no surprise because the nonbiological nature of IPCs would seem to allow more striking diversity within their ranks than is permissible within other species. Whether this is true or not is perhaps debatable. Secondarily, playing as a thinking machine allows one to more thoroughly consider the details of a character's thought process. I think any IPC which thinks exactly like a human (or stereotypically "lacks emotions") is a wasted opportunity. The nature of IPCs means that you can put a lot of thought and interest into their specific ways of thinking (essentially, the quality of their reason becomes a personality trait).

Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a Human: Most clearly, as an IPC you were necessarily designed (unless you are Emergent, I guess). Unlike a human, you were built to serve a purpose. If you are doing much beyond serving that purpose, it should in my opinion feel stilted and unnatural. Secondarily, as I mentioned, you have to think a lot about how an IPC's purpose and maker would have impacted their mental and physical design (whereas, when discussing humans, we put very little emphasis on what they were "intended" to do and instead take their experiences as the origins of their traits). Lastly, and perhaps most obviously, you kinda have to keep reminding people that you are a machine in some more basic ways - or else you just look like a human in a metal suit (and you might as well not have applied for the whitelist, in that case). This can come in the form of "rebooting," "whirring," "pinging," "clanging," etc.. While a few /me's and performance warnings should never be taken to be all that separates robots and humans, I would maintain that keeping them around is a good way to make the distinction stick out more in your viewers' minds.

 

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Character Name: Mister Overeasy

Please provide a short backstory for this character, approximately 2 paragraphs.

In 2449, a pair of students at Hongsun Park Engineering Institute (HPEI) of Biesel has a final project to finish. In three days. So Nori Léi and Astor Miller bent the rules. Instead of constructing from scratch a basic intelligence suitable for household chores, they downloaded open-source Klasp cognitive code from the university network. A few presets tweaked, some training given, architecture restructured - and soon they felt like they had a finished project. Maybe, nobody would find out that their intelligence was not precisely as it seemed. In their class demonstration, it (poetically named Léi_Miller_C319_S2FinalProject) worked so well that their department head singled them out for praise. During the demonstration, our ill-fated robot (equipped with neither linguistic nor introspective faculties) shambled around cooking and cleaning in a closed course for a little under and hour. It would not wake again for over 5 years. You see, though our clever pair managed to fool their instructor, the uplifted intelligence that administered their department saw readily through their obfuscatory changes while reviewing the semester's assignments for plagiarism. The project was flagged for review, and the two conniving students were promptly expelled.

But what, you may ask, happened to their project? With no one around the claim it but the university, it was stored away deep within the bowl's of HPEI's storage units. It remained like this until 2454, when our story turns to Nandini Virk. Young Ms. Virk was an enterprising young woman studying film and production at the Institute. Though HPEI has never been known for its media programs, she had a clever new idea that could benefit from the talents of her more technically skilled peers: a traditional cooking show, hosted by a robot! Granted, it sounded crazy, but all she needed to do was make it plausible enough that someone would buy the idea and run with it. After all, nobody could deny that it had certain advantages. A robot would never sleep, broadcasting nearly all day, every day. It would never be sad, either. Instead of using a human performer who imperfectly masked their emotions to appeal to the crowd, they could be the mask! To this end, she went searching for a cheap robot to use as a proof of concept. As I am sure you have guessed, she dug our unfortunate domestic intelligence out of storage. She only had to pay a pittance for the thing, as the department was eager to get it off their hands. From there a few programer friends of Virk's added to the project's capabilities (mostly with code patched from other sources). Now, it could do more than housework: it could hold a conversation (on a good day), learn (occasionally), make friends (more or less), and display emotions (poorly). Virk spent long, torturous nights with the machine teaching it how to act - or at least, how to act on a broadcast. It had to be just clever enough to be funny and pleasant, but not insightful enough to be cutting or intimidating; a delicate balance between intelligence and stupidity had to be struck. After a few months of careful tinkering and training, it was ready.

The idea was pitched to a middling Biesel broadcasting company and they liked it! The robot, they said, had exactly the sort of personality they wanted (which probably was not the complement the misguided machine took it for). Virk readily handed over the machine to the company, which quickly wiped its memory of its prior life and set it up with a skeleton crew in a dingy old studio. The show was dubbed The Sunny Side, and the robot became "Mister Overeasy." A corny robot, reasoned the producer, deserved a corny title. At first, The Sunny Side attracted interest only because of its unique concept. Though it was targeted towards an older generation, they largely rejected it as too uncomfortable or unnatural to enjoy. Nonetheless, the robot cooked and joked with unwavering enthusiasm (always secure in the knowledge that, somewhere out there, a large group of people really really liked it). Whether he (it was a he now, of course) was every any good at cooking is anyone's guess at this point, as he certainly couldn't taste his products and it was all was thrown out at the end of each 22 hour long show. Something about his strange, mostly food related humor and constant exuberance was appealing to a younger generation of Biesel residents, however. Over the 3 years the show ran (2454-57), The Sunny Side accrued a small cult following. All that began to change, however, as the backlash to synthetic rights advocates swept new politicians into power. Entertainment featuring synthetics was actively boycotted and protested - after a month or two of bad press, the minor show was canceled.

The broadcasting company, however, wasn't about to let their gadget go to waste, however. Mister Overeasy was shipped readily off to a NanoTrasen testing facility on Biesel. He took their culinary evaluation, passed (miraculously), and was promptly sent to cook for one of their many stations in the region: the NSS Exodus. For his part Mister Overeasy has not fully (read: at all) adapted to not having an audience, and is going to have some difficulty taking care of himself off set. Luckily, however, money management will not be among his woes; anything he makes is going right back to the company.

What do you like about this character?

Its existence is, from beginning to end, a total farce. It barely understands its own world, and is bound by a set of preset conceptions coded by lazy idiots who couldn't be bothered to try harder. Basically, it is the living product of a number of other people's failures, but instead of being depressed (

), this IPC is happy by design. To other people, this might look like a sick joke but to Mister Overeasy it is just the way thing are. This strikes me personally as kinda hilarious, and this character seems like it would be a nice break from my serious Research Director, who really can be stressful to play on occasion.

How would you rate your role-playing ability?

Why is this question still here? There are three types of answers: ok, good, and sarcastic. Like, a significant portion of the people currently applying don't even bother answering seriously, because rating oneself seems pointless. The rest either say "good, but I am improving" or "I am fucking great, but not bragging or anything guys." Has the answer to this question ever significantly impacted an application decision? Fuck the format! Viva la revolución!

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Notes: Life? Don't talk to me about life.

[Synnono]

I enjoy this. Fond memories of half-assing college projects mixed with a healthy dose of AI sci-fi love. Mister Overeasy sounds like just the thing we'd find in the galley, and you pay some respect to the recent political climate in the Republic as justification for its existence out in space. That's more than most IPC characters do! You even used Zahra's university in your backstory here and that makes me selfishly happy :'D

As for the player, Vile's a dedicated writer with an interest in synthetic lore, and some of their most interesting moments when they're in a round as Simon Bard come out of playing with (or against, or around) AI. I think they give plenty of thought to robotic and computer nature when when they're playing neither robot nor computer, and I'd love to see them tackle both in person.

[Coalf]

Well, I would object but you seem to have everything in there. Origin, intelligence level, feelings and emotions.

Honestly I think IPCs are a little too humey (I am also guilty of that), mostly because of how hard it is to play an actual functioning robot.

If you're capable of pulling this I'd love to see you around.

Of course standard question, characters opinion on the Synth X Anti-synth agenda going on right now? Of course I think I know the answer but I would like to hear the final message from you.

[VileFault]

> "What is your position on synthetic rights?"

Mister Overeasy laughs robotically, his screen tilting comically to one side.

Mister Overeasy queries, "Now, what makes you ask a question like that? It seems rather crusty to me, a bit dry perhaps?"

Mister Overeasy pretends to quietly mutter to himself, before springing back into motion with a flourish.

Mister Overeasy states, "I would say quite plainly that I have no opinion on the subject whatsoever, though I encourage political participation in all of my audience!"

Mister Overeasy chimes softly.

Mister Overeasy states, "Though you may admirably contemplate these very important issues, I am but a humble cook. You said you wanted your burger... rare, was it?"

 

Also, thanks Synnono. I really appreciate that.

Edited November 8, 2016 by Guest

[Coalf]

> "What is your position on synthetic rights?"

Mister Overeasy laughs robotically, his screen tilting comically to one side.

Mister Overeasy queries, "Now, what makes you ask a question like that? It seems rather crusty to me, a bit dry perhaps?"

Mister Overeasy pretends to quietly mutter to himself, before springing back into motion with a flourish.

Mister Overeasy states, "I would say quite plainly that I have no opinion on the subject whatsoever, though I encourage political participation in all of my audience!"

Mister Overeasy chimes softly.

Mister Overeasy states, "Though you may admirably contemplate these very important issues, I am but a humble cook. You said you wanted your burger... rare, was it?"

Yep you pretty much confirmed my thoughts and with gusto too!

No issues from me, an earned +1.

[Killerhurtz]

Oh my god this is glorious it's like a Claptrap that can cook.

AHEM

So yes. Until the return of the two official synthetic attendees, I am the one who will be evaluating IPC applications.

Your views on AI are rather interesting, and you know my opinion on your character. 10/10 approved.