Infomorphs have high aptitude caps, but no bonuses there. It's weird, because as digital entities, if run on fast hardware they should be able to think quicker and/or use some programs simulating special abilities of good (like menton-good) brains. Well - let's say, that they are crappy, because something have to be sacrificed to effectively shield fragile human minds from alien virtual existence. Well - that doesn't really explain, why AGI infomorphs are equaly mentally crappy - maybe they are similiar to humans and need equal protection, or maybe chains preventing them from quick self improvement are so heavy?
What if virtual morph isn't optimized for being user friendly? Here is one:
Experimental Quantum Infomorph. Normal infomorph integrated with special software framework boosting infomorph's reaction time, cognition and capable of utilizing both quantum and massive computing power. Unfortunately this morph is alien and somewhat uncomfortable for human mind, which results in weakened willpower of sleeved ego.
normal mode
COG +5, REF +10, WIL -5
quantum mode (must be run on quantum computer)
COG +20, INT +10, REF +10, WIL -10
server mode (must be run on server)
COG +10, INT +5, REF +10, WIL -5
quantum server mode (must be run on quantum server)
COG +30, INT +15, REF +10, WIL -15
Changing between modes requires WIL*3 roll, failure causes 1d10 : 2 points of mental stress (but switch is made). Additionaly just existing in EQI sleeve without psychological assistance causes 1d10 : 2 SV every month, or every week when in server modes.
Designers of EQI planned to neutralize weakening effect of EQI on user's willpower with special algorithms, but it prooved disastrous. Removed from EQI this algoritms can be used as narcoalgorithms, neutralizing negative WIL modifier (and in normal mode even giving +5 on top of that) for 6 hours, but addicting mentally and if used too often deteriorating mental health (1d10 : 2 SV if WIL*3 failed) with each dose, leading to megalomania.
Welcome! These forums will be deactivated by the end of this year. The conversation continues in a new morph over on Discord! Please join us there for a more active conversation and the occasional opportunity to ask developers questions directly! Go to the PS+ Discord Server.
Different types of infomorphs
Thu, 2009-12-10 18:06
#1
remade
Different types of infomorphs
Thu, 2009-12-10 18:40
#2
Wild_Cat
Re: Different types of infomorphs
Indeed, and they do: infomorphs have a Speed of 3 instead of the usual 1. Also, given the right hardware they can be run in accelerated time, making them even faster (that's how the Lost got 18 years of experience in only 4 or 5 -- the end result was a spectacular failure but the tech was and still is there).
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Come baguette some!
Thu, 2009-12-10 19:11
#3
remade
Re: Different types of infomorphs
Simple mental speed nanoware gives 2 extra complex mental actions - and you can still throw something on top of that. By book rules infomorphs are sloooooooooow (because not upgreadable) and weak mentally. Of course, they can always multiply like rabbits given good hardware, but that concerns all egos.
Fri, 2009-12-11 02:04
#4
Wild_Cat
Re: Different types of infomorphs
I'm pretty sure that both implants that give +2 mental actions per turn are explicitly stated to be incompatible with any other Speed-enhancing 'ware. Funnily enough, it's by going crazy with physical augmentations (lv. 2 neurachem + that other implant whose name escapes me at the moment but which gives another +1) that you can go beyond that limit.
I still have to read that part of the rules but I expect time dilation can run an infomorph at at least *3 speed, giving it an effective 9 actions per turn and making its task actions 3 times faster (something no implant that I'm aware of can do).
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Come baguette some!
Fri, 2009-12-11 07:20
#5
Zophiel
Re: Different types of infomorphs
I was just looking at this today. None of the multiple action abilities combine and they're all +2. So an infomorph is, on average, dumber than a remade with multi-tasking (because no stat bonuses). Time dilation applies only to VR simulspaces which don't interact with the outside world. It goes up to 60x speed. Now this is great but it works for anyone. A menton, remade or infomorph (or anyone else, but those are the smart types) can jack in, speed up, fire off three delta forks and write code at +30 to the roll (teamwork) and 1/60 the time. Neat, but no advantage infomorph.
The stat cap of 40 is their only real bonus, one shared only by reapers and remades. Keep in mind that the latter are two of the most expensive morphs in the game, though. Infomorphs, on the other hand, are zero points. Those 60 points are a pretty big deal. And unlike a Reaper or Remade, an infomorph's stat of 40 is always a 40. If a Remade morph is killed and his backup has to live as an infomorph, his stats go down because he loses the morph bonus.
Fri, 2009-12-11 15:54
#6
remade
Re: Different types of infomorphs
Yeah - that CP prices of starting morphs are artificial - I don't even look at them (synth available everywhere for 30 CP? come on), i prefer credits price.
And by the way 30 COG (+10) remade is way better, than 40 COG infomorph. Remade have max starting skill 90 thanks to this +10, additionaly high skills are cheaper. And if remade is forced to resleeve - it is not, that he lost 10 COG, because he spent those CP elsewhere.
Sun, 2009-12-13 06:41
#7
Zophiel
Re: Different types of infomorphs
The more I look at this the more I think you're right that something is a bit off with infomorphs but the less I'm sure what I would do about it. Really, when you're designing a character in EP, you're building an infomorph then opting to sleeve it into something. So in a way the infomorph is the actual character before any mods are added. From that perspective it makes sense that they don't have inherent bonuses.
On the other hand, infomorphs are supposed to be more or less equal to other morphs in terms of capabilities. They're entertainers, politicians, scientists and so forth just like solid morphs. However, it winds up being quite a bit more expensive to buy up even a single attribute by 10 points than it is just to buy an entire morph that will give you that +10 and a bunch of other bonuses. Even then, an infomorph with an aptitude of 40 who gets sleeved later is almost certainly dumbing down either because his aptitude maximum will be lower or through the loss of a redundant bonus. The net result is that infomorphs wind up being less effective. Its simply too expensive to (CP wise) to get the same high base aptitudes, even with the increased maximum.
The problem I see with infomorph types is that there's only a limited amount of rewiring that can be done to software brains. Any advantage given to an infomorph program should also logically be available to sleeved infomorphs (ie everyone else). Like I said, I see the problem but the solution is slippery.
Tue, 2009-12-15 08:43
#8
Wild_Cat
Re: Different types of infomorphs
Actually, no they're not. The main advantage to infomorphs is that they're essentially free to produce and sleeve in. Most infomorph users (and I'm too lazy to dig up the numbers but there's a *lot* of them) use infomorphs because they just don't have a choice -- physical morphs are too expensive, or the waiting list is too long for them. It's a very small subset of the infomorph population that remains as such by choice.
In fact, the most common use case for infomorph PCs (hacking) is better suited to swarmanoids.
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Come baguette some!
Wed, 2009-12-16 06:29
#9
Zophiel
Re: Different types of infomorphs
I don't know that hacking is their most common use. My very first thought was face man/rep monster. After all, these guys can hold three conversations at once, have no expenses and everyone meets via mesh anyway. Except for the rare face to face meeting which requires AR or a Ghostrider, infomorphs have no innate disadvantages (outside of a lack of bonuses) in the social arena and spending 35 rep for a total of 400 rep points to divide is trivial.
Really, though, I was writing a reply in a gear based thread when something hit me. Everyone is designing infomorphs in character creation. You can then spend points on money to buy gear (or more directly on morphs). That's all well and good but those morphs and that gear come and go. After that initial purchase, you're on the same footing as anyone, including an infomorph. So if you're somewhere that morphs are relatively common (say Titan), an infomorph character is going to have an easier time getting a splicer than you are upgrading to a Remade (for example). And if your remade gets killed, there's no guarantee that you will get resleeved into another, or even anything close. Those points you spent aren't a guarantee of future returns.
Fri, 2009-12-18 21:37
#10
The Sandman
Re: Different types of infomorphs
Perhaps offer slightly different rules for AGIs or full-time infomorphs?
For example, make it possible to install cyberware into them. If you do this, it gets treated as a morph boost, not an ego one; it's an extra bit of coding designed for use in the Mesh that doesn't function in a physical body. Also, assuming it isn't already built into the rules, figure that any infomorph is automatically capable of installing skillsofts or (if you rule that they exist) aptitudesofts. Things like that.
Sun, 2009-12-20 07:00
#11
Zophiel
Re: Different types of infomorphs
I can kinda see that, with one major restriction. If you want to install cyberware on a server or PC dedicated to housing your infomorph character, I'd say go for it. What you're doing is essentially buying a cyberbrain and upgrades as an entire morph. Like any other morph, the bonuses only apply when the infomorph is "in" that server, so if you want to egocast somewhere else they don't go with you.
I imagine this'd be a very uncommon thing. Its use is limited pretty much to successful full time infomorphs. Anyone else would just use the money to get a basic splicer and get back into the real world.
On the other hand, might it be possible to give a morph two sets of cyberware? The first to modify whoever is sleeved into it, the second to modify whoever is in a Ghostrider module. I shudder to think about a swarm with four or five cyber-enhanced egos in it (multitasking adds two, Ghostrider for another, Multiple Personality for a fifth, maybe even replace your muse with a sixth).
Tue, 2010-04-06 00:31
#12
fzzy
Re: Different types of infomorphs
I have something like this lined up as a macguffin in my game. A pre-fall all-in-wonder combat body. Set up like a crewed vehicle, one ego runs, another shoots, another is the EW specialist, another communications. One of the players has a similar idea, bought a simple ai designed for combat pods and had it ghostridden to his brain. If he's in danger he just goes on autopilot and hopes for the best.
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When the aliens offer a post-singularity society. Make sure they're not aiming a black hole at your system.