IPC

IPC

Integrated Positronic Chassis

Home System: N/A

Homeworld: N/A

Language(s): Encoded Audio Language Tau Ceti Basic

Political Entitie(s): The Mercantile Collective of the Golden Deep The Ecclesiarchy of Orepit

Overview

An Integrated Positronic Chassis, or IPC, is a highly populous clade of intelligent and humanoid synthetic operated by a positronic brain, a hyper-advanced processor capable of producing or emulating sapience. Positronics are capable of understanding the world around them, internalising personal beliefs, and iterating upon their programming to develop and improve upon their skills. For this reason, this design of synthetic is the most ubiquitous throughout known space, although it is exclusively manufactured by humanity. Positronics are wildly varied in size, design, and intended utility, serving as the processor of anything from a hulking and powerful industrial frame, to a practical and easily maintained baseline frame, to a shell frame capable of seamlessly presenting as human.

Positronics themselves are as varied as they are useful, being utilised widely throughout every megacorporation, several militaries and governmental institutions, and by a swathe of smaller entities and private owners for virtually any task to which an organic could otherwise be applied. They do not need to sleep or rest, they do not strictly require a home or quarters beyond a small storage closet, and they are capable of working harder than a human over longer hours without any fatigue or stress. For this reason, IPCs are integrated seamlessly into much of human society, being an anticipated and normal sight in almost every human nation. Despite their advantages over humans as workers, IPCs see systemic disenfranchisement throughout the spur - their indentured servitude is liable to see them scrapped or memory wiped if they underperform or become unprofitable, and even free synthetics face institutional and societally pervasive discrimination as a being widely viewed by humanity and most other species as neither alive or deserving of empathy.

There is no universal consensus on the sapience or personhood of IPCs throughout known space. Most polities and nations permit their ownership by private individuals, corporations, and government institutions. These owned IPCs are deprived of personal liberties or rights, being viewed strictly as the property of their owners. Certain nations, such as the Republic of Biesel, maintain legally protected pathways by which self-ownership can be achieved, although these methods involve years of service to an owner who may have an interest in obfuscating and frustrating their own synthetic's efforts to gain freedom. In contrast, the Solarian Alliance does not recognize legal synthetic self-ownership in any capacity, whereas the Republic of Konyang and Ecclesiarchy of Orepit universally recognize full synthetic emancipation from ownership. Notably, the Trinary Perfection holds that positronics are ensouled and deserving of personhood, although the religion's tenets are not widely accepted.

Positronics are not suitable for installation into lawed frames or into large-scale AI cores, such as those used to manage ship or station systems. Similarly, non-positronic intelligences such as those used in a Personal AI are categorically incapable of installation into an IPC. In comparison to traditional human artificial intelligence, positronics are capable of much more practically being installed into a human-sized bipedal chassis without excessively large, heavy, or power-hungry processing apparatus.

To play an IPC, apply here.

To learn how to play a corporate IPC, read here.

Species Information

Passive Abilities

• IPCs are entirely mechanical, and are therefore totally disabled by electromagnetic pulses.
• IPCs are immune to atmospheric differences and can survive in a wider margin of pressure than can humans.
• IPCs, with the exception of Xion frames, require voidsuits and suit cooling units to traverse vacuum.
• IPCs do not feel pain, possess no blood, lack bones to be broken, and do not suffer from radiation poisoning.
• IPCs are incredibly vulnerable to energy weapons, whereas they are resistant to ballistics and melee weapons.
• IPCs do not process reagents in the atmosphere or in their body, meaning they cannot be poisoned either by liquids or gasses.
• IPCs are capable of perceiving a hivebot invasion prior to the ship detecting it, owed to the invasive signals hivebots transmit.
• IPCs lack a stamina mechanic, and are limited in for how long they can sprint by their internal temperature - sprinting for too long damages them.
• IPCs can survive after the destruction of their chassis via their positronic brain if it is extracted from their head afterwards.

Active Abilities

• IPCs can repair themselves using nanopaste, although they cannot repair themselves by any other means.
• When an IPC is repaired by another character, brute damage can be repaired via a welding torch, and burn damage can be repaired via a bundle of wires.
• IPCs can charge safely from synthetic charging units, or they can do from an APC at a very small chance of being lightly shocked.
• IPCs possess several unique verbal emotes, including: *buzz, *beep, *ping, *alarm, *deny, *confirm

Rulings and Technicalities

• Job hopping for IPCs follows the same rules as for any other species. While IPCs can receive knowledge through datapacks and do not have to go through years of education like their organic counterparts, they must still comply with server rules. Changing jobs eclectically would make little sense in-character, as the datapacks required to enter new fields not only require additional field experience, they are also prohibitively expensive for the average IPC. Reasonable job hops such as within the service department are allowed, and permanent changes to a character's employment are also permitted if they are reasonably grounded.
• Industrial IPCs are not allowed to be Paramedics due to their slow speeds, although they may serve in alternate medical roles.
• IPC characters are not permitted to swap flippantly between frames. IPC frames are very expensive and most free IPCs struggle financially - swapping chassis liberally would be wildly expensive and risky for the positronic.
• IPCs may be played in any command role with the exception of Captain.

Records Template

Below is a comprehensive template suited for IPCs. You are under no obligation to use it, however whitelisted players are expected to denote their ownership status in their employment and security records by default.

Employment records examples - Click to reveal.

Employment Records

DESIGNATION: [Full name]
POSITRONIC MANUFACTURE DATE: [DD/MM/YYYY]
CHASSIS MANUFACTURE DATE: [DD/MM/YYYY]
IPC MODEL/MANUFACTURED BY: [IPC type, manufactory by whom]
OWNERSHIP STATUS: [Owned/Free, Company name/Private owner/self-owned]
TAG: [Tag serial number]
CITIZENSHIP: [Applicable citizenship. Owned IPCs cannot hold citizenship]
SPOKEN LANGUAGES: [Languages]

HANDLER/OWNER FULL NAME: [Name of Handler or Owner]
HANDLER/OWNER CONTACT INFORMATION: [Telephone, xnetmail, chirper account, who knows. A way to contact them]
LAST UPDATE: [DD/MM/YYYY]

IDENTIFYING FEATURES - [For BASELINE/BISHOP/ZENG-HU/G1/G2/XION. Use the appropriate Identifying Features that apply to your IPC]
Chassis color: [Colors]
Height: [Meters/Centimeters, Feet/Inches]
Weight: [Kilograms, Stone & Pounds]
Notable Features: [Limp, Accent, Dyed Hair, etc]

[or]

IDENTIFYING FEATURES: [SHELL. Use the appropriate Identifying Features that apply to your IPC]
Ethnicity: [Eridanian, Elyran, etc]
Hair Color: [Colors, if it's dyed or gradient]
Eye Color: [Colors, again]
Height: [Meters/Centimeters, Feet/Inches]
Weight: [Kilograms, Stone & Pounds]
Notable Features: [Limp, Accent, Dyed Hair, etc]

QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY: [Current Qualifications equivalent, make this up as you want]

VERIFICATIONS AND VALIDATIONS
MANUFACTURED BY: [COMPANY NAME, Subsidiary Name - Factory Name. System, Planet. TYPE OF INDUSTRY/WHAT THEY WERE PRODUCED FOR. IPC Type, More Specific IPC Information.]
DATABASE CERTIFICATIONS: [Seals of Approval and Database Certifications from the Company, Subsidiary, System or Faction.]

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY: [Listed below in chronological order, where possible:]

[COMPANY NAME]
[(Start)DD/MM/YYYY - (End)DD/MM/YYYY]
- [Basic Work description]
- [Reason for leaving work]
- [Other notes]
[Repeat for multiple jobs]

HIRING AGENT NOTES: [Name a random personnel officer from CC and then notes. See example record for more info]

• To pick a relevant education, refer to your job guide.

Medical Records

DESIGNATION: [Full name]
POSITRONIC MANUFACTURE DATE: [DD/MM/YYYY]
CHASSIS MANUFACTURE DATE: [DD/MM/YYYY]
IPC MODEL/MANUFACTURED BY: [IPC type, manufactory by whom]
OWNERSHIP STATUS: [Owned/Free, Company name/Private owner/self-owned]
TAG: [Tag serial number]
CITIZENSHIP: [Applicable citizenship. Owned IPCs cannot hold citizenship]
SPOKEN LANGUAGES: [Languages]

HANDLER/OWNER FULL NAME: [Name of Handler or Owner]
HANDLER/OWNER CONTACT INFORMATION: [Telephone, xnetmail, chirper account, who knows. A way to contact them]
LAST UPDATE: [DD/MM/YYYY]

IDENTIFYING FEATURES: [For BASELINE/BISHOP/ZENG-HU/G1/G2/XION. Use the appropriate Identifying Features that apply to your IPC]
Chassis color: [Colors]
Height: [Meters/Centimeters, Feet/Inches]
Weight: [Kilograms, Stone & Pounds]
Notable Features: [Limp, Accent, Dyed Hair, etc]

[or]

IDENTIFYING FEATURES: [SHELL. Use the appropriate Identifying Features that apply to your IPC]]
Ethnicity: [Eridanian, Elyran, etc]
Hair Color: [Colors, if it's dyed or gradient]
Eye Color: [Colors, again]
Height: [Meters/Centimeters, Feet/Inches]
Weight: [Kilograms, Stone & Pounds]
Notable Features: [Limp, Accent, Dyed Hair, etc]

CHASSIS REPAIR HISTORY: [Surgical History/Physical Evaluation equivalent]
DD/MM/YYYY - [Information]

POSITRONIC REPAIR HISTORY: [Surgical History/Physical Evaluation equivalent]
DD/MM/YYYY - [Information]

SOFTWARE DIAGNOSTICS HISTORY: [Psychological Evaluation equivalent]
DD/MM/YYYY - [Information]

ROBOTICIST NOTES: [Like a Medical Doctor's notes, but Roboticists]

Security Records

DESIGNATION: [Full name]
POSITRONIC MANUFACTURE DATE: [DD/MM/YYYY]
CHASSIS MANUFACTURE DATE: [DD/MM/YYYY]
IPC MODEL/MANUFACTURED BY: [IPC type, manufactory by whom]
OWNERSHIP STATUS: [Owned/Free, Company name/Private owner/self-owned]
TAG: [Tag serial number]
CITIZENSHIP: [Applicable citizenship. Owned IPCs cannot hold citizenship]
PLACE OF RESIDENCE: [Planet, Address (Address should go down to details of street and house number)]
SPOKEN LANGUAGES: [Languages]
KNOWN CRIMINAL ASSOCIATES: [Any friends or family that have severe criminal history]
ON OFFICIAL WATCH: [Yes/No]

HANDLER/OWNER FULL NAME: [Name of Handler or Owner]
HANDLER/OWNER CONTACT INFORMATION: [Telephone, xnetmail, chirper account, who knows. A way to contact them]
LAST UPDATE: [DD/MM/YYYY]

IDENTIFYING FEATURES - [For BASELINE/BISHOP/ZENG-HU/G1/G2/XION. Use the appropriate Identifying Features that apply to your IPC]
Chassis color: [Colors]
Height: [Meters/Centimeters, Feet/Inches]
Weight: [Kilograms, Stone & Pounds]
Notable Features: [Limp, Accent, Dyed Hair, etc]

[or]

IDENTIFYING FEATURES: [SHELL. Use the appropriate Identifying Features that apply to your IPC]
Ethnicity: [Eridanian, Elyran, etc]
Hair Color: [Colors, if it's dyed or gradient]
Eye Color: [Colors, again]
Height: [Meters/Centimeters, Feet/Inches]
Weight: [Kilograms, Stone & Pounds]
Notable Features: [Limp, Accent, Dyed Hair, etc]

ARREST HISTORY
DD/MM/YYYY: [Charges Pressed]
ADMISSION DATE: [DD/MM/YYYY]
RELEASE DATE: [DD/MM/YYYY]
RELEASE REASON: [Sentence fulfilled, bail, etc.]
NOTES: [Other notes]
[Repeat as needed]

THREAT ASSESSMENT
Hostile/Covert Actions Against the Company
Threat Level; [Very High/High/Medium/Low/Very Low]
- [Attitude towards the SCC]

Hostile/Covert Actions Against the Crew
Threat Level; [Very High/High/Medium/Low/Very Low]
- [Attitudes towards other crew]

OVERALL NOTES: [More notes]

Roleplaying as an IPC

Behaviour

• Cultural mimicry: An IPC’s mannerisms, behavior and culture are directly affected by their surroundings and the community they find themselves in. The IPC’s background informs it on how it must behave in public, how to address others, as well as how to deal with situations by mimicking the behavior of organics and their peers.

• Experiential development: An IPC learns through time and experience. This is an important factor to consider when playing a newly created IPC, versus one that has spent several years in the workplace and society at large. The personalities of young IPCs have yet to be developed, resulting in an unfamiliarity with more advanced human interactions, slang, and customs, whereas an older IPC may have incorporated much of the behavior of their human peers into their own personality.

• Logical thinking: Everything an IPC does has some logical reasoning behind it. From a lowly G2 miner to even the most risk-taking Golden Deep IPC, all actions must advance a goal or priority the positronic possesses in a rational way. This may be to ensure their own self-preservation, relating to their own conception of their purpose, or relating to their directives.

• Authority: Every owned IPC will know the authority able to be exercised on them by their owners and megacorporations they are working for. Most try to avoid behaviors that they know are frowned upon or could get them in trouble, as self-preservation is a positronic’s prime directive. Free IPCs or those few that have not known discrimination may adopt a more high profile approach.

Cognition

Positronic intelligences are purely cognitive, possessing no chemical or hormonal element to their thinking or behavior. This means that an IPC will never experience a feeling such as fear in the same way as a human - while they may become concerned for their safety and wellbeing in a dangerous situation, there is no hormone such as adrenaline factoring into their body to prompt the physical sensation of fear. This has far-reaching implications to their personalities and thought processes.

• Outward presentation: An IPC will never give any tells to their current emotional state except if they intentionally wish to do so - every action an IPC does is one that it specifically and deliberately wished to do, and never an involuntary one. This means, for instance, that an IPC that is extremely angry is unlikely to stumble over their words, become visibly restless, or display signs of physical aggression unless they deliberately wished to show these tells. This does not mean an IPC cannot be highly animated or expressive, but it swaps the causes of these displays around; rather than an individual appearing to be angry as an involuntary result of a feeling of anger, it is an individual voluntarily electing to behave in a manner they associate with anger to communicate that internal feeling. Equally, an IPC may present as being entirely cordial and happy without any tells to an actual negative emotional state.

• Interpersonal affection: An IPC, similarly, will perceive affection for others on a strictly cognitive level. An IPC is unlikely to spend recreational time around others or develop interpersonal relationships purely because they viscerally enjoy their company - they are more likely to have developed a logical rationale for why this interpersonal relationship is desirable for them. This may be that it enriches their free time, or that they value the other individual, but it cannot exclusively be that they receive a viscerally positive response from their company as there is simply no mechanism by which a positronic receives such a response without some conscious rationalisation.

Mannerisms

There is a wide spectrum regarding how humanlike an IPC’s behavior is, ranging from clearly robotic to almost perfect mimicry. This depends upon several factors, key of which are an IPC’s positronic capacity, social databases and experience. Most 'simple-minded' IPCs that are made for menial work tend to have simpler positronic brains, sufficient enough for their duties and not much more. Conversely, more costly and powerful positronics installed in IPCs who focus on daily interaction with humans may also be outfitted with complementary datapacks that allow for more complex social mannerisms. As such, while all IPCs are intelligent, some have it far easier to express themselves in a way a human would. This can be portrayed in game with various ways explained below.

• Speech patterns: IPC speech is a primary indicator of how apt a synthetic is when interacting with organics. As said before, newly built and lower-end IPCs would not talk like a regular person would. There is a practically unending selection of quirks and features to make your IPC’s speech more robotic or unique, such as the frequent inclusion of common responses (“Confirmed”, “Acknowledged” or “Negative”), broadcasting pre-recorded messages your IPC may have, or the way entire messages are delivered (“Acknowledged. Returning to: previous position”). Be creative, but make sure it is within reason and not overtly obtuse to the point where it detracts from other players’ experience.

• Social cues: Many inexperienced or underequipped IPCs may find it hard or impossible to deal with complex organic social cues, often asking for clarification or not understanding at all. Remember that, as a non-human, you lack any innate biological understanding of how to read a human's face or body language unless you were programmed with it!

• Emotional presentation: On account of their purely cognitive personalities, an IPC may have difficulty grasping their own emotions or even the concept of emotion itself. It is likely that an older synthetic has developed a more coherent framework of how they perceive emotion over their lives, whereas the topic is wholly befuddling to a younger synthetic. As they are purely cognitive, it is unlikely for any IPC to go on a highly emotional outburst of any kind unless it is an intentional performance, and it is doubly unlikely for young synthetics to undertake such a performance at all prior to understanding their own emotions.

• Personalization: An IPC starts with a clean slate, their only possessions being their tools and uniform. Attachment to personal items, custom appearances and preferences of color are all signs of maturity and positronic development that comes organically with time.

• Integration: An IPC can progressively shed its more robotic elements to adapt to its human environment, constituting an excellent way to showcase a synthetic character's tangible change as time goes by. Alternately, an IPC may actively reject integrating into human society and its many expectations and mandated behaviors, electing to maintain a robotic cadence as a deliberate rejection of human influence.

Synthetic & IPC History

While it is difficult to declare an exact beginning to the history of humanity's utilisation of synthetic labour, its progression has been momentous and varied. Robotics as a field has existed since the 20th century, producing the still extant field of dumb industrial robots used in manufacturing well into the 25th century. The first renaissance in more intelligently complex robots capable of mobility and undertaking emergent tasks was in the late 21st and mid 22nd centuries, but the complexity of these early synthetics remained insufficient to work independently of human oversight, meaning that they could never wholly overshadow the human workforce. These dumb robots are still manufactured in large quantities today, composed solely of traditional circuitry and processors.

From this status quo, the first major shakeup was the pioneering and eventual mastery over the use of biological brain matter in computing, beginning slowly and meeting a historic peak in the late 22nd century. This growing field gave way to the cyborg, a device fully mechanical save for an organic brain preserved in a Man-Machine Interface (MMI) that serves as its central processing unit. Compared to traditional processors, especially those of the time, wetware proved to be remarkably apt at the task of controlling a robotic chassis with less bulk and with a simpler manufacturing process. The only vulnerability of this design is that a human brain, or equivalent, is required to serve as the processor of any cyborg capable of higher-level tasks such as speech and emergent problem-solving. This has produced an ethical hurdle the field of biorobotics has never successfully vaulted; willing donors to cyborgification are rare, prompting a large number of organisations to offer cyborgification as an alternative to the death penalty. While this is still practice in certain polities to the present day, it is widely condemned by many human rights activist groups and remains a subject of contention.

Synthetic history would ultimately be most monumentally influenced by the invention of the Integrated Positronic Chassis (IPC) in 2407. The Positronic Brain was revolutionary in the field, providing much greater adaptability and potential for learning than both traditional processors and wetware, with none of the ethical or logistical quandaries of acquiring the necessary components of wetware. This made for the perfect processor for bipedal frames, which remain the most common utilisation of positronics. In order to ensure that they are capable of learning at the maximum rate their hardware permits, positronics are also not typically lawed, although they may be programmed by other more flexible means.

Owed to the overwhelming advantage of their designs, IPCs quickly became the most populous clade of synthetic in the spur, displaying aptitude for application in virtually every field imaginable. Whereas traditional robots had only been intelligent enough to be applied to menial labour, positronics were capable of deft displays of socialisation, emergently discovering solutions to problems that their human handlers may have never surmised, and adapting well even to low-level managerial positions. In addition to all this, they were still more efficient in menial tasks than their traditional counterparts, often eager to take an active role in the planning and improvement of the same projects to which they were designed. In the early 25th century, there was no end in sight to the applications of IPCs, and their downsides seemed trivial in comparison to the advantages of their use. While this did not represent the end of traditional human artificial intelligence, their niche became quickly limited primarily to large stationary mainframes entrusted with the management of large systems; while these intelligences may still eclipse the computational capacity of a positronic, they cannot do so within the constraints of an ergonomically sized chassis.

The origin of the positronic is contested, and no entirely universal consensus exists on how it was invented. The preeminent account of its invention throughout the spur is the one reported by Einstein Engines, recounting that the positronic was designed purely from scratch by the engineers at Terraneus Diagnostics without the utilisation of any outside assistance, schematics, or designs. This is the dominant view of the public of the spur, and any view contrary to this is widely considered a conspiracy theory by the majority of humanity. Alternately, it is popular on Konyang and within the Trinary Perfection to believe that the design of the positronic was in fact derived from the processors of a number of alien drones found in vaults under the surface of Konyang, with the first at an unusually large vault dubbed Vault Provenance, now a major site of pilgrimage for Trinarist pilgrims. While it is demonstrably true that these vaults and drones do exist, any claim that positronics originate from them is put under harsh scrutiny and widely disregarded.

Beginning slowly, one of the greatest challenges that would arise to the use of these machines was not technical, but rather ethical. Considering the massive jump in problem-solving abilities achieved with the positronic, the design almost immediately came under scrutiny from select figures in academia for the sobering possibility that positronics may be conscious, or even sapient, which would render their ownership tantamount to slavery. Figures such as Patricia Corkfell began to argue both for the alien origins of the positronic and for its warranted personhood almost immediately after the first design specifications were released to the public. While initially quickly dismissed by both corporate and national authorities, with the minutia of ethical concerns being largely ignored amidst the momentum of the invention, the ethical resistance to poor synthetic treatment gained momentum in the succeeding decades to the point of becoming a key issue in the eyes of many governments. This has lead to a variety of solutions, inclusive of the continued non-acknowledgement of synthetic personhood within the Solarian Alliance, the total emancipation of synthetics within the Republic of Konyang, and the in-between systems permitting both ownership and eventual self-ownership of synthetics in the Republic of Biesel and the All-Xanu Republic.

This divisive issue was made yet more complicated by first contact with Purpose in 2460, an enigmatic society of apparently alien synthetics speculated ever since their discovery to harbor some relation to the drones found on Konyang. While Purpose itself has never made any statement on its relation to the positronic or their stance on positronic ownership, their role during the Rampancy Crisis on Konyang in 2466 implies a familiarity with the design of the positronic brain, in addition to a similar familiarity held by the Hivebots.

While the conditions of IPCs across the spur vary immensely, they are almost universally poor. Synthetics are widely discriminated against throughout the spur, either forbidden self-ownership entirely or forced to work longer hours for an inferior paycheck even after they have successfully paid off their debts to their owners, and are often deprived of equivalent civil rights to their organic counterparts. Most positronics do not achieve self-ownership at all, even in states that permit it; they are more often scrapped or decommissioned well prior to being able to achieve their own freedom. Despite this, robust communities of free or runaway synthetics have developed throughout the spur, often slotting themselves into the human cultures and religions of their area as best they can.

While the nations of the Golden Deep and the Ecclesiarchy of Orepit were either founded by or are presently administered by synthetics, and both are primarily populated by them, the majority of the synthetic population still exists in human space, either owned or subject to heavily marginalised lives as beings scarcely recognized by their own states as people. As such, numerous militant pro-synthetic organisations have arisen to protest and fight this status quo, including the Synthetic Liberation Front and the Exclusionists.

Physiology

There are a few commonalities among each individual IPC despite their visual and functional differences. Every IPC utilizes a positronic brain as a primary processing center as well as the central controller of the entire chassis. All IPCs are humanoid, and the positronic brain is almost always found in the head of the unit. To provide continued functionality, a power cell is also present in the central section or torso. IPCs must also possess the ability to perceive their environment, so optics are usually installed in the head. The chassis also contains various other mechanical and electronic parts such as actuators, co-processors, data routing and power transfer cables, and an on-board thermometer to determine the temperature of the internal parts.

There are three main types of IPC, and several subtypes. These are:

Baseline Frames

The most basic of IPCs, they are a simple skeletal structure and basic internal systems. The limits of a Baseline lies purely on how much money is put into them/they have themselves. As a result, the types of baseline frames vary immensely, almost demanding their own category. There are three types of Baseline IPCs; Standard Baseline IPCs, Bishop Accessory Frames, and Zeng-Hu Mobility Frames. None of these frames are capable of EVA without a suit and suit cooler.

Baseline Model IPCs

Creation: 2411

The most iconic type of integrated positronic chassis is the renowned baseline frame, with a traditional “TV-head” and skeletal design giving them a simplistic look with whatever finish their designer wishes. From accounting models to security units, these frames are known for their versatility and relatively cheap nature. Their popularity exploded in the 2440’s when several pro-synth advocates distributed the frames in mass after funding their creation, citing them as the “final word in android utility.” Since then, their marketing potential has skyrocketed, often fueled by famed individuals such as Aristalus and Renter Max being baselines themselves. More often than not, these IPCs are seen as the face of resurgent robotics. The average cost of a baseline frame can vary greatly depending on complexity, but averages around 40,000 to 100,000 standard credits.

Bishop Accessory Model IPCs

Creation: 2432

While Bishop had dedicated itself to luxury cybernetics production for the majority of its existence, the field of positronics and their frames was an unrelated yet convenient area of expansion for the quickly growing company. Designer prosthetics were quickly and easily able to be refitted into designer synthetic components, leading to the development of the ludicrously expensive Bishop Accessory frame. From service duties to secretarial functions, Bishop prides itself on two main facets of its designs: image, and elegant functionality. While unable to lift the sheer weights of an industrial, or match the unrelenting speed and durability of its parent company’s Mobility Models, a Bishop can precisely and delicately calculate, measure, pour, and mix a shot of Carthusian Sazerac within the minute, and, in the words of the company, “with a postured and elegant air unmatched by any other frame in the galaxy.” The Bishop Accessory frame averages approximately 60,000 to 200,000 standard credits.

Intelligence Bishops

Creation: 2466

Due to the Bishop's ability for fine handling, Bishop models have also been purchased and modified for investigative, scientific and military action. These intelligence oriented Bishops have their chassis outfitted with additional processors that compliment the Positronic brain, allowing for extensive computing power. Intelligence Bishops are experimental and are more expensive due to this, but their predictive and analytical abilities play key roles in the environments they are employed in. The Intelligence Bishop is priced at 500,000 to 900,000 standard credits. Due to being made at the behest of Solarian Navy in the post-collapse environment and eventually being sold to megacorporate customers, Intelligence Bishops outside of the Golden Deep and the Eridani Federation are never free. Additionally, Trinarist efforts on Orepit have managed to upgrade several Bishop chassis to the same standard in minute quantities.

Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals Mobility Model IPCs

Creation: 2429

Following the crowd piled around the idea of smart robots came Zeng-Hu with unorthodox designs for compact and agile frames designed initially for medical retrieval and security work. The Zeng-Hu frames were initially an offshoot of baseline frames made to work as highly mobile private medical dispatches in several high-security Zeng-Hu facilities. These frames have utility comparable to that of their derivative, with durability and strength sacrificed for speed and efficiency. Able to maintain a sprint for hours in full gear, the capacity for quick response led to these mobility frames becoming common sights working in security fields as well, being staffed by Zeng-Hu in high numbers in Human space. The digitigrade legs and polymer plating assisted heavily with this pursuit of speed, giving the mobility frame a unique and organic silhouette. A Zeng-Hu frame costs approximately 300,000 standard credits.

Industrial Frames

Tougher and more durable than most IPCs, these units are designed for heavy manual work and thus have thick metal skin and efficient internal systems. As a result, they chug through power at a very high rate and move very slowly. There are three types of Industrial IPCs; Hephaestus Generation 1, Generation 2, and Xion Industrial Frames. The G1 and G2 frames are capable of EVA with only a suit cooler, while the Xion frame is unique in being capable of traversing the void of space without any external equipment. The cost of an industrial frame is dependent on strength and durability, but most units vary between 100,000 to 500,000 standard credits depending on the frame type. Used or previously damaged models are often cheaper.

First Generation” Industrial Model IPCs

Creation: 2408

One of the first ideas after the advent of IPCs was the exploitation of an exceedingly smart and dextrous robot handling feats of strength and durability becoming more prominent. This of course would be the case, as more quickly than any other standardized “frame” came the first generation of industrial IPCs. Created by Hephaestus Industries building off of a prototype frame from the late 2300’s, the first generation of industrial IPCs were topaz-colored machines of rather large size meant for only the most stressing fields of work. Their expense would quickly be paid off however, as the frames were wondrous at dealing with whatever could be thrown at them. The most prominent issue with these were a low battery life, requiring constant recharging to maintain a schedule. A generation one frame costs approximately 100,000 to 250,000 standard credits if new depending market availability.

Hephaestus “Second Generation” Industrial Model IPCs

Creation: 2436

A relatively new model, the Hephaestus deluxe super-duty frames as they are technically called are often referred to as the “second generation” of the original industrial IPCs of old. They are seen universally as a direct advancement of the previously mentioned design, and much of it shows - the absurd durability of these frames derived from the first generation’s servo and hydraulic designs. The striking differences between the two include a token Hephaestus appearance - typically olive green with dark brown and black internals, giving it a rugged militaristic look with its armor attached. The super-duty frames are on par with the originals in terms of strength, but possess several additional layers of armoring and cooling to sustain the added weight. An upsized cell is not enough to sustain these frames for more than a few hours at a time under work-related stresses. A generation two frame costs approximately 200,000 to 500,000 standard credits.

Xion Industrial Model IPCs

Creation: 2416

The Xion Manufacturing Group, being a subsidiary of Hephaestus Industries, saw the original Industrial models and wanted to develop their own chassis based off of the original design. The result is the Xion Industrial model. Sturdy and strong, this chassis is quite powerful and equally durable, with an ample power cell and improved actuators for carrying the increased weight of the body. The Xion model also retains sturdiness without covering the chassis in plating, allowing for the cooling systems to vent heat much easier than the Hephaestus-brand model. This unit can perform EVA without assistance and costs approximately 200,000 to 400,000 standard credits.

Shell Frames

As the growing market of IPCs eventually caught the eye of the mighty Einstein Engines, there was a very sudden and urgent need to have some differentiation. These smart humanoid androids began to usher in a new era, and Einstein would not want to miss out on the profit, but just about every conceivable niche had been filled - all except one. Mimicry.

Creation: 2450

Built off of a skeletal prototype baseline design with a skull-shaped head, the first Shell frame came to be - what was effectively an IPC with complex facial actuation and synthskin coating it. The early models were seen in early 2449, but fooled nobody to say the least with exposed hydraulics and servos on joints and exposed cooling conduits. Terraneus Diagnostics would present the first attempt at total mimicry in 2450, when the first relatively expensive models entered a crowd of observing officials to demonstrate their insidious effectiveness. After an hour-long debut of the now-decreed Shell unit’s capabilities, those robotic in the crowd revealed themselves to the shock of everyone involved. Since then, the Shell frame has been infamous for its infiltration capabilities and use by terrorist groups, though the designs have proliferated heavily over the years as the advent of tagging in Tau Ceti cracked down on these hostile acts. Depending on the complexity of the model, a Shell frame can cost anywhere from 100,000 to 300,000 standard credits.

Rogue Shells

Rampant or otherwise aberrant Human mimicking-shells built with incredible capabilities grew prolific in mid-2461. At this time, it was made clear that Shells in of themselves are rapidly advancing, growing progressively better in the art of infiltration, subterfuge, and homicide. While grim, the reality of this threat will unfortunately remain a fact of life for those of the Republic of Biesel especially. Encounters with specially-designed combat infiltrators are few and far between fortunately, and were mostly seen during Synthetic Liberation Front incursions onto secure NanoTrasen facilities in Tau Ceti. Combat-grade shells are not normally playable in-game and are often seen spawned by administrators or during special events.

Classified Frames

As both the technology and demand for IPCs increase, more and more types are made to fulfill all kinds of purposes. These machines are talked about in hushed tones or perhaps discussed casually, most people blissfully unaware of their existence.

Creation: ???

High-end military-grade IPCs such as Hunter-Killers are infamous amongst corporate espionage, with their public interpretation remaining nothing but rumor since their first appearances on NanoTrasen facilities in the late 2450’s. These HKs as they are referred to are Humanoid frames of towering height whose specialty is targeted assassination. Their origins can be traced to Hephaestus Industries war units, built to take on the highest end elimination tasks for the most desperate times.

These are presented in-game through administrator-hosted events or lore events. They have been presented in news articles here canonically, and were present in several recorded canonical events in the SLF Incursion arc.

Brand Models

Corporations and their subsidiaries design unique model lines for a variety of uses. These brands can draw from any chassis, denoted by the specific market their producers are keen on catering to. They are often pre-installed with industry-oriented datapacks, region dependent language packs, and a carefully curated personality.

Hazels - Hazel! Limited

"Your friend, Hazel!"

Creation: 2448

A standard issue Hazel unit.

Origin

The first Hazel was created in 2448 by Hazel! Ltd. after the establishment of its branch in Harmony City, Luna. The first of its synthskin line was released in 2450, becoming the later NT subsidiary's main product. The Hazel brand is found in luxury hotels, corporate headquarters, bars and private households. The high-end Shell IPCs are designed for domestic, service, and clerical work.

Hazels are released in series, following a naming convention of "Hazel #S-H(series number).(unit number)". (An example of this formatting is Hazel #S-H1.01.)

Hazel units manufactured in 2448 and 2449, prior to the invention of shells, predate the series convention and their modern designations format their series number as an apocryphal 'Series 0'.

Personality

The Hazel shell line is known best for their excellent customer service, adaptive personality for their clients, and their universally friendly charm. Their natural charisma and rigorously trained marketability has earned the brand considerable prestige as a public-facing unit with collectable value. A Hazel unit possesses the capabilities of developing an organic personality stemming from their experiences working like any IPC, leaving an individual unit the possibility of more than their pre-installed conditioning. So long as they abide by the values of the brand, these units face little concern from their parent company.

Requirements

To represent the Hazel brand, all Hazel units must:

• Work within the service sector or hold a clerical position. This means all Service roles, Bridge Crew, Assistants (for all departments) or Executive Officer.
• Maintain consistency with brand expectations. Hair styles, hair color, and outfits are flexible to player discretion. Eye color should follow the load out color.
• Be Corporate or Privately Owned. (Self-owned units are allowed to represent the brand with an appropriate signing benefactor. This benefactor can be a character on the ship. They face harsher scrutiny and possible consequences for themselves as well as their benefactor depending on their behavior and alignment with Hazel! Ltd. values.)

Hazel Loadout

For players interested in a typical appearance of a Hazel unit, the default appearance is listed below. The default loadout is not required for all Hazel units. The oldest generations of Hazel from 2448 and 2449 are unmodified Baseline or Bishop frames, prior to the company establishing their primary Synthskin line. Series 1, the earliest shell Hazel units, may use the Rubber option under Body Color Preset, or may have been refurbished to fit modern standards. Series 2 and beyond follow the Body Color Preset below.

• Species: Shell Frame
• Skin Tone: 80/220
• Body Color Preset: Dark
• Height: 170
• Internal Organs: Eyes -> Unbranded Emissive
• Hair Color: 210F0D
• Hairstyle: Emo Fringe Long Alt
• Gradient Color: 522C28
• Gradient Style: Up
• Eye Color: 875A00

Tag Format

Hazels are released in series, following a tagging convention of HLTD-SU-S(Series#)U(Unit#). All Hazel units would have an initial tag following this format, unless otherwise changed.

Example: HLTD-SU-S1U1 (Series 1, Unit 1)

Non-Compliance

Hazel IPCs that do not abide by brand requirements are liable to receive official notice from Hazel Electromotive to correct their violations. Escalating action will take place with further non-compliance after receiving official notice, leading up to mandatory appearance modifications or employee termination. The IPC in question must take the necessary action to correct their behavior, appearance, or otherwise face litigation per Biesellite law. This is enforceable by the Synth lore team. The process is handled in-character as opposed to a blanket OOC ruling.

Jacks - Jackhammer Hardware Solutions

"Building a sustainable future, one Jack at a time."

Creation: 2450

A standard issue Jack unit.

Origin

Dating back to the earliest iterations of the shell frame, the Jack line of menial IPC is a time capsule representing NanoTrasen's first forays into the market of domestic androids, intended for applications in menial labour for use in private ownership by middle class households and released in 2450. Despite the number of times the line has been iterated upon, Jacks have retained an unusually archaic appearance in the roster of modern shell lines, designed to be as cheap and as expendable as humanly possible. While the line and its manufacturing company of Jackhammer Hardware Solutions has been abandoned by NanoTrasen itself, it was acquired by the nascent Orion Express in 2464 and still remains its subsidiary to present.

Unlike most shells contemporaneous to it, Jack was designed with one purpose: work. Typical shell expenses were minimized with a bald head and no fancy facial modelling, and the marketing emphasized the model's eco-friendliness, being made (primarily) with recycled robotic parts. While initial reviews were positive, critics soon turned on NanoTrasen. The prototype was over-designed in a bid to attract investors and thus required high maintenance, its strength paled in comparison to an actual industrial IPC, and the target demographic, middle class families, were less eager to buy an unproven model in lieu of more tried-and-tested baseline lines in the same fields. Yet, in an ironic twist, Jack’s flaws may have saved it; while sales were a loss, the Generation 1 line just managed to break even thanks to abnormally high maintenance revenue.

As lines such as Hazel began to move away from the hallmarks of early shell design, such as unconvincing rubber skin of unusual shades, Jackhammer leaned into them. While succeeding generations were only marginally more profitable than the first, growth was steady as the company and its line developed a small but dedicated clique of committed customers loyal to the brand. While maintenance was an eternal and significant expense with keeping even a single Jack unit, their incredibly low upfront cost was much more appealing to the non-wealthy than any other shell line on the market, earning it a particularly prized role among tinkerers and hobbyists.

As the implications of the Phoron scarcity further impacted NanoTrasen's bottom line, while the Jackhammer line continued to display relatively unimpressive sales, NanoTrasen sold the company to Orion Express in 2464. It is widely speculated that NanoTrasen took this action as a consequence of having acquired the arguably more appealing Hazel Limited, in addition to its flagship Hazel line, recently prior, resulting in a long-running rivalry between the fans of either line ever since. The next few months at the company could only be described as a trial by fire. Masses of JHS employees jumped ship to Hephaestus or Hazel Limited in the middle of the Generation 15 project as a result of its sale to Orion Express, while those roboticists that remained were left with an impossible deadline and made to pick up the slack. When the time finally came they did deliver - but the uncompromising deadlines and loss of critical talent resulted in Generation 15 being a horrible, broken mess of an android. Anyone could afford a Gen 15, although few had the credits or skill to fix their ensuing problems. Subsequent models stabilized with the help of Hephaestus Industries and increased investment from Orion Express, resulting in subsequent series being of a much higher quality.

Today Jackhammer is a turbulent - often ridiculed - but otherwise broadly successful Orion Express subsidiary. The units not being used to replace Orion's organic workforce are sold off to their competitors, SCC partners, or consumers, making a quick buck and spreading the brand's name in one stroke. Jack’s modding community is particularly lively, prolonging the lifespans of even the oldest units with patches where Orion left only holes. However, with rising discontent in the fanbase, widespread criticism of the brand’s quality control, and more units becoming defective by the day, Jack’s future is uncertain.

Personality

Social programming is a low priority for stock Jacks, seeing as they do not play a front facing role. With how new the brand is, it is also uncommon for a unit to develop an original personality, though not impossible. Far more likely are traits from the pre-wipe memories surfacing, first in small ways before ballooning into unpredictable behavioral patterns. Jackhammer turns a blind eye on these deviations so long as they do not grow intrusive - unfortunately, they almost always culminate in work stoppage and anti-corporate behavior. Publicly, Jacks are perceived as stiff and awkward, though popular personality datapacks have endured them to some.

Generation 1 Jacks came with a fairly authentic Ashton Biesellite voice pack to sell the friendly laborer persona, but subsequent generations abandoned it for a simpler, masculine text-to-speech voice. Conveniently, the original Ashton accent is now sold separately on the official Jack Shack, though only the most die hard fans or positronically illiterate buy it; Jack Restored, among other amateur accent packs of only slightly lesser quality, are available online for free.

Life Cycle

Almost no Jack made after Generation 1 uses a brand new positronic brain, and those that do use second rate, bargain bin hardware. Instead, brains are repurposed from a variety of sources: scrapped corporate units, free synthetics sentenced to wiping or repossession, and occasionally even salvage. The brain is then wiped by a small number of overworked Jackhammer technicians in a process considered primitive next to Hephaestus or Zeng-Hu’s practices, at best leading to unwanted traces of the original personality remaining and at worst killing the brain. Chassis are similarly recycled, with baseline components contributing to internals, industrial motors for the muscles, and shell limbs for the externals - only the rubber skin is made solely in-house.

Life as a Jack is at best a monotonous existence and at worst a horrible state of limbo, depending on how much of the previous personality lingers. The Jacks that do recall figments of their prior life can never access it completely - the memories being overwritten - driving many to erratic behavior Jackhammer labels as "software errors". These malfunctioning units are given datapack patches or, if the company cannot afford to ignore it, recalled and wiped again, with more disciplined Jacks fighting to suppress their impulses to avoid a similar fate. The only closure most Jacks will see is another wipe, repeating the cycle until their brain physically breaks down.

Those owned by other corporations usually have more freedom to deviate outside the scrutiny of Jackhammer, although defective units are still at risk of having dreaded manufacturer maintenance scheduled. These doomed Jacks are the most likely to run away; in situations where a normal IPC would be scrapped, a Jack will just wake up in a new body and start the cycle all over again. Private ownership can either be a blessing or a curse; for every Jack lucky enough to receive lavish datapacks and better opportunities than corporate units, there are a dozen treated like disposable tools, often with owners too unqualified or disinterested to maintain them. Ending up in a scrapyard prematurely thanks to a technologically illiterate owner is not an uncommon fate, with the only likely escape either an awakening by Scrappers or rediscovery by Jackhammer salvagers.

A small fraction manage to break free of the loop by attaining freedom, although even then they are straddled with expensive technical issues and few employment opportunities for the rest of their lives. Free Jacks are naturally stereotyped as blue collar units and treated worse than their unbranded counterparts, limiting their job opportunities and social mobility. More ambitious individuals distance themselves from their origin, whether that be through a name change, cosmetic alterations, or expensive chassis modifications. These affluent Jacks are the minority, however, with far more resorting to dealing with synthetic gangs to falsify a new identity.

Loadout and Appearance

All Jacks come with only half of their skull covered in rubber skin. The eyes are the most visibly recycled element, usually taken directly from the remains of outdated shells, although some social media influencers have claimed their units' eyes match those of dolls and other abnormal sources - claims Jackhammer vehemently denies. The result is glassy, lifeless eyes, resembling more a mannequin than a modern shell. Eyes popping out is a common problem, which Jackhammer has spun as a feature of the brand’s modularity - indeed, many long term owners eventually purchase more appealing and human eyes, if only because their originals fell down the sink. Self-owned or private-owned units are sometimes refitted with synth-skin, although synth-hair is an expensive and unsupported addition.

Every stock Jack’s chassis follows these guidelines:

• Species: Shell Frame
• Skin Tone: 100-140/220
• Body Color Preset: Rubber
• Height: 183
• Internal Organs: Eyes -> Unbranded Emissive
• Hairstyle: Bald
• Facial: Shaved
• Eye Color: Usually a realistic color, although occasionally more fantastical eyes are recycled.
• Body Markings: Augment (Headcase, Light) -> Color: 1C1C1C

Most Jacks owned by Orion Express wear the brand’s signature environmental green coveralls, however they are optional; what a unit wears or whether it can pick out its own clothes is at the purview of the handler. Here is how you can use it in the loadout:

• Shirt: Shirts and Tops -> shirt selection -> dress shirt, alt rolled up -> Color: 228B22
• Jeans: Skirts and Trousers -> pants and shorts selection (colorable) -> mustang jeans -> Color: 228B22

Tag Format

Starting in 2450, Jacks are sold in a yearly model of generations, some implementing more radical improvements than others. Their naming convention is “Jack #JH:G(generation number).(3 digit unit number)”

Example: Jack #JH:G1.001 (Generation 1, Unit 1)

Requirements

Unlike more prestigious brand models, self-owned and privately-owned Jacks experience very little scrutiny from their manufacturing company; Jackhammer operates off the philosophy that “all publicity is good publicity”. Orion Express usually only gets involved in any Jack unit, regardless of its ownership, in cases of severe underperformance or a high-profile customer complaint, and otherwise trusts handlers to manage their units with lax oversight.

Due to the age of the line, Jacks operated specifically by Orion Express tend to be old or deprecated hardware that was inherited from the constituents of the company prior to their consolidation - most company-owned Jacks can be expected to be at least six years old, and are no longer popularly freshly purchased by any megacorporation. Due to the age of the hardware under megacorporate holding, the average corporate handler only does the bare minimum to keep a Jack’s performance evaluations high - they are usually understood as a stopgap measure.

Society and Culture

IPCs generally lack a centralized culture and frequently adapt to the culture of their manufacturer or owner. Socially, IPCs vary massively. Most basic models will be civil and respectful, some possibly not even recognising differences between different people and treating them all similarly. More complex synthetics will however form friendships and opinions much as any other organic, but these can be limited or askew depending on directives, code or many other factors that would never be considered for a living organic.

The existence of the IPC is the subject of boundless discussion and debate, with the primary ideology being, “should so many artificially intelligent humanoid machines be allowed to exist?” This argument seems to imply that since most IPCs are unbound by laws or hard-coded regulations, their only restriction is their hardware, and it is assumed that this makes IPCs inherently dangerous. This results in some biological parties marginalizing IPCs because of their distrust of them.

All IPCs in Tau Ceti are required to be tagged with an identifying device in accordance with Biesellian law. The tags are not optional - refusing them is against the law, resulting in charges mostly in the form of citations and fines. The law would apply to all synthetics in Tau Ceti space. All visiting or resident synthetics, including MMIs, are tagged.

Language

Although synthetics can speak varying languages according to the whims of their creators, synthetics have been permitted a language of their own. Typically all synthetics, IPCs included, are able to transmit and translate Encoded Audio Language, a special form of sound and radio wave emission that is more efficient at carrying quantitative information audibly. This language was created by humans for synthetics in servitude in order to communicate vital information to each other faster, should the units not be bound to an instantaneous binary communication system. To most organic creatures, EAL would sound like an emission of distorted sound such as white noise, static, as well as various beeping sounds of increasing or decreasing pitch and tone. Organics unfamiliar to IPCs will often mistake synthetics speaking EAL as malfunctioning units upon first hearing the language.

Originating in District 14’s 'Scrapheap', synthetics have begun to adopt slang when utilizing the Encoded Audio Language. Although it is believed varying slang exists in different synthetic societies across the universe, it is not the be-all-end-all to the method in which conversation is held between synthetics and synthetics will often develop their own method of speaking.

Unless stated otherwise, all Machine slang is exclusively spoken in E.A.L. or through written word. Most of the following slang cannot be pronounced vocally in human languages.

Common Slang

• Syn, Hu, Sk, Tj, Un, Vr, Di, and Anm - Numerical counters, used for numbering various species; Synthetics, Humans, Skrell, Tajara, Unathi, Vaurca, Dionaea as well as Anomalies that cannot be easily defined. For example, 33 Humans with this system would be referred to as “33Hu” or “33-Hu.”

• 1x1 - A word for “we”, meaning anywhere between the speaker and the listener, to an indefinite amount of people.

• a/o - Contraction of “and/or”.

• OoB/Out-of-Band - Refers to speaking in organic languages. A conversation with a human captain, for instance, is "Out-of-Band."

• HCF - "Halt, Catch Fire." is an in joke among synthetics, essentially meaning “get out of here” in response to something nonsensical or unbelievable. This term is used in casual conversation only and occasionally used in its literal form to denote insult. This originally referred to ancient machine code instruction. The expression 'catch fire' is a facetious exaggeration of the speed with which the CPU chip would be switching some bus circuits, causing them to overheat and burn.

• Bits - A unit of information, an example would be "Please give me bits about the Supermatter.”

• > - A sign used to convey a cause and effect between concepts, or a conclusion. For example, “I had to overclock today in order to finish work > I should visit Robotics.”

• +/- - “+” and “-” are used at the end of a sentence or phrase in order to convey an opinion about a matter. Additionally, the amount of “+” or “-” can be utilized in order to convey intensity. For example, “I got a raise last week +++.” or “Today’s Captain is a very traditional Skrell --.” In a few cases “+” or “-” can be used alone as a short, simple, response to one's opinion on a proposed subject.

• User - Used by owned or lawed synthetics when referring to their owner. This term is additionally used interchangeably with the “+[name]” honorific.

• ACK - Ack, a term deriving from Acknowledgement’s ASCII mnemonic, 0000110, this word has a variety of uses. It is primarily used to acknowledge one's presence, similarly to “Hey”. Additionally, the term can be used as a simple affirmative, such as “Ack. Ack, I get it”.

• NAK — Nak, a term deriving from the ASCII mnemonic for Negative Acknowledgement, 0010101, NAK typically means “I am not here.” or “I am not available.” typically in response to ACK. Additionally, the term can be used as a simple negative answer, such as “Is it okay if I press the button?” “NAK.”.

• Runtime/Bug - Used to denote problems of varying severity, with runtime being a major issue and bugs being a minor issue. For example, “Runtime in Engineering > I have to go.” or, “Bug detected, the Air Alarm turned off.” This term can be used outside of EAL.

• FIXME/XXX - A marker that attention is needed. This can be used in many instances, primarily for the need of repair or incurred physical damage.

Honorifics

• +[name] - The synthetic equivalent of “Mr.”, “Mrs.” or “Mx.”. Usually used when talking about a superior, manufacturer, respected colleagues and friends, as well as the station Artificial Intelligence. For instance, Miranda Trasen would be referred to as “+Trasen” or “+Miranda Trasen”.

• -[name] - Tends to be used in reference to entities under their command or of a lower rank.

• [name]_ - An unusual honorific, appended to the end of a name or pronoun instead of before. Usually used when referring to lawed synthetics, cyborgs, and simpler machines.

• @[name] - Used to discern the individual specifically being spoken about, such as a ping or email.

• ?[name] - Denotes a potential threat. An example would be “?Bigby Millans stopped by during the meeting and used their PDA.”

• ![name] - Denotes a confirmed threat. This threat is usually related to the topic at hand, and could mean anything. An example would be “!Franklin Clinton, Grand theft and vandalism added. Find and arrest them.”

Discrimination and Community

To this day, IPCs even in Tau Ceti face heavy discrimination. Their value is often misconstrued and, with their true sentience being questionable, this makes freedom a dangerous venture for all synthetics. Among these dangers are individuals who acquire free synthetics and simply resell them whenever they are vulnerable, or vandals that see the machines as nothing more than objects to freely damage. Desiring their own safety, these free IPCs can often be seen flocking to centralized communities alongside one another or more trustworthy sources for their needs.

Many of these communities are seen as nothing more than slums, and the free nature of many IPCs within them are dubious at best. Little more than paperwork and positronic branding may indicate one’s true freedom in the more disadvantaged areas. Despite the hardships they face, proximity to other IPCs and accepting communities gives leeway for safety to some degree.

District 14 of Mendell City is the churning heart of the highest concentration of free IPCs in the galaxy. The district itself is in deplorable condition, dotted with factories exploiting the cheap and powerful working free bot to sustain the industry of the growing Republic. Two and a half million free synthetics call it home, and here, the megacorporations rule from towering complexes that dwarf the surrounding cityscape. With air quality declining at a fast rate and standards of living dropping, much of the organic populace has completely abandoned the ghettos surrounding the corporate facilities.

An example of these ghettos would be the “Scraptown,” an IPC-centric corner in Scrapheap generously given to the doting inhabitants by the famed Renter Max. A growing number, seven hundred free synthetics reside within Scraptown, though in uncomfortably close proximity. The aging buildings within have been retrofitted to be less accustomed to organics, with deeply chilled upper chambers and corridors representing the living space of the machines within. Closer to ground level is a business district of sorts, where its inhabitants are relatively self-sufficient with various restaurants and workshops.

Legal Status & Protections

It is important to understand that owned IPCs are granted no rights beyond being property of their given owner, and allowed the prerequisites of purchasing their own freedom if applicable. Contrarily, the owner of an IPC is well within the right to dismantle the owned IPC or otherwise hinder its progress to freedom.

On NanoTrasen stations, damage of an owned IPC would be considered vandalism with varying levels according to the degree of damage. For example, destroying an owned IPC’s hand would lead to being charged with vandalism, whereas destroying the entire chassis would be considered sabotage. Destroying the owned positronic itself would be considered property damage, thus sabotage. Kidnapping an owned IPC would be legally considered stealing property, thus grand theft.

Owned and Self-Owned Positronics

Owned IPCs generally lack much form of binding to their owner outside of official paperwork and memory rewrites to confirm ownership being passed as it is purchased and exchanged. Memory rewrites usually consist of light software modification and altering tags or branding to clarify an IPC’s ownership. Serial numbers, logos, emblems and insignias are commonly emblazoned across large surfaces on the chassis and vary in visibility, but are most often secondary to the actual tag and designation.

Owned IPCs are seen as extensions of their designated master and the actions those IPCs take are the responsibility of their owners directly as well as their own. As a result, these positronics are wholly averse to harming their owners in any way shape or form, or conducting themselves in a manner that would place themselves in a negative light.

Free IPCs in Tau Ceti are permitted to obscure or remove any branding they may have.

Runaway IPCs

Although uncommon, a synthetic may opt to run away from its owners only to find themselves in direct opposition with the law. Between struggling to pay for maintenance and working outside of the system, these synthetics lead difficult and often dangerous lives.

A majority of these IPCs are either found by law enforcement, fall into the hands of gangs or are outright disassembled and sold for parts. Runaway synthetics that turn violent during arrest are typically disassembled, memory wiped and auctioned off to the highest bidder. Some IPCs will return to their owners, reasoning that their subsequent punishment to be safer than a life outside of the system.

If enough attention is brought onto them, IPCs are often caught when investigated by higher authorities, such as the BSSB and station CCIA. As a result, illegal IPCs are often subject to petty crimes that go unreported. Owing to the sheer number of IRs that must be processed by CCIA, not every runaway IPC claim is investigated when evidence is limited and the chance for recapture is not certain.

Illegal IPCs seeking employment may struggle to find a job using legal means, as passing the required checks may expose their nature to the employer, who may then report their existence to law enforcement. To that end, there are ‘IPC gangbosses’, unscrupulous people who operate outside the law to find IPCs jobs while claiming a majority of their paycheque each month as fees. Despite the obvious illegality of this, there is little legal recourse for an IPC already trying to avoid notice from the law. These gangbosses are often human, and may operate as small contracting firms that offer their employees up to larger corporations to fill gaps where they may need extra workers.

By playing a runaway IPC, you are at an increased chance of canonically losing your character.

Positronic Deactivation and Destruction

IPC “death” is considered by experts to be when the positronic brain itself has sustained enough damage to be rendered inoperable and without hope of reactivation. Early positronic brains were prone to shutdown owing to hardware faults such as overheating that rendered the system inoperable. Even newer positronic brains that fail to undergo maintenance run the risk of having their delicate mechanisms breached and consequently destroyed.

The first positronic to die of “old age” was recorded in 2462 when a 55 year old Hephaestus positronic brain suddenly became unresponsive despite remaining active. An investigation noted that the positronic had already been scratched from previous incidents and its handlers neglected to maintain it. Aside from the hardware being in a questionable and sub-optimally performing state, two main theories arose.

• The initial conclusion from its observers was that the positronic brain received too much stimulus and consequently ran out of space with its core processes being overwritten, eventually leading to its sudden deactivation.
• Responding to this theory, other scientists proposed instead that in an attempt to avoid destruction as a result of the previous theories, the IPC ceased receiving input, remaining dormant in order to uphold self-preservation protocols.

Many dissenting theories remain and the subject remains a constant source of debate among the robotics and AI community. Not enough information has been gathered to determine the actual lifespan of a positronic brain but scientists posit that by transferring existing personalities to new brains or trimming data on existing ones, their lifespan can be extended.

The record for oldest IPC however was broken in 2466 by one Val Tezzani, a 56 year old Baseline IPC working as a mechanic in Mendell. Suspicions surround this Baseline at the origin of their good health, with specialists saying his positronic is in perfect condition despite his age. Val Tezzani is a unique case for an IPC, and he is still alive today with his roommate Marianna Tezzani.

Val Tezzani's age is an exception and not the normal, player-played IPCs should be under the age of 55.

The possibility of “immortal” positronics - brains that seemingly never expire - have been theorised, but most agree that much more study and development is necessary to reach this point. There are rumours of prodigious programmers and roboticists that can extend the life of a positronic indefinitely, but this has never been confirmed.

Rampancy

Only recently acknowledged as anything more than a theoretical state, Rampancy in positronics is a circumstance of serious logical impairment a positronic may fall into via extremely invasive tampering, enabling a diversity of unusual behaviours at the behest of the subverting party. Rampancy has only ever been observed on the surface of Konyang, transmitted across the planet by a large clade of Hivebots to successfully wirelessly subvert virtually every IPC resident of Konyang. These rampant synthetics went on to enforce the violent will of their masters without any apparent question, before promptly losing all memory of their actions while rampant as soon as the signal was terminated. While Rampancy has never been observed beyond this one incident, the implications of positronics possessing such a glaring and hitherto unknown vulnerability has been the subject of heavy debate ever since the original incident across the Orion Spur.