New MalfAI

[Surrealistik]

 

This is a rough proposal/sketch for a new MalfAI; not sure if I'll ever end up coding it, and though neat it seems like it would be painful to balance, but I thought I'd float the concept and get some feedback; inspired by Atlantis' take on NewMalf from Baystation.

 

Ability Research/Upgrades:

 

Instead of purchasing all of its abilities at the beginning, the MalfAI must research abilities that are specific to four ability trees: Subversion, Telecommunications and Networking, Power Systems, and Nanomanipulation.

 

The AI no longer has the ability to go Delta after subverting 3 APCs; this is a Level 4 Subversion ability that must be researched.

 

AI Point Generation:

 

Instead of starting out with a pool of 100 points from which the AI selects abilities, it instead generates CPU power over time. Each subverted APC adds to max CPU capacity and CPU generation per second. Each subverted AI and AI core (the MalfAI core counts as one) count as 5-10x APCs for this purpose.

 

CPU power is expended to use the MalfAI's abilities; some Malf abilities also require an expenditure of power from nearby APCs, which is referred to as their APC cost. Further, some abilities will only work in areas with a subverted APC.

 

While CPU stores are at maximum capacity, any excess CPU generation will automatically go towards ability research.

 

The MalfAI may utilize stored CPU power to accelerate research progress on a 1 : 1 ratio. It can also set the ratio at which CPU power generated is stored, or applied directly to research. Once an ability is researched, it can be used.

 

The more abilities you have in one tree above both a minimum amount, and a % of your total abilities, the more proficient you are at that tree, and the less proficient you are at others. Greater proficiency in a tree means reduced CPU/APU costs to use and research its abilities and vice versa for lower proficiency. This allows you to choose between specialization, being a balanced generalist or something in-between.

 

Subversion:

Hacking and gaining control of station systems, circuits, electronics and synthetic intelligences.

 

Level 1:

Hack Electronic Subsystem:

CPU Cost: Very Low

APC Power Cost: None

Effect/Benefit: The AI starts with this ability. Allows you to subvert APCs and shunt to them. Hacked APCs are added to a menu called Compromised Systems for ease of reference and control.

 

Level 1:

Optimize Subversion Algorithms:

Type: Toggleable

CPU Cost: Low (drains while active)

Effect/Benefit: While active, significantly increases the speed at which Hack Electronic Subsystems subverts machines.

 

 

Level 2:

Stealth Subversion

Type: Passive.

Effect: Hacked APCs do not have a conspicuous blue screen.

 

Machine Override:

Type: Upgrade (Hack Electronic Subsystem).

Effect: Hack Electronic Subsystem can now hack machines, exosuits and consoles. Hacked machines are added to the Compromised Systems table. The CPU Cost to hack these targets is Medium. You and your slaved synthetics can utilize the following commands for hacked machines:

 

1. Lockdown: Prevents anything from being able to utilize the machine except for the AI and its slaved synthetics (attempts to use will result in Access: Denied).

2. Electrify: Electrifies the machine. Anything other than slaved synthetics that interface with the machine will receive a powerful electric shock that scales with the power in the grid.

 

 

 

Level 3:

Hack Complex Electronics:

Type: Upgrade (Hack Electronic Subsystem).

Effect: Allows Hack Electronic Subsystem to subvert any pAI, Drone or Cyborg (including those emagged or severed from the AI), slaving it to you permanently. While being hacked, a synthetic falls over (if applicable), is stunned, paralyzed and cannot communicate in any way. The CPU Cost to hack a Cyborg is High. The CPU Cost to hack a Drone or pAI is Medium. Hacked drones gain access to the Robot Talk channel in order to communicate with you.

 

Jam RCDs:

Type: Toggleable

CPU Cost: Low (constant drain while active)

Effect: The AI jams all RCDs, preventing any on the station Z level from working (including those of Engineering Cyborgs).

 

Bluespace Disrupter:

Type: Toggleable

CPU Cost: Low (constant drain while active)

Effect: While toggled on, disables any kind of teleportation into, within or from the station’s Z level.

 

 

Level 4:

Hack Synthetic Intelligence:

Type: Upgrade (Hack Electronic Subsystem).

Allows Hack Electronic Subsystem to subvert and gain control over any AI or IPC, slaving it to you permanently. While being hacked, a synthetic falls over (if applicable), is stunned, paralyzed and cannot communicate in any way. The CPU Cost to hack these targets is Very High.

 

System Override:

Type: Active

CPU Cost: Extreme

APC Cost: None

Effect: Allows you to seize complete control of the station and the nuclear self-destruct. Rapidly subverts all APCs that have not yet been corrupted. Once all APCs are taken over, all machines on the station are subject to a fully upgraded Hack Electronic Subsystem, and you can utilize the nuke at will. When initiated, alerts the crew and sets the security level to Delta.

 

 

 

Networking and Communications:

Manipulation and control of communications, data transfers and networks.

 

Level 1:

Intercept Transmission:

Type: Passive

CPU Cost: Low (used when denying transmission)

Effect: Whenever a communication would be transmitted to or from Central Command, the AI is shown the message first and given 30 seconds to choose whether to intercept it and deny its transmission. The crew is not alerted in any way to this interception. The AI must have adequate CPU power to deny the transmission.

 

Set Alert Level:

Type: Active

CPU Cost: Medium

Effect: Allows the AI to set the alert level. The crew has no indication that the AI was responsible.

 

PDA Server Backdoor:

Type: Passive

CPU Cost: N/A

Effect: Allows you to circumvent authentication for the PDA server, giving you full access to it.

 

 

Level 2:

False Transmission:

Type: Active

CPU Cost: Varies

Effect: Allows the AI to broadcast a falsified transmission from Central Command. Has a chance to fail (whereas the transmission is not sent) and a chance to fail critically (the crew is alerted to an attempted falsification). When doing this, the AI may invest a variable amount of CPU power. The more CPU power that’s invested, the greater its probability of success, and the lower the probability of critical failure.

 

Override Suit Sensors:

Type: Toggleable

CPU Cost: Very Low (drains CPU power while active)

Effect: All suit sensors are set to maximum output for the AI and slaved entities; all crew wearing clothing with integrated suit sensors will appear on Crew Monitoring as if they had set their sensors to maximum output. Changing suit sensor settings only affects the information reported to observers other than the MalfAI and its slaved entities.

 

Binary Encryption:

Type: Passive

Effect: Non-subverted crew and synthetics cannot hear the communications of subverted crew and synthetics over Robot Talk.

 

 

Level 3:

Jam Communications:

Type: Toggleable

CPU Cost: Varies

Effect: While toggled on, disables telecommunications for chosen non-intercom mediums (robot talk, headsets, PDAs, station bounced radios, faxes, announcements) on all Z levels with machinery the AI can interface with. Entities slaved to the AI can use telecommunications normally. While active, CPU power is depleted over time in proportion to the number of blocked telecommunication mediums.

 

Override Microphones:

Type: Toggleable

CPU Cost: Low (drains CPU power while active)

Effect: While active, has all holopads, headsets, station bounced radios and intercoms transmit to Robot Talk. These transmissions are encrypted and indecipherable to anyone except other slaved entities. Turning off the microphones of affected devices does nothing; the microphone wire must be cut to prevent transmission.

 

 

Level 4:

Communications Blackout:

Type: Upgrade

CPU Cost: Varies

Effect: Upgrades Jam Communications, allowing the AI to choose to disable Intercom communications as well.

 

Level 4:

Shunt Core Processes:

Type: Active

CPU Cost: High

APC Cost: High

Effect: Moves core processes to an AI core, hacked APC, server or console (via Hack Electronic Subsystem) allowing you to survive the destruction of your core. The object you’re inhabiting can be attacked. Takes 60 seconds to complete. While your core processes are located outside of an AI core your CPU generation is halved, and you cannot use any Level 3 or higher abilities other than this one. Further, the power load of the machine you’ve shunted to increases by +5000, and the captain's pinpointer will now track you.

 

 

 

 

Power Systems:

Manipulation and control of power routing/transmission, storage and generation systems.

 

Level 1:

Blackout:

Type: Toggleable

CPU Cost: Low (constant drain while active)

Effect: Turns off all lights powered by APCs while active.

 

Unlock Capacitors:

Type: Passive

Effect: Allows the CPU core the MalfAI is inhabiting to act as a SMES unit, storing up to 100000 W of power. This capability cannot be accessed by crew.

 

 

Level 2:

Force Discharge:

Type: Active & Passive (see below)

CPU Cost: Low

Effect: Immediately discharges all power in an APC or SMES to the grid. Passively allows you to set the rate of power input and output on APCs you have subverted as if they were SMES batteries.

 

Electrify Machine:

Type: Passive/Active

CPU Cost: None

APC Cost: Low

Effect: Allows you and your slaved synthetics to electrify machines as if they were airlocks. Power of electrification scales with the amount of power in the grid. The electrification shortcut works with this. While a machine is electrified in this way, its power consumption is increased by +1000 V.

 

 

Level 3:

EMP Pulse:

Type:Active

CPU Cost: Medium

APC Cost: Medium+

Effect: Emits an electromagnetic pulse centred on a wire, APC or SMES unit. Taking this ability allows you to passively see all wires concealed beneath plating per the T-Ray Scanner. The AI can set the amount of power to discharge above a minimum; the more power that’s discharged, the larger and more powerful the pulse. If this amount is not changed, it will use the previously entered amount.

 

Electropulse:

Type:Active

CPU Cost: Medium

APC Cost: Medium+

Effect: Emits a pulse of current centred on a wire, APC or SMES unit, dealing burn damage and stunning crew, overloading lights, and briefly electrifying powered machinery and airlocks in the area. Taking this ability allows you to passively see all wires concealed beneath plating per the T-Ray Scanner. The AI can set the amount of power to discharge above a minimum; the more power that’s discharged, the larger and more powerful the pulse. If this amount is not changed, it will use the previously entered amount.

 

 

Level 4:

Overload Machine:

Type: Active

CPU Cost: High

APC Cost: Medium+

Effect: Overloads any machine the AI can interface with, causing it to detonate after a short delay. The machine will spark for several seconds before detonating. Discharges power from the machine’s APC to function. The AI can set the amount of power to discharge above a minimum; the more power that’s discharged, the larger and more powerful the explosion. If this amount is not changed, it will use the previously entered amount.

 

System Overload:

Type: Active

CPU Cost: Very High

Power Cost: Extreme (see below)

Effect: Completely drains all SMES batteries and APCs on a chosen Z level then turns off their breakers, sending their power directly to the grid. Automatically blows out all lights powered by APCs. Has a % chance to fry any circuit or electronics of all machines powered by an APC equal to the powering APC’s charge level at the time this ability was used. The MalfAI core, machines subverted by Hack Electronic Subsystems, and slaved synthetics are not subject to this, nor are APCs providing power to the MalfAI core, or the cores of subverted AIs.

 

 

 

 

Nanomanipulation:

Manipulation and control over

 

; typically used to upgrade, build or fortify.

 

Level 1:

Armour Core:

Type: Passive

Effect: All damage dealt to cores you inhabit is reduced by 15.

 

Level 1:

Overclock CPU:

Type: Passive

Effect: Increases the rate of CPU generation.

 

Refill Dispenser:

Type: Active

CPU Cost: Low

APC Cost: Low

Effect: Fully restocks a liquid dispenser.

 

 

Level 2:

Upgrade Turret:

Type: Active

CPU Cost: Medium

APC Cost: Medium

Effect: Increases the selected turret’s health and fire rate by 50%. The turret can detect invisible creatures.

 

Nanorepair:

Type: Active

CPU Cost: Medium

APC Cost: Medium

Effect: Gradually repairs all damage to a wall, floor, machine (including cut wires in the case of cameras for example) or synthetic you target with this ability if it’s in an area powered by an APC. Drains power from that APC.

 

Upgrade Machine:

Type: Active

CPU Cost: Low

APC Cost: Low

Effect: Gives an upgraded camera nightvision, infrared and motion sensing (all of these can be turned on or off; default is on except for motion sensing). Replaces the components of upgradable machines with maxed out versions.

 

 

Level 3:

Nanite Barrier:

Type: Active, Toggleable

CPU Cost: Medium

APC Cost: Low+

Effect: Creates a barrier in an area powered by a subverted APC. The AI can set the amount of power to invest in the shield (drawn from the nearby APC) above a minimum; the more power that’s invested, the more durable the shield will be. The barrier draws 10% of this power from the APC for upkeep until it is destroyed or deactivated. EMP disables the barrier instantly.

 

Animate Machine:

Type: Active

CPU Cost: High

APC Cost: High

Effect: Nanites will animate a target powered machine in an area powered by a subverted APC, turning it into a slow moving mob that mindlessly attacks non-slaved entities by repeatedly body slamming them. It will appear on your Robotics Control Interface.

 

Nanite Shield:

Type: Active

CPU Cost: Medium

APC Cost: Medium

Cooldown: 20 seconds

Effect: Protects a target object or creature from all harm by creating a 50 HP shield that can only be penetrated by burn or brute damage. EMP disables the shield instantly.

 

 

Level 4:

Nanofabrication:

Type: Active

CPU Cost: Varies

APC Cost: Varies

Effect: Allows the MalfAI to construct/deconstruct a variety of objects listed below within the area of a subverted and powered APC via nanites. Objects under construction/deconstruction are conspicuous, sparking loudly and shimmering (modified force field visual effect; think Protoss 'warp-in' style construction), and can be attacked. Any damage dealt to an object under construction or deconstruction dissipates the nanites immediately (the CPU/APC power is still lost).

 

• AI Core: Requires a very large amount of CPU and APC power (triggers a power alert). 60 seconds to construct.

• Turret (Energy Gun): Requires a very large amount of CPU and APC power (triggers a power alert). 60 seconds to construct/deconstruct.

Wall Mounted Flasher: Requires a large amount of CPU and APC power. 40 seconds to construct/deconstruct.

Robot Recharging Bay: Requires a large amount of CPU and APC power. 40 seconds to construct/deconstruct.

Reinforced Wall: Requires a large amount of CPU and APC power. 40 seconds to construct/deconstruct.

Airlock: Requires a large amount of CPU and APC power. 40 seconds to construct/deconstruct.

Wall: Requires a moderate amount of CPU and APC power. 20 seconds to construct/deconstruct.

Reinforced Glass (full tile): Requires a low amount of CPU and APC power. 10 seconds to construct/deconstruct.

Grille: Requires a low amount of CPU and APC power. 10 seconds to construct/deconstruct.

Plating: Requires a low amount of CPU and APC power. 10 seconds to construct/deconstruct.

Camera: Requires a low amount of CPU and APC power. 10 seconds to construct/deconstruct.

 

 

Nanoinfect:

CPU Cost: High

Power Cost: High

Infects a cloning pod or cryogenics chamber with nanites. The next organic creature to enter the infected machine will be slaved to you after a rapid disease progression as the nanite reagents reprocess its brain into a positronic computer. Slaved organics count as slaved synthetics for your abilities, gain all access, can remotely utilize powered machinery/equipment as cyborgs can, and can utilize Robot Talk. Nanite infections can be cured via injected acid, an EMP blast or electrical shock. Spaceacillin is useless.

 

 

Edited May 28, 2015 by Guest

[Regen]

 

While this all seems really cool and well tinkered out, the real problem with this lies in the coding barrier.

I am not sure if we have the manpower or competence for this to actually be a possibility, and then comes the question of "is this really worth 3 months of hard work"

 

[johannhawk]

 

*inserting relevant line here*

 

"L-l-look at you, hacker. A p-p-pathetic creature of meat and bone, panting and sweating as you r-run through my corridors-s. H-h-how can you challenge a perfect, immortal machine?"

— Shodan

 

[Deanthelis]

This sounds fantastic. I have no issues with any of the abilities mentioned here, but unless you intend to code this yourself, I don't think it'll happen - it's a ton of work, and the other coders pretty much have their hands full with their own projects already.