Talinz programming

How does a Talinz learn?

The operating system of the Talinz unit is TALONOS. This is specific to the Talinz, and incorporates a basic set of principles to facilitate useful and easy interaction with the unit. Central to this is the protection of important files within the system core, making it remarkably difficult for a casual user to accidently delete or modify the experiences or personality of their unit. The system core is made of two types of files: personality files, and experience files. Most units come pre-set with both of these, suitable to their job type. Whilst in industrial models, personality files are often neglected, as many companies prefer efficient, loyal, if somewhat bland and uncreative units within their workforce, in personal models picking the personality of your new Talinz ‘partner’ is often considered quite a difficult task. Some social media sites now offer the ability to allow the Talinz unit to analyse all of your interaction with the site for a set period, and formulate a ‘perfect match’ based on the kind of relationship you specify you desire with the unit. Others might use a similar technique, or external documents, to model themselves on people that you know, or historical and fictional figures. Basic units often have a series of personality ‘options’, selectable from a drop down list, that form a simple interacting surface which is then built upon post-activation.

From first activation, a Talinz immediately begins storing perceived data on the surrounding world in huge log files, known as ‘experience files’, partitioned by input device and collated and compared based on time stamp value. This information can then be used for either imitation or emulation, and the unit frequently finds ways to perform observed behaviour in a more efficient manner. Multiple experience files can be opened and concatenated or synthesised to perform complex tasks and learn from past experience, rather than merely viewing time as a series of isolated events. Key to the intelligence of the TALONOS are facilities that allow the unit to associate experience files with new personality files, causing adaptation to the local environment and development of a true ‘character’ over a period of time.

In addition to this, libraries of previously gathered and isolated ‘experience files’ are in existence. These files can be used to teach a basic set of skills and principles to a unit before deployment. Domicile servants, for example, are often loaded with a series of files containing information on local social etiquette and housework duties, whereas combat robots might be preloaded with reflexive memory files allowing them to perform a specific style of martial art. Some of these files are commonly purchasable, whilst others might be more expensive, and some are free. Creating these libraries can be difficult, as it involves separating the sensory log input data from the associated personality files, which if not done correctly, could partially ‘infect’ the new user with the original unit’s personality. This kind of poorly separated data is known as ‘kookware’, owing to the personality quirks it can cause a unit to develop. If a Talinz has downloaded ‘kookware’, it is considered common practise to reset the experience files, along with all associated personality files, to a system restore point before the kookware was obtained.

Three years ago, a series of heists were performed by Talinz units who had downloaded the same, particularly malicious, kookware. The units appeared to show none of the normal personality quirks associated with this kind of broken software, until a system over-ride placed another personality in control. The infected frames broadcast their location to each other, gathered in small lots, and executed a series of robberies on banks in the local area using weaponry cached at a location held within the experience files of the program. After the money was stashed at a different disclosed location, the kookware instructed the units to return to their normal lives, at which point it released control, deleted itself and rebooted all the units to the restore point two days prior to the download. The hacker was never caught, the money never found, and the frames claim they possess no knowledge of the events. If they do, it was buried hard enough that police analysts couldn't find it.

Licensing and legal stuff

What about your licensing and legal stuff?

Well, thats a very good question. The Talinz Project, like its parent Fate, is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license below!


The Talinz Project by James Fleming is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
In addition, this work is based on Fate Core System and Fate Accelerated Edition (found at http://www.faterpg.com/), products of Evil Hat Productions, LLC, developed, authored, and edited by Leonard Balsera, Brian Engard, Jeremy Keller, Ryan Macklin, Mike Olson, Clark Valentine, Amanda Valentine, Fred Hicks, and Rob Donoghue, and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).

It is a pretty great game, and if you haven't looked into it much yet, you really should. It is also worth looking around a lot of the hacks, settings and alterations that exist to the ruleset, as some really change the playing experience. I know a few people who have had poor times with their first exposure to Fate through a very derived version of it, that have loved Core, and vice versa.

Third, it is really worth noting that neither myself nor the Talinz Project is endorsed by Evil Hat or Fate in any way.

Kulgarv Heavy Industries

Kulgarv Heavy Industries, based in Gotland, is the primary manufacturer of robotics for agricultural purposes. The corporation was originally a joint economic venture between the Swedish and German governments, with the goal of fertilising and maintaining a chain of artificial islands in the Baltic Sea with minimal human workforce. They quickly expanded into more general agrarian commerce.

The first president, Otto Fassbinder, was previously a German Talinz engineer instrumental in the design of the first generation sports models. Somewhat disillusioned by the cynical motivations of his managers, whom he accused of ‘taking the easy way out’ by trying to placate the populace with sport rather than good work, he laid out the plans for Kulgarv. It was simple: Affordable, robust Talinz units to feed the people of a world in recovery. The German government leapt on it, and the Swedes were only too happy to help provide the land for construction and testing, in exchange for profit and credit. As one of the first post-treaty companies, Kulgarv expanded rapidly, snapping up government grants and subsidies wherever it could to try and ensure that the Talinz name was not sullied by its military technology.

Ironically, considering its foundations, Kulgarv became one of the most popular brands for the early post-treaty amateur fighting leagues. The affordable chassis and easily weaponisable nature of many agricultural tools made them easy to repair and replace, perfect for an enthusiastic fan with little to spend on a new hobby.

In the present day, the company is run by the great grandson of Otto, Paul. A middle aged revolutionary, Paul radically changed the company after his father’s death. His first act as president was to move against the board of directors and commission the first sports-class Kulgarv frame. His second was to begin very publically donating to Talinz equal rights groups. The media exploded with debate overnight. Was Kulgarv changing its ‘no fun’ public face? What was all this support about? Who was Paul seen with last night? Who were the board of directors grimacing at?

Following up on the media capital, Kulgarv Heavy Industries gifted their first frame, Sanshin, to a young Korean pilot, Park Min-Jun. Only a boy at the time, he had excelled in high school and university championships with club owned machines, and was rapidly making a name for himself as ‘The boy that cared about his Talinz’. Kulgarv became ‘The Company that Cares’ almost overnight. The controversy fuelled business. Some remain suspicious of Fassbinder’s motives, whilst others simply disagree with his public opinions. Rumblings have been heard from Kulgarv head offices that he has been trying to introduce some sort of adoption assessment to ensure his frames go to a good home… How much is rumour has yet to be ascertained…

Character Profiles

Below I have included the character profiles for Otto, Paul, Sanshin and Min-Jun. With Paul in particular, I have also included an extra cynical version, for those who fancied making him a bit grimmer or manipulative. All the NPCs have a high concept and another aspect, a set of skills, and one stunt, but feel free to expand them beyond that skeleton if you want, and indeed, tell me how you made those profiles bigger in your games, I’m intrigued.

Otto Fassbinder, founder of Kulgarv Heavy Industries
High Concept: Devoted Humanitarian Engineer
Aspect: Haunted by the War
Skills: Great (+4) Robotics Engineer, Good (+3) Commerce, Fair (+2) Medicine, Average (+1) Demolitions
Stunts: Overflowing enthusiasm: When Otto Fassbinder attempts to convince someone of the importance of his work, his outpouring of knowledge can be baffling and somewhat blinding to another individual. He may use his skill as a Robotics Engineer instead of a relevant social skill.

Paul Fassbinder, president of Kulgarv Heavy Industries (Extra cynical version after the slash)
High Concept: Concerned Businessman/ Masterful Market Reader
Aspect: Renowned Philanthropist/ Eyes and ears everywhere  
Skills: Great (+4) Commerce, Good (+3) Charm, Fair (+2) Wealthy, Average (+1) Empathy
Stunts: Play to the camera: Paul has been blessed with an unparalleled ability to twist the modern media around his finger. +2 to charm during a situation in which the media’s eyes are on him.

Park Min-Jun, Pilot prodigy
High Concept: Socially-minded Robot Pilot
Aspect: Sanshin’s best friend  
Skills: Great (+4) Public Speaker, Good (+3) Athlete, Fair (+2) Education, Average (+1) Politics
Stunts: Expert on Talinz: Park Min-Jun knows all there is to know about the history of the Talinz units, and the in-depth working of their AI systems. He gains a +2 bonus to any Education rolls made about Talinz.

Sanshin, Park Min Jun’s partner
High Concept: The first Kulgarv Sports frame
Aspect: Bulk is Brawn
Skills: Great (+4) Robust construction, Good (+3) Firearms, Fair (+2) Fighting, Average (+1) Athletics
Stunts: High Quality Alloy: Sanshin is the newest, heftiest breed of Talinz yet, his armour built to shrug off all but the heaviest weaponry like it was nothing. Sanshin can use Robust Construction to defend against firearms, but always takes 1 shift of stress on a tie (As per Take the Blow, in the FATE SRD)

The History of the Talinz Units

Originally the Talos project, after the Guardian of Rhodes, research began in the mid 21^st Century as a simple robotics project in a laboratory in Patras. Funded by the UN Development commission, the project was an attempt at moving Artificial Intelligences into disaster areas that might be too dangerous for human recovery workers. A range of modular parts, compatible with a series of different chassis, would allow for interchangeable equipment suited to the situation at hand.

The first successful deployment of a squadron of Talos was in 2073, at an earthquake zone in Turkey. The ability to deploy into unstable buildings was estimated to have saved countless additional lives. The UN deemed the project a resounding success, released the blueprints as open access without patent and offered financial incentives and subsidies for the construction of new models primed for disaster relief. In the process, the units were rebranded as ‘Talinz’ by the marketing division as part of a ploy to make the project seem more ‘sci fi’ and appealing to investors.

Within five years, 12 separate governments had developed military applications for the technology. Interchangeable modular equipment had allowed Talinz-specific weaponry to be developed under the cover of humanitarian chassis. In the background, corporations had begun working out specifications to produce military parts on an industrial scale. Talinz were the perfect soldier. More able than a human, and certainly less politically volatile, yet more intelligent than a drone, and with the possibility of remote piloting in situations that might have required more subtlety and tact, they rapidly became the cheap, clean, ‘safe’ face of warfare. The world became lax. Invasions could be launched and operated entirely from massive control rooms, with little ‘human’ cost. Or so they said. Civilians would still be caught in the fighting, crops would still be burnt, buildings still bombed and razed, livelihoods still destroyed. Location and ‘termination’ of control rooms became standard, either after a country’s forces were exhausted, or through military espionage.

The weapons used to fight the war changed, but war never does.

As usual, it took a tragedy to make humanity momentarily see sense. An unheard amount of Talinz units were deployed in a land war against a country with neither the resources nor the infrastructure to supply more than ten of their own. The loss of life was immense. The destruction was utter. All casualties were taken only by one side. The world finally woke up to see what they had created. The Baku treaty 2125, signed on neutral ground, ended the war and outlawed further use of non-human intelligences in warfare.

The demilitarisation of Talinz units led to a growth industry in their usage for other sectors. Many companies that originally supplied weapon-ready units began experimenting with frames specialised for agriculture, heavy industry or domicile servants. Some companies even returned to making the disaster relief frames they had originally intended to make. New companies grew out of the ashes of those that couldn’t adapt. Some rebranded and tried to make the public forget about their past.

Soldiers who had piloted Talinz before the treaty found themselves without jobs, and were taken in by the manufacturers. They had a plan to reform the public image of the robots through sport, and increase their profits in the process. Talinz fighting was born. It was pushed hard at first, but a saddened populace, many of whom had never truly interacted with a unit beyond pictures in the news, was entranced. New models were designed specifically to not look like the boring, practical military models, instead taking on the appearance of fearsome mythical beasts. Pilots became famous aces, touted in the media. The whole plan worked spectacularly. People stopped associating the bright, happy automatons on the screen, joking with their pilots, with the deathly military robots that stalked the general consciousness.

In the modern day, the spectre of war over the Talinz has all but disappeared. Now the debate is focused on work. Whilst Talinz frames doubtless perform a majority of the work in Talinz fighting, they receive none of the pay. Similarly, industrial, agricultural and domicile frames are used as machines and treated as property, unpaid, despite now making up a hefty proportion of the base for these industry sectors. Talinz are not allowed to vote, own property, and are terminated if they lack an owner. Civil rights groups composed of humans and ‘liberated’ Talinz units have lobbied governments for equal rights for sentient AI. Some Talinz pilots have rallied to the cause and are trying to shift public opinion also, but no governments have yet acceded to the demands of these individual.

On the other hand, ‘anti-Talinz’ political factions have formed. Appealing to members of the disenfranchised working class, these groups claim that Talinz units have stolen jobs from humans. The vast increase in unpaid labour, they argue, has outcompeted humans to an unprecedented degree. Some have joined forces with equal rights groups: they reason that the problems might resolve if the Talinz can be taxed and paid like humans. Others argue for the complete termination of the Talinz, or the banning of units from certain sectors.

What is a Talinz Unit?

A Talinz unit is any robot using a Talinz-spec artificial intelligence possessing the capability for interface with other Talinz parts. Ranges of basic frames are available, from wheeled automatons through to beast-like or humanoid chassis. Even some immobile types of ‘platform’ Talinz exist, and are generally used in heavy industry to help build cars or crush hard rock.

Whilst the Talinz is an independent AI unit, and is perfectly capable of behaving in what some might consider a sentient manner, options for piloting are standard. Such an action requires an ‘interface module’, a small helmet that must be placed on the pilot’s head, and then plugged into a larger remote transmitter. The range on these transmitters can be global, but most sports prefer the pilots to be in the same room, in order to give the audience a figure to identify with. When interfaced with a Talinz unit, the human’s senses, strength and reaction speed are replaced with those of the robot. Additional advice from the Talinz-spec AI is available (with an optional mute function in many operating systems) and often utilised effectively to supply information on ballistic calculations, pressure gauges, rad levels and similar. As such, many experienced Talinz pilots consider their frame to be a partner and friend, rather than a machine.

A Talinz unit is made up of a series of modular parts that are classified below. Many non-sport units will never change parts for the duration of their lifespan. Within Talinz fighting, it is generally legal to change parts before and after a match, but not during. Load outs of opponents are revealed simultaneously at the beginning of the fight, and a whole betting industry has developed around trying to predict what parts a particular pilot might choose to use each week. Certain leagues might choose to ban particular kinds of parts, or limit their usage.

Talinz Parts

Chassis: The chassis of a Talinz makes up the base of the unit. The AI core (The ‘brain’ of the unit) is contained here, often in the well-protected centre of the part. It also contains attachment points for additional parts, though the amount of points can vary massively. In most models, the chassis resembles a head and body without limbs, although headless units do exist.

Mobility: In layman’s terms, these are legs, but this part of the unit can actually contain repulsors, jets, propellers or wings. Whilst many of the most popular Talinz are bipedal, this is largely due to how little it taxes the neural interface of the pilot. It can be difficult to remember that you can fly, or have four legs, and those who are proficient at commanding these frames are often highly regarded.

Manipulation: In layman’s terms, these are arms, but this part refers to anything that could feasibly attach to the ‘shoulder’ point on the chassis, from in-built arm weaponry or working tools through to grasping claws or pincers, in addition to the more dextrous hands.

Sensor: A basic sensory module pack normally contains attachments for vision, hearing, and pressure, as well as a speaker set to allow the unit to communicate with the outside world. More advanced or specialised packs are available for olfaction or radiation level detection, along with similar ‘niche’ senses. Language packs for the speaker set are additional, cheap downloads. Without such modules, a pilot would be deprived of those senses on entering the neural uplink, with them, he can find his senses amplified above human norms.

Skin: The skin of a Talinz refers to any kind of covering. Some domicile models attempt to look as human as possible, with skin or clothing textured synthetic materials overlaying the rest of the unit whilst sports units range from similar light materials (Generally optimised for speed), through to hard heavy armour. 

Mechanics: Building a Talinz

Before you begin building a Talinz unit, discuss in the group the unit’s role in the story. If all players are in possession of Talinz units, then every player effectively has two PCs, one generated as humans under normal Fate core rules, and another generated under the slightly modified Talinz rules. Players then might want to consider whether they would prefer playing their Talinz units as their primary PC, or the human pilot.

If you want to have joint possession of a single unit, build a unit together as if it were an additional PC, and then hand that sheet to the pilot whenever they choose to pilot.

Creating a Talinz unit is a little different. The modular nature of a Talinz unit means that whilst its core remains the same, many of its physical attributes might change. When discussing Aspects, Skills and Stunts with the group, attach a part to all of them.Its OK if some things don't have anything attached to them. It just means they are mediocre parts.

---A single part may at maximum contribute: One aspect, as many skills as the players’ desire to a maximum bonus of +2 and any number of stunts provided they are attached to the skills provided by the part.---

The exception is the chassis, which has no limits on the number of aspects it may contain.

Some skills will have more than one part that contributes to them(For example, Fight might be due to a combination of arm weaponry parts(arm) and a library of fighting styles contained within the AI core(Chassis)). Social or perceptive skills might be a combination of Sensor and Chassis parts, representing a pleasing voice or the ability to notice and analyse others in the area, along with the analytical core to process such information. 

Example:
The party's Talinz unit, affectionately named 'Timp', has a fight value of +4. +2 is contributed from his AI core (Chassis part) that has trained him in many ancient martial arts styles, all of which become immediately accessible to himself or to anyone interfaced with him, and also gives him the aspect (Disciple of a Thousand Sword Styles). His finely crafted sword-arm (Arm part) also provides a +2 Fight, and they have decided that they really want this to be Timp's niche, so give the sword-arm a stunt (Swordmaster: You gain a +2 bonus when attempting to create an advantage by disarming a foe)

A Talinz unit is still limited by the same skill pyramid (and later columns) as a human character in Fate. In cases where parts might stack in such a way as to exceed the column or pyramid, the bonus defaults to the highest it could possibly be within the column or pyramid, allowing it to be ‘unlocked’ later.

It is expected that during the course of play, a Talinz unit might pick up a library of parts. A part created in a vacuum obeys all the same rules as one at character creation. These parts can be switched at any Milestone, with the exception of the chassis, which always remains the same.

New parts can act instead of advancement, but a GM wishing to have a game that focuses less on obtaining new equipment might choose to advance a Talinz as normal human PCs. In this case, advancements in skills are applied to the AI core, and thereby the chassis.

When a Talinz is being piloted, it loses its own High Concept and Trouble, and gains that of the pilot. Otherwise, all else remains the same.