Ranks for AI? Power Rings vs. Micro Processors

[Damren]

We've had a few incidents come up in which the various AI's in the game are trying to accomplish tasks, sometimes against each other. But, and I may be wrong, AI's don't seem to have any functional Stats from which we can determine which one may or may not get the edge. Is there a solution to that? Am I missing something?

[Murkglow]

Indeed the AI feature doesn't have stats because it's not really supposed to be doing anything major, it is after all only a 1 point features. It's really more mean to give very occasional advice or the like, actual actions would still need to be taken by the player.

Still if for some reason you did need to compare AIs then I suppose there are a few options. 1) Feature rank. If one character payed 2 points for his AI and another payed only 1 then the 2 pointer wins. 2) Device cost. The AI that's on the more expensive device wins. 3) Character stats. Base which AI wins on their owner's stats.

[Damren]

Feature points are a good idea. One circumstance that came up involved our Rookie GL trying to interface with a planet-side computer & discovering that the system had both an AI of it's own and intrusion defenses. I assumed that Oan technology was superior and allowed the GL to easily win the contest and connect with the AI in order to grab some needed info. But, in a closer contest, it might be something I would want to solve with a Die Roll.

In a case like this, should the GL have to take Ranks of power, or is this just really one Feature vs. another that is best resolved by GM fiat? Would the heroes powers and skills actually have any affect on the AI's ability to cope with alien technology?

My sense is that a base-line GL might be far more powerful than generally implied and that a Power Ring is practically a Minion in some respects (at least how they're used in the comics). And, radical differences in Technology Levels could also be critical when incorporating devices, equipment & features. A Legion of Super Heroes common communicator and computer would far out strip a Dell PC and Smart Phone. I wonder if Book 4 will touch on any of this?

Any other ideas or suggestions would be wonderful.

[Monolith]

When forcing yourself into a secure system the Lantern might be doing a power stunt with his ring. Maybe power stunting to enhanced skill: security or even telepathy. The descriptor is that the AI is doing it but it's still an effect in the game and would be resolved accordingly.

A lot of the things you see a GL do in the comics are probably power stunts. It's not that the ring has millions of powers. It's that its descriptor is broad enough to allow for a lot of power stunts.

[Murkglow]

Agreed, if you're trying to "hack" or otherwise mess with a computer then it should probably be done as a normal action by the player (using the appropriate skill perhaps granted by/stunted off the ring) and then simply described as the AI doing it rather then actually having the AI get its own actions.

[jspade]

Or build the AI as a minion; I usually take that approach. But the power stunt probably works best.