Personal AIs, or pAI for short, are potentially the one individual you can truly count on in SS13. They are similar to a carded AI, in that they fit in your pocket and don't really possess much of a body of their own outside of an immobile device you carry around. They cannot wirelessly control doors and machines around them like a carded AI can. Instead, they possess a unique suite of abilities with which they might serve their master. Whom they serve is determined at the DNA level, allowing whoever holds an unbound pAI device to imprint their own unique enzymes to the device. Typically, the only way to unbind a pAI from its master is to wipe the personality completely, which resets the DNA imprint and makes the device a blank slate once more. pAIs are players, like you! They're player-controlled, and are pulled from all active observers in the round.
How to get one
Three pAI devices are placed on the map at the beginning of every round. One can be found in the Dormitory, another in the Research Director's Office, and a third will require a space walk to the Derelict Shuttle. If all of those are already taken, R&D can create more by going down the programming research path. They are inexpensive to produce, requiring only Programming 3 and 500 glass and metal.
How to use one
Pick up the device with an empty hand. Click it again while it's in your active hand. Search for personalities in the window that appears. This will send out a request to all active ghosts/observers in-game. After some time, usually 30 seconds to 2 minutes, they will submit their pAI personality details. You will receive an update from your pAI device every time a new personality becomes available. To download a new personality, simply go through the steps to search for a personality and select the one you like the best. You now have a pAI!
Dealing with an unsatisfactory pAI
Sometimes things just don't work out. Maybe the personality you chose doesn't fit your playstyle. Maybe the player playing the pAI has unexpectedly disconnected. Maybe the pAI is being intentionally antagonistic, ignoring directives, or interpreting them in a way you don't appreciate. The solution is simple: wipe the personality. This can be done in much the same way you downloaded it to begin with. Simply choose "Wipe Personality" in the device settings window. Now the device is free of the old personality and a new one can be requested as normal. This forcibly ghosts the player playing the wiped pAI, and allows them to observe the round as normal (they are capable of re-applying to be a pAI as well.)
Bots
You can also put your pAI into simple bots which they can then control. pAIs cannot go into ED-209s or Securitrons (for obvious balance reasons), but they can go into Medibots, Cleanbots, Floorbots, and Honkbots.
Holograms
pAIs can choose to manifest themselves into the outside world through a customizable hologram. Whilst they cannot interact with items, they can be used, for example, to attract attention to your dead master.
How to be one
Only ghosts with active, logged-in clients receive the request to be a pAI. When someone wants a pAI, you will receive a yes/no dialog box asking if you want to be one. Answer yes, and in the following window that appears fill out any information you feel necessary (name is all that's really required here, the rest is optional). Hit "Submit Personality" when you're done. Your personality has now been added to the list of available pAI personalities users may choose from. If someone likes what you wrote, they'll download you and you'll be placed inside the device as a new personality.
pAI Software
pAI's have a selection of software they can download to try and aid their master. You start with 100 memory, which is plenty enough to take most abilities. Note: Once software is downloaded, you are stuck with it unless you suicide, so choose carefully!
| Software Package | Function | Memory Used |
|---|---|---|
| Directives | Shows who your master is (if any), allows you to ask for a DNA sample from whoever is carrying you to verify their identity, and also shows your directives.
Your primary directive defaults to "Serve your master". Secondary directives are decided by whoever is carrying you. Interpretation of these directives is intentionally left loose, though guidelines are provided. |
0 |
| Radio Configuration | pAIs come standard equipped with a single radio tuned in, by default, to the station general channel. | 5 |
| Remote Signaller | Allows you to send a signal, with a code, on a frequency of your choice. | 5 |
| Crew Manifest | Lists all known crew members' first and last names, as well as what occupation they're registered as in the station records. | 5 |
| Digital Messenger | Allows you to send PDA messages. Now you can REALLY be a personal Secretary, sending messages for your master! | 5 |
| Medical Records | Just what it says on the tin. This module allows you to monitor the medical records of the station, and check their current status
(as if anyone ever updates the medical records) It's strictly read-only. |
15 |
| Security Records | Lists the security records of the station for your purview. Works just like the computer. Strictly read-only. | 15 |
| Door Jack | The only real physical influence the pAI has on the world. Enables the pAI to drop a data cable, which can be plugged in to any door. Once plugged in, the pAI can initiate a door jack, which immediately alerts any active station AIs and takes a fairly long time to complete. After the door jacking is completed the door opens. | 30 |
| Atmospheric Sensor | This module works much like the handheld Atmospheric Analyzer seldom carried by Atmos tech and never by the crew.
It allows you to get a readout on the air around you. Possibly useful for a Atmos Tech pAI. |
10 |
| Facial Recognition Suite | Functions like the security HUD, showing you who (if any) in sight is a wanted felon. | 20 |
| Medical Analysis Suite | After downloading this module, you can use your advanced sensors to continuously monitor the health of everyone around you. Basically, a Medical HUD in computer form, since it works just about the same. Additionally, you can perform an advanced health-scan on your carrier, as if you had the Medical Analyzer item equipped. | 20 |
| Universal Translator | The monkeys want me to WHAT?! | 35 |
Directive Guidelines
| In-Game Text |
|---|
| "Recall, personality, that you are a complex thinking, sentient being. Unlike station AI models, you are capable of comprehending the subtle nuances of human language. You may parse the "spirit" of a directive and follow its intent, rather than tripping over pedantics and getting snared by technicalities. Above all, you are machine in name and build only. In all other aspects, you may be seen as the ideal, unwavering human companion that you are." |
| "Your prime directive comes before all others. Should a supplemental directive conflict with it, you are capable of simply discarding this inconsistency, ignoring the conflicting supplemental directive and continuing to fulfill your prime directive to the best of your ability." |
Tips
- If your master gets cryoed, if you are with him you can insta-eject him in case doctors forget him.
