I'm eager to hear about progress in development, and right now I'm contemplating what the Process Playbook will look like. In the meantime, I'm getting a little impatient and homebrewing my own. If you're reading this Mr. Simon, feel free to steal anything for the official version. I'm happy to listen to constructive criticism.
Step 1: State your Designation. Process usually have a serial number for their designation or a User-determined name. Those who reach self-awareness will often use a nickname that is abbreviated or otherwise reminiscent of their original designation. "One" is particularly common among those determined to assert their individuality, much to each other's frustrations.
Step 2: Remember your Programming. Process are always created with a purpose in mind and have personality programs that facilitate their role. Whether you're serving your function or rebelling against your Admin-given purpose, your programming will still influence how you see World.
Examples: Bureaucratic, Efficient, Friendly, Perfectionist, Sycophant, Unobtrusive
Step 3: Declare your Purpose. Choose one of the following, representing what you were compiled to do:
- Chatter: +1 Echo, +1 Link
- Router: +1 Goto, +1 Link
- Striker: +1 Buffer, +1 Crash
- Tracer: +1 Find, +1 Mask
Step 4: Assign 3 Function Dots. You can have no more than 2 dots in any function at the end of this step. Consider adding one to a function that represents your Programming, and one to something representative of your Purpose.
Step 5: Choose a second Special Ability and Loadout. All Process start with Part of the System. Choose an additional ability from the following list:
- *Part of the System: You cannot accept Daemon's Bargains. Whenever you earn a User's gratitude, clear 1 stress. Other playbooks may not use abilities from this playbook.
- Specialized Software: Pick a specialization within your Purpose. You may spend 1 memory to resist damage or another consequence from performing your specialty, or to push yourself in a feat related to that specialty.
- Beneath Suspicion: ???
- Made to Order: ???
- Help Function: You are an expert at meeting User needs. Twice per score, you may assist an allied User without spending stress.
- Neural Network: You gain +1 Potency in group actions involving similar Process.
- Standard Procedures: Once per Score, you may reroll a controlled action.
- Faceless Masses: You gain +1d to Echo and Mask function rolls to blend in with crowds of Process.
- Veteran: Pick a Special Ability from a User playbook. You may choose this option twice.
Pick 4 boxes worth of items from this list:
- Redundant Code: Your avatar contains backup subroutines that mitigate damage by replacing or rebooting body parts that experience errors. (2 Boxes, +1 Armor)
- Copy/Paste Face: You blend into crowds or the background more easily thanks to your open source appearance. (1 Box)
- Maintenance Credentials: You are clear to access various behind-the-scene work areas not meant for Users. (2 Boxes)
- Model G Spark Mag: Wildly innacurate, but its repeater subroutines make it good for suppressive fire. You may wish to spend MEM on Ammo to Spare, though.
- ???
- ???
Open Source Code
Process operate differently from users in terms of stress, harm, and deresolution. They possess a Warranty trait that potentially decreases each time their harm is patched by licensed facilities. When Warranty reaches zero, the Process is retired, and their MEM is reallocated. Player Character Process and Users who get attached to individual Processes often rely on illicit facilities to do repairs. Extended Warranty can be purchased at one Coin per point of Warranty.
Visiting a licensed patch facility for more than Level 1 Harm necessitates a roll, starting at 1d, modified by circumstances.
1-3: Your harm is covered under standard wear and tear policies or is easy to fix.
4/5: Reduce Warranty by 1.
6: Reduce Warranty by 1. Additionally, specialized work is needed to get you back up to code, costing 1 Coin in parts and labor. Failure to make these repairs adds +2d to your next licensed patch roll.
Crit: You voided your warranty and are marked for retirement. You must escape the facility or accept your fate.
Visiting an illicit patch facility carries other risks, such as shoddy repairs, behavioral tics, voiding your warranty if the illegal repairs are discovered, or being given the chop shop treatment and sold as parts.
Process Stress
Instead of derezzing at maximum stress, Process lose access to some of their functions. Roll 1d to determine which:
1-2: Computation compromised: You automatically fail at Find, Ping, and Restore functions as your logic subroutines become stuck pondering paradoxes, contradictory directives, and performing recursive diagnostics.
3-4: Resolution compromised: You automatically fail at Mask, Echo, and Link functions as your directives lead you to laser focus on the tasks at hand, unable to predict or understand the actions of other entities.
5-6: Stability compromised: You automatically fail at Buffer, Crash, and Goto functions as your avatar seizes up.
In this state, a successful Restore function roll by another being may clear 1 point of stress. The Crash function may also be used, but will instead convert stress into Harm.
Process Harm
Process experience harm levels 1 to 3 the same way as Users. Process with Level 4 Harm are derezzed and put into the nearest licensed patch facility to be reconstructed.
Playbook Experience:
At the end of each session mark 1 XP if an item below applies or 2 XP if that item was met multiple times.
- You addressed a challenge by acting beyond your established abilities.
- You expressed or actively defied your programming or purpose.
- You struggled with issues of agency, individuality, or your relationship with Users.