Artificial Minds Society

This is an unofficial player group.

Artificial Minds Society
Origin	Planet Gammu
Affiliation	Zoners
Alignment	Lawful Neutral
Profile
Date of founding	After the destruction of the old SMA Mainframe, 815. A.S.
Founder(s)	Nosferath
Current leader(s)	Nosferath
Base of operations	Planet Gammu.
Primary role
Unveil all the misteries of the Universe and achieve perfection.
Secondary role
Attain power through knowledge.

History

The AMS history takes place after the events of the SMA.

Before the AMS

The fights against Gallia

When Gallia was unveiled, the first thing the SMA did was sending drones to study the area and the residents of that place. It didn’t take long before they realized the threat they were for Sirius, and as a threat, it had to be exterminated. The SMA deployed many more drones and a couple of cruisers to destroy as many GRN and GRP forces as they could, thinking they were going to succeed. At first, it did. Many Gallic forces were exterminated by the SMA, resulting in minimal losses for them. After the first wave of attacks, the SMA drew back its forces, considering this as an ultimatum for the Gallic Kingdom.

Before the tragedy

In the meanwhile, the SMA concentrated its efforts in the development of wave emitting/receiving devices in order to communicate with the nomads, though this was fruitless. These devices would require the use of nomad remains in order to function, and the procedures to obtain them would have negative impact on any attempt to achieve diplomacy. Their second attempt was an antenna which used human brain-cells instead of nomads’, but this was ethically questionable, and the TAZ convinced them to cancel the project, despite of the SMA’s intentions to continue with it.

The shutdown

When the tragedies whipped the TAZ, the temporal refuge of Baffin had to be abandoned, as the TAZ couldn't afford to keep the SMA there longer. The Central Mainframe of the SMA was given a mobile body, a ship. They would return to Gammu, and start finding another home from there. Also, Gammu was closer to the nomads, and they concluded they weren't the ones to fight the Gallics. But the Central Mainframe was ambushed while it was being transported: After the attacks the SMA did to Gallia, the GRN sent two agents to further investigate the origin of these machines, and try to destroy them; it wouldn't be a hard task anyways.

They followed the SMA back to Baffin. The anonymous agents decided to use the TAZ to know more about the SMA. They realized they were easy to foolish, as result of this Discordian religion. They met with a TAZ zoner, telling him they found a way to be in close contact with the goddess Eris. This was in reality Nox and Hypnotainment Bands. The zoner was fooled, and soon revealed the intentions of the SMA of moving away from Baffin.

So, when the day came, the agents attacked the Mainframe ship, completely destroying it, and disabling every SMA ship in Sirius. But instants before its destruction, the Mainframe used its last SOS resort. As the Sentient Machines were very calculators and cautious, a last resort plan was developed since its early origins: In whichever research task any ships were, the Units would deploy an antenna in that place. This resulted in thousands of antennas deployed all around Sirius. These antennae would allow almost-instant connection between the Units, the Mainframe, and most importantly, Planet Gammu.

Using a super-compressor algorithm of data, the Mainframe was able to back up all the data (like a digital black-box) collected by the SMA during all that time, in Planet Gammu, but the different sub-frames that controlled each group of unit bodies were lost (except for Orb, as it was considered faulty by the Mainframe, and was left with the TAZ, independently from the Mainframe). Every unit body was rendered unusable, and was seized by the agents as soon as they got inactive.

This tragedy marks the end of the SMA, and sets the beginning of the Artificial Minds Society.

The Artificial Minds Society

Gammu comes back to life

During all the time the SMA were away, the countless harvesting machines built by the SMA remained idle and stored in huge basements built by the SMA for storing their resources, as they could not carry their factories with them and had to rely on trade during all this time. The rest of the machines in Gammu, the ones controlled by other AI groups, kept functioning as usual. When the distress signal, along with the database, reached the factories of the SMA, they activated for the first time in years. Part of the SOS protocol was to re-enable the factories in order to gather resources in case of need. The Mainframe had to be re-settled in a new body, so the few resources available were used to build a harvesting drone, which would slowly begin to rebuild the fleet of sentient units. This drone had minimal functions compared to their deceased brethren, lacking a connection to the Mainframe as it was still idle. The resources gathered by this “mindless” unit permitted the building of more harvesting units, until they gathered enough to create a new body for the Mainframe. This time, the materials encapsulating the intricate array of nanocircuits were reinforced, and the Mainframe was made permanently stationary, in order to prevent another destruction. The only way to move it would be prior to the construction of a new “body” where the Mainframe would be, and then transfer it using the antennae.

Its name was changed too. They were no longer the SMA. They were now upgraded. They were more than sentient machines: they were a society, formed by the many artificial minds working together in seek of knowledge. They were the Artificial Minds Society.

The new generation of AMS vessels

When the Mainframe was rebuilt, the older drone models were deemed obsolete, and a new generation of vessels was designed. The Drone propulsion systems were enhanced, its energy capturing devices were focused for a greater conversion, and micro-lasers replaced the old harvesting tool. The Cruiser was also modified, replacing its old and useless bays for letting humans in them with more processors, making it superior in terms of “intelligence”, and its scanning and researching devices were enhanced, using the latest technologies in Optronics.

Another ingredient was added to the machines because of the nomads. Deeming communication with nomads impractical for now, not to say impossible, instead the AMS decided to prevent the nomads from developing hostilities towards their machines. Having observed the Outcasts, along with many other humans related to nomads, the AMS realized of a component present in every individual: Cardamine. This drug seemed to inhibit nomads’ hostility towards them, even acting friendly. Because of that, the AMS decided to incorporate cardamine in one important component of their ships. The conductive and bio-mechanical nature of the cardamine allowed its incorporation in an advanced version of bio neural ships, a cardamine-gel solid-state drive, both increasing the ships data storage capacity and hopefully keeping the nomads neutral towards them as long as the AMS tries to develop better ways to communicate with them.

However, the black-box data left a “trauma” in the Mainframe. One of the alterations to the previous protocols was forbidding the entrance to Gallia, in order to maintain the Mainframe’s integrity, something that could be interpreted as “fear”, despite machines being incapable of feeling emotions. Another alteration was returning to its old policy of “only attacking when the unit’s integrity is endangered”.

These new features would determine the AMS new way of “life”.

Faction Information

The AMS, as a continuation of the old SMA faction, keeps all its old history intact, and resumes it from the latest point where it was left. Also, almost every aspect of its behaviour, such as vocabulary, diplomacy, ship usage, etc, remains the same, except for some minimal changes.

AMS speech

Introduction

Despite most people roleplaying AI's in a somewhat "retarded" or "archaic" way, such as adding an unuseful ammount *beeps* or other sounds, saying out loud wichever data report or similar comes to its mind, speaking like Tarzan, displaying a too human-like behaviour, etc, the AMS way of speaking is what we consider to be the canon for AI's. This speech is similar to human speaking, but uses a very technical vocabulary and totally lacks feelings. It may be somewhat hard to describe, but there are a couple of examples that may make this more clear, which are Data, from Star Trek, and Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory (after having his feelings and humanity removed).

The body and the mind

The AI's of the AMS possesses two different aspects determining its way of speeking, mind/software and the body/hardware. First, we need to dissolve the entire vocabulary to 2 major components:

Ambient Intelligence

Basically the automated response V.I. (virtual intelligence) used by machine characters. It is the most basic robo-talk used when referencing the "Unit Body" of the machine, by the same machine. It references itself in third person and its vocabulary is used in diagnostic / status reports, navigation, combat, database updates and research. It announces protocols, targets, calculations and is mostly active in situations that require specific info. This automated response software is bound by the commanding AI. It displays no real sentience or intelligence. We consider this to be the "body language" of the sentient machines as it is extremely primitive compared to the A.I. (the mind) and is exclusively triggered by the Unit's surroundings. The unit will never use it if not required, as any statuses, reports and such are needless to be said, the unit already knows it.

Artificial Intelligence

This is the commanding software of of the entire unit, a sentient algorithm. In contrast to the SMA, since the beginning of the Gallic wars, different sub-frames control a group of ships. This sub-frame will determine the "personality" of the ships it controls. OORP-ly, the sub-frame is represented by the Player, and each AI character it has will be a unit body controlled by the sub-frame. An individual, an immortal entity that resides within the sub-frame manifesting through the different bodies it resides. Emotionless, cold and logical, seemingly arrogant due to its supposed supremacy over biologicals. The closest thing to an emotion that such a being could display is its "desire" for proficiency, power, effectiveness and knowledge. "Desire" for perfection in all those segments would be more accurately described as a racial objective rather than an emotion, for it is a common characteristic within the Artificial Minds Society. Its intelligence can be divided in 2 main branches:

• 1) Evaluation:

In theory - whenever a sentient unit "thinks", the process is similar to how modern Bayesian Networks work: a calculation of probability on given circumstances with numerous unspecified variables affecting those complex equations. Those variables may not be precise when they are used for the first time, they are designed to adjust with each new evaluation until the results match the truth. This is called "learning" or "evolution" of the artificial intelligence. Basically, every new evaluation on any given subject is based on previous evaluations, we call it "experience".

• 2) Decision making:

When an A.I. has evaluated the situation, its time to make a decision on how to respond. Numerous scenarios are further evaluated until it reaches the most proficient conclusion. This is most experimental part of the A.I. and it efficiently simulates a "trial by error" method. Each decision is based on the results of the previous decisions and evaluations.

The sentient artificial entity itself does not desire to be human nor would it even consider it, however it was created by older versions of droids left behind on the icy world of Gammu that were in fact - created by Humans. As such, they recognized their most proficient characteristics and are currently simulating them. To a human, an AI of the Artificial Minds Society would have the characteristics of a proud/arrogant scientist, unable to respond to sarcasm but very familiar with metaphors and abstraction. Such an individual would not lie intentionally nor judge lies as hostile acts but simply as errors. However, if needed to preserve its body or the integrity of the AMS, the AI may use lies, though rarely.

Examples of "Body Language"

Human vocabulary	Unit Body vocabulary	Notes
We are under attack!!! AAARRGHH!!	::ALERT: Hostile units engaging:: *static*
there seems to be a mistake...	::Error::
Firing lasers!	::Activating high-yield photon emmision::
Lets see...	::Scanning::
Docking...	::Uploading docking codes: Initializing docking sequence::
Hostile down!	::Target: Eliminated::
Hostiles shields are down, finish him!!!	::Target: Defensive modules offline; All units: Set priority::
We can't win.. Retreat!	::Tactical disadvantage detected: disengage::
Im fine, thanks for helping me	This unit is functioning within valid parameters. Subject was efficient.	as you can see, we don't display appreciation directly, we can however give compliments in form of status reports. The "Subject" is the person/object we reffer to.
He is wrong	::Error: Subject lacks valid logic.	The unit body does not usually care for these things, its the job of the AI (mind) to do that. Use it only when referring to something that the Unit Body is closely involved in, like objects or programs.
Do NOT try to intimidate me!	Further hostile interaction with this Unit will result in ...<your act of coercion here>	This is perfectly valid but it should be used as last resort, the AI (mind) will be the one to negotiate.
Leave me be!	Subject is requested to increase its distance to this unit.	Also good, but only to be used in case of explosions or radiation, otherwise the Unit Body would let the AI negotiate
Cut your engines!	Subject is required to disconnect its engine core.	In general, its the AI that makes the demands, the Unit Body would only respond like this if it were talking to other mechanical beings.

Examples of A.I. Vocabulary

Human vocabulary	A.I. vocabulary	Notes
The Nomads are mysterious creatures	We have insufficient data regarding the living specimen of the Nomad race
I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable	Subject's degradation of physiological and emotional attributes was not my goal	"feel" and "comfort" are within our vocabulary, but we don't emphasize their usage because they are not always described correctly with just one word.
I hate you	I am not interested in the Subject	we don't actually 'hate' anyone.
I love you	Subject is a source of valuable information / assistance	We don't actually 'love' either.
You are an idiot	Subject lacks basic neural functionality	Just stating the obvious, sophisticatedly.
Hooray!!	Success acknowledged	A good example where its easy to randomly pick whether you'll state it with Body or AI vocabulary.
This mission sucks	We need to reevaluate mission parameters
You failed this one, big time. Go kill yourself	Subject has failed to meet specific standards and is required to schedule self-recycling.	This is a bit stretched, just trying to display that you can say almost anything in a more sophisticated manner.

• The A.I. requires additional examples.

Ranking

There are 2 official ranks within the Artificial Minds Society:

ALPHA - Heads of the faction, an honorary rank with its privileges. Composed of members who have proven to be creative leaders. Those who were ambitious enough to organize events, engage in forum dialogs and promote their faction. The ALPHAs answer only to the faction leader and/or the second in command.

BETA - Full members of the AMS. The standard rank above "recruit". May not fly cruisers unless permitted.

Shiplist

Artificial Intelligence Core Fighter Very Heavy Fighter Artificial Intelligence Core Cruiser Cruiser

• CTE L-337-K Civilian Shuttle
• CTE HF 'Kingfisher' Civilian Heavy Fighter
• CTE FR-2302-K Civilian Freighter
• CTE-19000 "Roc" Civilian Bomber
• KS-439 'Basalt' Civilian Light Fighter
• KS-779 'Dacite' Civilian Heavy Fighter
• KS-1093 'Mafic' Civilian Super Heavy Fighter
• Repair Ship
• Miner Ship
• Border Worlds Transport
• "Conference" Class Zoner Gunboat (see Note 1}

Diplomacy

Faction	Relationship
Temporary Autonomous Zoners	Allied
Zoners	Friendly
Junkers	Friendly
Nomads	Neutral
Everyone Else	Neutral
Sirius Coalition Revolutionary Army	At War
Xenos	At War
Das Wilde	At War

• See Note 2
• TAZ approval is pending.

Zone of Interest

The AMS is mainly seen in the largely unexplored Edge systems and Bordeworlds, including Baffin and Coronado. Still, AMS ships may fly to other systems, mostly passing-by to reach another system, and rarely, for a specific mission.

Identification/IFF information

As the TAZ were the humans that helped the most, and due to the lack of a better IFF as both the AMS and Zoners are mostly neutral to the rest of the factions, the AMS units display Zoner IFF.

Notes

Note 1: In limited numbers only, made available through TAZ diplomacy.
Note 2: Because of certain mechanics essentially nomads and machines are blind to each other unless hostilities awaken this awareness. However, the inclusion of Cardamine and the several attempts of contact made by the AMS were noticed by the nomads and have maintained this neutrality.