I Have Created a Race of Robots

Varthikes · Oct 6, 2014

In my current WIP, I have two robot-like races. I call them mechanoids because "robot" doesn't sound right and "android" feels over-used.

Both were created for use in a war--a war that has been long over, but they remain and refuse to be shutdown.

ZARGONS = programmed to attack anything that they regard as a threat. These may or may not make an appearance. I might even delete them altogether, but for now they exist in the background.

ZIRQUIN = programmed to attack anything that does not register as ally, responds to potential threat. These are the main enemy, at least for half the story.

Would it make them too much like the Borg from Star Trek if I had them regenerate in alcoves when they're not doing anything?

They have no organic components. There is no queen leading a collective, though there is a CPU that they can link to, kind of in the same manner as the Replicators in Stargate communicate with each other over vast distances.

I suppose I could find some other way for them to regenerate. Though, what that other way would be, I have no idea.

PeteMC · Oct 7, 2014

How does a machine with no organic components "regenerate". Wouldn't just going to the repair shop make more sense?

stephenf · Oct 7, 2014

Hi
P K Dicks has written loads of stories with robots or replicants in them . Nearly always it's a battle of robots versus humans . If you take the human bit out , I don't see how you could make the story interesting and engaging. If you make the robots more like humans , why bother with the robot tag . Sorry I don't understand your story or how it would work.

KokkieH · Oct 7, 2014

Varthikes said:
I suppose I could find some other way for them to regenerate. Though, what that other way would be, I have no idea.

Two possibilities I can think of: nano-bots that exist inside each robot. When one gets damaged, they activate, replicate and repair. Once repairs are complete, the remaining nano-bots go dormant again until needed. This way they'd be able to self-repair any place, but ideally would have to power down for repairs to take place, giving you a potential vulnerability to exploit.

Another option is to have automated repair-bots at their "base". I'm seeing small and non-AI robots that only perform this one function.

Hope these help, or can inspire some other ideas for you.

Once! · Oct 7, 2014

Some random ideas and questions:

Who calls the robots mechanoids? Do they call themselves this? Or do we call them this? Are there any humans in this story? If I saw a robot coming towards me I would call it a robot unless I had some very good reason to call it something else.

Why do aliens and robots always have to start with the high scoring scrabble letters - Zs, Qs, Xs? Is it just because it sounds exotic? The risk is that it just sounds like a made-up name that the author wants us to think is exotic.

Why would a robot need to regenerate? A cyborg has organic bits which would need some rest. But what does a robot need apart from oil and fuel?

Regenerating in an alcove? Yes, that screams Borg to me.

Robots continuing a war that has ended a long time ago? I think we have seen that one a few times.

My main problem though is that I don't have a feel for what the conflict is. Who is fighting these robots? Any characters?

Is it set in the present day, near future, far future?

The robots are the enemy for half the book. Who is the enemy for the other half?

EMaree · Oct 7, 2014

KokkieH said:
Two possibilities I can think of: nano-bots that exist inside each robot. When one gets damaged, they activate, replicate and repair. Once repairs are complete, the remaining nano-bots go dormant again until needed. This way they'd be able to self-repair any place, but ideally would have to power down for repairs to take place, giving you a potential vulnerability to exploit.

Another option is to have automated repair-bots at their "base". I'm seeing small and non-AI robots that only perform this one function.

Hope these help, or can inspire some other ideas for you.

This is the most logical solution to my eyes. The nanobots would suit a loner, self-sufficient AI personality, while the repair-bots would suit a more social, AI team or tribe.

Varthikes, from looking at your post history you're still writing the early chapters of this story and seem to be "pantsing" it -- hopefully the above questions spur on your ideas, but don't let them knock your confidence in the idea either. Feedback can be a negative force, especially early in a draft.

From another of your posts, it seems like you do have a protagonist character the reader can relate to and some really interesting themes.

JimmyB27 · Oct 7, 2014

Do you mean 'recharge', rather than 'regenerate'?

Varthikes · Oct 7, 2014

JimmyB27 said:
Do you mean 'recharge', rather than 'regenerate'?

Yeah, I guess "recharge" would be a better word.

rwm4768 · Oct 7, 2014

I think recharge would be a better word. Less reminiscent of the Borg (though I do love the Borg). Also, I wouldn't use nanobots, as someone suggested upthread, if you're intending to differentiate them from the Borg as much as possible.

Jack Oskar Larm · Oct 7, 2014

Regarding repair, wouldn't they just repair each other? And, if so, they would have to be organised enough to have suitable materials at hand. Having said that, have you considered allowing the robots to just 'die' because they lack the materials, resources or inclination to repair themselves and each other? I had this 'beautiful' image of 'dead' robots slowly littering the landscape. I mean, they wouldn't care, would they?

Varthikes · Oct 7, 2014

Once! said:
Some random ideas and questions:

Who calls the robots mechanoids? Do they call themselves this? Or do we call them this? Are there any humans in this story? If I saw a robot coming towards me I would call it a robot unless I had some very good reason to call it something else.

The aliens who created them call them mechanoids. The Humans will refer to them as robots when they encounter them.

Why do aliens and robots always have to start with the high scoring scrabble letters - Zs, Qs, Xs? Is it just because it sounds exotic? The risk is that it just sounds like a made-up name that the author wants us to think is exotic.

They don't always. Anyway, Zargon and Zirquin are much better than the names I originally had for them back in my Star Trek fan fiction days--Cloudians and Electrons, respectively.

Why would a robot need to regenerate? A cyborg has organic bits which would need some rest. But what does a robot need apart from oil and fuel?

Is that all your car ever needs?

My main problem though is that I don't have a feel for what the conflict is. Who is fighting these robots? Any characters?

Is it set in the present day, near future, far future?

The robots are the enemy for half the book. Who is the enemy for the other half?

The robots are not the prime focus of the story. The focus is Mankind's first interstellar vessel, the EAS Frontier, which is thrown back and forth through time. They first encounter the robots 1 million years in the past in another galaxy when their creators are making their final stand against them.

Then, the Frontier is thrown back to Earth, further back to 65 million, where they find the crew of an alien ship that disappeared over 30 years before their starting point (2105), stranded on Earth with the infamous meteor incoming. Then, they go forward to Earth in 2310 AD.

By 2310, the robots have reached the Milky Way and spreading like a scourge. They have destroyed Earth with the intention to use the rubble as fuel. The galaxy has united against them and preparations are being made for an all-out attack on their homeworld when the Frontier goes back again, this time to 2131.

In 2131, they meet up with another Earth ship, aboard which the MC's son is serving, who was 5 when the MC left Earth in 2105. Together, they defend a peaceful world against an alien invasion.

Jacob_Wallace · Oct 8, 2014

I don't really think Borg unless they're a growing give mind, which you said they aren't.

Varthikes · Oct 9, 2014

I just realized that my robots might have some similarities with the Cylons from Battlestar Galactica. Not sure, though, since I haven't watched much of either version. But, I'm planning to watch the 1970s version next year, so I'll be sure to pay special attention.

victoriakmartin · Oct 9, 2014

Urg, why you watch the 1970s version of BSG?

But yes, I do agree that you are getting close to the Cylons, though to be fair they really aren't that original a concept since robots have been turning on their creators for ages.

EMaree · Oct 9, 2014

victoriakmartin said:
Urg, why you watch the 1970s version of BSG?

But yes, I do agree that you are getting close to the Cylons, though to be fair they really aren't that original a concept since robots have been turning on their creators for ages.

Mmhm, yeah, if you're going to watch Battlestar Galactica you're better off watching the reboot (available on Netflix and Amazon Instant). Excellent writing, music, effects, and characterisation, plus it's far more inclusive for ethnicities, genders, and sexualities than the original ever was. It's a realistic and believable portrayal of the future.

The original was... pretty derivative. The reboot is spectacular.

Varthikes · Oct 9, 2014

Because, last year, I worked my way through the '50s, watching various movies and TV shows (science fiction and otherwise), this year it was the '60s, next year the '70s.

PeteMC · Oct 10, 2014

Varthikes said:
Because, last year, I worked my way through the '50s, watching various movies and TV shows (science fiction and otherwise), this year it was the '60s, next year the '70s.

It's always good to know where we've been and where things came from but...wow, you've got some crap TV to wade through from '70s & '80s!

Varthikes · Oct 10, 2014

PeteMC said:
It's always good to know where we've been and where things came from but...wow, you've got some crap TV to wade through from '70s & '80s!

I'm finding some good stuff.

Right now, from the '60s, I'm watching Lost in Space, Dragnet, Ironside, Star Trek, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, Hogan's Heroes, and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (though Netflix only has two discs from each of the last two seasons; just as well, I have to admit I was getting a bit tired of the Mutant Monster of the Week routine).

I also watched Flipper, F Troop, The Time Tunnel, Thunderbirds, Stingray, Fireball XL5, McHale's Navy, Mister Ed, and Leave it to Beaver.

I still have Land of the Giants lined up before I finish the decade.

victoriakmartin · Oct 10, 2014

The original Battlestar is definitely NOT on the good list. Maybe so bad/goofy that it is good.

Also, I am pretty sure the new BSG was taken off Netflix at the end of September, or at least that was the plan.

Magnanimoe · Oct 16, 2014

If you're concerned about your work being too close to BG's Cylons, definitely watch the reboot. It really does an excellent job exploring the theme of what it means to be human. The Cylons have sentience and the full range of human emotion. Some even discover religion.

Varthikes · Oct 16, 2014

That doesn't sound anything like what I have in mind for my robots.

victoriakmartin · Oct 17, 2014

The beginning of BSG also starts with the Cylons destroying the 12 Colonies (planets) that humans live on, sending the survivors running for the rest of the four seasons in order to keep the species alive. That sounds like it would resemble your robots more.

Jamesaritchie · Oct 18, 2014

I doubt any robot that advanced would ever need to recharge. This is a problem I have with many robots in SF. It's not too bad when set in the present, but it's too easy to make robots that are powered by uranium, or by something far more advanced.

Whatever such robots use for power, they are not going to need to recharge very often at all, if ever. If they ever do need to recharge, it's going to be a two minute operation.

An advanced race of aliens is not going to create an advanced race of robots that need to plug in or hive up to recharge. To be repaired, maybe, but not to recharge.

thepicpic · Oct 19, 2014

Jamesaritchie said:
I doubt any robot that advanced would ever need to recharge. This is a problem I have with many robots in SF. It's not too bad when set in the present, but it's too easy to make robots that are powered by uranium, or by something far more advanced.

Whatever such robots use for power, they are not going to need to recharge very often at all, if ever. If they ever do need to recharge, it's going to be a two minute operation.

An advanced race of aliens is not going to create an advanced race of robots that need to plug in or hive up to recharge. To be repaired, maybe, but not to recharge.

Agreed. Terminators run on hydrogen fuel cells, I think, with a spare. Good for a couple of centuries and easily replaced.

Honestly, it sounds like you're setting the robots up to be the primary threat and then finishing with some random aliens. By the sounds of it you've got it all planned out so it probably isn't the case, but I can only go on what you've said.

Another thought, though. They're military machines, yes? Built for war? With that in mind, would they really just spend time not doing anything? Presumably, every intact unit would be defending their territory/fleet/whatever, while every damaged unit would be getting repairs. Unless they have those pesky little nanomachines, in which case they can probably handle duties as well.

Varthikes · Oct 22, 2014

Good points.

I Have Created a Race of Robots

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