Virtual Intelligence

A virtual intelligence (or VI) is an extraordinarily sophisticated programmed entity that replicates the social pleasantries of an artificial personality (Core Rulebook 216) yet lacks the soul and true free will of an android or sentient robotic organism. When installed in a starship, a VI can monitor the vessel’s status, contribute as an officer, and more. Each VI has a tier that determines its modifiers for Computers, Piloting, and gunnery checks; a VI’s tier cannot exceed the starship’s tier.

Once installed and integrated into a starship’s system, the virtual intelligence has access to all technological aspects of the starship. Unless specified otherwise by a starship administrator (such as an officer), the VI has unrestricted access to the starship’s computer systems and can access any of these systems. The VI always knows the starship’s status, including its current HP, SP, and critical damage conditions. With administrator permission, the virtual intelligence can even assume the gunner, pilot, or science officer role during a starship combat encounter; the VI has a number of skill ranks and an effective level equal to its tier for all starship combat purposes, such as determining the starship’s AC and TL if the VI acts as its pilot. A starship’s VI cannot normally pilot vehicles or access computers that aren’t directly connected to its starship’s network.